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ID: e17WTmEO/qst/6243266#6246729
5/23/2025, 12:27:30 PM
"You don't have to always refer to me by rank when it's just the two of us here. I have a name too, you know?"
"Huh?" Erich blinked. He was caught off guard by your suggestion. "Okay then... Miss Adele?"
He paused immediately after saying your name. It felt strange on his tongue. Too personal and too.. close. Not quite the right fit to refer to someone who was his commanding officer. But you gave him a reassuring smile, easing him from further embarrassment. "Farrington is okay. You'll work your way up to first names eventually."
He nodded and rubbed the back of his neck abashedly before murmuring, "Yeah... alright. Miss Farrington, then?"
You chuckled, shaking your head. "Just Farrington will do. You'll figure it out eventually, kid."
Suddenly, the intercom speaker overhead crackled to life, followed by an announcement from the Nautilus' comms officer.
"To all SACS personnel, you are ordered to assemble and stand by in the briefing room for tasking. I say again: All SACS personnel, assemble in the briefing room."
"That's us," you spoke, with the past ease in your voice now replaced by a professional, yet not unkind, solemnness. "Come on, Lieutenant."
"Yes, Captain." Erich replied with a matching tone.
You and Erich stepped out of your quarters and fell in with the rest of the aviators moving down the hallway. The hallway hummed with murmurs of chatter and boots tapping on the metal floor as the aviators headed in the same direction with a shared sense of urgency. It wasn't long until you reached the briefing room and inside, seats were quickly filling up. The two of you took your spots in the front row alongside your squadmates, Jadyn and Aliyah, who were already there in the room and gave you subtle, acknowledging nods when you entered.
"I thought the briefing was supposed to start at 1 PM, like Captain Torrano said last night?" Aliyah murmured, leaning slightly towards you.
"I know as much as you do, Lieutenant," you replied. "Something must have changed."
But before you could speculate any further, Torrano stepped into the room and took his place on the digital podium to operate its console. "Aviators, I'm afraid I have some bad news to share."
"Huh?" Erich blinked. He was caught off guard by your suggestion. "Okay then... Miss Adele?"
He paused immediately after saying your name. It felt strange on his tongue. Too personal and too.. close. Not quite the right fit to refer to someone who was his commanding officer. But you gave him a reassuring smile, easing him from further embarrassment. "Farrington is okay. You'll work your way up to first names eventually."
He nodded and rubbed the back of his neck abashedly before murmuring, "Yeah... alright. Miss Farrington, then?"
You chuckled, shaking your head. "Just Farrington will do. You'll figure it out eventually, kid."
Suddenly, the intercom speaker overhead crackled to life, followed by an announcement from the Nautilus' comms officer.
"To all SACS personnel, you are ordered to assemble and stand by in the briefing room for tasking. I say again: All SACS personnel, assemble in the briefing room."
"That's us," you spoke, with the past ease in your voice now replaced by a professional, yet not unkind, solemnness. "Come on, Lieutenant."
"Yes, Captain." Erich replied with a matching tone.
You and Erich stepped out of your quarters and fell in with the rest of the aviators moving down the hallway. The hallway hummed with murmurs of chatter and boots tapping on the metal floor as the aviators headed in the same direction with a shared sense of urgency. It wasn't long until you reached the briefing room and inside, seats were quickly filling up. The two of you took your spots in the front row alongside your squadmates, Jadyn and Aliyah, who were already there in the room and gave you subtle, acknowledging nods when you entered.
"I thought the briefing was supposed to start at 1 PM, like Captain Torrano said last night?" Aliyah murmured, leaning slightly towards you.
"I know as much as you do, Lieutenant," you replied. "Something must have changed."
But before you could speculate any further, Torrano stepped into the room and took his place on the digital podium to operate its console. "Aviators, I'm afraid I have some bad news to share."
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