To boldly Go

[arumizy]

Earth Lunar Space Dock

The habitation module was a bustle with activity as countless thousands of beings had been assembled for the inaguration of the new Battleship. Countless alien species, from countless worlds sat assembled some knowing the languages of others and some requiring translaters. A thousand Naval and Marine personel stood at attention before the podium, in their dress uniforms.

“ Attention” was shouted as the Admiral, a human with a chest covered in a dozen medals marched onto the stage and behind the podium. “ At Ease” he said as he prepared to speak “ I am High Admiral Draven McGillis, commander of the U.P.C. Space Command. We are assembled here for one reason today, a nobile and stead fast goal to send out a ship of peace, to find new allies, new civilizations to find and neutralize new threats before they can wage war across the Council.

Years of war have put us into a militaristic atmosphere, the wounds of the past are still sore and still sensative. We must remember the past but we must also move forward unto the future of the Council, to paraphrase a great and noble human explorer “ One small step for the council, one giant leap for Council King”. Without further ado a present President of the Council Benjamin Morose” . The Admiral saluted the President as he stepped back to the assembled line of officers. Including the Marine Corps Commandant and the young captain for the Magellon.

“ Ladies, Gentlemen and species with different genders. Today is a momentous day, a day that history will remember with fondness, with wonder and with passion. Today we inagurate the Magellon, a state of the art Battleship whos mission is a mission of peace. Although she is equipped for war, she is also equipped for peace and humanitarian aid. We will boldly go where no man has gone before, we shall seek out that which is unknown and we will make peaceful contact.

As we prepare to send the sons, daughters and Mrkab of the Council to the unknown regions, we must ever be present of mind that our enemies exist. That they are ready to make war with us again, although the Trimvirate is an ally now, it wasn't always so. In that we must remember that things change, once bitter enemies become grand friends. We must remember that not all species we will find will be advanced, nor will they be willing to be friends.

Before I turn over the podium to the young captain, I wish to repeat a qoute by a old human leader. John F Kennedy.

We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.”

Without further ado, I give you the Captain of the Magellan. May her voyages be short and safe, and the seas always calm with the wind at your back and the sun in your face.

[Reality Glitch]

After the speech, one Ms. Tel was preparing to board the Magellon, waiting patiently for the rest of the crew to arrive, she always liked meeting new people, then again, most drakin do. To bad Earth's air is toxic, approaching someone while sealed in an over-glorified tin-can is no way to make a good first impression.

(( Do to drakins' telepathic nature, anything I type that looks like she might have said it or is something she is feeling, assume that it can be picked up by those around her. Also <This seems a good distinction of telepathic communication, or when think things that telepaths will pick up.> ))

[Hbgplayer]

Goodness gracious, I forgot how much I despise ceremonies like this! Commander Roy McConnell thought to himself as he stood at attention for what seemed to be hours on end as various politicians and Naval Brass jockeyed for soundbites on the recorded news casts. As McConnell was subtly shifting his weight from one foot to the other, he was almost startled by the shouted call of Attention, and he forced himself to be even more stiff and ram-rod straight than he was previously. All this forced stiffness cannot be good for one's posture; I wonder if anyone has ever done any studies on that? surely they have; it's not exactly a new discipline! his mind wandered a bit as the High Admiral marched up to the podium.
McConnell liked the admiral, having served under him a couple of times in various assignments, so he listened to what he had to say. At the end of the Admiral's [thankfully] short speech, McConnell was fairly impressed. Maybe not the best speech he's ever heard in a function like this, but certainly better than most of them. He also perked up to listen to what his young Captain had to say.

[Elvith Jars]

Up in a VIP balcony, Petty Officer First Class Dan Miller listened to Admiral Draven McGillis, CINCSPACOM, deliver his speech to the crew. He looked out among the balconies at the countless dignitaries and military personnel gathered for the momentous occasion: the commissioning of the Navy’s newest, most advanced battleship, the UPCV Magellan. It was an impressive sight, seeing numerous races represented in the crew and in the galleries, all set to a backdrop of the ship itself. Impressive, were it not for the damn starch in Miller’s dress uniform shirt. He really wanted to scratch. It was distracting. So was his team, they were fidgety.

“Tell me again why we’re along for the ride,” Ron Jones, the team’s heavy weapons specialist asked.

“To seek out strange new life, new civilizations, and kill them,” quipped Sarah Ortiz, the sniper, quoting the team’s unofficial motto. That got a chuckle from the rest.

Dan looked over and smirked. “SOCOM loaned us for the same reason the Navy is using a battleship for an exploration mission: in case things go south. 75 multi-megaton nukes, an entire air wing of planes, and a division of ground vehicles and mechs- not to mention the Marines- aren’t there just to collect dust, you know. Well, maybe the Marines are, heh. We’re part of her arsenal too, the tip of the spear.”

“So why aren’t we down there? Aren’t we part of the crew?” Jones already knew the answer, he was just bored, and Dan knew that he knew.

“I can neither confirm nor deny” Dan drawled back with a grin.

“No doubt the captain considers us part of her crew, she's got our dossiers," Ortiz chimed in.

“Oh sure, but she can’t admit-“

“Will you boys and girls pipe down?” Lt. Amanda Stern, the platoon's CO, hissed. She looked annoyed. “The skipper’s about to speak. Zip it!”

[Mangles]

Dundee stands towards the rear, leaning against a wall. His height easily allowing him to see the brass over the troops. He wears what is considered military dress to the Crack'galanck", light fitting but well armoured clothing. Ready to go in a pinch no matter what the situation. Compared to the parade uniforms of those around him, he looks like a dag. Still none of these wowsers would dare say anything while Dundee was smiling at them. He doesn't really bother listening to the speech. All these parades ever amounted to was the toffs patting themselves on the back. Such a waste of time. Still the job opportunity was too good to pass on, and what's a little boredom for the chance to really survive. Dundee waits a little impatiently for things to get going.

[Bayar]

Mike was listening intently to the various personalities that were giving speeches. Finally the moment has arrived. The massive ship was going to be his new bird. Even after the operations and training simulators, he still felt a little nervous. After all, a Longsword was so much more manoeuvrable than a capital class battleship. Hopefully there won't be need to try doing any complex maneuvers anytime soon.

The pressure was starting to get to him. Taking a cigarette out of his pack, he places it in it's mouth, but decides against lighting it, considering the location. Instead Mike settled with the taste of nicotine coming from the filter.

[Reality Glitch]

While she was waiting for the rest of the crew after the speech, Sh'Herg noticed an one waiting a little ways away, w/ something in his mouth. She remembered that humans like breathing in the toxic those little white and brown sticks give off. Immediately following she realized he's in range, better hope he didn't pick anything up.

[nazgulnine]

"Thank you, Mr. President. I apologize for any detention I may have imposed upon you all, and will attempt to make this as brief as possible without underscoring the gravity of this occasion." A clean-cut young woman garbed in a pressed uniform of skirt and jacket sporting several medals approached the podium, her gait steady and with purpose, hands folded behind her back after giving a sharp salute. She spoke in a raspy voice, her accent muddled; something between the colony's idea of what the French and Dutch on Terra Prime would have used. Fran Davis had the look of a serious captain about her; her catlike eyes darted about the crowd as she addressed the crowd.

"As Admiral McGillis and President Morose have mentioned, the people gathered here on this day serve as the example of a Camaraderie spanning thousands of planets and thousands more. I look around and see men and women of many races, species, creeds, and walks of life, all citizens of the United Planetary Council. All bound by the beliefs that while we are different in speech or touch, we share a common soul. For millennia many of our individual cultures questioned: "are we alone?" And we proved without a doubt: we are not alone. To this end, let us take up our peoples' flag as a banner, so that those still wondering, still questioning: "am I alone" will know that we are out there, be they potential ally or transgressor, they are not alone! We have an endless sea ahead of us; crew that have not yet adopted your stations, take to them! Let the engine roar." Davis saluted the crowd and council leaders, and with a bow, she was off to find her navigator and pilot. The first course of business would be to establish the route and familiarize herself with the recruits. She'd looked over their dossiers the night before, but required a more hands-on approach to gauging their talents.
Christ, I won't be comfortable til I'm out of this getup...

Captain Davis boarded the Magellan via the nearest service chute and made her way to the bridge. Blinking rapidly, she filters through the crew profiles for the bridge crew.
Mike Morrowitz... human... heavy on cybernetic implants but quick reaction times... top of his class... history on Longswords... he's the one with the smoking problem.

Sh'Herg Tel... Drakin female... psychic... looks like she's our communicator..

"Mister Morrowitz, Miss Tel! I want a status report!" Davis called. "How are we doing on boarding procedure, and how soon can you get this bird out of her cage? Remember, all eyes are still on us; I want this liftoff as smooth as possible."

[Reality Glitch]

When the captain speaks, Tel responds. She knows not of the other crew members nor whether these metal bricks that Milkywayers use for space travel can even get off the ground regardless of condition. Though the captain probably isn't going to take kindly to what Tel thinks of it.

[Bayar]

Realizing the captain was addressing him, Mike quickly grabs the unlit cigarette from his mouth and shoves it in his pocket, trying to act as professionally as possible. "As soon as the shipyard control tower gives us the green light and the boys from engineering have the engines warmed up."