StarBase 118 Staff

Hailing from Shrewsbury, England, on Earth, Cadfael Peters isn’t one for formal dress parties though he enjoys a good drink or two. Peters kept to himself at Starfleet Academy and hasn’t shared much of his background with anyone since he’s been in the fleet. He did get to know a future colleague Ayiana Sevo through the Cadet Cultural Exchange Subspace Friend program, but it wasn’t until they were both assigned to the USS Victory that he met her. Peters suffered ear trauma and hearing loss early on in his career, and he has since been treated with the EARS implant, a medical device analogous to the VISOR that restored his hearing. An engineer through and through, he worked his way up to the chief’s position on the Victory before being assigned to the USS Darwin-A and his current posting aboard StarBase 118 Ops. Congratulations to Cadfael Peters of StarBase 118 Ops who has been selected as the Featured Bio for August 2015, and Maxwell Traenor of the USS Darwin-A, this round’s featured nominee! As always, you can find out more about the Featured Bio Contest at its wiki page or in its forum. Head there now to learn more about the contest and nominate bios that deserve recognition! The post Featured Bio Winner, August: Cadfael Peters appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

The Summer Graphic Contest — the Spirit of Star Trek — has ended recently, and we couldn’t wait to announce the new theme for our Autumn round! The theme of this round will be a little different than the others, a little… darker? “The dark subconscious mind.” What monsters lurk in the dark secretive minds of our characters? Fears, secrets, desires and more! This can be anything. Use it as character building, to think about it if you have not yet, show us the dark subconscious mind of your character! More information on the requirements and such, can be found in the Graphic Contest Forum. Deadline will be September 22nd, so you’ll have a lot of time to come up with ideas. We’re hoping for many entries to this fantastic theme! The post Autumn Graphic Contest theme announced appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

Change is a constant force in a community like ours, and turnover among our staff is not uncommon. This month we’ve seen a number of changes that we’d like to inform you about. ATLANTIS AND GEMINI MERGER The crews of the Atlantis and Gemini have been merged, with most members joining a reactivated ship, the USS Apollo-A, under the command of Fleet Captain Kali Nicholotti. Some members were moved to other ships in the fleet, while Captain Liam Frost has taken a Leave of Absence, and Captain Raj Blueheart has decided to step back from command to focus only on simming. This brings us down to nine total simming installations. To learn more about the USS Apollo-A and her crew, see the wiki. COLUMBIA CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP Unfortunately, due to real-life changes, Captain Ben Livingston of the Columbia has decided to take a Leave of Absence to focus on his career and family. The Executive Council has tapped the ship’s First Officer, who was recently promoted to Commander, to lead the Columbia. We wish Cmdr. Brek all the best during his promotion process to captaincy and in leading the Columbia to future successes! To learn more about Cmdr. Brek, the first Ferengi captain in the StarBase 118 fleet, see his profile on the wiki. CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP AND VESSEL FOR VICTORY CREW Captain Nugra, recently elected Magistrate of the Captains Council, has also decided to step back from commanding due to changes in real life time commitments, and will be focusing on his role as Magistrate. He has also decided to transfer to the Columbia to assist Cmdr. Brek with ship administration. Meanwhile, Captain Quinn Reynolds — recently appointed to the role of Captain at Large for the Executive Council — has decided to step back into the role of Commanding Officer for the crew of the Victory. But she, and her new crew, will be moving immediately to the USS Gorkon, the first ship in the StarBase 118 fleet named for a Klingon. The Gorkon is a Sovereign class vessel. To learn more about the new USS Gorkon, see the wiki. The post Fleet changes for July, 2015 appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

The Captains Council and Executive Council have two new appointments to announce. First, the Executive Council is very happy to announce that Fleet Captain Egan Manno, former Captain at Large, has been inducted into the EC as a full member. This is an indefinite appointment, like all EC positions. Congratulations to Tony, the writer behind Egan Manno for his hard work and dedication to our community which led him to this position. With the Captain at Large position vacated by Egan Manno, Captain Quinn Reynolds was appointed to that role by the Executive Council, thanks to her wise and well-thought advice to the EC and her long-standing loyalty to the group. Congratulations to Emma, the writer behind Reynolds — we look forward to her long tenure in the role! And finally, as Captain Reynolds was the Captains Council Magistrate and cannot serve as both the CaL and Magistrate, she has vacated that role leading to the election of Captain Nugra, by the Captains Council Members, into that role. Congratulations to Jon, the writer behind Nugra, for earning the respect of his peers. For more information on the Executive and Captains Councils, see their pages on the wiki. The post New Captains Council Magistrate and Captain at Large appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

The Captains Council of UFOP: StarBase 118 is pleased to announce the promotion of Lieutenant Commander Brek to the rank of commander. Commander Brek is stepping into the role of Commanding Officer of the USS Columbia and will be our first Ferengi CO in the fleet! Brek has been a member since June of 2011, and has served on StarBase 118 Ops, Excalibur, and Columbia. He (male character, female writer) played the role of Diplomatic Officer with aplomb and has been highly decorated with awards, including the Lwaxana Troi Medallion (Diplomat of the Year) among a number of others. Be sure to stop by and offer your congratulations to Commander Brek, as we wish her luck in him career with UFOP: StarBase 118! The post Congratulations to Cmdr. Brek appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

ZAKDORN IV – During a routine patrol, the USS Darwin-A changed course to respond to an urgent distress call. With the worries of Asav still fresh in their minds, the crew, under the captain’s instructions, headed straight for Deep Space 6 for some rest and relaxation. Once on the station, it wasn’t long before the crew was called before Captain Hallam to hear charges against Commander Renos. With Lt. Cmdr. Kael Thomas providing the evidence, many of the crew felt the need to defend their commanding officer against the vexatious charges. With Commander Renos’s words of defense combined with the crew’s, Captain Hallam reaffirmed the Commanders worth and revealed the true nature of the formal meeting. “Before this hearing was convened, I received an official message from Starfleet Command. Now seems a fitting time to deliver it to you and the crew. It reads… gotcha!” exclaimed Captain Hallam as the looks of despair slowly changed to exclamations. Lt. Cmdr. Thomas produced the commander’s fourth pip, that of the rank of captain and placed it on his collar. As the haze cleared from everyone’s eyes, the crew promptly congratulated their newly promoted captain. With formalities aside, some days later the USS Darwin-A left Deep Space 6 and headed for a standard patrol through the sector. However, as any seasoned officer knew, standard patrols were anything but easy, and the Darwin picked up a distress call from Zakdorn IV. As it is an important planet in the region, the Darwin wasted no time in changing course and heading straight for the planet. Little details were known about the nature of the distress, since the call was simply a beacon and it lacked any sort of audio or indication of the problem. Before the crew of the Darwin had any chance of mounting a successful rescue mission to the surface, an unknown shuttle seemingly launched from the surface and made a direct line for the Darwin’s hull. Thinking quickly, Lt. Cmdr. Rennyn was able to avoid the shuttle and captured it in one swoop. Bringing it quickly inside the sphere, a team was assembled to crack open the contents of the shielded shuttle. Upon closer inspection it was discovered that the shuttle was empty, as the Darwin’s sensors had suggested. However the crew did not hold the same faith. Work began immediately to discover the true intention of the shuttle and it’s crew’s whereabouts. Down on the surface Lt. Cmdr. Traenor and his team setup a triage facility to help those most injured. With a growing list of injuries, the team quickly realized the scale of the disaster. The industrial facility had suffered severe damage which had resulted in a significant release of toxic gases into the air. Doing their best, the team worked through the injured and provided assistance where they could. Not yet discovered was the cause of the facilities’ damage or the true nature of the toxins all around them. On the Darwin, the bridge crew were met with their own problems. Their sensors picked up an unidentified ship with unknown tactical abilities. With no idea what the ship’s intentions were, the crew remained cautious and hoped that the teams on the surface would not be forced to engage in combat. With Lt. Cmdr. Walker in Engineering doing her best to provide shields, they had only thirty minutes of power, after which the Darwin would be defenseless. The post USS Darwin investigates distress call on Zakdorn IV appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

Please welcome our newest Academy graduates to the UFOP: StarBase 118 fleet: Doven Childyrn, Hanako “Hani” Kimura, and Roshacari! The post New Academy Graduates appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

School of Biosciences, Vulcanis University, Vulcan – Controversial research reveals new answers to old questions. It’s one of those subjects you just don’t talk about at the dinner table; declining Andorian population, Terran dominance of Federation politics, and Pon Farr in Vulcans. The seven year itch is a known biological peculiarity of our otherwise extremely logical Vulcan brethren, and their reluctance to discuss the subject seems to derive from a collective cultural embarrassment. For much of Federation history information has been sparse and grudgingly granted, and a large part of this particular biological cycle still remains shrouded in mystery. Since incidents in the early days of Starfleet, it has been known that Pon Farr is an aspect of ever mature Vulcan’s male’s life. But the question with a far less certain answer is: do Vulcan woman undergo Pon Farr? The famous Vulcan Science Academy apparently deemed research on the subject beneath their notice, and it’s only now that their home-grown competitors on the other side of the planet at Vulcanis University are starting to ask questions that others dare not, and shed light on old mysteries. Professor Saleris of the Vulcanis University’s School of Biosciences has been leading the research, and agreed to talk to us. We asked her why no one had shown interest in performing this research previously. “It is perhaps due to a combination of factors,” she told us. “The social taboo is strong in certain Vulcan cultures, and the practice of forging preliminary bonds between children has largely removed the need to ask the question.” We asked why that was. “In a fully bonded pair, if one member experiences Pon Farr, the other generally follows suit. With a preliminary bond in place, two individuals are able to be fully bonded as soon as symptoms exhibit. They usually exhibit first in the man, and when they do not, the fact is often glossed over.” So Vulcan women go through Pon Farr when their mates do, but do they do so independently? Would an unbonded woman still experience it at the appropriate age, and how has Professor Saleris’s research sought to elucidate this? “We began by looking at ancient historical records dating to pre-Surak times, before the practice of preliminary bonding became common-place. We then studied family histories, both written records and word of mouth, both of which revealed a variation in incidence. Some families had no records of women who experienced independent Pon Farr, some had a few and some had a large number of occurrences.” “Finally, we selected families at both extremes of the spectrum who agreed to participating in a genetic analysis. Using specific gene probe hybridisation techniques we were able to identify a priming sequence which differed between the two groups.” Much of which went over this reporter’s head. But the important question is what this means for the future. “The importance is considerable, and will become more so as the practice of childhood bonding becomes less rigorously adhered to in modern times. It will allow a woman to be discretely tested for the pro-Pon Farr primer, and from these results know whether she will or will not undergo Pon Farr of her own accord. She can then plan her life accordingly; the results will be significantly liberating for women.” This reporter understands that both the research and the results have come under criticism from other researchers, particularly at the Vulcan Academy of Science. Does the prospect of having her theory debunked and results disproved phase Professor Saleris? “In order to disprove our work, they must perform the research for themselves.” Apparently not. Weigh in with your thoughts on Pon Farr in the Species Guild forums. Click here to see what others are saying and comment! The post Vulcans: New insight into an old question about Pon Farr appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

Set your calendar: the Chat Team will be hosting a Summer Watch-a-Long scheduled for Sunday, August 2nd at 11am Pacific / 2pm Eastern (US) / 6pm GMC UTC (UK) / 5am Monday UTC+11 (AUS). How does a watch-a-long work? Simple! Grab yourself a copy of the episode in any format you like and log onto the chat. Get there a little early if you can to say hi and get all your stuff ready. Then, when the hour rolls around everyone present presses play and we watch a great episode of Trek while chatting about everything we love and remember about it. Or joking about it! The episodes we will be viewing are: Star Trek:TNG – Best of Both Worlds: Part 1 and 2. Part 1 starts at the time above, Part 2 we’ll start 1 hour later. The episodes are 44 minutes long, so that gives everyone some time for a bathroom break in between. You can show up for one episode or both. And if you can’t find a copy of the episode, you’re still welcome to hang out with us! The episodes are available on Netflix or Hulu if you have a subscription to either, as well as pay-per-view on Amazon. To participate, simply head to our online chat room, at: http://www.starbase118.net/chat — if you have problems connecting, use the instructions listed below the chat box. Remember, the watch-a-long starts at 11am Pacific / 2pm Eastern / 6pm GMC UTC (UK) / 5am Monday UTC+11 (AUS). Always check your time zone for accuracy/DST if applicable! The post Join us in the chatroom for a Star Trek watch-along! appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

The USS Invicta, NCC-81407, is a state-of-the-art diplomatic courier vessel of the Cardiff class assigned to the Menthar Corridor. The Invicta succeeds the USS Garuda and the USS Mercury as the primary vessel assigned to the region, but unlike either of its predecessors, it is not an isolated explorer but is supported by the experimental diplomatic installation Astrofori One. So begins the exciting adventures of the newest starship in the 118 fleet, the USS Invicta! The Invicta is the fleet’s first ship of the Cardiff class, a noncanon, fan-made design courtesy of the digital artist Paul Lloyd, who has kindly given his permission for the usage. The Invicta‘s most striking visual aspect is most likely its nontraditional warp drive. Like the Vulcan ships of Enterprise, Invicta doesn’t use the standard Starfleet nacelles but employs a ring-shaped, annual drive. The two nacelle-shaped components are in fact large sensors pods, full of equipment, laboratories, and personnel that allow the Invicta to be one of the most advanced science and diplomatic ships operating in the Star Trek universe. In addition to the advanced scientific exploration Invicta can perform, the ship is also well-placed to become a diplomatic mainstay. The Vulcan warp drive is just one aspect of many that reflects the cooperative nature of her design, and you’ll find a strong contingent of visiting diplomats, civilian personnel, and unique aliens aboard Invicta. The final frontier awaits! The Invicta has already launched, and you should be sure to follow her adventures, check out her stats, and join her crew for some informal discussion on the forums! The post Introducing the USS Invicta appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

Have you come across a great character biography on the wiki? Been working on your own bio for a while now and want to show it off to the fleet? Then head on over to the Featured Bio Contest’s forum and submit a nomination! All that’s required is that the bio be of an active, player character such as Rendal Rennyn of the USS Darwin-A, who is this month’s Featured Bio. You can see a list of previous winners and featured nominees at the contest’s wiki site as well as an overview of the judging criteria the Featured Bio Contest Team uses to vote for a winner. The nomination round closes Saturday, August 1, so don’t delay! Submit your nomination today! The post Submit your nominations for this month’s Featured Bio contest! appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

LUXIS SYSYEM — Efforts continue on locating the USS Bronwyn. At last report, USS Thunder-A (NCC-70606-A) was still searching for the missing starship. The original away team, consisting of Rear Admiral Toni Turner, Colonel Tyr Waltas, Lieutenant Commander Hannibal Parker and others, had been rescued and were aboard the USS Bronwyn before the ship became trapped in a void. The effects of the planet making them revert to a more primitive state had been reversed once they returned to the ship. Meanwhile on the bridge of the USS Bronwyn, Captain Frazier and crew were trying to decide what to do with the damaged shuttle and the equipment left behind, but the planet was not cooperating. The ash from a volcano made recovery by transporter difficult if not impossible. As the Thunder continued their search, they surprisingly picked up a transmission from the missing starship, which seemed to be coming from right where they were, in their time. Spying the anomaly opening, Marine Captain Hella took the Thunder inside, in search of their missing shipmates. Finding their quarry, the Thunder met up with the badly damaged Bronwyn and tied it to the Thunder via tractor beam. Both ships began the trek back through the anomaly. Reaching the other side, they were attacked by a ship which should not have existed: a ship from the Laudean Empire. Captain Frazier instantly knew that although they were in the right time in space, what was happening was not right. He made the decision to send the Thunder back into the anomaly, leaving the Bronwyn to sort things out with the attacking Laudeans while the Thunder returned to Jurassic Duronis to fix what had gone wrong. The Thunder, having returned to the Jurassic period, set about retrieving or destroying the shuttle and any items left behind. Captain Frazier of the Bronwyn established communications with the Laudean ship, and he and Ambassador Vetri went over to find out more information. While they were on board the Laudean flagship, it was attacked by the flagship of the Ba’ku Empire, led astoundingly by Admiral Tyr Waltas. The Laudean flagship was heavily damaged, and attempted communications with them were rebuffed. To add insult to injury, the Laudean orbital platforms opened up on the Ba’ku flagship, severely damaging it in the process. In a fit of rage and with the Bronwyn unable to stop it, the Ba’ku ship then rammed the Laudean warship, badly damaging her. Ba’ku troops under the command of an alternate version of Lieutenant Commander Hannibal Parker, boarded the Laudean vessel and proceeded to kill everyone on board with the exception of Laudean Admiral Hajj Mustafa. They had precious little time to celebrate their victory, as both ships were slowly falling into the atmosphere… On board the Thunder, with the away team on the ground to ascertain the best way to destroy the shuttle, the decision was made to try to contact their alter egos in the other timeline. Agreeing to a mind meld, Colonel Tyr Waltas mind melded with Lieutenant T’Mihn to send a message. The attempt was successful, and she was preparing to perform the same with Lt. Commander Parker. On the surface, most personnel were tight lipped about the situation concerning the two starships, but one woman who lived at the Embassy by the name of Naloor, spoke about the situation. “They are alive, struggling with what is going on,” she said. “They will prevail.” The post USS Thunder-A races against time to recover missing ship appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

Did you know that we have a rank-by-rank guide to promotions? This helpful walk-through makes clear the steps required to move toward their next promotion, all the way up through captain! Unsurprisingly, the pages with the most views are the ones that address promotion through the rank of lieutenant commander — and it’s that set of promotion guidelines that has recently seen a change. Specifically, the guidelines for promotion to lieutenant and lieutenant commander have seen the additional of an extra, crucial line: Demonstrate that your writing abilities are among the best in your simming group and that your written English is proficient such that spelling and grammatical mistakes in sims are uncommon or rare. This important addition, certified by the Captains Council, reflects the value placed by the fleet as a whole on good writing. Command staff, as well as those who wish to become command staff, are expected to be role models for their crews with respect to their writing, both style and content. This new guideline helps to serve as a reminder, for those interested in promotion, that their writing is very important — and it should be a helpful reminder for COs, too, that looking out for strong writers, in addition to being mindful of the other promotion criteria, is an important thing to do. As always, remember that promotions up through the rank of lieutenant commander are at the discretion of your ship’s commanding officer. The post Changes to Community Promotion Guidelines appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

GARRIDON SYSTEM – While en route to Starbase 118, the USS Gemini received a distress call from a very remote planet in a relatively unknown planetary system. After finalizing their investigation of the Prometheus Station, and calling in reinforcements to take their place, the USS Gemini headed for home, Starbase 118. During their trip from Prometheus Station, an impromptu party was held wherein Fleet Captain Kalianna Nicholotti presented Commander Liam Frost with an unexpected surprise from Rear Admiral Andrus Jaxx. Nicholotti presented Frost with a fourth pip, officially promoting him to the rank of Captain. After giving a short speech and thanking his crew, Frost presented Ensign Randal Shayne with a gift as well. Shayne was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. As the party continued in the Gemini’s lounge, Frost and Lieutenant Commander Alex Blair were simultaneously called by the bridge crew. The two men quickly made their way to Frost’s Ready Room where a message call was played for them. “Mayday Mayday Mayday. This is the Federation outpost Frontier on the fifth planet of the Garridon system, hailing the USS Gemini. Our research facility is facing extreme environmental disaster. A meteorological incident is occurring planet wide, and a massive storm front is inbound to our location,” said a very garbled voice which was later discovered to belong to Lieutenant Commander Oliver Weston. Weston had been temporarily reassigned and it seemed he was in need of help. Within minutes, Frost and Blair began recalling the crew of the Gemini. A Starfleet outpost was in trouble and the crew was determined to do whatever they could to help. As the ship made its way closer to the planet, the crew began deciphering the message. The first thing they confirmed was the suspicion that the message was in fact from Weston. As they got ever closer, the crew started scanning the planet and discovered two things, the planet was in grave danger and due to the nature of the storms that almost covered the whole planet, the Gemini was unable to communicate with or even scan the surface. The post USS Gemini responds to distress call from remote planet appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

Please welcome our newest Academy graduates to the UFOP: StarBase 118 fleet: Brandon Craig and Nathaniel Christopher. The post New Academy Graduates appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

DEEP SPACE 285 – The crew of the USS Doyle has successfully docked at Deep Space 285 to proceed with much needed shore leave after a stressful mission. Following her shakedown cruise to Car’then III, the Doyle and her crew made for Deep Space 285 for shore leave. During shore leave, several department changes have occurred including taking on some new faces and tracking down a tactical officer whose orders got lost in the shuffle of the transfer to the new ship. Among the departmental changes were Lt. Commander Benjamin Hunnicutt who stepped down as Chief Engineer and local Marine Major Pearce, who stepped up to Assistant Security Chief. “Shore leave is where you can get to know your crewmates, reflect on missions, make new friends, and reconnect with old friends,” claimed Lieutenant Sabrina Holly, one of the Doyle’s Engineers. “It’s also the perfect time to go shopping.” Let’s turn our attention to the shore leave rumor mill. Two of Doyle‘s Tactical Officers were seen leaving the Brig on Deep Space 285, weaving tales of their possible reason for being there in the first place. Our sources at the Wagon Wheel, three of Doyle‘s finest, found themselves getting drunk and trying their luck on Tongo. The shops on the Promenade have reported higher patronage by Doyle officers, as they de-stress with some much needed retail therapy, but really how much stuff does someone need? In breaking news, it is reported that one of the Doyle‘s Intelligence Officers was caught up in an assassination attempt, however details are still sketchy. More reports to come. Our final piece of Doyle news follows a couple of Doyle officers taking a few days off to return to Starbase 118 to attend a friend’s wedding. There is hope that these officers will return in time for the upcoming promotion ceremony. Hope they don’t hit any bad space anomalies during their return trip. With the Doyle’s first shore leave winding down and a promotion ceremony on the horizon, the Doyle and her crew make preparations for their second mission, that will prove just how ready and willing they are to take on whatever the universe throws their way. The post Doyle returns from shakedown cruise as rumors fly in space appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

A barbed wire fence. A padlocked door. A moldy, wet concrete staircase into the earth. What’s this? A secret military bunker no one’s seen in 50 years with a… is that? A time machine?! You’ve got a one-way ticket into the future and Star Trek is the destination. But how far to go? You could land just a few years ahead, after first contact and the long-slog through Vulcan side-eyes to end up with the crew of the NX-Enterprise and Jonathan Archer, if leeches, away missions that start and end with a shuttle ride, and who can forget little Porthos patties on the deck plating when the captain forgot to bring his baggies on the morning walk? Or maybe it’s straight on through to the Golden Age of frontier adventure with Captain James T. Kirk and his crew on their five year mission aboard the Enterprise! Two-scotch lunch with Scottie, broken bones mended by the lovable curmudgeon in sickbay, or a shoot-first, ask-questions-later first contact with Kirk! If you’re a little more of the cerebral type, maybe the Enterprise-D is your destination. Don’t expect to get too chummy with Captain Picard, but if you play your cards right you might win on poker night with Data, Will, Geordi, and Troi. But weekend trips to the lush eden of Bajor could be fun, too. Of course, your future may be a bit uncertain considering the Dominion War on the horizon, but you’ll enjoy the many personalities of Dax, and maybe even meet the wormhole aliens if you and Sisko get close. Get in touch with your spirit guides, learn clarinet from Harry Kim, or enjoy a drink with a handsome bartender in Fair Haven if you want a more communal experience that could be indefinite. Generational ship Voyager, perhaps? Which one’s your choice, and why? Click here to vote in this Poll of the Week about the crew you’d most enjoy serving with. Then tell us why you picked that crew! The post Poll of the Week: Which crew would you serve with? appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been laying the groundwork for a new role that will help our myriad of taskforces to focus on the goals we set each year in our State of the Federation Address. This new role is the Taskforce Facilitator, the purpose of which is to help our taskforce leaders. There are lots of teams that help to provide depth to our fleet and through the work done by their members, our experience is enriched. Each team has a different directive, pursued by the members of that specific team, but the results of their efforts ripple outwards and have an impact on the rest of the fleet regardless of how small that impact may seem. From our monthly fleet-wide chats, to our Training Team, and even our Graphics Team, it’s certain that our experience here at 118 would not be the same if it were not for the hard work of our team members. But with so many taskforces, there are lots of things — like those goals we set every year — that can fall through the cracks when people get busy. The Taskforce Facilitator will work with team leaders to track membership, goals, and keep records so they are readily available to the EC, CC, and leaders looking to get a picture of where a team stands. By working in conjunction with the Promotion Coordinator, the Taskforce Facilitator will also help by finding appropriate leadership roles for up and coming command officers. Often, we find that our time is limited and our goals seem so far away. To make things easier on our leaders throughout the fleet, it is hoped that the creation of this role will take some of the stress from those leaders so that they can refocus on their team’s goals with renewed fervor. With direct support (from me!), team leaders will have a better chance of attaining the goals they’ve set for themselves at the beginning of the year, and moving on to bigger things. Have questions or want to know more? Stop by my corner of the forums and say hello or ask a question. The post Introducing the Taskforce Facilitator appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

The Summer Graphic Contest has come to an end and the jury stood before another challenge: to choose the winners. It was hard once more, but the winners have been announced! As we had entries only for one category, we once more have two overall winners and two runners up. The theme of “The Spirit of Star Trek” has inspired our contestants to fantastic art, they have shared with you in the forum! Without further ado, I have the pleasure to congratulate the Winners Antero Flynn and Kali Nicholotti, and the Runner Ups Toni Turner and Chythar Skyfire. The Fall Graphic Contest will be announced shortly, so stay tuned and keep your eyes open in the Graphic Contest Forum. The post Summer Graphic Contest Winners announced! appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

NASHIRA RHO – Both the Tholians and the crew of the USS Victory are investigating the mystery of the USS Arrow. The USS Victory entered the Nashira Rho region, near the Tholian border after receiving information from the captain of the Lady Adventure. Captain Harrington James reported to Captain Nugra that he had received a weak beacon from the USS Arrow, which had been missing for decades. Captain Nugra decided to investigate and in the process give a shakedown cruise to the upgrades that had been installed. “We were all excited about the new slipstream drive that had been installed,” reported Crewman Daniel McKay of the Victory. “But it was a bumpy start. We got bounced all over the place before engineering was able to sort out the harmonics.” The Victory was able to locate the derelict USS Arrow in an asteroid field perilously close to Tholian space. Deciding to utilize a shuttle instead of transporters because of interference, two teams were sent to the ship to investigate and to see if they could discover what happened to the USS Arrow. Lt. Commander Eerie’s team was assigned to get the ship up and operational while the role of Lieutenant Ayiana Sevo’s team was data retrieval. They were able to reboot the Arrow’s computer systems and bring her back online, but that was not before a Tholian Garnet class cruiser entered the system and threatened the Victory. “You know that the situation has gone bad to worse, when those rock spiders show up,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Greg Kelly. “I’m just glad this ship isn’t as green as it once was when we were facing those alien statin sentries over a year ago. That was a real fiasco.” The Tholian vessel Jaxin, under the command of Major Thramis, ordered the Victory to leave and though Nugra refused on grounds that it was unclaimed space, the Tholian vessel attacked utilizing a new form of web that clung to the side of the ship and spread along the hull. The process set off radiation alarms that put Lieutenant JG Janel Tarna and Lieutenant JG Lael Rosek into action. With the Tholians after the Arrow and the Victory caught in a new type of web, the mission to discover the fate of the Arrow is now in jeopardy. The post USS Victory has its hands full with asteroids, a mystery ship, and the Tholians appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

Avatar System – I’m Kyra Ilan, coming to you from Deep Space 285. Federation News Service has secured an interview with one of Starfleet’s Commanding Officers. Reaching that goal is the pinnacle of any officer’s career. The path to Command is competitive, yet its very solitary at the top. Ultimate responsibility rests with the brave men and women who choose to follow this path, succeed at training and are entrusted with a command position. Today we’re speaking with Captain Shelther Faranster Commanding Officer of the USS Doyle-A. It’s a pleasure to spend some time with one of Starfleet’s Commanding Officer’s to gain more insight into the world of command. For a short time he commanded the USS Constitution-B, his first command prior to his current assignment. Taking command of a new ship is a highlight of every Captain’s career. Ilan: First I’d like to say congratulations on your promotion and your new command. This is a unique opportunity to speak with a Commanding Officer so we have a few questions for you. Why change ships to the USS Doyle-A? Faranster: After the last few months, and the trouble we’ve had on the good old USS Constitution, I am suspecting that Starfleet wanted something more modern, and not as apt to have as many shield or computer problems. Faranster (OOC) – As I worked up the ranks, I was asked what ship I would want if I made Captain, different captains had the choice ships, and others climbing the ranks had their preferences. So, I actually thought what I would want to name my ship, before I thought of the class. I wanted to know how it would sound: Captain Faranster of the USS Doyle. I chose the name because I am a big Sherlock Holmes fan, and USS Holmes, USS Sherlock, USS Watson, just didn’t sound the same. Ilan: Tell me a bit about why you chose a Luna-class ship? Faranster: Well, the Luna class was chosen because it has greater maneuverability. But with the missions that we’ve been on, and the length of time it’s taken to get from point A to point B, would say it’s increased speed was also a determining factor. But with our assignment primarily being the Avalon sector, and a support ship to SB285, I think it’s about time that we have a more modern ship. The Constitution was great, I loved serving as her Captain, but her equipment is more classic than state of the art. Faranster (OOC): The class is a bit more complicated, I wanted something that wouldn’t be too small, frankly I am a bit claustrophobic when not given enough choices, both in decks, and personnel. But I also wanted something with a good shot at not being destroyed on it’s first space battle, as well as options for science and investigation missions. To figure out the class that fulfilled this, I had to reach out to the engineers, the people who knew the classes better than me. And while a couple were suggested to me, this one stuck out. Ilan: What kind of plots is the Doyle diving into? Faranster (OOC): Well, since we are a science based ship, we are wanting to get into more science and investigation type missions. There will be the occasional high power mission, but well be diving into more mysterious type missions. Solving the puzzle to figure out the bad guy, or trying to determine what caused something to happen. I have thought about having the Doyle explore a body switching mission, or a murder mystery. Ilan: Would you mind going into a little more depth as to what plots you have upcoming? Faranster (OOC): We have a couple mission ideas brewing, but we try to look at the crew compliment and pick something based on the combination of officers. This upcoming mission we have in the works is going to be a mix of preventing man-made natural catastrophes and saving a species from slavers. I am hoping for a fair mix of science and action for my crew. Ilan: Tell us a bit about your journey to Captain in Starbase 118? Faranster: If I were to describe it as interesting, it would be an understatement. I started in the fleet two and a half years ago, and two years and 2 months ago I was asked for the first time if I saw myself going for command. Since then, I have either jumped, or dove off the plank into the deep-end, keeping myself moving forward for the sake of my ship and crew. It’s been an exhausting journey sometimes, sometimes stressful, but it was worth it to be able to work with the writers I have on my ship. While sometimes I wanted things to go more smoothly, I wouldn’t trade my crew, who I think of as friends and family, for the smoother ride. Ilan: Did you always see your character as the command type? Faranster: Actually, when I joined, I was writing for Sundassa Faranster, and I didn’t see her getting past Lieutenant Commander, I knew I could make all the goals for Lieutenant Commander (in fact, I think I did it within 1-2 months), but I didn’t see myself as a leader. If I am honest, it was Jalana Laxyn and Andrus Jaxx who led me to where I am, and helped me with the decision to push for striving towards the Command track. Ilan: Do you have any advice for those who might want to be a CO themselves one day? Faranster: If you don’t try, how do you know you can or can’t do something? Push yourself. Jump into the deep end, over and over, until you can do it. And, if you feel yourself slipping under, there’s always a helping hand! Ilan: How would you describe the over arching theme for the Doyle? (ie Science, Exploration, a mix etc) Faranster: A mix of Science and Investigation, I would say. Ilan: Captain Faranster its been great speaking with you today. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with us. Fair winds and following seas to you and your crew, the Doyle is a beautiful ship. BREAKING NEWS UPDATE Shortly after we completed our interview with Captain Faranster, USS Doyle departed Deep Space 285. Details have not been released. The ship’s destination is undisclosed and its mission classified. Being here on this starbase is a stark reminder that those individuals who choose a life in Starfleet pledge to do far more than simply explore. God speed Captain Faranster and the crew of the USS Doyle-A. The post Insights from the Command Chair: Captain Shelther Faranster appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

DEEP SPACE 26 – After the promotions ceremony in the arboretum of DS26, the station went on lockdown for undisclosed reasons. “The situation on Deep Space 26 is under control,” said Starfleet Public Affairs officer Commander A.J. Ciaravolo in San Francisco. “Until the investigation is complete, we are considering the matter a top priority security issue.” During the promotion ceremony, Deep Space 26 suddenly went on lockdown on for unknown reasons, and the majority of the crew of Atlantis wound up trapped, while the remaining crew managed to make their way back to the docked Atlantis. Due to communications being sporadic in the ship and station, it took some time to gather the crew together on board the Atlantis. In some cases, they had to cut through the lockdown in order to get out of the station. However, a headcount revealed that Captain Raj Blueheart had gone missing. Shortly after the crew returned to the Atlantis, the station’s power returned to normal. Admiral Garcetti called a meeting with Lieutenant Commander Tracey Townson and Commander Dickens, while the crew of the Atlantis and station Operations attempted to discover the reasoning and cause of the lockdown. While what the meeting revealed is unknown, it was clear that the two were under strict orders not to talk about it, indicating something disturbing had happened. Admiral Garcetti declined further comment to the press. Stay tuned for further updates. The post Crew of USS Atlantis trapped on DS26 during lockdown appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

Please welcome our newest Academy graduates to the UFOP: StarBase 118 fleet: Mason Quinn and Valoru! The post New Academy Graduates appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

The staff of UFOP: StarBase 118 would like to take a moment and recognize the officers – please be sure to congratulate these folks when you see them around the fleet! CONSTITUTION Rustyy Hael to Lieutenant JGDamian Wynter to Lieutenant JGSinda Essen to Lieutenant CommanderShar’Wyn Foster to Lieutenant CommanderDARWIN Maxwell Traenor to Lieutenant CommanderThe post Promotions for June, 2015 appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article

Last week, for the first time in my life, I watched M*A*S*H the movie, and lo-and-behold, I discovered two Star Trek alumni as stars in the movie! Rene Auberjonois, who played Father John Mulcahy and best known to us as Odo on DS9, and Sally Kellerman who played ‘Hot Lips’ Houlihan and known from The Original Series episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before” as Dr Elizabeth Dehner. The movie was basically a dark comedy based on the antics of the main character doctors at M*A*S*H 4077th, a front line military hospital during the Korean war. The actors in the movie are a who’s who of stars in the late 60s and early 70s: Donald Sutherland as Hawkeye Pierce, Elliott Gould as Trapper John McIntyre, Tom Skerritt as Duke Forrest, Robert Duvall as Major Frank Burns and Roger Bowen as Colonel Henry Blake. After watching it, I almost created a character somewhat like Hawkeye from the M*A*S*H movie as an NPC in sim, but chose not to do that. At least not yet. Who knows what the future holds, however? But that brings us to this week’s Poll of the Week: Of all the Doctors portrayed in Star Trek, which do you think had the best funny bone? Which Doctor made you take the best medicine of laughter the most? So head on over to the polls and vote away and please let us know why you chose as you did! The post Poll of the Week: Just For Laughs appeared first on UFOP: StarBase 118 Star Trek RPG. View the full article