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Ilene Torza

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Posts posted by Ilene Torza

  1. ((Mountain Lodge, Echevar - Day 2))

    ::Ren Rennyn was on a desperate mission. A gauntlet had been thrown, a challenge set, an obstacle placed in his way that he was determined to overcome. But he couldn’t do it on his own.::

    ::Only Antero Flynn could save him now.::

    ::The Trill launched through the lodge, every fiber of him bent on finding the Risian man who was his only hope. He scanned each room, looking for that familiar face. He went outside, and tried hurriedly to spot him. As if he would be outside in the cold! Ren went to check by the warm roaring fireplace. He searched everywhere, until at last he saw Flynn and rushed to his side and, with a wild look on his face, grabbed him by the shoulders.::

    ::Antero stared at the fireplace, mesmerized by the dancing flames and daydreaming of his always sunny home. He smiled at the thought of having Theo there. He would take him to his favorite cliff side perch where they would watch the lights of Lohlunat over Suraya Bay, a warm breeze passing over them. He was pulled from his thought by a frantic Rennyn.

    Rennyn: Flynn! I need you!

    ::The Risian stood quickly and glanced around in alarm, ready for whatever urgent situation had come up.::

    Flynn: Sir?

    ::Ren released Flynn from his grip and backed away a step, trying to catch his breath and calm his frenzied demeanor. He spoke slowly, forcing himself not to be overexcited.::

    Rennyn: I mean… If you’re not too busy… There is something you might help me with… If it’s not too much trouble…

    ::He watched his first officer catch his breath for a moment before responding, he was having trouble deciding if this was an emergency, or some kind of breakdown.::

    Flynn: Is everything okay…?

    Rennyn: THERE’S A HOT TUB! It’s on the back deck. It’s broken, and NO ONE KNOWS HOW TO FIX IT! Your family owns a resort, right? You have to know how to fix it!

    ::Ren was hopping around like a fool, thrilled at the prospect of winter hot tubbing. It was the best hot tubbing of all!::

    Flynn: ::His eyes going wide:: Did you say a broken hot tub?! oO It really is an emergency! Oo Lead the way!

    ::Antero dashed forward urgently, just in time to see Rennyn dart in the opposite direction. He screeched to a halt and reversed course, nearly crashing into a coffee table that he was forced to hurdle. He followed the Trill out a side door and onto the back deck. He felt the bite of the cold on his ungloved hands and for the first time didn’t care, intent on his mission of full body warmth. He admired the beautiful tub for only a moment before remembering himself. He turned to Rennyn and his hands gestured frantically.::

    Flynn: Tools...We need tools!

    Rennyn: The staff said someone’s coming out to repair it tomorrow. They don’t have anything on site to repair it with. We have to wait until tomorrow!

    ::Ren was glad Flynn shared his sense of urgency about this. Obviously, if a hot tub was available, they needed to be in it today. He paused to think through the problem carefully.::

    Rennyn: They don’t have their own repair tools here at the lodge, but I saw some kind of maintenance shed down by the ski lift. Maybe we could find what we need there!

    ::Antero nodded solemnly, he knew what this would mean. He would have to brave the harsh and unforgiving elements for the greater good of the crew. It would be no small task, but he could only hope that the end result would be worth it: Thankful crewmates that would bring him more of that delicious hot chocolate while he boiled himself alive. He donned his gloves firmly and put a hand on the senior officers shoulder.

    Flynn: I’m ready.

    Rennyn: Let’s go!

    ::Off they ran, struggling heroically through the powdery snow, down the hill to the nearby ski lift station, where a maintenance shed sat locked, but full of promise. Ren knocked frantically on the door.::

    Rennyn: Hello? Anyone there?

    Flynn: ::Rubbing his hands together:: Do you think this shed is heated?

    ::They didn’t get to find out. A gruff Tellarite in a snowsuit appeared around the corner.::

    Tellarite: It’s locked. Needs a keycard.

    ::Antero glanced at Rennyn and then back to the Tellarite.::

    Flynn: Well...Do you think you could let us in? Its super important..

    Tellarite: Jeff’s got it. He’s on break. Up at the lodge.

    ::The Tellarite shrugged and disappeared again. Ren looked at Flynn.::

    Rennyn: To the lodge!

    Flynn: ::With a finger pointed to the air in declaration:: To the lodge!

    ::The Risian trudged forward with purpose, doing his best to ignore the dull ache of cold in his extremities. This was too important to give up. He looked to the Trill as they walked, it almost seemed like he was enjoying himself.::

    ::They arrived at the lodge and burst through the front doors on a mission.::

    Rennyn: Jeff! Jeff!

    ::They ran to the front desk and demanded to know where Jeff was. The Bajoran at the desk tried to hang on to her usual friendly smile, despite wondering what could possibly be going on.::

    Flynn: Were looking for Jeff. Is he here? Its urgent!

    Bajoran: He… might be…

    ::Ren and Antero exchanged an optimistic look.::

    Bajoran: ...out on the slopes? There was a broken down snow mobile about a half kilometer up the hill.

    Rennyn: Half a kilometer?!

    ::The Risian sunk at the bad fortune before remember what he had seen on the way in.::

    Flynn: ::Brightening:: There are more snowmobiles out front!

    Rennyn: Yes! Now that’s how Starfleet solves a problem! Let’s roll!

    ::With a nod of thanks to the Bajoran, they ran for the door, headed for the bank of snowmobiles nearby They charged for the nearest one, a big yellow two-seated monster that was sure to get them where they needed to go.::

    Rennyn: Do you know how to run one of these?

    Flynn: I have never even SEEN one of these before today. It can’t be that hard for Starfleet pilots though, right?

    Rennyn: Right!

    ::Ren jumped on the snow mobile and tried to start it.::

    Rennyn: Snow mobile. Start! ::Nothing happened.:: Ignition sequence, engage! ::Still nothing. He looked to Flynn to give it a try.::

    ::Antero gave a quick nod and leaned over Rennyn’s shoulder from the back.::

    Flynn: Snow surfer, activate! ::He grimaced:: Is there a button?!

    Rennyn: Oh no. No, no, no! It needs keys! Why does everything on this planet need keys!?

    ::The two clamored off the vehicle and almost charged into the Bajoran that was now waiting in the doorway. She just stood there shaking her head, keys dangling from her finger.::

    Flynn: Thank you!

    ::Antero grabbed the keys and tossed them to the Commander as the two ran back to the snowmobile.::

    ::They revved up the snow mobile and streaked off up the mountain, gliding fast over the snow, wind whipping around them furiously. Ren wished he had his snowboarding goggles, but more than that, hoped this wouldn’t incur any extra charges on Brek’s account. You just couldn’t spring additional charges on a Ferengi that way.::

    ::Up ahead, the sight of two people tinkering with a broken down snowmobile drew nearer, until they reached the site and Ren pulled up next to them.::

    ::They smiled at the friendly-looking Terran they found.::

    Rennyn: Hi! Are you Jeff?

    ::The second person, bent low next to the broken vehicle, rose to his feet. Just when he should have stopped, he kept rising. He was a Klingon, more than seven feet in height, covered in motor oil, and not at all happy that his lunch break had been cut short for this.::

    Klingon: I am Jeff.

    ::Antero felt like he was going to pull something in his neck as he looked up at the man.::

    Flynn: Of course your are...We um...Well we’re just wondering...uh…::He looked at Rennyn and motioned forward.::

    ::Ren swallowed hard and tried to look like he still had some blood left in his face. It was best to get it out quickly.::

    Rennyn: Can we borrow your key card so we can get tools from the ski lift maintenance shed so we can fix the hot tub please… sir?

    ::Jeff paused a long moment, carefully appraising their trustworthiness, their honor.::

    Jeff: Your coat looks like it might almost fit me, Trill. I will accept it as a replacement for this one I have just ruined with filthy engine oil.

    ::It was just their luck to get a Klingon who was fussy about his clothes. Ren leaned closer to Flynn and whispered nervously.::

    Rennyn: He wants my coat. What do we do?

    Flynn: ::Looking in disbelief and whispering back.:: His brain must frozen solid!

    Jeff: I will also require a hat and gloves. ::He craned his neck fearsomely towards Flynn.:: Yours look warm, little man.

    Flynn: ::Responding with sudden indignance at the idea.:: That’s crazy! Only an idiot would suggest we take off our…..::He stopped as his brain caught up to what his mouth was saying.:: Er….

    ::Jeff was displeased. He dug in his pockets and produced the keycard, holding it in front of them in a taunting gesture. The poor Terran looked on amused.::

    Jeff: No coat, no gloves, no keycard. And because I don’t like you, I think my price may just have gone up.

    ::The two pilots gave each other a worried glance. This was a sticky situation, but if they put their heads together, they could surely find a way out of it.::

    ::Several minutes later, the snowmobile was gliding down the slopes at top speed, carrying a half frozen Risian clinging to a barechested Trill, holding tight to a borrowed keycard.::

    ::Ren tried to look at the bright side.::

    Rennyn: We’ll be in that hot tub in no time!

    Flynn: ::Through chattering teeth:: It’s been an honor s-serving with you sir. If I don’t make it back, t-tell Theo ::he paused for a brief moment of thought.:: s-something sentimental...

    ::Ren felt sweat wanting to form on his brow even as his chest and arms suffered from the whipping winds.::

    Rennyn: Don’t worry! We’re going to make it!

    ::The snowmobile carried them swiftly to their destination. As they drew nearer the lodge and the ski lift station, more and more people stared at the sight of the half naked men huddled together on a snowmobile.::

    Rennyn: They’re all going to love us once we get that hot tub fixed.

    ((A few hours later))

    ::Antero and Ren were submerged in the sublime warmth of the functioning hot tub. They’d put themselves through a lot to make this happen, and soaked in silence for a time, enjoying the benefits of their labor. The Risian took another drink of his hot chocolate and set the glass down before turning to Rennyn with a grin.::

    Flynn: Tell me Commander. Is that how you break the ice with all your junior officers?

    Rennyn: That was a definite first. ::He leaned his head back on the edge and let out a chuckle.:: We really got to know each other on that snowmobile.

    ::Antero leaned forward and let out a genuine eye watering laugh. He was certain he would never forget this day.::

    Rennyn: I have a feeling that’s not the last of the trouble we’ll get into together. But it’s a good start. And we owe it all to a Klingon named Jeff.

    Flynn: ::Raising his mug with a smile:: To Jeff!

    ::Ren leaned forward and reached across to his own mug. There was no end to hot chocolate now that they were the heroes who fixed the hot tub.::

    Rennyn: To Jeff. And new friends.

    LtCmdr Ren Rennyn

    XO

    USS Columbia, NCC-85279

    A239102RR0

    &

    Lt. Jg. Antero Flynn

    Helm Officer

    USS Columbia, NCC-85279

    C239205AF0

    • Like 1
  2. ((Corridor, USS Columbia))


    ::Strolling down the corridor, Chelsea wondered just what had brought her to this area. It was just that sense of wandering, she supposed, that struck from time to time. They’d be off again soon, on some new and challenging mission, and she’d be up to her neck in responsibility – especially since she’d made Petty Officer. Yeah, that was nice. She wasn’t sure she was ready, exactly, but the earful she’d get from her mom kept Chelsea from doing anything stupid.::


    ::Maybe that’s what had her chomping at the bit. This was a newer area of the ship for her; she rarely had reason to be around the officers’ quarters, but new duties meant new learning. As though she’d have to run down here after hours to rouse some ensign with some time-sensitive report! Ha, that was a laugh and a half. But her instructions were to know the layout of this area backwards and forwards, and that’s what she’d do. Who might know what a Petty Officer would be called upon to do in an emergency? And was it just her, or did it seem that there was always an – ::


    ::She stopped dead in her tracks as she rounded the corner, then, heart suddenly racing, jumped back behind the wall and pressed herself against it as she caught her breath. Was that? With them? Regaining her composure, she silently protruded an eye out beyond the edge of the wall, hands gripping the corner. It was!::


    ::Her stomach tightened. But that was ridiculous – why should she care what Ian was doing or who he was speaking with?::


    Connory: … maybe we could do it again some…


    ::Chelsea’s hand rose to cover her gaping mouth as she watched, as if in slow motion, the woman, that … that officer, pulled him closer and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. And that was it. Coy, she stepped back and Chelsea detected a kind of knowingness in her smile.::


    Bentley: Goodnight Ian.


    ::And with that, she was gone. Even from ten meters away, Chelsea could see the Lieutenant had left him wanting more. She’d been smooth about it, every motion was fluid, and everything seemed so practiced – or perhaps, rehearsed. How did she do it? That was certainly not Chelsea. Her own attempts with boys – for it was probably that long ago that she’d given that kind of attention – were generally miserable imitations of what she’d just witnessed. For a time, she’d seriously thought she had spinach permanently set between her teeth, and that it would require surgical removal.::


    ::Yet that Lieutenant had made it seem easy, and she’d charmed Ian. Not that Chelsea cared about that. Anyway, no more than anyone would care for the welfare of their superior officer; nobody in Operations would want to see Ian caught by some science officer’s wiles. Still, as Ian stood there, head against the wall with what looked like a smile, she couldn’t help but grip the wall tighter.::


    ::A giggle behind her caught her off guard, and she realized at once that she wasn’t the only one who’d noticed. Shutting her mouth and spinning to face the crewmen, she drew herself up and, fuelled by authority and irritation from places unknown, she set her eye upon them.::


    Ames: Alright, show’s over. Well, go on then, get going.


    ::They shared a glance and continued down the corridor toward Ian, their giggles resuming once they were past her. But Chelsea herself stayed hidden behind her corner, and a long sigh escaped her as her head slumped backward against the cold, unyielding wall.::


    ::She didn’t care, anyway.::


    -----


    Petty Officer Chelsea Ames

    Operations

    USS Columbia NCC-85279

  3. Whew.... I was afraid I had missed the deadline (it used to be the 31st or so of the first month which left the second for judging). Looks like I have a few weeks to actually get my story done. I've got a good idea, and I even wrote a song to go with it, but I've had problems finding the time to execute it.

  4. ((USS Achilles - Bridge))

    Thetis: If you'd like, I can certainly address the problem myself if the Independence were to drop her shields.

    Thelev: Thank you but no, Tess. I remember your 'solutions' well enough. Relay the information to Commander Whale, we already have security teams en route to the Indy.

    ::A puzzled look crossed her face.::

    Thetis: I'm not sure what you mean about 'my solutions,' Commander. I fail to see the utility in possibly losing valuable personnel and allowing damage to important machinery when other methods present themselves. Isn't a Commanding Officer's duty first and foremost to his or her crew?

    ::Jhen narrowed his dark eyes.::

    Thelev: Don't try to lecture me, Thetis. My first duty is to preserve life. All life. Last time you beamed a group of Grendellai out into space - you murdered them. That is NOT happening again, not on my watch.

    ::The blonde woman's left eyebrow went up slightly.::

    Thetis: That was no more murder than a phaser-bIast from a security officer. However, I guess it's your call. I'm glad I'm not the one who has to write letters to families.

    ::She turned her back on him and looked at the view screen, her arms crossed behind her. This time Jhen closed his eyes for a second. Letters... he'd lost count of the amount of letters he'd had to write as Chief of Ops on the Ronin. After their conflicts with the Grendellai, after the incident with the prototype fighters, after Rakis... Writing to families of strangers to let them know what had happened to their sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, to tell them that their loved ones would never come home again. His anger had been simmering for a while, stoked by his impotence at the current situation. Tess's words had the same effect as pouring petrol onto embers. ::

    Thelev: ::eyes snapping open, angry:: You're [...] right it's my call, Thetis. You might dress yourself like a Starfleet officer but you'll never be one. You you know the words 'duty' and 'service' but you don't understand their meaning.

    ::The woman turned back around, her hands going to her hips.::

    Thetis: Duty and service? I don't know what they are? I've been through things that would leave you gibbering in the warm dark safety of your cozy little room. I'm just as much a Starfleet officer as you are… maybe more.

    ::She stepped closer, pointing at the Andorian's chest.::

    Thetis: When you get to retire, guess what I get to do? I keep GOING. I don't get to run away.

    Thelev: A bunch of computer codes, pretending to be alive, nothing more, and you make me sick.

    ::She shrugged, stepping back.::

    Thetis: Sick? Funny… I've dealt with worse officers than you and I don't feel sick at all.

    ::The holographic woman began fading out like the Cheshire Cat.::

    Thetis: I'm sorry you chose to make a fool of yourself in front of your bridge crew. All sound and fury…

    ::The avatar's face disappeared. Jhen was on his feet now, fuming.::

    Thelev: Townson! You have the Bridge. I'll be in the computer core. With a large spanner.

    TBC

    Cmdr. Jhen Thelev

    Acting CO

    USS Achilles

    and

    Thetis

    USS Achilles

  5. This updated forum have one great option, it's for Polls to be public - so we finally have a chance to make this contest fair and disqualify ships if violate no "stuffing the ballots" policy - so hope to see it used in round 4 voting!

    This is a call for all ships to go and check the option in last posted Poll of the Week and start posting your ships sims for everyone to see how great writers all of you/us have!

    Just so you know, Boby - it was my understanding that the moderator always had the option to see who voted for what and make the call if people were stuffing the ballots.

  6. Cadet Tatha (NPC): I have no control over this situation!

    ((USS Ronin, Deck 15, Main Engineering))

    ::He was working as a full engineer, doing something only he could do and being a valuable member of a starship in a dangerous situation! The topaz depths of his eyes grew a little brighter in excitement as he followed the conversation back and forth.::

    Jassa: We'd need to take it slow so as to make sure we didn't cause a dozen more temporal disturbances in the process but... ::she nibbled her lip:: ... but yes, I think that it will work.

    Tatha: I'm ready to connect the drive at any time; we downloaded the programs to use it from the Rio a few hours ago, so we shouldn't lose them in the temporal blips.

    Kolk: Alright, Let's do this. Everyone in position. Trolin, you'll be in charge of shield control. Jassa, take that console over there and keep an eye on particle concentrations. Falcon, you're on the Warp Drive. Tatha, you've got the device. I'll keep in contact with the Bridge.

    ::The device, the most volatile thing here, and he was being trusted with it. Good as he was and respected as he had been for his talent on Negan, this felt as if it was worth much, MUCH more.::

    Tatha: Yes sir!

    ::The Sya sat, keeping one foot on the ground to keep his balance with three spread 'toes' as the other five limbs moved, feet selecting and holding things where two arms could flash around the device, the third arm delivering the appropriate tools to the other two.::

    ::He loved this feeling, riding the crest of the wave as everything worked in harmony, utterly focussed and limbs weaving around him. This state was what had impressed his teachers, though they had been less than impressed by his relaxed nature.::

    Kolk: Okay, hold for my order and be prepared for temporal echoes. We may have to do a few things more than once...

    Falcon: If it gets us out of this, the annoyance is a small price to pay.

    ::An electric pulse like a salsa rocking through his contact with the floor, now he needed the water-like rolling of the Sya tech to meld with it, he could already feel a hint up a tempo in it...::

    ::The rhythm dropped out of time again, the engineer re-affixing a cable, entering commands on the Padd to re-connect. Kolk had been right about more than once. The flowing pulse of the Sya was starting to reflect the rhythm again, but something was still out of time. With a free limb he ran his fingers over the device to try and locate the burr, another hand coming in to flip open a panel and... ahhh...::

    ::The cadet chuckled as he selected a component from his spares, carefully prising out the small item and turning it over, speaking almost to himself.::

    Tatha: Burnt out connection, no wonder it was having issues... there we go.

    ::Almost as soon as the new component was in the burr vanished, the rhythms mixing together in harmony. He couldn't WAIT to see what this did when fully active! His body was so full of the electromagnetic rhythms he could barely hear the others when they spoke. Reluctantly he removed his hands and feet from the drive and shuffled back a bit, the words becoming clearer.::

    Kolk: ... stick with the plan as is. Begin with the two smallest fields possible around the Dilithium Crystal Chambers, Mr. Trolin, and expand from there, merging the two together when you can. Be sure to calibrate them to allow humanoid tissue through without much resistance but not to let chronitons through, then proceed with all possible speed. The longer we wait, the worse the danger of a hull breach.

    Trolin: Creating epicenters of shields setting compensation for organic material

    Kolk: Mr. Falcon, Mr. Tatha, as soon as possible, start up the drive.

    Falcon: Ready when you are.

    Tatha: Ready, there was a burnt out component, the fields are flowing fine now.

    Falcon: Then let's do this.

    Kolk: Jassa, how's the particle dispersion going? Is Engineering clear of chronitons?

    Jassa: Everything within the shield seems to be clear, Commander. No detectable subspace radiation of chroniton particles present.

    Kolk: Excellent. Hold on, everyone; the Bridge should be taking us into the corridor any time now.

    Falcon: Ready.

    ::Even if he only had one hand on the device it was enough to feel a surge as the core's power joined the device, who knew that an ocean could dance, the rolling water swirling with the dancer's movement as if it were a skirt.::

    Trolin: We are 75 percent clear

    Falcon: Ready.

    Jassa: Comma...the Captain says to go ahead and engage the drive.

    Kolk: How do you know that? I didn't hear the comm and there isn't a message on my console.

    Jassa: He...sent a message through Commander Assanti. Telepathically.

    Kolk: Fair enough. Have we flushed the chronitons?

    Trolin: Shields holding on the outside of the ship

    Kolk: You heard the captain, then: let's take the plunge.

    Falcon: We're in!

    ::They'd done it, they were there, beautiful technology! he only wished he could see what was happening outside!::

    Falcon: Wait!

    Tatha: oO Rats. Oo

    Kolk: What is it, Lieutenant? Do we need to shut down the drive?

    ::Her eyes still burned gold with active sensors.::

    Falcon: We can't try to jump back yet. Right as we made the transition there was a massive power spike. Very brief, but it was there. We've leveled off, but we're high in our allowable band. We get another spike like that… Even if I'm watching for it, I don't know if I can mitigate it. We'll probably blow out systems.

    Tatha: then we need to get a message to the bridge telling them that, right? Otherwise they might take us out without warning...

    Falcon: Now that we've made the jump, power levels are starting to decrease. I think we're finally bleeding energy from the core back into subspace. If we sit here for a bit, it'll lessen the risks for when we jump back.

    Tatha: That sounds familiar, the original drive on the Sya had trouble starting moving and slowing down too. In the current ships the inertia is handled by damping the energy with a power spike, maybe this drive has salvaged some bits but not the others?

    Kolk: Lieutenant, how long do you expect we'll need to stay in the corridor?

    Falcon: Not long… Maybe a half hour, tops.

    Trolin: Would there be any pressing reason why we have to go back. At this moment I don't detect any anomolies and the shields appeared to have worked pushing out the present radiation.

    Jassa: I don't think there's any reason we need to jump back just yet. Lieutenant Trolin is correct, I don't detect any traces of chroniton particles or subspace radiation within the Ronin as yet. I'll keep monitoring the situation, but for now I see no harm in remaining where we are.

    Trolin: Would we be able to use energy to explore our surroundings

    Tatha: That would be interesting, I'd like to see what's it's like.

    Kolk: Are you sure the energy is going to disipate, Rho? I don't want to give the Captain a timeline we can't stick to.

    Falcon: Okay, we're finally starting to lower. Jack, might want to try passing a message to the bridge. Let 'em know to just sit here for a little while to let the power bleed off.

    Kolk: ::Jack chuckled.:: That was my last question, I swear. ::tapping his badge:: =/\= Kolk to-- =/\=

    ::Suddenly the rhythm in the drive changed, the dance was becoming even wilder, more erratic, the movements falling out of sync as the Sya-negan's head shot round. He knew what happened with a magnetic field started to feel like this, he had a split second to move or fix it and right now the latter wasn't an option.::

    Falcon: Too late! They're making another jump.

    Tatha: I know! I don't think we can stop this!

    Falcon: Everyone get away from the core! Away from the core!

    ::The creature was already moving, three legs moving in a speedy scuttle that showed he'd had to do this too many times, limbs shooting out to pull people into movement, though one didn't seem to get it. Topaz centres shot upwards to meet the person's eyes as they took a firmer hold and continued to run, the fingers keeping a tight grip on them.::

    Tatha: That thing is going to blow, move!

    ::As the crew scattered, Tatha glanced back, letting go of the other person as he saw the other siliconite was still standing there. He was about to yell to run when the whine stopped and he blinked, had they managed to...?::

    ::No, she was still running, so he did likewise. What had she managed to do? It obviously wasn't stopped, but the fields were still building, though it seemed like the focus had... shifted? He registered the fields bulging behind and to his left just before there was an explosion and a shout of pain.::

    ::Having a head that could rotate over 180 degrees was useful, having three legs that could promptly follow it and reverse direction to shoot back towards the injured android. Well, first things first, they needed to get this lump out of...::

    Kolk: Report! Is everyone alright?

    Falcon: Leave it!

    ::He immediately did so.::

    Tatha: What's the damage? Are you sure you don't want me to remove that?

    ::The reply was strained. Rats, if only he knew a bit more about the systems humanoid androids used, if it was one of the Sya ones he could have already started repairing her!::

    Falcon: It cut my primary control and power conduits. I'm working to reroute now.

    Tatha: Um, do you need a Doctor or an Engineer? I want to help, but I don't know your circuits well enough to trust doing a repair job.

    ::He looked to anyone else nearby, dark eyes worried.::

    Tatha: Who can help her?

    Jassa: I... I'm afraid I don't know much at all about androids. I'm not sure what I can do to help...

    ::He could at least do something, the electrical equivalent of a pulse check. One hand hovered above her skin to feel the EM fields. The patch near the shard was.... not nice, as for the rest, it felt normal, though still a bit weak for his liking.::

    ::He was surprised to find a hand holding his when testing the fields and blinked, looking at the android again.::

    Falcon: Just stay with me for a bit, okay?

    Tatha: I... wasn't really planning on moving.

    oO Help! What do people do in these kinds of situations? I'm not a counsellor, and I've never seen an injury worse than when someone fell out of a tree, how on earth am I meant to deal with this, I'm an engineer, not a counsellor or doctor! And I'm only 14! What the hell do I DO?!?! Ah! I know, distraction!Oo

    Tatha: I know, why don't I tell you how I can keep tabs on electrical things? It's the reason why the Sya-negan are generally so good at making things. The silicon in our bodies is effected by electromagnetic fields so we can feel the rhythm, it's normally a slight hum. The Ronin has a salsa-like tempo and the Sya technology rolls like water so it makes it easy to find where there's a hiccup in the machine or when two things aren't connected properly.

    Falcon: You feel fields from technology, huh? How about me?

    Jassa: That's fascinating! The way you phrase it, it almost sounds like you're saying machines have a heartbeat. Is that how you see everything?

    Tatha: Yes, your field's low so that you don't affect anything else around you, so I can only feel it if I'm really close, but it's a nice one! It's how I knew you were an Android pretty much as soon as I came aboard.

    Falcon: Well, thanks, Tatha. It's nice to be noticed.

    TBC...

    Cadet Yan Tatha (NPC)

    Engineer

    USS Ronin

  7. After reading through the stories, it was a very close...but the judges have determined a winner:

    And now the results....

    Congratulations to.....Lt. jg Lawn with the winning story "Broken" and Lt. Cmdr Ehlanii with the Runner-Up "Perspective"!

    We'll be sending out the reviews in the next few days, and Mr. Lawn, expect a message from me for our next Writing Challenge topic.

    Great job everyone!

    Congratulations Lieutenant Lawn!

  8. Her big green eyes, veiled with long thick lashes, peered around the corner, a musical giggle ringing through the corridor. Her chubby fingers outstreched, she ran toward the familiar face, with a smile plastered across her own.

    The cry "Nolla!", the Haliian word for Father, echoed in her child-like voice, causing the man in black and gold to look toward her. She was almost there now. In moments, she had her arms wrapped tightly around his legs. It was Dad. She could feel his touch, and with it came his joy. It felt so good to feel that, to feel Nolla's love washing over her, enveloping her like her favorite fuzzy blanket.

    "She couldn't wait to see you Korel." Somewhere behind her, the golden-haired youngster could hear her mother's voice. But now Nolla was picking her up. She giggled, her fingers reaching up to twist themselves in her father's hair. She leaned her head forward, resting it on his strong shoulder, her cheek brushing against the rough quilted fabric of his uniform.

    "I can't talk long. I was just about to check out an EPS conduit on deck 19. Apparently some of the senior officers have been experiencing power outages."

    For a few moments, Kasi could feel her mother's emotions too as the Haliian woman leaned in to kiss her father's cheek. In total contentment, her small fingers gently scratched the quilted section of the uniform on his back. She didn't want to let him go. She didn't really understand what he had said, but she did know that Nolla was important. He fixed things!

    "I'm going to take Kasi to the Promenade, and then maybe the arboretum. Any idea when you'll be home?"

    The Arbor...arboree... arbor... what was that thingy Kolla said? As she tried to think she stuck her chubby little finger in her mouth. Then she giggled. Another man in black and gold like Nolla was coming down the corridor. She waved, bouncing in her father's arms and giggled even more when he waved back. He was blue!

    "Sounds like fun. I shouldn't be too long. Maybe 1700 hours." The green-eyed child felt her father's arms tighten around her. "Be good for your Kolla." The child giggled and nodded, clinging to her Nolla's neck. She didn't want to let go. He was pulling on her, it was getting harder to hold on. Her hands popped free and he set her on the floor. Gently he bent over and kissed her forehead. She wrapped her arms around his leg, not wanting to let go, her disappointment evident.

    Her Nolla leaned in and kissed her Kolla's cheek. "I'll see you in a few hours, Inye. Remember I love you." Kasi looked up to see her Kolla smiling. Releasing one hand from her Nolla's leg, she brushed Kolla's leg. She felt... happy. Maybe it would be ok. Kolla held out her hand. With a slight frown, the young girl took it. In her mind she could hear her mother's voice. "It's ok Kasi. Nolla will be home soon and you and I will have plenty of fun until then. Say goodbye."

    A reluctant smile spread across her chubby cheeks. "Bye bye Nolla. See you tonight."

    The tall male bent over and kissed her forehead. "See you tonight, Kasi."

    -----------------------------------------------

    Hand in hand with her mother, Kasi walked along the promenade. Holding her mother's hand felt comfortable... safe. It made her feel safe to feel everything her mother felt, at least when her mother felt safe too. And happy.. at least when she felt happy. Her wide green eyes looked around, taking in the surroundings of the space station. She'd lived here her whole life, so nothing on it really surprised her. She'd never been anywhere else, really.

    The promenade was a sea of color and noise. Everyone was so much taller than she was... not like at school. She sidled closer to her mother and gripped her fingers a little more tightly, taking refuge in the calm comfort coming from Kolla's touch. Sometimes she would catch a stranger's eye, and they would smile. She, of course, would smile back.

    There was this blue man... at least she thought he was a man. He made a silly looking face and it made her giggle. She stuck her tongue out and wiggled it, provoking a gentle snap from her mother's arm. She pulled her tongue back, still smiling. She was just being playful... and Kolla was just trying to teach her to be polite.

    A pretty fabric fluttered in the breeze as they walked past an open doorway. Kasi reached out and caught it for a moment with her fingers. It was soft, smooth. Kolla continued walking, and soon it slipped out of the little girl's hand.

    Mmmmm.... something smelled good. Really good. Her tummy rumbled slightly, and she looked up. Her mother was looking down on her, smiling. "I don't want you spoiling your dinner, Liio." Kasi pouted. It smelled so good... and she was hungry. "Please, Kolla?" The taller Haliian woman looked down on her and smiled. Before she knew it, she was much taller, swept up into Kolla's arms, and being kissed on the cheek. Her mother was laughing. She could feel her joy, and it felt good. "Ok. But just something small... and healthy." She was being tickled, and Kolla kissed her cheek. "Come on then."

    -------------------------------------------------

    When they reached the counter, Kolla put her down. Everything was so high up. Kasi looked around at the people inside. Some were sitting, others were standing behind them. All sorts of shapes and colors. One had fingers on his head. She put her own up, one finger on each side, wiggling slowly, and giggled. Some people had those. Fingers. They looked funny... not like Kolla and Nolla. And why did they have them on their heads? What did they do?

    There was a pointy eared one in the corner. Kasi felt her own ears. They were definitely different. She knew a few pointy ears. They were odd. She couldn't remember seeing any of them smile. So... serious. She tightened her face into what she thought they looked like... but couldn't maintain it. She giggled.

    Kolla scooped her up again, right after handing her a dish of fruit. Kasi liked fruit. She picked up a chunk in her chubby fingers. It was kind of orangey. "Owange?" she asked. Kolla laughed. "The color is orange, yes, Liio. The fruit is a melon."

    Kasi put it in her mouth and took a bite. She liked it. Sweet... but not super sweet. It had a bit of a... she smacked her mouth open and closed a few times a few times trying to figure it out... and then shrugged. It didn't really matter, it just tasted good. It was smooth but kind of hard. She really had to chew it.

    The next piece was different. It was oddly shaped for one. And red. When she put it in her mouth, it squished. Although there were little hard bits in it. It tasted good too. She looked at her fingers again. They felt funny. Sticky. And they were still a bit red. Maybe... she stuck them back in her mouth, sucking on them gently. They tasted good... just like the red fruit. She grinned at her mother, fingers still in her mouth. Kolla smiled back and kissed her nose. "Is it good?" Kasi nodded and giggled.

    -------------------------------------------------

    They were back on the Promenade with all the people. Kasi was eating her snack piece by piece, still being carried by her mother. Each piece was different. Blue, orange, red, yellow, purple. Soft, smooth, hard, sticky, funny bumps. They were even in different shapes. It kind of reminded her of the people. She leaned her head on Kolla's shoulder watching the others as they passed.

    There was a furry one. Long hair, even on the face and hands. Kasi giggled. She wore a uniform, just like Nolla. Kolla wore a uniform too sometimes. But not today. She couldn't see the furry one anymore, but she remembered the ears. They were on the top of her head... not like Kasi's. Kasi's ears were on the side.

    She felt safer in Kolla's arms than she had just holding her hand. Leaning her head on her shoulder she put another piece of fruit in her mouth. There was a green-skinned one with black hair. She looked more like Kasi. Except... Kasi felt her forehead with her sticky fingers. The green lady didn't have bumps on her forehead like Kasi did.

    -------------------------------

    They found themselves at a pair of doors which swished open. The curly-haired girl giggled at the sound. "Swish" she mimicked. Looking up, she could see Kolla smiling. Kasi giggled. There were all sorts of different colors in here. A lot of green... and brown. But also bright pinks and reds and blues and purples and... her eyes darted from flower to flower.

    "This, Kasi, is the arboretum. Its where they keep the plants."

    "Pwants?" Kasi looked up. What were plants? She picked up the last of her snack and put it in her mouth. It was just as tasty as the rest had been.

    "Yes, Liio, plants." Kolla paused. "They're living, but they can't move by themselves. They grow in the ground, or in pots. They're where your fruit came from."

    "Tasty."

    Kolla smiled back at her. "Yes, Kasi, tasty." She set her down and took the dish with one hand and the golden haired girl's hand with the other.

    The little girl got an idea. Giggling, she squirmed her hand away, planted it firmly on her mother's leg for a moment and, just before she ran off, she yelled "Mitz!"

    The End

  9. ((USS Independence-A - Science))

    :: Once certain this infestation of critters wasn't about to overrun either the ship or the station, David quietly made his exit after observing the proceedings for a short while. ::

    ((Corridors))

    :: Once outside, a visible slump took form on David's shoudlers. Both fatigued and tired, he took a moment to rest at a bulk connection junction arch, leaning against the bulkhead to rub his eyes. Between Deborah coming out, an emotional reunion, and his First officer poisoned, now baby alien creatures they were rounded up, he wanted a moment to breathe. ::

    :: All this looked much easier when Captain Mar and Admiral Anassasi were commanding. Dave rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming. He felt his eyelids flutter as he sought a calm center, imagining only a black void. ::

    :: Letting himself drift, it occured to him there were better places to meditate. Breathing deep, David sighed and shook it off. Opening his eyes, he bit off a yelp as he tripped forward... ::

    ((Urquil'lhu Station))

    :: ...and caught himself, benching pressing himself back on his feet. Rearing, he took a brief, snarling response to the eel-earred, gold-fleshed Tyvan etched with a self-satisfied smirk, walking around and past him. ::

    Tyvan Male: :: spitting :: Your kind not welcome.

    :: Dave itched for his knifes, caressing the handles on either side of his hips. Rage boiled forward, mixed with a creeping humiliation. Of those races with no masters, the urge to strike right under the triple chin at the Tyvan's plexus point brought him one step behind, and freezing as a red-metal blade met his throat. ::

    :: Fear encircled the Tyvan's coal-black eyes. ::

    Tyvan Male: Kill me, are you?

    Cody: :: spitting on the Tyvan :: If that is the intent, you would be dead.

    Tyvan Male: :: quivering, backing :: Stay away!

    Oo Coward... oO :: Dave watched the Tyvan run, knives in hand. What was the point, if everthing and everyone ran from him? Knives... he glanced over, catching his coal black eyes, black skin and the tatoos of his tribe in the reflection of his grooved, swirled scythemii. ::

    :: Surprise, alarm registered. Oo What the--? oO Dave's eyes bolted wide as he twisted to examine himself...::

    ((USS Independence-A - Corridors))

    ::...in his StarFleet uniform, somewhat sweaty as Dave caught his breath. He checked his arms before feeling his chest, forehead, and made sure he wasn't carrying any kind of bladed weapons. He shuddered, reeling as his thoughts attempted to make sense. He was there. He was sure of it. And yet... ::

    Cody: :: softly :: Urquil'lhu station... I don't even know where that is.

    Oo Or do you? oO

    :: Without word, Dave left, feeling like he was running away from something he didn't have a name for. What in gods' names was happening? A part of him wanted to head back to Sickbay and have Tybe take a look. A part of him didn't want to get anywhere near this, and a larger part wanted to know if Ehlanii was okay. ::

    :: Jumping into the next turbolift, David glanced at nodded at a couple of crewman, looking somewhat mucky. ::

    Cody: Sickbay.

    :: The doors closed. ::

    ((mini timewarp - Sickbay))

    :: Strolling in, David glanced around and caught both Tybe and with a surge of relief, an awake First Officer. Walking over, he offered a fast wink to Karynn as he offered a hand to Tybe. ::

    Cody: Well, doc. How's she doing?

    TBC...

    Commander David Cody

    CO

    USS Independence-A

  10. I know personally I got frustrated back at the beginning of the year when, although people were allowed to self-submit SIMs, there was much complaining about voting for your own and rumors of "unfairness" and ships boycotting. At that point, I threw up my hands and gave up - which is about the point this whole thing died.

    I was a huge supporter of the Top SIMs contest under its original rules. And I'd love to see it going again. I personally don't understand why whole ships boycott it as "unfair" - particularly when myself and those I know and talk to vote for the SIM we think to be "BEST" regardless of which ship it came from. I don't think some convoluted system of submission (which only decreases the number of posts that get showcased here) or voting assignment (which seems complex beyond my ability to understand) really fixes the problem of "fairness". I think it becomes fair when people honor the spirit of the "Contest" and honestly vote for the SIM that is the best to them.

    All that being said, my favorite part of this, when it was first introduced, was the fact that meaningful feedback on a SIM could be given (using the hamburger format of constructive criticism). As a writer, I personally am always looking at how I can improve. However, I noticed that when people (including myself) offered feedback, it was met with defensiveness and resistance - which meant that I personally quit leaving feedback and most of the feedback offered became relatively unhelpful positive comments with no room for growth. So that means that my favorite part of this contest is dead. I recognize that in the fleet we have a number of different writing styles - and preferences - and that's probably a big part of the reason that this part of the contest doesn't work. It probably also plays a role in the perception of "fairness" in voting.

    Personally, I think that the nomination of one's SIM by someone else to this contest is an incredible honor. And if it gets started again, particularly if it was under the original rules, I would certainly do my best to encourage my ship to participate by nominating any of those SIMs they feel is worthy of the honor. However, given my own busy schedule, and the bad taste I still have in my mouth over all the arguments over this contest, I think I'm going to pass on helping in any way other than participating as an average member and encouraging my crewmates to do the same.

  11. PNPC Lieutenant J.G Valis - "Ahm-van-kal"

    ((Mount Selaya, Vulcan))

    ::Lieutenant J.G. Valis' hood flapped ever so slightly in the hot breeze. Above her, Vulcan's sister planet, T'Rukh, "the Watcher," rose behind Mount Selaya, creating the natural origin of the Vulcan symbol of IDIC (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations) - a cone or triangle piercing the center of a sphere. In her time away from her homeworld, she had almost grown accustomed to the cooler temperatures aboard the USS Ronin. Logic told her that the hot climate of the planet Vulcan was ideal for her Vulcan metabolism, but she could not deny the fact that her body said otherwise by insisting on producing sweat to cool her off. Thankfully, the traditional Vulcan robes she wore for the ahm-van-kal (the Vulcan Naming Ritual), though heavy-looking, were actually quite porous.::

    ::Standing at the edge of the stone circle that was the most ancient portion of the Temple of Sochya, Valis barely acknowledged the presence of the 12 other Vulcans standing in reverent silence at equal points around the holy place. Once again, the profound significance of the ritual she was about to perform weighed heavily on her mind. During her journey here, Valis had spent many hours meditating on her own ahm-van-kal. As with all Vulcans, her life had been profoundly shaped by her en-ahr-at (roughly translated god-mother), T'Vai, the first mind to touch her own, just weeks after her birth. Though the bond had been brief, it became a part of her consciousness forever. At times, she still felt the uncertainty that T'Vai had felt when melding with her. Perhaps it was even a part of the uncertainty she herself was experiencing now. Somewhere at the edge of her consciousness she couldn't help but wonder if that first moment of conscious disquietude had somehow led to the constant struggle she now felt with regard to keeping her emotions in check. As she prepared for the coming ceremony, she tried with all her volition to stifle the nervousness she felt so that she would not impart the same difficulties to the child.::

    ::As another hot breeze played with the few strands of hair that had fallen across her face, Valis noticed movement to her left at the entrance to the ceremonial circle. Looking up from the red dust she had been watching at her feet, Valis saw that it was T'Nar, the child's mother, dressed in a distinct white robe with three bright gems of green, blue, and red arranged triangularly on the frontispiece. She held the newborn in her arms and slowly approached the dais at the far side of the circle, showing no emotion on her face. With her entrance, the ceremony had begun.::

    ::T'Kai, current High Master of Gol stood piously beneath the ceremonial gong. Her skin matched the burnt red of the natural Vulcan stone and the gong behind her, but her white hair stood out abruptly against the otherwise mono-chrome scene, until T'Nar neared her and added her white robes to the palate. The child slept peacefully until its mother carefully passed it into T'Kai's arms. For a moment, it roused and began to cry, but the instant the High Master's voice rang out, it fell silent again.::

    T'Kai: Nam-tor t'en-ahr-at kan vi.

    ((Translation: Who is the child's en-ahr-at?))

    ::The High Master had spoken slowly, solemnly. Intoning her voice as though it were the gong behind her, which the monks at either side chimed as she finished the ceremonial interrogative. In the hot, dry air, the sound of the clanging metal reverberated for miles throughout the surrounding Mountains of Gol, of which Selaya was but one.::

    ::Knowing that her time had come, Valis slowly reached up and pushed her hood back onto her shoulders, raising her gaze to meet the High Master's as she did. With a single step forward, she answered the call in her best ceremonial reply to T'Kai's perfect inflexion.::

    Valis: Nam-tor nash-veh en-ahr-at,Valis ko-fu t'Kiran.

    ((I, Valis, daughter of Kiran, am en-ahr-at.))

    ::With another resounding of the gong, T'Kai intoned one word.::

    T'Kai: Beta'voh.

    ((Approach.))

    ::Valis walked to the dais, her hands in front of her, palms pressed together in the manner known throughout the galaxy as the Vulcan gesture of greeting.::

    T'Kai: Ahmau ish-veh kan shal ra.

    ((What does the child call itself?))

    ::As en'ahr'at it was Valis' role to touch the katra of the newborn and then choose a name for the child according to the essence of its katra. For that reason, she was not allowed to know anything about the child prior to birth. Even gender was strictly hidden from the en'ahr'at, and thus every part of the liturgy of the ceremony avoided gender up until this point. Its gender would be known the instant she joined minds with it, but foreknowledge of any kind could taint the kau (wisdom) of the bond and cause her to give the child a false name.::

    ::As T'Kai held the child out to her, Valis gently placed the fingers of both her hands on the tiny face's katra points. It was clear from the first moment of contact that the child was a female, but that was only the most peripheral of things that were imparted in that briefest of moments.::

    ::Due to the baby's almost completely unformed mind, there was no need to speak the usual words of concentration, "My mind to your mind..." There was no resistance. No barrier. The newborn girl's mind was completely welcoming. Already there were memories of happy moments looking at her mother's face as she fed; of the instinctual fear of suffocation as she was thrust out into the post-natal world before the Vulcan Healer surprised her with a slap that caused her to breathe; and, in her mother's womb, of the comforting darkness and warmth, accompanied by indistinct traces of her mother's thoughts. T'Nar loved her child. The silent affection of their mothers' was a fact that all Vulcan newborns knew through the telepathic bond of their nearly constant physical touch, whether they recalled it as they grew or not. In the baby girl's mind, that assurance was as fresh as a pastry newly removed from the oven. As she searched for the girl's identity, that awareness washed over Valis and gave her a peace she had not expected.::

    ::Going deeper, an image presented itself: that of the tiny preborn child's hands clasping themselves together in T'Nar's womb. Valis' mind naturally connected it to the Vulcan verb terau ("to fasten"). As Valis' mind assimilated the image of the tiny clasping hands, another image drawn from her own mind but altered by the child's, surfaced. The claw of a bird of prey clasped onto the Sphere & Triangle of the IDIC, and the word terau again resonated throughout their shared consciousness. A fastening. A joining. A new connection.::

    Valis: Ahmau ko-veh shal T'Rau.

    ((She calls herself T'Rau))

    ::T'Kai withdrew the child, and the meld faded, but the two females would never be the same. The baby, T'Rau, had a destiny that she would discover many years later. But the en-ahr-at, Valis, shared a piece of that destiny now, as would all Vulcans in time. And that destiny had a name: Reunification.::

    ((To Be Continued...))

    =====

    Lieutenand J.G. Valis

    En-ahr-at to T'Rau

    USS Ronin NCC-34523

  12. This is a very good SIM. It's well written and really draws you in. The only thing I'd suggest is that you should pay attention to your homonyms (example: their vs there). Your description is evocative and the ending left me wanting more. Nice job!

  13. I'm admittedly a bit behind reading posts (real life got in the way) but I thought this was a really good post and deserved to be entered. I checked the rules and posts can be submitted that have been written in either the current submission period or the immediately lapsed submission period. While this is a bit old, it definitely falls within those guidelines.

    Well done, Toni :)

  14. ((Bridge))

    ::Ashley was not happy about the way the meeting had gone, but not for what they

    were doing. The ship needed repairs, that was a given, and the cloak would

    surely help if they were right about where they were, but it was the fact the

    only two asked to give their estimation of where the ship had ended up were of

    the same opinion right from the start. It didn't seem fair that any opposing

    viewpoints were even considered, especially Hugh's, who had said they were back

    in the Alpha quadrant, 600,000 km’s from DS9. Of course, she was on his side,

    he was her husband for the gods' sake, and the fact his word was totally

    discounted got the fiery little redhead's dander up to the point she got up and

    walked out of the meeting as soon as it was over without saying anything to

    anyone.::

    ::Red faced, she tapped her commbadge::

    Boles-Barnes: ::barking:: =/\= Commander Boles-Barnes to Crewman Kumiko Yokoi..

    come to the Bridge immediately! =/\=

    Yokoi: ::surprised by her tone:: =/\= Alright, on my way. Yokoi out.=/\=

    ::Seething, Ashley continued to check on all the security teams to see that they

    were in place, trying to calm down.::

    Boles-Barnes: oO It's not fair. Hugh works his tail off for the ship and THIS is

    the thanks he gets for it? He deserves more consideration than that. Oo Then it

    hit her... the real reason she was upset. She didn't want to be in the Delta

    Quadrant or in the vicinity of the Borg. Had it been just her and Hugh to worry

    about, she could cope, but there was the child she was carrying to consider, and

    she was scared for it.::

    ::Tears welled in her eyes, her emotions getting the best of her..::

    Boles-Barnes: oO How can I protect the baby when I'm not sure I can protect

    myself. He will be lost forever in some hellish Collective. No, not my child,

    not Hugh's son, NOT our baby. Oh please, get us out of here. I DON'T WANT to be

    here. Oo

    ::Breaking down into full blown tears, she ran to Hugh and wrapped her arms

    around him, unmindful of anyone else on the Bridge.::

    Boles-Barnes: ::crying inconsolably into his chest:: Take us home, Hugh! Just

    take us home!

    TBC

    PNPC LtCmdr Ashley Boles-Barnes

    Chief of Security

    USS Challenger

    SIMed by

    LtCmdr Toni Turner

    XO-COO

    USS Challenger

  15. I just want to give credit where its due. "A Look at History" was a joint post between Karynn Ehlanii and Ethan Brice. I believe its correct on the original entry but missing an author in the voting.

  16. Hey Par... if you have any questions about being a counselor (or any other concerns) feel free to PM me, IM me, or head on over to the counseling Duty Post areas. :)

    I've been serving as a counselor on the USS Ronin since October, and I love it! I'm excited to see another one joining the fleet. Welcome!

  17. I just wanted to add in the tags that somehow got left blank...

    --------------------------------------------------------------------

    ::Just then, a chirping sound rung from Jack's chest.::

    Reed: =/\= Reed to Kolk =/\=

    ::Jack glanced at Jarod with a twinkle in his eye, to which Jarod just rolled his own.::

    Jack: =/\= Kolk here. Where are you, Sarah? =/\=

    :: Sarah smiled to herself.:: Reed: =/\= Seattle, would you believe. I'm in the Aerospace Station. =/\=

    Jack: =/\= Already? I thought you were supposed to give me a shout before you beamed to my side of the planet. =/\=

    Reed: =/\= Supposed to is very different from wanting to. ::she grinned:: Of course, I could leave and come back later if you like… =/\=

    ::He laughed.::

    Jack: =/\= No, no. Don't go anywhere. I'm on my way. =/\=

    Reed: =/\= I'll be here. Reed out. =/\=

    ::The line closed, and Jack smiled widely at Jarod.::

  18. I agree that SIMs should be rated/voted for primarily on Merit - and that good SIMs from other ships are probably being missed/ignored. I've never voted down a SIM simply because it wasn't from my ship - nor has anyone I talk to on a regular basis. Although my rating may be affected by who submitted a SIM (as in self-nomination), its always been consistent and my final vote has never disqualified a SIM simply because of who wrote or submitted it. AND in the spirit of trying to catch those good SIMs that go unrecognized, I've been reading at least one other ship consistently and nominating SIMs from that ship that I believe showcase good writing.

    However, like Salak, I refuse to nominate my own SIMs, even if I think they're stellar SIMs and probably belong in the contest. Often this has resulted in what I believe are good SIMs going relatively unnoticed. However, I think this is a small price to pay since sometimes a SIM I think is good really is [...] (and vice versa). My hope for this contest would be that everyone would be more concerned about nominating SIMs from others than they are about nominating their own and that this contest would be a way to get more people from every ship involved in the forums.

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