Preparing for Departure

Captain's personal log.

Captain. It sounds so odd. But I'd better get used to it. After having served so many years as Commander and First Officer at the USS Vygotski, I've been ready for a challenge like this. And our first mission promises to be quite something. We're entering the old Romulan neutral zone. With the fall of the Romulan Empire, things have been quite uneasy there. It's up to us to have a look.

As Captain, I was also made aware of the disappearance of one of Starfleet's former Security Officers. A familiar person to say the least. A renegade. It's not her fault: something has happened at the planet Midian, where she changed. I can't describe it otherwise. She changed. Some say she snapped. Gone insane. I refuse to believe that. A woman like Demeter Slade doesn't go insane. She's stronger than that. No, she changed. Turned her back to Starfleet, for whatever reason. And now she's disappeared off of Starfleet's radar. Not that she was on it to begin with.

I wish we were going after her. But that's not our mission. I was just made aware to be on the lookout, that's all. Still, if we would find her... I wish I could say it'd be good to see Dem... pardon, Ms. Slade, again. I owe her such a big debt of gratitude. And the feelings I had for her never passed. I chose for my career, and sometimes I wish I hadn't.

But well, that's all in the past. Let's concentrate on the future. Going boldly to what used to be the final frontier. It should be excited. Then why can I only think about my past life?

Excuse me. I'm rambling again. Not a good quality for a Captain, is it? ::smiles faintly:: Still, we are supposed to depart in the next few weeks. I've already met my First Officer: Unadecal Arado. A competent fellow, to say the least. Plenty of experience too. Used to be in Security, if I read his file correctly. We're going to need that: we have no idea what we'd encounter.

It's with a heavy heart that I said farewell to the Vygotski, but I am looking forward to being in command of a ship of my own. Especially one as wonderful as the Gibraltar. Intrepid class... A wonderful ship, to say the least. Warp 9.97, excellent maneauvrability, and packs quite a whallop too. This ship will be home to roughly 150 crewmembers. That's gonna be a change, after the 600 crewmembers on the Vygotski.

Hmmm, it would seem as if duty calls. Engineering wants me to inspect the warp core. Speaking of which... I hope we're going to get a Chief Engineer assigned soon. Along with all the other Senior Crew. I keep hearing a 'soon' from Starfleet. I'd better check into that.

Well, I guess this concludes my first personal log on the Gibraltar. May her mission be a quick success.

End message.