Protecting the Fighters (part 2)

Posted on Sat Nov 18th, 2017 @ 3:38pm by Lieutenant Bobbie Sue "Bobcat" Hunter & Lieutenant Soren Dillinger 'Speedy'

1,417 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Caught in the Cracks
Location: Fighter bay

[CONTINUED]

[OLD]

"I just told you. To keep the Terran Empire from using the ships as weapons," Bobbie Sue said, hopping down to the deck. "I am NOT inexperienced. I can take one of these birds apart and put it back together." She walked up to Soren. "And before you comment, yes, it will fly after I put it back together."

[NEW]

"When it comes to my bird, Bobbie Girl, you are inexperienced." Soren replied as he gestured to the open hatch she was working from before he came in. "You were currently trying to detach the primary and secondary thrusters from the main control board by rerouting the trigger mechanism with an auxiliary system. Did you even consider that I might have set up redundancies and fail safes?" He looked back to her and shrugged slightly as he continued. "I know you mean well, Suzy Q, but there is a reason why I this is my personal fighter. I built and modded her from the ground up. Bettie is always connected with her own system as long as there is a network to piggy back off of. Its a great idea, but if you bypass one wrong system, or she thinks you're one of those intruders you're trying to keep her from being used by, she will react in kind and defend herself. And, to be honest.... I don't want to see you get hurt."

"I can't afford to take that much time on each bird," she said, pulling a small device out of her pocket. "In this situation, I prefer the quick and dirty." She tossed the power supply to Soren. "I didn't know it was your bird. If I had, I would have activated your AI and let her do it. I don't have time for her sass right now." She couldn't help grinning. "But thanks for thinking of my safety. Didn't know you cared."

Soren caught the device and chuckled slightly. He shook his head as he looked back toward her and replied softly. "Bettie May? Make my day." The fighter began to turn on, powering up and going through the pre flight check sequence. "Your quick and dirty would only work on something that hasn't been modified, Pumpkin." He walked to her, holding up the small device as he smirked a bit. "Had you bothered to check, you notice that this supply is only emitting a fake power signature. The real primary source was moved to the underbelly. I keep this in plain view to make people believe they neutered my girl." He paused slightly and crossed his arms back, tucking the device under his arm. "I make it a priority to let people know that they should leave the technical stuff to me when it comes to Bettie because I altered a lot of things for safety and efficiency reasons to work with how I fly. And, for the record, I do care, Bobbie Sue Q. Just because you don't hear it, doesn't mean I am not capable of feeling it."

"I don't have time to check right now. If you hadn't noticed, we've been boarded and there are some pretty strange things going on right now," she said, stung by his words. She turned and headed to the next bird, then turned back to Soren. "I know you have feelings, I've seen you and Bettie together."

Soren rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Or maybe you could ask me to help, but I understand you would rather do it yourself, Suzy Q because you think you don't have enough time, but sometimes thats the very reason why you should ask for help. Especially if the ship is boarded, maybe its best to travel in packs and not by yourself." He climbed onto the fighter and opened the top hatch as he began to put the device back into the system as he began to mumble. "Far be it from me to tell you what to do. I did just design my own fighter from the ground up, but I guess the fact that I have a record is a red flag to most people." As he finished putting the device back in he closed the hatch and climbed off the fighter, and proceeded to open the panel at its belly. Soren stopped suddenly before peeking his head out and shouting. "And just because I have feelings for my fighter, doesn't mean you have the right to turn it into something weird. Don't turn what we have into something cheap and filthy!" He looked back into the hatch and proceeded to pull some wires and reroute some systems. "Maybe if you gave me a hint of a chance you would find out more about my feelings." He whispered under his breath as he worked.

"First, I didn't know it was your fighter. I didn't even know you were on this ship. Second, I'm not doing this alone and if you don't believe me, ask Commander Trigman. He's around here somewhere. So is SIlica. Fourth, I'm not about to ask someone who barges in here and starts chewing me out for touching his precious fighter to help me. I'm going to get out of his way and leave him alone." She paused to glare at him. "And fifth, you're the one who said your relationship with Bettie was cheap and filthy, not me."

"You implied it!" He yelled from under the fighter before popping his head out and adding. "And I didn't know you were here either. I got an alert that someone was messing with my fighter and acting accordingly. As you pointed out, we are boarded and I don't want someone destroying something I've put my heart and soul into." Soren went back under the fighter before peeking his head out again. "And speaking of board. I am now bored of hearing you come up with an answer for everything instead of just accepting the help. But I understand if that would be considered sending a warning shot.... over your sunny disposition."

"Did I miss something?" she yelled back. "Did you OFFER to help me? No, you didn't. You just got mad because I didn't ask the man who barged into the fighter bay and started yelling. And you're still yelling. So, Mr. I jump to conclusions, I'll leave you and your precious ship to console each other."

"Did you ASK?" He yelled back before she heard the sound of a large clang before he slid out from under the fighter. Soren stood up, holding his head as he looked her Bobby's direction and pointed to her. "First off I didn't yell at you when I came in. I may have raised my voice, but I didn't yell. You should go to the doctor because you may have sensitive ears. Furthermore, I tried to stop you because I was afraid of your safety. Not my fighter. I built her myself. I can get her working again. I wouldn't be able to stand it if I was responsible for another... you know what?" He stopped speaking quickly and turned away. "Forget it." Soren reached under his fighter and closed the panel he was working on. "You keep doing what your doing. I got other things to worry about." He began to head to the door. "Godspeed, Suzy Q."

"Words, Dillinger. Most of us use them to ask questions and give explanations. You should try it some time." And what did he mean by responsible for another? She would have to look up that information. Insufferable man. He was too quick to jump to conclusions and too quick to get upset. She didn't have time for his type. But still she glanced up at him as he made his way to the door.

Soren walked out of the fighter bay and, just as the doors closed, they opened again. "Just so you know, if I could slam these doors I would, but since I can't actually slam them, just imagine I am. In a very angry way. Slamming the doors. Because I am angry. At you." He paused there for a moment, looking around for a bit before shrugging and leaving again.

"Dillinger!" she yelled. Then, deciding it would not be a good idea to say what she was really thinking, added, "Bite me!"

____
OFF

Lieutenant Commander Soren "Speedy" Dillinger
Chief Intelligence Officer & Squadron Leader

Lieutenant Bobbie Sue Hunter
Squadron Leader

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