Sure Promise

[Shalin 0]

5 years ago ... Sub-orbital space-jump training, Death Valley

 

"We have a malfunction ..."

"Who?"

"Cadet Cleaver - the deployment pack indicates multiple failure."

"Transporter ..."

"No good sir: he's going too fast. Even if we get a lock he'll come out of the beam only to smash on the pad."

 

Shan could scarcely believe what he was hearing as he flew the drop-shuttle over the falling cadets. Three suits were working normally, but one was registering warnings. Didn't the techs check those things?

 

"Two minutes ..."

 

Without thinking Shan turned the shuttle into a nose-dive, ripping through the atmosphere under impulse drive. Even with diverting power to the forward deflector, the nose was getting hot. He angled the vessel slightly to protect the upper hull - it would need to stay cool ...

 

The Commandant's voice blared over the com. "Cadet Shalin - what in blazes are you doing?"

 

"This will only take a minute, sir." The outer atmosphere was breached and Shan was in the clear and still accelerating. He began to angle the shuttle carefully, using thrusters to counter the wind resistance that was trying to vector the ship forward. Everything about the vessel protested the abuse, and still he drove it downward.

 

"Cadet you are ordered to return. There's nothing you can do - you'll get yourself killed as well!"

 

Shan didn't reply, for arguing would only make his fate all the worse. The shuttle continued down, whining and screaming all the way. Yet before long Shan got results - he could see the team of divers, in formation and mercifully out of the way. Far past them was Cleaver ... he was almost in positon.

 

Sixty seconds ...

 

The shuttle lurched and bucked as he thrusted it downwards flat. Soon he could see Cleaver staring unbelievingly at him through the front viewport. Shan didn't bother communicating - if he didn't understand what was happening, wasting time with hand gestures wouldn't help. Pushing just a bit longer, Shan got the shuttle flat under Cleaver and began a careful deceleration. The falling cadet hit the shuttle with a reverborating *thud*, which Shan could only pray wasn't too hard. He continued deceleration ... far slower than he wanted but the Cadet wasn't strapped down. He'd hate to have gone through all this trouble only to have Cleaver slip-shot off the roof.

 

It was close: the range indicator read five meters before the shuttle was finally Z-axis neutral. It was, however, stopped and hovering. With that Shan looked ahead and landed, anxious to see the results of his effort. Opening the hatch and looking up, a wave of relief flooded over him as he saw Cadet Cleaver upright - his helmet removed as he sat on the shuttle almost casually.

 

"You ... are a friggin' madman, do you know that?"

 

Shan contorted his face horribly in insult before replying. "You're welcome ... and don't think it would've been easy for me, Walter. How would you like to be the one to tell your little brother that I was flying the ship you jumped out of, right before going bug-splat on the flats?" With that Shan went back inside, returning with a pair of water bottles. The two cadets migrated to the shaded side of the shuttle and sat, drinking slowly and waiting.

 

-----------------------------------

 

Shan and the jump team snapped to attention as the Commandant's shuttle arrived. Exiting the vehicle, he paced in front of the group three times before speaking. "An interesting performance, Cadet Shalin: it could be considered heroic, were it not for its absolute stupidity. I assume that, as a shuttle pilot, you are aware that the shuttle was never designed for those kinds of maneuvers?"

 

Shan nodded and spoke quietly. "Yes sir."

 

"That would mean you are aware of how much wear and stress you put on that vehicle, and that by all rights it should have snapped in two underneath you both."

 

Shan simply nodded.

 

The Commandant waited an agonizing five seconds before continuing. "So far there are twelve people who know about this incident. Opinions about you vary among them. The fact that you succeeded is commendable, were it not for the fact that you flew in the face of good sense and direct orders. Starfleet is not in the habit of awarding commendations to those who disobey orders. At the same time, repremanding someone for saving the life of a fellow cadet is also bad form.

 

"Therefore: the twelve people who know about this incident will be the only twelve people to learn about it. There will be no commendations, and no repremands. This incident never happened." The Commandant stiffened and looked at the team as a whole. "Is that understood?"

 

"Yes sir." The chorus flashed in classic cadet fashion.

 

"Very good - dismissed." As the group broke up, the Commandant waved to Shan. "Cadet ... the shuttle you flew is due for a maintenance inspection in three days."

 

Shan suddenly felt a rock in his throat. "Yes sir?"

 

The Commandant bent forward and smirked. "This incident never happened ... understood?"

 

Shan sighed heavily. "Understood sir."

 

With that the Commandant rose and smiled pleasantly. "Excellent - carry on."

 

Shan returned to the shuttle, sighing again as he looked at it. He had two days and the vehicle's systems needed at least twenty hours of work to get them back into operational status assuming he didn't wash off the heat scoring marks, which weren't about to just up and wash off. The entire hull would need to be polished, and the Commandant would probably be expecting a waxed shine, too.

 

Deep inside he had to congradulate the Commandant; even without a reprimand he managed to tag Shan with disciplinary action.

 

Dropping into the pilot's seat, he secured the vessel and his passengers before limping back to the training center. He might as well get started right away: he wouldn't be getting much sleep for the next couple of days.