Elaine Reid<br/>Onboard Annie<br/>Midwatch<br/>Tagged: Jin-Lai, Mateo, Serena<br/><br/>Elaine swung the shuttle away from the<i>St. Anne</i>and quickly lay in a course for an entry burn. Her lips tugged upwards in a grin at Mateo's offhanded compliment. She was a good pilot, but none of the crew had seen her piloting via direct interface in her time aboard - nor would they if she could help it. Aside from showing a side of herself she'd rather keep under wraps she much preferred physical piloting. It felt good to guide a ship with two hand gripping a control yoke. Even if sometimes those hands were soaked with panicked sweat when doing so.<br/><br/>She didn't panic or break a sweat as she angled the ship to break atmosphere with its curved belly first. As the first flares of friction-heat bloomed in the forward viewport she keyed the ship-based comm systems, browsing the open lines before finding the one she needed. Shudders ran through the shuttle as the atmosphere began to rip at the ship's exterior with flaming fingers. Elaine tapped the comms panel as a particularly violent judder wracked the ship. "Planetary Station Authority this is Shuttle 4NN13-01 requesting landing vectors and docking clearance planetside. Our current itinerary has us docked for two standard cycles, with the option of early departure as needed." She spoke coolly over the comms, though that last bit rankled. Early departure tended to jack up port fees in backwaters like this place.<br/><br/>A few seconds of shuddering and jostling with the pains of re-entry later a quiet ping announced the wordless response to Elaine's request as a 3D visual bloomed on the Navigation console depicting approach vector and landing details. She dipped the shuttle's nose and pushed the engines as they broke the atmospheric envelope, angling in to match the display. "Alright ladies and gentlemen, welcome to filthy backwater number...shit, I lost count." She chuckled to herself, enjoying her awful jibe even if no one else did. "Stow your safety gear. We'll be dirtside in two."<br/><br/>As if on cue another chime rang in the cabin and the ship's speaker's crackled to life. "Shuttle 4NN13-01 you've been cleared to land in Bay 03, begin approach at your leisure."