Jo Marshall

DATES: The class began on 20/01/2025 and ended 29/01/2025 LIST: sb118-Academy2 COMMANDING OFFICER: Commander @Genkos Adea FIRST OFFICER: Lt. Commander @Connor Dewitt GRADUATES: @Elor Letek Welcome to the fleet – we're so glad you're here!

@Nera Ay This made me cackle 😂 immediately envisioned her causing chaos in the onboard school @Doz Finch

👻 AND THE WINNERS ARE... 🎃 One sec! Before we get to the winners, we've got some folks who need to be thanked: Graphics creators: We've been doing this graphics things for a few years now, and every year I'm blown away by the astounding creativity from each corner of the fleet. All the time and love that goes into these contests year on year truly make it a fabulous time to get together and do something fun, creative, and chucking us all into a web of spooky unity! Judges: One member of each ship participating in the contest carefully reviewed all of the entries and come up with our winners. Huge thanks to them for taking the time to participate in that! Ship staff: It's easy to forget that our ship staff have to do a lot of pushing, cajoling, helping, and facilitation to make this contest a success! And this year, many members of your ship staff were part of a long and detailed discussion about how to improve this contest, so thanks to them for sticking it out through that process. ALL OF OUR MEMBERS: We sincerely appreciate your participation every year in this game that helps build our fleet fellowship! Please refer to the rules above to learn more about the two categories we judge: Design and Originality, and how the final scores are modified by the number of people participating. So now... . . . . . . . . . . Who won? First, honourable mentions through the season this time! 🌌 💥 Huge shoutout to Astraeus for smashing it out of the park with this year’s Super Smash Brothers theme! Each avatar captures that playful Halloween spirit and adds a unique twist, transforming our community into a digital battleground of icons. 🎮🕹️ 🌲✨ A massive round of applause to Constitution for bringing the Enchanted Forest theme to life in this year’s Halloween avatar contest! The creativity and detail everyone poured into their avatars transformed our space into an enchanted woodland! 🍄🌙 🌟 Huge kudos to Khitomer for bringing pure Peanuts joy! This guy made me laugh and now I want a Peanuts avatar of my own. It’s been a treat to see everyone capture the spirit of this iconic comic! 🍂🧡 🧱✨Hats off to Amity for constructing an incredibly fun LEGO theme! Thank you, Amity, for this vibrant theme, and thanks to all who joined in for stacking up the fun! 🌈🧩 Absolutely amazing work all round! Loved every single entry this year and it looks like the Judges had a hard time, too! They said so, right in my inbox! All the votes are in, the maths is done, and the calculator is put away from next year. And so, the winners are: Remember that both winning crews can add the "Winner" badge, while anyone who created avatars can add that respective badge, as well. Thank you again for another fun contest, and congratulations to the winners!

"We wouldn't last on unemployment checks, a 1000 a week doesn't strech very far these days."

This year's theme for USS Gorkon is "Meet the Gorkonsons." I confirm that we have: ✅ Properly named all avatar files and uploaded them to the wiki. ✅ Properly named our category on the wiki. ✅ Properly categorized our category on the wiki.

This thread is for each member of the crew to check in with their new avatar on their profile. For a check-in to count, each crew member must include a funny quote, quip, or greeting (i.e.- "Trick or treat!") that matches the character or theme. The more people you have checked-in, the higher your overall score! Please read these instructions very carefully – missing any step may disqualify your crew! Participants must be checked-in to this thread by Monday, October 28th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Avatars must remain in their costumed forms until at least Thursday, October 31 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Do not post anything except check-ins here – no other discussion or joking around, please! Players can only check in ONCE per contest. If you're playing two characters on two different ships, you have to decide which ship you want to participate with. Your participation will not count against your second ship. We'll discount the other ship's roster to account for your participation on this ship. If you have crew members who cannot access the forum due to accessibility issues, the CO must notify FltAdml. Wolf. The second post in this thread must contain the following: A clear and direct announcement of the ship's theme. Confirmation that your crew followed the "Halloween Avatar Contest avatars uploading process" exactly – use the "Section 3. Check your work" checklist to ensure you've not violated any rules. Here's an example:

This thread is for each member of the crew to check in with their new avatar on their profile. For a check-in to count, each crew member must include a funny quote, quip, or greeting (i.e.- "Trick or treat!") that matches the character or theme. The more people you have checked-in, the higher your overall score! Please read these instructions very carefully – missing any step may disqualify your crew! Participants must be checked-in to this thread by Monday, October 28th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Avatars must remain in their costumed forms until at least Thursday, October 31 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Do not post anything except check-ins here – no other discussion or joking around, please! Players can only check in ONCE per contest. If you're playing two characters on two different ships, you have to decide which ship you want to participate with. Your participation will not count against your second ship. We'll discount the other ship's roster to account for your participation on this ship. If you have crew members who cannot access the forum due to accessibility issues, the CO must notify FltAdml. Wolf. The second post in this thread must contain the following: A clear and direct announcement of the ship's theme. Confirmation that your crew followed the "Halloween Avatar Contest avatars uploading process" exactly – use the "Section 3. Check your work" checklist to ensure you've not violated any rules. Here's an example:

This thread is for each member of the crew to check in with their new avatar on their profile. For a check-in to count, each crew member must include a funny quote, quip, or greeting (i.e.- "Trick or treat!") that matches the character or theme. The more people you have checked-in, the higher your overall score! Please read these instructions very carefully – missing any step may disqualify your crew! Participants must be checked-in to this thread by Monday, October 28th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Avatars must remain in their costumed forms until at least Thursday, October 31 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Do not post anything except check-ins here – no other discussion or joking around, please! Players can only check in ONCE per contest. If you're playing two characters on two different ships, you have to decide which ship you want to participate with. Your participation will not count against your second ship. We'll discount the other ship's roster to account for your participation on this ship. If you have crew members who cannot access the forum due to accessibility issues, the CO must notify FltAdml. Wolf. The second post in this thread must contain the following: A clear and direct announcement of the ship's theme. Confirmation that your crew followed the "Halloween Avatar Contest avatars uploading process" exactly – use the "Section 3. Check your work" checklist to ensure you've not violated any rules. Here's an example:

This thread is for each member of the crew to check in with their new avatar on their profile. For a check-in to count, each crew member must include a funny quote, quip, or greeting (i.e.- "Trick or treat!") that matches the character or theme. The more people you have checked-in, the higher your overall score! Please read these instructions very carefully – missing any step may disqualify your crew! Participants must be checked-in to this thread by Monday, October 28th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Avatars must remain in their costumed forms until at least Thursday, October 31 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Do not post anything except check-ins here – no other discussion or joking around, please! Players can only check in ONCE per contest. If you're playing two characters on two different ships, you have to decide which ship you want to participate with. Your participation will not count against your second ship. We'll discount the other ship's roster to account for your participation on this ship. If you have crew members who cannot access the forum due to accessibility issues, the CO must notify FltAdml. Wolf. The second post in this thread must contain the following: A clear and direct announcement of the ship's theme. Confirmation that your crew followed the "Halloween Avatar Contest avatars uploading process" exactly – use the "Section 3. Check your work" checklist to ensure you've not violated any rules. Here's an example:

This thread is for each member of the crew to check in with their new avatar on their profile. For a check-in to count, each crew member must include a funny quote, quip, or greeting (i.e.- "Trick or treat!") that matches the character or theme. The more people you have checked-in, the higher your overall score! Please read these instructions very carefully – missing any step may disqualify your crew! Participants must be checked-in to this thread by Monday, October 28th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Avatars must remain in their costumed forms until at least Thursday, October 31 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Do not post anything except check-ins here – no other discussion or joking around, please! Players can only check in ONCE per contest. If you're playing two characters on two different ships, you have to decide which ship you want to participate with. Your participation will not count against your second ship. We'll discount the other ship's roster to account for your participation on this ship. If you have crew members who cannot access the forum due to accessibility issues, the CO must notify FltAdml. Wolf. The second post in this thread must contain the following: A clear and direct announcement of the ship's theme. Confirmation that your crew followed the "Halloween Avatar Contest avatars uploading process" exactly – use the "Section 3. Check your work" checklist to ensure you've not violated any rules. Here's an example:

This thread is for each member of the crew to check in with their new avatar on their profile. For a check-in to count, each crew member must include a funny quote, quip, or greeting (i.e.- "Trick or treat!") that matches the character or theme. The more people you have checked-in, the higher your overall score! Please read these instructions very carefully – missing any step may disqualify your crew! Participants must be checked-in to this thread by Monday, October 28th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Avatars must remain in their costumed forms until at least Thursday, October 31 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Do not post anything except check-ins here – no other discussion or joking around, please! Players can only check in ONCE per contest. If you're playing two characters on two different ships, you have to decide which ship you want to participate with. Your participation will not count against your second ship. We'll discount the other ship's roster to account for your participation on this ship. If you have crew members who cannot access the forum due to accessibility issues, the CO must notify FltAdml. Wolf. The second post in this thread must contain the following: A clear and direct announcement of the ship's theme. Confirmation that your crew followed the "Halloween Avatar Contest avatars uploading process" exactly – use the "Section 3. Check your work" checklist to ensure you've not violated any rules. Here's an example:

This thread is for each member of the crew to check in with their new avatar on their profile. For a check-in to count, each crew member must include a funny quote, quip, or greeting (i.e.- "Trick or treat!") that matches the character or theme. The more people you have checked-in, the higher your overall score! Please read these instructions very carefully – missing any step may disqualify your crew! Participants must be checked-in to this thread by Monday, October 28th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Avatars must remain in their costumed forms until at least Thursday, October 31 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Do not post anything except check-ins here – no other discussion or joking around, please! Players can only check in ONCE per contest. If you're playing two characters on two different ships, you have to decide which ship you want to participate with. Your participation will not count against your second ship. We'll discount the other ship's roster to account for your participation on this ship. If you have crew members who cannot access the forum due to accessibility issues, the CO must notify FltAdml. Wolf. The second post in this thread must contain the following: A clear and direct announcement of the ship's theme. Confirmation that your crew followed the "Halloween Avatar Contest avatars uploading process" exactly – use the "Section 3. Check your work" checklist to ensure you've not violated any rules. Here's an example:

This thread is for each member of the crew to check in with their new avatar on their profile. For a check-in to count, each crew member must include a funny quote, quip, or greeting (i.e.- "Trick or treat!") that matches the character or theme. The more people you have checked-in, the higher your overall score! Please read these instructions very carefully – missing any step may disqualify your crew! Participants must be checked-in to this thread by Monday, October 28th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Avatars must remain in their costumed forms until at least Thursday, October 31 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Do not post anything except check-ins here – no other discussion or joking around, please! Players can only check in ONCE per contest. If you're playing two characters on two different ships, you have to decide which ship you want to participate with. Your participation will not count against your second ship. We'll discount the other ship's roster to account for your participation on this ship. If you have crew members who cannot access the forum due to accessibility issues, the CO must notify FltAdml. Wolf. The second post in this thread must contain the following: A clear and direct announcement of the ship's theme. Confirmation that your crew followed the "Halloween Avatar Contest avatars uploading process" exactly – use the "Section 3. Check your work" checklist to ensure you've not violated any rules. Here's an example:

This thread is for each member of the crew to check in with their new avatar on their profile. For a check-in to count, each crew member must include a funny quote, quip, or greeting (i.e.- "Trick or treat!") that matches the character or theme. The more people you have checked-in, the higher your overall score! Please read these instructions very carefully – missing any step may disqualify your crew! Participants must be checked-in to this thread by Monday, October 28th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Avatars must remain in their costumed forms until at least Thursday, October 31 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Do not post anything except check-ins here – no other discussion or joking around, please! Players can only check in ONCE per contest. If you're playing two characters on two different ships, you have to decide which ship you want to participate with. Your participation will not count against your second ship. We'll discount the other ship's roster to account for your participation on this ship. If you have crew members who cannot access the forum due to accessibility issues, the CO must notify FltAdml. Wolf. The second post in this thread must contain the following: A clear and direct announcement of the ship's theme. Confirmation that your crew followed the "Halloween Avatar Contest avatars uploading process" exactly – use the "Section 3. Check your work" checklist to ensure you've not violated any rules. Here's an example:

This thread is for each member of the crew to check in with their new avatar on their profile. For a check-in to count, each crew member must include a funny quote, quip, or greeting (i.e.- "Trick or treat!") that matches the character or theme. The more people you have checked-in, the higher your overall score! Please read these instructions very carefully – missing any step may disqualify your crew! Participants must be checked-in to this thread by Monday, October 28th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Avatars must remain in their costumed forms until at least Thursday, October 31 at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Do not post anything except check-ins here – no other discussion or joking around, please! Players can only check in ONCE per contest. If you're playing two characters on two different ships, you have to decide which ship you want to participate with. Your participation will not count against your second ship. We'll discount the other ship's roster to account for your participation on this ship. If you have crew members who cannot access the forum due to accessibility issues, the CO must notify FltAdml. Wolf. The second post in this thread must contain the following: A clear and direct announcement of the ship's theme. Confirmation that your crew followed the "Halloween Avatar Contest avatars uploading process" exactly – use the "Section 3. Check your work" checklist to ensure you've not violated any rules. Here's an example:

Join our 14th Annual Halloween Avatar Contest! Here's the quick-and-spooky: Each crew chooses a theme – like "Nightmare Before Christmas," or "Mugshots," or "Sesame Street" – then, each person on the crew is assigned a character and changes their forum avatar to an image of that character. A panel of judges (one person from each ship) helps decide the winners! HOW TO ENTER THE COMPETITION Each crew must pick a theme. (You should already have an OOC email thread about it!) For a member of the crew to be considered part of the team, they must: change their avatar here on the forums check in to crew's official thread in this forum (more on that below) with a funny quote, quip, or greeting. (i.e.- "Trick or treat!"). Please keep any other extraneous posts out of this thread as it will be used to count the ship's participants. Regarding check-in threads: The second post in the check-in thread must an announcement of the ship's theme AND confirm that all rules have been followed. Participants must be checked-in to their ship's thread in this forum by Monday, October 28th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Avatars must remain in their costumed forms until at least Thursday, October 31st at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Each crew entering the contest must upload their avatars to the wiki following this tutorial to the letter. Please follow each instructions closely and exactly – your crew will be disqualified if you do not follow the instructions! JUDGING CATEGORIES OF SCORING We've made changes to judging as of the 2021 contest: There are now two winning crews – one each in Originality and Design. Originality of Theme category: Judging in this category is looking for new, fun, creative, inventive, and imaginative ideas. Is this something exciting, adventurous, and inspired? Or has it been done before? Does your theme have unique style and substance? A winning crew will think outside of the box when deciding on their theme and avatar concepts, with a fresh and new approach to the challenge. Important note on eligibility: Crews may not choose a theme that simply mirrors a Starfleet crew we've seen onscreen or in beta canon with your characters faces subbed in – so no "SB118 Ops as the Enterprise crew," for example. You are welcome, however, to create a theme where your characters are drawn in the style of a Design quality of avatars: For this category, we're looking for the technique in the design and how it comes together. How hard was it to create the avatars, and how good is the execution? Did the crew a theme where they had to do a lot of work to create the avatars? If names are present on the avatar, how readable are they? How do the avatars look – is it easy to discern what the characters look like when they appear on the forum? Check out past entrants and winners for inspiration and ideas of what wins here. Important note on design: Avatar designers should ensure that the avatars, as they appear on each person's check-in post, works best. Many ships create a "unified graphic" with all the characters on it, and then just slice that up. But this often leaves text unreadable once each person puts the avatar onto their profile. So focus more on making the avatar appear correctly on the forums. Keep in mind that the unified graphic is not judged or required, so while it's a bit of fun to bring all the avatars together and show the theme, don't assume that unified graphic will win you the contest! Number of crew members checked in: This is a multiplier to the previous two qualifications that discounts your overall score. For example, if the official crew roster (maintained by the ship CO and FO) says there are 12 crew members, but only 5 people are checked-in to the thread, then your multiplier is 42%. This can easily drop you out of first place! JUDGES PANEL We'll ask each ship to send a volunteer – they can't be the ship's CO, and they must not have a character on more than one ship. Each judge will rank every ship's entry on the originality and design quality per above. Judges will not be able to rank their own ship in the first position. We'll use Ranked Choice Voting to determine the winner for each category. Once we have the scores for each of the two categories, we'll multiply by the number of crew members checked in, per above. The crew with the highest score in each category will be announced as the winners. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS How do I change my avatar? A detailed tutorial is found here. What's the deal with the funny quote, quip, or greeting required on the check-in thread? It could be a quote from the character you're using, or something funny that you just make up on the fly. But make it good -- ask your teammates for help if you need inspiration! Can my team use a theme that's previously been used? Yes, as long as you use new images. Where do we get avatar images if none of us on my team are good at graphics? Check out the graphics request forum. Ask nicely for best results! Do the avatars have to look like the characters? No. How is participation counted? What about secondaries and disabled members? The number of possible participants will be pulled from the official ship roster (maintained by CO and FO) on Monday, October 28th. We will discount properly marked secondaries and any members who are disabled and cannot access the forums, as per the CO of the ship. When will winners be announced? As close to the last day of October as possible. What do the winners get? Everyone from the winning crews gets the Winner badge. What if I have other questions? Head to Discord and ask them in "pumpkin-spice-season" channel.

Well done folks! Well deserved awards there! @Alora DeVeau Smashed it!

Congratulations everyone! Massive well done and well deserved!

I do love this sim. It underpinned the feelings going on for @Doz Finch in that moment; the inevitability of time and the human experience of loss, as well as the friendship between Doz and Meru. Beautifully written, as always! -- ((Corridors, USS Gorkon)) After leaving the library, with a last and quick glance towards her most dear friend Tahna, Doz found herself in the corridor, its walls imbued by the red alert and the passing silhouettes of officers hurriedly going to their stations and duty posts. To her right and further along, she could see Vylaa already making headway having departed moments before her, the woman's soul no doubt torn to shreds by the reality that her children were now desperately unsafe, and even more dismally, on borrowed time. An officer passed her by, dropping one of his many PADDs, and she knelt down to pick it up for him, the pinches of her cheeks rosy and smiling, his the same in gratitude. She’d known that feeling well for quite some time. Living on borrowed time; as soon as she had turned sixty, it had been as though an invisible clock had started to tick. The inevitability of time…the inevitability of being Human…and the inevitably of being Doz Finch. She was sure of it, you see, because once there was no one else for the universe to take away from her…who else could it take but her? Another officer, this time a Caitian, lost her balance along the wall but was held up just in time by the diminutive engineer who waited with her, until she had gathered enough confidence to carry on. As she began her journey towards the nearest turbolift, her pace a tad slower than some of the others, thoughts coursed through her mind. About how cruel and deeply unfair it was. All of the loss she had gone through. All of those she had loved. Family, friends. As if she was constantly being tested by something…unknown. Something callous. It had to be callous to repeatedly strip a person down and expect them to carry on with their Humanity. And many often couldn't carry on. Confusion from a junior scientist this time, who had wandered out of a holodeck suite with a pale expression, hand shakily gripped around a cocktail. She couldn’t have left him standing there. Not in that state. So instead she stood with him, hand on his shoulder, and for the next few minutes explained what was going on and what he should do next. She thought next about how much Tahna had unintentionally helped her. How she’d properly introduced her to the Prophet’s…maybe even reintroduced faith into her life, assuming that she’d ever had it to begin with. She had gone through so much, you see, that the idea of a benevolent anything felt puerile. Who could have faith in a universe that could so willingly bombard a singular soul with so much grief? It had been a miracle that she hadn’t turned morose, frankly. Well, part-miracle anyway. Her intention had always been not to become that way. Time was ticking. Her colleagues would probably start wondering where she had gotten to. Before reaching the turbolift, she paused next to a viewport…to take one last look. And as she did, everything around her disappeared. The blaring alerts. The shuffling officers and the swooshing of doors. And she just stared. Silent, still, with her arms flat to her sides. Into a galaxy ruled by Borg. Into the face of a universe that had taken so much from her. Alone. Fin - End Credits -- Lieutenant Doz Finch Assistant Chief Engineer USS Gorkon NCC-82293 C239809SH3

Our judges have spent the last week deliberating through all the entries and finally revealed that the winner of the Writing Challenge 2024 is... Jovenan, from the USS Artemis-A! @Jovenan's story "The Diary of Your Dead Lover" is a heart-wrencher, shepherding the reader through twelve diary entries spanning seven harrowing and emotionally charged years of the writer's life. From a perilous rescue mission containing vivid descriptions and skilled storytelling immersing the reader in the tension and fear, to the sense of urgency and the palpable danger are sewn into introspection. Through a nightmarish, surreal dream sequence, we're catapulted forward into a high-stakes mission. This narrative is a masterful blend of action, emotion, and psychological depth, making it an unforgettable journey. It's an absolute experience! Well done, Jovenan! Our runner-up this year is @Evan Ross onboard Starbase 118 Ops! They've nabbed the runner-up badge for their story "The Epilogue", a deeply moving story capturing the essence of nostalgia, identity, and heroism through a series of reflective moments in a collapsing mirror dimension. Revisiting familiar places in a hauntingly quiet aftermath of a perilous mission, bringing to life the forest with vivid description, all as a backdrop for tender dialogues. An emotional journey marked by a profound sense of introspection. An unforgettable read. Brilliant work, Evan! For this year, we've also got a special mention for @Haukea-Willow's poetic entry, "Interstellar", for their clever use of humour, action and character depth, and @Gnai's entry, "Fractions", for making us all a little emotional over a jellyfish! Story craft incredibly done! All the entries for the challenge are fantastic, well-thought-out, and wonderfully written! It's been a pleasure to read them all, and each one deserves a little recognition. Thank you for contributing your pieces, allowing us inside the worlds of your spotlighted characters, and providing us with a taste of what goes on behind the scenes. So, a big thank you to all of you for sharing your awesome pieces and letting us immerse ourselves in these captivating worlds! Thank you again to @Karrod Niac, the provider of the marvellous prompt! The winner, runner-up and judges, are in receipt of one of the following badges! Thank you once more for making this year's challenge so successful and enjoyable! We look forward to seeing even more incredible entries next spring! Please join me in congratulating the winners!

Welcome to the Writing Challenge 2024! Brace yourselves, for the annual Writing Challenge is back, ready to propel your creativity into the furthest reaches of the galaxy! Remember the electrifying stories that left us speechless last year? We're still basking in the afterglow of the laughter, the tears, and the sheer brilliance you shared with our incredible community. Feeling the grip of writer's block? Yearning to unleash your inner wordsmith and leave your mark on the literary cosmos? This is your moment! Dive deep into those simmering plot ideas, unearth your most intriguing "what ifs," and prepare to craft something truly extraordinary. This year, at the helm of our creative voyage, stands none other than our very own Captain @Karrod Niac! "We watched the wormhole close for the last time... ...and knew there would be no going back." Wow. Just that simple sentence evokes a powerful emotional punch, doesn't it? Can you already envision the dramatic possibilities swirling in your mind? This prompt has the potential to spark stories that explore the profound impact of missions on our characters, the choices they make during shore leave, or even a character's transformative journey of self-discovery. Perhaps it will delve into themes of loss, redemption, or the ever-present question of mortality, reminding us that even the smallest details can hold immense significance in the grand tapestry of life. As always, the heart and soul of this community lies in the brilliance of its members. From prose that tugs at your heartstrings to plot twists that leave you breathless, we encourage you to push the boundaries of your creativity and boldly go where no writer has gone before! Whether you prefer to embark on this solo adventure or join forces with a fellow wordsmith, we welcome all entries, from individual masterpieces to collaborative epics. The esteemed judging panel eagerly awaits your submissions for this epic writing challenge. Rules & Guidelines: Word count should be a minimum of 300 and a maximum of 3000. One judge will be chosen from each ship to help select the winner. Members are welcome to submit solo stories, or team up with a buddy to submit a collaborative epic, but only one story per person, please! Your submission should be in the format of a short story. Prose, not sim formatting. (See here for examples.) All members are welcome to submit entries for the community to read, but only those from active simmers will be reviewed by the judging panel for the final winner selection. If you want to submit a story but don't want to enter it into the challenge, prefix the forum post with the tag "showcase" and let us read your good stuff! Submissions are, by default, non-canon – if you find a way to shoehorn this into your own backstory, you're free to use it if you wish, but certainly not a requirement. You can create whatever characters make sense for the story. You don't have to use or reference any of your current characters. Rank is not an issue here – write as an Ensign or a Captain, civilian, horta, whatever makes sense for your story! And you're free to use characters you've already written for in sim, but please don't include anyone else's. Submit your story directly into the first post of a new thread. Use the following format for the thread title: [Primary Character Name(s) of author(s)]: "My Story's Interesting Title" e.g. Tristan Wolf: "Five Ways to End Your Starfleet Career" All stories must be submitted by Sunday, April 14th at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Good luck!

👻 AND THE WINNERS ARE... 🎃 One sec! Before we get to the winners, we've got some folks who need to be thanked: Graphics creators: We've been doing this graphics things for a few years now, and every year I'm blown away by the astounding creativity from each corner of the fleet. All the time and love that goes into these contests year on year truly make it a fabulous time to get together and do something fun, creative, and chucking us all into a web of spooky unity! Judges: One member of each ship participating in the contest carefully reviewed all of the entries and come up with our winners. Huge thanks to them for taking the time to participate in that! Ship staff: It's easy to forget that our ship staff have to do a lot of pushing, cajoling, helping, and facilitation to make this contest a success! And this year, many members of your ship staff were part of a long and detailed discussion about how to improve this contest, so thanks to them for sticking it out through that process. ALL OF OUR MEMBERS: We sincerely appreciate your participation every year in this game that helps build our fleet fellowship! Please refer to the rules above to learn more about the two categories we judge: Design and Originality, and how the final scores are modified by the number of people participating. So now... . . . . . . . . . . Who won? First, honourable mentions through the season this time! Having just launched, the Ronin couldn't participate this year, so their first dive will be next year! Astraeus were wanted for crimes against... crimes! Approach with caution! That hair! Those eyes! Legit needs to be a mission now. Absolutely amazing work all round! Loved every single entry this year and it looks like the Judges had a hard time, too! All the votes are in, the maths is done, and the calculator is put away from next year. And so, the winners are: Remember that both winning crews can add the "Winner" badge, while anyone who created avatars can add that respective badge, as well. Thank you again for another fun contest, and congratulations to the winners!

Ever thought the universe of Star Trek was all phaser battles and philosophical ponderings? Well, occasionally it tosses in some eerie tales from the crypt keeper. As we get closer to the chills of Halloween, let's navigate those episodes where Starfleet's bold journeys felt more like spooky detours. The iconic TOS episode "The Tholian Web" kicks things off. Captain Kirk has gone missing, and now there are eerie doppelgangers aboard? Here, Captain Kirk's haunting apparitions create a spectral atmosphere after his mysterious disappearance in an alternate dimension. With the Enterprise trapped in the mesmerizing snare of the Tholians, one can't help but feel an impending sense of dread. And, let's face it, a ghost Captain Kirk really gives the Enterprise a haunted mansion vibe! But, if you thought things got weird there, Star Trek: The Next Generation’s "Schisms" takes the eerie cake. Alien abductions? Check. Creepy examination tables? Double-check. While it's a tad unsettling, it does make you wonder if the Enterprise crew might have benefited from a space neighbourhood watch program. As the crew grapples with memory lapses and the disturbing realization of being abducted and studied by aliens, the episode masterfully constructs a chilling environment where the known universe's boundaries seem to blur. Our voyage takes a terrifying detour with Star Trek: Enterprise's "Impulse". The discovery of a Vulcan ship with its crew transformed into violent, mindless beings serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable dangers lurking in space's uncharted territories. Imagine visiting a ship only to find its Vulcan crew has gone full-on zombie mode. If there ever was a "turn the spaceship around" moment, this was it! But, as if to remind us that not all that's unsettling is necessarily tangible, Star Trek: Voyager presents "The Haunting of Deck Twelve". Our ghostly bard Neelix's recounting of an electromagnetic lifeform's eerie presence aboard the ship merges the essence of a classic ghost tale with the limitless enigma of space, making us question the very nature of the stories that echo through the galaxy's corridors. Ancient mariners would nod in approval. Lastly, but definitely not least, the abandoned setting of "Empok Nor" in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9) eerily resonates with themes from classic horror narratives. As the crew finds themselves hunted in a desolate Cardassian station, the sense of claustrophobic terror reaches its zenith, culminating our trek through Star Trek's darker episodes. It's all fun and games until the lights go out. From spooky spectres to zombified Vulcans, Star Trek's brilliance lies in its diverse storytelling, sometimes making us marvel at space's beauty and at other times making us apprehensive of its unpredictable abyss. Join in the fun, cast your vote for the most unsettling-yet-quirky episode, and remember - in space, no one can hear you scream... Or can they? 🌌🎃🖖

"I never thought it would end this way, gunned down by Santa Claus."