Rahman and Rivi Vataix

August 10, 2015

Hmm, somehow my TrekCore link didn't go through. Here's the article with the mock ups.

August 10, 2015

Never thought this day would actually come...

another article on TrekCore with some mock ups of the book's layout from its publisher.

The Okudas noted on facebook it won't just be 300 new pages tacked onto the back of the old version and that the first two JJ Abrams films will be interspersed in the main section of the text like "any other alternate timeline" that was featured on Trek before. Unfortunately, so far they're saying info from the third nuTrek film Star Trek Beyond won't be available in time to make their publication date (come on! Surely they can find a way!).

But anyway... new illustrations! Maybe some new background info! ALL of prime Trek in two volumes! Yay 2016!

July 23, 2015

::His stammer caught Quana's attention. She strode over to him, Tristam suddenly feeling quite small, despite hers being shorter than him - her stance made it feel as if she were towering over him. The Rodulan found himself leaning backwards.::
Quana: A defective rook. Hmm.
oO *DEFECTIVE*!? Oo

July 20, 2015

I really don't understand why Paramount hasn't done this yet. DisneyMarvel is eating their lunch when it comes to franchises, but they have an amazing franchise that has a dozen different stories waiting to be told:
* Guinan, the series! This would be amazing!
* Star Trek: Academy
* Star Trek: Intelligence
* Star Trek: Engineering (a la Scorpion)
* Star Trek in a Firefly type show -- frontier of Federation with a Kasidy Yates-type character
These are just the shows. Why not more movies? Marvel is turning the origin story into an artform all its own, launching movie series with crossovers.
Come on Paramount!

The real issue unfortunately is that it's all about corporate/legal messes. After Viacom split, Paramount now only has rights to the movies where as CBS has rights to the TV shows. That's why you always see CBS now involved with any of the remastering of TOS/TNG and all of the associated "prime/old Trek" merchandising. Then, JJ Abrams tried to stop any TOS merchandising in preparation for his/Bad Robot's plans for nuTrek merchandising/brand awareness, and they kindly told him to shove it since why would they agree to no longer earn anything from their rights to TOS?

Of course, the question one could wonder is with the success of NetFlix original shows, why not create a Star Trek NetFlix show like Daredevil? Apparently Trek on NetFlix is one of their most popular programs, so they'd love it. And CBS supposedly has the full rights to do so. But, alas, it seems Paramount and CBS are still trying to sort out what they can do without stepping on the toes of the other, especially if they want to have a "unified" franchise on both TV and the big screen like Marvel with its movies and TV shows like Agent Carter.

Although, you're right that if Paramount wanted, they could also just go ahead with an expanded universe approach with more movies ala Marvel, but I honestly think they lack the imagination and creative talent to even conceive it let alone execute it. Their most recent comments were that they were concerned about making the upcoming movie too "Star Trek-y" and they want to figure out how to make a Trek movie that can earn a billion dollars like Avengers...

::shaking head::

The whole licensing mess reminds me of how they used to give out the Trek license for video games back in the 90s by series instead of just the whole Trek franchise as a whole. So you had Microprose only have the rights to TNG and not TOS, so their game Birth of the Federation didn't have any Constitution class ships or Intrepid (though it did have DS9 and the Defiant thanks to their appearances on TNG episodes and First Contact). Likewise, how they treat Trek music as a separate license so games like Elite Force couldn't actually use the Voyager theme.

And then when one company actually had the complete license for all the series at the time (Activision), they completely missed the opportunity to create an epic game that took advantage of it like a Birth of the Federation sequel or a Mass Effect-like RPG. Instead, we got Star Trek Legacy, which sure, ships are cool (and they even got all five captains to do voice over), but there's more to Trek than just starship combat.

July 19, 2015

Hmmm, this is a hard one!

Archer had a good record with the crew casualties staying pretty low. But there's no Federation! No holodecks! Only two aliens to really get to hang out with on the NX-01. Yes, the Enterprise 1701 looked like it only had Spock, but at least the Federation existed by that point, right? So easy travel?

But then, realistically, I'd be a redshirt on Kirk's ship, and we all know how that goes. E-D seems like it'd be the most comfortable. But if you wanna talk about crews that our cliquish, the TNG crew was probably the most tight-knit. It'd be hard to break into it. Voyager had more of a real family vibe to me. But then, they're lost and by themselves. You can't take a vacation, I'd assume, and just wander off to visit some other parts of the galaxy.

DS9 crew always felt more like work colleagues to me. Friendly but they have their own lives to go to when they're done. It would be fun to meet the non-Starfleet folks. Chat it up with Garak and Quark. Yep, fun and games. Until the war happens...

As for nuTrek. Well, I think your odds of dying are even higher there than on the TOS Enterprise thanks to Action Movie Universe rules.

So, if we were talking about just which ship/setting, I'd go with the E-D, and use the holodecks to recreate any of the other ships/crews. Plus, they have dolphins! But if we were talking about the people themselves, I'll go with Voyager. Plus, out of all the captains, I felt Captain Kate always really cared about each member of her crew, down to the little guys on Deck 15.

July 15, 2015

Lucius: Oh, excuse me, where are my manners? My name is Lucius, Special Envoy for the Republic of Magna Roma.
:: Magna Roma. Because, of course, space Romans were a thing that existed, Aron reminded himself. Not just in the general, but in the very specific. In the flesh, directly before him -- or in the silky typhoon, anyway. ::

Ah, it was the 60s... a different time. I imagine a lot of smoke for some reason during some of those pitches in the TOS writer's room...

"Okay, so the Enterprise encounters Romans... but IN SPACE!"

"Okay, now it's Nazis... but IN SPACE!"

"Okay, so this time they're hippies...but IN- wait, where are you going?"

July 14, 2015

Congrats! Welcome to the party!

July 11, 2015

Our crew does seem to have a fascination with pants... or the lack there of.

July 10, 2015

Eyas is SUPER-DUPER huggable!!!!!!!!

Lidia agrees! Best punching bag ever!

July 10, 2015

When players take digs at thier own characters...
:: After Leo had left sickbay, he returned to the Command Centre. He had
another hour of his shift before turning in. He sat in the Command seat,
and notice how much the cushion has sagged.::
Handley-Page: Must have been that big [...] Pythron squashing it!

Just means he's extra huggable!

July 7, 2015

((Quarters: LCDR Core))

::Ki stood outside of the door for a long time. He debated with himself over and over again on why he was doing this. Tristam had never expressed any real liking for him. Yet, he found himself drawn to come here.::

::With a sigh he straightened and tugged at his black collar. Almost angrily he pressed the chime. Tristam could just as easily ignore him.::

::With a quick glance up towards the door, he pressed a button on his PADD. Verbal commands to the computer had become increasingly difficult, so he’d had to revert to old fashioned remote controls. It wasn’t as much as a problem as he’d expected it to be - it simply reminded him of home, where not everything ran on voice control. Tristam had to admit that he was surprised when he saw Shandres standing in the open doorway.::

Shandres: ::he raised a dark eyebrow.:: Mind if I come in?

Core: oO Door’s open, is it not? Oo

::Unable to speak any sarcasm, and in lieu of a telepathically readable brain, the Rodulan simply gestured to a chair. This was very odd indeed - Shandres willingly coming to see him? He gave an amused huff.::

::Ki dropped into the chair indicated and slouched. He gave the impression of being relaxed and uncaring, but he was anything but.::

Shandres: I thought I would drop by and check on you. 40 zillion volts can’t have been much fun.

Core: Wasn’t.

::Though he’d been shocked enough times by various equipment throughout his life that he wasn’t as concerned about permanent injury.::

Core:::shaking his head.:: Healthy.

::Ki snorted.::

Shandres: I suppose… although your hair's still standing on end and I still hear an occasional crackle… ::pause:: Unless that’s normal for you?

::Tristam laughed.::

Core: Ah . . . probably. ::Pause.:: What’re . . . why here? Reports . . .

::Reports could have done a better job than him explaining how he was.::

::Ki pretended to misunderstand.::

Shandres: No, I’ve turned in all my reports on the incident. I’m just here to check up on you. ::pause.:: It's become something of a habit.

::The Rodulan frowned, not buying what Shandres was selling him.::

Core: Can’t talk. Great listener. ::pause:: What’s up?

::shakes his head::

Shandres: You can talk… ::gestures toward a PADD.:: I’ve seen the speed you type.

::He paused, staring at the Rodulan.::

Shandres: And yes, I mean what I say. I am here to check up on you. I do care if you’re all right as bizarre as that sounds.I know you don’t like me. Though I don’t know why. After that fiasco on Perplexia, looking after you is a habit.

Core: . . . like you.

::Hell, he appreciated pretty much everything Shandres had done, not only for him, but for the whole team, over the last couple of weeks.::

Core: But . . . uh . . . arrogant. On duty. First day? ::Tristam shook his head.:: Impression.

Shandres: Nah, I’m always arrogant and snarky. ::pause:: A long time ago I made a promise to myself that I would be myself and not what people expected.

Core: Seen you - not, uh, not like that.

::Ki smiled slightly.::

Shandres: I admit I do it for fun some times. Watching people’s reaction. Did you know that when people are [...]ed they show more of their true selves? ::He tapped his forehead.:: And their thoughts become a little more uncensored. Useful in my line of work.

::Intelligence, Tristam mused. The first words he’d thought when he’d considered the idea of someone like Ki working closely with him was along the lines of “untrustworthy [...]”. How far he’d come.::

Core:::shrugging.:: Never, uh . . . I’ve never . . . ::Again with the words forming incorrectly.:: . . [...]ed someone off *intentionally*.

::But he’s definitely done it more than once.::

Shandres: Are you sure about that? Heard you did a number on a certain nurse… Does she really grab a scalpel when she sees you?

Core:::giving a smirk.:: Unintentional.

::None of Bakari’s girlfriends ever really shook a shine to Tristam for various reasons. One of them tolerated him - barely - but . . . eh. Constantly butting heads with women he’d see maybe once, twice a month wasn’t much of a big problem for him. And he’d tried his best to make it up to Bakari in different ways.::

Shandres: Ha! I bet…

::Ki swiveled in his chair to look around the room. He had gotten into the habit of reading Tristam’s body language, which for him was a good as speech. But he was curious about the Engineer in a technologically advanced setting.::

Shandres: Tristam, your place is a mess.

Core: Hardly!

::This? This was *nothing*! The Rodulan barely had time to pack up his things on the Garuda - thus, everything had been unceremoniously thrown into bags that were now strown all over his new quarters. A few had been opened - clothing somehow ending up in the spaces around said bag, his chessboard still unassembled on the coffee table, knick-knacks from home in unorganized positions - though the most horrific mess was the fact that there dishes everywhere (either because of disappearing into Engineering for the final time or because he’d simply become too distracted to replace them into the replicator). Tristam was not a people person - or, at least, not a very good one - and thus didn’t normally expect visitors. And when he did, all this mess would be thrown into the bedroom, with the exception of the dishes, of course, which promptly disappeared.::

::Ki pointed to the dishes that had every sign of being used. In fact the food particles were so dried on, even the replicators gave up and secretly jettisoned them into space.::

Shandres: I mean really…. You’re growing your own pet… ::shakes his finger at Tristam, but his grin took anything serious from his words.:: You’re an engineer… not a biologist.

::He got up and poked at the dish.::

Shandres: Or mad scientist… I can’t even tell what you’ve been eating…

Core: Morluawg.

::Or, more specifically, Morluawg *paste*. All the tastes of Morluawg from home in paste form, since Starfleet didn’t necessarily accommodate his sensitive Rodulan taste buds. He kept telling himself that he’d work on the actual dish later . . . that was something he’s been telling himself for six years, now.::

Shandres: ::shaking his head:: Ew.

::Ki prowled around the room. By any standards is was larger and more luxurious than the Garuda had been. As far as quarters went, the only thing he had seen on this level were suites on commercial ships.::

Shandres: What am I doing on this ship? ::he glanced at Tristam.:: Sorry, I don’t know why I said that. At least not out loud.

::A trait they seemed to share on occasion. Tristam gave a small grin.::

Core: Needed here.

::There'd be no other reason for Shandres to be around, and it was certainly a good one. The Betazoid had proven himself time after time.::

Core: Sometimes proves self worth.

::Ki shook his head clearly not in agreement. He really didn’t know why he was on the Invicta. They had plenty of security officers. His specialty was intelligence. He reported to Captain Reynolds. He spent years as a field agent getting in and out of places he wasn’t supposed to be. He gave up a lot to be what he was.::

Shandres: A ship full of scientists, engineers and Vulcans. There are plenty of Delano’s Minions to babysit them.

::Tristam rose a questioning eyebrow.::

Shandres: I know I’m not dumb. I’m not smart in the things you and the others are. ::shrugs:: I don’t need to be. Something Rosh could never understand.

::He dropped back into the chair he had vacated.::

Shandres: You know, back at the Academy, she used to drag me to her little get-togethers of engineers and physicists… trying to ‘include’ me. ::He snorted in amusement.:: Probably when I started to be snarky.

::Tristam blinked. He knew Roshanara and Shandres were friends, but . . . wait. Where they friends? Or had they been involved? What on Rodul was going on!?::

Core: Tech all day. Tough.

::Engineers together tended to clash occasionally. Whether it was because of strong personalities (dealing with malfunctioning technology 24/7 tended to bring the worst out of people attitude-wise - there was only so much computerized “unable to comply” responses one could put up with before they started having a one-sided argument with the computer) or simply because of differing opinions, not everybody knew. His own relationship with Roshanara was initially based on differing opinions when it came to slipstream drive; Roshanara was willing to take far too many risks whilst Tristam always argued for safety, thus a stand-off and an eventual compromise.

::That being said, since Tristam himself didn’t really take kindly to Ki’s attitude on that first mission they’d spent together, he could understand why a group of engineers of whom didn’t know him would be easily offended at his attitude.::

::Ki’s black eyes were alert on Tristam, watching the play of expression on his face. He didn’t know? But then, why should he? It hadn’t come up before.::

Shandres: The point is, I’m not an engineer or scientist. I don’t want to be. Hanging out with the lot is blindingly dull for someone like me, especially once you get into advanced technobabble which only you understand. Rosh never understood that. ::pause:: We went our separate ways after the academy. There was no way we could have made it work between us.

::Tristam stood stock still. So Shandres *had* been involved with Roshanara.

::He wasn’t entirely sure what he was meant to do with this information. And he didn’t know how he was supposed to respond to Ki’s words now. Tristam was . . . sort of glad that he and Roshanara didn’t work out - there was no way Tristam could compete with a guy like Ki, absolutely none. Just because the man wasn’t well versed in the science and engineering departments didn’t mean he wasn’t intelligent.::

Core: Other interests.

::Surely there were other things Ki was relatively well-versed in. If he couldn’t make a couple of friends in the Science or Engineering departments, then surely he could banter with a fellow Intel or Security officer about a take-down he’d made one time. Was that not a thing for Federation races?::

Shandres: ::shrugs:: I suppose. I’m good at strategy and tactics. Especially in the field. I even learned how to play a guitar.

::He chuckled a looked away for a moment.::

Shandres: Don’t worry. I’ll find a way to stay out of trouble. ::he raised a finger.:: But the minute I spend too much time babysitting, I’m putting in for a transfer so fast I’ll be leaving my own personal warp signature.

Core: oO Fair enough. Oo

::Ki looked at him in silence for a long moment.::

Shandres: So how are you holding up? I heard you’ve been put on medical leave and they are putting another warm body in your place.

Core: Ha.

::Roshanara wasn’t entirely pleased with having to have that job, but at least they’d managed to glaze over it without many issues. He hadn’t found out who his replacement was at this moment, but he made it a priority to not comment. If luck was on Tristam’s side, this would be a temporary setback - he could get used to not wearing a uniform for a couple of weeks while he and Medical sorted out a way out of this hole his brain had dug himself into - and he’d hopefully be back after a month or so. At least he wasn’t stuck in a hospital bed.::

Core: Holiday.

::Well he certainly planned to spend it like a holiday, at least.::

Shandres: So what do you plan to do? Sit around here, break things and then fix them?

::Tristam had spent a lot of time sitting in the cave maintaining their equipment without support. Ki could see him doing something similar here.::

Core: Technological. Environment. ::The Rodulan shrugged, doing a click and clap as he sat down on a table.:: Still officer.

::If he truly wanted to, he could enter and leave Engineering as he pleased. It was just that he had no real authority to go ordering people around and do actual work, so long as it wasn’t vital systems he was “interfering” with. As such, in an emergency or red alert, he either needed to report to Sick Bay (no thanks to the “medical” part of his LOA) or remain in non-vital areas and out of the way. Things he was quite capable of doing with no hassle . . . well. Maybe *some* hassle. He’d at least try to find out what was happening to someone's annoyance.::

Shandres: I’m trying to imagine you not haunting engineering…. ::smirk:: I just can’t. Sure… you could read all the specs on the drive… but can you really not put your hands on it?

Core: Yes. Drive - propulsion. Hate propulsion.

::As for the rest of Engineering . . . probably not, no. Not since he’d been introduced to it. Hell, even if he *wasn’t* introduced to Engineering prior to losing his active status, he still wouldn’t be able to stay out of it. But alas, a particular Kriosian would probably frown at him for not taking the time to hang around the more public areas of the ship or, dare he say it, rest.::

Shandres: Awwww…. how can you hate it? If you just got to know her better…. dinner and a movie maybe…?

::Tristam couldn’t stop himself from cringing. The Pioneer *did* have a date with him during their slipstream drive test.::

Core: Dangerous.

::Why the obsession with going faster? Tristam never quite understood it. Sure, it was probably useful to outrun hostile ships during an attack, but for regular cruising speeds? What difference did it make? So you got to someone faster than you would have if you used a less advanced ship. At what cost, though? Try to break the Warp 10 barrier, and people start evolving at a faster rate than they should - hence, no one tries to break that barrier anymore. Slipstream was a different story altogether, but in creating that, there were the ridiculous amounts of risks. He’d almost *died* proving that.

::Propulsion was not the answer. The transporter was - all he really had to do was keep working at his own theory until he could prove something. They already knew that they were able to beam someone from one planet to the next. If they could somehow manipulate the mechanics to the point where they were able to beam something as large as a starship from one star system to another, then propulsion wouldn’t even be a priority.

::Unfortunately he was simply deemed as a deluded Rodulan who hated propulsion just because he apparently needed to hate *something*. The stigma that came with being a Rodulan was sometimes just cruel.::

Core: Not worth it.

::Ki raised an eyebrow. He didn’t know what Tristam was thinking but he was lousy at keeping his thoughts to himself with his particular manner of body language. That alone made him smile. If what he heard was correct, the Rodulan’s own snark kept people from looking too closely.::

Shandres: I think I can translate that look. You don’t see the need to keep trying to go faster when there could be other ways. And you happen to have a theory. But nobody is listening even when you could talk.

::The Rodulan literally gave the man a round of applause, a smirk on his face.::

Core: Winner.

::Ki laughed, pleased with his accuracy.::

Shandres: So you have all this spare time… why not work on it?

Core: Theories. Tests. Text done. ::He stumbled through the next word.:: Require assistance. Simulations. ::The Rodulan shrugged again.:: Holiday.

Shandres: Simulations… ::frowns:: See… this is stuff I don’t understand. ::pause:: But if you want me to take you down to the brand-spanking new holodeck, I can follow simple instructions.

::The Betazoid paused.::

Shandres: Or I can show you my holo-programs. I’ve got some fun stuff.

::Tristam laughed quietly, but had to shake his head.::

Core: Talking. And violence. ::He shook his head again.::

Shandres: Humph! I’ll have you know I own programs that don’t involve bar brawls or picking up women. Well some of them don’t.

Core: Ha! See? Federation violent. Will warn home. ::He gave a cheeky grin.::

Shandres: ::laughs:: I’m not violent… I’m… firm…. always in control. After all, I didn’t strangle you on sight.

Core: Hmph. Wouldn’t be first time.

::Nova.

::He shook that thought away.::

::Ki arranged his expression to one of dignified affront. It would have been convincing if he hadn’t opened his mouth and spoke.::

Shandres: I’m well known for my restraint. I keep my opinions to myself . And I am the most diplomatic individual you could meet.

Core: Ha. oO Time will tell. Oo

::Tristam grinned, an ache forming in the back of his head again. His eyes closed for a few seconds too long, arms now crossed.::

::Shandres smiled as he realized how much of Tristam’s nuances he had observed and made use of in communicating::

Shandres: Headache again?

::Tristam forced himself to open his eyes and retrain them back to Shandres. He flashed a grin, and though he’d fought to train them towards the man in front of him, his gaze dropped.::

Core: Yeah.

::Lying without the ability to speak properly was significantly harder than Tristam had initially thought. And, even if lying was an option for him, he didn’t see the value in denying an obvious thing to a highly trained Intelligence officer. Well - at least, he *thought* Ki was a highly trained Intelligence officer. One could never be too sure about these things.::

::Ki pushed himself out of the chair again and clapped Tristam on the shoulder. His hand curved around the back of his neck and he squeezed gently, an almost affectionate touch he used with the other man to say things that didn’t require words.::

Shandres: Get yourself a painkiller and get some rest.

Core: Hmph.

::The Rodulan had tried to stay away from painkillers since the slight incident when using them for his shoulder. Besides, this headache wasn’t horrifically bad like . . . multiple times before.

::He stood, arms still crossed. His next word was directed at Ki.::

Core: Rest.

::Ki smiled, gave a mock salute and headed out the door. It had gone better than he had hoped. The unconscious tension he had held was gone and he whistled off key as he strode down the corridor.::

End

=======

LtCmdr Tristam Core

MLOA

USS Invicta

and

Lieutenant Ki Shandres

Strategic Operations / Intelligence Officer

USS Invicta

simmed by: R. Moonsong

July 7, 2015

Congrats! Welcome to the fleet!

June 27, 2015

I would say if anything, Vulcans are known to be quite sassy. "Hot as Vulcan" or perhaps a better phrase is "dry as Vulcan" (both planet and humor).

June 26, 2015

JP by Evan Delano and Harrison Ross (simmed by Quinn Reynolds)

(( Station Brig, Astrofori One ))

::When Delano entered the station's brig, Ross had completed his rendition of 'Trial by Jury' and moved on to 'H.M.S. Pinafore'. His sonorous voice was now belting out 'I am the Captain of the Pinafore' at an impressive volume, and the song even reached as far as the control room where Reynolds, watching the monitors.

::His arrival prompted Reynolds to turn, her vaguely hopeful expression crumbling into mild disappointment on seeing him, before swiftly returning a squinting neutrality.::

Reynolds: Commander. What are you doing here?

Delano: Commander Rahman asked me to take charge of the interrogation.

::She looked at him for a long moment, lips thinning, and then she nodded.::

Reynolds: I'll stay out here, if you don't mind. I'm a distraction, if nothing else.

::The best way to lie was with the element of truth, after all.::

:: Evan pressed his lips together to keep his expression still. He could feel the weight of Ross' attention, and he didn’t want to give the man any emotional ammunition he might be able to use against Evan. ::

Delano: That may be for the best. ::break:: What have you learned?

Reynolds: We think we might have figured out how they intended to get off the station -- a ship called the Parkhaven. Commander Brunsig from Strategic Ops is chasing down that lead with Glin Zorkal now.

Delano: Brunsig… I don’t believe we’ve met, but if you’ve got someone on it…

::There was a twitch, the corner of her eyes narrowing for a split second, and then it was gone.::

Reynolds: He's a good man, and good at his job.

Delano: All right. I’ll take it from here.

::She nodded, and although it was tightly reined in, there was a small expression of unhappiness on her face.::

Reynolds: Good luck, Commander. Don't let him rattle you.

:: Evan took a moment to collect his thoughts, then left the control room and approached the cells. Upon seeing him, Ross finally stopped singing and broke out into a warm, broad smile.::

Ross: Ah, Lieutenant *Commander* Delano. Congratulations on the promotion. So nice to see old friends going up in the world.

Delano: Mr. Ross.

:: Evan said in a neutral tone as he gave the nod to the Cardassian guard to lower the forcefield. Evan stepped inside a moment later, hands clasped behind his back. ::

Delano: Considering what you do to your friends, I’d appreciate you not feigning some kind of prior relationship. We barely knew each other.

::Ross placed a hand over his heart, the smile still playing at the corners of his mouth.::

Ross: You wound me. But if we're not friends, you may call me Commander, or Sir. After all, due process. I may be under arrest, but I still hold my rank until a court martial strips it of me.

Delano: Well, that’s why I’m here, isn’t it. There’s no history between us for you to exploit.

Ross: No? But let me guess. You've come to succeed where our Cardassian friend has failed?

Delano: Something like that.

Ross: Alright then, fire away. And remember, it's *Commander* Ross.

:: A small smile tugged at the corner of Evan’s mouth, breaking his otherwise stoic mask. ::

Delano: Should I have a uniform brought down here?

Ross: Not a bad idea. Quinn would certainly appreciate it. ::He paused to direct a cheery wave at the monitoring device in the corridor.:: I do look very dashing in one. Perhaps not dress whites, though. Don't you find they chafe?

Delano: Oh, no, the last thing we’d want is for you to be uncomfortable. Though… come to think of it, it’s a little cold in here.

:: Evan walked towards the environmental controls and entered his security access codes to override the normal restrictions. He had no intention of torturing Ross, but he needed to take away the former first officer’s sense of control, one way or another. Making the man sweat might not get him any answers, but it would at least give Evan a small bit of satisfaction. ::

Delano: *Commander* Ross, have you ever been to Vulcan? It gets rather hot in the deserts.

::Ross grinned at him, apparently delighted.::

Ross: Why, Delano. I do believe you have a vicious streak.

Delano: Vicious? I’d call it pragmatic. I’ll let Egan Manno decide which, if it comes to that.

:: Astrofori’s environmental systems were more than efficient. The hot, dry air blowing into the room was quickly raising the room’s temperature. Evan unzipped his jacket and slowly removed it, though he was careful to never take his eyes off Ross. ::

Delano: That’s better. It’s summer back home, you know. Garuda’s kept at a constant 20 degrees; it gets a little… boring.

:: Evan stepped closer to Ross, hands once again folded in the small of his back. ::

Delano: I don’t suppose you’d just tell me what I want to know?

::Ross grinned at Delano as he asked the question, and breathed a brief chuckle before he answered.::

Ross: That depends. Do you want to know the secret to making the perfect martini? That, I would feel honour-bound to share.

Delano: Tempting. But I was thinking we could talk more about why you came here. Your plans for the president’s speech, for example.

Ross: Ah. I'm afraid not, then.

:: Evan shrugged, then crossed his arms over his chest. ::

Delano: Even if I throw in one of those martinis? You always struck me as an extra dry kind of guy.

:: The hum of the ventilation system dulled back to it’s previous level as the temperature stabilized at just over 45 degrees. Small beads of sweat began to manifest on Evan’s forehead. Full-blooded Vulcans had no sweat glands, but Evan had been spared that particular oddity of his father’s DNA.

::Ross was not immune to the heat either, and he pulled off the heavy jacket he was wearing, dropping it on the bunk. His pale skin was flushing pink, sweat visibly [...]ling across his skin.::

Ross: That depends on how *you* make them.

Delano: Gin. Vermouth. An olive and a splash of juice. Clear liquors need a little help in the flavor department.

Ross: Alas. Each to his own. I'll pass.

:: Evan sighed. ::

Delano: I need to know if you or whoever you work for is planning something at the president’s address.

Ross: ::Mildly,:: I'm sure you do.

Delano: Who *are* you working for?

Ross: You know, I *have* been to Vulcan. Charming place. Lovely statues.

Delano: Have you? Was that before or after Pleethion?

Ross: Oh, a long time ago. Part of my SERE training. His SERE training? ::He waved a hand to brush off the comment.:: Whichever. You know what I mean.

:: Arms still crossed, Evan gave a curt nod, then paced back to the bulkhead. ::

Delano: I do. I suppose it’s fitting for you to keep them separate. Everything I know about the real Harrison Ross says he would be disgusted by you.

Ross: Oh, he is. I can assure you of that.

Delano: Are you admitting he’s the original, then?

Ross: ::He grinned.:: I don't recall ever denying it.

:: Evan raised an eyebrow - a largely Vulcan habit he’d picked up in recent months. Too much time with Saveron, perhaps - or Evan’s father. ::

Delano: Intriguing. The original personality is still intact?

::A look of faint irritation crossed Ross' face, and he wiped away the sweat on his brow with the back of his hand.::

Ross: No point in denying that after this afternoon, is there?

Delano: You mean what happened with Captain Reynolds?

:: Evan had very few details about the incident that had led to Ross’s capture, but Ross didn’t need to know that. Unless he already did, given that he simply grunted in response. ::

:: He took a deep breath, then refocused on the task at hand. Determining the nature of Ross’s defection was a worthy goal, but not what was most important just now. The problem was that Ross had been trained to resist this kind of questioning, and Evan wasn’t willing to resort to the kind of tactics that would be required to test the limits of that training. Worse, Ross knew it. He was already captured. No real chance of escape. What reason would he have to cooperated? Especially if this altered version of him understood that it would - sooner or later - resort in the return of Ross’s original personality. This altered version might even view such an end as something worse than death. Evan needed some kind of leverage. ::

Pren: =/\= Garuda to Delano =/\=

:: Evan’s concentration broke as the voice of one of Mei’konda’s operations officers came over the comm. He walked back to where he’d left his jacket, careful not to take his eyes off Ross as he bent to answer the call. He squeezed his badge between thumb and forefinger, and the familiar chirp signaled a connection. ::

Delano: =/\= Go ahead. =/\=

Pren: =/\= Sir, I don’t know how to say this but… =/\=

:: Evan’s stern expression decayed into a frown, while Ross watched him intently. ::

Delano: =/\= What’s wrong, Ensign?

Pren: =/\= ::After a delay,:: I’m sorry, Sir.. It’s Commander Mei’konda. You-you’re listed as his next of kin, and we didn’t know if we should wait. =/\=

:: Evan’s heart dropped into his stomach as he realized what the younger officer was implying. A wave of conflicting emotions washed over him as unbidden image of a dead or dying Mei’konda entered his mind. His emotional control - always tenuous - buckled, as his voice shook in its reply. ::

Delano: =/\= What happened? =/\=

Pren: =/\= No details, yet, Sir. He’s been admitted into Astrofori One’s emergency department. We were told to contact you. =/\=

:: Evan nodded, mild relief ebbing at the flurry of emotions threatening to wash him away. He was alive then. After a moment, he realized he needed to say something. ::

Delano: =/\= Understood…=/\=

Pren: =/\= Sir, I… they said you should get down there right away. =/\=

:: Evan swallowed hard, sparing a brief glance for Ross as tears welled up in his eyes. ::

Delano: =/\= Fine. Delano out. =/\=

:: He let the jacket fall back to the floor as he stood back to his full height. One tear, then a second left damp trails down pale cheeks. The expression he wore was not one of grief, however. ::

Ross: Oh dear. That does sound unfortunate.

:: Evan took a slow step towards Ross, as if he were uncertain of which direction he wanted to walk. ::

Delano: You… you had something to with this.

:: It wasn’t asked as a question, but Ross answered it anyway, with a shrug and an amused smile. ::

Ross: I have been known to do terrible things. Ask Quinn.

:: Evan took another step towards his former first officer, visible rage now rippling through the muscles of his clenched jaw. The fingers of his right hand were clenched into a tight fist. Ross' amusement did not waver, even as dark stains of sweat caused by the oppressive heat began to seep through his clothing.::

Delano: ::Coldly,:: What did you do?

Ross: Oh, Evan. What possible advantage is there to telling you that?

:: Evan considered that for a long moment before he gave the obvious answer. ::

Delano: None.

:: The Cardassian guard on the other side of the forcefield could tell something was wrong, but he hadn’t taken any action to interfere. Evan gave him a warning look, then turned back to Ross. There was a way to get everything he needed. A way to find out exactly what he’d done to Mei’konda and why. A way to punish him for it. And everything else the man had done. ::

:: As he crossed the remaining distance between himself and Ross, a part of Evan's mind screamed for him to stop and think. In that moment, he couldn’t have said for sure whether that scream was real or imagined. Nevertheless, the decision was made, and the rage and grief and frustration that had overwhelmed him intended to see it through. ::

:: Evan had only been in a mind meld three times in his life, but he had studied the process extensively as a child, and again, more recently, as he considered learning to use his Vulcan abilities. Performing a meld without injuring both participants required incredible discipline and control. However, that didn’t mean a meld under other circumstances was impossible. And at that moment, Evan didn’t care whether he or Ross would survive. ::

:: In one swift motion, he took Ross to the ground. The man was undeniably skilled -- and surprisingly strong -- but after a short and vicious struggle that left them both bloodied and bruised, Evan had him pinned. ::

Ross: ::Snarling,:: Don't you dare--

:: Evan gripped Ross’s face in both hands, fingers sliding into place against the key nerves that would allow Evan access to the other’s mind. In a traditional meld, Evan would have been careful and deliberate, a thin tendril brushing against the surface of the man’s mind. Here, Evan threw everything he was at the man: raw anger and frustration compounded by a sense of desperate need. One way or another, this would end here. ::

--

Lieutenant Commander Evan Delano

Chief of Security/Tactical

USS Garuda

&

Harrison Ross

Captive Ne'er Do Well

June 26, 2015

DeVeau: I don’t want to say something only to have him not be interested
and it makes things weird.

Moonsong: That is an argument that has been used for thousands of years
as an excuse by both sexes regardless of species. ::pause:: Always a
poor one. You should not let doubt and fear hold you back.

::Raissa swirled her soup a little, not eating::

Moonsong: Besides…. it is already… weird...

DeVeau: It is?

Haha, Counselor Moonsong tells it like it is. Also, ahem, Alora...

DeVeau: I suppose when you put it that way...and what do you glean from this study of the genre?

Saveron: Terrans are obsessed with sex.

::He put his spoon in his mouth in a gesture of finality.::

DeVeau: Oh really? All Terrans?

Saveron: A representative proportion certainly.

DeVeau: Even me?

::He might not be particularly perceptive of cultural subtleties, but Saveron was at least aware of when he was being baited. And where young Vulcans in their twenties just shy of Pon Farr tended to get rather tongue-tied about the subject, the good doctor had grandchildren.::

Saveron: I cannot state with any certainty. I have no experimental data from which to draw conclusions. ::He replied dryly.::

June 21, 2015

Garry: How do you understand him? He stopped talking and just started *clicking*.

::Clicking his fingers to get attention of his engineers was how Core had been working over the last couple of days. It was annoying and somewhat rude, but preferable to him and (admittedly) quicker for his engineers instead of waiting for him to stammer out the names and ranks of those around him.::

Loupaz:::shrugging:: I speak the language of those incapable of speaking.

::There was a pause.::

Garry: So you're just really good at crappy charades?

Loupaz: Yeah, pretty much.

I always love seeing the lower decks just sipping their drinks shaking their heads at the crazy antics of the senior staff.

June 21, 2015

((Shuttlebay))

Loupaz: It's been really quiet.

Garry: It's a bit weird, isn't it? Not many repair jobs, yet there he is. Breaking a shuttle. And then fixing it again.

::Angeline Loupaz and Coalem Garry simultaneously took a sip from their mugs, their gaze fixed upon their Chief Engineer. Core, the insane Rodulan he was, had blown off various bits and pieces on the shuttle, despite it having used to be in working order. Apparently he'd run out of things to repair, and thus was just . . . creating more work. For himself. And for the department.::

::So there he was - the bulkheads and consoles of the shuttle having been either blown off ("testing minor explosives" was what he'd written in a report to Tactical) or removed forcefully - reattaching the various bits and pieces, all by himself. Garry and Loupaz were here if he needed assistance with something. Like moving something heavy. But otherwise, the two were unnecessary. He was fine, sitting atop the shuttle, a holographic projector clipped to his shoulder, giving a readout on the finer parts of the hardware. Even *that* wasn't really necessary - not since the bulk of what he was doing was just . . . melding the bulkheads back together.::

::She was starting to question his sanity.::

Loupaz: How long have we been up here?

::Coalem checked his chronometer.::

Garry: Eight hours.

Loupaz: Hmm. Doesn't feel like it's been that long.

Garry: He hasn't uttered a word - should we call someone?

Loupaz: Nah. He's fine.

::They took another awkward drink from their mugs, a moment of silence as they considered Angeline's words.::

Garry: How do you understand him? He stopped talking and just started *clicking*.

::Clicking his fingers to get attention of his engineers was how Core had been working over the last couple of days. It was annoying and somewhat rude, but preferable to him and (admittedly) quicker for his engineers instead of waiting for him to stammer out the names and ranks of those around him.::

Loupaz:::shrugging:: I speak the language of those incapable of speaking.

::There was a pause.::

Garry: So you're just really good at crappy charades?

Loupaz: Yeah, pretty much.

::Their conversation was interrupted by a sharp, beckoning whistle from Core, who was still looking down at a console of which he'd ruined intentionally, mini projector displaying it's marred innards.::

Garry: Your turn.

::Angeline rolled her eyes, handing the man her cup as she went to assist their Chief Engineer. Their . . . maybe insane Chief Engineer. Ah well - worse things have happened. At least he wasn't planning to cause any actual damage to the Garuda.::

Loupaz: Yes, sir?

::He gestured the console, and she read the display from the holoprojector, now presented to her. The console was fried, many of the components inside damaged beyond repair (probably something to do with the minor explosive that was detonated inside it - and unless Core wanted to rebuild it's innards from the ground up, it needed a replacement.::

Loupaz: And it's a SC-48. ::She frowned.:: We don't have any replacements onboard - we'll have to order one in, unless you want to jimmy the one in the other shuttle. I don't think that's a particularly good idea, though - Vistain looks as if she's gonna rupture something since we literally blew apart this one.

::Core shook his head, pointing to the console yet again. It took a few seconds to maybe understand what he was trying to say, but Angeline's frown deepened.::

Loupaz: You mean to build, right? Not simply take it out and put it in this one and leave that shuttle without a SC-48.

::The Chief Engineer gave a huff, now frowning at her. Angeline bit her lip.::

Loupaz: Sir . . . you've been here for . . . hours, now. Don't you think it's time to take a break?

::Core simply rolled his eyes, turning back to the holographic display But Loupaz wasn't budging. She stood there, staring up at him on top of the shuttle.::

Loupaz: Do I need to call the First Officer?

::That finally made the Rodulan freeze in his tracks. He turned, black eyes piercing her own, and she knew she'd overstepped a boundary. Though his relationship with the FO wasn't open for all of his staff to see, it was obvious to his officers that Core was indeed close with Rahman. If there was someone who'd kick his [...] for being here longer than he should, and for destroying a perfectly fine shuttle, it'd probably be her.::

Kells: =/\= This is Captain Kells to all Garuda crew. Effective immediately, the senior staff has been reassigned to the USS Invicta, along with many junior officers and enlisted personnel. Please see your department heads for details, and if you have been reassigned, report over no later than 1800 this evening to prepare for a short shakedown cruise. That is all. =/\=

::[...]. Core was saved by the CO, and he knew it too. The Rodulan gave a grin, clapping his hands and rubbing them together.::

Core: Garuda shuttle.

::He stepped down the ladder, Loupaz now staring at the massive mess of a shuttle now no longer the manr's problem, and simply blinked.::

Loupaz: You aren't going to fix that anymore, are you.

Core: Heh.

::He simply switched off the projector and shoving it back into his toolkit. He clapped Angeline on the shoulder, staring back at the poor mangled shuttle that had been victim to his . . . whatever intriguing mood he'd been in.::

Core: Pack.

::And then just like that, Commander Core strode off, probably to pack his own things, leaving Angeline to simply blink at the shuttle.::

Garry: He's not going to fix it, is he?

Loupaz: I . . . I don't know.

Tbc . . .

Petty Officer 2nd Class Angeline Loupaz
Engineering Officer
USS Invicta

(Posted by LtCmdr Tristam Core)

Loupaz: Vistain's gonna kick his [...] when she sees this.

June 14, 2015

:: Chythar felt the weight of the proverbial red collar starting to cause doubt in his mind. He tried to bury it deep within himself, hoping that Ris wouldn't notice. This wasn't the time to get cold space-feet -- especially during such a delicate mission as this. ::

Indeed, but understandable. After all...

June 3, 2015

Always thought that game had the perfect characterization of Romulans for their intro:

June 3, 2015

::It didn't help that it was Rahman conducting it. Did no one else feel a vague sense of unease? Did no one else have difficulty trusting the woman who'd helped Ross sabotage the ship? She found it a little hard to swallow that he had just *happened* to reappear and have access to their secure comm systems as Rahman returned to the Garuda -- in his former post, no less.::

Quinn wisely covered up the whiteboard in her office before the meeting to avoid a potentially awkward conversation...

Rahman: ...wait. Is that my picture up there?

Reynolds: ...maybe.

Rahman: :-|

Reynolds:

May 27, 2015

Presidential ribbon cutting or something more?

By Lara Senekal

Stardate 239205.11

PARIS, EARTH — It is hardly news that the exact contents of a President's speech be unknown to the greater public or even some insiders reporters go to for sources and sound bites. What is unusual is that the President of the United Federation of Planets should make no mention of the contents of her largest speech of the year, and perhaps the last major one of her career and then fly off to a soon to be completed space station on the far side of Federation space.

A few days ago President Nanietta Bacco left Earth to travel to Astrofori One: a major cornerstone of her foreign policy in recent months, to cut the ribbon, shake hands and deliver a short speech on the progress of interstellar relations and what this jointly administered station could mean. All fairly standard and to those outside the foreign policy and economics divisions of many news organizations-the FNS included-this was nothing special, with all eyes on the elections as the field comes close to being solidified as the deadline to declare candidacy comes to a close.

That is it was fairly standard until some intern in my office piped up, "What about the State of the Federation?"

For a moment, the room was silent, and for a few moments afterwards many of us opened our mouths to speak but could not come up with the words. Within minutes though, a frantic buzz returned to the room as people scrambled to explain this aberration of an error. While a crucial and defining speech that comes along yearly, let's face it, people are only reminded of it because someone remembers it for them and the media creates a hype over it.

"Wasn't that supposed to be a few months ago?" Charlotte Answorth, nurse practitioner, mother of three, and restaurant patron observed when asked.

Indeed Ms. Answorth is right, the State of the Federation was supposed to be a month ago but was pushed back with the crises revolving around the Federation Transport Union and when some in the Colonial Coalition started calling for independence for their respective worlds. Naturally these took precedence, along with other issues, over a three hour speech few people talk about a few days after.

But with the revised date for the speech coming up, someone finally took notice and calculated that the President could not make it back in time to deliver her speech to the Council. This left many reporters scrambling for answers, eclipsing the election for the first time in months.

Astrofori One

While we are no doubt all aware of the glimmering, shining, well marketed new 'Station of Galactic Peace', let's give a short summation.

While seemingly hastily built and thrown together by an army of contractors, engineers and workers, Astrofori One is actually the culmination of a few years of diplomatic legwork and bridge-building done by Presidential candidate and Federation Ambassador Lily Ventu. While the Bacco administration became attached to and formally endorsed and funded the project six months ago, Astrofori One has been the glimmer in Lily Ventu's eye for quite some time.

Normally there are not any votes in foreign policy but Ambassador Ventu doesn't need Astrofori One as a statement of policy, she can use it as a monument of her tenacity and skillset as a woman who builds bridges and gets things done. Where other candidates need only turn to their homeworlds and say 'look and what I've built', Ambassador Ventu can hardly say the same. While intangible, her accomplishments are many but hardly awe-inspiring, and as people have been saying from the start, no one doubts her qualifications, they just need to see the woman in action before they can commit.

Well instead of boring us and potentially loosing the electorate, Lily Ventu can now also look behind her and in the grand tradition of showing, not telling, point to the giant, glittering Astrofori One and say 'I built this'.

As she fights it out with skilled civic administrators and social and economic developers, Ambassador Ventu finally has something tangible to lend to her campaign, though only time will tell if the shiny new station, along with a laundry list of qualifications, will be enough to sway the electorate in her favor.

Of course there is the nasty question of 'what if'? What if Astrofori One fails? What if the 'Station of Galactic Peace' turns into what the Planet of Galactic Peace was up until a few years ago? Well the campaign will certainly be over by the time the honeymoon period ends, or so Ambassador Ventu can hope. But by so tightly hitching her bandwagon to the station and having little to fall back on, Ambassador Ventu will rise or fall with Astrofori One and if it's enough of a debacle, it might turn her into a one term President, or even a one year President.

Ribbon Cutting, Major Policy Speech, or Something More?

While it certainly seems like President Bacco is going to add a dash of flavor to her State of the Federation by using the shock and awe of the ribbon cutting ceremony to add some more pomp and circumstance, there have been further rumors that might not be all she's adding to this year's policy pot.

Tyson Holt, the noted CEO of Holt New Alliance, was also allegedly on the presidential transport Paris One with President Bacco. Having announced something no less than a paradigm shift, many wonder if the state of the Federation will combine several announcements into one. Whatever Mr. Holt and President Bacco have planned, the suspense is certainly building.

And then there is of course the forgone conclusion that President Bacco will be formally announcing that she will not stand for reelection for a fourth term in office. But then again, with so much mystery, so much suspense, perhaps she's building all of this up for the greatest shock of all, the announcement of a fourth term in office.

Yes, we all thought it unthinkable a few months ago but as the election field shaped up and most of us shrugged our shoulders at the list of people we were offered, perhaps a fourth term for President Bacco wouldn't be so unthinkable. Or maybe she'll use this opportunity to be something few other Presidents have ever been, a Kingmaker, using this opportunity to throw her hat and weight behind a candidate to be her successor.

Whatever the outcome, the Federation and beyond will find out soon just what is happening on Astrofori One, and with all of this buzz, we at the FNS can only hope that we aren't setting ourselves up for a fall.

This article was written by Erin, the FNS team facilitator and writer for Dr. Anen Sonbef. Submit your own news stories and headlines to the FNS or consider joining the FNS team!

FNS Home • FNS Data Feed• FNS on FB • FNS Team

May 17, 2015

VENTU: The ship remains here, and yet I haven't seen many of the crew at any of the official functions. Contacts with the ship reveal a series of duty officers, none above the rank of lieutenant, and never a member of the senior staff. I won't conclude unnecessarily, but I ask you: If our positions were reversed, what would you wonder?

EGAN MANNO: Why I was wondering in the first place.

VENTU: Maybe. I am curious, however, and I hope you'll indulge me -- if as the individual who may be your next commander-in-chief or not.

EGAN MANNO: Again unfortunately, you don't yet hold that title, and I can't give that information out when it may compromise those officers' safety.

VENTU: Even to an ambassador-at-large?

EGAN MANNO: Yes.

VENTU: Even to a former Starfleet officer? Even if ordered to do so?

EGAN MANNO: Yes, ma'am. And I'm afraid your former rank -- you retired at commander, according to your file -- wouldn't be enough to overcome my desire for silence on this matter even if you did still hold it.

May 14, 2015

I disagree. There is a lot of Sean Connery I wanna see.

May 13, 2015

Meanwhile...

For those not up on their early 20th century British oddball firearms, its a Webley-Fosberry Automatic Revolver in .455 caliber, and it is hidden at the small of Ian's back well concealed by a tuxedo. Not sure where Zed concealed his.

I don't know if Rahman's paying attention to the revolver...

::to Del:: "It's so beautiful..."

May 13, 2015

Alora's poor innocent eyes...

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