Tales of the USS Bluefin
Written by LoneRedShirt, Star Trek: Tales of the USS Bluefin chronicles the adventures of the captain and crew of the USS Bluefin, an Albacore-class border cutter assigned to Starfleet's Border Service. The time is the immediate post-Dominion War period, circa Earth year 2376.. The Bluefin continues to see service due to the horrific losses of Star Fleet vessels in the war.
The Bluefin performs duties similar to the U.S. Coast Guard - search & rescue, interdiction of smuggling, and a deterrence against Orion pirates, Klingon privateers and other unsavory types that ply the spaceways near the Badlands. We will encounter hard working boomers, idealistic colonists, and some new, sinister elements as well. The title, "Semper Paratus," refers to the Coast Guard motto, "Always Ready." Their unofficial slogan is "We have to go out - we don't have to come back." Grab a seat by a view-port and hang on - the ion storms of the Molari Badlands are pretty rough!
Officers and Crew
Captain Joseph B. Akinola: A wise and seasoned C.O. who is one of the rare breed of "mustang" officers who did not attend the academy but worked his way up through the ranks from Crewman Apprentice until receiving a field commission. Akinola grew up in space on an L-Type freighter with his Boomer family until they were ambushed by Orion pirates. His family was killed in the attack and the ship destroyed, but Akinola's mother placed young Joseph and his sister in an escape pod and jettisoned them first. The pod was later picked up by a Border Service Cutter. When Akinola reached the age of 17, he enlisted as a crewman apprentice and has served on Border Cutters his entire adult life. The author envisions someone like Morgan Freeman portraying Akinola.
Commander Inga Strauss: The new XO, is young, eager, and very much by-the-book. Only 30 years of age, she has been fast-tracked through the ranks due to the losses of senior officers and her own fierce drive to excel. She is highly competent but has problems with interpersonal relationships. She is pretty and very petite, which tends to make her overcompensate for her small stature by being aggressive. Commander Strauss is disappointed to be assigned as XO of a Border Service Cutter (to her, it's not the real Starfleet) but she is determined to be the best XO she can.
Lt. Commander T'Ser: The Vulcan Operations Officer who embraces her emotions and is often more of a people-person than Strauss
Lt. Commander Gralt: The crusty Tellarite Chief Engineer
Dr. Calvin Baxter: The 70 year old Chief Medical Officer who retired as an admiral at Starfleet Medical in Atlanta, then called in favors to gain a "useful berth" on the Bluefin as a Commander.
Senior Chief Petty Officer Solly Brin: Chief of the Boat. A Red Orion male, he must use a pheromone suppressor to keep the females at bay. The overall ship's crew complement is 120.
Episodes
Semper Paratus: The Bluefin gets a new Executive Officer, Lt. Commander Inga Strauss, and just in time as the new XO is immediately put to the test.
Storms and Shadows: Picking up from where "Semper Paratus" leaves off, the Bluefin finds itself involved in intrigue while carrying off a rescue operation.
Cascade Effect: The Bluefin and its fellow cutters Scamp and Adair find themselves in a dangerous position when Murphy's Law strikes with a vengeance.
Through a Glass Darkly: As Captain Akinola learns more about the death of his old friend, the Bluefin is called to the aid of a distressed freighter being boarded by the new Maquis
Fatal Distraction: A poignant tale that reminds us all that time is all too brief and that every moment...every second...should be savored as if it were the last...because it might well be.
Crossroads: Captain Akinola must answer a most difficult question: What is the most precious possession a man could have and what would that man be willing to do to safeguard it?
Aftermath: Never were more truthful words uttered than when William Tecumseh Sherman declared that "War is Hell." In this vignette, we get a small glimpse into what happens after a battle--in this instance, the turning point of the Dominion War, Operation Return.
This Ain't Hell, But...: Set during the First Cardassian War when Joseph Akinola was Master Chief Petty Officer Joseph Akinola, Chief of the Boat of the USS Bluefin, and Solly Brin was a young hot-headed Petty Officer Third Class, this vignette details the early relationship between these two long-time comrades and friends and how it was forged in the heat of a brutal fight.