Command and Maneuver

From TFC Galactopedia

A two note boatswain’s call sounded from where Petre Kevee stood, the ancient tradition actually bringing a shiver up Michael’s tail as he stood on the raised platform in the Galaxy’s forward lounge. He was trying very hard not to tug at the neckline of his dress uniform and succeeding for the most part. He actually rather envied his wife this occasion, as she chose to wear a traditional Japanese ceremonial kimono, and it looked much more comfortable. Granted his wife as a civilian had that luxury, Michael was suffering right alongside every Starfleet member in the lounge.

And that included Admiral Adam McLoude, Michael’s father who stood across from him with a wood-grained PADD in his paw. Michael had requested his father be the one that read the orders for him to take command, it just seemed right and proper to the younger officer. All his senior staff was gathered in the lounge, as well as several dignitaries, including Admiral Ortegi, though no Rumsfield was in sight. His wife stood with the civilians keeping an eye on both theirs, and the O’Donnel children. Chaser his eldest son trying his best to emulate all the Starfleet officers, and little Krystal O’Donnel bedecked in her favorite dress and ribbons was trying very hard not to giggle with glee at him. The two had formed quite a friendship in only the very few days they had known each other.

Michael smiled briefly to his wife, hoping that none of the brass present would take offense. She gave an encouraging smile from where she stood as he stepped up to face his father.

“Attention to Orders!” the elder akita-inu snapped out in a crisp voice. Sixty eight years old, he looked a trim and fit mid fifties thanks to modern medicine, which allowed Terrans to live well into their hundreds; Adam McLoude gave a brief smile to his son before turning back to the PADD. “Too, Captain Michael Collin McLoude,” he intoned, “From, the Office of Chief of Starfleet Operations: On this date, Stardate 40281.3, you are hereby requested, and required, to take command of Starfleet Hull NX-70637, USS Galaxy. Buy order of Admiral Keldra Mnra of Tellar, Chief of Starfleet Operations.”

His father handed over the ornate looking PADD then smiled. “The ship is yours Captain.” While Michael had been in command for several days in all but name, part of the launching ceremony of any new starship was to have the orders to take command read at the ceremony, not when the commanding officer first arrived. His father smiled and whispered for his ears alone. “Congratulations son, and good luck with her.”

Michael nodded to his father then smiled turning to Laddire. “Commander O’Donnel?”

“Aye Suh?”

“Bring the engines online Commander,” he intoned in the formal voice required for the ceremony.

“Aye Suh!” Laddire returned a smile breaking his muzzle. The Galaxy’s engines had been powered several times during her construction, once as an absolute stress test to make sure they would not blow up under the most adverse of conditions. Again, this was ceremony and tradition as Laddire passed the orders from the lounge, and Michael could swear he felt the deck rumble ever so softly as the massive propulsion systems, ones his Chief and new friend had helped design, came to life smoothly.

Just as he made that order, a bottle of Champaign was thrown from one of McKinley’s airlocks on a collision coarse for the Galaxy’s stardrive hull. The bottle spun over and over till its pre-etched sides shattered on the tratanium surface of the ship, a loud cheer going up from those not part of the ceremony aboard the ship, watching from McKinley. It was now official as the deep red glow of the primary impulse drive smoldered into life and the soft blue glow of the warp nacelles grew, the Galaxy was a real ship, one that would soon leave the sheltering arms of the dockyard in favor of space, where she really belonged.

==

Michael smiled as he joined his officers on the bridge, most having taken the luxury of getting out of their dress uniforms for the more comfortable duty uniform. Michael had spent most of the extra time giving his father and mother an abbreviated tour of his ship and still wore the long formal over tunic with the high tight neck to his throat. He tried very hard not to tug at it but couldn’t help it and he saw Lieutenant Commander Tabis hide a grin as he looked down at the Ops board. Michael let it pass, Tabis and most those he had served with before knew his dislike of the thing after all, it wasn’t so bad to let the crew have a little tension relief at their captain’s expense was it?

All hands reporting to Station captain,” T’lara announced as she vacated the center seat, giving it over to her captain, who, for the first time in several days actually moved to sit in it. He had prevented himself more out of a sill superstition on his part he admitted, now, after the orders had been read though, the seat was rightfully his and he settled into it for the first.

“All stations reporting at ready sir,” Gef called out wiping his smile as their captain took his seat.

“Very good Ops,” Michael smiled sitting forward on the captain’s chair. Clear all moorings if you please.”

“Aye sir, moorings clear and away,” there was no sense of it through the ship but Michael could see the schematics on the Ops panel shot the retrating lines into the dockyard. “We are clear of all moorings sir.”

“Helm,” he turned to Gigi with a huge smile plastered on his muzzle. “take us out, ahead slow, thrusters only.”

“Ja, Ahead, slow,” her paws flew expertly across the LCARS display and even though the inertial dampening fields cancelled out all sense of movement, the scaffolding of the dockyard began to slowly pull away.

Michael smiled as he received a chirp on his chair controls, the LCARS panel displaying the engineering designator. “Go ahead Lad,”

He could almost hear the broad smile in his new friend’s voice. “Good tah ‘ave ‘er out’a ‘ostage aye?”

Michael chuckled as he watched the displays as the Galaxy slowly pulled clear of the tangle that was McKinley. “We’re not quite there yet Laddire, but yes, its good to have her under her own power.” Her saucer hull was free and clear and Gigi gave another push of the aft thrusters then gently nudged the ship into a downward attitude to clear the one obstruction that could not be moved from a straight path, ironically enough, the yard safety control station for this dockyard. He smiled as he finally as the after end of the warp nacelles, the farthest point of the ship aft cleared the yard and Gigi’s paws spun in a circular motion on the display and the Galaxy slew around to a heading that would present her a full and clear exit vector out into space.

Gigi turned slightly in the reclined seat of the helm station a broad smile on er young muzzle. “[i]Wir sind frei und frei, Herr Kapitän[/i],” she announced in German, Michael had made it quite clear to her in their talk he would never prevent change her accents or dialects as long as it did not hinder her job, and a few phrases in German, in his mind, were not a hindrance.

Michael smiled at her. “Engineering, Laddire, we’re clear of the dockyard, all power to impulse drives if you please.”

“Ye got’em Cap’an,” Laddire’s jubilant voice returned from his domain in the stardrive hull. “Full impulse, is at tah Lieutenant’s command.”

Michael nodded then turned to Gigi. “You heard him Lieutenant, full impulse is yours, set coarse for the Titan range control area, full impulse.”

“Ja, full impulse Kapitän,” she repeated and her paw moved up the speed control on her display, and Gef shifted the view from forward to aft, of Earth and McKinley and suddenly the whole view sped away from them. Galaxy was on the move for the first time, and her captain had to control his excitement, he was commanding a real, living, and maneuvering starship for the first time.