Screw Pile Developments

HSS Chasetail: High Hundeerde Orbit

About one week later

Another rest day had come around for the Greenwatch Squadron, with no flying on their schedule. An opportunity to relax after another week of constant patrols.

The Marauders were stepping up their probe incursions and had developed a particular interest in the large Sen-Comms arrays. These provided Hundeerde with vital surface-to-space communications and links to the three Capital Cruisers that each patrolled one of the three planetary sectors. The arrays also sent signals further out into deep Hundeerde space and to numerous smaller relay nodes that provided both communication links and a sensor net. These relay nodes were few and far between, so they provided a much larger challenge for the watch squadrons to effectively patrol.

The pilots of Greenwatch were already up and had completed their morning tasks, had breakfast in the canteen, and were now dispersing to catch up on study, go to the gym, or just relax with their crewmates.

The previous week had been mixed for Seb in terms of his flying. Some days he felt his old self and managed to fly well, and other days he felt decidedly off his game. Nothing to cause a serious issue, but some days he felt that his edge was not as sharp as it should have been. A slight delay in returning a call, a moment’s hesitation before deciding to fire, uncertainty over how long to wait for a guaranteed lock. He would make a decision and then second guess himself immediately after. Whether Raven was consciously aware of Seb’s struggle or not, he always seemed to be in the right place at the right time when Seb needed him. An encouraging call on the comms or covering for a slightly sloppy move.

Seb ran his hand through his hair as he made the familiar walk up to the catwalk above the flight deck. It wasn’t exactly quiet; the deck below was a constant hum of noise and activity, but the catwalk was usually free of people. It was a place he could go to think.

Seb stood watching the activity below, quietly taking in the full choreography; everyone doing their job, having a purpose with nothing and no one extra.

Quietly and without announcement Raven slid in alongside Seb. Seb turned his head slightly and acknowledged his friend. For a few minutes the two friends simply watched the activity below. There was always something interesting to see, and even though they could not hear the words, they knew exactly what one deck crew was likely to be saying to the other. That timeless ballet that occurred between deck crew and the arriving and departing of craft.

Seb breathed in through his nose and shifted his body slightly.

The activity below continued. Raven waited for Seb to speak again. Seb glanced again at his friend.

Raven turned and gave Seb a look.

Silence.

Raven let that sit for a while as they watched a shuttle load of new relief crew get checked in by Lieutenant Commander MacKenzie.

Seb turned to his friend and looked at him properly. Raven returned a brief glance.

Raven continued to look out over the flight deck.

Raven waited for Seb to continue.

Seb kept looking straight ahead out over the railing, his eyes not focused on anything happening below.

Lewis appeared alongside Raven and Seb with Dogger tucked under his arm. He spoke softly, just loud enough to be heard.

Raven then pulled in his friends and gave them all a squish.