The Lion, the Serpent and the Goat - Adult Language

[Akura]

Sabah Shipyard, Coronado System
Workshop Deck D3-Epsilon

Sharp shadows from harsh lighting, the heavy smell of coolant, engine lubricant and aviation fuel. A familiar and cold feeling. Zoey never liked hangar decks, too cold and empty, it was an uncomfortable sight, ships without pilots, stripped of their identity and reassembled.

"Warrant Officer Sakura?"

"Yessir, thank you for coming" Zoey respectfully straightened up. She disliked military formality more than hangar decks. It got old five minutes into her Kusari Naval service.

"Drop the formal" Specialist Barnes spoke, almost completely monotone, "Neither of us are on duty, so I'll have to remind you to hasten up, this is my last day off in the three months to come"

"Right, sorry" Zoey relaxed, a quick sigh of relief. She pulled up the zip on her orange overalls, tightening it around her shoulders.

Above the pair, firmly tied to a winch, was Zoey's J17P - 95P "Chimaera", lightly battle-scarred, and gently charred.

"Yeah, right, your Dragon, it needs to go" Barnes spoke, unblinking.

"It's a Chimaera"

"Right, it's still taking up space on my hangar deck. I want it gone. Rent a lockup on Barrier Gate if you don't have the heart to scrap it. I don't care"

"Uh, I actually had another idea" Zoey extended her hand, allowing a small A4 folder to the Specialist.

Barnes ignored the cover, flicking to the first page of the file.

"What the hell is all this?"

"It's my little R&R project, sir" Zoey indicated with her finger, a quarter of the way down the page, "My 'flight training' is all I have on the board for the next few weeks, by the looks of things, but I'd really like to work on this in my own time"

"You're going to refit that old Kusari piece of crap?" Barnes spoke, a tone of annoyance in his voice, "You know, most people just build model ships, or play cards, or get drunk"

"With respect, that Kusari piece of crap has seen me a whole war and countless battles. I trust it with my life more than I trust any man or machine in the 'verse"

"You want me to sign off on this?" Barnes sighed, handing Zoey back her folder, "You keep it out of my way, and yourself, and I'll let you keep it on this deck. You're not under my command however, so you'll have to get your superior to sign off on that bird before anyone touches it. Sorry"

"Understood, thank you sir" Zoey gripped the folder with anticipation. Soon the real work might begin.


In regards to the thread name, the Chimaera is said to be a mythological fire-breathing female creature, composed of the parts of three animals: a lion, a serpent and a goat.