Stories from the Front Lines

Hello Troops,
This post was received yesterday, sent by carrier pigeon from Fresno, California. Bracken Funk spent his University Spring Break with us in the trenches on the front lines. I'm happy to report that his skills are as sharp today as they when he left for civilian life. Mind you, the tinned sardines, tack bread, and beans kept his fighting close to the latrine.

Bracken was kind enough to write this post to share a few of his observations.

Thanks Bracken!
Mr. W.

My Time on the Front Lines
By
Bracken Funk, Field Commander.
Received on the South Perch, Carrier Pigeon Landing Facility.

I just thought I’d share a few quick funnies from my experience back home this past week. I absolutely loved being home for the week, and tried my best to take as many missions as my flight director conditioning would allow. It’s like playing basketball. You have to stay in condition in order to be successful. I hadn’t flown in a while, and after flying 3 missions in one day, I was pooped. It took me a bit to get my second wind so I could fly like a real boy.

During one of the after school field trips, I was flying the Voyager, and whilst being upon the bridge, I was collecting the mp3 players for the Right Wing officers, who both looked at me with a puppy-dog face, and the girl said in a sweet voice, “Who is that man that is speaking, is that you?”

I paused a moment, shocked by the question, “No, his name is Tex, he’s supposedly the best engineer in all of Starfleet,” I answered as officially as I could.

“Do you know him?”

I was trying to anticipate where she was going. I suppose that is the most important part of our job as space center employees. We are master liars... no, story tellers. In order to weave a story together in a short amount of time, we attempt to have the story written before the question was asked. I could not get ahead of this girl, I didn’t know where she was going.

“Yes, I have worked with him a few times,” I gave her a reassuring nod. I was sure this was the end of the conversation.

“Could you tell him that he has the most calming voice I’ve ever heard?”

Now... Now I was flabbergasted. I had never heard such a thing in all my years of volunteer work, work and any other form of time I’d put in at the Center.

“Sir,” she said again, “I was very, very nervous coming in here today. I was scared about my job, I was scared I would kill my crew, I was scared that aliens would get me- but now, because of his voice, I am calm, and ready for anything,” she smiled, and I was just about to tell her that I would do it, when the boy next to her chimed in.

“I agree. His voice is just... relaxing and calming. I have never felt more sure of myself sitting in front of computer,” he beamed like he was a professional hacker, and the voice he’d heard telling him how to run the right wing had given him new light.

“I will,” I said, “I will make sure that Tex knows that you guys are at ease because of his voice.

I promise that Mr. Williamson will never let anyone live that down.

The next flight, I was assigned to fly the Phoenix. I must add that the crew that I had in the Phoenix for that flight was my favorite crew ever. I had so much fun with that group. If they should by chance read this- THEY MUST COME BACK and fly with me again. I don’t know if I can live without them :P

The girl at Operations was your typical little girl. Unicorns and rainbows, dresses and tea, princesses and Disney. She made me laugh on several occasions. We were in Perikoi, right after they’d been hit with the torpedo from the surface. They shook around with the impact of the torpedo a little bit (they were incredible actors too, by the way). They all took care of any immediate threat, and then Operations raised her hand, and said “Captain,”. I knew I hadn’t sent a message, and I knew that there was nothing going on at her station. I looked at the camera, and waited for it. I was excited. But what came out of her mouth next had me on the floor in stitches.

“Yes?” The captain responded.

“Does my hair look alright?”

There were four of us in the control room. We all laughed for a minute. After taking a torpedo, getting yelled at by Gods, and having Perikoi threatened- she knew where her priorities lied.. With her hair