Sweeping into the Future

Posted on Sat May 25th, 2024 @ 9:30pm by Chief Petty Officer Jonathan McHowle & Petty Officer 2nd Class Millie Jovanka & Petty Officer 3rd Class Will Howard & Lieutenant Commander Ryuuji Takasu & Chief Warrant Officer Karuta Roromiya

1,767 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Starship Graveyard
Location: Flight Deck, USS Tokyo

The flight deck was badly damaged. That's what the damage report said.

Badly damaged.

It did not say that the floor was covered in debris and half the launch deck was torn to ribbons. It didn't say that the fighters were all off their wracks and would need to be manually put back on. It didn't say that an ordanace crate broke open and there were live shells on the floor amongst the other debris.

No, it said badly damaged.

Jonathan McHowle sighed and ran a hand through his short blonde hair. It didn't say any of that and yet it would be his job to ensure it was all fixed.

"HOWARD!" He called over his shoulder.

"Yeah, Chief?" a twenty-something with bright red hair asked running over to the Deck Chief.

"Howard, get a broom and see what you can sweep up," Jonathan said as he went over the damage list again.

"Right, Chief," the young man said and went off to find a broom.

"Oh, and Howard," Jonathan added.

The young man stopped and turned. "Yeah, Chief?"

"Don't sweep up anything that makes you blow up," Jonathan added with a smirk.

"Right," the young man said and turned to leave. "I'll try not to do that, Chief?"

Jonathan shook his head. The shells were live, but wouldn't explode unless the firing pin in them was hit, little chance of that while they were grounded. He walked over to the comm panel on the wall and tapped it. "Computer, how many fighter pilots do we have?"

"That information is not available," the computer said simply.

"Why not?" Jonathan asked.

"There is not a current roster on file," the computer replied.

"Great," he said and tapped his commbadge. "McHowle to Roromiya, you got a second?"

"Roromiya here." Came the cool monotone voice of the Half-Vulcan Air Boss. "How many I be of assistance Chief McHowle?"

"I'm trying to figure out what to prioritize for repairs, I need to know how many fighters we need operational and how soon," Jonathan replied and leaned back against the wall to again survey his ruined domain.

There was a noticable pause for a few seconds. "All but reserves were deployed before the ship crashed." her voice replied cooly. "Only the rear door is available for flight operations. The forward door is still buried in the sand." She said. The Tokyo was still nose deep where she had crashed in the sand banks on the planet. It would be impossible to launch any starfighter with the forward doors facing into nothing but a huge sandbank.

"I have one of my guys sweeping, we'll handle the sand if you can unbury the rest of the ship," Jonathan joked. "I just want to make sure we can launch the ships we have if we need to. Heaven knows we don't want to launch in atmosphere, but if we have to I want to know how many birds I need to get in the air."

"It would be logical for you to fighter wracks." Karuta responded. She was of course referring to the automatic storage wracks in which the Tokyo stored its starfighters.

"Half the fighters got knocked loose from their wracks," Jonathan sighed. He gestured over to one of the damage control crew.

A twenty-something woman hurried over.

Jonathan gestured to the wracks and tried to nonverbally ask how many fighters were still in place.

The young woman stared at him for a moment, then nodded and hurried off.

Jonathan sighed, worried as to what mission he'd just accidentally sent the poor girl on,

He sighed and returned to the conversation at hand. "I need to know how many birds I need ready just in case I don't have that many ready."

"I don't have an answer for you chief." Karuta's voice replied. "Captain Aisaka has not provided me with any requirements for Starfighters. However, the reserves should be made ready, as a precautionary measure."

"Right, I'll clear off as much of the launch deck as I can, we may need to launch fighters in waves or even one at a time if we're forced to scramble anytime soon," Jonathan said and held back a curse. He hated not knowing what he had to work with, but he knew that was also part of the job. "I've got fighters out of wracks that will need to be manually put back in place, so it could use some extra muscle if you could muster any."

"I highly doubt that Captain Aisaka will be scrambling the Starfighters any time soon." Karuta replied. "However, I will contact other Engineering and Operations department with a request for addional... 'muscle'."

"Sounds great, I'll try and get the shells off the floor before they get here, no need for any extra explosions," Jonathan said with a laugh.

"Indeed." Karuta said before the comm channel was cut off.

"She being cold again?" the voice of Commander Takasu said from behind Jonathan. "I know you've not had the job very long, but I wouldn't worry about her," he said kindly. "I've come down to see how you're doing down here."

Jonathan turned and smiled. "Well, I'll be frank, Sir, I've got a real mess here. I've got a torn-up flight deck, half the place is drowned in sand, and half the fighters have fallen loose from their wracks," he shook his head and sighed. "The best I can say is half the place is fine." He burst out laughing at that.

"Its a good job we won't be needing to deploy anything soon." Takasu smiled. "Take your time though. From what I've heard, and I have a direct ear to the Captain... We won't be getting off this planet for a good few weeks yet."

"Give me a week and I'll get this deck looking like new, give me two and we'll be in space, I don't care if I have to get out and push," Jonathan shot back. He put his hands on his hips and looked over the deck more now as jobs to be done. He could do this. Hell, if they'd given him 12 hours, he would have made sure they could get birds in the air. This was better. "Well, you tell our dear Captain, I appreciate all the time they can give me."

Takasu chuckled. "Well, there is a plan in the works to get the Tokyo free of the sand dune we're embedded into." He told the Chief. "Just take it easy, there's no need to rush. I'm sure Taiga has other things on her mind right now."

"Speaking of which," he added. "Since I'm here. Is there anything you need? Apart from an excavator for the sand in here?"

"Nah, I've got a guy with a broom," Jonathan said, before calling out, "Don't I, Howard?"

A young man sweeping the floor a bit too cautiously replied, "You got it, Chief."

Jonathan shook his head. "In all honesty, sir, it's not a matter of the work, we can do the work. I mean I could use some extra hands to do some heavy lifting and get this sand out of here," he said turning his attention back to the man beside him. "I'm certain the rest of the ship is pretty banged up too, so I don't want to take resources that you can't spare."

"You're right about that." Takasu nodded. "The forward saucer sections were pretty much torn open at points. But I think you took it rough dowm here too. Afterall, the flight deck and launching bay is located underneath the saucer." Takasu replied. "Speaking of which..." He passed Jonathan a PADD. "This is a manifest and flight plans from the last deployment. You should go over there when you have time."

Jonathan took the PADD and quickly skimmed it over. "I'd like a chance to meet the pilots. I like to know the pilots I'm working with," he said and smiled. "You'd be amazed at how quirky these fighter pilots can be. I don't know if the cockpit attracts crazies or if they go crazy in the cockpit, either way, it's best to get to know them before it comes down to a crisis."

"Why not take a trip to the pilot's lounge. That's where they all hang out when not flying," Takasu smiled. "I can manage things here, select a couple of your people and meet soe of them. You've got to remember, you look after their 'birds', without you they don't fly."

"The pilot's lounge, huh?" Jonathan replied and scratched his chin. "Hell with it, I could use a break." He looked over at the young man sweeping. "Howard?"

"Yes, Chief?" The young man replied.

"Want to go get drunk with the pilots?" Jonathan asked flatly.

"Yes, Chief?" The young man replied, now very confused.

"Nice, now who else..." Jonathan began but was interrupted when a young woman ran up to him.

"I did it, Chief," the young woman said happily.

"Did what, Jovanka?" Jonathan asked, it was his turn to be confused.

"I used the ventilation system to purge the sand from the flight lock and launch systems," the young woman said. She had, what was best described as resting-bitch-face, but her joyful tone played a delightful contrast.

"Great job, Jovanka, want to get drunk with the pilots?" Jonathan asked, happy that his confused hand gestures had resulted in something good.

"I guess so?" The young woman replied with a shrug.

"Right then, sir," Jonathan said turning his attention back to the Lieutenant Commander. "If you don't mind me, I need to go get these two drunk and mercilessly mock them about their hangovers in the morning."

"Good luck. But they serve sythahol in the Pilots Lounge. You can't get drunk on it, plus remember you're technically on duty still..." Takasu said simply.

"Sure it's not like getting drunk on the real stuff, but synthahol will do the trick in a pinch, plus I'm Deck Cheif, I'm always on duty," Jonathan said with a big grin as he threw an arm around Crewmen Howard and the other around Crewmen Jovanka. "Now then, to the bar!" He forcibly turned the young crewmen around and began marching them off the deck and into the bulk of the ship.

Takasu shook his head as he turned away.

Posting by:

Lieutenant Commander Ryuuji Takasu
Chief Strategic Operations Officer

Chief Warrant Officer Karuta Roromiya
Air Boss

Cheif Petty Officer Jonathan McHowle
Flight Deck Crew Chief

Petty Officer 3rd Class Will Howard
Flight Deck Maintenance Engineer

Pettyu Officer 2nd Class Millie Jovanka
Firefighter & Damage Control Officer

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