USS Rosenante Compile 22 Janauary - 25 January 2008 Compile index: Mission: Picking up the Pieces Stardate: 2408.01.07 (Mars - New Bradbury - McCally Residence ­ CEO - Lt.(sg) Bird - 0901) (USS Rosenante - CEO Office - Main Engineering ­ CEO - Lt.(sg) Bird- 1028) (USS Rosenante - Main Engineering - Crewman Shadow to Sretalles - 1036) (USS Rosenante - CEO Office - Main Engineering ­ CEO - Lt.(sg) Bird- 1039) (USS Rosenante - CEO Office - Main Engineering - Crewman Shadow to Sretalles - 1040) (USS Rosenante - Ready Room - CONN - Lt. Dralar - 1430) (USS Rosenante - Main Engineering - FO - Lt. Cmdr. Ahmed Ibn Salid - 2100) (USS Rosenante - Main Engineering – EO - Ensign T'Kron - 2105) (USS Rosenante - Main Engineering – FO - Lt. Cmdr. Ahmed Ibn Salid - 2110) Mission: A Fine and Private Place Day: 1 Stardate: 2408.01.15 (USS Rosenante - Transporter Room 1 - CEO - Lt Bird. - 0858) (USS Rosenante - Transporter Room 1 - CO - Captain Susan Rivers - 0900) (USS Rosenante - Transporter Room 1 - FO-Lt. Cmdr. Ahmed Ibn Salid- 0902) (USS Rosenante - Transporter Room 1 - CONN - Lt. Dralar - 0915) (USS Rosenante - Observation Lounge - FO - Lt. Cmdr. Ahmed Ibn Salid - 0945) (USS Rosenante - Observation Lounge - Crewman Shadow to Sretalles - 0947) (USS Rosenante - Observation Lounge - FO - Lt. Cmdr. Ahmed Ibn Salid - 0948) (USS Rosenante - Observation Lounge - CEO - Lt. Bird - 0954) (USS Rosenante - Observation Lounge - CONN - Lt. Dralar - 0955) (USS Rosenante - Observation Lounge - CO - Captain Susan Rivers and Admiral Linden - 1000) (USS Rosenante - Bridge - FO - Lt. Cmdr. Ahmed Ibn Salid - 1410) (USS Rosenante - Main Engineering - CEO - Lt. Bird - 1414) (USS Rosenante - Bridge - CO - Captain Susan Rivers - 1415) (USS Rosenante - Bridge - CONN - Lt. Dralar - 1416) (USS Rosenante – Main Engineering – EO - Ensign T'Kron - 1418) Compile begins: Mission: Picking up the Pieces Stardate: 2408.01.07 (Mars - New Bradbury - McCally Residence ­ CEO - Lt.(sg) Bird - 0901) Paul was shown into what he decided was the main living room of the McCally household . John and Harriet McCally , the parents of Eric , had moved back into this house only three weeks before . The room showed signs of being repaired after the vandalism that had occurred to 52nd ' Rebels ' . The room was lacking in any decoration , adding to the ominous feeling in the room . After the usual pleasantries where over , Paul simple handed the box he held tightly over to Harriet , and waited until she opened it . Whilst she took out the medals and awards , Paul started to tell the distraught parents again how their son had earned them , and in his eyes more .In Harriet's case however the explanation seemed to fall on deaf ears , as she clutched the little bits of metal to her . After Paul finished his tale about Eric , John stared into his face and started with his questions , the first taking Paul a bit by surprise . " Who's fault was it , was it yours ? " Paul thought for only a second about that moment as a young ensign died in his arms and he had lost himself , becoming divorced from the world for a while. He had always wondered if in those lost moments he could have done more to prevent the disaster that followed . The answer was always the same . " No , sir I nor anybody on board ship was to blame . If you want some one to accuse then it's the perpetrators of this war . In a word Doenitz ." Anger filled his eyes as John replied " don't say that name in this house ! but it's so easy to put all the blame at his door , but it takes two to fight a war . Why was it done ? " " We needed to fight that monster so as to keep the original dream of the federation alive . You know for yourself what he and his cronies were capable of . " " Yes , but that was only in response to you rebels , if there had been no other side to join , then none of this would have happened ? " Although this was meant as a statement , it came across as a question . " If you really believe that , then with all respect Sir you are fooling yourself . Look at what he did to Bajor and Vulcan .The Vulcans offered no threat before he attacked them . " But John was no longer listening to what was being said , Paul realised . He had nothing more to say and so when he said bye and went to leave , it was to he relief of everybody present . As Paul walked away he couldn't help but feel that he had somehow let down his good friend ~ There must be something else to be done ? ~ === (USS Rosenante - CEO Office - Main Engineering ­ CEO - Lt.(sg) Bird- 1028) On getting back to the ship after visiting the McCally's , Paul had wanted to lose himself in work and so had headed straight for his office . He sat there now Pulling up the duty rosta and a list of jobs to be done to make sure the ship would be ready to leave , whenever that would be . He had not been there too long when he was interrupted by a very nervous Shadow , a condition she seemed to almost permanently in , except around the captain's daughter . Seeing her stick her head around the door as if entering some sacred place started a grin across his face , Paul remembering in time not to show his teeth , ~ Don't want to frighten her ~ . " Hello! Come in Yeoman and take a seat . So Shadow , what brings you to my office this morning ? " "I have a quarters modification request from Doctor Whetari,..and I'm not quite sure what to do with it." She Said in her most inoffensive voice . Paul looked at her thinking that room modification was not really a job for the chief of engineering , but there was no way that he was going to let the young Yeoman think she had done wrong , as he really liked Shadow and she seemed to put her all into her job . " Don't worry , we can sort that out for you . " Paul reached his hand out to take the PADD of the Yeoman , but seeing the look on her face had to add , " Sorry , I didn't say , I need the specifications that the Doc wants . You've got them on a PADD ... ? " === (USS Rosenante - Main Engineering - Crewman Shadow to Sretalles - 1036) "Hello! Come in Yeoman and take a seat. So Shadow, what brings you to my office this morning?" The Chief engineer said with his mouth in tail loops. He seemed very happy. "I have a quarters modification request from Doctor Whetari, ..and I'm not quite sure what to do with it." She said in her most inoffensive voice . "Don't worry, we can sort that out for you. " Paul reached his hand out to take the PADD of the Yeoman, but seeing the look on her face had to add, " Sorry, I didn't say , I need the specifications that the Doc wants. You've got them on a PADD ... ?" "Er, yes." Shadow felt like a real slowtail for not thinking the engineer would need to know what he was to build. But she hadn't quite expected the Eldest engineer to take care of the matter himself. ~He must be bored.~ Shadow thought. Though, surely, with all these wonderful things to play with, not. ~Perhaps he is being nice to the new kit?~ Was a more accurate thought, she felt. She dug the relevant PADD out of the pouch on her harness and passed it over to the human. He smelled amused and friendly. His scent reminded her of a Welcome Home, a bit mischievous, a lot happy. (Reply Bird IYW) Her tail twitched as she watched him review the PADD. "Sir?" She asked tentatively, not wanting to disrupt his thought process, but need for information and to satisfy curiosity was overcoming politeness. (Reply Bird) Her tail looped around her wrist to reassure herself than the Elder, would at worst, cuff her and toss her out of his office for impertinence, "I was wondering.. Who would normally take care of this? I know it is a coordination between engineering and Ops.. but no labels or titles on the roster told me whom I should ask or transfer the request to." === (USS Rosenante - CEO Office - Main Engineering ­ CEO - Lt.(sg) Bird- 1039) "Er , Yes ." Came Shadow's answer to Paul's out stretched hand . She dug around in a pouch in her harness , and after a short while pulled out a PADD and passed it to him . Paul activated the PADD and looked at the requirements the doctor had requested . ~ So the good doctor wants a kitchenette does she. ~ Paul thought , envious of anybody who could actually cook . He himself used only the replicator , and then only the meals his mother had made and pre-programmed . The actual work wouldn't be too hard . As Paul got himself deeper into the logistics of the task he was interrupted by a shy little " Sir " coming from the other occupant in the room . Paul almost blushed as he realised he had almost forgot that Shadow was there . " It'll be fine Shadow , there's no real problem in doing this work for the Doc. I'll get someone onto it soon . " He noticed her tail loop around her wrist , a sign that he had noticed whilst Shadow had been a passenger on board the ' Traveller ' . The sign he knew meant that she was nervous and needed reassurance . Before he could ask her what was wrong , she beat him to a question . "I was wondering.. Who would normally take care of this? I know it is a coordination between engineering and Ops..but no labels or titles on the roster told me whom I should ask or transfer the request to " " That's alright Shadow , not your fault . Normally in a case of room alteration like this you should go through the Quartermasters office . The best person to ask there would be Ensign Tro'ick'depal . So tell me my young friend , whilst you are here , do you have any requests for your room ? And don't be shy , remember the Captain said you could ask for what you want ." ( Reply Shadow ) " Interesting , very interesting . might be a bit awkward , but with the help of the botanical department and of course the aforementioned quartermasters office we should be able to make something reasonable ." Paul scratched his head as his mind raced , but managed to ask the very nervous Yeoman . " Tell me , have you found the arboretum yet ? It has got some very nice trees ? " ( Reply Shadow ) " Arrhhh , of course you'd know about it . " Paul was slightly embarrassed himself and so finally said " Well that's all OK . Is there anything else you would like to ask me ? Anything ? " === (USS Rosenante - CEO Office - Main Engineering - Crewman Shadow to Sretalles - 1040) "That's alright Shadow, not your fault. Normally in a case of room alteration like this you should go through the Quartermasters office. The best person to ask there would be Ensign Tro'ick'depal." ~Quartermaster. Right.~ She filed it in her mental rolodex with the appropriate tag so she would remember. She supposed it made sense, since they were the ones that supplied the camp with everything from outside. It was logical that they were the ones who arrange the camp to its occupants liking too. The largest camp at home Shadow had been in was just over eighty adults, this was taking some getting used to even years later. "So tell me my young friend, whilst you are here, do you have any requests for your room? And don't be shy, remember the Captain said you could ask for what you want." Shadow's tail looped in amusement, "Anything is a lot of wish to answer, even for a Captain and her council." She said, whiskers twitching. "But a hammock to sleep in would make me very very happy." She tilted her head to one side, tail stilling, "Though, I suppose that would require trees to go with it." "Interesting, very interesting. Might be a bit awkward, but with the help of the botanical department and of course the aforementioned quartermasters office we should be able to make something reasonable." Paul scratched his head as his mind raced, but managed to ask the very nervous Yeoman. "Tell me, have you found the arboretum yet? It has got some very nice trees?" "Oh yes!" Shadow seemed to light up at the thought, "A forest within a camp.. a magical and wondrous place. And the flowers are year round and.." she trailed off, realizing she was babbling. "Yes, I found the arboretum." she ended a bit lamely. "Arrhhh, of course you'd know about it. " Paul was slightly embarrassed himself and so finally said "Well that's all OK. Is there anything else you would like to ask me? Anything? " Twisting her tail a bit, Shadow looked each way before answering, as if she was worried someone would overhear in the private office. "Does the Rosenante have a harp? I have not been able to play since I left Geneva.. I have my flute, and lute and mandolin.. but.. They do not have the reach and range.." === (USS Rosenante - Ready Room - CONN - Lt. Dralar - 1430) Dralar pressed the door chime to the ready room. He had arranged already to meet with the captain at this time and was pleased that she had made a slot available for him. He carried with him a medium-sized red and black box inlaid with silver. It, and the document that he carried along with it, was the reason that he had requested this meeting. (reply Rivers) Dralar stepped into the room once the permission to enter had been given and stepped in front of the Captain's desk. He cocked his head slightly and bowed gracefully. "Thank you War Captain Rivers for graciously accepting my request for an audience. You honor me with your willingness to speak with me." (reply Rivers) "I come here not as an officer of Starfleet, but as a Prince of Skorria and as someone who has seen your deeds and measured your worth." he replied. "I have seen you fight bravely and with honor against dreadful odds and emerge victorious. I have seen that you despise war for the sake of war and would choose instead peace if peace were to be had. My people are long of the ancient Military traditions, but we long ago recognized that military might does not always solve the problems that plague us. We seek peaceful solutions to conflict when we can do so, but when we cannot we embrace our ideals with a willingness to serve for a higher purpose than ourselves, and if need be will sacrifice our lives to achieve and fulfill those purposes." "And while we may seek peaceful resolution, we know well enough to recognize those among us that are forced to fight nobly and do so with honor and dignity. You are one such individual, War Captain Rivers." "Among my people it is an honor to be granted a title befitting a commander worthy of leading others into battle. It is therefore my solemn duty and my pleasure to present you with the right to bear the title of War Captain among the ranks of the Skorr Hierarchy. I also present you with this symbol of your military prowess, the Claws of Shanda. They will not be something that you will be able to wear because of physiological differences, but you should display them with pride. And finally, it is my honor to present you also with this title of holding. This is an annual pension in recognition for your service to a higher moral calling." "These gifts I present to you as the patron of the Twenty-third Royal District of Skorria, with the permission of the High King." Dralar, now finished with his speech stepped forward and held out the box and the documents to the captain. The box contained one of the highest military honors that he could bestow as a patron for a district. It could only be presented to a non-Skorr, with the permission of the high King, and Dralar had spoken animatedly to his father to allow this simple feat. He knew that such an honor to be bestowed on a Federation Captain would help solidify his attempts to embrace the federation as a worthy ally. The contents of the box, were simply a set of talon fighting claws, known as the Claws of Shanda. They were deadly claw weapons that were now worn for military ceremonial purposes. They were a reminder of the prowess of the wearer and a stern warning to the supporters of injustice. They were plated in pure gold and studded with rich gemstones and fine etchings. And while it was true that The captain would not be able to don them, since her feet were so physiologically different from those of a Skorr, she could display them with pride for all to see. Never in the history of the Skorr Hierarchy had someone other than a Skorr been presented this particular honor, and reaching this approval had been an arduous task. Dralar himself had such a pair that he had been granted after his first fleet engagement against the Romulans, and he thought it only right that a woman and captain as Captain Rivers, who would risk the lives of her unborn children in battle rather than have them live as slaves should be granted such an honor as well. === (USS Rosenante - Main Engineering - FO - Lt. Cmdr. Ahmed Ibn Salid - 2100) Ahmed was smiling as he stepped into Main Engineering with enough time to actually take a look around. The old familiar feeling of getting lost in the mechanical wonders of a modern starship resurfaced and he was reminded, briefly of his first assignment the USS Nimitz. Engineers were buzzing around going about the usual business of keeping the ship running and making certain that everything was working within the proscribed tolerances. He stepped over to one of the unmanned displays and pulled up a couple of status screens. The dual warp cores were in perfect synchronicity. Pulsing as if they were the joined hearts of two separate but joined beings. He had spent some time in his quarters looking over the technical schematics and ship specifications. She was by far more advanced that the Nimitz, which until now, had always been the cutting edge of Federation Starfleet Design. The Rosenante was faster and more versatile than the Sovereign class. She had been designed a warship, but the powers that be had recreated her into a vessel uniquely designed to explore regions of space that no one had ever seen before. She was in a single design, the culmination of the original founding dreams of the United Federation of Planets, and he was her First Officer. He was proud to still be able to serve in that capacity. After his run in with the Personnel Chief for the fleet which had resulted in a reassessment of his qualifications, he had thought that he would never see the position of first officer again. But fate was just around the corner. A reassignment at the behest of Captain Rivers had put him back in the second seat and had restored his confidence and drive in a single instant. He would serve to the best of his ability, as he had always done and would always do his best to show the Captain that she had not made a poor choice in putting her confidence in him. The advantage of having a edict memory was that he could think about one thing while reviewing information with his eyes and still have complete retention. He flipped through a few more diagnostics before hearing someone come up behind him. === (USS Rosenante - Main Engineering – EO - Ensign T'Kron - 2105) Noting the Executive Officer looking around Main Engineering, T'Kron walked up to him. "Is there anything that I can help you with, Sir?" asked T'Kron. (Reply Ahmed ibn Salid) "I have been working with the consoles and learning the new areas here in Engineering. The design is more streamlined for purposes of maintenance and repair." (Reply Ahmed ibn Salid) T'Kron, cupping his hands loosely behind his back, fell into step with the former chief engineer. "I am finding working with the new arrangement a refreshing experience. In my opinion it is innovative yet efficient." Turning to face Cmdr. Salid, T'Kron said, "I helped to go over the bridge consoles at one point. Are you finding this new ship easy to work with as well?" === (USS Rosenante - Main Engineering – FO - Lt. Cmdr. Ahmed Ibn Salid - 2110) Ahmed had just finished a quick review of the power distribution relays when he looked up to see T'Kron approaching him. Though they hadn't had much contact since they had been on the Rosenante, or for that matter the Hypatia, Ahmed remembered the engineer from the Nimitz and the mission on Cait Prime, to free the Caitains from the Doenitz regime. "Is there anything that I can help you with, Sir?" asked the Vulcan. "No nothing specific, I was just looking around. She seems to be very different from the engineering departments of all the other starship's I've been on, wouldn't you say?" Ahmed replied. "I have been working with the consoles and learning the new areas here in Engineering. The design is more streamlined for purposes of maintenance and repair." Ahmed nodded and gestured for the Vulcan to accompany him. "I don't doubt it mister T'Kron. She is certainly a sexy beast. Take the warp geometry alone, the cross section is at least 22-percent smaller than any other starship of a comparable size in the fleet. It looks as if they've managed to do some alternate arrangement of the equipment as well. What's your opinion on that change?" "I am finding working with the new arrangement a refreshing experience. In my opinion it is innovative yet efficient." T'Kron responded as they walked through the open compartment. Ahmed nodded at a few of the engineers as they caught his eye. Ahmed stopped in front of one of the holographic displays and pulled up the matter/antimatter intermix chamber display. It shimmered into existence just a half meter from his face. Turning to face Cmdr. Salid, T'Kron said, "I helped to go over the bridge consoles at one point. Are you finding this new ship easy to work with as well?" "Yes and no, to be honest, T'Kron." Ahmed replied truthfully. " I don’t really care for the self-adjusting seats. For some reason they always seem a little bit low to me, so that I feel my knees are in my chest. I think the Holographic displays are great and all, but I would really just like to have a slightly larger command console. I find it is easier to scroll data there than on the holographic displays. Those are just personal preferences mind you, and in no way affect the functionality of the ship. Everything else I find very easy to work with." "And there's a strange sensation that comes with being the first officer of such a divergent class of starship. It's a combination of awe and wonder. That part I really like, it appeals to my sense of adventure." Ahmed tapped a couple of commands on the holographic console. "The phase variance on these crystals are out of synch by 0.0035 microns," he observed, "unless they are attuned that way on purpose because of the dual-core synchronization equipment" Ahmed added off-handedly. " Do you happen to know which is the case?" === Mission: A Fine and Private Place Day: 1 Stardate: 2408.01.15 (USS Rosenante - Transporter Room 1 - CEO - Lt Bird. - 0858) Paul stood ready for the arrival of the admiral .He was amazed and frankly a little stunned , This Non -dress uniform , His smartest and best , fit him well and was causing no irritation , as all of his others had done . The transporter operator gave the signal , and Paul along with the rest of his fellow officer snapped to attention .As the boson piped the admiral aboard , Paul glanced out of the side of his eyes to watch three people materialise . There was the Admiral , her aide and ~ Oh dear no , not her ~. Paul had recognised the civilian - Laura Schell . It had been on his first mission on board the Champlain , his first day on board in fact, that they had rescued the colonists from Ivor Prime , Ms Schell being amongst them . Whilst she had been on board the Champlain , evidence had come to light that she was somehow involved with the death of the colony leader . The chief of security at the time was Janeway , who had detained the woman , to see later not only her being set free but he himself being charged with unlawful imprisonment . ~ How's Jono going to react to whatevers coming ? ~ Paul had no more time to think about the incident as the Admiral spoke to him about the engines and what he thought of them . Paul had answered with how much he was looking forward to working with them and how lucky he was to be able to . Soon after came the Admiral introducing his entourage , before the captain offered to give them a tour of the ship before the briefing , an offer he took up . On being dismissed , Paul decided to quickly check all was well in the engine-room , before getting to the meeting . === (USS Rosenante - Transporter Room 1 - CO - Captain Susan Rivers - 0900) Susan was waiting for Admiral Linden to arrive. She'd got the message the day before that the Admiral would be coming personally to give them their first mission briefing and so now Susan, her First Officer and all the department heads were in the transporter room wearing their smartest non-dress uniforms awaiting Admiral Linden's arrival. As the operator gave them the signal that the Admiral was about to transport from the base, all the officers waiting came to attention. The bosun readied herself to pipe the Admiral aboard and the transporter operator entered the command into the console. As the Admiral and her aide appeared, together with someone in civilian clothes whom Susan didn't recognise, the bosun sounded 'Piping the side' and Linden allowed a brief smile to cross her face. "Permission to come aboard, Captain?" she said formally. "Permission granted, Admiral," Susan replied. Hesper Linden was one of the few Admirals she actually liked, and she was glad that Linden would be the one to give them their formal send-off. As the Admiral stepped off the Transporter pad, Susan moved forward to greet her and introduce her to the officers awaiting her. "My FO, Lt Commander Ahmed Ibn Salid.... Second Officer and Tactical and Security Chief Lieutenant Jono Janeway... Third Officer and Chief Counsellor, Lieutenant Olen Rhinehart... Chief Medical Officer, Lieutenant Jennifer Caskie... Chief Science Officer, Lieutenant Megan Tallos... Chief Operations Officer Ensign Robert Smith... Chief Engineering Officer, Lieutenant Paul Bird... Marine Commanding Officer, Lt Colonel Leonal Drizzt... Conn Officer, Lt Dralar." Linden said a few words to each officer, then turned to Susan and introduced her companions. "My aide, Captain Iain Andrews, and Ms Laura Schell." Captain Andrews held out his hand. "Pleased to meet you, Captain Rivers." "Pleased to meet you too, Captain Andrews," Susan said as she shook his hand. "I'm pleased to meet you too, Ms Schell," she added holding out her hand to the woman and inwardly wondering why the name rang a bell. (reply Schell, room for more iyw) Susan nodded politely, and turned back to Admiral Linden. "Admiral, I'd like to offer you a tour of the ship before the briefing at 10:00 ?" Linden nodded. "I'd like that, Susan. So tell me," she added as they left the transporter room, "What do you make of being in charge of an explorer?" "So far," Susan said with a smile, "It's very peaceful." === (USS Rosenante - Transporter Room 1 - FO-Lt. Cmdr. Ahmed Ibn Salid- 0902) Ahmed stood just slightly behind and to the right of the captain as she waited for the visiting admiral Linden to materialize on the transporter platform. While he had grown more accustomed to dealing with senior officers of the rank of captain or lower, he still felt a slight tingle of nervousness whenever there was an admiral about. Of course, he had only met one admiral and that had been Sevant, the appointed commander of Task Force Nineteen. He knew well enough that he could not allow any impressions of what he thought Sevant was influence his own expectations of what admiral Linden may be. The transporter chief advised the collected senior staff of the Admiral's readiness to come aboard and Ahmed nodded to her indicating that they were indeed ready for the admiral's arrival. A few moments later, the Admiral, her aide and Doctor Laura Schell, whom Ahmed only knew from the reports he had read about the Champlain's mission to Ivor Prime; and more specifically those that might impact Lieutenant Janeway's career, materialized in the steady hum of the transporter beam. The Bosun sounded the "Piping the side," and fell into a stance of attention. "Permission to come aboard, Captain?" Linden asked formally. "Permission granted, Admiral," Susan replied. As the Admiral stepped off the Transporter pad, Susan moved forward to greet her and began introducing the senior staff. "My FO, Lt Commander Ahmed Ibn Salid...." "A pleasure admiral." Ahmed replied as the senior officer appraised him. The captain continued with her introductions with each officer acknowledging the admiral's presence, "Second Officer and Tactical and Security Chief Lieutenant Jono Janeway… Third Officer and Chief Counselor, Lieutenant Olen Rhinehart... Chief Medical Officer, Lieutenant Jennifer Caskie... Chief Science Officer, Lieutenant Megan Tallos... Chief Operations Officer Ensign Robert Smith... Chief Engineering Officer, Lieutenant Paul Bird... Marine Commanding Officer, Lt Colonel Leonal Drizzt... Conn Officer, Lt Dralar." After the admiral had spoken to each officer briefly, she turned to Susan and introduced her companions. "My aide, Captain Iain Andrews, and Ms. Laura Schell." "Pleased to meet you too, Captain Andrews," Susan said as she shook his hand. "I'm pleased to meet you too, Ms Schell," she added holding out her hand to the woman. (reply Schell, room for more iyw) Susan nodded politely, and turned back to Admiral Linden. "Admiral, I'd like to offer you a tour of the ship before the briefing at 10:00 ?" Linden nodded. "I'd like that, Susan. So tell me," she added as they left the transporter room, "What do you make of being in charge of an explorer?" "So far," Susan said with a smile, "It's very peaceful." Once the captain and the Admiral and her associates were gone Ahmed turned to the other officers assembled. "Okay everyone, you're dismissed, I'll see you at the briefing at 1000 hours." === (USS Rosenante - Transporter Room 1 - CONN - Lt. Dralar - 0915) Dralar waited patiently for the Admiral to reach him. He didn't have long to wait before the captain introduced him. "...Conn Officer, Lt Dralar." "It is a great honor to receive you Admiral." Dralar replied, the admiral smiled and nodded, "It's good to be here, lieutenant." she said simply before following the captain out of the room. Once they had left, the First officer dismissed them and Dralar returned to his duty station on the bridge to await the briefing. === (USS Rosenante - Observation Lounge - FO-Lt. Cmdr. Ahmed Ibn Salid- 0945) Ahmed stepped into the observation lounge well before any of the other officers had arrived. He was surprised to see that even shadow had not yet arrived. That suited him well enough, he wanted a couple of minutes to be prepared in case the Admiral had any status questions about the ship. Ahmed stepped over to the replicator and ordered up a pot of Turkish coffee along with a small dish of raw sugar crystals and a creamer of chilled goat's milk. He retrieved the items from the replicator and took his usual seat to the right of the captain's chair. He mixed up his coffee to his exact specifications and continued to sit and review the reports. He was very pleased at the efficiency that Shadow had achieved with the reports. It was a sign of a very skilled administrator. She was thoughtful and invaluable, her service to the captain had freed up more time to tend to the newborn and the two other children that comprised her family. Now that the war was over, things could progress to a less stressful peacetime functioning. (reply any as you'd like) After everyone had arrived, the captain and the visiting admiral arrived. Everyone rose to their feet. "As you were, "Linden said, acknowledging them with a general nod. Ahmed took his seat. "As some of you here know, the USS Champlain rescued some of the colonists from Ivor Prime some months ago. In the intervening time, Starfleet returned to Ivor Prime and rescued the remaining colonists, and now we are seeking a new home for them. It was felt that the Rosenante, having as she does a number of officers who were on the Champlain at that time, would be the most suitable ship to perform that task. It's a high profile mission, the resettlement of a colony we had thought lost, and accordingly there will be a news team aboard." ~Not another news team, ~ Ahmed thought although he showed no indication of his displeasure. "Accordingly," Linden continued, "award-wining FNN Reporter Hal Stanza and his cameraman Davok will be assigned to the Rosenante. Their brief will be to report on the finding of a new home for the colonists, and also the maiden voyage of the USS Rosenante, since the ship is to be seen as the renaissance of Starfleet after the Civil War. A symbol of the return to our roots - exploration and discovery." ~Stanza again?~ Ahmed almost sighed. "As you all know," the Admiral concluded, "There will be a launching ceremony this afternoon at 1400. The Rosenante will then depart on her official maiden voyage, carrying with her the hopes of many thousands of colonists that a new home will be found for them soon. Ms Laura Schell and several of the other senior colonists will be traveling with you, to assess the possibilities of the planets you find. Once the choice has been made, the rest of the colonists will be shipped out to the planet that Ms Schell and her committee have chosen, and you will be given a new mission. Until that time, unless ordered otherwise by 52nd Fleet HQ, searching for a new home for the colonists will be your priority." She looked at Lieutenants Bird and Matrix, to whom she had been introduced on her tour around the ship. "And during the voyage, I know you will be testing out the new spiral drive. Starfleet Engineering Corps eagerly await your reports." Linden stood up, as did Ahmed and the other officers present. "Good luck, Captain Rivers. And all of you," she added, shaking Susan's hand. "Mr. Stanza will be coming aboard with his crew before the ceremony, if you could ensure he is on the Bridge at the time I'd like him to record the launch." "Certainly, Admiral," Susan said evenly. "Very good. Now I'm sure you and your officers have a lot to discuss before the launch, so I'll leave you to it." She looked around the room once more and smiled. "You are a fine bunch of officers, and you have a fine ship. I'm sure you will do Starfleet proud." With that, the Admiral walked out of the room, closely followed by Captain Andrews. "I have a couple of announcements to make," Captain River's began. "Lt Commander Zzt has been recalled to Stardock Phoenix, to work on the Boudicca. And Ambassador Suentar will not be joining us as expected." Ahmed was a little surprised at Commander Zzt's reassignment. He had just come aboard and had not even had a chance to get settled before he was reallocated for work on the Boudicca. "And now, any questions about our mission?" she asked. "Actually Captain, I have one" Ahmed began. And once he was acknowledged, he continued. "Do we have a general area where we will be starting this survey, or are there a specific series of planets that we will be exploring?" === (USS Rosenante - Observation Lounge - Crewman Shadow to Sretalles - 0947) Shadow had been slightly surprised to see the first officer sitting in the lounge going through reports, but she supposed he could as easily read paperwork there as in his office or on the bridge. She just quietly worked around him to set up for the meeting. When he noticed her presence, she twitched her whiskers at him, her equivalent of a smile. "Is there anything I can get for Commander?" she asked, unfamiliar with the man's scents. He smelled spicier than Captain Susan and was very good at masking his moods. (Reply Salid) Shadow nodded, happy to serve either way. Happy with everything set up the way it should be, she fished some of her own work out of her carry pack and sat on the stool in the corner. Maybe if she stayed out of Captain Susan's reach this meeting, she wouldn't be put in the light again! === (USS Rosenante - Observation Lounge - FO - Lt. Cmdr. Ahmed Ibn Salid - 0948) Shadow slipped into the room just as he was finishing up the last of his shift rotation approvals. He authorized the last set of changes and looked up at her as she busily went about her usual habit of setting up the room for the briefing. "Is there anything I can get for you Commander?" she asked. Her tone was pleasant. "No thank you Shadow. I'm all set. I do want to let you know that I think you're doing an outstanding job with the reports and all of your other duties. Keep up the fine work." He commented with a smile. "I know you and I don't really talk much, but I thought you should know that I appreciate all of your hard work." === (USS Rosenante - Observation Lounge - CEO - Lt. Bird - 0954) Paul entered the observation room and nodded to those officers already there . He sat down in the chair which was fast becoming his usual seat in this room , three seats down on the door side of the table , so as to get a good look out of the window . He sat now looking out of the window , wondering about what mission the Admiral had in store for them . As the captain and Linden entered the Observation Lounge dead on 1000, those assembled there - the entire senior staff of the ship as well as Captain Andrews and Ms Schell - rose as one and came to attention, with the exception of Ms Schell, who remained seated as the only civilian present. "As you were,"Linden said, acknowledging them with a general nod. As they all took their seats again she walked to the head of the table where there were two empty seats and sat down, the captain taking the place beside her. "As some of you here know, the USS Champlain rescued some of the colonists from Ivor Prime some months ago. In the intervening time, Starfleet returned to Ivor Prime and rescued the remaining colonists, and now we are seeking a new home for them. It was felt that the Rosenante, having as she does a number of officers who were on the Champlain at that time, would be the most suitable ship to perform that task. It's a high profile mission, the resettlement of a colony we had thought lost, and accordingly there will be a news team aboard." Paul was a little surprised at that statement from the Admiral , but his next surprised him even more ,"Accordingly," Linden continued, "award-wining FNN Reporter Hal Stanza and his cameraman Davok will be assigned to the Rosenante. Their brief will be to report on the finding of a new home for the colonists, and also the maiden voyage of the USS Rosenante, since the ship is to be seen as the renaissance of Starfleet after the Civil War. A symbol of the return to our roots - exploration and discovery.As you all know," the Admiral concluded, "There will be a launching ceremony this afternoon at 1400. The Rosenante will then depart on her official maiden voyage, carrying with her the hopes of many thousands of colonists that a new home will be found for them soon. Ms Laura Schell and several of the other senior colonists will be travelling with you, to assess the possibilities of the planets you find. Once the choice has been made, the rest of the colonists will be shipped out to the planet that Ms Schell and her committee have chosen, and you will be given a new mission. Until that time, unless ordered otherwise by 52nd Fleet HQ, searching for a new home for the colonists will be your priority."Here she paused and gave Lt. Matrix and himself a meaningful look , which slightly unnerved him "And during the voyage, I know you will be testing out the new spiral drive. Starfleet Engineering Corps eagerly await your reports." ~ Oh yes , that we will ~ After that the Admiral said bye and the captain brought the meeting to an end by giving a few announcements and then asking for questions. === (USS Rosenante - Observation Lounge - CONN - Lt. Dralar - 0955) Dralar came into the Observation lounge and took his normal seat at the end of the table opposite the captain's seat. Several of the other officers had arrived before him, and Dralar found the dynamic of conversation that he observed to be very interesting. In the Skorr Hierarchy, the attendants of a similar meeting would be speaking of nothing but business, yet here, he could observe officers speaking on a personal level with each other. Inquiring about their well-being or personal life. After a short wait the captain and the Admiral arrived. The meeting was quickly begun, with the admiral outlining the outline of the mission that the Rosenante would be undertaking. Dralar was not surprised, nor was he excited about the mission. It simply was a task to be accomplished. One that would not bring them glory or prestige, yet one that was necessary. When the captain asked if anyone had questions, Dralar just sat and observed, since he had none of his own at the moment. === (USS Rosenante - Observation Lounge - CO - Captain Susan Rivers and Admiral Linden - 1000) As Susan and Linden entered the Observation Lounge dead on 1000, those assembled there - the entire senior staff of the ship as well as Captain Andrews and Ms Schell - rose as one and came to attention, with the exception of Ms Schell, who remained seated as the only civilian present. "As you were,"Linden said, acknowledging them with a general nod. As they all took their seats again she walked to the head of the table where there were two empty seats and sat down, Susan taking the place beside her. "As some of you here know, the USS Champlain rescued some of the colonists from Ivor Prime some months ago. In the intervening time, Starfleet returned to Ivor Prime and rescued the remaining colonists, and now we are seeking a new home for them. It was felt that the Rosenante, having as she does a number of officers who were on the Champlain at that time, would be the most suitable ship to perform that task. It's a high profile mission, the resettlement of a colony we had thought lost, and accordingly there will be a news team aboard." Susan's face was a perfect mask, inside she was not so pleased. "Accordingly," Linden continued, "award-wining FNN Reporter Hal Stanza and his cameraman Davok will be assigned to the Rosenante. Their brief will be to report on the finding of a new home for the colonists, and also the maiden voyage of the USS Rosenante, since the ship is to be seen as the renaissance of Starfleet after the Civil War. A symbol of the return to our roots - exploration and discovery." ~Seeking out new life and new civilisations, as someone once said~ Susan thought to herself. ~As brought to you by Stanza and Davok. What is this, a holo-series?!~ "As you all know," the Admiral concluded, "There will be a launching ceremony this afternoon at 1400. The Rosenante will then depart on her official maiden voyage, carrying with her the hopes of many thousands of colonists that a new home will be found for them soon. Ms Laura Schell and several of the other senior colonists will be travelling with you, to assess the possibilities of the planets you find. Once the choice has been made, the rest of the colonists will be shipped out to the planet that Ms Schell and her committee have chosen, and you will be given a new mission. Until that time, unless ordered otherwise by 52nd Fleet HQ, searching for a new home for the colonists will be your priority." She looked at Lieutenants Bird and Matrix, to whom she had been introduced on her tour around the ship. "And during the voyage, I know you will be testing out the new spiral drive. Starfleet Engineering Corps eagerly await your reports." Linden stood up, as did Susan and the others. "Good luck, Captain Rivers. And all of you," she added, shaking Susan's hand. "Mr Stanza will be coming aboard with his crew before the ceremony, if you could ensure he is on the Bridge at the time I'd like him to record the launch." "Certainly, Admiral," Susan said evenly. "Very good. Now I'm sure you and your officers have a lot to discuss before the launch, so I'll leave you to it." She looked around the room once more and smiled. "You are a fine bunch of officers, and you have a fine ship. I'm sure you will do Starfleet proud." With that, she walked out of the room, closely followed by Captain Andrews. Susan let out a breath as the door closed behind the Admiral and her aide. "I have a couple of announcements to make," she said. "Lt Commander Zzt has been recalled to Stardock Phoenix, to work on the Boudicca. And Ambassador Suentar will not be joining us as expected." She was sorry to see Zzt go, but slightly relieved that Suentar would not be aboard. They had never got on that well, and so she couldn't really regret his absence. The big Gerratlian, however, she would miss. "And now, any questions about our mission?" she asked. === (USS Rosenante - Bridge - FO - Lt. Cmdr. Ahmed Ibn Salid - 1410) Ahmed sat in the First officer's seat checking on all the ship's critical systems. It was redundant work, since Lieutenant Bird was already doing the same thing, but Ahmed couldn't help himself. On the main viewscreen the Admiral was conducting the finishing touches of the ceremony. =^=.... for the Rosenante and her crew to boldly go where no one has gone before,=^= Linden finished, and pressed a button amidst applause from the watchers on the docking bay. A champagne bottle tumbled its way towards the Rosenante, turning lazily end over end, and finally impacted onto the hull. As the bottle smashed, Susan said, "Release docking clamps." "Docking clamps released, Sir." Ahmed replied. "Take us out, Mr. Dralar." "Aye sir, Ahead at port speed." Dralar replied and the ship moved silently forward. The only indication that it was moving was the shifting image on the main viewer. "We are clear of the dock Captain, we will be cleared for warp speed in twenty-five seconds." Ahmed watched as the Skorr officer made a couple of minor corrections, once the time had passed, the Captain gave her next orders. "Lay in a course for Optima 7, Mr. Dralar. Ahead Warp 9. Engage!" "Aye Captain, course for Optima seven laid in, ahead warp factor 9 point zero." the Skorr replied. The stars shimmered for a moment, before stretching into their spectrum of colors that marked the Doppler Effect that signified that they had indeed gone to warp speed. Ahmed turned slightly towards the rear of the bridge. "All stations report." he ordered. === (USS Rosenante - Main Engineering - CEO - Lt. Bird - 1414) Paul had so wanted to be on the bridge for the ceremony and to be there for this historic moment , but he wanted to be in his domain of the ship's heart to make sure absolutely certain every thing ran smoothly . It wasn't long before the ship was undocking from its mooring at was moving smoothly away with manoeuvring thrusters and part impulse . Paul was ready and waiting to go to warp as soon as the command to go to warp was given . When it was , Paul smiled ~ Warp 9 , no less ~ , the ship leaped gracefully into action with no problems . His monitor in front of him showed the ship moving at such a fantastic speed with no indication of any stresses or strains . ~ And so it begins . ~ === (USS Rosenante - Bridge - CO - Captain Susan Rivers - 1415) Susan looked around the Bridge and concealed a smile. It seemed that just about everyone who could find the slightest hint of an excuse to be there, was there. It was crowded, with even a few people standing, trying to look as if they had a reason to just happen to be standing near this console or that, with a good view of the viewscreen and the ceremony now underway The image of the docking bay was impressive, if only for the number of brass that were there. Admiral Linden stood on a podium, flanked by two of the other Admirals present, and gave a speech, emphasising the Rosenante's uniqueness and symbolism. ".... for the Rosenante and her crew to boldly go where no one has gone before," Linden finished, and pressed a button amidst applause from the watchers on the docking bay. A champagne bottle tumbled its way towards the Rosenante, turning lazily end over end, and finally impacted onto the hull. As the bottle smashed, Susan said, "Release docking clamps." "Docking clamps released, Sir." "Take us out, Mr Dralar." As the ship moved slowly away from the base, the band on the docking bay floor played 'Hearts of Oak', the music relaying throughout the ship, as the whole ceremony had been. "Lay in a course for Optima 7, Mr Dralar. Ahead Warp 9. Engage!" Susan couldn't resist the broadest of smiles. Who knew what adventures lay before them? === (USS Rosenante - Bridge - CONN - Lt. Dralar - 1416) Dralar sat happily in the CONN seat of the new starship. He had checked and double checked the Helm and navigational systems as the ceremony progressed. He was intrigued that they should finish the ceremony with the breaking of a carbonated bottle of alcohol against the hull of the ship. He was unclear of the cultural significance of the event, but it was apparent that it signaled the end of the event. As the bottle smashed, the captain ordered, "Release docking clamps." "Docking clamps released, Sir." Ahmed replied. "Take us out, Mr. Dralar." "Aye sir, Ahead at port speed." Dralar replied and he tapped out the commands on the holographic control interface hovering in front of him. The ship moved silently forward. The only indication that it was moving was the shifting image on the main viewer. He watched the display carefully, giving an update when they were almost clear for warp speed. "We are clear of the dock Captain, we will be cleared for warp speed in twenty-five seconds." Dralar made a couple of minor corrections and the ship had reached the proper distance from the station, the Captain gave her next orders. "Lay in a course for Optima 7, Mr. Dralar. Ahead Warp 9. Engage!" "Aye Captain, course for Optima seven laid in, ahead warp factor 9 point zero." the Skorr replied as he entered in the information and set the ship on it's path. The stars shimmered for a moment, before stretching into their spectrum of colors that marked the Doppler Effect that signified that they had indeed gone to warp speed. === (USS Rosenante – Main Engineering – EO - Ensign T'Kron - 1418) As the ship moved out, T'kron saw the warp engines' power output leap straight up to warp 9 on his console. Raising one eyebrow, he thought it not the best speed to choose before testing at lower speeds prior. The Captain must have a demonstration in mind for the visiting guests that he had heard were present. ~Perhaps the Captain wished to put the ship though its paces more quickly.~ He monitored the plasma feed and checked the antimatter/matter mix carefully. So far all were within tolerance levels. "At warp 9, Chief, we are within standard tolerance levels," reported T'Kron. === Authors: Lorna Appleby Paul Foden Liz Geuken Daniel Greene Sheila Mayer