Comment fic! What the heck was he doing for 230+ briefings?rachelindeedAugust 24 2010, 05:54:56 UTC
1
“As senior pilot I’m taking over CAG duties immediately. We’ve got a lot to get through, and in a minute I’m gonna go over deployments and try and get a handle on a few more names. But first, please join me in a moment of silence to honor the fallen.”
They bow their heads, listening to each other breathe.
“Thank you. Okay, I’ve got a note from the deck chief about combat landing procedures…”
17
“He’s actually gonna make us sit through this every time, isn’t he?”
23
“It’s like everything he knows about being CAG he learned from the job description memo.”
“I hate this by-the-book crap. It’s the end of the worlds, here, we’re all adults. We don’t need to be reminded to double-check our frakking instrument calibrations.”
35
After Pretty Boy skips a checklist, clips a wing, and ends up in medical with half a face, they all start tuning back in.
64
“Who’s in Viper 22?”
“Me, sir. Boondock.”
“Boondock, you’ve got a nice Vinta spiral, but you’ve pulled it once too often and last time it put you too far from your wingman. I don’t want you second-guessing yourself out there, so sit down now with your number two and agree on a different go-to evasion.”
“Yes, sir.”
It’s a bad way to work his exhausted crowd, calling out individual critiques like a schoolmaster. The CAG isn’t oblivious to the resentment he’s building, but it has to be done. The experienced pilots respect him for it and the rooks hated him long before now.
Hopefully they’ll still be around next briefing to complain.
71
“Have you noticed that man is smokin’ hot?”
“I know. Too bad he’s boring as hell.”
114
Half the room’s asleep. He stands at the podium without a word for two minutes, leaning forward heavily. Then he walks to the filing cabinet to grab the thousand-page tech manual perched on top. He returns to stand before the podium, lifting the book up to the full height of his extended arm. His conscious audience stares, transfixed.
The crack of impact when the volume hits the floor ricochets around the room. Yelping, a dozen sleepers start, wide-eyed, from their seats, and the rest of the pilots double over in scratchy, hysterical laughter.
It’s a sick, manic energy, but it sparks hot through the whole squad. They feel awake for the first time in days.
173
“If you’re experiencing numbness in your hands, fingers, or other extremities, I’ve got some pills here from Doc Cottle that’ll boost your blood sugar. And stop sleeping through meals.”
192
“I doubt any of you need to hear this, but don’t throw your thrusters into full reverse in the middle of a 4-G turn.”
“It worked for me.”
“Which reminds me, I need help planning an SAR to recover Starbuck’s sanity. Any volunteers?”
There aren’t.
212
“If your peripheral vision blacks out, report in immediately. I’ll deploy a bird to spot you through maneuvers and landing.”
237
“Good luck. And be careful out there.”
Starbuck curses under her breath.
238
“Anyone want to tell me what the frak you think you’re doing out there?”
He’s stormed in like the wrath of the gods, and even though he still looks nothing like his father, the resemblance is intangibly there.
“’Cause from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re saving the human race. Raise your hand if you noticed.”
Starbuck’s fingers are first in the air.
The ready room grows a forest of shaking, upturned palms. “Well, I can tell you the Admiral’s noticed. The President’s noticed. The frakkin’ toasters have sure as hell noticed, don’t you think?”
“Sir, yes, sir.”
“Say again?”
“Sir, yes, sir!”
“Keep it up.” He rakes his eyes over them all, alive and focused, ending, as if by chance, on her.
Re: Comment fic! What the heck was he doing for 230+ briefings?scifishipperAugust 24 2010, 12:06:26 UTC
Rachel, you are awesome! This captures so much about his early stint as CAG. I love the book dropping and the comments from the sidelines! Can you imagine how hard it must've been to step in as CAG and do 237 intercepts! Holy Frak! It's a wonder he didn't just say frak it. Amazing.
Re: Comment fic! What the heck was he doing for 230+ briefings?rachelindeedAugust 24 2010, 17:32:04 UTC
Thank you! *grins* I'm glad you liked the book dropping. I had an economics teacher in high school who pulled that trick, and it was quite effective at waking everyone up :)
Re: Comment fic! What the heck was he doing for 230+ briefings?damao2010August 24 2010, 20:35:43 UTC
Truly amazing, Rachel. Congrats!!!
I can totally see those terrible first days going on exactly like that. And I love how he rose to the occasion. And how confident and authoritative he sounded in the last one. (And that he looked at Starbuck at just that moment.) That was some on-the-job-training or what?LOL
Re: Comment fic! What the heck was he doing for 230+ briefings?rachelindeedAugust 24 2010, 22:18:08 UTC
So glad you enjoyed it, yay!
It's always fun to see Lee discover reserves of leadership he didn't know he had. In one of my favorite books from childhood, The Sherwood Ring, the hero says to the heroine: "Will you mind very much if I occasionally run myself into serious difficulties just for the pleasure of seeing you rise to an occasion?" That's definitely my authorial attitude toward Lee :)
“As senior pilot I’m taking over CAG duties immediately. We’ve got a lot to get through, and in a minute I’m gonna go over deployments and try and get a handle on a few more names. But first, please join me in a moment of silence to honor the fallen.”
They bow their heads, listening to each other breathe.
“Thank you. Okay, I’ve got a note from the deck chief about combat landing procedures…”
17
“He’s actually gonna make us sit through this every time, isn’t he?”
23
“It’s like everything he knows about being CAG he learned from the job description memo.”
“I hate this by-the-book crap. It’s the end of the worlds, here, we’re all adults. We don’t need to be reminded to double-check our frakking instrument calibrations.”
35
After Pretty Boy skips a checklist, clips a wing, and ends up in medical with half a face, they all start tuning back in.
64
“Who’s in Viper 22?”
“Me, sir. Boondock.”
“Boondock, you’ve got a nice Vinta spiral, but you’ve pulled it once too often and last time it put you too far from your wingman. I don’t want you second-guessing yourself out there, so sit down now with your number two and agree on a different go-to evasion.”
“Yes, sir.”
It’s a bad way to work his exhausted crowd, calling out individual critiques like a schoolmaster. The CAG isn’t oblivious to the resentment he’s building, but it has to be done. The experienced pilots respect him for it and the rooks hated him long before now.
Hopefully they’ll still be around next briefing to complain.
71
“Have you noticed that man is smokin’ hot?”
“I know. Too bad he’s boring as hell.”
114
Half the room’s asleep. He stands at the podium without a word for two minutes, leaning forward heavily. Then he walks to the filing cabinet to grab the thousand-page tech manual perched on top. He returns to stand before the podium, lifting the book up to the full height of his extended arm. His conscious audience stares, transfixed.
The crack of impact when the volume hits the floor ricochets around the room. Yelping, a dozen sleepers start, wide-eyed, from their seats, and the rest of the pilots double over in scratchy, hysterical laughter.
It’s a sick, manic energy, but it sparks hot through the whole squad. They feel awake for the first time in days.
173
“If you’re experiencing numbness in your hands, fingers, or other extremities, I’ve got some pills here from Doc Cottle that’ll boost your blood sugar. And stop sleeping through meals.”
192
“I doubt any of you need to hear this, but don’t throw your thrusters into full reverse in the middle of a 4-G turn.”
“It worked for me.”
“Which reminds me, I need help planning an SAR to recover Starbuck’s sanity. Any volunteers?”
There aren’t.
212
“If your peripheral vision blacks out, report in immediately. I’ll deploy a bird to spot you through maneuvers and landing.”
237
“Good luck. And be careful out there.”
Starbuck curses under her breath.
238
“Anyone want to tell me what the frak you think you’re doing out there?”
He’s stormed in like the wrath of the gods, and even though he still looks nothing like his father, the resemblance is intangibly there.
“’Cause from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re saving the human race. Raise your hand if you noticed.”
Starbuck’s fingers are first in the air.
The ready room grows a forest of shaking, upturned palms. “Well, I can tell you the Admiral’s noticed. The President’s noticed. The frakkin’ toasters have sure as hell noticed, don’t you think?”
“Sir, yes, sir.”
“Say again?”
“Sir, yes, sir!”
“Keep it up.” He rakes his eyes over them all, alive and focused, ending, as if by chance, on her.
“Good hunting.”
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*squishes you*
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I can totally see those terrible first days going on exactly like that. And I love how he rose to the occasion. And how confident and authoritative he sounded in the last one. (And that he looked at Starbuck at just that moment.) That was some on-the-job-training or what?LOL
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It's always fun to see Lee discover reserves of leadership he didn't know he had. In one of my favorite books from childhood, The Sherwood Ring, the hero says to the heroine: "Will you mind very much if I occasionally run myself into serious difficulties just for the pleasure of seeing you rise to an occasion?" That's definitely my authorial attitude toward Lee :)
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