The DDS have decided it would be useful to have a regular column written by a serving officer with the DDS, view from the coal face at it were. A number of DDS officers volunteered to provide this column and i am happy to have been chosen to bring a taste of life aboard one of the most powerful warships in the galaxy, and also to gain myself 100 points for Yellow House!
I am the Second Officer of SS Charm Quark, this means i am third in command and i am in command of Beta Shift. I am also lead officer in the Strategic Attack System which is at the core of the Quasar bomber's raison d'être. Charm Quark or CQ as we refer to her is one of the bombers in the DDS fleet and in a war would be tasked mainly with penetrating enemy defences and attacking enemy planets and orbital facilities with MRMs and other attack missiles.
That isn't CQ's only mission though, as a very powerful warship we are also ready to perform other fleet duties. Indeed we have just served some time in the Rapid Reaction Force which is a small number of ships kept on the highest alert ready to be despatched to trouble spots at very short notice. In fact we had to spend much of the time on R2H status, Ready 2 Hours. We had to be ready to depart orbital dock within 2 hours in other words. Being at such a heightened alert status for an extended period of time is very stressful let me tell you!
CQ has left the RRF though to take part in the September Sunrise exercise along with 2 of our sister ships. The Quasar fleet are, at present, the only bombers available to the DDS (although other ships can fill in with a more limited capability set) and thus we are worked hard. Three Quasars are always assigned to the 1st Attack Squadron which is the ready strike force ready to be sent out if needed at any time. CQ is likely to be assigned to the attack squadron later in the year but until then we have other duties including this exercise.
CQ is currently at Solaris Dock taking on final stores before it heads off to join the rest of the deployment on Wednesday. Over the coming weeks and months i will be giving an insight into CQ's missions, and life aboard this great warship. I hope you will appreciate it.
