Posted by Lieutenant Commander Ander Garay (Chief Engineer) in Resurrection of the Curie, Starbase 842, Kirn System

Posted by Captain Jessip R. Quirst (Commanding Officer) in Resurrection of the Curie, Starbase 842, Kirn System

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Ander Garay (Chief Engineer) in Resurrection of the Curie, Starbase 842, Kirn System
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Jessip Quirst had just arrived in the Kirn system where his new command awaited him. He came via civilian transport, with what seemed to be additional officers and crew assigned to the Starbase or any number of other ships that would be passing by.

His ship was in an external dry dock, on the other side of the Starbase, where it had been the last six weeks getting ready for its upcoming mission. The ship was unusual because it wasn’t an existing ship getting a refit, or an upgrade of new equipment. No, this ship was being reactivated from mothball. While this normally is an extreme measure, the shear nature of the ship’s module design sped the process and he believed they could be underway in two more weeks’ time.

Having been in a cramp transport for several days, Jessip relished the idea of taking a travel pod over to the dry dock. He took his time as to look over the ship and inspect the work being done to her. Several holes could be seen in the hull that would soon be filled with more module parts. The ships trapezoidal main hull was showing her age in the harsh artificial light of the dry dock. But with material being brought in from across the Federation, Jessip knew the old girl would be looking her best by the time the mission was ready to begin.

Classified a light explorer, ships of the Darwin class were the work horses of the Federation for several decades. Their module design allowed for mission specific pods to be added giving the class a flexibility not found in other designs. Her sleek warp nacelles were currently slung under the primary hull, while a
secondary hull extended up and over the primary. Similar to the larger Akira class crusiers.

With a swell of family pride in his chest he spun the travel pod around to look down at the ship’s registry number. Emblazed across the forward area of the primary hull, USS Curie, NCC 74329-A.

Jessip Quirst - CO

Jessip flew across the primary hull to a docking port. Backing the travel pod, he docked it to the Curie and waited for the airlock to cycle. Once it did, he was greeted to a cacophony for noise of engineering crews, civilian contractors and Starbase personnel as they went about their assignments bringing the ship back to life. He smiled again as he walked the once familiar corridors to the nearest turbolift. Seeing it was in testing mode, he found the nearest ladder and climbed up three decks to the Bridge.

The ship’s command center was in a similar state with consoles in various states of operation and installation. He had come up for two reasons: both had been requests. First, he was proud to see that the ship’s original command chair had been installed. Taken in a midnight raid just after the hull was transferred to a storage facility by himself and his father, the command chair lived in the Quirst family library until recently. The other target of that raid as the ship’s commissioning plate. He was happy to see that the slightly tarnished plate had been rehung in its rightful place.

• Jessip Quirst, CO

A slightly disheveled man wearing a beige civilian coverall was polishing the plaque. The attention to detail and almost reverent way in which he handled it would certainly have drawn the Captain’s attention. He was slightly shorter than Jessip, balding, and with a full beard that was streaked with greys. The flashing monitor around his ankle indicated he was a convict from one of the Federation’s penal colonies.

J. Kurz, Prisoner 420-431-933-248

Jessip was slightly taken back at the attention being paid to the plaque when there was apparently so much to do all around them. It took a moment, but his memory recognized the man slightly out of place. ‘Could it be him?’ Jessip wondered internally.

His suspicions were confirmed when the man moved slightly giving him a better view of his profile. It was his father’s Chief Engineer, Jared Kurz. Jessip had lost track of him over the years. He had heard about his incarceration, but knew not much more.

“My father always said, he trusted no one else with this old girls engines but you… Jared.”

• Jessip Quirst, CO

Jared turned slowly and looked the younger man over. His eyes suddenly sparkled with recognition.
“Peyton’s son?” He asked in a voice that was barely above a whisper. He paused and then squinted, as if trying to remember something from another lifetime. “Joseph?” He asked hesitantly.

J. Kurz, Prisoner 420-431-933-248

Extending his hand, Jessip’s smile was infectious. “It’s Jessip. Jessip Quirst. And, yes. I am Peyton’s son.”

“It is good to see you, Jared. My father’s stories of you, and this ship, have kept me entertained for years.”

“So, what brings you here? Other than my request for anyone with Darwin class design experience to come assist?”

Jessip Quirst, CO

Jared’s hand was cold but his grip was firm.
“It’s good to see you too,” he replied. “Peyton was more than my commanding officer. He was my friend. I was very sorry to hear of his passing.” Jared turned and took one more look at the Curie’s plaque before he strode over to a battered and well worn toolkit. He replaced a couple of tools in it and clipped the cover shut. “I wasn’t told why I was selected for this. They simply came and collected me and brought me here. You can’t imagine my surprise when I saw the old girl.” Jared brought a fist down on the toolkit. “They stripped her,” he said, visibly shaken. “She’d been in mothballs so long they were ready to scrap her.” He stood straighter and breathed deeply, trying to regain control of his anger. He turned to Jessip. “I don’t know how, but I have the feeling you were responsible for saving her from the scrapyard. And for that, I thank you. I don’t know what mission you’re going on. But I’ll do my best to get her ready before you depart. Someone pulled a lot of strings to get me here, and the time I have is limited.” He picked up the toolkit and began to walk to the turbolift. “But I promise you, she’ll be ready to launch on time.”

J. Kurz, Prisoner 420-431-933-248

Jessip watched the Curie’s former Engineer as he lamented the condition of the ship. Yes, it is true that the Curie had been stripped of parts and material. But that was the fate of most ships once they are put into mothball.

“I know. But Command doesn’t always see a living, breathing ship when she is ready to be retired. They see an asset, a notation on a log. A place to get spare parts and keep active ships going.”

“You are correct, Jared. I did have a part in the decision to restore the Curie. But even now, getting parts for a Darwin class ship is getting difficult. So many were used to keep other ships active that finding full modules and mission pods is one of the hardest things.”

Jessip walked over and placed his left hand reassuringly on the Engineer’s shoulder. “I know you will do the best you can. You always have. Of that, I have no doubt.”

• Jessip Quirst, CO.

At first Jared began to pull away from the touch, but then something in his eyes softened and he accepted it.
“I’m not the man I used to be,” he replied in a voice that was barely above a whisper. “But I will do the best I can with the materials and the time I’m given.” He nodded at Jessip and turned to enter the turbolift. “I’ll also leave some notes for your new chief engineer. With a bit of luck you’ll get someone who can learn to appreciate this old lady, and treat her with the care she deserves.”

J. Kurz, Prisoner 420-431-933-248

“I can ask for nothing less.” Jessip stated as he watched the old engineer leave the Bridge. With a sigh, he looked around the chaos that was the Bridge and knew it was time for him to roll up his sleeves and get to work as well.

• Jessip Quirst, CO.