16193/Cats and Hawks

Cats and Hawks
Date of Scene:	27 October 2023
Location:	A shiny new warehouse.
Synopsis:	The Zen of aircraft maintenance is learned, not taught.
Cast of Characters:	Zinda Blake, Thomas Blake

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Zinda Blake has posed:
Blackhawk Aviation has numerous hangars at regional airports up and down the East Coast. Originally part of a Defense logistics network, Zinda made sure that Blackhawk bought space at as many as possible.

Mostly because she needed places to spread out her growing, vintage aircraft collection.

Today she's working in one such hangar, wearing mechanic's coveralls that were definitely tailored to a woman's figure. There's a twin-engine, twin-tail fighter sitting in the middle of the hangar, with one of the engine cowls removed. Zinda is up on a stepladder with her face right up in the engine compartment, which does nothing to muffle the clanging and cussing while she works.

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake is responsible for some clanging himself, having rented a panel truck to transport Fluffy, the giant cat robot to the hangar. Fluffy need a really good lube job. He was sporting a new front paw and Thomas wanted the rest of him working. Maybe even find a lady cat robot for him. Fluffy was an electric hybrid and Thomas had the IC engine on and was revving the shit out of it. He guides Fluffy carefully, not getting too close to the aircraft. Coming to a stop he does a forward tumble off the robot, tumbling to a stop at Zinda's ladder and looking up with a grin. "Zindaaaaa!" He also rattles the ladder a bit and gets ready to catch her if necessary. Mee-oops.

Zinda Blake has posed:
<CLANG!><CLANG!><THUMP!> "Dangit!" Zinda hears the sounds of something mechanical approaching, then stops to turn and look down. She keeps her balance as he rattles the ladder, but she shifts the large wrench from a tool grip to more of a weapon grip. "Well hey there, sugar! Careful, now, that's how folks get knocked in the noggin'." She looks over at the cat robot, then, lifting a blonde brow. "What the heck is that?"

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake looks up and says, "It's a robot cat, limited AI, some voice commands. This crazy Catman fan got hold of him at a police auction and I stole him back. Crazy sonuvabitch, wanted my costume, tried to kill me and Mike. Anyway he needs a good lube job. I figured I could mooch one from you when you finish with this... this fine aircraft. I don't know what it is but I like it." He starts climbing the ladder coming up behind her. What can I do to help?" He gets ready to get shoved off the ladder.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake still stands on the ladder, one hand resting against the plane for balance as she looks down at him. Cocking her hip, she grins down at him with the wrench still in hand. "Well I'd say climb on up, but this ladder ain't really built for two." Not that will stop him, of course.

"This here's a P-38 Lightning. Army Air Corps, mostly European theater. Right now I'm trying to get all the moving parts moving again. These turbo-supercharged V-12 engines are more finicky than a Ferrari."

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake nods and with a scary sort of grace, does another flip off the ladder. He runs over to Fluffy and sets him to fuel cells, then makes the robot pad silently to Zinda. Once there the huge cat sits up and Thomas climbs up his neck to stand on his head next to Zinda.

"So... I know a little mechanics... either something isn't moving that should move, or something is moving that you want to stay put. Which is it?" He looks over her shoulder, putting a hand out to steady himself.

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake glances over her shoulder at him, now right at eye level. "There's some valves that ain't opening." she explains. "See, all this extra plumbing is designed to take advantage of the high pressure exhaust gasses to spin turbines for more power. But if the valves don't open, it starves out at high altitude."

She's gesturing as she talks, pointing to various parts of the engine. Then she hands him the wrench. "See if you can get this one loose with them big muscles. Just don't break nothin'."

Thomas Blake has posed:
Thomas Blake nods and takes the wrench. He begins prodding at the first valve cover. "I won't break anything. B&Es were my specialty. Ah!" After a moment of strain the first valve pops open. He gets to work on the second valve, all seriousness now. This plane is precious to Zinda and he is using his most delicate touch. He works at it the way he'd place a necklace around a lovely's neck. He looks over at her and says, "Think the Blackhawks would have ever taken me as one?"

Zinda Blake has posed:
Zinda Blake lets out a little whoop when the first valve pops, then he starts on the second. She even gives a quick, one-armed hug. The blonde's expression becomes a little more serious at his question, then. "You would've had to earn your place, sugar, just like I did. I was on provisional status even after showing up in a stolen German '109. I made Ace in that plane, and Blackhawk eventually saw my worth. I still think a lot of it was on account of me being a woman."

There's still a lot of work to do on the plane, but there's no rush and the conversation is good.