A Moment With Cascadia Rainier

[StarBase 118 Staff]

After several years of service the player behind Fleet Captain Nicholotti has decided to change directions with a brand new character. Here are a few words she had to say on the subject.

Eickleberger: Fleet Captain Nicholotti has been around for a long time, what prompted you to change characters?

Rainier: There comes a time where a story simply plays itself out. To further perpetuate the story of Kalianna Nicholotti continually felt more and more false and she became far more difficult to play than I had imagined. Yet, she had been around for so long and had been a part of so much that she needed to go out with a bang. With events transpiring that would make the transition another epic part of the story we weave on the Excalibur, it seemed like fate was telling me it was time. And so it went.

Eickleberger: What inspired you to make Cascadia?

Rainier: I wanted to play something different, and what could be different from Kali than the opposite of the well loved, popular, leader who was made through blood and fire than a little known woman from a race that was decidedly unliked and untrusted with few connections to anyone or anything. My own love for the mountains of our world led to her name.

Eickleberger: How does Cascadia differ from Kaliana?

Rainier: How doesn’t she? To be honest, I know that some things will bleed through to the character from my own personality, as they may have with Kali, but I’m hoping that I can consciously play this character differently than Kali based on the simple fact that she comes from a vastly differing background. The same base isn’t present, so it’s safe to assume the final product will be different as well.

Eickleberger: What does Cascadia share with you in terms of personality?

Rainier: I don’t know yet. I am well aware that some players plan characters out, but I’ve always been one to let them lead the way. Kali did her own thing, and while that sounds kind of strange, there was simply something that stopped me from doing things with her that she wouldn’t do. When I forced her into actions that didn’t feel right the writing suffered. When I pretty much closed my eyes and let the scene play out in my head, she came to life in ways I couldn’t have envisioned. The hope is that Cass will do the same thing.

Eickleberger: What can we expect to see from Cascadia in her command?

Rainier: At this point, her ‘big chance’ so to speak, she refuses to fail. Because of the race she belongs to and how much the Federation council doesn’t trust her, she’s never been allowed a command beyond the stations and defense ships of the Sol System. Though brilliant scientifically, having worked on the slipstream drive and other advances, she does not have experience in command of large ships outside the central system of Starfleet. At this point, she’s very ‘by the book’ and learning compromise will be one of those things that comes in time. At least I hope so.

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