FROM THE C.O.'S CHAIR
I'll tell you this, that's a title heading that I never thought I'd be writing. . .for myself.
Out of all the articles and pieces I've ever written, this is going to be the hardest I've done, but this is something I have to do.
One thing that I've always done ever since I became First Officer of the Doomslayer is that I've always talked straight to all of you. And that's what I'm going to do right here.
Damn.
This is not the way I'd envisioned taking command of this ship. Not by a frakking longshot.
But Fate, that fickle wench that she is, obviously had something else in mind for me and for all of us. I mean, we all knew there would come a day when Joe would leave us, but simply saying that over and over again never prepares you for the shock that hits you physically when it finally comes.
[In case you hadn't heard, the Battle Council has officially ordered that not only will Doomslayer stay the Flagship of IKEF, but I have been installed as the new Commanding Officer.]
Okay, where was I? Oh yes. . .there have been a couple of things asked in regards to the future of the ship, and I'd like to publicly answer them.
First of all, Doomslayer's fate was never in question. We will do what Joe would have wanted us - expected us - to do; we carry on. No matter what happens, we are -- and we will always stay -- The Mighty Doomslayer. Right now, at this point in time, this is undoubtedly the darkest time in the ship's history. But we will come out of it. I know it.
As for our schedule, yes, I admit that so far this year our amount of activities have been (for want of a better word) lackluster. Blame it on the randomness of OH weather. It sucks, but you can't avoid it. But I will guarantee you this: no matter if it's just 2 of us meeting for a cup of coffee or a plate of Chinese, or gathering for dinner and a mall crawl, we will do whatever we can to insure a ship mission at least once a month. We are nowhere near fading away, and as long as I'm drawing breath, that's not happening. As Joe once said to me, "As long as there's one of us left, there'll always be a Doomslayer."
For all the years I served as XO of this ship (and Kahless' hand, it feels so strange to speak of that time in the past tense!!) I was proud to be the 2nd-in-command of the greatest and most elite crew in the Imperial Fleet and serve under a great leader the likes of the Chancellor. And now that Fate has selected a new path for me, I can only say that the feeling. . .has not changed a single bit. You all make me proud, and I am honored to call you friends and family as well as crew, and to this day, I'd have no one else at my back. Period.
In short, if people think we act like a Mob family, then they haven't seen anything yet. I'm the new Godfather of this Family, and now more then ever, I take care of this Family as well as I can. This will never change. Nor will the fact that even though our founder and leader -- not to mention friend and mentor -- has gone on to captain a ship in the Black Fleet, we will always stand as The Mighty Doomslayer, home of The World's Most Dangerous Crew, and I am honored beyond measure to be your new Commanding Officer.
CHANGE TO THIS MONTH'S MEETING
Due to personal circumstances, this month's General Meeting will be on April 10th, at my home starting at 2 pm. Changes to the Ship's Handbook will be discussed.
