childofrebellion | Convention III-Yamato's practice flights

Yamato's head is still swimming somewhat, and his heart feels just about ready to explode, but he pushes through it, running through a systems check.

"Fuel levels and pressure are green, comms are green, navigation is working, gust locks are disengaged," he rattles off. "Checking flight controls now: Flaps are operational, rudder is operational, ailerons are operational, elevator is operational. All systems are green."

He's hoping that running through the check will help to focus Yamato.

When he hears the systems are good, Cassian strikes a more personal note, "Cleared for take off. Enjoy yourself up there."

"Y-yeah, you too."

Beat.

"... Fuck, you're not even flying, why did I say that, doesn't even make sense." There's the sound of Yamato hurriedly clearing his throat, then, growled over the line: "Roger that. Activating thrusters and disengaging the landing gear."

There's a dull roar as the thrusters start, before the landing gear retracts back into the ship, leaving it floating.

Cassian smiles at Yamato's mutterings, its a sign that he's relaxing a little,

"Over, you look good from down here."

"Do you have a route in mind that you want me to fly?"

It seems like the obvious question, otherwise he's just flying aimlessly.

"I'm sending you the navigation for a clear route around a few obstacles to let you try out what this ship can do."

And then they can see about more intense practice.

"Clear route, few obstacles, sounds good."

Yamato's not too proud to admit that having something relatively gentle for his first flight is a relief.

... All right, he is absolutely too proud to admit that, but it's still true.

"Navigation received, setting out now," he says, before easing the ship away from the landing pad, swooping about and gaining altitude.

"That's the idea."

As he eases off, Cassian allows himself a larger smile since he remembers his first flight and the fear and joy of it.

Yamato's not sure if he's enjoying this or having a minor panic attack. It's definitely one or the other, he just doesn't know exactly which.

But even through that, he can fly the ship as though it's second nature, soaring through the route and picking up speed as he goes.

"How's it handling?"

Cassian wants to know if Yamato's feeling comfortable out there, this silence is unnerving from him.

"Hm?"

Yamato sounds like he barely heard what Cassian said. It takes him a moment to catch up, during which time the ship continues gracefully soaring along the route, swooping around obstacles as it goes.

"... Oh, right, it, er. It handles fine. Very smooth."

"Ready to test the speed?"

Yamato does seem pleased just not as focused as Cassian would like.

"Yeah. Activating the afterburners now, increasing thruster output from twenty to fifty percent."

The ship starts picking up speed a few moments later, dancing around a few of the obstacles as it does. It's not at full speed yet, but it's definitely going fast by any metric.

"Good start, the handling holding up?"

From a distance, it seems looser.

"Handling seems to be holding up all right. I still have pretty fine control over it," Yamato says, weaving around another obstacle.

"Give it a push and let's see what it can do."

He's feeling hopeful about doing well in this race.

"Activating afterburners for a second burn, raising thruster output to seventy-five percent, disengaging secondary stabilisers," Yamato rattles off, flicking his hands over the console.

The ship blasts forward, accelerating even more rapidly now, edging up on what should be its top speed. Yamato keeps weaving around whatever obstacles come up on the route.

"Handling's okay at this speed so far, but it's a little stiffer on turns," he notes. "Nothing I can't deal with."

"I might be able to help with that, do a little more adjusting to the stabilizers. They always need calibrating."

Usually because they can try to do too much controlling when they're not needed.

"If you could, I'd appreciate it. It's not the worst thing, but I'd like to get this ship at peak performance before the race," Yamato replies.

"I've dealt with it before. I'll make it right. You ready to leave atmo?"

That's the next big test.

Yamato feels a spike of something that could be panic or excitement in his chest.

"Yeah, just give me a few moments to check everything, and we can get started on that."

"Understood, the skies are clear above you,"

Cassian says as some reassurance.

"It's not the weather I'm worried about," Yamato says, with just a little bit of a chuckle.

Because sure, he technically went to space on the way here, but that was different. This feels much more real -- and it's something that only some five-hundred people from his world can say they've done.

"All right, I'm angling around for an exit trajectory now, de-activating the primary limiters and preparing to burn for atmo exit."

That chuckle's a good sign,

"I know, still true that you couldn't have a better night for this."

"Yes, we're all very happy that I'm not flying directly into a storm."

The ship curves up, before flying straight towards the upper atmosphere, picking up speed as it goes. Yamato keeps his eye on the altitude, getting ready to switch on the afterburners.

"Entering the stratosphere now," he says. "Ship seems to be holding up, but we'll see how it copes with entering the mesosphere."

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