[2343 A.D., Lowestoffe Colony, L-2 Colony Cluster]
'I can't believe this is actually happening.' Elias thought to himself as he gazed upon his new ship, taking a moment to admire the masterpiece that sat before his very eyes.
The last couple of months had been quite a drag if the newly-appointed ship captain was being perfectly honest. While Elias waited for his new vessel to be completed, he was stuck with doing administrative work at Fleet Headquarters in the meantime. Which, in reality, meant that he mostly spent his time being his aunt's personal assistant. Although he loved being able to work directly alongside the woman, Elias was through with having to run errands and conduct inspections every single day. And if he had to read over another leave request, he was certain that he was going to pull his one remaining eye out in frustration.
Despite all of that, the wait had been more than worth it. And finally being able to look at the ship that was going to be his second home made Elias feel pretty optimistic about his future.
The CSS Victory wasn't just any ship, it was a technological marvel that signaled a new era for the Colonial Navy. One that was outfitted with the advanced stealth systems that formerly belonged to the Specter, all while being faster, sturdier, and even more dangerous. On top of that, the Victory's exterior was both sleek and modern. A fact that was highlighted by the subtle curves and cutting-edge materials that made her seem more like an elite predator than as opposed to a protector.
In short, this ship was built with one thing in mind: offense. It was a beast of both agility and stealth, capable of slipping through the stars completely unnoticed. All while having enough firepower to shoot down a capital ship if necessary.
According to the briefing that Elias had been given prior to being appointed as the ship's captain, the next few months were basically going to be one extended field test for the Victory's systems. He and the crew were to gather as much operational data as possible and send it back to Naval Headquarters at set intervals so that the analysts could do their thing and dissect the data.
'That's perfectly fine with me!' Elias smiled as he walked down the terminal to get a better view of the ship's weapons. 'I'd be more than happy to see what the Navy's newest toy is capable of.'
"Commander Thorton!" A voice then interrupted the man's thoughts.
Elias quickly turned to face Lieutenant Canan Herrera, his newly appointed second-in-command. The pale-skinned man with shaggy black hair and brown eyes was standing at a nearby ramp with a tablet in one hand and a stylus in the other.
As luck would have it, Lieutenant Herrera was actually one of the people that Elias took the Colonial Naval Officers exam with a little over five years ago. And while Elias had been running missions onboard the Shadowstrike, the Lieutenant had spent his time doing escort missions for the President of the Colonial Federation. Although this was only his third time ever meeting the man face-to-face, Elias knew for a fact that Lieutenant Herrera was exactly the kind of person that he needed on board his ship. He was the hardworking and diligent kind of guy that you could count on to have your back in a tough situation.
"Lieutenant." Elias greeted, offering the man a small smile. "How's the crew looking?"
"Everyone's present and accounted for, sir." Herrera replied in a cool and measured tone of voice that the Commander learned was his default. "We've already completed all pre-launch checks. The Victory is ready to head out whenever you're ready."
Elias nodded, his heart rate picking up as he took in the enormity of the task ahead. "Good. We'll be leaving shortly."
"There's something else, sir." Herrera then added, his gaze shifting slightly as he tried to find the proper way to word his thoughts. "The new crew, sir... they're...still adjusting. A few of them are fresh out of boot camp, and well...you know how it is."
"I got you." Elias folded his arms across his chest as his mind began contemplating over what this meant.
The man still had yet to meet most of the crew that would be working under him for the foreseeable future. Half of them were freshly-christened sailors and marines, while the other half were veteran members of the 2nd Fleet that he had only met during the short briefing sessions leading up to today. For the most part, their names were still unfamiliar, and their personalities had yet to be fully revealed.
This was going to be Elias's first challenge as a Commander. It was his responsibility to get to know his crew, bring them together, and forge them into a team capable of facing whatever the stars could throw at them. And although the thought of leading a ship full of relative unknowns certainly did weigh on him, Elias was ready to take the challenge head-on. He had been in way worse situations before. So, something like this was basically childsplay in his opinion.
"I'm sure they'll come around. Once we're out there, things will settle. We just need to get the first flight jitters out of the way and get everyone settled into their routines." Elias said, trying to reassure his second-in-command.
"Indeed." Herrera agreed. "My old Commander said that consistency is the best way to break in new blood."
Elias simply laughed in response. After a brief conversation about the Victory's updated flight plan, the two young officers proceeded to make their way down to the ship.
-(o)-
Although he was already familiar with the Victory's layout, Elias couldn't help but be awed at the sight of everything around him. This ship truly was one of a kind. A modern masterpiece that would soon become the standard for the rest of the Navy in the not-too-distant future.
The Victory was equipped with the same advanced stealth technology that was salvaged from the Specter. An upgrade, which by itself, that put it in a league of its own. The ship's ability to turn invisible to most detection systems was a game-changer, but it also meant that every decision aboard her would carry more weight. Either way, Elias couldn't wait to take this baby out for a test drive.
"All systems are operational, sir." Lieutenant Herrera said as his hand moved across the screen of his terminal. "We're ready to depart. The cloaking system is online and fully calibrated. We're set for stealth deployment whenever you give the word."
"Good." Elias said with a nod.
The green-eyed man then glanced around the bridge to get a good look at his new crew. There were a few faces he recognized, such as Petty Officer Braun and Ensign Nakagawa. The others were those that he still had yet to commit to memory. And though some of them were young, none of them appeared to be outwardly nervous. In any case, they were professionals, just like he was. And Elias expected his new crew to perform their duties to the best of their abilities.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen! The brass wants us to take it easy today as we get used to the ship and all of its bells and whistles. If we experience any issues, make sure to annotate them and send the paperwork directly over to me. Before we depart, is there anything that I need to know?"
Ensign Nakagawa, the ship's freshly-commissioned weapons officer, raised her hand. "I'm still having a bit of trouble with the Victory's AI, sir."
"Is that right?" Elias tilted his head slightly to the left. He certainly didn't like the sound of that. "What's the issue?"
"The ship's new intelligence system is... unconventional. It's heavily based on the Specter's old command protocols. I've mostly gotten it down, but I believe that I still need some time to adjust it before we enter into real combat. The system is highly capable, but...it's also designed to take a more proactive role in decision-making."
Elias quickly picked up what the young woman was trying to say. "A little too proactive for your liking, I assume?"
"Yes, sir." The woman said. "But it's been programmed to follow standard protocols. We just need to make sure that we double-check everything before heading into hostile areas."
Elias chuckled, grateful for the young woman's honesty. In truth, he wasn't too thrilled about the AI. It wasn't the same kind that was used on the Shadowstrike. From what he was told, the program was designed to make identifying enemy ships easier while using the stealth function. Fortunately, they weren't going to be heading into any populated areas for this flight. So if there was a problem with the program, they'd be able to handle it without anyone getting injured.
As the impromptu briefing continued, Elias felt the weight of his new position settling in around him. The crew, the mission, the ship...it was all up to him now. He wasn't just Elias Thorton anymore, he was the Commander of the Victory. A role that he was more than ready to step into.
Once all of the talk was out of the way, Elias decided that it was finally time for the ship to depart from the spaceport. And with a firm voice, he declared the destination for their maiden voyage.
"Our destination will be the research colony, Langley, in the L-1 cluster. Once we're there, we're going to be conducting combat drills and maneuvers near the colony's debris field to test out the Victory's capabilities. It's going to be a long journey, so make sure that you keep your wits about you."
"Understood." Herrera replied as he began typing in his terminal to relay the orders to the other members of the ship who weren't on the bridge.
Elias felt his pulse quicken. This was it, the first step in a new chapter of his career. As the Victory's engines hummed to life, the ship slowly pulled away from the dock and drifted into the open vacuum of space. And as they had done so many times before, the stars called out to him.
The green-eyed man sat back in his chair as he watched the familiar expanse of space unfold before him. There was a calm in the air, the feeling of the unknown, the rush of excitement tempered with the weight of responsibility. He was ready for whatever came next. This was his ship, his crew, his mission.
"Herrera, do it." Elias looked at his second-in-command with a slight grin.
"Engaging cloaking systems now!" Herrera announced while tapping a few commands into his terminal.
The ship's outer shell shimmered for a brief moment before vanishing from sight, leaving only the faintest ripple in the surrounding space as evidence of its existence.
Elias felt a thrill race through him. The Victory was as invisible as it was lethal, a perfect blend of stealth and firepower. And this-this was his moment. The first of many, he hoped.
'God, I fucking love my job!'