How It All Began

[Atragon9 0]

Subj: New Advanced Ship idea

Date: 97-12-23 14:31:16 EST

From: OGFAtragon

To: OGF JT, OGF Ender

CC: CdrAtragon okay, you asked for 'em.....

 

USS Manticore, Spacefleet Black Ops Exploratory Vessel

(think “X-Files” meets “Star Trek” meets “Men in Black” {hey, it's me after all, there has to be some sick humor onboard, no?} )

 

The ship would be placed squarely in the TNG timeframe and would have a mix of exploration of the truly bizarre and unknown with the mandate to kill it if it's a threat to our way of life.

 

It would be listed on the "books" as a space tug/troubleshooter. Something that gets dispatched quickly and can patch up problems and then help get the troubled vessel back to a starbase for long-term repairs. However, that is just the cover for its true mission. It is sent to investigate issues and matters that the fleet don't want to publicly (even among the other ship captains) admit to knowing... not until they're explained further.

 

The ship is a supped-up beast that looks quite innocent from all outward appearances. It would have some super thick armor, some stealth/cloaking functions, and some experimental weaponry that is both unstable (hence the armor) and ethically questionable (planet killers, etc.) The engines would be massive since it is "supposed" to be a space tug. They have been modified to allow for long-duration, high-speed flight as well. All of this information (especially about the weapons) is, of course, not on the books at all.

 

We would not work for SF Intelligence (the weasels), but directly for the President of the Federation (Secretary General? Consul?? Whatever). There would be only about 4 people who know of our true mission and that would lead to a variety of miscommunications ("Manticore, where have you been, that Frigate has been waiting for 4 days for your arrival!"), etc.

 

The crew would be a mix of hard-line Black Ops folks who just wanna go in and kill, undermine, assassinate, subvert, AS WELL AS scientists who want a chance at first contact with things unknown and thought unknowable. That should set up some nice conflict onboard too (heh-heh). At the same time, the direction/configuration of the mission could change as the crew settles in and I see how this would work.

 

I have no thoughts on who would be a co-host with me, at this point, but I'll start asking around, once I think of who I could work well with.

 

I think that's all I'd bury you with for the moment, let me know if you need/want more or more details. Thanks for listening.