USS LaFayette
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Mission 0 -- Drydock
Stardate 47601.9: Assumed command of Batttle Group Alpha of TF 17, and the USS LaFayette. Awaiting additional crew and task force and mission assignments. Several members of the Unicorn's command staff have transferred to the LaFayette with me while others chose to stay behind. We shall miss the Unicorn, but look forward to our new adventures with Bravo Fleet and DarkStar Ops.
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OFF:
LaFayette Mission Header
Mission 0: Drydock
(0 Mission 1 Post 011300 CO)
$---Starfleet Communique---$
<McAllister>
<<USS LaFayette, drydock, Avalon Fleet Yards>>
<<<Temporary office>>>
ON:
TO: COMMANDER, BRAVO FLEET
VIA: COMMANDER, TASK FORCE 17
1)You are respectfully invited to join Commander BG-A/TF17 on the
initial inspection tour of the USS LaFayette.
2) The LaFayette is not fully operational, but most main decks
will be open for your review.
3) The LaFayette is currently docked at https://www.angelfire.com/va/ussunicorn
Upon completion of the initial inspection and approval of all
current protocols, the LaFayette will move to her home port at
http://home.earthlink.net/~fereday/trek.htm
4) Inspection to commence at your convenience.
SIGNED:
Peter Donald McAllister
Commodore, USS LaFayette
Commanding, BG-A/TF17
OFF:
OFF>>
DryDock, just outside the Lafayette, the place is a mad house as
people, supplies, and equipment all rush about trying to get onto
and off of the Lafayette at the same time. The resulting log jam
has people backed up on both sides of the airlock. One calm
center to the universe stands quietly on the side lines shaking
his head and smiling. He is a tall man of slender build wearing a
nondescript overall, carrying a clip board and leading a
anti-grav cart piled high with crates of various sizes and shapes.
ON:
Walking forward he starts to talk to the people quietly and
reaches the door where the over worked security guards are
standing trying frantically to clear people coming on to and
leaving the ship at the same time. Smiling he shakes the guards'
hands and climbs up onto a cargo crate.
Sam: Yelling for everyone to here. "All right everyone
listen up. From now on Cargo bay and hanger decks will only be IN
doors to the Lafayette. All of you departing the Lafayette can
leave through the airlock in the Lounge on deck 2." Turning
to the people on the inside, "Sorry but foot traffic takes
up less space and the main door there will handle you folks
better than all this equipment. But to make up for it the first
drinks are on the house, non-alcoholic of course. We are on duty
after all." Several personnel are unsure of his status but
on a new ship they are inclined not to question his authority and
grumbling comply with his command. Something about him states he
has commanded before and is a veteran.
Hopping down off the cargo crate he then turns to the security
guards ignoring the small grumbling from the people now forced to
cross the entire ship to get to the exit.
Sam: "Spread the word to the other two ports and get a man
on the exit. These people are going to be upset if the airlock is
closed when they get there."
Security guard Hewlett: confused and overly harried, "But
the airlock in the Lounge is a maintenance lock. We open it and
it will set off every security alarm in the place."
Sam: "Exactly, its a maintenance hatch which means its just
big enough for one person to get through. Set up a man with a
tricorder on both sides and you can scan everyone as they leave,
twice. That doubles your efficiency
and allows you to concentrate on people going ONE way at all the
other hatches. As for alarms, they can be temporarily
disconnected. Get an Engineer to shut it down before you open it."
winks at the guard, "and it increases efficiency in selling
drinks in the bar since the FIRST one is free. Very important for
us bartender types."
Hewlett: still confused but beginning to see the light, "But...
disconnect the alarms..."
Sam: "Are you the security on this bucket of bolts?" at
Hewlett's nod, "Well shut them off. Its not like your going
to get an officer to do it. Their to busy trying to learn there
way around the ship so it can leave on time.
Besides, you can see things go much faster without everyone
trying to cram through at the same time. They pay you guys to use
some initiative in solving problems, so do what they pay you for."
turns to his load of crates
as it is brought up by another man in overalls. "Thanks Bob.
I'll take this load you get the other one." turns back to
the guards opening a crate to display the bottles and containers
within, "You guys be sure to stop by the bar when you get
off duty. I'll see if I can set you up." He hauls the load
of crates through the door an onto the ship.
The interior of the ship looked like it was going through the
Realms of Chaos. Every where Sam went there were technicians
working on the wiring or modifying the sensors or tracking down
one of the thousands of faults
that a ship has on her first run. Finally reaching the lounge he
found thirty people gathered around a very tired looking
bartender passing out drinks as fast as he could. They were all
upset at the slow service and the airlock still being closed.
Walking up to the bartender Sam smiled and pointed to a cadet in
the crowd.
Sam: "You there what's your name?"
Sarah: "Sarah McFeneraly Sir."
Sam: "Congratulations Sarah you are hereby promoted to head
waitress. Pick three of your ship mates out of the crowd and get
these people seated, and don't argue. You can go back to your
duties just as soon as they let you off the ship now 'chop chop'
these folks are impatient and thirsty." Turning back to the
bartender and ignoring the confused Sarah who is now surrounded
by impatient and thirsty people. "OK, I got the booze and
the party favors. I also have at least three more shipments just
like this one so we should be all set. I'll see to getting the
supplies on board you see to getting the people drinks. Remember
the first drink per visit is free. After that they have to pay
for it just like the rest of us. That ought to keep them working
so they can keep
coming back." turns to the wall mounted communicator. "Sam
to Hewlett, What's up with the airlock. I've got a mob of people
here trying to get back to work."
Hewlett: "We're having problems with the alarms and the
overrides. They haven't been used before and aren't working at
100%."
Sam: "How hard is it to hit the OFF switch. We're getting
flooded up here boy we need to get these people moving or we'll
have the same problem here we did there."
Hewlett: "I can't just shut the outside alarms off. I don't..."
Sam: "Look, I am going to manually override the hatch and
get these people moving through here. There are at least three
security people in this crowd so I'll have them set up the
scanners and start sending people
through. You handle the alarms on your end as best you can OK. I
mean you know it isn't a real one so this shouldn't be difficult."
Turning to the crowd Sam waves at three security guards sitting
at a table
in the corner. They get up and meet him at the maintenance hatch.
Sam: "OK guys you know the situation here. We need to get
these people moving and keep the ships security standards at the
same time. Dell, you and Smily set up on this side with the
tricorder. Prefe, you set up on the
other side and keep the crowd orderly and catch anybody who tries
to push through." Looking at the frantically waving
bartender. "Drek It looks like this crowd is merciless. The
booze is already gone." Stops to think for a moment while
the guards open the hatch to the dry dock and set up there
scanning gear. "OK we're in
a hurry here. I'll call Bob and have him bring the rest of the
gear through here instead. ONLY he can come in this way. We'll
get the bar set up and then start channeling everything through
the cargo bays again."
Sam turns and starts to work on the plan while the people in
the bar, free drinks finished, head out the maintenance hatch in
an orderly line. Soon the crowd is moving and Sam lets the
drafted waitresses go with a hearty thanks and a small token of
his appreciation. The next round of booze shows up and is passed
into the bar. The free drinks do indeed keep the people coming
back for more and the Lafayette bar rapidly becomes the most
popular place on the station with everyone finding an excuse to
come on board. Sam gets a list
of missing or needed parts from the engineering staff and starts
a "scavenger hunt" where people win small prizes for
collecting and delivering certain items to the Lafayette bar.
This rapidly fills the list of small items that engineering
requested and soon, with the help of the now grateful technicians,
the lighting, synthesizers, tables, chairs, and games of chance
are all set up and operational. With the increased attractions
the "Dark Unicorn" as the lounge is now called, rapidly
fills with off duty personnel from all over.
OFF>>
several hours later
ON>>
Later that night, the Dark Unicorn is full of personnel dancing,
talking, eating, gambling, drinking, and generally having a good
time. Several waiters and waitresses roam the crowd delivering
drinks and food to the tables having been hired on a temporary
basis's by Sam from the ships crew and bar crowds.
Sam: talking to Douglas the bartender, "Drek Doug, I am beat.
How are you holding up? You been here longer than me."
Doug: "Dead to the world. I think I have been pouring
everyone the same drink for the last half an hour. Funny thing is
nobody seems to care."
Sam: "Take a break man. I can handle the bar for awhile. We'll
have to get someone else in here today. Why don't you swing by
the tables and make sure that Blue fellow we have running them is
doing OK? He seemed a little to competent and I don't want our
first day on board to be marred with rumors of 'rigged' tables."
Doug: "Sure, I'll see you in a couple hours."
The rest of the evening went pretty quietly and toward about
midnight ships time Doug replaced Sam who promptly went out and
hired a 'second shift' for the waitresses, promising each that
things wouldn't be so bad when the holograms became operational.
Security cracked down on the party sometime around 3:00am. They
sent everyone home to prepare for the ceremonies that would start
in just a few short hours then sealed the maintenance hatch and
ordered the Lounge to be cleaned and ready. With the lights
dimmed and the people gone the only one left in the Unicorn was
Sam sweeping the floor with an old broom.
OFF>>
Sam Smith - bartender of the Lafayette Lounge - The Dark Unicorn
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ON:
TO: P.T. MCALLISTER, COMMODORE, U.S.S. LAFAYETTE
FROM: OFFICE OF THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, TASK FORCE 17 (CINCTF17)
Rear Admiral Taggart will be aboard your ship for an inspection
when you are close to departing from Starbase Sentinel. The
Admiral requests that you meet with your battlegroup captains
immediately to discuss deployment plans.
Fleet Admiral Bremer will not be joining the inspection party,
but the CINCTF17 will be aboard for a short inspection and to
answer questions from the battlegroup captains.
Please inform your battlegroup captains to assemble on board the
USS Lafayette before the battlegroup deploys. The admiral will
meet with all of you there. Take care, commodore, and
congradulations again on your
promotion and position. The admiral is confident that you will to
a fantastic job.
Signed,
Flynn Taggart, RADM
Commander-in-Chief, Task Force 17
care of:
Kelly Michaels, LTJG
Administrative Aid to the CINCTF17
OFF
OFF:
LaFayette Message Header
Mission 0 -- Dry-dock
(0 Mission 3 Post 011700 CO)
<Arase Cyllial>
<<USS LaFayette, Avalon Fleet Yards, docked>>
<<<Dark Unicorn (Ship's Lounge), The next morning c. SD-47617.8>>>
ON:
The USS LaFayette, flagship of BattleGroup Alpha, of the newly
created DarkStar Ops. would be leaving Avalon Fleet Yards later
today. All but the finishing touches to her second standard refit
had been completed, and the ship was manned with a skeleton crew.
The night shift had just ended, and a group of young junior
officers were gathering in the Ship's Lounge. It was nice to have
a place you could meet and unwind after a duty shift, even one as
non-eventful -- call it boring --
as the 01-08 watch on a ship in dry-dock.
Lt. Gaits, the LaFayette's new operations officer and Ensign
Randolf who had CONN duty the night before, arrived at the lounge
together, and were discussing the change of command ceremony
scheduled for later in the day.
"I just don't understand why we have to be there,"
continued Randolf. "I don't know about you, but I'm too
tired after a night watch to care about another bloody ceremony;
even if the 'old man' is coming aboard."
"Well, Randy," replied Gaits, "You had best get
used to this. We're going to be the flagship for the battle group,
and I hear McAllister's a real sticklerprick when it comes to
protocol and tradition." Lt. Gait's discourse on their new
commander's adherence to the traditions of the space service was
interrupted by the arrival of bouncy young blonde woman dressed
in the uniform of the sciences branch. Following sedately behind
her was a Vulcan female wearing a perpetual puzzled expression on
her face, which means to say that she had one eyebrow cocked and
her head tilted to the side, as if wondering why she was in the
company of a person who could be best described as a 20/th
century valley girl.
Ensign Doral Simmons was a recent graduate from the Academy, and
a really fun person to be with if your could handle bubbly
personalities at all hours of the day. This morning was no
exception. "Hey Randy, Gaitsy --how you guys doing?"
she asked as pulled up along side the two bridge officers.
Without waiting for an answer, she continued, " Have you met
Lt. Cyllia? She's a nurse; I stopped by to see her coming off
shift cause I think I got an eyelash in my eye and invited her
along. I wonder what the breakfast special is, I'm hungry and you
guys are going to the change of command ceremony, aren't you? I
need someone to sit with."
Doral's non-stop chatter continued as the group choose their
refreshments and found a table. "So, Cyllia, were you able
to get Doral's eyelash out of her eye?" asked Randolf as the
group sat down.
Lt. Cyllia nodded. "I also informed her that she would not
experience that particular problem in the future if she would
cease violating uniform regulations by wearing follicle extenders."
"What?" asked Gaits.
"False eyelashes," replied Randolf.
"No one cares about a little thing like that," added
Doral. "I even wore them at the Academy, no one ever said
anything."
Randolf grunted. "Gaits here says are new CO might , says he's
a -- what was that word you used?"
"Sticklerprick." Gaits reply was muffled by the large
amount of food he had just stuffed into his mouth.
"Say, what about McAllister," continued Doral,
blissfully unaware. Turning to Cyllia, she asked, "Don't you
girls in Sickbay get the records of all arriving officers? Give
us the scoop on our new CO."
Cyllia raised her eyebrow again, her only indication of the
astonishment she felt regarding Doral's question. "I can not
divulge medical information regarding any member of the crew,
except in case of emergency."
While Doral pouted at the nurse's answer, Gaits finally managed
to swallow. "Sticklerprick," he said again, clearer
this time. "A person obsessed with meaningless rules and
traditions."
"Just how would you know?" asked Randolf.
"We served on the same ship for a little while, and he's the
reason I'm stuck here now." Gaits said bitterly.
"What did he do to you?" asked Doral.
"Administrative punishment. I don't know if I'll ever work
with a 'real'commander again."
"Aw, come on," interjected Randolf. "Tell them why
you received that mast."
Gaits looked down at his breakfast tray, embarrassed. "I,
uh, shot at him."
"You what!" exclaimed Doral. Cyllia raised both
eyebrows.
"I was in command of my old ship, the Alderaan, when
McAllister and the Unicorn appeared to being following us. He was
suspected of being an enemy agent, you know, and I wasn't sure
what he was planning. The situation was hostile, we were
technically at war, so I ordered the Alderaan to fire on the
Unicorn."
"Oh my Goodness!" exclaimed Doral yet again. "What
happened after that?"
"Yeah, tell us, *Gaitsey*," chided Randolf.
"The Unicorn was having computer difficulties and needed
assistance. That still didn't stop him from dropping his marines
onto the hull of the Alderaan, ready to board by cutting through
the hull like pirates," continued Gaits defensively. "Anyway,
my CO managed to get back to the Alderaan and her and the Butcher
cut a deal, and here I am."
"Who is this 'Butcher'?" asked Cyllia.
"That's McAllister's nickname," replied Randolf, taking
up the story. "Remember the Pale Incident? That's the same
McAllister, ladies and gents, that is coming aboard the LaFayette
this afternoon as our new commanding
officer. Peter Donald McAllister, the Butcher of the Pale."
OFF:
Just some introductions to set the mood among the junior officers
-- rumors
can be such a pain, don't ya think?
Arase Cyllia
Lt(jg), USS LaFayette
Acting Head Nurse
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