... I make my way from the turbolift onto Deck 7. Turning, I see the accessway that leads over to the Midway. Stepping to the viewport, I look over my new assignment, a new NX class ship, fresh from the yards. A shiver runs down my spine!
Following the line of personnel through the accessway, I enter the Midway's quarterdeck. Handing my orders to the OOD, I ask "Permission to come aboard Sir?" "Granted Commander, and welcome aboard Sir." "The Captain is on the bridge and has asked that you join her a soon as you report.", the OOD tells me. "Thanks Lieutenant, I'll head up now.", I reply. "Very good Sir, I'll inform the Captain.",says the OOD. "The turbolift is just down this passageway and on the port side", the Lieutenant says with a smirk. I guess the OOD figured that I'd probably get lost trying to get to the bridge, I tell myself.
The turbolift deposits me onto the bridge, where I see the Captain turn and look at me as I exit. "Commander, welcome aboard! I'm Captain Burgess." I make my way towards the lower bridge as she meets me halfway, where we shake hands. "Gloria Burgess", the Captain says, as we shake hands. "Would you mind stepping into the ready room?" She asks.
"Not at all", I say as we cross the bridge and go through the doors. "Commander, Fleet Admiral Fortin wants me back on Earth ASAP. My assignment is at the Mars Shipyard. We have many new ships being delivered, and my job is to give them an brief shakedown and then get them out to the fleet.", Captain Burgess says. She continues on by telling me that the Midway is recently commissioned, had only a shakedown cruise from Sol to Starbase 643, the crew is still reporting, and that with the schedule the Fleet Admiral has given her, there will be no time for a formal change of command ceremony.
I process what she has told me, and tell her "Very well, Captain. I stand ready to relieve you." "I stand relived" is her response. We both go to the computer on the desk and enter in the required pass codes to transfer command. It takes only but a few minutes. Captain Burgess turns to me and says, "That's everything then. My transport back to Sol leaves shortly." "Thanks for getting Midway out here, Captain"., I tell her. "No problem, and by the way, don't worry about seeing me off the ship"., she says. "I can find my way, and YOU, CAPTAIN, have way too much work to do now!", she says teasingly. Captain Burgess turns, walks to the door, and offers one last piece of advice "Take care of her"...
At roughly 10 parsecs from starbase 634 Lt.Col. Yoshinda let me know we were dropping out of warp to initiate impulse drive. The berth for the Centurion and the Stille Jager were ready. The Stille Jager would have to stay awhile to refit and repair, the ship and crew needed a break. Catain Perry had given me some much needed data that I would present to the Admiral, it looked very much like we would not remain here long and a return trip into the Gayda quadrent was already in the planning phase. At this time Task Forces were already being marshalled, for the mission. There were a number of briefs planned that I would have to attend, and apparently a new ensign for the 7th MD. Admiral Turner had the Ensign waiting in an interrogation room, gotta love the sense of humor.......
The Centurion had released us from the tractor beam and the Stille Jagers Impulse drive had us underway under her own power, at least the old girl could still manouver into port on her own, head held high.
Last edited by Major General J.L.Kelley on 09/25/09 18:48; edited 1 time in total
. . . chirp chirp . . . (incoming message from Lt Mikey)
sir, the Centurion and the Jager approach. I can put the video
straight thru to your ready room or you could meet me in the
OL observation deck, I’ll bring the drinks.
Affirmative Sir, be there momentarily.
It is not often you get to watch the great ships return to port. It is
often a somber event, one best shared with many. I never forget
the majesty of it. I put on my most casual black uniform and head for
the Officers Lounge, observation deck, star base 643. This is gonna
be a long night.
chirp . . . Mr. Fiddeck, inform Commander Van Wormer, he won’t want
to miss this.
Lt. Col. Yoshinda smoothly and efficently brought the Centurion into her berth, an amazing sight even from our distance. The Stille Jager was balking at some of our pitch and yaw commands but as we slowly pulled into our berth the added lighting from the surrounding facility brought much of the battle damage to light. Admiral Turner had graciously patched a feed to our ready bridge. Much of the battle damage was stark, some ragged holes through the port side nacelle, and it was easy to see from the outside angles why the main bridge was out of action; frankly I was surprised that so many personnel stationed there survived. It was a testament to how well these vessels are made and how the features built into their hulls increase the survivability of crew and vessel.
A slight chirping brought me out of my thoughts, "General, primary drive is shut down and manuevering is complete we're ready for locking clamps to be engaged"
"Make it so, Lt."
Well it was now time to dust myself off and make my way to the Centurion, change out of this bulky armor, clean up and avail myself to a couple of Admirals that I was quite sure had an a** load of questions.
Let the fun begin.
Seeing the starbase approach in our view screen as the centurion is gently eased into dock was a welcome sight.
Comm--Welcome to starbase 643, all crew, prior to depart I want this ship looking nice, Brigadier General Loki, Kelley will be here shortly and I'd like his ship looking better than when he left her. After such time, shore leave will be allowed for one hour. I suggest you take this time to unwind and relax for a spell. Stay close and get much needed sleep. That is all.
I decide to stay put and pour over any tactical data retreived from the Stille Jager as well as from the Centurion video logs.
"Captain, incoming message from Admiral Turner. He request you join him at the Officers Lounge on the Obersvation deck to watch the arrival of Centurion and Stille Jager", the duty communications officer reports.
"Signal the Admiral that I'm on my way", I say, as I turn to leave the bridge!
Commander Mikey,
I have completed a level 2 diagnostic on the shield systems of Solace. There appears the to be a odd cascade resonance occurring resulting odd fluctuations in the graviton particle density of the field. The end result is a significant reduction in shield strength on a varying basis. Currently maximum shield strength is no where near density diburnium-osmium alloy. I would strongly suggest avoidance of combat. Until the situation is resolved shield strength will very unpredictably form 43 to 87%. Proceeding to Level 3 diagnostic.
I have increase the the output of navigational deflector shielding enough to reinforce main shielding by perhaps 5%.
After such a trying mission it was reassuring to myself to see the Centurion posed at her berth. I had garnered more than a little attention, and strange looks strolling through starbase 64 with my battle armor on, many in star fleet knew nothing about the 'Corp' or it's recent inception at the behest of Admiral Fortin. So be, it if so many were blind to the reality of the dangers out there, then that made our being here that much more important. Finally back at the Centurion I stepped through a locking portal onto the main inception deck of the Centurion. "Officer on deck" the Lt. on duty belted out, we exchanged quick salutes, "at ease men." "How is everything Lt, and where can I find Lt. Col. Yoshinda?" "All is well sir" he answered and then he added I believe the Colonel is still on the command bridge sir." "Thanks son good work, has leave been permitted?" "Yes sir I'll be off duty soon now." I Nodded to the affirmitive and turned to get on the turbo lift to get to the bridge.
After arriving on the bridge I had a quick conversation with Col. Yoshinda, telling him that we were both due to meet with the Admiral Fortin and Admiral Turner in a couple of hours, we would need to get our data together to present to Admirals...Lets get a move on.
Commander Mikey,
Level 3 diagnostic completed. I have tracked down to the issue to random variance in shield emitter output. Interestingly it is not confined to specific emitters but seems to skip around. I suspect, in addition to and equipment oriented failure, there is a software issue. I have assigned maintenance teams to begin correcting the issue while I move on to the engines.
The best thing I can say about our flight back to SB 643 from the Motari Nebula was that it was "uneventful"...in other words a nice way to say "boring"! I took the time to review the mission updates sent to me by the Admiral and....damn! I'm in charge of a TF??? Things are heating up for sure.
The comm chirps and Cmdr Phelps informs me that we were ready to dock at SB 643. "And sir, you should come to the bridge and see this..." he adds. "On my way Uno!"
As I step out of my ready room on to the bridge, I draw in a breath at the sight of all the ships...there is the Ticonderoga, the newly minted Solace I had heard about, Nevada, and there the Stille Jager! She was harshly illuminated by the repair crew floodlights and sparkled in various locations around her hull as welding repair teams started the arduous task of bringing her back to fleet ready status.
"Uno, you're with me, Lt. Brosnan, take command until we return, helmsman, bring us in!". A trio of "Aye, Aye Sir!" erupted and my second in command and I headed for the turbolift.
"Captain on the Bridge" I say as Brigadier General Kelley steps off the lift and onto the bridge. I quickly yield the command chair to the general. He informs me of our meeting with the Admirals in a few hours and the preparation we need to commence.
"Understood Sir" I give a nod of understanding to General Kelley. "I've just been pouring over the data now. That should also give us enough time to clean up before the debriefing." Let the meeting begin
Brain Fart? Possibly, only I couldn't let Cmdr Phelps know that...why didn't I wait till we had completed docking proceedures at SB 643? Then just take the access hatch lock across?, now I was committed to a shuttle craft *NOT*, or the transporter...<sigh> I chose the latter.
"Morgan, I decided to take the transporter for expediency, rather than wait on docking proceedures, the bulk of the Admirals' team is already aboard...and well, frankly, as "just" Resources & Logistics we tend to end up odd man out! I do not intend to let them EVER forget we exist."
I tapped my comm badge; "Lt.Cmdr. Drambuie...meet Uno and I in transporter room 4...I need your expertise!"
I hit my comm badge - "Commander Van Wormer to Admiral Turner... Sir I understand that you and Fleet Admiral Fortin will be holding a debrief. Will you need me to attend? If, not, Midway will depart SB 643 soon."
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