Personal Log, Stardate 8121.2. Vice-Admiral Joshua Underwood commanding Starbase Clannad Fleet Yards....
I can see why Jim - Admiral James T. Kirk, Chief of Starfleet Operations - hates inspections; they require the most paperwork. I, personally, don't hate inspections, but the paperwork I could do without.
Three notable vessels are docked at Clannad today, waiting for my inspection: The Excelsior, NX-2000, which has just completed her shakedown cruise and will be returning to Earth following the inspection; the Skyrider, NCC-1831, which is being refitted from Constitution-class to Skyrider-class; and the Enterprise, NCC-1701, which returned here for resupply after a training cruise.
Admiral Underwood, Inspection Log. Begin recording......
Excelsior was the first to be inspected. Rumor has it that Jim's helmsman, Hikaru Sulu, is up for the CO's position, but for the moment, James Styles is in command. I never did like Styles - he struck me as an arrogant freak 99.9 percent of the time. Pompous and rude. No good qualities there.
However, Excelsior's a beaut, not showing any likeness to her captain at all. Sleek, elegant, and incredibly powerful. According to R&D, Excelsior will be the testbed for the transwarp project. "The Great Experiment", they call her. I can see why.
As I leave for Enterprise, I wonder (and not for the first time): "Who in the blue hell would give such a fine and powerful vessel to a pompous ass like Styles?"
The second, Enterprise, took a while for me to inspect. She was incredibly beautiful - I couldn't take my eyes off her. Jim Kirk had taken good care of her when he commanded her. Then again, this was his ship. He wouldn't have it any other way.
The Enterprise was in ship-shape, as I knew it would be. I invited Captain Spock - who was commanding the Enterprise as an Academy instructor - to stay a while, but he declined, saying his students seemed restless. I gave the authorization for Enterprise to return to Earth shortly after finishing the inspection.
Skyrider was the third ship to be inspected. Originally built as a Constitution-class like Enterprise, Skyrider served as the "mobile embassy" when the Big E went into Academy service. Why Jim would turn the finest ship in the Fleet into a school bus with about one or two hundred eager kiddies, I'm not sure...
The Skyrider's refit began two years ago, and is just finishing up now. We added a third nacelle, improved weaponry, and a faster warp drive system that is only rivaled by the transwarp drive of Excelsior.
Instead of keeping her NCC registry, since the class is highly experimental, we put the NX on Skyrider's saucer, since we're in the advanced development stages, but not at full scale use. Yet.
As I dock with Skyrider, and she successfully leaves, I wonder: Why does Jim Kirk hate this job? You get to inspect works of art instead of sit behind a desk when you're out here.
End Log.
Clannad Squadron Command
