[b]John[/b]

“…should be good to go now Captain.” The maintenance tech made a few notations on a pad before turning to him for his review. 

“Should?” John raised an eyebrow while taking the pad. Standard servicing and maintenance items. 

“Bird is new, as in no diagrams in the systems new. Had to make some assumptions.” The tech shrugged at that last part. Looking slightly abashed. “Nothing too secret in that bird right?” 

“Nothing you could have broken.” John affirmed as he signed, the pad giving a positive chirp. 

In that moment three things happened at once. His tacpad vibrated with a message, Velia called his name and he became aware of a brief scuffle at the hangar bay entrance. 

John glanced briefly at the message on his pad before his focus turned to the security guards starting to make progress to him and Velia. 

Inspiration struck him at that moment. He turned to the tech, rapidly pulling on his breather and securing the helmet. 

“Just got a scramble order. Thanks for the help but I by it to go now; mind clearing the bay?”  The tech gave a worried nod as he turned to carry out his part. The crew might not have been the top notch team from his squadron but they were organized enough to recognize a scramble order. Or more then likely, how to clear a bay from a rapidly launching ship. 

Needles to say the bay became a flurry of scurrying techs as they dogged hatches, lugged tools and otherwise impeded the security officers. 

“Velia time to go!!!” The pilot had clambered into the crew hatch down the fuselage just after of the cockpit ladder well. He hoped none of the bustling bay noticed his “co-pilot’s” lack of flight suit, flight gear and the rest of the flight assorted paraphernalia that she obviously lacked.