another drill [Backpost}

Posted on 03 Nov 2025 @ 2:08pm by Lieutenant Paul Winchester & Lieutenant JG shakram Coro & Lieutenant Margeurite "Maggie" LeFebvre & 1st Lieutenant Cassandra Matthews

1,452 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: S04 Episode 02 The Hackers Backdoor (Incidentals)
Location: hollodeck 3

On:

=Holodeck 3=

Having transported the Pilots to the holodeck while they were asleep, they were in their holodeck quarters, unaware of what was about to happen. Paul stood looking at the screen with the clock ready to start. He thought to himself, oO Well, here we go and see how they respond, Oo as he pressed the button to start the program. As the Holodeck version of the ship rocked, Paul opened the com channel and said =/\= All fighter pilots to your fighters, we are under attack. I say again, we are under attack =/\= as he closed the channel and watched for the pilots to respond.

As the ship rocked, she heard Paul's voice ring out over the coms. She slid her feet into the pants of her flightsuit that was draped over the top of her boots, and slid her feet into her boots as well. pulling the suit up to her arms quickly and swiftly, and then zipping it up. She then grabbed her helmet and headed out the door to the flight deck.


Maggie was asleep, dreaming about her upcoming nuptials. The warm Risan sun beat down on her arms. She looked down; she was wearing a strapless white dress. Ah, her wedding dress. She looked around. The faces of her friends, crew, and her Mother were there. She approached the altar, but a voice interrupted the good parts. Why TF was Paul Winchester interrupting her wedding? Rude!! Her brain quickly connected the words, and her blue eyes opened.

"Where the hell are we?" She said, getting to her feet. She was glad that she'd stopped sleeping in the nude after she left the Academy. Quickly, she realized what was happening. "Why are we in the holodeck?" she asked, heading out of the door to the Hangars. Winchester would pay for this, once she figured out how.

She arrived in just a moment and stepped into her flight suit, which was still hanging in her locker from the day before. She finger-combed her hair and stepped onto the Hangar floor to wait.

-----------------------



Maz had been asleep when he felt the rocking of the ship and bolted awake, "Why so loud?" he said before grabbing the sheets and wrapping them around his body. He swung his feet into where his boots would normally sit, only to find them knocked down. He grumbled as he bent down to adjust them, having slept in his suit previously. He believed in being prepared for anything, and if this saved him a lot of replicator time or time putting them into a drawer, then he would wear them as he did on the LaFayette. Zipping up his boots, he made a beeline for the door.

---

Cassandra was use to such drills. She was behind more than her own fair share of them. It didn't take long before Cassandra sprinted down the brightly lit corridor of the holodeck, her thoughts razor-sharp as adrenaline coursed through her veins. Her boots struck the deck with precision, a rhythm that matched the thrum of her heart. She could still feel the subtle sway of the ship as simulated impacts echoed through the holodeck's walls, bringing the illusion to life.

As she rounded the corner, the controlled chaos of the flight deck came into view. Crew members worked furiously to simulate readiness—mechanics shouting to each other, digital screens flashing red warnings. It was convincing enough to make her stomach tighten, even though logic dictated this was only a drill. "Never let your guard down," she murmured under her breath, a mantra drilled into her by years of training.

Sliding her flight helmet over her head, she secured it with swift, practiced hands and keyed into the ship-wide coms.

=^= Mathews here. Heading to my bird now. What are we looking at? =^= she inquired, her voice steady despite the rising tension in the air.

Paul stood watching as each green light represented a fighter, with the name and the time next to it. He saw that the Klingons once again had gotten to their fighters in record time, and Shkram had drilled her pilots well. Following Mathews to their cockpits were the Marines.

He heard over the Com channel =/\= Klingon 1, ready=/\= Shakram stated as she slipped her helmet over her head and began her pre-flight checks.
----

By the time Maz had arrived, it looked as though people had already arrived. He was still getting used to the distance and timing, but was glad he found the place on the first attempt while tired. He found his bird and began to make his way toward it at full speed.

Mags was already there, in her helmet, but stood, hands on her hips, yelling at a mechanic. Her bird was being repaired? SERIOUSLY? A moment later, she had a satisfactory response from the man, because she climbed into the plane carefully.

=/\=LeFebvre reporting. All systems go. =/\= She should come up with a call sign. She had used "Barbie" once before, as in, the old, iconic Earth figurine doll, but that was stale. She's asking Todd. He was clever.

=/\= Trafalgar reporting from Raider Four. All systems green, online for launch. =/\= Maz said as he finished the diagnostics on the beautiful bird he would be flying.

Reaching her sleek fighter, Cassandra climbed up with practiced ease, her hand grazing its exterior for a fraction of a second, a personal ritual of sorts. Sliding into the cockpit, Cassandra strapped herself in with a precision born of muscle memory. Her fingers danced over the controls, running through her pre-flight checks as the systems flared to life around her. The cockpit came alive with a calming hum, interweaving its rhythm with the pounding of her heart.

With her systems prepped and engines humming with potential, Cassandra exhaled slowly, her hands instinctively settling on the familiar grooves of the control stick. =/\= Cashpot checking and ready to fly. =/\= she announced the call sign Winchester had given her made her smile. It hadn't taken long to get used to it at all. It reminded her he was betting on her to be successful.

Paul watched as the pilots got to their fighters and called in. Paul could see that this was not quicker than he liked, but was an improvement on the last drill. Still, the Klingons had beaten his pilots once more, and he wanted all his pilots on par. He said over the Comms =/\= Ladies and Gentlemen, this has been another drill, you are getting quicker =/\= he paused, taking a breath, and continued=/\= The Klingons on the ship have once more beaten your fleet personnel to your fighters and that goes for Marines as well.=/\= he finished, =/\= I want to see better from you all.=/\=

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Well, then. You better get my bird fixed BEFORE I get here," she said back. "Out."

=/= Acknowledged, Lieutenant Commander. =/= Cassandra’s voice came through steady, professional, but with an unmistakable undercurrent of determination. There was no trace of defensiveness. That wasn’t her style, and besides, she knew better than to offer excuses. Marines didn’t deal in excuses

=/\=Begin simulation.=/\= Maggie was ready to go.

=/\=Trafalgar acknowledges transmission. Proceed when ready, sir. =/\=

Maggie leaned forward slightly and prepped herself to take off when given the signal. She double-checked her safety gear, as well. All was good. Now, to wait.

Maz was already moving when the holodeck changed back to its yellow and black squares, as he said, "What the hell!" and fell to the floor.

Paul replied, "This Drill was to see how fast you can be ready for action. Nothing else." he finished, "You are all dismissed."

Maggie simply sighed deeply as she fell to the floor, but with more grace than Maz. She tucked and rolled, landing sitting uprightly, legs tucked beneath her like a child would.

[quote]This Drill was to see how fast you can be ready for action. Nothing else. You are all dismissed.[/quote]

Maggie closed her eyes and counted to ten before she said something she might regret. After, she simply stood and made her way out of the holodeck.

Paul Winchester would pay for this. She didn't know how yet, but he WOULD. This was the kind of thing you did at the Academy, not to already full-fledged pilots.




Tag, Matthews,








Ens. Cal Maz
Raider 4
USS Tomcat

 

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