Federation Commander

Chapter Six

Onboard the Federation Destroyer Atlas, Stryker and Kromm’s command crews crowded into the officers briefing room along with the command crews of Atlas and Raider. Atlas and Raider were at high warp enroute to the Unity Star Base on the Klingon/Federation border.

The mood was positively charged. Stryker and Kromm had indeed received promotion for their actions against the Romulans. Both now wore the rank of Commodore, which was bestowed upon them with much ceremony while still at the Starbase. The grade of Commodore had been reactivated due to the ongoing war. Basically, a Commodore was a one-star Admiral. In turn, Stryker and Kromm had promoted their command officers and crew accordingly. As they both agreed, neither would be in a position to receive promotion to the Admiralty if it hadn’t been for their crew.

Once again, Captain T’Pring, briefed the gathered officers on the capabilities of the vessels they would now be taking charge of when Unity Star Base was reached. “I will begin with the vessel that Commodore Kromm will be taking command of…the C7 Heavy Battle Cruiser ‘Sword of Kahless‘. The C7 is an impressive vessel based on the D7 design and maximizing its potential. The wing mounts are nearly identical to the D7 but have been dramatically reinforced. Each wing mount supports three disruptor mounts, six total. The command boom section has been enhanced and supports four type I phaser banks as well as a flag/battle bridge command center. The aft hull structure is larger than that of the D7 and houses four duel type I phaser banks bringing the total for the ship up to twelve. Additional weaponry includes four type B drone racks, one may be dedicated to ADD’s and the Commanders discretion.

Commodore Stryker will be taking command of the Federation Battle Cruiser ’Excalibur’. The Battle Cruiser is similar to the Heavy Cruiser with the notable difference of side mounted warp nacelles instead of angled. The saucer section holds eight type I phaser banks and four photon torpedo tubes along with a command flag bridge and two type B drone racks in the aft section. Additionally the impulse deck supports a small saucer dedicated warp engine section. The secondary hull houses two additional photon torpedo tubes, two type I phaser banks and two type 3 phaser banks.

Captain T’Pring concluded the briefing and turned it over to Commodore Styker. Stryker finished the briefing with the usual administrative details.

A few days later on the bridge of Atlas, Commander Eddings stood talking with Commodore Styker and Captain T’Pring. The Comm Officer broke into the discussion, “Excuse me please, Commander Eddings we have a Police Cutter on the screen diverting course to intercept us�. This was to be expected. Entry to Unity One had been restricted space for nearly two years. No vessel without specific authorization could approach within maximum sensor range of the system.

Commander Eddings walked over to his command chair and ordered hailing frequencies open. With a few moments, a cheerful voice issued through the bridge speakers from the Police Cutter, “Good morning Atlas, we have you and IKV Raider on our sensors. Would you please transmit your security clearance code for this sector along with your destination?� Commander Eddings nodded to the Comm Officer who in turned transmitted the proper code. A few more moments went by and then came the reply, “Thank you Atlas, you are cleared on your present course and speed. Our compliments to Commodores Stryker and Kromm and their company�

Everyone on the bridge smiled at that. Word had gotten around the Federation quite quickly about Styker and Kromms successes and as a result, Atlas was now the most popular Destroyer in the fleet due to its role in the destruction of the Romulan supply depot. Over the next couple of days, Atlas encountered several Frigates and Destroyers on Unity One perimeter security, all requesting the proper clearance codes and then granting permission to continue with the same friendly camaraderie as the Police Cutter. The bridge crew of Atlas were beginning to feel like celebrities.

On the day of there final approach to Unity One the New Light Cruiser Nagato appeared on their scanners. “Commander Eddings, the Cruiser Nagato is hailing us�, announced the Comm Officer. “Put them through Lt.� answered Eddings.

“U.S.S. Atlas, this is Captain Kathleen Bennett of the U.S.S. Nagoto, please state your destination and purpose�.

Commander Eddings replied, “Our orders are to proceed directly to Unity One, we have Commodore Stryker and his Command crew onboard. IKV Raider is in our company with Commodore Kromm and his Command crew. Stand by for our clearance code.� Eddings nodded and again the Comm officer transmitted the code.

Several long moments went by, much longer than the other security checks. Finally, Captain Bennett’s voice came back on the comm link, “Thank you Atlas, please proceed on your present course and speed, Nagato will escort you the rest of the way into standard orbit, Bennett out.�

Stryker walked over and commented, “Kathleen Bennett, if I remember correctly she made Captain about six months ago. She’s in charge of Unity One perimeter security in my old ship the Nagato.� Captain T’Pring added, “She seems to have done an excellent job in that regard. I’ve monitored how she has deployed a screen of ships around Unity One and it would be very difficult to approach unnoticed unless you were in a cloaked vessel.�

From there the journey to Unity One was less than an hour. As they entered the system, Greymaine and T’Pring noticed how much had changed in the year and a half since they’d been to the base. Unity One was located on and above Sherman’s Planet. Once a source of contention between the Klingon Empire and the Federation, it now served as a joint base. The portion of the base on the planet itself was massive. The orbital portion started out as two separate Battle Stations, one Klingon and on Federation that had been joined together. From there it had been expanded dramatically until it was fully as large as a regular Star Base itself. Around Sherman’s planet were dozens of orbital docking platforms with Star Ships of various sizes and classification under construction. This did not count the Star Ships that would be inside the Star Base in orbit. Together the entire system comprised what was now called ‘Unity One’.

As Atlas and Raider assumed standard orbit around Sherman’s Planet. Commodore Stryker and Captain T’Pring beamed down to meet with Vice Admiral Lowery while Commodore Kromm and his crew beamed down to meet with Vice Chancellor Tarog. After being met by the Admirals Yomen, Stryker and T’Pring entered Admiral Lowery’s office. Capt. Kathleen Bennett was already there with the Admiral. Pleasant greetings ensued with the Admiral and Capt. Bennett.

“Tom, how are you, you old space dog? We’ve been hearing your name quite a bit lately. And T’Pring, it’s great to see you as well. Congratulation to you both on your promotions, well deserved!� began Admiral Lowery with a huge, friendly grin.

“Thank you Admiral�, replied both Stryker and T’Pring.

“Well let’s get down to business, Capt. Bennett here is Chief of our perimeter security and she‘s done a fine job. She‘ll be briefing you on the details and assisting you Tom.�

Captain T’Pring turned to Bennett, “Captain, I must say that I am very impressed with the thoroughness of the defensive screen of ships you’ve set up, both in Federation space as well as Klingon space.�

“Thank you Captain T’Pring,� smiled Bennett who was beginning to blush as bit. She was a young Captain and had risen through the ranks with a determination and zeal that had afforded her a good reputation among her fellow Captains.

“Tom, you’ll be taking command of the Excalibur as you’ve been previously briefed. Admiral Greymaine is enroute to Unity One with her now. He’ll be taking command of the new Dreadnaught we’ve built at the orbital platform.� The rest of the briefing was conducted on the general war situation but the specific details were omitted until Admiral Greymaine arrived.

Later that night after the briefing, Stryker and T’Pring got together in the Senior Officers Mess to go over the details of the task force. It was late and the Mess was empty accept for them. Stryker sat across from T’Pring. He looked directly at her, into her eyes and said, “You’ve been the best First Officer I’ve ever had T’Pring. Your service to Star Fleet and your credentials are impeccable. In no way, shape or form do I wish to hold you back if you wish a command of your own. It would be selfish to not allow you a command of your own if you wanted it�. She looked back at him, into his eyes and softly said, “You already know my answer Thomas�. With that she leaned over and softly kissed him. He returned the kiss, as he had so many others since they’d fallen in love with each other. Since that time they’d quietly married on Vulcan in a private ceremony. Only the senior officers of Potempkin, and certain members of the Admiralty knew and all of them respected the fact that they’d kept their on duty/off duty completely separate. Their lips parted and they continued to stare deeply into each others eyes until several ship Captains entered the Mess and sat down on the other side, deep in their own conversation. They went back to the matter of their task force.

Minor correction to two paragraphs above;

Once again, Captain T’Pring, briefed the gathered officers on the capabilities of the vessels they would now be taking charge of when Unity Star Base was reached. “I will begin with the vessel that Commodore Kromm will be taking command of…the C7 Heavy Battle Cruiser ‘Sword of Kahless‘. The C7 is an impressive vessel based on the D7 design and maximizing its potential. In addition to the normal twin disruptor mounts on each warp nacelle, she has two single-mount disruptors in the command boom section for a total of six disruptor mounts. The C7 has the normal three type one phaser banks as well in the command boom, but the wing phasers have been increased to twin type one mounts each. The waste phasers have received the type one refit. This brings the total of type one phaser banks to eleven. The C7 has four drone racks and two ADD racks. Total energy output has increased by nearly twenty percent over the D7 design. Shields have also been increased.

Commodore Stryker will be taking command of the Federation Command Cruiser ’Excalibur’. The Battle Cruiser is similar to the Heavy Cruiser with the notable difference of side mounted warp nacelles instead of angled. The saucer section holds eight type I phaser banks and four photon torpedo tubes along with a command flag bridge and four type B drone racks in the aft section. Additionally the impulse deck supports a small saucer dedicated warp engine section. The secondary hull houses two additional photon torpedo tubes, two type I phaser banks and two type 3 phaser banks.

I'm making some small changes; the Klingon 'C7' is the same as http://www.mninter.net/~phdship/klnd8.gif. I've eliminated the Federation 'Battle Cruiser' class and renamed it the Command Cruiser class. My reasoning is that the normal CC is basically a CA with 360 phasers and a flag bridge. I wanted the CC class for both Feds and Klingons (and all races really) to be a significant step up. Basically midway between a DN and a CA. The Fed CC in this story is the same as http://www.phdship.com/02fed/fedsca.gif

Chapter Seven

Several days later the various base and starship command staffs gathered in Unity One’s spacious main briefing chamber. Among the personnel was Vice Admiral Lowery, Vice Chancellor Tarog, Commodore’s Stryker and Kromm, Captain Bennett and their various command staffs. A few minutes prior to the command staff meeting getting under way the chambers doors opened and in walked Rear Admiral Greymaine and his command staff.

Greymaine, the man…the Admiral…one of Star Fleets living legends.

Greymaine, the only Star Fleet Admiral who began the first ten years of his thirty-five year career as an enlisted Fleet marine. It was as a marine platoon sergeant that he twice distinguished himself with his ability to command. The first time was while assigned to the Destroyer Agamemnon. He had saved the life of the Destroyer’s First Officer on an away-mission when the landing party was ambushed by Romulans. He’d personally defeated four Romulans in hand-to-hand combat after his phaser rifle had jammed. He’d then organized the wounded members of the landing party and carried the X.O. on his back the ten miles to the beam up point.

The second time was six months later aboard the Agamemnon during a brief battle with a Romulan War Bird. A skirmish had broken out on the Destroyer’s bridge when a Romulan boarding party had beamed aboard through a downed shield. Once again he repelled the boarders single-handedly and saved the Captain from being impaled with a Romulan bayonet. After this incident the Captain and X.O. recommended Greymaine to Officers Command School where he obtained his commission. From there he had risen through the ranks, eventually obtaining command…and a first-rate reputation.

Greymaine, the Star Fleet officer every fleet marine wanted to serve under.

Greymaine, one of only two Star Fleet officers every Klingon Commander knew and respected. While in command of the Heavy Cruiser, ’Atlantis’, he’d rescued a Klingon freighter in the neutral zone from pirates. The freighters Captain turned out to be a relative of the Klingon Emperor himself. It was after this incident that the Klingons formally began negotiations with the Federation. Greymaine had been personally requested to attend the discussions and received decoration from the Klingon High Council. During the meetings the Federation ambassador had fallen ill to the point where Greymaine had to step in. When the Emperor asked Captain Greymaine directly what he thought about a Klingon-Federation treaty, Greymaine responded candidly, “If the Klingons are enemies of the Federation…I’d just as soon send a complete salvo of overloaded photon torpedoes through their number one shield. However…if they were our allies I can think of no warrior I’d rather fight along side.� This response, which was broadcast throughout the Empire and the Federation made every diplomat cringe. The Emperor and the High Council on the other hand stood to their feet and offered a roaring salute to the Captain for his response. It had earned their respect and the truth is that this one statement is what led to the Grand Alliance.

Greymaine, the Star Fleet officer who every diplomat gave a healthy amount of respect. One, because he had a knack for negotiation despite his ‘bull-in-a-china-shop’ approach. Secondly, because he’d once thrown a Star Fleet special envoy bodily across the bridge.

Greymaine, the Star Fleet officer that every Romulan commander feared. Greymaine had destroyed a running total of seven Romulan ships in his career. He was even referenced in their Command Academy as the ‘Terrain without fear’.