Chapter Four: The Rookie
As the Stargate's iris slid open with a low metallic hum, Cate turned to glance up at the control room. She offered a quick smile and a salute of thanks to Walter and Sam, her acknowledgment precise and professional. She didn't notice Vala standing further back, arms folded, and lips pursed in mock indignation.
"She just ignores me?" Vala muttered dramatically to Sam, who smirked but said nothing.
Cate hoisted her tote bags and strode forward. She barely registered the swirling event horizon ahead, her thoughts already fixed on the task awaiting her at the Alpha Site.
The journey through the wormhole was as disorienting as she remembered. The kaleidoscopic whirl of light and energy enveloped her, each molecule of her being deconstructed, hurled across the cosmos, and reassembled in a heartbeat. When her boots touched the grated platform on the Alpha Site's gate room floor, Cate steadied herself, forcing the nausea to subside. She glanced around; the once-modest facility had grown into a sprawling, fortified base. The Stargate now resided deep underground, protected by layers of reinforced concrete and steel.
The base commander, Colonel Michelle Bixby, greeted Cate just beyond the gate room. Bixby's demeanour was crisp but welcoming. Cate remembered her from her prior visit to the Alpha Site: a no-nonsense officer with a reputation for keeping things running smoothly. She also knew Bixby was a former helicopter pilot, an army aviator who had earned her stripes flying Blackhawks and Apaches.
"Squadron Leader MacGregor," Bixby said, offering a firm handshake. "Welcome back."
Cate blinked, caught off guard by the rank. "Ma'am?"
Bixby's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Oh, didn't they tell you? Congratulations, you've been promoted. The Australian Defence Attaché in Washington sent the confirmation through this morning. It's official."
Cate felt a swell of pride and a flicker of nervous energy. "Thank you, ma'am." She snapped a salute, though it wasn't strictly necessary. Bixby returned it with a small smile.
After being shown her quarters—spartan but functional, situated conveniently near the pilot's ready room—Cate settled in quickly. She took her evening meal there, savouring a moment of quiet, then hit the showers before turning in early. By 0500, she was seated at her desk, poring over the personnel files of her new squadron.
The 56th Attack Squadron was a multinational group of fourteen pilots, representing Stargate member nations. While she would get to know them all, six stood out for immediate focus:
Lt. Commander Neville "Dusty" Dixon (USN): A seasoned pilot Cate had instructed at Top Gun. Offered the squadron command, he had turned it down, preferring to serve as her XO. Reliable and steady, he was her first choice for the role.
1st Lt. Juliette "Ghost" Ramirez (USAF): Formerly an A-10 pilot, Ramirez brought a talent for precision ground-attack manoeuvres. Cate expected her to excel in any combat situation requiring finesse.
Lt. Anders "Viking" McClaren: With a background flying F/A-18s and Tornados, McClaren had proven himself in both American and RAF operations. He would eventually lead one of the squadron's flights.
Captain Mark "Batman" Kalowski (USMC): A Harrier veteran with multiple tours in Afghanistan, Kalowski was as dependable as he was humorous. Cate saw him as another future flight leader.
Lt. Ariel "Angel" Speckman (USN): A skilled pilot with experience on both Hornets and Eagles, Speckman's transfer to the Alpha Site followed a difficult period of harassment aboard the Daedalus. Cate respected her resilience and assigned her as McClaren's wingman.
Ensign Francis "Nugget" Bianchi (USN): The greenest pilot in the squadron, Bianchi's record suggested potential marred by a lack of focus. Someone at Stargate Command believed Cate's leadership could shape him into something more.
Cate's own call sign, "Taipan," reflected her precision and lethality in the cockpit.
Over the next two weeks, Cate implemented her training regimen. Classroom sessions were met with groans from the more experienced pilots, but Cate insisted on laying a solid foundation. Beyond technical skills, she focused on team cohesion. She arranged bonding activities—some traditional, others not. A cricket match baffled many of her multinational crew but proved effective in building camaraderie.
Simulator training on the new F-302D—a clipped-wing, single-seater variant—consumed countless hours. Bianchi struggled with formation flying and complex manoeuvres, but Cate's patient guidance and Dusty's mentorship gradually brought him up to speed. By the end of the second week, the young ensign's progress was evident.
The final phase of training involved combat simulations against the Alpha Site's aggressor squadron, flying older F-302A models. The exercises tested the squadron's mettle, sharpening their skills for real-world scenarios.
Midweek, the Lucian Alliance launched a surprise attack. The Alpha Site's sensors detected a Hat'ak-class mothership entering orbit, deploying waves of Death Gliders. Cate's squadron scrambled to intercept. Dividing her pilots into three flights of four, she held one in reserve while two joined the Alpha Site's defenders.
The ensuing battle erupted into a maelstrom of chaos. Gliders darted like angry hornets, diving and weaving in unpredictable patterns as they peppered the skies with lethal bursts of energy fire. Cate gripped her controls tightly, her voice calm but firm over the comms. "Buzzards, keep it tight! Viking, take Angel and push left to cut off their flank. Dusty, cover our six!"
A cacophony of acknowledgments followed. "On it, Taipan!" McClaren's clipped tone carried determination, while Angel's steadier voice chimed in, "Rolling to intercept."
Cate twisted her F-302D into a sharp climb, narrowly avoiding a burst of plasma fire. "Nugget! Watch your spacing! You're too close to Batman," she barked, eyes darting across her instruments.
"Sorry, ma'am! Adjusting now!" Bianchi's panicked reply betrayed his inexperience, but Cate had no time to coddle him. Instead, she looped behind a pair of gliders targeting Ghost and unleashed a stream of railgun fire, shredding one and forcing the other into a hasty retreat.
Kalowski's voice cut through the chaos, a mix of adrenaline and humour. "Batman here—just took out two bogeys. Guess that makes me the Caped Crusader of the skies!"
"Focus, Batman!" Cate snapped, though a faint smile tugged at her lips.
The skirmish raged on, the defenders gradually gaining the upper hand through sheer coordination. The base's AC-402 gunships swooped in low, their heavy cannons shredding any gliders that ventured too close to the ground. Viking's calm voice provided updates. "Angel and I have cleared the left flank. Moving to regroup."
"Copy that," Cate replied, her gaze darting to the tactical display. "Buzzards, form up for a counterstrike. Let's push them back!"
As the gliders began to falter, retreating toward the Hat'ak, Cate felt a surge of relief tempered by grim determination. They had held the line—for now. Cate's leadership shone as the comms buzzed with rapid orders. "Buzzards, tighten up formation! Viking, take Angel and cut off their flank!" she commanded, her voice firm yet calm amidst the chaos. Acknowledgments followed swiftly, punctuated by the roar of engines and the crackle of energy fire. Cate rolled her F-302D into a sharp dive, chasing a glider as Dusty's voice crackled, "On their tail, Taipan! Marking targets now!" Every move she made directed the battle, her split-second decisions turning potential disaster into tactical advantage. The base's AC-402 gunships provided vital support, preventing the mothership from closing in.
Cate and Kalowski each achieved ace status, downing multiple enemy gliders. However, victory came at a steep cost. The loss of three Buzzards and four Alpha Site pilots hit the squadron hard. Cate felt each name like a punch to the gut as the reports came in. Dusty's voice cracked over the comms as he confirmed Viking and Angel were safe, but the emptiness in his tone mirrored her own. In the debriefing room, silence reigned as the weight of their sacrifices settled over the surviving pilots. Cate clenched her fists, her voice steady but strained as she addressed them. "We lost good people today," she said, locking eyes with each pilot. "But they won't be forgotten. They were part of this family, and we fight to honour them. For now, we grieve. Tomorrow, we rebuild."
As the battle ended, Colonel Bixby addressed the survivors. "This wasn't a full assault. They were testing our defences. We'll be ready when they come back."
Cate's squadron emerged bloodied but stronger. The loss weighed heavily, but they had proven themselves in their first true trial. For Cate, it was a sombre reminder of the stakes they faced. The Buzzards were ready for war—but at a cost none of them would ever forget.
Synopsis chapter 5, 'Welcome to the Invincible'
Typically, the Invincible didn't arrive on time. It was a day and a half late. Not for any reason of its own, twice on the way to the Alpha site she was challenged by Alliance Hat'aks and her saving grace was that for the first 3/4s of the journey, she was moving through space in convoy with her sister ship Endurance and the Daedalus. Still the battles were gritty and time consuming.
Once the Mighty 'I' as it was being called across the fleet, arrived over PX9-U47 (the Alpha Site planet), Cate and her squadron bid farewell to their comrades on the base, a promise was made to come back soon. Bixby spoke to Cate, they embraced and thanked each other; Michelle telling Cate that on her return, they'll go into Foreston (the local town) and have a few beers with the good people that inhabit this world.
Though they lost 3 damned good pilots and 302s, the Alpha Site made up the loss of aircraft at least. So a full squadron left the base airfield at precisely 1300 hours. Climbing through the layers of atmosphere until 12 grey birds of prey were once again in the vacuum of space.
When the ship comes into view, chatter over the radio intensifies with a running commentary about what each individual sees. 'Nugget' typically of his age (22) is in awe and uses all the common cliché' of his generation.
July Ramirez mutters a single "Wow."
A few more comments until Dusty tells them all to can it, we're on approach.
Radio calls to Cate 'Taipan' (use the call sign) from 'Baseline' (the Invincible's call sign) that they are ready to receive at 1 min intervals for each hangar bay. The procedure is the same as with water born carriers, in as much as they will come astern, watch the landing lights at the end of each hangar.
Here a description of the ship would be appropriate. Similar in its lines to the Daedalus class, although she is about 3/4s of the length of that class. About the same width, the most notable difference being the engines are all boxed in together and the hangars are open at both front and rear, allowing approaching aircraft to land as they would on a sea going carrier. The colour is dark grey. The pilots notice that for the size of the ship, it has a lot of guns.
Once all the 302s were landed and moved into their allotted places on the hangar bay decks, the pilots emerged from their little ships to a rapturous applause from the deck crew. The word had already been passed around the fleet. Cate and Dusty meet the Crew Chief, First Sergeant Daniel Piper, Danny to his closest friends, to everyone else he was 'Boss Dog', a title he relished in.
Next in line was the CAG. Commander Helen McFearson 'Elle' to her close friends and a fellow Australian; Cate thought she was unique on that score, Elle assured Cate she wasn't at all. There were several Aussies on board including two 402 pilots. The other squadrons on board were the 156th attack Squadron made up of six 402 gunships, the last being two EA 302Cs, the EW version of the 302. Built much in the same way as the EA18G Hornet, its primary role being electronic warfare, this squadron was another former US Navy unit, being VAQ 131 the 'Lancers'. 302s of this squadron were spread across the fleet. Elle was CO of the 156th.
There was a de-brief with the captain of the ship, Captain Richard Hudson Royal Navy, a former Harrier pilot with an exceptional record. He flew a total of 35 missions over Iraq before he joined the Stargate program. He outlined what he expected of his airwing, informing Cate she was to be XO to McFearson. Their first mission was to the Gamma Site, no one had heard from them in three days and General Carter wasn't about to send a team through the Stargate. A MALP couldn't only give you so much information.
At the end of the day, the 'Buzzards' were requested to wear their dress blues for a ceremony in the central hangar bay. The squadron received a unit citation for its action in defence of the Alpha site. With Cate receiving the DFC for her bravery and leadership. Dusty received the DSM, and Kalowski receiving the Navy cross. The remainder of the squadron all received commendations, but it was Batman's speech that made a few cry, he told them all, that he didn't deserve this medal on his own and that it belonged to each and every one of them in the squadron.
The CAG wouldn't have called out to her in the hangar bay, instead, after meeting with Piper and some of the other squadron pilots (handshakes and back slapping) Piper would inform Cate there is to be a de-brief in the pilot's ready room. That would be where she meets McFearson for the first time. There should be some decent dialogue there from the pilots. Elle would be interested in tactics and she would also be concerned of their mental state after losing some of their comrades. There could be a nice scene here where Cate is typically her cast iron self, but McFearson being nearly ten years older can see straight through her. Once we've portrayed that scene, we move the crews onto their respective cabins, we should describe them briefly and tactfully, showering and changing into their day wear (two tone blue camouflage, shirt and cargo pants. Except Kalowski, his would be cream and brown). Some personal reflections here. They all meet up in the ship's café for a meal before they all meet Hudson. After a brief chat (that would take place in the Wardroom) we can finally move to the last scene, the commendations and Kalowski's speech. Which I would love to see expanded.
Does this all make sense?