Shane and Ryan raced each other to the edge of the G'kar/Mullurans neutral zone on their routine patrol for their assigned sector. Both pilots maintained communication silence as they made their sweep. Both pilots spotted and verified multiple vessels on both sides of the boarder, and by all appearance's they seemed to be behaving themselves.
Shane sighed as she thought about her life and the fact that the one person she'd been physical with was now reassigned, and damn if she didn't miss Lt. West. She missed her flights and discussions with Talia too. She looked out her cockpit left and right when a shiver ran up her spine, and said, "Look sharp Ryan...I've got a bad feeling about this."
Ryan laughed and keyed his mic. "Got the willies Lieutenant?"
"Shut up Ryan." She said, adjusted her scanners, shook her head, focused on the blip crossing the line. The blip turned into two blips and they were now officially violating the neutral zone. Both Bogies weren't broadcasting any ID. "Two bogies at nine O'clock." She said as she rolled her ship in that direction to try and get a visual. She was one light minute from the ships in question when the two ships became two pairs..."Not one pair, two pairs," she yelled into her com gear. Damn, she swore, as she set her systems to copy all data and a running recording of the contact as the ships in question passed thirty meters to the left of her and her wingman.
Ryan stayed tight but interrupted the silence, "What are those?" He looked over his port wing as they looped around and followed the foreign ships in question.
"Unknown! Assume they are hostile." Shane said as she adjusted course. "Scan says single occupant, Mullurans genetic scans, and armed." They were gaining on the interlopers when the two pairs split and Shannon yelled, "Shit."
"Lieutenant, permission to fire?"
"Negative Cowboy. Do not fire...unless fired upon. That's our general order."
For the next five minutes, they performed the most intense Air Combat Maneuvering she'd ever done in her career. When the ships in question broke and headed back over the line. Sweat soaked her T-shirt under her flight gear. They resumed their sweep of the sector and headed back to SB901 with the Intel they had collected on the fighter craft that she was unaware the Mullurans owned.
SB901 loomed up in front of them and they made their way into the hanger. As soon as possible Shane climbed out of her ship and grabbed her recording of the contact, and all of the data they'd gleamed from the short ACM. Ryan caught up with her still dancing with the 'buzz' of adrenaline coursing through his system. "Now what?" he asked.
"We find Captain Morgan, make our report and then if he deems it necessary then we will be interviewed by Major Boyle, and so on and so forth." She was cold standing in the bay with the still damp shirt plastered to her body. They left the bay and as much as she wanted to stop, shower, and have a drink they walked to the captains office and buzzed for permission to enter. They didn't have to wait as the door opened immediately. Both officers stepped through and came to attention and waited to be acknowledged. "Lieutenants."
"Sir." Lt. Vansen handed across the chip and waited while Morgan watched it on the screen. Both pilots watched and maintained their silence, until the contacts returned over the neutral zone ten minutes later.
"You've had a very busy flight. This information is classified and you are not to speak of it until you receive orders other wise. I will investigate and take this to the Major and Colonel. Dismissed."
Both pilots left Morgans quarters and headed to their own, stopping short Shannon said, "see you in the bullpen?" They needed to work up their next mission. She stepped into her quarters and started striping off her gear.