Launch

Posted on Wed Apr 7th, 2010 @ 8:21am by Captain Alexander Gunning & Commander Dietrich Reinhart & Captain Liarra Von & Lieutenant Commander Nilani Prax & Lieutenant Commander Melissa Daniels M.D. & Lieutenant JG Callaigh Roland

Mission: Commissioned
Location: Main Bridge - USS Jackal
Timeline: MD00 - 0830

[ON]

Only half an hour behind schedule. Not bad, not bad. Alex thought to himself as he stepped through the hatch into the main bridge of the Jackal. His crew were already seated in their positions and he stopped for a moment to drink in the atmosphere on the bridge. All of the fleetyard engineers had gone and it was only his crew left on the little ship. They were ready and he could not wait to get out into space.

It would be a long voyage to Pegasus Fleet Headquarters and he knew that any technical gremlins would only serve to slow them down and stop them getting an assignment beyond just journeying to a location.

The pilot stood over his bulkhead, checking the plot for departure. Thrusters out, switching to impulse, three quarter power to course and warp out at the Lagrange point. Things were looking ready, as the antimatter and deuterium reserves were full, as well as fully charged emergency batteries. But something caught his attention, specifically through the open door at the back of the bridge: another red collar. And aboard the Jackal, there was only his two Ensign pilots and the Commander. Dietrich straightened up and brought his hands to his sides, thumbs pointing down the seems of his pants. With a louder, command voice that could only come from his diaphragm, he ordered, "Captain on deck!"

Commander Gunning chuckled as he took his seat in the command chair. He looked around at the crew who had suddenly sprung from their seats like frightened meerkats. "First and last time okay, Dietrich?"

"Affirmative, Captain," he said, glad to be getting back to his flight plan and to not have to say that again. "Sir, station confirms that all crew & supplies are aboard. We are waiting for clearance to Lagrange point Bravo-Two, and for status reports from the rest of the departments," Reinhart offered.

"Lovely, Commander." Alex tapped the command panel on the side of his chair. "This is Commander Gunning; all stations and departments report in."

Liarra was anxious to get underway. It had been a long time since she had been on a real mission. "Security and tactical standing by, Captain. I can have defensive measures at your command."

Lt. Allein was deep in her analysis of the waste disposal system and didn't look up. "Engineering reports all systems go, sir."

Callaigh had spent the last hour setting up her office and getting comfortable in her new space. It wasn't bad; just different from what she was used to. "Counseling's green lit Sir."

Melissa chimed in from Sickbay. "Sickbay is operational. Oh, one more thing. All crew members, with the exception of Lt. Roland, are required to report for a standard physical examination."

"Science and Operations are good to go," Nilani replied from her console to one side of the bridge. "And why is Roland excused?" she asked, her tone joking.

Melissa smiled. "Lt. Roland had hers before were were transferred on the Niagara. I did it myself."

Liarra sighed and spun her chair around towards Gunning. "I was hoping we'd get to skip that little protocol."

"It's a long trip to Galactic South, Lieutenant. We're going to need something to do. All right everyone, let's get this done." Alex stated as he stood up, straightening his jacket. "Commander Reinhart, do we have our launch clearance from Drydock?"

Dietrich waited for a second before responding, waiting for the green light from Drydock and the local traffic control. Receiving the "cleared for launch" order, Reinhart sat in his chair at the front of the Jackal's bridge and shouted over his shoulder. "Aye, Captain. Cleared for launch."

"Then take us out, Mister Reinhart." Alex said proudly. "Manoeuvring thrusters only."

"Thrusters forward, aye," he called as the chemical manuevering thrusters fired, propelling the small warship out of its dock slowly, and gently. Because Impulse engines could, potentially, disrupt the space-time continuum and in turn damage star docks or star bases, it was standard for vessels to use their thrusters instead for docking and departing. Using the initial momentum from the short burn, Reinhart directed the Defiant-class vessel 200 meters out before slowly bringing the impulse engines online. Pushing the freshly-manufactured hunk of metal to 0.000001C (C = Speed of light), or just about 300 meters per second, he slowly kept adding power, and the rapid acceleration of the vessel in vacuum soon brought them to standard manuevering speed in high-traffic areas (about .00001C, or 2,997.9 meters per second). A fifteen degree banking turn to port at a predetermined point brought the Jackal on course for its departure.

The Lagrange point, a place in space between to bodies where there is a null point in gravitational pull, the perfect place to start warp travel. Reinhart had already loaded the departure point and arrival point in the navigational computer, which had already adjusted for difference in time, orientation and rotation to the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, and all the other factors in interstellar travel. Simple as eating pancakes, Dietrich said to himself as the ship approached its departure point.

The message came up from Antares Space Traffic Control, "Jackal, you are clear for warp departure. Safe flight."

"Commander, clear for warp."

Well, Alex. It's time for your 'warping words'. On the Heath the only term he had ever used was 'take us to warp' which he had decided wasn't quite up there with the immortal 'Engage' of the Enterprise' former Captain. He needed something fast. He quickly realised that all eyes were on him.

"Mister Reinhart... punch it." He exclaimed. He'd heard it said before but he liked the confidence in the words.

Choosing not to look behind him at Gunning, and instead ignoring the "cute" way of saying "take us to warp", Reinhart acknowledged. "Aye, aye, Commander. Spinning up the FTL drive," he gave the order for the ship engineer's to prepare for warp travel. "Warp speed in three, two, one."

[OFF]

Commander Alex Gunning
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Commander Dietrich Reinhart
Executive Officer / Chief Flight Control Officer

Lieutenant Liarra Von
Chief Security / Tactical Officer

Lieutenant Allein Mara
Chief Engineering Officer

Lieutenant (JG) Melissa Daniels M.D.
Chief Medical Officer

Lieutenant (JG) Nilani Prax
Chief Science Officer

Lieutenant (JG) Callaigh Roland
Chief Counselor
USS JACKAL