Chapter 1 page 3
16 Aug 2020Spud_
Oh the hours, the hours spent studying, taking classes, running simulations, and actually getting to fly small craft. I did not know there were so many hours in a week. 40 hours of classroom time followed by at least 20 hours sim time, and on a lucky week 2 to 4 hours of small craft time. A month goes by very fast with a schedule like that. Finally the test; I am not the best student known to man, so it was rough, but I scored an 87.693% which was a passing grade and now I am a Merchant Marine flight engineer 4 and pilot jr grade. I actually have RANK, for all its worth because while the pay raise is nice, I have no idea what I am doing or what I am supposed to do.... The day we graduated and the Commandant shook everyone's hand and passed out our pins and certificates, seemed strangely disappointed when she handed me mine, and I did not understand that for a couple of days until Sweeny messaged me with congrats and to report to the HUB. I met her in her dock side office with Mickey and we got our first look at our new ship, XM 006 Imperial Fleet Collier. XM 006 what a glorious name right! We all laughed at that. We spent a few hours going over the engineering of the ship, its systems, its design, the cursed place they put the coffee pot, and overall were very impress, 19.7 LY laden, that is impressive but the best part was, it had a hanger bay for a small fighter. So now instead of dropping cargo in an enemies teeth, you dropped a fighter with weapons. There was only one problem, a pilot. This was a question we all looked into each others eyes, as Mickey readily admitted he was no fighter jock, and my recent school experience proved that I was not. That is when Sweeny let the cat out of the bag so to speak about my classes; thankfully Mickey took his leave and left us alone.
My instructors at the academy had sent Sweeny all of my reports and reviews. The Commandant had also included a special personal note. "Master McSween, I am sure you are aware of who Ensign jg Ray "Spud" Wittingtons father is, we all know that Admiral Wittington is one of the most decorated Imperial Fighter Pilots of his time. Ray is not cut from the same cloth. His evaluations show that he will make a great addition to our corps, but he has no aptitude for fighter jock skills. Lets just say he does not have the forte that is natural in good fighter pilots. while we all here hoped he would show that, he just does not, nor does he have the ego to go with that. Train him well, he will make a good ships master, and maybe as time goes by he will grow that urge, until then we keep in the merchant ranks."
After letting me read the chip on the viewer, I looked up at her and said, "I am not surprised, I know I am not my dad." Sweeny did not seem surprised by this admission but then laughed and followed with, "Well you better get damned good at flying our new boat, cause if I have to jump in the fighter you had better be there when I am done." and that was that, we had our fighter pilot, and the helm when she was gone. Only two more weeks and we get our new ship....