SCUL Day Observed

Morale was high at MRC, and Fort Tyler was abuzz with pilots preparing to celebrate SCUL's 21st orbital and witness the dawn on this great day. Before exiting the airlock, Fleet Admiral Skunk called a meeting to tell us all something very important: I love my gang. A phrase that all SCUL pilots should be proud to say, because it reminds us (especially after excessive time in meatspace) that SCUL is a tremendously posi family.

Filled with determination, hauling molecules and unsavory snacks, pilots gathered at the launch pad. As the first order of business, Shadowcat christened a new ship: Mousetrap. A H.A.R.V. of Meticulously Engineered Whimsy. We then set off, our sonic disruptor array providing some of the classic SCUL life support courtesy of the fleet admiral.

After crossing the Charles asteroid belt into the Brookline System, we stopped at a favorite refueling station for more unsavory snacks and some orbital groove. Threespeed rounded up some snacks that were prematurely set adrift, in the form of cheese, crackers, apples, and other deliciousness. While the fleet refueled, our lasers and oxygen-assisted hydro cannons attracted the attention of a civi and two special operations STs, who we quickly befriended. Once all pilots had refueled, we continued onward with our civi-turned-Klingon.

We flew past Northeastern University, an area that has been overtaken by black holes. While passing through some turbulence in orbit, Cotton Candy was forced to abandon ship. Luckily she sustained minimal injury, and Iridium served her well as we descended through the south west wormhole and into the Jamaica Plain system.

Up and around the Forest Hills subsystem, with the Arboretum in sight, we stopped in order for Snow to repair Deep Blue Dream. A park ST took notice as we dealt with the mechanical, and Shepherd assured them that all was under control, and we showed them a glorious launch when we broke orbit again, headed for the Arboretum.

Silencing the fleet and embracing the darkness of space, we started up the extremely negi g-well to the top of the Arboretum. It was an arduous task for even the most battle-hardened among us, but with the help of some spacewalking, we crushed the g-well and were rewarded with a well-deserved space breeze and the perfect location to celebrate another orbital of SCUL.

Pilots proceeded to celebrate (many sans-spacesuit) along with the klingon who had been brave enough to continue onwards with us this far. There were molecules, delicious macaroons from Pastry Queen, toasted marshmallows from couscous, and many other savory and unsavory snacks accompanied by dancing, hammocks, pilot show and tell, and general merriment. Fleet Admiral Secret Skunk led a secret expedition to the secret location to secretly commemorate the secret thing, which was a secret success.

Shepherd, quite overdue, was knighted by Snow with the knight saber glowing bright white in the not-yet dawn. We celebrated Red Squirrel's 50th mission with a group hug, Wombat's 200th mission with a crowd surf, and Threespeed's 300th mission with cheers and other sonic disruption. Several pilots plotted to draw S-C-U-L with sparklers, an effort led by fstop using his long exposure droid, ensuring its success.

After the great celebration, we flew down the now very-posi g-well out of the Arboretum. On our way back through the south west wormhole, we saw the first signs of dawn as the space birds chirped and the dawn light began to reveal itself. Towards the end of the wormhole, Everest abandoned ship after a negi encounter with some space leaves. The medi-team rushed in to treat seemingly minor injuries, only to find that in addition to the flesh wounds sustained this was the elbow Everest had previously fractured and that the impact may have caused another. Taco informed the front of the fleet that got split off ahead of the situation. When we set off again, the dawn was imminent.

The dawn materialized to greet us just as we cruised across the BU hyperspace byway, and pilots cheered as the Fleet Admiral provided appropriately thematic life support.

Back at the launch pad, the fleet awarded Shadowcat a Builder medal, a medal of Injury to Everest, Cotton Candy, and Taco, and medals of Strength to pilots who braved the Arboretum's negi g-well without spacewalking. The 21st orbital of SCUL was deemed an utter success, and we all rejoiced: I love my gang.