After being aboard for only three days, Ensign Pruitt received a curt message from the stations XO-

Greetings Ensign,

Welcome aboard. Seeing as your new spaceframe is still en route, I’d like to offer you the chance to join me on a long range recon mission. I could use a good pilot for this one. This will be a classified, volunteer-only mission. If you are interested, report to the USS Rainbow at 2100h, she’s docked at runabout Pad C.

Regards,

CPO Richard Bong

Acting XO

Red had, truth be told, precious little time to get used to the rigors of station life. It was drastically different from starship service, that was sure- not to mention the fact she seemed to have showed up in the middle of a giant crisis of some sort. She’d been briefed, but only shortly and by an officer who seemed more concerned with getting another duty out of the way and possibly rushing to an action station. It was three days of uncertainty and doubt, of standing on the razor’s edge, unsure what the next hour would bring, much less tomorrow.

When she saw the message had been from a few hours ago, Red was already about to turn in after her own shift on duty- and instead was sent scrambling out of bed, throwing on her uniform in a hurry and then hauling ass down the hallway like hell itself was after her.

It was 1850h at Pad C and Bong waited in front of what the Captain had called their ‘new toy’. It was infact he Orion-class USS Rainbow.

“She looks brand new.” Bong crossed his arms.

“That’s because she is Dick. Latest model, only three years old with just over 40 days worth of flight time on her. Nice ride.” Deck Chief Hitoshi replied as he leaned against the rear hatch of the ship.

“Hmmm, only forty days in space out of a thousand? Sounds like she’s been a bit of a hangar ornament.”

“Yeah probably sat collecting dust or used to cart a Commodore around on day trips or some shit.” Hitoshi chuckled. He thought about asking what sort of mission they were heading off on, but his fellow Chiefs demeanor caused him to think better of it.

“Probably. So how’s the wife and kid doing?” Bong asked, knowing the Chief beamed down to his home and family on Gamma Doradus II every weekend.

“Enh, Tanya’s doing great, kids starting high school next month.”

The hatch changed open and Lt Fanak walked in.

*Well will you look at this thing!” Elo Fanak whistled at the sight of the Rainbow. “When are we headed out?”

“In a about amd hour Lt. Feel free to stash your gear and check it out. Your bunk room is the second door on the right down hallway.” Bong said.

“Wherever you’re going, at least you’ll get there in a hurry.” Hitoshi replied as he stepped down the ramp and walked over to the duo.

“Just the two of you?” He added.

“Far as I know.” Elo shrugged, looking about, “Unless anyone says different.”

The Chief walked around to the ramp of the Orion-class scout “We’ll give it a bit to see if Ensign Pruitt shows up. Apparent she’s an extremely promising young pilot.”

They didn’t have to wait but a few minutes, it turned out- soon enough, she came sprinting through the entryway, still bedraggled from her rush. Never did it cross her mind that she had hours of spare time- truthfully, Red’s brain didn’t register that far into the message. So used was she to mad scrambles to the flight deck in imminent combat conditions, her mind had immediately launched her into action.

“I’m here! I’m here!” she gasped, panting for breath as she skidded to a stop, hands on her knees for a moment while she caught her wind again. Then, straightening up again- “Ensign Pruitt, reporting as ordered, sir.”

Better too formal than too informal with a new command staff, she figured- even if it did make her seem like she had a stick up her ass.

“At ease Ensign, I work for a living, and don’t stand on ceremony unless a member of the brass is nearby. But since we’re all here, we might aswell load up and head out.” Bong looked to his to two crewmates who would be joining him.

“Well then, I’ll go get you cleared for launch, good luck sirs, and ma’am.” Chief Hitoshi said as he waved and made for the pads airlock.