Wing Commander Page #2

B, I... I don't know about you...

but I really don't

like this guy at all, man.

Merde.

- Uh... Mr. Taggart?

- Yes?

- Ten seconds to jump, sir.

- So?

So? So if you don't get that

computer back on-line, sir...

this unstable gravity well's

gonna suck us in...

one molecule at a time, sir!

Navcom on-line.

Plot your course, Mr. Blair!

Vector one entered

and confirmed.

Vector three

entered and confirmed.

What happened?

You just plotted a jump

through a gravity well...

in under ten seconds...

and Navcom can't do that.

That's not bad.

I mean, that's not bad...

for the second-best pilot

at the academy.

You shut up!

Next time you don't

follow my orders...

I'll dump you with the rest

of the garbage, you got that?

You plot a course

for the Tiger Claw, Mr. Blair.

Yes, sir.

Jeez.

Guy's got

a serious attitude problem.

This is Lieutenant Hunter

of the T.C.S. Tiger Claw.

Unidentifiedfreighter

bearing two-niner-three...

state your course and business.

This is the Diligent

carrying supplies...

and two replacement pilots

for the Tiger Claw.

Stay on course.

Have your captain transmit

his security clearance.

Roger that, Lieutenant.

Taggart on his way.

Fighters

from the Tiger Claw, sir.

They've queried us.

Well, send the countersign.

Roger that.

Identification acknowledged.

They'll escort us in.

Diligent,

you're clear to land in bay 2C.

Welcome to the Tiger Claw.

Captain?

Lieutenant J.G.

Christopher Blair...

reportingfor duty, sir.

At ease, Lieutenant.

Commander Gerald tells me

that you have somethingfor me.

Yes, sir.

An encrypted communiqu

from Admiral Tolwyn.

Why didn't the admiral

send a drone via the Pegasus?

The Pegasus was destroyed

by a Kilrathi battle group...

seventeen hours ago.

I see.

Communications?

I want this disk decrypted ASAP.

Yes, sir.

Oh, Lieutenant?

You wouldn't be related

to Arnold Blair, would you?

He was my father, sir.

He married a Pilgrim woman,

didn't he?

Yes, sir.

Pilgrims don't think like us.

You won't have to worry, sir.

They're both dead.

I'm sure

the lieutenant's heredity...

will have no bearing

on his performance, Mr. Gerald.

No, sir. I'm sure it won't.

I suggest you stow your gear...

andfamiliarize yourself

with the ship.

That's all, Lieutenant.

Yo, B. Look at these rapiers.

They're beat to hell, man.

I don't see any of the hornets

we flew back at the academy.

Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa.

You know what I do see?

Blonde.

Hey, how you doing?

Systems on-line.

Hello, I'm Merlin...

the latest in mobile

interface cockpit...

Two Dralthis on

your tail... one above, one below.

You gotfive, maybe ten seconds.

Clock's ticking. What do you do?

Simple.

I go vertical and inverted...

do a 180 atfull throttle...

apply brakes...

and drop in behind 'em.

Bang, you're dead.

Notfast enough.

Dralthis are too quick,

particularly in a climb.

You've just taken a missile

up your tailpipe.

OK, let's reverse the situation.

You're locked on a Dralthi.

It goes evasive,

enters an asteroid belt.

If I'm locked on...

there's no such thing

as evasive action.

And you're dead again.

You see, it's an ambush.

Five or six fighters

hide behind rocks...

the size of your swollen head

and pounce.

A Kilrathi gang-bang.

What's the matter?

Did I bruise your ego?

No. I'm just, uh, not used

to getting combat tips...

from a grease monkey,

that's all.

Lieutenant Commander Deveraux...

your wing commander.

You have a name?

Uh, Lieutenant Blair, ma'am.

Well, Lieutenant Blair...

if you want to play

at being a fighter pilot...

I suggest youfind

a virtualfun zone.

Meanwhile,

step down from the rapier.

I apologize, ma'am.

The mission sheet said

the rapier was unassigned.

I didn't realize it belonged

to Lieutenant Commander Chen.

What are you doing

on the flight deck?

Getting acquainted

with our new surroundings.

Good job, B.

We're on the ship

five minutes...

and you're already hitting

on our wing commander?

How was I to know?

She's just another

tight-ass C.O.

Who cares? Let it go.

Now I'm gonna show you

how to make friends.

How you doing?

Allow me to introduce myself.

Lieutenant Todd Marshall,

and my close personalfriend...

Lieutenant Christopher Blair.

Ladies and gentlemen, take note.

This man happens to be...

the second-best pilot

on this hunk of junk.

Just who are you

calling the best?

- Now, that's a secret.

- Shh. Watch this.

There's two ways to find

that out, mister, uh...

uh, Lieutenant Hunter.

First way involves you trying

to kick the sh*t out of me.

And the other way?

Forbes?

We're on stand-down.

One won't hurt.

Well, it may even help, huh?

Here you go, mate.

Allow me.

You got balls.

- You should see 'em.

- Mine are bigger.

I've been told

size doesn't matter.

She lied.

Do you know what, Hunter?

I would have taken

the third option.

Really.

I would have kicked his ass

first, then drank his scotch.

Oh! Touch.

Message on-line.

Playback in progress.

Jay,

I'm gonna have to be brief.

The Kilrathi took Pegasus.

They may have her Navcom A.I.

By the time this communication

reaches you...

they will be

twenty-three hours...

from the Charybdis jump point

and Earth.

Confed capital ships

are headed home now.

The Concordia battle group...

will only be able to make it

in twenty-five hours.

I'm ordering the Tiger Claw

to the Charybdis quasar.

You are to use

any means necessary...

to gather information as

to the Kilrathi whereabouts...

capacity, and plan of attack.

I need intelligence, oldfriend.

Use Taggart.

He knows this space

better than any man alive.

He can get you

to Charybdis quickly.

I don't like it.

What don't you like, Paul?

The disk came to us

on the Diligent...

entrusted to a Pilgrim

half-breed.

Sendfor this Taggart.

Why don't you take

his castle...

with your little horsey?

Check...

Mate.

So, there's a brain

behind that mouth.

Yourfriend

always this talkative?

No, he just made

the fatal error...

of mistaking

our wing commander...

for your average grease monkey.

Listen, all I did was sit

in Commander Chen's fighter.

Lieutenant Commander Chen?

Bossman?

You're talking about

a bloke that never existed.

I'm pretty sure he did.

He... never... existed.

Now change the subject

quickly, pal...

before I change itfor you.

You got a problem

with my friend, Mr. Hunter?

Yes, I do.

That means

you got a problem with me.

- Is that so?

- Yeah.

Well, you're gonna love this.

He's a Pilgrim!

Stand down, or

you'll have a problem with me.

I want an explanation.

Hunter?

- Ma'am?

- Ma'am?

Lieutenant Hunter was

just helping Marshall and I...

feel at home.

Lieutenant?

Yeah. That's right, ma'am.

Yeah. You see?

I guess this conversation

never existed.

Lieutenant?

Lieutenant!

Who in the hell

do you think you are?

Let me give you a reality check.

In all likelihood,

you're going to die out here.

We're all going

to die out here...

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