| PHD #341: Sonja's Flight |
| Summary: | Khloe takes Sonja on her first space flight. |
| Date: | 02 Feb 2042 AE |
| Related Logs: | None |
| Players: |
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| Hangar Deck - Port - Midship - Battlestar Cerberus |
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| The single largest rooms on the Cerberus are the hangar decks. Each flight pod consists of two stacked landing bays with adjoined decks and hangars, which along with computer-assisted landings results in a faster Viper recovery rate. Mirror images of each other, these two huge areas are located on the flight pods. The inboard sides of the deck, closest to the ship's main hull, are lined with parking and maintenance bays for Vipers and Raptors based aboard the battlestar. The outboard side of the deck contains the launch tubes used by the Vipers for standard deployment. Huge blast doors seal the deck into four sections, each one containing an elevator that leads up to the flight deck directly overhead. The fore-most section contains an elevator system that leads towards Aerospace Fabrication. |
| Post-Holocaust Day: #341 |
Normally, Captain Vakos' usual assigned CAP wing partner is Ensign Devlin. But this evening, she's taken on added responsibilities in the form of Nugget training. This "Mini-CAP" is for the benefit of one Sonja Lyon, Eyeing the nearest chronometer, Khloe, in her flight suit, is waiting by her usual choice of Viper 853.
Sonja steps onto the steps leading down to the flight neck with the air of someone whom has just won some high and noble prize, she's excited and nervous all at the same time and is trying hard not to show either. This is her moment to shine, to prove to everyone that her hours and weeks of training with Drips hasn't gone to waste. She takes the steps gracefully and arrives before the SL with a few minutes to spare, helmet under her left arm she uses her right to give the woman a smart salute. "Midshipman Lyon, reporting sir!" and she comes to attention as those words are spoken.
"As you were," Khloe responds, as she begins eyeing the younger woman critically. "Well, here we are. Your first real flight. I'm only going to tell you this once: relax. Everything you've trained for up until this point has qualified you to fly a Viper, and it's just like the simulations." She rests a hand on the Viper she's standing by, as the deck crew get it ready for departure. "If you treat her right, she'll always bring you home." That bit of pep talk and sentimentality complete, Khloe informs Sonja, "You'll be flying in 308, right there," she says, incidating another Viper that's in a similar state of readiness. "Any questions?"
Sonja relaxes her stance and lets out the breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Thank you Ma'am." She says with a quick smile, she does visibly relax, as her eyes dart over to the Viper she's been assigned. "Just like the duster except it's faster and more expensive." She says, helmet is placed on and an smart about turn and off she goes to her first real space flight. "Thank you Ma'am." She adds before she's helped into her Viper by the flight chief, whom gives her a wink and thumbs up. "All ready to go, Snowjob." She says, she should have known that name would have gotten around. "I'm going to kill Shiner."
Khloe raises an eyebrow. "Snowjob?" She repeats, shaking her head. "I'll have to have a word with Mr. Wright. I don't think it's standard operating procedure for Nuggets to name each other." That stated, she climbs up into her Viper, gives a final sign on a clipboard to the deckie attending to her cockpit checklist, and down comes her canopy.
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Lyon, this is Poppy. Radio check, over."
[TAC3] Sonja says, "Lyon, Poppy, I receive you, over."
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "You always respond with the recipient's name first, Lyon. So that's, Poppy, Lyon. Got it? I read you five-by-five. Stand by to launch."
[TAC3] Sonja says, "Poppy, Lyon, I got you."
| Space… |
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| Space is cold, very cold. Wear your booties. |
[BlackKnight-853: Khloe] Settling into a standard casual trajectory for an elliptical CAP around the battlegroup, Khloe's Viper takes point. She's taking things a hair slower than would be considered normal cruising speed, no doubt for Sonja's benefit.
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Remember to breathe, Nugget. Take up position on my five. We're just going for a spin around the block and then back to the barn, over."
[BlackKnight-308: Sonja] Not use to the Viper for real, Sonja is finding it just a little harder then usual to control her fighter, she wobbles just a little on the first few moments of the flight but soon gets the hang of it. Lining up on the Flight Leads wing, Sonja waits for their flight paths, checking her equipment, once then twice until she's satified she's remember what each ones does. They waren't kidding when they said it was cramped and she's small.
[TAC3] Sonja says, "Poppy, Lyon, Roger then forming up on your wing, ready to fly when you are."
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "I'm not sure if you noticed yet, Nugget, but you are flying." There's a hint of a chuckle in Khloe's voice. "How does it feel? Over."
[TAC3] Sonja says, "Poppy, Lyon, like I'm among the stars, it's amazing! So good so far though, I aint done a barral roll yet."
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "This isn't the Evocati school of Viper training. You don't do evasive maneuvers appropriate for combat engagements just because you feel like it. And we're approaching the turn in ten. Don't use your eyes, use your instruments. Over."
[BlackKnight-853: Khloe] And, as Khloe promised, her Viper begins the far end of the clockwise turn around the elliptical CAP pattern that Sonja has had drilled into her in countless simulations. There's a bit of G-force to pull through but nothing too difficult.
[TAC3] Sonja says, "I know that Poppy, I guess Drips and Blue didn't tell you my first few days in the sims, we're rather well unside down I had trouble controling my fighter and was prone to rolling. And roger then eyes down, watching my DRADIS."
[BlackKnight-308: Sonja] Not turning as gracefully as the lead fighter, Sonja however managers it with just a little discomfort in the G's, she's not use to the full on her body yet, never flown in space before.
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Well, you're doing fine. You'll get used to the feel of the real bird sooner than later, especially since you'll be accompanying pairs out as part of your training."
[TAC3] Sonja says, "Sounds good to me Poppy, it's not as hard as I thought but then Drips has been drilling me night and day. He's I've done well by him."
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Well, it's not Drips you need to worry about. It's me. And it's Major Hahn. But, so far, I've no complaints about how your skillset is coming along."
[TAC3] Sonja says, "Thanks you, I'm not here to get my self killed. No fancy stuff here, that's for certain."
[BlackKnight-853: Khloe] Without announcing it, Khloe's Viper intimidatingly flips end-to-nose so she can coast along and face Sonja's as they soar along the port side of Cerberus and the fleet.
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Nugget, you are here to die. All of us are. Sooner or later, we're all going to end up in a coffin or a Viper wreck. Don't ever hold back because you're afraid. You got that?"
[TAC3] Sonja says, "Well I'm hoping I get through this, no point in being mobid, and you can count on my all Poppy, I aint here to waste anyones time. Be assured. I don't give anything but hundred and ten percent."
[BlackKnight-853: Khloe] After what sounds like a soft hmph on the radio, Poppy's Viper flips back to its original trajectory, and begins the burn around the second turn
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Second turn, and then line up for landing."
[BlackKnight-308: Sonja] Sonja chuckles softly, she's not the average nugget that's for sure. Easing her Viper on she follows Khloe's lead, staying on her wing regulation distance. "Aye, coming around."
[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Cerberus, this is Poppy, requesting permission to land. My wingman will call the ball." A pause. "That means you, Nugget. Call the ball."
[TAC3] Sonja says, "Cerberus, Lyon, I have the ball."
| Back in the Port Hangar… |
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[TAC3] "Poppy" Khloe says, "Cerberus, Poppy. Safe and sound. Commencing post-flight checks, over."
Khloe is quickly assaulted by deckies wanting her to sign clipboards and do a post-flight check, despite their flight only being fifteen minutes long. She gives a glance over towards Sonja's Viper, where she is likely being put through the same paperwork and procedure.
Sonja lets out a deep breath and turns her head first to the left and then to the right to ease her muscles. Those G's were sure hard on her small body and she feels like she's gone twenty rounds with a marine. "Thanks." She murmurs to her flight chief, giving over her helmet. She places her hands on the canopy and stands up slowly. A hand is offered her and she accepts it knowing she needs the extra balance right now to decend the Ladder. Finally on the deck again she lets out a soft sigh and takes off her gloves.
"That wasn't so bad, now, was it?" Khloe calls out to Sonja, a slight smirk on her face.
Sonja shakes her head as she approaches the other pilot. "Not at all Ma'am." She says. "Sure glad I decided to join up, the sight alone sold me." She says with a grin, a tired one at that.
Khloe nods slightly. "Right, I've some paperwork to do. I want you to go back on the flight footage, even though it's brief, and see where you bumbled your stick. You don't have to practice it in the sims as you'll be going out and assisting with established CAP rotations. Just be mindful of your mistakes and improve upon them. Congratulations, Nugget, you're flying." And with that, she turns her back to talk to a deckie who's been patiently waiting with a clipboard.
Sonja looks ready to burst she's finally been given flight status which isn't quite her wings but it's close. "Thank you Ma'am and I'll spend the next few hours going ove it, I'll pull in Blue and Drips if I may and have them spot some of the mistakes I don't." She feels energized and as if she could take on the whole cylon fleet herself.