Stardate: 7587.879
It was a crisp sunrise at Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco; the day had just begun with the first officers and Crew starting to arrive. But there were two Men already at HQ; they were sitting on a bench, the man on the left was a Young Adult in a red Captain's Uniform. He seemed to be in his mid to late thirties. It wasn't unheard of Captains to be this young, Admiral Kirk after took command of the Enterprise when he was only 34 years old. He had white skin and had brown hair; his hair was combed to the side. The other on the right was a Man in his sixties, in Admirals Uniform. Both of them were wearing the new Monster Maroon Uniforms that were just issued by Starfleet command after complaints after the last design. They were talking to each other.
"Dad?" The man on the right spoke after some time in silence.
"Yes, Edison?" said the man on the right.
"Were you ever nervous when you were about to start your Mission?"
His father chuckled. "I was worried out of my mind, son. Worried about a lot of things, Klingons, Romulans, diseases, but getting on the Bridge and looking at my Crew, all of those worries suddenly went away."
He patted Edison on the back, "Listen, Ed, you're about to captain a good ship with an amazing crew that'll have your back no matter what."
Edison smiled, "Thanks Dad, I guess mom is right that you always know what to say."
"Thanks, son, but if I could give any advice, it would be this, treat the ship as a lady, and she'll always get you home. Never forget that."
As he said that, a shuttlecraft, labeled "USS EXCALIBUR NCC-1756" landed in front of them.
They both got up and started to head towards the shuttlecraft.
"You got this, Edison. You're a Hendrix. You were born to do this. I wish I could come with you, but duty calls, I am an admiral after all."
When they get close to the shuttlecraft, the shuttlecraft door opens.
"Well, I guess that's for me," Edison says.
He looks at his father and hugs him. "You're going to do great, son. Trust me." They both embrace for what seems to be a year for them. Edison lets go of his father, does a salute to him, and enters the shuttlecraft.
The shuttlecraft soon shot up into the air and into the atmosphere.
Edison walked to the front of the shuttle and sat next to the pilot.
"'Ello mate!" The pilot said with a Londoner accent, "You must be the Captain! I'm Alastair Lavanchy, your chief engineer at your service!"
"Name's Edison Hendrix; it's nice to meet you." Edison and Alastair shook hands.
"So I heard your Daddy was the original Captain of the Excalibur! Crazy innit mate?" said Alastair.
"Yeah, he was the original captain, so may I ask, how's the Ship?"
"Oh, the ships a beaut! Just spent a year Fixin' and refittin' her up after Jim Kirk stopped that bizarre thing that was heading for Earth! Showed Starfleet that the Connies still has some kick in 'er!"
"I'm just glad that I'm going to command my father's ship. Heard a lot of good things about it."
"A lot of good things is right, mate! 18 phaser emitter, 4 torpedo launchers, 305 meters long, and able to go at Warp 9.2! And with 430 crew members, she can take on any ship in the quadrant!"
Edison smiled. "That's good to hear, Alistair. May I ask, can you tell me a bit about yourself?"
"Oh me? Well, I'm a Londoner, born and raised. Enrolled in Starfleet at age 19, majored in Engineering, Warp Theory, Basic Warp Design, and Transporter Theory. Always wanted to be a Chief Engineer on a starship. Worked my way up the ranks; here we are. Your turn, Captain, I want to know whom I'm serving with."
As he was saying this, the shuttlecraft exited the atmosphere and entered space.
"Well, I was born in Colorado, Denver specifically. I spent my days hitting the slope, you know, what Coloradans do. I guess I was inspired by my Dad and joined Starfleet at 18. Majored in Advanced Tactical Training, Command and Control, Diplomacy, Earth History, and Tactical Analysis. Since my Dad was a captain, I rose a bit faster than usual through the ranks. Not to say I'm not a daddy's boy. I was promoted due to my knowledge and abilities."
"Well, Sir, I'm glad you're captaining us. Okay, that's 'er up ahead!" Alistair said while pointing at the spacedock.
"Shouldn't we have used the transporter to get on the ship directly?" Edison questioned.
"Well, I just thought I'd give you a sight show! It's always nice to see your ship before you get on it!"
Edison chuckled. "I guess you're right; it is nicer this way," he said, looking out of the window.
Then suddenly, she came into Edison's view.
"She's beautiful…." Edison said, out of breath.
She was mesmerizing; whether it be the slated warp nacelles structs, the new nacelles, the white metal, or the glow of the deflector dish, it was hypnotizing. When the shuttlecraft got closer and moved towards the front of the ship, Edison smiled when he saw it. USS EXCALIBUR NCC-1756.
"She's a beaut innit?" Alastair said after some time of silence.
"She's everything I dreamed of and more," Edison said, awe-struck.
"Well, wait until you meet the crew; you'll love 'em."
The shuttle swung around to the back of the ship and into the large shuttle bay, where there seemed to be six people, all except one, the Andorian, wearing Lieutenant's uniform. The subtle landed softly at their feet. Upon closer examination, a male human, a male Tellarite, a male Vulcan, a female Andorian, and a female Caitian.
The shuttlecraft door opened, and when Edison stepped out of the craft, he was immediately greeted by the Andorian.
"Hello there! You must be the Captain!" said the Andorian with a gleeful tone as she shook Edison's hand.
Alistair then stepped out of the shuttlecraft.
"Why yes, I am indeed the captain, you mind me asking, but who are you?" Questioned Edison.
She then stood straight up and saluted Edison.
"First Officer and Science Officer Atathia Sh'ithiaqos reporting for duty!" she said with a gleaming smile.
Edison smiled. "It's nice to meet you, Atathia. I should introduce myself; my name's Edison Hendrix. Your kind of optimism is what drives Starfleet.
I'm looking forward to working with you."
Atathia smiled. Then, the Caitian came forward and saluted the Captain.
"Helmsman Sh'erl reporting for duty. It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sh'erl, you know, I've never met one before."
"Well, Captain, I guess there's a first for everything, so to speak."
"Well, Lieutenant, after this first meeting, we'll have our first mission together. Remind me to appreciate moments like this the next time something similar happens. Welcome aboard."
Sh'erl smiled. "Sure will, captain."
"Don't mention it, Lieutenant."
Edison then walked to the Vulcan. "Who must you be?
Vulcan then saluted the Captain. "My name is Kylkuc, Sir. I am the current Chief Medical Officer on the Excalibur."
"I've heard that Vulcans in every 7 years have something that's called 'Pon Farr' where their mating drive outweighs every motivation. Please tell me we'll have to lock you in your room until you get under control."
"I humbly request that you soundproof my entire bunk and enlarge the bathroom, captain." Kylkuc told Edison.
"Permission Granted Lieutenant." just make sure that none of the other crew members are near you when this happens."
"Affirmative Captain."
Edison then walked up to the tellarite, who seemed to be impatient.
"Hello there, Lieutenant. Is there something wrong?"
The Tellarite Let out a sigh and stood up and saluted the Captain.
"Lieutenant commander Security Chief Xehrarv Daar Sir."
"It's nice to meet you, Lieutenant commander. I've heard that Tellarites like to have arguments; is that true?"
"Well, maybe if you got your head out of your ass, you'd know that before you'd answer the question, you brain dead Earther."
"I guess that answers my question."
Xehrarv smirked at him.
Then the last person came up to Edison. He was a human; he had an average height and an average build as well. He had black hair, which was combed upwards. He took a quick glance at Edison and then stood upwards and saluted him.
"Communications Officer Rolf Reynolds reporting for duty, Sir!"
"Hello Lieutenant, may I ask if you don't mind, where on earth were you born?" questioned Edison.
"Oh! I was born in New York City, Sir! Queens specifically."
"Queens, haven't met that many people from Queens, but hey, it's nice to meet new people from new places."
"I guess you're right about that captain."
"So I think we're done introducing ourselves now; I think we should go the-" said Edison before he was cut off by his communicator.
"Huh, Hang on a second."
He opened his communicator and started to listen to it. A few moments later, he closed it.
"What was that, Captain?" questioned Atathia.
"We all gotta go into the conference room. It's a message from Starfleet high command. Apparently, it's urgent." responded Edison.
"Okay, everyone, follow me."
The Crew, led by Edison, walked to a map of the ship, trying to find the conference room.
"It's right there, sir," said Kylkuc, pointing on the map to the conference room, which was near the Bridge to the ship.
"Thanks, Kylkuc, Okay everyone, follow me."
They all walked through the hallways of the ship, with thoughts racing through their heads. Thoughts about the order from Starfleet command, what they want, and why them?
Soon after, they found themselves in the conference room.
"Okay, Reynolds, put Starfleet on the screen." Edison requested.
"Aye, Sir." Rolf responded. He went to the comms panel, pressed a button, and soon after, the Federation Flag filled the screen. Then, it was shortly replaced by three Human admirals.
"We'd like to apologize for such short notice Excalibur." said the Admiral in the center.
"No worries, Admiral." responded Edison.
The Admiral on the left soon began to talk. "Are you familiar with the Diringel system, Captain?"
"Yes, of course, it's Class M, about the same size as Earth; it's the site of the new federation colony, I believe."
"Correct. But we have been getting reports of an anomaly not so far away from the planet. Reports have been saying that it's been causing computer malfunctions, shutting down functions on the colony, just causing lots of bad things to happen there."
"Have you ever sent a probe to the anomaly to investigate it?" asked Atathia.
"We did, Commander, and the most… unusual thing happened. When we got close to it, the probe just shut down and lost all contact with it. It was normal when we launched it, but it just shut down when it came into range of the anomaly."
"So that is why we are having you investigate it." said the Admiral on the right.
"The Excalibur is a new ship with the top communications systems in the entire federation. It can do this. I promise."
"So your orders are as follows: Go to Diringel, investigate the anomaly, and report back to Starfleet when you are done." the Admiral on the commanded.
"And Captain, we wish you all the best of luck." the Admiral said before the screen faded.
Edison put his fist on his mouth while laying arm on the table while thinking. After thinking for some time he stood up. "Alright, let's go. Crew, man, your posts." he said bluntly.
They all got up and headed out. Alastair broke off with the group, heading to engineering. "Right, I'll spot you lot later," he said before exiting the turbolift. The group continued through the corridors before entering the turbolift. "Bridge." Edison bluntly said. Before long, the turbolift was heading to the Bridge. The Crew all stood in silence while in the turbolift. "Sickbay," said Kylkuc, and soon after, Turbolift made a short stop at the sickbay, where he got off.
"Why are we all so silent? It's almost like someone died in front of us," said Rolf out of the blue.
"We're thinking about the mission Rolf. Something like this has never happened before!" said She'rl.
"I mean, a spatial anomaly that shuts down probes without a moment's notice, that's certainly new for the history books!" she exclaimed.
"No doubt, lieutenant," said Edison before the turbolift doors opened to reveal the Bridge.
Edison smirked a little before they all exited the turbolift. The Bridge was gray, but it was sleek, and the consoles had strangely… no buttons!
"Wait… where's the buttons?" questioned Edison.
"It's new from the Daystrom Institute. They're testing new touch screen helm consoles. Apparently, we are the first vessel to have exclusive touch screen helm controls." explained Atathia
"So we're basically the fall guys if this whole thing goes wrong? Ugh…" responded She'rl.
"Hey! Don't think like that; we have access to technology that's more advanced than anything in the fleet! Let's make use of it." said Edison in an executive tone. "Now, everyone, get to your posts."
"Aye, Captain." they all said before heading to their perspective posts. Edison then walked to the Captain's chair before sitting down on it very slowly. It took everyone a while to get used to their new board, but they got the hang of it before long.
"Helm ready, sir. I think I got the hang of this now." said She'rl, performing the necessary helm functions at her console.
"Okay… Alastair, how are the engines?" said Edison into his communicator.
"They're as Hectic as they'll ever be!" responded Alastair.
"We're clear for spacedock departure, captain." said Rolf.
Edison did an anticipatory sigh before speaking. "Alright… She'rl. Take us out Quarter impulse Power."
"Aye, Captain," she said as she turned on the thrusters on her console.
The Impulse engines rocketed into life, the impulse drive glows. Then, the Excalibur began to slowly trudge its way out of the spacedock. The Excalibur, powered by its mighty engines, begins to move perceptibly faster- Soon after, the Excalibur was out of spacedock, and it was diminishing rapidly in size.
"Alright, let's see what this Constitution Refit can do. Helm, Warp 0.75." Commanded Edison.
"Aye, Sir." said She'rl as she moved her paw on the console slowly upwards.
The Excalibur then accelerated even faster than before and soon enough escaped Earth's gravity as the blue planet slowly diminished in size. Before long, Mars came into view on the screen.
"Lieutenant, set course for the Diringel System," commanded Edison.
"Yes, Sir," responded She'rl laying in a course on a map on her console. "Course laid in, Sir."
Edison smiled for a bit as he looked at all of his crew members.
"She'rl… Warp 7… Engage."
"Aye, Captain." She'rl said as she moved her paw upon the controls on the console forward.
The nacelles on the Excalibur then began to turn blue as the impulse engines turned off. Suddenly, the ship elongated and then snapped into a beam that was gone within a fraction of a second. The Stars, once white dots in the blackness of space, now became streaks of white flying across the cosmos. The ship leaped into warp, trailing her warp exhaust behind her. Hues of pink, purple and blue against the burnt night of space. She hummed now. Her deck plates were alive again with the vibrations that gave the telltale signs of hitting warp seven. Soon it would be at its destination, the Diringel Anomaly.