The G Factor

Posted on Mon May 3rd, 2021 @ 11:06pm by Captain Yasmine Carrington

Mission: Season 5: Episode 2: Operation Save Humanity
Location: Holodeck 4 RAF Whiteclff / Vaii Residence
Timeline: MD2-10h00
1221 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Jess kicked back in a loungechair. She watched two F-5 Trainers come in near an ols RAF Airfield. Pushing her coms, she spoke to her nuggets. "Watch the G's nuggets. You're all banking to hard. It will send all your blood rushing to your feet."

"Instructor Vaii." The coms came in from Shalanna. "Why are we flying three hundred year old jet aircraft? Aren't we going to fly Valkyries?"

Jess picked up the Lemonade on the stand next to her. "Understand flight in all of its aspects is essential to mastering space superiority combat. You're all learning subtle lessons that are refining all of your flight techniques. In fact, everything we know about flying modern shuttles, starships, and fighters comes directly from the lessons Baron von Richtoffen taught you. Keep those in mind, and you'll all come back alive. You're going to need the basics when you fly the Apollos."

"Wait.. Apollos?"

"Yeah, NASA Apollo Spacecraft. Better study the controls of your typical Apollo setup. You'll learn a lot about the old way of plotting courses before we had modern Stellar Cartography." Jess mentioned. "You may not think these lessons are relevant, kiddos. But what happens when you've lost main power, and all you have is emergency. Worse, you're in a decaying orbet into a planet's gravity well. Whether you live or die... Depends on where you end up." Jess mentioned. "Remember my first rule; Sir Isaac Newton is the deadliest son of a bitch in space."

"Interesting" The voice from the back of the room, cut through the room. Captain Carrington stood there, PADD in hand.

Jess turned around. "Captain..." She heard about the command transfer, then pushed her coms. "Alright kiddos. Land those birds, and park them correctly. I'm not training marines here."

Yasmine stepped into the room. "Commander Vaii." She said briskly. "How are your cadets performing?"

"Too soon to tell. They've just completed their training at the hands of the Baron. They have yet to meet Colonel Yeager and Astronaut Lovell. " Jess noted. "But they are promising. I can say only that. They have a good grasp of teamwork, but I'm not looking for followers. I'm training future squadron commanders. But I did not chose the cream of the academy for Elysium Academy. I want those who have struggled at the campus... Because they know how to listen."

"And are any beyond help?" Carrington asked.

"Beyond help?" Jess stated. "All due respect ma'am. No one is beyond help. These cadets are here because they want to be Starfleet Officer. Difficult students require difficult instruction." Jess mentioned. "Are you familiar with the old earth children's story of the tortoise and the hare?"

"I am. But this ship does not have time to pander to crew who cannot make the cut. Either these cadets perform Commander, or have them shipped off." Yasmine was firm.

"Don't count them out just yet, Captain. Even now they are formidable pilots." Jess mentioned. "All due respect, are you truly willing to fail people for not measuring up? If we ran the fleet that way, we'd barely have a skeleton crew for a Sabre Escort."

"Commander, this ship has been run very laxly and peoples potential has not been pushed. I intend to make this the shining example to all ships."

Jess spoke. "Push any crew to hard, and they will fail you Captain. And then you will be commanding a shining example of failure. Just ask anyone who survived the Second Battle of Chin'toka. Flesh and blood sentients have limitations, Captain. Even you." Jess was going to remind Carrington of that constantly.

"And not push them hard enough and they will fail to meet the basics. I so do hope you understand that, Commander." The tone was warning now.

"Have you ever been in battle, Captain?" Jess asked calmly.

"Yes. At 13 and 14 I was assisting the Betazoid Resistance against Dominion Occupation. I know what Battle is. And since joining starfleet I have faced battle many times."

"Then know this, Captain. Fighting the Terran Empire was true hell. But the real war... Was not becoming them." Jessica turned towards her cadets. "Alright, Nuggets. Pack it up. We need our eight hours, then you get to meet Colonel Yeager tomorrow." Jess had holomatrices of some of the greatest pilots known. The first the cadets always learned from was the Baron. There were aces and even NASA Astronauts that passed down their skills in this training. "Now pay attention to the Colonel. Next week you'll be meeting Christopher Pike. Pay close attention to his ideas about using gravity to your advantage. It can hinder you or help you, Cadets. Rule number one?"

"Sir Issac Newton is the deadliest son-of-a-bitch in space, Ma'am." They responded to Jess' question.

"Exactly. These aren't shuttlecraft you're going to be flying. The standard Vakyrie's response time in performing a one-eighty is about two seconds, and while we've improved on the inertial dampenors since the Dominion War, a fighter will still overload your senses if you get into an axial spin. My graduates call it the spin of death. For example, you bank so hard, the blood rushes to your feet, you black out and you remain in a axial spin long enough for your opponent to get an easy kil. That's why I'm drilling you hard in the F-5's so you guys can know what your sensory limits are. Well, Colonel Yeager is about to introduce you to a new dimension of sensory overload tomorrow." Jess smirked. "Dismissed."

Yasmine waited until the cadets had left then stopping herself, just from rolling her eyes she said "I am sure these historical events are illuminating but that wont help them if they face Jem Hadar."

"With Respect, It will." Jessica noted. "Do you know why we're called the Tigers. Because we pounce. One or two of us get engaged. The others coordinate an counter-attack plan and pounce on them. We have proven strategies and tactics for every occasion against multiple types of engagements. All based on the battles of those who came before us. Including the Dominion War." Jess mentioned.

Yasmine tried hard not to roll her eyes. Instead, seeing that this woman was not going to see her side merely gave a shrug, "We shall see who is correct wont we. I just pray you live to see them fail." with that she turned and left the area.

Jessica smiled like the cat who ate the canary. She waited for Carrington to get out of earshot. "Oh my cadets will eat any squadron that fights us for breakfast and ask for seconds. All we have to do is do our thing on them." She turned to her cadets. "Kids. I may put you into the simulator so you can learn how to be impressive."

"I'd rather learn how to fly the right way, rather than the wrong way." Kay'vek noted.

"We have a bunch of people upstairs who are looking for impressive displays of skill." Jess mentioned. "And they've decided to judge us based on their concept of what a pilot should be."

"We're not the Academy track team. boss." Shaleena noted.

"Oh I know that, it's just the new bosses don't. I've seen you in the simulations." Jess noted. "We just need to impress the hell out of everyone now."