Handing over the designs

Posted on Wed Mar 30th, 2016 @ 9:44pm by Lieutenant Commander Le Austin & Lieutenant JG Yalane

Mission: Brave New World
Location: Engineering

After her run-in with station security, the tall feline stalked her way deeper into the bowels of the giant spinning top in space. There was one last thing she needed to take care of. Her fighter had modifications that were required for her to properly use it, but weren't on file yet. As such the carried a PADD towards and into engineering.

"Tighten up those forward girders, Krenshaw! We've got some wobble there still!" A Bajoran man was calling up into the rafters where a small woman was wedged with a compression wrench.

"I see it. Give me a few, boss, I'll lock it down," She called back. "Promise!"

"I have no doubt," The man replied with a grin, turning around and finding himself chest with a massive feline creature.

The man reeled back, uttering curses in Bajoran as he did, "Didn't anyone tell you not to sneak on people like that?!" He asked.

"Yes, but wherrre's the fun in that." aforementioned feline purrred. "I'm Lt JG Yalane, new fighterrrpilot. My crrraft is modified frrrom the standarrrd and I was wonderrring wherrre I can submit a list of the alterrrations, so they arrre on file."

"You're a pilot," Austin asked, raising his eyebrows. "What do you fly, a Broadsword?"

"Please." Yalane acted almost offended. "Nothing that clunky. I'm rrratherrr morrre ... Rrrefined than that. I'm a Rrrazorrr pilot. The very best, like no-one everrr was." was offered with a purr. "Brrought my own crrraft, so that's one less you and yourrr people will have to make rrready. I have the modification details herrre." as she flipped her PADD from one hand to the other, then back again behind her back, before offering it to Le.

Austin stared at her in awe for a moment, "You. Fly a razor. You," He said, before turning his attention to the PADD in his hand. He studied it for a moment, "Oh... okay, you moved that there... that makes sense... but how do you handle the lateral sheer?" He asked, trying to look over the details for the answer.

The PADD listed a whole host of changes, from obvious ones like the extension of the cockpit and the addition of bulges in the canopy where her knees fit, to changes to the various warning lights, making them blink in patterns rather than light up in color. Some subtle modifications to the pilot's seat were listed as well, adding structural support, and some material changes to protect the inside of the craft from her claws.

"The laterrral sheerrr? I'm sturrrdierrr than I look, The seat has betterrr supporrrt than the rrregularrr one as well, which rrreally helps me make my tin can dance like she was a ballerrrina." the feline explained with a hint of pride and a soft purr in her voice.

"No, but with the primary dorsal support here," He said, indicating a long, broad feature on the schematic, "Doesn't that put a lot of sheer on the wings here and here?" He asked, pointing out each area as he mentioned them. "Unless that's what the ram scoops here are for," He said, pointing to another part of the schematics.

"Ah, page two." Yalane purred, pointing to the small indicator that there was a second page, where some minor structural enhancements were listed, as well as a few percent increase in maneuvering thruster output to maintain the same level as maneuverability as the normal Razors. "Everrry little modification snowballs. But if you have these schematics on file you could rrrepairrr orrr rrreplace my rrrazorrr if it gets damaged orrr destrrroyed, rrright?"

"Definitely," Austin replied, grinning. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. I'm Le Austin, Chief Operations Officer on this boat. In charge of Engineering, Ops... you name it," He explained, offering her a hand to shake.

"Yalane. No family name. Nice to meet you too." Her hand was sinewy and large, her grip strong, her claws unable to retract. "My fighterrr is sitting in its bay if you want to look herrr overrr, but I can imagine you have yourrr hands full at the moment. I just wanted to drrrop these off." she indicated the PADD with the schematics.

"Absolutely," Austin replied. "I'd love to give her a looksee. I haven't seen anything like this before," He explained, looking over the few notes on the second page. The job of expanding the ship had been impressively done. It wouldn't have been as efficient as a standard Razor, but by what he was seeing it should be able to fly them neck to neck... if not run them into the ground.

"Frrrom experrrience I can tell you, she does everrrything a rrregulation rrrazorrr does. With me piloting, that is." the feline offered. "It's as close as I can to flying thrrrough space naked. That feeling of purrre frrreedom."

"Must be nice," He said with a smile. "I prefer being in the heart of a big station or on planet, personally, but that still sounds like a hell of a rush," He explained.

"Ships and stations arrre too small forrr me. Look at me - this body is made to rrrun and jump and climb. I can't do that on a station orrr a planet. But in a fighterrr - well, let's just say it comes close." the feline explained. "But put me on a planet and allow me to rrrun frrree ..."

"I'm sure that's a sight to see," Austin replied, genuinely. "Don't forget, we've got huge banks of holodecks here on the station. I know it's not the same as actually being planetside, but it's close if you need a fix."

"I know. Doesn't feel the same though. Almost as good, but not quite the same. It just feels differrrent, inside. It's the grrravity I think. Too arrrtificial." Yalane explained.

Austin nodded, "I understand that. Still. It's better than nothing," He said with a grin and a shrug, "Anyway, I'll get these logged into the computer so we've got good specs to go over. I hate to cut this short, but I've got approximately seven-hundred and ninety-four different repairs I need to be over seeing. I'll see you around for sure though, okay?" He said, reaching out and patting the feline on the arm.

The fur was warm and soft. "Surrre, see you arrround, commanderrr. And, thanks."

===

Lt JG Yalane
Fighterpilot
SB332

Lt. Cmd. Le Austin
Chief Operations Officer
SB332