Rahman and Rivi Vataix

This made me laugh much more than it should have: http://youtu.be/q5c8qTVq9ZI

More fun lines... Odd leave indeed.

I wanted to recognize this great line of dialogue earlier this month from Dr. Hawkeye:

This month, the Featured Bio Contest Team would like to shed a little more light on the process and the people behind the contest. As such, we'd like to introduce Deliera, aka Sky Blake of the USS Avandar, who sat down to answer some questions about both herself, the team, and the contest. Before we get to talking about the Featured Bio Contest itself, can you first tell us a little about yourself? My name's Deliera. I am Chief of Security on the USS Avandar, and I have been with StarBase 118 for almost two years, and for all of that time, I have never left the Security duty post. I am an Australian, and I am actually a music teacher IRL. How did you first get started editing the StarBase 118 Wiki? I started working with the wiki as soon as my wiki profile was created by the Challenger-A’s Science officer at the time, Yanell Delwyn. My first edit to my page was really just to fill in the parts that needed to be filled in. I did not know anything about the wiki, and I was lucky to keep it my character’s page neat... Were you familiar with using wikis or did you have to learn from scratch? I learned how to use the wiki the hard way: I was actually just cutting and pasting everything, and there is definitely no shame in doing that. Eventually, my experience with the wiki grew as I experimented with what looked good and how the links and templates worked and what other people did with their profiles. When the Challenger-A was decommissioned, and I was assigned to the USS Ronin, Commander Tallis–our commanding officer–worked with me to create what we called a "uniform profile", which was basically a template for a crew member of the ship and a sidebar template to use. We completed both, and when new officers arrived, I created their profiles and put in the templates. All they had to do was fill in their characters' information. Eventually, we managed to "convert" as many people's profiles as possible to that template. Besides initially setting up profiles for new ensigns, what else do you often edit on the wiki? I updated the crew roster, PNPC roster and crew history whilst on a few postings and even helped create some of the Mercury’s rosters. I have a little collection of my own character pages (around 20 PNPC pages, I think. Probably more...) that I try to keep up-to-date as much as I can, but Sky's immediate family (Sky herself, Sabor, and Faith) are the profiles that must be kept up-to-date. If they aren't current, there's usually a specific reason, whether that's because I don’t have the time, or something's a secret, or a plotline is still developing–there could be various different reasons. Why did you join the Featured Bio Contest team? One of the things that I really like about StarBase 118 is that there is always something to do, something to help out with, and there’s never usually someone saying "no you can’t do that" unless there’s a certain reason for it. The problem was, there was no team focused on character wiki pages – there are teams focused on species development, the wiki development, but I couldn't find a team that I was somewhat of an "expert" in–and I'm still not an expert in many areas of the wiki at the moment, but I do try my best to help. Unfortunately, I missed the very start of the Featured Bio Contest, as I was on a tour of the USA, but I received an email from the FBC’s facilitator saying that he’d like to use my character’s profile as an example profile. I said yes, and that I wanted to help out as much as I could, so helping out I am! What do you hope to achieve through the contest? I think the Featured Bio Contest is an absolute fantastic idea for those “wiki-geeks”, and I really do hope it inspires people to experiment with their character’s wikipages and to update them and add their own personality to them. There’s nothing better than a character profile that’s up-to-date, but more importantly, differs from other profiles in some way. All right, let's get to the big question on everyone's minds: what makes a good featured bio? Different people judge the profiles in their own way; thus, they’ll have their own different feedback for each profile. For me, a good featured bio is neat, updated, and has little to no missing information (i.e; no spaces with “describe this” still there), so really it’s about the presentation for me. Even a simple bio page that is just filled in with the basics but has a little “life” ticks the boxes for me, so long as they have a sidebar with a little color. You might come across a profile with plenty of information, heaps of images, and everything else meets the criteria, but it still may not become the Featured Winner because it’s not presented very well. You want to be able to absorb the person reading the profile, but not overload them with all this information in one area or a heap of images cluttering the page. So what's the process like? How do you pick them? What are you looking for? Team members have a look and read all the profiles that are nominated in the contest's forum. Usually, we look for everything stated in the selection criteria to tick all the boxes. If the minimum selection criteria isn’t met for some reason (e.g., missing categories, omitting the links to the list of awards and service ribbons pages), then the team notifies those who were nominated and tells them what criteria they didn’t meet so that they can add the missing information. Just by being nominated and approved by the team, a profile is a “winner”. A Featured Nominee automatically becomes an example of a good wiki profile and is listed in the table of Featured Articles. A Featured Winner (i.e., that month's "Featured Bio of SB118") is an additional step above a Nominee. To work out the Winner, all team members vote between all the articles. I, myself, don’t look for things in the selection criteria as all nominees have already ticked that box. Instead, I look for personal touches–how has the user presented their character images, how neat is their profile, how much detail do they put into each of their sections, things like that. For me, it’s the presentation and detail of the profile–it’s a really complicated balance, too. Too many and “uncoordinated” images make a profile look cluttered. Too much information in one section does the same thing. It’s what looks good, how they built up the profile, and what details they use, that tick the boxes for me. Are there any details you like or notice in particular? A good use of images to show off the character is a real soft spot for me. So is the personality and physical description of the character. These are things that “show” me what the character is like and give me an idea as to how they’d react to a situation, whether it’d be personal or professional. These are things that define our characters. Another thing that I really love is the very top of a character’s wikipage. The “opening sentence” of a wikipage and the sidebar of a wikipage. There are so many different ways these are presented around the fleet, and it shows a lot of different personality for me. A short description of the character’s name, rank, species, duty post and ship into one sentence, followed by a good image of the character and little bits of good information well-presented starts a wikipage off fantastically. Are there things you think people commonly miss or neglect? One of the minimum criteria to be nominated is to include the List of Awards and Service Ribbons links. Many profiles we’ve seen nominated don’t have these links, which is rather frustrating. You have an absolutely fantastic profile nominated, only for the profile to not meet one of the minimum criteria; the reasons we have these links is to show what the award is usually for, and it’s a shame to see it ignored. [Ed. Note: The Featured Bio Contest Team has created a template you can add to your wiki pages under the appropriate awards section that will add these links for you. Just add {{awardlinks}} and you're set. If you have any questions, just ask!] How do you approach your own bios that you write? Since creating the personnel page template and sidebar, I just use that. They’re mostly retired now, as its “popular demand” subsided on my previous postings, but I still use it for my own PNPCs and NPCs. So really, I cheated–now all I have to do is just stick two templates onto a page and fill out the info. But even with the template, it’s a *must* to have a good description of the character’s physical appearance, personality and family. Without that key information, the profile is nowhere near complete. In closing, do you have any advice to those entering the contest? There is no such thing as a bad bio. The whole point of the wiki is to add data–the point of character profiles is to add the character’s details. Writers can do this however they want, and everything that happens to a profile is completely up to the writer. The Featured Bio Contest Team gives advice and suggestions, and we show what profiles are good examples, but it is up to the writers, and it is their choice on what looks best. We'd like to thank Deliera for taking the time to speak with us. As always, you can find out more about the Featured Bio Contest at its wiki page or in its forum. Be sure to drop by and submit your own nominations for the next round!

Haha, the closed captioning includes both English translation and Klingon options. It's not Star Trek-related but you should check out their BAMF Girls Club video series as well for some good laughs.

Yeah, I liked that little detail they put in the episode: Although it was only an alternate future that ultimately didn't happen, as we are now getting closer to 2390, I've decided to begin adopting the new combadge with my character pictures that I create using the STO character creator. I just wish they would let you correctly position the combadges... Hehe, well apparently one of the real reason (besides of course the show's actual production budget limitations) was that the producers wanted Voyager to have a visually distinct look from whenever they later would show Earth scenes with Admiral Paris, Barclay, and the rest. I suppose a Trek way of explaining it was that Voyager wanted to save on the replicator energy, probably using it instead to replicate replacements for all the shuttles they lost over the years.

(Katherine's Quarters, USS TIGER-A) Sharkey: I WILL NOT! ::Cocheta slapped the PADD hard into Katherine's stomach. The Indian laughed slightly as she observed the expression on her face.:: Sharkey: You had something to do with this. ::annoyed:: I know you did. Lightfoot: ::laughing:: I assure you, I didn't have anything to do with it. ::still laughing:: It apparently came from higher up. Sharkey: Higher up? ::break:: Lieutenant Walker? ::thinking harder:: Darius. Lightfoot: You guessed it. Sharkey: What am I suppose to say? ::sarcastically:: What if I can't answer their questions? Lightfoot: I don't know. They are capable of asking a lot of very strange questions, according to my understandings. ::Mona leaped onto Katherine's back and began to pat the woman on the head with her little hand.:: Lightfoot: Mona thinks it is a good idea. (Later) (Dorsal Module) (School Room, Deck 5) ::Katherine entered the school room dressed nicely for her presentation. She approached a woman who apparently was one of the ship's school teachers.:: Sharkey: Excuse me. I am Lieutenant Katherine Sharkey. ::taking a deep breath:: I was sent to talk to your class today about life in the Engineering Department? ::The Bajoran woman smiled brightly at the engineer. She moved with grace and motioned to students seated in the room.:: Laeni: Welcome to our class Lieutenant...I am Laeni and this is these are the second graders on the ship. We're so happy you could join us today to tell us about your work in engineering. Class, let's welcome Lieutenant Sharkey. ::She began to clap and the students followed suit.:: Sharkey: ::smiling weakly:: Thank you. Laeni: Please, come in...come in... like I said, we're really happy you're here. The students are just finishing up an art project, but we'll be ready for you in two minutes. ::She let a somewhat sterner gaze fall over her class.:: Sharkey: Art project? ::Katherine observed the obvious disarray among the students. They looked like an army of pygmy soliders.:: Laeni: Don't be shy, no need to worry. Just here in the front of the room... ::She gave the woman an encouraging, sugary sweet smile.:: Sharkey: What ever. ::smiling nervously:: ::The teacher moved to the front of the room and then clapped twice.:: Laeni: Okay...it's time to put up all of your art supplies. Quickly.... we don't want to keep the Lieutenant waiting. ::A murmur ran through the rows of seats as the students began to clean up their area and then focus their attention on the engineer named Katherine Sharkey. Two of the boys, a Klingon hybrid and a Terran, whispered something to each other and then pointed at the woman.:: Sharkey: oO Watch that finger there, ridges. Maybe I should extract it for my collection.Oo ::When the desks were clear, Laeni moved to the center of the room.:: Laeni: Everyone, this is Lieutenant Katherine Sharkey, she works in engineering and is here to talk to us about what it is like to be an engineer. Lieutenant... ::She motioned for the Terran woman to take center stage.:: Sharkey: ::trying to smile.:: Hello. Laeni: Tell us what is it like, the day in the life of an engineer? Sharkey: Well to begin, it varies from day to day. You never know what to expect when you serve on a starship. ::The teacher tilted her head slightly as she watched a couple of students talking near the back of the room, her eyes focused on the them while she spoke.:: Laeni: And what area of engineering do you work on every day? Sharkey: I am skilled in many areas, mainly I assist in whatever area is needed on a daily basis. I didn't choose a particular area such as R&D, I like to keep my options open. ::break:: One day I could be working on shield modifications, another assisting in shuttlecraft repairs. Laeni: I see...I'm sure the children have some questions they'd like to ask. Sharkey: ::nervous:: Okay. ::big smile started to emerge on her face:: Go ahead. ::Several hands shot up around the room, a young Terran girl was the first one the teacher called on.:: Girl 1: Do you like being an engineer? Is it fun? Laeni: That's a good question Sara.. ::She looked over at Sharkey.:: Sharkey: It is like any other job. It has it days, good and bad. ::A young boy was next.:: Boy 1: Can you take us to see the warp core? Sharkey: Sorry, I am afraid that would require permission of the Command Staff. Girl 2: Have you ever had to fix the waste reclamation system? ::A funny look came over Katherine's face.:: Sharkey: oOWhat kind of a question is that?Oo Yes I have, on the Wheeler Colony during my time on the Ursa Major. On a starship? No. ::Laeni nodded, so far the questions were going very well. The class seemed genuinely interested in the engineer. She was happy to see her students so engaged in the process.:: Boy 2: Are you married? ::Katherine appeared shocked by the question.:: Sharkey: Am I what? Boy 2: Are you married? Sharkey: ::in a low tone toward Laeni:: Interesting group of students you have here. ::sarcastic tone:: Laeni: Oh, I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it Lieutenant. Students are naturally curious... ::She gave a warning look to the class...:: Sharkey: Are YOU MARRIED? ::directing her attention toward the student:: That is a very personal question. Boy 2: My mother says that if a woman isn't married by 30, she is either damaged goods or has personality issues. Sharkey: Well, ::break:: your mother is a regular philosopher. Boy 2: No, she is a family counselor. ::Laeni looked at the young boy horrified, it took her a minute to recover her own composure.:: Laeni: Now Eric, I'm sure that isn't true... ::She gave a soft concerned look to the engineer as she tried to recover.::... did you all know the Captain is over 30? ::The class looked stunned and several kids gasped and laughed.:: Sharkey: ::under her breath:: Well that is another conversation. ::The teacher smiled brightly and looked over at a smart looking boy on the third row.:: Laeni: Rin, do you have a question for Lieutenant Sharkey? ::The boy looked up with a sly smile.:: Rin: Do you know the Captain Lieutenant? ::Katherine paused as she chose her words carefully.:: Sharkey: Hmmmm. ::trying to smile:: Yes, yes I do. Next question. ::quickly changing the subject.:: ::As the Lieutenant finished speaking another girl raised her hand and began yelling from the back of the room.:: Girl 3: Oooo! OOOooooo! Choose me! Choose me! Sharkey: Okay. ::pointing to the girl:: Girl 3: How old are you? ::She gave Sharkey a scrutinizing look.:: Are you over 30 and damaged goods? Rin: Stupid! Don't you know you're not supposed to ask a woman her age? Sharkey: Next question. oO Little brat!Oo ::Laeni raised her hand and covered her face, her cheeks turning a bright pink color as the conversation got worse by the minute.:: Boy 3: Do you have kids? Sharkey: No. Boy 3: Why not? Girl 3: Don't you like kids? ::Her eyes narrowed with scrutiny.:: Boy 3: Yeah, don't you like kids? ::There was a chorus of nods around the room.:: ::Katherine turned to give Laeni a very unpleasing look.:: Sharkey: Nice little.... kids you have here. ::The teacher looked at the woman with sympathy. She was very embarrassed, her face was bright red and she was sweating.:: Laeni: They're usually very nice... Sharkey: I'll bet. They are as deadly as a nest of Ceti Alpha Eels. Laeni: I'm so sorry Lieutenant...I don't... ::Just then another kid raised his hand.:: Sharkey: Yes? Roy: My name is Roy. Why is the word engineering spelled so funny? Sharkey:: ::nodding her head in a sarcastic motion:: You know kid, I've wondered that myself many times. ::finally giving in:: Roy: Are you of Chagga descent? ::Katherine looked at Laeni.:: Sharkey: ::looking back at Roy:: You are a funny looking little boy aren't you? Roy: Not as funny looking as you are. ::Class erupts in laughter.:: Sharkey: ::sarcastic laughter:: You have a good head on your shoulders there, Roy. ::stern look on her face:: Care to see it in the floor? Laeni: Oh dear... Please, everyone quiet down... ::Her voice was soft, but commanding. She gave the children a stern look which seemed to quiet some of them. She then turned to Sharkey.:: Laeni: Lieutenant, it was very nice of you to visit.... ::Before she could finish her sentence the room suddenly plunged into darkness. Screams erupted from where the children were seated, Laeni gasped.:: Sharkey: DO THESE LITTLE THINGS DO THAT ALL THE TIME! ::voicing loudly to Laeni:: ::The screaming continued, fluctuated, grew louder, softer and then became exaggerated. It seemed like the lights were off forever...and then there was movement, from near Laeni headed for Sharkey.:: Laeni: Who? What is that? Sharkey: WATCH THOSE HANDS, LITTLE ONE! ::staring in the darkness at the small figure in front her:: I should have known, ROY! ::The little boy laughed as he let go of Katherine's leg.:: Sharkey: Don't do that again. We are not that intimate. ::When the lights came back on, a desk had been moved in front of Katherine Sharkey and the children were on the floor, hiding under their desks, some still screaming enthusiastically.:: Sharkey: CAN YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT.....! ::motioning to Laeni:: THEIR SCREAMS ARE EXTREMELY PAINFUL! Laeni: Now class! ::She raised her voice to be heard over the loud talking as the kids began to get back up into their seats.:: Get back in your seats! You know we don't do that! I'm sure everything is fine... ::She looked over at the engineer.:: Sharkey: ::adjusting her uniform after it had been stretched out of shape in areas thanks to Roy:: I would raise more than my voice if I were in your place. ::The ship quite suddenly went to yellow alert.:: Rin: We're all going to die! Laeni: Rin! Sharkey: ::annoyed:: I am terribly sorry but I need to report to engineering immediately. oO Thank God for yellow alerts.Oo ::Laeni gave the woman a sympathetic look.:: Laeni: Thank you for coming Lieutenant, it was interesting. We're so glad you could join us. Sharkey: My pleasure. ::forced smile:: Until next time, ::motioning a wave toward the class:: I must be tending to my ship. Au revoir. ::Katherine departed the classroom without looking back. Never in her life had she been more happier to have seen a yellow alert.:: tbc PNPCs Lt jg Katherine Sharkey Engineering USS Tiger-A PO 3rd Class Shoodi Cocheta Lightfoot Engineer USS Tiger-A Laeni 2nd Grade Teacher USS Tiger-A Submitted by Lt Cmdr Darius Clack FO USS Tiger-A and Fleet Captain Sidney Riley Commanding Officer USS Tiger-A

I enjoy it as well. Perhaps we should form a Starbase118 group in the game as well? Maybe recreate some memorable SIMs or events from the archives as playable missions using the Foundry? I haven't really played much recently because I've been busy in RL, but I'm looking forward to the changes coming for the Free to Play launch. The game has changed a lot since it was released back in early 2010, both visually and gameplay-wise. I think they focused a bit too much on just combat at the beginning, so it's nice to see things like the duty officer system to differentiate STO from other MMOs out there.

((Bridge, USS Victory)) :: A way. They had a way home. Radi had stumbled on it by accident, but it was a way. Not ideal... not ideal at all... but certainly, it was a way. :: Rais: ... hell- only a few years after this, fifteen years or so I believe, JAMES T. FRACKING KIRK HIMSELF comes back to this time in a great big honking Klingon Bird of Prey! Why don't we at LEAST say "Hi!" and find out how THEY get home, which he most certainly ended up doing... there'd be minimal timeline involvement, we'd just have to follow them... or at least monitor them from a distance. Nicholotti: ::Quietly.:: We know how they got home, and trust me, we will look over the same technique for our own use. :: Vindication? :: Nicholotti: You know we can’t do any of that. :: Radi's fists balled in anger. He knew nothing of the sort. His black eyes narrowed at the former Marine. :: (( FLASHBACK:Zama Beach, Praxi VI, 2383 )) Zeet: You know what happens when you DO leave? You get your brain back. (( Flashback ends... )) :: Seemed that wasn't a universal rule. :: Nicholotti: Tressa, let me know the minute that you have something. Tressa: :: Swallowing slightly. :: I'm, I'm trying... Nicholotti: I know you’ll find it. Tressa: I won't let you down, Commander. :: Kali nodded and turned back to look as the Operations chief spoke again. This time, he didn't hold back. :: Rais: Go to hell. ::That was one thing she could honestly say that she wasn’t expecting.:: Nicholotti: Excuse me? Rais: Sorry, "ma'am", but are you out of your fracking mind...? "We can't do any of that"- You know what that is? That's rationalizing your way out of avoiding xenocide! (( Radi's imagination, Ohmallera )) :: A bright light, warm and yellow, flooded in through the window. Dawn? Already? It was not yet midnight... :: :: PANIC. SHOCK. FEAR. :: ~~ What's that light...? ~~ ~~ GODDESSES, HELP US! ~~ :: PAIN! Ten thousand voices screamed directly into their minds. Jhaan and Lita clapped their hands over their ears, trying in vain to shut out the cataclysmic din. :: ~~ The southern district is on fire! ~~ ~~ We're under attack! We're- ~~ ~~ Help! Help! She won't move! ~~ (( Bridge )) :: Radi's voice dripped with venom. :: Rais: Do you know why we have the Prime Directive? Do you know why? Because without it, our interference causes more harm than good, in the overall scheme of things- but you know what? There are times when you just have to say, to HELL with the Prime Directive, when the alternative is extinction! How does non-involvement help THEM, huh? When we get back- IF we get back- are you going to waltz right over to the Romulan ambassador's office on Starbase 118, look him in the eye and say, "We did what we had to do- one hundred fifty-odd Federation Citizens were worth more than the BILLIONS you lost- tough break! Have a [...] cookie! Hell, you lost your whole civilization and homeworld in one fell swoop- take the whole jar!" ::Kali looked to the man. He literally seemed to drip with emotions, mostly rage. She understood; they had the chance to save billions of lives just with the knowledge that they now had. Looking to the screen, and the blue ball floating in space in front of her, she sighed. They could save millions on her own planet alone, but that was not their job. It was not their place to fix history and possibly make things worse in ways they couldn’t even imagine. And he certainly wasn’t going to speak to any higher ranking officer like that on the bridge.:: Nicholotti: My office. Now. ::Her voice was firm, but soft and controlled. The crew didn’t know she would be taking over as first officer, and the ‘office’ that was hers was really MacKenna’s at that moment. But MacKenna was out of it, and for now, she was in the role acting or not.:: Nicholotti: Lieutenant Tressa, you have the conn. Tressa: Ma'am.. ::It wasn’t an expected break, but it was something that had to be handled right then. Kali would not have such outbursts on her bridge. Practically shaking with rage, Radi rolled his eyes and followed her into her office.:: (( Radi's Imagination, Deep Space 17 )) :: Rais lifted the emitter, placing it directly on the transparent aluminum of the suit, pinning her head against the wall. :: :: A dark, pleased smile came over his features. :: Rais: Long live the Vaadwaur Imperium. :: There was a bright white flash and Brockton's body slumped down against the deck, the faceplate melted in. :: :: With his work done, Radi shouldered his weapon and resumed the hunt without a second thought for what was left behind. :: ((Deck One, First Officer’s Office)) ::Kali walked into the office with the livid operations officer on her heels. Taking a moment, she made her way behind the desk and sat, steepling her hands and looking up at the still standing, and rather animated man in front of her.:: :: Wasting no time, Radi jabbed a finger at the Second Officer, barely able to control himself, his voice gaining volume and urgency. :: Rais: Don't give me that lump of steaming ss'raal, all that "It happens for a reason" garbage- you're PATHETIC. You sit there on your lofty perch, pontificating about non-interference, when you- YOU haven't lost a [...] thing in your entire, Federation-Fracking-Standard-Issue life, 'cept for that tiny, black, shriveled husk you called a heart. You know what I have to say to that? It's a [...] pity that Hirogen didn't kill you. I'm ashamed to serve with you and if you're an example of what it is to be a model officer then I am so *unbelievably* glad that I'm not like you at all. :: Images of that fateful day flitted through her mind. For a moment, she wanted nothing more than to share the pain with him, but a few moments later she was able to compose herself. The nightmares were over; and while the comments hurt, she was able to avoid responding in kind.:: Nicholotti: Is that so? :: She raised an eyebrow at him.:: Nicholotti: Cause I’m sure that you know all about who I am and what kind of officer I am. How long have you been in Starfleet? Do you even know what it means to be an officer here? ::Far too many Marines that she had met along the way didn’t.:: (( Radi's memories, School District, Northern Continent, Betazed, twelve years and three months ago )) :: The teacher shook his head. The child had a bruised face, cut lip... :: Teacher: Radi... another fight? Rais: It wasn't my fault! They said I was a psycho! :: The teacher raised an eyebrow, his hands on his hips. :: Teacher: So they said you were a "psycho"... and to prove them wrong, you bit them? ((Deck One, First Officer’s Office)) :: Enraged beyond reason, Radi bit down on his lip so hard it bled. :: Rais: How long have... I...? I've been in Starfleet since the Gorn invasion, I've been through the three wars- I've cut my way through so much blood and darkness I'm drowning in it- all so people can live normal lives. Everyone I know is dead, in a psyche ward or missing, all because I gave up everything to serve. I may not be an officer, but if you think you're going to lecture me on what it means to sacrifice for others, you don't want to tread down that path. :: He jabbed a finger at the side of his head. :: Rais: You want to peer into this little head of mine? You think you know what it's like to watch your entire life turn to ash as you gleefully cheer it on? Worse, you think you're able to pass judgement on *billions* of lives, billions of souls- those Romulans had families, hopes, dreams, ambitions- you synthetic hearted val'chak desanni mel ot al'charrem! If nothing else- ( FLASHBACK: After the Azure Nebula )) (( Radi Rais's shared quarters, USS Victory )) :: Radi's room-mate wasn't present. It was late, so he wondered where she or he was. Dropping his possessions at the foot of his bunk he had one more thing to do before he slept... :: :: His PADD found its way back to his hands. He looked up the crew compliment of a standard Romulan ship, like the one they had damaged. How many would be likely to be in the nose section... along with a brief "eyeball" on how many would have been killed. :: :: Radi asked the computer to disable the fire suppression in the quarters then lit eight small candles, kneeling on a single knee and praying. :: Rais: I have done a terrible thing this day. :: A pause. :: Rais: I took the lives of eight of the Children of Eisn. :: Another pause. :: Rais: I ask you all to consider this a righteous act... the women and men who wished to kill were, themselves, in turn slain. My soul is heavy with their passing, but I light these small candles to honour their sacrifice- much as I wish to be honoured if I, myself, am slain. :: He extinguished each of the candles in turn, pausing with reverence as he did each one. As each flame died he whispered,:: Rais: Forgive me. :: When it was all done, he picked up the candles and rested them on his desk. He let the wax dry before packing them away, stripping out of his uniform and crawling into bed. :: (( Flashback ends )) :: His voice rose to a shout. :: Rais: -OUR DUTY IS TO STAY HERE AND PREVENT THE EXTINCTION OF THE ROMULAN PEOPLE! If nothing else, we OWE it to them! They're PEOPLE, [...] it, we can't do anything less! Trying to get home is POINTLESS, SELFISH, and quite frankly you can go *straight* to hell if you think for one moment I'm going to be a part of this insanity! This selfishness! This MADNESS! Nicholotti: Very well. You are relieved of duty. Feel free to be [...]ed at the universe in your quarters. Rais: FINE! Their blood is on YOUR hands! ::Kali stood now. He had been given time to speak his part, and much of it she was willing to let go. Personal attacks, no matter how deep they cut, were often the result of hurt, confusion, and regret. He had discovered a way to save the lives that had been taken, but it was not something they could follow up on. He could blame her, she could live with that. She couldn’t live with the chance, however, that they would change things and billions of others would find themselves where they weren’t supposed to be.:: ::He tried to speak again, but she cut him off.:: Nicholotti: Shut up. :: Radi's voice dropped down, the blood trickling down his lip. :: Rais: Or what? Go on- tell me. Or what? Or wha- ::Walking from around the desk, she leaned back and crossed her arms. Even at her full height he towered over her, but it was nothing new to her. She used to command Marines that were twice her size.:: Nicholotti: I said shut the frak up. Now it’s my turn. :: She narrowed her eyes at the man again as if to drive her point home.:: Nicholotti: So we save the Romulans. But at what cost? What if doing that creates death in other places? What if we prevent the original formation of the Federation? What happens then? How many people die then? Are you willing to risk changing history and putting every living being in the galaxy at risk? :: Radi could scream at her. What could be worse than what had happened? Billions and billions dead... it was the absolute worst case scenario they had outlined in their briefing only a couple of months ago. And it had happened. Now she was saying, "Oh, but it could have been so much worse?" :: Rais: YES. ::Kali shook her head.:: Nicholotti: Well, I’m not. Time flows in all directions, not just the one you see. If preventing change to our own timeline is heartless and cruel, then so be it. ::Kali’s voice was calm and collected, despite the aggression she could see in the man. He was passionate about this, and it was that passion that was blinding him from seeing what needed to be seen. Still, the aggressive nature and his attitude was unacceptable.:: Rais: It's more than heartless, it's insane! If it were up to me I'd fix this- some things, some brutal horrible things we can let go, but not this! We have a chance to save so, so, soooo many lives...! Nicholotti: Which is why it is not your decision. Our duty is to preserve the timeline. History must repeat itself. :: Radi stabbed a finger at her again. :: Rais: Do you know what happened at Zama beach? I was there, Princess- a thousand Starfleet Marines died on her sands trying to stop the Gorn, died in the rain and endless night. Somehow, I managed to survive. But do you wanna know the truth? :: He leaned closer to her now, a hair away from losing control again. :: Rais: It wasn't the Gorn disruptors that killed us, in the end- it was the officers who thought they knew best. Officers who clung to their principles no matter what. Officers who were so out of touch with reality all they had were their text books and their vaunted education, they had no idea what the reality of the situation was, and if they did, they just ignored it. Officers who didn't even know their subordinates names, but were happy to order them to their death. You and your kind- you think you have all the answers, but reality is a place you're so very far from. Nicholotti: And you, I suppose, are an expert on ‘my kind’. ::It didn’t matter what she said. Like so many others, he had to speak his mind. She knew that he wouldn’t be able to be calm, cool, or collected until he did. It would take even more time for him to really process things. She held her ground, but didn’t allow the emotion that he showed to affect her.:: Rais: More than you could ever know. So, okay, things might go "bad" if we fix things. They might even be worse... don't rightly know. All I know is, they're probably going to be a [...] sight better. So you... you look me in the eye right now, and you tell me that we're going to sentence eleven billion people to death... I'll just say it again, so the number sinks in... eleven... BILLION... people... to death, because of your fear that things "could" be worse. Nicholotti: Got it. Eleven billion. I was there, remember? But think about this. If we prevent the federation, and perhaps even allow the Romulans a real foothold in the galaxy, how will things turn out there? How does this end? No. We can’t change things, especially things that big. :: Kali understood. She really did. Death was something she had come face to face with and it was horrific. She could only thank whatever gods were out there that the Romulans had gotten a death much faster than so many others.:: :: Out of all that had happened in his life, this was the most crushing thing that had ever happened. He couldn't convince her to abandon her course, no matter what he said, no matter how mad he got. :: Rais: Then I guess we're just as guilty as Nero is. We have a chance to end the genocide and we are choosing to allow it to happen. :: Radi stepped back. He felt numb to it all now, casually throwing up his hands. His tone became defeated. :: Rais: Fine. But I meant what I said. I want you to explain this- personally- to the Romulan ambassador. Tell him we had a chance to stop Hobus, a slim chance granted, but we didn't on your authority... because we were too afraid that things "could turn out bad for us". I'm *sure* he'll understand... Nicholotti: No one is getting any ambassadors involved. :: She paused.:: If you want to blame me for this, then you go right on ahead. You can do so from your quarters. :: Nothing mattered anymore. He couldn't win. :: Rais: Fine. ::Kali pressed a few keys on her console notifying security that they were required in the First Officer’s office. It took only moments for them to arrive. The chime on the door sounded and she turned back to Rais, this time standing tall and conveying the impression that she was done taking any verbal insults that he had to throw.:: Nicholotti: We have more than just Romulus to worry about. This could affect the entire galaxy and the many more billions, more than eleven, that are out there. You will go cool off. Then, you will talk to the counselor and learn how to control yourself before returning to duty. Rais: This is all your fault. You're making us into murderers. Nicholotti: I don’t care. This was your chance. Your one and only. Talk to me like that on the bridge of my ship again, and I will kick your sorry [...] all the way back to the twenty fourth century and a court martial. Dismissed! ::The security officers were there now, and they had stepped inside her door and looked up at her questioningly. :: Nicholotti: He is to remain in his quarters. He is not to go anywhere unless ordered by me or the Captain, and no one is to visit him until the counselor arrives. ::Kali watched as the security officers led him out of the room. Radi couldn't even stand to look at her. :: ::They would be down an officer now, which worried her. The crew was going to need all the help that they could get in getting home, but instead, she had officers incapacitated by hallucinogenic drugs, lead bullets, and now rage. Would it have helped to tell him that she agreed with the sorrow over the loss of Romulus? Probably not. If he hated her for this, so be it. Command was not always a bed of roses and there were bound to be officers that would dislike her from time to time.:: ::Making the hard decisions would do that to a person. It was something she would have to get used to, especially if she ever wanted to command her own ship.:: (( Radi's quarters, USS Victory )) :: How did it feel to be complicit in the murder of eleven billion people? Rais hurled his combadge into a corner of his quarters. Security watched the door, and by now he assumed his transporter and access codes would have been revoked. He didn't even bother trying anything. :: :: Oh, sure, in that way that frustrated, desperate people do he entertained thoughts of somehow sabotaging the ship. Of forcing Nicholotti and her smug little face to remain in the past... so they could fix what was coming. Hobus was hundreds of years in the future, but if they told the Vulcan High Command now, they might be able to stop it in time. Or, at the very least, have an ordered, safe, complete evacuation of the planet. Billions and billions of people would be saved. :: :: He thought about overpowering one of the security guards, taking their phaser and blowing out the warp coolant tanks, forcing a warp core ejection. The warp signature would be detected by the Vulcans, eventually, forcing them to action... :: :: Of course, it would never work. There were three security personnel there and, even though Radi was a former Marine, they were tough. He doubted he could beat even one. And, of course, the moment he was detected outside of his quarters (possibly by automatic process) they would have forcefields up and he would be transported to the brig. If he was lucky. :: :: Still didn't stop his imagination from going wild with fanciful ideas. He wanted to do something. Anything. Maybe he could pry off a conduit cover and force an overload in the... :: :: But, just like his younger self in the trenches of Praxi IV, there was nothing he could do. He was powerless to prevent it all from happening again. :: ----- Lt. Commander Kalianna Nicholotti First Officer Starbase 118/USS Victory And, SCPO Radi Rais Chief of Operations USS Victory

Haha, I quite enjoyed that. There were a few anxious moments when I was a bit worried the EMH might become dangerous, but that's all part of what makes it a page turner, or rather, page scroller. Nice job, Victory crew! (I like that emoticon more than the thumbs up one...)

((Holodeck)) ::As she turned back to the stars, she felt her bare arm brush Alleran's lightly. Sidney said nothing, but felt something akin to an electric charge course through her arm. Her mind drifted back to the story Tan had finished, just moments earlier...:: Riley: So is Passion considered a bad thing to the Trill? :: Sidney's touch was electrifying. He gave a light, pleasant shiver-slowly shuffling closer to her, draping that arm around her shoulders. He drew her to him, his side pressing against hers, giving her shoulders a light squeeze. She tensed at the movement, but surprisingly she felt herself settle in at his side. The gesture was comforting and the coolness of his arm on the back of her neck felt soothing. :: Tan: Too much of it, yes... especially joined Trills. Riley: Anything can be bad if taken to extreme. ::She paused.:: However, passion tempered with the other virtues can be a good thing. ::She paused, looking over at Alleran her bright green eyes locked with his.:: :: He held that look, smiling lightly. Pleasantly. This was simply wonderful- time seemed to gradually slow down. He could spend eternity like this. :: Tan: Passion is... one quarter of the disc. It's another metaphor. Imagine a circular dinner plate divided into four quarters with paint, with each quarter being a virtue. The plate is spun on a stick... if your plate is balanced, it will spin long and clean before eventually toppling. If your plate is unbalanced, then it will wobble. If there's just too much of any one... it falls off and breaks before its time. :: The wind picked up, lightly blowing his hair. The storm would come soon... both literally in the holodeck and figuratively outside, at Deep Space 17. They had spent so much time talking... it was wonderful, really... but the Trill had more questions for the beautiful lady. He started with a rhetorical question- one he knew the answer to- but one that would lead the conversation where he needed it to go. :: Tan: Sidney... are you seeing anyone? ::Sidney pulled away from Alleran's side and sat up. She turned to face him and motioned for him to sit up. She watched his face and brown eyes intently.:: :: Alleran sat up, meeting Sidney's gaze. He looked... nervous. :: Riley: No... ::She paused, she hadn't talked to Bron in more than ten months and while she enjoyed spending time with Clack and looked at him as a great friend, he was married.::...not really. Not in the sense I think you mean. ::She looked down at the blanket before she looked up at the Joined Trill. :: Relief. He smiled widely. :: Tan: I'm not seeing anyone, either. It's been... well. I've had one little crush, but it didn't go anywhere. Otherwise... nothing since the academy. Marlee: oO Little? Right. Oo ::Sidney took Alleran's hand gently in her own and squeezed it lightly. He returned the gesture, moving as though to rejoin with her. Her expression stopped him. :: Riley: Please...give me a chance to share some things with you. ::She paused and scooted to where she was seated cross legged directly across from him, still holding his hand.:: Riley: You are a wonderful person. In fact I'd go so far as to say you are the most wonderful person I've met in a long time. However, we've only just met, I believe this is our first, "date"? Yes? ::The Terran/Deltan hoped Alleran would notice how she'd emphasized the word date.:: :: Oh god. :: Tan: Y-yes. I was hoping there'd be more, but... :: Crash, tinkle tinkle tinkle... that was the sound of Tan's heart breaking. He'd heard this before, dozens of times- sometimes spoken by him in his past life, more often spoken by others. :: Tan: ... there isn't going to be, is there? Riley: No, that's not it. ::She squeezed his hand and made sure she made eye contact.:: I am not opposed to being in a relationship with you. I want to know you better Alleran. You have to understand something about me...I don't play the field, I don't play games. When I give my heart to someone I give it fully and they definitely know. :: Okay, so he didn't know everything. His stomach hurt- his thoughts were scattered across so many different possibilities he couldn't keep up. :: Tan: I want to be that person, more than anything. Is is... possible? ::Sidney paused, hesitating, debating how much to tell her friend. She blushed a deep red as she spoke.:: Riley: I do have feelings for you. I want to be your friend, I want to go out with you, share things with you. You are already important to me. I wouldn't have come tonight if I wasn't interested learning more about you and getting to know you. :: His face slowly became a wide, happy smile. :: Tan: I'm so... so very happy to hear that. Heh. Mmm. What are we goingto tell the crew? If, that is, we should tell them at all... I can understand why you'd want to be discrete. Riley: I don't see a problem with spending time together, why would we need to hide it? ::She paused and gave him a skeptical questioning look, with a playful edge.:: Who are you planning on going and bragging to? :: Now the playful bit was back. He gave her hand a firm squeeze- the seed-pods of the plants swayed as the air became fast moving, the occasional rumble of thunder closing in on them. Things were coming to a head. :: Tan: Oh, only the whole Air Group. They're a nosy, inquisitive lot-they'll get their noses into everything... I'm sorry in advance, Sid'! Hah, haha... :: He knew there would be 'dares' about this, if and when they found out. Risqué comments... embarrassing ones. He'd have to cope somehow.:: ::Sidney paused, she hoped Alleran was joking. He had laughed...she didn't particularly want to be the subject of jokes and impossible stares.:: Riley: I don't hide things from the crew Alleran. I don't flaunt my personal life either. While there are regulations, there is nothing that says we can't spend time together as long as it doesn't affect our duties. And I don't plan for it to. :: He rubbed his thumb over her palm, smiling widely. The Terran/Deltan looked down at the line he traced with his thumb. :: Tan: I don't either, Sid'. I want this... whatever this is, or whatever it becomes, to succeed. I'll do anything to make that possible. :: He glanced out towards the gathering storm, raising his voice to keep it heard over the wind and thunder. :: Tan: These few days have been the happiest in... years and years. Probably... dare I say it- ever. I've never felt so at peace... so sure of myself. So safe and secure and... serene. It feels like I've known you for months, but there's so many questions I want to ask you... I want to know you, fully and completely. ::Blushing a bright rosy pink, she looked at the man standing before her. He looked very sincere, she looked down at the ground and noticed the drops of rain hit the bluish dirt before she felt them on her skin.:: Riley: Alleran I... :: Tan felt a drop of water hitting his face. He closed his eyes, letting the storm-cooled air wash over him. :: Tan: I don't mean to rush you, Sidney. I tend to... live in the moment without a care for tomorrow. I know... I know you and I are different, but I think we can make it work. I don't have any expectations about where tonight will lead- and I don't know what you're planning, if anything, but... will you do me one last favour? ::It started to rain harder and Sidney felt the drops of rain gathering in her eyelashes. She blinked trying to focus in on the Trill.:: Riley: What favor? :: His eyes were still closed- it helped clear his mind. More rain hit him, drops of water running down his cheek. He loved the rain. :: Tan: Turn off your universal translator. I already turned mine off back in your quarters. I want to hear your voice... your natural voice... unmodified and pure. We don't share a language, but... pick one. I'll learn it for you, eventually. I promise. ::The Terran/Deltan took in a sharp breath of the cool air. The rain drops falling on her soaked hair, drenching the silk dress she wore. No one had ever asked such a thing of her before. To take away the translator and hear her real voice...her heart caught in her throat, tears filled her eyes, but one would have never been able to tell in the rain. Sidney reached out and took Alleran's other hand and squeezed them both gently.:: Riley: You...you won't be able to understand me...but... ::She took another deep breath and opened her eyes. Letting go of the Joined Trill's hands she reached in her pocket and turned the small device which connected her with so many worlds and people off. Her eyes open wide, she looked at Alleran for a moment, her eyes lingering on the man. She looked down at her dress, it was most certainly ruined as Alleran had said, and she found herself thankful she had worn her favorite swimsuit underneath. She reached up and moved her hair, which had turned an even darker red than normal away from her face.:: Tan: So ... Is é seo mo guth ó dhúchas. Cad a cheapann tú? ::For a moment she wasn't sure what to say.:: Riley: Alleran... ::She spoke in English, and even as she simply spoke his name her voice was laden with a soft Southern Louisiana accent. If she was being completely honest with herself this was who she really was.:: Riley: Alleran, have you ever danced in the rain? :: He opened his eyes and couldn't help but grin. Her voice sounded so... melodic and sweet, like the soft pitter-patter of rain that was landing all around them. His clothes became soaked, hair slicking down against his head. :: Tan: Oh mo ghrá, Sidney ... tú fuaim an-aisteach! Ní féidir liom focal a thuiscint go bhfuil tú ag rá! ::Sidney twirled around, her arms held out embracing the rain. She looked up at the sky, closed her eyes. She felt the rain drops falling gently on her face as she twirled. The cool air, the wind as it whipped around her. She spoke again, loudly over the storm as she twirled around, she felt so happy in the moment with the rain and the wind and...:: :: Tan stood, arms outstretched- he caught the raindrops in his mouth, laughing and flashing Sidney an occasional grin. He couldn't understand her, but they were getting along just fine. He looked... excited. Happy. Joyous, even. :: Riley: I love the rain! It reminds me of home. Tan: Is mian liom raibh mé in ann fanacht mar seo go deo. ::Slowly she walked towards Tan and took him by the hand again. This time as she twirled around she tried to get him to join her. He looked confused, gripping her hands lightly.:: Riley: Dance with me? :: After a moment's confusion he got it, spinning and hopping up and down. It was a playful, spontaneous action that would have looked ridiculous to an observer. The rain came harder and harder- they spun, dancing closer and closer. Tan grabbed Sidney's hand, pointing across the field. :: Tan: Féach, féach-'s tosú é! :: The seed pods began to break off in the wind, floating up towards the sky like thin pink party balloons. They were lighter than air--little pink lights floating off into the distance. :: :: He reached out for her face, gently wiping some of the water off her cheek with his thumb. Sidney raised an eyebrow and closed her eyes.:: Tan: ... Is tú mo ghrá, Sidney. :: He drew her closer, his hands sliding around her slender, curvy waist. His chest pressed against her, squeezing her tightly, rubbing the soaked silk against her body. He leaned in, his nose brushing against hers... :: ::Sidney initially pushed away from Alleran's embrace, but after a second she found herself relaxing in the Trill's arms as she looked into his deep brown eyes. The lighting around them was electrifying and suddenly, quite unexpectedly to the Terran/Deltan, Alleran kissed her. She leaned away but then found herself leaning into his arms.:: ::Tan's heart was pounding a million times a second, skin sweaty and cool. It was perfect, the moment was perfect... he wanted this. He felt tingly all over. It was just like the transporter, taking him far away. Far away to a beautiful, wonderful place... :: :: ... but it ended after a moment. With a content sigh, he fished around inside his pocket, the device chirping as it was reengaged. :: Tan: Well. Riley: Well? ::Sidney blushed and looked away, her mind was racing.:: :: Tan couldn't help but laugh. The rain started to ease up. He reached up, brushing back some of her hair. :: Tan: You look just like a drowned rat, only cuter. Come on... let's go get dry, shall we? ::The Terran/Deltan shook her head and raised an eyebrow.:: Riley: Thanks... ::She laughed nervously, her mind still in an uproar.:: :: Tan nodded, grinning widely. The two made their way back to Sidney's quarters, soaking wet. More stares- but Tan didn't mind so much now. The two entered her quarters together- Tan let Riley slip away. :: ::As Alleran went to get his uniform, Sidney walked to her room and grabbed her white cotton robe from it's place near the bed. She slipped it on over the wet clothing and returned to the main room.:: Tan: I'll just go back to my dress uniform. Won't be a moment. Riley: Of course. :: He went back to the bathroom and changed. She'd kissed him! ...well, more correctly, he'd kissed her and she'd kissed back. It was more than he could hope for. Still, his doubts gnawed at him. :: :: Tan stepped out. His hair was mussed but at least he was dry. Pausing by the door, he gave a soft, wistful smile. :: Tan: I had a fantastic time tonight, Sid'. Sorry about the mess. ::For the first time, Sidney looked down at the trails of water all over the floor.:: Riley: Don't worry about it. Tan: You never did pick a language for me to learn... ::Sidney stopped and looked up at Alleran.:: Riley: You really mean it? ::She paused.:: Terran English then. Tan: Done. ::Sidney blushed and pushed the auburn hair away from her face and behind her ear.:: :: Tan grinned, then walked over to the exit. He paused there, back to the room, collecting his thoughts. He desperately wanted to turn around, march back in, say something- anything!- that would allow himself to be convinced that she wasn't just going to... slip away like all the others. Instead, he threw her a bright smile over his shoulder. :: Tan: Goodnight, Sidney. ::Her bright green eyes shining, the Terran/Deltan gave the Joined-Trill a small smile.:: Riley: Goodnight Alleran. :: With that, he left. :: End Simmed by: Captain Sidney Riley Commanding Officer USS Independence-A And Lt (jg) Alleran Tan Helm/CAG USS Independence-A

Thanks for the nomination, Tan. I'm honored, and I must admit that I'm pretty proud of how this SIM turned out, so much so that I added it to the wiki for my character. It was especially gratifying to hear from those who were touched by the demise of a PNPC who just earlier had been nothing more than a basic NPC in the couple of SIMs leading to this one. In some ways, that makes me wish we had gotten to know Jessop a little bit more before her fate, but on the other hand, I like how this SIM could also be taken as a one-time "Ode to the Red Shirt" (or in this case, blue...), reminding us that even the most generic extra has a story just waiting to be told. The positive reaction led me to reflect on the SIM's creation, and on the wiki, I included this author's note, which some may find interesting: