by Chris Hechtl
The End ... of the Beginning
Author's Afterward
Wow, what a difference! I wrote this treatment and outline back when I wrote Fools Gold, 2007-2008, quite a while ago. A lot has changed since then. I had to do a lot of rewriting; the original had the admiral bringing his whole fleet to Lemnos (kind of silly in retrospect) so I changed that. But that snowballed changes throughout the end of the book. (The climax had ships exploding from the Wraith's sabotage, not happening with the one ship I changed it to)
You may have noticed a few changes from the snippets posted as well. I posted those raw, and I had a bit of an um ... lively? Somewhat mildly heated? Discussion with Darion. He rightly pointing out there was no way Prinz Zir would be able to go from Epsilon Triangula to Protodon in the time needed. Oops. So, I had to do some tweaking. Fortunately Barnacle Bill was in my notes floating around so ... it gets to make an early appearance. Surprise!
The ending was ... different than I had imagined too. I shocked myself when I pulled the trigger. It had been floating around in my mind and I was like ... do I dare go through with it? Pull the trigger? As you can see, yeah, I did it.
But I also wanted to tie up a lot of loose ends, bring some stuff together and leave other threads and new threads around. But in doing so this book became a bit more than I bargained for. I had to cut off the short story that was in the end, Lewis & Clarke. (I actually wrote it before I got into writing GP to get me back into the right frame of mind.) I decided to stick it into another book. Most likely Multiverse 2 or another Federation short story book. We shall have to wait and see. Pity though.
Oh, special thanks to Tim, Darion, Jory, and the FB group for their contributions. (I like Edna Garrett, good call there)
So, is this the end? The end of the story? Not at all. To paraphrase Winston Churchill: “It is not the end. It is not the beginning of the end. But perhaps, it is the end of the beginning.”
Honestly, I heard that in the movie Millennium and didn't connect it to Churchill for the longest time.
What does that mean? Well, it means the admiral is done wandering. Now he's going to do what he does best, be an admiral. He and others like him are going to kick ass. Or at least try to. But those damn Horathians have their own plans ...
The admiral and crew will be back in Battle Lines, (I changed it from New Beginnings ... should it be called Front lines? see, now I'm not sure.) the start of the New Federation series I will hopefully finally get back to writing in 2015.
Oh, I had planned a two-year time skip. Obviously from the above book that has changed. Wince. My bad. Oh well. :)
You can read and see more on my blog or the Facebook fan group. :)
Check the appendix for the links or Google Cyberforge3d.
Dramatic Personnel
Fleet Admiral John Henry Irons
Sprite, Defender, Proteus
Lieutenant JG Lobsterman Maine's ship AI
Chief Yosef Behr: knocked unconscious. Memory loss. Enlisted rating, former friend to Caid. Assistant chief on Romeo. One of the few survivors from that ship. Jewish. Black curly hair. Chief petty officer turned junior engineering officer. Acting chief engineer briefly before Lieutenant commander Sindri took over.
Vestri Sindri: LT commander, chief engineer Maine, later acting commander of the Antigua Yard and Liaison to the Yard dogs and Antigua prime/government.
Spaceman 2nd class Jerrik Donigan: Life support technician. Was 3rd class at one point. Promoted, then promoted to 1st class and then petty officer in Antigua.
Paul Edding: rating. Head wound. Transferred to Echo
Irina Nobeki: smart cookie. Rear guard. Engineer and officer. On Maine -injured while going to power room 1. Put in stasis for a while. Awakened 1 week after arrival in B100 omega. Transferred to Mary Apple as chief engineer and acting XO.
JG Lieutenant Dita: Red head, shy. Cobra pilot. Extensive shuttle pilot. Officer
Lieutenant Meia: silver hair and suit. Cobra pilot and security officer. Shuttle pilot, extensive experience. Officer Tactical officer interest. Did a stint on Maine before transferring as XO to Antigua fighter command. Put in charge of flight wing at Carrier fortress 1 Triang Jump point.
2 other pilots from Firefly, Jamal Coglin, Jordan Blake. 2 trainees as of B100 omega.
6 additional pilots from Hidoshi + 1 marine sea lion pup
6 more from Richalu
Wong -fighter pilot from Richalu
Midshipman Oliver Nash
Midshipman Travis Bodger "Bugger" -Dita's wingman. kamikazi fighter into enemy ship attempting to ram Triang. Died after ejecting from debris.
Midshipman Ximena Llano
12 marines from Kathy's world, 3 shuttle/drop ship.
MAINE SENIOR OFFICERS
ADMIRAL -captain Replaced with Captain Naomi Samuel
Sprite -XO -replaced by Veraxin First Lieutenant Ch'n'thl He has date of rank on Braknaa
Major Gustov -marines -actual captain.
Ensign Ariel Poseidon female navigator
Nobeki- engineer injured. Replaced by Behr then Sindri. Sindri replaced by lt jg Donogo Li
Hr'tz Ensign. veraxin. -ops
Shandra Williamson senior tactical until breakdown. Replaced by Meia -until replaced by first Lieutenant Braknaa, Satyre.
Mia Tormell -defense officer JTO.
CPO Moore- helm.
Doctor Che-medical
Zen - alien sensor tech from Firefly. Acting sensor officer. TCLOCK from Proxima. Family are engineers.
Cookie: Edna Garrett: Woman from Richalu. Mrs. Santa Claus look. Plump, dimples, Asian look. Stubborn, silver hair, 40-60. Smart, strong. Very good cook, very much into pastries. -Facts of Life
Miss Torres: Electronics technician
Mister Hazal: engineering rating.
Ensign Shandra Williamson senior tactical until breakdown. Replaced by Meia -until replaced by first Lieutenant Braknaa Satyre. Transferred to a Carnegi before swapping with XO to take over tanker position left in Triang.
Lt JG Donogo Li -assistant engineer on Maine, former slave freed in B101a1. He became acting chief of Maine. Quiet, dark, brooding, but a talented natural artist. Low 20s. Became chief engineer. Abrasive relationship with Captain Samuel.
Lieutenant Trey Ulster -former chief engineer of Bounty, reassigned to captain of the captured Clydesdale T67385 in Kathy's world orbit.
Jax -engineering tech/rating. Young neogorilla. Friendly with Irons. Purple tinted fur.
Chief Able- chief engineer of Collier 4. Transferred to IG section of Yard.
Ensign Hr'tz Veraxin. "Hertz" ops officer Maine. Smart and flexible.
Chief engineer Seward: Veraxin ensign from Firefly. In over his head as chief engineer of Mary Apple having been a plane mechanic with 1 short tour on a corvette. Put in for transfer. Replaced by Irina Nobeki. Transferred to Tweedle Dee as chief engineer. Settled in nicely.
Ariel Posiedon Ensign. -redhead shy female. Chief navigator. Junior Coxswain as well. 20's. She had served on Firefly. Smart, was junior navigator and coxswain/shuttle pilot trainee in Pyrax before transferring to Firefly. A bit flighty, can't make up her mind. She had trouble asserting her authority with her quiet demeanor.
Julian -male human doctor
Anikan Deustch
Doug Perman
Cissi -blond female who tried to seduce Irons when she failed to do a job properly. She wanted to trade sex for extra credit. Sprite landed on it full force.
Abdul Cartier -male black hair, goatee
Ensign Samantha "Sam or Sammy, Sam I am" Carter-pixy haired blond engineer. Natural engineer, genius. Instinctive in DCC as well as design. DCC head, Maine.
Ensign Jamal Coglin -Officer Fighter pilot. Shuttle pilot.
Midshipman Mia Tormell 17. -tactical track. Defense officer. Asian, silky black hair. Pert nose. Normally shy. Takes a liking to the admiral. Father was a ship's captain. Her family destroyed by pirates. Friend and former lover of Shandra.
Lieutenant Grace Che
-ship's doctor. High cheek bones, fuzz for hair she grows out. Smart. Former slave in B101a1. Sister to Merlo Che who died on Bounty.
Illyana -female neodog
Ensign Jordan Blake -female Chimp. Transfer from Firefly. -fighter pilot. Shuttle pilot, also flew tugs in the yard.
CPO Re'mon -Veraxin Transfer from Firefly. Ops junior plus power room foreman.
Ensign Shantel Williamson Former slave from b101a1. Excited about combat. Tactical track, eager. Cafe late skin, purple and black curly hair. Tall, 20's. Nervous breakdown after simulation. Transferred to Carnegi as ops officer. Former roommate of Mia.
Sebastian Canning -officer
Edgar Pornell -chimera look like a raven head. "Edgar Allen Po" Feathers. Picked up on Kathy's World. Old from Admiral's time. Not a sleeper.
Opal Phol - Captain of ship?
Ensign Barlow: AI for Xavier.
Fletcher: -AI Intel officer. Ensign. Fletcher for long view. AI in flag bridge computers on Maine.
AI of Mary Apple -Male Johnny Appleseed
Marion "Randy" Randolf -female. -lieutenant captain of Mary Apple. Bonobo/chimp.
Ensign -Chief engineer Seward -former chief. Veraxin male. He was a small craft (parasite/fighter) mechanic/tech before transferring to Firefly. Transferred to Tweedle Dee as Chief engineer. Replaced by lt Nobeki.
Oscar Dylard -chief petty officer, CIC
Chief coxswain CPO Keith Moore -Chimera. MAINE- mat (flat) black skinned human with yellow eyes and long ears. No hair on his head or face. Broad nose. Large canines which he tries to file with a nail file. White nails.
Rihanna
Mao: neodomestic cat. Hairless cat. Part changed, part neo. Long ears, tattoos of flowers and stuff on neck and body. -new recruit. Illiterate.
New recruits:
Hidoshi's world -600. 12 (?) backed out.
6 neo seal lion pups from Hidoshi's world along with 600 other volunteers of various species. 5 volunteered to be helmsmen. 2 were assigned to the courier. 1 became a marine aviator.
232 navy
362 marines
4 delegates plus families. Geordi among them.
Sorill Lapola -private in Padre's squad in love with navy female recruit.
Richalu:
100 recruits. 5 backed out.
48 navy
47 marines
4 delegates plus immediate families
Kathy's world
350 recruits of which 12 human, the rest neo or alien.
63 navy -less 6 officer qualified
287 marines
-Cat -neocat feline, domestic short hair calico. Very good combat, can't read. Attitude problem. Enlisted marine.
Neigi Nagumo -private white gorilla, young. A bad break up forced him to leave. A redneck. Quiet. Padre's squad.
Midshipman Loyd Kereen. Male, neochimp. -assigned to Collier 9.
Private White -arctic fox with rear end problem. Snow white. Very young.
young tiger, two bears (1 ghost bear blond w/ black muzzle n temper), two Neo chimps, chatty black spotted Neomutt, cloud leopard, serval, ocelot, Raccoon Neo. (Chimera) all officer/noncom candidates, all with combat experience.
4 delegates plus immediate families
Triang
400 total recruits
189 navy
150 marines
61 army
6 delegates plus immediate families
Some additional people bought passage with Hoshi to go to Antigua
New from Convoy 3
600 navy
400 marines
Commander Vargess: captain of the destroyer Fuentes
Fuentes: Smart AI from prior to the Xeno war.
Lieutenant commander Mcguyver: Captain of corvette, promoted after recovery to Captain of Bounty.
Ensign Patters: Ensign on Bounty.
Lieutenant Azul Herschel -Captain of Collier 2 Old spacer. Retired to Hidoshi's world after ship lost. Considered bad luck. Former bounty slave. His wife died at hands of slavers.
Female XO -Collier 2
Benny: Communication's rating on Collier 2. Acting communication's officer.
Commander Naomi Samuel Captain of Xavier. Transferred to command of Maine.
JIG Lieutenant Mat "Joey" Sampson -Exec of Xavier turned acting captain.
Tr'j'ck jig Veraxin tactical officer of Xavier -acting XO.
Amanda -cute nurse on the ship. From Boysenberry Antigua. Small town. Dated Admiral Halsey.
1st lieutenant Kinja -mahogany woman, engineer. Good engineer. Lesbian. Worked as assistant engineer to Sindri on Bounty before taking a posting with Captain Hoshi on Le More. Bad break up with Hoshi at Richalu.
Served on ship until the fleet reached Antigua. Signed up for commission. Chief engineer of Cutlass and deputy yard foreman.
First Lieutenant Andrea Panski -initial commander of Antigua detachment and yard. She’d been stuck trying to execute the orders with little resources and a fine amount of personnel while also overseeing the repairs and day to day operations. She learned to delegate. Former staff officer. Very organized. Was recalled to Pyrax to take command of a newly constructed destroyer with promotion to Lieutenant Commander.
Lieutenant Commander Woods: Replacement for Panski. Whiner. Former deputy Yard manager in Pyrax. Promoted to Lt Commander and sent to Antigua to build the yard. Sindri has him by date of rank. -IG office
1st Lieutenant Carnique -fighter commander in Antigua.
Captain Moira White Wolf: Marine, former 1st lieutenant. Acting commanding officer of Kathy's World. Neowolf. 'Semi-sleeper'. Elderly.
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Karen Glendale
Ensign Lake -Intel officer left in charge of prisoners w/ light squad of marines and militia. Promoted to jig by Commander Montgomery. Promoted to 1st lt by Irons.
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Civilians:
Captain Karen Hohi -captain of Le more.
Caid - was chief mate now acting chief engineer
Lieandra -captain Yan'Kelly. Veraxin. Joined briefly in Briev. Escort to Antigua.
Miss Niles: purser
Chief McAdams: Chimp chief engineer.
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Governor Jeff Randall: Male governor of planet and system.
Wife Sandra and children.
Some family killed by pirates in orbital attack.
Lt Governor Mitrian: female lt governor, prickly, stickler for protocol. Governor's age. Smart hard worker, not afraid of getting her hands dirty.
Married, lesbian with 2 adopted children. Has supporters trying to make a profit off the military deals.
T'rel'n Veraxin Treasurer
Tolgen Aseni
Sayidi Renyeer
Lars Owen
Doctor House: caustic doctor. Big city, cut down to size when see database and training.
Daffyd Bruneski governor's chief of staff. Prickly to admiral, grudging to him. "No hard feelings" but occasional dark looks. Old guard who had been in charge of attacks on Irons.
Evillin "Evilin" Sumner -female Antiguan. Governor’s publicist. Rose through the ranks after the pirate attack. Dark history but doesn't talk about it. From Eternia.
April O'niell -Knox news Antigua branch, admiral's love interest.
Lowel - bisexual male. Tall intern. Curious sense of humor.
Bobby: Gay male intern.
Miza -straight female.
Cybers from station
Some cast from book 4 including Yard Dogs.
Mariah Jersey -tug pilot from Senka. 20 years old. Mother is on Antigua.
Alice
Sparks
Cast on Lemnos base:
In the past:
Doctor Sumol'nk -doctor part of the trinity project
Doctor Beir -neochimp doctor part of the trinity project
Vanessa: Nurse
Shelly: Nurse
Recovered Skeleton crew: 165
total organics. 11 remained in stasis for mental health reasons.