King’s Guard Hilda ‘The Acquisitive’ Grip fills the Battleship ‘The Jade Grip’ with a crew of her choice and begins a series of training missions to judge how well they handle the newly built warship.
Hilda
Hilda almost knew the ‘Jade Grip’ like the back of her hand. She had spent days and weeks on board the new battleship working closely with shipwright James Redhand, as she studied the new starship, and learned its ins and outs. Redhand proved the master his title hinted at. It wasn’t anyone who could become one of the leading Shipwrights of one of the most advanced shipyards in the Commonwealth of Drala.
Many mornings Hilda had woken on board the starship, and had to rush back down to the world of Bastion to perform her standard duties as a member of King’s Guard. She split her time between the starship, getting it up to the standards not only it required, but what she required, and maintaining her duties to her king, even though he tried to excuse her. She refused to shed those duties, and let the whispers of favoritism spread more than they already had.
When Hilda wasn’t with the Shipwright, or on Bastion she was trying to fill in the roles of her senior staff, and other key positions. She had found several officers to fill in vital roles already. Captain Atwood had over fifty years in the King’s Guard Forces. He had served with her own mother, and had a highly decorated career. He would almost surely never become one of the thirteen members of the King’s Guard, but his position in the King’s Guard Forces already made him one of the best in the Commonwealth, and Hilda was thankful that he had accepted the position as her XO, and Junior Captain of the ‘Jade Grip’.
Commander Vallen had filled the Administer Officer role, while Captain Atwood had found Commander Zero for the role of chief engineer, and suggested Nightfist for the Chief Maintenance Officer. Other department heads still needed to be filled. She had access to some of the best and most loyal forces in the commonwealth, members not just part of the King’s Guard Forces, but the Commonwealth Forces as a whole. Some officers she knew, some, like Captain Atwood, had served with her mother, but most she only knew from what she could read in their public and private records.
Thousands of new members had been sworn into the King’s Guard Forces, the private forces of the King of the Commonwealth, and led by his chosen thirteen members of the King’s Guard to crew the ‘Jade Grip’, and replace those leaving other commands to take up new roles on the starship. A new starship with a crew of more than fifteen thousand was nothing to laugh at.
Hilda had sought out as many of the best, and brightest available King’s Guard Forces, and members of the Commonwealth Forces to crew the ‘Jade Grip’. She had branched out to all sections of the Commonwealth Forces. Commander Ironstorm had served as a marine in the Commonwealth Forces for most of his life, and brought decades of experience to the marine detachment of the ‘Jade Grip’. Commander York hadn’t been a member of either the Commonwealth Forces or King’s Guard Forces, but was one of the best Ops officers she had so far ever seen.
Whole new regiments had to be sworn to the King’s Guard Forces to crew the ‘Jade Grip’ as the department heads filled in their own departments. Many members didn’t even come from the Commonwealth Forces, King’s Guard Forces, or other branches of the Commonwealth. Hilda was approving members from System Fleets of the many system-lords, though that could be drawn away from the often better paying, better equipped personal forces of the lords, and they still weren’t done.
It all filled in her times, and she realized how little time she had each day. She enjoyed it though, and each day as more crew came on board it seemed like the ‘Jade Grip’ took on the personality of its own, and one she was becoming proud of. She had to be reminded again, and again of all the ceremony, and prompt that came with the job. It was rare that she could find herself alone anymore. If she wasn’t surrounded by Captain Atwood, or other members of her senior staff, she was welcoming new crew on board, swearing in new officers, and enlisted members, and through it all she didn’t think Idunn ever left her side.
Hilda let out a small sigh as she stared into her chair console on her command chair. The command deck was filled with officers as they ran through another training simulation. The thought of all the remaining ceremonies to come kept drawing her focus as she watched her crew react, and was enough to make her want to yell at times.
Hilda tried to push the thought of ceremonies out of her head as she watched how the crew reacted to the simulation. The ship had more than half the crew on board, and Hilda had been impressed with several of the training results so far, but there was still much more for them to improve on. There had been failures, but mistakes were never repeated twice. The crew remained in high spirits throughout all simulations, drills, and training.
The ‘Jade Grip’ conducted almost non-stop starship drills, simulation, and exercises daily. Everything from rescue missions to fleet engagements training was practiced, and each day brought it’s toss up for what they got, although some, like their current one, were planned days in advance to give the crew time to prepare. Other daily drills that ran across the decks of the ‘Jade Grip’ were for everything from first aid training conducted by Commander Yawn, the chief medical doctor, to abandon ship, and shipboard repair or fire fighting drills, and everything between them.
Hilda had tried to limit the drills to waking hours, but she had approved several sleep hour drills in the last several days, and made sure she was on ship for each one. Again so had been impressed by the reaction of the crew, and issues which came up, which were quickly addressed. The crew continued to grow, and learn what the ‘Jade Grip’ was capable of. At least in the simulations.
There was one major test that Hilda was waiting for though, and it wouldn’t be long. Shipwright Redhand had finished the last of his tests, adjustments of the ‘Jade Grip’. Redhand, Commander Zero, and Commander Nightfist had all agreed that the battleship was finally ready to leave the Foreworth Yards, and begin real maneuvers in space, and reality.
