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Cptn_Seiben

STSF GM
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Everything posted by Cptn_Seiben

  1. Chat logs for the 10 January and 17 January, 2010 games 011010.doc 011710.doc
  2. 03 January, 2010: This week, the Captain's team still enjoying the company of Consul Marcus Quintus, a high ranking ruler of 892-IV negotiating a trade agreement with each other over goblets of wine. In exchange for some tritanium and information about the Terran Roman Empires, the Challenger crew gains access to Magna Romanus' historical archives in an attempt to see how they came into being. Meanwhile, the "field team" also continues to enjoy their own party, while Major Kimiko once again gets into some legal troubles. Will she be able to get herself out of her situation without blowing her cover and jeopardising the mission? TBS = 15 minutes 010310.doc
  3. Dusting this old account off, since I can no longer upload the chatlog with my STSF Seiben account 27 December, 2009: Seiben's Away Team, consisting of Seiben, McGuire, and Teros has beamed down to 892-Iv as the guests of honour of a special celebration hosted by Consul Marcus Quintus, where they begin to discuss trade over fine wine. Meanwhile, the "field team" consisting of Kimiko, Natalie Harris, Anastasia, Tasaya and Nitara have also beamed down a few hours after the diplomatic team and are enjoying a party of their own. TBS = 13 seconds 122709.doc
  4. We arrive at Klingon space, set to begin our mission when the fleet is suddenly attacked by an unknown ship or ships that can fire whilst cloaked. Scanning them proves difficult (as they may have improved their cloak technology since ST:VI) and we and Columbia take a beating as both ships bear the brunt of the Klingons' attack. Challenger and Columbia formulate plans to detect our attackers... 060808.txt
  5. "Broken Promises" Stardate 10805.29 "Admiral. What can I do for you?" Seiben asked from his seat in the Ready Room. On the surface, Admiral Barry Goldman looked back at Seiben. "Ah. Captain!" he said jovially, before getting onto business. "First off, good job in catching Ensign Harris so quickly. You'll be glad to know that he is under heavy guard in a super max facility and is currently being interrogated as we speak" Goldman replied matter of factly. "Well. I hope you get more out of him than we did" replied Seiben dryly. Goldman chose not to reply, and instead chose to move onto the next thing in the Admiral's agenda. "Captain. There's something urgent that I'd like to talk to you about. Your presence is requested at HQ as soon as possible. Please beam down to San Francisco at your earliest convenience" which just about translated to 'get your arse down here right now'. "Aye sir. I'm on my way" replied the Captain, sensing this. The transmission abruptly ended after that, leaving Seiben to stare at a blank screen. Getting up from his chair, Seiben trod past the bridge and to the lift which took him to his quarters to pack, then to Transporter Room 1 so he could beam down to Earth. *** STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA The sun was still shining in the mid-afternoon late-spring day. Though Cumulus clouds have started to move in over the city, significantly increasing the likelihood of rain later in the day. A few minutes later, Seiben found himself entering the immense Starfleet building that dominated San Francisco's skyline, eventually ending up at his ultimate destination at a conference room adjacent to Goldman's office. "Rolf. Take a seat please" replied Goldman gesturing to an empty chair. He noticed that several other captains of ships and high ranking Admirals in the area were also present. Seiben nodded and sat upon the aforementioned seat after saying his greetings to the others present. "Thank you all for coming" replied Goldman as the blinds were shut. The lights dimmed after that and their attention was brought to the large screen in the front of the room. "Unfortunately, over the past few weeks we've been experiencing trouble in regards with the Klingon Empire and their reconstruction efforts. It started about three weeks ago..." RIO DE JANIERO, BRAZIL THREE WEEKS AGO It was a much needed vacation for the beleaguered President of the United Federation of Planets. With his usual entourage of bodyguards, he was enjoying himself in the South American city. The giant Christ The Redeemer statue overlooked the city over the Corcovado mountain like a silent sentinel looking over him. The President was deciding on what to do next when one of his aides came rushing towards him. "Sir!" exclaimed the aide, out of breath. The President looked over at his aide while his aide caught his breath and regained his composure. Knowing something was up, the President and his entourage ducked into the presidential limo. After making sure they were alone, the aide continued. "Mr. President. We're having some trouble with the Klingons; in particular, the reconstruction effort" After the Praxis explosion and the signing of the Khitomer Accords, the Federation has been assisting the Klingon Empire rebuild, and prepared for the first stage in evacuations of the oxygen depleted Klingon home world. Progress hadn't been as fast as both parties would have liked. Assistance was slow and they were behind schedule on many aspects of the plan. The Klingon representatives made sure the President knew about it once again straining their already stained peaceful relations. As if they weren't on case already.. and now this. As the craft gained in altitude, he was immediately patched through a conference meeting with Starfleet's top brass. "What's going on now?" asked the President abruptly, still somewhat miffed that he had to cut his vacation short. The camera tilted to the right side of the conference room, revealing a large Klingon in a traditional grey military uniform. Like most Klingons, this one had an angry, scowling look to him. "Mr. President" the Klingon replied in a booming authoritative voice. "My name is General Tar'Mok, appointed representative of the Klingon Empire to the United Federation of Planets" The President relayed his greetings. "Greetings. I regret that I wasn't able to meet you in person, General" Tar'Mok grunted something that the President didn't catch. "Mr. President. My government is concerned that you are not holding up to your side of the promises in regards to the treaty. Federation aid has virtually ceased in the past two weeks. If you want this peace treaty to continue, you'll explain why you stopped sending ships and assistance" The President seemed puzzled. "General, we've been sending out ships to your home world on a constant basis. In fact, we just sent three freighters and a science vessel last week" he replied. "We have not seen such vessels, nor scanned them anywhere near our space. We're starting to believe that you are stalling? Or perhaps you want to extort us for something?" Tar'Mok mused suspiciously. "I can assure you that we are doing nothing of the kind, General" said the President. "We are doing everything we can to assist your people rebuild, I can assure you" Tar'Mok huffed. "It does not seem as such right now!" the Klingon retorted bitterly. "General" the President replied calmly. "We will do everything we can to get the bottom of this and resume the arrival of aid to your people. You have my promise that we will resolve this, so both of us can be pleased and our peace treaty can continue" Tar'Mok didn't seem convinced, but grunted an annoyed sigh. "See that you do, Mr. President. The Klingon Empire does not tolerate broken promises!" *** STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA PRESENT DAY "So you see ladies and gentlemen, that is what's happened over the past few weeks" said Admiral Goldman as the the screen flickered off. The blinds slowly came up as well, temporarily blinding Seiben with bright light. Rubbing his eyes, he looked up at Goldman. "So you say we sent in four ships three weeks ago, but they never arrived? Do we know what happened to them?" he asked. Admiral Goldman shook his head. "No, Captain we don't. Our last contact with them was just before they entered Klingon space two and a half weeks ago. We haven't heard from them since" "What about any signs of foul play?" asked Captain Sanchez, of the USS New Hampshire. "We didn't detect any ships in the area except the science fleet. Nor did we detect any energy signatures suggesting cloaked vessels" replied the Admiral. "However..." he continued, "that might be the most likeliest cause of why those ships hadn't arrived to Kronos" Seiben raised a brow. "But why would the Klingons attack the ships sent to assist them and once again risk a war with us they couldn't possibly afford to have?" he asked. "Again. We don't know. We didn't seem to detect any dishonesty from General Tar'Mok. He seemed to be genuinely angry that we haven't been sending any aid to them. But of course that doesn't mean a thing" said Goldman. "Therefore, I want a fleet of ships sent to investigate the disappearance of these ships. We're sending another shipment of aid to the Klingon home world. A fleet of five freighters and transports will be sent full of equipment and personnel to assist in reconstruction as well as seeking the initiation of the first phase of the evacuation of the home world" said Goldman. "I want them to be accompanied by a fleet of vessels to ensure their protection and to assist in the reconstruction and evacuation phases" Admiral Goldman looked to Seiben. "The mission will be led by Captain Seiben and the USS Challenger as well as the Columbia" he said glancing at Captain Saylek. "Your mission is two-fold: One, to head the investigation and find out what happened to the previous aid team and two, to work with the Klingon authorities and work on expediting phase one as soon as possible. "Your vessels will be stocked with the appropriate equipment you'll need at Spacedock, After which, you are to proceed immediately to Klingon space" Admiral Goldman got up from his seat. "I wish you luck, everybody. I don't have to tell you that the alliance with the Klingon depends on the success of this mission. Dismissed!" With that, the lights came back on and the others started to file out of the conference room. Seiben gathered his things and was about to do the same, when Admiral Goldman approached him. "Rolf. There's one final thing that I'll need you to do. Given the delicate nature of this mission, Starfleet Intelligence insisted that they send one of their best men to assist in the investigation. Since you are the vessel that will lead this mission, they have chosen that he accompany the Challenger for the duration of the mission. Please make the necessary arrangements" "Aye, sir. I'll make sure he's comfortable" Seiben replied. Goldman smiled his thanks at him and exited the conference room. By the time Seiben left the building, it had started to rain. An ominous omen to their upcoming mission? Seiben ran to his shuttle and got in just as it began to pour. There was alot to do to prepare for the mission, but as the Challenger was being prepped, he turned to south east to the Virgin Islands to pay his family a well needed visit.
  6. Catching up on being behind in posting the chatlogs. Here are the chatlogs for the last four weeks I missed. 30 March: We end our pyramid arc when the pyramid we're in starts to collapse. Can the away team make it out and off the planet? 06 April: The killer of Challenger's original Operations officer, Lt. T'Preshk, escapes from a Federation detention centre. The nearest ship in range is the Challenger. Challenger locates the shuttle on a remote outpost and makes its way to the scene. 13 April: A shuttle pod with a Marine security team enters the outpost and approaches Ens. Harris (the murderer). All seems to be quiet around the outpost. Harris is located in a small control centre and the Marine team moves into intercept... 20 April: The extraction mission goes wrong when Harris sets up a self-destruct sequence on the outpost. The Marines beam out in time and the fighters surrounding the outpost are recalled back to the ship. Harris is nowhere to be seen. Lt. Wright interviews some survivors from the outpost for any information. Challenger pursues one of the freighters and sends out an APB to all ships in the area to look out for the second freighter that launched from the outpost at the same time. 033008.txt 040608.txt 041308.txt 042008.txt
  7. As you all know, we've been simming under this new Excelsior format for the past two months now, yet for quite a while longer than that, we've been without an award structure. Awards are an important part of simming, as it encourages players to be more active, and go that "extra mile" to contribute to the sim and plot. We've been without awards for as long as I can remember, so.. to encourage participation, I'm including a list of awards I'd like to give out to players. Some of these awards are similar to those awarded to other sims, while others are unique to Challenger. Take a look at the listed awards below. They are by no means complete. Please email me if you want to suggest an award of your own! USS Challenger Award Listings ATTENDANCE Bronze Good Conduct Medal - Awarded to players attending 10 sims (non-consecutively) Silver Good Conduct Medal - Awarded to players attending 25 sims (non-consecutively) Gold Good Conduct Medal - Awarded to players attending 50 sims (non-consecutively) Platinum Good Conduct Medal - Awarded to players attending 100 sims (non-consecutively) Bronze Service Stripe - Awarded to players who attended 10 sims in a row. Silver Service Stripe - Awarded to players who attended 25 sims in a row Gold Service Stripe - Awarded to players who attended 50 sims in a row The 'I have no life!' Award - Awarded to players who attended 100 sims in a row (plus a free 'Get out of Jail or Sickbay' card*) * explanation below Six month anniversary citation (self explanatory) One year anniversary citation (and every year thereafter) LOGS The Golden Quill - Awarded for the best solo log The Siamese Log of Triumph - Awarded for excellence in joint logs The Chocolate Heart - Awarded for excellence in romance-based joint logs The Inverse Reaction Unilateral Turboencabulator of Modial Magento Recluctance Award - Awarded for the best use of techno-babble in a log (joint or solo) PERFORMANCE Star of Excellence - For displaying excellence in a player's given field over a mission The Starfleet Medal of Valour - Awarded to a player going above and beyond their duty to contribute to the success of a mission. Federation Cross - Awarded to a player(s) injured in battle and/or sacrificing their own safety to rescue a crew member or civilian(s). (Special cases only) Starfleet Starburst - Awarded for outstanding service during the course of one or a series of missions. Leadership Commendation - Awarded for showing exemplary leadership skills for away missions Command Citation - Awarded for quick thinking and ingenuity in getting out of an emergency situation Golden Beaver - Awarded to hard-working industrious players over a given time or mission MISCELLANEOUS Get of Jail Free Card - Players incarcerated in the brig or captured by the enemy can use this card to be immediately released. Can only be used once. Get out of Sickbay Card - Injured players can forgo staying in sickbay and get automatically healed from their injuries. Can only be used once. Second Chance - Players have the opportunity to re-do an action that has led of negative circumstances (e.g. player gets hurt, ship gets lost as a result of said action, etc) NEW! Immunity - Prevents injury or harm to a character over a period of time (eg for a mission plot)
  8. Enclosed which I forgot to include prior to ship launch is an information primer for the USS Challenger and current events in the late 23rd century. Available in .doc and .pdf formats. USS_Challenger_Primer.doc USS_Challenger_Primer.pdf
  9. Enclosed is the chat log of the USS Challenger sim on Sunday 17 February, 2008. Lt. Smith is released from the brig after being cleared of his charges of murdering Lt. T'Preshk, our operations officer. Looking to take her place, Smith declares his intent to taker her place at the OPS console. Challenger also is set to begin its first mission... 021708.txt
  10. The chatlog for the launch and commissioning ceremony of the brand-new USS Challenger. Captain Rolf Seiben is officially installed as Commanding Officer of the Excelsior class vessel. After the launch party, the Challenger crew reports to their station and departs Utopia Planetia at 11:40 PM ET. All.. except for our Operations Officer, who was found dead in her quarters. Security and Marines investigate. Challenger_Feb_10.txt
  11. The chatlog for the last ever sim of the Challenger NX-05. The Romulans launched a surprise aerial attack on San Francisco, effectively destroying Starfleet HQ and Starfleet Medical. The Challenger crew rescued by Captain Neptune Rex and the Albion beam down to Starfleet's temporary HQ at Los Angeles and receive word of Challenger's inevitable fate. Most of the crew ponder their future in Starfleet. Challenger_Feb03__2008.txt
  12. NOTE: Special thanks to Captain Rex who wrote the original Challenger policy packet, of which this version is heavily based upon. 1.0 INTRODUCTION Welcome to the USS Challenger, NCC-2457! The Challenger is a 23rd century Excelsior Refit class starship set in the year 2295 and is commanded by Captain Rolf Seiben and Commander Zen Ba'alyo. The USS Challenger launched on Sunday 10 February 2008 to begin its new chapter of peace and exploration facing new enemies and new allies along the way. The Challenger sim started as an Enterprise-era sim set in the 22nd century on 12 September 2004. As STSF's first in-house sim, the NX Class Challenger NX-05 set the stage for exploration and peace in its time and initiated first contact with many species, met new allies and faced off with powerful enemies over its three and a half-year run. The USS Challenger aims to continue and expand on the traditions of its namesake in a new phase of peace for the Federation. 1.1 WELCOME Congratulations on your new post aboard the USS Challenger! Whether you are a recent academy graduate, who proved that you knew the required criteria to graduate the academy system, or a veteran advanced player looking to join an additional sim, there are some aspects of the game that you might not be aware of. You'll need to be aware of the following items enclosed in this packet. Some of these items apply specifically to the Challenger game and other advanced simulations may follow slightly different guidelines. These guidelines act as a supplement to the official STSF rules, so please make sure you are familiar with these as well. 2.0 ATTENDANCE Recalling back to your academy days, you'll remember that attendance was not mandatory. You could attend whichever academy you liked, whenever you liked, and as often as you liked. But with advanced simulations; Challenger included, this is now certainly not the case. As an advanced player, you will be part of a crew that you will work with on a permanent weekly basis. As such, your presence to the sim will be very important. As part of a team, your consistent presence will be required, and any absences may have a negative impact to the plot. But that doesn't mean that you have to attend all 52 weeks in the year. Nobody expects you to do that and sometimes real life does get in the way. All we ask is if you know you are going to have to miss a game, email us notifying us of your planned absence. You can either do this using the crew mailstring, or by emailing myself and/or Commander Ba'alyo. That way, we can plan that week's plot around your absence. Sometimes though, there are times when something suddenly comes up and you cannot give advanced notice. This is also part of life and you needn't worry about that either. Again, simply email the command staff or the mailstring explaining your absence. Please remember that absences should not be too frequent. Even with advance notice, constant absences from the sim on the part of a player have negative repercussions to the plot as well as the game as a whole. If you find that you no longer have the time/interest to attend the sim, then perhaps you should re-evaluate your commitment to the sim. You can either start attending more sims (to regain interest in the game, and let it grow on you and it eventually should) or simply leave altogether. Players with no desire to sim simply take up roster space. 2.1 LEAVE OF ABSENCES If you require to take an extended period off the sim, for whatever reason, we can grant you a Leave of Absence (LOA). Leave of Absences should not exceed a period of three months. Beyond this, the command staff reserves the right to relinquish your position to another player, reduce you in rank or to remove you from the sim entirely. If you miss four sims in a row, you may be automatically be played as LOA, and your post may be relinquished to someone else. 2.2 ATTENDANCE MATTERS All matters concerning attendance shall fall to the Executive Officer (XO). The XO serves as assistant GM of the simulation and shall be accorded all due privileges. Please take note of the following matters: Players who are absent for three weeks without notice will receive a written warning. If no contact is still made after the fourth week, the player will be placed in the inactive roster. Player information will be forwarded to the GM string to notify any future hosts. Please contact the Commanding and Executive Officers if you require vacation or emergency leave as a courtesy to your fellow crew for a smooth continuation of the storyline. 3.0 RANKS AND PROMOTIONS Players joining Challenger generally start out at the rank of ensign, though exceptions can sometimes be made based on the applicant's experience. Promotions to the next highest ranks remain at the discretion of the GM staff. Attendance, performance, participation and logs are all factors in deciding promotions for players. A rank structure has been set up in order to maintain a solid chain of command. As is the case in Starfleet and in the military, a chain of command is essential in maintaining order. Players who show solid problem solving, leadership and communication skills tend to make a more efficient senior officer. Junior officers are generally expected to input ideas in which the senior officers will work with. These are all considered in a player's promotion in addition to consistent attendance and log writing, and good etiquette. 3.1 RANK STRUCTURE Ensign (Ens) - This is the rank that you will generally start at when you join Challenger. This is the rank where the least is expected of you as you generally are still getting started and familiarising yourself with the ship, the crew and the way we sim. With few responsibilities, being an ensign allows you a bit more creativity and flexibility than with other ranks. Lieutenant Junior Grade (Lt Jg) - The next rank up from Ensign is Lieutenant Junior Grade. This is the easiest rank to get as all you need to do is show good attendance, write a couple of logs and be on your best behaviour. Players at this rank, should start to show problem solving skills (as will be mentioned later on in this packet) Lieutenant (Lt) – This rank marks the start of that of a senior officer. To attain the rank of Lieutenant, you should have shown a certain degree of problem solving as well as excellent simming skills. Here is a good place to start trying to come up with ideas beneficial to the other players, allowing some leeway for them to contribute. Lieutenant Commander (Lt Cmdr) – As the highest rank one can get without becoming a GM, a Lieutenant Commander is to act as a leader, role model and good example to the rest of the crew. Working with the rest of the crew as well as the command staff, it is the job of this player to receive ideas from their assistants and work with them and the command staff to turn these ideas into reality. It is a rank that entails a lot of responsibility, but they are used to it, having gotten this far up the ladder. Now is the time to hone those leadership skills you started learning as a Lieutenant. If you enjoy this role, and take to it well, then you may just have what it takes to become a GM. COMMAND – Ranks higher than Lieutenant Commander are reserved only for GM staff. Players cannot attain these ranks unless they successfully undergo and pass GM training. Command positions cannot be given out unless a GM applies for and is successfully placed in an open command slot. Ranks held by GM staff typically include Commander (Cmdr), Captain (Capt), Commodore (Comdr), Rear Admiral (Rear Adm) and Admiral (Adm) 3.2 OTHER RANKS Players seeking a different change of pace, or variety may choose to serve in the Challenger as either a non-commissioned officer or as a Marine, in the Starfleet Marine Corps (SFMC). Marines and non-commissioned officers have slightly different ranks than regular commissioned crew. 3.2.1 STARFLEET MARINE CORPS For over 800 years the citizens of earth and the United Federation of Planets have required an expeditionary force capable of rapid self-sustained deployment via a multitude of methods. Additionally this force has been required to provide protection to ships from the blue waters of Earth to the inky blackness of space. For these eight centuries those beings have been known as Marines. The Star Fleet Marine Corps (SFMC) is the expeditionary arm of the United Federation of Planets. Deployable from shipboard detachments or specialized assault transports, the Marines supply a lasting ground presence for the UFP. On the Challenger, Marines serve in conjunction with Security, and are Starfleet's elite fighting corps, usually taking on dangerous missions others cannot or will not be able to undergo. Like security, Marines are typically part of away teams, boarding parties or calls on intruder alerts in the ship, and assist in the general defense of the ship as well as engage enemies on or off the ship. 3.2.2 SFMC RANK STRUCTURE Marine Rank and abbreviation.......Starfleet Equivalent 2nd Lieutenant (2Lt).......................Ensign 1st Lieutenant (1Lt)........................Lieutenant Junior Grade Marine Captain (M Capt)...................Lieutenant Major (Maj)....................................Lieutenant Commander Lieutenant Colonel (Lt. Col.)..............Commander Colonel (Col)..................................Captain Brigadier General (B Gen)..................Commodore Major General (M Gen).....................Rear Admiral Lieutenant General (Lt. Gen).............Vice-Admiral General (Gen).................................Admiral Field Marshall (F Mar).......................Fleet Admiral 3.2.3 ENLISTED PERSONNEL In Starfleet, an enlisted crew person is one who has not completed the four-year Starfleet Academy course. In most cases, enlisted crewmen sign up directly to a ship or posting, and receive basic training, as well as any specific courses required for their position. (TNG: "The Drumhead"; DS9: "Shadow play", "Starship Down") Its predecessor, the Earth Starfleet, also had a hierarchy of enlisted positions. Other force structures, such as the Klingon Defense Force, have enlisted men in their ranks, but it is unclear as to how they differ from their standard officer ranks. As with commissioned officers, there is a rank structure amongst enlisted crew. In naval systems, these are referred to as "rates", in military systems these are called "grades". The term "non-commissioned officer" refers specifically to any enlisted personnel given authority over other personnel. In Starfleet, this could refer to any petty officer (up to master chief). All commissioned officer ranks, from ensign upward, outrank all enlisted in the chain of command. However, in certain cases, noncommissioned officers can exercise authority over commissioned officers. (Miles O'Brien is one such case, in his position as chief of operations aboard Deep Space 9). Additionally, chief petty officers such as O'Brien wield influence far beyond their place in the rank structure due to their extensive experience and skill, and are expected to mentor junior officers as well as other noncommissioned officers. Enlisted personnel may be promoted to receive a commission, but must pass necessary examinations and/or attend the Academy. Examples of typical enlisted roles include: field medics, repair technicians, systems analysts and yeomen. Players joining Challenger can choose to play as an enlisted crew member. Typically, one chooses this path for variety, the ability to post in an 'original' position or other reasons. 3.2.4 ENLISTED RANK STRUCTURE Starfleet............................Marine Corps Able Seaman........................Private Petty Officer, 2nd class..........Corporal Petty Officer, 1st class...........Sargent Senior Chief Petty Officer........Staff Sargent Master Chief Petty Officer.......First Sargent 4.0 DEPARTMENTS Every person assigned to the ship is assigned to a particular department that is responsible for a specific task. These departments work as teams to ensure smooth operation for the good of the ship and crew. Aside from the Marine Corps, as was mentioned earlier (section 3.2.1), included are the departments on board the Challenger one can join and their typical roles on the ship. 4.1 COMMAND Command personnel have the final say on everything that goes on the ship (both in character and out). These positions are held by experienced GM staff with years of simming experience under their belts. They act as the story teller of the sim and act as mediators in most personnel matters concerning the ship. COMMANDING OFFICER (CO) The Commanding Officer is the person in command of the starship. He/She is responsible for the general well-being of the crew and the ship and tries to act in their best interests as well as the interests of the United Federation of Planets. The Commanding Officers are also generally responsible for plot lines and the upkeep of the sim, both in-character and out. As master of the ship, nothing can happen on board without the Captain's approval. S/he decides the course of action, selecting the composition of landing parties. A Commanding Officer must also ensure that their actions do not violate the Prime Directive. The Commanding Officer is responsible for the actions of their crew. Using the ship's bridge officers to gather data and perform functions, s/he must maintain control of the ship, and promote team work, guiding his/her crew to the successful completion of the mission. EXECUTIVE OFFICER (XO) The Executive Officer is the second highest person in command of the ship. In the absence of the Commanding Officer, the Executive Officer assumes command. All personnel matters generally fall to the purview of the Executive Officer. S/he assists in controlling the crew and ensures that they work smoothly as a unit. As the assistant GM of a simulation, the Executive Officer acts as an assistant to the Commanding Officer and offers valued input in matters such as the plot, future plot lines, and crew matters. As is the case in our era, the Executive Officer can double as another bridge position. The XO also serves as head of the command / bridge department. SECOND OFFICER (2XO, SO) At times the XO must assume command. When this happens the XO needs the help of another officer to assume his/her role as XO. The second officer is not a stand-alone position, but a role given to the next-highest ranked and trusted officer aboard. When required the Second Officer will assume the role of XO, or if needed CO, and performs their duties as listed, for as long as required. 4.1.1 BRIDGE POSITIONS In this era, several dedicated bridge positions were manned by members of the command department. NAVIGATION OFFICER (NAV) In keeping with 23rd Century tradition, the duties of the Navigational Officer include maintaining and operating the ship's deflector dish, navigational systems, scanning for space anomalies & navigational hazards, charting unexplored space, and secondary operation of various ship's systems from the bridge. In emergencies, the Navigation Officer works with Engineering to direct damage control teams. HELM OFFICER (HELM) The Helm officer pilots the ship from place to place, establishes speed and orbit, and evades enemy attacks whilst under fire. These highly trained pilots are capable of flying virtually anything that moves and observes all intergalactic speed limits and protocol. These officers may also act as shuttle pilots in away missions when the ship is in orbit. They have a secondary role, supporting Tactical as needed in firing weapons, raising shields, and changing alert status. When no command or command-designated officers are present , the Helm Officer assumes control of the bridge. COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER (COMM) The Communications Officer is responsible for the management of incoming and outgoing transmissions the ship sends and receives. Communications Officers use a small silver subspace transceiver earpiece to send and receive communications. They are also responsible for relaying messages from the sender to the rest of the bridge staff, and in turn are also responsible of relaying messages to other ships, stations, or planets that they are in contact with. If prompted, they can place the parties contacted on the main viewer for face to face communications. The Communications Officer is responsible for controlling and limiting contact with the bridge. S/he is frequently a linguist, a default diplomat, and considered the "voice of the ship". 4.2 ENGINEERING Engineering is the department solely responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the ship. They act as mechanics when something is damaged and are in charge of rerouting energy throughout the ship to other starship systems. They are also in charge of the ship's warp core and other propulsion systems, and are responsible for their upkeep. In the event that the ship needs to make a quick getaway or interception, they have the technical know how to coax more power from the warp drive to give the ship the extra boost of speed it needs. Engineers tend to know every aspect of the ship more than anyone else on board. They are often called upon to develop technical solutions beyond the ship, as well. CHIEF ENGINEERING OFFICER (CENG) In charge of Engineering is the Chief Engineering Officer. S/he oversees repair done to the ship and usually is responsible for relaying status reports to the bridge. The Chief Engineer knows their ship like the back of their hand. They act as 'miracle workers' leading repairs, acting as are capable of fixing anything technical aboard the ship – in time. ASSISTANT ENGINEERING OFFICERS (AENG) Assistant Engineers do just that. They assist the CENG in repairs as well as the maintenance of the ship. These Engineers are highly trained and are capable of taking command of Engineering when the CENG is away. 4.3 SCIENCE Science officers are responsible for the exploration aspects of the ship. They chart new systems, stars or nebulae. They record new scientific data and implementing new ideas based on their findings. Science officers are also responsible for ensuring that the ship can successfully navigate through spacial anomalies, black holes, etc. Science officers typically accompany members of away teams, scanning everything with their tricorders wherever they go. Science officers collect scientific data from their studies and make logical conclusions based on them. CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER (CSCI) The Chief Science Officer is in charge of collecting all scientific data his or her team collects and distributing it within the department for analysis. In addition, they are responsible for providing the command staff scientific information needed to carryout a mission. The Chief Science Officer ensures all experiments and scans are completed in time and that his crew does just that. ASSISTANT SCIENCE OFFICERS (ASCI) Assistant Science Officers work with the CSCI in terms of administration and data collection and analysis. Assistant Science Officers may also specialise in a particular field of science such as astrometrics or biology, but are generally considered well trained in the sciences. They may be given responsibility over one or more areas or specialties like EPS specialist, impulse chief, transporter chief, diagnostic lead, and the like. 4.4 SECURITY Security personnel ensure that the ship is safe for its crew and, like the Marines, act as protection during landing parties. Since their roles are similar to each other, Security works closely with the Marine Corps to ensure that the crew is safe at all times. Security is responsible for handling matters such as conflicts onboard the ship, intruder alerts, and escorting guests or VIPs around the ship. Security personnel are also in charge of the ship's brigs and are well-versed in martial arts and weapons marksmanship. They are highly trained fighters and are always ready to defend the ship against internal enemies. They are also trained in survival, force fields, and are experts in escaping from virtually anything. CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER (CSEC) The Chief Security Officer is called Chief of Security. Her/his duty is to ensure the safety of ship and crew as well as its defense. Some take it as their personal duty to protect the Commanding Officer/Executive Officer on away teams. She/he is also responsible for people under arrest and the safety of guests, liked or not. S/he also is a department head and a member of the senior staff, responsible for all the crew members in her/his department and duty rosters. Security could be called the 23rd century police force. The Chief of Security role can also be combined with the Tactical Officer position ASSISTANT SECURITY OFFICER (ASEC) Security officers assist the CSEC in maintaining the safety of everybody aboard the ship. They accompany members of the away team, guard the brig, question prisoners and help escort guests around the ship. Security officers routinely patrol the ship to protect and handle any threats to the crew or the Federation. TACTICAL OFFICER (TAC) Tactical officers are responsible for the offense and defense of the ship. Drawn from the security department, they act as the ship's gunner and are in charge of the ship's weapons systems. They also also responsible for the ship's shields and ensure that they are on-line and operational whenever it is needed. They control a dedicated set of tactical sensors to help with targetting and threat status. 4.5 MEDICAL Medical crew ensure the health and well-being of the crew on the ship as well as during and after away missions. Medics heal the sick and wounded and conduct routine physical health exams for all crew. Experts in the field of medicine, they have the authority to pronounce people dead and to relieve any of the command staff of command if they feel they are medically unfit for duty. CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER (CMO) The Chief Medical Officer is in charge of the medical department and is in turn in charge of the health and well-being of the crew. The CMO helps the sick and wounded, pronounces biological lifeforms dead, studies biological lifeforms, diagnoses, and comes up with cures for new diseases, etc. The CMO is an expert and has many degrees in the field of medicine. ASSISTANT MEDICAL OFFICER (AMO) The Assistant Medical Officer assists the CMO with the responsibilities of the ship's Medical Department. AMO's are also medical doctors or nurses and can fill in for the CMO from time to time. She/He will often accompany Away Teams and carry medical kits and tricorders ready to mend any possible injury. SHIP'S COUNSELOR (CNS) The Ship's Counselor is an emerging position, responsible for the mental and emotional well-being of the ship's crew. A counselor's duties include providing individual guidance and advice to crew members, as well as periodic crew performance evaluations, usually performed with the ship's XO or other department heads. A counselor is also expected to mediate communications in difficult first contact situations, and provide advice to the Commanding Officer. Telepathic counselors will report any information (learned by telepathic means) relevant to the ship's mission to the Commanding Officer. 5.0 LOGS Like academies, advanced sims are a weekly one-hour activity, and it's easy to think that there all there is to it, but this does not hold true with advanced sims. With logs, writing and reading other logs made by other crewmates can easily turn into a five-hour activity. Logs add a valuable insight into your character and aid in development and interaction with other crew. Players should allocate some free time each week to read logs made by others as well as to try writing their own. Logs should be sent to the Challenger mail string as well as posted to the Challenger sub-forum in the STSF Forum. Consistent log writing is a factor in deciding one's promotions. They are important in that make the sim more enjoyable and easier to understand what is happening in the current plot. The most basic and simplest types of log is the duty log. Generally, these logs can be very short (one paragraph) and usually includes a summary of what a character did and their perspective on the events of the last live game, analysis of these events and perhaps even some plans of what to do in the next sim. Duty logs provide an extensive recap on the events of the last sim, and gives the reader a chance to recall the events of the last sim, especially if they were not paying attention to everything that happened, or for players who missed the last sim entirely to help catch up. They also show your plans and intentions for future sims to the rest of the crew and will give them an opportunity to work with this into the plot. Another type of log is the personal log. Personal logs give the reader insight into your character. Oftentimes, there isn't enough time in the sim for character development, so the personal log gives you the opportunity to show what your character is like. What their personality is like, their likes or dislikes, as well as insight on relations with other crew, or their friends or family. Usually, personal logs gives the reader more of a chance to learn about your character and 'how they tick', but remember that personal logs, are just that; personal. Generally, what is written in these logs is not known by most of the crew if any. Personal logs may include private moments that the rest of us wouldn't necessarily know about. So if Ensign Jones writes a personal log about his dog who just had puppies, don't assume you know this too unless he specifically tells you in character. For whatever reason; whether to continue off doing something you were doing with one or more players from last sim, or to go on an outing or to have a talk with another character, the third type of log, the joint log will prove to be necessary. Under no circumstances, should a player use another player's character or NPC without their written consent. So a joint log when interactions with another player is necessary to take place. Joint logs take place with two or more characters over an instant messaging program or via email until enough text for a log is acquired. As is the case with personal logs, joint logs can provide some insight on the particular players' relationship or interaction with each other. As a courtesy to the rest of the crew, please try to make your logs as legible as possible, that is, please try to make sure your logs are free of spelling or grammatical errors, displays proper punctuation and is evenly spaced out between paragraphs. 6.0 PLAYER BIOGRAPHIES When a player first joins the Challenger, they are encouraged to create a biography for their character. A biography should be created for your character within a month after joining. Your biography can range from something simple, like listing your character's basic information and attributes (who they are, what they look like, their species and gender and where they come from, etc) to something much more complex, such as listing their family information, personal history, hobbies and history and information on their species (especially Important if you're creating your own new species specifically for the sim). A biography is the first "introduction" to your character and gives us a general idea of what they look like, past assignments (if applicable), etc. Look at a few of the other player's biographies to get an example of what to write for yours. Please email your character's biography to the Command staff for approval before posting it to the board and to the mail string. 7.0 NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS Occasionally, the need for non-player characters or NPCs will arise as the sim progresses. NPCs can come in the form of a Starfleet Admiral giving orders to a fellow member of the Challenger crew needed to assist your character in a particular mission. NPCs are useful when other players are unavailable or incapable of helping you. NPCs can also die, get hurt or seriously injured or perform in random other tasks so you don't have to. A standard Excelsior crew compliment is about 750. But usually there is only about 15-20 people playing at any given time. NPCs can take on the roles of positions that aren't covered by player characters, such as armoury officer, transporter chief or quartermaster. Anybody can come up with their own NPC(s) at any given time. However, out of respect for your fellow player, please do not use another player's NPC unless you have permission from that player to do so. This includes logs and in the sim itself. If you can't get permission to use an NPC, then it's better to just make another one of your own. 7.1 ALIEN RACES On the NX Challenger, players were limited to a few select alien races. 23rd Century options for selecting a particular race for the USS Challenger are more open. In this era, the Federation consisted of many member worlds. Star Trek TOS, TAS, and the movies illustrate a wide diversity of alien characters serving on various positions. You can use any species that is a member of the Federation as of the late 23rd century. This includes Vulcans, Andorians, Tellarites, Caitians, Deltans, Trills, Denobulans, and Humans. There are other more obscure races that you can build your character on, but given the sim era, there are limitations. You cannot, for example, join as a Klingon, since the Federation still shared an uneasy relationship with them at the time. You also can't play as an alien race that hasn't been contacted yet as of Star Trek VI. This means you can't play as a Bajoran, Cardassian, or Ferengi. If you're unsure on whether a certain race is allowable or not, email the command staff and we'll tell you whether or not a race is permissible. Additionally, if you feel adventurous, you can join as an alien race you created yourself. But if you do wish to do this, then please inform the command staff for approval. Also, be sure to include information on your new race as well, including their appearance description, planet location/description as well as a history of said race including first contact with the Federation and when the race became a member of the Federation. 8.0 ETTIQUETTE As is the case in the academy, or your other simulations, you are expected to treat each member of the crew with respect. Of course, this isn't a big issue with most people, but a few simple steps in etiquette will help avoid any problems or conflicts in the future. Above all, try to remember that is this just a game. While we expect some degree of seriousness and professionalism to maintain a realistic atmosphere, don't take your rank too seriously. Your rank doesn't give you the right to talk down to someone else with a lower rank than you, unless both parties agree to it beforehand. Remember that while in character we hold different ranks, as players, out of character, we are all equal and there are far better ways to display your seniority while still showing respect to your fellow crew mate. Remember also, that there is a line between what happens in character and out. A character that comes across as brash, or mean may come from a player who is much more friendly in real life. Try to think of it as the Star Trek series or movies. It looked real enough and had cool special effects, but in the end, it was only a TV show or a movie done by actors who had much different personalities than their on-screen alter egos. The meanness and brashness displayed by a certain character is simply an act, so try not take it too seriously. If you want to act out an altercation with another player, then be sure to tell them by PM. If you do plan on having an in-character argument or fight, then please let the command team know in advance, either by email or PM. But there may be times where you may have out-of-character issues with someone else. In these events, try to resolve them with the other player politely, through PM's (Private Messages), IM's or email to come up with an amicable solution to the issue in question. If this doesn't work, contact the GM team, and we'll work with both of you to come to a friendly compromise. But if even this doesn't work, we can then take the matter to the STSF JAG Officer. Please remember that we are all human, and we all have feelings and any personal attacks and/or flames directed to another player will not be tolerated! There isn't anything wrong with two characters fighting, as long as both you know that it is only an in character altercation. But, if we feel that any altercation, in character or out is disrupting the sim, then we reserve the right to warn you by PM or email. Continued disruption will be dealt with under the rules of the Terms of Service. 8.1 PRIVATE MESSAGING (PM's) The chat room is equipped with internal instant messaging to a specific player or GM. It is an extremely useful feature for numerous reasons. Sometimes, the sim can get very busy, particularly in heavy action sims. The text scrolls by very rapidly and sometimes, chat lines can be missed and the person which whom you are trying to talk to misses what you have to say. Don't think that they are ignoring you. Simply PM them, telling them that you are trying to contact them, and repeat what you said to them in the PM. You could also PM somebody, or the GM's if you have any questions about the plot, how something works or how to do or use a certain activity or technology, etc you are using. Contacting the appropriate person via PM can help you understand what to do, and that person will be in a better position to help you along. Try to avoid flooding the chat room with <<OOC statements like these>>, but also try to use PM's sparingly if you can, as these can be distracting to the other player as well. OOC statements are fine for a few lines, but anything more should be taken to PM's, instant messaging or via email. 9.0 PROBLEM SOLVING & GENERAL GAME PLAY During the academy, you weren't expected to do much; you were to follow the chain of command, respond to GM actions, keep yourself busy and to interact with other cadets. But, there's much more to that in advanced sims. Here, you will be playing the same character week after week in a mission plot that could last several weeks to several months. The game play will be much more complex than you experienced in the academy. But, this will also you to be much more creative. You are encouraged to add in your opinions of the mission, possible observations on the plot and/or solutions to its resolution, as well as ideas for new mission plot lines. But be aware that there are some limitations... Missions on the Challenger have a series of problems that need to be solved. There is of course, the central problem of the plot itself (for example, initiating first contact with a new species, getting the ship out of a nebula or black hole, or exploring a newly discovered planet or star system). But along the way, there may be some smaller problems encountered in the plot that also require a solution to, and these smaller problems might not be related to the central plot itself. A common misconception is that the goal of the mission is to solve all these problems by the end of the plot. In actuality though, the goal for all of our missions is to have fun. Not all missions have a positive ending, but so long as everybody had a good time then the plot is considered a success. Some players may want to take it upon themselves to come up with a solution on their own. Either done by performing some kind of extraordinary feat beyond their abilities, or by inventing some kind of device using some Star Trek technobabble that nobody understands. But the problem with these types of solutions (aside from not making any sense), is that they would cut the mission short and thereby denying anyone else any opportunity to pitch in their ideas. You may want to contribute some ideas to the solution of a mission, but here are some ideas to achieve this without going overboard: 9.1 PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS In the 23rd century there are some elements of technology not available for our use, even if it was used on a certain episode or movie in the Star Trek series. There is a good reason for this. If you go to your department chief or to the CO and suggest that we use a baryon/tetryon deflector pulse combined with a phaser beam modulated to an alpha wave frequency to get out of a nebula, in the best scenario all you'll usually receive would be a blank look on their faces. But in the worst case scenario, your suggestion would actually be used. The problem would be resolved and there would not be any further opportunity to come up with something else more creative. The use of technobabble is sometimes appropriate in order to maintain a Trek like atmosphere, but it shouldn't be the sole solution to all of our problems. Rather, it should be used as an aid to come up with a more practical solution to a particular problem. Before submitting your idea to your superiors, first ask yourself what the baryon/tetryon deflector pulse, or phaser beam would do to help get us out of the nebula. Would it help push the ship out of a nebula? Form a protective barrier around the ship? Or open up some kind of spacial rift that we could then use as a kind of "anchor" to pull ourselves out? You may have to consult a few tech manuals or look it up on Google. When you have these information together, plot an outline of what this would do and address any possible solutions to any consequences that doing this task may entail. (Again, more of those "smaller problems" that was mentioned earlier). Once we have this information, then your superior officers can better figure out what to do and address these problems. If you;re still not sure of what a possible solution would do, then perhaps you don't have the best solution to the particular problem at hand. Oftentimes, it's best to approach the problem in a logical manner. What exactly does it mean when the ship is stuck in a nebula? What other problems could this pose? Could you draw up any analogies between this and a real life situation? (Perhaps like a car that's stuck in the snow in the middle of nowhere)? When you think of the problem in logical terms, you can generally come up with a more practical and logical solution, and put them into more of a Star Trek context. Challenger may not have all the latest technical innovations (compared to the ships in the TNG era), but that shouldn't matter. A practical solution may possibly be carried out with different, or even more crude technology. 9.2 TEAMWORK Your solution shouldn't be the answer to everything, and if you think this then you've got a lot to learn about teamwork. You are working on a team, be it within your department or in the sim as a whole, and the best players try to find a way for everybody to contribute. When you come up with a solution to a problem, don't be overly confident and think that it will work. Instead, think that is could work, but there is still a lot of aspects about it that still need to be addressed. Would the baryon/tetryon pulse generate a dangerous level of radiation to the crew? Maybe the phaser modulations would require direct modification of the phaser arrays. Maybe the nebula would have to be monitored for dangerous particle concentrations. Make your solution full of even more smaller problems, and the rest of the crew will have ways to become involved. If another player presents a solution that is filled with these smaller problems, then try coming up with them on your own (especially if you're a department head). You didn't come up with this solution, but your character could be an expert in a particular field, with the other character is not, so you might know a thing or two about baryon/tetryon pulses while the other character does not. On the other hand, don't simply say "no, that won't work." That's just being negative. Indicate that the solution could work but that there are a lot of gaps to fill first 9.3 BELIEVEABLE SOLUTIONS You learned in the academy that you cannot transport through shields, destroy a hundred Klingon birds of prey with just one ship, or input commands to make the consoles throughout the ship come alive and fight off intruders, as if the Challenger has entered Bizzaro World. Most solutions aren't as exaggerated as this, but some still do fall outside the realm of reality and possibility. On Challenger, a perfect example of this would be to fire the quantum or transphasic torpedoes. These don't yet exist for about another 70-80 years. But don't ever respond to a solution like this with "no, that won't work." Take the solution presented, acknowledge that the idea has merit even if the method does not, and offer alternatives. You're not going to blow up the star… but maybe you can create a smaller shock wave significant enough to push the comet. You can't make the Engineering consoles pop up and fight… but you might find a way to surround them with forcefields. And there are always practical alternatives to using quantum torpedoes. 9.4 ONE TREE, MANY BRANCHES If a solution to a problem is being worked on, do you… a) lend a hand and/or your brain to help develop the solution or :) come up with a completely different solution? Saying "I've got a better idea" is a signal that you're ignoring your teammates and trying to become the focus of attention. Contribute to solutions that have already been presented. If you're a department head, develop the solution by presenting problems that need to be addressed (as indicated above). If you're an assistant, and you're not sure how you could pitch in to the problem solving effort, ask your superior officer what you can do to help. Don't scrap your "better idea" entirely—maybe it can somehow be integrated into the solution already being developed, or maybe it can be saved for a similar problem further down the road. 9.5 GOD-MODDING Challenger is under attack and rebel Klingon warriors have beamed aboard the ship. They have the Captain and the XO hostage and plan to take the ship and crew back to their base. You aren't going to stand for this! Single-handedly, you fend off the Klingons' attacks and somehow manage to dodge their distuptor fire. You storm the bridge, kill the Klingon in charge, and free the Captain and XO. Oh, and did I mention that you are an ensign in Science? This is called "god-modding" and is inappropriate. If a character can do all of this on their own, there wouldn't be a need for anyone else on the ship. This of course, is an exaggeration and is the kind of thing that would hold you back a month or two in the academy - it might also include a quick GM action killing your character off. But god-modding still appears in more subtle ways. Remember that your role on the ship isn't to solve all of the problems. Your goal is to work with others coming up with a solution and having fun along the way in doing so. Avoid the mindset that the sim is a challenge to be overcome and put more emphasis on what you're not capable of doing. Flaws encourage teamwork and are a lot more fun to role-play. 9.6 TELEPATHY In regard to telepaths, please note that as with logs, permission must be obtained from other players before your character can sense any particular thought or emotion that is not explicitly spelled out on screen. For example, without permission, the following is not acceptable: Seiben> ::throws chair across the room:: Telepath> ::senses Seiben's anger:: Since I simply may like throwing chairs, that is not acceptable. The following is acceptable: Seiben> ::is extremely angry:: Telepath> ::senses Seiben's anger: 10.0 FINAL REMINDER on ROLE PLAYING This is just a game, played for fun and enjoyment. As such, it's easy to assume that a variety of circumstances will occur. Please note however that while this simulation is not real, we still do expect a degree of realism in the simming atmosphere. It is therefore expected that your character will act within the boundaries of what would be considered realistic. There are no "super heroes" aboard the ship. Simply just a group of highly dedicated officers. Likewise, a ship just can't magically heal herself. Damages the ship sustains require repair, and these repairs take time. They do not happen instantaneously. Finally, please remember that while 23rd century technology is quite advanced, Star Trek has its limitations and we all must work within them.
  13. Additionally, the policy packet can be downloaded in PDF and Word formats. USS_Challenger_policy_packet.doc USS_Challenger_policy_packet.pdf
  14. UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS CREW BIOGRAPHY FILES PERSONAL INFORMATION Name: Hans Seiben Race: Human Gender: Male Date of Birth: SD 4202.13 Age: 52 Place of Birth: Stuttgart, Germany, Earth Marital Status: Married Eye colour: Blue Hair colour: Blonde Height: 1.85 m (6'01") Weight: 85.3 kg (188 lbs) FAMILY INFORMATION Father: Admiral Alexander Seiben, 78 (retired) Mother: Sarina Seiben, 76 (retired) Brother: Rolf Seiben, 47 (Captain, USS Challenger) Wife: Lucy Seiben, 50 (Captain, Deputy Head of Starfleet Medical) Children: Peter Seiben, 26 (Lieutenant, Sierra 4 station) Michelle Seiben, 22 (Civilian, school teacher) Cousins: Hanz and Franz, Fitness/Security Goons CAREER HISTORY Identification: 5815PRC866 Rank: Admiral Current Assignment: Commanding Officer/Flag Officer Ship/Station: Earth Space Dock/ USS Aurora (NCC-1995, Constellation Class) CAREER SUMMARY 12 May 2263: Graduates Starfleet Academy 20 May 2263: Joins USS Hood (NCC-1703, Constitution Class) as Engineering Officer 03 June 2263: Receives Medical Reprimand for eating donut whilst on duty from Dr. Joe Manning 26 August 2264: Promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade 02 September 2265 : Serves as temporary Nav/Tac officer, and helps in corralling the USS Saskatchewan, ship of inter-galactic gangster Lou Bevino 21 October 2265: Serves as temporary Operations officer of USS Saskatchewan 20 January 2266: Promoted to Lieutenant 03 February 2266 : Aids in construction of energy plants on the planet Emerald 01 March 2267: Marries his wife Lucy Johnson in Miami, takes one week Leave of Absence for honeymoon 13 April 2267 : Infected with disease causing his body to glow a light green, quarantined in sickbay 04 May 2267 *: Healed from infection and green glow. 04 May 2268 : Promoted to Lieutenant Senior Grade 17 June 2268 *: Finished re-wiring of corroded consoles, and wiring with Engineering crew when Hood crashed into ocean three years ago. Gets drunk with Engineering crew after party in mess hall to celebrate accomplishment. 08 March 2269: Awarded Starfleet Starburst and Merit Award 15 March 2270: Promoted to Lieutenant Commander 06 June, 2272: Severely injured in battle on board USS Hood against Klingon vessels 10 July, 2273: Recovery from injuries 28 July, 2273: Transfer to USS Lexington (NCC-1709, Constitution Class) as Chief Engineering Officer 30 November, 2275: Promotion to Commander 18 February, 2278: Transfer to USS Lexington (NCC-1709-A, Constitution Refit Class) as Chief Engineer 11 January, 2280: Transfer to USS Valiant (NCC-1804, Miranda Class) as Executive Officer 20 March, 2281: Awarded Merit Award 17 May, 2281: Promotion to Captain, and assignment as Commanding Officer of USS Valiant. 31 September, 2283: Participates in mission to stop rouge Klingons attack a Federation Outpost. 03 April, 2285: Promotion to Rear Admiral 15 July, 2287: Transfer to Starfleet Command, assigned as advisor to the Department of Defense 01 October, 2290: Promotion to Admiral 01 January, 2291: Transfer to Earth Space Dock as Commanding Officer * = Date unknown; using best estimate PERSONAL HISTORY At an early age, young Hans Seiben demonstrated interests in space travel after his parents took him on an Intergalactic Cruise when he was five. From then on in, he remained determined to one day enter Starfleet Academy and be posted on a Starfleet ship like his old man did. With his mother's encouragement, Seiben pursued a career in Engineering, and seemed to excel quite well in technical pre-requisites for Engineering at school. At the age of ten, Seiben toured the Cochrane Warp Technology factory with his mother. At the age of eighteen, Seiben was enrolled into Starfleet Academy. He graduated four years later graduating in the top ten percent of his graduating class, specialising in Warp systems. With the political power of his father (then) Rear Admiral Alexander Seiben, Hans was posted onto the the Constitution-Class USS Hood and reported for duty on star date 6305.20 Since then, Hans has arisen to ranks of Senior Lieutenant and went through many hardships and happiness whilst on the Hood all with grace and dignity. But most of all his time on the Hood has been rewarding for him. On his first mission on the Hood, Seiben met his future wife to be on Starbase 29. The couple would marry a few years later in Miami, Florida with their family, friends and crew from the USS Hood (which Lucy would also be assigned to). The two served together on the Hood for another year until Lucy took time off, after the trial of Captain Huff. In their villa, near Auckland, New Zealand, it would become known that Lucy would be pregnant with their first child. A son, Peter Seiben was born in Auckland nine months later. After her maternity leave, Lucy would serve on other ships and stations than her husband, but they kept in constant contact with each other. On the Hood, Hans rose up in the ranks eventually attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He served aboard the vessel until 2272, when he was critically wounded during a surprise Klingon attack on the Hood. Hans was immediately taken back to Earth for treatment. Hans would recover from his injuries, after extensive surgeries and replacement of much of his right leg and both arms with prosthetic limbs. The limbs are virtually indistinguishable from real arms and legs in both looks and function and sometimes walks with the use of a cane. After his recovery, he was transferred to the USS Lexington as their Chief Engineering Officer. He served on this vessel (and its refit) for eight years, before being selected to serve on the USS Valiant as Executive and later Commanding officer of this vessel. Upon his promotion to Rear Admiral, Hans was selected to serve in Starfleet Command in San Francisco in the Department of Defense as an advisor. But, not liking this job, he successfully petitioned for a command position and was assigned command of Earth Space Dock. As a Flag Officer and an Admiral, Hans was also given command of the USS Aurora (NCC-1995, Constellation Class), a support/exploration vessel assigned to the station. Hans continues to command both Earth Space Dock and the Aurora to this day. HOBBIES & INTERESTS Hans has a wide variety of interests ranging from active to casual. While not as active as his younger brother, Hans still enjoys the outdoors, and enjoys scuba diving, horse back riding and snowboarding. He also likes hunting, hiking and camping as well. Still the Engineer, Hans also likes fixing his own shuttles and his collection of old space craft, as well as his mint condition 1967 Porsche 911 Targa, which he configured to run on 23rd century propulsion technology. He tries to keep up to date with the latest technologies. A habit he got from his days on the USS Hood, Hans enjoys drinking coffee at Starbucks and Tim Horton's and eating donuts. His favourite flavours are Boston crème, strawberry jelly and glazed sugar coated crullers. He also is a wine connoisseur and loves beer. But to prevent himself from getting too fat, Hans enjoys taking walks and runs on the recreation room, or around the station. Like his brother, Hans is a good family man and enjoys spending time with his family and enjoys going on holidays to far off remote places with them.
  15. UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS CREW BIOGRAPHY FILES PERSONAL INFORMATION Name: Rolf Seiben Race: Human Gender: Male Date of Birth: Stardate 4704.27 Age: 47 Place of Birth: Zürich, Switzerland, Earth Martial Status: Married Eye colour: Blue Hair colour: Blonde Height: 1.92 m (6'03") Weight: 77.1 kg (170lbs) FAMILY INFORMATION Father: Admiral Alexander Seiben, 78 (Retired) Mother: Sarina Seiben, 76 (Retired) Wife: Tara Seiben, 44 (Civilian, Civil Servant) Children: Daughter: Sabine Seiben, 20 (2nd year student at Harvard University) Son: Terry Seiben, 14 Daughter: Mindy Seiben, 8 Brother: Admiral Hans Seiben (CO Earth Space Dock) Cousins: Hanz and Franz, Security Personnel/Fitness Centre Owners. CAREER HISTORY Identification: 6893SDJ034 Rank: Captain Assignment: USS Challenger, NCC-2457 Role: Commanding Officer CAREER SUMMARY SD 6606.20– Graduation from Starfleet Academy SD 6607.04 – Assignment to USS Taurus, as Security Officer/Shuttle Pilot (Oberth Class, NCC-808) SD 6802.10 – Promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade SD 7201.20 – Receives Starfleet Medal of Honour for going above and beyond his duty. SD 7308.30 – Transfer to USS Illustrious (NCC-1470, Constitution Class) SD 7539.7 – Promotion to Lieutenant SD 79003.6 – Reassignment to Chief Security Officer SD 7949.12 – Promotion to Lieutenant Commander SD 8094.9 – Receives Federation Cross for actions in rescuing civilians against the Gorn on Icarus II. SD 8341.2 – Promotion to Commander and transfer to USS Dallas (Miranda Class, NCC-1889) as Executive Officer SD 9245.64 – Promotion to Captain and reassignment to Commanding Officer of USS Cherokee (Polaris Class, NCC-1602) SD 9402.0 – Assignment to USS Challenger (Excelsior Refit, NCC-2457) as Commanding Officer MEDICAL HISTORY Blood type: AB Known Allergies: None Permanent Injuries: None Physical Shape: Excellent Mental Shape: Excellent Build: Lean/muscular Physical: SD 10801.8 – PASS PERSONAL HISTORY Rolf Seiben was born into into a loving family with a rich history of service in Starfleet. It was expected that both the sons of Alexander and Sarina Seiben would follow into their family's footsteps and serve in Starfleet in the future. Rolf, like his brother Hans did exceptionally well in school and consistently scored high marks in class. Unlike his brother though, Rolf tended to enjoy more outdoor activities and was much more physically active. Priding himself of keeping fit and staying in prime physical shape, Rolf tried out and participated in many forms of sport, being considered an excellent all-round player for his schools' sports teams and developed an interest in martial arts. Rolf took up the Japanese martial arts form of judo at age eight, and became a black belt in the sport by fifteen and is still a keen fighter to this very day. Socially, Rolf is seen as a friendly person and is considered easy to get along with. Garnering many friends in his youth and in academy, Rolf enjoys spending his free time with them in a range of activities. It is this amicable personality that makes him a good confidant, popular amongst his crew and his peers at Starfleet Command. On SD 7307.28, Rolf would marry his high school sweetheart Tara Johansen. They would go on to have three children together. Whilst off duty, or on leave, Rolf often and still does visit his family at their home in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Because of his martial arts background and superb physical shape, Rolf opted to join the Security program in Academy. He scored excellently in hand to hand combat and proved to be a superb marksman, sharp shooter and shuttle pilot. Graduating in the Top 20 of his class, Rolf was posted to the USS Taurus, an Oberth class science vessel and formed a tight relationship with his crew aboard their little ship. Rolf would prove himself a competent officer and shuttle pilot, and participated in much of the Taurus' away missions, mostly exploration oriented. One mission however, proved otherwise. Risking his life and safety, Rolf would go on to receive the Starfleet Medal of Honour for his actions of rescuing his crew which were stranded in an asteroid in a shuttle under attack from a Romulan scout vessel. Distracting the vessel by firing on its engines, Rolf successfully bought enough time for his crew to escape back to the Taurus. He would also get lucky and disable the scout's propulsion system with a few lucky shots of his phaser banks, thus giving the Taurus a chance to escape. Over the years, Rolf would later move on to the USS Illustrious and further cement his reputation as a dependable and cunning officer, known for his ingenuity and superb survival instinct. It was because of this, that Starfleet quickly recommended him for command. On SD 8341.2, Rolf would be chosen to serve as Executive Officer aboard the USS Dallas, there, he proved not to let Starfleet down and participated in many battles against the Klingon and Romulan Empires. And on SD 9245.64, he would be given command of the Polaris Class Frigate USS Cherokee. The Cherokee mostly ran deliveries of supplies to colonies and planets along dangerous areas of space, while still maintaining a 100% delivery rate. By SD 10801.0, Starfleet, realising his potential and factoring in his excellent command and service reputation would assign him command of one of their new state-of-the-art Excelsior Refit Class ships, designed to counter the new line of Klingon vessels. On SD 9402.0, he would be formally given command of the USS Challenger (NCC-2457) upon the completion of this vessel at the Utopia Planetia manufacturing facility. HOBBIES & INTERESTS Being so physically active, it is not surprising that Rolf enjoys a wide myriad of outdoor activities. He is considered a bit of an 'adrenaline junkie' and aside from judo enjoys such activities as mountain climbing, skydiving, camping, canoing and kayaking among others. On his off-time, Rolf still practises judo and fully uses the exercise gym aboard the Challenger. He also likes to play zero-g football (soccer) with his crew, having served as a forward in high school and academy. Rolf also enjoys traveling. He enjoys spending his time on remote worlds as well as posh resorts with his family whilst on vacation. He also enjoys holo-movies and reading holo-novels. Rolf also enjoys playing the electric guitar and piloting shuttles. He also likes fine wines, and fine cuisine as well as most alcoholic from around the galaxy. Unlike his brother Hans though, Rolf tends to avoid junk foods such as donuts and chocolate, but likes to indulge on them on rare occasions.
  16. "A visitor, cometh" Log entry 05 (49): SD 940.25 St. Criox, Virgin Islands Morning broke over the tiny island of St. Criox, nestled in the carribean in the Atlantic Ocean. Captain Rolf Seiben was enjoying his morning's breakfast when heard a chime on his doorbell. His wife Tara walked over to the console next to the entrance to see who it was. She pressed a button on the keypad. The door opened and the visitor walked in. Rolf put down his paper to see his brother Admiral Hans Seiben walk in. Rolf got up and waved as his children swarmed the Admiral. "Hey kids!" replied Hans cheerfully. "I've come to see your pop for awhile" he said. He took two large packages from a bag he was carrying. "I got you both some donuts from the station and a few other things" Hans gave out the two packages to the children who thanked him and took off. "You sure do like to spoil them don't you?" replied Rolf's wife Tara. Hans smiled. "Of course, I do" replied Hans. "Check this out. It arrived from Risa, it's a special new make-up. But it's more of a gift from Lucy than me" Tara smiled. "Well, thank you both. I appreciate it" Rolf smiled as he watched his brother's charming act on his wife. "So, what brings you to our humble abode? Are you staying long?" asked Rolf. Tara went to the kitchen to make them some coffee as Hans and Rolf walked into the living room. They took a seat on two chairs in front of the holo-viewer. "I guess you can call it business and pleasure" smiled the elder Seiben. "But, mostly, it has to do with business" Tara returned with two cups of coffee a few moments later, then headed out to the balcony to read a holo-novel and watch the kids who were swimming in the ocean nearby. Hans sipped his coffee and bit into a scone from a tray that his wife had also provided. "These are good scones. Last time I had a scone so nice, I was on the Hood" complimented Hans. Rolf chuckled. "I didn't know you ate scones there too. From what I heard, all you guys ever ate there were donuts and coffee" Hans grabbed another scone from the tray. "Oh yeah. It wasn't all just donuts and bearclaws. We had quite the culinary variety on the Hood" reminisced Hans. "Ahh.. those were the days" he smiled as he contently sipped his coffee. Hans sighed as he placed his train of thought back on its rails. "But I'm not just here to reminisce on the old days" Rolf shrugged. "I figured you weren't. You said you were partially here on business?" he asked as he too grabbed a scone from the tray. "Yes, I am. So, how's construction going on the Challenger. I heard you got a new project foreman. That ought to have lightened your workload considerably" mused Hans. Rolf nodded. "It did. That gave me a bit more time here with my family. But anyway, construction's going along as scheduled and we haven't encountered any major problems" said Rolf. "Crew additions are also starting to file in as well. So hopefully, we should be fully stocked by launch time. Although, I'm still without an XO" "Ahh!" Hans nodded and rubbed his chin. "About that. That's really why I'm here. Starfleet has found a new XO for the Challenger" Rolf perked up in his seat, waiting to hear more. "But, he's a bit interesting" Rolf didn't know what to think about that. "Define interesting" Hans crossed one leg over the other and handed Rolf a PADD which contained his Exec's bio. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you, so I think it'll be better if you saw for yourself" responded Hans. Rolf read through the bio. His heart kind of sank a bit. Finally, though, Rolf got his brain and lips to speak. "So, if I get this right, my new Exec is Rip Van Winkle, who just woke up after 130 plus years?" Rolf sighed. Hans nodded sympathetically. "Yeah, I'm not sure what Starfleet is thinking in giving this post to someone like that. It'll be tough getting him caught up in all that happened from then to now, but they must be really confident in you to give this dude the XO spot with you on the Challenger" "Still though, I just hope Starfleet helps this guy adjust to our timeline. Command is much more different as it was then. But, who am I to judge, eh? I haven't even met the guy yet. And it's not like he doesn't have experience. It's kind of ironic, he'll be going from the Challenger.. to the Challenger" commented Rolf still reading DeGenza's bio. The two Seibenses finished their coffee and scones and both got up from their seats. "I guess I'll be meeting with him soon enough" said Rolf. "Probably" shrugged Hans. "Starfleet wanted me to let you know. You'll be leaving for San Francisco soon, eh?" he asked. Rolf nodded. "Yeah. Next week I think. Still need to familiarise myself with the Excelsior Class a bit more, while still checking on Challenger at Utopia" Hans smiled and knew that feeling. A Captain always wanted to check on their ship to scope out construction themselves. He too felt just the same as Aurora was undergoing construction. The Constellation class USS Aurora as Hans' flagship and the main support vessel for Spacedock. "Well, anyway, I should be going. Need to get back to Spacedock for my shift. It's been nice seeing you, and really. Goodluck with your new Exec. I'm sure Starfleet will put him back in the loop" Rolf nodded. "Thanks for coming and informing me. I'm sure he'll be alright, after the rust wears off" Hans smiled and nodded. "No problem, Rolf. I'll catch you later" He went outside to say goodbye to Tara and the kids before he beamed away back to his station. Rolf walked down the stairs to the beach still looking at his PADD. "Well Mr. Van Winkle, I sure hope Starfleet knows what they're doing in hiring you" he muttered, knowing he'd eventually find out in due time.
  17. “New Beginnings” Part III Log entry 03(47): SD 9401.09 Present day. The small transport vessel was now arriving at the Utopia Planetia facility which orbited Mars. The destination sign informed him that he was approaching the grand construction facility. Rolf grabbed his belongings from the overhead bin and unbuckled himself from his seat as the craft made a soft touchdown on of Utopia's landing pads. Stepping off the transport, Rolf was greeted by a young man in construction overalls and a hardhat. “Sir. I'm to take you to the foreman, who wishes to see you” he replied. Nodding Rolf slung his bags over his shoulder and followed the man in the hardhat. He followed him up a lift and past a row of offices. A corridor leading to the foreman's office offered a 360 degree view of all the projects going on. Rolf looked on impressed as he followed the man. So many projects all at once. He strained to see if he could find Challenger, but he couldn't. “We're here sir. The foreman is ready to see you” replied the man in the hardhat. He stepped inside and shook hands with foreman Bill Bailey. “Never amazes me how impressive this place can be” replies Rolf. “Yeah, even after all these years, there's always something that the remains impressive about this place” replied Bailey. “Thanks for the opportunity of letting me take a look around” said Rolf. “Sure” Bailey says simply as he pours of Jack Daniels whiskey into two glasses. “Want yours on the rocks?” Rolf nods. “Please” Bailey hands Rolf his glass. “Well, then. I suppose we should be on our way. If you'll follow me” Bailey gestures back to the exit. Rolf takes a sip of his whiskey and follows him out. They arrive at a changing room nearby, where they change into regulation safety vests and hardhats. “Gets pretty dangerous in here, eh?” Rolf nods silently. The two men take a lift down to a shuttle dock, where they enter a small travel pod. They pass by silently over other work projects, vessels undergoing construction and refits and some also getting extensive repairs from battle damage sustained after their last missions. But they also pass over a lot of Excelsiors, making it hard for Rolf to tell which ship is his. The pod turns sharply, but smoothly around a bend, before coming across an Excelsior Refit, bathed in spotlights and surrounded by work bees and other vessels. “There we have it. Job 1363769, or what will eventually become the USS Challenger” Bailey slowly moved the pod alongside the ship, which still resembled an empty shell. Three of the work bees were aligning one of the nacelles into place while workers from below guided it into its proper slot. To Rolf, who never witnessed a ship under construction before, it sort of resembled an old jigsaw puzzle or one of those plastic model kits he made when he was a kid. It was hard to believe that this mess would soon become a fully functional starship. “Construction's about halfway completed” replied Bailey. “Most of the outer hull has been completed. But there's still a lot to do, particularly inside as nothing has really been installed yet. And, with Starfleet's decision that ships be fully equipped by their launch, it'll be even harder to get her ready by February” “But, no worries. We're getting more reinforcements as we speak and equipment is being rushed in to expedite the construction” replied Bailey. Rolf's gazes wandered around. “But it must be hard getting more resources for so many ships” he wondered aloud. “It is, but we're not worried. It's important for Starfleet that all of its ships launch on time with minimal delays, so our needs are one of its top priorities. Or so they say, but, it'll be hard. I won't lie to you. Now, it's crunch time and we'll have to be on our best to get it done on time” END
  18. “New Beginnings, Part II” Log entry 02(46): SD 9401.09 “It's always tough giving up command of a ship, especially when it's your first one” said the admiral, as the two men walked along the corridors of Spacedock. “It sure is, bro” replied Rolf. Admiral Hans Seiben smiled. “Never mind, how about we go down to the bakery and get ourselves some donuts and coffee?” “Always with your donuts and coffee, eh?” smirked Rolf. Admiral Seiben shrugged. “What can I say? It's an addiction” Ever since the admiral graduated academy and started on the USS Hood, almost 30 year ago, he developed a penchant for the pastry as well as for coffee, double crème, double sugar. But then, everybody who ever served on the Hood, felt the same. “They're really good though. I managed to nab the Hood's chef after its decommissioning. He still mean donut and some brilliant coffee” Hans added. The two brother stepped into a lift. Hans set down his cane and leaned against the lift wall for support. Ever since he was injured in battle on the Hood 22 years ago, he needed to use that cane to walk. Hans wouldn't forget the day when three birds of prey ambushed and attacked the Hood. He didn't expect the Klingons would do something so dishonourable such as that, but then nobody did. Hans severely injured his right leg and both of his arms, while he was working to fix the engines when a torpedo blast ripped through Engineering. When he was brought back to Earth for treatment, prosthetic arms and legs were required to replace his original limbs blown off in the attack. It gave the admiral the ability to walk and use his arms again, but it also required him to use a cane, due to the amount of walking he has to do around the station. It was more of a precautionary measure really. Hans could walk, and even run just fine for about 30 minutes or so. But after that, then his leg would give him trouble and he'd need to use his cane. The lift stopped and dinged open. Hans grabbed his cane and followed his brother out to the promenade. “It's right over here” Hans pointed out the small bakery. They went inside and ordered some donuts and coffee. Unlike his brother, Rolf didn't really eat too much junk foods. If anything, he took after his two muscle bound, fitness crazed cousins Hanz and Franz, though not nearly to their extreme fitness attitude. Even at 47, he had a muscular build that rivaled Schwarzenegger's. Or so he'd like to think. Their donuts and coffee arrived, and the two brothers started to dig in. “So, how's the progress going along with my new ship?” asked Rolf. Hans shrugged. “The new regulations are probably going to delay the Challenger's construction, but from what I can see, it's going along okay. But then, you'll see soon enough” “Oh? How soon is soon?” asked Rolf. “A few days” replied Hans. “A transport is scheduled to take you to Utopia Planetia where you'll be slated to supervise the Challenger construction project” Rolf bit into his donut. “A days.. alright, thanks” Hans nodded and downed the rest of his coffee. “Sure” Together, they finished their meals and toured the rest of the station. END OF PART II
  19. “New Beginnings, Part I” Log entry 01 (45): SD 9401.09 USS Cherokee, NCC-1602, Star date 9401.06 The Cherokee slowed from warp and dropped to impulse power. “Sir, we are approaching Spacedock” Rolf Seiben looked out at the view screen. “Thank you Lieutenant” he replied. The stars around the Polaris class frigate changed to streaks to solid forms as the Cherokee decelerated. Soon, the imposing sights of the massive Earth Spacedock and the round blue sphere of Earth filled the main viewer. “Mr. Gomez” he said to the Lieutenant at Communications, “please get permission to dock” Gomez put on his ear piece and nodded. “Aye, aye sir” he said as he contacted the station. “Cherokee, you are cleared to dock at port 16B. Personnel are on hand to off-load your cargo. So, sit back and enjoy the ride” replied the voice of the space traffic controller. Ensign Anderson at Navigation tapped her fingers and aligned the ship to Spacedock's doors, which suddenly opened, ready to engulf the little frigate into its big belly. “We've got you, Cherokee. And Captain Seiben? The Admiral wishes to see you” replied the controller. Rolf nodded and acknowledged the controller. “Tell him I'll be there in a few, thanks” he said. He adjusted the tunic of his bright red uniform as he sat up in his seat. He felt a slight shudder as the Spacedock's tractor beam gets a hold of the Cherokee, reeling it inside like a salmon on a fisherman's line. By now, it was a routine experience for the seasoned captain, but he never really cared for that sudden jerk at the start. The Cherokee slowly crept its way inside, and patrons in the restaurant barely gave it a second glance as it passed by out of the window. It slid slowly into its spot, next to a Miranda class. It again stopped with a light thud. “Docking sequence complete, sir” replied Anderson. “Extending ramps and opening airlocks” “Thank you” Rolf said simply. As CO of the Cherokee for more than two years now, delivery runs like these was just another day at the office. This time, they're carrying some engineering and medical equipment for the station. “Cargo crews are on board to off-load our cargo, sir” replied the Operations officer. Rolf nodded. “Great. They should know where it is by now” “Since we're all docked, you're all free to go” he said. Rolf got up from his seat and headed to the lift. He sighed to himself as the doors closed. In the face of it, yes, this was just another cargo run for the crew of the frigate Cherokee. One of many they've done, mostly to colonies and planets to deliver supplies, equipment or food and the like. But, this time was different. He entered his quarters, and looked around. It was now empty, save for a few boxes. Yes, this cargo run in particular was his last as captain of the Cherokee. His crew held a huge goodbye party for him last night, where they broke open their stock of Romulan Ale. It was a fun time had by all, but inwardly, he was going to miss the crew. For the past two years, he and his crew has been through a lot, often having to deal with Klingon or Orion pirates looking to raid his ship of its sometimes valuable cargo. Rolf recalled their run six months ago when the Cherokee moved the gold from Fort Knox to another location as the Fort turned museum was undergoing maintenance and renovations. A group of a half dozen Orion pirates almost got their green hands on the gold the Cherokee was carrying, but with a few smart moves from Anderson and Leone at Tactical, they managed to hold their own and make their escape, while dealing the pirates a severe blow. Rolf picked up one of his boxes, filled with some of his possessions. “Knock, knock” replied a voice standing by his door. Rolf turned around to face Commander Patrick Sullivan, the Cherokee's XO. “Oh, Pat. It's you. Came to send me along my merry way?” asked Rolf with a smile. Sullivan chuckled. “Something like that” Sullivan helped load some boxes onto a hover cart, being pushed by a yeoman who had also followed Sullivan in. “You know, it won't be the same without you, Rolf” said Sullivan. “But, damn, you are one lucky bastard. You know that?” It was Rolf's turn to chuckle. “Don't I know it” they were of course referring to Rolf's new command. Not just anyone gets to command one of Starfleet's newest ships. And the surprise of getting it, still hasn't worn off yet. “An Excelsior Refit” mused Sullivan. “It must be nice” “Sure is. And you gotta look forward to that. Though with just two years of experience, I was surprised that they selected me” Sullivan scoffed. “Oh, with a family like yours, it sure as hell doesn't surprise me” “Oh come now. My family history – or my brother – had nothing to do with my getting command of the Challenger” Sullivan nodded. “Uh-huh. You keep thinking yourself that. Meanwhile, I'm stuck with this old tub” Rolf shrugged. “Take it as you see fit. Some people just have more luck than others” joked Rolf. “But truth be told, I'm sure going to miss this old crate. We've been through a lot and you never forget your first command” said Rolf. The last of the boxes was placed on the cart, revealing a completely empty quarters. “Though captaining a frigate is hardly glamourous, it was a great experience and I almost don't want to leave” “Phh! Trading in a Polaris for an Excelsior is hardly a reason not to want to leave. I know you'll miss the crew and we'll miss you, but you'll make a same relationship with your new crew on the Challenger” again Rolf nodded. “Of that, I've no doubt” he said as he followed the yeoman out towards the airlock. “But yeah, I know what you mean, and I'm glad Starfleet is letting me take your place on the captain's seat. The Cherokee's no Excelsior, but she can still hold her own” The two men rounded the corner leading to the airlock. To Rolf's surprise, the crew lined up alongside the corridors. At the end of the corridor, standing inside the airlock was a rather familiar looking Admiral. They bade their final farewells to the captain as he past by. Rolf smiled and bade his in response. “So, crew, one final time, I'd like to wish you all farewell. It's been an absolute pleasure serving with each and every one of you. Don't be a stranger and keep in touch sometime” he said. The crew applauded his final words. The Admiral stepped up from out of the airlock. “Captain Seiben, by order of Starfleet, I officially relieve you of command of the USS Cherokee. Command of the vessel will be given to Commander Sullivan, effective immediately. Commander, your Executive Officer is on his way here from Earth. Congratulations” Sullivan saluted. “Thank you” “Congrats, take tare of the old girl, eh?” asked Rolf. “Will do, boss” Sullivan and Seiben shook hands and gave each other a final salute. A boson's whistle sounded and the Cherokee crew faced the captain. In precise unison, they gave their old captain one final salute, which he returned, and stepped off the Cherokee one final time. END OF PART I.
  20. To: Workers of Job 1363769 (USS Challenger project) From: Bill Bailey, Foreman of Construction, Utopia Planetia Shipyards SUBJECT: Revised work hours Due to new Starfleet regulations that will require starships to be fully equipped with all of its intended equipment, weaponry and technology, the management of Utopia Planetia is implementing a new schedule for work hours. Any questions, comments or complaints should be brought to me immediately. Thank you. NEW WORK HOURS -- JOB 1363769 DAY SHIFT MONDAY .........................0800-1800 TUESDAY.........................0800-1800 WEDNESDAY.....................0800-1800 THURSDAY........................0800-1800 FRIDAY.............................0800-1800 SATURDAY.........................0900-1700 NIGHT SHIFT MONDAY..........................1800-0400 TUESDAY.........................1800-0400 WEDNESDAY....................1800-0400 THURSDAY.......................1800-0400 FRIDAY.............................1800-0400 SATURDAY........................1700-0300 Sunday duty will be optional for workers, and you will be provided with extra compensation if you choose to work on this day. Overtime pay will also be compensated to you, if you have to work beyond work hours. Please note that Utopia Planetia will be closed on all Federation holidays. A 60-minute lunch time will be given to workers from 1200-1300, with two 30 minute breaks in the morning and the afternoon to be taken when you feel like it. Please note however, that you are only entitled to one break in the morning and another one in the afternoon. Night shift workers may take their lunch break from 2400-0100, and take their 30 minute breaks from 2000-2400 and again from 0200-0600. Bill Bailey Foreman of Construction Utopia Planetia Shipyards
  21. Greetings and welcome to the USS Challenger Construction forum. As was mentioned in the front page as well as my earlier post in the GM and Challenger main forums, this is the forum where the community wide Challenger project is to take place. Feel free to start anytime. You may feel free to post your character's biography here as well. The construction project is slated to continue through until mid February. Thanks for reading and for participating in this, Challenger's new chapter of intergalactic exploration. Again, all members of the forum are invited to participate!
  22. THE FEDERATION PRESS UFP Mourns loss of legendary Captain Issue: 47 Star Date 9401.09 Vol: 25 Captain James T. Kirk, killed in action SAN FRANCISCO (FP) - Millions of citizens and dignitaries from around the galaxy turned out to pay their last respects to Captain James T. Kirk, in a memorial service held at the Crystal Cathedral in nearby Garden Grove, California held in the late captain's honour. Captain Kirk was killed in action, in what was supposed to be a routine cruise around the solar system. Attending the launching ceremony of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-B ) Captain Kirk was among the invited delegates to attend the launch, of the third starship to carry the Enterprise name. The cruise, which was slated to take the Excelsior Refit class ship to Pluto and back to Spacedock, went horribly wrong after answering a distress call from two El-Aurian transport ships, the Lakul and the Robert Fox, caught in an energy ribbon. The only ship within range, Captain Kirk was killed in action when the Engineering Section exploded when a shock wave from the energy ribbon struck the Enterprise directly in the section Kirk inhabited after singlehandedly saving the lives of 47 El-Aurian refugees from the doomed S.S. Lakul. The Captain was working on the ship's deflector array in Deck 15 in Engineering when the explosion took place. His body was never recovered. His loss is believed to be a factor of inexperience with Enterprise-B Captain John Harriman and the lack of proper equipment installed prior to departure. "The Federation lost one of its best officers and we are deeply saddened by his tragic – and preventable death" said the President, in a press statement shortly after the memorial service. "We believe that if the Enterprise-B had proper equipment installed before her launch, the Captain would still be here today" Leaving the San Francisco Shipyards, the Enterprise-B lacked crucial equipment such as the tractor beam, weapons or medical personnel, which would have made the attempted rescue relatively easier. These equipment and personnel were due to be installed into the ship the following Tuesday. "We didn't think anything like this would ever have happened. The Enterprise was only supposed to go to Pluto and back. So, we didn't think the installation of the tractor beam, weapons or a full crew was needed" said San Francisco Shipyard foreman Chris Vandenberg. "We regret this tragic error of judgment, and we extend our sympathies of Captain Kirk's loss to his friends and family" Considered as one of the best officers and captains to ever serve on Starfleet, James T. Kirk was perhaps best known for his five year mission aboard the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) during 2264-9. During these years, Kirk and his crew made contact with countless worlds and battled the likes of the Klingon and Romulan Empires on many occasions, and even literally saving the planet from an alien space probe in 2286 . Captain Kirk would then go on to command the Constitution Refit class Enterprise (NCC-1701-A) that same year, and proved to be an instrumental part in the signing of the Khitomer Peace Accords last year, and thwarting an assassination attempt on the president. Changes and Restructuring As a result of the events of the Enterprise-B disaster, Starfleet Command has ordered that all vessels currently under construction at all of its construction facilities be fully equipped with all equipment and a full crew compliment prior to the vessel's launching. "We have made this order, to be effective immediately so as to prevent an event like this to ever happen again" replied Admiral Craig Smith. But the move is seen as a controversial one as it now delay the launch dates of the hundreds of starships now in construction, by weeks or even months. "I'm well aware that this will delay the launches of many ships undergoing construction and refits, but in the long run, it will be worth it as the ships and vessels launching will be ready to handle any situation 'fresh from the factory'" Smith continues. At Utopia Planetia where some of the new Excelsior Refits are to be constructed, the workload and overtime has increased and more workers are being called in order to meet with Starfleet's demands. "We, at Utopia Planetia pride ourselves in making quality equipment on time and working perfectly" said foreman Bill Bailey. "It'll be a tough road ahead, but we'll meet demands. I've no doubt about it" Other construction facilities also feel the pinch, and have increased their work time and workers as well. For more information, turn to page C26. For Captain Kirk's service history and career time line, please see page B1.
  23. "Haruhi-ism!"