Cptn Swain

The Marine Barracks hummed with activity as the juniors were put through their paces by Sargent Jace Salon. The short, stocky human's voice echoed across the hull of the training center. Like a well oiled machine, the grunts of the 26th Marine Company worked up a morning sweat, going through PT while the officers did the same. Having finsihed his own PT early, their commanding officer, Major Cloud Makisu watched on with a towel around his neck and a bottle of water in hand. Even if they were, in his opinion, serially underused, they were well trained and ready to hurl themselves into any danger that arose. He took no small amount of pride in knowing that he had some of the best trained soldiers in the quadrant short of the Jem'Hadar at his command. Smiling to himself, he took a swig of water as a most unexpected voice caught his attention. "They look impressive, Major." Makisu blinked and for a long moment was unsure if perhaps he'd be pushing too hard during PT. "Uh," he said, turning to face what he was sure had to be a figment of perhaps dehydration. "Thanks, Captain." As he turned, he was in fact faced, in the flesh, by the long-haired, lithe Captain Asher Swain, dressed in aerobic attire, clearly having been up doing some PT of his own. It wasn't that a Captain swinging by for an 0500 PT session was entirely unusual. In fact, Captain Corizon had rather enjoyed swinging by during martial arts drills to, as Makisu put it, 'put some Jarheads on their asses and knock them down a few pegs.' However, he'd never thought he'd see a science geek up this early, one, and two coming down to say hello to the grunts. "If we'd known you were coming..." Swain waived a hand. "No worries, Cloud. I don't stand on ceremony anyway." Makisu nodded, relaxing, if only a bit. Brass always made him nervous, and brass that had never been in the security/marine field even more so. Sure they were all soldiers, but brains like the Captain weren't expected to be well... expendable and so, for whatever they might like to think, usually had slightly different perspectives on the uses of force. Still, he was more than willing to be surprised by the Captain. "I assume," Cloud said wiping his hands off on the towel and putting his bottle of water down, "this is the first time you've commanded a ship Marines posted aboard full-time?" Swain nodded, regarding the Marine respectfully. He'd had a handful of experiences with them in the past, but nothing major since Command began rapidly expanding the Marine force with the Marine Study Program. He'd read plenty, of course, about the program; both the for and against arguments and had, frankly, not come to a conclusion either way. There had been plenty of resistance to the idea of expanding Starfleet's force of dedicated killing machines and ground forces, especially given the tenuous peace that now existed in the alpha quadrant, but on the other hand, the lessons of the Dominion War were hard to ignore. In prolonged ground engagements, Starfleet troops had fared poorly in comparison to their counter-parts on both sides of the alliance, as all of the other major combatants had dedicated ground forces trained in surface combat. Starfleet was, as one Admiral had analogized, much like the British Empire's forces: hell in space, but not really equipped to actually fight man to man for any length of time on the surface of a planet. So, despite of the contention, Command had proceeded forward in baby steps. They had also attempted to assure that they minimized the tensions between Starfleet Security forces and their new marine brethren. The distinction in mission, Swain noted, still seemed a bit hazy in regards to normal starship operations but that was a thought for someone else to figure out. "Yes," he said. "Cassini had not been assigned them, though I think with the refit, they might get a small detachment." "That will be fun for their barnacles." "Barnacles?" Cloud smirked, having caught himself using slang to the brass. "Just a name the Marines have taken to calling the Goldshirts." "Oh," Swain said with a grin. "I get it." The two exchanged smirks before they fell into silence as Sargent Salon picked up the intensity of the drill after someone failed to meet his exacting standards of forms during a particular manoeuvre. "Most of the cadets at the academy would be dying at this moment..." "Cadets," Swain said laughing. "I think most of the Ensigns that aren't security would have passed out by now." Makisu smiled proudly, his purple Dachlyd eyes glinting off the lights of the training room. He glanced over. "Would you like something to drink other than water, Captain? Tea, coffee..." "Mmm," Swain said contemplatively. "No thanks. I just got done working out, want to get a shower before I grab breakfast and head to the Ready Room to get some work done. I thought I'd stop by though and see the Marines for myself. Captain Corizon was very lauding of you and them." Corizon's abrupt departure still stung, if only a little and Cloud nodded solemnly. He'd trained with the Captain as a cadet, and learned a good deal about command from him over the past two years, and though they were never close -- he suspected that Corizon never let anyone get too close -- he didn't like how the situation had gone down. Still, he knew Swain couldn't help that and he'd not meant to open a still sore wound. "Thank you," he said. "If you'd like to see us do some parade drills... I could..." "That would be rather interesting," Swain said with a wide smile. "Maybe we could arrange something with Security... have a little competition...." A glimmer lit up the purple eyes of the Major. "Why Captain," he said. "That would be a wonderful idea. Assuming Commander Messner has the fortitude to accept; but aren't you the one supposed to be encouraging cooperation between our two units?" "I don't see anything wrong with a little healthy competition, Major. Besides, it will give your two units a chance to show the crew what capable, well-trained, individuals are on both sides. I'll work on this idea a little more and when we have a chance and things are a little more settled in, I'll give both of you a chance to shoot it down, or accept." As Sargent Salon wound down the drills, Swain and Makisu exchanged a few more pleasantries before the former headed for the sonic showers. Once he'd gone, Cloud called the Sargent over. "What was that all about," Jace said as the two headed for the showers as well. "Oh," Cloud said. "The Captain?" "Yeah," the rough, gravely voice of the Sargent drawled. "What was the science geek doing down here?" "Now Sargent, that's no way to talk about the cee-oh." Jace shrugged. "Well?" "He just wanted to see our bright, shinning stars." "Too bad all we've got is a bunch of duds," Jace said as they passed through the enlisted showers and through to the more private senior officer's shower rooms. "I swear, these kids don't know the difference between a phaser and a sonic pulse emitter ." "They do look a lot a like." Glowered, Jace stripped down and headed into his stall without dignifying the comment any further. Followed a moment later by the Marine CO, he glanced over again. "So, what did he really want?" "I told you. He just wanted to see the Marines in action." "Funny, thing. I didn't think anyone wanted to see us in action." "Well actually, now that you mention it." "I am almost afraid to ask." "The Captain," Makisu said ruefully, "is going to plan and stage a little competition of sorts between us and the barnacles." Jace began laughing. "You're joking?" "Nope." "Well I'll be damned. He does know what he's doing." "I am not entirely sure," Makisu said. "In either case, we're going to kick their butt." "So when is this going down? Me and Morris will need to get the boys into top shape for any kind of competition." "He didn't say yet," Makisu said, turning off the sonic shower and grabbing for fresh tunic -- modesty all but lost among soliders. "Said he wanted to let everyone settle in a little more before he'd finish the setup." "So we're going to start prepping right away, then?" "Of course Jace. I am not going to get showed up by Messner and his goldielocks band of misfits." "Aye, sir. Morris and I will start adding some extra PT and parade drills to the schedule." "Think he's told the barnacles what he's upto?" "Probably," Makisu said. "He seems like the type to want both sides to have a sporting chance." "Like it will matter." "Exactly..."

OOC Date June 12, 2011 IC Date October 31, 2385 With official orders cut and liberty at an end, Excalibur got underway for her first real mission under command of Captain Swain. Engineering and Science continued working on the probes, while the first officer got some TLC from medical. TBS: 5 days

OOC Date June 6, 2011 IC Date October 27, 2385 Excalibur arrived at Camelot during the middle of a Ventan 'Festival of Renewal,' a joint venture between the local Ventan people and Camelot to help further cultural exchange. The crew was given four days of liberty while preparations were made for a new mission. Swain tasked Science and Engineering with 'securing' the materials for a series of probes for said mission, a geologic survey of the Endorin system, a young still cooling star system a week's travel away from Camelot. TBS: 4 days

The lift dropped Swain off at the commerce hub of Camelot, affectionately known as the Court. It was humming with activity as the Ventan Festival of Renewal kicked into full gear. Apparently in an effort to encourage cultural exchange between the Alpha and Gamma Quadrant, the Ventan and the station command staff had agreed to play host to it, not that there was any harm, it just seemed odd to see the entire Court decked in what could pass for a Cherry Blossom festival on Earth. Ventan vendors lined the walkways, selling sweet treats and traditional foods, while entertainers dazzled with tricks and acrobatics. In the distance, he could hear muscians playing as he ducked inside the Ambrosia. Apparently also in the spirit of the Festival of Renewal, Ambrosia had been re-themed for the occasion, including their menu. Swain smiled to himself as he nodded to the maitre’d. “You have a reservation,” the Tarkallian said, looking at Swain. “I should, yes. Though I am not sure if the person I am meeting is already here.” Nodding the Tarkallian opened his reservation book. “What was the name on the reservation?” “Abronvonvich.” “Ah,” the Tarkallian said, easing his voice. “A guest of the Admiral. He just got here a few minutes ago. Right this way.” Swain motioned for him to lead the way and followed past several tables to a more private area of the bustling restaurant up a set of stairs to the second level that opened to balconies that overlooked the Court. At a far table in a secluded, private balcony, he saw the white hair of the Admiral. “Captain,” he said as he approached. “Have a seat.” Swain nodded his thanks to the Tarkallian before extending a hand to the Admiral. “This is … “ “I know,” the Admiral said as they sat down. “For a backwater planet and station, it’s not bad.” Swain nodded as he took his seat and the waiter filled his glass with water. “Certainly not what I expected. I hear the base on Avalon is nice, too.” Abronvonvich nodded. “It’s a nice place to get away too once and a while. A little provincial maybe, but its quiet.” “I’ll have to keep that in mind, though it doesn’t look like we’ll be spending much time at Camelot anytime soon.” Nodding again, Abronvoncich motioned the waiter to take the Captain’s drink order as he studied the long-haired human. He’d never heard of Swain till a few days ago when he’d gotten word that he’d be commanding the Excalibur and that it had been reassigned to his command. He’d reviewed his file, but that didn’t tell you much about a man. Sure it told you who he was, where he’d been assigned, occasionally what he’d done, but in his experience, Misha had found it told you precious little about the actual man behind the uniform. Granted dinner and drinks didn’t tell you much more, but it did give him an excuse. Swain glanced over the menu for a moment before ordering a glass of blush wine. Like most people, he’d heard of Abronvonvich, but didn’t know much more than his service history. Serving as part of a task force was still a rather new concept to him, but in theory it didn’t work much differently than when you were a junior officer aboard a starship. Wine, Misha thought as he took a drink of whiskey. To each his own, he’d decided a long time ago. “I hear they have good vintages,” he offered neutrally. “I am a spirit man myself.” Swain nodded. “Never been big on them,” he said casually as he perused the menu, only partially aware he was being examined. “Not since the war anyway.” “Mmm,” Abronvonvich said with a nod. “I think we all drank a little more then.” They exchanged knowing glances. Swain hadn’t been directly on the frontlines during the Dominion War, but he’d seen his share of combat and they both knew that the war had changed everyone who been part of it. “It seems almost strange,” Swain said, breaking the silence that had enveloped them after he’d ordered. “To imagine ten years ago I’d be parking my starship next to a Dominion cruiser in a Federation space station deep inside the Gamma Quadrant.” “Hard to believe, isn’t it?” “There have been stranger bedfellows.” Misha nodded again. He could hardly believe it himself sometimes. Ten years seemed like a long time on the surface, but at his heart, there were still days he found himself fighting a war that had been over for nearly a decade, and sometimes wars that had been over longer. “I think,” he finally said, taking a long drink of whiskey, “that its easier for the young folks. It’s us old space fossils that have a hard time with change.” Swain smirked. He felt rather honored for someone like the Admiral to include him in the ‘old folks’ category, even if he didn’t feel like it sometimes. “Still,” Swain said, “experience has it’s benefits does it not?” Misha nodded. “On occasion, yes.” “Though I find myself the newbie with my crew.” “They’re a good crew. They had a good man for a Captain.” Whatever he felt about Corizon’s extra-curricular behaviors, and propensity to break and bend rules, Misha respected the man as an officer and as a solider and he didn’t particularly care for the way his exit had been handled. Swain barely knew the man beyond reading about him in briefings here and there, and he senses that even at a subconscious level, both the crew and his superior officer were going to spend a while comparing him to his predecessor. Granted, he was guilty of comparing the crew to their predecessors as well. “They are clearly well trained,” Swain said. “I am lucky to have them.” Misha nodded. “And from your file, I think they’re lucky to have you Captain. “Captain Corizon was a good man, and a hell of an officer. As a commanding officer,” he said. “Well he had some room to improve. I don’t mean to kick a man when he’s not here, nothing I am going to say I didn’t tell him already -- I don’t work like that -- never have never will.” Swain nodded. The preamble was unnecessary, but he knew that Abronvonvich was establishing some ground rules. “Starfleet should never have put him in that situation. He’s was a hell of a tactician and an even better mission specialist, but giving him a starship... well there’s that saying about having enough rope to hang yourself with, eh? As a result, the crew took on some of his personality I think.” Again nodding, Swain let the Admiral talk. None of this was new information, in fact he’d been briefed about it before taking on the assignment, but it was good to hear it from someone who knew the man personally. “They’ve been through a lot. Been put through a lot, more than they should have had to endure,” Misha continued. “So we’re going to try and give them some... well I don’t want to say easy assignments. Nothing is ever easy out here, but just something a little more...” “Normal?” Misha nodded as their dinner came out. “Yes,” hes said. “That’s a good way to put it. Normal. They haven’t had a sense of normality for a long time. Everything that Corizon touched seemed to turn into a cloak and dagger act. Not his fault, mind you, but it’s the truth. “I think it will be good for them to simply go on a mission where they don’t have to wonder if there’s something going on with the mission directives they’re not being told.” Swain smirked widely. “When did standard operating procedures change?” The comment caught Misha off-guard, but the clear levity in Swain’s tone eased what could have been a tense moment. He was going to like Swain, he thought as he forked some Ventan greens into his mouth and chewed with a grin. “Well,” he said after swallowing. “Any more than what passes for normal out here.” “There’s that word again...”

Swain yawned lazily as he opened another box. One never truly realized, he considered, how much crap you had until you had it in boxes laying around after a move. He’d been on the Excalibur for little over two weeks and between getting settled in with his new crew, inspecting the ship, dealing with the inherent bumps of a new command (getting the crew used to how he wanted things done), breaking in his yeoman and executive officer -- he’d barely had time to unpack anything, let alone the non-essentials. Digging into the box, he removed a spherical object, little bigger than a tricorder. Smiling, he stood up sitting it on his desk, positioning it several times before walking back and taking a look. The astrolabe, he considered, was one of the oldest known tools for navigator, and it was one of the few keepsakes from his home that he’d kept with him from his earliest days at the academy and on every assignment he’d had since. Smirking, and recalling having to explain to his bunkmates what it was, he dug back into the box again. Removing another keepsake and placing it before returning he sighed happily. The place was starting to come together. As a career military officer, you quickly learned to adjust to changes in surroundings. If you didn’t you washed out pretty quickly. Command level officers tended to have it often a little better than the juniors, as they could be moved around starships like someone playing the coconut game; still when you’d been on the same ship for nearly a decade it did start to feel a little bit like home. Home. That was a strange concept. His home, his real home, was on a small, low-tech planet in the Nerin Cluster, but he didn’t have a house there, and he hadn’t spent more than a few nights in his parents home since he’d graduated the academy. It wasn’t that he had anything against them, or anything particularly against Abscean. Far from it, he just somehow never found the time. Earth had never really been a second home for him either, or the Sol system frankly. Swain knew a number of officers called it a second home, and many of them had apartments and homes somewhere in the system; but other than his time at the academy he’d never spent much time on Earth. It was, he supposed, a product of being an astronomer and stellar cartographer. Sure you could look at stars all you wanted from some stuffy observatory, but until you were out there, face to face with the unknown, you couldn’t really say you’d seen it. Maybe that was why he’d been so apprehensive about this assignment. Pausing after he finished hanging a star map on the wall, he cocked his head, making sure it was straight before heading to the replicator for tea. Sure he was going to be on the fringes of known space on a regular basis, but he was also going to be commanding a ship more tied to a direct command structure and a base. That was going to be a rather new experience, and one he wasn’t exactly looking forward to frankly. The only time in his career he’d been close to having such an assignment was during the Dominion War. The replicator flashed to life and produced a chrome mug of Azar Grey tea. He put it to his lips, letting the flavors mingle before swallowing. There was little he could about the situation, he supposed. For whatever preference he had towards being a scientist, he was also a solider. And soldiers followed orders. Drinking another sip of tea he considered that for a moment. He was here because someone couldn’t follow orders.It was a sobering reminder. Still, despite the crews somewhat infamous reputation, he’d found them to be entirely adequate through the first week of his command. The stop over at Mars had gone off without incident, not even so much as loading incident while they brought aboard new fighters. There had been the revelation that the Spacedock folks had loaded them with torpedoes sized for the old launchers instead of the newer models they’d installed, a problem Commander Admiran was working to resolve before they arrived at Camelot. There also seemed to be a mix up with the small arms lockers, and something about the differences in Marine armaments and Security armaments and which went to which locker. Thankfully though, he was dealing with adults and they seemed to have a handle on the situation and were working to resolve the situation peaceably. He smirked. It was going to take him a while to get used to the the new crew, for sure. He still found himself referring to his old crew -- even having to apologize to Rue for calling her Alyssa repeatedly -- but other than that, they were making the transition easy. Deep Space 9 had been another uneventful layover; he’d had a wonderful dinner with his executive officer, played a little Dabo, and even had a little time to do some shopping on the promenade. The preliminary reports also indicated that the crew had taken the Commander at her word and avoided run ins with the authorities. Medical, it seemed, had even managed to avoid getting inundated with the usual injuries, food reactions, and the assortment of issues that typically went along with a layover, but then, he reminded himself, despite it’s architecture and quasi-independence, Deep Space 9 was still a Federation base. The trip through the wormhole had even been uneventful, if not colorful and surprisingly smooth. Perhaps inertial dampeners had simply improved, but he’d always remembered the passage between quadrants to be somewhat rougher and more tense -- they’d practically waltzed through this time. Still, he wasn’t complaining. Taking a sip of his tea. The replicators, he decided, could use a little tweaking but that could wait till later. For now he’d have to live with his tea having a slightly artificial taste; and if that was the worst thing he had to get used to in his new command, then this was going to be a rather pleasant change of scenery afterall.

OOC Date May 29, 2011 IC Date October 21, 2385 After taking aboard a final load of cargo and crew at Deep Space 9, Excalibur journeyed through the wormhole uneventfully, though the bridge crew was treated to a light show, utilizing the 3-D holodisplay during the crossing. Exiting the wormhole, Excalibur headed for Camelot. TBS: 6 days

The expansive office of the Commanding Officer of the Starfleet Gamma Quadrant Command filled an entire section of the the upper ring, and came complete with an anteroom, reception, and full briefing lounge. The office itself had large floor-to-ceiling windows that bathed the room in the healthy glow of the Avalon. Sitting away from his desk at settee that flanked a richly burled coffee tabled made by one of the colonists, Misha Abronvonvich sighed, as he poured over a report with a cup of tea in hand. His face marked by age and stress was canyoned with deep wrinkles that shifted with tectonic force as he perused the reports. "Well," he said outloud. "I guess the Romulans will be happy." Sitting across from him, Alexander Calypsos put down his own reading and lifted his brows. Though they'd initially spent little time together, giving the other plenty of room to operate in their own sphere, he and his commanding officer had taken to having weekly meetings. By meetings, it meant sitting around catching up on reports and having a cup of tea and exorcising some of their mutual frustrations. It was one part business and one part self-therapy and both of their support staff were happy they'd found a way to keep from going crazy. "Oh," Alexander said, knowing that there were any dozen of issues that could potentially please the Romulans and displease the Admiral. "What's happened?" "Remind me," he said, "to smack Ah-Windu if I ever see him again." "Oh," Alexander said in dropped tones. "What now?" "Starbase Lyoneese has been put on hold indefinitely." "That was their pound of flesh?" Misha nodded putting the PADD down and reaching for his tea. It had taken months to get the diplomacy sorted out with the Dominion and then the rest of the Alpha Quadrant powers to approve the construction of a second starbase in the Gamma Quadrant, especially since Starbase Lyoneese would have given the Federation effective control of both termini of the wormhole. And now, out of political expediency that plan was being scrapped. "Isn't it partially built?" Alexander said questioningly. "Almost the entire superstructure is in place," Misha said gruffly. "Now Engineering Corps have been instructed to halt work, with no future date for them to resume. Apparently the Romulans have asked for additional concessions that we're not willing to make just yet." "The politicians do know how much that station would mean in terms of security both for us and the Alpha Quadrant, right? I mean I know it wasn't going to be a big station, but they could have took some of the burden off of us and given convoys and the like a better place to supply from for the mid-range colonies..." "They know," Misha said tersely. "But with the storm Corizon's kicked up and everything else going on, apparently they don't want to push our allies." Alexander shook his head. "Yet weren't they the ones helping run this whole operation." Misha frowned. "Who knows. Its the Romulans we're talking about here. They're almost as hard to get a straight answer out of as a Vulcan -- something about green blood I think." "Well nothing for it then," Alexander said, returning to his padd. "At least they didn't shake up the command structure here, I wasn't really ready to move and I'd just as leave not have to get used to a new commanding officer. "How did you manage that, anyway? If you don't mind me asking," Alexander said over a PADD, careful to remember his place as junior to the Admiral. "I have some friends back at Earth and from what I've heard, they've been cleaning house all over the place -- especially with people who were part of Gamma Command." The white-haired admiral leaned back into the settee, tea cup in his hands. His deep set, blue-eyes danced with a hundred thoughts that Alexander couldn't even begin to imagine. "Carefully," was the one word response. Alexander lifted his brows. "Carefully?" "Captain," Misha said with a small, almost unnoticeable grin. "I've been in the service of Starfleet longer than most of the ships berthed outside. I've fought three wars, buried a brother, and came back twice from retirement to serve the Federation." The Captain nodded. Though he wasn't exactly wet behind the ears, in comparison the Admiral made him look like a freshly promoted ensign. "I see." "The Admiralty took me to task," he admitted. "Whatever his position within ATAG was, Corizon was still under my general command and those blasted weapons were sneaking in here under my watch..." Calypsos frowned. And were being brought aboard his station. "I am honestly surprised that I haven't gotten a call about that..." "Internal affairs will almost certainly get around to it at some point," he said, "though I don't think you have anything to worry about as long as you're honest with them." Running a hand through his auburn hair, Alexander considered that statement for a long moment. Was that supposed to mean something? "At any rate," Misha said. "I was lectured, at length, by the brass." "The brass yelling at the brass," Alexander said with no slight amount of amusement at the thought. "Well it's a little different you know," Misha said, not entirely defensive. "At the end of the day, though, they concluded that given the unstable nature of the Gamma Quadrant it would be unwise to further disrupt the situation with a change of command." "I see. Well I am glad they saw it that way." "Frankly," Misha said, leaning forward to pick up a report. "I am not sure I agree. I knew this job wasn't going to be easy; and it's not that I mind hard work …" He trailed off as his assistant, Lt. Commander Deigo Sands entered. Though he'd be at first rather hesitant, the tall, dark Latino had came into his own earning the trust of Abronvonvich and becoming an indispensable aide as Misha navigated the administrative nightmare that came with what was essentially a large sector command plus. "Admiral, Captain," he said with a nod to both. "You have a visitor." Misha lifted his brows, wondering who had a visitor, especially since he didn't recall any meetings on his schedule; not that the absence of such precluded him from having someone of incredible importance demanding to speak to him on some urgent matter of incredible importance. (That sort of thing would never happen. Ever.) "Oh?" "Yes," Diego said looking to the Admiral. "There's a young lieutenant outside who's asking to see you." Both the Captain and the Admiral lifted their brows. "A lieutenant? Is he commanding a small ship or something?" Diego smirked. "I don't believe so, sir. He requested to see you... said it was a personal matter. I told him you were very busy..." Misha sighed, much to the bemusement of Calypsos who found it rather funny to watch the Admiral deal with such trivial matters as an out of sort lieutenant. This could be the highlight of his day, actually. Diego waited for patiently for the Admiral to reluctantly agree to see the upstart lieutenant who'd apparently decided to take his life (and career) in his hands by bothering the Admiral on a personal mater. After a few choice words, the agreement came and Diego disappeared into the lobby outside the door. Glancing down from his work, Calypsos looked towards the Admiral, doing his absolute best to keep from sounding amused. "If you'd prefer, I'll more than happily let you handle this..." The crag faced Admiral frowned, the deep lines on his face shifting and contorting. "I'd rather you stay." "Oh?" "I'd like there to be a witness..." Calypsos grinned and both men looked to the doorway as the sound of precision pneumatics signaled the upstart had arrived. "Why you son of a bitch..." Calypso blinked. "Come here and give your old man a proper salute." "Is that any way to talk about my mother," the lieutenant said, a near spitting image of what Alexander imagined the Admiral must have looked like at 25. "Your mother," Misha said, "is a scandalous tramp. How is she?" "Good," the lieutenant said. "She said to tell the 'salty, bastard that gave me my good looks' hello." "She was always too kind." The two men paused as the lieutenant saluted before embracing. Though mildly disappointed that he wouldn't get to see the tanning of a lieutenant's hide, seeing a family reunion was always a welcome sight and Alexander stood to meet what was clearly the progeny of his commanding officer. "Ah, sorry Alexander where's my manners..." Demuring, Calypsos simply smiled. "No need, Admiral … I assume this is..." "My youngest son," Misha said, his normally stoic expression replaced by what could only be described as patronymic pride. "Sasha, meet Captain Alexander Calypsos, the stations' command..." "Commanding officer," Sasha said with a grin, extending his hand. "Yes, I know." "Smart boy," Alexander said. "Well, I'll let you two catch up with each other..." Misha nodded. "Have a good afternoon Captain." "Same to you two." -- Calypsos took the scenic route to command center, swinging by the commercial deck to grab a pastry from a Kovalinian merchant and glass of jal'al juice. As he entered the command center, he found it to be rather peaceful considering a convoy from Mina Corlain had just arrived and two starships had pulled in for maintenance following a dust up with some raiders out near the Pardol Nebula. Sprint, of course, was handling the situation with aplomb, never raising his voice louder than he needed to be heard and patiently instructing ensign and freighter captain alike. "Yes," Alexander heard him say, "I am sure that your shipment of kuka'li is very important and expensive, but it must go through customs like anything else and it has to be inspected..." Smirking he headed down the ramp to his office where he found his executive officer, John Blair, waiting for him. "I hope you hadn't been waiting long." "Not at all," Blair said with a grin that said he had. Though Calypsos felt fairly sure Blair would have found ways to entertain himself. "This mornings reports," he said handing them over. "I know you were with the Admiral..." "Yes," he said. "Though our usual grouse session was cut a little short." "Oh?" "Yeah. Turns out his son is town." Blair smirked. "He's been assigned to Camelot. I think against his father's better judgement." "That's interesting. Doing what?" "Security it looks like. According the grapevine he tried to get on Excalibur..." Calypsos couldn't help but lift his brows as he slid into his chair. If there was one thing he'd come to learn about John Blair, it was that he was never short on information that traveled through unofficial channels; he was never entirely sure though, if that was a good thing or not. Still, at least so far, it had never gotten him in any trouble, and had in fact proven to be rather useful. "Well make sure he gets assigned decent shifts. I know how security can be sometimes." "Aye," Blair said. "I'll try to not make it obvious either. Oh, speaking of Excalibur..." "Yes?" "Just got word from Deep Space 9; Excalibur should be here in a couple days." Calypsos nodded as he sorted through the stacks of PADDs on his desk, having a mild realization as to how Blair was always in the loop as it were. "Good," he said. "It will be good to have them back in the quadrant, though how this new Captain turns out..." Nodding and leaning against the window, Blair sighed. "Yeah," he said. "Corizon was a pain in the ass sometimes, but you could count on him when we needed it; and he actually managed to have pretty good relations with the locals. I am sure Semil will be disappointed." "On the other hand," Calypsos said, "perhaps now we can get back to letting the diplomats do their job and us doing ours. Still, I can't say that I am not a little sad to see him go. Man was one hell of a fighter." "Who knows," Blair said looking towards Avalon. "He could be back. Look at Sorehl..." "True," Calypsos said. "He's still running around isn't he?" "Yes," Blair said. "I had lunch with his wife yesterday." "How is the Ambassador?" "Satisfactory." "Vulcans." "They are unique." "You can say that again. Anyway, John, thanks for the reports... and the little tidbit about Sasha Abronvonvich. Keep an eye on him will you. I wouldn't want anything to happen to the Admiral's son." "No problem. I am sure you'll be getting a call anytime now anyway." "Oh?" "Yeah," Blair said moving towards the ramp. "From the looks of the transfer orders, the Admiral didn't know his son had been assigned..." Calypsos frowned, feeling a headache coming on. "Thanks John..."

MISSION BRIEF: Having spent a few days at Deep Space 9 and having loaded up the last of our crew and supplies, Excalibur is sitting enqueue for wormhole transit. 052911.txt

Excalibur will run this evening, but attendance will be optional.

Name: Mikhail Alexandrovich Abronvonvich Age: 71 (Born 2314) Sex: Male POB: Earth, Russia, Sochi Ht: 6'3" Wt: 235 lbs Eyes: Blue Hair: White Race: Human Rank: Vice Admiral Assignment Commanding Officer, Starfleet Gamma Quadrant Command (SGQC) Call Sign: Mother Bear Father: Aleksandr Abronvonvich , deceased Mother: Mariya Abronvonvich, deceased Siblings: Konstantin Abronvonvich, deceased Sofyia Lister (59) Spouse: Elana Yarslov (divorced) Children:: Konstantin Abronvonvich (34) Aleksandr Abronvonvich (25) Marks: scar on neck from bladed weapon Background: One of three children, Mikhail -- or Misha as he became more widely known -- was born to family long associated with service to their country. Both his father, grandfather, and great-grand father has served in Starfleet in various roles, his grand-father even rising to the rank of Admiral and before that his family had a long and distinguished history in service of both the Russian Federation and the Soviet Union dating back to the Russian Empire. Growing up in the quiet comfort of Earth, both Misha and elder brother Konstantin followed their father and mother into the service. Both Aleksandr and Maryia retired quietly after the birth of their third child, Sofyia. Distinguishing himself early at Moscow University as student of intergalactic politics, he would follow his brother to Starfleet Academy and earning a degree in Political Science before attending the Officer's College of War. Upon graduation he served alongside his brother aboard the USS Norfolk, an Constellation-class starship assigned to patrol the Tzenkethi-Federation border as a security officer. Working his way up the ladder, he would go on to serve as his brother's second in security aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, and eventually as Chief of Security upon his brother's promotion to Executive officer. Following escalation of tensions with the Cardassian Union, the Truman was assigned to patrol the border. Then Lt. Commander Abronvonvich was aboard when the Truman was attacked by Cardassian forces while attempting to render aid to a planet annexed by the Union in 2348. During the attack his older brother, now a Commander, was killed. Though offered the position of executive officer aboard the Truman, Abronvonich left Starfleet for several months following the incident only to return a few months later after the death of his father. During this time he married Elena Yarslov with whom he would have two sons before separating in 2365. Promoted to Commander upon his return to active duty, he was stationed as Executive officer of the Ambassador-class, Eleanor Roosevelt, and once again stationed in the Cardassian theatre. Rapidly rising tensions between the two nations lead to the conflict loosely known as the Cardassian Wars that took place from 2351-2370. The Roosevelt was heavily involved as one of the major capitol ships assigned to the conflict during its height from 2355-2359, and it was during this period that Abronvonvich was promoted to Captain and led the 1st Fleet's 21st Squadron throughout much of the war. As Squadron commander, he gained wide fame throughout the Federation (and grudging respect from the Cardassians) for his role in defending the Federation colony at Salamis Minor against a larger Cardassian force long enough to evacuate the colony. He would go on to score a major victory over Gul Maket's forces at the Battle of Cordona, further cementing his credentials as a battlefield commander and earning him a promotion to Rear Admiral, placing him command of the 1st Fleet's 2nd Tactical Group. A temporary armistice with the Cardassians in 2359, and the outbreak of war with the Tzenkethi in the fall of that same year lead to Abronvonvich's transfer to the tactical command center for the Tzenkethi war at Starbase 321 as a theatre-level planner, where he would remain for the remainder of the Tzenkethi conflict. Following the end of hostilities with the Tzenkethi in 2364, he retired from active duty at the rank of Rear Admiral. He would go on to participate as one of many negotiators for the Ceasefire Agreement between the Federation and the Cardassian Union of 2367 and went on to participate in the final negotiations for the Peace Treaty of 2370. Though he considered a political career following the successful negotiations, the ongoing issues with the Maquis and Starfleet's inability to bring a peaceable end to the situation hampered his political ambitions and he retired to private life in 2372. His retirement, however, was to be short-lived with the outbreak of the Dominion War in 2373. As both a veteran of the Cardassian Wars and a respected military mind, he was reactivated at the rank of Vice-Admiral and placed in command of the 5th Special Forces Command. The early days of the Dominion War saw Starfleet and their Klingon allies witness major defeats, including an operation led by Abronvonvich to recover a group of former Maquis rebels who were holding out against Dominion-Cardassian Siege in the Alman system. Eventually being transferred to front-line command in the Allied 3rd Fleet, he would lead the Federation to several major battles participating in a dozen engagements by wars end. With the cessation of hostilities and the surrender at Cardassia Prime, Abronvonvich found himself in transition once more. Though considered a potential candidate to lead the reconstruction effort of Cardassia, he demurred and instead was placed in command of Deep Space 14 and the small exploratory force assigned to the area, a position he would maintain until 2384 when he was tapped to take over as Commanding Officer of the Starfleet Gamma Quadrant Command. Service Record: -Graduated Starfleet Academy rank of Ensign (2336) -Assigned to USS Norfolk, Assistant Security Officer (2336) -Promoted to the Rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade (2338) -Assigned to USS Harry S. Truman, Assistant Security Officer (2338) -Promoted to the Rank of Lieutenant (2341) -Promoted to Chief of Security (2342) -Promoted to the Rank of Lieutenant Commander (2344) -Retired (2348) -Returned to active duty, promoted to Rank of Commander (2349) -Assigned to USS Eleanor Roosevelt, Executive Officer (2349) -Promoted to the Rank of Captain (2354) -Assigned to USS Eleanor Roosevelt, Commanding Officer (2354) -Promoted to the Rank of Rear Admiral, (2360) -Assigned to Tzenkethi Tactical Command Center, Starbase 321 (2360) -Retired (2364) -Returned to active duty, promoted to Rank of Vice-Admiral (2373) -Assigned to 5th Special Forces Command, Commanding Officer (2373) -Assigned to 3rd Allied Fleet, Commanding Officer (2374) -Assigned to Deep Space 14, Commanding Officer (2376) -Assigned to Starfleet Gamma Quadrant Command, Commanding Officer (2384) Service Medals: Christopher Pike Medal of Valor (twice), Karagite Order of Heroism, Cochrane Medal of Excellence, Distinguished Service Cluster (w/12 flourishes), Grankite Order of Tactics, Starfleet Star Cross, Silver Palm (w/5 Clusters), Starfleet Decoration of Gallantry (three tiimes), Purple Heart (twice), Order of Excellence, Crimson Shield (w/ 13 flourishes), Command Cluster (w/ 5 flourishes), Cardassian Conflict Medal, Battle of Caldona Medal of Heroism, Tzenkethi Conflict, Cardassia Prime Campaign, Dominion Campaign Educational Record: -B.S., Political Science, Moscow State University -B.S., Political Science - Security and Diplomacy, Starfleet Academy -M.S., Strategic Studies, Starfleet College of War

MISSION BRIEF: Having taken aboard new fighters at Mars, Excalibur is en route to Deep Space Nine where she will make a brief stop for some final crew pick ups and supplies before traversing the wormhole. The seven day journey from Mars to DS9 has been without incident and everything is going well with the new captain. Save for some supplies that were delivered incorrectly (an entire cache of torpedoes for older model launchers and the weapons for the Marine and Security small arms lockers being switched), it has been exceptional routine. 052211.txt

Note: This document is subject to change and should be used only for reference. Camelot Station: Starfleet Personnel: Starfleet Gamma Quadrant Command (SGQC) Commanding Officer: Vice-Admiral Misha Abronvonvich Station Commanding Officer: Captain Alexander Calypsos Station Executive Officer: Commander Blair Chief Science Officer: Dr. Alyssa Yavin, Lt. Cmdr Chief of Operations: Lt. Commander Corris Sprint Chief Medical Officer: Dr. Kaell Ha'Jolka, Lt. Director of Station Security: Lt. Colonel Darren Lockhaven Director of Flight Control Operations: Lt. Samar Ha-Kal-no Director of Starship Repair and Dry Dock: Commander Gerald Hallon 108th Air Group: Pilot: Lt.,(j.g.) Aerilo "Aero" Perez ATAG Operational Attaché: Lt Michaels Romulan Galae Personnel: Chief Engineer: Erei'Riov (Sub-Commander) Akal t'Faelo Chief Dockmaster: El'Arrain (Senior Centurion) Taemid tr'Lokan Klingon Defense Force Personnel: Chief Tactical Officer: Sogh'a (Senior Lieutenant) BroHngh Chief of Diplomatic Security: RawI (Commander) haGnOka Diplomatic: Romulan Liaison: Ambassador Riiji t'Osaen Klingon Liaison: Governor K'Vorlag Dominion Liaison: Vorta Functionary Taela Hundred Liaison: Vorta Functionary Semil Federation Liaison: Ambassador t'Salik Shalia Liaison: Ambassador Zie Scorpiad Liaison: Ambassador cKgha'Lieeeknajfttt'Ookdnnna (Kegha'Lekokda) Civilian: Proprietor of the Holy Grail: Mog* Proprietor of the Ambrosia: Samoth Ryvertu* -- Avalon Base: Commanding Officer, Avalon Base: Commander Cedric Tannis* Chief Medical Officer, Avalon Base: Lt. Shujinko Akia* -- Romulan Base: Commanding Officer: Administrator N'Rycus -- Romulan Fleet: Commanding Officer: Rear Admiral Jaelin t'Leaii

OOC Date May 22, 2011 IC Date October 19, 2385 Excalibur's journey to Deep Space 9 continued relatively routinely. Though there had been some small mix-ups in supply requisitions, nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. Upon arrival, Captain Swain informed Wydown that the crew could have liberty for roughly two days while a number of final supplies were brought aboard and the last of the new crew rotation came aboard. After that, Excalibur would wait in queue for wormhole transit. TBS: 2 days

Name: Asher Jericho Swain Age: 49 (Born 2336) Sex: Male POB: Kynareth Ht: 5'11" Wt: 175 lbs Eyes: Grey Hair: Brown, Shoulder Length Race: Human Rank: Captain, Assignment Commanding Officer, USS Excalibur-C Call Sign: Father: Franklin Swain, deceased Mother: Delilah Swain (73) Siblings: Thomas Swain (51) Elijah Swain (42) Katrina Conklin-Swain (42) Marks: tattoos on left hand (back), right shoulder, left calf, right inner thigh, left and right pectorals; right ear pierced Background: The second of four children, Asher Swain was born on the small colony world of Kynareth in the coastal city of Anvil. His parents were descended from the original settlers of Kynareth and he grew up on the families' homestead in the rolling hills outside of Anvil. Though the son of a tradesman, he spent his youth exploring the woods, fields and coastlines. During his teens, he attended the Anvil Academy where he focused on natural sciences; when he turned 16 he enrolled at the much larger Kynareth Science Academy in New Calais -- Kynareth's capitol-- where he majored first in biology before transitioning into astronomy. During his senior year at Kynareth he won a competitive internship with the Gallen Observatory, which was operated by Starfleet Stellar Cartography. Over the course of his internship, he caught the eye of his superiors, who encouraged the bright young man to apply to Starfleet Academy. After finishing his degree program at Kynareth, he applied and gained successful admission to Starfleet Academy where he completed his post-graduate studies in Stellar Cartography commissioning with the rank of Lt. (J.G.). His first assignment placed him at the Galileo Center, where he begun to work during his time as cadet and where he eventually finished his dissertation in Astronomy. Following that, he transferred to the USS George Washington for the duration of a three year mapping mission of the Goblan Expanse. Eventually attaining the rank of Lieutenant while aboard the George Washington, he was reassigned to the USS Pei Xui as the Chief of Stellar Cartography. He would go on to serve in that post for three years before being promoted to Chief of Sciences, a position he would hold for two additional years before rising in rank to Lt. Commander and being transferred to the USS Idrisi as Chief of Science and Executive Officer. Aboard the Idrisi he participated in first contact with nearly a dozen species and helped become the first crew in Starfleet to map the Kollan Frontier. The Idrisi was also among the first starships in the Federation to spend extended periods of time in the Gamma Quadrant, mapping a number of planets and nebula. With the outbreak of the Dominion War in 2373, he was promoted to Commander and given command of the Idrisi, who's mission profile changed considerably, shifting into reconnaissance and scout work. With the end of the Dominion War, the now seasoned Swain was promoted to Captain and given command of the USS Cassini, an Intrepid-class starship assigned to the far reaches of the Beta Quadrant. Nearing ten years after taking command of the Cassini, Swain was transferred to a new command in the Gamma Quadrant as Commanding Officer of the USS Excalibur-C. Service Record: -Assigned to the Galileo Center (2359) -Graduated Starfleet Academy rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade (2360) -Assigned to USS George Washington, Assistant Science Officer (Stellar Cartography) (2362) -Promoted to the Rank of Full Lieutenant (2365) -Assigned to USS Pei Xui, Chief of Stellar Cartography (2365) -Promoted to Chief of Sciences (2366) -Promoted to the Rank of Lieutenant Commander (2369) -Assigned to USS Idrisi, Chief of Sciences and Executive Officer (2369) -Promoted to Commander (2373) -Assigned to USS Idrisi, Commanding Officer (2373) -Promoted to Captain (2376) -Assigned to USS Cassini, Commanding Officer (2376) -Assigned to USS Excalibur-C, Commanding Officer (2385) Service Medals: Karagite Order of Heroism, Cochrane Medal of Excellence, Distinguished Service Cluster( w/3 flourishes), Silver Palm (w/1 Clusters), Crimson Shield (w/ 4 flourishes), Command Cluster, Cardassia Prime Campaign, Dominion Campaign Education: -B.S., Physics, Kynareth Science Academy (2356) -M.S., Stellar Cartography, Starfleet Academy (2358) -Ph.D., Astrophysics , Starfleet Academy (2362)

Note: This document is subject to change and should be used only for reference. Camelot Station: Starfleet Personnel: Starfleet Gamma Quadrant Command (SGQC) Commanding Officer: Vice-Admiral Misha Abronvonvich Station Commanding Officer: Captain Alexander Calypsos Station Executive Officer: Commander Arden Comoran Chief Science Officer: Dr. Alyssa Yavin, Lt. Cmdr Chief of Operations: Lt. Commander Corris Sprint Chief Medical Officer: Dr. Kaell Ha'Jolka, Lt. Director of Station Security: Lt. Colonel Darren Lockhaven Director of Flight Control Operations: Lt. Samar Ha-Kal-no 108th Air Group: Pilot: Lt.,(j.g.) Aerilo "Aero" Perez ATAG Operational Attaché: Lt Michaels Romulan Galae Personnel: Chief Engineer: Erei'Riov (Sub-Commander) Akal t'Faelo Chief Dockmaster: El'Arrain (Senior Centurion) Taemid tr'Lokan Klingon Defense Force Personnel: Chief Tactical Officer: Sogh'a (Senior Lieutenant) BroHngh Chief of Diplomatic Security: RawI (Commander) haGnOka Diplomatic: Romulan Liaison: Ambassador Haeli S'Kan Klingon Liaison: Governor K'Vorlag Dominion Liaison: Vorta Functionary Taela Hundred Liaison: Vorta Functionary Semil Federation Liaison: Ambassador t'Salik Civilian: Proprietor of the Holy Grail: Mog* Proprietor of the Ambrosia: Samoth Ryvertu* -- Avalon Base: Commanding Officer, Avalon Base: Commander Cedric Tannis* Chief Medical Officer, Avalon Base: Lt. Shujinko Akia* -- Romulan Base: Commanding Officer: Administrator t'Sale -- Romulan Fleet: Commanding Officer: Ennarrain Destorie N'Dak

Current: 01/10/21 Guide: Denotes LOA += NPC *= Excalibur Starburst of Excellence ^= Crispin Xavier Stamina Award &= Captain's Quill and PADD Award (!) = Order of the Round Table -- Command Division: This division is lead by the command staff and contains the enlisted division of Administrative Command. All Departments ultimately report to this division. It is led by the Commanding Officer. In addition key functions normally termed "Operations" such as communications and navigation, fall under this division. Tactical, which handles weapons control and defensive systems operation, also works nominally within this department to operate communications equipment. Essentially, the Executive officer functions as the 'Chief of Operations,' and coordinates the cross-department functions of bridge and ship operations. Commanding Officer - Captain Asher Swain (!) Executive Officer - Commander Jalen Stanton (NPC) Helm/Navigation - Lieutenant Valerie Carillon (NPC) Operations - LOA Tactical - Rotated Through Security -- Engineering: This division is tasked with the maintenance and operation of the vessel's systems. As a unit, they contain the enlisted division of Technical Engineering and Operations Support, and they work closely with the Air Group. The unit is led by the Chief of Engineering. Chief of Engineering - Lt. Commander William Chocox Assistant Engineer - Ensign Mallory Reynolds (NPC) Assistant Engineer - OPEN Assistant Engineer - OPEN -- Medical: This division's task is obvious—the care and welfare of the crew. In practice, the medical division works closely with all departments, but particularly with science when dealing with threats to the ship, or new problems that may arise in a given mission. There is no dedicated enlisted division that coincides with Medical, however the grade of Medtech and Hospital Corpsmen within the Administrative Command division function under the de facto leadership of the Chief Medical Officer. Within the department there are various subsections, such as Chief Surgeon, or Chief Counselor, however, all of these sub-department heads report directly to the CMO. Chief Medical Officer - Lt. Commander Maryse Dubois (!) Assistant Medical Officer - Lieutenant (jg) Indaura Ryssan Assistant Medical Officer - Lieutenant Taryn Castell *&&&(!) + (NPC) Assistant Medical Officer - OPEN Counselor - Lieutenant (jg) Indaura Ryssan -- Security: Protecting the vessel from all threats is the most important, but not only, role the Security division plays aboard a starship. They function as not only a military police, but also serve as the ships first line of defense and work closely with the Marine division during ground operations. Chief Security Officer - Lt. Commander Lucius Rex (NPC) Assistant Security Officer - LOA Assistant Security Officer - OPEN Assistant Security Officer - OPEN -- Science: Possibly the most diverse group aboard any starship, the Science department serves a vital roll in the Federation's primary mission of exploration. Officer's in this department work closely with the Command division to help solve problems the ship encounters, as well as conducts research of its own, often in concert with civilian scientists stationed aboard the ship. Science is headed by the Chief Science Officer who usually also holds the title of 'Director of Scientific Research,' though not by default. Chief Science Officer - LOA Assistant Science Officer - Ensign Irene Mincine & Assistant Science Officer - OPEN Assistant Science Officer - OPEN -- LOA: Commander Miranda Hawthorne (!) Lieutenant Hakran K'hal * Lieutenant (jg) Rhan K'hal *(!) Master Gunnery Sergeant Hunter 'Kal' Matheson XLOA: Lieutenant Commander Marius tr'Lorin *(!) Lieutenant Commander Ryan Messner^^^&(!) Commander Tandaris Admiran *&(!) --------------------------------------------------- Archived until further notice: 310th Fighter Squadron: Aboard some ships and stations, such as the Excalibur, there is a dedicated 'air' group. In those situations, all secondary craft and their operations fall under the direct supervision of the Squadron commander, nominally titled 'Chief of the Air Group' or CAG. Chief of the Air Group- Lieutenant Commander Constance d'Aubigné + Pilot- OPEN Pilot- OPEN Pilot- OPEN -- Marines: With the expansion of the Starfleet Marine Corps, a number of new roles aboard Federation Starships in regards to this division have been created. Typically, the bulk of the Marine Deployment aboard a starship will be enlisted crew, while Marine officers serve in any branch of starships operational needs. Marines may be called upon to fulfill any number of mission requirements and must be among the most flexible departments aboard a starship or station, the Marine detachment aboard a starship is under the direction of the highest ranking officer whose rank, depending on the size of the deployment, is typically a Colonel or Major and under the supervision of the Commanding Officer of the vessel. The Excalibur has been assigned a Marine Company (153rd Marine Company) consisting of 3 platoons. Marine CO - Major Ryu Seung-jae + Marine XO - OPEN Marine - OPEN Marine - OPEN

Excalibur Starburst of Excellence: Awarded yearly to the simmer who most exemplifies the Excalibur mission; contributing logs, attendance, and overall excellence in play. To be selected by the command team. Winner: Charlotte Mastumura Crispin Xavier Stamina Medal: Awarded yearly to the player with the best overall attendance, and named in honor of former player Crispin Xavier. Awarded by the command team. Winner: Mark Garrison Captain's Quill and PADD Award: Awarded yearly for the best log, or best series of logs; given by Captain Ah-Windu Corizon/Captain Asher Swain. Winner: Mark Garrison & Victria Meritorious Achievement Award: Awarded to the simmers for excellence in log writing. To be selected by the command team. Winners: Rue Wydown, Laarell Teykier, Fae, Tandaris Admiran

Warm sea air blew across the sprawling complex of Starfleet Command. Captain Asher Swain smiled to himself, enjoying the moment of nostalgia both from his days in the academy and those of his youth. After a few minutes walking from the shuttle landing pad, he was outside of the office of Rear Admiral Cara Satine. Situated on the second floor of the squat, white walled Gagarin building, her office was easily twice the size of his ready room. Though one of the older buildings on the campus of Starfleet Command, it had been renovated several years before and had all the trappings of a modern, late 24th century office complex. He smiled to the receptionist as she waived him past and into Satine’s office, proper. He was immediately struck by the simplicity of the office’s decor. “Welcome Captain,” Satine said standing up from her desk. “Please do come in. Though it’s such a lovely afternoon, why don’t we have a walk instead?” It was a lovely afternoon. “Of course, Admiral.” Once they’d started down a path through one of the many botanical gardens that surrounded Starfleet HQ, Satine turned to Swain. She was, he decided, younger than he’d expected. Perhaps only a few years his senior. Decidedly human, with raven hair and brilliant blue eyes, she was if nothing else attractive. “I am sorry to bring you down here so abruptly,” she said. “Especially before you’ve had the chance to properly debrief following your latest mission.” It was a bit of inconvenience, but you didn’t tell brass that. “Not a problem, Admiral.” She nodded in acknowledgement and continued walking. “I am sure you’re wondering what this is about.” “To be honest,” he said. “Yes. The Cassini is scheduled overhaul.” “Yes,” she said with a thoughtful nod. “I am aware.” Of course she knew that, he considered. “If I may, is that overhaul being rescheduled? If it is, I’d like to ask that...” “No,” she interrupted gently. “The Cassini’s overhaul will be going ahead as scheduled and your crew will have ample opportunity for liberty.” Swain sighed in relief. He’d hoped that if they were going to get shipped off to the Gamma Quadrant that he could weasel leave out of it, but he was just as happy to not have to beg for it. “Thank you, I am sure they’ll appreciate it.” She nodded. “I will be rather straight forward with you though.” Oh dear. “Hmm?” “Captain,” she said stopping. “Have you enjoyed your time as commanding officer of the Cassini?” He paused. It was a strange question. “Um,” he said. “Yes.” She frowned. “That’s unfortunate.” That was even stranger. “I though you were going to be straight forward.” Satine smiled, laughing. “So I did, Captain.” She motioned for him to continue walking with her. “I love this time of year, don’t you? I have a house up in Maine, and the leaves are splendid. Have you ever been there?” “Maine,” he said. “Yes,” she said. “It obviously cooler in climate. Can’t go around in shorts and t-shirts.” He nodded. “Yeah, we went camping near Halifax a few times when I was at the academy.” “Lovely area.” What was that about being direct? Swain sighed despite himself. At least she was being personable. By now he was rather sure that whatever she had to ask or to tell him, he wasn’t going to like. He wasn’t entirely sure though, if he’d rather she just got it over with though. “It is,” he said, stopping. “Admiral, I get the feeling that I am not going to be entirely pleased by whatever you called me down here for, so why don’t we just get right to it. Its not that I don’t appreciate the small talk.” Satine grinned lopsidedly. “I like your style Captain. It will serve you well.” “Oh?” She paused, taking a breath deciding how to phrase her words. “Captain, you’re going to be reassigned.” His smile faded. “Reassigned?” “Yes,” she said. “I cannot tell you exactly where yet, because the orders are still being cut, but I can tell you it will most likely be on a starship in the Gamma Quadrant.” He shook his head. “I don’t suppose I can refuse.” “If you want to spend some time in the brig, by all means.” Sighing he glanced away for a moment. “Why can’t the Cassini simply be reassigned there once our overhaul is completed? We’re perfectly suited to it, and I am already comfortable with the crew.” “We have a particular ship in mind,” she said, “and your combination of experience in the Gamma Quadrant and reputation as a level headed commander, combined with your availability at this time make you a more than ideal candidate.” “The Excalibur?”

The Cassini finally arrived in the Sol system, having been away for nearly three years. In many ways her Captain was looking forward to it. Though he rather dreaded the eventuality of having nothing to do while the ship underwent refit, it would be a chance to catch up with old friends and perhaps even take a transport out to Abscean to see his family. Standing in his quarters, his face pressed to the glass as they glided past Utopia Planetia and Mars, he noticed in the distance one of the newest Sovereign-class vessels fitting into berth and smiled – perhaps one day he'd command one flagships of the fleet. Asher Swain glanced away and headed for the bridge. He found it to be in rather good spirit – as one would expect. "Captain," Commander Allyisa Neyrn said with a smile. "We're entering Earth orbit." "Excellent," he said taking his place in the command seat. "Request permission to dock." "Aye, Captain. Communications, contact Starfleet Dock Control and request permission to dock at Space Dock." "Aye, Commander." Neyrn turned to Swain. "Good to be home, don't you think?" "Always is." They both looked towards the view screen as it filled with bright blue image of Earth. No matter how many times he saw it, Swain could never get over the image. "Once we've received permission to dock, let the crew know they're on leave till further notice. I am sure fleet will want to reassign some of them." "Of course," she said with a nod. "How long do you think it will take before the orders start coming in?" "At least a week or so," he said with a smile. Neyrn opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by the communications officer. "Dock Control has given us clearance to proceed into line. We'll be third behind the Asia and the Lakon." "Aye. Helm, put us into position." Though it took a full half-hour for the Cassini to be next in-line, the minutes went by quickly and Swain felt a small tinge of anxiety as his last few minutes of real freedom for the next several months came to an end. "Ahead, thrusters only," he said with a sigh. "Once we've reached the doors…" "I've done this before, you know Captain." He smirked. "So you have. You know the drill." The helmsman grinned and fired the thrusters ahead until the massive doors of Space Dock began enveloping them and docking control took over piloting the Intrepid-class starship into her berth. Space Dock, the massive orbiting facility above Earth larger than almost any other space-born structure ever built by the Federation, was as usual filled with dozens of starships either in for port or those assigned to home fleet. Many, like the Cassini, were waiting in queue for extensive overhauls and upgrades, while others awaited new crews. One ship in particular caught Asher's eye as they neared their final docking berth. The Excalibur. He didn't know the ship personally, but he did have a number of old colleagues that served in the Gamma Quadrant and he knew she was one of the lead ships of the Starfleet force stationed out of Camelot – curious that she'd be at Space Dock, especially given the dry dock facilities at Camelot. As curiosity coursed through his brain, the voice of his executive officer again brought him back to reality. "Captain," she repeated. "Priority level transmission from Command." He blinked. Curious. "Oh?" "Once we've docked, you've been requested to report to Rear Admiral Satine as soon as possible at Command." He lifted a brow. "That's…" "Interesting?" "Yes." "Anyone you know?" "Satine," he said with a puzzled look. "Can't say that the name means anything in particular to me." "Says in her signature she's got something to do with Gamma Quadrant Command." His brow furrowed. "Interesting." "Orders?" "Once we dock, tell the crew to stay close. Our vacation might be on hold, Commander…"

The USS Cassini glided through the blue and green wisps of gaseous clouds that made up the Yann’zou Expanse like an ancient sailing ship cutting through the morning fog rolling off the ocean. Watching out the window of his ready room, with a cup of strong tea wrapped between his hands, her master sighed happily. The Cassini was finishing her third survey of the expanse and as soon as she picked up the last of the long-range mapping beacons used to help better triangulate positions within the expanse, she would set course for her next mission – wherever that took her. Putting his tea down, Captain Asher Swain smiled as he considered how smoothly this particular pass through the expanse had been, and how that despite it being his fourth such mission, they’d still managed to find something new and interesting that filled him with the same sense of excitement and wonder that he’d felt the first time he’d gazed upon the murky green and blue clouds of gas and dust that swirled through the forty lightyear wide expanse on the edge of the Beta Quadrant. He recalled, fondly, the first mission he’d led to the expanse when he’d first taken command of the Cassini. He’d been very excited when he got the orders to begin the three month survey of the expanse, having briefly been part a cataloging mission while aboard the George Washington. During that first mission, the Cassini had not only completed the first real map of the expanse, but also discovered three new types of microbes that lived in space, feeding off the gaseous particles. Their second mission, which had been an even longer 6-month mission, had revealed dozens of new spatial anomalies and yielded first contact with two new species. So when he was told he’d be on a third mission that would last almost a year, he’d been ecstatic. Swain stood and walked over to the fresher, depositing his tea mug before returning to the couch with a happy sigh. It was hard to believe that a year had passed already. When they first arrived, he’d been almost disappointed (though he didn’t let his senior staff know), because for the first seven weeks they were in the expanse, they found absolutely nothing of scientific note; but like everything he’d found since venturing into space, in the blink of an eye, you can find something that makes you rethink everything you’ve known. He was on the bridge, it was a Thursday he recalled, sitting in on gamma shift while his XO took a few days off with a runabout. Everything had been the very definition of the word routine since they’d arrived. They planted their beacons without incident and began their first pass through the expanse’s core region. The core of the expanse was filled with asteroids and thick patches of methane, argon, chlorine and energetic plasma. It had largely been ignored during previous surveys of the region, including the two earlier missions by the Cassini because it was thought to be devoid of life and posed navigational hazards. Still for all the explosive gases laying around them, their journey into the core had been routine, if not filled with a starscape of occasional fireworks as the energetic plasma reacted with the explosive gasses whirling through the area. Swain was sitting in his chair, drinking a cup of oolong tea, reading a report from the nightwatch about peculiar readings coming from a mass deeper inside the core region. Always the explorer, Swain had ordered the Cassini to alter course to investigate. His helmsman had, as usual, rolled her eyes (all four of them), declaring that it was nothing and he just wanted something to keep her busy. It was only partially true. The most interesting thing about the report had been that the mass appeared to be organic. Swain still was rather surprised, even months later that they had actually found not just life, a whole swarm of never-before-seen creatures massed deep in the expanses’ core. He remembered watching on the view screen as they finally came into visual range. He’d been so surprised at the time that he’d dropped his tea in his lap. It was a reminder that not only did life somehow find a way to flourish even in the most inhospitable of places, but that there was always something new, something exiting waiting behind the next star, or under the next rock; it was a lesson he’d learned many years before as a young boy exploring the wilds of his home planet. With a smile, he glanced from the stars to the framed butterfly collection hanging above his desk thinking of the days and nights he’d spent in the woods around his family farm collecting new samples, each one filling him with excitement. At night he’d lay awake under the stars, looking up trying to find new constellations, mapping them in detail in his trusted journal. Always the scientist, he considered. “Captain,” came a voice, pulling him from the thoughts of boyhood. Blinking briefly, he looked up to see his executive officer standing in his doorway, a PADD tucked underneath her arm. “I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything,” she said coyly. “When you didn’t answer the doorbell, I figured I might as well let myself in.” Trying his best to put on a serious face, he stood with his hand on his hips. “Allyisa,” he said trying to be authoritative, “what are you ever going to do if you have a Captain who does mind you invading his personal space.” “He’ll get over it,” she said with a wide smile, and entered more fully into the room, walking to meet her friend and captain. “Besides, you’re not going anywhere and neither am I.” Swain finally gave up on his attempt to be serious and joined her in smirking. Allyisa Neyrn noted the change and headed for the couch. She’d known Asher Swain for nearly fifteen years. They’d been co-workers, then lovers, then co-workers, then friends and now they’d become not just friends but partners who helped guide hundred and fifty souls through the great unknowns as commanding and executive officers; and though she knew they’d never be intimate again, she couldn’t help but wonder how things might have been every time she felt his soft, hazel eyes fall on her and saw his charming, always disarming smile. Pushing aside her thoughts, thankful he wasn’t a telepath, she looked over once he joined her on the couch. “I guess I am too late for tea?” Swain smirked, rising quickly. “As if one can ever be late for tea,” he said moving to the replicator. “Besides, you know I can always drink more than one cup.” “Of course,” she said, “I’ll take my usual, though no cream. I am trying to cut that out.” “You know that the computer can replicate fat-free cream,” he said as he punched in the commands. “Not that you should be drinking cream in your tea anyway.” “I know that,” she said with a mock-glower. “Besides, you drink that awful dark tea that wouldn’t be fit for a Targ to drink, and they’ll drink anything.” “There is nothing wrong with Asinina tea,” he said, returning with two mugs. “Besides, I’ve been on an oolong kick for a couple months.” “I see,” she said feigning disinterest. “For someone who crows about how tea should be drank ‘correctly,’ you sure don’t hesitate to use the replicator. I know my grandmother would never have served someone tea out of one of those things.” “Your grandmother,” he said, “also had the good fortune of owning a teahouse. I’d hope she wouldn’t serve replicated tea.” Neyrn finally grinned and took her cup from Swain, who’d settled in opposite her in a recliner. “So, if you didn’t come for my wonderful tea,” he said with a wide grin. “What did you come for?” “We’ve finished picking up the last of the beacons. I had Santos lay in a course for Starbase 36. We’ll want to stop off there, I think, before…” “Before what?” She slid a PADD across the small table that sat between them. “Before we go wherever that says we’re going; just came in about an hour ago.” Picking it up, Swain recognized it as orders from Command and sighed as he entered his pass codes to gain access. He knew that sooner or later these would come in, still he’d hoped that crew could grab some R&R at a base before they had to trek off on some new mission or the other, especially considering that it had been almost eight months since they’d seen a port and almost a year since they’d seen a starbase. His hazel eyes flickered as he read the PADD. For a few moments he said nothing. Neyrn looked up from her tea when it was starting to become noticeable. “Well?” He sighed, putting both his tea and the PADD down. Running his hands through his shoulder length brown hair, they finally rested on the bridge of his nose. “Cancel the trip to thirty-six,” he said finally. “No real reason to go there.” She lifted her brow. “You do know it’s been nearly eight months since we’ve so much as blinked at a port. The crew’s getting a little itchy. Not to mention we’re running a little low on supplies. Asher, if we’re going on any kind of a mission the least you can…” He held up a hand. “I think they can wait.” “Asher,” she said more forcibly. “Unless we’re saving…" “We’re to put into McKinley Station.” “Oh,” she said softly before repeating herself again. “Oh.” “So yeah I am sure they can deal with a few more days on ship. Most of them are going to get a good long rest.” She finished her tea and stood up. “Yeah, I guess so. Well, if that’s all, I better go have Travain alter our course. “ Swain nodded and watched as she headed towards the door. “I guess I’ll see you later then? Dinner at my place?” “Why not have the whole senior staff in your mess?” “That’s a good idea, I’ll tell them then.” “I am sure Johnson will be excited,” she said, referencing the ship’s rambunctious, barely out of the academy chief engineer. “He’s been homesick since we got out here I think.” “Yeah,” he said. “So don’t spoil my surprise.” Neyrn smiled and headed for the door, leaving Swain alone to consider the future.

The Excalibur-C Specs: Class: Akira Type: Heavy Cruiser/Carrier Unit Run: 2363 - present Commissioned: 2381 Launched: 2383 Dimensions: Length : 464.43 m Beam : 316.67 m Height : 87.43 m Decks : 19 Mass: 3,055,000 metric tons Crew: 550 officers/enlisted + Flight Crews; 4,500 Evacuation Limit Armament: 5 x Type XII phaser arrays, total output 35,700 Terawatts 3 x Type X phaser arrays, total output 17,500 TeraWatts 2 x Twin Class II rapid fire phaser pulse cannon, total output 10,000 Terawatts 2 x Rapid Fire Quantum Torpedo Launcher + 125 torpedoes 10 x Burst Fire Torpedo Launchers + 300 torpedoes 6 x CIWS 95mm Point-to-Point defense canons 2 x Single Tube Anti-Torpedo Counter Measure Launchers +50 Measures Defense Systems: Regenerative shield system, total capacity 2,000,300 TeraJoules Standard Duranium/Tritanium Double hull plus 5.4 cm Ablative Armor. High level Structural Integrity Field Propulsion / Power Systems: Warp Propulsion and main power provided by a Type XI M/AM Reactor Impulse power provided by two impulse engines powered by four fusion reactors encased each within engine housing. Maneuverability provided by a series of twelve surface mounted retro-thrusters pods [six retro-thrusters per pod] and a series of fourteen embedded RCS thruster quads Warp Speeds (TNG scale) Normal Cruise : 7 Maximum Cruise : 9.5 for 10 hours Maximum Rated : 9.89 for 8 hours. Diplomatic Capability: Grade III Expected Hull Life 120 years Refit Cycle: Minor : 5 year Standard : 10 years Major : 20 years Design History: The venerable Akira-class has proven itself in major combat situations with the Dominion, Borg and a host of other situations. It has also proven itself to be a capable all-purpose ship. The first of these models have reached their first major-refit cycle, as such all new ships, like the Excalibur-C of this class will be outfitted to these specification. The Excalibur-C is the first of the Akira's to be built with the major refit standards, and as such is classified as an Akira-class of the Excalibur subtype. Most of the major changes from the original Akira-class are beneath the surface and largely are updates to systems such as the EPS grids, LCARS and other support systems. Other adaptations include an enlarged science laboratory section to accommodate a wider range of missions; updates to the sensor palette; a more balanced armament that features fewer photon torpedo launchers in favor of more phaser banks and two quantum torpedo launchers in addition to the still experimental Anti-Torpedo Counter Measure launchers and CIWS Point-to-Point defense canons. Other updates include a newer warp core to augment faster warp speeds, updated fighter compliment and the addition of Marine areas. Tactical Wing: 24 x Type 6 "Lancelot" Multirole Fighter 12 x Type 6A "Lancelot Advanced" Strike Fighter 6 x Type 5 "Guinevere" Light Bomber 4 x Type 3-EW/R "Danube" Runabout Shuttle Compliment: 8 x Type 9 "Orion" Multirole Transport Shuttle 6 x Type 11 "Canberra" Cargo/Long Range Shuttle 2 x Type 3C "Normandy" Armored Transport Shuttle Support Craft: 2 x Sphinx-class Utility Ship 2 x Adventure-class Long Range Scouts 1 x Ethan Allen-class Raider 1 x Cousteau-class Captain's Yacht Deck Layout: Weapons Pod*: Deck A: Tactical Information Center/Flight Operations, Flight Operations Deck B: TIC Maintenance Support Section, Torpedo Storage Deck C: Sail Torpedo Control Room, Torpedo Launchers(x7) Deck D: Sail Torpedo Magazine Emergency Shield Generators 1-2 *Only Deck D is accessible by Main Lift, All other decks are only accessible by a separate lift system Command Section: Deck 1: Captains Ready Room, Main Bridge, Briefing Room, Observation Lounge Deck 2: Junior and Senior Officers Quarters, VIP/Guest Quarters, Executive Officer's Office Deck 3: Visiting Officers / Noncommissioned Officer's Quarters, Captain's Quarters Catamaran Section* Deck 1A: Phaser control, Parts Storage, Secondary Armory Deck 1B: Phaser control, Parts Storage, Tertiary Armory Deck 2A: Storage, Long-term Isolation and Cryo-units, Enlistee Quarters Deck 2B: Storage, Crew Quarters, Barbershop, Holosuites Deck 3A: Secondary Lounge, Crew Quarters, Training and Recreation Facility, Holodecks, Primary Shield Generators Deck 3B: Marine Headquarters, Marine Company Barracks, Marine Officer Quarters, Marine Armory,Primary Shield Generators *Decks 1A-3A and 1A-3B are located on the raised 'catamaran' section of the dorsal hull Primary Hull Deck 4: Primary Machine Shop, Primary Maintenance Support Center, Chief Science Officer's Office, Primary Science Labs, Junior and Senior Officers Quarters Deck 5: Junior Officers and Crew Quarters, Main Lounge, Secondary Science Labs , Cargo Bay 1 & 2 Deck 6: Primary Computer Core Control, Main Galley, Officer's Dining, Mess Hall, Captain's Mess Cargo Bay 3 - Primary Cargo Bay Deck 7: Primary Computer Core, Shuttle Maintenance Hangar and Storage, Stellar Cartography Deck 8: Primary Computer Core, Flight Operations Armory, Fighter Maintenance Hangar and Storage Deck 9: Fore and Aft Torpedo Bay Control, Torpedo Magazine and Manufacturing Area, Shuttle and Fighter Hangar Elevator Support Systems, Primary Shield Generators Deck 10: Transporter Rooms 3 and 4, Shuttle and Fighter Preparation Pre-Flight Bay, Emergency Shield Generators 3-4, Phaser Control Systems. Deck 11: Sickbay, Chief Medical Officer's Office, Primary Medical Labs, Counselor's Office Shuttlebay [Fore and Aft access via deck 12] Deck 12: Primary Systems Support Compartments, Shuttlebay [Fore and Aft Access] Deck 13: Flight Personnel Quarters, Secondary Shuttle and Fighter Maintenance Hangar, Flight Deck Operations and Maintenance, Chief of the Air Group's Office, Air Group Briefing Room Deck 14: Upper Engineering Support Area, Fusion Power Generators 1-4, Enlisted Personnel Living Barracks, Aft and Lower Forward Torpedo Bay and Control, Chief Security Officer's Office, Armory, Firing Range, Main Security, Brig Deck 15: Main Engineering - M/ARA Operations Center, Fusion Power Generators 4-6, Flight Operations Barracks, Transporter Rooms 1 and 2, Armory, Chief Engineer's Office/Station Deck 16: Lower Engineering, Deflector Control, Main Tractor Beam Control and Emitter, Environmental Control, Secondary Computer Core, Null-G Gymnasium/Weight Room Deck 17: Tertiary Maintenance Support Center, Secondary Systems Deck 18: Environmental Control, Deuterium Storage, Anti-matter Storage Pods, Gravimetric Polaron Generators, Secondary Shield Generators Deck 19: Waste Management systems, Support Systems, Umbilical Support CREW QUARTERS SYSTEMS Enlisted, Flight, Marine, and Crew Quarters: Standard Living Quarters are provided for both Starfleet Non-Commissioned Officers, Marines, Flight Crew and Ensigns. These persons are expected to share their room with other crewmates due to space restrictions aboard the starship. Crewmembers share quarters with up to 4 others. Accommodations include 1 bedrooms with four bunks, two to a set, with a small work/commons area. A communal ultrasonic shower/head room is located off of each barrack, and is shared by three other barracks. A food replicator and a personal holographic viewer are located in the living area. Pets are not allowed to crew in these sections.. Officers' Quarters: Starfleet personnel from the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade up to Commander are given one set of quarters to themselves. In addition, department heads and their assistants are granted such privileges as well, in an effort to provide a private environment to perform off-duty work. These accommodations typically include a small bathroom, a bedroom (with standard bed), a living/work area, a food replicator, an ultrasonic shower, personal holographic viewer, and provisions for pets, depending on the Commanding officer's policy. There are three sizes of Officer's Quarters: Junior (Smallest), Senior (Large), and finally Family (Largest). However, because of the Akira's primary mission, few families are stationed aboard and there are very few of the family size, which have a slightly different configuration from the other two. Executive Quarters: The Captain and Executive Officer of the vessel both have special quarters, located near the bridge. They are located on a higher deck because these two people must be closer to the bridge in the event of an Alert situation. These quarters are much more luxurious than any others on the ship, with the exception of the VIP/Diplomatic Guest quarters. Both the Executive Officer's and the Captain's quarters are larger than standard Officer's Quarters, and this space generally has the following accommodations: a bedroom, living/work area, full bathroom, food replicator, ultrasonic shower, old-fashioned water shower, personal holographic viewer, provisions for pets, and even a null-grav sleeping chamber is optional. These quarters are similar in "comfort" to those of a high-ranking officer's quarters on a Galaxy Class Starship. The Captain's quarters are slightly larger than the Executive Officer's. VIP/Diplomatic Guest Quarters: The Akira Class is a symbol of UFP authority, a tool in dealing with other races. Starfleet intends to use Akira Class in diplomacy several times, and the need to transport or accommodate Very Important Persons, diplomats, or ambassadors may arise. These quarters are located on Deck 3. These quarters include a bedroom, spacious living/work area, personal viewscreen, ultrasonic shower, bathtub/water shower, provisions for pets, food replicator, and a null-grav sleeping chamber. These quarters can be immediately converted to class H, K, L, N, and N2 environments. While smaller in size than those facilities aboard a Galaxy Class or the newer Norway Class vessel, they are still far superior in fit and finish when compared to Starfleet Officer quarters. Excalibur Bridge The bridge of the new USS Excalibur is a complete redesign of the Akira class control center to coincide with the new variant. In reflection of its new, multi-mission emphasis, the Excalibur's bridge has been expanded to incorporate more stations with variable uses, as well as providing more space for the standard duty stations. All in all, the new design should lend to a more productive and enjoyable experience for bridge personnel. The most desired position in all of Starfleet has a new look, and location. Rather than being sunk into the bridge as in most recent bridge designs, the CO will now have a bird's-eye view of the entire control center. Elevated a half meter above the outer ring and 1.5 meters above the helm, this "perch" will allow the Captain to monitor the proceedings at every station without obstruction. The Captain's Chair (CC) itself can swivel 360°, so that even the MSD can be seen. The major reason for this, though, is the newest feature, and a Starfleet first. Due to the success of the EMH program and the necessity of installing holoprojectors in key areas, bridges are now able to fully use holograms. Of course, one can't program the bridge to be a vacation spot, as this would violate many regulations. Now, however, thanks to new imaging technology and specially placed sensors, the bridge can provide a 360-degree; view of surrounding space. Following the level of the floor, this holo-view will extend outside of the center railing and will allow those inside the ability to see the space around them as has only been possible in holodecks and stellar cartography labs. The uses of this, from advanced tactical views to providing the bridge crew with the opportunity to see the phenomena they are exploring will truly give those personnel the best data possible. Other staples of the starship bridge have changed as well. The main viewer is now entirely holographic, and can be resized based on the needs of the mission. Within the center ring, the crew of the USS Excalibur will find two fully rotatable platforms. The Executive Officer's Platform to starboard as well as the new Auxilliary Tactical Platform can both rotate through 360-degree, allowing the best use of the new half-sphere holo-view. Dual in-service turbolifts will provide quick access to and from the bridge from either side of the catamaran hull, The high spherical dome over the bridge allows the holo-view full room to work, as well as providing the bridge with a much more open feel. The outer ring stations are equipped with much more console space and full wall screens to provide those duty officers the best possible data for their mission. All of this functionality should not rule out style, however, and the designers of the new bridge have taken this into account. All throughout the bridge, you will find the shine of steel to reflect the ship's namesake. The brushed duranium walls provide excellent acoustics as well as providing scientifically designed "easy-on-the-eyes" reflectivity. The deep charcoal carpeting is inlayed with strips of burgundy along the walls and railings, and it's durable and cushioned installation will ensure that even stand-up operations at the auxilliary consoles do not become tiring. Those fortunate enough to have seats will sit in adjustable chairs with proper lumbar support, and even Orion officers could not complain about the deep burgundy synth-leather. The center area is a circle to reflect on the Round Table of the Excalibur legends, and is made with genuine Amboya Burl hand-rail and complimentary steel balustrade. As one looks over at the platinum engraved dedication plaque near the ready room entrance, one can look down to see inlayed carpet in the shape of the legendary sword in the exact center of the bridge forward of the CC. Besides providing an aesthetic boost for the space, it can also stand as a reminder of the purpose behind the weapon, and stand guard over the crew of the new USS Excalibur NCC-2004-C. Top View Color Swatch -- Carrier Air Group Information Overview and Background Developed to counter the rise of smaller attack vessels and to combat raiders, privateer vessels and escort missions, the modern Starfleet 'air group' is a radical departure from previous doctrine and design. As part of the Federation Defense Assessment and Reorganization Initiative (2368-72), a project (suspended by the Dominion War) that was a result of Starfleet's tactical difficulties in the Cardassian and Tzenkethi Conflicts, struggles in containing the Maquis Insurgency, deficiencies in the Galaxy Project vessels, and shortcomings in standard "shore" defense and Maritime patrol tasks following the destruction of the 'home fleet' in the Borg Incursion and Battle of Wolf 359; Starfleet began developing replacements for a number of outdated or older vessels and support craft, many of which were based on the older Ambassador or Excelsior "families." One of these areas included Starfleet's primary "fighters" the Type 3 "Peregrine" Multirole Fighter, which has been in active service since the early 2320's. Considered by many to be the Miranda or Excelsior class of support vessels, the Peregrine's had proven to be exceptionally durable, cheap and easy to produce, and easily adaptable to a number of mission profiles. Starfleet had previously attempted to replace them during both the Ambassador Design Project (the Type 4 "Banshee") and the Galaxy Design Project (the Type 5 "Fulcrum") but both platforms proved unsuccessful as both suffered from technological and development setbacks, and in the case of the Banshee, being found to be unstable in high speed combat maneuvering. While the Fulcrum would serve as the basis for the, Type 3 "Danube" Runabout, the Type 4 "Marauder" Bomber, and Type 8 "Covair" Shuttle, the Peregrine continued as the dominate fighter craft in Starfleet and member races armed services. By the late 2360's though, they had begun to show their age, their limited impulse only propulsion systems severely limited their range and made them dependent on the aging Hornet-class Fleet Carriers that had been developed alongside the Constitution, Miranda and Constellation classes until the development of the Akira-class Heavy Cruiser/Carrier. During the Dominion War the Peregrines served as the primary fighter for Starfleet but were easily outgunned and outclassed by the Dominion Attack Fighters, resulting in a nearly 85% loss of all active vessels. Following the conclusion of the Dominion War and based on the previously findings of the FDARI Starfleet began the development of an entirely new fighter based on the highly successful Type 9 "Orion" Shuttlecraft architecture. Parallel and in concert with this, Starfleet had also engaged in a reassessment of its tactical organization and priorities and determined that along with a dedicated ground/station defense force (Starfleet Marine Study Initiative) that the rapid expansion of its fighter force was required. As such in addition to the new Type 6 Lancelot and Lancelot Advance fighters, a number of other support craft were substantially upgraded or redesigned. Composition and Role The standard Combat Air Group for an Akira-class varies from ship to ship, but typically consists of a three pronged force: the Tactical Wing, the Transport or Cargo Wing, and the Support Wing. The Tactical Wing typically consists of two squadrons of standard Lancelot multirole fighters capable of a wide variety of missions; a squadron of the larger, longer range, heavier Lancelot Advanced Strike fighters; a squadron of Guinevere or Marauder Fighter/Bombers; and a squadron of specially modified Danube Runabouts fixed with Electronic Warfare or Advanced Sensor Pods. The tactical wing serves a variety of purposes and is flexible enough to preform under numerous mission profiles, ranging from close air support, to escort, search and rescue, among others. The Cargo/Transport Wing consists largely of various shuttles and shuttlepods and typically a compliment of Normandy or Iwo Jima Armored Transports. With the exception of the addition of armor transports, primarily used for Marine or Security purposes, the cargo/transport component of the Carrier Air Group is virtually identical to the support staff of virtually any other Starfleet vessel. The final prong, the Support Wing, can vary wildly mission by mission, but generally includes WorkerBee class utility vessels, two small Adventure Class Scout ships, an Ethan Allen Class Corvette and the Captain's Yacht. Unlike the older Hornet-class Fleet Carriers, the Akira-class is capable of operating in standard mission profiles without an attendant group of escorts and destroyers for protection, though in practice and depending on the mission assignment, they will often serve as the leadship of small groups including light destroyers and escorts. The trade off, however, is a heavier reliance on the Combat Air Patrol for recon, to compensate, all Akira class carriers are assigned several small vessels to provide long range scouting of any area. Selected Specifications Class: Lancelot Type: Multirole Fighter Production Run: 2380-PRESENT Dimensions: Length : 12.3 M Beam : 11.8 M Height : 5.2 M Mass: 24 Metric Tons Crew: 1 Pilot Armament: 2 x Dual Class II rapid fire phaser pulse cannon 1 x Type IX Phaser Array 1 x Micro Photon Torpedo Launcher (5 Rounds) Defense Systems: Light Shield System, total capacity 30,000 TeraJoules Light Duranium/Tritanium hull plus 2 cm Ablative Armor. High level Structural Integrity Field Propulsion / Power Systems Impulse and warp power provided by Type J-III M/AM Warp Reactor Maneuverability provided by a series of six surface mounted retro-thrusters pods [10 retro-thrusters per pod] and a series of four embedded RCS thruster quads Speeds (TNG scale) Warp Cruise 1.69 for 48 hours Warp Max: 5.5 for 7 hours Impulse: .9 x c Atmospheric Cruise (Mach) : 4.26 Atmospheric Max (Mach): 9 Expected Hull Life: 20 Years Refit Cycle Minor : 6 Months Standard : 1.5 Years Major : 4 years The Lancelot-class fighter was designed in the wake of the Dominion war. In the years since the end of the war, the Federation realized that the Peregrine design that had formed the bulk of the Starfleet fighters had reached the end of their life cycle. Starfleet Command commissioned the design of a totally new fighter, the Lancelot-class. Designed to be a light strike fighter that would be more agile than the Peregrines, which had been labeled as "underpowered runabouts," during the Dominion War, the Lancelot is a completely new designe, based more heavily on a shuttle (the Type 9 "Orion") than a runabout. After initial studies showed a design that was too large, Starfleet Design introduced a radical new concept for the Lancelot. Unlike almost every other warp-capable ship, it would not contain both fusion reactors and a M/AM driver -- a key requirement for the design had been warp capability to make the fighters less dependent on dedicated carriers. Instead it would use state-of-the-art warp field controls to produce sub-light speeds with revolutionary micro-subspace field generators powered by a next-generation M/AM driver. This allowed the Lancelot-class to be smaller, more agile, better balanced and equally deadly. Another feature is that the Lancelot is able to maneuver freely in true atmospheric flight. The first of these models rolled out onto Akira-class and remaining Hornet-class fleet carriers early in 2380. ___ Class: Lancelot Advanced Type: Heavy Fighter Production Run: 2381-PRESENT Dimensions: Length : 17.35 M Beam : 12.7 M Height : 6.5 M Mass: 45 Metric Tons Crew: 1 Pilot, I Navigator/Weapons Specialist Armament: 2 x Dual Class II rapid fire phaser pulse cannon 2 x Type IX Phaser Array 2 x Micro Photon Torpedo Launcher (10 Rounds) 6 x Hard Points Defense Systems: Light Shield System, total capacity 70,000 TeraJoules Light Duranium/Tritanium hull plus 2 cm Ablative Armor. High level Structural Integrity Field Propulsion / Power Systems Impulse power provided by two multi-vectored impulse engines powered by two fusion reactors encased within engine housing. Warp power provided by a Type K-VII M/A reactor Maneuverability provided by a series of six surface mounted retro-thrusters pods [10 retro-thrusters per pod] and a series of four embedded RCS thruster quads Speeds (TNG scale) Warp Cruise 6.5 for 72 hours Warp Max: 8.56 for 14 hours Impulse: .9 x c Expected Hull Life: 20 Years Refit Cycle Minor : 6 Months Standard : 1.5 Years Major : 4 years After the introduction of the standard Lancelot, it was clear that another supplemental fighter needed to be added to the range. The solution was the Type 6-B "Lancelot Advanced". A larger, longer-range fighter than the standard Lancelot, the Advanced has several key differences from its smaller brother. Larger warp nacelles, which are detachable to allow more maneuverability, true impulse drivers as size was less of an issue and the control software for the micro-subspace field had proved slightly unreliable in the early testing. (The problem has since been resolved) The Advanced also carries a larger navigation array for its higher warp speeds, upgraded subspace antenna, and heavier weaponry, including hard point mounts for mission specific ordinance or sensor pods. Another feature not included on the standard Lancelot is the holographic decoy launchers. The decoys produce a fake warp signature as well as full EM spectrum facsimiles of the fighters. Because of the power needed to do this the decoys usually burn out within 10 second of launch. However, the additions come at a price. The Advanced version is heavier and less agile in tight maneuvers, it also loses it's full atmospheric flight abilities. Despite this, many locations have gone solely to the Lancelot Advanced fighter, though carriers like the Akira-class and Hornet-class carry both, with the Advanced typically in smaller numbers. The first block of Advanced Lancelot-class fighters entered service in 2381. ___ Class: Guinevere Type: Heavy Fighter/Bomber Unit Run: Production Run: 2378-PRESENT Dimensions: Length : 24.71 M Beam : 16.258 M Height : 6.75 M Mass: 79 Metric Tons Crew: 1 Pilot, 1 Mission Operative (Optional Mission Specialist) Armament: 2 x Dual Class II rapid fire phaser pulse cannon 1 x Type IX Phaser Array 2 x Micro Photon Torpedo Launcher (10 Rounds) 2 x Gravitic Charge Launcher (10 Charges) 2 x Ventral Plasma Bomb Launchers (30 Bombs) 4 x Hard Points 1 x Internal Ordinance bay (40,000 kg total) Defense Systems: Light Shield System, total capacity 90,000 TeraJoules Light Duranium/Tritanium hull plus 5 cm Ablative Armor. High level Structural Integrity Field Propulsion / Power Systems Impulse power provided by two multi-vectored impulse engines powered by two fusion reactors encased within engine housing. Warp power provided by a Type K-VII M/A reactor Maneuverability provided by a series of six surface mounted retro-thrusters pods [10 retro-thrusters per pod] and a series of four embedded RCS thruster quads Speeds (TNG scale) Warp Cruise 5.9 for 96 hours Warp Max: 8.71 for 24 hours Impulse: .65 x c Expected Hull Life: 20 Years Refit Cycle Minor : 6 Months Standard : 1.5 Years Major : 4 years Originally intended as a replacement for the Danube-class runabout for stations, the Guinevere-class was then modified to a more combat oriented role as the Starfleet opted to leave the venerable Danube-class in service. The "Gwens," as their often known by their crews, are based heavily on newer fighter frames of the mid-70's. Armed heavily for a fighter, the Gwens fill a dual role of heavy fighter and bomber, carrying an impressive ordinance. However, the added weapons and bomber bay decreases the Gwen's ability to be maneuverable in combat, likewise while well suited to a number of combat missions, they are are not easily converted to non combat roles.