The Departure

Posted on Mon Feb 27th, 2023 @ 10:04pm by Captain Astrid "Alex" Yamaguchi & Senior Chief Petty Officer Duran Halaar
Edited on on Mon Apr 10th, 2023 @ 6:59pm

Mission: Mission 120: All Along the Watchtowers - Part Two
Location: Various Locations - USS Ulysses / Starbase Vanguard
Timeline: 0800Hrs - January 1st, 2394

Captain Alex Yamaguchi nodded her head as she handed a PADD back to the officer who had just brought her the status report in her delicate-looking fingers, she signed it. "Thank you, Ensign," she said to the man who was much larger than she herself was, he turned before he went over towards the turbolift, while Yamaguchi took a moment to regard all of her senior staff who were present around her on the bridge with her before the transgendered woman slid her lithe form into the Captain's chair. She tapped the display once as the com system beeped at everyone present, she had always known that she would address her crew but she had not known what to say but now, the found the words came easily to her. "Attention all hands, this is your Captain speaking," she stated simply, and with the usual formality of these speeches for this occasion. "I would like to say a few words to commemorate the occasion of which, today is the day... The day we get underway and leave the dock for good. You have all heard and read the stories of the USS Ulysses, how the various ships that carried her name performed her deeds and how her crews, the man and women aboard those ships who made it so. so it seems fitting that on this day, the newest USS Ulysses formally entered service with Starfleet." she paused a moment. "We are the first crew of this ship and we will be the ones who write the tales and the stories of this ship... For those who come after us, months, years and decades down the line." she paused another moment and knew she needed to bring this speech to a close while she still had the crew's attention. "I am privileged to be serving with each and every one of you, and I look forward to getting to know you all better in the days to come..." she paused a moment. "Trust in each other, help each other and always be there for one another and we will win through any adversary... That is all." with that, she tapped the display a second time.

Duran turned her head. "Wonderful speech sir. Brought a tear to my eye."

Yamaguchi smiled as she breathed in and then out and then back in. Before she turned to Secura who nodded back at her. "All stations report?" the large human male asked formally of the bridge crew.

Lieutenant Catie Walters tapped the display before her as she smiled over at her commanding officer. "Library computer and communication systems are ready sir," she commented formally.

Pertama nodded, "Tactical ready sir." he commented. "All weapons checkout, everything is ready should we need to defend ourselves," he added.

"Helm ready Captain, Warp, Impulse Engines and Slipstream drives are ready to go, the Ulysses is ready to spread her wings and soar." Hurley smiled.

Michael McNeal was next. "Security is ready, as are her people," he answered with a gentle smile on his lips.

Hurley turned to his left as the delicate-looking Bolian female added. "Operations is ready, life support is at a hundred per cent. Lieutenant Salihan Vexx added.

Seated at the back of the bridge on the left side was Lt Commander Fenna Fordragon. "Engineering is ready for anything," she reported with a smile on her lips. "As am I," she added.

"All medical personnel are aboard, we are fully prepared and stocked for any crisis that comes our way." the dark-haired and black-skinned young woman named Lieutenant Braelynn Wilson MD explained from the left side of the bridge while the part Vulcan woman standing next to her added. "Counseling is ready and prepared for anything that might arise, sir." T'Drea Webb added.

Secura smiled. "The ship is ready Captain, your orders?"

'Captain, I could get used to that.' Yamaguchi thought as a smile graced her lips. "Seal the airlock, retract all moorings and get is clearance from the Starbase so we can depart."

"The airlock is sealed," Salihan Vexx answered a moment later, while the delicate Bolian female went to work on her panel. While Fordragon added from Engineering. "All moorings retracted and umbilicals have been disconnected."

Yamaguchi smiled as Vexx turned his head from her panel. "Vanguard has cleared us for departure."

"Grand," Yamaguchi answered. "Helm, take us out, aft thrusters to one quarter, port and starboard at station-keeping," she commented.

Hurley nodded his head. "Aye skipper." as he looked up at the ceiling. "You ready to dance with me young lady?" he inquired in a gentle tone of voice as around them the ship seemed to change, like a great beast waking from its slumber, though Hurley suspected that such feelings may be more to his imagination rather than reality

"Chief" Secura commented, addressing Duran Halaar who was seated on the left side of the bridge. "Let's see where we're going, viewscreen on," Secura added evenly.

"Yessir." and with that, the viewscreen activated to reveal the vastness of space, the fitment and the gentle whispy traces of Nebula gasses that were spread throughout this reason, thanks to the supernova at Eremar that had taken place several million years earlier. Vexx smiled as he wished to start a series of scans of the area to find out more but such was not his concern at present but the temptation was overwhelming.

Hurley smiled. "We're free and clear to navigate skipper."

"Alright helm, set course three two three, mark seven five, speed... Warp two.."

"Ready to fly sir," Hurley responded, showcasing that he was anything but the average ship driver.

Pertama smiled as she admired the conn officer from a distance while Woerner nodded, she also smiled. "Engage," she said simply.

"Farewell Vanguard," Secura said with a gentle smile. "And.. we thank you." and with that said, he tapped the display as the base suddenly disappeared off of the screen as the stars turned into starlines while Ulysses shot forward as she breached the light speed barrier and began to travel towards her destination at warp. He knew that their next visit to Vanguard would be a very long time. If indeed they ever did come back this way.