Some events are so impactful that they stick with you for the rest of your life. You remember every moment of your day leading up to one critical moment.

The morning started out as many did back in those days, with the pulse of excitement vibrating through me like the hum of a Warp Core though a Starships deck plating. Today was the day that the culmination of months of work across thousands of people arrived on my desk.

When the Computer woke me, I bolted out of bed faster than a test probe from one of the (at the time) brand new quantum torpedo launchers. As I stepped from the sonic shower, I yelled to the Replicator for a mug of Raktajino and within fifteen minutes I was out the door. With my now slightly tepid Raktajino. Those Klingons know how to brew a good coffee, but I still never seem to be able to drink it when it’s at just the right temperature.

Back then, the Ensign assigned to manage my appointments was a Caitian, Ensign Ligaasho Jallen. I gave her a warm and cheery morning greeting as she handed me the construction progress updates for the hulls currently in our care on one of those huge old red engineering PADDs. You remember the ones right?

He chuckles.

While I took the Padd from her though, my attention was only on one thing.

I asked, “Is she here Ensign?”

Of course, anybody who worked in my office knew this was my favorite day. Jallen gave me one of her trademark smirks before telling me it was waiting for me on my desk.

It was all I could do not to run right then. But no, I flashed her a grin and made sure to double check she hadn’t taken a peek herself.

She didn’t like that, I got a very indignant denial.

“Of course not Sir, opening that case is strictly an honor reserved for you.”

She obviously had mistaken my jovial query for one of mistrust or allegation, rather than the good-natured banter it was intended to be. Even after a year and a half under my command I still hadn’t been able to shake the last vestiges of Academy rigidness from her.

I did think that perhaps today would be the appropriate day to break out those Lieutenant Junior Grade pips waiting for her in my desk drawer. She had certainly earned the advancement, but on a day like today? Well. I didn’t want her to have to share the spotlight. Plus, it could be a bit of a mixed message given our present misunderstanding.

So, I cleared my throat and made sure she knew that my question was meant as a good-natured jab from a sense of comradery not contention.

But, even though she wouldn’t be getting an extra pip on her collar today. She still deserved to be recognised. I decided to invite her in with me for the big moment. I told her:

“Come with me, today you get to be a part of this.”

There on my desk sat the standard issue gray nondescript Starfleet transport case, its only embellishment was the Starfleet Delta in gold.

With my hands on either side of the case, I looked at her with a smile as large as I could muster and I told her the story. Have you ever heard the story?

I know, but whoever is reading this might not have.

So I began. You know Ensign, this is strictly my ritual, other Admirals in my experience don’t see the point in it.

They wait and attend the christening ceremony as spectators once the ship is being sent out on her maiden voyage, enjoying the pomp, circumstance and synthehol.

But by that time the ship has moved onto the care of its new Captain and crew. Right now, I told her, she and every other ship out there are still ours, but only for a short time.

Today I’ll do my final inspection of the hull and once she passes, because she will pass. I will release the clamps and theaters that have been her umbilical to our Dry Dock during her construction and she will officially be launched for the first time.

Tomorrow morning, after leaving our immediate care with the use of a short thruster burn, she will be tractored the rest of the way to Utopia Planitia to be fitted out.

There her interior structure will be finalized, and her Starfleet registry and pendants will be painted on the hull for the galaxy to see and so the galaxy knows. This is a Starfleet vessel, representing the United Federation of Planets.

But that’s tomorrow, today, while she is still ours, we partake in my own little ritual of officially giving the ship her name.

Today. I will personally install this plaque on her Bridge, which also happens to be the first piece of interior decor placed on one of her bulkheads. One small connection to her birthplace, McKinley Station. Where she transformed from just Hull Number 89472…

I beckoned her over and told her to join me.

Flipping the latches on the case and lifting the lid to reveal the bronze dedication plaque, I announced

Into the Starfleet we send our very own USS Bellerophon. Registry NCC-74705. A ship that will soar through the stars!

We had a chuckle as we looked proudly upon that plaque. It was the last chuckle I would have for some time, because at that moment the computer notified me that I had an incoming transmission from Admiral Patterson.

Jallen answered it, and as her face fell, so did mine.