Another great segment introducing some of our cast. Nice ploy to employ the engineer overseeing repairs, Grace certainly knows how to play thr game. As for the rather forward XO applicant - confidence can be both a blessing and a curse.
I'm really enjoying the character development so far. Weird note...I'm not actually from Yorkshire or even the UK, but even just from James Herriot's books, I feel like you really nailed the speech AND mannerisms of the people from that part of England.
This is a very nice pilot. I like the idea of spending some time at space dock and seeing the pre-launch stuff.
Chapter Four Stardate 4757.7 (7 October 2268) Starbase One, Earth Orbit Temporary Office – C.O. USS Excalibur Captain McAfee stared at Espinoza with open incredulity. “Well, damn, Commander! You’ve got brass, I’ll give you that. Why should I consider you for my first officer?” “If I can have ten minutes of your time, I will tell you.” She glanced at the chronometer, then back at the tall, dark and handsome officer, before making a decision. “Tell you what, Mr. Espinoza, I’m about to walk to the officer’s mess. You have between here and there to catch my interest. If I like what I hear, you can sit with me and we’ll discuss the possibility. Otherwise, we can shake hands and you can let me eat in peace. Deal?” Raul inclined his head. “Fair enough.” “Alright, let’s go – you’re on the clock.” McAfee stepped smartly into the corridor, surprising Espinoza who had to hurry to catch up. They stepped onto a waiting turbo-lift to descend three levels to the Commons deck. “Your name wasn’t even on the list of available officers, Commander. That would seem to be a strike against you. Also, by the color of your tunic, you’re either in security or engineering – not command. Strike two. Lucky for you I’m not aware of an apparent strike three - yet. Your turn – start talking.” “I served as second officer on the USS Cairo,” he said, simply. McAfee stared at the dusky skinned man. “Computer, stop lift.” The station’s computer instantly complied, causing the lift car to pause between levels. She watched his face carefully, looking for any sign of subterfuge. Satisfied with what she saw, she spoke. “You served with Bryce Allender?” she asked, softly. He nodded. “Yes sir. He’s the one that suggested I come see you.” She considered that. “Okay – that’s easy enough to verify, and if true, definitely a point in your favor. But tell me something, Commander – if you were second officer on the Cairo, how did you escape court-martial along with the rest of the senior officers?” A sad smile crept across his face. “That’s just it Captain – I didn’t escape court martial. None of us did. I just now received my promotion to commander, even though I’ve been on the list for six years.” That explained why Espinoza was not on her first officer list. She had thus far limited the search to candidates with at least two years in grade. “Computer, resume,” ordered McAfee and the lift began to move once more. “Tell you what, Commander – you’ve at least piqued my curiosity. I’m not making any promises, mind you, but I’ll give you a chance to make your pitch while I eat some chow.” Espinoza followed McAfee into the spacious officer’s mess on the Commons’ deck. He declined food, but McAfee availed herself of soup, a sandwich and an apple from the bank of food slots. They found a somewhat private table away from the few other officers that were dining at the late hour. “You sure you don’t want something, Commander? The station food isn’t too bad.” “Thank you, no, I’m fine Captain.” He clasped his hands together on the table and pursed his lips, gathering his thoughts. “You are, of course, familiar with the events of Stardate 3378.9?” McAfee nodded as she chewed a bite of her turkey sandwich. Who could forget? That was the date that the destroyer, USS Cairo, in violation of several Starfleet regulations, crossed into the Romulan Neutral Zone and rescued two transport vessels that had blundered into Romulan space. The Cairo defended the civilian vessels from an attack by a Romulan D-7 – one of the ships acquired from the Klingons. The Cairo took heavy damage and numerous casualties, but bought the 500 civilians enough time to make it back to Federation space and safety. Captain Allender, McAfee’s old shipmate from their days on the Canberra, was regaled as a hero by the press and the colonists. Unfortunately, the acclaim did not shield the command crew of the Cairo from the wrath of the admiralty, who decided to make an example of Allender and his senior officers. In point of fact, Allender had defied the sector commander’s direct order to break off his rescue attempt and return to Federation space. Ultimately, Allender resigned his commission and left Starfleet. The other senior officers were reduced a grade in rank and cast off to mundane jobs on remote stations or support ships. “Yes, Commander. I remember it all too well. Tell me – what have you been doing since? . . .” “Since the court-martial, you mean?” Espinoza smiled bleakly and McAfee noticed the lines of stress near his eyes, the wisps of gray in his hair. “I spent an interesting year as first officer on a prison transport ship. That was when I traded in the gold shirt for this red one. After that, I was ‘promoted’ to Security Chief on Deep Space K-4, which, considering its remote location has been a very restful if uninteresting assignment.” “So how did you come to be here, Mr. Espinoza? It must be at least a ten day trip from that station.” “More like two weeks. I had some accumulated leave time, which will run out the day after tomorrow. After that . . .” “After that, you’ll be AWOL,” she finished, “considering there’s no way you can get back in two days.” She shook her head in wonder. “You’re taking a hell of a chance, Mr. Espinoza. If I don’t take you on as first officer, you’ll be going back to your brig – only on the wrong side of the force-field.” “Yes ma’am, that’s true.” “So, I’m supposed to feel sorry for you and do you a favor because you served under an old friend of mine – right?” Espinoza leaned forward and spoke quietly but with earnest. “Captain, I’m a damn good officer – that’s something else you can verify. All I’m looking for is a second chance. I’m not ashamed of anything in my past and I’m proud to be associated with the Captain and crew of the Cairo. If you’re looking for a first officer that can do the job and do it well, I’m your man!” McAfee let out a breath. “One question, Mister – if you had it to do over again, would you still have followed Captain Allender into the zone, knowing it was a direct violation of orders and several Federation statutes?” “To save the lives of those civilians? Without hesitation. At least I can look at myself in the mirror, Captain.” Grace tossed her napkin on her tray, clasped her hands together and shook her head slowly. Espinoza sat in silence, merely watching her. Finally, she pinched the bridge of her nose, in a vain attempt to stave off the headache that was building. “Be in my office at 0830, Commander. I still have some questions for you.” Raul relaxed slightly, a slight grin on his lips. “I guess this means I didn’t strike out?” “Let’s say you’re standing on third base with two outs. You’re not home yet. Where are you staying?” He nodded. “I have a compartment in the Transit Officers Quarters.” “Good. I am about to stay up very late checking you out thoroughly, Commander Espinoza. If I find one blip other than the Cairo incident that I don’t like, I’ll personally call your base commander and have you shipped back in irons. Got it?” “Yes sir. And thank you, Captain.” “For what? I haven’t said ‘yes’ yet.” “I know. But thanks for giving me a shot.” She nodded. “That was for Bryce. Everything else will be up to you.” * * * Stardate 4758.1 (8 October 2268) Starbase One, Earth Orbit Temporary Office – C.O. USS Excalibur Lt. Simon Clark whistled as he carried two cups of coffee down the corridor toward Captain McAfee’s office. He managed to also carry three data slates tucked under two arms. The young officer had learned very early how to save steps and time any way he could. He enjoyed serving as McAfee’s aide, but she could be a demanding taskmaster at times, so it was to his advantage to stay a step or two ahead of her. The office door slid open upon sensing his bio-signature. As he stepped in, he came to an abrupt stop, shaking his head at the sight before him. Grace McAfee was asleep with her head cradled on the desk. The light from the computer screen created multi-hued shadows across her hair which cascaded down across her face. Clark cleared his throat. McAfee jerked awake and blinked, looking around her desk in a disoriented manner. Squinting, she looked towards Lt. Clark. “Simon? What time is it?” “Oh-seven fifty five, sir. I take it you spent the night here?” She straightened, wincing at a twinge in her neck. “You take it correctly. I’ll take some of that coffee you’re holding.” Clark set the steaming cup on the desk before McAfee, who took it gratefully. She took several sips of the hot coffee, wincing again and trying to work the kink out of her neck. “Captain, why don’t you go get some rest – I’ll get things straightened up in here.” She shook her head. “Negative. We have a prospective first officer coming by in half an hour.” Clark looked surprised. “Really? That was fast.” “You’ve no idea.” She rolled her neck again. “Tell you what – I’m going to catch a quick shower and change my uniform. If Commander Espinoza gets here before I return, keep him entertained.” “Shall I regale him with poetry or perhaps a Broadway show-tune?” he asked, straight-faced. “Simon, it’s too early for your comedy routine. Just have more coffee waiting when I get back and I’ll overlook it.” “Aye sir. Anything else?” “Yeah – get in touch with Commander Phillips. Pass along my compliments, etc, and see if he’s available for lunch – make it 1230, and see about the Chief Steward sending lunch here.” “Got it. Do you want me here?” “Yes – you take good notes. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” * * * Freshly showered and feeling somewhat more human, Captain McAfee returned at 0815 to find that Commander Espinoza had just arrived. “It would seem I saved you from Lt. Clark’s poetry,” quipped McAfee. Espinoza looked puzzled. “Beg pardon?” She smiled. “Never mind – it’s just a lame joke between me and my Yeoman. I assume you two have made introductions?” “The Lieutenant was kind enough to get me some tea.” “The Lieutenant is on the ball this morning – that’s more than can be said of his Captain. Have a seat, Commander – let’s talk. Simon? Why don’t you grab some breakfast while we meet.” “Yes sir. When do you want me back?” “Give us an hour.” Lt. Clark exited and Grace gestured for Commander Espinoza to take a seat. She sat down behind the desk, stifling a yawn. “Long night?” he asked. “Yes – thanks to you.” “Sorry,” he said, shrugging. “Don’t be. It was time well-spent.” She leaned back in her chair. “You have a glowing resume’, Mr. Espinoza. I’ve talked to your former commanders, at least the one’s I could reach. You seem to have a strong work ethic and exceptional leadership qualities. Without exception, they all recommended you for the first officer slot on Excalibur. However . . .” Espinoza’s smile faded. “Yes?” “I need to ask you about one particular incident.” “What would that be?” His voice remained calm, covering his apprehension. “About six months ago, a prisoner in your charge was rather seriously injured – requiring a lengthy stay in the station’s sickbay.” She glanced at the data slate before her. “According to the incident report, the prisoner ‘slipped’ in his cell, resulting in a broken nose, three broken ribs and multiple bruises. It seems the prisoner corroborates the official account.” She placed the slate back on her desk and rested her chin on her folded hands. “I did a bit more digging. It also seems that the prisoner was a repeat offender and had been known to use his wife as a punching bag and had just broken his young daughter’s arm. Am I correct thus far?” Espinoza’s expression was stony. “You are.” She nodded. “Commander Espinoza, I am not naïve enough to believe this pile of manure contained in this report. Understanding that, did you in fact, beat the living daylights out of this walking piece of human debris?” “Yes sir, I did.” Again, Espinoza appeared calm, resigned perhaps to having blown his opportunity for redemption. McAfee stood, as did Espinoza, who supposed the interview was at an end. “Commander, why don’t you report to the quartermaster before checking into the BOQ.” Espinoza looked puzzled. “Sir?” A slight smile formed on McAfee’s lips. “I don’t condone what you did, Commander, and if you ever file a false report as first officer on Excalibur, I’ll have your stripes. But I’d be lying if I said that, given the opportunity, I wouldn’t have administered a beating to that miserable bastard myself. Now, get on to the quartermaster and pick up some gold tunics with the Excalibur flash. Be back here by 1215 and I’ll introduce you to the rest of the crew – actually, you’ve met half of them. You can meet the Chief Engineer at least – then we’ve got our work filling over 400 other slots.” The Commander stood, momentarily speechless. He was not quite sure he believed what he heard. McAfee cocked her head. “Is your hearing alright, Commander?” “Ah, yes sir. Thank you, sir!” He was grinning broadly now. She nodded. “I’d say, ‘welcome aboard,’ but that’s a few months premature. Go on, get squared-away. I’ll take care of the transfer details with your old C.O.” Espinoza turned and made his way to the door. He turned back upon reaching it. “Captain – I appreciate the second chance. I won’t let you down.” Grace smiled wearily. “Commander – you’re appreciation is duly noted. Now, please get the hell out of here – I need to get a couple of hours sleep before lunch or I’ll be grouchier than usual.” * * * As efficient as ever, Lt. Clark was able to procure a nice lunch for the gathered officers of the Excaibur. Their newly minted first officer, Commander Espinoza, was resplendent in a fresh gold command tunic with the stylized sword and Cochrane delta flash of the Excalibur on his chest. Commander Phillips was arrayed in faded and stained engineering coveralls, but he too wore the Excalibur patch. He was sipping a cup of Earl Grey tea and gamely fielding questions from an eager and curious Lt. Clark. “So, Commander, why is it that Excalibur’s registry number is NCC- 1664? I thought the Constitution and Enterprise were the first two ships of the class.” “Lad, that’s one of the common misconceptions about the 12 Connies. Constitution and Enterprise were the first two completely new ships in the class. Excalibur, Intrepid, Constellation and Republic were all older ships that were rebuilt as Connies after 1700 and 1701 were launched. They maintained their old names and registries, even though they were completely re-built. If you were to put them all side by side, you’d notice subtle differences – especially with the Republic – she still has her original engineering hull which has a decidedly different shape.” “They were all originally of the old Republic-class, right Mr. Phillips?” added McAfee. “Correct. ‘Course, technically, there isn’t a Republic-class anymore, even though the Republic still exists. She’s a Connie now – like the others.” “Not to borrow trouble,” interjected Espinoza, “but now all the older ships are gone -lost in action - except the Excalibur, and she was nearly destroyed too. Coincidence, Mr. Phillips? Or something else.” A troubled look appeared on Phillips face. “Those were all top-line ships, Mr. Espinoza. I doubt any of the newer ships would have fared any better,” but his voice betrayed his own doubt. “But don’t you be fretting about Excalibur!" he continued with conviction. "When I’m done with her, she’ll be better than new. We’re bringing her up to current build standards – same as the Kongo. She’ll be more than an equal to Enterprise, Lexington, Potempkin . . .” “Could you share some specifics, please, Commander?” asked McAfee, hiding an amused smile behind her coffee cup. Phillips cleared his throat, realizing he was sermonizing. “Certainly, Captain. We’re strengthening the internal bracing, installing a new bridge module, faster-regenerating phaser banks, even an aft torpedo launcher, not to mention hundreds of small but significant upgrades in ship-wide systems. With the new upgrades, she’ll give Enterprise a run for fastest ship honors – and she won’t come apart at the seams the first time the shields fail.” “Mr. Phillips, I’m no engineer, but I know enough that when you add a system – say a new torpedo launcher, you give up something else,” pressed the Captain. A small smile formed on Phillips craggy face. “Yes sir, that’s right.” “So, what do we lose with the new torpedo launcher?” “Not so much – an airlock . . . and the bowling alley.” Lt. Clark blinked in amazement. “The ship has a bowling alley?” Phillips sipped his tea. “Not anymore, lad.” “Alright, Mr. Phillips thank you for the status report of Excalibur. Now on to staffing matters - here’s where we stand . . .” began McAfee. * * *
HAHAHAHA. Theres going to be some very angry people here TLR. Some have devoted there life and essence into fitting that bowling alley into the Connie and here you go just ripping it out. Very nice!
Another great segment. McAfee doesn't mess around when she vets her officers does she? You've added another fascinating character with Espinoza (Once referred to by McAfee as Ramirez. Thinking about Gibraltar again? Wrong Connie.) This is gonna be a guy with an unwavering moral core which at some point might conflict with his duties as a Starfleet officer. Problems might arise if they ever conflict with the views of his captain.
?? Like CeJay I thought I had stepped onto a different Connie there. Not a ancestor by chance? But I see that you have edited that now. Love the engineer's response: Not anymore. After the hassle to squeeze it in too ... tut tut. The XO seems a fine upstanding character but he is likely to land himself and his captain in trouble no doubt at some stage. He could be an explosive element to add to Grace's crew. One point that jars is Admiralty's lack of balance in treating with the Cairo officers and how often Kirk and co. got away with so much. The Cairo's fate is more reminescent of the TNG era. But it does serve to show that serving on a Connie added a certain status to a captain and her crew, that probably afforded them a certain leeway. It might mean another bone of contention with Kirk, not so much from Grace but from her new XO. Again, more fascinating series building foundations TLR.
Great addition. Espinoza looks like he'll be an interesting addition to the crew and Clark as the Yeoman--a bit of a twist on the Kirk/Yeoman of the Week theme... Mirandafave brings up a good point on the differences between what a no-name destroyer captain might be able to get away with versus what a Connie's captain might. The 23rd century isn't that much different from the 21st--it's not what you know necessarily, it's who you know and if your name is Kirk, Wesley, or Pike you can get away with a lot more than if your name is Allender.
Chapter Five Stardate 4770.1 (15 December 2268) Starbase One, Earth Orbit Temporary Office – C.O. USS Excalibur Personal Log, Stardate 4770.1, Grace D. McAfee recording. I am very pleased with the progress being made on the Excalibur. Instead of a wreck, she’s beginning to look like a new ship, albeit one still under construction. Commander Phillips says we should be able to take our first on-board look-see this week, though I think he’s reluctant to let us see his work-in-progress. Engineer’s pride, I guess. I’m also quite pleased with the progress made in putting together a crew. Kudos to Commander Espinoza in that regard – he’s put in stellar work locating candidates and interviewing officers. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we still lack a chief science officer. However, I hope we can rectify that this week. Dr. Chang is itching to get in sickbay and start the process of outfitting her facilities and getting to know her doctors and nurses. In the mean-time, they are staying sharp, putting in work at Starfleet Medical in Atlanta. Finally, I received word that we will be assigned to Sector 9 under Admiral Komack, once we launch early next year. It will be good to begin our mission – I’m more than a little sick of this office. Grace saved her log entry and rubbed her eyes. She looked around her small office – her home for the past three months and at least three more. Was the office getting smaller, or was it her imagination? Huffing out a breath of frustration, she stabbed the communicator button on her desk. “McAfee to Lt. Clark.” “Clark here,” “Simon, I have a bad case of cabin fever. See what you can do about getting me a fighter - failing that, a shuttle, a workpod – hell, a hot-air balloon would suit me right now. I’ve got to get some stick-time or I’m going to go nuts.” There was a chuckle over the open link. “I’ll see what I can do, ma’am. Anything else?” “I’ll dance at your wedding if you can just get me a fighter, Simon.” “Sir?” It was her turn to laugh. “Never mind. Let me know if you have any luck. McAfee, out.” She didn’t have to wait long. Ten minutes later, Clark was back on the communicator. “Captain, it’s Clark. I have a little surprise for you. Can you meet me in hangar bay four in fifteen minutes?” “That was fast. What do you have for me?” “I’ll keep it a surprise for now, but I think you’ll be pleased.” “Okay, Simon, you’ve got my curiosity piqued. I’ll see you in fifteen.” In a quarter hour, Captain McAfee made her way into the expansive hangar bay – one of six on the massive starbase. Numerous smallcraft, from workbees to agile fighters, to runabouts crowded the deck. McAfee saw Lt. Clark approaching and went to meet him. “Well, Lieutenant, where’s this surprise you promised?” “Follow me, Captain,” he responded with a smile. He led her past a phalanx of Star-sabre fighters to a quartet of shuttle-craft, parked side-by-side. Clark made an expansive gesture at the four shuttles. “There you are, sir – all yours!” She looked puzzled and vaguely disappointed. Flying a shuttle was about as challenging as riding in a turbo-lift. “What, which one did you line up for me?” she asked with feigned enthusiasm. Clark’s face fell slightly. “Captain, why don’t you take a closer look at them?” Noticing the crestfallen face on the Yeoman’s face, she sighed and moved closer to humor him. A smile spread on her face when she noticed the markings on the shuttlecraft – each carried the designation, USS Excalibur. “Our shuttlecraft!” she exclaimed. “When did they arrive, Simon?” “They were delivered late yesterday. The base flight commander had to certify them before turning them over to us. I received his okay this morning for us to keep them stored here until we can take them on board Excalibur.” “Well this is a nice surprise, even if Excalibur’s shuttle bay isn’t ready.” She walked around the four boxy ships, noting their names – Pendragon, Guinevere, Lancelot and Galahad. “I was surprised there wasn’t a Merlin in the group,” opined Lt. Clark. “If I recall correctly, there’s a cutter named Merlin in the Border Service. Are any of them fueled and ready for flight?” “Actually, I just wanted you to see these. Your ride is over here.” Clark gestured back toward the brace of sleek fighters that were angle-parked a few meters away. Her eyes narrowed and the feral smile of a fighter pilot spread across her lips. “Now you’re talking, Mr. Clark. Well done!” She followed the Yeoman to the first StarSabre in the line-up, with tail number 0182. It was a two-seat Mark II model favored by the Sol Defense Wing. She favored Clark with a sly smile. “Want to come along?” Clark shook his head with feigned regret. The young Lieutenant still had nightmares from the last time he went for a “ride” with Captain McAfee in a fighter. He tapped his slate for emphasis. “Can’t – still working out delivery schedules for ship-board furnishings.” He gestured to the far wall. “The locker room is right over there and a pressure suit is ready for you. Enjoy your flight, sir.” “I intend to. Thanks, Simon!” She made her way quickly to the locker room and found the requisite pressure suit and helmet. Grace donned these with practiced ease and made her back to the StarSabre, a glossy white helmet tucked under her arm. She made her external inspection of the craft before climbing nimbly up the ladder. She wriggled into the form-fitting seat and strapped in, plugging communication and life-support umbilicals into her pressure suit. The smell of familiar materials tickled her nose – the dry, slightly asceptic smell of the air flow, the polymers in the well-worn seat and the faint tang of transtators warming up. To Grace, it was a wonderful smell. She lowered the helmet’s visor in place – which turned on the internal head’s-up display. Activating the on-board computer, she began to run through the all-important pre-flight check-list. Even though it had been over a decade since her stint as a fighter pilot during the last war with the Klingons, all her actions came as though performed just yesterday. Satisfied that everything was functioning properly, she toggled the communicator. “StarSabre Oh-one, eight, two to Starbase control, requesting immediate flight clearance and a departure vector for an Earth – Saturn circuit.” “StarSabre 0182, this is Starbase control. Please taxi to airlock two. Once outer doors are open, you are cleared for vector tango three one. Be advised we have inbound traffic, bearing 18 mark 126. Have a good flight, sir. “Starbase Control, StarSabre 0182 – acknowledged and thank you.” McAfee brought the fighters twin engines to idle, a low hum resonating through the hull. Activating the graviton beams on the landing skids, the StarSabre rose very slightly from the deck. She followed the taxi-line on the deck to the second of three large airlocks that served this particular hangar. Once inside, the inner doors trundled closed and pumps began their job of decompressing the space. In just a few moments, red lights on the outer clam-shell doors began to flash and the large door began to open, slowly but inexorably. In twenty seconds they were open wide enough for her departure. She reached for the throttle controls, allowing the impulse manifold time to build ionic pressure, before yanking the throttle wide-open. Even with the inertial dampeners and the g-suit, McAfee felt the heavy pressure of g-forces shove her harshly into her seat. Her lips peeled back from her teeth in a grimace as she tightened muscles to prevent vision-fade or a potential black out. As the inertial dampeners caught up with the sudden acceleration, a smile spread on McAfee’s face as she maneuvered sharply away from Starbase One. The StarSabre was streaking ahead at one-half impulse in mere seconds, rapidly devouring the distance between the Earth and the Saturn. God, I’ve missed this! She thought, reveling in the fighter’s nimble handling. She pushed the StarSabre to its handling and acceleration limits, exulting in the sheer joy of flying a high-performance space craft. Maybe just a quick buzz of Titan base before heading back, she thought. Too bad there’s no ordinance for target practice on the old weapons range, she thought as the fighter approached one-half light speed. * * *
Stardate 4770.3 (15 December 2268) Starbase One, Earth Orbit Temporary Office – C.O. USS Excalibur Still smiling after her joy-ride in the StarSabre, McAfee made her way back to her office after grabbing lunch in the officer’s mess. She was scheduled to meet her new senior helm and tactical officer, Lt. Commander Heath Forester at 1300 hours. She considered landing Forester in the slot something of a coup. He had an excellent reputation as a pilot and helm officer, and was held in very high regard by his peers and former commanders. Lt. Commander Forester had declined several ship-board billets over the past few years – likely due to the prolonged illness and death of his wife and concern for his teenage son. Thus, he had languished somewhat as an instructor at the Academy’s Flight Training Range on Saturn. Apparently, Forester now felt his son ready for a time of separation and he had agreed to throw in his lot with Excalibur for the next five years. At least, McAfee hoped that was the case. Grace settled in behind her desk, checked her messages, then poured some coffee from a thermal carafe on her credenza. She picked up a data slate from her desk, which obediently activated upon sensing her bio-signature. It opened to Lt. Commander Forester’s personnel file. The Captain absently stirred cream and sugar into her coffee as she read Forester’s file for the second time – an impressive record, yet vague in certain areas. Considering his sterling reputation, she was surprised that he was still a Lt. Commander at age 39. Usually, someone at that age with his record would be a full commander, possibly even a captain. She thought of Captain Kirk, still in his mid-thirties and grimaced. The enunciator buzzed and she glanced at the chronometer. 1252. If it was Forester, he was a bit early. “Come.” Instead of Forester, Chief Engineer Trevor Phillips stepped into the office. Grace raised her eyebrows in surprise, for Phillips seldom came to her office except when summoned for a meeting. Nearly all his time was spent on Excalibur. “Commander, is everything all right?” Phillips’ moustache bristled as his face broke in a crooked grin. “Oh, yes sir, everything is very fine indeed. I was just wondering if the Captain would care to inspect the progress on her ship?” McAfee blinked. “We can go on board?” “Yes sir, ‘course there’s still many areas o’ the ship not ready for habitation, but I can at least give ye a look at engineering, the bridge and sickbay. We’ve got the fusion reactors on-line, so she’s got air and she’s warming up nicely, though ye might want to wear a jacket yet.” “Mr. Phillips, you’re a miracle worker!” Phillips snorted. “Miracle worker? I think not! I just work hard for a living, unlike some engineers I know. Well then, I’ve told ye my news. Let me know when you’re comin’ over so we can get the corridors cleared a bit.” He touched a finger to his forehead, a rather touching parody of a salute and departed. She could hear him muttering, “Bloody Scotsman and his damned reputation . . .” * * * Five minutes later, the door enunciator buzzed again. This time, it was Lt. Commander Heath Forester, exactly on time. The two officers shook hands and McAfee indicated a chair for Forester to sit. “Coffee, Commander?” “Thank you, no, I’m fine Captain,” replied Forester. McAfee detected a faint British accent, soft indeed compared to Commander Phillips Yorkshire dialect. He was a fit-looking man with short, blond hair and chiseled features. He appeared relaxed and reserved, but not to the point of being aloof. His eyes scanned the small office, taking in minor details – framed citations, models of starships and . . . His eyes locked on a model of a Consolidated Aerospace Mustang Starfighter. An appreciative smile formed on his face and he pointed at the model. “Captain, did you fly one of those?” She turned to see the object of his attention and nodded. “Sure did. Flew off the Ark Royal during our last war with the Klingons as part of the 22nd Fighter Wing. We went up against their early Raptor fighters and a few Hammerheads.” He turned his gaze on her with open interest, obviously impressed. “I was still at the Academy when the cease-fire was signed, so I missed out on any combat missions.” Something unreadable crossed McAfee’s face. “Be glad you missed it, Mr. Forester. I’ve never been more terrified in my life. I had two Mustangs blown up under me. The second time, I spent a month on a hospital ship.” Forester’s gaze caught a significant citation that was nearly hidden behind the assortment of model ships. “That’s the Star Cross, isn’t it?” he asked, quietly. A small smile reappeared on her face. “Yeah. I said I was scared – I didn’t say I wasn’t one hell of a fighter pilot. But enough about me, Commander – let’s talk about you. I’m curious as to why you’ve spent the last eight years as a flight instructor. No offense, but that’s a long time away from a fighter wing or ship duty.” Forester nodded. “Yes sir, I suppose it is. You probably are aware that I am widowed and have a son?” “I am. My condolences for your loss, Commander.” “Thank you,” he replied. “Monica developed a debilitating illness when she and Kieran were living on Starbase 15 and I was serving as helm officer on the Kiaga. She would seem to get better, then relapse. I requested a transfer to the Academy so she could continue her treatments at Starbase medical. In the end, though . . .” his voice trailed off and he shrugged. “She was a fighter, but she died despite the best efforts of Starfleet’s finest physicians. Our son, Kieran, was only ten when she died. I needed to be near him – help him get through our loss together.” “You are obviously devoted to your family,” she observed. In her heart, she felt the dull ache that resided there – ever since the day her own mother had left her and her father. A different loss, to be sure, but the pain was still real. “I have tried.” He said this without boasting, simply stating fact. “Mr. Forester, if you come on this mission, what will you do with your son?” “My brother Morgan and his family live on Mars. Kieran will stay with them for the duration – they get along very well.” “Five years is a long time,” observed McAfee. “True. Kieran and I have discussed this at length, Captain. He has urged me to accept this billet. I will, of course, visit him whenever leave time allows.” “Rightly so.” McAfee stood. “Tell you what, Commander – I’m itching to step foot on Excalibur. Our Chief Engineer has okayed a limited tour of accessible spaces. Why don’t you join me and we can continue our conversation.” Forester stood and smiled. “Thank you, sir. I’d like that.” “Good! You can meet our First Officer and CMO as well – I want them to come along too.” * * * Fifteen minutes later, Captain McAfee, Commander Espinoza, Dr. Chang and Lt. Commander Forester were en route to the Excalibur’s dock via workbee. The petite Asian physician was speaking softly with Forester. “I understand your wife succumbed to Brelais’ disease.” Forester nodded. “That’s right Doctor, though to this day we’ve no idea how she contracted the disease. She never visited Delta IV – for that matter, she never encountered any Deltans, to my knowledge.” Chang wore a sympathetic expression. “Apparently there are other species that can carry the virus without being affected. Unfortunately, we still don’t understand how it is transmitted – much less how to treat it in a non-Deltan. I know it must have been a very difficult time for you.” Forester nodded, appreciating Chang’s kind words. “It was, but the passage of time helps.” They were interrupted by the Captain’s voice. “There she is!” Forester and Dr. Chang moved forward for their first glimpse of the starship. Excalibur now was a gleaming jewel – her new hull plating a vivid white. She was a lovely sight, despite a few gaps that remained to be filled here and there. Her new nacelles stood atop straight pristine struts. The updated Bussard collectors lacked the spikes of the earlier units, but otherwise the nacelles looked very much like the originals. The ship still lacked her name, registry and pennants, but those would be added in short order. The Captain maneuvered the vessel under the massive saucer, lining up the workbee with an airlock on the engineering hull. The tiny pod slowed, contacting the starship with a faint kiss as magnetic grapplers held the workbee fast to the hull. “Cycling airlock,” announced Espinoza. They waited a moment for the lock to pressurize and a green light illuminated by the hatch. McAfee felt butterflies in her stomach. She was about to board her new command for the first time. Espinoza turned and smiled. “After you, Captain,” he said, gesturing toward the hatch. Grace finally breathed. “Thank you, Commander. Let’s do this.” The hatch slid open with a muted hiss and the interior lights from the starship spilled into the small workbee. McAfee walked through the hatch and the airlock into a well-lit corridor. Lining the corridor was an honor guard festooned in red shirts. A bosun’s whistle piped shrilly and Commander Phillips stepped smartly forward. “Attention on deck!” Phillips bawled in his distinctive accent. “Excalibur, actual, arriving!” “Permission to come aboard, sir?” she asked, following time-honored tradition. “Granted! Welcome aboard Excalibur, Captain McAfee,” said Phillips with a pleased grin. The Captain looked around the spotless corridor. “Nicely done, Mr. Phillips – I’m impressed!” “Thank you sir. Unfortunately, much of the ship is still a bit ‘o a mess, I regret to say – but I believe you will find the accessible areas in acceptable shape.” Looking at the gleaming surfaces in the corridor, she had no doubt it was clean enough to eat from. “Show us what you can, Commander. I know Dr. Chang is anxious to organize sickbay.” “Right then,” he turned to the assembled engineers. “Well done, lads – dismissed!” The honor guard moved off, presumably to don coveralls once more and get back to work. Phillips turned to the quartet of officers. “If you would follow me, please.” He led them around the curve of the corridor to a turbo-lift door, which opened at his approach. Stepping inside, Phillips said, “Engineering.” McAfee was surprised by the speed of the lift – far faster than the ones on the starbase. Phillips caught her surprised look. “I took the liberty of boosting the velocity of the lifts – didn’t see the point of crew members lolly-gaggin’ around between decks.” “I see,” said McAfee with amusement. “That’s very, uh, efficient.” Phillips nodded. “That it is, sir.” The lift car slowed and came to a smooth stop on the engineering deck. The Chief Engineer led the officers through the cathedral-like space of main engineering. Work was still underway as workers moved purposefully about – up ladders, floating on a-grav disks, crawling inside access panels and waving about diagnostic instruments. Phillips beamed with paternal pride. “We’ll have the warp core in place within a week, and the engines ready for a test start in two. Impulse engines are already installed and the fusion generators are functioning. I’d wager we’ll be buttoned up and ready for trials in six weeks.” Six weeks! Thought McAfee with amazement. That was nearly a month and a half earlier than the original six-month projection. She folded her arms and grinned. “Now you’re talking, Mr. Phillips.” “That I am. Come along, then – let’s have a look at sickbay and the bridge,” said Phillips, obviously pleased with himself. * * *
TLR-just got caught up. This is a lot of fun. I like the characters you're creating, the Cairo backstory (Kobyashi Maru?), and the little bits you throw in like the Excalibur flash or the history of the Republic-class ships. It would seem the Science Officer is going to be a humdinger entry to the crew since you are dragging it out. My money is on a non-human. Really like this story!
The crew is filling in nicely, and Phillips is turning out to be a most proficient engineer. McAfee's choices for her senior officer billets have been inspired, and if that's any indication of the quality of her decision making, this crew is in good hands indeed. I really enjoyed watching her get a chance to fly a fighter. She's still a young pilot at heart. Very nice segments here. This ship, and most especially her captain and crew have me hooked!
TLR, Brilliant work so far; definitely one of the best 'new captain, new ship' stories I've read in a long time. The characters, as always, are great. McAfee is a very intriguing character, and she seems more and more like one of those officers you can't help but admire. I wasn't sure about Commander Espinoza when he first appeared; I'm not usually a fan of the pretty boy types, but this guy seems to have a great deal of substance underneath the style. Phillips is fun; the route you had him take to become Excalibur's chief engineer is pretty close to how I planned for Boris Tretiak to become Kieran's chief engineer on his first command.(I might have to do some background revision so it doesn't look like I'm stealing your idea. ) As for Heath, I really enjoyed reading his first scene. You seem to have captured him spot on, and I can't wait to see more of him. He and the captain look like they should get along well; one ex-fighter jock to another. I also like that you're showing the time it would take to get the Excalibur ready; too many authors tend to rush that part of a 'new ship' story, where they basically have an admiral come up and say, 'Here ya go, here's a shiny new ship, now go out on this mission.' (I've fallen into that trap before, as have some other very good authors I know.) Count me among the devoted readership, eagerly waiting for more.
I'll be honest, I've always been debating if Star Trek should have fighters or not. I never quite felt as if they fit into Trek. But then again they are really, really cool. Especially since the new Battlestar Galactica which appears to be influencing your story to a small degree. That does make sense to me. Starfleet in the 23rd century might have been a tad more militarisitc than say pre-Dominion 24th century. This is especally true for the movie era. Also knowing that Grace is a former fighter pilot tells us a lot about her character. She's going to be a straight arrow who is not going to be afraid to use muscle if she has to. She might also be a lot more Kirk than Janeway. Also nice to see Kieran's dad play an important role here.
Just fantastic. I love the character building and time you are taking to do so. Grace becomes more and more fleshed out and all along we have her yeoman and chief engineer being stars getting the ship ship shape. Must congratulate you on including Forester's Dad. It is maybe obvious to do so after the fact but in creating this to decide - hey we have UT characters and family members to pinch for my crew - but it is actually quite inspired and a bold choice to make too. No doubt headache making too when it comes to getting the details right. Love how the Chief hates the comparison to a certain scotsman but love that he finishes the job before time and tweeks the turbolifts. Heh heh. And the line: Anyway, thoroughly engrossing TLR.
I'm enjoying this to a great extent. As Hyperion said, many/most authors tend toward the maiden voyage of a ship. I didn't want to do that either, which was why I had a new captain meeting her ship on point, and in one chapter it's not there, in the next it is. I think this is a great beginning and the UT is starting to flesh out the 23rd century nicely, with the Merlin (when's the next one BTW?), the Excalibur, and of course the Lady Lex. Looking forward to more.
Thank you for the encouraging words - I'm enjoying this foray into the 23rd century! No worries - they will be getting out of spacedock soon (next chapter, actually, and with a science officer). And no, Phillips is not a Scotty fan. 'Course he has his own set of quirks. Still working on fleshing our Espinoza - he's self-confident, but definitely no Kirk. Maybe a young Riker. My thanks to Hyperion for allowing the use of Heath Forester. He provided me some excellent background material for the character, so much of the credit for the scene between McAfee and Forester goes to him. We'll probably see a brief scene with a young Kieran before launch. Re: fighters in the ST universe. Yeah, I had mixed feelings too, but as CeJay said, they're just so gosh-darn COOL! And I wanted to give McAfee a bit of a different background than other starship C.O.s. Xeris - the Merlin will return, hopefully soon. As to the Janeway v. McAfee comparison, consider their ideas about having fun: Janeway - hanging out in a holodeck, pretending to be in a historical novel. McAfee - flying the hell out of a high-performance fighter, pushing .5c. 'Nuff said. Chapter Six coming soon.
You're setting the characters up nicely here--I like the leisurely pace you're taking right now--it's like settling into a warm bath.