Xeno Alliance communications (iRP) (FO)

[Dusty Lens]

*This is the final call for sticks C-6 through E-2 to report to hanger 3 for transfer to The Barrow. Repeat, this is the final call for sticks C-6 through E-2 to report to hanger 3 for transfer to The Barrow.*

David attempted to stifle a yawn as he carried through his X-shuttles pre-launch checklist. The last few days had been a frenzy of personnel transfers, equipment transport and various other mundane tasks that had taxed the single freighter available to the Serpentis nearly as much as theyd taxed its pilots motivation to haul an entire operational wing piece by piece in the vessels minuscule hold.

Operation Giuoco Piano flight 28 The shuttles comm. system blurted. Please report your launch status.

Pre-launch inspection signed off and good to go, mission minimum fuels a go, countermeasure count falls within mission minimums, armory signed off and good to g, maintenance control signed off and good to go, ahh, only have three hours left on the number two engine afor she needs a 120 hour inspection but we opted to take care of that at Barrow David found himself fighting off another yawn as he pushed through the launch list. And frankly Ill be happy for a couple hours of rack time while they do it.

Roger that flight 28. Standby for launch in 020 minutes.

David glanced towards the vessels sole remaining external camera, now trained on the line chief ushering in this last transfer of line mechanics assigned to the Serpentis wing. As the last of them stepped out of the cameras view and into the ships hold the line chief banged on the hull twice and double timed it out of the bay.

Tower is this flight 28, Im all loaded up and ready to burn out of here. David then flipped over to internal comms. Gents this is Copperhead, well be running cold for the majority of our trip, so my lovely crew chief slash stewardess Sergeant Smith will be checking yer rebreathers prior to our launch. Well be crossing four systems at a snails pace so feel free to begin indulging in the mental penning of your memoirs, mulling over your ex girlfriend or attempting to remember what food that doesnt come in paste form is like. Well be arriving at The Barrow in four hours. In the event of a water landing youre free to scream without being judged.

David signaled his launch readiness and prompted the vessels heavy engines to begin their warmup sequence as his vessel was towed towards the launch bay. One more slow transit through hostile waters with his balls in his gut, and then it was back to fighting the good fight.