Unity

Chapter 17

It was difficult to be around Admiral Jones and not feel awkward. The dichotomy between his behavior around the academy and when we were behind closed doors was drastic. He began the first day with instructing me on proper etiquette for every situation. Since I was XO of the Unity, standards were higher for me. Everyone would be watching and waiting for me to make a mistake. The pressure to not mess up was extreme.

As fate would have it, Admiral Jones did have a fantastic sense of humor. It took some time, but eventually I began to get used to his foibles. I had tried to convince my old squadrons that Admiral Jones was did have a sense of humor, but they all refused to believe me. They all thought I was playing a prank.

The first two weeks of training were dedicated to working with the fighter pilots. Since we didn't have the space to train everyone at the same time, they trained in shifts. Our time with the pilots was spent in the classroom as well as overseeing their time in the simulators. The classroom time was spent covering everything from tactics to specific details on the fighters to proper protocol when communicating with other ships. Admiral Jones expected the pilots to know their ships better than the technicians who maintained them. On a few occasions I was able to catch Tina and talk with her, but it was difficult, as she was usually surrounded by other pilots. Apparently, her skills had made a well-respected expert. Our conversations were pleasant, but my new station had created a divide between us that was difficult to overcome. With time I found myself talking and acting more like the XO and less like the Cadet I had been. The habits I was inheriting from Admiral Jones was starting to distinguish me from the other cadets. At times it felt like I was distancing myself from everyone else.

Admiral Jones and I were on our way to the simulators to oversee a mock battle when our tablets rang simultaneously. We stopped and read the message that was just received. "I think the pilots are going to be excited when we break this news," I said.

"I think that is the biggest understatement I've heard all week," Admiral Jones said with a chuckle.

We quickly made our way to the simulators to deliver the good news. We managed to arrive moments before the pilots. As they entered the room, Admiral Jones called out to get their attention, "Attention on Deck!" With practiced precision, everyone stood at attention, "We just received a message, and due to its contents, your simulator time today has been canceled. We just received word that two squadrons of fighters had just arrived from the shipyards. These ships are fully functional and are ready to be manned. Instead of today's assigned mission, we'll be going on a little field trip to check out and break in the new ships." Surprisingly, the pilots in the room still stood at attention, but by the look on their faces, it was not easy.

The hangars were at the bottom of the Academy. Even I was awed as I entered the hangar. It was a cavernous expanse that must have taken up the entire floor of the station. Parked in perfectly straight lines were the new fighters. They were impressive to behold. Admiral Jones and I arrived before the pilots. He ordered them to don their flight suits before entering the hangar. The pilots slowly started to trickle into the hangar. I could see the same look of astonishment and amazement on each face. I saw Tina Walk in and approach the nearest fighter. She ran her hand down the side as she walked around, drinking in every detail. I walked up behind her and said her name. She jumped and spun around. I laughed and said, "When you're done worshiping the craftsmanship, why don't you climb aboard and take her for a spin."

"Seriously?" she asked her face lighting up.

"I wouldn't dare tease you about something like this," I replied. "You would probably murder me in my sleep." We both laughed knowing it was probably true. I could tell she was holding back her excitement as I helped her into the cockpit.