Terrence Kamatsu's Story

Three weeks before the Salient's arrival in the Arcturus System, aboard the Vigilance in space dock.

The docking station was abuzz of activity. Being a space dock it typically was but with the influx of new crewmen and officers of the Vigilance it seemed to be even more packed than usual. The white metallic walls reflected back the navy blue uniforms that roamed their halls. This effect was even more shown on the lower levels where the stations work crews; with their rainbow of colored jumpsuits jostled past each other.

The station had been bombarded by transport vessels for the past week with its cargo of crewmen. The main docking bay, while to the untrained eye looked almost like complete chaos was a well oiled machine of precision. The orange jumpsuits of the maintenance crews surged from place to place in the massive bay, moving from craft to craft making repairs or minor adjustments. You could clearly see the ordinance men in their bright red rigging up patrol vessel for their upcoming shits and connecting chargers and fuel pumps.

Mixed crews of green and blue were seen moving and directing vehicles as they were either taxing out or being lowered into the hanger, which was a deck below. While crewmen in white orchestrated the entire operation and directed the new arrivals off of the flight deck toward the elevators that took them to the main parts of the stations.

Terrence had been aboard the station now for about a week and a half. He had come aboard one of the first transports and was glad he had. His first few days were spent in conferences with the various heads of the Joint Special Operations Command. He had read his brief while on route to the station but having the person responsible for it design explain it to you was a real treat. One of the major advancement intergraded into the Vigilance was it stealth systems. With a combination of hull upgrades and engine emission masking technology the Vigilance when running “Silent” as it would be referred too, could easily sweep under the raider of most modern systems in use.

As the final day of transports passed and the last of the Vigilance’s crew came abroad; Admiral Fontaine, who had been abroad even before Terrance had arrived suggested an assembly of the crew and some kind of ceremony to commemorate the launch of the Federations new line of stealth frigates.
The ceremony, like most in the Federation military was filled with inspirational and patriotic ideals. In descending order starting with Admiral Fontaine, speeches were given, reminding the crew of its duty not only to their ship but her captain and the Federation itself.
After about three speakers Admiral Fontaine took his place back at the glass podium.

“I first want to apologize for the length of this ceremony…I’m a man of action as many of you might know and by God it’s got me far!” A wave of laughter and chuckles fill the assembly hall. “So…I finally turn over the mic to a man I see a good bit of myself in and step down knowing he’ll do his Federation proud. Crewmen of the Vigilance, I give you your commanding officer... Commander Terrence Kamatsu!”

As Admiral Fontaine steps aside the crowd of crewmen rose from their seats and applaud as the short, broad shouldered frame of Terrence dressed in his Service uniform approached the podium. Being quite shorter than Admiral Fontaine he pulls the mic down closer to his mouth.

“I would like to first thank Admiral Fontaine and the Joint Special Operations Command for allowing me to be your commander.” He nodded toward the admiral before continuing his memorized speech. “We are about to set forth on a great mission…our federation and way of life are in peril from and insurgency that cannot…and will not win. Many of us have great hope for our Federation and want nothing more than to see it flourish into the stars. So I promise this to you! As long as I stand breathing the Vigilance will not falter…will not yield…will not surrender…and will not dishonor the Federation we stand to uphold.”

The Assembly hall erupts in a wave cheers and clapping hands. Both crewmen and officers alike stand in an ovation of their Commander. Terrence stood at the podium resolute, almost stone like before a young lieutenant was sent over from the direction of Admiral Fontaine, approached the podium with a brass plaque as Terrence stepped down for her to speak.

“It’s naval tradition for a new ship to have a motto thought up by its captain. Yet in this case Admiral Fontaine has taken the liberty to grace the Vigilance with its motto.”

She stepped down from the podium and shook Terrence’s hand as the flash of cameras went off. The various admirals and captains that spoke approached Terrence. As he shook their hands he didn’t focus on them but on the plaque that read....

F.S.S VIGILANCE
VIGILANCE CLASS • FIRST STARSHIP TO BEAR THE NAME
REGISTRY NUMBER FS-01 • LAUNCHED NOVEMBER 11, 2093 S.C.M
RUST CITY SHIPYARDS, MARS • FEDERATION NAVY

“WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND THEY ARE OURS…”

One week before the Salient arrives the Arcturus System

Terrence had just gotten off of watch on the bridge and had finally been able to close his eyes and lay down on his rack before the beeps of his communicator went off.

“Bridge to Kamatsu.”

“This is Kamatsu…”
This was his first time he had been off watch for almost 24 hours and he wanted a damn good reason for the interruption. They had been underway for about a month and any special feeling about the Vigilance had started the wear off. It was after all...just a naval vessel. The crew did their jobs and kept it moving forward toward the Arcturus System. Even with his relatively short time in command Terrence had started to notice that the composition of his crew wasn’t ‘random’ as he had been told. For one his Chief Engineer, by far not the best in the fleet was known for experimental energy core and mass drive modification. His Helmsman, a young Lt. Commander by the name of Park had been chosen exclusively for the position because of her vessel piloting skill.

“Captain, we’re dropping out of slip stream and approaching the Arcturus System.”

Terrence ran his hands over his face and rubbed his eyes before he replied and lifted himself off of his rack.
“On my way, call all command staff to the bridge.”

Finally, Terrence thought, he knew they were going to make in the next 12 hours but that must have been 12 hours ago. He thought about stopping at the small mess they had abroad the Vigilance before heading to the bridge but wanted to be there when the stationed hailed them. With the Insurgent's heavy activity in this system he knew that as soon as anything entered the vicinity of the station, it was going to be picked up quickly. He removed his jacket from the back of the chair in his quarters and put it back on before leaving and headed down the corridor to the turbo lift.

When he had arrived on the bridge all of his staff had taken their positions before he took his; A seat that sat in the middle of the oblong room with a few command modules at its sides.

“Crewman, have we been hailed yet?

Terrence asked to a young enlisted crewman at the communications station. The man had clicked a few points on the panel before he looked back over.

“Not yet Captain. Should I Hail them?”

“I thought they would have picked us up...Well never mind then. Polarize the hull, block emissions and place us on silent alert.”

He rested back in his seat, finally at his destination. Ready to dismantle the Insurgency the best he could.