A green blip popped into being near the middle of the targeting display, then another, then another, then several more. It took the computer less than a second to identify the contacts and tag each with the appropriate label. The largest blips were labeled Enterprise-F, Leviathan-A and Ronin, but the one of most interest was a fourth one tagged Knight. The display shifted slightly until the Knight's blip was centered.
Max mentally ordered a comm channel to the other three ships in her flight group to be opened, and the neurosensors in her helmet complied instantly. Not for the first time did Max marvel at this new toy the eggheads in R&D had come up with and she was glad Admiral Pike had had them installed into the Peregrine II's they were flying.
"I have the Knight on sensors. Follow me in," she ordered.
"Aye," came back the voices of Sam, Jo and Kim.
The four sleek fighters banked slightly and headed toward their rendezvous point. Max radioed ahead to the Knight and made sure the hangar was ready to accept their new ships, and was assured it was.
Somewhere in the deeps of space, the USS Knight sped toward the inevitable battle with the Bariens. At the point along its course where it passed the closest to Earth, four small, winged craft were waiting for it. One radioed and announced their presence, but of course, all four had been picked up by the Knight's sensors long ago. The Knight radioed back instructions on landing, and shortly thereafter the four small craft were swallowed up by the huge starship.
Lee Carter was waiting on the main hangar deck when the four Peregrines arrived. To her this all had a very strong sense of deja-vu. While the crew of the Knight had been under the influence of the Talosians during the Kelvan Encounter illusion, she had been reunited with her former wingmates. It had never really happened of course, but it had seemed real to her. Now, here they all were again, and the Knight was again headed into battle.
Lee took a few anxious steps forward, she was eager to meat her old friends. Again. The four pilots of the Peregrines were walking towards her. When they met, Lee stretched out her hand and took Max's.
"Hey boss," said Max.
"Hey Max," said Lee, smiling. "Hey gang," she said looking around at the others.
Sam, Jo and Kimmy gathered around their old commanding officer. They were all happy to be reunited.
Finally, Lee disengaged herself from the celebrating group. She drew Max aside a short way and inquired about the new ships.
"They're just like you specified, boss," said Max. "Except for one thing."
Lee started at that. What had those busybodies at Starfleet R&D done to her perfect Peregrine II design?!?
"You'll love this," said Max. Lee doubted it, but she followed Max nonetheless. Max led her to her own Peregrine. "Sit here," said Max, pointing to the pilot seat. Lee climbed past Max and wriggled into the snug acceleration couch. "Put this on," said Max as she handed Lee her neurohelmet. Lee put the helmet on her head, and immediately her world as she perceived it changed. Her senses became clearer, and she could see beyond the confines of the hangar bay! She could sense the condition of the Peregrine she was in.
"Pretty cool, huh?" said Max. Transfixed by the new sensations, Lee could only nod in agreement.
Thanks to the neurohelmets, pilot and machine were integrated as never before; they practically merged into one unit. The pilot had merely to think a command: "Center the target display", or "Open a comm channel", and it would happen. This allowed the pilot to concentrate on more important issues, which was critical in a combat situation.
Furthermore, the helmet fed the pilot information; became the pilot's eyes and ears, as it were. All sensor data was fed through the helmet to the pilot. Because of this, the pilot instinctively "knew" the entire layout of the battlefield and knew where the best target were.
Finally, Lee puled off the helmet. She was almost out of breath. "Very impressive," she said.
Max nodded knowingly.
Lee shrugged out of the pilot seat and hopped back down to the deck. She clapped her hands once to get the Banshee's attention. They turned their heads in her direction. Lee said, "Let's go find our quarters and get settled. The Barien fight is in a couple of days."