StarBase 118 Staff

When the storms impact it proves impossible to prevent them penetrating and attaching to the fusion reactors that supply power to the bases systems. During the impact to everyone’s horror a column of flame penetrates Strategic Operations apparently incinerating Lt Sinda. This is only the beginning of a series of calamities and it soon becomes apparent that four elemental forces; Air, Water, Earth and Fire have taken up residence and chosen Avatars that are rapidly recruiting minions for a four way battle. Chan the elemental of Air has a penchant for animating corpses and raises a force of zombies. She is blasted out into space while recruiting in the morgue and subsequently engaged by a fighter wing lead by Lt Washburn. Cinder the Fire elemental delights in setting things alight and moves around the station in Lt Sinda’s body causing mischief. Shale the Earth elemental takes possession of a marine and is involved in an ongoing battle with 2nd Lt Merek , Cmdr Weston and the remainder of the marine squad. Brine the Water elemental encounters Cmdr’s Aitmen and Pandora and surprisingly agrees to assist with taking down Chan. Lt Richards , James and Ensign M’wash create a plan to sever the connection between the fusion generators and the avatars , thus reducing their power while herding them together at a location of the Captain’s choosing. Meanwhile Cmdr Daznia unwittingly comes into possession of an amulet which contains a fifth element and the key to controlling the other four elementals. View the full article

Please welcome our newest Academy graduate to the UFOP: StarBase 118 fleet: Udas View the full article

Just a reminder that voting for the Top Sim of 2013 closes at 11:59pm Eastern Time on Sunday, December 29. Vote here: http://go.starbase118.net/topsims2013 Only 26% of the fleet has voted so far, so the voting is still wide open – anyone could still win! There are just five sims to read and vote on, so be sure to take a few minutes this week to check out the sims in contention for our most prestigious simming prize, and then vote on your favorite at the link below: http://go.starbase118.net/topsims2013 This year’s winner will receive a prize, too! View the full article

When last we left our Top Picks, we had explored my favourite choices for our Trekkie babies. Babies, however, get older and outgrow all those neat outfits, gadgets, and doodads. There’s a lot out there though for our older children, and many of the items are probably expected by fans of the franchise. However, while I have included a couple of more common items, I managed to find some neat ones that most might not realise exist. So, without further ado, Alora’s top picks for Trekkie items for kids. 10. Star Trek Watch It’s important to tell the time and with the digital age, face and hand clocks are not as common as they once were. Now you can not only encourage your child to impress your friends because they know how to read a face and hand clock, but you can give them this to practise. Even better, it’s Trekkie! The batteries are a bit of a pain to change, but it’s worth it to have the Enterprise constantly on your little one’s wrist! 9. Star Trek XBOX 360 Charge Dock I’m sure most of us must realise that there are Star Trek video games, especially based on the newer movies. Now your kids’ controllers can charge thanks to the Star Trek XBOX 30 Charge Dock. I wonder if using this might give a boost in the game. Hmmm. 8. Star Trek Cookie Cutters Ah, Think Geek. If I ever need something geeky, this is one of the first places I check. It never fails to please! In this case, they have a neat set of cookie cutters just perfect for making sweet snacks to gnosh on – and what child can resist cookies? 7. Star Trek Bath Set I had difficulty with this one. This is one of those items that can transcend age. However, I think kids would find this particularly cool – and if you have a child who doesn’t like to bathe, this might help him change his mind! 6. Star Trek Communicator These little devices are imperative to any Star Trek crew. In the original series, the ship couldn’t locate and beam up anyone without one. These little babies were also important to keep in touch with the ship and other crew members when on an away mission. Now your child can have his or her own and run around yelling, ‘Beam me up Scotty’ to their heart’s content! 5. Enterprise Lego Set Legos have been around for years and they just keep getting more and more intricate. Now you can build your own Enterprise using legos! Who needs dilithium crystals when you have plastic? Note: That seller, they also have a Klignon Bird of Prey lego set. Score! 4. Star Trek Wall Decals Now while I’ve never been one to get into decorating a baby nursery, I have to admit I’m more inclined to decorate my chidlren’s rooms. I’ve had plans in my brain for a while, but wall decals like this are pretty cool – and a lot less work than paint! 3. Star Trek Lunch Box While I homeschool, many children go to school outside the home. Even homeschoolers, though, need to take their lunch on the go from time to time. What better way to do this than with a Star Trek lunch box? Tin lunch boxes were all the rage back in the day and they’re still pretty darn cool. This is definitely the best way to go retro. 2. Star Trek Amigurumi Another place I often check for geeky goodness is Etsy. That’s where I found these little beauties. While Spock plushies is the one I linked to, you can find other characters as well. Amigurumi is a Japanese word that describes the type of creations made when knitting or crocheting. Usually these creations are of animals or other cute stuffed anthropomorphic creatures (and sometimes plants and things!). In this case, they just happen to be of some beloved Star Trek characters! 1. Star Trek Interactive Tribbles Even those who aren’t Trekkies but have some passing knowledge of Star Trek have heard of tribbles. They’re probably one of the most beloved alien species next to Vulcans – and certainly the most popular alien pet. Now your child can have his or her own tribble, complete with tribbly sounds. What better way to curl up for the night than with a tribble? So that’s it for this edition of Top Picks. Tune in next time when we explore Alora’s top picks for Him. View the full article

The crew of the USS Tiger-A has been enjoying leave on the ship during their return journey to Deep Space 17. Crew members have been exploring the ship and getting to know each other during the long trip. A holodeck program about the Three Musketeers has been a crew favorite while the engineers have been hard at work trying to repair the ship. The crew also gathered for a formal promotion and service ribbon ceremony on the Holodeck. Brayden Jorey was promoted to full Lieutenant and Ian West was restored to his rank of Lieutenant Commander. Lieutenant T’Mihn and Lieutenant Commander Alex Blair received commendations for the actions in helping the Tiger escape the ocean on the Iconian Gateway planet. Much to the crew’s surprise, duty posts were reassigned with crew members taking on new roles. View the full article

Its holiday season people. So that means shopping…shopping and more shopping. Now me, I love to shop. But not so much when the rest of the world has the same idea. What normally starts out as fun, this time of year quickly disintegrates into a stressful experience. As such, some of us will be getting gifts this time of year. And even if you do not celebrate the holidays, or if you are just not into the whole giving spirit, that’s cool too. Just try to pretend for this week’s Poll of the Week. Once again we will be looking at the hypothetical. This year I am in the giving mood and this year you can choose one gadget from the Star Trek universe to have as yours today. And only one. Which would you choose? Why? How would you use it? Is there another gadget from the Star Trek universe you would rather have that is not on this list? So head on down to the forums and choose your new free toy, for this offer comes to an end in 10…9…8…7..6…5 seconds. Hurry up! View the full article

:: A deep pulse of bass music opens up with a graphic of turbolift flashes over the screen before the screen lights raise up to focus in on a Vulcan man seated in a chair with a pair of ceramic coffee mugs on a small table between his chair and the as of yet off screen occupied one. :: Sopek: Hello and Greetings. My name is Sopek and it is time to once more leave behind the center chair and big office and journey down the turbolift to The Lower Decks. Where we speak with the crew of the vessels and bases in Starfleet. ::He shifts slightly to meet the changing camera and waves a hand to the other chair.:: Tonight’s guest is Lieutenant Commander Brek. Commander Brek is the diplomatic officer for the USS Excalibur-A. Good Evening Commander. ::Brek, who until now had been sat on his chair with the flexibility of a statue, forced himself to put a crooked smile on his face. Why had he accepted to be interviewed? He had no idea. Probably a vague sense of duty. After all, Starfleet Academy was good at instilling that sort of sentiments to its recruits.:: Brek: Good evening Mister Sopek. It is a pleasure to be with you tonight. ::During his posting on Starbase 118, Brek had seen all sorts of journalists, but he had never met a Vulcan one. Perhaps this was the true reason why he had accepted to face the camera. The opportunity to speak to someone who wasn’t hewmon was bound to be refreshing.:: Sopek: So Commander, the logical place to start is with the beginning. What brought you to Starfleet? ::Brek looked at the camera as if to say ‘free meals, if I’m honest.’:: Brek: Well, like most Ferengis, I’m not really taken by the sense of adventure that Starfleet offers. What I saw in the Fleet was the opportunity to reconstruct my life. I had reached a point where none of my attempts to become successful had worked, so I needed to take a different, more drastic, approach to prosperity. Sopek: Most interesting Commander. And your choice to take the path of diplomacy? Brek: Well… I started out as a science cadet, but soon discovered that long hours spent in labs weren’t for me. I felt I’d fare better in a different department. One where I’d have the opportunity to meet a lot of people. That’s how I tried my hand at diplomacy. That’s also how I discovered that I have a genuine cultural interest for all the species that live in our galaxy. Sopek: How have you fared working on the Excalibur? Brek: The ship’s been launched recently, and has only gone through one mission, in Romulan space. It’s a radical change from the functions I used to have on Starbase 118, which was my previous posting. So, in a way I’m still adjusting myself to a life in space. It’s challenging, but rewarding too, and, Ferengi or not, that’s what counts. Sopek: It must give you some excitement to work in such a diplomatically active region. Brek: ::Smiling.:: The best part of being on the Excalibur is its Quantum Slipstream Drive. We are now able to travel so fast, that I truly have no idea where our next missions are going to take us. So far I’ve mainly specialized in Romulan politics, and I’d welcome the opportunity of meeting new species. It might seems strange to say so, but except for my handling of a few commercial contracts, I haven’t had too many encounters with species who live on far away planets. Sopek: And what of your family? Are they back on Ferenginar? Brek: As far as I know most of my relatives live on Ferenginar, yes. It’s difficult to tell, as I’m not close to them, but there is nothing strange in that. Ferengi families will sometimes part company, as every individual travels the galaxy to make their fortune. Sopek: And they are supportive of your choice? Brek: I don’t suppose they do. But I’d say that if we all only did what our relatives permitted, we would lead sheltered lives. I feel better with myself having followed my calling. Sopek: And it seems to be favoring you well being promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Brek: Those three pips… they are nice aren’t they? I owe them to the generosity of Starfleet, and my Captain, of course: Fleet Captain Nicholotti, that is. The thing is, and I’m saying this in case there are some Ferengi younglings listening to this interview: if you work hard enough, the Fleet will always rewards you. Sopek: What do you do in your free time? Brek: ::Smiling.:: I’m tempted to ask ‘what free time?’, but it wouldn’t give a just picture of what my life is like. I’m a bit of an art collector, so I buy and sell a lot of valuable items. I guess it’s not that I enjoy art for itself that much, but this activity keeps my Ferengi instincts alert, in a harmless way. Sopek: Do you have a favorite piece? Brek: Hmm… I never keep what I buy for long periods, since my aim is to turn a profit. But I tend to stick to Terran or Romulan art, especially old paintings or leather bound books. Ambassador Ventu possesses an amazing collection of those fascinating books. I guess that’s how I developed such a liking for them. Sopek: You seem to be doing[a] well in your chosen career path. Do you have any long term goals? Brek: Beyond having a long career within the Fleet, I would like see to Romulan Empire reinstated to its former glory. Diplomacy is making progress in that direction, but it’s a slow, arduous process. Sopek: Is it in your opinion then that a return to an established Romulan Empire will help stabilize the region? Brek: :With a little smile.:: This is a tricky question, one which has the potential to bring new enemies to my door. So I’d just say that, to me, the whole galaxy is the poorer without the Romulans to play their rightful part in it. Sopek: A most interesting thought Commander. Unfortunately our time is drawing to a close. Your mention of books earlier prompts me to ask, is there a quote from your favorite book you’d like to leave us with? Brek: Well, I’d lie if I said I’m that well-read. But as it happen, I do like to collect quotes. With them being free, it’s not a demanding occupation. So, let me see… I think I’ll conclude with wisdom of William Shakespeare: ‘Better three hours too soon than a minute too late’. Which pretty much sums up how diplomacy works. Sopek: A most fitting quote. Thank you for your time Commander. ::Sopek shifts in his chair to face the recorder.:: Thank all of you as well. I am Sopek and this has been The Lower Decks. To Lieutenant Commander Brek and everyone watching might I say. ::He raised his hand in the traditional Vulcan salute.:: Long Life and Prosperity. ………………………… Brek is played by a French woman with an obsession not for Ferengis, but for the English language, which she will butcher happily in her posts. She likes all things British (well, not so much the food) and when rl gives her a bit of time, she can be found chasing insects (with a camera, and in summer), reading sf short stories, or books about writing, (which is quite an interesting way not to write). View the full article

Please remember to nominate a character bio for round 2 of the Featured Bio Contest before it closes on Wednesday, January 1, 2013. The rules have been simplified so it’s even easier than ever before to nominate a bio to the competition. Just check these three simple points: Nominated articles must be of a player character played by a CURRENT and ACTIVE member.Nominated articles must be either a PRIMARY or SECONDARY player character. PNPCs are ineligible.All information in the article must be CURRENT as of the submission date.We’re looking for the highest quality bios in the fleet to not only help provide an example for our members on how to structure their bio, but also to show off how much our members put into the creation of realistic and emotional characters. Head to the Featured Bio Contest forum to nominate a bio today. View the full article

::Stardate Now!’s music is familiar as it plays just before the darkness fades. Colour splashes across the background and a pair of chairs – one purple, one red – add to the rainbow. Danica has taken up the violet while her outfit of neon green contrasts sharply with the furniture. A smile is plastered over her brilliant pink lips and her mouth parts as she speaks with her eyes pointed at the camera while eases in for a close up.:: DANICA: Good evening and welcome to Stardate Now! I’m your host, Danica Galaxie. This evening we have with us Lieutenant Dueld taJoot of the USS Vigilant. ::That is the cue for her to turn. The camera sharply changes angle so that both host and guest are seen. That broad smile remains fixed upon her expression and Danica folds her hands then leans forward upon the arm of her chair.:: DANICA: Good evening and welcome to Stardate Now!, Lieutenant. ::Dueld’s dark uniform, yellow collar, warm peach skin and bright silvery-lilac hair make him look custom-made to match the show’s vivid decor. He nods at Danica; a wary fraction of a smile lifts one corner of his mouth.:: DUELD: Ms. Galaxie. DANICA: Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? Tell us a little about your childhood. DUELD: ::blinking a little:: Really? Don’t you guys normally cover that stuff in, like, intro montages? Okay, well, hmm. My dad’s a hydroengineer, and there’s a lot of water on Cendo Prae– er, Catulla, the Federation calls it Catulla– that needs engineering. So we moved around a lot. My mom’s a jekker commentator– that’s a sport on Catulla. You can put a FedNet link about jekker in at this point, right? Anyway, my mom used to be a champion, so she’s kinda famous back home. She’d take us along sometimes when she was recording on site; I used to hang out with her techies. ::scrunches face in contemplation:: What else? I started surfing because it made things easier when we moved. You could look like you were hanging out with the beach crowd, but you didn’t really have to talk to anyone. My sister was a pain, my brother was a goof– can I say that? Actually, she’s still a pain, and he’s still a goof, but she rocks her job so I respect her, and… he might grow out of it, I guess? ::faint, doubtful frown:: DANICA: I see. I noted in your file that school didn’t always come easy to you. Is it true you failed the interview in order to gain a visa to Vulcan? Tell us about that. DUELD: ::sitting up a little straighter:: What? Seriously? Where does it say that? Who did you pay? ::slumping back slightly:: Ugh. Okay, so, languages: they’re vague and dumb, admit it. And don’t get me started on history. Seriously, you do not teach someone how to do something, like, say, living, by making them memorize all the ways everyone else has failed at it. ::waving the very concept of sentient studies away, and glancing up at the ceiling off-camera:: As for the Vulcan thing, my tech marks were good enough but ::pointing at his face and looking back down at Danica:: I kind of talk a lot, by Vulcan standards. Can you see this at the Science Academy? No? That’s what the visa admin said too. ::sighing:: I was super crushed. I had gotten all revved up to go somewhere, and now I wasn’t. School was done, so I just… took off. ::shrugs at Danica:: ::Eyebrows arch upward as Danica placidly regards the lieutenant, but she refrains from making any opinionated comments on his past. Instead, she forges onward.:: DANICA: Where were some of the places you visited and what are some of the jobs you did afterward? DUELD: ::laughing a little:: Oof. ::scratches nose:: Let’s see. I waited tables at a seafood shack in Kussitser, I taught windsurfing near Ostleuvsjil ::trace of pride::, I did municipal net maintenance in Lidlo… I ended up working in a furniture studio in Utyoyomsaeg. Historic motifs in neelkoms wood. I can still smell it. ::breathes deep in remembrance:: That’s how I got the job on the Joyous Hope. We had been working for months on some special commissioned pieces for the captain’s lounge. My boss, who was– is!– a totally cool person in every way– knew I was still moping about not getting off the planet, so when the purser’s assistant from the Hope came by to, like, approve the completed furniture, my boss totally talked me up to him as some kind of undiscovered genius. ::shaking his head at the memory:: ::spreading hands:: Two months later, I was heading out on a year-long cruise from Catulla all the way to Bajor. Okay, I was doing gamma shift as a replicator tech, but still, you know, I was on my way. ::pointing at Danica, as if she’s about to say something:: And I gotta say– the regular passengers on that ship disproved everything you have ever heard about tourists. They were so nice! Half of them would get up at, like, oh-five-hundred to do spirit katas– “working your soul back out into your fingertips”, one of them called it– and then they’d meditate on these little white mats. Like, an entire gymnasium of little white mats in concentric ovals. A lot of the guests were headed to this Federation-wide spiritual conference scheduled on Bajor around the time the ship would arrive. It was kind of a big deal, I guess, if you were into that. DANICA: That sounds like it was a very positive experience. Yet, your time on Bajor also inspired you. Could you give us some insight? ::Dueld’s eyes brighten.:: DUELD: Oh, loeg, Bajor is so cool. Like, Catulla is fantastic, but face it: until recently, the ocean pretty much washed away a quarter of our civilization every couple of centuries. On Bajor, they had literally thousands of years of this bedrock certainty that the Prophets were really out there, guiding them. And that shows in so many little ways, in every wrinkle of their culture. ::spreading his hands again, palms out, as if to fend off criticism:: Like, they weren’t perfect– d’jarra, Bajoran for snob ::rolling his eyes::– and it definitely hasn’t always been easy for them. But I still kind of envy them that belief. There’s so much they have to share about science and art and, just, like, living– and… And I guess that’s why I got into Starfleet, you know? I was wandering around, helping with the reconstruction they’re still doing in some places, and seeing what had been lost and what had survived, and… it just seemed like the only thing that could protect that legacy was Starfleet. DANICA: You didn’t do too badly at the Academy, am I right? DUELD: ::snorting a little:: I tested right out of the replicator and transporter course, I can tell you that. Just don’t ask me to tell you in Bajoran. DANICA: Actually, that was my next question. DUELD: ::earnestly:: No, seriously, don’t ask me. I am not allowed to speak Bajoran anywhere, I had to promise my instructor, he was this close to tears. ::holding up thumb and forefinger pinched together:: They sent me a notice afterward, it’s signed by a vedek and everything! DANICA: ::laughing:: Tell us about some of the missions you’ve participated with on the Vigilant? DUELD: ::blowing out his cheeks:: My very very very first day as a Starfleet officer, I am not kidding, Lt. Commander Leo Handley-Page had me running through a historic marketplace on Zakdorn, trying to dodge disruptor fire from Klingon agents. In the past year we have also, according to the Department of Temporal Investigations, I think, saved the galaxy from a chronospatial rift? But thanks to temporal mechanics none of us remember it. We made first contact with a species that was stuck in dome cities underwater (and kind of hating it, as far as I could tell.) Other stuff. It’s been kind of crazy. ::leaning in a little, toward Danica:: They always warn you, in the academy, that deep space exploration is like being trapped in a small house, for months at a time, with roommates you didn’t pick, and nothing to do but watch the emptiness outside go by. ::poking at his own chest, disgruntled:: I like that part. Can we have more of that part? We deserve a chance to get bored like the rest of Starfleet, that’s what I say. DANICA: I understand you’ve modified your PADD into something a little different. Tell us about that, how you came up with the idea and why you decided to implement it. DUELD: ::brightening:: Oh! Okay, seriously, I cannot be the only person who’s done this, because tricorders are actually designed for Borg, as far as I can tell– for users who get their data beamed directly into their head. There are ten square centimeters of display space on an average tricorder. Ten! What century is this? How are you supposed to get any reasonable grasp of your situation from that? “Sir, I’m reading a blotch, another blotch, and two squiggles.” ::lifting his hands in incredulity:: I mean, right? So I’ve been working for a while now on combining a PADD and a tricorder into a, well, a triPADD is what I’m calling it. Do you want to go to some holofootage here? I sent you some shots of my latest prototype, but I’m not a holographer so maybe they weren’t good enough, I dunno. Anyway, I moved most of the tricorder sensors out into a set of three detachable clips, which means I have either standard wide scan mode or I can take them off and set them around a specific location, for triangulation and precision scanning. The main unit holds a 30 cm display with flat and holo projection modes, the power unit, and the network slash satellite comm link, good to low atmospheric range, unboosted. ::a little shyly:: I’ve been working on a graphic interface, too, instead of the standard Fleet text labelling, using some traditional Catullan designs– thanks Zerry!– but that’s just for me. The main thing is that, so far, the science people I’ve been working with ::smile falling away to a sober expression:: have verified that this version meets or exceeds the precision and range of existing tricorders in laboratory use, at least. Field data is promising, but not yet conclusive, so I haven’t, like, submitted it for consideration to StarFleet as a whole. ::As Dueld speaks, pictures of the prototype in question flash on the screen and allow viewers some insight to the device beyond the oral description. The pictures snap back to the man and woman and Danicacontinues her interview.:: DANICA: Despite that earlier failure, it’s obvious that you’re a very intelligent and creative young man. Do you have any other ideas rumbling around just waiting to become reality? DUELD: ::scrubbing at the back of his neck with one hand, then lowering that hand hastily at a signal from someone off-screen:: Well, uh, I guess. Most engineers tinker, right? I mean, I’m in Ops, now, but I still work on stuff in my spare time. I have a small holotainment center in my quarters, sound and visuals only; I use it as a design studio. I :: have some ship designs in progress, I’ve had them in mind for a while now, since I first heard about slipstream tech, actually. Um, and sometimes I daydream about what I’d change on Deep Space Six, if I had the time and the authority. There are a couple of sketches for some civic structures I’d like to see built back home someday…::shrugging at Danica:: Different things. DANICA: What do you most hope to accomplish as a member of Starfleet? DUELD: ::looking down at his feet and swallowing, then speaking more slowly:: It is my goal to expand my knowledge of ship systems and Federation socio-ergonomics, in order to see one of my ship designs commissioned and brought into service. Something the size of a Galaxy-class, or a Vesta, but more than just a, a structure, or a shell. I want foliage, and water, and light, and wide open spaces. And I want them for everyone, all the time, not just for however long their holodeck timeslots are. I think slipstream is really going to change how far we go and where our horizons are set, and we’ll need a new paradigm for that kind of life: not only a planet, not only a space station, not only a ship, but something new, something that has elements of all three, you know? ::passionately:: We’ve already done so much to make our ships into healthy living spaces, but I think we’ve barely scratched the surface. We can make our ships into places you come from, not just vessels to which you’re assigned, anthills you cram yourself into because that’s the price of seeing the galaxy. I want people to say they live on the Excalibur the way you might say you live in Paris, or you came from ShiKahr, or you’re going to retire to Jalanda City. Only I want Jalanda City to have been able to discover the wormhole, and go to the Gamma Quadrant to explore it, and fly back to compare notes with Paris about, I dunno, the Typhon expanse or something. And when something gets outmoded, we replace it! Cities don’t get decommissioned, they build and change and grow! ::coming to a halt, blinking:: Uh, okay, wow, that was a lot of words. Apparently I want to found a colony? Only I want the colony to be able to get up and move around. I guess when your first major space travel experience is aboard a giant luxury cruise ship, that makes an impact. Yoyodyne Propulsion, I salute your designers. And Joyous Hope, wherever you are, I miss you. Tell Jabelsy he still owes me tickets for the lightsail finals. ::Danica chuckles softly and nods.:: DANICA: It sounds like dreams worth pursuing. I look forward to seeing what you accomplish in the future. ::She turns away from her guest and back to the audience, her smile still plastered across her painted features.:: DANICA: And that’s all we have time for tonight. Keep an eye on this one, he’s going places. Until next time, I’m Danica Galaxie and you’ve been watching Stardate Now! View the full article

All crewmembers home safely, and the threat of an uncontrolled Iconian Gateway thoroughly neutralised, the USS Avandar NCC 80203 set a course for somewhere a little less unknown for a chance to take a breath and attend to a few matters that have arisen due to recent events. Whilst (temporarily) Lieutenant T’Lea is faced with the consequences of her actions concerning the Gateway, Doctor Malon has to do the same – though whilst T’Lea’s demotion has an end in sight, things are far less clear as to whether Malon’s telepathic abilities will recover at all from her efforts to control the Inconian technology. In the meantime, the newer members of the crew take the chance to begin settling in under more peaceful circumstances – a situation that does not, regrettably, prove long lasting. En route to it’s destination, the USS Avandar encounters something very much out of the ordinary, though investigating quite what it might be initially takes a back seat to the crew having to dealing with the ship being dumped violently out of warp with no warning. The culprit is soon identified as a biological space-dwelling entity of some kind that attaches itself to the warp core, drawing energy from it and leaving the ship’ systems unbalanced as a result. Quite what it is, what it’s doing, and what it’s reaction will be when something is done about it, are all questions the crew will have to face in the very near future… View the full article

Every year, the folks over at Ongoing Worlds host a contest that calls on all online sims and RPGs to submit themselves to extensive judging in order to find the best games of the year. Each year, the awards can vary based on the chair, but one thing remains constant; the prestige that comes with winning one of these awards is no small thing. The simple fact is, players these days have a variety of options and choices when it comes to choosing the game they will join. The best games, inevitably, end up with the most players, and a reputation that lives on in the history of online gaming. This year, the USS Vigilant joins the ranks of those who can call themselves the best of the best. Winners of the Tournament of Simulation’s ‘Best Star Trek Sim’ (having tied with the USS Victory of Independence Fleet), the Vigilant was deemed by the judges of the competition to embody the heart and soul of Trek while maintaining a high level of quality and creativity along the way. We all know and love the stories this member vessel of the Starbase 118 Fleet adds to our group’s history, but now they have a new, and bigger claim to fame that will forever show what an amazing group this really is. The Vigilant’s win marks the third year in a row that a ship of the 118 Fleet has brought home a Tournament win. The run began in 2011, when the Duronis II Embassy won ‘Most Creative Sim’, and continued in 2012 when Starbase 118 ops was awarded ‘Excellence in Prolificness’. With the Vigilant winning ‘Best Star Trek Sim’, we congratulate the crew and staff of our newest winner and look forward to bringing home another title in 2014. Congrats to everyone aboard the Vigilant for a job well done! View the full article

Did you know that the first UFOP:SB118 Writing Challenge took place over ten years ago? That’s right, the Writing Challenges are over a decade old! Though the regular contests didn’t occur regularly until 2005, the September/October 2003 contest was still unprecedented in the group’s history and went on to establish a long legacy. That first Challenge, with the apparently simple theme “Death,” was won by Idril Mar — then a lieutenant, now a fleet captain and a senior member of the Executive Council! — with her story “In the Service of the Emperor.” It’s appropriate that we turn to the past for a moment, as the current Challenge (the last of 2013!) asks you to consider “Treason & Plot” as a theme, as inspired by Guy Fawkes Day and our last Challenge winner’s unique take on a holiday theme. Unfortunately, as of right now, there are no entries in the current Challenge! Can you help us turn that around? You’ll certainly have a better chance of winning with less competition, and remember, too, that the Writing Challenge is now being published to the site as a downloadable PDF document, and that the winner will get a special writeup and have his or her story featured first in that document!Please visit the Writing Challenge forum for more, and we look forward to seeing your entries! View the full article

With Fleet Captain Toni Turner on self-imposed medical leave, she left Commander Alucard Vess and Lt. Commander Nugra in charge of taking the command chairs of the USS Thunder NCC-70605-A on a shake down cruise to test the newly installed Quantum Slipstream Drive. However, everything that could go wrong, did, and they over shot their destination leaving them stranded in an unknown part of space and the drive offline. Commander Vess decided that the best course of action would be to send a team over to the nearby Torus shaped space station. He also put together a second team to investigate a strange Klingon derelict ship found floating out by the station. With Major Hannibal Parker in charge of the derelict ship investigation and Lieutenant Commander Nugra handling first contact with the station’s inhabitants, everything seemed to be going according to plan. Instead of finding themselves in a simple situation, Nugra became entangled in a social upheaval and his team being split up by an unknown energy force, but Parker’s team found themselves stranded when the Klingon ship cloaked and vanished from sensors. Nothing ever goes according to plan. View the full article

Please welcome our newest Academy graduates to the UFOP: StarBase 118 fleet: 14 Theron, Kyle Dracht, and Frank Logan! View the full article

All of us have had to go through academy training the become officers in our group. Whether it is a Fleet Captain down to the newly enlisted Ensign, we all went through the same process at one time or another. Once graduated from training, we were then posted to a ship based upon the answers provided to the Fleet Placement Questionnaire. This week we will pretend something a little different. What if you were to be posted aboard a Starship or installation from the cannon universe? Where do you think would be the most dangerous place to serve as a newly promoted Ensign? Basically, under whose command do you think you would have the highest chance of mortality? Who would be the Captain you would have the largest fear of dying while serving under? Once again, let us know what you think by heading on down to the forums. View the full article

The crew of the USS Apollo, NCC 71669, were on day 3 of their mission when the real ‘fake’ gods arrived. The “gods”, upset that there was lack of fanfare, and noticing that Starfleet was on the planet they setup as a cash cow, set a plan in action. Part one sent the mayor up to the camp with a highly dangerous touch based poison, without her knowledge. Part two set the village on fire. They planned on escaping during the chaos, however Fleet Captain Andrus Jaxx, and Lieutenant Marcus Raiden cornered them, forcing them to give up the antidote for their freedom. Lieutenant Commander T’Mar led a team to put out the fires, while Lieutenant Commander Jalana Laxyn started treating the mayor for the poison, and ended up infected. During this time, two others ended up infected as well, and forced Lieutenant Commander Sundassa Faranster to return to her role as doctor, briefly. After Jaxx let the “gods” go, Raiden went after them anyway, disobeying direct ordered, which resulted in his death by poison. The crew decided their help didn’t out weigh the harm they were doing, and packed up to go home. On the way back to the gate they were notified by a search team of the untimely death of their colleague. View the full article

The new episode has been released! For those of you that want would like to listen online, check out our release on the ! Whilst we recognize that some members would love to listen to the podcast on the go, we have uploaded it to Archive.org. You can download it from the menu on the left hand side!Keep your ears open for our next release due in November! Feel free to subscribe to our YouTube channel for automatic updates. To join the Podcast Team, head to their Google Group page and apply for membership! View the full article

Have you heard of ISON? If you haven’t, perhaps you haven’t been keeping your eyes upon the stars. ISON is the name given to the comet to have most recently entered our inner solar system. It hails from our solar system’s Oort cloud, a vast mass of bodies that have come together to form…well, basically a big cloud at the edge of our solar system. It’s so far away (4.6 trillion miles, give or take), that passing stars can actually change the orbits of the objects within the cloud. ISON was one of these objects. ISON was discovered back in September of 2012 by the International Scientific Optical Network – hence the comets nickname, ‘ISON’ – a Russian observatory. While it’s discovery was fairly recent, it’s journey toward the sun has already lasted a million years or so according to scientists. But why get so worked up about a comet that’s actually smaller than most we come across? Well first of all, it’s orbit is almost a perfect parabola. What’s that? Basically, it’s almost a perfect U shape – which means that it’s most likely the first time it has ever come into the inner solar system. Not only does it have a near perfect parabolic orbit, it’s a sun-grazer. That means it is headed to the sun and is going to get less than 1.2 million km away as it passes by. While that looks like a big number, it’s really very close and means that the comet is exposed temperatures up to 2,700 degrees celsius – hotter than Vulcan! While I’ve been using present tense in reference to the comet, it’s possible that past tense may be more appropriate. Scientists aren’t sure if it has survived its close encounter with the sun. In fact, most thought it had disintegrated – until a smaller, dimmer object appeared on the other side of our bright star. Was it ISON? Did the comet survive? Even now, experts aren’t sure, though NASA has given up hope. Regardless, the comet captured the attention of astronomers around the globe. Unfortunately, while it had originally been speculated that ISON could be visible to the naked eye after it passed the sun, it seems that we will not have the opportunity. Don’t despair, however. Another comet, nicknamed Sliding Spring, is headed our way – and may possibly even toss some cookies over at our neighbor, Mars. Keep your eyes to the skies! View the full article

Please welcome our newest Academy graduates to the UFOP: StarBase 118 fleet: Kyla Kirosa, Samuel Braddock, and Daniel Obrin! View the full article

The Zalkonian attempt to commandeer Deep Space Six and steal the slipstream drive intended for the USS Vigilant, NCC-75515, lost momentum through a series of errors in planning and lack of contingency. The Zalkonians underestimated Starfleet’s resourcefulness and the crew of the USS Vigilant, regained control of the facility and prevented an attempt to flood areas of the station with a lethal biotoxin. In the aftermath of the attack, Fleet Captain Diego Herrera maintained regular contact with Starfleet Command in order to gauge the reaction of the Federation Council to what could be construed as a clear act of war. With the Zalkonian government denying all responsibility and placing the blame on what they introduced as a radical terrorist faction, suspicions about the reclusive power continues to mount. Following a period of extended rest and relaxation, the Vigilant set off to once again explore the Zeta Gelis region, engaging its quantum slipstream drive… Things in Ravensville are grim and bleak. Dr. Diego Herrera, Chief of Medicine, struggles to keep the hospital and mental health care centre, otherwise known as the asylum, afloat. Leo Handley-Page and his staff at the Plaza Caglia struggle to come to terms with the loss of Officer Eyas Wulfantine and members of the Ravensville PD have been involved in a high speed car chase as one of the townsfolk made a break for freedom at all costs. Meanwhile, Dr. Greir Reinard faces off with a mysterious patient who seems to be obsessed with a haunting melody… View the full article

There is no shortage of movies centered around a plot that involves that final frontier. From fictional movies, such as Star Trek and Star Wars, to those inspired by real events, such as Apollo 13, Space has captured and encouraged the imagination. The opportunities presented by the wonders of space offer a whole realm of possibilities, endless amounts of which have yet to be explored. Gravity offers viewers an answer to one such possibility. The cast consists of only seven members with four of those merely providing voices while one of the three left is present in only a small part toward the beginning. Despite it’s lack of actors, however, ‘Gravity’ does not lack in entertainment. Viewers are originally greeted with an exquisite view of the Earth as one might see it if in orbit around the planet. At first, all is silent, but slowly voices cut through the stillness and gradually increase in volume. The audience discovers that a small team of astronauts are attempting to perform a specific mission involving technology developed by Dr. Ryan Stone. She’s trained as a mission specialist and it’s her first time in space – a fact augmented by the green around the gills reactions to certain movements as a result of the lack of gravity. She is accompanied by two other astronauts, one of whom is Matt Kowalski, commander of the mission – the final one of his career. During the installation process, the Russians decide to get rid of a defunct satellite by firing a missile at it. Unfortunately, doing so causes debris to launch into orbit around the Earth – and head right for the astronauts. The debris collides with the Explorer and Stone is flung out into space. Kowalski races after and retrieves her. With the rest of the crew dead and the Explorer rendered useless, the two have to trek across miles of space to the International Space Station – their only hope to return to Earth. They must do this while avoiding the debris which is moving so quickly that it orbits the earth every 90 minutes. The rest of the film documents their struggles, particularly that of Dr. Stone. We find out she had a daughter who died as a result of a head injury sustained after a fall. In a sense, it is this that drives most of the plot. Stone reveals that she was driving when she was told of her daughter’s death. In some ways, she hasn’t stopped driving since. She’s always moving, always on the go – as if trying to run away from the past, or perhaps somehow find it again, the way it was when things were still good. Two ‘big names’ of the film industry shine on the screen. George Clooney is amusing as a charismatic Matt Kowalski while Sandra Bullock’s Ryan Stone is superbly depicted as a woman still in mourning and unable to let go. Both actors have been applauded for their talent and they do not pull punches. Kowalski’s charm causes one to chuckle, while Stone’s pain is enough to bring tears to one’s eye. There are some issues with the film that some may find difficult to ignore. A trek from the position of the shuttle to the International Space Station would be nigh impossible in real life. At one point, when Ryan slips out of her space suit, she’s clad in only underwear and an undershirt. Astronauts will be quick to tell that thermals are worn, not underwear (though some also admitted they didn’t really mind). The International Space Station, Chinese Station, and Hubble Telescope would not be in sight of each other in reality. In addition, the debris orbited East to West, though most satellites orbit West to East. Despite these inaccuracies, however, Gravity is realistic enough to set one’s heart racing as the astronauts face incredible difficulties and have to make heart wrenching decisions. The special effects, while not perfect (Bullock’s hair doesn’t quite float in zero gravity as it would if in reality), are extremely well done. The sequence where Stone finds herself spinning head over heels is stomach turning at best, but allows the audience to get a realistic sense of what is happening. With its well executed special effects and exceptional acting, Gravity is a film that shouldn’t be missed and deserves to be recognised come award time. View the full article

Join us today at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern (US) / 5pm GMT (UK) / 4am Monday UTC+11 (AUS). (Always check your time zone for accuracy/DST if applicable!) for our monthly OOC chat event in our chat room: http://www.starbase118.net/chat/ You’ll have the chance to meet other members of the fleet, catch up on what’s going on in our community and in the world of Star Trek, and dish about upcoming in, and out of character events. If you have problems connecting, use the instructions listed below the chat box. See you there! View the full article

Having accomplished their mission on Agurtha and provided a cure to be distributed by the Romulans, the crew of USS Excalibur left orbit and returned without incident to Starbase 118. As they left, the Romulans continued their work to rebuild the war torn and desperate planet. Gestures of good faith connected the civilian government, Romulan fleet, and Agurthan Tal’Shiar in the effort. Enroute, the crew became more familiar with “Scott”, the entity formerly residing within Benjamin Walker. Having decided that he does not pose a threat, the crew has begun to assist him in understanding his new environment. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Luna Walker awoke after being rescued from Agurtha; the medical staff has begun her rehabilitation. During their short leave aboard Starbase 118, the crew spent time on personal errands and recreation. Additionally, they organized an elaborate staff dinner to celebrate their successful return. With the preparations complete, the crew is ready to enjoy an evening of revelry before leaving on their next mission. View the full article

I must say this week has not been the most exciting for me. Perhaps its the onset of winter’s full-blast where I live, or I’ve sub-consciously given my liver a rest from being out too many nights to visit my local watering-hole over the last few weeks. Whatever the case is, I’ve hermitized myself, except for of course, making a living by going to that always enjoyable place called work. As some of you may know, I work for the public sector, and have recently begun to work in front of the camera once in awhile. Before doing so, I am forced to look my camera best, and so, therefore a special type of makeup is applied before going on air, and this is applied after they wash off the regular makeup I wear to work on a daily basis. Not being the most outgoing girl in the world, I cringe inside when it is applied, for it makes me look odd in the real world. No matter where I go, while TV makeup is on my face, I get stares and strange comments anyplace away from the camera, such as the local coffeshop, or the restaurant where I have lunch with my friends from work. At the start, this was nerve racking, but with great support from my friends at work and special training, I am beginning to become more and more comfortable with it. Each time I go on the air, despite the nervous tension and butterflies in my stomach, I feel as if I am growing into this new role well and am beginning to come to enjoy it and have learned a great deal from the experience. As such, a couple of weeks ago, I was being prepared to give an interview, when the person applying my make-up gave me some pointers how to bring out different features of my face using different colors, in my daily routine. Since this group is mainly composed of men, I am certain most of you could care less about the story regarding mascara and/or blush application and color palettes, so therefore I’ll get to the point. I was informed that the choices I was making did not work well with my eye color. Until working with professionals I never considered my eye color to be a factor in make-up, but after doing some research on the subject, I learned it is very important and have begun to make minor changes to bring out my eyes more in my regular routine. While doing the research on eyes and make-up, I found it odd that I came across a Star Trek related website related to early special effects of TOS, and the episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before” in particular. At the time, the special effects were state of the art for a television show, but without today’s CGI, the actors and actresses had to, apparently, suffer discomfort. To make Gary Lockwood’s and Sally Kellerman’s eyes glow, they actually had to have them wear a special type of contact lens. According to Kirk1980 over at trekbbs.com, “they were scleral lenses which allowed the effects department to get a thin sheet of foil between the layers of the lens. A pinhole was poked in them to allow the actors to see. This had the knockon effect that Lockwood had to tilt his head up in order to see properly, giving him that sorta arrogant look. He wasn’t being dramatic, he just couldn’t see otherwise! They were also HIGHLY uncomfortable. Heat built up behind them, driving Lockwood crazy. Kellerman, though, never showed discomfort. Then again, she didn’t wear them as much, so who knows.” Whether the statement is true or not, I am quite certain changing eye color in those days for film was not as simple as it is today, and if the actors and actresses had to wear makeshift early 60′s contacts, it could not be an easy gig. So that brings us to this week’s Poll of the Week question. If you were a well-known actor like Gary Lockwood or Sally Kellerman at the time, would you have placed your eyes into potential danger for such a guest role? Especially if it was for a pilot of a television show that was not picked up by the networks the first time around? Why or why not? Head on down to the forums and let us know. We voyeurs wanna know the inner workings of your psyche View the full article

Nudity is no stranger on the set of television and film. The first non-pornographic nude scene with a leading actor to ever take place in an American film is documented to have occurred in a film entitled ‘Inspiration’, which was released way back in 1915. The Hays Code, rules that limited nudity in films, was in place by this point but wasn’t enforced until about 1934, largely in part of complaints. It remained enforced – so strict that even cleavage was considered unacceptable – until the early sixties. Since that time, nudity in film and even television has become more and more commonplace. Even Star Trek, a largely benign series when it comes to flashing body parts, has had its share of nudity. Granted, such nudity has always been tastefully presented. Flashes of hips and cleavage with the occasional glimpse of ‘cheeks’ have been the extent bodily revelation – and most of that has been present in the newer versions of the show. Still, with all the exposure to nudity and partial nudity the average person has today, it is perhaps odd to hear complaints about a body being exposed. Except that’s exactly what has happened. In the newest Star Trek film – Star Trek: Into Darkness – Alice Eve, who portrays Dr. Carol Marcus, strips down to her underwear. Now such a scene might not cause a stir for most, it seems to have struck an unfavourable chord among critics. Eve herself goes on to say that it really wasn’t a big deal. She also goes on to explain her view as to why people had a problem with it – and why she actually thought it had an important role to play in regards to her character. Head on over to the short interview with Alice Eve. View the full article