[GZG] [GZG Fiction] The Excalibur Prepares For Maiden Voyage

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Prepares for Maiden Voyage
Interstellar News Network
April 4, 2178

New Albion (INN) - After nearly fifteen months of refits and repairs,
the
upgraded battledreadnought "Excalibur" prepares for her maiden voyage
amongst the stars. Her inaugural launch is set for early next month. She
is
schedule to do a tour of the NAC worlds, followed by a visit to the Neu
Swabian League capital where she will be joined by her first two sister
ships, "Clarent" and "Arondite".

The "Excalibur" was originally scheduled for launch at the end of last
year,
but a freak meteoroid storm swept through the spacedock, causing
moderate
damage to the interior of the ship through unpressurized open bays and
airlocks. While something like this has not happened in nearly one
hundred
years, spacedock procedures were revisted and revised to prevent future
events like this from happening.

The "Excalibur" is the first of the older Avalon-class
battledreadnoughts to
receive the upgrades. The Avalon-class battledreadnoughts first saw
service
in the mid-2160s, but they have not been never very successful. The
Avalons
were frought with problems and flaws in the design, and several were
lost
due to problems with their stardrives while in deep space. The crew of
the
"Atlantis" was rescued by ships of the UNSC, but the "Lapak" and
"Sheena"
have never been located. In light of these problems, in 2176 the NAC
Admirality decided to refurbish the class, creating the new
Excalibur-class
battledreadnought. Over the next few years the Avalons will rotate into
spacedock and be refitted, becoming the proud new Excaliburs.

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