Episode 2.01: Brushfire!

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Regarding the past five months...Starfleet ultimately determined in January 2289 that the old Drake should be retired from active service, and the crew transferred together to a new ship, which was revealed to be the new USS Drake, being fitted out at the Copernicus Shipyards over Luna. The crew were allowed a month's leave before reporting to the ship and adding on an additional 110 crew members.

While Dietrich Schrepfermann pleaded guilty in his court-martial, Niro's lasted a month and he was convicted. Niro was sentenced to full neuro-rehabilitation at the Elba II penal colony, while Dietrich was given a sentence of 27 years at the New Zealand penal colony, including mandated psychological rehabilitation.

Treyva made inquiries into the hazing against Ernst and Katarina at Starfleet Academy. In his many conversations with his daughter (and Ernst's classmate), Miral, he learned that the incidents were short-lived before the commandant personally intervened in the matter. Seven cadets were disciplined, including one being expelled and two being suspended and having to repeat their current year. Treyva learned from the commandant himself that two staff members were reprimanded for not acting quickly enough to prevent the hazing, and one faculty member was removed from her position. Ernst has since been reintegrated back into the cadet corps. He has told Treyva that he's doing "much better" since his father's capture and sentencing.

Paula is in good spirits, and the doctors at the Lucas facility are hopeful for her progress. She understands that she'll never regain full sight, but, between their regenerative techniques and custom-designed corrective lenses, she will likely be able to return to full duty within a year.

The Welches also visit from Mars before the new Drake departs for its shakedown. They introduce the crew to their newborn son, Nathan.

Among the crew, Maria became engaged to a young vintner from eastern France; Miruku & her father took a holiday to Hawai'i; Casey spent a bunch of time visiting Paula in Wisconsin; Miguel spent his leave at home on Terra Nova; Nikolai broke his leg skiing in Sochi and spent a week in recovery.

(Due to the rigors of receiving the ship and preparing her for her shakedown cruise, Sorak didn't have much leave time; I do expect he spent significant time with his son. I have leave planned for Sorak at the beginning of Episode 2.02.)

Captain's Log, Stardate 8844.4: For the past five months, we have been settling into our new home, integrating another hundred or so crewmembers to those who transfered en masse from Starbase 24, and testing crew and ship alike in a shakedown cruise in the Sigma Serpentis proving grounds at the edge of Federation territory...

The Constellation-class cruiser streaks along at warp factor 9 between Sigma Serpentis and the Arbazan system; the trials have, so far, been highly successful, and only a few more remain before the new USS Drake can be declared ready for full duty.

The captain is in the center seat, listening to the conversation between Maria, Sorak, and Sovar (in engineering), as they monitor the helm's and engine's performance during the exercise. The station to his right beeps, and the captain is about to ask Mr. Les what is going on when he realizes that the library computer station is now on the port side of the bridge, and the communications station is where the library computer station should be.

"Captain, I'm getting a Priority One signal from Starfleet Command," Miguel reports without prompting. "Admiral Bennett's direct line."

OOC: Rear Admiral Robert Bennett is Chief of Starfleet Operations.

[Patrick Goodman]

I will get used to this eventually, he told himself. Sixteen years on a much older bridge configuration were hard to unlearn, even after retraining and the new ship's trials.

He spun his chair, which he had to admit was very comfortable, back to face the main viewer and stood up. "By all means, Miguel," he said. "Let's not keep him waiting. On the main viewer, please."

[Doug Burke]

Sorak told his subordinates, "Compile the results so far and we will go over them more thoroughly at the evening briefing." Closing the com channel, he also turns to the main screen, his hands clasped and fingers steepled before him.

[Davy, aka GM]

Treyva knows Bennett only by reputation and communique, but he's heard the man has done well in his role, reducing ship losses by 15 percent since he took the Chief of Starfleet Operations position 30 months ago.

Bennett's wizened face appears on the main viewscreen, the seal of his office displayed on the wall behind him; the admiral's serious expression tells Treyva that their shakedown cruise is about to be interrupted.

"Captain Treyva, we're burning subspace boosters to make this conversation as realtime as possible, so we'll need to keep it short," he says by way of greeting. "We've lost contact with the Rostov, currently in her second month on station over the planet Neural, in the Zeta Bootis system. It's a world whose development was contaminated by Klingons in 2268, starting a civil war that continues to this day; the deployment of ships to Neural is meant to deter further Klingon interference.

"If the Rostov is missing or lost, it may mean the Klingons are planning a push to overturn the balance of power on the planet. I'm sorry to cut your trials short, but the Drake is the nearest ship to the sector and the only one that can reach the planet with any chance of stopping a possible Klingon incursion."

Bennett pauses for a brief moment, then adds,  "Your orders, Captain, are to head to Neural at best possible speed, determine the disposition of the Rostov and make contact, if possible, and assist the Tyreen faction in maintaining the fragile balance of power between themselves and the Apellans. If the Rostov is missing, incapacitated, or lost, the Drake is to remain on station until relief arrives. I cannot stress strongly enough that losing Neural to Klingon influence is an unacceptable result, and would be a black eye for Starfleet and the Federation. A briefing packet is incoming. Any questions?"

[Patrick Goodman]

How much does Treyva know about Neural prior to this? Is this one of those required Jim Kirk missions, considering the planet's importance?

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Most officers and commanders would know the basics, that the Federation and Klingon Empire are competing for influence over the planet and have been for 20 years. It's not even strategic, in the grand scheme of things, being on the opposite side of the Federation from the empire. In lectures Treyva has attended, the prevailing theory is that it's an attempt by the Klingons to show their reach is (proverbially) infinite, that they can turn any world against the Federation, no matter where it lies or what's in their way.

Neural is often mentioned only in relation to Sherman's Planet (which is, by far, more strategically important in the realm of Federation-Klingon competition), as "another example" of Klingon aggression.

That said, it's not hard to read up on the specifics (and the incoming data packet will have plenty of background details).

[Patrick Goodman]

While his player tries to come up with something....

Treyva glanced back at Sorak briefly, concern on his face, then turned back to the admiral. "Was there anything unusual or noteworthy in the Rostov's reports before she went dark, sir?"

[Davy, aka GM]

"The Apellans appear to be studying advanced tactics -- squad level stuff that goes beyond their technology -- which indicates there may a technological leap in the near future," he answers. "The Rostov was focusing scans on their workshops, in case we needed to respond in kind. They were due to report initial findings on Stardate 8440."

[Patrick Goodman]

Treyva nodded as he sat down. "What could possibly go wrong there?" he quipped. "We're on our way, Admiral. We'll find the Rostov, or determine what happened to her, and report back ASAP. Is there anything else before we get under way, sir?"

[Davy, aka GM]

"It's worth saying again: The balance of power must be preserved on Neural. Above all else, that's your priority. Bennett out."

The admiral's image fades from the screen, replaced by the view ahead. Miguel reports the full data packet has been received.

[Doug Burke]

Sorak stood and moved around the bridge to port, "Mister Les, please bring up all data we already have on Neural, the Rostov and her crew. Append that to the data packet just received and have it ready for briefing as soon as possible." The Vulcan then turned and approached the command chair from the port side.

[Nolmir]

"Aye sir, I'll get right on it," Tobin says, swiveling back to the library computer station as Sorak turns away. His fingers fly over the controls as he brings up the data.

[Patrick Goodman]

Treyva nodded appreciatively to his XO. Turning towards Communications, he said, "Miguel, I want senior staff in the briefing room in twenty minutes."

Rising from the captain's chair, he said to Sorak, "Seventeen years in Starfleet and this is only the third ship I've been stationed on, and both of the others had the exact same bridge design." He could see the Vulcan's subtle smile as he began. Griping good-naturedly about all the differences between the new and old versions of the Drake had become something of a hobby for him. "They didn't even have the common decency to actually put the center seat in the center of the bridge."

[Doug Burke]

"This is true, but in exchange, the arms of the chair do serve as a rudimentary restraint system, something you've had need of in the past, sir." The Vulcan replied gamely. He enjoyed this banter as much as the captain and rather looked forward to coming up with more and more obnoxious reasons to like the newer ship.

[Patrick Goodman]

Treyva shrugged. "There is that," he said. "On the plus side, though, I've never been on a ship that could do this before." Turning to the helm/nav console, he said, "Cathy, plot us a course for Neural and lay it in. Maria, when you have the course, take us to warp factor ten."

He looked at Sorak and motioned to the lift. "Let's see what these new toys of yours can do."