Big Guy & Furball

[STSF Jumper 0]

A Byblos and Honor-Scar Production

 

Lieutenant Jagrissa Shaow ‘Jumper’ Honor-Scar scampered through the hanger bay, mindful of the maintenance technicians servicing the Hornet and Tomcat starfighters that serviced the USS Comanche Creek.

 

The crew had gotten used to Honor-Scar leaping about on all fours, data slate held firmly in muzzle. Most Caitians considered the use of all four paws crude though Honor-Scar felt that if you had the paws and the speed then why not?

 

Her olive-green flight suit showed the insignia of the acting commander of the air group and though it was unusual for a young one to maintain the posting, the felinoid had proven herself capable. The golden furred ACAG was making her way towards Mission Specialist Byblos, call sign ‘Big Ugly’.

 

The full details regarding the Nausicaan were beyond her pay grade, but she’d gathered from the command staff he’d been dispatched from the Black Kris mercenary company to aide the ships staff with the increasing pirate activity coming from the Outlands.

 

A pang of homesickness hit the Cait as she thought of the frontier areas beyond the Federation borders; the Outlands weren’t such a bad place to be if you ran with the right family and associates. Thankfully, she’d grown up around Outlanders who the humans would call “good people”.

 

Once she was within earshot of the Big Guy she rose on her hind paws - all five foot three inches of her - and removed the data slate from her muzzle. “MS Byblos? I need a moment of your time.” Her tone was official and had the undercurrent of purring; her tail swished easily behind her, indicating she was relaxed and calm.

 

“Oh yes, I had some stuff I needed to pass on to you.” The Nausicaan handed a PADD to a Knuckledragger and gave his full attention to ACAG.

 

Byblos looked down upon the Caitan ACAG. He didn’t mean to do a disrespectful act, it just seems for the last two months his height had gotten the best of him. “Uh..first am I in trouble?”

 

The feline cocked an ear back in amusement and looked up. “No. Just wanted to talk to you about your scores.” She indicated the data slate she held in one paw with her free paw.

 

“Okay,” Byblos took the PADD and looked it over.

 

“You’re doing fine for a rookie . But you’re not really a rookie anyway and your scores on the war games came back above average. I would recommend that you watch the kamikaze antics? I think that’s how the Humans refer to it?”

 

“That is how Pirates think sometimes. Crazy things. I assure you I had no intention of portraying a Pirate on a suicide run. I’ve never seen a Pirate Kill himself. I pushed the envelope a bit, yes I admit to that.”

 

Byblos added, “If one can dodge A Starfleet Destroyer’s guns, getting a hit on her doesn’t seem terribly difficult with all the payload a Tomcat has. My concern and I wanted to share this with you is..well I am a dead Nausicaan in a fighter on fighter engagement. Dogfights I believe they are called if I studies correctly..hmm?”

 

Byblos sighed a moment. “How the heck to do I learn Fighter vs. Fighter combat on a CAP Sir? Seriously, how does one practice that kind of thing. The simulator can only do so much in terms of simulating tight maneuvers. It doesn’t match the real thing in my mind.”

 

The Cait offered a smile. Fanged, but a smile all the same. “You learn by doing, and you have been. Training on the Sims and by CAP patrols. Follow my lead, follow the senior pilots’ leads. Sometimes, we do have to get creative out there. Even whatever, ah, training? You received with the mercenary crews on shuttles and pirate fighters can be applied here.”

 

“Truth be told “Jumper” I flew what could best be described as armed shuttles.” The Nausicaan sighed and basically sat down in front of the ACAG. Byblos had to tell Jumper how quick he went from an armed cargo shuttle to flying a sophisticated Federation Fighter.“How do I explain this? I’m not a normal Nausicaan. Something you should know. Listen up ..uh sir”

 

Byblos quickly spat it out. “How did I learn to fly a Tomcat so fast? Well,I am genetically engineered, mentally and a bit physically. That is the reason I learn so quickly and well..do what I did back home well. Should I turn myself in as a lab specimen?”

 

Her ears flattened at that. “No. There will be no need for that, are you crazy?”

 

The felinoid shook her head and her ears popped back up. “Are the enhancements by choice or forced?” There was no surprise on Honor-Scars features at the omission of the Big Guy.

 

“What do you know about Nausicaans “Jumper?” I bet you heard we were violent, short tempered very strong bodied beings. And that was/is the truth. But when the Orions decided they needed a better labor force in their mines. They started playing around with our gene pool. They had little success. Most ended up crazy and were killed. The rest were brain dead zombies perfect for hard labor. My people are a doomed race, and the Orions got to us first. I cannot tell you who first started it..which Cartel or what..but the reason I am still alive.” Byblos pointed at the deck, “Here. Genetic Engineering Is that reason.” Byblos added another fact trailing off. ”Mareena knows.”

 

An ear flipped back and Jumper glanced away as she considered this new information. “You talk to any of the other flight jocks? Heard about my background? That I’m from a Cait Mercenary family going back a couple generations?”

 

“We knew a few mercs who had enhancements. Mostly combat, but every once in a while non-combat. Nausicaans? Not many. I do know this one job my grandfather did? He always told stories about it that he and his group ran into a couple Nausi Berserkers. It didn’t go well...”

 

The senior pilot trailed off and then continued. “I’ve only encountered The Mistress during one of our missions. But....she strikes me as a good leader? I don’t know what exactly First Threat Response Command and her have in common. But I do know they aren’t the first Starfleet and professional mercenary pairing. My family worked with the local sector authorities once or twice, helped them out.”

 

She shrugged. “You’re our pirate and mercenary specialist. Don’t see why not considering everything seems to have a specialist these days. Your Boss obviously thought you’d make a good fit with us.” Her tail swished lazily and she offered another fangy grin.

 

Byblos stood up from his rested position. “A good fit because Orion Males cannot be trusted these days at all, and I am not a usual Nausicaan.” As he replied his pointed to his head.

 

“A few things I’d like to finish off our discussion with. First: I am deadset against slavery. Two: I think Orion Males are waste of matter. Three: I am very concerned my employer’s position is not stable, given the fact I had to fight my way out of her flightpad. Lady Mareena is against Slavery; I like that. But, “Jumper”, every Orion Male dominated Cartel will have nothing of her belief, and this ship’s activity on an Orion world is considered offensive.

 

“Basically my employer is on the ‘Bucket List.’” Byblos paused. “I think that is what the Humans say to someone who is about to meet their end. And when she does, This whole sector of Space will go up in flames with her.”

 

The felinoid cocked her head to one side. “You might be underestimating Mistress Mareena. The old mercenaries are usually the best since they’ve lived that long to actually get there.”

 

“Perhaps, “Jumper”, Perhaps. Byblos responded with not much faith.