Ben Somerset

I think Gallion's got a good idea. The Gamms attacking GalCom in Polaris seems like an excellent starting off point for the RP. The Swiftsure, and SIN Wing, are at your service. ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure Prime Flt. TDY Wraith Flt., SIN Wing ICQ 32545391 "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." -Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV

Sounds like a good idea to me. I'll go with it. The next question is, how long after the First War should it take place? ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure Prime Fleet TDY Wraith Fleet ICQ 32545391 "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." -Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV

I'm game, if everyone else is. Just one thing, though. Picking up right after the First Gamm War might be tough for some. Gallion, Foss, myself, and some others have RP stuff already going on immediately after the war. Anyway, does anyone have any ideas as to what this is going to be about? ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure Prime Fleet TDY Wraith Fleet ICQ 32545391 "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." -Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV

May God be with you, and comfort you in your hour of need.

Thanks, Tac! I think I can take it from here. [RP] {snip} A woman walked in, saluted and handed the Fleet Commander a datapad. "You left this on the bridge Sir" she said with a grin. "Commander Somerset, this is Lieutenant Commander Maia Kurazawa, my first officer." "Somerset? Of the Swiftsure?" the Lt. Cmdr. said with a smile forming on her face. Before Tac could say anything, the silent Commander replied... {/snip} Yes, I'm Commander Somerset of the Swiftsure. Why do you ask?" he said in his thick British accent. Though neither of them could really tell, Somerset was surprised. In less than a month, he had gone from a mere Starcruiser Commander, fought in a war with the Gamms, lost his ship, gotten a new one, and had just found out he was now being given command of a Wing in Wraith Fleet. What was it he had said...SIN Wing? It had been a hectic month and a half, but somehow, he never felt the shock and surprise that most people would. And most important to him of all, he had found Jessica. Someone so wonderful, whom he had served with for almost a year with nothing happening. He had found her very attractive from the day she had come aboard, but he never did anything about it until a few weeks ago. Ever since his divorce with Alyssa, Somerset was very wary about love, and the emotional baggage that usually came with it. He knew what could happen with two people aboard the same ship, who were involved. If things went poorly, ships efficiency dropped. It was obvious when Somerset's marriage with Alyssa started to fall apart. To everyone except him. Command had captured almost all of his attention, and left no time for her. He spent more time on the bridge, and in his ready room, than he did with his wife. The first time Somerset learned about it, was when she handed him the divorce papers, and left their cabin in tears. After that, she left the ship, and eventually, left the GalCom Military. For years afterward, Somerset blamed her for what had happened. She never told him that she wasn't happy, hadn't made any sign that something was wrong with the marriage. It took him over two years to realize what had been wrong. Him. Then was when he decided he wouldn't get involved with a woman under his command. He virtually wrote off women altogether. Until Jessica came along. Suddenly, those rules, and decisions he had made, fell by the wayside. A word from Lt. Cmdr. Kurazawa woke Somerset from his reverie. "So you know Hikaru? Hikaru Ishikawa?" she asked with a questioning look in her eyes. She knew that he served aboard the Swiftsure with a Commander Somerset, but that was a Starcruiser. This Commander Somerset arrived on a Galactan Battlecruiser. There was the possibility that there were more than one Commander Somerset in GalCom. Somerset's eyebrow furrowed, wondering just who this woman was. "Yes, yes I do. He's my Nav/Ops Officer. Do you know him?" "We went to the Academy together, and got assigned to the same ship for our first tour of duty. So, he's here?" she said with a smile. The prospect of seeing Hikaru again brought a light into her eyes. "He is. He'll be on the second liberty rotation, if you want to see him." Somerset said succinctly. He could see in her eyes that she wanted to see him. Whether it was romantically or not, he didn't know. And Hikaru probably wouldn't say anything about it, if it were. Not to Somerset, at least. He didn't know if Kurazawa would discuss those sorts of things with her Commander, either. "Thank you, sir. If there's nothing else, Fleet Commander...?" she said. It appeared that she wanted to leave in a hurry. "No, Maia. That's all." Londono said, waving his hand to send her off. The woman turned with a slight smile and left the office. Londono looked at Somerset, and said "By the way, most people call me Tac. It's alot easier to handle than 'Fleet Commander Daniel Londono.' So, what do you think of my offer, Ben? I may call you Ben?" he said with a slight chuckle and grin. "Of course. If you're going to be my new CO, a first name basis is appropriate." Somerset said simply. "Can I take that as a yes?" Tac asked. The Commanders record was exemplary. He hadn't been lying, either. The 'old' Swiftsure had been to some of the most dangerous places any GalCom ship could ever venture. Reconnaissance was a difficult assignment, even without going to the places no GalCom ship ever went to uncloaked, and came back alive to tell about it. They had gone on missions to Spectre, seen the Insurgent headquarters looming mere kilometers off their bow. As if that were dangerous enough...Prime Fleet had even sent them on missions to Gamma-1. On more than one occasion. Spectre wasn't a pleasant place to go, but Gammula Starstation was worse. Enemy ships on almost every vector, Stormcarriers sitting within a half kilometer of the Swiftsure. If the cloak had ever failed, within seconds the ship would have been a flaming piece of wreckage. Dangerous... Tac didn't know the half of it. But they had made it back, alive, and in one piece every single time. Other GalCom ships had left to do some reconnaissance in one of the more dangerous regions, and they never came back. The Gamms weren't known for taking prisoners, either. Even with all the risk, the crew of the Swiftsure was good at what they did. Intelligence gathering wasn't an easy job, and they seemed to do it better than everyone else. Or, so Somerset, and apparently Tac as well, had been told. Looking the Fleet Commander in the eye, Somerset made one of those 'command decisions'. "Yes," he told Tac. If they were going to be creating a Wing whose primary task would be recon, they were going to need a good teacher. Unless they had experience themselves. Hopefully, they would. It would be easier than trying to train from scratch, but Somerset knew that for a few, they would have no experience. Evidently, GalCom had decided he was the man to teach them. He promised himself then, that they would not regret their decision. "If there's nothing else, sir, I'd like to take this datapad back to the ship, and get started looking at it. There's probably alot that needs to be done to get the Wing up and running." "Actually, Ben, there isn't. SIN Wing is operational, it just needed a Commander. I hadn't found anyone suited for the job, until I looked over your record. You and your ship will fit the bill exactly." Tac said. Seemed like he had done most of the hard work. Now, it would be up to Somerset to see that they did what they were supposed to do, and do it well. "Thank you, sir. With your permission...?" he said, pointing toward the door. Tac looked over, and grinned. "Of course, you're dismissed. Report to me when you're ready to set up and begin training exercises. With all the defenses around here, Wraith would probably be a good place to start." "Aye, sir. I'll keep that in mind." Somerset said, as he rose from his chair and went out the door. A wry grin came onto the Commanders face, as he headed toward Docking Bay 6, and the Swiftsure. "Wait until Jess hears about this..." ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure Prime Fleet TDY Wraith Fleet, SIN Wing ICQ 32545391 "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." -Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV [This message has been edited by Ben Somerset (edited 07-06-99).]

[RP] They stayed that way until Somerset heard the intercom chime. [Commander to the bridge.] he heard Soran say. "Mmmm...I'd rather stay here..." he heard Jessica murmur. "So would I..." he said as he tapped his commbadge. "On my way, Soran. Somerset, out." In front of him, he heard Jessica say "Not quite yet," as she turned around and kissed him. Somerset wasn't about to complain. Finally, the kiss broke, and they headed off to the bridge. When they arrived, both of them were all business. "Report." Somerset called. As Soran relinquished the command chair, he said "We are now approaching Wraith HQ, and should arrive in 4 minutes," as he crossed the bridge to his station. Watching as the station loomed larger and larger in the viewscreen, Somerset ordered "Henry, slow to 500 kps. Jessica, please open a channel to the station and request docking clearance." "Slowing to 500 kps, sir." Allen reported as the ship began to decelerate. "We've been cleared for docking at bay 6, sir. The station says that the Fleet Commander wants to see you as soon as we dock." Jessica said from Comms. "Very well." Somerset replied, thinking 'He sure doesn't waste any time, does he?' Meeting the Fleet Commander was going to be interesting... "Approaching bay 6. Slowing to 20 kps, and beginning docking procedures." Allen said, pressing a few buttons, then saying "Docking control handed over to Wraith HQ." Feeling a soft bump, the crew could tell that they had docked with the station. Allen said "Docking completed." From Nav, Ishikawa reported "Moorings activated. Initiating gravitational and external support. All systems standing by." After that remark, Somerset saw all the system displays go from the standard green 'Online' to the yellow 'Standby' and in a few cases the red 'Offline.' Pressing the shipwide comm button, Somerset's voice went throughout the ship [All hands, this is the Commander. We have arrived at Wraith HQ. Liberty is granted for all departments, check with department heads for the rotation. Somerset, out.] Standing up, Somerset said to Soran "You have the bridge, Number One," as he headed toward the airlock. Once on the station, he really didn't pay much attention to anything until he ended up at the Fleet Commander's office. Looking at the YD-114 Yeoman Droid, he said "I'm Commander Somerset, here to see the Fleet Commander." The droid looked at him and said "Yes, Commander. Go right in. The Fleet Commander is expecting you." The doors parted and Somerset walked up to the Fleet Commander, and stood to attention. "Commander Benjamin Somerset, reporting as ordered, sir." [/RP] ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure Prime Fleet TDY Wraith Fleet ICQ 32545391 "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." -Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV

[RP] Somerset sat down at the head of the table in the briefing room after all the senior staff had assembled. As always, Soran sat to his right, and Kamarov to his left. After that, were Allen and Ishikawa, Pierce and Nielson, and at the opposite end, O'Malley and Jessica. 'She looks so pretty...' Somerset thought, before bringing himself back to the reason for the meeting. "Status, everyone?" he asked. At his side Kamarov said, "No enemy activity in the area. Advance reports indicate a safe journey all the way to Wraith HQ." Somerset was pleased that they wouldn't have to deal with any 'unpleasant' situations on the way to Wraith. Ishikawa looked at Somerset and said "We are on course, and should arrive there in 1.2 hours, present speed. Operations are running normally." The Operations officer was definitely good at his job. It was now Allen's turn. "It appears to be smooth sailing all the way, sir. The ship is handling perfectly." The words of an experienced pilot, Somerset thought. Nielson was next in line. "I've been running standard exercises to integrate the new Marine's we picked up. So far, they've been going well." The Marine never did talk much, just pointed out what needed to be said. Pierce, one of Somerset's oldest friends looked at him. "Ben," he was also one of the only people aboard who could use his first name, "I haven't even had a single patient in sickbay since we left GHQ. Not a bruise, hangover, not anything." Even though he had known the Doctor for such a long time, Somerset was still amused by the Southern twang in his voice. O'Malley turned from looking at the Doctor, to looking at the Commander. "Engineering is fine, siar. I haven't seen a ship as well put together as this one. We haven't had anythin' wrong, other than that trouble with the Communications system." Smiling at the Commander, Jessica made her report. "We found out what the problem with the Communication system was. The long range transmitter failed. The techs at Base 4 identified it as a bad set of transmitters put out by the factory. It was recalled, but the engineers put it the unit in before the recall was issued. The defective unit was pulled, and replaced. Communications are fully restored." 'So that's what it was...' Somerset thought. They had been...distracted...and he hadn't found out what was wrong with the Comms system. "Good," the Commander said. "Now, I'm going to tell you why I've called this briefing." Pressing a switch on the table, Somerset activated the holoimager placed in the center of the table. On it, showed the message Somerset had received from FleetOps. "We've been placed on TDY to Wraith Fleet. I don't know why, or for how long. Since we're going to be close to the Gammulan border, we need to be ready for anything. When I find out what's going on, I'll inform you. Dismissed." With that, he ended the meeting. All the officers filed out of the room, except for Jessica. She walked over to the viewports, and looked out of them at the stars. Somerset walked up behind, and wrapped his arms around her. He placed his head on her shoulder, and they looked out at the stars, together. [/RP] ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure TDY Wraith Fleet ICQ 32545391 "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." -Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV [This message has been edited by Ben Somerset (edited 06-29-99).]

[RP] It had been several hours since the Swiftsure had arrived overhead Base 4, and began repairs on the long-range communication system. Somerset had finally completed the mass of paperwork that seemed to plague all Commanders, and sat down on the sofa with a book. Even though it was the 31st century, there were still some companies that published actual books and not an electronic variety. At the moment, he was reading War and Remembrance. A 2947 print from Alpha Centauri. Though far from his most prized book, he enjoyed this novel a great deal. About 75 pages into the book, he heard the door chime. "Come," he said without even looking up from the book. Jessica walked in, and stood in front of Somerset. "You wanted to know when we completed the diagnostics and repairs, sir." She said. Motioning to one of the wingback chairs in the sitting area, he said "Yes. Please, take a seat. Would you like something to drink?" Always playing the host. "Some iced tea would be nice, thank you," she said as he walked over to the servitor and retrieved iced tea for her, and another cup of Earl Grey for himself. Handing her the drink, he took his own and sat down. "You know, I haven't eaten. Would you mind discussing this over dinner?" The moment he finished saying it, Somerset was taken aback with himself. Blatantly asking a female senior officer to dinner. And the one with which he had shared such a passionate kiss less than a week before. He couldn't help himself. Smiling at the Commander and taking a sip of her tea, Jessica replied, "I'd like that very much. What should we have?" leaving the decision of what to eat up to him. "I've got the perfect thing," he said smiling back. "We can have dinner in my cabin," suggesting an intimate dinner for 2, instead of eating in the Officer's Mess where they could be seen by others. "Of course," she said smiling. They both stood up, and as they left the room, they felt their hands brush. It felt like a surge of electricity went through the room. Not knowing who really took the initiative, they held hands across the bridge all the way to the Commander's quarters. Once they were in his cabin, Somerset pressed the call button for his SD-5 Servant Droid. As the droid came in and said "Yes, Commander. What can I do for you?" Somerset said, "Bring me veal parmesan for 2. And a good cabernet. The '88, I believe." The droid bowed down slightly and said, "Yes, Commander. It will be attended to immediately." After the dinner, Jessica complimented the good food. She didn't realize it was from Somerset's private stock of real food. They were both feeling the minor effects of the cabernet. Soon after, they were both sitting on the couch next to one another drinking coffee. The talk drifted from subject to subject, never once touching on the failed comm system. The two were almost in each other's arms, lips drifting closer, and closer together...when the Commlink beeped. Extremely annoyed, Somerset tapped his badge, acknowledging the call. "Somerset here, what is it?" letting the annoyance seep into his words. "This is Soran, Commander. We are recieving a Level 4 message for your eyes only. Shall I send it to the terminal in your cabin, or will you take it on the bridge?" Sometimes, the first officer had the worst sense of timing... Looking over at Jessica, he said "I'll take it in here." "Understood. Soran out," the first officer said, severing the connection. He walked over and activated the terminal, inputting his command codes to view the transmission. "This had better be good..." he said under his breath. He wanted to go back to the couch and pick up where he left off, but he had to attend to his duty first. As the message scrolled down, an eyebrow raised and he said "What the hell?" He ran the message back, and started to read it again. ---------Begin Transmission--------- To: Commander Benjamin A. Somerset, CO GCV Swiftsure Fr: Strategic Commander Thomas Masterson, Prime FleetOps Su: TDY Assignment As of this date the GCV Swiftsure is detached from GalCom Prime Fleet on TDY to GalCom Wraith Fleet. You will proceed with all due haste to Wraith HQ. There you will recieve your new orders from Fleet Commander Daniel Londono. Strategic Commander Thomas Masterson Prime FleetOps ----------End Transmission---------- Somerset sat stunned. Detached from Prime and transferred to Wraith...? He wondered what was going on. Jessica saw the stunned expression and walked over to him asking "What's wrong?" She put her hands on his shoulders as she read the message, and couldn't believe what the message said either. Perhaps Wraith had lost a few too many ships during the recent conflict with the Gammulans. Placing her head alongside his, she said "Dearest, there must be a reason for this." He looked at her, deep into her eyes. "I wish you'd call me that more often," smiling at her "dearest...it's got a nice ring to it." He was going to comment further, but her lips met his before he could say anything. After a few minutes, the kiss broke. "Oh, hell. We've gotta get moving," he said, tapping his commbadge "Somerset to bridge, set course for Wraith HQ best possible speed. And call a briefing of the senior staff immediately." "I better be going." Jessica said to him, heading for the door. Before she got out, he grabbed her arm and twirled her around. After giving her another deep kiss, he asked "Breakfast tomorrow, dearest?" She smiled and told him "Of course. But I've got to get ready for that briefing, since we never did get around to discussing the comm system," as she headed out the door. "No, we didn't..." Somerset said as he headed back to the terminal and acknowledged the message, confirming their new orders. Under him, he could feel the massive hyperdrive engines spinning up, sending the Swiftsure toward Wraith HQ. What would happen when they got there, he knew not. [/RP] Well, the Swiftsure is now part of Wraith Fleet, albeit temporarily. *neglected to alter his sig appropriately* ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure TDY Wraith Fleet ICQ 32545391 "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." -Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV [This message has been edited by Ben Somerset (edited 06-11-99).]

[RP] The first mishap on the maiden voyage of the new GCV Swiftsure occurred less than a week out of the dockyard. While extensive testing of all the ships systems were done before the ship was commissioned, the engineers always missed something. Hence, for over a millennia ships conducted a 'shakedown cruise' to find and correct whatever the enormous amounts of tests missed. All of the senior staff was present on the bridge for the most important event to date. For the past week, the ship had conducted trials and proving runs in the Moon region. So far, they had found nothing wrong with the ship. But all of them new they eventually would. They just hoped it wouldn't happen now. Once the final checks were complete, the ship was about to undergo something she had not undergone before. The activation of her hyperdrive. While she was still under construction, engineers had run all kinds of simulations and tests on the hyperdrive. But as yet, it had never been used under operational conditions. If something went wrong with this test, it could be catastrophic for the ship and crew. More than one ship had been destroyed during the first jump to hyperspace. Somerset looked across the bridge. All of them appeared to be as ready as they would ever be. Reaching to his console, he activated the ship-wide intercom. "Attention all hands, this is the Commander. All decks and divisions report readiness for the jump to hyperspace." He disconnected from the intercom, and waited for the reports to come in. Turning from his station to face the Commander, Henry Allen stated "Flight ready for jump, sir." With that, he turned back to begin final checks and entered commands to take the ship to a velocity faster than light. Still facing the main viewscreen, Hikaru Ishikawa made his report. "Navigation and Operations ready, sir." Somerset appreciated the way that Ishikawa stuck to his duties. It was the mark of a great Commander, something he was sure Ishikawa would be someday. "Marine Operations to bridge. Ready for jump, sir." Major Nielson was a man of few words. Though he could have been on the bridge for this, he preferred to stay with his Marines. Somerset couldn't fault him for that. From behind and to his left, Kamarov made his report "Tactical ready for whatever happens, sair." Even though he couldn't see the wily Russian, he knew there was a smirk on his face. Kamarov would make another good Commander for GalCom someday. "Communications ready, sir." Jessica said, turning from her station and smiling at Somerset. Even though he new he shouldn't, Somerset smiled back. After what happened with his ex-wife he vowed to never get involved with a fellow officer again. Unfortunately, his resolve was teetering on the edge of collapse. And he came to the sudden realization that it would collapse, soon. A few minutes passed. There was still one more to hear from. The most important one. Finally over the intercom, he heard Shawn O'Malley call "Engineering to bridge. All checks complete. Ready for jump on your command. Let's get this show on the road." From the tone of his voice, he could hear the smile in the Irishman's voice. Soran turned from his post and reported "All decks and divisions report ready. We can jump at your command." With that, the first officer turned back to his station and finished securing systems for the jump. "Very well. Like Shawn said: Let's get this show on the road. Mr. Ishikawa, plot us a course to the Moon. Mr. Allen, steady as she goes. Lay the course in once it's completed. Jessica," he said, accidentally using her first name, "send a message to Base 4, and inform them we're proceeding with the hyperdrive test." All 3 of them said, "Aye, sir," and began performing their tasks. Soon, reports from them began coming in. "Course plotted." Ishikawa said, right before "Course laid in, sir," from Allen. He waited for the reply from Jessica. And waited... Finally, he asked "Did you get a reply from Base 4?" She looked over at him and slowly shook her head. "No, sir. I sent the message 5 times, and received no reply. Diagnostics indicate that the comm system is fully functional." "Well, it appears it isn't." Looking over at Ishikawa, he said "Where did you plot the course for, Hikaru?" The Navigator replied "Base 4, sir. Why?" "Because if we're having communications problems, that's the place to go. Good thing, or else I'd have you replot the course. Once we drop out of hyperspace, I want a Level 1 diagnostic on all communications systems. Internal, external, long and short range," he said. Their first problem, but at least it wasn't something that would destroy the ship. "Now, let's get moving. Mr. Allen," he said as he threw his hand forward, index finger pointing at the viewscreen "engage." They watched as the forces spun up the jump anomaly ahead of them. The ship shot forward and entered the domain where objects could travel faster than light. "Jump successful, sir. All systems nominal." Soran reported. So far, so good. The Moon grew closer, and closer in the viewscreen. Soon, they were able to see the terminal end of the anomaly. "Dropping out of hyperspace." Allen reported, as the ship slowed to sublight speed. "We should be within short range communications distance, sir." Jessica called from the comms post. "Attempting to contact Base 4. Base 4, this is the GCV Swiftsure, respond please. Base 4, this is the Swiftsure, respond please." Suddenly over the Commlink they heard, "This is Base 4, Swiftsure. Go ahead." Jessica replied "We're having long range communications difficulties. Could you have some Comm techs beam up and assist us in locating the problem?" Quickly responding the Base replied "Techs on the way, Swiftsure. Base 4, out." With that, the connection closed. "Somerset to Engineering. Part of the comm system is out. I want a Level 1 diagnostic and techs from the surface are beaming up to assist. Lt. Commander Michaelson, come to my ready room and report once you have the difficulties sorted out. Number One, you have the bridge." After completing his orders, Somerset headed into the ready room, got himself a cup of Earl Grey, and began to wait. Now what would he say when Jessica reported to him.... [/RP] ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure ICQ 32545391 "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." -Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV

[RP] Somerset looked out the expansive window of the new GCV Swiftsure. The window was almost as wide as his old ready room had been on his old ship. It appeared to him that GalCom didn't do anything in small measures these days. Walking over to the food servitor, he ordered "Tea, Earl Grey, hot." As he waited for the tea to be sent to the servitor, he walked over to the painting hanging on the wall over the sofa. It depicted a Galactan-class Battlecruiser sailing majestically past the Earth, a light nebula in the background. She was such a beautiful ship, and carried a fine name passed down through the centuries. Behind him, the servitor beeped, signifying that his tea was ready. Retrieving the tea, he sat down at his desk. He activated his computer terminal and checked the schedule. Though all of his personal belongings were aboard and in place, the ship still hadn't left dock yet on her shakedown cruise. Their departure was to take place at 1400 hours. Looking at the chronometer, he noticed it was 1325. Snapping off the terminal, and grabbing his tea, Somerset headed for his cabin. The doors to his cabin slid open, and he stepped inside. He had been forced to purchase new furnishings for the cabin, since his old furniture didn't fill a quarter of these Commander's quarters. Somerset had kept his wall mounted desk, bookcases, and small cabinet that he used to store his beverages. He bought a new chair, since the old one had been ruined during the Gammulan assault. As he donned his white dress uniform, Somerset looked over and saw the holo on his desk. Even after 6 years, he had kept her holoimage on the desk. The image of his wife...ex-wife, he corrected himself. There was one mistake that he wouldn't easily forget. He took a sip of tea as he finished putting on the uniform. Returning to the bridge, he noticed the rest of the senior staff was assembled in their dress uniforms. He glanced at the chronometer seeing that it was 1355. Looking over at his first officer, Somerset said "Pre-departure checks, Number One?" "Complete, Commander. All systems are nominal. We are ready for departure," he quickly replied. "Excellent," he said, looking over at the navigator, Hikaru Ishikawa. "Hikaru, seal airlocks and disconnect umbilical support systems. Henry, clear all moorings. Jessica, contact traffic control," he ordered quickly. "Airlocks sealed, all umbilicals disconnected, sir. We are now on internal systems only." Hikaru said after the orders were carried out. "All moorings cleared, Commander," came the response of Allen. "Channel open, Commander." Jessica said. "Traffic control, this is the GCV Swiftsure, requesting permission to depart." Somerset said, ready to begin their voyage on this new ship. "Acknowledged, Swiftsure. Permission granted. Proceed at 250 kps until 30 kilometers away from the dock, and you are then cleared for hyperspace. Have a good journey. GalCom HQ traffic control, out." Right as the clock turned to 1400, Somerset gave the order. "Mr. Allen, thrusters ahead 1/10." "Aye, sir." Allen said from his station. The majestic Swiftsure pulled out of the spacedock for the first time. As she cleared the forward edge of the dock, her prow was hit by sunlight, illuminating the GalCom insignia and the name GCV Swiftsure emblazoned on the hull. To outside spectators, the departure of the sleek Battlecruiser was something to behold. It wasn't every day that people got to see a Galactan-class vessel. On the bridge, an elated Benjamin Somerset sat in the command chair removed from the last Swiftsure. He was glad to be in space again. [/RP] Probably not my best, but at the moment, the best I can do. Maybe this will breath life back into this thread. ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure ICQ 32545391 "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." -Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV

[RP] Somerset stood on the bridge of the new GCV Swiftsure. Technically, he wasn't even supposed to be on board. But, he decided to take a look around the deserted Battlecruiser before it was filled with techs, and crew members. He thought that the Galactan had looked large from the outside... Compared to the "old" Swiftsure, this ship was huge. The vastness of the ship was mystifying. Nothing on this ship was done in half measures. It would easily be possible to fit nearly three Starcruiser bridges on this one bridge. Not too long ago, he had heard someone describe the Galactan-class as "expansive." He could now see that they were right. As he walked across the space of the bridge, he walked over to the command chair. He sat down, and his first thought was 'I need to get my chair put in. This one is so uncomfortable.' He got up, and began exploring the rest of the ship. Engineering, Medibay, Recreation Rooms, nothing on the ship was little, or underdone. As he looked around, Somerset got the sense that this was a state of the art, ship of the line. He used to think that the "old" Swiftsure was state of the art in GalCom technology. It was apparent that this ship was, to use the colloquialism, light-years ahead of her. She looked like she was a fine ship. After shakedown runs, they would know for sure. Although the ship was completed, her commissioning ceremony wasn't until tomorrow. After going on his "unauthorized inspection tour," Somerset decided to go home. He stopped at the turbolift which would take him to the transporter room, and pressed the call button. The doors whisked open, and to his surprise there was already someone in the lift. It was Jessica Michaelson, his comms officer. He stepped into the lift, and looked at her. The lighting must've been what did it. She looked absolutely radiant standing there in the semi-harsh light of the turbolift. Her golden hair seemed alight in color, and her eyes sparkled. 'This is a big mistake...' Somerset thought to himself. Next to him, Michaelson thought, 'This is a big mistake...' Somerset noticed that her blue eyes matched the color of the civilian clothes that she had on. And that those blue eyes were locked on his, and had a sparkle in them. Somerset couldn't help himself. Throwing protocol and caution to the wind, he scooped Jessica in his arms and kissed her passionately right there and then, without a single word passing between them. Her lips pressed back on his own, as she wrapped her arms around him. This had been a long time coming, both of them knew. Those glances across the bridge, a few too many late nights in the Officers Mess. Somerset had made it a personal policy to not get involved with a fellow officer. As he kissed Jessica, that policy went out the airlock. [RP] I admit, this post was shameless character development. I'll get around to the commissioning and shakedown soon. Let's hope this post brings this thread back to life, since it's nearly dead. ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure ICQ 32545391 "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." -Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV

[RP] Somerset made his way to the Bureau of Ships office, located on GalCom HQ. Even after 15 years of service, he was still slightly in awe of the size of the massive starstation. He had just finished moving the last of his personal effects from the Swiftsure into storage. Somerset had the feeling that they would be there for awhile. He figured that all Bureau of Ships merely wanted to tell him something about the break up of his ship. Sign some forms, and other red tape. Somerset never did like paperwork much. As he entered the office, he approached the main counter. "I'm Commander Benjamin Somerset," he said, "I'm here about my ship, the GCV-Swiftsure." "Ah, yes," the person at the counter said "if you'd go to Launch Bay 74, the dockmaster is waiting for you." "Very well..." Somerset said, quite confused. 'Why the Launch Bay?' he thought to himself. Arriving at the Launch Bay, Somerset was greeted by the dockmaster, and they boarded a shuttle. "Exactly what are we doing?" Somerset asked. He did not like surprises, at all. "We're going to see your ship," the dockmaster stated. 'But my ship is in pieces by now.' Somerset thought. "Of course." Was all he could reply. As the shuttle headed to the drydocks, Somerset realized that they weren't going the right way to see the Starcruiser. 'Where are we going?' he wondered. "There she is," the dockmaster said, pointing at a large ship. "your ship." Somerset was shocked. In the drydock ahead of him, sat a Galactan-class Battlecruiser. It was obvious that she was in the final stages of outfitting, and the dockmaster just said that it was his new ship. He never expected it. He thought that after what happened, he'd be given a desk job for some time. Not to mention a possible court-martial. But instead, they had given him a brand new ship. The shuttle approached the graceful Battlecruiser slowly. He hadn't really seen a Galactan up close, and was amazed by the sleek design. It almost looked like she was moving, even while standing still. The ship was not quite complete, as Somerset looked at the solar panels, which were only structural girders at this stage. "How long until she's done?" he asked, wondering when he could take this beauty out. "There really isn't much left. She'll be ready in less than a week," the dockmaster replied. Even though Somerset tried to hide it, the dockmaster could easily see the amazement on the Commander's face. It wasn't every day that you found out you've been given command of a ship of the line. He tapped on the control panel, programming the shuttle for a close flyby of the bow of the ship. 'Somerset's surprised now...wait till he sees the bow,' the dockmaster thought to himself. 'He'll have a heart attack.' Slowly, the shuttle came toward the bow. As it closed on the ship, Somerset began to be able to read the name of his new Battlecruiser. At first, he could only make out the GCV designation, unable to read anything else. Soon, he could make out an S as the first letter of this massive ship. He wondered what her name was. The closer the shuttle got, the more he could make out. Second letter was a W. And the third was an I. 'It can't be...' he thought. But it was... The letters on the bow spelled out GCV-Swiftsure. "My ship..." he said, unable to complete the sentence. "Yes, your ship. We hadn't named her yet, and the name seemed to fit. The Galactans being so sleek and all. They look swift, so we named her Swiftsure," the dockmaster said with a smile. "Hope you like it," he added. "Like it? I don't think that describes it." Somerset said as a flurry of emotions went through his body. "When can I go aboard her?" he asked, wanting to set sail almost immediately. "It'll be a week or two yet. We've still got some outfitting to do. The comm system isn't finished, the solar panels are obviously not complete, and there's only life support for half the ship," the dockmaster told Somerset. "But after that, she'll be ready for shakedown, and that's your job," he said with a smile. "I think I can wait for another week." Somerset said with a wicked grin. In 3 weeks time, he had fought in a major battle, lost his ship, and been given a new ship that had the same name as the last one he commanded. At that moment, he remembered a line from an ancient 20th century movie 'It seems that destiny has...taken a hand.' [/RP] ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure ICQ 32545391 "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." -Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV

Seems like this thread needs another jumpstart. [RP] He stood at the window of the ready room, for the last time. All of his personal effects had been removed. The old mahogany desk, small rosewood bookcase and books contained therein, real leather chair, the models of the HMS Victory and GCV-Swiftsure, and the painting of the ship that had been hanging since before Somerset first set foot on the ship. Now, it was coming down as he left her. Running his hand across the windowframe, he took one last look at the ready room and left. Stepping onto the bridge, Somerset found the bottle of Emperian Ale he had been drinking. Though it wasn't quite legal, he thought that the Swiftsure deserved a last toast with the best Somerset had to offer. Going over to his chair, he punched in a command for the last time, and spoke. "Commander's Log, final entry. This will be the last log of the GCV-Swiftsure. In a few hours, she will be decommissioned, and turned into scrap metal. A poor fate for such a fine ship. She has always gone above and beyond the call of duty, at times performing what could only be called miracles. It was a miracle that she held together long enough to make it home, only to befall this. After 20 years of faithful service to those who built her, this ship will not be honored, not be recognized, but be eliminated. This ship, that has been my life for so many years is lost. I, and all who have served aboard her will miss her deeply. The GCV-Swiftsure. Finest ship in the whole damn fleet." he said, ending the log. "And so it ends." he told himself, drinking down more of the Ale. "What ends?" a questioning voice asked, slightly startling Somerset. He looked over to the man who was standing on the bridge with him. "The Swiftsure." he said solemnly. "Taking one last look around too?" "Aye. I couldna help but take one last look at her." Shawn O'Malley said. "She sure was a fine lass. Don't think there'll ever be another like her." "I doubt that very much. Here, have a drink" Somerset said, handing O'Malley a glass. "To the Swiftsure. Fallen, but not forgotten." "May she one day find her name in space again" O'Malley added, as they drank the last of the Ale. "Indeed. Any mementos you want, Shawn?" he asked. "I've already got everything I want." O'Malley said. "Techs are coming to take the command chair for me. No matter what ship I fight in, that chair will be with me." he said. "A final get back at the bureaucracy, sir?" the Irishman said with a grin. "Precisely. Now for one more thing." he said, walking across the bridge to a wall. On that wall was a plaque, platinum in color. The writing etched onto it read GCV-Swiftsure. "You know, I remember a time when it read ECV-Swiftsure. No longer." They both knew where that plaque went. It rested on the headstone of their former Commander, Angelique Trouseau. He removed the plaque, saying "Wherever I go, this plaque will follow me." Somerset glanced at the motto which read: "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." They had defended this ship and her crew well. With that, he left the bridge of his ship...forever. ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure ICQ 32545391 "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." -Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV

I've saved the session. If you'd like a copy, I'd be glad to send it to you. ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure ICQ 32545391 "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us." -Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV

I have the feeling they won't. [RP] Somerset looked out of his window, as rain pattered across San Francisco. Though a native of England, Somerset had found San Francisco more to his liking and had made his home there. Even so, Somerset had always considered the Swiftsure his real home. But now... The rain hitting the roof was comforting. It wasn't often he was actually in San Francisco, and even less often that it rained while he was there. 'Not too long until the senior staff start arriving' Somerset thought to himself. Only yesterday he had learned that his ship, the Swiftsure, was being decommissioned, and scrapped. He thought the best way to break it to them was to just come right out and say it. No mincing words, or useless small talk. The first to arrive was his Communications Officer, Jessica Michaelson. She entered the home, and looked around. A great deal of oak and mahogany wood filled the home. Bookcases filled with old books, some centuries old. Everything having a worn, comfortable look. "Very nice home you have here, sir." she said with a smile on her face. "I try." the Commander replied. "Would you care for something to drink?" he asked, playing the host. "Do you have any brandy?" she asked, not knowing what Somerset had in stock. "Of course. Think I shall have some myself. " he said, pouring them both a drink. Slowly, the rest of the staff arrived. Soran, First Officer. Ian Kamarov, Tactical and Second Officer. Shawn O'Malley, Chief Engineer. Michael Pierce, Medical Officer. Hikaru Ishikawa, Navigator. Henry Allen, Flight Officer. John Nielson, Marine Commander. They all received drinks, and Somerset proceeded to tell them why he had called them there. "There isn't any easy way to say this, so I shall be blunt. You all know that the dockyard engineers recently finished inspecting the ship, for their repair estimates. We believed that the Swiftsure would be ready to go back out in around 12 weeks. They disagreed. The engineers decided that it was 'Too costly in terms of time and resources', and that the ship not be repaired." "Well, then what're they gonna do to her?" O'Malley asked in his Irish lilt. "She is to be decommissioned." Somerset said with finality. A flurry of voices emerged, with Kamarov's being above them all. "Vill ve get anoder ship?" "I can't answer that, yet. I hope to hell we do. In the meantime, I propose a toast. 'To the Swiftsure. May she rise again from defeat.' Cheers." he said as their glasses clinked together. "Commander, do you expect to know about a new ship soon?" Soran asked. "Bureau of Ships asked me to report to them tomorrow morning. Unless it's about the Swiftsure's breakup, I think they'll tell me then." he looked to all of them, and said "Tell all of your departments about the decision. They need to retrieve their personal belongings as soon as possible. After that, they're to go to Personnel at HQ, and get quarters before reassignment. Whether they will be reassigned to whatever ship it is we get...I don't know. I'll keep you posted." he finished, effectively ending the meeting. They all drifted out, Jessica being the last one to leave. "You think we'll really get another ship?" she said, eyebrow raising slightly. "We better. We've gone through too much to be tossed aside." he said, a slight bitterness entering his tone. She smiled, and said "Quite true, Commander. Quite true." Turning, she left the house, leaving Somerset alone. "She sure does have a pretty smile." Somerset said aloud, the thought entering unbidden into his mind. [/RP] Thought I'd stop there. It was getting a little long. Still see where it's going, Tac? ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us."-Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV

The adventure continues... [RP] Benjamin Somerset tugged on his uniform jacket, straightening it out. It was only a short shuttle ride to the external dry-dock where his Starcruiser was awaiting repair. She had been so heavily damaged in the recent Gammulan attack that Shawn O'Malley, Chief Engineer had to cannibalize almost every part of the Swiftsure's 4 IC's to get her operational again. According to the stout Irishman, "The whole ship's bypassed like a bleedin' Christmas tree." He and the dockmaster were about to go make an external evaluation of the ship. There had been 8 hull breaches, 2 of them major. Internally, the ship was a mess. By taking the hyperdrives out of 3 IC's, O'Malley had made a marginally functional hyperdrive for the Swiftsure. IC lasers replaced PTA's, their comm units replaced internal and external units, their life support systems breathing life back into the Swiftsure. "Good evening, Commander." the dockmaster said, entering the launch bay. "Ready for the inspection tour?" he asked. "Of course." was Somerset's only reply. Within 5 minutes, they had arrived at the dry-dock where the Swiftsure was located. As a Starcruiser, the Swiftsure had been low on the repair priority list, and only now was the dockmaster inspecting her. Somerset had waited for this inspection for weeks, as he was eager to return to duty. They slowly approached the prow of the large Starcruiser. The first thing that came into sight was a gash that ran along the bow. While rather large, the gash hadn't gone through the outer hull. Moving up to the ventral side of the ship, they noticed a massive breach, cutting through armor, and going all the way from the port side to the starboard one. The dockmaster and Somerset both saw the name of the Starcruiser emblazoned on the hull. G V-Sw ft ure. Some of the name was unreadable because of the hull breach. The inspection tour continued, until all of the scarred ship had been examined. It wasn't every day that a ship went up against a Gammulan Stormcarrier, and lived to tell about it. They had managed to disable the massive ship, but not without being nearly disabled themselves. Somerset had wanted to capture the ship, but instead destroyed it. Though it was a prize the Swiftsure wasn't in the shape to go against even a barely effective Stormcarrier, or any other ship for that matter. Upon returning to the launch bay, the dockmaster exited the shuttle, pulling out his datapad. "According to your Chief Engineer, your ship can't be repaired and outfitted in less than 12 weeks. Do you agree with his assessment?" he asked matter of factly. "I'm afraid so, sir. We took such heavy damage that almost 75% of the ships systems need to be replaced, and 30% of the hull needs serious attention. Emergency forcefields held the atmosphere in, but that was only a stopgap measure. Personally, I don't see us getting out of dock in less than 14 weeks." the Commander replied. "Well, Commander, I have some bad news for you. The inspections only confirmed the reports by the Chief Engineer, and yourself. The dockyard engineers and I believe it will take at least 18 and as many as 26 weeks before the Swiftsure can be repaired. She's also over 20 years old. In our opinion, the time and resource cost to repair a ship of her age is far too much. The Starcruiser Swiftsure is to be stricken from service, and scrapped. I'm sorry Commander." Somerset felt his heart sink. They were going to finish destroying his ship. After all he and his crew had gone through to save her, the bureaucrats were going to scrap his ship. For over 20 years, the finest Earth had to offer walked her decks, and it was all going to waste. His head sank, and responded "Indeed." "We won't start to break her up for a few weeks, to allow the crew to gather their personal belongings and get quarters on GALCOM HQ until reassignment." the dockmaster said, trying somehow to lighten the blow. "Aye, sir." was all Somerset could say, before walking out the door, fuming. How was he going to tell the senior staff... [/RP] Maybe that will jumpstart things a bit. I was meaning to post this for a *very* long time but didn't get around to it. *mutters about accursed finals* Might as well introduce my character to this time frame, since he's in DeSylva's RPG. Gives me a good way to develop some backstory as well. Hope you enjoy. ------------------ Cmdr. Benjamin Somerset GCV Swiftsure "Angels and Ministers of Grace, defend us."-Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV [This message has been edited by Ben Somerset (edited 05-13-99).]