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Sendai Riko

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Posts posted by Sendai Riko

  1. Posted · Report post

    Reading this thread, I gave SL a try and found, with my computer, the combination of slow performance and lag to be horrendous. Of course, I have quite a basic system, so that's not surprising; it can either handle the graphics or the information overload of the online community, but rarely both. A primary reason why the online gaming phenomenon is something that, barring a stroke of fortune in the form of a winning lotto ticket and a top of the line computer purchase, that will be beyond my reasonable reach.

     

    As the concept of incorporating such as we do here with some virtual gaming world, it seems excessive, since you'd still be using chat as the primary basis of the game, and as A9 pointed out, creating the necessary "sets" would be time consuming (not to mention dollar consuming, if you have to actually lease land space, buy resources, etc.). Plus, without some sort of Administrator functionality, the game GMs would be without any ability to control the attendees or to create/modify the situation to a satisfactory level. I, for one, am glad that we're sticking with our format (though I sincerely wish that we could move to some different chat interface, JAVA is evil). Of course, if we have a programming prodigy in STSF with a lot of spare time, one could always create a usable interface for us to use. heh

     

    As for Star Trek games being primarily combat based, that's also not surprising to me; if someone actually comes up with a quality Star Trek game that has more of the exploration/science/diplomacy than shooting (from ship or land), I'll probably faint upon hearing about it. Admittedly, it's a difficult thing to pull off, not to mention sell to a wider audience, but it can be done, I'm sure of it. STOL started out looking like it might finally cause me unconsciousness, but now, is turning into your standard kill things to level up MMOG, which to me, doesn't seem to fit in with the Trek universe. Ah well.

     

    With all of that said, however, as an alternate meeting place, a virtual shoreleave like A9 stated or another way to get together and perhaps work on simming with some visual splash, such games could indeed be useful, and fun. Certainly it could be a good way to help STSFers bond away from plain chat in the rooms and IMs. That I could get behind... that is, if my computer cooperated.

  5. Posted · Report post

    Charge!

     

    Taurek had finally managed to be beamed back to the Hood. The first chance he had, he'd inform Lt. Sarvek of how inadequate her replacement performed. In the meantime, however, he had to find out who had altered the medical logs. He would not stand by and be insulted by that halfbreed Vulcan; to even suggest that Taurek's medical judgement was fault was like insinuating that Zareh was allergic to oil. It just couldn't be.

     

    He was, of course, well versed in the necessary protocol for determining legally the status of a brain-dead patient. After all of the forms he had to fill out, he'd think it would show for the record that he had consulted with Agra. Therefore, since it had not been apparent, something untoward had happened, and he would discover it. Not only was his own medical reputation riding on it, it could effect Huff's term in a penal institution. He was sure it would add a few years, at least, to have the proper medical data available in a re-trial.

     

    He rode a nice little high of rage as he sifted through the files relating to Korps' situation, determined, at least, to see that Quint was ridden out of town and assigned to a garbage scow. To call into judgement one's medical prowess without calling one to the stand, not to mention others, to determine the truth, was a grave miscarriage of justice. One, in Taurek's rather unsteady emotional state, that spelled certain doom to the offending party or parties.

     

    Of course, this would have been more easily avoided if O'Claire were present on a regular basis. Where, on that cramped ship, she could hide away from sickbay so often, not even a Vulcan of Taurek's intellect could determine. That left Agra, now skeletonized; Seiben, whose bedside manner was first rate, though after her testimony on the stand, Taurek wondered who she bribed to get her license.

     

    Reed, at least, had gone above and beyond the call of duty; especially when he'd been possessed; the poor girl had handled sickbay pretty much on her own when the rest of the undermanned doctors were off duty or hiding. He'd already received and repsonded to Starfleet Medical's reference query, as she appears to have opted to enter nursing school. He wished her good luck, and envied her, slightly, for being able to escape the madness of the Hood.

     

    If only he could.

  6. Posted · Report post

    Name: Brenna O'Toole

     

    Race: Human

     

    Sex: Female

     

    Age: 44

     

    Physical characteristics: Long, wavy red hair; eyes the color of the North Atlantic in November; average height and somewhat slim of build.

     

    Brief pre-SF history: Grew up on the Eastern Coast of Ireland, one of 5 girls and the middle child, was always more concerned about getting things done quickly and not so much for appearance sake. From girlhood, was always the first to fire off a verbal volley, and is loyal, to a fault.

     

    Brief SF history: Started out as an engineer, as she'd always loved to tinker, and steadily rose until she became the chief engineer of a Constitution class. After her CO and XO found themselves in hot water with Starfleet (odd how often that happens), she was thrust into command, and never relinquished it, to the chagrin of certain admirals.

     

    Personal non-SF interests: Gardening, Romance Novels, and Soccer

     

    Favorite deli sandwich: Po' Boy

  9. Posted · Report post

    As with any fantasy or mythical creature, the visual and behavioral identity can vary based on location, time-frame, and story to story within the first two limits. There have been references to cave trolls, mountain trolls, etc, which indicate that there are subsets of different trolls throughout the genre. This is not uncommon, either, as orcs/ogres/goblins have all been thrown about in the multiple identity mix. Vampires as well, have gone from either ugly, misshapen things to the hot and sexy variety. The only real aspect that I can find in common with trolls is that they are generally not "good guys," though they can vary from being simple nuisances to truly evil. Thus, when encountering a troll, I generally take the "wait and see" approach, until more information is proffered.

     

    Mythically speaking, I believe that trolls are a heavily featured in Scandinavian lore, and based on the where/when, it can either be a lumbering, ugly giant or a more human-like being with certain special abilities or traits. With that, they were not necessarily "evil," though one would still not want to encounter one, regardless of its physical aspect. As the troll has passed through different lands, it has received makeovers from each culture based on its own mythology and culture. In general, though, the later you go, the less hairy they get, I've found. It was much during the late dark ages and medieval period that they really became the truly evil creatures we take them for today. That could be said for a lot of mythical creatures, as well, as the dark times in Europe didn't generally make for happy thoughts.

     

    There are certain theories out there that the troll myth was inspired by our encounters with Neanderthal man back in pre-history; whether true or not I don't think anyone will be able to say unless time travel happens and we go back to study it. :lol: It would certainly account for the general large, hairy and brutish appearance of the troll; I doubt it would attest to the behavior, but we'll save the social paleoanthropology for another time, lol.

     

    Obviously, fantasy fiction has taken things a great deal further in delineation, as you have pointed out, Images. Between the most prominent authors in the genre, there are definitive splits in the type of troll one can encounter; this is hardly surprising, considering the troll mythology itself is so varied, so one can certainly expect a modern author to go his/her own way, based upon their own experiences and feelings. It's very annoying, but inescapable based on the mythological divisions.

     

    Thusly, I can't say there is a certain type of troll that should be, and I therefore can only hope that authors would work to describe their trolls sooner rather than later to avoid the confusion.

  15. Posted · Report post

    UNCLE A9!!

     

     

    Okay, now it's getting creepy!

     

    As far as the laptop situation goes, there are a lot of good options out there. Sometimes, it can be better to pick a name out of a hat than to pound your brains into mush trying to decide if you have nothing that seriously jumps out at you. I hope, whenever you make your decision, that it works out!

     

    B)

  18. Posted · Report post

    Welcome!

     

    Just check our schedule (click the link from the main STSF page) and look for an Academy time that suits you, drop in, and when the GMs ask to have a PM sent for a post request, follow their instructions, and you're good to go. Also, check the Getting Started page as well. ( Sorry I didn't include the links, but I'm in a rush, lol, I'm sure someone else will oblige that soon enough ).

     

    See you around!

  21. Posted · Edited by Sendai Riko · Report post

    Oh Dear...

     

    In the blink of an eye, Riko looked upon the stunned body of TroNoQ as it sprawled over the deceased Dr. Meyvn Xiou and knew with an absolute certainty that he must not be in the MRF when the Qel awoke if the Bajoran wished to live to commit insubordination another day. As a timely communication came in from the meH for Messner, Riko didn't waste the plum moment; as quickly and quietly as a mouse escaping with a prime chunk of cheddar, he slipped out of the MRF and then hightailed it toward his quarters.

     

    With no hesitation upon entering his cramped room, he threw open his storage locker and grabbed what appeared upon cursory inspection to be an amulet; indeed it was, though its innards were a bit more technological than magical. He activated it and threw it over his neck and slipped it under his uniform top. The miniature transport inhibitor had been made for a project in the Academy, and he had wisely kept it with him for emergencies; he certainly felt this situation qualified. If the Qel had the initiative to beam him to the MRF to enlist his aid, he'd have the initiative to beam him there to beat him to a bloody pulp as well.

     

    Now certain that anyone who wished to cause him harm would have to come to him, he locked his door and set an alarm. He wasn't planning on hiding out or escaping for long, just until tempers settled down. He had barely managed to escape the wrath of K'Walus; as soon as TroNoQ awoke he'd be wrathful as well, and Messner now wanted to at the very least knock him over the head. Riko also believed that the Borg hand held nefarious intentions after being forced to assist; the way it twitched and fluttered before disappearing indicated to the Bajoran a desire for mischief.

     

    With a sigh, he wondered if it were possible to return to the pink universe long enough to retrieve his sanity, which Riko fervently believed must have been left behind, as he hadn't seen it since coming back home. In the course of a few days he'd taken an inappropriate initiative by firing on the cave to rescue TroNoQ and Meyvn; been party to the further enragement of K'Walus by being beamed out from under her nose directly after challenging her authortiy once aagain; manhandled the Commanding Officer; and stunned the Qel. He knew the time in the alternate universe had unnerved him considerably, and he hadn't had the time to regain his bearings before being thrown into this mess with the virus; until now, though, he didn't realize that he'd completely lost his ability to step back and function like a Starfleet officer.

     

    That wasn't necessarily a surprise for him, as Bajorans under stress either tended to crumple into nothing or explode violently. While the distinctions were hardly black and white, there were few shades of gray in between. Calling upon the Prophets for strength, Riko settled into a chair and, for the first time having the opportunity since returning from the alternate universe, put down in the record everything that'd happened since that dizzy moment in a pink corridor. If he ended up dead because of this, he at least wanted a record on hand for his parents to know why he'd flipped, assuming the Qob ever returned home. Also, if Messner decided to incarcerate him instead, there'd at least be that on record if they decided to probe his suddenly odd behavior. That's all the Bajoran could hope for, knowing that he'd pretty solidly managed to throw his career out an airlock; so long as his body didn't follow... he'd live with it.

  22. Posted · Report post

    After Baldos

     

    Taurek finally sat himself down in a chair in his small quarters after exercising for an hour. He was exhausted, and even Vulcan physiology had limits; he pushed himself, however, so that he could finally regain the control over his body fully. It also helped keep the emotional reaction from his ordeal at bay, which is the only reason he had worked himself in sickbay despite his fatigue. Setting himself in a comfortable position, he attempted to put himself in a meditative state, but instead he fell into sleep.

     

    Slightly over two hours later he awoke, feeling rather stiff after the unplanned nap in the skimpily padded chair. Having yet to engage in any hygienic activities since the incarceration of his mind, the heavy labor, plodding around in the dirt, and then exercise left him grimy and malodorous. He rose, and slowly made his way to the bathroom and went about the business of returning himself to the ultra-tidy man he was. After a good deal of time he emerged, dressed in a clean uniform and then he settled himself back into the chair.

     

    His face was drawn; he hadn't eaten nearly what was required to maintain his weight had he rested comfortably during his time on Baldos; the heavy labor the Rogainian had put his body through combined with the undernourishment had taken a toll. The Vulcan estimated that he'd lost at least five kilos during that time, thanks in good part to the fact that he himself was a vegetarian, and the parasite had been as well. Nak's bear or rabbit stews hadn't gone over well, and he had subsisted on mostly berries and roots, with the occasional leafy vegetable thrown in.

     

    After a quick check of his chrono, he saw that he still had an hour and a half left on his enforced period of rest compliments of Dr. O'Claire, so he made his way to the mess hall and ordered a large plate filled to the rim with food he'd not ordinarily partake of. He knew, though, that it wouldn't be sufficient, and as galling as it was, he would have to put donuts on his menu for some time until he regained his healthy weight. For the first time in the Vulcan's memory, he needed the fat and calories. The irony of the situation didn't amuse him; on the contrary, it frustrated him to no end, and as he ate his first sit-down supper in a long time, his brows were knit in the frown that his mouth was too busy to carry.

  23. Posted · Report post

    Boy, you sure came prepared. :angry: Just an FYI for you, though: in the Academies, everyone is human. At least you have an idea of your character though, and have a head start for when you graduate and join an advanced sim. Look forward to seeing you around.

  25. Posted · Report post

    Triumph in the MRF

    LtJG Sendai Riko

     

    K'Walus wasn't going to be happy; well, she already wasn't happy, but beaming out right under her nose, and batleth, was probably not the way to keep her satisfied. Riko had already angered her enough by not following orders, and then being a bit saucy during her "disciplinary" session in the training room. Of course, she was probably just as unhappy with TroNoQ; the key, whenever she tries to storm into the MRF, he thought, would be to make certain she saw the Qel first, giving the Bajoran an opportunity to scuttle away.

     

    Assuming they did manage to survive K'Walus' wrath, he would then have to be sure that he received proper credit for his efforts in curing the virus using the Borg nanites from Thing. He knew, with absolute certainty, that the Qel would try to take all of the credit for it. Number 1, it had been Riko's idea; number 2, it had been his programming that solved the problem. Agreed, he couldn't have done anything without what TroNoQ had already discovered medically, and he'd be sure to let the Qel get the credit for that; but no more. Not to mention he'd been the one who had to wrestle the hand into submission, well, at least wrestle it enough for Bch to order it into submission.

     

    He was happy, though, that it did work. He liked Dr. Xiou a great deal; she was a strong-willed, great-hearted person that felt the pain of her people. Now that the nanites had destroyed the virus within her, and begun repairing the damage it had caused, she'd be able to help distribute the cure. Assuming they could get the Borg hand to manufacture sufficient quantities of the virus. First thing he'd have to do, though, would be to modify the programming to take into account the on-the-fly changes that Thing had to do after setting it to control the nanites as they worked; also, he'd have to have them act like a virus on their own: become contagious. They couldn't afford to have to manually inject each individual down below with the nanites. Time was too short, as was the quantity of nanites that they could produce. He'd also have to set up a shut-down protocol for them as well; he couldn't have them, in two months, decide to start assimilating the populace. It certainly wouldn't do to start a Borg colony behind them.

     

    All in all, he thought it quite humorous: the Chief Security Officer aboard the Qob helped cure the virus. He thanked the Prophets that he'd spent years in the scientific discipline before moving to security. Of course, he'd yet to truly use his full training; he was an expert in forensics, and felt that he could solve any crime given the opportunity. Of course, serving with a bunch of Klingons made that an unlikely occurance. Their motives, not to mention lack of guile, made mysterious crimes rare. Though he wouldn't put it past TroNoQ.