Lt. Garek Loran sat in the cockpit of the Lambda Flier. It had been a rough few months, but this was it. He sat, going over the pre-flight checklist. Needless to say, it was a long checklist. Everything from warp core power up to phaser modulation frequencies.
The Lambda Flier's final measurements made it bigger then a Class Nine personnel shuttlecraft. It was slightly larger then a Danube Class runabout, and nearly took up a quarter of the shuttle bay. However, in Garek's eyes, it was the most beautiful craft in the bay.
Lt. Commander K'Lara entered the shuttle bay. Even though she was pregnant, she didn't show it. She didn't even think it. Garek didn't pick it up as she walked up through the cargo/passenger area of the Lambda Flier into the cockpit area. "Good morning Lieutenant Loran. You're here early."
"Early? I never left." Garek smiled, and checked off another item on his list. "Are you ready for the test flight this afternoon?" Garek tapped a panel on the controls. A small slot opened on the right side of the control panel, and another console slid out. A joystick control device folded up and locked into position.
"So, you've advanced the trial date? Looks as though someone is feeling awfully confident today." K'Lara sat down at the tactical/operations seat and activated the console. "The weapons cryogenic plant is online. Micro photon and quantum torpedoes functional. Phaser arrays functional. Phaser cannons?"
"Yeah." Garek rotated around in his chair. "I toyed around with the idea of using rapid fire phaser cannons on this ship, just like on Defiant Class ships. It didn't sound feasible with a regular power plant for weapons, so I created a new one."
"You created another power plant for the weapons suite?" K'Lara wasn't sure whether to be astonished or cautious. Multiple power plants on small ships were never very reliable. Sometimes even catastrophic. "You believe this will work?"
"Yes, I do," Garek replied. He stood up and walked over to the console. He then tapped a panel, and a diagram of the ship's power grid came up. "Each of the three power plants are fully functional on their own. The first of these is the warp core. The warp core powers the cloaking device, the weapons, sensors, et cetera. If for some reason there's a drop in power, and you're in a combat situation, you bring the backup cryogenic weapons power plant online. This will supply power to the weapons system only, giving the warp drive less of a strain. The same goes for the cloaking device's power plant. That way, you can still go to warp, even if you are in a very bad combat situation." Garek smiled, feeling very proud of himself.
"A novel idea and work application to say the least," K'Lara said. She looked over the schematics again. "How do you account for the neural gel packs not overloading do to the extensive power regulations and feeds?"
"That's where the 'fun' starts." Garek brought up another schematic. Each gel pack has been rigged with numerous failsafe devices and backup isolinear optical chip backups. They are all grouped together in specific sections of the spacecraft. That way, if something goes wrong, the one section can be replaced with a new set of packs. With those systems, nearly everything on this craft is modular."
"Everything but the replicator, eh Garek?" K'Lara smiled.
"Actually, we have one of those as well. Come on." He walked out the door into the cargo/personnel area. Garek walked up to a small shelf attached to a strut on the side of the wall. "Computer, two cups of coffee. One black..." He looked over at K'Lara.
"The same," she said.
"Both black." Two mugs appeared after about 10 seconds. He handed one of the mugs to K'Lara.
"Thank you, Lieutenant." She took a sip of the coffee. "I noticed a delay in the replicator systems. Is it a glitch?"
"Well, sort of," Garek said. He put the mug down on a small table top that was next to the replicator. "Originally when I came up for the schematics of this ship, it was designed to be quick strike weapon. Used attack and reconnaissance missions. It wasn't a luxury liner."
K'Lara checked the chronometer strapped to her wrist. "Oh my. I'm late for breakfast. I'm sorry Garek, I must get going." She put the mug down in the replicator slot, and it vanished. She waved, and headed out of the craft.
Garek returned her wave with a smile, and went back into the cockpit of the Lambda Flier. After finishing some modifications to the flight control stick, he pressed a button, and the control folded back into the slot on the console, and then the flight control console slid back into the main control panel. Garek stood and walked out of the Flier.
Garek walked around the Flier, admiring the fresh, glistening paint over it's smooth surfaces. The phrase "Pilot: Lt. Garek Loran" was painted under the port and starboard view ports in black paint. He admired the Lambda symbol that was painted on the rear entry hatch in red paint. He could smell the clear coat on the new spacecraft. This ship would make a scene later that afternoon.
Ensign Ek'Ra stood over a control panel near the warp core in Engineering. His duty shift would end in another hour, and his "enemy" of sorts, Ensign Galen, would be in to take over. The two weren't enemies. They were good friends. However, they always competed. Especially when it came to their engineering teams.
He picked punched in a few commands on his PADD and turned around. Still keeping all his attention on the PADD he started to walk towards the Chief Engineer's Office when he ran into Garek, who was standing in front of him.
"Lieutenant Loran!" He was startled at his presence. "I didn't realize that you were coming in today. You haven't been down here in a while, since you've been working on the new shuttle."
"Well, I thought I'd just stop by to see how things were going. Can I see the Engineering reports for yesterday?" Jacob looked at the Ensign with a smile.
"Of course, Sir." Ensign Ek'Ra handed over the PADD containing the data for the past eight or so hours. Garek looked over the reports. He noticed that the fusion reactor was only functioning at 93% instead of its usual 94%. The warp core was nominal, and every other system seemed to be functioning within normal parameters.
"Very good, Ensign." Garek handed the report back to Ek'Ra. "I noticed that the fusion reactor hasn't been 'up to par' as it usually is. Have you had Ensign Galen try kicking it?" Garek smirked. Both of the engineers had different ways of repairing things. Although, Garek thought that Galen's methods were more "unorthodox", he had to admire the ensign's flamboyance for his work. Ek'Ra however, seemed to incorporate the tactics of both Loran and Galen. However Ek'Ra's approach was more orthodox. Ek'Ra would approach the problem with care like Loran, and if he didn't succeed, would then begin to smash and kick the machinery like Galen.
Ek'Ra grinned. "I wouldn't let him touch the fusion reactor. Not with his filthy boots. I'd get scuff marks all over the fusion reactor." He gave a confident smile. "If you'll excuse me Lieutenant, I'm going up to the bridge to turn in this report, then I'm off to bed."
"I'll take the report up, Ensign. Go and get some rest." Ek'Ra smiled and handed Garek the PADD.
"Thank you, Sir." Ek'Ra walked towards the nearest turbolift. The doors shut behind him, and he went off to his quarters. Garek stood, waiting for the next turbolift car to show up.
Garek exited the turbolift. Some of the "second string" officers were on duty right now. Lt. Alysa Sinclair was at Ops, Ensign Sandra Bingham was at Tactical. Commander Lataro sat dignified in the captain's chair. Almost as though it was made for him. Garek smiled at the thought. He walked down into the captain's "pit" where the commanding officers of the ship sat and addressed the Commander.
"Commander, could I talk with you and the captain for a moment, if he is around?"
"I believe that the captain was in Sickbay. Something about his leg." Lataro stood up. "Is it important?"
"It concerns the unveiling of the Lambda Flier." Garek looked down at his PADD.
Unbeknownst to Garek, Lataro's eyes lit up. "The Lambda Flier. This is important indeed." As the later parts of the Lambda Flier were being assembled, no one but K'Lara and Garek were allowed in the area. The project had gone up to a "top secret" type of project where only these two were allowed to work on the spacecraft. Even the Commanding and Executive Officers were in the dark as to what the craft actually looked like.
"I have arranged for a demonstration today at 1200 hours. That leaves me about..." Garek checked his chronometer. "...three hours to prepare myself. I have for the both of you reports both from Engineering, and on today's demonstration. Like I said, it's at 1200 hours, and you, the captain, and the rest of the senior staff are invited to attend. It's in Shuttle Bay One, so don't be late."
"I wouldn't miss it for the world." Lataro gave the engineer a smile. "Good work, Lieutenant. See you at noon."
Garek nodded, and headed back to the shuttle bay.
K'Lara and Garek were standing in front of a blind that hid the shuttle from the group's sight. Most of it at least. The top of the shuttle could easily be seen over the blind, but it was the thought that counted.
"You want to address the pack?" Garek asked. He was looking slightly nervous. Although Garek was 25, and a great people person, he wasn't the best public speaker. Being surrounded by his peers in such a way scared the daylights out of him.
"It's your shuttle, Lieutenant. I think you can handle them. Good luck." K'Lara left him standing in front of the blind, and went to go stand next to Commander Lataro.
Garek cleared his throat, and began. "Well, I'd like to thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to come down here and check out my little toy." There were some scattered chuckles through the group. "Commander K'Lara and I have been working on this project for the past month now, and I must say that it wasn't necessarily the most fun of all times. She knows how much of a stickler I am when it comes to these things, so I'd like to thank her for putting up with me."
"Just seeing this thing built in such short amount of time is thanks enough for me." K'Lara smiled. "You were right on the stickler part though." The remark raised some more laughter from the group.
"Well, at risk of embarrassing myself even more, I might as well show you the thing." Garek walked over, and pushed down the blind revealing the Lambda Flier. "May I present to you all the Lambda Flier. Featuring a Federation type cloaking device, an advanced sensor and weapons suite, and improved maneuverability over our other crafts, the Lambda Flier is substantially more powerful then any other shuttlecraft in Starfleet. The group gave a small applause. "However, that's where the fun only starts. Let's step inside."
The group made their way to the back of the Flier. Garek tapped a control on the rear panel, and the hatch slid open, revealing the main cargo/personnel area. Maruu, Lataro, K'Lara, Loran, Valdago, Nori, M'Terrn, and Zano had no problems fitting into the Flier. Garek spoke up over the group. "You are now standing in the personnel/cargo area of the Lambda Flier. It is larger then that of most Danube Class runabouts, and there will be more room if you fold up the small work table and auxiliary seat bench. If we'll just make our way forward, I'll show you all the cockpit of the craft."
Everyone broke up into groups of two or three and then entered the cockpit following Garek and K'Lara. Garek walked down the small ramp into the front "nose" of the fighter and took a seat in the control operators chair. "The cockpit contains all of the Flier's major functions. The control operator sits where I am at right now. Where
K'Lara is sitting is the tactical/engineering station. Across the way from her is the ops/science station." (NRPG: The layout is similar to that of the Delta Flier on StarTrek: Voyager.)
"Of course, each of the stations are found in a similar, smaller fashion at the control officers station." Garek motioned to all of the panels around the front of the craft. "One other unique thing about this craft is that every part of it is modular. The panels seen in this craft can be removed, and plugged into respective stations onboard any Federation ship. Also, each 'pocket' as I call them, of neural gel packs are also modular. Many of them are grouped together in one area throughout the ship, so that way you just open up one panel, remove a pack, and replace it. No having to dig around in one area for single gel pack. The same goes for isolinear optical chips."
"Impressive. Most impressive indeed, Lieutenant. What is the craft's top and cruising speeds?" Maruu looked at Loran intently.
"Well sir, the ship has a maximum speed of warp 9.4 for twenty-four hours. The normal cruising speed is warp eight for forty-eight hours. The ideal travel speed is warp 6.4."
"What is the standard armament onboard?" Lataro asked. He glanced at the tactical panel in front of K'Lara.
"The ship carries a total of 4 phaser arrays, two for and two aft. She has two torpedo launchers that can be equipped with either quantum or photon torpedoes, or both, one type in either launcher. The maximum load is a total of 30 micro quantum torpedoes, 15 in each tube, or 40 micro photon torpedoes, 20 in each tube. If you carry both, you can hold 20 micro quantum torpedoes in one tube, and 25 micro photon torpedoes in the other. The ship is also capable of launching one tri-cobalt device from our probe deployment launcher."
"And how many probes can you carry?" M'Terrn added.
"The Lambda Flier is capable of carrying one class eight probe, one class five probe, and one class one probe, all at the same time. You can mix and match probes as you please."
"What about the sensors?" M'Terrn asked. Garek could see that M'Terrn would be wanting to use this craft in future missions.
"All scaled down versions of that on normal Ambassador Class starships," Garek replied with a smile creeping across his face. "Are there any other questions?" Seeing that there were none, a sense of ease came over him.
"Well, I must say, Lieutenant," Maruu said, getting up from the ops/science station, "that this is one exceptional craft. K'Lara, you too have proven yourself a substantial engineer as well." Maruu smiled. "Good work to the two of you. I think that you both deserve a round of applause." The group of senior officers the applauded the two officers' achievements. They then started to make their way out of the Flier. Garek arose and made sure that he was the last one out. He rubbed his hand over the red Lambda that was next to the access hatch and pressed a control, closing the door.
The real gift is yet to come. This craft will be fully operational by Christmas. The captain will be most pleased. He grinned and then walked out of the shuttle bay.