>>1656615
Aaaaand I forgot my trip. Goddamnit.

Having spent some time with your family on Earth, the message from the Admiral has finally come: The Archimedes is ready and the crew has been assembled. You have been summoned to the shipyard to take command of the vessel and perform its first warp flight. In other words, its shakedown cruise, an old Earth term originating from the introduction of steam power, where during the first trip a ship would lose half its fittings due to the vibration of the engine. You hope that mankind has advanced since then, though you have no doubt that you and your engineers will be more than ready for the eventuality. No shakedown team will be needed.

The shuttle lazily glides towards the dockyard. There she is. All shiny and new, her name emblazoned boldly on the hull. USS Archimedes, registry number NCC-911337. You can see the Ensign piloting your shuttle marvel at this ship. Maybe he is hoping he will command something like it, one day? Or is that just your own pride talking?

The ensign guides his shuttle into one of the ship’s shuttle bays, and you disembark promply, breathing in liberally. Ah, the smell of a fresh life support system. No ozone, or freon, just as if you’re standing on a Hawaiian beach. Waiting at the ramp of the shuttle is Dorian Wolf, though you only know him from the picture. His posture is one which only a Starfleet man would call ‘at ease’.

“Welcome aboard, Captain.” You’re glad Starfleet did away with saluting literal centuries ago, though Cmdr. Wolf extends his hand. You shake it, and find the man has a firm grip.

A smile creeps across Wolf’s face.

“What’s your first command, Captain?”

>I’ll speak to as many crew as you can fit in our largest available space. They should know their Captain.
>I want to speak to my senior staff individually, get a sense of their personality. You included.
>Convene a general meeting of the senior staff.
>I’ll take a tour of the ship, save the last stop for some R&R.

My directives, as stated in the last thread.

Directives:

0. I am new at this

1. I am doing this for fun first and foremost. My own and yours. This is our Prime Directive.

2. The following are considered canon: TOS, TAS, TNG, DS9, VOY, parts of ENT at my discretion, all TOS and TNG crew movies (yes, even V).

3. The following are not considered canon: The novels (except maybe A Stitch in Time, if I ever get around to reading it), any flavour of NuTrak, video games.

4. Ideally, the first choice to reach 3 votes is selected.

5. If I feel that the thread needs to move on for whatever reason, I will select the outcome based on the following: First come first serve, motivation given by participator (where applicable), a vote of 2 versus a vote of 1, personal preference (not going to pretend I'm immune to that).

6. Feel free to point out Trek lore and other relevant information.

7. I will use a crude stat system for rolls in the case of some choices, we will (partly) establish this during character creation.

X. The rules are subject to change according to what works best.

Also, here's the last thread: >>1629530

>>1656618
>Convene a general meeting of the senior staff.

>>1656618
>Convene a general meeting of the senior staff.

Suppose we can introduce ourselves to the rest of the crew over a shipwide broadcast or something

>>1656618
>Convene a general meeting of the senior staff.
>I’ll take a tour of the ship, save the last stop for some R&R

walk and talk

>>1656649
>>1656675
>>1656695

"I'd like to convene a general meeting of the senior staff." You say. No doubt it's the best way to get a good start on this ship.

Dorian Wolf nods, "Good choice. A Captain has to know his crew, and how they work together. Best to have us all in one room before we take the ship out for her first flight. I'll convene the senior staff at once in the bridge conference room."

Without aplomb your First officer walks off, leaving you standing in the shuttle bay. It doesn't take a rocket scientist (though you are one) to deduce that he will talk to the individual officers, rather than contact them over the comm system. Textbook First Officer material, this Dorian Wolf. Well, no sense in standing around. You take to a brisk pace yourself. You can squeeze in one thing before Wolf will have assembled your senior officers.

>I visit my quarters, see if they brought over everything in one piece.
>Time to visit the ship's lounge. I'll have a quiet drink before meeting the crew.
>I'm dying to see that fabrication bay.
>To Engineering! I'll be damned if I run a ship before seeing what makes her run.

>>1656742
>To Engineering! I'll be damned if I run a ship before seeing what makes her run.

it seems italics don't like the greentext

>>1656742
>To Engineering! I'll be damned if I run a ship before seeing what makes her run.

>>1656742
>To Engineering! I'll be damned if I run a ship before seeing what makes her run.

And I'm liking this >>1651926

>>1656747
>>1656756
>>1656772

"Main Engineering." Now there's something you've told the turbolift more than anything.

With its characteristic hum the turbolift quickly whisks you away, through the saucer section and down to the beating heart of the ship, that dividing line of Starfleet's prime directive, the warpcore and the people that surround it. On a ship like this it's quite the sight, and there are no loose cables here. Though, you spot someone who might remedy that situation. Or rather, you spot his legs. And you'd recognize that pair of legs anywhere, because you've seen them sticking out of more Jefferies tubes, plasma manifolds, and other starship systems.

You walk up, quietly, like there's a Klingon with a hangover on your back.

"Captain on deck!" You shout. Somewhere behind you an Ensign drops a hyperspanner (you can tell by the sound). You hear a loud clunk, the legs twitch, and their owner scrambles out of the emergency EPS manifold he was checking.

"Damnit, who's playing silly bu.." He stops midsentence as you lock eyes. This is Henrik Westervliet, and you've known each other for years. In fact, this is exactly how your first meeting went. He breaks into a smile. "Too bad I can't tell you you're not a real Captain now, Georgie boy. But you can be damn glad I didn't break my skull. Nobody in Starfleet has ever lost a command before taking it. You could have been the first."

"Don't count on it. Plus, I owe you at least ten headaches for that hooch your brewed over the secondary fusion plant."
"In my defense, who the hell drinks beer that glows in the dark?"
"That rotten stuff was closer to Romulan ale than beer! You might have told me it had an alcohol percentage that could have disinfected the quadrant!"
Henrik throws his head back and laughs loudly. "I'll never forget how you appeared on duty the next morning!"
"The worst of it was over by then..." You say, laughing with him.

"You're going for that 'Captain Jameson was my father' angle, I see." That voice belongs to Dorian Wolf, standing behind you. He doesn't look as disapproving as he might, but it's hard to tell with this man. You think you see the hint of a smile on the corners of his mouth. "Lt. Cmdr. Westervliet, the Captain requests your presence in the conference room for his first briefing. His first official briefing, anyhow."

"Don't worry, Mr. Wolf. I'll take care of this wayward soul."

You and Westervliet travel to the bridge together, trading some more old Tomcat stories. Before long, you are there. The room is filled with the staff you selected. Wolf, J'Tal, Ocett, Ahnassi, Zorani. The atmosphere is formal, the people silent. None of them really know each other, not like you and Westervliet. He quietly takes a seat, pretending to not have just come in with the Captain.

You introduce yourself and...

>Go over the mission and Starfleet's expectations
>Explain your past and style of command
>Line out your expectations of the crew and their performance

>>1656843
>Go over the mission and Starfleet's expectations

>>1656843
>Go over the mission and Starfleet's expectations

>>1656843
>>Go over the mission and Starfleet's expectations
>>Explain your past and style of command
>>Line out your expectations of the crew and their performance
Frankly, all of the above.
Also,
>Introduce the officers to each other and tell them why they were picked

>>1656927
This

>>1656927
We all had different reasons for selecting each officer; introducing them to each other shouldn't be the captain's job but something they do themselves.

>>1656948
I get your point, but something general like "we selected you for this and that skill or experience that you bring" is still in the cards.

>>1656927
>>Introduce the officers to each other and tell them why they were picked
The invisible hand of voices from beyond this universe brought us together.

>>1656980
With the Enterprise, DS9, and Voyager all reporting how meddlesome Q can be, how seriously would Starfleet take a captain saying his crew was brought together by Q playing some kind of game with the Federation again?

>>1656986
I think the existence of the Q was mentioned to be Top Secret and only known to commanding officers, unless the crew had been personally screwed with by a Q.

>Go over the mission and Starfleet's expectations

Your crew looks at you as you take your position at the head of the table. These are the people who will be your closest companions for the coming mission, and probably longer.

The mission Starfleet has set out for the Archimedes is twofold, you explain. Just the basics, they know this already. You're being sent in order to explore unexplored systems along the Cardassian frontier and lend assistance to anyone who requires it. This is more than responding to the general SOS calls, and the ship is especially well suited to relief efforts. You'll be operating in open space, unexplored space, and space claimed by various civilizations, of which the Cardassians are perhaps the most prominent. There is also the chance that you'll run into various relics of the war, such as wrecks, abandoned planetary bases, supply caches. You'll be expected to deal with them accordingly.

After lining this all out there is a moment of silence in which Dr. Ocett looks around, and speaks up.

"I'd like to get the Earth elephant out of the room. I'm Cardassian. I served against the Federation during the war, until Damar's Rebellion. I requested this assignment, but expected to be turned down. I've found not everyone trusts a Cardassian doctor. But I assure you, I will fulfill my duty, uphold my Hypocratic oath, and I'm well versed in the physiology of Federation species. I suppose, though, that this question is more relevant for me than the others: How do you expect to interact with the Cardassian authorities?"

>I expect the Cardassian authorities to be cooperative with us, and us with them.
>We will try to avoid any intrusion on Cardassian matters and keep to the outskirts of their space.
>We will render assistance where needed, but avoid Cardassian space otherwise.

>>1657264
>>I hope the Cardassian authorities to be cooperative with us, and us with them. Your knowledge and experience may very well help us to identify and avoid trouble before we're neck-deep in it.

>>1657264
>I expect the Cardassian authorities to be cooperative with us, and us with them.

>>1657264
>I expect the Cardassian authorities to be cooperative with us, and us with them.
>Any insights you'll be able to provide when dealing with them will be welcome

>>1657264
>>I expect the Cardassian authorities to be cooperative with us, and us with them.
>There are Cardassian Elephants?

>>1657264
>I expect the Cardassian authorities to be cooperative with us, and us with them.
>Other: We will render infrastructure and medical assistance where locals request, but otherwise stay out of their internal affairs.

>>1657299
>>1657301
>>1657308
>>1657317

"I expect the Cardassian authorities to be cooperative with us, and us with them." You reassure Dr. Ocett. He's still a fairly young man, especially for a doctor. "Any insights you'll be able to provide when dealing with them will be welcome. Your knowledge and experience will help us."

"Yes Sir, I'll be sure to provide those insights when necessary. Though, it's been a few years since I've been home."

You go over the general state of the ship with the senior staff. Westervliet is running final diagnostics and ensuring systems are running up to spec. He expects to be done tomorrow. J'Tal is running the crew through simulations on the holodeck, though Wolf notes that some crew have been complaining about not getting to use the holodeck for recreation despite them being up and running. Dr. Ocett confirms that there are indeed Cardassian elephants, but they're more like Earth marsupials than elephants.

You prepare to continue by giving a short synopsis of your past and the way you like to exercise command, but your combadge beeps.

"Lieutenant Bedford to Captain Jameson. Sir, Admiral Brott is requesting to speak with you. I've patched him into your ready room."

It's not really a request when an Admiral asks. You dismiss the meeting and head for the ready room.

>Any final words/orders/requests?

The ready room is empty and spotless. It still has that new ship smell. Or rather, that's what you assume, given that you've never been on a ship quite this new before. The only thing on the desk is a private console. You accept the message blinking on screen, and the face of Admiral Brott appears, a portly Bolian man. He is responsible for a lot of Starfleet's efforts on the Cardassian Frontier. You exchange pleasantries, but the Admiral quickly comes down to business.

"Captain, how fast do you expect to have the ship ready for her shakedown cruise? I've got a spot in my schedule and I'd like to be there for the occasion."

>I hope that spot is now, Admiral. I'm personally seeing to it that the ship is ready to leave within the hour. (Engineering T: 100)
>By tomorrow we'll have the kinks worked out.
>I can't change the laws of physics, Admiral. Two more days at the least.

Rolled 65 + 65 (1d100 + 65)

>>1657427
>>Any final words/orders/requests?
>"Thank you, I will speak to each of you separately over the next few days."

>Depart within the hour

>>1657427
>final words
None.

>By tomorrow we'll have the kinks worked out.

>>1657447
I'm not sure how other QM's do it, but I do the rolls myself.

>>1657455
Shame. Takes a bit of the thrill out of it. My vote still stands, though.

>>1657427
>I hope that spot is now, Admiral. I'm personally seeing to it that the ship is ready to leave within the hour. (Engineering T: 100)

>>1657427
>By tomorrow we'll have the kinks worked out.

We haven't really had time to acquaint ourselves with the ship, or seen the fabber bay.

>Although if you're in a hurry, we can try and expedite the process

>>1657455
usually QM would call for roll and take best of first three, taking extreme values in considerations as crits, although I've seen more exotic variants before. I'm also fine with whatever system you've in mind.

>>1657447
>>1657450
>>1657481
>>1657490
I'm going to bed for now, guys. I'll update tomorrow.

>>1657490
I suppose I can always change the system at some point. I'm still new to this, after all. For now, I'll stick with it.

>>1657427
>I hope that spot is now, Admiral. I'm personally seeing to it that the ship is ready to leave within the hour. (Engineering T: 100)

Where's your r confidence in westervelt and ourselves?

>>1657502
I have seen quite a few ways to do rolls and I have found that the first 5 with crits seem to work the best for most quests. First 3 is also a popular choice.

Also, goddammit this quest happens while I'm at work.

Rolled 50 (1d100)

>>1657447
>>1657450
>>1657481
>>1657490
>>1658168
Let's roll.

>>1659059
Question. Do you use a roll-over system with bonuses applied, or something akin to Dark Heresy's roll-under?

>>1659070
Roll-over.

>>1659059

"I hope that spot is now, Admiral. I'm personally seeing to it that the ship is ready to leave within the hour."

The Admiral seems taken aback. He must know that you only left for the ship today. "Oh... well, I suppose I won't be joining you, then. Good luck on your maiden voyage, Captain Jameson. Be sure to send me the report."

No time to lose, then. You get up and manage to catch Westervliet as he heads to the turbolift.

"Change of plan, Henrik. We're leaving in an hour."

He looks at you as if he's expecting that you're going to tell him it's all a joke. Then he realizes it isn't. "Damnit George, you're supposed to overestimate your times, not underestimate them! We're still going through diagnostics."
"You know as well as I do that it's all a formality. Starfleet wants this ship on the line, and that's where we're going to put her. I'll oversee preparations myself. I won't give the order to do anything reckless, but by the time we're done you'll agree with me."

Plus, there's no better way to get a new crew to get along with each other than to put them to work. A few minutes from now, nobody will be complaining about holodeck privileges.

You contact the rest of the senior staff and tell them to get their stations in order. You adress the crew through a general call. And then you get to work. Before long, it's as if time has turned back. You're elbow-deep in the guts of the ship, checking couplings, demagnitizing systems, regulating power flow. Around you, the hustle and bustle of the engineering crew. You have to admit, you're partly doing this for yourself. But it's good practice for the crew, and you get to see them in action.

Granted, you didn't have the ship ready within the hour. But within two, you are standing on the bridge, your crew at the ready. Time to take her out.

"Jettison umbilicals." You hear yourself say. "Release docking clamps. After thrusters one quarter power."

On the viewscreen the lattice work of the shipyard slowly disappears from view. After a minute the helsman announces that you're clear of the structure.

"Set course for bearing 05-mark-231, quarter impulse. Take us out of the system, Ensign."

So far so good. At the edge of the Sol system you give the order to go to a leisurely warp 1, ramping up every 15 minutes. Systems check out and the USS Archimedes is performing within parameters. Without the Admiral present you can set course for the Cardassian frontier immediately.

Sorry for the lack of updates today. I've had kind of a shitty day.

>>1659326
Sorry to hear that, OP. Thanks for soldiering on regardless.

As for the maiden voyage, I hope no systems of importance were due next thursday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-p1hxvPOIhE

>>1659326
So getting the ship ready the fastest was the option that meant not meeting the admiral; did people actually intend for that outcome?

>>1659348
Nope. Didn't think he'd wuss out of a brisk walk to the teleport.

>>1659375
He likely had things already scheduled for today and the opening he mentioned was for tomorrow.
That's the more reasonable interpretation.

>>1659378
I get what you're thinking, but the Admiral didn't say WHEN he had that open spot, just that he had it. Rescheduling some minor meetings at the drop of a hat shouldn't be a problem either.

...ah hell, I don't hold his surprise against him, honestly. Let's just bring some Cardassian wine back and treat him to a tour when the Archimedes hails at home port again.

[you can imagine our intro tune between this post and the previous one[/blue]

Captain's log, stardate 60682.7

While we are still technically on our shakedown cruise, no systems malfunctions have been reported. The warpcore is purring like... like our Science Officer, actually. We've made the trip at record speed. That's a figure of speech, but I wouldn't be surprised if we came close.

Today we finally run out of Federation space, and we forge our own course. I have my first true decision ahead of me, as Captain of this vessel.

>Do we lay over at Deep Space 9, listen to some scuttlebut and give the crew some R&R?
>Or do we skirt around the Cardassian border and enter unexplored space?
>But we could also simply cross the border. The Cardassian government is friendly, and would probably welcome our assistance.

Bonus question:
>How are our quarters and ready room decorated?
>How did we spend our limited free time during our trip here?

That's it for me today.

>>1659348
>>1659375
What happened now is that you have impressed the Admiral by getting the ship ready before time. The standard option would have been... standard, and taking more time would have given you some time to interact with the crew, but would have pissed off the Admiral.

He's one of the Admirals responsible for this area of Starfleet's operations, so you'll see him again.

>>1659388
>Lay over at Deep Space 9, listen to some scuttlebut and give the crew some R&R.

>How are our quarters and ready room decorated?
With a mix of scaled-down ship component models and blueprints - also a family group photo.

>How did we spend our limited free time during our trip here?
Walking through the ship, listening to her humming and vibrations, getting to know every nook and cranny.

>That's it for me today.
Have a good one!

>>1659388
>Do we lay over at Deep Space 9, listen to some scuttlebut and give the crew some R&R?
>How are our quarters and ready room decorated?
PADDs of schematics and engineering theory stacked up against toolkits and interesting examples of non-Federation engineering.
>How did we spend our limited free time during our trip here?
Tinkering around inside the fabrication bay, learning its limits and strengths.

>>1659388
Unless we have received a specific assignment where to begin, DS9 would be a good starting point to find out recent developments and where we'd be needed most.

>How are our quarters and ready room decorated?
>How did we spend our limited free time during our trip here?
supporting >>1659397, and let's start with the fabber

sleep well

>>1659388
>>Do we lay over at Deep Space 9, listen to some scuttlebut and give the crew some R&R

Crew deserves some R&R after we put them to task on getting the Archimedes out ahead of schedule.

Plus this will allow us to get some intel on what is happening in the area and what the tension in the area is like so we're not going in blind

>>How are our quarters and ready room decorated?

Engineering schmetics and projects littered all over the place, a relatively small bookshelf of engineering and history of starship construction books above our bed, a single family photo near our bed reminding us of our family

>>How did we spend our limited free time during our trip here?

Either tinkering in the fabrication bay or engineering or working on the small innumerable pet projects we have

>>1659397
>>1659417
>>1659427
>>1660216

You give the order to drop from warp and enter the Bajoran system. Previously a backwater, today every Federation citizen has heard of the system and the former Cardassian space station operated by the Federation as Deep Space 9. The station guards the only known stable wormhole, the gateway to the Gamma Quadrant and dwelling place of mysterious energy beings called the Prophets.

"Looks like it's pretty busy today." Cmdr. Wolf remarks upon the station appearing on the viewscreen. The station's pylons are filled with docked ships, as is the docking ring.

"I suppose we'll be beaming over." You say. You order the helmsman to take the Arcimedes into an orbit of the station. You exit the bridge and enter the turbolift with Cmdr. Wolf.

"I'm not wrong if I'm guessing you are going to beam over as well, am I?" Wolf asks.
"You're not, Commander. We've fought a war over this place, so I finally want to see it for myself." You shoot him a smile. "Plus, I want to see what the rumour mill has to say."
"Better you than me." Wolf tugs at his uniform. "I'm bad at rumours. All the better for me to stay and look after the ship. Don't worry, I've got an R&R roster already. But do me a favour and don't go by yourself. Protocol, you know. And we've got the better parts of two quadrants on that station."

>"Yes, mother."
>"I've been meaning to get to know some of the crew better."

>You take two senior crew with you. Who do you take?

>>1661421
>"I've been meaning to get to know some of the crew better."

>You take two senior crew with you. Who do you take?
The psychology cat and the trader woman. Both have "keep ears wide open" implied on their job resume

>>1661421

Agreed.

>Ahnassi
>Jalah
seem like sensible picks

The doctor could be interesting, although might also be asking for trouble.

>>1661468
although on second thought wouldn't it be better to let these two go snooping around on their own? Better chance to find out more I'd expect. Could take henrik and mekor to quark's then.

(that's not a vote change though, just an idea to consider)

>>1661421
>"I've been meaning to get to know some of the crew better."
Ocett and Westervliet.

>>1661460
>>1661468
>>1661482

You quickly stop by your quarters and splash some water on your face. The place is beginning to look like home, though it still doesn't quite feel like it. Part of you still expect the clutter of the Tomcat, and its particular hums and hisses. Part of your desk is occupied by the parts of an old subspace communicator. All replicated, because this thing used to be ship-sized. Useful applications: Still thinking of one.

Ahnassi is already waiting for you in the transporter room. She purs a greeting.

Some minutes later, Jalah enters. You notice she changed clothes. She notices you noticed. "We're going to the most important place in the sector. It doesn't hurt to look the part."

With a quick transport, you find yourselves in the transporter room of the station, a Bajoran officer welcoming you aboard. You walk out onto the Promenade, the beating heart of the station. The crowd is thick. You see people from a dozen species in one glance, and two dozen in another.

"This place used to a hive of scum and villainy." Ahnassi says. "Look at it now."
"You were stationed on DS9? I've been here once or twice, but don't remember a black Caitian." Jalah says.
Ahnassi issues a low growl. "It was before I joined Starfleet. I've only been here once or twice, too. Maybe if you came to the Ferengi's bar after hours, you might have seen me."

The ladies seem much more familiar with the place than you are. Where do you go next?

>See the station's commander.
>Visit that bar they're talking about.
>Walk the Promenade, look at the shops, get a jumja stick

>>1661513
Is there a suggested protocol for this?

>See the station's commander.
>Visit the bar

presumably in that order.

>>1661533
This.
Get the jumpa stick on the way back to ship.

I'm off to bed, guys.

>>1661560
cheers man, sleep well.

>>1661513
>See the station's commander.

>>1661513
Visit the bar. Or the tailor.

>>1662269
Last I remember, Garak moved back to Cardassia in order to help rebuild, though.

>>1661513
>>See the station's commander.

bar can be visited afterwards.
>>Visit that bar they're talking about.

>>1661513
>See the station's commander.
>Walk the Promenade, look at the shops, get a jumja stick

>>1661533
>>1661558
>>1661783
>>1662269
>>1662456
>>1662679

You push your way through the throngs of people. You ask Ahnassi and Jalah if they know how to get to the commander's office, but neither seems to have been there, so you get your directions from the Promenade Directory. The crowds quiet down on the way there, and the turbolift to Ops is thankfully empty, save for you and your crew.

"Wasn't as busy last time I was here, either." Ahnassi speaks up again.
"I know what you mean." Jalah responds. "But when the wormhole was discovered, we all predicted there would be a massive spike in trade. The unrest on Bajor, the Dominion all put a stop to that. But you know what the Ferengi say: Peace is good for business."
"Rule of Acquisition 35." Ahnassi flashes a predatory smile.

Ops is a bit more your style. That is, it's calmer, and the equipment is older than you are. A mixed Starfleet and Bajoran crew works the stations, and you instinctively seek out the older woman with Captain's pips on her collar. She looks human, but something tells you she isn't.

"You're right, Captain. I'm Betazoid. Captain Hir-Bulat." She extends a hand, and you shake it. "Please, join me in my office. I could use a break."

The Captain's office is joined to Ops, like a regular ready room, and you ascend a short set of steps to enter. It seems a very Cardassian setup, to you. With the leader looking down on his subordinates.

"I'm not in the habit of reading minds without asking, Captain. I do apologize. But the interference on the Promenade and the Hab ring is so great, I barely notice myself doing it anymore." She flops down in the high chair behind the imposing desk. "Your First Officer sent us the R&R schedule earlier, and we approved it immediately. So that's not why you're here."

"I've found that visiting the local commanding officer is often seen as a token of respect." As you say it you can sense the two women behind you exchange a glance. "We'll be operating on the Cardassian frontier, so we expect to pass by DS9 occasionally. I'd like to establish a good working relationship. I'd also like to ask you personally before I start asking about rumours on your station."
"Rumours?"
"Scuttlebut." That's Ahnassi.
"Gossip." Jalah.
"Word of mouth." That's you. "We're going into unknown territory, and as I understand it, unknown territory is this station's middle name."
"I see your point. What kind of information are you looking for?"

>Well, gentlemen?

>>1663155
Tripposting for form. I keep forgetting...

File: Promenade_Directory.jpg (118 KB, 678x509)

118 KB JPG

>>1663156
Also, this image. This is out of date, of course.

>>1663155
>Any new colonies that are encountering difficulty? We have quite some industrial capacity we could use to lend aid.
>Or perhaps there is a hazard to trade routes that needs to be handled, like a rogue band of pirates, a malfunctioning automated defence station of minefield
>Perhaps there's a frontier station in need of repairs, or a starship graveyard in need of cleanup?
>in short, we seek to find where in the area Archimedes would be most needed, and perhaps potential brewing trouble to forewarn ourselves against.

>>1663155
>>1663204
Put it way better than anything I could come up.

>>1663155
Pretty much all of >>1663204
Also any word of anomalies we can send automated probes towards, asteroid fields we can stripmine for raw materials, old minefields and battle sites from the Dominion War that need to be cleaned up.

>>1663204
>>1663212
>>1663226
>>1663226

"Any new colonies that are encountering difficulty? We have quite some industrial capacity we could use to lend aid."

"I'm afraid that's outside of my scope, Captain. Certainly, we hear things, but it's all hearsay from beyond the border. Most of our concrete knowledge is about the Gamma Quadrant."

"Or perhaps there is a hazard to trade routes that needs to be handled, like a rogue band of pirates, a malfunctioning automated defence station of minefield."

Hir-Bulat laughs. "If only! No, my daily problems are a little more mundane. But I don't think you'll have any problem finding malfunctioning military equipment on the frontier. We lost a lot of good ships, and I'm sure the Cardassians and Breen did as well. I don't know if the Dominion have a concept of 'good ships', but they had a well developed military infrastructure. I recommend you tread carefully in the frontier, Captain. There's no telling what you might run into. After the Wormhole Aliens destroyed the Dominion invasion fleet they stepped up efforts to develop a manner of Alpha Quadrant independence."

"Perhaps there's a frontier station in need of repairs?"

"I've heard Deep Space 18 has been having problems with their magnetic field capacitors. If they haven't worked it out themselves, I'm sure they'd appreciate the help."

"In short, we seek to find where in the area Archimedes would be most needed, and perhaps potential brewing trouble to forewarn ourselves against."

"If I could, I'd weld your ship to one of our upper docking ports. The station is nearing the end of its service life while seeing more activity than ever before. There's a new station in construction in orbit of Bajor, but it'll be a few more years before it's finished. Between you and me, the Bajorans waited too long approving it. I think they were afraid to lose power over the wormhole, or maybe they have some historical attachment to this Cardassian monstrosity. They're going to turn it into a museum, I've heard."

Captain Hir-Bulat spins idly in her chair for a few seconds. "It might not be the same as hunting pirates, but if you could spare an Engineering team, there's a trip to the Gamma Quadrant in it for you. I don't think Starfleet would mind the detour." She leans forward. "There's this passenger transport. The Wealth of Dahkur. One of the new Bajoran ships. It's making its first run to New Bajor, settlers, scientists, tourists and all. The damn thing suffered a malfunction that fused all its primary drive coils, and we don't have the capacity to replicate new ones, and the Bajorans have been very particular about sending over an engineering team from Bajor. It's their ship, after all. But if you can convince them to let your people fix it, you'll have that ship and its passengers out of my hair, and my gratitude with that."

>"I'll get a team on it right away."
>"I promised my crew some R&R, and then we're heading out for the frontier. I'm sorry".

>>1663204
I second this, and want to add
>Any info about Cardassian leftover hardliners resisting or disturbing the peace efforts?

>>1663231
>"I promised my crew some R&R - I pushed them hard. But send me the specifics and we'll fabricate replacements in short order. I'll also ask for volunteers whose idea of R&R is adventure."

>>1663231
>I've heard Deep Space 18 has been having problems with their magnetic field capacitors. If they haven't worked it out themselves, I'm sure they'd appreciate the help
sounds like an entry for our to-do list, although let's also hear out what's to be heard at Quark's before finalizing it.
In the meantime

>I'll get a team on it right away
assuming mr. Wolf left suitable people on duty

>>1663231
>"I'll get a team on it right away."
And by "team", it'll be us and Westervliet

>>1663237
Seconding.

>>1663237
>>1663251
>>1663357
>>1663511

"I promised my crew some R&R, but I'll ask for volunteers. With the station this busy I have no doubt we'll find some."
"I appreciate that, Captain. And I hope you'll enjoy your stay on Deep Space 9." Captain Hir-Bulat gets up from her chair. "But if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work."

As you exit the office, one other question pops into your mind. You point to a small sphere on the desk. You've never seen anything like it, and it's the only ornament on the desk. "By the way, what's that?"
"It's a baseball. For the old Earth sport. It's... not mine, actually. It used to belong to Captain Benjamin Sisko. When I arrived here, I tried to return it to his family, but I was told to keep it here. It's a spiritual ritual, as far as I understand it. It means he'll come back." She pauses for a second. "He was the emissary to the Bajoran people, after all. Every Bajoran I've asked feels comfortable with it being there."

The Captain goes back to delegating tasks in Ops as you and your crew enter the turbolift.
"It's interesting how people from smaller civilizations seem attached to using domestic technology." Ahnassi remarks idly.
"I'm sure they have their reasons." You say.
"There are compelling economic reasons." Jalah chimes in. "It makes wealth stay within an economy, and prevents foreign dependence for upkeep."

The turbolift arrives at the Promenade, and you get out. "I recall both of you talking about a bar. Let's go have a look."

Prominently situated on the Promenade is an establishment with a sign proclaiming its name to be "Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House and Holosuite Arcade". True enough, there's drink being served, dabo being played, and a party of laughing patrons is just exiting one of the holosuites upstairs. But you had a slightly more... rough image of the place. There's a Bajoran Vedek in one corner, and a Vulcan in another. Not the sort of thing you would have expected a pre-Starfleet Ahnassi to hang out. Then again, it's been a while since this place was truly on the frontier.

It's not long before a Ferengi waiter appears before you.

>"Welcome to Quark's, your gateway to the Gamma Quadrant. What will be your pleasure?"
>What else do you do at Quark's?

>>1664010
Have the O'Brien Special, and keep our ears open for opportunity.

>>1664048
seconding this.

>>1664048
>the O'Brian special

How positively.....human

>>1664048
This will do fine, seconding

Hey guys, just checking in to let you know this isn't dead. I didn't have a lot of time to spend on this the past few days.

>>1669964
No worries OP. Are you going to pick up this thread, or start a new one?

There's some life left in this one thanks to glacial speed of /qst/, but it is well on its way down.

>>1669964
Real time Star Trek with days of travel! All is well, OP.

>>1670002
I'm not going to start a new thread just yet. But pretty soon.

>>1664048
>>1664175
>>1664523
>>1665377

"One Earth ale... And the ladies?" The waiter pronounces that last word in the typical Ferengi manner, somewhere between flattery and sexual intimidation. At this point you think it's just because of their teeth.
"Tarkalean tea, please." Jalah is sticking close to home.
"I'm not very fond of Earth ales. The bubbles are... uncomfortable." Ahnassi says.
"This one is very flat. It's from a place called Ireland. The Earthers there like flat ales."
Ahnassi nods. "I will try it, then."

The three of you take an empty table and the waiter promptly arrives with your beverages.
"Don't you think it's a little stereotypical to order Tarkalean tea?" You ask Jalah.
"Maybe a little. But I like it. Everyone likes it. That's our marketing phrase, actually."
"Let's keep our ears open. Who knows what we might hear."
Ahnassi laughs loudly. "Do you see these?" She doesn't even bother to point, flicking her ears in turn, as a cat might. "I think I can rival the Ferengi. The group at the bar is talking about their trip to New Bajor, there's an arguing couple in the back, and our waiter is discussing with his friend if I or Jalah is more attractive. This is why we have five different words for 'gossip'."

>You've got some downtime to enjoy. What do you talk about with Ahnassi and Jalah?

>>1677029
>>You've got some downtime to enjoy. What do you talk about with Ahnassi and Jalah?
"You both experienced space, maybe even this part, out of uniform. Any stories to share?"

>>1677194
Second.

>>1677194
thirded

it is not without irony that we came to the bar in search of rumours and end up getting them from our own officers, but I am indeed curious
(samefag from different device again)

>>1677194
While we still got no real job, we could listen to some stories. Maybe ask quork if he heard anything of interest.

>>1677194
>>1677240
>>1677249
>>1678421

I was working under the assumption that I had already written about the volunteer crew being established. I will now awkwardly shoehorn that in.

As you sit in the bar, something strikes you: You should still message Wolf. You slap your communicator. "Captain Jameson to First Officer Wolf. The station commander asked me to put together a repair crew for a Bajoran ship docked here, the Wealth of Dahkur. I want you to ask for volunteers and have the team assess the damage."
"Will do, Captain. It always pays to make friends."
"About that... The Captain said that the Bajorans are reluctant to let Starfleet help."
"We'll see how reluctant they are after they see the Archimedes' fabrication bay. Wolf out."


The matter settled, you turn back to your companions.
"You both experienced space, maybe even this part, out of uniform. Any stories to share?"
Jalah sips from her tea. "This place used to be a lot different. The Gamma Quadrant, the Federation colonies, not to mention all the civilizations in this area. Deep Space 9 was like a spider in a web. My family had a natural interest in developing business relations in this region. We could all sense that the Federation was here to stay. This place was ripe." She pauses for a moment. "And then it all went down the drain. A freighter I was on was seized by the Maquis. They were very courteous, and only took the cargo, but that ended our involvement in the sector. Then the wars came, Klingons, Dominion. I was rash and young, so I didn't let it scare me. But my family kept me home. All for the best, in retrospect. There was no way to establish stable trade, here. Only the Ferengi managed, and he broke the law by habit."
"I remember him." Ahnassi says. "He poured synthale for the station's officers, had their ear. But he also knew every two-bit pirate, smuggler, and thief in the sector. Including us. You should have seen us. We had a real crew. The Captain was a Gallamite, and he took me and the biggest Gorn you've ever seen with him on deals. The looks on people's faces!"
"Which one is he?" You ask, looking around the bar.
"Let's find out..." Ahnassi's arm darts out and she seizes a waiter.
"Where's Quark?" She asks the hapless Ferengi.
"We're... old friends." Jalah crosses her arms and gives the waiter a cold glare.
"I... He's... He doesn't own the place anymore." He wrenches himself loose and straightens his jacket. "He sold the bar as soon as he heard about the new station they're building. Excuse me." And he quickly disappears.
The two women laugh, and Ahnassi leans forward. "That was the look."
You shake your head. Clearly these two know how to make themselves understood.

>Talk with your crew some more
>Go do something else

>>1679965
>>Go do something else
Go help convince those Bajorans. Us showing up will add the whole thing some more diplomatic weight.

>>1679965
>Go do something else
Finish the drinks while giving the patrons a once over, then take the scenic route back to the ship, maybe taking a jumja stick on the way.

Either we come across some more pieces of information, or we can head out to, what was that... deep space 18?

>>1679974
>Us showing up will add the whole thing some more diplomatic weight.
unless politics are the reason why they are reluctant to accept help in the first place, in which case a team of volunteers sent by Wolf in semi-official capacity might be better for the job.

>>1679965
>something else
Have Jalah scour the markets, Ahnassi the promenade, and the technophile Captain the engine ection of DS9, and collect scuttlebutt from traders, civvies and engineers to get a good picture of the sector's needs and events

>>1679965
>Go do something else
Let the trader and former pirate loose on the station to look for deals and bargains, while Jameson grabs a Jumja stick and takes a look at Chief O'Brien's famous work of getting Federation and Cardassian tech to not only talk, but cooperate with each other (only when they're under his watchful gaze like school kids behaving just because the principal is watching).

>>1679974
>>1679985
>>1680070
>>1680102

You finish your drinks while having some idle ship talk with Jalah and Ahnassi. You tell them a little about your time in Starfleet. It's only fair, after all. Though you don't tell about the time you blew up a pirate ship. That might not have been the most diplomatic story right now. You recall wanting to get a jumja stick now that you have the chance. It's probably nothing special, but if there's one trait you've noticed about proper Captains is that they can always answer 'yes' to the question 'have you ever'.

You spend more time standing in line than you had hoped. When you finally have your jumja stick, you find that it's a sticky and sweet treat. Reportedly, it's good for you. But you try not to think about the dental health of ancient Bajorans.

>does Captain Jameson like jumja sticks?

You can't help but meander around the station a little. You've seen Cardassian technology before, of course. But this thing is the oldest piece of Cardassian kit in any Federation inventory list, and has been kept running with incompatible tech and inventive solutions for nigh-on 20 years, now. It's fascinating how the jury-rigging has almost become routine.

You can't tell how much time has gone by, but suddenly your comm badge chirps. "First Officer Wolf to Captain Jameson. Please see me in Deep Space 9's infirmary at once. There has been an incident."
He sounds serious. "An incident?" You ask. "You'll have to give me more than that."
"Trust me, Captain, it's quite urgent. Are you alone?"
You've moved away from the Promenade, but even here there are people. You don't think they heard your conversation, but you can't be certain.
"No. I'll see you in the infirmary. Jameson out."

Wolf is a serious man, but he definitely sounded more serious just now. You quicken your pace and glide through the crowds with the practiced ease of a man who spent half his life in jefferies tubes. The infirmary is as Cardassian as the rest of the station, and prominently on the Promenade. You suppose that's why Wolf was being secretive. Word travels fast on a station like this.

You walk in, and Wolf is standing there, hands behind his back, in the classic military fashion. He looks at you with a frown.
"I believe I requested you keep the company of other officers? Well, nevermind. Please, follow me."
He leads you into the back of the infirmary. The beds are empty, save for one. It is occupied by a man in a Starfleet uniform, gold, with Ensign's pips on his collar. You recognize him. Ensign Humphrey, one of your crew. He seems to be quite dead.
"He was assigned to the team working on the Bajoran vessel. Security detail, one of only two. Doctor?" Wolf looks towards the Trill in Science blue. Evidently he didn't feel the need to scrub up.
"There was nothing I could do except establish time of death. Roughly half an hour ago. No marks of any kind, as far as I can tell. I'll know more after conducting an autopsy."

>>1682713

"Where's Captain Hir-Bulat?" You ask. Her absence with a death among an external crewmember is striking.
"With the Bajorans. We've managed to get into a Captain threeway of a mess. A crewman of one Captain, visiting the station of another, dropping dead on the ship of a third. It's enough to give me a headache. Thankfully, that's your job. Your orders, Captain?"

>"Transport the body to the Archimedes and have Dr. Ocett look at him."
>"We'll wait until Hir-Bulat contacts us. No need to stir the hornet's nest any more."

"Very well. And the crew?"

>"Rescind shore leave immediately until we know what's going on."
>"No change in standing orders. We shouldn't panic, or cause panic, over this incident."
>"Limited shore leave, and in groups only."

>>1682726
>Jameson is indifferent towards jumja sticks

>"Have Doctor Ocett come over and assist in the autopsy."

>"Tell the crew to stay in groups."

Also, new thread soon. I'll be gone most of the night, so don't wait up for me.

>>1682713
Well damn. Archimedes's first red shirt.
F

>"Transport the body to the Archimedes and have Dr. Ocett look at him."

As for the crew
>"Limited shore leave, and in groups only."
It's probably unnecessary measure, but better be careful.

>does Captain Jameson like jumja sticks?
it was a pleasant experience, but not one to go out of one's way to repeat.

>>1682726
>does Captain Jameson like jumja sticks?
They're good, and he'll get one if there's a chance, but he won't go out of his way for one.

>"We'll wait until Hir-Bulat contacts us. No need to stir the hornet's nest any more."

>"Limited shore leave, and in groups only."

>>1682713
He never had jumja sticks before


>>1682726
>Transport to Archimedes.

>the ships are under lockdown until the case is solved