2021 awards Day Three: Staff Awards

[Addison MacKenzie]

Welcome to Day Three of the Annual Awards Ceremony 2021!

The Staff awards are only for those members who have achieved the rank of Commander or higher. Just like last year, we asked the first officers of the fleet to vote on the nominations for each staff award, providing recommendations to the EC about who should receive each award. We’re so happy to have this valuable feedback and guidance for our staff awards!

These awards recognise the hard work of our community members who go above and beyond to ensure that everyone has a glorious experience here. There's so much behind-the-scenes work required to keep the engine of our community running, and these folks are a central part of that. 

 

 

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Elinor of Kanist Order of Excellence

Named for one of UFOP: StarBase 118's most significant founding members. This award recognises those who have served the fleet as a staff member for at least 5 years, attained the rank of Rear Admiral or higher, previously been awarded the Picard Award and Staff Member of the Year Award, and continue to serve the fleet to the betterment of all members. This is the highest staff honour, celebrating longevity, dedication to the fleet, and the perseverance for wearing the Admiral's belt.

Tristan Wolf, USS Administration

Presented by Roshanara Rahman: 

My first direct interaction with Jordan aka Fleet Admiral Wolf was ten years ago when he left a message on my wiki talk page after I made a bold edit to the Starfleet Marines rank overview page, redirecting it to an existing comparison chart of Starfleet to Marine ranks. Jordan reverted my edit, explaining that the page was part of a larger series of pages for the Academy Library, but he encouraged me to add the table to the original page if I thought it made the information more easily digestible.

In many ways, this first interaction is a perfect example of how our collaborative process in the decade since has developed. Like many members of StarBase 118, I was at first intimidated by engaging directly with “The Fleet Admiral” and the founder of our group. But I quickly saw firsthand that while Jordan may have been (rightfully) cautious at times of making hasty changes and decisions without considering the long-lasting effects, he was always open to hearing my ideas and those of other members, from veteran admirals to the newest ensigns. The Federation News Service, the Veterans Affairs team, and many other initiatives came to fruition because Jordan was not just open to new ideas and ways of doing things but enthusiastically so, and his support helped see those ideas followed through.

It is this tireless and continual drive of his for innovation that I believe has truly set StarBase 118 apart from other simming/roleplaying groups. Jordan has built a culture from the top of our organisation in which we are open to change and regular self-reflection. As the landscape of Star Trek simming and online roleplaying games has changed over the past 27 years, Jordan has ensured that our fleet evolves with it.

In addition to his own ideas and proposals (such as the simplification of our simming formatting and a fresh approach to the recruitment team), Jordan continues the often taken-for-granted role of maintaining our fleet’s “infrastructure.” The website, the forums, the wiki, and more all require never-ending care and attention as web development tools constantly update and change, causing new incompatibilities and technical challenges. Jordan has joked about being the fleet custodian because of this work, but perhaps to make a Star Trek comparison, his closest analogue is Boothby, the legendary groundskeeper at Starfleet Academy who served as a mentor to future renowned captains such as Picard and Janeway. Jordan similarly has supported many other venerated captains in our own fleet at various stages of their development as players and gone on to work with them closely as fellow 118 staff members in our shared goal of maintaining and growing our beloved fleet.

Congratulations, Fleet Admiral Wolf! Your modesty in all you do is heartwarming, but know that all of us agree that the work you do has earned you well-deserved recognition with the Elinor of Kanist Order of Excellence.

 

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Honor of the Admiralty

The highest award that can be conferred upon a UFOP: Starbase 118 staff member under the rank of Rear Admiral. This award recognises those who have served as staff members for a minimum of five years in a multitude of disciplines. From facilitating our task forces, engaging with the Captain's Council, and leading with the utmost dedication, these writers volunteer their time, effort, and skill to building our game and community and have comprehensively earned the respect and loyalty of members.

Aron Kells, USS Thor

Presented by Sal Taybrim:

 

Funny enough, last year’s presentation for this award started with a quote that said, "He is quite literally the reason that I am still a member of this community." And again, this year, nothing could be more true of Tony, aka Commodore Aron Kells. Truly, he is the reason that I am still playing this game. When I was a junior player, then Fleet Captain Kells was Cadet Steward, the point of communication for new and incoming players in the fleet. He was supportive of new players and junior officers in a positive way I had never seen before. When I reached out to him to moderate a situation on a ship he had never been on — and I was a player he had never met before — his response was timely, fair and supportive. His communication turned an unpleasant situation into one where trust was built across ships and carried on over years, and later he was my command mentor as an up and coming orphaned captain. Year after year he has proven himself a supportive friend and mentor to so many members of the StarBase 118 fleet of every rank.

Tony is a longtime steady member of the Executive Council, and in his illustrious career, he has served as Captain’s Council magistrate, facilitator of the writing challenges, promotions coordinator and was the driving force behind the Federation News Service’s Presidential Election campaign in 2392. Commodore Kells also directly fostered and promoted some of the greatest commanding officers in the StarBase 118 fleet and has served his crews tirelessly as a determined, brilliant commanding officer himself.

His current crew echoes these sentiments, recognising him as humble, affable and engaging. He is incredibly supportive of new members, gentle but firm in matters of discipline and unbelievably patient. He has the remarkable ability to admit when he is wrong and see the point of view of other people - rare jewels in this world - and he cultivates some of the best writers in the fleet on every ship he commands. They also might have said something about dragging him to Risa, we’ll just say that’s off the record and I’ll send you his Horga'hn in the mail.

And let’s talk about those ships he commands for a moment! Tony is renowned for bringing creative, unique and decidedly weird-looking ships into the StarBase 118 Fleet. From the Chariot class deep space explorer the USS Za to the Cardiff class diplomatic courier the USS Invicta, Tony’s legacy isn’t just with ships that look weird, but evocative ships with a specific story goal that helps the Star Trek world come alive. His vivid storytelling ability and steadfast crew support bring everyone from the newest players to the longest veteran along for an incredible ride.

There is no one more patient, enduring or devoted and I am so happy to present this award to Commodore Kells!

 

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Staff Member of the Year Award

For staff members who have contributed tirelessly to the organisation through many OOC channels, while maintaining excellence in simming on their vessel.

Jo Marshall, USS Gorkon

Presented by Tristan Wolf: 

Okay, wow, I'm about to blow your mind: We have given this award every year for 10 years and Marshall (Em) is the 11th recipient, but the FIRST COMMANDER ON RECORD. Everyone before her was of captain rank or higher (some admirals!), so she's in experienced company and is clearly setting a new bar (lower? higher? Hard to tell with this metaphor). 

I had the pleasure of presenting another award to Em last year, as well: Quark's Bar, where I praised her efforts to make the Discord server feel like home for our members who frequent it daily. But that was all practice compared to this year. As one nominator asked, "FNS, POTW, Image Collective, the Academy, First Officer of the Gorkon, images for the Gorkon's Quote of the Month, a heavy presence on Discord and the forums, what DOESN'T Em do?" Another said, "Even if you’ve never spoken to Em, you’d know her presence. She has a hand in virtually every part of this fleet." Indeed. 

Every time I work with Em it's a pleasure. Like last year's award ceremony, which she also facilitated, where I proposed we formalise the tasks required to conduct this ceremony and she took up the charge without a second thought. And that's really the way she is: Game for anything, good-natured about everything. A razor wit coupled with easy charm just makes it fun to work with her, even as it seems like she's accomplishing impossible tasks on a daily basis. 

Oh, and since she can only win this award once, I just want to thank her in advance for the huge project she's been working on for months, which will be unveiled in the coming weeks. I think everyone will be amazed by it, and she definitely deserves this award on the basis of all that work alone, even if we won't pull back the cover on it until after the ceremony.

So you can read the award description above, and it's easy to see how Em fits perfectly into this. Which is probably why she received so many nominations. "Contributes tirelessly ... while maintaining excellence in simming" defines Em. 

Congratulations to her for earning this award. It's the absolute least we, as a community, can do to show our gratitude for everything that Em has contributed. 
 

 

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The James T. Kirk Cross

Given to new a Commanding Officer who shows outstanding potential in command.

Randal Shayne, USS Arrow

Presented by Quinn Reynolds: 

It's been a real privilege to watch Randal Shayne develop as a commanding officer over the past year; from his tentative first steps as a commander to the more self-assured captain he is today. Becoming a CO can be a humbling experience, struck with just how much there is still to learn and how many skills there are to develop, and it's a challenge he has met with aplomb. He's worked hard to develop himself as a leader, taking feedback and seeking advice on difficult situations, earnest in his desire to do right by his crew and the fleet. 

And it shows! His crew enthuse about the friendly, creative and collaborative environment he has created aboard the Arrow; listening to their ideas about story and character, ensuring everyone can shine and contribute to their plots. His investments in mentoring, organisation and mission-building have seen his ship go from strength to strength, his crew dedicated and active. Under his guidance, the Arrow has become more than just a place people write; it's a community, warm and welcoming, coming together to create a haven of fun in a trying year.

So it's with great delight and much pleasure that I present Captain Randal Shayne with this year's James T. Kirk Cross. Congratulations, and well very done!
 

 

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Chief’s Citation

Recognising the essential staff members whose determined work has benefitted the group In Character, and/or Out Of Character, even while their primary service was not as the Commanding Officer of a simming installation. Inspired by the non-commissioned and enlisted personnel who are the backbone of any starship but were rarely recognised in Star Trek lore in favour of the officers.

Sky Blake, USS Veritas

Presented by Quinn Reynolds:

It's a great pleasure to present this award to someone who has been a member of our fleet for many years now and has spent the past twelve months undertaking some of the least glamorous, but most helpful tasks in the fleet. As Captains Council Magistrate, she organises votes and keeps staff discussions on track and points them toward finding a resolution—not always the easiest of tasks! For two years running, she's been the driving force behind the State of the Federation Address, helping our community and staff to reflect on the year and decide how to move forward even better than before. In her role as Wiki Operations Facilitator, she hosts regular "Help Desk" hours and sets challenges for her team to improve the wiki for the benefit of all. She's also been steadfast in her role as Fleet Taskforce Coordinator, coordinating with COs and Taskforce leaders regularly, making sure membership rosters are up-to-date and keeping our taskforce leaders focused on their goals for the year. 

As a CO, a taskforce leader and a member of the CC, I've deeply appreciated everything she's done and will do, and I'm delighted to be the one who gets to present this award. Commander Sky Blake, thank you for all the time and dedication you've poured into the fleet, and congratulations on being the winner of this year's Chief's Citation!
 

 

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The Sarek Star

Given to a commanding officer who shows great diplomatic ability in working with members and staff.

Quinn Reynolds, USS Gorkon

Presented by Tristan Wolf: 

Here's some serendipity for you: I presented this award for the first time in 1996 to Elinor of Kanist. And at last year's ceremony, Emma was the inaugural recipient of the Elinor of Kanist Order of Excellence! And now, this year, I get to present Emma with an award she, perplexingly, hasn't received yet. Full circle. 

The Sarek Star is an award with a broad mission: Recognise the staff members who show great diplomatic ability with others in the community. For those folks beginning their journey here, this might seem like a bit of an odd one. Diplomatic ability? What exactly does that mean, and why do we need it? But for those folks in the staff ranks, the importance of this award is immediately apparent. Running a community that's as structured as ours is an incredible feat. The stakes aren't as high as being a member of the United Nations, but often the intricacy of our work seems the same. With competing priorities, limited resources (particularly time and energy), and incredible goals, finding the way to not only rally but also befriend people is paramount. Without the skill of diplomacy, it's incredibly hard to make this community work.

Emma never fails to impress, generally, but as a "diplomat," she's adept. As always, she brings a seemingly unparalleled knowledge of the workings of the fleet to every discussion, often aware of nuanced interchanges between ships and members that help inform and contextualise our decisions. She deftly charges ahead but also concedes when necessary – always without a hint of ego. Whereas I am constantly reminding myself to temper my frustration, she is a steady voice of reason, never "raising her voice," although I'd never blame her if she did!

I'd be remiss, though, if I didn't look to the nominations submitted for her, which clearly came from her crew and speak to a different facet of Emma's diplomatic skill that I see less of: leading the Gorkon. The nominations spoke of how much care and effort Emma puts into working with members of her crew, guiding them in each interaction with expertise – providing options on how to proceed and crafting sims that help her crew members navigate complex OOC situations. A key point I deeply identify with is how Emma seems to handle all this with a well of power, seemingly unexhausted or even invigorated by the opportunity to engage with community members.

Oh gosh, even without intending to, I almost wrote, "A compassionate Vulcan is impossible to find but in Emma, we have one," without even remembering that the name of this award is the Sarek Star! Yes, of course, Emma embodies Sarek. We are so lucky to have her here, and I'm deeply appreciative of everything she brings to our community.
 

 

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Christopher Pike Pendant

Awarded to commanding officers who command their ship with honour and dedication, and help to provide a creative atmosphere that fosters outstanding simming.

Mei’konda, USS Chin’toka

Presented by Aron Kells: 

I had the distinct pleasure of first getting to know Aaron, the writer for Mei’konda, back when he returned to the fleet eight years ago, in 2013. I wasn’t able to guide him through promotion to commander and into his captaincy that time around — that honour fell to Rich (Rahman) — but I’m very pleased that I could see Aaron blossom again as CO of the Chin’toka. 

He inherited the launch of that ship, along with the crew of the Atlantis, under some very unusual circumstances (the sudden retirement of the Atlantis’s CO), and while those circumstances might have produced an impossible situation for another CO, Aaron has thrived as the Chin’toka’s CO. One of his nominators notes that Aaron “did a remarkable job at setting the crew at ease and building a rapport with them that has resulted in the crew being at ease with him,” and through that rapport, he not only won the loyalty of his fellow simmers but established himself as an accomplished CO at the same time.

Some words and phrases used to describe Aaron this year in his nominations for the Pike Pendant include “amazing sensitivity,” “grace and style,” and “standout dedication and honour” — high praise indeed! — and that he encourages “creative and insightful sims from his crew” while also “fostering an imaginative campaign scenario.” I’m incredibly proud to see the strength of character and conviction that Aaron brings to his captaincy, and I’m honoured to recognise him this year with the Christopher Pike Pendant. Congratulations, Aaron!
 

 

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Please join us in congratulating these members of the staff!

[LCDR Aine O. Sherlock]

Congratulations! And a big thank you to every staff member for keep this place running.

[Noa T'Nessa Levinson]

Woooo, congrats, and absolutely thank you to the entire staff - for everything.

Edited June 29, 2021 by Noa T'Nessa Levinson

[Tony, aka Rouiancet]

Huge, huge congratulations to all the staff awards winners -- you inspire me and are so important to the longevity and vitality of the community! Thank you so much for the Honor of the Admiralty -- I'm, well, honored!

Also lololol at Wolf of the USS Administration. They're the very definition of desk-bound officers!

[Sal Taybrim]

Well done everyone!  Your awards are richly deserved!

 

[John Kendrick]

Congratulations everyone!

[Ikaia Wong]

Congrats, everyone!

[Piweh]

We often say rightfully, that new players are the lifeblood of this lovely community of ours. Following this metaphor further, I would venture that us longer term members are the muscle, bone, and sinew. The frame that moves us. The staff is the vital organs, the brains (not to detract from everyone else's intelligence and wisdom, of course) and heart that keeps us a truly vital organism.

So congrats to those who were recognized today (A special one to my own CO, for his Kirk.) And further more an unapologetically hearty thank you to all the Staffers for what you do for us as individual members, and the collective whole of the group.

[Jona ch'Ranni]

Each award winner listed is fully deserved of they honors presented them. Three cheers for our amazing group of command-level officers and staff members. Thanks for keeping this place running!

[+ Vitor S. Silveira]

Congratulations to all.

The Fleet is lucky to be staffed by all of you.

 

 

[+ Nadeshiko]

Congratulations to all the winners! Well deserved.

[Genkos Adea]

Congratulations to all our fabulous award winning staff, who deserve every medal under the stars

[+ Scotty Reade]

Once again. Congratulations to all the winners today. Thanks for keeping the community running strong! 

[Jo Marshall]

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

[Toryn Raga]

A wholehearted congratulations to all of you. You continually show all of us what we should strive towards. And make me feel proud to know and be apart of this stellar community along with all of you. Even if we rarely talk or interact with one another, your presence is felt in the impacts you leave on your crews and fellow writers and the interactions we do have with you. 

 

*raises a glass* Prost!

[Tracey]

Well done!

 

[+ Lephi]

Well earned from a dedicated and wonderful staff! Congratulations!

[+ Arturo Maxwell]

Congrats all! ❤️

[Samira Neathler]

Congratulations all. Very well deserved. 

[Alexander Brodie]

Congratulations all. Hugely deserved and a credit to the 118 community.