New Heading
Posted on Sun Jul 12th, 2026 @ 2:56am by Lieutenant JG Vesper Dunne & Lieutenant Bartholomew Hale
1,075 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
Friends and Traitors
Location: USS Thunderbird, Shuttlebay Control
Timeline: MD003 - 2330
The last of the shuttles landed in the Thunderbird's hangar. The shuttlebay maintenance crews swarmed the vessels to offload the cargo and passengers, and secure the vessels for the evening. Hale and Bilz watched from above, their arms crossed, as if they'd just watched a ballet come to a conclusion.
"That's the last of them, Lieutenant," Bilz reported. He checked his PADD, giving a cursory glance of the final shuttle's inventory. "An extra crate of phaser rifles. We must be in for an interesting trip."
"Heh, you've got no idea," Hale huffed. He watched as the final shuttle's pilot disembarked. From a distance, she could've been any other officer assigned to his department. He had to check with Bilz. "Is that her?"
"Yeah." Bilz nodded, looking up for a split second from his PADD. "No one else has hair like that."
"Hmm." Hale's mouth curled into a half smile. He tapped his combadge. "Hale to Dunne. Report to shuttlebay control."
"Yes, Sir," Dunne said, using the combadge system's enhancement protocol to make herself heard, "on my way." She shouldered her carryon, stopped at a nearby console to get the layout fixed in her mind and headed toward Control.
Hale folded his arms behind his back and waited.
"You rehearsing a speech?" Bilz asked.
"Certainly not."
"You look like you're rehearsing a speech."
"Chief, I have welcomed dozens of pilots aboard Starfleet vessels."
"Mm-hm."
Hale frowned. "Hundreds, perhaps."
"You're definitely rehearsing a speech." Bilz smirked.
She moved quickly, purposefully, through the mix of new arrivals and Shuttle Bay Technicians who would make sure that the cargo holds were emptied and sent on to their proper destinations and that the shuttles themselves were in good repair. Ready to go out again. Her dark auburn hair hung in a neat braid, its tied end reaching to below her shoulder-blades and her uniform was clean and as neat as a shuttle ride would allow.
Shuttle Bay Control was a hub rather than an office and as such had no chime or entry protocol; people were in and out all the time and so, she entered, her dark gray gaze searching the room and locating Lieutenant Hale almost at once. She took a deep breath and walked up to him, stopping just outside of arm's reach. "Lieutenant Dunne, reporting for duty, Sir."
"Welcome aboard, Lieutenant. I'm Lieutenant Hale, Chief of Flight Operations." He picked up a PADD sat atop a nearby console and gave it a cursory glance. "Pilot, I've been reviewing your work from today. I'd like an explanation."
"An explanation, Sir?" Dunne gaze turned quizzical as she looked at him, mentally running a checklist through her head and looking for problems and mistakes. Was the Lieutenant one of those that expected an idiotic smile plastered on her face no matter what? Should she get herself assigned to straight cargo runs so she didn't scare passengers? "I don't understand."
Hale studied the PADD for a moment longer. "I'm trying to work out what has made you so efficient. Your efficiency rating exceeds any other pilot in our outfit. You've moved a lot of cargo in one shuttle. I have to say, very well done, Lieutenant."
She smiled as relief flooded through her. "Thank you, Sir," she said, her already quiet voice dropping slightly. "Spatial awareness. I'm good at seeing how things can ... fit together."
"Indeed." Hale nodded. He moved to a desk and leaned against it. "Evidently, your talents served you well today. If you can hold your nerve on a cargo transfer day, you can do just about anything as a pilot. Can you tell me a bit about your previous assignments? Where did they have you flying?"
"Spent two years aboard the Nathan James," she said. "The scientists on board loved using the shuttle. Aerial observation, cargo hauling, and the like."
"Scientists," Hale grinned. "They're jolly hard work aren't they?"
Names and faces flitted across the landscape of her mind. T'Ral, expressionless visage and the driest of wits, and Anders, with all those tidbits of knowledge, a seemingly endless supply not burdened at all by the need for fact-checking, the practical joker, the chef that liked to cook with insects, the tone-deaf musician, and more. "Yes they were, Sir. No question. Never quite knew what was going to happen next but whatever it was, it was always interesting."
"You can say that again. Depending on how you look at it, this assignment may be more enjoyable. It will likely afford less of those opportunities. Do you have any experience with combat flying; insertions, extractions, fire support, reconnaissance and the like?" Hale asked.
"Yes, Sir," Dunne answered. "I'm fully certified and too, not all of our missions were peaceful ones. Surprising in scientists, I admit, but still. I've done some."
"Good, good, we may need to count on that. Our mission ahead may have us on quite the sticky wicket." Hale said. "In the meanwhile, I may have a small task for you. I understand you've got some communications qualifications in addition to your expertise as a pilot?"
"I'm not an expert," Dunne said as she shifted her stance slightly, "but it was my minor at the Academy. What did you have in mind?"
"Our Second Officer requested a shuttle pilot to handle the transfer of an ambassador from the starbase who will be taking part in our mission," Hale said. At this point he knew most pilots would roll their eyes at such a suggestion, so he preempted the objection. "It might seem like a simple job, but it is important one. Not unlike scientists, ambassadors can be demanding, and we want to put our best foot forward."
"It's alright, Sir," Dunne said quietly. "Learned that lesson a long time ago. We do what needs doing. This is no different. When is the ambassador arriving?"
"The Ambassador's aide has us scheduled to pick her up at 0730. That will give you some time to rest up and relax. You definitely deserve it, it's been a long day." Hale smiled.
Dunne smiled back, a shy flicker that steadied under his gaze, as she nodded. "I'll settle in and be ready when I'm needed, Sir. If we're done, I"ll go track down my quarters and put my gear away."
"Grand," Hale grinned. "Enjoy your evening. And, Lieutenant, well done again."
Lieutenant Bartholomew Hale
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Thunderbird
Lieutenant JG Vesper Dunne
Pilot, Flight Control
USS Thunderbird
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