There Are Pilots, And There Are Pilots
Posted on Mon Dec 9th, 2024 @ 8:41pm by Lieutenant Alisha Reno & Lieutenant JG Mia ‘Banshee’ Amaro & Lieutenant Karen Kujo 'Union Jane'
1,395 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Captains and Contraband
Location: Flight Deck Ready Room
Timeline: En Route to Rheuys System
This was it. Alisha adjusted the blue starfighter command uniform again as she looked in the mirror of the pilot's briefing room next to the hanger. The change was official and she was no longer a member of Starfleet Intelligence and that aching void needed filling somehow. She'd been an actress, still was apparently and a slight smile crossed her face as she'd opened the package from Haruto Yamashita with his message of apology and hopes that this wouldn't turn her away from at least cameos in other upcoming movies. He had been horrified about what had happened and the program he'd sent along, well... That would be a surprise for Jane at the right time.
But. New job, new responsibilities and she glanced at the chrono: 1000. There was a schedule posted on the wall that announced a daily departmental meeting at 0900, but she'd been here since before then, just waiting. Part of her was curious as to how long the two fighter pilots would take to arrive, but that curiosity had left twenty minutes ago. So, there was another path she figured she'd have to take now. She crafted a message and asked the AI of the ship to monotonize the tone.
"Nightkids Squadron, report to the Briefing Room immediately." The message would be sent directly to both Karen and Mia in a tone that would brook no disobedience. It would also go to the crew chiefs of fighters, but they'd certainly arrive first and she could wave the two of them off. Then she sat back in one of the chairs to wait.
Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long before the doors to the briefing room snapped open and she was greeted by a loud "Hoo de ya, Alisha?" as Lieutenant Kujo made her way over to where Alisha was seated. "How's the recovery been going? Have you gotten to spend some quality time with Jane?"
"I have indeed, Karen, it's been a lot of recovery from Gamma Zednor and well... A lot of things have changed." Alisha wasn't quite sure just how informal she should keep things, but she should start with a couple questions, "Quick question, do you and Mia actually meet up at nine, or do you just ignore the schedule? I'm not sure the Captain told you yet, but I'm taking over the section and really need to know what the 'old' pattern was so I know what we need to address.
"I mean, we sorta meet up in and around that time frame- more-or-less? Really depends on whether or not I kept Izzie up the previous night-!"
Before Alisha could respond, the other pilot stepped in and it was obvious that if the door was manually operated, it would have burst open, "Alisha!!!" Mia said excitedly, "Good to see you again!" The hispanic woman halfway danced across the room, "WORTH the loss of that pip, not that I'd ever been allowed to keep it in the first place! Janey, bring it in!" The woman opened her arms for Karen for an enthusiastic hug.
"Good to see you too, pet!" Karen beamed as she ruffled Mia's hair.
Mia patted Karen on the butt with a squeeze, something she knew that Karen wouldn't object to because it was playful, not a serious attempt to seduce, "Now what do we got goin' on?"
"What we have is me." Alisha sighed, shaking her head at the outburst in front of her. The Captain was right, they were truly in need of some sort of order, "I'm here to take over the Squadron operations and wanted to get a feel for your routines, but from the looks of it, there is no routine?"
Mia's jaw dropped. Okay, the blue of the uniform was clearly for that, but an outsider? "Nuh uh, not in that you aren't!" She gave a clearly intentional look to Karen, "Gotta be in a flight suit. I know you ain't all that good at flyin', girl, but fighter pilots don't go around in that fancy-schmancy uniform if we don't gotta, pockets, girl, pockets! Aren't I right, Janey?"
"Aye, gan on, Man!" Karen agreed.
"Now look, that's not what I'm here fo-" Alisha gave a yelp as Mia grabbed her arm and started to drag her towards the changing room, waving to Karen to come along.
"Nope, you don' get a choice in this one, Chica, you're gonna get a proper outfit whether you wanna or not!" Mia grinned brightly, "An' don't think you get to come up with your own call-sign neither! If you're gonna be in charge of us, you're gonna be flyin' as well and you gotta get a call-sign, but since you're a nugget in that regard, we gotta come up with somethin'! Janey, start comin' up with ideas!"
"Chicken McNugget?" Karen proposed. "Although, that would make me hungry every time we'd refer to her by that callsign..."
"No, nothing like that, we're more likely to get other nuggets in at some point and if we keep referring to Reno here as 'Nugget' or something like that, it'll just keep getting confusing." Alisha opened her mouth to object, but Mia put her own hand over it absently as she gestured to Karen, "There's gotta be something in her past that we can use for her... How'd you get your callsign, Janey? YOU already know how I got mine!"
"What else?" Karen grinned as she flashed Mia her signature jacket.
Mia snickered and nodded, "All right, fair 'nuff, but I don't think we want to call 'The Boss' here something from her past or nothin'. Unless..." The pilot looked Alisha up and down as she pondered something, "Glamour? Chameleon? Somethin' that would go along with her career as an actress or singer? You hush." She said the last to Alisha who appeared to try to say something again, then gave a questioning look to Karen.
"Well, she is a star of many alter egos, so..." Karen's face lit up as an idea suddenly popped into her head. "Ooh! I know, what about 'Jem'?"
While Alisha's eyes opened wide at the reference with a slight smile, Mia seemed to consider it for a little longer and nodded, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, that would be PERFECT for her!" The reference was well known and she didn't even have to hush the former Intelligence officer this time, "Right, from here on, you are hereby known as Lieutenant Alisha 'Jem' Reno. When we're on duty, we go by callsigns, especially out in flight. It avoids confusion and easily identifies us. What say you?"
"I say that I like the reference, being a fan of anime myself." Alisha sounded relieved that they'd chosen something that wasn't going to be all that embarrassing. "So, what's next?"
"Flight suit?" Karen was quick to remind her.
"Flight suit!" Mia cheered, already sliding past Alisha and towards a replicator, but Alisha grabbed her arm and stopped her.
"I think I can handle my own flight suit. Plenty of pockets, don't worry, but I really don't want to look like a woman of ill repute!" The look on Mia's face fell slightly, "Not that you would have done that anyways. Just, to let me have my own say on something?"
"Aw, relax, Hinny!" Karen grinned as she wrapped her arm around Alisha's shoulder. "We’re not just a pack o' reprobates and strumpets, man!"
"My record speaks for itself!" Mia wrapped her own arm around Alisha's waist from the opposite side and the newest pilot felt a shudder down her spine.
"That's what I'm afraid of!" Alisha objected/remarked/whined, "I've seen your jackets!" She sighed heavily, "All right, all right, I'll take suggestions, but you two need to teach me what you know. It's going to be a lot of long, hard hours and I'll be the best student I can be."
"'Atta girl!" Mia squeezed tightly, "Now... Let's get Jem here some flight time, U-J, then we can see what we need to work on."
Posting by (In Order Of Appearance):
Lieutenant Alisha Reno
Deputy Air Boss, USS Myogi (NCC-65918)
Lieutenant Karen Kujo
Nightkids Squadron Leader, USS Myogi (NCC-65918)
Lieutenant, JG Mia Amaro
Flight Deck Officer, USS Myogi (NCC-65918)
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