Righteous Reign

by MacDonald, Thomas J

  To: Vice Admiral Helena Leeds Commander Phoenix Fleet

  C.C. Admiral Stephen Nichols Commander Theatre Nine

  Re: T&S ESS Loki

  Date: Oct 24, 2055

  Sir,

  This is a brief preliminary report on the testing and shakedown of the ESS Loki. Today, the testing phase was finished, to our satisfaction. My XO, Commander Elasima managed this operation, under my supervision. I must say that, he has been most thorough and professional. It has taken us a week longer than projected to complete this phase; because of extensive required repairs and modifications; necessary to make the vessel flight worthy. For the most part, this has been caused by failures of electrical parts manufactured by one company. I will attach a list of the offending items. This ship was at risk of failure or catastrophic explosion from the time of its delivery. We will begin the shakedown phase tomorrow morning. I will keep you apprised every few days. A final extensive report will be presented, at the end of shakedown cruises.

  Captain Kurt Brubacher.

  I order the helm to set a course taking us from HD75829 to HD 75809 a yellow star just one and a half light years away. Astronomers are still studying their motions to determine if the two stars are a binary. I order us to jump with velocity set to five percent of light speed. It will take twenty-eight hours and fifty-five minutes to make a jump that usually takes a little over seven hours. We will be able to test all systems except propulsion at full power, or greater. I order the shields set to one hundred ten percent of maximum. We crawl to the jump point on a long acceleration ramp; first with the IPS than with the AMPE system. Both operate flawlessly. When we activate the Casimir emitter it opens the jump vortex in the correct location and trajectory; and we are off. The entire crew diligently spends that twenty-eight-hour period monitoring all systems carefully and reporting their readings every fifteen minutes.

  We are all very relieved when we finally arrive at our destination. The system boasts two GLZ planets that support life and one is a paradise supporting a beautiful intelligent humanoid species.

  "Post your leave bulletin.' I tell my Exec. 'It's still your show; so, you should do it; and, in your own name. Just copy me on the memo." I add.

  A moment later there is a chime notification from my data pad.

  MEMO

  From: Commander Elasima Executive Officer ESS Loki

  To: All officers and crew ESS Loki.

  Re: Testing and Shakedown

  B.C.C. Captain Kurt Brubacher Commander ESS Loki

  Date: October 26, 2255

  All,

  I am pleased to inform you that, arriving at HD75809 has completed the testing phase of our task. There is still a lot to be done; but, the next phase of the operation will be managed by Captain Brubacher.

  I want to take a moment to thank you all for a job well done. We have completed a daunting task and eliminated many dangerous issues, at the same time. We have brought this vessel to a state of readiness capable of completing the required shakedown cruises. We did it as a team. And, we did it without injury to any of our crew.

  In recognition of a job well done. I am placing the entire vessel on rotating shore leaves. Department heads and shift commanders are asked to provide a timetable for your crews; so, all personnel may enjoy equal time ashore during the three-day period. I will hope that all will have a great time; but, will remember they represent the Loki and the OESA, when ashore. I ask you not to abuse this privilege. It is imperative we depart HD 75809 at thirteen. hundred hours on Monday October 29th OESA time; if, we are to maintain our mission timeline.

  Commander Elasima

  "I guess you had it ready to go, eh El?" I ask.

  "Yes sir, that was the plan.' He responds with a wide grin. "May I ask where you're going?" He adds.

  "I will take full advantage of the next shore leave. I will grant a week after the shakedown. And, I will take the full week; since, I have you, a second officer, a third officer and a fourth officer to rotate in command, in place of me. But, I need to complete this final day's analysis; and, put the complete testing into a package that will be part of the overall report. Then, I need to study like hell. The course I am on is intensive. And, I will rotate with the other three shift Commanders to run the bridge. You are ordered to take the entire three days ashore. You've worked your ass off; and, you deserve it. But, I am staying aboard, this time." I explain to him.

  "Thank you, Captain. I appreciate the compliment; and, the leave. I will enjoy it. But, I have a question that's been nagging at me." El states in an enquiring manner.

  "What's that, Commander?" I ask

  "What do they teach on that course, anyway? They sure have you working your butt off." He asks with genuine concern.

  "Well, it is the equivalent of two full time university level semesters. There are six classes in each one. The same subjects are taught in each - just more advanced in the second one. It is classed as a fellowship over and above your graduate degree. You can add PHD/GOP after your name, if you want. But, we use titles so much that, I would never use it. I don't ever display my PHD - without this designation. Anyway, the courses are Military Law, Defensive Tactics, Offensive Tactics, Regional Strategies, Accounting for CEO's and Managing Human Resources in a large enterprise. But, they are very different from anything you've seen in the Command Program. Military law concerns treaties and sovereignty. It also includes the makeup and conduction of military tribunals and trials. The next semester is an in depth look at the Criminal Code. The tactical courses concern Defensive and Offensive tactical planning at a Group level, Task Force level and Fleet Level. The second semester is tactics at the Theatre and Quadrant Levels. It's probably okay to just pass it; if, all you want is a star or two. But, if you want to go to the very top, you need to really learn it. I can see that this gives a potential Flag Officer the grounding needed to go to the top. The rest will be gained by experience and on site lessons from your immediate Commanders. The Accounting and Human Resources programs take you all the way into HQ. You learn a lot about why things are done; not just how to do them. And, you learn a lot of the ins and outs of the service, in those programs." I explain.

  "Wow, it sounds like a lot." El says.

  "Yes but, at your current level your commander recommends you for the program; when, he says you’re ready for promotion; if, he feels you are Flag material. I can tell you that, I would recommend you, so far. Keep up the good work! Anyway, you don't seem to be afraid of work; and your Academy marks were excellent; so, I think you'd breeze through it." I stop before I get carried away and turn it into a pep talk.

  "Anyway, thanks for the information. And, thanks for the leave. May I be excused, please?" The Commander asks.

  "You're dismissed; and, make sure you enjoy your leave." I offer with a smile as El turns to leave the bridge.

  There wasn't a lot to do in command of the bridge while the ship was orbiting, for three days. Aside from asking for status, every quarter-hour or so, I had a lot of time on my hands; so, I decided to do my analysis of the final test, from the bridge. Each day, I had spent three to four hours just going over all the reports and numbers; before, running the Finite Analysis software; which analyses sub-systems and parts individually; determining their weaknesses. It takes things a little deeper than the Failure Mode Analysis. I would do this part at my station. When the shift ended, I would finish the software portion at my desk, in my office; then, begin composing the actual report for that phase.

  I call up the data on my pad; then, send it to my internal com. Everything from the flight is there. Quarter-hour reports on performance of engines, shields, environmental, navigation, power generation and usage, recycling, gravitation, inertial dampening, computer throughput. network demand, network performance, CPU and every other system and sub-system you could think of; except weapons. They were not tested throughout the trip. Weapons testing would be done during each of the coming shakedown trips. Medical and the Galleys ran different kinds of testing; dur
ing the run. Medical put all systems into intense operation with no patients. Their reports included the hardware used in pathology, diagnostic imaging and a host of other areas. They even ran all the surgical operating room lights continuously for the twenty-nine hours. The Galley kept all ovens, burners, fryers and heat units running, off batteries, for the twenty-eight hours. The hangar bays fixed static loads to the magnetic catapults and cycled them fourteen thousand times during the trip; recording the vibration and loads of each cycle. The launch bay doors were opened and closed fourteen hundred times simulating the launch of fourteen thousand raptors in groups of ten. Compartment doors were closed and sealed four thousand times during the excursion and docking seals were tested a thousand times during the same period. While all the ship testing was going on, each raptor was latched in place and run at twenty percent velocity for a hundred hours while temperature, vibration and efficiency of engines were monitored. Shuttles were put through the same testing. Even the high tower turret trucks in the storage area were put through a thousand withdrawal and insertions of items. In all there were nearly a thousand pages of reports to digest. Over a hundred and ten failure analysis would come from those reports.

  After spending the shift going over the numbers, I begin entering them into the program, at my office station. The final step is put them all together in one final analytical calculation. According to the testing results, we should be able to run everything on the ship at one hundred twenty percent of maximum for ten years without a failure. Of course, that analysis does not include incidents out of the norm; like the vibrations experienced when your ship is hit by an enemy missile. However, that analysis would be done, too; in the next phase.

  I work straight through to four hundred hours on that first day; finally quitting for efficiency reasons. I head to bed; waking at ten hundred thirty in the morning. After a cleanup and breakfast, I get right to it; and by the time the shift starts at eighteen hundred, I have completed all the analysis. With that in hand, I will compose the report from my duty station. In the end, I don't really get much time to study; but, the report is finished by the end of the stay at HD75809.

  I meet with my senior officers on October 29th at eleven hundred hours.

  "I hope everyone had a great shore leave. I know it wasn't very long; but, we have tight time restraints on this mission. Our Fleet Commander needs to know she can count on Loki; and she needs to know that, quickly. We will do a much longer shore leave at the end of our shakedowns. We will head back to the Midgard, today. The object is to program our acceleration ramp to reach twenty percent of light speed in under twenty minutes before entering the jump vortex. That will stress the Ion Propulsion system to its limits; and, put a little strain on the AMPE system, too. We will sustain twenty percent in the vortex, testing our stabilizers throughout the jump. For those who don't know, the shielding is shaped to stabilize us in the vortex. By adjusting its shape, we can change the attitude of the craft in relation to the vortex walls. This usually allows us to make the ride more comfortable. The object of this exercise, is to ensure that, we have full command of our shield system. The aim of the trip is to prove that the vessel can be stressed in a rapid acceleration curve and will travel safely at standard speeds. Based on testing and trip here, I would project only minor issues, today.

  We will park at the Midgard when we reach HD75829, for a day; to disembark the entire crew that makes up shifts, three, four, and five. Some will be retrieved in a few hours; other, should arrange for quarters. During the offload time, we will requisition and store any supplies we need; then, offload all the warehousing team; except one supervisor and a skeleton crew to fill any urgent need that may come up during the next test. We will also analyze the results of the trip to HD75829, we just made. We will do that together; so, you will become familiar with the process. If we are satisfied that, the results of the flight met expectations; we will start the first shakedown cruise. If not, we will take the time to repair and adjust anything we found. Those should be minor issues; so, we will go on to the cruise, after repairs. The cruise will mimic the acceleration ramp we just ran; but will take us to twenty-three percent of E. We will travel back to HD75809 holding that speed in the vortex. We will stop to analyze the results; then, return to HD75829 at twenty-five percent of max speed. When we have returned, we will analyze all results and make any adjustments. We will need to focus on reported structural integrity, propulsion, shielding and chronometer results. Chronometer time dilation should be within one nano second of calculated value; or, we need a new control module for our cesium unit. When we are satisfied all is well, we will begin the next shakedown; which is a return to HD75809 at twenty-seven percent of max. The failure analysis at this point; should give us a picture of how safe the ship will be at speeds up to double standard mode. If we find only minor variations, we will bring the rest of the crew back. The tests that follow will be at much longer distances; and we will need a full crew. The next step will be a run to HR5070 which is twenty-two and a half light years, from here. We will do the entire run at twenty percent over four and a half days; then stop for a day to analyze the results. While stopped we will do a series of raptor launches attempting to achieve seven seconds per launch. Raptor flight plans will take them on a half hour winding trip at various speeds; firing cannons set to twenty percent. A report on all aspects of each and every fighter must be received by El, before we leave the star system. When we are sure all is well, we will return to HR75829 at twenty-five percent. That trip will take a little over three and a half days. We will follow the same procedure for analyses as we did at HR5070. If we had to change the module in the chronometer, we will have to check it closely again to ensure the new one meets specifications. We will be two days at the Midgard at this point. The analysis of the Loki takes roughly the same time at each step; but, we will need the additional day to complete the analysis of all one hundred ten raptors. I will have each of you do some of them; so, you continue to get more familiar with the Failure Analysis and Finite Analysis software. Also, at this phase, I will have El do the vessels overall results. I will check all your numbers, of course.' I add with a smile and stop for the chuckles to die down.

  'That will have been the most crucial test. We will have a good idea of how hard we can push this vessel and what her strengths and weaknesses are. From then on, we will be pretty sure that we will not face any catastrophic problems caused by a ship's flaw.

  If we are still satisfied, we will head back to HR5070. Our acceleration ramp will take us to thirty-percent in normal space and we will hold it during the three-day trip. At HR5070 we will stop to analyze. You will be doing all the grunt work, on this leg. El will do the overall. And, I'll just spot check the results. When we are satisfied, we will head back to the Midgard this time looking for thirty-five percent in normal space and throughout the jump. It will take about sixty hours to reach HR75829. This leg will be the hardest on the communication system. Maintaining communications during a jump is complex; but much harder at thirty-five percent. However, analyses of this data, will have to determine if indicated problems are operator error or system problems. We don't want glitches in our com lines; but, we also don't want to hunt for a problem that isn't there. Seven of you will do the grunt work of the analysis. The eighth will do the overall, and El will check all the numbers. I will just quick scan them at this point; because, your all new at this. If we are happy, we will go to the last step. We will jump from the Midgard to 14 Hercules; doing the entire trip at forty percent. That means, we will be at 14H in just four days seven hours. If we like the analysis, we will head to Phoenix Fleet at a leisurely thirty-five percent.

  We will be docked with the Admiral's temporary flag ship for three days while we assemble all the results into a report. It will end up at about six hundred pages plus all the certifications. We need to certify every sub-system of the vessel, every raptor, every piece of medical equipment, all galley equipment, all warehouse machinery, every light and hea
vy piece of marine armor, every weapon system, the engine systems, the shield system, the communication system, the environmental system, the recycling system, the hangar launch chutes, the hangar launch doors, the shuttle bay doors, the docking seals and locks, the Casimir system and the remanufacturing system by serial number; so, make sure all that grunt work for each part stays in tact with all its system wide data. After that, we combine it into an overall certification of the vessel highlighting its strengths and weaknesses, if any. When we are finished, you will know this ship, like a good old friend; and, you will be confident in her ability to look after us; if, we look after her.

  ..........................................................................

  Today is a special day. It is Tuesday December 18, 2255 and I am reporting to Vice Admiral Leeds. She has Phoenix Fleet at Eta Corona Borealis, now. I have the certifications of the Loki, in hand, on my data pad; along with a prepared memo, to reduce any angst she may have at the size of the report. I also have a box under my arm containing hard copies of the five hundred ninety-seven-page report and the four hundred twelve certifications. Many of the certificates are for up to as many as thirty-five subsystem serial numbers. We have actually accepted eighty-two hundred twenty units; plus, the ESS Loki. I hit the send button; as, I approach her door. I had already asked permission to see her.

  "Captain Kurt Brubacher reporting, Admiral." I snap, while at attention.

  "Take a seat, Captain; and unload, please. What do you have there?" She asks.

  "I have your holiday gift from the officers and crew of the Loki." I tell her as I begin to lay out the hard copies on her credenza; before, I take my seat.

  "This is the hard copy report and all the certifications, for the Loki, I am required to present you. I have sent you a soft copy and a memo; so, you don't have to actually read all this." I say; just as, the chime on her data pad sounds. She opens the mail.

  "The file is huge!" She exclaims.