Renos

Welcome back to both of you. It's great to see you both returning and I wish you both many happy adventures!

((OOC: The location of this one was intentionally withheld to keep the mystery for the crew)) Dalor: oO My father served in the great Telaxian war. He was a soldier, one of the few survivors of the battle of Stinnett IV. He was not like me. Me? No, I am not a brave man, not like he was, not by any stretch of the imagination. When he passed several years ago rather than joining the military I came to the mines to find work. There wasn't much else for someone like me. But in the dark times like these, when things were really bad, I can still remember something my father used to tell me. Oo Dalor: oO “Fear had a smell, it has an odor all its own.” He told me. He said that it was not something you could describe exactly, but you would know it when you smelled it. Oo Dalor oO I was so young then, I didn't understand. Oo Dalor: oO I do now. Oo ::Fear poured out of Dalor, it came up of his pores leaving great big dark patches under his arms, around his neck, across his back and in other less mentionable places. He could also smell it on his breath and in his nose, breathing it in as he did in great big heaving gasps as he scrabbled his way through an air duct, his nose wrinkled in distaste as the odor hit him in the confined space.:: ::But at least he was still free!:: ::All he knew was that a short while ago he was in the mines, working on the next load. He had just come to the surface to prepare for the next one when every nerve on his skin felt . . . weird. Like his whole body hummed and then shimmered and then the world he knew vanished!:: ::Then his world had rebuilt itself piece by piece and he was in some other place. . . And he was not alone.:: ::Around Delor were several other miners who like him were Telaxians, and they all looked as confused and as scared as he did. Well most of them did. And then a door opened and people stood there transfixed!:: Dalor: oO Humans? Oo ::He had heard about them but had not had a chance to meet them, not that he really cared to. Now he was here staring at them as they held guns on them.:: Benidell: What are we doing here? ::That was one of the other Telaxians of course, one of the larger ones, one of the braver ones.:: Dalor: oO Stupidly brave. Me? I'm smaller and smarter. So as the humans were turning to engage him I bolted through the door as it slid closed. Oo ::For a moment Dalor felt like laughing and would have if the situation were not so dire! Even as it was he couldn’t help but stop and look back at the doorway that he had just so narrowly escaped through. He could hear the confusion on the other side of it. It was as if they had not anticipated his flight.:: Dalor: oO The severely underestimate this Telxanian! Oo ::Then he heard the door slide open.:: Dalor: oO Run you fool! Oo ::Twitching his whiskers in nervousness Dalor sped down the corridor just as fast as his legs could carry him! At the same time people came boiling out after him and shouting! He rounded a corner and kept running, knowing that he didn’t keep moving he would be right back in there . . or worse!:: ::So Dalor went faster!:: Dalor: oO They underestimated me before and they would do it again! Maybe I can get back to the mine and maybe warn the others! How far could they have taken me? Oo ::But here the walls and halls were strange. Not only in color but texture. It was not the comforting rock of the mines, no was it the familiar metallic grey walls from the upper areas of the colony. No this was different.:: ::As Dalor sprinted from one hall to the next the corridors seemed to curve strangely and came to unexpected dead ends. He could only conclude that he had no idea where he was.:: :: If the mines were anywhere, he could not find his way to them.:: ::It was only as he was leaning against a wall trying to catch his breath that Dalor heard it. Heard is probably not the right word. He could feel it at the edge of his whiskers, it was like something in the air that was not quite sound or scent but it was there.:: ::Something was tracking him!:: ::Scrambling down the hall, one to the left and another to the right he slid to a stop barely gripping onto the corner of a wall at the last moment as he saw a patrol! They were looking for him too! They started coming in his direction and he took off running again the muscles in his legs starting to burn!:: ::He could still feel it behind him, a looming presence, and it was not the humans that were chasing him, it was something else. Sometimes he would look back behind him and see a moving shadow, but it would disappear.:: ::He kept pushing on, even as his legs and feet were starting to get heavy.:: Dalor oO Another patrol! Oo ::With the pain in his feet and legs and the growing stitch in his side Dalor stopped to pull open a grating in the wall. Tucking himself inside he just closed it behind him when he heard voices.:: Patrol: Where is it? Patro: I don’t know, he’s here. Keep moving! ::Dalor sighed as heard the men move on and lay on his back, breathing in deep gasping breaths of air. He was not used to running so hard and so fast. He could smell the fear in air as he prayed that somehow he would find his way out of this.:: ::But at least he was still free!:: ::That’s when Dalor felt them. Large fingers wrapping around his ankle and what felt like claws cutting through his pants and biting into his skin and tearing as he was pulled violently out of the duct!:: Dalor: ::scrabbling desperately to hold himself inside fingers scraping the smooth surface of the floors and walls:: NOOOOOOooo!!!! ::It was an unabashed scream, one torn from Dalor’s chest without thought!:: ::Lifted high into the air and dangling from his ankle, it was only now with his arms flailing, his other leg kicking futilely that Dalor finally got a chance to see what it was that had caught him and the knowledge paralyzed him!::. Manyx: I have you now Telaxian vermin! ::Dalor could only describe it as a large jungle predator given the shape of a man. Although it was dressed like the other soldiers, it had jet black fur and gold slitted eyes. Even its speech sounded more like a feral growl than real words!:: ::With his snout pulling back into a tooth filled grin of satisfaction Manyx spun Delor around obviously looking him over and then tossed the Telaxian across his back and began to walk back in the direction they had just came, still holding his prisoner by his ankle like a sack of potatoes.:: Dalor: What are you . . . who are you? ::It was hard to speak bouncing on this creature’s back. He wished he had some sort of weapon that he could stab with. But he could feel the power of this creature and he wondered if could find anything hard enough to kill it.:: Manyx: Manyx Dalor: ::Even from his upside down position on Manyx’s back Dalor was still confused.:: oO Was that a name or a species? Oo ::He tried again with a different set of questions.:: Dalor: Why have you done this, where are you taking me? Manyx: Enough Questions! ::All too soon they rounded a corner, the same corner that Dalor had just fled from. Inside the room he could see the other Telxians on the far end and even courageous Benidell was inside cowering as they appraoched. There was a wall of haziness between, like the sun on the hot deserts of Hiraba.:: Manyx: Drop the field. ::Dalor didn’t know who this creature was talking to but the haziness vanished.:: Manyx: Now this time don’t run, or when I catch you this time I may not be so kind! ::Shaking his head back and forth Dalor found it hard to breath and the blood was rushing to his head, probably from flopping upside down on the creature’s back.:: ::As the Manyx creature unslung Dalor from his back he looked at Dalor in the eye and the Telaxian wilted. The creature smiled, or at least Dalor thought it did. It was more like the creature’s lips curling back to reveal fangs.:: Dalor: I . . I won’t Manyx: Good! There was a swing through the air, then there was a sensation of free floating as Dalor traversed the distance between the front and the back of the room, the sound of wind and movement filling his ears as he spun, cartwheeled and flipped!:: ::Then Dalor's shoulder hit the wall, then his back and pain radiated across his body in such powerful waves that as he slid to the floor in a heap. As he was pulled him into the sweetness and restful bliss of unconsciousness there was a last fleeting thought.:: oO My father didn’t tell me tell whole story. He didn’t tell me fear had a taste. It tastes something like salt but still bitter. Oo -------------------------------------- MSNPC: Dalor - Captured Slave @ CSS Vanquish MSNPC: Manyx - Hunter/Soldier @ CSS Vanquish (Played by) LT MERRICK R'VEN - Science/Cybernetics Officer USS Darwin-A ID: A239210MR0

((Personal Quarters, USS Darwin-A))::Iniko paced restlessly back and forth across the limited free space in jheas quarters. That free space would hopefully shrink even further soon, if jhe could convince Captain Renos to allow jhea to bring Ukwu aboard. For the moment, though, that bit of floor was still empty, and jhe was working on wearing a hole through it.::::The last meeting with Sawat Chalor had gone amazingly well. Iniko still had trouble believing it had really happened. But now Iniko was expecting Sawat to call again at any moment, this time for their first real fielding lesson, and jheas nerves were back full force.::oO What if jhe changes jheas mind? I'll probably turn out to be absolutely useless and jhe will disown me again in disgust. What if I misunderstood and the whole thing was just a joke? Maybe jhe has come to jheas senses and jhe won't even call. Or the Fielding League found out and they'll prevent jhea from calling, and I've probably gotten jhea into so much trouble just by talking to them, and . . . Oo::Thankfully the message tone sounded from jheas console and interrupted the impending panic attack. Jhe spun around and accepted the call before jhe could talk jheaself out of it.::::Sawat appeared on the screen, looking as calm and composed as ever. Jhe was sitting on a cushion in an otherwise empty room, with a tiny animal curled up in jheas lap. The window behind jhea showed the night sky. Iniko couldn't even remember what time it would be in Rania, and jhe didn't actually have any idea where Sawat lived, so jhe had no idea what time it was there. Iniko hoped jhe wasn't keeping Sawat up too late.::Chalor: Iniko, it is good to see you again. I admit I was not entirely certain you would still be amenable to this arrangement.::Iniko twisted jheas mouth wryly. It seemed highly unlikely to jhea that Iniko would be the one to give up on this relationship, but it didn't seem polite to say so.::Mpeba: I’m not that easy to shake off.Chalor: No, I'm beginning to see that. I'm glad.::Sawat smiled hesitantly, but warmly. Then jhe turned serious again, and lifted the protesting creature out of jheas lap. Now Iniko could see it was a small meeka, a rodent that was native to the norca fields of Southern Tanal. Growing up in Rania, Iniko’s main exposure to them had been as lab animals, and jhe tensed up momentarily. It quickly became obvious that this meeka was a pet, though, not something to perform experiments on, and jhe relaxed. Sawat pet its head and the little creature stopped protesting and starting chittering contentedly.::Chalor: I'm not sure how much you already know, so I will most likely repeat some lessons you are already familiar with. There are many approaches to the discipline, however, so I will ask you to bear with me so that we do not leave any holes in your training.::Iniko nodded acceptance of these terms, and leaned forward curiously.::Chalor: Since there are many different types of energy fields, and everyone has different strengths, it is possible you may need to seek out different methods of training than the ones I will be most familiar with. Then again -::Sawat’s face twisted and jhe looked away. It was a moment before jhe could meet Iniko’s eyes again.::Chalor: Pardon me, I am not accustomed to this. It occurred to me that as my, well, offspring? ::jhe shuddered just a little as jhe said the word, but jhe looked more surprised than disgusted:: Yes, well, you might have a higher likelihood of sharing the same strengths I do.::Iniko sat back and wrapped jheas arms around jheaself, feeling the prickling sensation of tears in jheas eyes. Jhe tried to smile.::Mpeba: I think I'd like that.::Sawat coughed and sat up more stiffly, but an involuntary smile was tugging at the corner of jheas mouth.::Chalor: I suppose I would also find it somewhat gratifying. But let us move on. My specialty is with living creatures and plants. The energies within them are far more chaotic than those found in machinery or most other natural phenomenon. This can make them very difficult to understand, but it also makes them the most beautiful, in my own opinion. A fielder well practiced in biological energy fields can spot problems occurring at a cellular level, but even at the beginning you may be able to see illnesses or changes that are occurring at a macroscopic scale. Because of that, there are certain codes of ethics that you will need to study if you are going to pursue this course of study. For the moment, though, I would like to see what level you are at to begin with.::Iniko’s head was already starting to spin, and they hadn't even begun the lesson yet. Jheas previous teachers had largely focused on electrical fields, having despaired of teaching jhea anything more complicated than that. Jhe had never had much skill, and was really only pursuing it now so that jhe could control jheas own reactions to it. The idea that Sawat might start jhea off with one of the most complex applications of fielding seemed a bit ludicrous. Then again, it also sounded fascinating, and if there was a chance jhe might be able to grasp it, jhe would like to try.::Mpeba: Alright. How should we start?Chalor: I don't suppose you have an animal at hand, do you?::Sawat gestured towards the meeka. Iniko shook jheas head sadly.::Mpeba: Not at the moment, no.oO Soon, though, I hope. OoChalor: Ah, well, plant life is likely a better starting point anyway. I see you have a potted plant in the corner there. Would you bring that over, please?::Iniko stood and dragged over one of jheas plants. It was meant as a climbing tree for Ukwu, if jhe got to bring her aboard. For the moment, though, it served as a reminder of some of the more pleasant aspects of Til’ahn, for when jhe became homesick. Jhe took jheas seat again and looked at Sawat expectantly.::Chalor: That will be ideal. Since we are communicating electronically, you will not be able to sense the same things I can, so you will have to have your own tools for practicing. Now, you will need to focus your mind and apply your fielding sense to the plant. Then tell me what you can sense.::Nodding, Iniko closed jheas eyes and tried to settle into a more relaxed position. Jhe started chanting the first verse of one of jheas favorite meditative poems, an ancient story about the origins of the two moons of Til’ahn. Jhe was interrupted almost immediately as Sawat began coughing. Iniko opened jheas eyes, concerned, only to realize that Sawat was actually laughing at jhea.::Mpeba: Did I do something wrong already?::Sawat sputtered a few more times before jhe managed to respond.::Chalor: I’m sorry, that was unforgivably rude of me, but what exactly was that?Mpeba: A chant? To meditate? You told me to focus my mind.Chalor: I see. Well. I knew Chioma had been meeting with some strange people, but where exactly did she find someone to teach you that archaic rite? And in Rania of all places?::Iniko flushed, embarrassed for both jheaself and jheas mother. Jhe disagreed with jheas mother plenty, but it was different when someone else did it. On the other hand, if that really was a ridiculously outdated method, jhe was horrified that jhe hadn’t known better, and that jhe had given Sawat such an awful first impression. Jhe crossed jheas arms defensively.::Mpeba: What exactly is wrong with it?::Sawat seemed to realize that jhe had caused offense, and held jheas hands up placatingly.::Chalor: I didn’t mean to offend. It was just . . . a surprise. These sorts of focusing chants are now understood to be unnecessary by the majority of fielders, but certain more traditional sects prefer to retain them. If you find them useful, then by all means continue.::Iniko narrowed jheas eyes, but jhe relaxed a little.::Mpeba: If you were to teach someone how to focus, how would you do it?::Sawat rubbed jheas chin thoughtfully for a moment before responding.::Chalor: Try this. Close your eyes and take deep, steady breaths.::Iniko was tempted to roll jheas eyes at the obviousness of the suggestion, but jhe really didn’t want to offend Sawat when their relationship was still so fragile. Instead, jhe simply followed directions and closed jheas eyes. Jhe slowed down jheas breathing, and focused on the feeling of the air going in and out of jheas lungs.::Chalor: Now, stop thinking about your breathing, and instead focus on the rhythm of your pulse. Feel the blood flowing through your veins, and then see if you can feel your heart.::That seemed like nonsense. Iniko was pretty sure you couldn’t feel your own heart beating. But jhe did jheas best anyway, and bent all jheas attention to it. Jhe couldn’t feel it, just like jhe had expected, and yet there was something . . . Somehow jhe could sense it beating, but not through jheas nerves, as jhe had expected. Not like hearing or seeing it either. It was a different sense entirely. Jhe could feel the spark of electrical impulses driving the muscles to contract and relax, and the pressure of the kinetic energy as blood was forced between chambers. Jheas eyes flew open, and jhe stared at Sawat in shock.::Mpeba: That was- I’ve never- How?!Chalor: It worked, then? I was wondering. It’s a technique I’ve used before with students who don’t respond well to the usual methods of instruction. I wouldn’t normally present it as a first choice method. Most students find the other methods simpler. But, well, that was how I first mastered the skill, and I thought maybe you . . . and it seems to have worked. So that’s good, then.::Iniko felt like jheas grin was stretching all the way to jheas ears. Not from seeing how discomfited Sawat became whenever jhe confronted the idea of their familial ties, but because there was a tiny, proud smile flickering at the corners of jheas stern mouth. However uncomfortable this made Sawat, jhe also seemed to find it pleasing. To find Iniko pleasing. It made Iniko’s chest feel almost painfully full. Not to mention the fact that jhe had finally actually sensed the energy fields, not some barely-there flicker of them but actually tangibly felt them. Jhe had never managed so much with any of jheas other teachers, despite months of work.::Mpeba: I want to try again!Chalor: Please do. This time, once you are in the proper state of mind, I want you to turn your attention to the plant. See if you can sense it.::Iniko nodded and closed jheas eyes again. It took longer to focus this time. Jhe was too excited and jheas thoughts swirled fiercely. But jhe managed to get them under control eventually, and feel the beat of jheas heart again. It was a heady feeling, and jhe nearly lost it almost immediately because of jheas excitement, but jhe pushed through and managed to hold onto it. Once jhe was settled again, and felt jheas heartbeat return to its normal rhythm, jhe broadened jheas focus, trying to look for the plant without opening jheas eyes. It was a weird feeling, and it took jhea a minute to work out how to direct jheas new sense. It was less like groping blindly through a dark room, and more like walking through a fog of static. There were fields going every which way, in patterns jhe didn’t understand, intersecting and interfering with one another until everything was just noise. Finally jhe found something, though, and latched on to this new sensation.::::The plant was much less active than jheas heart. The gentle, steady pull of water, up through its roots and trunk towards the branches and leaves. The quiet crackle of photosynthesis. Jhe could sense photosynthesis? That was utterly bizarre. Jhe couldn’t sense it on a cellular level. It was more like a constantly changing foam that covered all the surface of the leaves. That was a terrible way to describe it, but jhe didn’t actually have anything to compare it to.::::Jhe tried to speak without losing jheas concentration, but the very action of opening jheas mouth caused the sensations to disintegrate.::Mpeba: I can . . . ack, it’s gone. ::jhe opened jheas eyes:: I could see it, though! Or feel it. Or something. It was amazing!::Sawat smiled and nodded.::Chalor: You will be able to maintain your concentration while doing other things when you have practiced more. Don’t be discouraged that it doesn’t happen right away. Now, tell me what you observed.::Iniko leaned forward and began to describe the experience. Jheas nervousness had been fully replaced with enthusiasm now. Jhe was finally succeeding at a skill jhe had always been told jhe could never do well, and developing a relationship with jheas estranged parent. Right now, jhe felt like jhe could do anything.::Lieutenant JG Mpeba - Engineering Officer, USS Darwin NCC-99312-AD239205IM0

Congratulations and welcome to the fleet!

Congratulations and welcome to the fleet!

Congratulations and welcome to the fleet.

Congratulations and welcome to the fleet

((Flashback - Three Days Before Quikz's 26th Birthday)) ((Santo Domingo Church, Granada, Andalusia Provence, Spain, Earth)) ::Santo Domingo Church rose high above the Santeen family and their loved ones, but even its vaulted ceilings, gilded fixtures, and touches reminiscent of the beauty and expansion of the Renaissance period, could not contain the entirety of their immense grief. Indeed, their pain was a sackcloth garment which seemed to cling about their necks and constrict the very hope in their lungs with a vice-like precision that was every bit as cruel as it was unrelenting.:: ::Quikz clung to his mother Helena and his remaining sister Rosemary amid a stunned silence which was accentuated by the staccato drops of their tears boiling down their cheeks. His mother was veiled in black and was adorned not only by the breaking of her heart for her deceased child but by the splendor of her beauty, which not even her lamenting could arrest from her visage. Rosemary, being only 19, trembled young and fresh-faced as she wept openly, the slick of tears wetting her face, only to eventually bury themselves into the collar of her funeral dress.:: ::The priest offered prayers and words of comfort to the mourners, yet even as Quikz stood beside Esmer's coffin, those words felt just as hollow and devoid of life as he now realized his sister's body was, having been reduced to merely a brittle husk and shell of her former self. When the priest spoke of life beyond death, of promises divine and of pleasure in the face of pain, the words seemed to catch in his innards, rattling around within the go-betweens of his ribs and chest, like bits of bone too soon swallowed, too soon felt.:: ::He simply couldn't breathe.:: ::He was angry, hurt, and confused - a thousand emotions colliding and clamoring over each other all in the singular effort to somehow burst the dam of his soul into a moaning wail which he suspected could easily shatter himself, just as much as what remained of his entire universe. Yet, it was his outward silence and stoicism broken only by the slight tremor in his upper lip which Quikz allowed the world to see. He would be the face of the Santeen family. He would be the rock for his mother and sister which kept their feet from sinking any further into this ever-widening pit of despair::: Santeen: oOI shall be strong for them. I shall be what my father cannot be. I shall be the man that they need, this I truly swear.Oo ((After the Ceremony, Santeen Family Cemetary, Santeen Estate, on the borders of the Granadine Countryside)) ::After the ceremony at Santo Domingo, Quikz had been one of the pallbearers to carry his youngest sister's small coffin. Other than a few cousins and uncles and a close family friend who helped shoulder the load, he was the sole representative of his immediate family to guide Esmer's remains on her journey to her final resting place.:: ::His father had not been in attendance, not at the church service, nor even at the graveside of his own daughter's funeral. Instead, Quikz was certain he was stumbling and wallowing around in his study in a drunken stupor, trying to drown the demons of his life by virtue of strong spirits of his own choosing, which he found decidedly easier to swallow than his own pride and guilt.: ::At the moment it was Quikz's seething anger and unabated loathing of the man that had sired him, that kept him from collapsing fully into the throughs of despair. It was hard to believe he was only days away from turning 26, a man in his own right, and yet he couldn't help but still feel the weight of his father's toxic pull in his life. To think he had spent so much time, wasted so much effort trying to live up to the expectations of his father, while yet the man himself was the epitome of everything that Quikz desperately hated and yearned to escape from in life.::: ::Esmer's grave had been dug, as generations of his family before had been, by hand. He himself had underseen the task, and as such, he himself would be the one to bury her today. It was not that there weren't many willing to help. They had a large extended family and were of course well known in the community. Also, if truth be told, they very easily possessed the money and means to have hired as many hands to do the work as they desired. But Quikz had insisted that he would do it, alone. And by the fire found in his eyes, no one, not even his father would dare talk him out of such a solemn task:: ::After the remaining family and friends had paid their final respects and parted, he stood for a few moments with his mother and Rosemary, looking down into the gravesite. For one moment, time stood still, as the three of them huddle around her resting place, speaking with words wrapped in silence but which broke the heavens with the thunderous fists of their grief.:: ::Finally, he picked up the shovel, and Rosemary began the walk back to the house. His mother seemed to focus for a moment on a point outward beyond her pain and even beyond her son. Then, Helena Santeen, the inwardly shattered matriarch of this already shaky dynasty, reached out and touched her son's cheek with her delicate mature palm. Neither mother or son spoke, nor would they ever know how long they stood there like that, but through that one touch came the transferance of strength that they both desperately needed to share.:: ::With that she parted, allowing Quikz to busy himself in the fury and pain that would be his work. Always his work. Striving. Fighting. Trying. Pushing himself to new limits, breaking his back by way of the sweat of his brow. For in this manner and in this manner alone did he ever seem to find his own means of personal salvation. Only in his breaking down, and rising again from the dust, did he ever find his resurrection. This was a truth known to mother and son, a truth known to them both only all too well.:: --------------------------------------- Ensign Quikz Santeen Security Officer USS Darwin, NCC-99312-A A238805Z10

((USS Darwin, Deck 7, Santeen's Shared Crew Quarters)) ::As Quikz stood just outside the door that his PADD indicated was where his shared quarters was, he couldn't help but wonder just what his new roommate would be like. All his PADD had indicated was basic information such as deck and room number, and the single name of his roommate: Ensign Christopher Lambert who was listed as being a Science Officer aboard the Darwin. Though with his new security clearances he could probably find out even a bit more preliminary information about him, he decided on this occasion he wished to be (hopefully) pleasantly surprised.:: Santeen: oOBesides, what is the purpose of spoiling all the mysteries for yourself on the first day aboard? There is something to be said, surely, about taking things as they come and in stride?Oo ::Nodding to himself, he depressed the door chime, just in case his roommate was actually in the room or in the middle of something. He had learned long ago, especially in his academy days that just because there was always the illusion of decorum and procedure, didn't mean that people weren't people - everyone enjoyed their privacy one way or another.:: Santeen: oOBesides, it's not like there are door knobs to hang socks from like in ages past.Oo ::Cringing to himself, he remembered just how it was quite a common problem for many cadets at the Academy, and how on a number of occasions he had wished that practice were still...well...a practice. In fact, there was that one very awkward moment he had accidently walked in on his friend, William "Buck" Wellington and that Orion bartender, only to discover to both his horror and laughter that maybe they needed a new nickname for the young cadet after all.:: ::After waiting several moments, he entered the room and took in his surroundings. He already saw the tell-tale signs that indeed another Male ensign lived here. Judging by the few mementos and bric-a-brac he saw here and there, he was sure that he was more than likely human. Other than that, he did not try to intrude in any real way on his new roommate's privacy. There would be plenty of time for them to get to know each other in the future.:: ::Turning to the bunks in the opposite wall, he saw his belongings had already been placed on his upper bunk. There wasn't much, indeed he had always traveled rather lightly. Maybe it was all his years spent as a sprinter and cross country runner and athlete, but he usually preferred only to have on his person those things most essential to him at any given moment. If he truly needed something, he would seek it out. If he couldn't attain it with the true sweat and determination of his most concerted effort, he had had long ago learned he could simply go without it.:: ::Picking up the PADD that lay next to his belongings, he quickly scanned it to make sure his correct items were on the manifest, and having confirmed, he set it aside. Taking a deep breath, he pulled his leather rucksack off the bed and sat down at the small dining table and began sorting his few belongings. Of his few possessions he had brought with him, there was a handful which were most significant to him, and which always brought about a wave of emotions and memories welling up from the fount of his heart and into the spray of his mind.: ::As he pulled them out one by one, Quikz reflected on them, as he had each time he had come to a new place on his long journey to where he was now.:: ::The most cumbersome and self-explanatory, even if somewhat out of sorts for the clean lines and necessary sanitation of a Federation Ship, was a dust-covered pair of worn cross trainers. Though muddy, the cross trainers were worn not from neglect, but from use. They were stained with the dirt of achievement and grit; they were emblazoned with the signs of sweat, blood, and determination which had taken him all across his homeland in competition after competition in search of proving himself to all, especially his father.:: ::Closing his eyes for the briefest of moments, he still could feel the give of the treads beneath his feet, the thunder of his heart as it leaped like an antelope in his chest, the shout of the crowds and his family as it urged him onward. Yet above all, he still could feel those piercing eyes and the quiet brewing presence of Otto Santeen and the immense silence with which his father could shake the heavens above and rattle his earthly dreams below.:: ::Setting the shoes aside, he took a deep breath and withdrew another couple items from his bag One was a well worn, highlighted, dog-eared copy of The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Though most books these days were unanimously held on PADDs, this was one of his most prized possessions, not only because it was so rare to have an actual printed book these days, but because it was a special gift given to him by his mother shortly before he had left for his Academy. Opening the inside cover of the book, a paperclip fastener held a picture of his elegant mother suspended just above glittering green swirls of her script which she had inscribed into the book for him::: ========================== Helena Santeen: To My Beloved Son, I give you this book on the start of your journey toward claiming your own personal treasure in life because in so many ways you have been one of the few splendid treasures in my own. Remember Quikzal, just as this book says so elegantly: "Courage is the quality most essential to understanding the Language of the World...When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream." Therefore, may you always have courage in life, but most importantly, may you always know how deeply you are loved. Love Always, Your Mother ========================== ::As he read those words, he touched his mother's picture, almost in the same way she had touched his own face many years ago, comforting him as he prepared to leave their Spanish villa and set out to make his way in the world. His cheek flushed and felt warm to the touch as if he could still feel her hand upon him, but soon he realized it was because of a single tear that had burned a trail down his face.:: ::Also inside the book was a letter from his sister Rosemary, which he had received right in the middle of his Academy days. He had read it many times before, but for now, he did not have the heart in him to read it. It spoke of love, and loss, the laughter and joy of their youth, and the haunting pain of the recent past. All things he wasn't privy or willing to allow himself to visit at the current moment.:: ::The only other items, other than basic toiletries and a single change of civilian clothes, was a small acrylic globe with a single dried flower petal suspended to the light, and a thick squat rusty spike that was attached to a long leather cord which could be worn around the neck. These two items alone, where the most weighty to bear on his heart: for one meant the beauty of life, and the other the cruelty of death.:: Santeen: oOAnd sometimes, I'm not exactly sure which one stands for which.Oo --------------------------------------- Ensign Quikz Santeen Security Officer USS Darwin, NCC-99312-A A238805Z10

Congratulations and welcome back! It's great to have you both with us once again.

((Holodeck 1, USS Darwin-A)):: Valdivia had initially meant to come back to Camelot, check how the population was doing against the dragon. He knew the creature was programmed not to attack the city itself, so they were mostly safe, but the simulation could have interesting points for every character involved. The city would go on. But would Lancelot or Gawain? Would any of the knights decide to take on the dragon? He wanted to know, but he would also feel bad going in without at least telling Varaan, whether he decided to join or not. Also, although that would be easily solvable, there was the matter of his knee. He didn't want to strain it, and while it wouldn't be necessary for his role as Merlin, it was certainly a risk. :::: So he ended opening a normal program, just a random mountain setting, where he could don his modding gauntlet to enjoy the environment. He summoned a platform, stood on it, and used the developer commands of the program to make it fly, so he could move around the recreated environment freely to find nice spots. He flew around, thinking on all that had happened recently. The captain's situation, and specially Iy's betrayal, hit hard on everyone onboard, and yet they had to move on with little opportunity for healing. For wasn't it a bit selfish to demand time for healing for everyone else when the captain had to still make nir process, yet ne personally brought the Darwin back home? :::: But everyone had their own processes. Valdivia was not a sentimental one. He was not hiding and crying over what had happened, nor was he even wanting to and resisting the urge. But it affected him in more subtle ways. He had seen three people he had never met onboard the Darwin already, possibly engineers on repairs, and he had had to resist the urge to scan them and confirm they were their apparent races and not J'naii hunters in hiding. ::COMPUTER: You have a request for holodeck access.Valdivia: Uh? From whom?:: With a movement of his hand he stopped his movement and turned the platform towards where he came. Which was actually a rather foolish movement as the computer would place the holodeck archway in a closer position and possibly orientation, too. The fact was he ahd no idea where it was. ::COMPUTER: Martha Williams, civilian.Valdivia: WHAT??? Granted.:: Martha Williams? She was here? She was the engineer that took the Mainardi project after Valdivia had rejoined Starfleet. But she was much more than that. While they had worked together, they had had a very involved relationship. He loved her deeply. Not in a forming a family and growing old together kind of way, but more in a local, passionate and burning way. Like a comet, passing each others lives from time to time, and enjoying every moment of it, and then saying goodbye, or more precisely 'until next time'. They both knew they could not be together for too long. He wanted to travel and explore. She resented the fact he had joined the military to do that. And she preferred to stay put and build new things, while Valdivia had spend his years in a static office looking out at the stars and checking the fleet news.. :::: The archway appeared in a plain and the doors hissed open. Valdivia slowly descended the platform, with his mouth open in surprise, not knowing what to do or say. ::Williams: Hey! Glad to see you.Valdivia: Glad to... yes, yes. Welcome aboard the Darwin! What are you...?Williams: Doing here? Just passing by.:: She laughed. He loved when she laughed, she was beautiful. And, of course, there was the humor on the answer. Passing by? The Darwin was not even in the same quadrant, there was literally nowhere in federation space that she could be going that had her passing by Outpost Unity. And yet, there she was. ::Williams: Are you still there? :: Valdivia finally snapped out of his surprise. ::Valdivia: Yes! Yes. But I'm still surprised. You could have told me.Williams: And missed this moment? No way!:: She towards the forest for a bit, and summoned her own modding gauntlet. Although with different focuses, one of the hobbies that joined them at the start was holoprogramming. He smiled seeing her violet bright one. ::Williams: A race?:: One thing Valdivia enjoyed, and had showed Martha back on Regulus III, was real time modding. He had the program running, and used modding tools and admin privileges on the fly to modify it. Just run around a forest, and then use a programmed motion to extend a tree, or move a branch into reach, create steps in front of him, move a body of water... on Regulus III they used to run freely through holodecks using this. ::Valdivia: I met an engineer used to run, and we designed a game where jhe would run through the forest and I tried to catch her. But jhe left some time ago... Well, anyway, not this time. I got hurt on the last mission.Williams: What happened?:: Valdivia sighed, and started walking towards the forest slowly. ::Valdivia: A lot...:: Valdivia proceeded to explain the mission. At least the non-confidential parts. And having to withhold information from her was a bit uncomfortable for him. But other than that, he opened to her again, after more than a year of just talking through subspace channels, and occcasionaly at that. ::Valdivia: But bottom line is, no running for a few days.((Flashback - CSO's office))R'Ven: Thank you. However there is another matter. . . . :: They had been discussing the officer situation onboard the Darwin, since after the events related to the Machine, R'Ven was uncomfortably thinking his position might be in doubt. Valdivia assured him that was not the case, and the Rodulan seemed to accept that. But if there was another matter, maybe not so much. ::R’Ven: . . . You have injured your knee. Have you sought medical attention?:: The question disconcerted Valdivia for a moment. What had the knee to do with anything? It took him a couple of seconds to realize he was only showing his worry for a fellow officer. ::Valdivia: Yes, and yes. I dislocated it when we were hit. And I had Doctor Pond tend to it.:: When the Rodulan looked back into his eyes Valdivia realized he had been looking at the injured knee. Did his transformation (for lack of a better word) give him better senses? It was worth studying, at some point. But, excited as he was to study him, Valdivia wanted to make an effort to avoid having R'Ven feeling like a lab specimen. :: R’Ven: I would expect that you have been given the requisite pain relievers for your injuries?:: Valdivia: Yes, indeed. R’Ven: Excellent. Under Doctor Pond's ministrations I am sure that you will have a short recovery time. :: Valdivia offered a warm smile. Lately R'Ven had been a bit distant, one could say even hostile towards Lambert at first. Now he knew why, and R'Ven was even approaching again. Valdivia, as the Chief Science Officer, felt a weight being lifted off the department's shoulders. :: Valdivia: Yes. Relative rest during this Shore Leave and it should be good. Thanks for asking. :: That gave the conversation for closed, and R'Ven stood, ready to leave. :: R’Ven: Well sir, unless you have something else for me I will take my leave. Valdivia: Not, that will be all. And thanks for coming to me with this. Enjoy the shore leave. ((End Flashback)) Valdivia: So... maybe a quieter plan? Computer, set simulation to night time. Williams: I think I like where this is going... TBC Lieutenant John Valdivia - Chief Science Officer - USS Darwin NCC-99312-A PotW facilitator D238701JV0

Great to see so many great and talented writers recognized throughout the fleet. Some I've had the good fortune to sim with before and others I've yet to meet. I'm certain its all well deserved so congratulations to each and every one of you. After having the pleasure to sim with Turner and Waltas a couple of times recently, including having the aboard the Darwin as guests for a short time I got an insight into Waltas that makes me think he really is perfect for the award. It's also awesome to see T'Lae getting the pathfinder award - she was my mentor when I first started the game, through my time on the Aurora and Avandar. She was always very positive and a joy to talk to. She was great at picking me up and offering reassurance when I'd made mistakes or done something really embarrassing. It's because of her as much as Captain Vetri that I didn't give up on the game in the early days! So thanks, and congratulations!

Welcome to day four of our 20th annual awards ceremony So far this week we’ve announced the winners of the Length of Service Awards, Special Awards, and Duty Post Awards. And now we’re very excited to present the Staff Awards, which are only for those members who have achieved the rank of commander or higher. These awards recognize the hard work of our staff, who do the behind-the-scenes work required to keep the engine of our community running, and smoothly at that! They help foster the fun simming environment we all enjoy. This year we have one new award to add to our list: The T’Pau Cluster of Distinction, which is presented for long-term achievement in leading the Training Team. In previous years, the Shuvalis Diamond of Recognition recognised long-term commitment and achievement in the Training or Publicity teams, but since both teams are so important we decided they each needed their own award. We’re also very happy to announce that the first Kathryn Janeway Award in six years will be presented to a very worthy recipient! This award recognizes those commanding officers who have made a great impact on their crew and left an indelible legacy on our community history – they may have retired and taken a break but they will not be forgotten. The winners this year, as in 2015, were chosen by the fleet's first officers from the nominations made by you! Staff Member of the Year Award For staff members who have contributed tirelessly to the organization through any number of OOC channels, while maintaining excellence in simming on their vessel. Quinn Reynolds, USS Gorkon presented by Aron Kells & Cassandra Egan Manno: "Even before she served as Captain-at-Large for the Executive Council last year, Emma (Flt. Capt. Reynolds) was specifically sought out by the EC to give feedback on a difficult issue. Since then, and just to give you some context for her good work over the last six months, she's been elevated to a full seat on the EC and promoted to fleet captain, and it's easy to see why. She's taken a set of difficult circumstances on the Gorkon, including the abrupt resignation of her XO at launch, and forged a cohesive, connected community of a crew. She's active on both the Captains and Executive Councils and I find myself often parroting her good advice -- and, in fact, wishing I'd said what she'd said first! She is an invaluable asset to the group, and I can't imagine serving as we do without her. In fact, as a previous recipient of this award, it's doubly my pleasure to present her with this because of our long history together. I first wrote with Emma when I (as Lily Ventu!) was an XO and lieutenant commander for the first time, and when Quinn had just been named a lieutenant JG and chief of her department. This was, if you can believe it, either 2007 or 2008--and while our first meeting was wonderful, some rocky times followed and neither of us was sure we would be sticking around with the group. However, it's incredibly gratifying to see Emma now as a fleet captain, a member of the EC, and as the (very!) well deserved Staff Member of the Year, and I hope everyone reading this will join me in congratulating Emma and thanking her for her service and her long years of dedication. You rock!" The Picard Award The highest honor given to those officers of Admiral rank. Recipients of the Picard Award must show an unfailing devotion to the club, as well as work continually on ways to better the atmosphere of simming in our community. Toni Turner, Embassy of Duronis II presented by Tristan Wolf: "What is there left to say about the indelible Toni Turner? She started as an eager ensign with little knowledge of Star Trek and now stands in the rank of Rear Admiral, one of only a handful that have reached that high over the course of 22 years. Above all, Turner is resilient. She faced a great many trials along the path to where she is now. But all along, she has been resilient and determined to prove all the naysayers wrong. And in the end, she outlasted all of them! Now she’s a commanding officer with one of our longest records in a simming installation for far longer than most others have even been a member. She’s a member of the Executive Council, and has been one for a number of years now. She just recently stepped down from a long tenure with the Training Team as a dedicated and tireless Deputy Commandant. There’s no greater honor in our community than the Picard Award, and I can’t imagine anyone who’s put more time, energy, sweat, and tears to get here. Congratulations, Toni Turner – this is your day, and you deserve it!" The James T. Kirk Cross Given to new Commanding Officers who show outstanding potential in the field of commanding. Sal Taybrim, Starbase 118 Ops presented by Aron Kells & Cassandra Egan Manno: "Oh, man, I really wanted to write this one out! Jamie, aka Captain Taybrim, is someone who I knew was going to rise to the very top when I first interacted with her. When I was launching her former CO and it was time to consider who would be his new XO, Jamie was the first one I thought of: She was experienced, thoughtful, conscientious, and a great writer, and she had just weathered a particularly unpleasant crisis in a way that very much impressed me and further convinced me that one of her greatest strengths was leadership. She commands her ship with honor and dedication--two of her nominations for this award came from members of her crew, both of whom wrote stellar nomination essays that dug deeply into what makes Jamie an excellent CO--and she's a thoughtful and erudite presence on the Captains Council and the Executive Council. What's perhaps most impressive to me, however, is how much thought Jamie puts into everything that she does. Her many years of experience running games and groups (some similar to SB118, and some wildly different!) have given her a considerable level of experience, and she's even evolved theories of game operations that she uses to guide her crews through mission planning and execution. If this sounds too cold, I'm sure that her crew will be the first to tell you that it isn't at all! Jamie's experience and theoretical knowledge combine to help turn the current iteration of SB118 Ops into one of the most enjoyable that the group has ever seen. Here's to this year's Kirk Cross winner--and I look forward to seeing what comes next!" The Shuvalis Diamond of Recognition For long-term achievement in leading the Publicity Team as a way of advancing peaceful relations with "newly discovered life forms. Tristan Wolf, Executive Council presented by Renos: "Tristan Wolf has long provided strong support for the publicity team by providing guidance, encouragement, helpful and informative reading materials to the team's facilitator and members. He is always available to bounce ideas off and shows his passion for this most important of teams. As a website administrator making sure we're optimized for search engines and facilitator of the news team and by making sure our blog always has fresh content he is helping to make sure we rank well with search engines. He has even paid for facebook advertising out of his own pocket to push our most successful social media pages to help us make a bigger splash and pull in more new players. While other people come and go, Tristan Wolf is always there whether the publicity team is doing great or otherwise. On a personal level, I am thankful for all of the support he gave me as former publicity team facilitator and could not have been as successful without his support and guidance. It's my view that he is long overdue recognition and thanks for all that he does behind the scenes, that isn't always seen but certainly contributes to our success." T'Pau Cluster of Distinction For long-term achievement in leading the Training Team. Selene Faranfey presented by Tristan Wolf: "Our Training Team is a pivotal part of our community, for a number of reasons. First, it acquaints new members with our way of simming, which is nearly unique – at this point – in the simming world, and a proudly cherished relic from days gone by. Second, it’s the primary training ground for our mid-level leaders, and future commanding officers, who learn about mentoring, providing simming feedback, leading a team, and working with our toolset. There are a myriad of moving parts that have only grown more complex in recent years as we’ve added new components. But Captain Faranfey has navigated these parts with aplomb, acting as a dedicated member of the team in the capacity of a training officer, and then later volunteering to take on a new leadership role with our “Statisticians Team,” which keeps track of our ever-growing database of records regarding the Academy. And when the former Academy Commandant stepped down, she was eager to learn the ropes as a Deputy Commandant, and work her way into the Commandant role. She now manages the Academy with ease, improving our materials, providing honest and empathetic feedback, and coordinating the other staff. It’s a difficult job in which Captain Faranfey is still learning and growing, but one that she’s shown herself quite adept at. So for her long-time leadership of the Training Team, it’s my honor to bestow the inaugural T’Pau Cluster of Distinction on Captain Faranfey. Congratulations to her!" The Sarek Star Given to a command officer who shows great diplomatic ability in working with members and staff. Renos, USS Darwin presented by Aron Kells & Cassandra Egan Manno: "For those who have worked with him in any capacity, James's receipt of this award seems like a no-brainer. "Shows great diplomatic ability in working with members and staff" seems like it could have been written about James himself, never mind the Sarek Star, and so the only disappointment to me here is that he can't win it again and again! James epitomizes the Sarek Star, so much that I wonder if we should perhaps rename it after him after this win...but that's a conversation for another time. In one of the nomination essays, James's nominator describes him as "a cornerstone of the fleet," and that couldn't be more accurate. James leads the way when it comes to thoughtful and considerate interactions with his crew, and the respect with which he treats all of them is obvious in the respect they show for him as a leader. His calm and compassionate voice is an important one when it comes to all of his OOC interactions, and many simmers who've interacted with him have great faith knowing that he's one of the select members of the Executive Council. I remember--and bear with me if I've shared this particular anecdote before!--but back a couple of years ago when James won several fleet awards (the Rising Star, the Order of the Valiant Heart, and the Strange Medallion, among others), Emma (Flt. Capt. Reynolds) and I were discussing James's future in the fleet. She said to me then, "There's a fleet captain in the making"--and while that promotion has already come true, James is so much more than simply another flag rank. He is one of the kindest simmers I've ever encountered, and I can't express how much more whole we are as a community because of his presence among us. Congratulations, James, and thank you for all you do!" Christopher Pike Pendant Awarded to commanding officers who command their ship with honor and dedication, and help to provide an creative atmosphere which fosters outstanding simming. Quinn Reynolds, USS Gorkon presented by Aron Kells & Cassandra Egan Manno: "One of the best parts about our awards process is that the nomination process is so egalitarian: Our newest ensign can nominate the most experienced captain, and the most experienced captain can nominate the newest ensign. In many cases, that single fact may help to decide who wins--and in the case of the staff awards, when a CO has the support of a member of his or her crew, that can speak volumes. The Christopher Pike Pendant, which is awarded to COs who "command their ship with honor and dedication, and help to provide an creative atmosphere which fosters outstanding simming," is an award that I expect to see crew members nominate their COs for--after all, who knows better than a crew about their experience with a CO? In the case of this year's winner, however, Emma was nominated not just once, and not even twice, but fully three times by different members of her crew. Since launching the Gorkon, she has established herself as a CO for the history books, both in her fleet affairs and, as the Pike Pendant so rightly says, as a CO who commands the utmost respect from her crew. However, it isn't just the volume of nominations that matters; rather, it's the content that's most important. Her nominators compliment her for high standards when it comes to writing; for her ease in assisting other simmers and seamlessly pushing the plot forward; for her warmth and welcoming of new members; and for the support she offers in helping her crew develop their characters. And while these would be impressive enough on their own, I want to also share that every one of her nominators mentioned Emma's positive and voluminous communications in some way--when she speaks, others listen, and when others want to speak with her, she listens. She is one of the finest COs our group has ever seen, and she thoroughly deserves this year's Christopher Pike Pendant. Congratulations!" Chief’s Citation Starfleet history is much more liable to recognize the triumphs of its notable officers, and while non commissioned and enlisted personnel occasionally receive recognition, the NCO backbone of a starship is likely to go unremarked upon. So that our integral support staff don't similarly slip through the cracks, the Chief's Citation recognizes those essential staff members whose determined work has benefited the group, IC and/or OOC, even while their primary service was not as the commanding officer of a starship or other simming installation. John Nugra, USS Doyle presented by Tristan Wolf: "Nugra has found a niche in which he has shined: Playing the part of the pinch hitter, ready to assist even before he’s asked. Over the past year, he has stepped in to help in moments when the Executive or Captains Councils are already stretched beyond their means, assisting me more than once when it felt like I just didn’t have another moment to give. And he did it with a smile. His loyalty, resourcefulness, and cheerful disposition have been of great service to our community, and for that, we recognize him with the Chief’s Citation. I’m proud, as the former recipient, to be the one to pin this medal on him. Many thanks to him for all that he’s done and will do going forward, and congratulations to him for this award!" Kathryn Janeway Award For retired Commanding Officers who have made a great impact on their crew and left an indelible legacy on our community history. Kali Nicholotti presented by Aron Kells & Cassandra Egan Manno: "As many of us have done, I spent some time away from SB118 during my tenure here. I had been a commander before I left, and I wanted to command again, and so I rose slowly up through command positions, carving out new relationships where I could and discussing my ambitions with other current COs and up-and-coming simmers. Marissa, aka Nicholotti, had recently begun her captaincy exams when she asked me to become her new XO. Her last one hadn't worked out, and while I was only with her for a short while, she made an immediate impact on me--warm, dedicated, and personable, she was the kind of CO who got to know everyone on her crew and cared about each of them individually, both in and out of character. Marissa's tenure with the group has, unfortunately, come to a pause, but it's important to recognize her indelible legacy. You'll find SB118 littered with those who she's helped and upon whom she's had a measurable impact. Her work is also written in the group itself--she revolutionized the way SB118 is optimized for searching and spearheaded our publicity efforts for some time. She launched the Excalibur and relaunched the Apollo, and guided Ben Livingstone (who many of you will also remember) to become a successful captain in his own right aboard the Columbia. While she may not be currently serving, her legacy is one that will last for years to come, and for that, we recognize and celebrate Marissa!" Please join us in congratulating these members of the staff!

Congratulations everyone! It's so great to see so many wonderful and talented people sticking around for the long term. I too am looking forward to the next milestone - I am half way there. I joined the fleet not too long after Eerie and was posted to the same ship as him - the USS Aurora under Captain Vetri. We served there until the USS Avandar was originally launched and had many many wonderful adventures together with Eerie and Blackwood. Though we are now on different ships we forged a friendship that is cherished even to this day and that's really the power of this community. I've met so many lovely people and forged some of the best friendships of my life. I hope when I'm collecting my 10 year award 5 years from now that he and everyone else will be right there with me still going strong and enjoying everything this most special of communities has to offer.

The Xalor Clan Xifilis award is in my book a really important one and I was delighted last year to see one of my crew (Brell) as well as my real life partner (Ben Edwards) recognised with it. There are all kinds of things in life that make players move on from the birth of children, moving house, new jobs, taking up full time study etc which are all ordinary, big, life-changing events. So when people are facing a disadvantage of some kind but choose to stick with us and continue to sim when it might be easier just to step back - I have massive respect and appreciation for those people. So to Waltas, Hendon and T'Mihn - you all have my respect, admiration and thanks for continuing to stick with us and be the fantastic and wonderful people you are. Your awards are well deserved, so congratulations - keep being awesome.

Today, eight special awards are being presented to recognise players for specific aspects of simming or OOC work, such as going that extra mile for the Training Team, investing time and effort in forum participation that draws other people in or continuing to be a dedicated and reliable simmer despite having to overcome and sort of disadvantage while simming. Just like with the duty post awards, only one of each award is given each year, with one notable exception: The Xalor Clan Xifilis award is given to any player who has overcome any sort of disadvantage while simming. We don’t compare and weigh one person’s struggles against another but rather award this to all eligible and deserving candidates who are nominated for it. Only the very best are chosen so they are highly coveted awards that every player has a chance to be considered for by getting involved and giving it their best. The nominations in these categories are reviewed by a panel of five staff members: two commanders and three members ranked captain or above. The Rising Star Award For members who show great promise in many facets of their participation in the group, and to whom we look to as a future leader. Roshanara Rahman, USS Invicta Presented by Aron Kells & Cassandra Egan Manno: "Rich has been the finest first officer I've worked with during my time as a CO, and I don't mean that as hyperbole. However, he's no longer a first officer, and he counts himself among the recipients of the Strange Medallion, the coveted award that recognizes the finest first officers in the fleet. This year, it's my pleasure to present Rich with the Rising Star Award shortly after his assumption of the COship of the Invicta. Though it's only been a few months since he did so, and only half a year since the last awards, he's somehow improved on the high level of success I had the pleasure of speaking about in my last awards presentation. He maintains thoughtful, active roles on many teams around the fleet, including the FNS (for which he was the driving force in launching) and on the wiki, and he is a notable and thoughtful voice both on the Captain’s Council and, now, on the public Executive Council. He's already improved on Invicta's functioning, too, notably with the introduction of a Player Achievement system (http://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php/Invicta_Player_Achievements) to help guide our writers through promotions and give them ideas for what to do next when they're stuck and not sure what to sim. His desire for knowledge of and involvement in all aspects of Starbase 118's operations, and his drive to work towards group success, ensures that he already has a long string of triumphs behind him and that his star will continue to rise. Luminary Award For those who show great promise in their future endeavours in UFOP: Starbase 118 RPG. Given to members holding the rank of ensign, lieutenant junior grade, or lieutenant. Rustyy Hael, USS Constitution Presented by Jalana Rajel: "Sometimes you meet players for the first time and you just know that they will be special. One of these players I had the pleasure to mentor and see grow to a shining light in our fantastic community. Noelle, the player of Chief Engineer Rustyy Hael, has been an asset from the first time she simmed and only grew in time to a player I wouldn't want to miss. Her enthusiasm in simming and OOC work is simply contagious. Within a short time I knew that I wanted her on my staff and she would say she was tickled pink when I asked her. She has supported every player on the Constitution, she pours idea after idea into plots, gives characters a unique voice and makes sure that everyone has a bunch of fun. She goes above and beyond in her OOC work and simply enjoys to share her talents with those who can make good use of them. I have no doubt that Noelle will go far in SB118 and I can't wait for her to engulf everyone in her bubbly nature and creativity. I could not imagine a better choice for the very first Luminary Award recipient. Congratulations Noelle, you truly deserved it and we are very proud of you!" The Boothby Award For trainers who go above and beyond their Academy training requirements. These trainers display an outstanding example of dedication to bringing new cadets to our community. Maxwell Traenor, USS Darwin Presented by Selene Faranfey: "When it comes to the academy, the name that has stood out is Lt. Commander Maxwell Traenor. Since day one he has always made himself available to the academy staff in any position and provided his utmost care and diligence in leading classes. He received good reviews from the cadets training him, introduced them to the world of simming in ways that inspired confidence and enthusiasm. Lt. Commander Traenor is undoubtedly the best choice for the 2016 Boothby award. Congratulations, Maxwell!" Quark's Bar Quark's Bar is a special award and is awarded to members who are regularly active on the forums and have been supportive and involved in conversations enhancing the overall forum experience. Raissa Moonsong, USS Invicta Presented by Aron Kells & Cassandra Egan Manno: "It's my privilege to award the inaugural Quark's Bar to the fine writer who inspired it! Mandy, aka Raissa Moonsong, has been a force to reckon with on the forums since she joined Starbase 118, and when I was brainstorming awards to suggest commissioning for this awards ceremony, I thought about her accomplishments on the forums and how such accomplishments should be showcased to the entire fleet. "Mandy's impressive videos and toons have become an Invicta staple, and they've inspired similar toons and graphics threads on many other ships. To date, she's provided over thirteen forums pages and three hundred toons of the Invicta crew (and plenty of guests, as well), and she continues to submit video trailers, teasers, and credit sequences to celebrate mission launches and the beginnings of shore leave (under her 'production company,' Koala Video Productions). In all honesty, I don't know how she does it all--but I do know that we're glad she does, because her presence and dedication raises the quality of the forums experience for everyone she encounters. Congratulations and thanks for all your participation and good work, Mandy!" The Xalor Clan Xifilis Award Given to any simmer who overcomes any sort of disadvantage while simming. This award was originally called the "Rachel Garett Pendant," but was renamed for the 2000 ceremony to to honor a respected simmer in UFOP: StarBase 118 who passed away in that year. This is the only Special Award that is given more than once per ceremony. Renos, USS Darwin Presented by Aron Kells & Cassandra Egan Manno: "One of the things many of our simmers say is that they aspire to be as good as the future in which they write. Star Trek presents an egalitarian view of the future in which skin color, heritage, class, sex, gender, and more are no longer used as a basis for judgment and discrimination. But as ideal as that future may be, we're often a long way from it in the real world, and so it's more important than ever that we recognize those simmers whose real struggles represent positive movement toward Star Trek's idealism. I'm very pleased to recognize James with one of this year's Xalor Clan Xifilis Awards for the way he's faced his personal challenges with grace and dignity and, at the same time, has accomplished creating a safe space for his simmers to experiment with nonbinary and judgment-less characters by leading the way with his J'naii primary character, Renos. This Xalor Clan Xifilis Award recognizes the physical and emotional demands James has dealt with and the positive impact he has made and continues to make on our community. James makes our community a much richer, more inclusive place, and we are very lucky to have him here!" Tyr Waltas, Embassy of Duronis II Presented by Toni Turner: "Captain Waltas suffered with debilitating pain finally ending in surgery and a long recovery time. Other than the time in surgery and recovery, he pushed on with his sims, and since he has been back he has returned to his normal simming. From what I understand, the pain was excruciating and it was very difficult to sit at a computer for any length of time, but he remained steadfast in his membership on the Embassy/Thunder and the Captain Counsel, both as a staff member. Boris Hendon, Embassy of Duronis II Presented by Toni Turner: "He has suffered the after effects of a heart malfunction, and although his sims are short he never fails to bring humor into them. He has maintained his loyalty as a Embassy/Thunder crew member, and as a staff member - as Captain Sam Perkins- by participating in the Captain's Counsel. It is my honor to present the Xalor Clan Xiflis Award to Lt. Commander Boris Hendon!" T'Mihn Ah'mihghan, Embassy of Duronis II Presented by Toni Turner: "T'Mihn has not only improved as a simmer, she has done a masterful job of characterization, and simming several times a week, a feat not made easy while battling vision problems. It is with great pride that I present Lt. Commander T'Mihn Ah'mihghan with this award. Please join us in congratulating all the winners on their hard work this year. And many thanks to everyone who submitted the nominations that led to these presentations!

To the community of UFOP: StarBase 118, Welcome to the fleetwide awards ceremony for 2016, or (as our characters know it) 2393! As the veterans among you will know, the award ceremony recognizes some of the most talented people in the history of the organization. With the annual awards having been moved from the end of the year to coincide with the fleet's 'birthday', we're celebrating 22 years of simming with style! Among this year's notables with respect to duty post awards includes the first time an Ensign has received The Order of the Valiant Heart (the counselor of the year), and recognition of a strategic operations officer with a duty post award. Our finest simmers continue to show that they can take unusual positions, posts outside the traditional rank structure, and more, and create memorable, award-winning characters when they do so! Here is a glimpse of some of the excitement to come... The special and staff awards, which are coming in the next few days also recognize a talented group of simmers and includes two new special awards. The first is The Luminary Award, which recognizes members between the rank of ensign to lieutenant, who show great promise in their future endeavours in the fleet. The second is Quark's Bar, which recognizes members who are regularly active on the forums, have been supportive and involved in conversations enhancing the overall forum experience. The Shuvalis Diamond of Recognition is a staff award for long-term achievement in leading the Publicity Team and before 2016, it also was awarded for achievement in leading the Training Team. This year, the T'Pau Cluster of Distinction was created to recognize achievement with the Training Team separately. For the first time since 2010 the Kathryn Janeway award will be presented to a very hardworking and deserving former captain, who was an absolute powerhouse and left an indelible legacy on our community history before retirement. The member service awards continue to grow, recognizing membership lengths of one, three, five, and ten years! A remarkable number of simmers have been around for such extended periods. Congratulations to everyone recognized in this ceremony, and a great many heartfelt thanks to all our members who submitted nominations and assisted with the awards process. -- James (Fleet Captain Renos)

Congratulations to all of the winners. I'd like to share a bit more about a couple of our simmers I am especially proud of Kurt Logan for winning the Natasha Yar Pin. He was our Genesis Award winner during the last ceremony and has worked especially hard in the year he's been with the Darwin to develop his writing and simming skills and I think this award really shows how far he has come. From having the Captain's recovery room on Deep Space 6 bugged without nir knowledge to using flour bombs to create a diversion to allow his team to slip away from a position where they were pinned down he always has a creative solution for every problem. He's a real gem and I'm certain he'll continue to flourish! Brell is a veteran player who has been with the fleet many years, he's the sort of player who is a true all rounder and this is reflected in the fact he is now receiving a second duty post award. Last year he received the Lwaxana Troi Medallion for his wonderful portrayal of Lyldra, who was his PC at the time and serving as our diplomatic officer. In every role he takes on his detailed oriented approach breathes life into all that he does. He can take seemingly mundane things like balancing power demands, keeping the ship fully stocked etc and make them look fun - they're certainly interesting to read.

Renos has been through a lot this year so ne is feeling a bit more conservative than normal... but still looking pretty great.

((Deck 11, Security offices, USS Darwin – A, On route to Outpost Unity)) ::The mission was over.. well the ‘recover the Captain’ one was anyway, it was something that was always a little awkward for the Assistant Security Chief, trained as he had been to view everything he did as almost a mission in its self. His Boot Camp Sargent always maintained that there was only ever one mission, and that was ‘Yourself’. If you worked that mission to your full ability then wherever you were or whatever you were tasked to do made little difference, as ‘Your’ mission meant the rest would fall into place. So as it was they had returned from the ‘Rescue the Captain’, then had become involved in the de-booby trapping of the Darwin, all the explosives had been returned to the Armory and all of theirs and the borrowed ones from the Outpost had been accounted for. In addition the extra cargo netting and wires and buckets, along with the small bulkhead magnets were placed back into the cargo manifests… which brought a chuckle to him at the expense of Karami the Bactrican quartermaster:: Logan oO I wonder how she’s managing to record them, mono filament wire, cargo netting,…buckets…!!!! ….. ha ha ha. Good job we didn’t tell her it’s for dumping water on an enemy boarder Oo ::As traps went … it was a little primate more along the lines of a child’s prank, but when stopping or slowing an enemy soldier any advantage is a good one …. Especially if it also had soap in it wonderful for stinging the eyes:: Logan ::Picking up a PADD and making a note:: oO Must remember to get some more when on Unity, Fulp the Lurian merchant has some good ones that sting well Oo it brought another chuckle to him thinking of Karami logging them as …. Liquid soap ???? Oo ::The irony was that Kurt hated pranks, he had had his fair share directed his way before ……. An understanding was reached … to leave him out of it, he considered them somewhat unfunny and a complete waste of time, still he liked to hear of as many as he could to add to his collection in case such things could be adapted for a better use:: Logan ::Tapping his Comm badge:: oO Now that the ship is clear, I’d better inform the Engineering before I have Engineers battering Security for taking its time Oo =/\=Lieutenant Logan to Commander Varaan =/\= Varaan =/\= Go ahead, lieutenant. =/\= ::The background noise indicated the Darwin’s Chief Engineer was in main engineering right next to the warp core:: Logan =/\= Sir, just to inform you Security has swept the Darwin and it’s all clear, your Engineers can work unhindered =/\= ::In reality this Conversation wasn’t strictly necessary as the Vulcans Engineering teams had moved into the areas as the Security had cleared the section’s, but ‘The mission is Yourself’, he had said he would let the Commander Know so he would let him know plus if he didn’t then he would have him contacting Security instead:: Logan oO Much easier this way Oo Varaan =/\= Thank you, lieutenant. =/\= Logan =/\= Pleasure Commander, and the Security Officers are on standby by if you require extra maintenance personnel =/\= ::Kurt had made the offer while they were both in sickbay Commander Varaan had indicated that they probably not needed, but he offered again to indicate they were there if needed:: Varaan =/\= Again, thank you, Mr. Logan. However, that will not be necessary. =/\= Logan =/\= Understood Sir, Logan out =/\= ::Picking up one of the myriad PADD’s on his desk Kurt deleted the first line of the to do list, the list extended several pages:: Logan oO Wonderful, oh yes here’s your new rank and position, you’ll find rank has it’s privilege…. Yeah the privilege of knowing how to write a report that’s more than two paragraphs long … oh yes some privilege …. So what’s next on the list..Oo Logan: Talk to Ensign Watkins , and Petty Officer Cardin re Commander Icavoc … what ??? ::Checking the entry, as he didn’t remember putting that down at all, Kurt found that it was a request filed to him by the two named. The Commanders injury was no secret, the ins and outs of it were, but the fact he had no hand wasn’t difficult to find out as he had talked to each member of the Security and Tactical department before their confrontation with the J’naii ship, but what could they want. The Computer verified that they were both still at their desks within the reception area of the Security section. Picking up several PADD’s Kurt headed for the door:: Logan oO I have to head elsewhere anyway so I’ll talk to them outside Oo ::The reception area was empty other than Ensign Watkins who was the first port of call for anyone walking into the section who could then be directed to whoever they wished to see, the medium build five foot eight dark haired Ensign looked up as Kurt walked into his field of vision:: Watkins: Sir ::Like Kurt he had grown up on a colony world, unlike Kurt it had not been cut off from the rest of the federation due to oversight and lack of records but had remained a part of the ever expanding Federation canvas of space. The faintest hint of a dialect sounded through his words, not as pronounced as when Dr Cook got excited and his Scottish heritage made every words different while simultaneously gargling with nails:: Cardin: Sir ::The Petty Officers voice also acknowledged his presence, the Ops Seconded personal assistant come proof reader, alarm clock, diary and walking knowledge bank of protocols was sat at a desk in the corner, well in truth any place would have been in the corner given the shape of the area. The reception area had not been designed to accommodate two people for any length of time, so at least for now she would have to make do. Today she had her dark brown hair loose which being just longer than shoulder length framed her face as she looked up. It had been good to know that she hadn’t been injured in any of the confrontations they had had recently she was……:: Logan oO ….. To good an Officer to loose yes that was it too good to loose Oo Watkins: Can we help Sir? Logan: urm… Yes, yes this message that you sent regarding Commander Icavoc’s injury ? ::Officer Cardin stood from behind her desk and walked over to stand beside the Ensign:: Watkins: Well sir, we heard of the Commanders injury, and after looking up … well … that he… is … Cardin: Basically a tree ::It was a thing he liked about the Petty Officer, she was smart, singularly brilliant at what she did, good looking and straight forward with the ability to say things as they were without them sounding offensive:: Cardin: So the whole team put their heads together to get the Commander a present so to speak Watkins: Nodding he bent down and retrieved a small box from the desk draw and placed it on the desk top, lifting the lid off it revealed a pair of mid forearm type gloves:: Their fire resistant sir while still retaining full tactile use, consoles… PADD’s etc ::Kurt picked one of the gloves up feeling how lightweight it was:: Cardin: The team thought it would help bring him back sir Logan:: A broad smile crossed his face:: These are a brilliant idea, only one thing missing ::Looking at the two now puzzled faces looking at him :: Get everyone from both sections to put their names on a card the Commander deserves to know how everyone feels, once that’s done then we shall present it to him. ::Leaving the two Officers to arrange that Kurt headed out towards the Turbolift and his next item the Shuttlecraft Cristobal:: ((Deck 8, Main Shuttle Bay)) ::Despite the damage to the ship the Main Shuttle bay had remained pretty much undamaged, leading to the bay being also used as a small storage area for equipment to be used both inside the ship but also readied to be ferried outside once the ship dropped out of slipstream drive and arrived back at the Outpost. As an almost nod to Commander Icavoc’s injury several wall mounted screens had blown out which also made the undamaged bay feel a little surreal. Laying his hand a bulkhead just inside the door Kurt looked around the bay:: Logan: I bet you’d like to get back to what your built for wouldn’t you where the only danger comes from binary stars, and the only damage is me trying to punch hole in a bulkhead…. You and me both….. ::Giving the wall a small pat headed of towards one of the two type 11 Shuttle’s they had on board, the Cristobal other than being moved from where it had landed after returning with the Captain, and having the extra weapons and equipment removed, was untouched. Activating the door Kurt stepped inside and sat on the pilot’s seat placing his PADD’s onto the co-pilots seat in the unlit cockpit, the light from the Shuttlebay was sufficient to see by but Kurt wasn’t here to sit and admire the view, running his hands over the console in front of him he powered up the internal systems. Shuttles were a ubiquitous part of federation life and as such there were few people who couldn’t fly one as the basic controls were the same for starship runabouts, Shuttlecraft, civilian shuttle craft even starships themselves, however that’s where the similarities ended the basic controls maybe the same, idiot proof was how one instructor had mentioned, there was a big difference between being able to fly one from A to B to just get there and do a Shayne or Varaan with one. Kurt was the former, yes he had flown Marine drop ships, but after being told that although they had the name of drop ships didn’t mean that you flew them as such and dropped them to the ground from any height he had tried as a combat pilot for close in fight support….. and the less said about his Commanding Officers missing top floor of his house the better:: ::Operating the internal systems of the Shuttle had little chance of doing anything quite as drastic as that, as the consoles came to life and began to light up the internal lights flicked on. Knowing that they would be seen from the control booth and any power activation whether visible or not would show on the booth’s control panels Kurt reached over and activated the Comm circuit:: Logan =/\= Lieutenant Logan, Shuttle craft Cristobal to Shuttlebay control =/\= Control =/\= Control Here Lieutenant, you’re on the order list for a shuttle Sir =/\= ::Kurt could almost see the concentration as the control officer tried to find the words to tell a senior officer that he wasn’t due for that shuttle, not letting the duty officer wait Kurt signalled back:: Logan =/\=Correct control, I’m not taking the Shuttle out but downloading logs from the internal systems, will inform you when I’ve finished and powered down the shuttle =/\= Control =/\= Understood Lieutenant, Control out =/\= ::Pulling up the logs Kurt found the only activation was there’s which made things easier, the internal records only started from when they were already seated in the Shuttle and he had given Dr Pond the screamer for her to use. Copying everything from the internal computer storage Kurt moved to the back where the seating was a little more comfy and finalised his away team report adding the internal and external sensor data to it. Re reading it to verify he had left nothing out Kurt uploaded it to the Main Computer and sent it to Commander Icavoc for his operational reviews, he had no doubt that it would be returned needing alterations and amendments but at least for now that was another thing of his to do list, but as soon as he did that another thing went on it… personnel reviews as his Department Chief was still off duty the after action performance reviews would also need to be done by him. Between his to do list and the investigation of the death of Lieutenant Janel Tarna Kurt wasn’t sure how much shore leave would be have:: Lieutenant Jg Kurt Logan - Assistant Security Chief USS Darwin, NCC - 99312 - A E239203KLOHY

((Bridge, Deck 1 - USS Darwin-A)) ::Maxwell Traenor sat in the center chair of the bridge, thumbing across a PADD with idle attention. His mind wandered at times to his past, where he would have one of these data devices seemingly attached to his hand. A long career as a journeyman stellar cartographer had meant that he was used to perusing reams of scanned data and would carry one (or several) of these wherever he was - work, meals, the Promenade of whatever starbase he was stationed on, even to bed. As an older cadet at the Academy, he had carried one constantly, what with studying coming much more difficult for him than it did the youthful cadets with their still-plastic minds. Once he earned his commission and was assigned to first the Apollo, then the Darwin, his work in the Science department meant that he was able to carry on the well-honed tradition of having a PADD with him nearly everywhere he went.:: ::So now why did it feel so odd to him to be holding one now? As an executive officer, it meant that he never carried one on duty anymore. When he inhabited his office, doing any one of a myriad of administrative tasks, he used them, but they stayed on his desk when he left. Was that it? Did less than a year of change overcome a career, half a lifetime, of comfortable habit?:: ::Maxwell didn't think so. It was probably the subject matter on the PADD that involuntarily repelled him so. It was the umpteenth draft of a report for Renos when ne was returned to duty. How to tell nir superior officer, mentor, and friend of all he had done wrong by nem in the past several weeks? How does one write out in a dry report how he had nearly destroyed nir ship not once but twice? How to phrase how he had risked the lives of nir crew with death by combat, death by radiation poisoning, death by gravitic forces that could have rent the Darwin into atoms? How to express in a technical report that he had done so willingly, would do it all over again, would sacrifice his own life and all others if it meant saving nem?:: ::And that was the crux of the problem right there. Traenor had compromised his professionalism and good judgement time and again over the intervening weeks since Renos disappeared. He had made rash, drastic, poor choices, ignoring common sense and the advice of sounder minds. He had unnecessarily risked the Darwin and its crew over and again. He had lost his temper numerous times, subjected officers under his care to persecution. Basically, he had been a terrible commanding officer. "But there was success in the end. Does not the end justify the means?", a vestigial, contrarian remnant of his willful temper, kept alive by lack of sleep and emotional and physical breakdown, insisted on saying. The goal was to retrieve Renos, and Renos was retrieved. All was forgiven.:: ::Except that it wasn't. The Darwin was in rough shape. The crew was in worse shape. Renos was barely in any shape. The perpetrator who precipitated this whole ordeal, the deviant J'naii who had wormed nir way into their home and preyed on their goodwill until nir nefarious plan had come to fruition, Iy? Iy, who should have been brought before a Federation tribunal to face judgement for nir crimes? Ne was in absolutely no shape at all, unless you count accreting subatomic particles entering a nascent black hole a "shape". The return of Renos was barely a success, all contingent on how or if ne would recover. The rest? Abject failures, all due to his failure to lead effectively.:: ::Why? This was the question that Traenor kept asking himself. Why had it all gone wrong? Why had years of Starfleet training, Command training, vacated him so easily? He feared and hated the conclusion that his mind kept drifting back to. Renos. Not Renos his commanding officer, not even Renos his friend. No, the Renos he coveted intimately and not-so-secretively. Had his desire for Renos, his deep-seated fear of the loss of an intimacy that barely existed driven him half-mad and made him command in a fashion that he wouldn't have if that desire didn't exist? That was uncomfortably close to the truth, and Maxwell winced each time his thoughts drifted towards that chain of thinking, almost like a tongue probing gingerly at an abscessed tooth.:: ::There were plenty of reasons why he had avoided seeing Renos in Sickbay since ne first was retrieved. Hours-long conversations with Starfleet Command once they were in relay range took up a good chunk of time. Filling out reports and coordinating with the senior staff for departmental priorities was another. But, Maxwell would be lying if he said his conflicted feelings weren't a small part of it as well. He was ashamed that he had compromised his values and training so readily, and that if pressed he would admit to doing so again. Without the zig-zag pursuit of small slipstream jumps that had taken them weeks to follow, the return journey was so much more direct and shorter. That allowed Maxwell the justification of saying, "I'll visit nem once we get to Unity." He had even justified to nemself that the always private and composed Renos would not appreciate having visitors see nem in nir weakened and compromised state, and that it would be a disservice to visit nem and make nem uncomfortable in that fashion. It really was an amazing feat of the Human mind, how it was able to perform such mental gymnastics in order to twist the facts to fit a desired narrative.:: ::It was with all these thoughts in mind that when Traenor looked up at the whoosh of the turbolift doors to see who was reporting to the bridge, the only thing that hit the deckplates faster than his dropped PADD was his dropped jaw.:: Traenor: oO Renos?! What are you doing out of sickbay! Oo ::Not only out of sickbay, but fully bedecked in nir uniform. As if ne was returning to duty or some nonsense. Maxwell almost shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs of disbelief from his mind. He never in a million years expected to see Renos up and about this soon, let alone showing up on the bridge. Traenor jumped out of the center chair, feeling like a bandit who had been caught coveting that which was not his. He watched like a hawk as Renos gingerly crossed the bridge, and sat down in concert with Renos as ne took to the center chair for the first time in over a month. The entire time, Maxwell stared at Renos with an incredulous, questioning glare.:: Renos: So what have I missed? Traenor: ::in a quiet tone:: My first impression is to say, "The turn down the corridor that leads to your quarters for a well-deserved rest". ::with genuine concern:: No offense, Renos, but why are you here on the bridge? Renos: Well I am here… ::pause:: I am here to take us home! ::Traenor had already read the Away team's preliminary report. The report that had stated how delusional and disoriented Renos had been when they found nem, not to mention his emaciated state. He tried not to stare to overtly at Renos's physical changes, though the loss of nir luxurious long hair was a shock that Maxwell could barely comprehend. Sickened and angered anew at what Iy had subjected Renos to, he had to wonder if Renos was completely cured yet of those delusions and confusions ne had been afflicted with. Nir statement wasn't cause enough to doubt nem, but ne still seemed... off. Maxwell couldn't shake the fear that the Renos they had once knew had been compromised or changed by nir experiences.:: Renos: ::Sheepishly:: Where are we headed anyway? Traenor: We're on the final stretch of our slipstream jump back to Outpost Unity. We should be back within the hour. Renos: Excellent. Carry on then. Tell me about what you’re going to do with your shore leave when we get there. Traenor: I too have a desire to catch up with loved ones. If this experience has taught us anything, it's that life is too precious to let opportunities to speak with those close to you pass. ::Maxwell had caught Renos's glance at him when he spoke the phrase 'loved ones', the gleam in nir eye, and was shocked by the guilt and hesitation that it brought him. He had meant his family, his sister and his niece, though he could understand why Renos would think that it was a veiled reference to their complicated more-than-friendship. The look that Renos gave him had served to ratchet up a swirling confusion that was newly present in his mind, and he felt he couldn't match nir gaze easily for the rest of the short voyage back to Unity. It was almost a relief for the guilt-ridden first officer when their final approach took the attention of the bridge crew and directed it back to operational needs, and finally they were parked back in a stationary position above their home base.:: Renos: =/\= Shipwide announcement: The Darwin is now docked at Outpost Unity. We will be operating on skeleton crews for the next couple of weeks as shore leave has been granted. Go. Enjoy yourselves. You’re a wonderful, hard working crew and you’ve earned it. =/\= ::As soon as the ship was powered down and the stations locked, the rest of the bridge crew left to start their well-earned shore leave. Traenor rose at the same time as Renos, and fell in stride beside nem as they exited the bridge.:: Traenor: ::subconsciously avoiding direct eye contact:: You need your rest. A mission report and ship's progress can wait until after you've caught up on some sleep. Renos: I quite agree. There’s only one place I want to be right now and that is tucked up cozy in bed. Traenor: ::an uncertain pause, then blurting out:: We need to talk about so much. There's so much to say. I'm sure you have questions, and I do too, but now's not the time. But I need to know. Are you... you? Did they manage to... change you? ::Saying the word 'deviant' was impossible for Maxwell to do at this moment. He never really liked the word, thought it had a derogatory connotation, and considering what Renos had just gone through, thought doubly so now. The torture that Renos had gone through, simply because other J'naii wouldn't accept nem in nir natural state? It disgusted him to his core to think how narrow-minded and backwards the J'naii were.:: Renos: Gosh well… I don’t know honestly. I’ve barely had five minutes to gather my wits. Traenor: ::coughing in embarrassment at his earlier forward question:: Of course. I'm sorry. It was a thoughtless question. I've just been so worried for you. But with the tender ministrations of Drs Pond and Cook, as well as Mr Scudder, you'll be right as rain in no time. ::The cheerfulness that Maxwell affected was a little forced, but he wanted to be sure to impress upon Renos his full support and understanding, however or whatever form ne would need to recover from the devastating experience ne had been through. Their turbolift ride was short, and was nearing its stop.:: Renos: Sure. I’m just glad to be home. LtCmdr Maxwell Traenor - First Officer, USS Darwin NCC-99312-A =/\= Top Sims Contest Facilitator =/\= A239111MT0

((Bridge, Uss - Darwin)) Brell: =/\= I only have one other thing to say. This has destroyed your legacy and how we will all look at you in our minds. I can only think to ask one other thing, was there a point ever you thought of turning on your orders and begging the captain to shelter you instead? =/\= Iy: ::the J'naii looked contrite:: =/\= There is no point in lying. No, I was always steadfast in my ideals, in my mission to treat Renos. However, I never wanted nem to suffer through the process. Though ne has, it was against my wishes, and whatever regret I have is that I did not do more, sooner, to ease the pains Renos had to endure at the hands of my associate. I did learn to value the colleagues I had on the Darwin, and never wished any of you any harm either. If Renos had only been a true J'naii, there would have been no issue with the way nir career in Starfleet has progressed. Had ne willingly agreed to treatment, I might have even treated nem and released nem back to you in order to fulfill nir destiny in Starfleet as a reformed J'naii. I only hope that the essence of Renos hasn't been lost in this whole unfortunate ordeal. =/\= ::He stood there looking at the screen, again glad he could not aim a torpedo at nir ship even knowing ne was going to be ripped apart by the sheer gravimetric forces of that could either go quick or slow according to some theories.:: ::Things suddenly seemed different not right though he could not put his finger on, when he looked down and saw something his fingers did lay on. He looked about he wasn't at the ops console looking at Iy on the main viewscreen. He was sitting at the rear of the bridge looking at the smug traitor to them in a small subspace comm window on his screen. Ne had just said all that and was now laughing at him for thinking there was more to nim than J’naii brainwashing. That laughing seemed to ring all about him as if their were a dozen Iys all around him. First feeling overwhelmed by them suddenly he felt grim resolute and smirked as if he had just said something he thought was terribly funny. He tapped on those tempting buttons in front of him and launched all of the Darwin’s arsenal of torpedoes at the J’naii.:: Brell: How about now Iy? ::Laughing just as the J’naii had moments before.:: ::Just as suddenly he was now Iy on the that ship caught between two stars, the smells of charged high energy particle discharges meeting flesh hung in the air. Explosions echoed through the small ship. Remembering ne had just or Brell had just shot torpedoes at nim, ne looked down at the console. But there were none this time time just Traenor’s face saying.:: Traenor: =/\= Goodbye, Iy. =/\= ::And the rest of their faces ne had spent so much time with staring at nim, all heartbroken and betrayed until it came nothing but a blank screen. Then ne was alone. Didn’t they understand ne only was trying to help Renos be who ne was really supposed to be. That was clear as was all the justifications for doing so in nir mind.:: ::Suddenly he was himself again sitting at the ops console watching the sensor data of the the J’naii ship succumbing to it’s fate. He looked up towards the center of the bridge just as he remembered only instead of the command center stood Iy in nir recruits uniform, neither smiling or scowling as always. Suddenly Nir feet were sucked up toward the ceiling stretched as if made of seaweed noodles elongating more and more. Ne screamed and Brell could not move as if he were frozen. Ne grabbed at the ground shrieking as nir body was stretched into a stand sucked through an invisible tiny hole bit by bit.:: ((Brell’s Family Quarters, Deck 6, Uss Darwin-A)) ::He awoke in cold sweat and breathing heavily. The husky Bolain sat up and tossed off his dampened blanket, his mind racing with the dark images of the dream he just had. The events of that day were weighing on him more than he expected. As much as he was glad they were not aboard he wished he could check in on the twins right now. Their little blue faces made this whole crazy galaxy they lived in seem worth all the good that never seems to outweigh the bad.:: Brell: Computer. time? Computer: The time is 01:23 hours. ::He groaned then swung his legs over the edge of the bed and decided to just stay awake for awhile. Standing with a tired grunt he wished he had not tried to sleep at all. He walked into the twin’s empty room, looking down at the crib and toys the family kept here versus their apartment on unity. Without the two infants in it the room seemed large and empty.:: Brell: oO Will be there with them soon. Oo :: He went into the sitting room the light from the seaweed tank in the small kitchen filled the room eerie greenish blue light. Normally this reminded him of home but right now it only reminded him of how empty his quarters were. The Bolian though a long serving member of Starfleet did not like to be alone. It had been easier for him in his younger days before he had family of his own. No this simply would not do, he knew he needed to seek out some company even if it was a longshot anyone he would know was awake at this hour. After a sonic shower and change into fresh clothing he set off for Natural Selections.:: =/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\= Lt. Brell, Systems Specialist, Uss Darwin, NCC-99312-A PotW Co-Facilitator - Training Team - Graphics Team E239109B10 =/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=/\=

Congratulations and welcome to the fleet. It's wonderful to have you here and I wish you all many happy adventures.

Congratulations and welcome/welcome back to the fleet! I hope you both have many happy adventures with us!