Launching the Search (Part 1)

Posted on Sat Dec 15th, 2018 @ 6:53am by Captain Taiga Aisaka & Lieutenant Rinka Hayami 'Sharp-Shooter' & Ensign Mikko Ishigami & Lieutenant JG Silica Tetsuhiko 'Twin-Tails' & Lieutenant Fubuki Kuchikukan 'Snowflake' & Commander Alora Knight & Lieutenant Soren Dillinger 'Speedy' & Commander Alexander "Alex" Knight & Commander Nicolas Trigman 'Trigger' & Lieutenant Bobbie Sue "Bobcat" Hunter
Edited on on Sat Dec 15th, 2018 @ 6:54am

1,410 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Demons in the Dark
Location: Bridge/Launch Bay

The Tokyo dropped out of warp speed on the edge of the demilitarized zone. She came to a smooth steady stop and her engines powered down.

"Commander" Taiga said. "I want all of our fighters launched and working in their squadrons" She said. "Have the TIC set up a standard search pattern around the Tokyo and plot all flight paths. Once we're all launched and plotted we'll go in. Hopefully we'll find the Cassandra quickly before anyone notices" She looked back at Knight on the tactical station. "Launch a series of deep space probes as well to bolster our sensor reach and establish a communications net between the fight squadrons and the Tokyo"

She hoped that by utilizing the ships forty fighters they could find the Cassandra quickly and without delay.

Alex stood at the tactical console and raised a brow. He wondered why probes and fighters were needed, but he wasn't about to stir up any trouble. He quickly tapped his console, pointing to the science officer on duty and asking. "Could I use a few of your probes, Ensign? The sensors on it will give a more detailed scan and provide us with more of a map of the area."

The Ensign assigned to the science station raised a brow and then nodded her head in response before releasing the probes that would do the job.

Alex then smiled and nodded a thank you before loading the probe into the tube and preparing it for launch. He wasn't sure why he was tasked with establishing the communications net when that was more of an operations job, but he again didn't want to say anything. He just gave Alora an odd look, smiled, and then looked over to Operations. "I'm going to send you the probe's network code. Can you use that to increase the com traffic for the fighters being launched?"

The Operations Officers nodded his head. "I can piggy back off the probe's sensors so as not to cause any delays between the scanning and coms." The officer said before proceeding to establish the link.

He placed his hands back on the tactical console before giving a slight smirk. Not bad for his first official task as acting Chief of Security and Tactical. To be honest, he almost kind of missed it.

Alora had no idea why the captain didn't use the ship's sensors as tht was the most efficient way of searching for the ship, unless there was a reason the sensors weren't working.

Since she didn't want to directly challenge the captain, and since science, tactical, and operations were involved with the probes, Alora pulled up the sensor display and began to search for the missing starship.

She looked at Alex, then back to her console, oping he would note what she was doing.

Alex looked at her and winked a bit. He tapped his console and linked up his and Alora's console at her chair. He opened up the sensor controls and gave her access to it.

Alora hid a smile at Alex' wink and began her search. She found a conn trail that was almost imperceptible to the scanners. By tracing it as far as she could, she knew approximately where the missing ship was now located. It was out of sensor range, but not by much, if her scans were accurate.

As she didn't want to take away the captain's fun in launching the fighters, she sent a private message to Bobcat with the coordinates.

"Soren to Bridge?" Soren's voice came immediately from the speakers. "Did I hear right? Are the fighter's being launched?" There came a slight paused before he added. "Does that mean I am not grounded anymore?"

"You heard the order correct Lieutenant. All fighters are to launch and form into your four designated squadrons for search and rescue operations" Taiga replied simply.

[Flight Deck]

The fighters on the Tokyo were mainly stored upright in special racks powered by hydraulics and slotted into specially designed hangar bays. They would be pulled out and one by one the fighters were unsorted and placed on the deck for launch. The Tokyo through hangar bay allowed her to launch up to ten fighters; one entire squadron at the same time with five going out each door fore and act.

Fubuki walked over to Soren. "All pilots have checked in sir. Levi squadron is due to launch after Trigmans 'Krista' squad" She explained.

"We are not called that." Soren replied with a sigh before shouting. "Bettie! It's fly time!"

"I love it when you get demanding." Bettie giggled from the sphere in his pocket. "Transferring program to Valkrye. Enabling pre flight sequence. This girl is ready to fly, Speedy."

Soren smirked before turning back to Fubuki. "Stay on my six until I call for a break in formation. Maintain constant lock with each other and keep the squadrons com channel open at all times." He said before climbing up the ladder and into the cockpit. "And don't call me sir."

"Yes sir... erm... I mean..." She seemed a little loss for words and lost her focus for a second. "Sorry... Lieutenant?"

Meanwhile Silica had suited up and was climbing into her fighter. She was due to launch as the right wing of Trigman on the fore launch deck.

Trigman was done with all the Fighter assignments, the flight plans for each squadron had been gone over and issued to the leaders of each flight. He opened a channel to SIlica. "Hope you are ready to spread our wings." He smiled then the open channel. " All right Alpha Squadron, prepare for flight."

Trigman was already half way through his start up sequence when he noticed the place Lily usually 'hid' to watch him leave was empty, not a good sign, but he had other things to do at the moment.

Bobbie Sue had her squadron ready to launch in record time. Each of the pilots was eager to get out and do some surveillance, and to have a chance to spread their wings, so to speak. It had been a while since they'd been able to do any flying outside the holodeck.

Lieutenant Rinka Hayami walked onto the flight deck. She was the newest pilot on the ship and due to take over as the squadron leader of the Eren wing group. Hers was last to be launched so she stood in the waiting area with her pilots awaiting the order from the TIC to board the fighters.

Both doors opened as the ten fighters of Krista Squadron were placed into position ready to launch.

"Krista Squadron. This is space traffic control. You are cleared to launch on the signal" a voice echoed through the hangar deck.

"Flight Lead ready for launch." Trigman said as he wait the green launch signal; gunning his fighter he took to the dark skies of Space. "All fighters launch in sequence."

Silica fired up her engines ready to dash out into space. She was ready to go all she was waiting for now was the green launch signal above the hangar doors. She looked over at Trigman and gave him a smile, She was his right wingman and this was her first time in such a position.

The Green signal came and with a simple throttle adjustment his fighter hirled out into the dark skies of space, he did not have to see the image on the nose of his fighter; like so many fighters of the past he had put a 'Nose Art' image of his Trill wife Lily in a skirted uniform firing a hand phaser on his fighter.

"Krista Flight launching." He announced as he banked outside the ship onto a heading for his patrol, keeping a steady pace while his squadron would form up on him.

Silica launched along side Trigman, and once they were in space she took a deep breath of relief. It was nice to be back out again, and actually on a proper flight run. She came up on Trigmans right, as the squadron assembled and began to circle the Tokyo as per ordered.

The Tokyo looked beautiful as the fighters circled. Silica smiled, the ship's sleek and smooth lines made it look as if she was always travelling at warp speed, and she could see why the captain was quite fond of her design.

To be continued...

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