Flying High

Posted on Wed Jan 28th, 2026 @ 8:53pm by Ensign Skye Vos & Petty Officer 1st Class Mateo Wright

1,862 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Mission 4 - Siphoning of Stars
Location: Shuttle Bay
Timeline: [BACKPOST] Set a few days after USS Concord arrived in the Delta Quadrant

ON:

Stretching her legs out, Skye leant back on a hand, sighing before taking a generous drink from the bottle she held. It was the 'middle of the night', or at least, what counted for that on a ship. And the pilot had initially come down to the sanctuary of the shuttlebay to get away from the drama and politics across the rest of the ship. Life in the shuttlebay was simple after all, and it was her little realm. But everything was ship shape and Bristol fashion. No tinkering to work on. Or at least, nothing that wasn't already assigned in the upcoming shifts. And she knew better than to mess with that. So she'd climbed on top of one of the little birds, got comfortable, and enjoyed the relative peace.

Skye hadn't been the only one to seek the sanctuary of the shuttle bay. Mateo walked in, not even holding a padd. He had needed to get out from his quarters, to stretch his legs. And his legs had led him here. He stopped when he saw her, considering leaving before he decided there was no point in leaving. He walked over instead, looking up at her. "Room for two?" he asked, noticing the bottle.

Skye chuckled, going through the motions of looking at the roof, as if to judge. "Just about," she teased, considering there was plenty of room. She reached down, in case he needed a hand up.

He took the hand and pulled himself up, sighing as he sat down. He looked around, taking in the view. A different perspective. "Well, didn't we just manage to find ourselves on the shitty side of the galaxy."

"Or the better one?" she suggested, but with a soft chuckle as she shook her head. She was no more optimistic than he was in reality. "Yeah...yeah, knowing our luck, you're probably right."

He chuckled at the words, nodding as he looked at her. "So. We survive then," he said, as if it was something they could choose to do.

"Look at you...all stoic and tenacious," she teased lightly, but good naturedly, shaking her head gently with a sigh. "I'm not sure how much of a say we're going to have in that..."

He smiled as he looked at her, shaking her head. "Well, I don't know about you, but I can survive anything. Pretty sure I can't be killed," he said playfully.

"What makes you so sure of that?" Skye asked as she cast a curious gaze his way, sensing stories behind the words.

"Because I've got more lives than a cat," Mateo said and looked at her, studying her face. "Not dead yet, despite the universe's best efforts."

Skye couldn't help the way her lips curved into a wry, knowing smile. "The *universe*, huh? The universe did it all, not you?" she said with mock accusation.

"Of course it did," he reached for the bottle to take a drink. "I just want you to know it's the universe that's after me, so I don't do anything stupid ever..." he winked, offering the bottle back to her.

"Hm..." she made a dubious sound before catching hold of the bottle to take a swig. "Nice to know I'm in safe hands then," she flashed him a smile before shaking her head with a soft sigh. "Is it wrong of me?" she suddenly asked quietly. "To...get a rush out of all of this?"

Mateo groaned loudly, but it was clearly for dramatic effect. "You're a pilot, of course you get an adrenaline rush of exploring a new universe, no matter how stranded we are." He grinned as he looked at her before he shrugged. "And despite my inability to get behind the controls...I also get a rush. Can't say if it is right or wrong, but this...feels like the adventures of old. What Starfleet was all about once upon a time, before we got..." he paused, looking down. "Well. Before all the conflicts."

"Yeah," she said quietly at the mention, pulling her legs up close and wrapping her arms around them. "I suppose it was inevitable, but...everyone's worse side came out in that damned war."

He looked at her before he reached out, his hand touching her arm. "But also some of their best," he finally said. He had seen it. People sacrificing for each other. People trying so hard to find hope. "We kept hope alive in our hearts."

Skye glanced to him, unsure for a long moment as she let out a shaking breath. "The prelude to the war wasn't so pretty either."

"No, it really wasn't," he admitted, looking at her for a moment before he sighed. "Shit, didn't the high ups screw up during it all. Sort of a miracle we survived...or wanted to stay."

Skye was silent for a long moment before taking the bottle for a large mouthful of Dutch Courage. "I didn't."

Mateo looked at her for a moment before he nodded, with understanding. He got it. He didn't judge for it. "Makes this an even worse position for you then," he said quietly.

"We all have our own context to deal with," she shook her head with a small, wry smile before sighing softly. "I just...got so angry, with how Starfleet were turning their back on the colonies in the line of Cardassian fire. Literally just...handing them over and leaving them to the mercy of the Cardassians. Instead of standing up for what was right and protecting them. It's what we're meant to do, protect the people that need it most. So...so I joined the Maquis. People who weren't going to let them get away with it."

Mateo gave a small smile at that, nodding as he looked at her. "I know I'm not meant to say it, but...good on you," he said quietly. "For standing up for your principles."

She looked to him with surprise at the words, searching his features for any sign of insincerity, but found none. "Didn't think I'd hear that back here," she admitted with a soft laugh, glancing down.

"Ah, well...what else do we got if we don't have our integrity?" he asked, with a smile as he looked at her. "We had the same enemy in the end anyway, right? So...we get over the bumps. And out here, well...we don't have anyone else to rely on except each other. At least I know you'll take a moral stand."

"Oh you can count on that," Skye laughed softly, shaking her head as she looked to him with warmth. "Or two...or three..."

"Or five. It's what most want in a Chief," Mateo said as he met her eyes and held them, a small smile coming to him. "Someone who knows when to say that something is just plain wrong."

Vos outright laughed at that, offering the bottle back across to him, wryness sparkling in her eyes. "There is no way in this galaxy or any other that I'll be making it to Chief."

"You're an officer...it is a possibility for you," he said as he watched her, with a small smile. "Especially since we are...lost out here. Not exactly many candidates. Imagine if we were here for years and you remained an Ensign? That would be...well..." he shrugged, looking away.

"Depressing," she filled in for him, laughing as she squeezed his shoulder. "The word you're looking for there is depressing..."

"That is why I stay enlisted," he said with a small smile. Almost playful, a little bit cynical...and with some underlying warmth. "No one really get interested in how we get...you know, promoted. Or demoted."

"Well, you're interested in it," she looked to him with curiosity at how he'd phrased it, shaking her head lightly. "You have ambition..."

"I have ambition," Mateo said before he sighed, tapping the shuttle. "But it is small things in this moment. To fly again and feel...confident in flying again. First have to get over that. Then...well. Anything is possible in the end."

"Hm..." Skye bit her lip thoughtfully, trying to put two and two together, but concerned she was getting five. "Why'd you lose your confidence?" she asked, her voice low despite the straightforwardness of the question.

"My shuttle crashed," he said and shook his head, a weak smile coming to him. "And every time I get back behind the controls, all I...feel is the cold, all I see is the remains of the shuttle and my friends. I can't get away from those three weeks."

Skye nodded absently. It was hard to argue with that...she might think he'd be better off just getting back up on that horse again, but...trauma was a hard thing to shake off. Especially if there was a feeling of blame or responsibility attached to it. "It took them three weeks to find you?"

"And come to me," he said as he looked at her, giving her a small shrug. "I was the only survivor. Not even sure why I lived and they didn't. But it is what happened and...God, it was cold there. And I had to be careful with the emergency beacon until...well, I decided that a dominion labour camp was better than starving to death."

Skye sipped carefully from the bottle, but her eyes were on him. It was a pilot's worst nightmare. He must have felt so alone. "You fought for your life," she interpreted. "And you won."

He looked at her before he looked down, considering it. "Death's what happens when there's no choice left," he finally said. "And I still had choices." he let out a breath and then chuckled. "Shame I left my bravery down there. Would be nice to fly again without...freaking out."

She watched him with a fond smile before nudging her shoulder against his. "If you really want it, it'll happen. One day. When you're ready. Do you fly on the holodeck?"

"No," he admitted as he looked at her before he gave her a small smile. "I...want to try old planes first. That looks nothing like a shuttle."

"That's a great idea," she slapped his chest with the back of her hand, grinning at the prospect. "If you ever need a co-pilot, you know where to find me."

He looked at her with surprise before he nodded, a small smile coming to him. "Actually...that might not be a bad idea," he admitted and narrowed his eyes. "Actually...I might be the better co-pilot. And you be in charge."

"Hm...." Skye narrowed her eyes slightly, but her smile remained gentle. That defied the point a bit. The idea was to get his confidence back up with flying. "How about...you be my co-pilot for out first flight...and I'll be your co-pilot on the second...deal?"

Mateo looked at her, hesitating...but he gave a nod. He was nowhere near that again, but...planning? Sure. He could pretend to be an optimist. "Deal."


OFF:

Ensign Skye Vos
Flight Control Officer
USS Concord

&

PO1 Mateo Wright
Shuttlebay Manager
USS Concord

 

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