A Few Good "Men"
Posted on 07/01/2013 @ 8:41am by Captain Joshua Riker & Lieutenant JG Riambori & Lieutenant JG Duncan Argyle & Captain Syntron
Edited on on 07/01/2013 @ 8:46am
Mission: From the Ashes
The door to the Captain's ready room opened and Commander Riker entered. Sitting at his desk was Captain Syntron who, to Riker's surprise, was not wearing his dress uniform yet. Syntron was clearly very busy with a PADD he looked up and signaled for Commander Riker to sit down. As Captain Syntron began to speak he handed the PADD to his first officer.
"I am sorry to pull you from the ceremony Commander but we are receiving new transfers and I need you to meet with them right away."
Believing the crew to be complete Commander Riker inquired?
"New transfers sir? I was under the impression our crew was complete. As a matter of fact the alpha roster was submitted to you earlier today."
Nodding the Captain continued.
"We are bringing in a propulsion specialist Lieutenant Riambori. He will be assistant Chief Engineer and will be implementing a slipstream drive."
Thumbing through more data on the PADD Syntron handed the PADD to Commander Riker.
"The Phoenix is also going to be receiving a new Chief of Security. The ship received communication about Lieutenant Commander Vincent's mother becoming ill. The treatments are going to work and I am told she should be fine, but it is a lengthy process and in the meantime he has requested a transfer to be closer to home for her. I understand that he is close to his mother and I saw no logical reason to deny his request."
"I understand Sir. If you do not mind me asking this sounds pretty routine why pull me from the ceremony and not Master Chief Eddington?"
"You should keep reading the PADD Commander. Our new chief of security is hardly a normal transfer."
Reading over the PADD further Commander Riker saw one word jump out at him.
"Borg? Weapon?"
The look of confusion on Commander Riker's face told the whole story.
"Sir it says here that Lieutenant Argyle has been genetically and technologically modified? I thought genetic modification was illegal?"
"It is Commander. The Federation has been faced with a lot of war over the last thirty years and some sections inside felt the need to make super soldiers. Using borg technology and genetic engineering soldiers like Lieutenant Riambori were created. If it were not unethical it would be quite fascinating."
Understanding the situation Riker just nodded.
"I take it after the fall of section 31 there was no more room for secret super soldiers?"
"Most of them were, for lack of a better word, cured and their implants removed. However a few, like Lieutenant Riambori, showed remarkable integration abilities. They used their new found skills and implant to quickly excel at all levels of security, tactics, and combat."
"Without the senseless bloodlust I take it.?"
"Precisely Commander. So with minimal resistance from Starfleet command those few officers were integrated into the fleet. Hopefully his integration here will be just as smooth. Now I am expecting them to transfer over in a few moments if you will meet them and escort them to their quarters I can continue preparing for the ceremony."
"Aye Captain"
Commander Riker stood and with PADD still in hand exited the ready room heading for the shuttle bay.
* * * * *
Entering the shuttle bay Commander Riker saw two crewman completing post shuttle landing protocols. Walking to the back of the shuttle as it opened the door the first figure to walk down the ramp was a medium height blue skinned alien with dark spots. Nodding to the Commander this alien male stood beside him as a second larger man emerged. Having spent most of his life being taller then everyone around him Commander Riker was taken aback slightly by the larger human standing before him. Built more like a Klingon then male Riker could not help but notice the very large borg like implants on his face and hands.
Breathing deeply and trying his best to hide the uncomfortable nature the meeting Commander Riker spoke up.
"Welcome gentlemen I am Commander Joshua Riker first officer of the USS Phoenix. I appreciate your willingness to transfer here on such short notice. Please if you will follow me I will escort you to your quarters and allow to get acclimated."
Asking the first question Lieutenant Riambori spoke.
"Commander Riker I am to understand there is the commissioning ceremony happening today will our attendance be expected at that event?"
Before Riker could speak Lieutenant Argyle interjected. Gesturing to the large implants on his face.
"Perhaps it is best for me to wait sir. The crew might to best to first see me in a less formal setting."
Nodding in slight agreement Riker continued.
"Actually Lieutenant Riambori only the senior staff is required to attend."
Glancing over to Lieutenant Argyle.
"In your case Lieutenant I believe you are correct. Perhaps you should take some time to get acclimated before meeting anyone who might be... um... unucustomed to working with an android."
"Actually sir, an android is a fully functional synthetic lifeform. I am very much human just with some implants. I am technically a cyborg if you have to describe me to anyone."
"Of course Lieutenant. I meant no offense"
Nodding to each other the two young Lieutenants grabbed their bags and followed the Commander from the shuttlebay.
By David Rogers on 07/01/2013 @ 1:50pm
Slipstream ( or Quantum Slipstream ) is a very ubiquitous subject, open to conjecture on it's feasability in Trek canon. Although in use in Star Trek Online, I fail to see how we, on the Phoenix, will be able to reliably implement this tech., given the use of Benonite as the ( Voyager ) crystal source.
Any thoughts?
By Stephanie Decatur on 07/01/2013 @ 8:14pm
I'm forced to agree with Rodgers on this one. Quantum Slipstream in every cannon (other than STO) proved to be a technological lemon similar to the "Subspace Transporter" (In every cannon except 'Into Darkness')
The technology is there, the theory is there, but for whatever reason (even plot as in some shows like Voyager) the implementation has failed due to unforeseen issues cropping up that couldn't be counteracted at the time. If it's tried at a later date in cannon they usually end up overcoming the original hurdle only to find a bigger one waiting to foil their plans.
In my humble (or not so humble if you see it that way) opinion, we could follow the original cannon use of such technology as a plot device to give ourselves a hurdle to overcome which leads to a bigger problem than we originally thought.
Should we get something like Slipstream working? I don't know....I have to say my gut reaction is not any time soon for sure.
By Syntron on 07/02/2013 @ 10:30am
Here are my thoughts and the rationale for the introduction of the potential QSD.
Let's suppose that it has now been decades since the Quantum Slipstream Drive issue has been seriously broached by the Federation in terms of actual application. However, we now have an engineering specialist that has been working relentlessly on a design for a new possible implementation method for a starship since this time, and has just been assigned to begin preliminary tests on the USS Phoenix. As we have seen in technology before, that (technology) which seemed doomed to failure during a certain point in time becomes readily available later on as technology advances and approaches shift. This could be the point we are now reaching with the QSD.
It will become among the several tests/experiments that will be addressed during the Phoenix's maiden voyage... although not all at once. As you can imagine... it is highly unlikely that things will go smoothly with the QSD as it is being simulated and eventually initiated.
This will also be an opportunity to think outside-the-box by our engineering team (and perhaps others) to come up with (a) method(s) to overcome a series of obstacles and get this thing working at some point... even in very short periods of time or bursts to begin with.
This could work out as in interesting plot device as well (as Stephanie Decatur mentioned) once the actual mission begins.
Also, it will potentially offer the ship a chance to cover greater distances in shorter periods of time... which could prove quite useful as well.
By Allen Samji on 07/16/2013 @ 2:22am
I agree with Jeff's rationale, but also with Rogers and Decatur in that we can't just assume it works flawlessly now. With the Horizon testing the newly developed Transwarp drive and the Phoenix testing the QSD, we allow both the ships the opportunity to expand our RP beyond the conventional locations seen in canon (and perhaps even into existing canon locations such as the Delta Quadrant).