From: Leigh Rachal (cochranestephens_at_hotmail.com)
Date: Thu Sep 04 2008 - 08:16:07 PDT
NRPG sorry to resend to some but for some reason most of my addresses were deleted from my address book and I had to rebuild my list.
From: Leigh Rachal
Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2008 10:01 AM
To: Kim Toussaint ; Peter: ; Lord Ihcalam ; Ran
Subject: GS 2: Various "Test Drive"
"Test Drive"
(Cont'd from "We Interrupt This Program to Bring You a Little Message")
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Location: GS-2
SD: 2.80904.0902
Scene: Stephens Quarters
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After an exciting trip to Bajor, Cochrane tucked in the kids and settled into a comfy chair to enjoy a good book.
**"You always did enjoy a good Southern thriller," Sara said wrapping her arms around his neck from behind.
"I just like imagining you as the seductress."
"Oh? Well I could show you my technique..."**
{Flight Deck to Lt. Stephens}
"Huh?" jerking awake, "Yes, what is it?"
{Sir the new fighters have arrived.}
"Very good. Dock them in the main hanger, get the pilots quarters, and I'll be down at 0900 to begin inspection and acceptance procedures."
{Understood}
Rubbing his eyes, Cochrane realized he was crying. Stretching, he gathered his book and headed to bed and remembered why?
"She always liked it when I read these."
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Time Index: 0900 the next day
Scene: Main Fighter Bay
"Sir the fighters are ready for inspection."
"Good Ensign," turning to the deck crew, "Have all new fighters prepped for flight and be ready for speedy turn-arounds. Since we are not on alert I want to test each fighter myself."
"Aye sir," the crew replied confidently, although some had skeptical looks as they headed to their stations.
Turning to the pilots who brought the fighters, "Some of you will be staying here and others are going elsewhere. Those leaving are dismissed and free to leave for your new assignments at any time. See Ensign Spring for your fighter assignments. Everyone joining our squad, you have the rest of the day off to get settled in and become acquainted with the station. The duty roster will be posted at 1200. Make sure to check it so you are not late tomorrow. Dismissed"
As the pilots and fighter crews disbursed, Cochrane pulled on his flight helmet. In a throw back to the fighter pilots or Earth, Cochrane like all other pilots had his comrade given call sign, "Rocket Man", emblazoned across the brow of his helmet. He didn't really like it but after several years he was accustomed to it. In this age of warp drive, it is a reference to his name sake Zephram Cochrane. It didn't matter that Zephram used a long range ballistic missile to launch his first warp ship into space and not a rocket, the name stuck. All strapped into his form fitting seat in the cockpit of the first of the newest fighters, Cochrane saluted the handling officer, lifted of the deck, and piloted the fighter out of the bay to begin his test flight.
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Time Index: 1800
Scene: Space near Gateway
As Cochrane and his wingman pulled into a dive toward the Beta moon his thrusters stall making it impossible to pull away.
"Rocket Man to wing man. My thrusters have stalled. I'm attempting to restart."
"Understood" Spider asked.
As Cochrane began the restart process the sensor alarms began blaring.
"Spider do you see any dangers on my six?"
"No sir why?"
"Sensor alarm," Cochrane replied tapping the panel to check for damage but see's none on the sensors. He turns his head for a visual check but before he can the controls become unstable. He finds himself being pulled toward a local moon.
"Mayday. I have lost partial navigation control. I cannot break out of the moon's gravity. I'm attempting to land. Radio for recovery team."
"Aye sir," Spider replied keeping a safe, but visual distance from the Cochrane. "Spider to Gateway. Launch rescue team Alpha. Rocket is in crash course for the Beta moon. I'm on his six will stay with him as long as possible."
As the controls became harder to maintain, Cochrane picked up a sub-space disturbance in sector 2.4 mark 3.
"Computer transmit all sensor readings to Gateway."
++computer chimes in response++
"Let's try something," he say's to himself as he taps his engine controls.
"Sir what are you doing?" seeing the engines of Cochrane's fighter power down.
When the engines stop Cochrane begins to freefall for twenty seconds and then restarts the engine. Immediately he pulls back on the controls just as he hits the atmosphere. It takes all his strength to pull up the nose of the fighter to avoid burning up.
++Angle of entry to steep. Hull breach in thirty seconds.++
"No really? Computer... end... warnings"
Fifteen seconds later the vibrations stop and Cochrane breaks through the clouds just in time see a wall of tree tops slam into his cockpit windshield. He pulls hard on the controls and reverses the engines to slow down his speed but it is of little use now. Seconds later he slides to a halt leaving a path of broken trees and plowed up Earth in his wake. Cochrane sits slumped over the controls.
"Sir? Sir," Spider yells over the comm.
"Yea," Cochrane replies, smacking the "cotton" from his mouth.
"Sir the rescue team is on its way."
"Understood," Cochrane replies stiffly sitting up. "I'll definitely have to get that fixed."
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NRPG: TAG
Leigh Rachal
Lt. Cochrane Stephens
Fighter Squadron Commander
GATEWAY STATION
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