StarBase 118 Staff

Join us today at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern (US) / 6pm GMT (UK) / 3am Monday UTC+11 (AUS). (Always check your time zone for accuracy/DST if applicable!) for our special 20th anniversary Voice Chat in our Mumble server. To participate simply follow the instructions here. If you have issues connecting we will also be available on the online chat room, at: http://www.starbase118.net/chat to assist you. 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 as well as to discuss your favorite personal story of things that have happened (funny or otherwise) during your time at SB118! View the full article

Arriving in orbit around the Water Planet Asav the crew of the USS Darwin NCC-99312-A quickly discovered the USS Valorous drifting lifelessly. Quickly assessing the damage as being severe Captain Reinard dispatched an away team to the defunct Valorous to investigate the damage and render any assistance they can. Meanwhile the remaining Darwin crew were contacted by the occupants of Biodome 2 who, when coupled with the information being received from the away team, were quickly identified as the culprits of the damage to the Valorous. As the away team successfully stabilised the Valorous, Captain Reinard received a communication from the occupants of Biodome 5, a faction clearly distancing themselves from the damage done to the Valorous. In an attempt to get more information away teams went below the water to meet with the opposing Biodome occupants. Lt Commander Thomas and his team soon became victims of an attack on the Biodome. Acting quickly he sent his pilots out to defend the Biodome and worked with his team of engineers to stabilise the dome. Before long, Supervisor Krum, imprisoned Thomas and his team and ordered them to work. Captain Reinard and his team medically assisted the religious leader Speaker Tsanchi. Through lengthy and often spiritual discussion they were able to bring him around to the point where he saw the Federation as allies. With things moving quickly, only time would tell if Captain Reinard could unite the purpose of both domes and free Lt Cmdr Thomas and his team. View the full article

The summer is finally here! But that doesn’t mean the fun has slowed down here at Starbase 118. In fact, there’s even more going on now that school’s out and some of our members have more time to come play. Be sure to stop by the forums to see what you can get into this month. Here are just a few suggestions! The USS Victory is launched again under the command of Commander Nugra. Head over to their forum thread and welcome the newest ship to the 118 Fleet! http://forums.starbase118.net/index.php?/topic/10153-welcome-to-the-uss-victory/ There are tons of projects and teams that could use your help, even if you only have a few minutes to spare. Head over to our team and group forum to find out more about what we’re doing in various places, on various tasks: http://forums.starbase118.net/index.php?/forum/105-group-elements/ Be sure to jump in and participate in this round of the writing challenge, where we’re asking you to write about doing what is right, rather than what is easy. Thankfully it’s easy to get involved and enter your writing into the contest. Learn more here: http://forums.starbase118.net/index.php?/topic/10057-may-june-writing-challenge/ Go vote in this runoff round of the top sims contest. There are lots of examples of the best writing throughout our fleet, so take a moment to read the entries and vote on your favorite! http://forums.starbase118.net/index.php?/topic/10108-2014-run-off-round-2-vote-here-vote-now/ Don’t forget that we run a new poll of the week each week, and you can always read up on some of the older ones. Head over to the PotW thread to see what we’re asking this week: http://forums.starbase118.net/index.php?/forum/328-poll-of-the-week/ And of course, there’s much, much more! Take a moment to join the fun, all on the Starbase 118 forums today! View the full article

Years ago I had the the opportunity to buy a lifetime edition of Star Trek Online for a really good price. When I first bought it, I played it quite often and enjoyed it quite a bit. However, over time, I began to tire of the same missions over and over again just to gain experience, or get a new ship, or unlock a uniform or whatever. As time went on I just used Star Trek Online to take in-game images. The last time I played Star Trek Online was about two and a half years ago. About a year ago, I bought a new computer and still have not gotten around to installing it on the new machine, but once in awhile, I do visit their forums to see what new and exciting things are going on there. So that brings us to this week’s question here at the Poll of the Week, and it is a simple one. Do you play Star Trek Online? If so, what new things are happening in game that those who have not played in awhile, or those who have never played, should be made aware of? If no, why not? We here at the Poll of the Week are eager to learn of your gaming experiences, so head on down to the polls and let us know about your gaming experience with Star Trek Online! View the full article

Many thanks to Patrick McLeod of the USS Apollo, who donated recently. Donations like this help keep our website ad-free and ensure that we’ll fulfill our yearly fundraising goals! Can you donate $10, $25, or $50 today to help sustain our community? View the full article

This is the final plot summary for the USS Vigilant-A, which has been retired. Look for our new ship’s summary, the USS Victory, next month! The USS Vigilant, NCC-75515-A, had been called into Romulan territory to answer for a reported attack on the research station at Gamma Crucis III by an unknown Federation force. With enough evidence now apparent to confirm the Romulans’ claims, Fleet Captain Diego Herrera and his crew attempted to pour oil on troubled waters by co-operating with the Romulan diplomatic and repair teams to undo some of the damage caused by the attack. The request for a tachyon emitter, however, caused consternation and bore further discussion. As Fleet Captain Herrera returned to the Vigilant-A to consider the request and whether or not leaving Federation technology with the Romulans was advisable, Federation personnel under the command of Lieutenant Commanders Aribelle Tagren and Eerie learned a shocking secret: the Romulans, who had claimed to be working on a modulating shield, were working on developing a phasing cloak! When several Andorian cruisers decloaked and resumed their attack on the station, the crew of the Vigilant-A leapt into action. They were unable to stop the destruction of the station after Senator To’Rul seized power and ordered its self destruction rather than allow their research to fall into Andorian hands. Meanwhile, as the Vigilant disabled Andorian cruisers, they also enabled self-destruct sequences, save for one cruiser, which escaped. Having taken a pounding the Vigilant was unable to pursue, but they were able to identify that the cloaks the ships were using had been loaned, or stolen, from the Klingons before they did. View the full article

Lieutenant Commander Kaitlyn Falcon is the Chief of Helm/Communications and Ops aboard the USS Darwin NCC 99312-A. She and her non-identica twin sister Rebecca were born on the USS Freedom at the end of the Dominion War. Kaitlyn has lived most of her life aboard starships. She left the USS Nova to work for her brother on his freighter the SS Nova, giving her experience of life on Starfleet and Civilian spacecraft. She learned to fly a bulky freighter, patch up damaged systems and shoot pirates with a modified phaser. The experienced would later be described as allowing her to see parts of the Federation that weren’t on tour. Eventually she left and joined Starfleet Academy and when she graduated was assigned to the USS Vigilant. From there she worked through the ranks and was transferred later in the year to the newly launched USS Darwin. Rhino, a beautiful ginger and white Syrian hamster is her pet companion. Kaitlyn’s interest in piloting is such that she keeps a large number of holodeck simulations to keep her skills sharp and will fly any craft, air or space from as many different cultures as she can find. Other hobbies and talents include playing the piano and rock climbing, which was something her mother had enjoyed. Congratulations to Lieutenant Falcon! Her bio will be displayed on the wiki’s front page for the month of June. As always, you can find out more about the contest at its wiki page or in its forum. Round 8 is now open, so be sure to drop by and submit your nominations! View the full article

A very special voice chat in time for the 20th anniversary of SB118, with the theme “Your favorite personal story of things that have happened (funny or otherwise) during your time at SB118” has been planned this Sunday, June 8th at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern (US) / 6pm BST (UK) / 3am Monday UTC+11 (AUS). Always check your timezone for accuracy/DST if applicable! To participate simply follow the instructions here. If you have issues connecting we will also be available on the online chat room, at: http://www.starbase118.net/chat to assist you. Our fleetwide chats are a space for all the members of the StarBase 118 group to get together and talk in real time about everything that’s happening within the group. Come by and see what goings-on are happening off your ship. Chats are always held on the second Sunday of every month, but you can head into the chat room or the Mumble server at any time to see who else is there. View the full article

The Top Sims Contest is now accepting nominations for Round 16. There are some great sims being produced by our members every day. Making sure they get the recognition they deserve is easy, and only takes a minute. Simply head to the Top Sims Contest forum and start a new topic. Paste the sim’s title into the subject line, the body of the sim into the body of the message, and set the sim as “Round 16″ in the drop-down box directly above the body box. It’s just that easy to share a great sim with the entire fleet! The winning sim will go on to the next run-off round to determine the best sim of the year. 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 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 once more for an installment of The Lower Decks. Where we leave behind the center chair and big office and go down below to 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 Brayden Jorey. He is the Chief Tactical Officer and Chief of Security on the USS Tiger-A. Good Evening Lieutenant. Jorey: Such a pleasure to speak with you, Mr. Sopek. ::Jorey spoke slowly and offered a warm smile.:: Sopek: I understand you have just recently been promoted to full Lieutenant. It must be exciting, yes? Jorey: It’s always a blessing to be recognized by your superiors. ::He said nodding his head slightly. The hint of a devious smirk flickered in his eyes.:: The only one more pleased than I would be my grandmother. Sopek: You’re also the Commander of the Air Group on the Tiger. What can you tell us about that position? Jorey: I can tell you that I have a lot of help. ::He said honestly.:: On the Tiger, the Independence Flight is made up entirely of Starfleet officers who volunteer during their off-duty time. They are a passionate, fearless, and incredibly dedicated group of people. It’s definitely a different model than having a dedicated marine unit, but one that I and the Tiger are going to make sure succeeds. ::Jorey smiled confidently and waited patiently for Sopek to speak up.:: Sopek: So your grandmother takes an interest in your career? Jorey: Ha! ::Jorey always found humour in the Vulcan tendency to understate the obvious.:: I’m a Betazoid son of the noble House of Perseverance and Guardian of the Sacred Eyes of Kylaron. ::He leaned in and pretended as though he was telling a secret just between the two of them.:: Betazoid children understand that they are only the main character in their story, but most of the time, their family get’s to be the writer, director, and producer. Sopek: Most interesting. And beyond leading the informal marine unit, what do you like to do to unwind? Jorey: I enjoy many things. Meditation, training, martial arts, fashion, pampering myself… ::Jorey sat further back into his chair as he thought deeper.:: Most off all, I enjoy improving myself and my environment. I like to make sure that everyone feels comfortable, included, and essential. It’s the most important thing. ::Jorey leaned forward, his eyes signally revery.:: A very famous Betazoid woman once said, “The great secret is not the variety of life, it’s the variety of us.” ::Jorey sat back up, smiled and straighten his back.:: The best way for me to unwind is by enjoying such variety on the Tiger. Sopek: A most profound motto to live by. Do you find yourself looking toward the center chair someday as a way to further the variety in your life? Jorey: I think Fleet Captain Riley fills the chair nicely. ::Jorey said playfully.:: Besides, I’ve just been made responsible for three departments, my hands are full. But someday, I would love to be captain. It’s been that way since I was a little boy. ::Jorey became visibly amused by the memories.:: When we were kids, I always played the captain and forced my older brother to be my number one. Sopek: Has your variety led you to find anyone special to share your search with? Jorey: There have been some. ::Jorey leaned in toward to the host to offer a better look at the devious, yet inviting grin on his face.:: Are you available? ::Jorey paused for only a moment, before leaning back into his chair in lighthearted laughter.:: You Vulcan’s are so adorable. In truth, I’m more focused on my career as of late. However, I’m not one to ignore my own desires and turn away passion if it presents itself. ::Jorey let the comment stand undefined, left unknown if it was a general statement or more specifically directed to Sopek. He smiled sweetly, seemingly innocent.:: Sopek: ::Seemingly unfazed he continued his questions.:: You also have a brother in Starfleet. Is there any competition between siblings? Jorey: Dylan is in medicine. I think for him it’s always been about healing and helping people. ::Jorey took a moment to choose his words carefully.:: I have an ambitious warrior’s spirit. My inspiration may be less altruistic but it still pushes me to do good, to do better. We were never that competitive with each other growing up… ::Jorey smirked with a raised eyebrow.:: but, I have to admit I’m looking forward to having my big brother call me Lieutenant. Sopek: A joy most siblings would enjoy I’m sure. What prompted your change from Helm to Tactical and Security? Jorey: I was a tactical major at the academy, minors in helm and intelligence. ::Jorey’s eyes widened slightly and his back straightened.::I am a Tassa’Akai mystic, have been training since I was a child. The gods have blessed me with a warrior’s spirit to protect peace, joy and love from the darkness. ::Jorey relaxed and sunk back into his chair.:: I think the new position is a much better fit for my talents and am really excited and grateful Fleet Captain Riley has afforded me the opportunity. Sopek: Hopefully you will blossom into your new position. Can you tell us about being a Tassa’Akai mystic? Jorey: Surely. ::He said with a certain whisper of joyous breath.:: My training was always a family affair. It began when I was very young, my grandfather started me on the path. My mother was also a great teacher while we were away from Betazed on Federation ships. After my grandfather’s passing at the Battle of Betazed, my grandmother continued to guide me. ::It was clear on Jorey’s face that he was becoming nostalgic.:: It was always something that kept me close to my grandfather. When I was 20, I completed the trials on Betazed with the masters and was granted mystic status. Someday, I will train others in the path and when one of them completes the trials I will be regarded as a master. Sopek: Truly interesting. Do you hope to continue with the family tradition then? Jorey: Is there a choice? ::He said quickly through laughter.:: Two things: First, tradition and family are synonymous in Betazoid culture. Second, once you have dedicated yourself to the path there is no going back or continuing. There are pre-established trails to follow or perhaps you make your own. But either way, with one’s death is at the end of the path, you have no choice but to find your way there. Sopek: Can you tell us a little about some of the more memorable missions you have been a part of? Jorey: Of course! ::Jorey gestured flamboyantly with his hands. He turned to face the camera with a raised eyebrow.:: Something for your more adventurous viewers? ::Jorey leaned back into his chair and focused on Sopek.:: Well the Tiger was on its way to New France to pick up some medical supplies for an emergency on Triceblessed, but along the way we encountered a gaseous entity. It’s started feeding itself on the ship’s power systems and began to try and please the crew by using the replicators and holoemiters to make the crew’s desires come to life. Eventually, I realized that the entity was sentient, however, it felt like an animal. ::Jorey motioned his hands about his head.:: It was all passions, aggressions, ego, and instinct. Sopek: Very interesting. What made you join Starfleet? Jorey: Well, Mr. Vulcan the truth is one of the reasons I dreamed of being in Starfleet was to make first contact with a new species. Unfortunately, it was like making first contact with a Targ. Although I know, Ensign Azin, who I believe is now on the Excalibur, would disagree with me and surely have a look of disdain ready for me. ::Jorey laughed at the thought.:: Oh, Ensign Azin. I would wish him luck on his new ship, but I think that perhaps it’s the Excalibur that will need luck with him. ::Jorey smiled and seemed nostalgic.:: He is already missed on the Tiger. Anyway, long story short – we upset the beast and it sent the Tiger crashing into the deep oceans of an O class planet. Hopefully, my next first contact will go a little better. Sopek: Can you share with us a phrase or motto that helps you through your day? A mantra that keeps you going when times are hard? Jorey: Hmmm… ::Jorey sat back in his chair deep in thought.:: Well, it’s more of a philosophy than a mantra, I suppose, but I simply follow what the gods have always taught us. ::He leaned back in.:: Find passion and love in everything. You will find peace and live a joyous and inspired life. ::He raised an eyebrow at Sopek.:: It’s not Logic, ::Jorey smiled.:: But it seems to work wonders for me. Sopek: Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. You’ve been very insightful and I wish you the best of luck. Jorey: Of course, Mr. Sopek! ::He exclaimed in a gracious tone.:: Perhaps, you’ll have me back again when I surely make Captain. ::He winked at the man across from him and laughed softly as he leaned back into his chair.:: ————– Brayden Jorey graduated from the Academy and was assigned to the USS Tiger-A on stardate 238912.15 as a Helm Officer. Over his career on the Tiger he has been the CAG (Commander – Air Group) of the Independence Flight, the Chief of Secuirity, and the Chief Tactical Officer. With the decommissioning of the USS Tiger-A, he has recently been assigned to the USS Gemini as the Chief of Security. The author of Brayden Jorey hails from Toronto, Canada. He has a degree in Psychology & Sociology and a Master’s degree in Applied Social Research. He is a personal trainer, music teacher, and is a fitness, personal, and couples counsellor. He enjoys beach volleyball, strength training, Aikido, video games, ‘end of the world’ movies and crazy nights out on the town. View the full article

AKA: Why is no one interested in my character? One of the most common difficulties experienced among Starbase 118 members is the feeling that their character is alone, completely isolated from the rest of the crew. It happens to brand new members trying to find their way, returning members who discover that all their old friends are elsewhere, and to captains who turn around one day and realise that everyone they used to sim with have moved on. There’s often a feeling of isolation, and the sense that everyone is so busy with each other, that no one is interested in you. But what can we do about it? When it comes to roleplay in any medium, one of the most useful pieces of advice I have ever been given was this: “The best way to get people to be interested in your character is to be interested in theirs.” The best way to integrate into a crew is to be proactive, create opportunities, hunt down those character interactions and not to expect others to come to you. Thankfully, there’s a wealth of resources at hand to help. Our wiki is an amazing guide to the fleet – and more importantly, for our purposes – the characters within it. So if you’re ever stuck for who to interact with, spend a little time looking up the profiles of the characters on your ship. Perhaps you’ll find someone who’s shared old COs or postings, someone with the same hobby or interest, an interesting event in their history that your character might have been involved in… the list goes on. If you find something, get in touch with the player! Tag them directly in the sim, or email them OOC to discuss how your two characters could bounce off each other. The forums are another excellent place to look. Many ships have IC games running that highlight interesting or quirky facts about their characters, and there you may very well find something that sparks your imagination. If your ship doesn’t have any IC games running, why not start one, and let your crew know? It’s also worth thinking about appealing to your ship’s OOC list for help. It can be really helpful here to talk about what aspects of your character you’d like to explore, or suggest some hooks other people might find interesting. A few starting points can really inspire your crew as to how their characters could interact with yours. Last of all, don’t be afraid to get your captain and first officer involved! They can offer advice and suggestions on how to help your character bond with the rest of the crew, maybe signposting you to a particular player, or interacting with you with their own. If you’re exploring a new friendship with a fellow crew-mate, considering contacting your captain and explain that you’d really appreciate the chance to sim with them next mission. It’s not always possible, but they’ll certainly try. So remember: To be interesting, be interested! View the full article

I would take a wild guess and assume that most of you, if not all of you, have watched episodes of Star Trek. I think that I may have actually seen them all. Some of you may have seen one or two series and others more. But unlike more recent television shows, should you miss one or two episodes of Star Trek, you would not be lost as to what is going on in the show. Pretty much almost every episode of Star Trek could be a stand alone episode. With that being said, this week’s Poll of the Week will nitpick how you watch Star Trek. Do you, or did you, watch them in chronological order or did you just watch them as they were aired? Do you even keep track of the time-line of the episodes? Do you, or did you watch them in order of real time airing or did you watch them based upon Star Trek chronology? Would this have even made a difference to you? Basically, how did, or do you watch Star Trek?In a synchronous form or out of sync? We here at the Poll of the Week are more than curious. So roll up your sleeves and head over to the Polls and let the world know how you watch Star Trek! View the full article

Good afternoon. You’re listening to ‘Psychology Tomorrow!’ on Federation Public Subspace Radio 2. Psychology Tomorrow is a look at issues, topics, and advice related to the all things Counselling in Starfleet. Here’s your host, Ship’s Counsellor Denji Ryan. Hello everyone! Today we examine a question asked by counsellor turned science officer, Lt.(JG) Sal Taybrim of the USS Excalibur-A. The question in its simplest form is this: Why do officers hate counsellors? Taybrim pointed out that half of the officers aboard the ship he was serving on had outright told him that they don’t like counsellors. I too have experienced similar responses in my career. This question sparked quite the fervent conversation in the Counselling Duty Post area of the forums. There were a variety of answers including my character is “naturally shy, and intensely private, and doesn’t like to expose her vulnerabilities”, “It is not a dislike of the counsellor, more a dislike with being center of attention for things that bother her”, and perhaps most compelling (and honest which was appreciated) “For what its worth, I am one of those players who enjoys ‘broken’ characters, but part of that is not wanting the broken character to be fixed”. So why is this a problem anyways? First and foremost is a recurring theme throughout the discussion pointing to a higher than average turnover rate among counsellors. Trying to sim a role that people are reluctant to write with or outright acknowledge they dislike is a sure fire way to discourage players from continuing to play these types of positions. The underlying issue is that there is an assumption that a character who hates counsellors will not interact with them. The player won’t write with the poor guy playing the counsellor. However, does this really have to be the case? I love what Kaedyn Zehn had to say. He was able to eloquently sum up the ‘gist’ of my opinion and although he recently took a LOA, Lt. Cmdr Kaedyn Zehn gets this month’s ‘Psychology Tomorrow Quote of the Month: With regards to OOC, I often think that the gold rule of simming should be the same as improv: “Yes, and…”. In other words, you don’t deliberately block another player but try to work with what they give you. I think this a great way of playing for, and with, everyone but is especially key here. By immediately saying “No, I don’t like counsellors” you are blocking the person simming a counsellor rather than playing along with them and it stops them being able to contribute much. By taking on a “yes, and…” approach you can have your character agree to whatever they are comfortable with, perhaps an informal chat rather than an official counselling session, and not prevent another player from contributing. – Kaedyn Zehn Got something to say? Want to see what others are saying? Check out the discussion “My Character Hates Counsellors”, started by Sal Taybrim, for yourself here. View the full article

Holiday-themed Writing Challenges have been a recurred several times lately, most recently with March & April 2014′s Easter-themed “Rabbits!” Challenge. However, these special Challenges are just as likely not to question a holiday you or your character may consider very often; November & December 2013 took their cue from Bonfire Night for “Treason & Plot,” while a Challenge from exactly one year before asked writers to consider “Belief Systems in Trek.” If Challenge winners continue to take their ideas from Earthly holidays, there are still plenty of holidays left to choose from — but why not consider something more exotic? Memory Alpha lists plenty of holidays and festivals from across the galaxy. There are also plenty to choose from in UFoP:SB118 canon; take a look at the list of holidays celebrated by the Embassy on Duronis II, for example. Maybe, if you win a Challenge, you’ll choose to make a January/February Challenge based upon the Laudeans’ Day of Laughter (January 29th)? What holidays or festivals would you like to see as a topic for a future Writing Challenge? Let us know in the Writing Challenge Discussion thread on the forums! And don’t forget: Our current Challenge, “Do what is right, not what is easy,” ends on June 24th, so be sure to get your entry in before then! View the full article

“Glory in your enemies strength. It makes victory even sweeter.” – a Zora Fel proverb. The Zora Fel are a species of unusual contradictions. The men are all warriors who exist for battle and conflict, living in harsh, spartan barracks outside of their communities while the females live apart inside their communities with all the comforts of modern living. They were one of the first species to fight the Klingons and for 86 years their war raged across their section of the Beta Quadrant. Finally they were defeated, driven almost to oblivion. It has taken them almost 200 years but they did it. Rebuilt all that they lost and they even gained glory during the Dominion War fighting as elite infantry for the Klingons. Now they survive as a subjugated people, still thirsting for glory and maybe even revenge. Learn more about the Zora Fel on the StarBase 118 Wiki! View the full article

Once the USS Apollo, NCC-71669 had evacuated all its non-critical personnel and the families from within its walls, it was left with just enough crew to try to hold off the Borg. The shuttle with the Omega was launched by Ensign Eileen McCleran, while Commander Tal Tel-ar and Marine 1st Lieutenants, Karolina Cranford and T’Aven, stood ready for launch. With the Omega launched and detonated, the Apollo flew off to meet the Borg. As they got there, the trio launched, Tel-ar in his shuttle, and the two Marines in their Valkyrie fighter jets. While the Apollo fought one cube, Tel-ar flew his shuttle into the other, crashing, before blowing up the torpedoes on board, and destroying the cube. Extremely injured, Tel-ar was rescued by T’Aven, and delivered to the Apollo. The Apollo held off the Borg for as long as they could, Lieutenant Alexander Williams worked with Lieutenant JG Edward Johnson to make the biggest impact on the remaining cube, and Fleet Captain Andrus Jaxx ordered the warp core be jettisoned. Ensign Catrova Torv obeyed the order, and this did significant damage to both the enemy and them, which prompted Jaxx to order evacuation while Cranford and T’Aven finished the cube. Most of the remaining crew were able to make it to the escape pods, with various degrees of injuries, and ended up waiting in space for their backup and rescue, the USS Carpathia. With the crew from the asteroid, they were delivered to Deep Space 5 to rest. View the full article

Please welcome our newest Academy graduates to the UFOP: StarBase 118 fleet: Kimiko Chun and Gwen Gardener! View the full article

Please remember to nominate a character bio for the latest round of the Featured Bio Contest before it closes on Sunday, June 1, 2014. 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

The surprise attack by the Endangered Jenatris Species radical environmentalist group was thwarted by the timely arrival of Krayav escort vessels. Though the EJS may have vanished for now and taken with them one of the sentient cloud creatures, the crew has a feeling they will bump into them again in the future. One of the attacking activists is currently in the Brig for interrogation. Thus, the Atlantis’ first mission in eight years now draws to a close with the successful delivery of the Grenushi Ambassador to the Krayav government on Uzoka 4 for peace talks between the two civilizations. Though controversy was stirred when the crew discovered the nature of the gift about to be presented to the Krayav, they allow the Cloud Dancers, as the creatures are natively called, to be handed over anyway to fulfill their purpose as telepathic enhancers to aid in global communication – but with the explicit condition that the crew be allowed to observe the treatment and utilization of the Dancers to ensure they are being treated fairly. In addition, the language of the Dancers has been successfully translated by the Science team. Commander Blueheart announces shore leave for the crew – weary after a harrowing 2-day journey to the heart of the Uzoka system – and for repairs to commence on the ship. Together with an exchange of medical databases of both cultures, Blueheart also hopes they are allowed some down time on the planet for shore leave. View the full article

As spring draws into summer on the north side of our planet, more and more re-runs will be shown on television as networks realized long ago that people would rather spend warm, sunny days outside rather than inside watching the tube. As such, we here at the poll of the week, will follow suit once in awhile this summer as we know sometimes those re-runs can become classics. Just look at the original series of Star Trek itself. If not for re-runs, it may never have become the iconic television show it is today. That being said, this week’s Poll of the Week will be asking a question that has been answered before. But hopefully, with new people around the fleet, we will get different answers. Of the five main Captains that have graced our television screens in the name of Star Trek, who was your favorite and why? Head on down to the polls and let us know who you think was the ultimate Commanding Officer of the small screen trek incarnations. View the full article

During April, the crew of the USS Garuda traveled to Zeta Equulei, a K-class star, to meet the two rival alien species, the Community and the Myr Luuk. Both races were quite unusual in appearance. The Community were comprised of one collective consciousness, who used plantlike avatars to communicate with the Starfleet officers. Meanwhile, the Myr Luuks were giant furred centipede-like beings, whose chosen form of communication was to project holograms mimicking the Garuda crew members themselves. Upon arrival at the gas giant and orbiting moons, the crew of the USS Garuda realised that they had stumbled into a system engaged in a cold war, with the Community ships blockading the Myr Luuks. Wanting to not only mediate between the two races, but also investigate reports of some rare artifacts from the lost civilisation of the Ancient Alliance, Captain Egan Manno split her crew into three teams. She sent Lt. Cmdr. Calderan with the Saucer section of the ship to liaise with the Myr Luuks, and a team under FO Commander Ross down to the surface of Zeta Equulei 3 to talk to the representative of the Community, Bodhisattva. Meanwhile, Captain Egan Manno kept her remaining crew upon the Stardrive section of the Garuda, waiting to assist either of the Away Teams. However, whilst doing a system check, Chief Rahman and Ensign Rawlings discovered some damage and potential sabotage in engineering conduits of the Garuda. Soon after, strange disembodied voices started taunting the crew as the Stardrive section was pulled towards a ‘void’ in space, where many Myr Luuk and Community space ships were found drifting and derelict – a veritable ship’s graveyard! View the full article

You’ve been with the fleet now for a few weeks, months or even years and you’re enjoying yourself hugely. You’re roleplaying with a like-minded group of individuals and you’re working on developing your character’s latest plot arc, or contributing to the ship’s current mission. You might be involved in any number of OOC groups, rising through the ranks towards the command chair, making wiki edits, creating graphics for people… there is a huge amount of activities that could make the list of your favourite things to do in the fleet, and every single member has one thing that they enjoy more than anything else, because that’s part of human nature! So who can you tell? Star Trek fans who exist in sci-fi vacuums do exist, but they’re not very common. Which of your friends like Star Trek? Which of your friends like roleplaying? Which of them are writers? Which of them needs a hobby? You talk to your friends about things you enjoy, so when will the fleet come up in conversation? If you tell them about that activity that made it to the top of your list of favourites then they will immediately be able to see and hear how passionate and enthusiastic you are about it. How? Because it will be written all over your face, or it will come out clearly in the way you write about it. Will that be enough to make them give it a try? Maybe… but there’s a nefarious trick you can use to hook them in. You know your friends and you know what they like, so the trick is to see if you can figure out what they would like best about the fleet, and then talk about that right after! Does your friend like writing and consider themselves to be pretty great? Are they competitive? “Hey, there’s actually a bi-monthly writing challenge that you would probably like…” Odds are, they’ll want to know more! Do they love watching TV shows and always talk about the characters? “You get to interact with upwards of 10 other people on your ship, and you get time between missions to make plans about how they will evolve!” They’ll want to know more about that chance for character development and probably the missions, too! Will they stick around with the fleet? Well… once you’ve done the initial job of pushing them in our direction, it’s our job to keep them interested and motivated. We’re confident we can do it. After all, think of it like this: wouldn’t it be cool if you could write with your friends? View the full article

After taking heavy damage, the USS Gemini, NCC-80564 retreated to the Celendi Nebula where it met up with the USS Wyoming who was there to bring officer transfers. The two ships worked on a plan to disable the Klingon Bird of Prey. Meanwhile, on the USS Hermes, the SAR team split up into two groups working on a way to either regain control of the ship or destroy it. The Red team successfully took control of Engineering, while the Blue team found the Hermes’ Captain and First Officer and successful won the fight for control of the Bridge. The Wyoming and the Gemini were able to distract the Bird of Prey long enough to beam casualties from the Hermes over. Before they were able to capture the rogue Klingon, Cmdr. Koval, he managed to escape. With their mission completed, the SAR team returned to the Gemini. 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 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 for another installment of The Lower Decks. Where we leave behind the center chair and big office and go down below to 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 Mei’konda. He is the Chief of Operations on the USS Mercury. Good Evening Lieutenant. :: Clasping his hands together over his lap, the Caitian officer smiled nervously toward the holorecorders, then turned his tawny-furred muzzle back over toward the Vulcan host of the program. He reached up to give his uniform collar a few careful tugs, to ensure it was on straight, while his tail twitched nervously behind him. :: Mei’konda: Hello, misterr Sopek. I am honorred to be here. Sopek: So, please tell us, how do you keep such an advanced ship as the Mercury running smoothly. Mei’konda: Ah, a complicaated question, I suppose. Maany of the Mercury’s systems are quiite advaanced, it is true. Like any other ship, we haave procedures, and a very skilled crew. :: The Caitian paused, and rubbed his fuzzy chin. :: The most unique challenge is thaat a large portion of our crew are civiilians. They haave different needs than Starfleet officers. Sopek: There must be a lot to balance then with such a new state of the art ship. Mei’konda: :: The Caitian tipped his head back and looked thoughtful. :: Such is the naature of the job, I suppose. The operaations department is one taasked with a great many things. Sopek: You mentioned the majority of the crew is civilians, what special challenges does that create for you compared to Starfleet officers? Mei’konda: Well, I suppose it requiires a certaain degree of… latitude in regulaations, that civiliaans are not always informed about. Sopek: It must create some tension when the ship is threatened then, yes? :: At this, Mei’konda was quick to shake his head at Sopek before glancing back at the cameras. Mei’konda: Oh, no, it haas never been a problem. The civilian crew are all well informed about emergency proceduures, and during a red alert, we nearrly always sound a general quarters… ah, that is to say, civilian crew are to report to their quaarters until the crisis haas passed. Sopek: You must be proud to be in charge of such a fine group. Please for those watching that may not know, what is the job of a Operations Chief? :: Mei’konda chewed thoughtfully on his bottom lip. :: Mei’konda: An Operaations officer’s primaary job is handling the day to day operation of a staarship. Communicaations and flight operations fall under my depaartment. We play a secondaary role on the Mercury as sensor operators, though thaat is the science department’s primaary responsibility. :: He let out a short laugh. :: I hope that makes sense. Sopek: You find yourself handling those responsibilities well I see. Mei’konda: Oh, well… well enough, I thiink. You would haave to ask the Captaain for his opinion, I suppose. :: He’d never been particularly good at accepting compliments. Something to improve upon. :: Sopek: So how do you spend your free time? Mei’konda: Oh, I have a number of hobbies. Rock climbiing is my favorite, and I enjoy flyiing antique aircraft… you know, the ones that rely on atmospheric pressure for lift. :: He paused, and considered. :: I also haave a large dog. We go on runs together. Sopek: Do you see yourself as a captain later on in your career? :: Hints of a smile crossed the feline man’s face, and he shrugged his shoulders. :: Mei’konda: Not just yet. It will be maany years before I haave to worry about such things, and I know I am not ready for it now. Perhaps some day, though. Sopek: Tell us about the Menthar Corridor, it is a relatively hostile region. :: Mei’konda thought about that for a moment. What could he say, exactly? :: Mei’konda: It is… a very interresting region of spaace. Far outside the Federaation. We haave special permission to conduuct research there, and it is a great opportuniity. An ancient raace known as the Menthar occupied it at one time, and learrning about their culture from whaat they have left behind is… fascinating. Sopek: Is there some of that you’d like to share with us? Mei’konda: Well, we know very little, unfortunaately. We know that they died out in a war. Agaainst a neighboring raace, the Promellians. They went extiinct over a thousaand years ago. Their technology waas quite advanced. It is a sad loss, really. Sopek: Fascinating. Can you tell us about some of the more memorable missions you have been involved in? :: Oh, so many choices. One stood out with particular clarity in the feline man’s mind, however. :: Mei’konda: I suppose my fiirst would be the most memoraable. The Mercury was undergoing a refit. Most of the seniior staaff was off ship, and we receiived a distress signal. It turned out to be the — well, an ancient Federation starship, one thought lost for hundreds of yeaars. We were aable to rescue a survivor. Sopek: What led to their loss for so long? Mei’konda: Ah, well, the… exact mechaanism is one we did not haave a chance to discover. Unfortunaately, the ship, the Constitution class Saratoga, was lost in the process. But, her loss, with no life aboard, enaabled the Mercury to escaape. Sopek: How did the senior staff react when you returned with your report of what happened? :: The Caitian leaned back in his seat, and glanced back over toward the holorecorders. :: Mei’konda: Well, I suppose they werre… pleaased. A successful rescue mission, even when trroublesome, always feels good. Sopek: You have given us many insights into your outlook would you care to close with a personal maxim that you use to guide your outlook and choices? :: A maxim. Mei’konda hesitated. He wasn’t quite sure what to say, and ended up stammering. That’d look good on the cameras, no doubt. :: Mei’konda: Uh… well, my faather was a Starfleet officerr, and I try to liive up to whaat I thiink his staandards would be. It is a high honor for me to be a senior officer on a staarship. Sopek: Thank you for your time here today. Mei’konda: Thaank you, mister Sopek. View the full article

Join us today at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern (US) / 6pm GMT (UK) / 3am 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