Stardate: 60531.1600
Title: Fresh Air
Author: Lieutenant Kal Vilmer
Time: After "The View…"
Scene: Stanton 12


Vilmer stood in the airlock his gear resting comfortably on him. The Captain noticing the engineers ease and comfort in the gear looked at Kal inquisitively.

"Yes, Sir?" Kal asked.

The two men looked very similar to each other, being very close in age and build. One could make the assumption that the pair were brothers were it not for the fact that the engineer had hair as blonde as the Captain's was black. The engineer wore his hair in a crew cut while the Captain wore his in a ponytail caught at his neck. Both had piercing blue eyes.

Khavok looked at the blonde for a moment before speaking, "its nothing really, but I just thought engineers were a bunch of nancies."

"That would be the ground side ones sir," Vilmer said with a smile, not the least offended.

The Captain laughed and clapped him on the shoulder, "have you dropped before?"

"A couple of times sir, in simulation," the blonde lied smoothly.

Khavok nodded and checked his chronometer, "one minute."

Team alpha quickly donned their helmets and did a final equipment check. The Captain gave the ready command and the air lock cycled. Wind screamed in the lock as the dawn sun reflected in the visors of alpha team. Quickly the team started one by one to jump out the airlock. Adrenaline slammed through Kal's system like a warp sled as the blonde leaped into the air. Over the com channel various reactions could be heard, from the exultant screams of a crewman making his first drop to Khavok's calm and steady commands.

Kal rolled over on his back and looked up at the Relentless. For the first time in a while the blonde felt alive. He even felt something akin to happiness. The Engineer had always liked things to have a purpose and the Relentless certainly had that to spare. The design grew on him daily and he never passed up the opportunity to study her. Kal was brought back to the present by the Captain's command to tighten up.

The wind screamed past Vilmer's faceplate as he made the corrections necessary to make sure he was near enough the drop zone. Kal did a series of dizzying aerobatic maneuvers that belied the little experience he claimed with this environment. The ground rushed up at the engineer and he let the memories wash over him. Kal's altimeter bleeped at intervals counting down the feet. Right on schedule Vilmer's body was jarred as his chute opened. As his descent began to slow Kal checked his readings, getting his bearings on the local terrain and locating the rest of alpha team. Finally the engineer made contact with the icy terrain of Stanton 12. He quickly disengaged his chute, unlimbered his weapon and began to jog towards the Captain's beacon.


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Lieutenant Kal Vilmer
CEO
USS Relentless
NCC 11966
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