To Commanding and Beyond – Jalana Rajel, USS Constitution-B

StarBase 118 Staff · June 12, 2020

We have a very special interview this month with someone who has been a catalyst in the fleet! I have the very special honor in taking the time to talk with Commodore Jalana Rajel, a Trill female who’s been the commanding officer for the USS Constitution-B for 5 years and running.

Commodore is an exclusive rank and title captains and fleet captains can earn in UFOP: StarBase 118 once they have served as commanding officer of a vessel for five years (whether continuously during one tenure or cumulatively over multiple commands). Having completed their own “five-year mission” aboard their ships, these COs are recognized by our community as among our finest leaders in the fleet.

GALVEN: Thank you for taking the time to be interviewed by the Community News Team! Could you tell us a little about yourself for our readers out there?

RAJEL: Of course, thank you for having me! I am Jess, almost 41 years old from Germany and have been a member of this brilliant community for eight years. I have been roleplaying since I was innocent 8 years old and not only have I enjoyed every moment of it but I can’t imagine ever not to roleplay in some shape or form. It just inspires my writing and energizes me to share stories with other writers.

Congratulations on your promotion and your longevity being the commanding officer for 5 years! What does the rank of Commodore entail?

Thank you! I hope it doesn’t entail more paperwork. I am kidding, but I don’t believe it is much different from being a Fleet Captain. I will continue to lead my ship and to participate as part of the Captain’s Council with the best of the fleet in mind.

Out of the number of years you’ve served on the Conny, is there any moment that stands out more than the rest? What’s been the most memorable?

To be honest there are millions of moments that come to my mind when thinking about this question, and all at once. From the moment I received the Command position, to our crew being under influence of a hallucinogenic tree sap in an away mission, over spending a mission on a Klingon Warship disguised as warriors, fighting ghosts on a ship that was thought to be lost for a century or head bumping a T-Rex with an Argo buggy – just to name a few. We just have a lot of fun, with a very creative crew. I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.

What was the transition for you like when you were writing for a Medical Officer into a First Officer, then commanding your own ship?

It was a lot easier than one may think. I have been a CO before, in another game, so the transition was relatively easy when I became First officer. Also because I changed characters at that time so I could still remain with Jalana in Sick Bay. When I became CO I changed back to Jalana and that was when the roller coaster began. As a non staff member of the crew it is easy to forget what goes into making the ship fun. It’s a whole creative orchestra behind the scenes. And despite my former experience it was a change, because every game has its own processes and every crew is different. I am lucky to have a brilliant staff that I can lean on and we complement each other in our strengths and weaknesses. Without the staff I had throughout the years, and friends across the fleep, things would have been a whole lot more difficult. Thank you guys for all the support.

With so many accolades under your belt, what’s next for Jalana? Do you see yourself/her as an Admiral in the future?

::smiling:: My first reaction would be ‘No, I’m happy where I am.’ but then there was a time when I couldn’t see myself being a CO again, so “You never know.” But I am happy to be the Conny’s CO and enjoy writing with my amazing crew and I’m curious how or if being a Commodore impacts the future of the ship. So for now I’ll be thrilled to see Jalana’s court martial end so she can return home to her ship.

And lastly, what kind of advice would you give someone who has aspirations in becoming a Captain and beyond?

I will say what was said to me when I became a Commanding Officer and that helped me to balance things. To see your crew enjoy the missions and interactions, watch them bring in their creativity and ideas is beautiful and who does not love to be able to reward them with awards, ribbons and promotions!

But being a Captain is work. Not everything that is on your list of tasks will be fun. Lean on your staff and other COs for support, and bring your bucket of patience. But being a CO is a satisfying experience I wouldn’t want to miss for the world. One of the most important things is to strike a balance and that means: You are one of the crew, remember why you came here, never stop learning and don’t forget to have fun.

Thank you again for your time, Commodore Jalana Rajel!

You can read more about Commodore Jalana Rajel on the wiki.

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