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<p class="MsoNormal">Mission:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A
Cure
Delayed</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Day: 3 </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Stardate: 2445.10.27</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <br>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(USS Illuminar – Deck 10 – Shuttlebay/FCO <span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>– <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Pilot
Vic ‘Raid’ Montero - 1400)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The medical team was baffled as to what happened
to Vic at
the Prancing Pony.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While his
blood chemistry
was normal, and scans didn’t show any abnormalities, it took him a week
to
recover.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In that time, it was
vitamin
shots, warm broth and nothing much else.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Even the light hurt his eyes. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He was
fortunate that
Gunsmoke kept checking in on him, making sure he was ok.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He finally had started to feel normal
as the
Illuminar warped away to Vulcan.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Today
was the first real day his body seemed to respond to his commands.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Walking into Flight Control, he nodded at the FCO
on
duty.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Afternoon Ensign Rager,”
he said
as he handed her a cup of coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Always
good to bring a peace offering. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“And to you Raid.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Rumor has it that you’re finally feeling like yourself.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He chuckled, “Gunsmoke telling on me again?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Rager nodded.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“And
now we’re around Vulcan, not sure I can have you out on a shuttle for a
checkout
ride yet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’ll get it cleared
with Vulcan
Space Command for tomorrow.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“You’re the best Ma’am,” he replied. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Don’t you go ma’aming me Raid.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>However, dinner would be nice.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“You got it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Know
of
any good places?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“In fact, I do,” she replied, “On Vulcan, there
is a place
in old town that makes the most authentic Vulcan food for tourists.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I found it last time I was here.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Tomorrow night?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“You’re on Rager.” </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“OK, I have the simulator all fired up for you.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Standard training flight.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Just to make sure your reactions are
ok.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Now you are talking,” Vic said as he headed off
to change. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(USS Illuminar – Deck 10 – Shuttlebay/Simulator <span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>– Pilot Vic ‘Raid’ Montero - 1445)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He was back in the saddle.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>So far the simulation had been standard fare, testing his
reflexes as
things moved in and around the craft.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He’d
made the Kessel Run in short order, been around the FleetEx standard
bob-and-weave twice now.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Things
felt
right and he’d know when the simulation was finished during the debrief.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The last mission run came up on his screen.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As he reviewed the operation, he got a
tickle
in the back of his head.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Rager
must be
messing with him. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This was a
simple
shoot-em-up course measuring speed and accuracy. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Over the speaker came the computers voice
[Commencing Simulation
in three … two … one]</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Vic checked his controls, activated the weapons
computers
and started the run. Speeding up to attack speed, he saw the first two
targets.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He took a high-altitude
approach
to them.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Lockon sounded in his
ear, and
he pulled the trigger.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Two
targets destroyed.
<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Suddenly his proximity alarm went
off. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Missiles incoming,” came
the warning.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Looking at his nav screen, he saw where they were
coming
from.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Vic pulled the stick back,
going into
a loop so he could take the missiles head on.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>As he reached the apex of his turn, he let loose two decoys, and
readjusted his course, moving at flank speed.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The missiles took the bait as he looked around
for where
they came from.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There, he spotted
a blip
at the edge of his range.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Someone
was playing
fast and loose with the rules.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He marked out the other targets in the run before
flipping
his ship 180 and barreling down on those targets.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He’d plan a slalom attack pattern.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Difficult to pull off, but would keep
the nosey
Nellie on their heels while he tried to get a clean shot.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Weaving between the targets, Vic danced among the
stars,
hitting them left and right.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He
knew he
had lost time because of the distraction, but that was no excuse.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>AS
he
burst through the final target, he checked where his shadow was. <span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Noting that, he prepared a burst of
micro torpedoes
that would drive his foe in the direction where he would be waiting. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Fire torpedo spread delta.”<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Vic felt the shutter as the deluge of
microtorpedos left the
ship.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He rolled right and set a
perpendicular
course to the missile barrage. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Taking
it
down 45 degrees, he slowed his speed and waited.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sure enough, he had smoked out his shadow.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Peddle to the metal,” he said to him
self as
the ship jumped again to combat speeds. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The beautify sound of weapons lock filled his
ears.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He let
loose with the phasers and was rewarded by an explosion filling his
screen. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">[End Simulation]. Came the computer. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He was looking forward to his debrief.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>After a shower, of course. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(USS Illuminar – The Prancing Pony <span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>– Pilot Vic ‘Raid’ Montero - 1930)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Vic was sitting at a table waiting for Gunsmoke
to get off
shift.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was his night to
introduce her
to more of the food of his youth.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This
time, chicken in mole sauce.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In
the meantime,
he was munching on chips and a spicy salsa.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bebe entered the lounge, and he waved her over.
“You ready
for some fire tonight?” </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">She chuckled, “You know I have a better spice
tolerance than
you.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was Vic’s turn to chuckle. “Did you see the
simulation
run?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Pretty clever use of those microtorpedos.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You really ruined Ensign Rager day
with that.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">He chuckled as Sam brought over the food and some
drinks to
wash it down. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“Enjoy,” Sam said as he left the table.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(Reply IYW)</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(Posted by Tim) </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
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