- GM’s note: Coronavirus hasn’t stopped us yet…..
- The C.O. (callsign “Skipper”) lands on Vega-19 and joins “Deadeye”, “Chance” and “Woody”. Ordering them to step outside and secure the perimeter, “Skipper” talks directly with Flight Lieutenant Danika Arlen.
- The trio don’t hear exactly what is said to her but “Skipper” orders a lockdown of information and orders them not to speak of the defector. The defector is taken into custody and taken away. “Deadeye”, “Chance” and “Woody” return to Draconis Station.
- In the wash-up, “Birdie” is confirmed as dead. “Panic” is hospitalised in the medical bay. Classes return to normal, but something has changed. They are training as if the Dominion are active in the 26 Draconis system and that war may come at any time.
- Grant keeps himself busy by spending time with the maintenance technicians in the repair bays working on damaged Blackfish starfighters. There is plenty to do but the techs do seem to be worried about dwindling spare parts supplies. A quantity of spare parts were acquired when Draconis acquired the Blackfish starfighters but they don’t currently have the manufacturing facilities to manufacture all of the spare parts. They are still dependent upon the Republic for those, and shipping has been affected of late by raiders.
- Grant works with an older, heavy-set fellow called G.G. who is willing to teach the ‘flyboy’ a thing or two about what it takes to keep these ‘crates’ flying.
- That evening, “Deadeye” is at the Spacers’ Bar and Floyd is playing pool and complaining loudly about his failure to get a callsign. He unloads his woes on “Iceman” who is as unflappable as always. Floyd’s buddies from his training flight – “Mayhem” and Baker – are with him. “Iceman's" buddies – “Loser” and “Blazer” are also present. “Loser” urges Floyd not to rush things lest he end up with one he hates. “Loser” is obviously not fond of her own callsign. He makes a clumsy pass at “Loser” which she brushes off.
- “Deadeye” ends up talking to “Mayhem”. “Mayhem” asks after “Deadeye's" shore leave and he wants ‘details’.
- “Deadeye's" attention is diverted when “Loser” suggests that Floyd should earn his callsign based on the very next pool game. She challenges the other cadets to knock him off as ‘King of the Table’, preferably to make him run around the table with his pants down (a tradition if the loser is unable to sink a single ball). Floyd is embarrassed but he still manages to beat “Iceman” and keep his position as ‘King of the Table’.
- A number of cadets want a crack at Floyd to embarrass him but “Deadeye” steps in and challenges him. Floyd gives it his best. “Deadeye” knows how good he is at pool. He and Ethan have played many games in many different pool-halls. The cadets expect “Deadeye” to crush Floyd but “Deadeye” choses to lose by a small margin, suggesting that he is a “Hustler” at heart. “Loser” is disappointed but Floyd has a new Callsign (which he doesn’t hate).
- Over the next few days, patrols continue. There are intermittent reports of shipping being attacked.
- One evening Grant decides that he needs to get away for a bit. He finds a quiet part of the station to play his harmonica in solitude.
- Ethan on the other hand has a problem. The Double-A batteries which power his Walkman are finally dead and no one sells chemical batteries that look anything like these ones. He can’t play his favourite 80s tunes anymore until he can get back to Earth to acquire some more batteries. He asks for advice from a maintenance technician called “Sparks” whom he has been working with in the hangar, and “Sparks” promises to see if he can find some way to copy the audio tape onto another media.
- That same evening, Ethan gets chatting to an Asian starfighter cadet with the callsign “Cobra”. They share a drink in the Spacers’ Bar and have a pleasant conversation. “Cobra” isn’t a noble like most of the other cadets. Her parents are merchants and her family is very wealthy – but she is here doing her civic duty to Draconis. She is clearly devoted to her homeworld. She seems curious about Ethan’s background as he is not a noble himself, and she seems both disappointed and intrigued when Ethan tells her that he has come from the Republic to start a new life here on Draconis.
- The next day they run into trouble whilst escorting the freighter Harmony to Draconis Station. They come under attack by two Gorgon strike ships and four Goblins. The battle is hard fought and both “Woody” and “Deadeye” sustain minor damage, but each of the three cadets scores two kills, wiping out the attacking force.
- Hence this brings the kill totals to: “Deadeye” – 9; “Chance” – 6; “Woody” – 5.
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