A First Time for Everthing

A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

CAPTAIN'S LOG - Stardate 7405.2

We have wrapped up out business planetside and have left Andoria Starport. Our slot in the que is up and we are preparing to dock at Starbase Andoria to top off our supplies before hunting down the former Starfleet Destroyer USS Johnston and what remains of her crew. We will be taking on Torpedoes, deuterium, and some general supplies.

Unlike the Starport, which handles traffic to the planet surface and is the major customs point for Andoria, Starbase Andoria is Starfleet's Port facility in this sector. As the Starport itself is mearly an office center, Most ships around conducting business do not physically dock there but rather anchor in orbit nearby. The local customs officials will beam aboard you ship and conduct business there, one in each personel transporter room and one in each shuttle bay. For Connie-class ships like mine, this means just two officials. For the cruise ships like the currently docked SS Queen Victoria, this could mean 10 or more.

For the visit to Starbase Andoria, however, we will be physically docking to the station. Time to see what my Ensigns can do. I have Decker and M'Pinga at the controls. Decker has docked a few ships before, most notably docking the Academy's old Daedalus-class ship the USS Hornblower, AKA "The Snotty" (his family connections are useful for something.) I'm not to worried about him. M'Pinga, however, has only done this in the simulator. This will be her first real docking. Just in case something goes wrong, I have Price and Collins in Aux Control at the ready. Mr. Canaris will be my quarterdeck officer for this docking

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"Derrick tells me that this is your first docking. Is that correct, Ensign?" Selin inquired.

M'Pinga nervously twitched her ears "Y-yes, Ma'am! What if I c-c-crash the ship?"

The Captain smiled. "Why else do you think I've got Price running things in Aux Control? He's handled all four aspects of the docking procedure."

A curious Selin asked "Four? There's thrusters, steering, and Quaterdeck Officer. What's the fourth?"

"I'm glad you asked, Miss Selin." Captain Vethen stood up from the Command Chair and stepped to the side. "Command. You have the Bridge, Lt. Commander Selin."

Selin stood from her Science station chair "Yes Ma'am" Selin walked over to the Command chair and took her seat. She opened the ship's intercom channel and spoke "Attention. Attention. This is Lt. Commander Selin. We are preparing to dock at Starbase Andoria. We will be going to Condition Yellow Alert for the Purposes of Docking. All departments stand by." Selin then toggled an open channel to Aux Control and the Quarterdeck "Aux Control and Quarterdeck, we now have an open channel."

"Understood. Quarterdeck out" the ever calm voice of Commander Canaris reported in. Then Mr. Price gave his reply "Price standing by in case this goes tits-up. That'd be about six in your case, wouldn't it, Pinkie? Wait? What are you doing up there? You've crashed the Arc into the station! WE'RE ALL GOING DOWN!! AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH! Oh the Andority!"

It was just what was needed to releive the tention on the bridge. The crew bust out into a fit of laughter. Even Canaris could be heard chuckling just a bit.

"Aux Control out."

After the bridge had settled down, the docking procedure got underway, Decker handling the Yaw, pitch and roll thrusters and M'Pinga taking care of the X-Y-Z positioning. After a few nervous moments for Captain and crew, they neared the end. Decker kept M'Pinga calm through out.

"We are level, Ma'am." Decker reported

"Acknowledge" Selin relied "Alright, Pinkie. A half second burst from the thrusters should do it. Our momentum will take us in."

M'Pinga lightly tapped the thrusters and the Arc transitioned toward the dock. When they were ten meters out, the Bridge got the message they were waiting for. "USS Jeanne D'Arc, This is Pier 4 Control. We now have you under tractor beam guidence." And then the most welcome sounds of all rang through the hull - The locking of the Docking clamps, the four pairs of bell rings from the Quarterdeck, and Commander Canaris' voice.

"Quarterdeck to Crew. Docking Complete. Stand down from Yellow Alert."

Decker and M'Pinga fell back into their seats. M'Pinga spoke first "How'd I do, Cam?"

"Uncle Matt used to say 'As long as you don't crash the ship, it's a good docking.'" Decker told her. Two of them began to shut down the controls when Decker had something more to say "This means the only officer on the ship not to dock so much as a shuttle is Major Tachibana."

Seemingly out of nowhere Decker found a forearm across his forehead and Major Tachibana's FS Dagger poiting at his nose. Then came a voice Decker did NOT want to hear.

"How about I change that by docking my dagger into your left nostril?"

Apparently the Aux Control channel was still open, because Decker could clearly hear Mr. Price's voice making light of his current situation.

"Ha-ha. Decker just got T'd up."

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ARTIST LOG:

Where to start...

You don't see much Trek art of mundane events like docking, do you?

Andoria likely has, in addition to the starport and the Starbase, an Orbital Harbor and Drydocks. The Starport handles mostly civilian traffic to the planet surface (and Starfleet vessels waiting their turn at the Starbase). This is also the transit hub for tourist traffic, though no ships actually dock at the base itself. The ship "Anchor" near marker bouys that specify their grid location. Starbase Andoria is the Starfleet hub and handles only Starfleet traffic. It's the resupply and crew rotation center for the Andorian secotr. It also has it's own repair facilities. The Orbital Harbor is the commercial port for cargo and container ships only.
And the drydocks are strictly a repair facility.

Cam Decker has, more than likely, been learning to pilot ships since before he joined the Academy. He's likely the second most experienced starship pilot after Captain Venthen. In this case, any bragging he may do is justified. For an Ensign, he's a superior helmsman and navigator.

The USS Hornblower is, of course, named after the fictional character Horatio Hornblower. The nickname "Snotty" comes from a term once used by Royal Navy officers in reference to Midshipmen.

Derrick Price is the only person Selin refers to by first name... he is her boyfriend, after all.

Nervously twitching ears only makes the ship's resident cat girl cuter.

In the modern Navy, there really is an officer stationed on the quarter deck during docking. I see no reason Starfleet wouldn't continue the practice of a quarterdeck.

A Yellow Alert actually makes sense for docking. It's a potentially dangerous procedure and, in case something bad does happen, you can go to red alert and have the crew ready for it.

"Tractor Beam Guidance" basically does the final minute adjustments to seed the ship into the docking clamps.

As Mr. Price would say about his little bit of humor "Tension Breaker. Had to be done."

"...got T'd up." This refers to being the victim of Major Tachibana's practice of sneaking up on an junior officer and making like she's about to kill them. Decker has be T'd Up four times so far. Ensign M'Pinga hasn't. ("Those damn radar ears of hers find me every time!")

The Defiant starship model by Ricky "Madman" Wallace
Starbase Vanguard model by David "KnightRider" Metlesits
Textures by Patrick "Sailmaster-Seion" Stewart

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