|The Universe|
Amidst newscaster recording rigs being adjusted and the excited hum of conversation, Rear Admiral Fionn Cork made his way up the platform constructed in the main hangar of the newly completed star ship over which he had accepted command. Awaiting him on the stage was a neat row of officers with whom he had served in various capacities for years aboard other ships, though nothing quite of this sort. There were added to this collection a few new faces, veterans who had been recruited from the different internal entities that composed the Confederacy to round out a team that he believed could overcome any obstacles. No obstacles were expected to arise, of course, but on something this high profile he wanted the best.
Below the stage in the crowd were gathered members from other cross-sections of the crew mingling with new petty officers and sergeants from the onboard infantry. Civilians attended for last glimpses and farewells on this historic occasion. The commercial customers were already safely stowed in the Stasis Bay awaiting departure. The lights blurred out most of the crowded hangar floor as he stepped to the podium to begin his address.
"Welcome aboard the East Intergalactic Trade Confederacy's premier luxury starliner, the
Stellar. Many of you attended the christening earlier this year. This star ship's existence is a massive testament to the indominable spirit of humanity. It was constructed between Earth's drydocks and the United Council Space Station spacedocks. The U.C. Space Station is the fruit of a long labour that began with such first step projects as SkyLab and The International Space Station. Today, the thriving Station that circles Primaterra is a hub of scientific research and spacecraft development - something which is attested in the ship in which we now stand.
There was a faint shuffle behind him and a flash of movement to his right, but he carried on despite it.
"As Earth has long been a candle in the darkness of space, a beacon to humanity now spread across its ever-expanding planes, so too do we hope that
Stellar will take its place among the monumental human achievements in our history. Not only is it the first vessel of its kind in the East Intergalactic Trade Confederacy's fleet, it will also be the first vessel to return both a veritable farm of natural resources and the pre-eminent United Council colonial expert who has been developing those resources while living in the Delphinus XIII extraterrestrial colony on assignment. He will deliver ground-breaking new information on the research his team has conducted on that distant planet to a symposium of what may well be your descendants. The importance of such knowledge cannot be understated.
"We venture out among the stars knowing that the brave hopes and shining dreams of Earth go with us, and that we return with the evidences of our ingenuity reflected back to us now from our brethren in every corner of the known galaxies.
"Now, last but certainly not least, undoubtedly part of what you have waited for is an introduction to the fortunate officers commissioned for service aboard the
Stellar. Please join me in welcoming them today.
He turned and extended his arm to a copper-haired woman at the edge of the platform, dwarfed beside the tall, thin frame of his youngest CO.
"For this journey we have brought aboard veteran members of the East Intergalactic Trade Confederacy to help ensure the success of our maiden voyage. Captain Daisy Morant will be joining with us in her capacity as a navigations and control systems expert. She has a long tenure of service to the Confederacy and has worked for a number of the trade guilds in this capacity. Her distinguished record along with her deep knowledge will serve us well as we make history on this voyage."
A round of polite applause echoed, quickly quieted by a raised hand from the Admiral. His hand waved past the female officer to the blond man.
"While we expect this to be a smooth trip, we have also enlisted one of the Confederacy's top Gamma Class weapons experts. Lieutenant Commander Jackson Halloway joined the East Intergalactic Trade Confederacy after a decorated tenure with the United Council Space Academy and after serving as one of the youngest officers aboard the United Council Star Ship
Romulus. He has contributed notable improvements in both shielding and offensive array technology to Typhon Types like the
Romulus."
The Admiral introduced each officer in turn before he spoke of the worlds that those aboard would see over the course of the journey - though much of the nearly 400-year trip would be spent suspended in stasis. He spoke in a bit more detail of the mission and exhorted those in attendance not to forget them or neglect their shared duty to exemplify the best of humanity in the intervening years before the
Stellar's return. When he finished, the applause was deafening, and just as quickly as the departure date had come the crowds were being ushered from the hangar back towards the city and the officers were stepping down so that the hangar deck could be cleared away.
In just a few hours, they would all be in stasis - himself in his quarters and his officers in banks in their quarters and barracks, while the rest of the crew and commercial customers would be in separate bays within the ship - and on their way to putting the East Intergalactic Trade Confederacy on a better footing against the other Earth Factions. Hundreds of years would pass and seem like only months to them, but they would usher in a new era of bounty and technology for Primaterra.
|The Worlds|
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