[2021 Halloween Avatar Contest: Chin'toka check-in]

"Charmaine had met many Starfleet scientists during her years of service. For most, their motivation was a combination of altruism, wanderlust, and ambition, but that wasn’t always the case. That was another thing about Starfleet - there was always room for new surprises."

[2019 Halloween Avatar Contest: Veritas check-in]

"Luxio, the Spark Pokémon. By touching friends with its front paws, Luxio is able to communicate through the sparks it emits."

[Poll of the Week: Your Character's Myers Brigg!]

Evan came up as an ISFJ-T Defender (57% introverted, 74% observant, 67% feeling, 51% judging, and 57% turbulent). Tagging @Roshanara Rahman since they asked. 

 

[2019 Red Carpet Fashion Report - Awards Avatars]

For those of you who haven't been with us for very long, it's a tradition around here to temporarily change your forum avatar to match the the spirit of our annual awards season, and to show off "what your character is wearing," to the awards. More info is available in this thread. 

So, what are you wearing to the awards? 

Here's my pick for Evan this year: 

Too much? XD

[Poll of the Week: Best Movie Soundtrack?]

There are so many good choices, but I've got to go with the classic WoK soundtrack as my favorite. TMP's soundtrack is a close second, especially because some of the themes that debuted in that movie continued to be used, at least in snippets, through the TNG movies. But for me, nearly every second of music in WoK perfectly represents the scene. 

[Poll of the Week: United We Stand]

Cardassians for me too. I just saw that they lost almost 1 billion people to the Dominion War, and we know they had to basically rebuild from the ground up. I could see the Federation working with them to promote a democratic government, eventually leading to an alliance or even full fledged membership.

The Klingons at least have a long history of working with the Federation, but I think they'd chafe too much at the restrictions of Federation membership to ever actively pursue that.

[Poll of the Week: Security Officer You'd Want At Your Side?]

If it's  the horrible "Borg-are-everywhere" universe described here, I've gotta go with Worf. He's got the most experience dealing with Borg, and possibly the most combat experience overall. Tuvok would be my second choice. 

I did briefly consider Landry, since she also has wartime experience. But she also [spoilers redacted] in two universes, which makes me think she probably wouldn't actually be that handy to have around. I was going to say something about leaving Ash Tyler off the list of choices, but... yeah.

 

[Graduating Class of 239510.17]

Good work in your training class. Looking forward to seeing you out and about!

[Great Line from the Academy]

 

This exchange from a current Academy class made me laugh, so I wanted to share it.

Quote

 

Oddas: All right everyone, tell me what's going on over there.

Konstantin: Speculation that gravimetric controls and stabilizers are fried. Since the ship looks to be rotating on its axis in a counterclockwise motion and like a block of Swiss cheese, it is possible that it was attacked very recently and electrical fires are erupting throughout the ship.

:: The Bajoran looked to her and Dean realized she’d need a translation. ::

Dean: Uhh…it’s a kind of cheese with holes in it.

Oddas: Ahh I see.  :: she lied:: Any indications this has to do with the trouble at the station?

 

 

[Poll of the Week: Worst Flag Officer?]

I'm gonna go with the guy who tried to commit a coup.

[Duty Post Awards & Finale]

Congratulations to all this year's award recipients!

Also, thank you to everyone who helps to put these Awards ceremonies together each year. I know it takes a lot of work, but I think that it's wonderful that our community takes so much time to acknowledge our members' efforts each year. As always, I'll be looking forward to next year's event.

[2018 Red Carpet Fashion Report]

Evan just realized he's running late.

 

[Witty Wordsmith: 5 Questions for Better Backstories]

Great tips! I'd love to see some of this implemented to the cadet bio template we currently send in the third tutorial at the Academy to encourage stronger characters right out of the gate.

[Delano/Mei'konda Wedding - Thank you!]

I wanted to publicly thank the Veritas crew, our guest simmers, and other well-wishers throughout the fleet who helped to make the IC wedding between @Mei'konda and @Evan Delano so enjoyable. I know there are still a handful of scenes wrapping up (I have some tags I need to respond to myself), but I wanted to make sure to put this out there before Veritas gets too wrapped up in our next mission. There were a number of really fantastic sims that came out of the event, and I really enjoyed the chance to explore my character and these relationships in a different context, and to see other people able to do the same.

Special thanks to @Tony (Mint) and @Saveron who came back from their respective LOAs to participate, as well as @Quinn Reynolds and @Rune Jolara who were able to sim with us, even though I'm sure they have plenty to keep them busy on the Gorkon and Blackwell. One final shout out to @Roshanara Rahman, who helped to facilitate all of this both in and out of character: you rock!

 

[Tarantino: yay or nay?]

I'd have the same attitude that I had watching the recent reboot movies. I wouldn't be super excited, but I'd still probably go see it. No matter how bad it was, Insurrection and The Final Frontier would (probably) still be worse. 

Related:

 

[Graduating Class of 239410.03]

Great job this week. Looking forward to seeing more from you.  

[Poll of the Week: Beaming With Pride]

My guess is that no matter how long distance you can beam, there'd still be use for starships to help deal with situations where some form of interference made beaming dangerous or otherwise unfeasible. There's also the fact that a starship is self-contained, and carries with it a suite of equipment that can be used to observe all kinds of things a person would struggle to see from the ground. So... transwarp beaming represents a great convenience for many people, but doesn't serve to make starships obsolete. 

[Poll of the Week: On Tap]

It's gotta be Ten Forward. You get a beautiful view that changes based on where the ship is, free food and drinks, and a cozy atmosphere for more intimate gatherings. Plus, you get access to a wise and mysterious bartender giving out free advice.

[Graduating Class of 239409.05]

Great job in your class, and welcome to the fleet! 

[Mutiny in the holodeck]

I believe the Picard/Barcley solution was to stick them in a self sustaining computer simulation, independent of the holodeck. That seems more humane than simply deleting them, so I'd probably aim for a similar solution. I'd probably also order the holodeck to be reprogrammed to further limit the intelligence of its characters to avoid a similar problem in the future. 

[Lt. Cmdr Luna Walker: "Lucky(?) Luna"]

((Outside of New Macau, Antor II, in a mine.. under a bunch of rocks))

oO Ow.Oo

:: Her first thought on awakening.. it was immediately followed by.. ::

oO Danni's going to kill me.. Oo

:: Despite the pressure on most of her body, the pain of multiple rocks attempting to become one with her body, and the possibility of being buried alive, she couldn't stop the momentary grin at her next thought. ::

oO But only if she finds out.  Oo

:: She opened her eyes slowly, glad for the light and hum of the force field above her head.  Apparently she'd been at least partially successful in throwing herself to it, though the throbbing in her head said she hadn't been perfectly so.  She closed her eyes, waiting for the pain to pass.. when she heard voices nearby.  ::

Voice 1: And I'm telling you we don't NEED to move at all now.  They tripped the trap and "proved" this mine is unstable.  Heck, they'll probably fall back to the refugee camp mentality after this.
:: Even with her head still feeling like she'd just barely survived a killer party the night before, she forced herself to lie still and listen.  Both voices were male, that was something... ::

Voice 2: We got lucky is what I'm saying.  And see this force field?  It's not like Starfleet is going to forget about that.  Or her!

:: "Her" which likely meant Thorin was further trapped in the rubble somewhere.  Or hopefully had gotten out entirely.  ::

Voice 1: Take a look at this.  If they had a stronger reactor, this would easily hold the weight.  But as it is?  It's going to die out in not that long.  And when it does? The rest of this area will collapse.  Even if she eventually wakes up.. which from the bleeding on the back of her head seems unlikely..

oO Wait!  I'm bleeding? Oo

Voice 1: ... the rest of this will crush her.  No mess, no fuss.  Meanwhile, Blackhurst is going to be having to deal with people hearing that Starfleet can't help them.  Come to think of it, having some news crews present and recording as the broken bodies come out would be a crushing blow.

oO This doesn't sound like Jilor's work at all.. Oo

Voice 2:  Wait!  I think she moved. 

:: Luna felt a barrel pushed up against her head.  She forced herself to remain limp, despite the agony that rolled through her.  A ragged moan slipping out between her lips. ::

Voice 2: She's alive!  We need to kill her now.. what if she tells someone!

:: The voices at this point seemed to fade in the distance behind the pain.  She knew they were close because she could feel the weapon.. and feel it knocked away...rocking her head back slightly  and sending the world spinning. ::

oO Come back here.. I'll vomit all over your legs Oo

Voice 2: Ow!  What was that for?  You said she was going to be dead soon anyway.. I'm just making sure. 

Voice 1: What are you, stupid?!?  If the ceiling falls on her, they may suspect sabotage.. but they can't prove it.  Even if they do, it's a trap laid.  but if they find any part of her missing... like from a disrupter... they are going to know someone was here.. and look around!

Voice 2: :: Petulantly:: Still no reason to hit me.  What if I take a rock and bash her head in then.. will that work?

oO Ok.. We have a daughter.   She went back into the past to save Danni.  This can't be the end for me.. otherwise she'd be here.  Stay calm.. Oo
:: She fought back the seemingly rational voice that pointed to temporal fluctuations, the possibility of a Q showing up to bring her back later.. or a host of other increasingly unlikely scenarios.  Panic wouldn't help... yet. ::

Voice 1: No.. too risky.  Besides.. that rock there?  As soon as the force field fails.. even for a moment.. that's going to fall perfectly without us doing anything.  :: His voice took on a note of concern:: In fact, let's just leave to the deeper levels now.. no sense in risking being caught.  And once we hear the collapse, we can move onto the next phase of the plan. 

Voice 2: :: Excited::  Finally!  We'll see some action.  And won't they be surprised when...

oO When what?!?  Oo

:: Luna tried to focus, but the pain from her head shifting was intense enough to send her back down into the black for a long moment.. ::

James: Really?  I let you leave for not even ten minutes, and you just lie down? 

:: Luna blearily opened her eyes, half expecting to see her wife standing there.  Instead... she remained alone. ::

Walker: Figment.. right.. :: She closed her eyes again:: g'night fiment.. just need a couple minutes...

James: Figment am I?   :: She paused for a moment:: Well maybe I am...  But that doesn't change things.. you need to move! 

Walker: You may have noticed the rock formation on my back.  I'm a miracle worker.. but even I can't move mountains.

James: What?  Is the mighty Luna Walker admitting she can't do something?  Giving up and allowing one of her engineers to die because of a pebble or two?

:: Her head really hurt.. but the words echoed in her head::

Walker: Wait. what? Pebbles? I'm not positive that there isn't light coming in from above..

James: Drama queen.  you know the first level of this mine wasn't more than a dozen feet below the surface.  This is the area that they'd bring inspectors down to prove safe conditions.  and since we can't see light.. that means that you have at most ten feet of rock on you.. likely much less. 

Walker: Yay me? 

:: Further proof that this Danni was a figment, despite not being able to see her.. she still knew that her eyes were rolling::

James: Wow.. you are pretty dim right now.  It means that if you can wriggle yourself free.. you can get loose.. and get to the force field controls.  Holding all of this up might be too much...

Walker: ... but reducing the area will keep it going longer.

:: The half romulan was likely concussed, and she didn't want to know what condition the rest of her body was in, though "thankfully" she was still receiving pains. so there wasn't loss of sensation.  But real or not, "Danni" had made her point.  Lying here was simply waiting for death.  It took longer than she wanted, but she managed to slowly work her arms free of the rubble without disturbing it.  And by stretching as much as she could... she was just short of the controls.  After a brief nap.. or passing out in reality.. she tried again.  Slowly pulling her body forward until she reached the controls.  Her celebration was cut short by the sound of rubble shifting behind her..and the white hot pain suddenly radiating from her lower leg. ::

Walker: Don't pass out. can't pass out.. don't.. pass out..

:: The world greyed around her, everything focusing down to the controls in her hands.  She kept chanting her mantra, unable to do anything more for awhile.. Finally, she managed to make the adjustments she needed.  More rubble fell in front of her, but the generator no longer drained as quickly. ::

Walker: Come on guys.. if there was ever a time to impress the boss....

(TBC)

Lieutenant Commander Luna Walker
Chief Engineer, USS Veritas
I238010BW

[Graduating Class of 239407.29]

You guys did a great job. Looking forward to seeing more. 

[Simming family]

I went with the first option, though I don't really sim them regularly - just when it makes sense for whatever's going on. 

[Bridging the Gap]

This one's a tough call for me. The elegance and class of the Ent-D bridge or the high-tech workhorse bridge for the Intrepid-class. I went with the latter today, but ask me again in a week and there's a good chance I'd go the other way. 

[Star Trek Adventures]

Just so you all know, the full PDF is available online at DriveThru RPG for about $15 (or at least it was when I bought it). So far, it looks like the best Trek system I've seen for table-top - a massive improvement over the previous Decipher books that were produced back when TNG movies were still being made. If you like table-top gaming, please consider picking this up to help support the further development of this line. If nothing else, you might appreciate the beautiful artwork and the mountains of setting information (including a pretty cool map of the alpha quadrant), which might prove useful for simming here at SB118. 

I'll be playing through the sample adventure that comes with the book with my weekly gaming group in about two months, so I'll probably post an update or two with a short review in this thread.