K'grress

[Crisler]

K'grress was born into a time of conflict. 19 standard years ago the planet Hochlor IV thing had been peaceful for some time but the recent conflicts of the Federation had spilled over and the Caitians of this world had found themselves draw in no matter how much they desired peace. The day that K'grress and the rest of his litter where born a Nausicaan raid took place. It was through the wail of sirens, sounds of phaser fire and dim illumination of emergency lighting that K'grress was born into this existence.

Growing up K'ggress actually led a very peaceful life. By the time he was of the age of the hunt he had distinguished himself among the others, if by nothing but his physical presence. at nearly 2 full meters and 200 Kilos he towered over most Caitians. His hunting skills where well developed and he had shown an aptitude for thinking in 3 dimensions. This with an above average intelligence drove him straight toward Star Fleet.

At the academy it did not take long for K'grress to stand out in the crowd, as Cadet Lawrence Blackwell put it, "That is the biggest damn kitty I have ever seen." K'grress did well enough in his studies, graduating in the top 37% of his class. However physically he dominated during his time at the academy. He was the free form hand to hand combat champion all 4 years, set the record in the long jump and high jump and was captain of the champion Parisi Squares team his junior and senior year. In an odd twist he also found himself Strategema campion of the academy his junior year proving he was not all brawn.

Upon graduation K'grress was assigned to the USS Neches as a junior security officer, and so the adventure begins...

[Crisler]

Ships Log; USS Neches
Stardate: 88085.94

Acting Captian K'grress :

Today started out as a typical day. The Neches was on patrol in the Celes Sector when we received a fleet wide alert that the Borg had launched an attack on the Vega Colony. Captain Qat'Anmek ordered the Neches to the colony at maximum warp and placed the ship at Red Alert. Upon arrival at the Vega Colony what we found was a mess. Star Fleet ships where in various stages of damage all around us as the Borg assault continued. Communications reported that numerous ships where inbound and so we moved to assist as best we could.

Our first destress call came from the USS Khitomer, the ship in charge of the Vega Colony defense. Moving into a close orbit I was ordered, along with some other junior security officers to form an away team and provide what assistance we could to the Khitomer. As we entered the transporter room I was put in charge of the away team by Lt. Commander McMary, head of security for the Neches. For the next 30 minutes we engaged in a running fire fight with Borg boarding parties before getting the situation under control. It was only then that we learned that the Neches had been hit by the Borg.

Returning to the ship I discovered that the bridge had suffered a direct hit as had engineering which had killed the senior officers. With the chain of command is complete disarray I did what I felt was the only option and went to the auxiliary bridge in hopes of helping to restore order. Once there I found a number of junior officers in vary stages of disorientation with the exception of an Engineering Ensign, a Vulcan named Tolek. He for some reason immediately deferred command to me and I suddenly found myself in command of a very damaged Neches.

For the next two hours we worked with the other ships in the sector as bets we could to aid other ships in distress and to drive back the Borg attack. Through an amazing show of courage and dedication of this crew the Neches has survived this encounter and is now in route back to Earth. This was not exactly the first cruise I had expected but I am anxious to know what ship I will be assigned to. Perhaps I will be allowed to stay on board the Neches once they have assigned a new commanding officer.

[Crisler]

K'grress walked from the Admirals office in a daze, only a few weeks ago he had been a fresh academy graduate looking forward to at least a good 10 years working as a security officer on a Starship before even being given the chance to consider the Command path. The entire day still seemed a dream...

When the Neches had entered the Sol system they had immediately received a transmission from Star Fleet ordering K'grress to report to Admiral Quinn's office for new orders. This had seemed odd to say the least, I mean since when do Admirals issue orders to ensigns directly. As he had walked to the office all K'grress could think was; What did I screw up?

Upon entering the office K'grress was forced to wait while the Admiral dealt out orders in near rapid fire succession. However once the seemingly endless list of orders came under control he turned his full attention to K'ggress. There is nothing more uncomfortable for an Ensign than to have an Admiral give you 100% of his attention, K'grress realized.

After what seemed like an eternity the Admiral smiled and stretched his hand toward K'grress. His ears perked straight up and his tail went perfectly still as he reached for the hand being offered. As the Admiral gave a firm hand shake he said, "Ensign it is good to meet you. I have been over the reports of that Charlie Foxtrot in the Vega system and you did well when the pressure was on. Which is why I asked you here, no good deed goes unpunished after all."

K'grress cocked his head a bit to the side and his ears came forward. He understood the reference to Charlie Foxtrot, the instructors at the academy and many of his classmates used this term often. However he was a bit perplexed as to why a good deed would be punished.

The Admiral let out a chuckle as he saw the confused look on K'grress face. Sitting back in his chair the Admiral let the laugh wash over him before becoming all business again. "Ensign K'grress for services above and beyond the call of duty and for showing pose in the face of adversity in the best Star Fleet tradition, I hereby promote you to the rank of Lieutenant effective immediately. Also pursuant to Star Fleet Special Order 498331 I here by put you in command of the USS U.S.S. Neches, NCC-92841 effective immediately. Congratulations Lieutenant. "

K'grress had often heard the human term "dumb founded" and now for the first time truly understood what it meant. All he could do is stand there, no words, not able to move, stand there and realize he had found dumb!

Again the Admiral smiled, "Son are you okay? I would ask if a cat had your tongue but that would seem a bit silly. "

After a long moment K'grress took a deep breath, his tail began to twitch wildly as his mind mulled over what had just happened. "Admiral; sir I am confused. I mean I am honored but I am no where near ready for a command position. A low growl of frustration left his throat as he continued. I mean I am not trained for this and have no idea how to command. I thought I would be years in training to even consider, I assumed...." The tail twitch almost became violent as his mind raced through what was taking place. Then he stopped, he had begin to ramble he realized. Plus the Admiral was just sitting there smiling, SMILING!?

As K'grress stopped his small tirade the Admiral's smile got bigger. K'grress stood there; Damn I would prefer to be fighting Klingons hand to hand than this; he thought. "I am sorry sir, I just do not quite understand."

Admiral Quinn leaned back in his chair, "Actually Lieutenant, I think you understand better than most. When I have given others these same promotions they have acted as if I have given them their due, that they had won a great prize. However you seem to realize that I have given you a bigger mess than the one you just got out of and THAT encourages me. You understand the burden that is being placed on you and it scares you, GOOD! That fear just might keep you alive long enough to gain the experience you will need."

The Admiral leaned forward, putting his elbows on the desk and steepling his fingers. "You see Lieutenant, the situation right now for Star Fleet and the Federation is not a good one. The Borg have come back from the dead, The Klingons have started acting like Klingons again, the Romulans are in such a mess even they do not know what they are going to do, the Cardassians, Breen and others are all making raids into Federation space and then we have the Undine stirring this pot full of shit. We do not have the ships or crews to deal with all of this, not at once. We have rushed the Academy training program as much as we dare but that is not enough. "

Clicking through the monitor screen in front of him the Admiral continued; "Star Fleet Special Order 498331 has mandated that re-commissioning every ship we currently have in mothballs. Hell we still have some old Constitution Class Cruisers out there. These ships are to be refit as best we can and then put into space. We are in desperate need of officers to Command these ships however so the order also gives us authority to place Lieutenant grade officers in command of the smaller or older class vessels. The idea is that these smaller ships and junior officers can be used to fill the gaps in our basic patrols within Federation space as well as handle some of more basic exploration duties we feel need attention."

Admiral Quinn leaned back again in his chair; "The hope is that this "crash" course in command will give us some able bodied commanders that we can move up the ranks quickly to re-enforce our front lines. You, Lieutenant have shows the promise we are looking for and so have been promoted into this program. Your reaction here gives me faith we might be making a good choice."

Quinn now stood and looked K'grress straight in the eye, this time the look was not penetrating or hard but was one of compassion and respect. "So Lieutenant it is time you fulfilled your orders and took command. The Neches will be in dock for another 36 hours while the engineers do as much as they can to get repairs finished and you back underway. Your crew will have to complete any other repairs in transit. Now report to Commander Winters for your patrol assignments. Once you get to your ship you will need to pick who in the crew you want to serve as you XO. You will also need to assign the officers you want on your staff. We are leave you some wide discretion on this as you will be forced to pick from junior officers and fresh graduates. Now Lieutenant get your ass out of my office and into space, DISMISSED!"

[Crisler]

the turbo lift doors opened, the bridge was in various states of disrepair as the crew worked to get thing back in working order. As K'grress stepped off the bridge a voice cracked over the sound of the work being done, "CAPTAIN ON THE BRIDGE!" K'grress actually caught himself turning around to see who was in the lift behind him. As he turned toward the voice he saw Ensign Tolek looking at him and realized that it was he who had put out the call to attention on the bridge.

K'grress turned toward Tolek and as he walked toward the Vulcan yelled out a casual, "As you where."

Tolek was standing in front of the primary Engineering station on the bridge, it was one of the few fully functions stations at the moment. "Captain, I can report that we will have completed the rebuild of the primary bridge by 23:30 this evening. Our shield emitters have been replaced and power has been restored to all decks. We should be 89.7735% effectiveness by the scheduled departure time and I project we will have the rest of the work completed within 24 hours of departure."

K'grress smiled, realizing that just a few days before he and Tolek had been equals, both just out of the Academy and looking forward to a long career in Star Fleet, it was nice to know he would not being going through this alone. "Ensign Tolek, may I have a word in my Ready Room?"

Tolek looked up from his console and his eye brow shot up, "Actually Captain you cannot, the Ready Room is one of the repairs we have held off for once we are underway. However if you desire I will re-assign repair crews to get the work done before departue."

"No Ensign, that is fine. How about instead you just walk with me?"

"As you wish Captain."

The two of them entered the turbo lift and the doors had barely closed before K'grress spoke up, "Lift Stop".

Tolek turned facing K'grress squarely, his eyebrow again rised and his gazing piercing into K'grress. In fact K'grress reflected, this look reminded him of the first time Admiral Quinn had looked him over. With an inner chuckkle he thought, Note to self, have Tolek teach me how to look at people like that.

K'grress waited, expecting Tolek to question him about why this conversation was taking place, instead the Vulcan stood like stone waiting. After a few seconds K'grress realized he was gonna have to start this off.

"Ensign Tolek, I have not until now had the opportunity to thank you for the assistance you provided me in the Vega system, backing me as I took command helped make the situation go much smoother than it could have. "

Tolek's express never changed as he spoke; "Captain while your gratitude is noted it is not needed. You where the best candidate to take command, my duties where to keep the ship in one piece. It was logical for me to support you so I could perform my duties and thus increase our chances of survival."

"Well Ensign, be that as it may I am grateful and now have another duty to ask of you. I would like for you to accept the position as my Executive Officer on the Neches. You would be given the honorific of Lieutenant Junior Grade and would also hold the position as the ships chief engineer."

Tolek's express changed very so slightly; "Captain there are other far more qualified individuals among the crew for this position, it would be logical for you too....."

"Tolek what is logical is that acknowledge a weakness I have and find a way to make it a strength. I am an emotional creature as are all of my race. In the heat of battle I could love perspective and I need a second in command that will be able to rain me in. I need your logic and calm to counter balance me."

Tolek eyebrow was up again and this time was threatening to fly off his face; "Captain I find your logic flawless and surprising consider you have proclaimed yourself an emotional being. I accept this assignment Captain."

"Thank you Tolek, now lets get this ship put together and get out there. Lift resume!"

[Crisler]

Captain's Log

USS Neches

Stardate: 88101.57


The Neches has completed her first assignment under my command, our orders where to patrol the Vulcan Sector. On day one it seemed the adventure began as we encounter a distress call from the freighter Azura. The freighter was under pirate attack and had suffered heavy damage. My XO, Tolek informed me that while repairs where well on the way to completion we where still not at 100%. Unfortunately the pirates would not seem to take this into account so we had no choice. I ordered the Neches to maximum warp and headed toward the coordinates of the Azura.

Upon arrival we found the freighter under attack by 4 Orion raiding vessels. Two of them pealed off their attack as soon as we came out of warp and headed for us. While the Neches might not have been 100% she was more than a match for the Orion vessels and the resulting fight was fairly quick. The two remain raiders attempted to help their partners but it was to late for them as well. Before we could destroy the last two ships however they did manage to get off a subspace message that we could not decipher, though it is to deduce it was a call for help. This meant we had limited time to save the crew of the Azura and the clock was ticking.

As I prepared a security team to board the Azura my first officer showed what can only be classified as a Vulcan fit. By this I mean his eye brows where raised enough to almost lift the top of his head, his normal green pallor was now so deep as to be almost black and his gaze was more intense than a laser beam. All of this was taking place while his voice calmly explained to me that it was against regulations for the Captain of a Star Fleet vessel to knowing beam into a hostile situation. It was all I could do not to laugh at him. I tried to get him to understand that as a security officer I was trained for this type of mission and he could remain in command while I was gone but he would not relent until he was permitted to at least join the away team as well. I asked what regulations had to say about the XO and the Captain going into a hostile situation and I must say his response surprised me. "Captain,as the Humans would say; If you are going to fuck things up then make it count?"

While Orions where still on the Azura they where not prepared for an armed boarding party, guess they buddies forgot to let them know we where here. The captain of the Azura, Bratt, and I where talking about trying to get their engines back online when we got a message from the Neches that more Orions had arrived, time was up. Captain Bratt asked me to get her crew off the ship while she rigged the core to overload. We had to fight our way back to the beam out point due to jamming being performed by the Orions. Once there I was able to destroy the Orions raiders and was about to beam out Captain Bratt when a heavy Raider warped into the system. While this ship was quite a bit larger than the others we where still able to defeat it in fairly short order. Once this was completed we beamed Captain Bratt off her ship.

After we dropped the crew of the Azura on Vulcan for medical assistance my crew worked out the incoming trajectory of the Orion heavy raider, the ship had been coming from the Kei star system. We immediately set course for the Kei system. Upon arrival we found quite a few Orion raiders working in the asteroid fields of the system. The local miners immediately contacted us when we entered the system asking for help but their transmissions where jammed before we could get details. We spent the better part of the next day sweeping the solar system for Orion raiders before we where confident that we had driven off or destroyed the pirates in system.

In the salvage of one of the raiders we found reference information to a major Orion operation in the Bhea system. The intel we gathered indicated that the Orions had commandeered the civilian drydocks in the system and were using it as a base of operations. I passed along the intel to Admiral Quinn, since this was along my patrol route I was ordered to investigate and deal with the matter as best I could. The Orions could not be allowed to have a stable base of operation in Federation space.

Our intel proved accurate with all the civilian spacedock facilities in the system under Orion control. Our orders where simple, destroy the Orions in system and take down those docks. I wondered if capturing the facilities would not be a better idea as they could then be returned to civilian hands and even used to assist Star Fleet efforts. However the Admiral felt that the risk of the Orions again gaining control of the docks was to great. Additionally he informed me that Intel was reporting that the Klingons had backed this operation and had planned to use this as a forward base for an assault into the heart of the Federation.

Under orders I proceeded to take out the space docks one at a time, the Orions mounted a defense that included a couple of heavier raiders however we again seemed to catch them off guard. The real prize however was when we stumbled across an Orion Battleship leaving one of the docking facilities. Scans showed the ship was operating at about 30% power, she was dangerous but something we could handle. Evidently the Orions had been using the resources they had been pirating from the miners to build this ship literally under Star Fleets nose. This beats, if it had been completed would have wrecked havoc in the sector. Luck was with us and this vessel was unable to maintain a stable warp field so she was forced to fight. Obvious under manned and not at full capacity it did not take long for the Neches to take her down.

The rest of our patrol was fairly uneventful, helping some miners with a dispute and rescuing a lost freighter. Upon completing our assigned patrol the Neches has been ordered back to Earth. Admiral Quinn has given me the "honor" of helping with a diplomatic assignment. I am to report to Vulcan Ambassador Sokketh for my orders.

During the transit time back to Earth Tolek and I have gone over our personel to find people to fill various department head positions. We have assigned Ensign Yoguy, a Bolian, as Science Officer; Doctor Rruzear from Betazed has accepted the position of chief medical officer and Tolek has asked me to consider letting another take the tasks of Chief Engineer so he can more properly fulfill his duties as first officer. His contacts at the Academy have told him of a promising engineer, Tamesha, a liberate Borg. This still leaves the position of Tactical officer to be filled.

[AUGERSON U.S.M.C. (Ret)]

Outstanding Post Sir, Outstanding!!!!!!!!

[Clonfert]

Like reading a book sir! A very good book that is.

[Fleet Admiral E. Fortin]

Very good read the RP is fantastic carry on sir...

[Nova Spellwig]

I must say that was the best i have seen and most likely will ever see man that was very cool sir WOW!!!!!!

[Christian M. Hanson]

Very well written.

[Crisler]

Thanks everyone, when I had reached this point I had become frustrated because I was spending more time writing than playing it felt like. I will however come back and try to add some more.

[Crisler]

Again my apologies about not getting new fiction up. Work, real life in general and actually playing STO has kept me from having the time I would typically use to sit down and serious write up some material. As an update however I wish to post that K'grress has been promoted to Commander and assumed command of the USS Red Cloud. Pictures included...



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