The hangar was abuzz with activity as White Squadron started their final pre-flight checks. Half would be meeting with the enigmatic sentient ship Gomthree, half would be flying straight towards the Underspace aperture, and all needed to be ready for anything.

Dawa was about to join them when she heard someone calling her name. “Commander Vlček!”

She glanced over her shoulder, then quickly turned to attention as one of the higher-ups approached with a lieutenant in tow. “Sir!”

“I’m sorry for not catching you before the briefing,” the senior officer said, “but news is moving faster than we can keep up with. There’s been a change in your directive. You’re not approaching the aperture, you’ll be traveling through it. Now that it’s stabilized, we need tactical reports on who or what might be on the other side from your team and from Lt. Kolokotronis here.”

Dawa turned her attention to her passenger with wide eyes, still absorbing the information she’d just received.

The Lieutenant nodded to the senior officer, then to Dawa and caught her wide-eyed stare, silently acknowledging how the abrupt change in orders, as well as a new tagalong, might be somewhat off putting. He donned a respectful smile while keeping his arms to his sides. “Thanks for having me along, Ma’am. I hear you’re quite the pilot.” He chirped in an upbeat tone, trying to alleviate some of the numb awkwardness that still sat in the air, then cleared his throat. 

“I’m here for tactical support, plain and simple, I won’t get in anyone’s way.” He paused. “I’ve got a detailed readout of our updated orders.” He handed the Lieutenant Commander the PADD with his left hand. 

Cam’s attention shifted, and he turned towards both officers, eyebrows raised. A grin spread across his face as he imagined the scenario. “Tactical Support?” he said, laughing. “Do we need help herding space mammals now?” His eyes twinkled with amusement, the mental image clearly tickling his sense of humor.

The senior officer nodded at the three of them and walked away, leaving them in a bubble of silence. Despite the ongoing clamor of activity in the hangar, Dawa’s lack of response to Cam seemed to deaden the energy around them–energy she was usually more than willing to return to her most trusted pilot.

“I do not, do NOT like having to amend the pre-flight briefing when we’re already halfway out the door,” she muttered to herself as she skimmed through the PADD that Lt. Kolokotronis had handed her.

Then her eyes flicked upwards towards the lieutenant and her whole demeanor softened. She nodded to him and offered a smile. “But it’s Starfleet policy not to shoot the messenger. Especially not when they compliment your piloting skills.”

She turned quickly on her heel and started walking quickly towards the spacecraft. “Come along, gentlemen, and we’ll share this new flight plan with the rest of the squad.”

Dawa swiftly completed her final pre-flight check of the Apsara-class bomber and turned her attention to her passenger, eyeballing him to ensure he was properly secured. “So, I understand that we don’t officially know what’s on the other side of the aperture, but can you hazard any guesses based on your briefing?”

Alexander was strapped in and surveying the tactical systems, and glanced over at the Commander as she prepped the bomber for departure. “Well, an aperture of this size introduces a number of possibilities, could be anything from asteroid debris to starships.”

He paused a moment, tapping the screen in front of him, ensuring all weapons systems were online, impressed at the armament a vessel of this size carried. It packed a punch, no doubt.

“However, Starfleet Intelligence has reported a number of small skirmishes between different apertures, some factions are using them to conduct surprise attacks, some just using them for scouting missions. It’s not foolish to predict hostile activity on the other side, especially now that’s stabilized.” He dragged his finger across his console, studied it for a moment, turning his attention from Dawa. “But I’ll have ranged scanners running even before we get through the aperture.”

Dawa nodded. She sized up Alexander as he spoke, and decided that–so far–she liked the cut of his jib. He seemed competent and wasn’t as grim and taciturn as some tactical officers tended to be.

“Prepare for the worst and hope for the best, then?”

Before he could respond, their orders sounded over the comms. “White Squadron, you are clear for departure.”

Six starfighters spilled out of the hangar in quick succession, each on the other’s tail. 

“Rangers, echelon formation,” said Dawa. “Sunshine, you’re my wingman.”

They raced towards Mellstoxx III and the aperture at high speed, much faster than they’d usually approach the planet. Soon, the entrance to Underspace was in view. It reminded Dawa of the whirlpools she’d seen in photos and holograms, only spraying stardust instead of sea foam.

It was a smoother ride than she’d expected, but the calm was interrupted as they approached the threshold.

“Sunshine to Lycan: it looks like someone else is trying to join our formation…”

Right on cue, their proximity alert sounded as the creature Gomthree approached at an angle from the turbulent edge of the aperture, and began to follow them in.

“Oh, great,” Dawa muttered. “Just what does that space pip think it’s doing?”