The U.S.S. Sentinel is a Border Interceptor (affectionately known to those in the service simply as a 'Patrol Boat'), a small ship (around fifty meters in length) assigned to the Border Service to scout out the edges of Federation space, looking out for illegal activity, ships in distress, and keeping a watchful eye on neighbouring hostile races. With a standard crew of twenty-one, the ship is designed for short duration patrols of borders or space lanes, going between stations and outposts always watching for what might be out there. She may be small, but she plays a vital role in Federation security, as such the crew sees a lot of action--making them an ideal place for officers and crew to gain valuable experience to help them excel, though this can lead to a steady turn over of personnel. In 2266, the Sentinel's Commanding and First Officer (as well as two thirds of the crew) move on to other assignments. New personnel are assigned and the ship prepares to continue her mission, watching over the sectors adjacent to the Kzinti Patriarchy and ready to respond to whatever crops up. Commanding Officer: Lieutenant Commander Thelek, Andorian male Abandoned at birth (due to a rare genetic defect), he grew up very independent and closed off, though always willing to stand up for those who couldn’t look out for themselves. As soon as he was old enough, he enlisted into Starfleet where he excelled through basic training, certifying as a security guard. Over the next six years he rose steadily through the ranks, partly due to serving aboard small ships across the fleet, but when he was a Petty Officer 2nd Class he was on a landing party that went badly, with many being injured and a couple of fatalities, which saw him becoming the ranking able-bodied member. Under his leadership he saw the team safely back to the ship, after which he was nominated for the Starfleet Officer Training Programme. He completed the programme in record time and was commissioned and a Lieutenant (junior grade). Since then he has continued to excel, then as First Officer of a corvette he was recommended for command of the Sentinel when the position opened up. First / Boarding Officer: Lieutenant Danika James, Human female Fifth generation boomer, she knew she would always be in space, however unlike her eight siblings who were all content continuing the family business, she wanted to join Starfleet. She couldn’t be dissuaded and her choice has caused some friction in the family, except for her maternal grandmother who was fully in support of her decision. At the Academy she lead the way, setting some of the highest test scores as a helmsman and navigator (work she had been doing since she was ten), so it came as no surprise that she graduated at the top of her class. She made sound, strategic decisions about her career, taking posts that would give her good experience and allow her to progress, her eyes set on making Captain. After only a year on board a medical ship as Second and Chief Helm Officer, she kept her eyes open for any chance of advancement, so when she saw the Sentinel looking for a new First Officer she applied—though perhaps the most junior officer to do so, but impressed her new CO enough to get the post. Second Officer: Lieutenant Linae, Deltan female Though as alluring and enticing as all Deltan women, she has a mischievous streak to her that makes her very approachable and allows her to better relate with her shipmates. Growing up she had two main passions that were cultivated, computers and languages. She passed up an opportunity to study at a prestigious university in the Rigel System in favour of enrolling at Starfleet Academy. However, the career she hoped for, venturing out into space wasn’t to be, as she was assigned to the Federation Assembly to act as a translator, then got only as far as Jupiter Station. When the Sentinel was looking for a new Communications Operator, she put in for transfer. Once aboard she relished the posting, enjoying the hard work and camaraderie. After a year, she found herself promoted to Second Officer, shortly after the CO and XO both accepted other postings. Though both tried to recruit her off the ship she opted to stay and help “break in” their replacements. Her Oath of Celibacy is on file. Navigation Officer: Ensign Xam Ra-Vharii, Efrosian male From the lunar colony of Efros, he wasn’t afflicted by the visual difficulties that plague many from his ancestral home, so he grew up looking up at the stars in awe of their brilliance. He pursued his curiosity and spent all his spare time studying astrography and navigation, so it came as no surprise when he announced he was joining Starfleet. At the Academy, he was engrossed in his studies, showing himself to be as good a stellar cartographer as he was a navigator. For his junior thesis, he designed a new type of navigational array that increased accuracy when at warp, a proposal that drew a great deal of interest. When he graduated, he has his choice of assignments, so he shocked many when he went after the opening on the Sentinel. Chief of Engineering: Senior Chief Petty Officer Wendy Zhao, Human female The women of her family have proudly served in Starfleet since its founding, a tradition she has continued and instilled in her own daughter. Growing up a Starfleet brat, she loved the adventure of going to new places, meeting new people, and made sure to learn as much as she could along the way. She enlisted as soon as she could, her technical skills seeing her head down the engineering route. Though she had the career she wanted, she could never quite find the right person to start a family with, so opted to be a single mother. After her daughter Camille was born, she put her all into raising her, whilst serving on several stations and outposts across the Federation. When Camille enlisted into Starfleet, she took on her first shipboard posting in sixteen years, on the Sentinel, where she has remained ever since becoming the longest serving member of the crew. Boatswain / Master-at-Arms: Chief Petty Officer Logan Kincaid, Human male Born on Earth but raised on a brand new colony, he never had all the benefits that others take for granted. Growing up, he learned a variety of skills from others on the colony, from building to wilderness survival, though the most important lesson he took was that to get anything in life he had to work for it. Following the death of his father, his mother moved them back to Earth, where he was unsettled so enlisted into Starfleet. Due to his variety of skills, and because of its type of work, he found the Border Service to be a better fit for him. Someone who always put the needs of others ahead of himself, he has been commended for his bravery and dedication on several occasions, which has seen him progress quickly through the ranks. He joined the Sentinel as Boatswain, where he quickly earned the nickname “Buffer” as he is always the buffer between the ship and trouble. Corpsman: Petty Officer First Class Reyne, Boslic female Growing up outside the safety and security of Federation space, her past is unknown and it is a topic she won’t discuss, as such all that is known of her is from the time she enlisted into Starfleet. She had a hard time at basic training, the strict regime and adherence to protocol proving difficult for her—she also demonstrated highly adept combat skills, including setting a new record of marksmanship. She was able to scrap through and then surprised everyone by pursuing a career as a medic—a field she had shown proficiency in. Once she qualified as a paramedic, she frequently joined dangerous landing parties as a field medic, where she seemed far more comfortable as opposed to dealing with patients in sickbay. She took on additional training, becoming a fully certified corpsman and taking on additional responsibilities—one of her former CMOs offered to sponsor her for a programme at the Academy that would see her gain an MD, but she declined the offer. Helmsman: Petty Officer Second Class Sakara, Vulcan female Calm and controlled, methodical and meticulous, she appears to be a typical Vulcan—though appearances can be deceiving. Though from a noble family and having received the best instruction possible, she was always regarded as a “free spirit” (by Vulcan standards at least), though she did what was expected of her, until she was to marry. She rejected the mate her family had chosen for her, declaring kal-if-fee to free herself from the arranged marriage, after which her family shunned her. She left Vulcan and was at a loss, so opted to enlist into Starfleet for some structure until she could decide what to do. However, she discovered her service to be very rewarding and decided to remain. Once she certified as a helmsman she was assigned to the Sentinel and has remained aboard for a few years, appreciating the challenges the ship faced. Communications Operator: Lead Crewman Mateo Rios, Human male For someone trained in communications, he doesn’t relate well to other people. He had a difficult childhood, living under an abusive father. When he was fifteen, he ran away and lived on his own for over a year, before enlisting into Starfleet. Though technically gifted, his blunt and insensitive manner can grate against others. There is no malice behind his actions, he just doesn’t know better. He takes his duties very seriously, isn’t someone who gossips and is almost paranoid about keeping information secure. If he wasn’t so good at what he does then he would’ve been overlooked. When the Sentinel was in need of a new comm operator he was recommended, though this is his first time on a Patrol Boat, in close quarters with such a small, tightknit crew. Engineer’s Mate: Petty Officer First Class Kristo Costas, Human male From an agricultural colony that wanted nothing to do with modern technology, he has a somewhat sheltered life. That changed when a Starfleet team arrived to warn the colonists about a Tholian advance, but they were told to leave. Days later, the Tholians attacked and Starfleet returned to defend evacuation ships. After being resettled, he exposed himself to all the marvels he’d been denied and sought out all the information he could. His actions drew the scorn of his family, but he refused to live in ignorance. He enlisted into Starfleet, both to learn more and to payback all the brave people who gave their lives fighting for his home. Qualifying as an engineer he buried himself in his work, reading every technical manual he could and getting involved in every aspect of the field. He’d been angling to get onto a patrol boat for a few years, so when several posts opened up on the Sentinel he jumped at the chance. Boatswain’s Mate: Petty Officer Second Class Dragha, Rigellian-Derva male The runt of the litter, he was picked on by his siblings, but that just made him more cunning. Whilst he would never be able to match their strength, he was always able to outthink them and frequently got the upper hand. They went on to put their natural strength to good use, whilst he opted to diversify and enlisted into Starfleet. At basic training he was by far larger and stronger than the other recruits, and whilst he did well in security training he made sure to keep ahead of the curve in engineering and bridge operations as well, so when he left to begin his career he could apply himself to whatever he was faced with. He has been on the Sentinel for a few tours, now serving as Chief Kincaid’s deputy and even passed up a promotion to remain where he was. Boatswain’s Mate: Petty Officer Third Class Terri Bennett, Human female Though named Theresa she has wanted to be called “Terri” from a young age (only her mother uses her birth name, typically when asking her about getting married, having children and settling down, all things she has no intention of doing anytime soon). Strong-willed and never one to back down from a challenge, she throws herself into everything she does, giving it her all. These traits followed her into Starfleet; as a result, she’s been termed “gung ho” by many who serve with her, though she may be someone who acts first her quick reactions have saved lives—even if she may get a few scrapes along the way. Engineer’s Mate: Petty Officer Third Class Ryl Senad, Trill male Born and raised on a mining outpost, he grew up quickly, as he needed to help keep the place running. He was often used to squeeze into small places to make repairs, so he quickly developed an in-depth knowledge of the facility. When he got older he joined a mining ship and put his technical skills to good use. After a few years on the freighter, it suffered a massive systems failure and was in danger of burning up in a planet’s atmosphere, when a Starfleet ship rescued them. Seeing the starship in action, he decided to enlist. Though older than the other recruits, he brought with him considerable experience, which he applied to Starfleet methodologies. Growing up having to make do and mend, he is adept at cobbling together makeshift fixes to issues, something that has proved very useful for the ships he’s served on. Deckhand: Lead Crewman Kelle Ama, Kamoran female She had an interesting childhood, raised in a small enclave of “warrior monks”; she grew up embracing both a deep sense of spirituality and highly efficient combat skills. She became an initiate and put all she had already learnt to good use, progressing through the lower levels quickly before reaching the traditional ‘walkabout’, during which she would need to help others. Leaving her homeworld, she decided that enlisting into Starfleet would help her see far more than most and allow her to help others. She demonstrated herself to be suited to Starfleet, her discipline and calm under pressure making her an asset in a crisis. When she neared the end of her walkabout she found herself facing a dilemma, return to the order or stay with Starfleet. Ultimately, she decided to remain in Starfleet, seeing all the good she could do there. Engineer: Lead Crewman Warren Holloway, Human male Growing up he loved reading adventure stories and wanted to be a dashing hero. When a Starfleet officer gave a talk at his school, he saw a way that he could become like the heroes from his favourite stories and from that day, he knew what he would become. Not wanting to waste four years at the Academy, he enlisted and found himself developing his technical skills. As an engineer, he had a hard time being a part of the adventure on board larger ships, so sought out smaller postings, which in turn boosted his likelihood of being assigned on missions and gaining more experience. In turn, this led to him to the Sentinel when he found a place he could put his engineering shills to good use as well as going on numerous boarding teams and other missions. Deckhand: Able Crewman Zei Yenob, Saurian male As the child of a prominent researcher, he hatched onboard a civilian science vessel and went on to spend most of his youth on one surveyor or another. But whilst his mother held doctorates in six different scientific fields, he never shared her passion for such things; instead he was far more interested in the operational aspects of the ships they lived on. As an adolescent he undertook training from some crewmembers, which only fuelled his interest and made him keen to learn more. During one of the rare times they were within the Federation core, he took the opportunity to enlist into Starfleet. He quickly demonstrated himself to be a quick study, picking up new skills with ease and making himself a true jack-of-all-trades. He has served on the Sentinel for over eighteen months and though more than capable of progressing further is quite happy where he is. Deckhand: Able Crewman Janine Powell, Human female She grew up never knowing her father and constantly on the move with her mother, not always within the Federation. Whenever she asked about either she got no meaningful answer, which frustrated her further. The difficult time she had growing up has left her with a short fuse, which has caused her more than a few disciplinary issues since enlisting. If she could control her temper she could well have a promising career, as there are times when she shows her true colours and is focused and determined. She was transferred to the Sentinel as punishment by her previous supervisor for her argumentative manner towards him. Engineer: Able Crewman Vivaan Chandra, Human male Always a practical joker and class clown, he was never known for taking anything in life too seriously. So when he enlisted into Starfleet most of his friends and family thought it was a prank, but thanks to his sharp mind he made it through—already with a couple of black marks on his record due to his behaviour. On active duty he earned a reputation for mischief and though he did a passable job his immaturity was frequently commented on in evaluations. Following an unfortunate incident involving a Calrissian chameleon on his last ship, he was dumped onto the Sentinel when she was looking for new crewmembers—with a warning that the patrol boat would most likely be his last chance in Starfleet. Culinary Technician / Medic: Able Crewman Taax, Tiburonian male Growing up on Tiburon he was bored, his family were average, hard-working citizens, though had never done anything more than what was expected of them, but he knew he wanted more. Though he did what was expected of him growing up, he looked for any opportunity to rebel. He applied to Starfleet in secret, so on the day he was old enough he announced he was leaving and boarded a transport. He did well at basic training though was unsure of what area he should specialise in, until his skills as a cook were revealed. With nothing else having a strong enough pull he stuck with it, though did also start to take additional courses in first aid and triage. After serving in the galley of a Miranda-Class ship he wanted something smaller and more manageable, and found himself on a cutter before finally getting his own kitchen on the Sentinel. Engineer: Crewman Ciari Rahl, Rigellian-Tomal Her parents ran a shuttle business, so she grew up helping, playing with spare parts instead of toys. By the time she was in double figures, she could strip, clean and reassemble an impulse manifold like a pro. Her father told her that she should look for a life to call her own and not be tied to their business, so she enlisted into Starfleet in order to put her skills to use—a decision that pleased her father. After completing basic training her first posting was the Sentinel where she quickly advanced to crewman and opted to remain on board. A solid problem solver, she is quick to think of solutions and is always willing to get stuck in and help with what needs to be done. Deckhand: Crewman Apprentice Hunter Munro, Human male Growing up he always wanted to be a Starfleet officer, though was academically poor, but nothing and no one could dissuade him from following his dream. It was unsurprising when he failed the entrance exam, so decided to enlist. He showed himself to be a workhorse, physically able for the practical side of serving in the Fleet, but also showed himself to be better suited to learning on the job, certifying as a shuttle pilot before he finished basic training. In order to gain more hands on learning he was recommended for a patrol boat, so was attached to the Sentinel. His youthful eagerness and enthusiasm, at fact he is fulfilling his childhood dream, are often hard to mask, which can make him seem even younger.
In the Star Fleet Battles universe, a boat this size with this mission would be a Security Skiff, stationed out of a Star Base or smaller Base Station / Battle Station or a planet with a good size population. They are totally dependent on the base/planet for logistical support. A typical patrol would be four or five days, with seven to ten days being a long patrol. Anything beyond two weeks would require extra food/water/air/fuel. I think a LtCmdr / O4 is a little high in rank, unless he is the flight leader in charge of a four- to six-boat flotilla. Each boat would go out on independent patrols or sometimes go out in pairs depending on the threat level. I would think a typical crew would probably have one LT / O3 and either a LT-jg / O2 or Ensign / O1, one Chief / E7 (maybe SCPO / E8), three to five First Class / E6 and the rest Second & Third Class / E5 & E4, with a few junior enlisted / E3 to round out the list. EDIT TO ADD: My other thought on this is that such a patrol boat is too small to have an actual name. Perhaps "Sentinel" is the class of boat, followed by a 3 or 4 digit number for each boat, as in Sentinel Seven Two One or Sentinel Fourteen Thirty-Two.
The Sentinel-Class typically operates between multiple stations when launched, "hopping" from one to another along a border or on space lanes. Her standard deployment is between 21 to 30 days, with sufficient supplies across two cargo holds, as well as stores of inorganic and organic matter for shipboard synthesisers, to allow them to double that if called upon. This typically allows them to cover 2-3 sectors before needing to resupply. With 99% of Trek ship's having a Captain in command it was hard enough to make the CO a Lieutenant Commander (he was a full Commander for a few days) . Sentinel's are typically lone workers, though several may cover the same regions, they work independently when on standard patrol, so as to not draw too much attention. On the occasions when they need to pool resources then one of the Skippers would already be earmarked take charge of joint operations. The standard 21-person complement typically has four or five officers aboard (when fully staffed this goes up to seven). The Sentinel will have eight Petty Officer (and above) grades and nine Crewmen. We've seen that Starfleet names it's runabouts, so they'd name a ship that is over twice the size
Is that official names issued by Starfleet, or is it just something the local command does?? I mean, how many rivers are there on Earth vs. how many runabouts are in service??? The other thing I was thinking about is shift rotations. A neat way to work it would be two teams working one 8-hour and one 4-hour shift per day. 0000-0400: Team-A 0400-1200: Team-B 1200-2000: Team-A 2000-2400: Team-B
@Sgt_G runabout names have U.S.S. before the name, so it stands to reason that they are the official names issued by Starfleet. @Bry_Sinclair this does sound interesting. Having the Sentinel Class operate between stations makes sense on it's patrol route. I would think mostly enlisted crew, and a handful of officers as well. Even the Vanguard novels had a Captain by rank in command of an Archer-class ship. It sounds like the Sentinel Class would be bigger than that, and it does make sense.
Because of their small size they are quick and easy to construct, so there will be quite a few of them at work so there would be a variety of names, from the more 'generic' such as Watchman, Protector, Sentry, Monitor, Warden, Guardian, Paladin, to those named in honour of individuals from across the Federation hailed as great guardsmen or watchers (including the U.S.S. Giles).
Full crew roster now up in the first post. Have an idea for the "pilot" so might actually get some work done on that this weekend.
While it's true that Lieutenant Commander in the US naval services wouldn't command a ship that small, this is partly due to the US split between the warships of the USN (which deploy on blue-water patrols) and the cutters of the CG (who mostly do short shore patrols). Other navies that combine both in one (such as the Australian Defence Force) do have LT Cdrs in charge of their Off-Shore Patrol Boats (like the ADF's Armidale-class the focus of the TV series Sea Patrol).
I have been wondering if Sentinel was perhaps a little to "grand" a name for such a small ship. The ship is primarily a watcher, with good sensors and a small profile that limits the chances of her being spotted as she stands guard, so Sentinel popped into my head and has kinda stuck, though I am now thinking that something a little plainer might be better.
I think it is too "grand" of a name, yes, which is why I was suggesting giving them numbers. For the stories I'm working on, the police cutters are named for famous and/or fallen law enforcement officers. The frigates are named for Attorney Generals, Supreme Court Chief Justices, and other high-ranking officials, both from USA and elsewhere (England, Canada, etc). Right now, the ships in the squadron are: Sir Francis Bacon (frigate), WPC Fletcher (the hero ship), H.H. Boon, Sayed Pacha, Cal Whitson, and Frank Eaton. Made-up names include Sam Franklin, Adam Nighthorse, and T'Kel.
Sentinel sounds fine, though perhaps Sentry sounds less grand. I was thinking the ship class be named Giles as part of the 'in-joke' I suppose. Because all the other ships had more descriptive names and Giles didn't match that. But if it they were part of the Giles-class that might work better, to me. And there is some precedent for the Sentry name in Trek media: http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Sentry_(Advance_class) http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/USS_Sentry_(NCC-61890)
Been getting all the behind the scenes work done on this concept and the more I do the more I'm eager to actually sit down and write, so hopefully will get the first story sorted soon. I'm just wondering about what to call the ship. I think I'll stick with Sentinel-Class though call the ship something else, some of my immediate thoughts on possibilities: U.S.S. Monitor U.S.S. Sentry U.S.S. Watcher U.S.S. Watchman