Genesis p. 3
Afterwards, the recess and promotion party came.  Mansel mingled with other Captains and Admirals that represented the United Nations Securtiy Force.  In the midst of the Imperial war, they were all glad to be able to let their guard down and enjoy themselves.

All of Mansel's friends had made certain that they were there to see him.  All, that is, with the exception of Makeisha Lee, his ex finacee.

"Hey, D, look at you!" Mansel's best friend and UNSF liasion Jim Brungess called out as he and his girlfriend Maki Pierce approached.  Mansel had met both Jim Brungess and Maki (whose last name he could never seem to remember) during his two year stay at UNSF Academy.  Behind them were other friends, such as Chris Conrad, Eric Meelan, and David Shamburger.

"Hey, it's good to see all of you!" Mansel exclaimed, spreading his arms wide to greet them all at once.  He dropped his voice low so that only Brungess could hear.  "So when's the real party?"

"Location later disclosed."

"I read you," responded Mansel with a grin.  "Loud and clear."

The circle pretty much stayed close together that night, so close, in fact, that Mansel didn't even get a chance to meet his new crew.  He knew he was in the wrong for that, but he'd have seven years to make up for it.

Admiral Wilson's office
09:30 Standard Eastern Time (SET)
2185

"You didn't take the time to introduce yourself to your crew," commented Admiral Wilson, who waas perched on the edge of his desk.  Mansel briefly wondered if he ever sat in his chair.  It hadn't been twenty-four hours since he'd hald command of the Explorer, and he was already in the hot seat.

"I'm aware of that, sir," Mansel responded while trying to maintain his bearing.  "Truth be told, I don't get to see my best friend's much.  I decided to enjoy as much time with them as I could before they have to go back to their respective assignments.  I have seven years to introduce myself to my crewmates."

This time, it was strictly the Commander-in-Chief and Mansel in Wilson's office.  The shady and unsettling Captain Ross was not there to make Mansel feel uncomfortable.  Nor was Admiral Story's friendly presence there to uplift him.

"Regardless," said Admiral Wilson went on, "it should've behooved you to introduce yourself to them."  He reached behind him and produced an infopad.  "Now down to business."

Mansel took the pad and automatically started scrolling through it.

"The USS Explorer," said Wilson from his corner on the desk.  "An Excelsior class starship, as you well know.  Naval Construction Code -2753.  You'll be sent out on a seven year assignment, exploring the vast regions of UNGG territory.  Your journey begins in a few days.  Today, however, is the shakedown day.  In fact," he continued, glancing at his chrono, "it's in an hour and a half."
                                                                          ***

UNSF shuttle transport
10:50 Standard Eastern Time (SET)
2185

Mansel arrived at the shuttle that was to take him up to his ship.  Carrying on with tradition, the captain’s first voyage to the ship would be by shuttle, instead of transporters.  That was fine by Mansel; it gave him a chance to get a good look at the exterior of his ship.  He had heard of the refitted Excelsior-class ships, but hadn’t gotten the chance to look at one yet.  He hoped that he wasn’t disappointed.

He wasn’t.  At four hundred sixty meters in length, the Excelsior-class ship was one of the longest ships in the fleet.  Two kilometers wide, and two kilometers high.  Its long translight nacelles swept back behind the ship like the tail of a comet.  Its completely rounded saucer and oblong body made it a sight to look at.  At the moment, the deflector dish and nacelles were powered down while the ship floated silently in spacedock.  To Mansel, it looked like the Explorer was as ready as he was to undertake their mission.  Mansel had immediately fallen in love with it.

As he docked with the ship, he thanked the shuttle pilot and waited for the area to be depressurized.  The door slid open, and Mansel took his first step onto the ship that he would occupy for the next seven years.

In the shuttle bay, everything was a bright, shining white, from the floor to the shuttles themselves.  Mansel noted that they had VOTL 3 shuttles, the newest to be introduced into the UNSF fleet.  He was impressed; it seemed as if he was getting the newest of everything.  He had no complaints about it, either.

He noticed that there was a man already in uniform, standing a few feet away, attentively staring at him.  Seeing no other purpose for the man other than to greet him, Mansel walked in his direction.  This new uniform was chafing in places that Mansel would rather not scratch in public, and he hoped that his facial expression wouldn’t betray that.  He turned his attention to the waiting man.

Mansel could see that the man was slightly chubby, though he could still fit his height/weight standards.  He had jet-black hair that was slicked back and a jovial expression on his face.  Mansel could also see that the man was not American, but something else…Puerto Rican, he guessed.

“Good afternoon, Captain,” the man said as he extended his hand.  “I’m Commander Terry Vaughn.”

Mansel recognized the name from the infopad that Admiral Wilson had given him.  “You’re my first officer, right?”