09-18-2025, 09:33 PM
Just focus on getting there safe. You have done this a thousand times in the simulators and exercises. You're rated for this because you're GOOD at it. The Captain wouldn't have asked you to take the flight if you weren't.
Hally had stopped by flight ops to put on a flight uniform (slightly more form fitting and with more pockets, more of an EV suit than a standard uniform) and gather up her survival kit. As she stood in front of her locker she tried her best not to look at or engage with any of the other pilots, preferring to just get on with it. She knew it was already known that she had just spent the last shift in control of the Artemis, and that sort of thing would be eager conversation among the men and women here - but that conversation would have to wait.
Just as she turned to leave CPO Garrett approached her. She met his grizzled gaze and tried not to flinch as her eyes settled on his. The man had been a fair if not demanding taskmaster when she joined the ship, and she was uncertain why he had chosen to confront her now of all times.
"Midshipman Maxis-Darl." said the old deck officer. "You've had a busy day."
"Yes...I have at that Chief." Hally said, her voice quivering slightly as her nerves were given a chance to express themselves.
The veteran non com looked her over, reaching up to secure a check on her pilot harness. Hally said nothing as she allowed the man to do her flight suit check.
"Looks good...Sir." Garrett said, giving her a rare affectation. Her teal eyes grew as the weight of his words settled on her, the gesture somehow serving to give her some quiet calm.
"Thank you Chief Garrett." Hally said quietly. The man put his hand on her shoulder and for the first time he allowed a fatherly, proud look to wash over his face, "You're going to do fine. Just see the mission as far as you can before it goes off the rails, then do what you do best - FLY." he pulled a container from her locker, opened it and offered it to her, "Don't forget this, just in case." Hally took the type 2 phaser, ensured it had a full charge and placed it in the suits holster.
Hally nodded, giving the man a thankful smile. "See you when we get back." she uttered, placing a hand over his on her shoulder. "That we will, Sir. Good hunting." the older man stated confidently with a nod.
<----------------------------------------------------------->
The doors to the hangar bay opened with a swoosh and Hally took stock of the area. The Shuttle was a Type 14, the Aura, and Hally's favorite to fly. As she strode across the deck she noticed Aeryn and Robin standing outside the hangar bay doors, likely awaiting the rest of the insertion team. She waved slightly at the pair and began her ground checks, speaking to a deck hand who offered her a PADD with the ships preflight checklist.
"Thanks Corrin." she said, suddenly feeling very official. "I'll take the checks from here." As she scanned the PADD she placed it on a cargo container sitting across from the Aura, and allowed herself one more selfish ritual. She took out a worn bit of citrus scented cloth and scraped her auburn curls into a messy bun - the knot uneven and heavy with gaps where the hair resisted, allowing several stray spirals to slip loose, framing her face and catching the light like errant sparks shaken from a flame.
As she walked around the shuttle her mind focused on the minutia of flight. Scenarios, maneuvers, responses - all possibilities of what she might encounter and how to mitigate the risk to her most important cargo - the combat troops relying on her to get them on the ground safe and in one piece. Once they were in position she would follow whatever orders Mara gave, and she would fight alongside them if she had to. She couldn't allow herself to let the 'what ifs' shake her ability to do what she was there to do.
Satisfied with the preflight Op checks she triggered the ramp to deploy and she glanced back towards her friends at the entrance to the bay and nodding to them before she entered the shuttle and took her seat. From here she began the engine warm up cycle and began the diagnostics. By the time everyone arrived, she and the Aura would be ready to fly.
==TAGS!==
Hally had stopped by flight ops to put on a flight uniform (slightly more form fitting and with more pockets, more of an EV suit than a standard uniform) and gather up her survival kit. As she stood in front of her locker she tried her best not to look at or engage with any of the other pilots, preferring to just get on with it. She knew it was already known that she had just spent the last shift in control of the Artemis, and that sort of thing would be eager conversation among the men and women here - but that conversation would have to wait.
Just as she turned to leave CPO Garrett approached her. She met his grizzled gaze and tried not to flinch as her eyes settled on his. The man had been a fair if not demanding taskmaster when she joined the ship, and she was uncertain why he had chosen to confront her now of all times.
"Midshipman Maxis-Darl." said the old deck officer. "You've had a busy day."
"Yes...I have at that Chief." Hally said, her voice quivering slightly as her nerves were given a chance to express themselves.
The veteran non com looked her over, reaching up to secure a check on her pilot harness. Hally said nothing as she allowed the man to do her flight suit check.
"Looks good...Sir." Garrett said, giving her a rare affectation. Her teal eyes grew as the weight of his words settled on her, the gesture somehow serving to give her some quiet calm.
"Thank you Chief Garrett." Hally said quietly. The man put his hand on her shoulder and for the first time he allowed a fatherly, proud look to wash over his face, "You're going to do fine. Just see the mission as far as you can before it goes off the rails, then do what you do best - FLY." he pulled a container from her locker, opened it and offered it to her, "Don't forget this, just in case." Hally took the type 2 phaser, ensured it had a full charge and placed it in the suits holster.
Hally nodded, giving the man a thankful smile. "See you when we get back." she uttered, placing a hand over his on her shoulder. "That we will, Sir. Good hunting." the older man stated confidently with a nod.
<----------------------------------------------------------->
The doors to the hangar bay opened with a swoosh and Hally took stock of the area. The Shuttle was a Type 14, the Aura, and Hally's favorite to fly. As she strode across the deck she noticed Aeryn and Robin standing outside the hangar bay doors, likely awaiting the rest of the insertion team. She waved slightly at the pair and began her ground checks, speaking to a deck hand who offered her a PADD with the ships preflight checklist.
"Thanks Corrin." she said, suddenly feeling very official. "I'll take the checks from here." As she scanned the PADD she placed it on a cargo container sitting across from the Aura, and allowed herself one more selfish ritual. She took out a worn bit of citrus scented cloth and scraped her auburn curls into a messy bun - the knot uneven and heavy with gaps where the hair resisted, allowing several stray spirals to slip loose, framing her face and catching the light like errant sparks shaken from a flame.
As she walked around the shuttle her mind focused on the minutia of flight. Scenarios, maneuvers, responses - all possibilities of what she might encounter and how to mitigate the risk to her most important cargo - the combat troops relying on her to get them on the ground safe and in one piece. Once they were in position she would follow whatever orders Mara gave, and she would fight alongside them if she had to. She couldn't allow herself to let the 'what ifs' shake her ability to do what she was there to do.
Satisfied with the preflight Op checks she triggered the ramp to deploy and she glanced back towards her friends at the entrance to the bay and nodding to them before she entered the shuttle and took her seat. From here she began the engine warm up cycle and began the diagnostics. By the time everyone arrived, she and the Aura would be ready to fly.
==TAGS!==