Rendezvous with Saratoga

Posted on Tue Jul 19th, 2011 @ 9:49pm by Lieutenant Colonel Sosuke Ishihara

536 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Mission 76 - Home comings
Location: USS Saratoga
Timeline: Present
Tags: Colonel Pike

"Saratoga, this is Black Aces Squadron, requesting permission to dock as ordered." Sosuke said, his voice filtering through the bulky helmet that obscured his head but allowed him unparalleled access to information through a complex heads-up display situated on the visor of the helmet itself. The readouts in front of him also held controls and information, but if he needed to, the Lieutenant Colonel could control the fighter's entire operation just using the HUD and simple voice commands. "Computer, calculate time to rendezvous and give me a visible countdown." he ordered absently. A scrolling series of numerals appeared on the lower right hand corner of his HUD and began ticking off as the Saratoga got larger and larger in his cockpit's front canopy.

"Acknowledged, Colonel Ishihara. Please proceed by flights of three into Saratoga docking bays. On your mark." the shuttle controller responded as the Saratoga came around.

"You heard the woman, Black Aces. Divide into your flight groups and begin approach. You know what to do." he ordered, receiving a flurry of affirmative responses from his pilots. Sosuke himself waited until the last of his people had made it into the ship before starting his own landing. He oriented on the Akira class ship's main hangar bay and communicated his desire to land, following protocols.

"Roger, Ace 1. You have the ball. You may begin your landing."

"Ace 1, confirm, I have the ball." Sosuke responded, lining up his approach. It wasn't like his holodeck simulations, where he landed a Japanese Zero fighter on the deck of a Japanese carrier during World War II, but it still held a small thrill. At times he elected to forego all computer assistance and bring it in manually, but he didn't have the time to waste on that today. He let the computer take control at a certain distance and the automated landing systems brought his Valkyrie Class fighter in for a picture-perfect landing. Sosuke only had to monitor the systems to make sure everything was performing as expected, then set everything to maintenance mode before he left.

Once he landed, Sosuke went straight to the bridge to report in to the new Marine CO, Colonel Pike. He, along with the other marines, didn't know what to make of the man. Pike was Fleet, not a career marine. He'd only been transferred after years of service in...Strategic Operations, if Sosuke remembered correctly. Now, Sosuke himself had spent a few years as a Security officer, but that was only until he could convince the Admiral to toss him back in a fighter cockpit. He'd ALWAYS considered himself a marine, born and bred. This Pike, though...Sosuke didn't know what to make of him. He didn't like the thought of a fleetie jumping the chain of command like that after Borodin was reassigned.

Still, the Marines were nothing if not professional. Once he reached the Saratoga's bridge, Lt. Colonel Ishihara snapped into a smart salute despite the aches and pains from spending several days in a cramped fight cockpit. "Sir! Black Aces fighter squadron, Lieutenant Colonel Ishihara commanding, reporting as ordered, SIR!" he announced cooly, waiting for Pike's acknowledgement. He wouldn't move a single muscle until told to be at ease.

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