Lt JG Alyndra Syrex - Sending a Letter to Your Parents

[Alyndrasyrex]

((Type-17 Argo Transport “Atlas”, Designated Flight Training Ground, Space around Risa ))

 

Alyndra heard a horrible scraping sensation against the hull, as what she could only assume to be the probe collided with the shuttle's unpolished metal surface. Frowning, she jotted down more notes in her PADD

oO This is going to make for an interesting report… Oo

Syrex: Hitting the probe isn’t a challenge, Bergmen. In fact, it’s something most people discourage.

Bergmen: Sorry, ma’am. That wasn't in the plan. The ship looks good; it’s probably nothing but scratched paint.

Alyndra looked at him slightly more sternly than she had before.

Syrex: Thus, concludes the maneuverer portion of this exam. Please prepare to hold a geosynchronous orbit with Risa at an altitude of one-hundred and forty kilometres.

Bergmen: Aye, ma’am.

Syrex: Geosynchronous with the co-ordinates Latitude 51.899° N and Longitude -1.153° W.

 

The operations officer nodded without looking back at her.

Syrex: Please proceed when ready.

 

Alyndra sat back into her chair. Through the front viewscreen she could see space roll as the shuttlecraft yawed towards geosynchronous orbit.

Bergmen: There is a problem in our controls, ma’am. Our rear port RCS does not seem to produce enough thrust to compensate for the maneuver. Running test now.

 

Alyndra looked back down towards Bergmen’s controls. It did seem like he had a minor issue with the Reaction Control System as he’d said. However, since it was only the rear RCS thruster that appeared to suffer from the issue he could simply flip the spacecraft and use the front RCS thruster in its place, after-all, they were in space. The absence of aerodynamics gave for a bundle of workarounds.

Syrex: Alright… Well, what do you think you should do now?

 

Alyndra smirked silently. The hallmark of every great pilot was their ability to react to stressful conditions, especially with top-of-the-line pilots that Starfleet had in their roster. She was curious to see how Lt Bergmen would react, what he’d come up with.

She heard a small sigh from the operations officer, before he unexpectedly engaged the impulse engines, breaking them far away from the co-ordinates that Alyndra had given him.

 

oO That’s a new one, I wonder what he’s doing? Oo

 

Alyndra continued to be in awe of what protocol the operations officer was making up on the spot to carry out her order. However, the awe turned into a curiosity when he unstrapped from his chair and allowed himself to float away. Gesturing the controls over to Alyndra, who didn’t know what to think.

Bergmen: We cannot safely continue the test, ma’am, and we need to return to Artemis to assess the damage. ::looks at Alyndra:: Your shuttle, ma’am.

 

oO Well, that is a bit disappointing Oo

Syrex: Excuse me, Mister Bergmen. I wasn’t aware you were the examiner. I will let you know when it is safe or not safe to proceed. Understood?

 

Alyndra gestured to him to retake his seat. She didn’t know if it was nerves, or if it was an act of defiance, but he seemed unable to do so. They were the same rank, she couldn’t actually order him to do anything, his test was also voluntary, and now forfeited. As an examiner she also couldn’t ask he retake the helm, especially if his confidence had been rattled.

 

Softening her face, she unstrapped herself from her own seat, and took the helm.

 

Syrex: Take my seat, Lieutenant. I’ll take us back to the Artemis.

 

Alyndra tapped on the helm controls like an expert pianist. It was like she’d never left the aviation classes from the academy. The late-night chanting of “Top Phaser for life” began to strike home.

 

oO When I get back to the Ronin, I’m getting a barge. I really need to do this more often Oo

 

Bergmen: Response

 

Syrex: You’ll get your results in a few days. As I have experience in helm control, I shall be filing a joint report to Captain MacKenzie on your performance and your fitness for flight.

 

Bergmen: Response

 

Syrex: I’m afraid I can’t divulge that information to you now. Needless to say, the fact I’m on the helm should allow you to draw your own conclusions.

 

Bergmen: Response

 

Syrex: About thirty minutes until they’re expecting us. I’ll save you the humiliation of coming back early with me at the helm, we’ll go back slowly, you can talk to ATC when we get closer. In the meantime, allow yourself to take in the views of Risa.

 

Bergmen: Response?

 

 

((One Week Later))

 

“

TO: Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie

CC: Commander Genkos Adea, Lt JG Ollie Bergmen

 

Lieutenant JG Ollie Bergmen Test results

Classification: Confidential. For necessary eyes only.

Overview: On Stardate 240205.03, Lt Ollie Bergmen requested a routine medical flight check from me (Lieutenant JG Dr Alyndra Syrex). We immediately embarked on a Type-17 Argo Transport bound for space near Risa. The trip there was uncomplicated; all procedures for departure were followed.

The candidate (Lt Bergmen) showed an aptitude for routine manoeuvres, as well as confident knowledge of procedures relating to flight.

However, when I asked him to perform the Picard manoeuvre, he launched a redundant probe. I would say that’s where the complications ended, however, he then crashed into the same probe when dropping from warp. The hull integrity field held, but this showed remarkable incompetence on his end.

When asked to perform a routine geosynchronous orbit, he forfeited the exam citing that “it was unsafe to continue”. In this instance, I interpreted that as a direct challenge to my authority and his lack of confidence in my own ability to carry out a simple test.

The fault was in one of the rear RCS thrusters. However, it wasn’t threatening to the flight, and Mister Bergmen could have easily avoided the issue by simply using a different thruster.

Mister Bergmen relinquished the Helm to me at 1543 hours. I completed the flight, returning to dock with the USS Artemis-A at approximately 1620 hours.

No adverse physiological or anatomical events were detected from Lt Bergmen during this flight.

Recommendations: Whilst the lieutenant is capable of flight medically, I strongly recommend some refresher courses in helm control. In my personal opinion, he struggles with utilising the full resources given to him. Some larger, more out-of-the-box thinking should be seen from him before he is permitted to fly solo again. He has the makings of someone who could be a great pilot, I’d hate for this to affect his career in the long term. He just needs more practice in problem-solving.

Signed

Lieutenant JG Dr Alyndra Syrex

Medical Officer, USS Ronin (NCC-34523)

“

TAG/End Scene for Alyndra Syrex

 

OOC: Obviously, all feelings here are IC. I’ve enjoyed this scene and look forward to a follow-up should you stumble into the Alpha Isles!

Lieutenant JG Dr Alyndra Syrex MD

Medical Officer

USS Ronin (NCC-34523)

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