The simulator chamber was deserted when Joker entered.

Already loaded into the chamber was the interior of a Cormorant-class transport. It was familiar, but it wasn't the Vighross.

Jaxom took his seat and performed his preflight checklist exactly as he would before any actual flight. As power came online, the screens and consoles illuminated one by one, their systems beginning their boot diagnostics. Around him, the engines began to rhythmically thrumm to life. He took the time to walk through the interior, checking each cabinet and supply crate, verifying that everything was properly secured.

"Ensign Jaxom Dane?" The voice came from behind him. "I'm Lieutenant Commander Hale. I'll be overseeing your evaluation today.

"Good to meet you, sir. Call me Joker."

"This evaluation is designed to assess you and your ability to operate this craft under increasingly stressful conditions. There will be several parts to the test, some of which will run sequentially and some of which will run the entire time. You will have a simulated team which you are required to transport to and from their mission."

Hale looked at him. "Do you have any questions before we begin?"

"Give me the coordinates and I'll get the team where they need to go," Joker said confidently.

"Very well. Have a seat and we'll begin." Jaxom settled into the pilot's chair. The first phase was deceptively simple. Lieutenant Commander Hale read from his PADD. "You've just secured from warp, and you're approaching a target planet. Plot an atmospheric entry vector and get the team to their landing zone."

Jaxom calculated the entry vector and course, locked it into the computer, and engaged the engines.

The transport responded smoothly. The rhythmic thrum of the engines increased as the ship accelerated toward its descent profile. "Velocity is point-one-two C. Course deviation is point-zero-two degrees. Engines are running at ninety-eight-point-seven percent efficiency."

"Very good," Hale commented. "Let the planet take you down."

Joker was just beginning to settle into the rhythm of the flight when the tactical scanner alerted.

The tactical display activated a warning 3 distinct returns in Joker's flight path.

"Contacts ahead," Joker reported. He reduced speed and altered course slightly and the contacts turned to match his course. "I believe they're tracking us, but they haven't done anything provocative." The sensor resolution increased as the ships closed the distance, Joker studied the returns. "I have three pursuit craft designated India-1,2,3. Weapons unknown." One of the contacts turned to intercept, then another.

Hale remained deliberately neutral. "You do not have to engage them, Ensign. As the pilot, it is your decision."

Joker thought for a moment. "There's no way I'm getting down there without at least losing these guys." He tapped the internal comm, "Mission Bay, prepare to engage enemy contacts." An alarm sounded throughout the transport as the simulated team took their positions. "Tactical transferred to mission bay console," Joker called.

The Tactical team member reported in, "Tracking two targets India 2 and India 3, on an intercept course. One weapon signature detected. The other is moving to outflank us. Range, forty-two hundred kilometers."

"Copy that." Joker checked his tactical display. "Prepare a torpedo on a two-second delay. Launch on my mark." He increased power to the structural integrity field and inertial dampeners.

"Reading energy buildup from pursuing ship," Tactical called out.

Joker pushed the transport into a steep dive toward the atmosphere. "Launch torpedo!" The cycling of the torpedo launcher just beneath his feet vibrated the deck, "that's a feeling I'll have to get used to" Joker thought as he forced the nose of the transport into a steep dive toward the planet surface.

"Torpedo away."

Green plasma flashed past the transport and struck the torpedo.

The Cormorant was already well clear of the explosion.

"Locking weapons on contact designated India-2," Tactical reported. A split second later "Firing!" The phaser cannon tracked the nearest pursuit craft even through the dive. The shot struck home." splash one," A celebratory hoot! resonated through the ship.

"Hang on, everyone. We're entering the atmosphere." Alarms to erupt throughout the cockpit due to the sudden increase in drag. "Warning! Outer hull stress at forty-one percent of maximum," the computer reported. A moment later "Warning Outer Hull stress at Fifty-seven percent of maximum." Hale watched the screens with a stoicism that would have impressed a monk.

"Warning! Port impulse engine power falling!" Now the computer had something important to say.

"The controls immediately became less responsive," Hale threw some unsolicited advice. Without both engines producing balanced thrust, Joker knew he couldn't maintain the same maneuvering profile. He cut throttle to both engines, the rhythmic rumble wound down to a whisper as the transport began falling under momentum alone. Jaxom corrected the ship's attitude with a few controlled bursts from the RCS thrusters and then he throttled the engines back up.