Chapter 1

My first view of Pathfinder is as a newly striped Commander and as her first Captain. She is long and bulky and definitely not designed for racing but she is still the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I should think that most Captains say that about their first command. Her forward section is a modified lifting body and will allow us to land on Epsilon Eridani 4. This sits above and astraddle the containment and habitat module which will hold the labs, the Hyber-sleep chambers and common rooms for when orbit is achieved at EE4. Behind these is the drive section where the fusion reactors and the fuel cells for the Ion-pulse engines. 500 meters long and at over 450,000 M-tons she is capable of .88L; this will give us the speed necessary to rich EE4 in just over 11 years. The L6 yards have done a first rate job of getting her finished a month ahead of schedule and now it is up to me to get her ready for her maiden voyage. In two years we leave and I still have to pick the rest of my crew and get the ship fitted out.

First order of business is get my crew picked and I know just the man as my Executive Officer; Lieutenant Commander Paul Winston, we served together on Columbia before my promotion and transfer.

As Engineering Officer; Lieutenant Commander Tammara Jenkins, second engineer on the Potemkin. Her recent paper on fusion reactor control modifications was brilliant.

As Science Officer; Lieutenant Rebecca Carlona, from Centauri, second science officer on The Sullivan Brothers. Her discovery that the Trelani of Beta Centauri were parts of a 'hive-mind' was a staggering leap forward in the science of telling what was and was not sentient.

As to the rest of the 8 crewman I will let these officers chose who they feel would be the best.

Crew as of Commissioning: (Plank owners)

Commanding Officer: Commander Jason Patrick Lee

Executive Officer: Lt. Commander Paul Gordan Winston

Engineering Officer: Lt. Commander Tammara Ellen Jenkins

Science Officer: Lieutenant Rebecca Delores Carlona

Science Officer 2nd: Lieutenant jg. Daniela Merle Fredrickson

Chosen by Lt. Carlona, because of her work in atmospheric gasses.

Navigation Officer: Lieutenant Thomas Allen Hayes

Chosen by Exec. was told he could navigate a gas nebula blind-folded.

Engineering Chief: Engine Specialist CPO Manuel Ian Serdan Chosen by Lt. Cmdr. Jenkins, was told he could fix an ion engine with spit and bailing wire.

Communications/Radar: Electronics Specialist 1st Class Gary Edward Flint Chosen by Exec. his jury-rigged comm saved the crew of the Forestall after one of her fusion cores imploded and cast the ship adrift.

Weapons Specialist/Helm: Sergeant Major Lucas William Jones Chosen by Exec. it is said he could fly a paper kite through a hurricane and not get it wet; also excellent shot with all fire arms, was overheard saying he could shoot one specific rain drop in a monsoon.

Xeno-Biologist: Dr. Amanda Lucille Stanton

Xeno-Geologist: Dr. Raymond James Livingston

Language Specialist: Dr. Kieko Raven Nakamura

These three chosen by Command as the best in their respective fields.

22 months to go the crew is complete and we are getting things together. Preliminary tests on the sensors are complete as are tests on the navigation and engineering computers, next up static testing the engines.

With Lt. Cmdr. Jenkins' and Chief Serdan's help it has taken only 6 months to get a successful engine run-up and we are finally set for maneuvering trials next week. All static testing is complete and it is time to release the docking clamps and be towed to the Mars testing range. We will be at the Mars range for at least a year while we test the engines in all modes up to full speed .88FTL. We will also be testing the cryo-sleep chambers at Mars station prior to their installation and our occupancy.