Mission Complete
26 Jul 2020Korzhakov
"DeLacy Kilo Alpha Romeo, communications established, welcome home boss" Yumi says over the local comms. "Landing pad ready, Randy is waiting for you when you land" "Archangel, this is the Karelian Dawn, thank you Yumi I appreciate the greeting. Take me to the hangar as soon as the clamps are engaged" I call back. I slow the phantom to 100 mps and deploy the gear, Astra puts all pips to shields for the landing.
I touch down gently and feel the locks engage. Then we start the decent to the hangar. Once the hangar doors seal. I head to the airlock, when I get to the bottom of the elevator, my crew chief Randy greets me. "Well Korz how did my girl do?" he asks. "She was flawless" I answer back. "Have McKenzie download the exploration data for me, lets see how we did" I say to him.
I take the elevator to the main deck and make my way to my quarters, I want to see Jean before I do anything else. I walk into our quarters and she is kicking back on the couch with a sly look on her face and nothing but a lot of complicated lace. She was obviously told I was back, so much for me surprising her.
"Hey sweetie, you might want to check your messages" she says to me. I swear the crew tells her everything first. I go to my desk and pull up my terminal. Sure enough there is a new message from the pilots federation. "Congratulations Commander, in recognition of your..I loose the text as I am starting at the graphic taking shape in front of me. The Elite emblem, this time for exploration.
I sit back and try to take it all in. I have my second elite now, that puts me in a class slightly better than I was in a few hours ago. My reputation will increase significantly, and the ribbing from my friends will start anew.
That right there was one of the objectives of this mission to this part of space. To explore, to locate resources, to map and notate, but yes, also to earn enough to finish my rank progression towards elite in exploration. My judgement must have been right on, because I only cleared elite by 4 million credits.
As I take it all in, Jean is now behind my chair, her hand on my shoulder, her other one hands me a nice pour of my favorite single malt. "It's time to celebrate" she says. and what little she was wearing is now on the floor around her legs.
Word travels fast on a carrier and once we were dressed and headed forward to Finnegan's to celebrate with drinks and dinner, the whole crew knew and we were greeted with loud cheers and a huge party.
The carriers Captain and the command crew are sitting at a table with two open seats. Jean and I join them and they all make a big deal of the new rank. I thank them all for the fuss, but also we talk about what's next.
We will celebrate tonight, and tomorrow we will start the return trip to Diaguandri. We will set up around Ray Gateway and begin the resupply cycle for the carrier. But we will do it slowly, and give the crew lots of paid time off to be with family and friends, to relax and enjoy the pay they have been getting out here with no where to spend it.
But tonight, is a big party, and it's all on me, drink up my friends.