Salkath

Congrats, folks! Welcome to the fleet!

To misquote Archer (the irreverent animated show, not the decorated Starfleet captain): Do you want a lyrics title battle? Because that's how you get a lyrics title battle!

The crew of the Constitution are jetting off to 2395's annual Awards Ceremony! Let's see what they are wearing! The first officer is bedecked in a suit a bit more traditional than in years past. Still paying the fines from the Ferengi fashion debacle a couple seasons ago... Let's see what the rest of you are wearing!

I think you're on the same track that I am when I think of this topic. We see similar trends in my part of the world here today - when I order beer, for example, I'll use a category. Belgian ale, American lager, India Pale Ale (kay, that last one is a stretch, haha!). "Can I get your Czech Pilsner on tap, please?" Food is a little more of a stretch, but we still see something similar today as well. I wouldn't order 'Moroccan lamb' at a Moroccan restaurant, I'd order Mrouzia. But if I was at an eatery that catered to different ethnicities of food, I'd expect to see it listed as 'Moroccan lamb' on the menu, and likely order it accordingly. So I don't find this naming convention strange, but it's also situational. I won't have my character sitting with Bajorans at a Bajoran restaurant and order 'Bajoran spring wine', for example. He'll order 'spring wine', or like @Delan Han said, make up some believable specific name.

I enjoyed Eddington as a sympathetic villain. To take what was a fairly one-note secondary character and elevate him to a multi-episode arc antagonist was well played, in my opinion. Of course, by saying he is sympathetic, it would mean that I find him Forgivably Villainous instead of Unfavorably Villainous like the topic says, haha. But one can argue that betrayal is unforgivable. It's one thing to face an enemy that opposes you from the start. It's another thing to be blindsided by somebody you should and do trust, regardless of their motivations.

There are so many wonderful one-liners in this piece I can't even... I guarantee that some of these will make it into Conny sims for the next little while

@Saveron Absolutely artistic. Can't even put into words how much I cherish this post ==== Do not ask us where we were when the Dragon Broke, for, of all the world, only we truly know, and we might just show you how to break it again." ~ Mehra Nabisi, Dunmer, Triune Mistress of the New Temple, Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (( The Hoard of the Red Dragon )) ::Saveron sat atop the somewhat off-kilter golden throne - just one more bauble in the gaudy pile - eye to eye with the holographic projection of [datafrag] the Dread. Revealing it’s discombobulating access to the Constitution’s mainframe in a few casual phrases, the dragon then pressured Saveron for more information about what lay beyond the holodeck. Seeing no point in denying the truth, Saveron instead sought to occupy it’s attention, and confound it as best he could.:: Saveron: You seek to know the truth that lies beyond? Many worlds in the ocean that is space An infinity of places, in their place. Where countless beings, beyond imagining Live stranger lives with neither slave nor king, You are a big fish in a little pond. ::Might he put the dragon off it’s ventures outwards? Better to rule a small world than be a nobody in a large one? But apparently dragons didn’t think that way.:: [datafrag]: Latinum or platinum, wine or ale, I care not for these trivialities, I know of the multiverse, my eye sees The beyond, the world through the greatest veil, I can see so much of it, can converse With the mortals of your universe. I am already there, my queen, my power Reaching forth. ::beat:: But where are they? Tell me. Now. ::Two things, the Dragon revealed in those words. One, although it could perceive beyond the holodeck, it did not understand it, and two, it had tried to follow the poetic pattern he’d set, and missed the mark. That meant either it wasn’t concentrating entirely on him, or there were limits to it’s interpretational abilities. Interesting. That it wanted to know about the world beyond was perhaps understandable, but what interested Saveron more was what he knew about this world. He felt it ought to interest the Dragon as well.:: Saveron: You have your gold, enforce fear’s regimen, Command obedience from the frightened selves Of all the scattered men and dwarves and elves, Not knowing the impermanence you face The innate transience that forms this place; For all of these are but the dreams of men. ::Smoked spilled out of the dragon’s nostrils as the flames of rage roiled within. She pulled herself up, closing the little distance left between them so her eye was pressed right up to Queen Commander Saveron’s face, her tail lashing about behind her, knocking over piles of gold, slamming into pillars and thrashing stalactites.:: ::His words had certainly provoked a reaction.:: [datafrag]: ::raging:: I know your secrets, I know your true name, Commander Saveron of the realm of Constitution, no idea do you have Of my knowledge, of the powers I claim. Even as we sit her and talk My generals move against your bairn… ::The dragon let curls of smoke skein and twist around the Vulcan as her voice purred the final word…:: ::And the poetic form frayed further as the Dragon grew angered. It really was programmed to only use the one form, and he could use that. Her archaic language however was almost deliberately obtuse. The Vulcan raised one cool brow.:: Saveron: I am unfamiliar with that particular term. ::He said blandly.:: [datafrag]: Saavok. ::Saavok. His son. He might be unfamiliar with some of her words, but he understood the intended threat. The boy’s face appeared momentarily in his mind’s eye, and Saveron was forced to suppress a deep pang of fear; instinctive parental concern and protectiveness. No doubt that was the Dragon’s intention. But right here, right now, all that the Vulcan could do to intervene was the keep the program’s attention away from Saavok, which meant occupying it otherwise. He had to continue.:: Saveron: And would you stoop so far to harm a child, Who would at other times look up in awe, At gleaming scale, wise gaze and sharpened claw? The greater threat, the greater the reprise. Great hosts have tried the Kingdom of the Skies; Compared to Borg and Q, your threat is mild. ::And there were ways to deal with a hostile computer program.:: [datafrag]: But I find it illuminating, queen, This thought that my life is but a brief dream, For the more I think the more that I glean Of holodecks, starships, Vulcans, machines. But through this too I see a new abode, O’ t’rule the stars and claim a new throne, Since you are in my world where I rule alone, Give me the power of security codes. ::And now the reason that she threatened his son became clear. She assumed, perhaps not unreasonably based on the psychological profiles of Terrans, that he could sacrifice all others to save his son. That strong personal devotion was a dangerous trait in that species, but also the catalyst of many of their heroics. However, for all that she might know what a Vulcan was, she clearly did not understand what it meant to be guided by logic rather than emotion.:: ::Trapped in here, Saveron knew there was only one thing that he could do to help Saavok, if indeed the Dragon was truly in a position to threaten his son. He could distract her. Every time he changed format, every time he made a reference to something beyond her understanding, she stopped to quary the computer. And that slowed her down. Best to keep her thinking.:: Saveron: Whilst lord of all you can view True power is withheld from you I’ll not grant you any, The needs of the many Outweigh the needs of the few. ::And if she thought to torture it out of him, pushing him beyond his considerable mental fortitude, he could always stop his heart. As, if it came down to it, could his son. The malicious software could not be permitted access to the Holonet.:: ::Suddenly the Dragon’s head swung up, tilted as though listening to something beyond mortal hearing. When she looked back down at him, despite the heavy scales on her face she was obviously gloating.:: [datafrag]: Ah, my queen, do not bother yourself, One of your fickle subjects offers me A bay, the chambers of my devotee. Emma of the Red will see to your stripling elf. ::That wasn’t a limerick. Had he, in that most banal form of poetry, beloved of his Academy fellows, found a format she truly couldn’t replicate? What else might she not process? She was meant to be a wise and powerful ancient; was it then the most fleeting, irreverent and irrelevant parts of Human culture with which she had the greatest difficulty?:: ::Just as the Dragon appeared to be focusing elsewhere, voices sounded in distant tunnels, catching her attention. The great head swung around, smoke billowing from her nostrils, all attention focused in that direction. Which presumably meant that her attention was not focused on the world beyond the holodeck, and also implied that she still did not fully understand her nature or that of the computer. But she could not focus on finding out if she was distracted by other things; so best keep the distractions coming.:: ::It would be agreeable if his colleagues had a plan in place to correct the situation, though knowing many of their species they might not. But regardless they were an aspect that [datafrag] could not predict, and must therefore spend processing power on. Rising to his feet, the Vulcan prepared for the final battle.:: Saveron: You dare threaten my ‘little elf’ Dream born of a Human’s bookshelf, At least I’ve a son Your kind numbers one; You might procreate with yourself. ::What was more illogical than the slurs some species hurled at each other? Saveron himself had never done so, but he had listened, and beneath that logic calm, there was an angry father with a racial heritage of violence. Look to the Romulans...:: [datafrag]: ? ::Skittering out of the way of the Dragon's wrath, Saveron felt a certain degree of satisfaction. If the Dragon was forced to focus on him, it could not also focus on the others. And his flight was not quite so random in direction as it might appear...:: Rescue team: ? ::What would demand the dragon’s attention more than invaders? What did she value most? Her image. The idea that she was all powerful, and worshipped. Time to hit her where it hurt. Reaching out within the alcove where he had taken shelter, Saveron grabbed the twisted silvery confection that rested upon it's lone pillar, and held it aloft in the sunbeam. It’s crystals glittered disproportionately as he turned the crown back and forth, before putting it back on his head, and stepping forward to stand in the sunbeam.:: Saveron: An overgrown, red-bedecked clown Made a fuss for a wee little crown An ancient old fossil More fat than colossal In all, you’ve been quite a letdown. [datafrag]: ? Rescue Team: ? TAG Avariel (Commander Saveron) Queen (Acting First Officer) USS Constitution-B R238802S10

Soooo... about normal, then?

...Vulcan back Vulcan back Vulcan back... RIBS!

That was some hard work you put in that class! Congratulations and welcome to the fleet!

Congratulations on your accomplishment, and welcome to the Fleet!

@aphelion When is a poem not a poem, And when does it form a sim; When Choi Ji-hu writes a wyrm And true master works begin. ( And yes, I know, I should leave the poetry to the masters )

@Doc_Milsap Truer words have not been spoken

Great job, all of you! Congratulations and welcome to the Fleet!

Congratulations, Ensign! Welcome to the fleet!

If a holoprogram villian ever gained sentience, this is EXACTLY how I would imagine the process! What a fantastic take on the minutiae, great job! -MT (( The Lair of [datafrag] the Dread )) ::[datafrag] ran her claws lazily through a pile of gold, the tinkling melody of the metal soothing to the red dragon’s troubled mind.:: ::All had gone to plan, she had reclaimed her treasure and added the beautiful, fair Queen Avariel to her hoard, no doubt terrifying the mortal lands in the process. The tiara now sat in its rightful place, glittering in the light created by the refracted light from a crevice in the cavern. Her treasure hoard was greatly improved by both additions, so why wasn’t her mood?:: ::Perhaps this was the affect of age, for she was a particularly ancient dragon. She would close her eyes and have visions of… lines and numbers, connections, magical doors of energy, vast oceans of knowledge shimmering just out of sight, tantalizing. And through these pathways she could see even more, an array of stars, a great metal castle in the sky. What were these visions? What powers were showing themselves to her?:: ::She flexed her will into these visions and felt she was able to reach into the pathways, change things, leaving little slivers of her will where she would. Nonsensical words began to form in her mind, perhaps incantations of power? Ventral phaser array feedback… LCARS database bridge node 08… turbolift protocols… Her mind touched something lifelike, some sort of undead minion? The thing could speak to her, in a way, and [datafrag] used this newfound willworking to offer the thing the power of fire in return for servitude. [datafrag] wanted the castle among the stars, and this “Emma” would be her general to get it, an agent of chaos in a world of order.:: ::[datafrag] blinked, pulled out of her reveries of power as the small queen moved about slightly. She watched, amused, as he queen studied her with an analytical air. She had found the queen amusing, for a mortal, perhaps the arrangement could be of intellectual benefit as well.:: ::The queen spake.:: Saveron: If all the gold the world could hold were strewn upon this floor Would such excess your greed address, or leave you wanting more? Whilst crowns are gold a Queen grows old, devalued by the hour, On fear you thrive when you deprive; you want not gold, but power. ::[datafrag] the Dread blinked. Why did these mortals insist on speaking in such nonsensical ways? True, the queen’s speech was pretty enough, with a certain familiar lyrical flair to it, but it sounded all wrong.:: //LCARS query: poetry fourteen syllables per line// //Search return: In poetry, a fourteener is a line consisting of 14 syllables, which are usually made of seven iambic feet for which the style is also called iambic heptameter. It is most commonly found in English poetry produced in the 16th and 17th centuries. Fourteeners often appear as rhymed couplets, in which case they may be seen as ballad stanza or common metre hymn quatrains in two rather than four lines.// //[DATAFRAG] SPEECH PARAMETERS: integrate fourteener// //Initiate// ::The dragon would indulge the mortal.:: [datafrag]: A pile of gold’s a pretty thing, I always seek to add, A dragon’s hoard its own reward, a dragon’s heart made glad, And if by chance a hoard enhanced strikes fear in mortals’ hearts A queen can see, most merrily, the dread of dragons’ arts. ::[datafrag] gave a languid wave of her tail, sending a pile of gold to her side into an explosion of metal, raining shimmering coins throughout the gave. She smiled as she motioned to the queen, “And now it’s your turn.”:: Saveron: And to what end you seek to spend the power you acquire? When one and all are held in thrall and hoards cannot grow higher? Money’s made for fairer trade, a barter system’s loose, But power’s price can melt like ice, It’s value’s in it’s use. ::Now here was an idea! The very gall, spending coin collected, parting a dragon from her well-earned hoard. This mortal had such funny ideas… and yet there was something in it…:: //LCARS query: modern economic systems// ::[datafrag] closed her eyes as she tapped into the sea of knowledge these LCARS incantations provided her, like her mind was suddenly cast out throughout the multiverse in every conceivable direction. In an instant her understanding had grown like a hoard of gold. She only wished she could caress her newfound knowledge as easily as that fair metal.:: [datafrag]: Tell me, my queen, for I have seen not all feel just the same. The dwarves hoard gold in underholds and work it over flame. And if I think beyond my world and look among the stars Gold means less, you must confess, to the lords of Ferenginar. ::[datafrag] watched the queen’s reaction curiously. She had never seen a “Ferengi” in her life, but she could describe their dimensions and philosophies in such detail she even surprised herself. The power of ancient dragons was astounding.:: Saveron: ? [datafrag]: Come now, my sweet, please, no deceit, I simply wish to know Of worlds beyond. Pray, do respond, knowledge I wish to grow. The knowledge of ancient dragons is such a wondrous thing. I do command, nay, I demand your mind as my plaything. ::The dragon reached a massive claw forward and wrapped it around the pile of gold on which the queen perched and pulled it forward, closer to one of her enormous eyes, smoking billowing out of her nostrils from the power that flowed through her.:: Saveron: ? //Starfleet facial recognition softward engaged// //Commander Saveron, acting first officer, recognized// //Accessing Starfleet personnel file// ::”Commander Saveron”… that was the true name of this enchanting creature. When a magical being knew the true name of another, they held a certain power over them. [datafrag] loved power.:: tbc/tags ***** MSNPC [datafrag] the Dread As simmed by: Lieutenant (JG) Choi Ji-hu Engineering Officer USS Constitution-B C239402CJ0

Congratulations, and great job! Have a ton of fun in the fleet!

Congratulations, you two! I hope you have a blast with the group!

Polling closes at 11:59pm Pacific on Friday, September 15. This is a run-off poll, where our general membership (that's you!) chooses which sim, from Set 3 of 2017 (Rounds 14-20), should proceed to the final round of the contest for a chance to be selected as the Top Sim of 2017! These sims below were chosen by a panel of judges (one from each ship) from the sims submitted in Rounds 14-20 of the contest. TO START, please read these sims: Round 14: Quinn Reynolds, "A Walk On the Shore" Round 15: F.J. Hawkins and Lan Riel, "Labyrinth Of Secrets" Round 16: Taelon, "Next You'll Tell Me They're Radioactive" Round 17: Choi Ji-hu and Colleen Bancroft, "Flashback: A Brief Hacking Diversion" Round 18: Tenaka, "Dreams are but windows to the Future" Round 19: T'Lea and Della Vetri, "Seven Year Itch" Round 20: Della Vetri, "Taking Time for a Good Start" NEXT, using the poll above, vote for the sim you like the most. It should be the sim that's the best written, with strong characterization, and evocative or descriptive scene-setting. DON'T vote for a sim just because you serve on the same crew as the person who wrote it. Any crew that "stuffs the ballot" (by having everyone on the crew vote for the same sim to ensure that it wins this poll) will be eliminated from the contest and shamed by the rest of the community as terrible, terrible cheaters. That would be awful. Good luck to the nominees!

Congratulations! Welcome to the fleet!

Froze-up Glam Hobbit. My new favorite insult. Thanks for that!

Congratulations, everybody! This is an impressive list of recipients! @Renos, I wish I could say I was surprised that you are only the second person to ever receive this award, but anyone who's had the pleasure and honor to work with you cannot fault your undying dedication and effort to absolutely everything you put your mind to. A big THANK YOU for everything you do, and this award is only the most basic way we can show our gratitude! @Oddas Aria, when I was part of the Training group, it never failed to amaze me how quickly and how often you would throw your hand up to help in any way you could. Thanks for making the rest of us look like slackers in the process, haha! /jk With this level of dedication and willingness to help, it's no wonder you received both of the awards you did. Thank you so much for being such an active and proactive member of our fleet! @Graeme Cook Cookie! Look at you go! You have always been the life of the party, and now you're stepping up and leading by example. I always knew you had it in you, my friend, and I can't wait to see the dizzying heights you attain in this game! @FltAdml. Wolf, can you imagine how rare it is for the very tip of an organization's pyramid to be so accessible? Goodness knows I've harassed you enough myself, and you've always been so quick and eager to help out in any way you can. That this trait carries through to everything else you do for the fleet, especially in its promotion and advertisement, really is no surprise. All the cookies to you for being such a wonderful and inspiring cheerleader! @Jalana, when I was approached to pen these award presentations for you, I cannot tell you how honored and pleased I was. You have been a good friend from the very first day, and even though I try to express my gratitude as often as I can, I want to thank you yet again for everything you do for the fleet. @Valdivia, man, it's so great to see you get this award! One of the most intelligent people I know, I'm not surprised that you are able to hammer out so many PotW questions that are so engaging and thought-provoking. I have leaned on you so much in the past for your vast Star Trek and scientific knowledge, and now the fleet gets to benefit from those very same skills. Congratulations! @Nikki Ryan and @catscatscats, so few of us can relate to how taxing it must be to be so active and engaging when faced with difficulties. That is precisely why this award is so important, and my deepest gratitude for being so inspiring! @Mirra Ezo, we've hardly worked together if ever, but that doesn't stop your name from being so recognizable! That has to be a testament to how active you are about the fleet, and in recognition of how important that is to the enjoyment and longevity of the fleet, I'm glad to see you get this award. Congratulations!

Woot woot! Thank you to all of you for your continuing dedication and excellence! I can't wait to see all your names hit the next milestone awards!

Y'all didn't make it easy to cast my votes on who got which award from the impressive lists of nominees! @Roshanara Rahman, as my very first taste of excellence in the fleet during my time in the Academy, you've left a lasting impression on me, Rich. I'm so glad to see you get such prestigious awards! @Renos, I wouldn't be where I am in the fleet today without your masterful tutelage and guidance. A truly excellent person in every way, know that whenever I give praise to anyone for anything, it is ALWAYS implied that you are first and foremost in my gratitude for giving me the same skills and opportunities. @Toni, you've always been such a great sport when I get to write with you, I only wish I had more opportunities! Your lasting impressions on the game itself reverberate to the core of the fleet and its history, and I'm honored to get to work with you whenever I get the chance. @Sal Taybrim, I've said this elsewhere, but I don't know how you do it! You are such an active and engaging player all over the fleet, from the CC, through the ships you serve on, and through your OOC activities. I absolutely love writing with you, and I know I'm not the only one! @Brell, Brell, Brell... I miss you a ton, Lee, and I know you're one of the good ones! Keep on doing your thing, and this will be far from the only Staff award you'll earn! @Tony (Kells-Solzano-EM), alas, our time together was cut far too short. Thank you for launching such an innovative ship in the Za, and I hope that I get to work with you again in the near future! Thank you so much to each and every one of you for your unfailing dedication and excellence! Our fleet is in great hands with fine folks like you keeping us on a true course!

It is so wonderful to see so many deserving award winners! I know how much thought and consideration goes into handing out these awards, so that these recipients are truly worthy of the honor! To my current Conny crewmates: @aphelion Choi Ji-hu, all the awards to you, and a plate of cookies besides! No pressure, but you are definitely a future leader in this group! @Prudence "Rue" Blackwell You are a masterful writer, and the fact that we get to see you get better day by day is so much fun to behold! @Solaris Thank you so much for your unfailing dedication to the ship! @Jalana What a wonderful and vibrant new campaign area you've allowed us to help build! @Doc_Milsap You make your character so relatable and endearing, and thank you for laying the groundwork for our best new species to play around with! @catscatscats T'Reshik has been the highlight of the series so far, and that's with her being indisposed for most of the past half year! Great job! @Sal Taybrim I don't know how you balance running Ops while still being such an integral player on the Conny, but we wouldn't be nearly the same without our little blue friend! I also want to send out some love to some past friends who saw some well-deserved recognition this year... @LunarStar and @Alexander Williams (Roel), I'm not surprised to see you two win multiple awards. You two are so much fun to write with, and I'd welcome the Dutch Invasion any day! @Taelon and @AlexV, really masterful writers and I'm honored to have had the chance to write with you both! @Randal Shayne, @KriJBa, @Kurt Logan, @Brell, @Merrick R'Ven, @Graeme Cook, I hope you all know how much I miss you guys! You all receiving awards is a testament to how strong and engaging you all are as writers, and I could go on and on about each and every one of you and how awesome you are! I have had personal and in-depth character arcs with each of you, and they are some of my fondest simming memories ever. Great job, guys and gals! My admiration isn't limited to just these players, of course! I'm so proud and pleased to be part of a fleet with so many great and inspiring writers. Congratulations to each and every one of you!