U.S.S. GAGARIN, Captain's Log

[krodri73]

U.S.S. GAGARIN
Utopia Planitia

We have recently finished the last test runs on the GAGARIN and have received new orders to join up with Task Force 79 near the Klingon Border for operations. It is my understanding the Task Force commander, a Capt Shackleford, is a difficult task master but fair. I look forward to the challenge.

The GAGARIN is a sound ship with an incredible crew but the loss of the MORGANTOWN outside of Quonos isnt easy to deal with. On the plus side the prisoners that were liberated during my rescue from Rura Penthe are now assigned to my crew as a special TAC Team for ships deployed as deep as the 79th will be in the Klingon Neutral Zone. We also had the new Slipstream drive installed and tested making the run to DS9 in hours as opposed to days.

I dont know what the future holds. We start this new adventure minus the ship that got us here and minus my first officer who kept our course true. Funeral services for Vagarok were Tuesday on Thestus 4. Incredible words were said by Commander T'Leth K'lan, I never expected my former Tactical Officer to be a spiritual man especially with his background. The Jem'Hadar from my experience only had alliegance to the Founders and hated all others. Having T'Leth K'lan has changed my out look on them as a people, so much so that against command I have named him my new Number One. He has big shoes to fill but I know he will step up like he has since coming to us as a ensign.

By this time next week we will be deep into Klingon space and in harms way. I will get them all home this time so help me.

[krodri73]

U.S.S. GAGARIN
Starbase 82

Captains log,

Prior to shipping out the former crew of the Morgantown were invited to West Virginia University where a plaque and the ceremonial mast of our ship was placed in her honor. Morgantown WV, for which our ship was named is a small city but has a rich heritage and culture similar even to my own home of Betazed. The people of that great city treated us as if we were their own and was not a dry eye as the bag pipes were played. Our girl got a good sendoff. I do question a few things. Having spent minimal time on Earth only for the Academy and then staying primarily around San Francisco when off or in Belarus with my roommate on holidays, I wonder why something called homecoming would go hand in hand with a something called Jello shots and tequila? They didnt seem welcoming at all although I did find Terran women seem to become....less inhibited....about four or five in. Something to remember.

This day finds the GAGARIN outside of Starbase 82 as our comrades in the 79th are mopping up and returning to their vessels. I can say with absolute certainty that today I have looked straight into the eye of Hell, and it was Borg. Those miserable bastards basically assimilated a whole starbase. The 79th managed to repel the outside forces and then beam down to attempt to retake the base. While there I received reports that all ships were taking boarding parties and was sent back to coordinate efforts to repel them. Thanks to the efforts of the XO's of the Shiloh and Cataclysm we were able to make short work of the Borg invaders. Make note at soonest opportunity that I will be recommending my TAC team commander Klaarg for commendation for his actions stopping a patrol of Borg with nothing but his Batleth once they had modulated for our weapons. If the Borg dont have a sworn enemy they should, and Klaarg should be its name. Unbeknownst to us the rest of the 79th discovered that an actual Borg Queen was behind the whole affair but defeated her. I only wish I could have been down there to support them.

It is my understanding within the next hour we will be moving best speed to set up a picket line across the Mutara Nebula and wait for Klingon contacts coming out of the area under cloak. We still dont know the GAGARIN as well as we should but from the glimpses we have seen the Klingons are not going to like her.