Snippet #2256836

F.S.S. Salient

Eli and Victor entered the main hangar, which was where the majority of the Salient's fighter complement rested. They main hangar was connected directly to all the vehicle bays, which allowed the transports to easily pick up and deliver ground support where it was needed. Unlike the secondary hangars, the main hangar was in an enclosed and confined facility in the middle of the Salient's hull. The main hangar was connected via tubes and tunnels to the secondary hangars which were located on the ship's port and starboard sides with kinetic barriers to block out vacuum.

The secondary hangars only had a small complement of fighters on hand at all times, these units were first-responders, reacting quickly to engage hostiles. First-responders were trained to react on a moment's notice, they almost lived, breathed, ate, and slept in the secondary hangars...almost. They were a stopgap to give time to units in the main hangar to equip and deploy while the first-responders fended off the hostiles. The Salient did not keep many fighters in the secondary hangars due to boarding parties. Boarding parties would quickly set up explosives and destroy vital craft in a ship's armament, thus weakening it.

The two men caught a group of engineers surrounding the Rapier.

"What seems to be the problem," Victor inquired as he pulled away the cigar while eyeing the contours of the fighter.

It wasn't exactly eye-candy, but one had to admit that it was a unique fighter in its own right. Quad guns mounted on the wings and a pair of large engines that provided the thrust were the trademark of this fighter. It was currently being phased out of service for the sleeker Phantom Class Interceptors.

"Eh, I think there's something wrong with her electrical thingy. At least that's what the pilot told us." several sparks flew onto the engineer's mask as he laid on his back trying to re-integrate the wires in the fighter's underbelly.

"Electrical thingy?" Victor's eyebrow raised.

"Uh yeah, sorry, I think it had something to do with the electrical circuitry of her forward thrusters and communications," the engineer replied while some more sparks sputtered.

"I know about the comm, she wasn't returning anything over the transmissions. The thrusters? What exactly happened?"

"Well, we saw her comin' in kinda' rickety...if you want to call it that. We thought she was gonna hit another fighter," another mechanic gestured with his hands showing a fighter craft landing.

"We managed to isolate the problem, somethin' was up with the wiring. It was probably damaged during the battle...probably wouldn't have happened if she got one of those new Phantoms."

"Blame the budget committee for that boys," Victor took a puff.

"Heh, yeah, well the problem seems to be under control for now. If it happens again, no doubt we'll have to take her apart and check if there's something else goin' on. The pilot was lucky this time around, I can't say for sure the next time though."

"Hmm, alright well, excellent work boys, if you need me, call me on comm."

"Roger wilco Vic." the mechanics returned to patching up the Rapier's belly while Eli and Victor left the main hangar.

They strode through brightly lit corridors to the Mess Hall, where they found some seats at a table, unaware of what had just transpired in the Mess. They didn't miss the pilots bragging or the Marines shoveling down food and getting ready for seconds. Victor and Eli tapped several keys on the table's interface, as the machine whirred into being. The MRE packs slipped out of the machine's hatches along with canned drinks. Victor opened the pack quickly, it was some sliced pork with some orange liquid drenched atop with vegetables on the side, and a small packet of apple sauce.

"So how's it goin' lately? I heard you were sent onto one of those pirate frigates that got disabled by the main gun." Victor chewed on piece of pork, trying to sate the appetite he worked up while yelling at pilots.

"Uh, yeah. A five man team, we were inserted by gunship...I found out the pilot died after he took us home." Eli dug into his pasta with a fork.

"Ah geez, who was he?"

"Uh, Peter "Ray" Davidson? Heard of him?" Eli lifted a piece of conchiglie with tomato sauce into his mouth.

"Him, yep I remember him, a British kid. He was a Unit Commander, gunship pilot. Nice manners." Victor cut a swath through the pork on his plate.