Each of the four Lieutenants of the 58th had volunteered to teach and mentor the Marine Corpsmen who where being trained to fly the Hawks that were being phased out of combat but rejuvenated as Medivac ships. Captain Morgan had been teaching the lecture part of the courses and some of the simulation time on top of his normal duties. Each of the pilots were adding about sixteen hours of flight time to their routine flights and missions. The Corpsmen who were being trained were juggling very heavy schedules as class room time was 20 hrs a week and at least 8hrs in sims and/or flight time, on top of their duties as assigned in the Corps for thelast three weeks.
The pilots sat around the table in their ready room with Major Boyle and Captain Morgan. Everyone was slouched down and grumbling. Shannon shook her head as she listened to Morgan lecture her on how she screwed up in dealing with Captain Alcon. When he paused to take a breath, she interjected, "Yes, I was wrong to get in her face and push her backwards into the wall."
Shannon had just stepped out of the trainer, she and Jayme hadn't been at it for more then an hour and already she'd forgotten what she just been told, the captains mind was as full of holes as her last hard target and the woman was running a short fuse and wasn't taking criticism well. Jayme stepped out of the trainer and got in Shane's face. "What's the matter Lieutenant? No Guts?
Shannon stood there at attention and made direct eye contact..."No Ma'am!" Shane took one step back maintaining eye contact she asked, "Permission to speak freely, Ma'am?
"Permission granted, Lieutenant," Jayme said hands on her hips
Shane thought of Jayme as one of her older sisters, and this was hard, and said, "Jayme, you're running on fumes...exhausted. As the flight trainer for these ships its my judgement who flies and who doesn't and as of right now...your not!
Jayme took that step and was back into Shannon's face, and yelled, "Exscuse me...I don't think I heard you right Shannon. That is not a call for you to make.
Shannon blew out her breath this whole episode kept bouncing back and forth between friends and the senior/junior officer crap. Shanking her head she pivoted to leave when Jayme's hand grabbed her arm and she not thinking just popped off and grabbed the other woman's coveralls and shoved her back several steps into the wall hard enough she felt the jarring in her own arms... "We're done for the day!" She released her friend and stomped out of the flight bay
He frowned and agreed silently that his pilot had serious grievances in this cases, "If she files charges or her CO does for assaulting an officer...
She sat up straighter and looked first him in the eye and then Major Boyle. "Then we counter file reckless endangerment." Shannon wanted to avoid getting into Jayme's business, but... "She is my friend--yes. But she has no business flying with the schedule or pressure she's under. She was showing all of the signs of exhaustion--I deemed her unfit to fly and as the pilot instructor that was my responsibility and right. She didn't agree and we got into it, sir.
Boyle looked at Morgan and crossed his arms over his chest said, "We all have killer schedules at the moment." He was aware of the strain on his own peoples faces but they were Marines and they'd survive it or move to a less stressful unit...not one on the verge of war with the Mullurians. "What pressure, Shannon?" He asked.
"She's a good friend, Medical officer, and a so-so passenger...but she's afraid of flying, sir." Shannon looked to Talia who nodded in support as Vansen added, "She's one of the few people who truly prefers to have their atoms scrambled in the transporter then fly.
He looked to Morgan. "Then why is she in this course?
Morgan shrugged, "it's standard medivac training and policy for the Corpsmen to have the basics in case something happens to the pilot.
The Major then asked, "Does the Colonel know?
Morgan nodded and said, "He knows...but isn't in the cockpit with her and we are. Shannon, write the incident up and forward it to us. But in the mean time, there are five more classes, and she is the only one with any flight time left to complete ... one more flight and a solo and we're done. I doubt she'll say anything to the Colonel." Shannon winced and nodded that she'd acknowledged the order. She was glad when they moved on to other subjects
A holo map then popped up in the center of the table and the rest of their meeting continued for another hour
After the meeting, Shannon moved to the computer and started the report as ordered. Just before she'd finished Talia had shown up and took a seat at the table to wait. Talia said, as Shannon hit the transmit key to forward a copy to her own file and to her senior officers inboxes, "That was pretty ugly...taking you to task and then discussing Jayme in front of the group.
Shannon ran her fingers though her hair and groaned. She stood and joined Talia at the table. "At least the Major appeared to understand why I did what I did...he seems to know what is going on in the other units as well and isn't going to pursue the reckless endangerment issue--he could, but in the interests of finishing and keeping the peace within the Corps.
Talia smiled, started to say something and stopped herself
Shannon asked, "What?
Talia stood and tossed Shannon her flight jacket, an archaic symbol of old earth pilots, "- nothing, well I was going to suggest grabbing Jayme and going bar hopping but under the circumstances, I guess that's out of the question.
"Probably what the 'wench' needs; that, and a good slap-up-side the head!" Both stepped out into the corridor. "Where to?
"Soma? We haven't been there in weeks." Talia liked the heavy metal band there
"It's a plan.