June 20th, 8254

You lean back in the command chair on the bridge and reflect with satisfaction on the handover ceremony. The Navy Commander had performed his duty admirably despite his obvious unease at all of the automaton crew present. With the rote formality of a ceremony complete and the requisite salutes given the HMSCS Ahywa Sophia is now yours to command. And your first mission is a shakedown cruise while awaiting the last members of your crew. A mission that begins as soon as your new ship leaves the Celesmore docks.

“Celesmore Flight Control to Ahywa Sophia, T minus sixty three minutes to launch.”

You grin and key the microphone to life. “Ahywa Sophia to CFC. We copy T minus sixty three minutes from your last transmission.”

You leave that line open and toggle the all hands announcement line open as well. “Crew of the Ahywa Sophia, The time has come. All hands report to drop stations. I say again, all hands report to drop stations. Drop in T minus sixty minutes from my mark... Mark!”

You close the all hands announcement line and settle back to wait. Unlike the launch of the Night Horse there is far less for you to do. The next twenty minutes tick by as stations check in and complete their communications checks. The repeater displays before you show a steady progress of diagnostic reports. Blinking amber 'not yet complete' lights flicking to steady green as check after check comes back clean.

“CFC to Ahywa Sophia. All diagnostics show as green at this time. Fueling on track to complete on-schedule at T minus twenty nine minutes. Reactor automated diagnostics confirmed green across the board.”

“Ahywa Sophia here, we show the same. Standing by for reactor ignition sequence start.”

“Fueling umbilicals retracted. Reactor ignition sequence start in three... two... one... ignition.”

“Power approaching self sustaining levels CFC.”

“We show the same Ahywa Sophia. Proceeding to the next stage of the checklist.”

You lean back, mute your personal microphone, and focus on taking deep calming breaths. First Drop aboard a ship is always nerve racking. Doubly so when you are in command of the ship, and triply so when you have nothing to do but supervise your crew performing the needed duties. You focus on projecting the calm demeanor expected of both a veteran voidsman and a commanding officer. You share a glance and a nod with XO Mac Tire. This is his first ever Drop, but not his first command experience, which makes his calm demeanor all the more impressive. The eye-shades he perpetually has to wear help considerably as well. You make a mental note to inquire as to the possibility of cybernetic replacements given that the Surveyor's Corps is a lot less centicredit pinching on the mater then the Army.

“CFC to Ahywa Sopha. T minus ten minutes. Sound off for cast off procedures.”

“Ahywa Sophia, here. Sounding off by departments. Lieutenant Vickers?”

“Ship hull integrity at one hundred percent. Repair is go for Drop.”

“CWO Easom?”

“Consumables stored and secured. Fuel levels nominal. Supply is go for Drop.”

“Lieutenant Knight?”

“Reactor operating nominally, electronic and automaton systems operating nominally, Sensors Secured to passives only, and thruster arrays standing by. Engineering is go for Drop.”

“Lieutenant Fish?”

“Course plotted and locked. Navigation is go for Drop.”

“Commander Mac Tire?”

“Weapons are secured and stowed in transit positions. Gunnery is go for Drop. Crew health checks complete, med bay is empty of patients. Medical is go for Drop. Communications board is clear, Comm links are active, FTL comm link secured. Communications is go for Drop.”

“Ahywa Sophia here, we are go for Drop.”

“CFC here, heard and understood. Docking group sound off.”

“Tractors confirm lock, power feed, and power threshold. We are go for Drop.”

“Clamps confirm nominal operation. We are go for Drop.”

“Umbilicals confirms all umbilicals are withdrawn and secured. We are go for Drop.”

“CFC to Ahywa Sophia, we are go for Drop. Proceeding to last-stage launch automation release.”

“We show good hand off on this end CFC.”

“Same here Ahywa Sophia. Drop in T minus ten. Nine.”

The docking clamps release with a rhythmic cascade of thunks and the tractors take hold of your ship.

“Eight. Seven. Six. Five.”

The tractors push the Ahywa Sophia, and the back blast zone of her primary thrusters, clear of Celesmore.

“Four. Three. Two. One. Drop.”

The tractors let go and the gentle tug of the planet below takes hold for a moment. In the next instant the main thrusters come to life with a roar that briefly shakes the deck plates before the compensator kicks in. The bow pitches up and the Ahywa Sophia in on her way to a round of cheers from the crew and the watching bystanders.