Mission Prep
Posted on Sun Aug 14th, 2016 @ 11:30am by Matt Collins
Mission:
Further Challenges
Location: Bridge, USS Antietam
The Holbridge Industries Gettysburg-class starship was a prototype vessel that Starfleet did not order for production, so Jim took the six prototypes and refit them with experimental ship systems under development. Collins played a major part in designing the ship's systems and was intimately familiar with the inner workings of the Antietam, so he chose her as his flagship for the escort mission.
Collins had taken elements of the Danube-class runabout and incorporated them into the larger ship's frame. the Gettysburg-class ship itself was on par with the Intrepid-class ship, but sported a dorsal weapons sail incorporating heavy phaser cannons and sensors designed to detect vessels in fluidic space as well as long-range scanners and other combat-specific weapons. Starfleet declined the starship class, citing it's use of the Defiant-class as their main escort vessels.
Collins sat in the command chair and began inputting a series of commands to initialize the download of Eddie, Holbridge Industries' Artificial Intelligence program, into the ship's mainframe. Eddie was a self-aware program designed by Jim Holbridge and Collins to manage the mundane details of the shipyard and PMC. Eddie's program was based on the Starfleet SEAL's Duty Officer subroutine, but with several modifications to give the program sentience. Along with its identity, there were several hidden safeguards in place to lobotomize Eddie should he ever go rogue or harm any life form.
=/\=Eddie online and integrating, Mr. Collins. Three hours until full program integration.=/\= Eddie said in a pleasant baritone voice.
"Understood, Eddie, and welcome aboard. How many more crewmen are we expecting?" Matt asked.
=/\=Mr. Kamarov has declined to participate, citing retirement. However, there is a list of volunteers waiting for review.=/\= Eddie displayed a list of NGSC operators that had been selected for the mission based on their prior service experiences.
"Gunny Smith, Ruden, Allen, Miller, Sitak, Kruger, and White. All former Intel operators or Marines, know how to use their heads in a firefight, when and when not to pull the trigger, and can follow orders. Get 'em on board ASAP, and notify Ms. Fulton I need a mission XO." Matt ordered.
=/\= Ms Fulton has confirmed and will report in an hour. =/\= Eddie answered.
"Probably still fucking Dave!" Matt grinned.
=/\= I would not presume to speculate as to the sexual activities of a Xenexian woman, Mr. Collins, and it would be wise if you followed suit, =/\= Eddie replied, with amusement in his voice. Collins had labored for four months trying to give Eddie a sense of humor succeeding after three trial runs.
"I have to design you a holographic body someday." Matt said as he adjusted more controls.
=/\= I am content to remain formless, sir. However, I do realize that a holographic body would ease the strain of interacting with many life forms that are not used to sentient artificial intelligence programs. I will consult the database and choose a form suitable for interaction. =/\=
Matt nodded and kept working. The Talaxians had sent NGSC a TO&E list along with their rules of engagement, which were pretty lax by NGSC standards. Field commanders were authorized to follow company guidelines in lieu of clearly defined mission parameters. Matt had read over the Talaxian requests and was preparing a mission brief for the operators coming aboard.
=/\= The operators have arrived, sir. I have taken the liberty of assigning them to quarters and informing them that there will be an operational brief in an hour's time. =/\=
"Reschedule the brief for after we get underway. It's seventeen hours to the Talaxian convoy's port and we will need something to focus on. Also, please make sure we have the standard weapons complement, personal and starship loads."
=/\= The cargo holds are fully stocked, sir. Also, consumables are at optimum levels. =/\=
"Run diagnostics on housekeeping and automated duty systems." Matt ordered
=/\= Diagnostics underway. Caretaker systems are at 99%, Duty systems at 96% =/\=
"Assign Ruden and Allen to Helm and Ops, everyone else knows their jobs." Assigning newbies to bridge detail was an excellent way to keep an eye on the new guys while allowing them to do actual work.
TWO HOURS LATER
CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM
Matt sat in the command seat at the head of the conference table while the other members of the Op Team sat on either side of the table. Each team member looked at Matt with confidence as Matt had proven himself an effective field commander. "Okay, listen up," Matt said, beginning the meeting. "The Talaxians have requested us to provide cover for their convoys from their bases in this area to the Doresiur System where there are several colonies of different species dependent on these supplies. For the past three weeks, an unknown group of raiders have been attacking these convoys. The Talaxians have provided us with as much data as they possessed, but it is sketchy at best. There is no SIGINT or any indication of a single species responsible."
"What exactly are we dealing with?" Amanda asked.
=/\= According to Talaxian records, the raiding ships are small-to-medium sized craft equipped with heavy phaser-type weapons and larger torpedo weapons on par with our Mark VII photon torpedoes. Lack of sensor data would suggest a possible cloak. =/\=
"Or just a shitty Talaxian sensor suite." Chief Ruden remarked. "The Talaxians are peaceful traders that are unilaterally friendly. Why would someone want to screw with a bunch of shripkins delivering food?"
"When we capture a raider, you can ask him, chief!" Matt grinned.
"Hot damn!"
""We launch in two minutes. Let's get our data synced and linked. Chief, you are on the helm, Allen on Ship Ops. The rest of you gear up. We have three gunabouts that need prepped along with personal gear that needs stowed. Mission time is T-minus-seventeen hours. Let's get on it!"
Matt Collins
Mission Commander
