Jo Marshall

Ah, beat me to it! I loved this sim!

Well done, guys! Incredible work and well deserved! Every single one was a winning entry, by far! Absolutely amazing 👏 😍 ❤️

Thank you for all your submissions, folks! They're all amazing in their own way, and it's been great to see the effort made by the community to bring some life into this! The judging panel has been called and it is now in their hands. We should be announcing our winners within the next week!

Welcome to the fleet, John!

@Wil Ukinix This opening line made me chuckle hard. You can hear the enthusiasm 😄

Welcome to the fleet, Tolan!

We are proud to present you a brand new... StarBase 118: Graphic Contest! After a long hiatus, we are back on a yearly basis! In this contest, we recognize the amazingly talented artists we have among our membership. Anyone can join, no matter the level of artistry. The theme of this round is: "Home" Home is where the heart is. What does home mean to your character and you? Is it a location, a person, a feeling or an activity? None or all of the above? Show us through your art! We have two submission categories: Digital and Non-Digital. Both categories will have a winner and runner up who will receive a badge. You could participate in any of them, but not in both. Entries will be displayed on the contest gallery page of all entries, with special features of the winners on our DeviantArt social media. SUBMISSION GUIDELINES The theme must be included, it's the challenge. The submitted work has to be done by you and created for this contest (no previous works). You can use stock images and the like and put them together, but the final work must have your stamp on it and should be clearly derivative from the stock used. Any kind of graphic style is allowed. You can paint, use 3D renders, mix different source images, make collages, animations, draw, manipulate photos, make a video, cross stitch etc. as long as the final work is yours and originally created for the contest. If you do a non-digital piece, make sure to photograph/scan it to display it in the forum. Everyone can submit one piece of work. You don’t need to be part of the Image Collective or any other taskforce to participate: everybody is welcome to do so! The image must be recognisably within the Star Trek universe, yet, please do not use canon characters of the Star Trek series. Please add your name (your primary character which we identify you with) in the lower corner as a signature. Image size: At least 1200x630 pixels (either horizontal or vertical, by your choice, but images bigger than this minimum are encouraged) To submit the image, start a new thread in this contest forum with your primary character name, that way we do not have to dig for it and tag it with 'graphics contest 2022' Eager to get started? Your mind full of images that want out? Well then ready, set, GO! Submission deadline is February 28th 2022 If you have any questions, please post them here. Who knows, someone else might have the same!

Gotta say, DS9 Emissary was an explosive start to a new series, and definitely cool. But... Voyager.

Congratulations, Joel! Welcome to the club!

I can feel my chestnuts roasting already.

Well done, all! Welcome to the fleet! 🥳

If you need anything, just shout loud enough!

"Jack the sound barrier. Bring the noise." ― Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash

Lena would, without question, do the same to him

Welcome to the 'Fleet! 🥳

Welcome to the party! Love the avatar! 🥳

One I meant to throw in here a while back; how to open an intriguing spin on the mission in style. Descriptions of the ??? are so evocative and alluring, it's hard to not get sucked in and want to explore it yourself. A fascinating take on it and splash into a great media res opener from @Quinn Reynolds, as always! -- ((???, Darime IV)) Consciousness filtered back with all the reluctance of a Starfleet cadet dragging themselves to class after a night on the town. Ryan’s brain felt too small for his head, pounding and struggling against the confines of his skull, and he breathed out a low groan of pain. The stench of burnt dust bit at the back of his throat, and he coughed, choking on the taste. But he couldn’t lie there forever. Cracking open his eyes, he pushed himself up—and for one horrifying moment, he thought he was blind. There was nothing but thick, impenetrable black, brushing over his skin with fingers of ice. He swallowed, goosebumps shivering across his skin, and then vague shapes took form. Straight edges in the distance he could only see out of the corners of his eyes, and much closer to him, the softer lines and curves of people. Three of them. Vaguely recognisable for spending so much time in each other’s company. Isaacs: Ugh... ::He pressed his hand to the back of his neck, massaging the muscles in an attempt to relieve his headache.:: Is everyone okay? Or at least... you know, alive? Ressan/Gilbert/Ico: Response Talking while he fumbled on the ground around him, Ryan’s hands bumped over what felt like an engineering kit. His fingers were clumsy on the latches in the gloom, and the opening snaps reverberated through the space as though they were in the middle of some vast flight deck, sound waves bouncing off the metallic, cavernous walls. Which didn’t make sense, because he was pretty sure they were on one of the greenest planets he’d ever seen. Granted, as someone from Mars who occasionally visited Earth, that wasn’t saying much, but the point was the same. There were trees and grass. Lots of it. His hand closed around the smooth, orthotopic form of a tricorder. He tugged it free of its housing, blindly thumbing at the controls until he hit the right one to make the device light up. Chirps and beeps echoed, the subdued light of the tricorder casting ghostly shadows across his youthful face. Isaacs: Anyone know what happened? One minute we were... ::he paused, and screwed up his eyes in thought.:: Uh... I’m actually not sure. The last thing I can remember is breakfast. Ressan/Gilbert/Ico: Response He felt it before he heard it. A low, bass rumble that burrowed into his chest before it reached his ears, an electric thrum his engineering training recognised as power rushing through conduits. Maybe they were on a starship, but how— A deep chime sounded, and light blinded him. Ryan’s hand snapped up, shielding himself against the sudden onslaught of brilliance, squinting and blinking until he was able to brace himself against the brightness searing his retina. He scrambled to his feet and his hands dropped to his side, tricorder loose in his fingers and momentarily forgotten. Dumbstruck, the young man stood agape at the sight in front of him. Tall spires erupted from the earth and clung to the rocky ceiling high overhead like stalactites and stalagmites, glistening and glittering in ivory and gold. But they weren’t rock formations, they were buildings, with windows and doors and walkways threading like silver ribbons between them with no obvious means of support. He and his fellow cadets were standing in the centre of a septagon, and around the edges it looked as though it was some kind of... garden? Ferns and mosses in vivid shades of blue and violet, indigo lichen clinging to artfully arranged boulders, and huge geodes with amethyst and sapphire crystals sparkling inside. He spun on the spot, taking it all in. It was incredible, the kind of thing he’d joined Starfleet to see... except he had no idea how they’d got here. Or where “here” even was. He smacked his combadge with his palm, but wasn’t the least bit surprised when the only response was the dismayed burp of a no-contact alert. Isaacs: So... We should probably try to get out of here, or at least get comms working. Any ideas? Ressan/Gilbert/Ico: Response -- Cadet Ryan Isaacs 4th Year Cadet Starfleet Academy simmed by Rear Admiral Quinn Reynolds Commanding Officer USS Gorkon T238401QR0

Really enjoyed this sim from @Alieth! Her reactions to the presented ideas made me chuckle, and it's a good representation of an MSNPC. Pushing the plot forward, involving her fellow cadets, conveying her personality with every interaction. -- ((Outskirts of an unknown city underground, Darime IV)) The small group of cadets had awakened, headache notwithstanding, in an unknown place, in the pitch black darkness that could only belong to a cave or the emptiness of deep space. Due to the damp, mossy ground beneath their feet, space had been ruled out ipso facto, but they still had no idea where they were, how they had got there, .... or how long it had been since that breakfast that was the last memory they all shared. However, things had gone a little south when, mere minutes after they woke up, a beam of light had appeared and a city of towering spires and vertiginous towers had unfolded before them, prompting a tense debate between the two human cadets with some comic insertions from the Kelpian, which perhaps had only served to fuel their growingly heated tempers. Following a quick and unproductive exchange of words, the young Bajoran mustered enough courage to raise her voice. Ico: GUYS! That doesn’t matter if we don’t get out of here. We are all friends and classmates after all... r-right? Her voice lost strength and volume as she spoke. A flush rose to her cheeks, soon turning them deep crimson. Ryan broke out in a wide grin, and with his hand held close to his gut, gave her a surreptitious thumbs up which only increased the blush on Ico's cheeks. She had always thought Isaacs had a good-looking smile, anyway. Ressan: Yeah. You're right, Ena. We're Starfleet, we can handle this. ::He grinned.:: Or all get turned into puppets. Ena raised her gaze for a brief second to flash a grateful, minute smile to Jack. Not at the allusion to her more-than-unlikely transformation into puppets (though she had read something about such a weapon in the FedNet's "I want to believe" almanac, a publication to which she could only give marginal credibility) but rather for the supportive intent and the attempt to lighten the mood. Everyone could always rely on Jack, even when his ganglia were extended, as they were at that moment, and he was possibly struggling as much (or more) than she was. Isaacs: All right then. ::He dropped his hands to his hips, fingers still curled around the tricorder.:: What do we want to do, and where do we want to start? Gilbert: Response The Bajoran gave a small nod at Solomon's words, breathed in for a second to gather her courage and spoke. This time almost (almost) without hesitation in her voice. Ico: I don't know, but we have to remember our training: determine dangers, get as much information as possible, try to get out of here or look for help. Ressan: That's right. Isaacs was right before, as well; we should try and get a signal going. Even if these walls are messing with our combadge signals, there might be a way once we sit and think for a bit. Gilbert: Response She clutched her pack tighter and glanced down somewhere between the boots of her Kelpian teammate. One, two, three, a hard squeeze to the backpack and tell her mind once more. Ico: Maybe, maybe they are already looking for us actually, we just need to stay safe and don't do anything crazy. Ressan: It's a good survival rule. "Stay put". We don't know how we got here, we don't know where we are. We could be just down the road from our quarters, or we could be on the other side of the galaxy. The Bajoran cringed slightly at that response, considering the comment a criticism of her idea. Her fingers dipped into the torn fabric of the backpack. Well, maybe it wasn't exactly the brightest idea, but... she doubted they were anywhere near the Base. .... Ressan: Could be a The Traveller situation, could be a Q, we could have gone full Voy' and be in the Delta quadrant—could be there's something in the air and we are all tripping the most balls ever as your people say with disturbing regularity. Until we know more, we should examine our immediate surroundings first. As the Kelpian droned on, Ena felt more and more the urge to cry, all those prospects were horrifying, far from home, left to their own fate with no chance of rescue. She squeezed her eyelids shut and bit her lower lip. No, she couldn't think like that, there was always a solution to every problem, or almost always. She just had to focus, learn what means they had and everything they knew about their environment and look for solutions. Her mother's voice, as she planned the next year's crops, echoed in her mind, clear as the day she heard it: "Remember, my child, that all problems seem huge if you look at them from a distance, but if you look at them from up close everything seems more manageable. Don't think of the spring harvest, only of ploughing the field, of sowing the seeds. The small steps. Little by little, step by step a trail becomes a road, Ena." Then, she always told him that the Prophets also cared for Bajor and its people, and that no matter how much trouble they put in her path, there was always a plan in place. That she should trust them. Surely they wouldn't let her get lost forever in a dark and isolated place away from everything she knew, would they? It was a comforting thought, one that allowed her to raise her eyes a little, to her companions' chest height, almost to their shoulders as she turned her attention back to the conversation. Isaacs: Okay. If they aren’t looking for us already, they will be once we miss our scheduled check-in—if we haven’t already. So first things first. Safety checks: ::he held a finger for each item he rattled off,:: are we being exposed to anything dangerous, are there any immediate threats, is there enough water and food to wait out a rescue, you know the drill. Ena nodded quickly, and one of her hands dropped from her backpack to grab the tricorder. One small step, one at a time. Ryan had made it clear what they had to do, so she was going to work on it. She wasn't a security specialist, but maybe she could answer some of the other questions. Gilbert: Response She took the floor then, her voice still a bit shaky and small. Ico: I have a regular tricorder, not a medical, so I can' t get detailed readings of our organism, but I could try… Maybe I find n- nothing, or… I don’t know, I’m a astronomer, not a doctor. Then she made a brief pause. Her voice had become too hesitant and unsure by the end. She wanted to help the better she can, surely the others knew it. As she thought about it, her gaze looked for the canteen she had passed to the other cadets, and then pulled out the half-sandwich out of her backpack. Ico: As for food, I have this half sandwich... turkey and apple, I think. The water I've found is what's left in the canteen, if there's any. Finding supplies... sa-safe supplies, I mean, is paramount. ...especially water. It was then that Jack spoke. Ressan: I'm just saying. Let's look around before we run off. ::To Gilbert,:: You too. If a Q did this, I promise you can try and seduce them. ::He fought down a wave of nervous laughter.:: Not that you ever needed my permission to try the Solomon Manoeuvre in literally every single possible situation ever. Ena bit her lips at that phrase, still uncomfortable when boys talked about boy stuff. The blush threatened to rise to her cheeks again and she struggled futilely to control it, remembering all too well some of the other girls' comments regarding Solomon's... 'skills'. Gilbert: Response Isaacs: Gil, you’re the guy to check if there’s any immediate threats. Ico, can you figure out if we’re being exposed to anything dangerous: radiation, airborne contaminants, that kind of thing? Ryan paused for a second, and the young Bajoran was quick to nod eagerly. However, the human's mind was elsewhere, on Jack who, in turn, seemed to be absorbed in staring at the buildings that had appeared out of nowhere a moment ago. Somehow the Kelpian's violet eyes seemed to be squinting, giving him really goofy look almost as if he were performing one of his usual tomfooleries. She struggled to refrain a chuckle. Ressan: The walls are reflective in a wide range of bands; a good chunk of the visual spectrum, especially in the ultraviolet—and thermals, too, so... presumably that's what's scrambling our comm frequencies.. We might be able to talk to each other with a bit of rejigging, but we're not getting a signal out here if that material treats comm signals like it does everything else. But that'll take time. Isaacs: If the walls are acting like mirrors higher and lower in the spectrum, they’ll mess with a lot of our scans, too. We’ll have to watch out for sensor echoes and repeats. The Bajoran's urge to laugh vanished quickly, as her companion with heightened senses described the scenario: the environment itself was working against them, rendering even more challenging the task of getting out of there. Isaacs: Can you see if there’s any way for us to get a signal out? Or at least an idea of whether it’s worth trying. Ico: Or a less reflective area, a blind spot that we can use to our advantage? Ressan/Gilbert: Response Isaacs: Okay, so— Before he finished the sentence, a mechanical growl reverberated over and over in the walls of the massive cavern, gravel against stone, the sort of thing that augured an avalanche or other cataclysm. Another rumble and the next thing that rang out was the sound of water. A distant section of a wall retracted up and frothing water crashed through the opening, pouring into what looked like an empty canal.Ico thoughtlessly embraced her backpack once more. Why seemed as if they had stepped into a beast's den just as it was awakening? Isaacs: So, uh... let’s keep an eye on that while we see what we can find out? Ena attempted to find the positive in all that. Ico: At least we won't go thirsty... we might as well check it first. Ressan/Gilbert: Response Ena nodded slightly and slung her rucksack over her back, taking care that the tear did not cause her to lose even more of its meagre contents. With that taken care of, she picked up the tricorder and began configuring it for a medical scan. The device wasn't specialised in it, but a few tweaks here and there could do the trick. Once she had done so, she followed her companions sheepishly, her nose almost immersed in the small screen of her device. Ico: The atmosphere seems to be mostly harmless, there are quite a few spores and some complex hydrogen compounds, methane and other hydrocarbons, but nothing that could pose an immediate danger. Ressan/Gilbert/Isaacs: Response The Bajoran nodded absently, focused on work, which usually changed her attitude a great deal. So intent was she that she stumbled over a rock covered in blue moss and rolled to the ground. Ico: Ich! Ressan/Gilbert/Isaacs: Response The young Bajoran shook her head and patted around for her missing tricorder. She sucked in her breath between clenched teeth before answering. Ico: Yes, yeah, I'm fine, it's just a scratch. Ressan/Gilbert/Isaacs: Response Ena accepted the offered help to get back to an upright position, without letting go of the bruised tricorder. No sooner was she back on her feet than the scanner started beeping rapidly. Ico glanced at the screen and then at the young man who had helped her, a wrinkle of concern growing on her forehead. Ico: Are you feeling alright? The tricorder took some strange readings when it had picked you up in the scanner beam... Ressan/Gilbert/Isaacs: Response -- Cadet Ico Ena 4th Year Cadet Starfleet Academy simmed by Lt. Alieth Chief Science Officer USS Gorkon NCC-82293 E239702A10 Image Collective Facilitator /Art Director

Good to have you, Alex!

Take your achievement!

Welcome to the Fleet!

Nomination Badges I'm delighted to present the badges for this year's award ceremony! See below for the full badge list. If you believe you should have earned the badge but are not listed, contact your CO. Learn more about badges and how to display them on your wiki pages here. And don't forget: The full ceremony has been posted on the wiki now, as with all previous ceremonies. Awards Chairperson Presented to a staff member that has held the position of Awards Chairperson for an Awards Ceremony. If more than one staff member holds the title, or is appointed an assistant or deputy, all receive the badge. Addison MacKenzie, USS Resolution Awards Committee Member Presented to any staff member that participates in the yearly Awards Committee to select Duty Post and Special Awards. Quinn Reynolds, USS Gorkon Aron Kells, USS Thor Jalana Rajel, USS Constitution-B Kelrod, USS Veritas Serala, USS Chin'toka Awards Ceremony Nominator (Standard) A player must submit at least 1 nomination for a fellow player during an awards ceremony, in any category. This badge can be earned multiple times but is only awarded once per year. A player earning an elite or legendary badge will not also earn the lower levels in the same year. Awards Ceremony Nominator (Elite) A player must submit at least 5 nominations for fellow players in any category. This badge can be earned multiple times, but is only awarded once per year. A player earning an elite or legendary badge will not also earn the lower levels in the same year. Awards Ceremony Nominator (Legendary) A player must submit at least 10 nominations for players on more than 2 vessels in any category. This badge can be earned multiple times, but is only awarded once per year. A player earning an elite or legendary badge will not also earn the lower levels in the same year.

Welcome to the last day of the awards ceremony! So far this week we’ve announced the recipients of the Staff, General, Length of Service and Special awards. Today, we present the Duty Post awards. Each award focuses on a different department from the major ones such as medical, operations or engineering to the more unique - like diplomacy, intel or marines. Even civilians are recognised for the valuable contributions those who prefer the path less worn can make to our stories. Each of these awards recognises a player for excellence in simming their duty post. Since we give only one award per duty post each year, we chose only those who sim the duty post in an exemplary fashion to represent. You’ll see from our spread of winners — who range in rank from Ensign to Captain — every player can be nominated for one of these by consistently simming to the best of their ability and striving to improve their craft. The Prantares Award - Medical The Prantares Ribbon is a duty post award and is awarded to those Medical officers who have moved beyond competence to display a genuine gift for the healing arts in space medicine. The officers given this award should display the ability to keep a steady hand in the often hazardous conditions in which they must practice, as well as the willingness to risk their own lives to save the lives of others. Alieth, USS Thor Presented by Aron Kells: This year’s Prantares Ribbon goes to Alieth, written by the talented Andrea, who has served as the Thor’s medical officer and, recently, a chief medical officer since its relaunch in 2020. Andrea’s take on medical simming is some of the best in the fleet, and her nominators describe it with high praise: “In our time writing together, I have come to respect the way Alieth crafts a medical scene - whether treating mass trauma events or consulting for one-on-one evaluations, her attention to detail is impressive.” She mixes real-world medicine and science with what they have shown in Trek canon, and the results are technical without losing her fellow simmers’ interest — detailed and engaging, in all the right ways. As important is Andrea’s attention to detail when it comes to the character she’s writing. Several of her nominators pointed out how Andrea’s crafted Alieth, not into the “perfect” Vulcan physician — with “the potential to be stale, describing nothing but a logical progression,” according to one nomination — but Andrea’s writing is anything but. Alieth’s approach “is a treat which strays from tropes and constantly challenges the scene, improving it in every way,” according to one nominator, while another notes “her unique brand of compassion and humour is especially notable because she threads the needle of playing a Vulcan character while still demonstrating powerful empathy and emotional resonance.” Very impressive indeed! While Alieth is an excellent medical officer on the Thor, she’s likely to be familiar to many in the fleet at large, and not only because of Andrea’s presence on Discord, the forums, and in various teams and taskforces. Andrea has gone out of her way to craft stories that include simmers and characters from around the fleet, and usually, with some key grounding in medical science of the Trek universe — one nominator called special attention to her arc with the character Sern. I’ll leave this citation with a final quote from a nomination that summarizes Alieth especially well: “Her professionalism is marked with a hint of humour (but don’t tell her that, she’ll deny it), her bedside manner is far warmer than one might expect from one of her species, and who can resist being given candy for good behaviour after a doctor’s visit?” Congratulations, Andrea! The Natasha Yar Pin - Security The Natasha Yar Pin is a duty post award and is awarded to those Security officers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty in protecting and preserving the lives of their crewmates, even at risk to their own. Aine Sherlock, USS Resolution Presented by Kalianna Nicholotti: There is a lot that goes into a good security officer. With plenty of on-screen examples, we have a pretty good idea of what it takes to serve in this role on a starship, but it takes a special writer to bring it all together. The recipient of this year’s Natasha Yar Pin, Jared - aka Lieutenant JG Aine Sherlock - does a fantastic job and exemplifies everything we look for. Strong, true, smart, and witty. The character Jared writes jumps off the page and fills the role so well I can't imagine the Resolution without her. Every sim that Jared writes and every contribution to the story that he adds is one that we all look forward to reading. He takes us on a journey through Sherlock that shows us that a good security officer is vulnerable sometimes, and not always one to make the best decisions. But, when it comes to the safety of her crew, there are no chances, no second guesses, and no wondering about where her intentions are. Beyond the character, Jared serves in many other roles as well, including the incredible upkeep of the Resolution’s wiki and in the capacity of making graphics and images. With each thing he adds, he offers something that adds to the depth of our fleet and lends credence to why he is this year’s Natasha Yar pin winner. I look forward to seeing him go far with us in the 118 fleet. Congratulations! The Voyager Medallion - Ops The Voyager Medallion is a duty post award and is awarded to those operations officers who have shown great skill in keeping a starship in working order despite near-impossible circumstances. The officers receiving this award have advanced the field of Operations, making sure duty rosters, provisions, gear, and even recreation time are available... no matter what. Maria Alvarez, USS Arrow Presented by Randal Shayne: Some time ago, I was interviewed about the Ops officer position, and in it, I advised all future Opsians to simply make the role their own. There is so much variety provided that anything less is a waste of material. I have no way of knowing whether Max read it, but it doesn’t change the fact that he writes an Ops officer so impressively that I can’t help but take notes. His brilliant intertwining of character, personality, past experience and current adversity make Maria Alvarez a delight to read and behold. Max knows just how far to push and pull, and he knows how to make a story work not just for his character, but for the entire ship. It is the Ops officer’s job to keep things organised and running smoothly, to keep interconnected facets of a ship and crew working together harmoniously. I’m not sure where we would be without Max, in character or out. Whether he’s writing for his character, working with others on joint stories, or advising and assisting the Arrow staff, Max is an Ops officer through and through, and I say without reservation that he is absolutely deserving of this recognition. Congratulations! The Sisko Tactical Cross - Tactical The Sisko Tactical Cross is a duty post award and is awarded to those tactical officers who have shown cunning and bravery in battle. Master strategists, and experts in targeting and shield power distribution, these officers have done the impossible to save their ship and the lives of its crew. Atan T’Seva, USS Constitution-B Presented by Jalana Rajel: Tactical is one of these posts on a ship that can be a challenge to write for. As ships do not get into battle all the time, or in the Constitution's case ever until recently, it's difficult to bring this department to life. But not so for the Chief Tactical Officer on the Constitution. No matter the kind mission she joined with enthusiasm, creativity and out of the box thinking on how to integrate the Tactical department. Be it putting together escape routes on Xatrac, training of new officers, suggestions for updates of technology to build an earthquake alarm system on Endaasi, or analyse opponents to predict their moves so we did not have to find out a way into battle. During the last Constitution mission, though, when Orion Syndicate Pirates attacked out of nowhere, she finally could put all her tactical knowledge to good use. With her cool head and confidence, she finally had her time to shine and was a big part of why the Constitution only lost a warp nacelle and was not torn apart. It is my pleasure to present the Sisko Tactical Cross to Atan T'Seva. Congratulations! The Phoenix Award - Engineering The Phoenix Award is a duty post award that recognises engineers. Named for the vessel that legendary engineer Zefram Cochrane piloted during his historic first warp flight, this award goes to those Engineering officers who continue this tradition of excellence in engineering. By performing their tasks with enthusiasm, imagination and diligence, by making their equipment perform above and beyond its rated capacities, the officers meriting this award further the mission of their ship by their superior know-how. In short, miracle workers. Wil Ukinix, USS Veritas Presented by Roshanara Rahman: A good engineer is a problem solver. A great chief engineer not only comes up with solutions but leads a team, encouraging and inspiring them to come together as an entire department of problem solvers. Since Wil Ukinix first started simming aboard the USS Veritas, he has shown enthusiasm and knack for tackling whatever is thrown at him in-character and out-of-character. Learning under the guidance of Geoffrey Teller, his department chief at the time, Ukinix was a diligent starship engineer, contributing to various contraptions and imaginative plans-of-action to save the day, ship, and crew. But in this past year when he took on the role of chief engineer, we’ve gotten to see a new side of Ukinix, that of being a leader and mentor to not just his fellow engineers but the larger crew. Within the engineering department, Ukinix writes with two other players, and he often employs departmental briefings and special projects to ensure that everyone is engaged and gets a chance to shine. When his engineering crew came up with ideas to develop animal-like repair drones and other creative engineering tools we hadn’t really seen in Star Trek before, Ukinix worked with both of them on fully fleshing out the idea and how to implement them in our game. Beyond his department, Ukinix has now become one of the ship’s most senior officers, rising to the position of second officer, and he provides a steady hand as part of the command team, perfectly balancing his character’s fun personality and light-heartedness with that of a dedicated Starfleet officer who wants to do the right thing and set a good example for the people under his watch. As he continues to write with StarBase 118 PBEM RPG, I know he will reach any star he sets his aim for, and I am delighted and honoured to see him recognised with this year’s Phoenix Award! The Cochrane Award - Science The Cochrane Award is a duty post award and is awarded to those science officers who have contributed to the advance of science during their Starfleet career, by staying knowledgeable about their field, taking part in the community of science, but most importantly, by placing their knowledge at the service of their ship and its mission. Lazarus Davis, USS Constitution-B Presented by Jalana Rajel: Where do I even start with this one! Science is such a huge part of Star Trek that it can intimidate, not wanting to write the wrong thing and have millions of Scientists scream in pain. But it can be one of the most interesting and exciting posts if you either know what you are talking about or have so much creativity to make up things and mix it with facts so that it sounds real even though it's fiction. One of the people with who I have the joy to write with who can do this to a breathtaking extend is Lazarus Davis. Frequently questions came up on how to solve problems, how to explain a plot twist and the Science never disappointed. Solutions like using a unique gas to our advantage, throw space dust at the enemy - even if the resulting explosion had dire consequences for his psyche, or explain unnaturally strong currents in a nebula with a stellar phenomenon like a starry tempest. At times don't go by plan or the science fails and in those times Josh is not scared to show the ethical dilemmas or struggles that follow as well. During our last mission, he had to face what happens when your science causes fatalities. And seeing that side of Science as well makes a great read! When talking about science with Josh or reading his sims it is easy to feel his enthusiasm for the field and I can't wait to see what else he'll come up with. It's my pleasure to present the Cochrane Award to Lazarus Davis. Congratulations! The Pilot's Sextant - Helm The Pilot's Sextant is a duty post award that recognises helm officers. An award named after an old Earth navigational tool, the Pilot's Sextant is given to those Helm officers who have proven themselves to be the best of the best. From finding a safe route home to flying an emergency atmospheric landing, pilots who have earned the right to this award know the importance of staying focused and puts their ability to make spectacular manoeuvres at the service of their ship and its mission. Cadfael Peters, USS Chin’toka Presented by Mei’konda: A highly experienced member of the fleet who’s played almost every duty post that we offer, Zephyr, the player of Peters, came aboard the Chin’toka as a dedicated helmsman, because we were lucky enough to have an Operations Chief already. Helm can present a challenge for players, because of the occasionally limited nature of the role, but Cadfael Peters has brought life to both his character and to the position of helm by taking the initiative when he can to describe the movements of ships or shuttles through space, particularly during exciting moments like ship to ship battles. He takes every opportunity to describe things visually interestingly that makes it easy for his crewmates to be drawn into the action, and he always gives his fellow players opportunities to add in by communicating directly between the helm and their stations in unique and well thought out ways. The Chin’toka is very lucky to have Zephyr, and I’m thrilled to present him with the Pilot’s Sextant for 2021! The Order of the Valiant Heart - Counselling This award is given to those ship Counselors who show great skill in protecting the mental health of their crewmates, evincing superior ability to care, assist, and comfort those in need. They have gone above and beyond the call of duty in assisting their crewmates with their problems, and in preventing future problems from occurring. R’Ariel, USS Arrow Presented by Randal Shayne: Anyone who’s written for a counsellor is well aware of how uniquely challenging the role is. In character, counsellors have to get incredibly creative with how they engage with missions and carry out their obligations to the best of their ability. That’s extra difficult if there’s not a lot of call for diplomacy, discussion or conflict mediation. Many counsellors will take up alternate avenues; they’ll be skilled in other areas of ship operation, or perhaps they’ll take up long-running personal plots. Kat has done these things to a significant effect. However, this doesn't stop her from exploring the first duty of a counsellor at every opportunity. R’Ariel is always there for others aboard her ship, be they Starfleet, civilian or alien. She responds with calm, open tact that soothes not just the souls of characters, but of their writers as well. The adversity she faces does not impede her gracious, kind words from doing good for those around her, and in these ways, Kat and R’Ariel are breathtakingly similar. Both writer and character embody the spirit and strength of a true counsellor, and I can think of no one more deserving of this high honour. Congratulations! The Semper Fidelis Award - Marines For those Starfleet Marines who have shown great skill in protecting their crew, accomplishing their mission, avoiding tragic loss of life in the line of duty, and upholding the values of the United Federation of Planets in times of crisis. Kiran Han, USS Juneau Presented by Oddas Aria: Playing a Marine in Starfleet, a position with little to no screen time in the Star Trek Universe can be tough, which makes this award so special. Knowing how to portray a Marine, how to play a military character in a universe where traditional military stereotypes do not always work. As the nomination put it, Patrick plays Han as the “modern 'problem solver' required by the fleet”, leading a Rapid Response Unit aboard the Juneau. Patrick can always be counted on to lead an Away Mission, lead to exciting situations, and still get his people home. Writing with him is a pleasure, as he can make action out of nothing, and still make you feel as if it was always ‘part of the plan’. He can always make his action sequences and calls for movement fit within the universe and story we are trying to tell, never an add-on or an afterthought, and always furthering his character and plot. Congratulations Major Han and Great Job! The Lwaxana Troi Medallion This award is given to a member who takes on a unique and non-traditional role outside of the normal Starfleet positions, while creating a colourful and engaging character such as, but not limited to: a diplomat, a civilian or a mission specialist. Charlotte DeBarres, USS Arrow Presented by Randal Shayne: Charlotte DeBarres, played by Mark- one of our most dedicated writers- knows what she’s doing. It doesn’t matter where she is or what the circumstances are; you can count on DeBarres for a witty, sarcastic comment and lifesaving, quick thinking. Mission specialist is a tricky role, requiring both an in-depth understanding of the conditions of a mission, and knowing what to do in case things go south. It’s an even greater challenge to write for, but does this stop Mark? Heck no! He’s as much of an everyman out of character as in serving on staff and providing MSNPCs on the regular while helping along the plot and taking care of business that makes the entire ship run better. He’s a shining example of a dedicated, capable and innovative member, and the character he writes for exhibits these qualities, and so much more. Congratulations! The Strange Medallion - First Officer Named after Commander Sally Strange, widely known as one of the most creative and dedicated First Officers in the fleet's early years, we give this award to those who perform above the call of duty in the position of First Officer. Addison MacKenzie, USS Resolution Presented by Kalianna Nicholotti: A ship cannot thrive without the guidance of a good command team, and a command team without a good first officer is already setting up the wrong scene. Imagine Kirk without Spock, or Picard without Riker. When countless things could go wrong, it is often this bond, and the sheer will of that first officer, that moves mountains. Having a few years of command experience, and real-world management experience as well, I can honestly not be more proud to present this year’s Strange Medallion to an incredibly deserving officer and my very own XO, Matt, aka Commander Addison MacKenzie. Matt does nothing halfway. At the very base of all, his characters bring realism that provides a shining example of how to sim for the entire crew. Because he is frequently involved in Academy classes, this gets shared with many of the newest members as well, getting them the solid foundation they need from the start. Volunteering his time to many other areas around the fleet, we can all see and feel Matt’s impact. While there are many qualities that Matt has that make him more than worthy of this accolade, one of the strongest is the sheer fact that he is willing to learn, grow, and lead. Fear, hesitation, and inflexibility don’t even slip into the shadows of this equation. I am thrilled to present this to him today, but I am even more excited to see the even greater mountains he is yet to scale. Congratulations! And thank you for your continued work and dedication to the Resolution and the Starbase 118 Fleet! Please join us in congratulating these talented players!

Congratulations, everyone! It's insane to see how much goes into the background and behind the curtain, and these guys deserve so much more.