Kansas

Update: I was running the Thursday academy, and then boom: at 9:44 PM EST, I was kicked out of the chat and a message appeared on the black screen outline of the chat: "error connecting to server, updates to the chat are being performed, try again in a few minutes" and such. Weirdness! and the first time I've encountered this.

03.18.09 Agincourt Mission Update: TBS: None given Word of the Week: Duodecennial - The Away Team breached the Breen ships main control bridge; a firefight erupted, the Ex Oh was injured, and the two Engineers riding shotgun comported themselves well during the firefight. - The combatant crew, who at first glance appeared to be Vulcan, were in fact found to be a Romulan/Rihan crew. - The data downloaded from the destroyed Ferengi ship was further translated by the Agincourt bridge crew: more links to Romulan activity were found, and the renegade ships, crewed by these Romulans, had orders to harass the Alpha Quadrant as they had been doing. They were not wearing Galae uniforms though, only civilian clothing. - Who or what organization is backing these seemingly renegade Rihan crews? - The Damage Control teams on the ‘Court, under the purview of officers such as Karrigan and Williams, continued repairing the battle damage incurred to the big warship.

::Immediately embarks on mission to search Karl as Cupid pics and information:: Loin cloth and bare chest? Heeellllloooooooo Nurse! I recalled Bruce Campbell as the thief guy from Xena:WP, but did not recall Urban as either Cupid or Ceasar ... didn't Ceasar capture Xena and basically crucify her? Random moment of geek trivia.

Note: this log takes place three days after the events of "The Money Shot" 03.12.09 ISS Agincourt ICC-81762 "De-Mental Case Masseuse" Commander Kansas JoNs was purring. The full body massage felt fan-tastic. It had been a trying few weeks as the command team and crew of the ISS Agincourt tracked the Breen and Ferengi marauders responsible for attacking local colony planets in the sector, and of course losing Master Chief Keltex had been an even bigger blow to the Caitian personally. And after the excitement of the other afternoon apprehending at least two of the suspects associated with the attackers, JoNs had finally taken advantage of the shore leave layover at the resort planet. Or rather, she had been ordered to take a few days off. With her lover Zimm off yet again on the golf course (and seriously, the man was going to throw out a rotator cuff if he didn’t quit living on the course for almost six hours every stretch), JoNs had chosen a few less athletic pursuits to relax, taking advantage of the massage programs offered at the resort. The officer who currently held the position as the ships chief medical officer was an odd bird, to quote a human phrase; he was big on the recuperative powers of the body, and chose not to constantly rely on modern medical methods if the injury could be healed with a less intrusive medical approach. Forrest wasn’t sadistic or anything, and there weren’t any old style needles that jabbed into the skin or saws for cutting into limbs hanging about his sickbay. The Human was very good at what he did, which accounted for the fact that he was still alive and enjoyed some measure of professional notoriety. However, Kansas still hadn’t been able to convince him to just ‘poof away’ her injury. Ordering him to do so would have been overkill if not going into military martinet territory, so it was JoNs Zero, Old School Medicine One. The Doc had deemed the small though painful injury as non life threatening, and given her several rounds of antibiotic hypo shots. The gunshot wound was sterilized and cleaned out, and instead of taking a protoplaser to the wounding, had relied on a quaint application called ‘butterfly stitches’ to close it. The natural recuperative powers of her body would do the rest. Besides which, she could tough it out; the feline officer had dealt with worse injuries grabbed in the line of duty over the years. The chief medico had also prescribed rest and to “exercise extreme caution when sitting”. Well, no duh there Captain Obvious. It had been about three days since the feline Ex Oh had taken the shot to the crease where her left ass cheek and upper thigh met, and while the injured area was still sore, it was already well on its way to fully healing since she was actually following the medical orders; the stitches had been removed, and she’d be fully recovered by the time the ISS Agincourt warped back out into the black to continue tracking the mercenary rebels that had started to operate within the sector. The feline laid belly down on a pallet with her arms crossed and her head resting on her forearms while the linen trousers and tunic clad professional massage therapist employed by the colony resort did his thing. The massager was a colony local, but had Trill spotting running down the side lengths of his body. His strong and sure hands worked over her naked - well, as naked as a furred felinoid can be - body, and rubbed in an oil that evaporated as it was used - can’t be having sticky fur now can we? - into her muscles as he did so. A pleasant breeze rolled in from off the distant ocean, and the palm trees located in the outside courtyard area swayed back and forth in time with the gentle winds. The balcony where the private massage area was situated in a secluded building set off the main resort. A private beach and a barrier of local flora further insured that the clients had total privacy. The Trill massager discreetly adjusted the towel draped over the Caitian’s back side so he could start on the lower back and thigh areas of the feline officer’s athletic body. He smirked when he caught sight of the healing injury, but made no outward comment about the state of his client’s rear; today was not a good day to die, no. Instead, he delicately worked his hands way around the “rear guard” injury and moved her tail out of the way when needed. Jona had worked on Caits before, and had become a “tail expert” so to speak. Kansas was in an almost drunken state of relaxed oblivion, but wasn’t fully asleep; her ears would periodically swivel this way or that depending on the Trills movements or if a local bird happened to wing it’s way by the balcony opening on it’s flight path to alight on one of the nearby palm trees. Not that the feline officer felt the need to pounce the local avians, but their chittering chirps were hard to miss if you came from an evolutionary line of predators; let’s just say that she was tracking the movement of the birds by ear and leave it at that. As Jona continued his massage on the relaxed Caitian, another hand slowly crept down his arm softly. When he looked up, he felt the slightly cold feel of a latinum strip fall into his hand. The owner of the other hand smiled at the masseuse making a motion to be quiet and exit. Jona was confused for a moment, but didn't seem to want to argue with the beautiful dark haired woman that just tipped him. As his hands slipped away, hers quickly replaced his in the massage. Slowly, the woman's hands began to work their seductive magic on the Caitian's lower back. A finger gently ran up the base of the tail. The feel of her fur and skin was so soft as the hands moved across it. The woman couldn't resist her urges any longer as she leaned in, blowing slightly along the Officer's ear. Um, Okay. The felinoid fleet officer didn't bolt upright or anything, but she did turn an ear in the general direction of the Trill masseuse - or rather, who she thought was still the masseuse - and snorted through her delicate tawny colored nose. "Easy there Mister Jona; I'm paying for a massage, not you blowing in my ear." "I always said you had a cute tail..." whispered the woman as she moved her hand down ever so slightly. She lowered the towel and gave an ever so soft squeeze to the Caitian's still sore behind, but not enough to cause too much pain. "I missed you." The senior Imperial officer yelped in complete and total shock, both at the physical contact and the voice, which she recognized. Her training and natural reflexes immediately kicked in, and she went to bolt and leap off the massage pallet. A couple pin-point accurate touches to key nerves prevented Kansas from immediately jumping away. "Relax Kitten..." It was like being Agonized but without all the pain; JoNs went dead weight and dropped back down on the flat table. She could see, hear, smell, and feel, but no matter how much she thought about it, she could not make herself move. "Son of a bitch!" Her words were snarled out in an angered tone. Small movements, such as a quiver in her tail, her flattened ears, or the paw that she held onto the edge of the table with were doable. But, for the most part JoNs was splayed flat out on her stomach with very limited movement options. Her growl carried menacingly across the pleasantly scented air. “Now now...No need to be angry. You're on vacation after all," Kairi giggled as she continued her sensual massage, working the lower areas and getting a little close to the sore spots. "You're supposed to relax." A sensual rebel assassin that giggled. Wonderful. JoNs was screwed. JoNs's anger dissipated somewhat as her brain was overloaded with the physical sensations that she was experiencing; besides being appalled at the general circumstances, the pain and pleasure centers of her brain were both getting mixed signals from Kairi's touches - should she be in pain or not? Kairi could sense the Caitian's confusion as she ran her hands along the officer's body. "I didn't come here to hurt you." “So what, mrrph, you came here to grope me instead?" The Assassin leaned in, blowing a little on JoN's ear before whispering "I couldn't let you forget about me now could I?" She pulled back a bit, looking out on the balcony. "I saw your new little play thing. He's quite cute." Kansas flicked the offended and windblown ear. "Want me to call Zimm so we can have a threesome?" The Cait's tone came out sarcastically snarled. Kairi laughed as she ran a finger along the back. "Mmm...you shouldn't tempt me like that. But, I think I will have to pass this time." The feline’s tail curled a bit due to the sensual trace of the finger down her back, as her senses again reacted automatically to the touch. Kansas moaned, but whether the sound was from a reaction to the "petting" or annoyance at her helplessness it was hard to tell; it was probably a bit of both. "Well, good. While you are passing by, why don't you fragging pass on out of here?" "Aw... such tone..." said the Rebel as she playfully frowned. "I just wanted to warn you of things to come..." Walking around so the Caitian could finally see her, she leaned in, giving a small kiss on the cat’s nose. Kansas pinned her with piercing green eyes that had dilated into full hunter mode. "Let me tell you about those things that are to come Turncoat; if you keep showing up and harassing Imperial officers at public resorts let alone showing your face at any Imperial run stations or colonies, you are the one that will catch the fallout!" "You're so cute when you're angry." She gave the Caitian a slight pinch on her butt – the sore area. That got the Caitians full attention. With the limited movement that she did have, JoNs gripped the edge of the massage table even tighter with the one paw while the free paw made an uncoordinated jab out into thin air and her claws popped out in response to the renewed pain. If she was able to do so, she would have leapt about nine feet up into the air and clapped a paw to the spot in response to the pinch; the garbled combination of an angry yelp and a swear word was lost in a growl. "Goodbye Kansas..." Kairi said as she moved towards the door. She stopped, giving one last glance back at the naked Cait. "And don't worry, you'll be able to move soon. Enjoy the rest of your vacation." With that, the assassin was gone. "You should have killed her." Kairi gasped as she stopped halfway down the hall. "Not again..."

MISSION BRIEFING: The firefight with the Ferengi/Breen ships continues. These raiders must be stopped. AgincourtChat03.11.09.txt

= = 03.12.09 Thursday Academy = = = = MISSION INFORMATION = = Starfleet General Order 7 was a directive that forbade contact with the planet Talos IV. It was made part of Starfleet policy in 2254. The rationale for the order was top secret and could only be revealed to subordinate officers upon a certified direct order issued by a flag officer. In 2267, it was the only Starfleet regulation that carried the threat of capital punishment. (TOS: "The Menagerie, Part I") (copyright Memory Alpha) = = MISSION BRIEF = = The USS Greenleaf (Steamrunner Class) has been ordered on a mission to aid the USS Shangri-La (Saber Class) (Crew of 40). The Shangri La was on patrol manuevers and due to problems with the ships computer systems has become semi-adrift near the planet of Talos 4. = = Thursday 9 PM EST Academy = = = = 03.12.09 = = = = ROSTER = = Game Master - - STSF Kansas Game Master - - CommanderJFarrington Command: Commanding Officer <CO> - - STSF Kansas Executive Officer <XO> - - CommanderJFarrington Bridge: Helm <HELM> - - CdtFreeman Tactical <TAC> - - Nick Lepage Operations <OPS> - - WadeFKnight Medical Chief Medical Officer <CMO> - - M_K_tKsa Security Chief Security Officer <CSEC> - - Samantha Kent Science Chief Science Officer <CSCI> - - Alex Macen == END ROSTER == ThursAcadChat03.12.09.txt

03.12.09 USS Agincourt NCC-81762 “Hide and Seek” Commander Kansas JoNs wrinkled her tawny colored nose and pushed down the desire welling in her throat to cough. The blood from the resulting whack her nose and muzzle had taken when she had gone down during one of the hits to the main bridge had clotted, but every once in a while she could taste the copper tinge in the back of her throat or smell it within her nostrils and nasal cavity. It was a minor assault on her senses of taste and smell, but JoNs used it to her advantage to keep her focus on the here and now. The feline executive officer and the two senior engineering officers that she had tapped to accompany her over to the captured and tractored Breen vessel moved with systematic caution down the main corridor of the ship, but they had not yet encountered another living being. It was disconcerting to say the least. The Caitian Ex Oh felt exposed and vulnerable, but maintained her composure. It would certainly not do to be jumping at shadows (no pun intended or toward the ‘Courts resident energy being) or to conclusions. Still, it was like an outdoor musical concert held during the aestival season; the hours leading up to the event were filled with a quiet tension, and the surrounding air grew more electrically charged as the event drew nearer to the point of launch. Something was going to break the quiet tension that had settled on the recycled air of the Breen ship – it was just a matter of when and who. She swept the phaser rifle that she gripped in both paws from side to side, sighting down the scope attached to the weapon as it magnified the targeting through line of sight; no warm bodies showed on the infrared sensor embedded in the scope, only the superheated sparks emanating from the damaged entry panel inset into a nearby bulkhead. The doorway that the panel controlled was currently half open and dented, and the supply room contained beyond the entry way threshold was in semi-darkness. The interior physical evidence of the recent ship to ship space battle this Breen ship engaged in with the ‘Court was very noticeable however; a blown out corridor console here or scorched deck plating there, and the air was thick with the smell of fried wiring and leaking coolant fluid or oil. The Ferengi combatant ship had been summarily taken out and blown apart during the skirmish, and Kansas had picked up some random murmurings from the bluegill officers manning the primary and secondary science consoles on the Agincourts bridge that some sort of Romulan data stream had been downloaded from the Ferengi ship just prior to the ships destruction. So, that left this Breen ship and crew as the next best available choice for some answers about what was going on. The Breen ship was a scout frigate class, and so the internal configuration and design was not overly large; there was the possibility that there was a skeleton crew in hiding somewhere on board, or the ship had been remotely controlled from the main bridge or from another location within the quadrant. Either way, the boarding party would need to access or breach the main bridge control area in order to find suspects, or find the answers as to why this ship and her crew had taken to attacking the local colonies in the area with their former partner ship. The felinoid officer glanced over her shoulder and made eye contact first with Lieutenant Murray, who she had assigned to the rear guard, and then with Lieutenant Commander Kassem who maintained the middle position. Both of the senior engineering officers were also equipped with the standard issue phaser rifles which they held at the ready. Keeping her double pawed grip on her rifle, she raised the business end of her weapon slightly in the air waved it in a one arc twirl pattern and then pointed off to the left with it. Both engineers silently acknowledged the order with a curt nod, and then the small boarding team moved forward into the offshoot access corridor that Kansas had indicated with her actions. She wanted to get the team out of the main corridor access area and into the smaller network of maintenance access corridors that would led them to the main hull section of the Breen ship. Sometimes a side entry pattern worked just as well and if not better then the direct entry approach. The team continued moving forward silently in a standard tactical formation, alert and not knowing what or who they would find as they moved closer and closer to the section of the ship where the main bridge was located.

03.11.09 Agincourt Mission Update: TBS: Short Interval Word of the Week: aestival - The skirmish continued; Resident Energy Being Shadow assisted personally with the skirmish and sucked quite a bit of power from the Ferengi ship and scrambled the vessels navigation systems in the process. - The Ferengi ship is eventually destroyed during the firefight, while the Breen ship is successfully captured and tractored to the Agincourt. - During the skirmish, the bridge sciences team gained access to an open wireless signal; computer files were swiped and downloaded from the compromised Ferengi vessel, revealing Romulan based language on a few of the incoming data streams. Sciences Chief Condacin, Sciences Lieutenant Tay, and ships Commanding Officer Colonel C.E. Harper set about figuring out why there had been Romulan data stored within the rogue Ferengi ships data banks. Words, words, words, Ie. - An armed boarding party consisting of Commander JoNs, Lieutenant Commander Kassem and Lieutenant Senior Grade Murray beamed over to the Breen ship to investigate further. - Junior El Tees Karrigan and TLak coordinated the Damage Control Teams on the ‘Court, while Doctor Sean (Shadow NPC) of Medical tended to an injured Ensign Julio.

See attached Image of the new McCoy; I'd definitely say that is a McCoy expression. Looks like he is sounding out an "S", so he's probably telling Spock off as usual, or something. ;-)

Yes! Regarding the DOOM film based on the FPS shooter: Urban had the role of haunted Spec Ops soldier "Reaper" Grimm. The film is a total popcorn Sci Fi adventure, but he had some maturity within his portrayal that came out quite well. And we won't dwell on the Vulcan hugging; maybe he got a head injury?

You go for Uhuru, I'll purr over McCoy, and BEtor can fan herself over McCoy. I also distrubuted the new trailer link to the select few here at work who are fans - get the word out! And to answer Linus's post, I'm under the impression from a couple of 'Net sources that the film will have a May 7 release in Australia and the UK. 58 days and counting.

Rollin Rollin Rollin, keep the Clueless Rollin, Raw-AIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! ::Big Splash::

MISSION BRIEF: The Excalibur AT has extradited themselves and are now back on their transports, waiting for the Excalibur, who's entered orbit. ExcalChat03.08.09.txt

How do we know that * everything * isn't imploded already? Our current existence and the planet Earth might be gone for all we really do know, and our lives have already been done and over with as well as the existence of the planet itself. If these universal and time changes occur so slowly, then why not the possibility that we are caught in some sort of delayed space/time lag bubble or loop that has not reached our point of *boom* yet? Radio waves shot out in space exist for years and years, going further and further out in space - a time lag bubble could/might work on the same principle. Example: You've all had feelings of Deju Vu, and you get that strong sensation that you've done something or been somewhere before. Well, you might very well have already done it before, as in a constant loop until the end of the Black Hole (s) implosion is reached. I know, I know - science fiction show plot. Still makes me wonder though.

Just handed in my day off request for May 8. Midnight showing, w00t! And while I'm still suffering from the Reman culture shock that was Nemesis - Villian Nero looks kick azz for this film installment of the Romulans!? Doesn't he!? And, I pounced Wiki: the location shot was indeed Vasquez Rocks, and I also read this below quote from Karl "New McCoy" Urban, and I'm convinced the legacy of the good Doctor is indeed in good hands: Look, I know there are other characters concerned here, but as far as I'm concerned, it's all about My McCoy, and Urban obviously has some kind of fan history with the show. Oh yeah, and he is a hottie. Bonus! (thank you Oh Trek Gods, Hamina hamina woot woot). :-D Can't wait, the trailer is awesome, and now I'm looking forward to the film.

03.08.09 Excalibur Mission Update: TBS: One Month - The Excalibur re-established orbit at Black Marsh planet and Captain Corizon and his Away Team returned to the Excalibur. All Search and Rescue, Fighters, and Troop Transport (away team) pilots were recalled to the ship as well. - The Grail, the device that will supposedly enable contact with the missing Founders, was located planet side, brought onboard the ship and placed under guard. - Lieutenant Victria of House Mordan is troubled over the Away Teams encounter with the Odo Founder who initially led them to the device. - The members of the landing party are sent to sickbay for a thorough check after the mission. - The Excalibur begins the four month journey back to Camelot Station in order to deliver the device to the authorities. - At the beginning of the next sim, the Excalibur will be entering/coming up on the outer perimeter area of what at one time may have been a space port – Intel is sketchy on the general sector area at times. - Corizon discovered that Commander Tandaris Admiran took a case of his prized booze hostage: the chief engineers demands include replacement equipment, and repair of the taxed systems of the Excalibur. - XO Left Ear’s general opinion of the Infamous Booze Incident is: In Character, she thinks the Trill Engineer is toast. Out of Character, I’m laughing my you know what off. Busted!

Did I see Vasquez Rocks in there?! I think I spotted flippin' VASQUEZ ROCKS! YEAH BABY, w00t! If that IS the famed location shot area of Vasquez Rocks - even if its an expanded CGI image or whatever - does anyone else out there really grasp the significance of that? That is so cool!! JJ Abrams, the cast, financial backers, Paramount, Spyglass entertainment and whoever else's name or company name that I spotted on that little copyright blurb at the end: they are gonna do it. They are gonna pull this movie off! The Original Series used Vasquez rocks all the time for location shoots and alien planets, and I think that's a wonderful way to link the Classic Series with this new movie based on the Classic series. I loved this new trailer, but the Rock cameo just put me over the edge (yeah, in case you can't tell)! That is so cool and a great passing the torch nod to what once was and still is an enjoyable franchise! Just because something is re-done does not necessarily mean that it's going to automatically be horrible, and this new trailer (and check out those red flight suits! They remind me of an updated version of the Environmental suits worn in the Classic Movies! its all about the connecting ties!) totally blows any reservations I had out of the water. And I won't even go into the effects because they pretty much speak for themselves, and the ship design (s) I really like and they are updated just enough without going to far from the Classic designs. WOOT!! Trailer. Rocks. Out. I even have non-Trek fans in work who have spotted the trailers saying "that looks like a pretty good movie" to me.

Oooo - Fleet Intelligence. Now that's always a fun party! Nice one Charlotte.

And Grom is the winner for this round for the fan run con reference.

03.04.09 USS Agincourt = = Mission Information = = There have been certain modifications recorded within the warp trails of the Breen ships, so the Agincourt crew is using these inconsistencies in the warp trail along with the information lead from Admiral Vexedon about where the raiders might be heading next in order to track these raider ships. = = Mission Brief = = The Agincourt is tracking the Breen and Ferengi raider ships that seem to be responsible for several colony planet attacks; we are heading into the outer colony perimeter area of the Federation. AgincourtChat2009_03_04.txt

= = 03.05.09 Thursday Academy = = = = MISSION INFORMATION = = Nova Squadron was an elite flight team at Starfleet Academy. Each cadet flew a single-pilot spacecraft performing various formations and maneuvers as a demonstation of flight prowess and ability. = = MISSION BRIEF = = The USS Greenleaf (Steamrunner Class) is on training manuevers in the Alpha Sector, and the cadets of the Nova Squadron are piloting a Valkyrie, a single pilot spacecraft. Their mission is to escort a semi-damaged frieghter that contacted the Greenleaf for assistance to StarBase 7 for docking and repairs. The XO is flying along as shotgun with the cadet pilots, so don't ram yourself into an asteroid or anything 'cause that's just embarrassing. = = Thursday 9 PM EST Academy = = = = 03.05.09 = = = = ROSTER = = Game Master - - STSF Kansas Command: Executive Officer <XO> - - STSF Kansas Nova Squadron Pilots: Pilot 1: Alex Macen Pilot 2: WadeFKnight Pilot 3: Lisanna Pilot 4: Vilanne Pilot 5: Ken Kennesaw MD == END ROSTER == ThursChatFighter09_03_05.txt

03.04.09 USS Agincourt NCC-81762 “Misspent Youth” The engagement with the rogue Breen and Ferengi raider ships was going on a bit too long. The damage to the Agincourt was no where near anything significant, but if the battle didn’t turn one way or the other (although, I was much looking forward to that turn being in our favor), we’d have a slight problem. As the tactical overview for the skirmish stood now, a couple of the interior access corridors along the port outer deck had sustained damage to a couple of the corridor access consoles imbedded in the bulkheads thanks to a couple of hits from the raiders that had gotten in under our shields. Colonel Harper had gotten stuck en route to the main bridge when the emergency bulkheads on one of the compromised decks had slapped in place, so that left me in combat scramble mode until the chief shark made it to the bridge. The Damage Control teams were being kept busy repairing the minor damage, but according to the preliminary updates from the on site squad leaders, no one was seriously injured and the equipment would be replaced within the next twenty minutes. And as far as I knew, Medical hadn’t recorded any serious casualties either. Putting aside the fact that it was two to one, the Agincourt should have made short, decisive work of the double teaming, recalcitrant raiders. And since they kept peppering us, I could only assume that my command tactics sucked, or I was missing the big tactical picture. A sound of screeching metal came over the internal communications followed shortly thereafter by the inertial dampeners compensating for the choppy turbulence caused by the hit from the opposing ships. An unmanned engineering console on the far end of the bridge control area flickered and then finally shot out some sparks, blowing out the surface of the console. The Tactical officer got a live update feed going on the main view screen, and called out where the last major hit had landed on the exterior hull of the ship, and again, it was just enough to be annoying rather then life threatening. The split screen chart on the main viewer, a green grid over lay on a black background with various orange, red or blue highlight pattern objects showed a static view on the left of the Agincourt ship specs as well as the battle in real time with the principle objects in the battle moving here and there within the grid on the right grid overlay. The ‘Court side of the screen showed any battle damage to the ship areas outlined in red, while the skirmish section showed the Agincourt and the two enemy ships in triangle target shaped icons as they zipped here and there across the screen grid with various maneuvers. Years of staring at such a tactical grid had accustomed me to taking in the visual situation with a glance, while my mind immediately started searching for viable combat solutions per my security training. I was all over the bridge, going from officer to officer, control station to control station, barking out orders and taking on the fly verbal updates and reports as the bridge staff relayed their information to me. I’m not one to hover over the bridge officers at their stations like a micro managing senior command officers, as that sort of thing used to drive me stark raving bonkers during my cadet training missions. And to be honest, I was constantly on the move because I haven’t mastered the art of staying seated on the command chair as of yet. I’m sorry, but if people are shooting at the ship, and I happen to be commanding, how in the hell are you supposed to just sit there in the command chair? I give Colonel Harper major credit, because I’ve actually seen her keep her rear end on the damn thing during a ruckus. Besides, if I forced myself to stay there, I’m quit sure that claw marks would end up on the upholstery by the end of an engagement due to my excitability, so for now I maintain the mobility circling the bridge thing. I’m also the paws on type, always have been, and so I wanted to quickly touch base with all the officers on the bridge as they reported in. I’m sure my in born curiosity is also a driving factor for the one on one, and no feline jokes, please? Another hit impacted somewhere on the dorsal hull area, and the inertial dampeners informed me that they were not happy with my ship to ship tactical command skills. This skirmish was rapidly unfolding as a surprise to me all around, putting aside the fact that combat is always a kick to the throat; the raider ships, instead of maneuvering as down and dirty pirates from the back space cargo lanes should, kept going into almost military-like training and attack patterns of the space naval variety. It just didn’t make sense? So, in contrast to these so called pirates who are using military tactics, I’ve always tended to lean toward non mainstream tactics. Borrowing medical supplies for a covert op. Brawling on an alien world. Hacking the locked down brig systems to question a prisoner. And taking these past un-Starfleet and downright piratical like mistakes of a junior officer who meant well but fragged up into overall consideration … why am I currently confining myself to the same by the book defensive attack patterns again and again when my opponents are obviously taking their cues from the same type of textbook military attack patterns? Instead of doing what I normally do and improvise as I’ve done in the past? A third hit jarred the big warship and I found myself literally flung over towards Ensign Salir Julio, the purple haired humanoid officer currently manning the Helm station. He had thrown an arm out to steady me, and I gently disengaged myself from the junior officer with a thank you. Julio made a slight grunting sound that I took as his version of an acknowledgment, which was understandable since he had more worries, such as keeping the ship moving and probably couldn’t be bothered with a one hundred and thirty pound cat flying into him. My mind was working as I started on yet another sweep of the bridge, and I went over at least a dozen tactics that I would be able to employ against the hostile ships, finally deciding on a select few that might work against these raiders. It was true I only spent two short years serving on a civilian freebooter ship, but some of the non-Starfleet tactics I picked up during my tenure served there had proven to be invaluable – such as right now. In some cases, the adventures of a misspent youth could benefit the older individual somewhere down the line, as I seem to keep finding out. The Breen combat ship swooped in, the movement tracked and visible on the tactical screen overlay, and the internal sensors indicated that a torpedo lock was imminent. Seconds later, the Agincourt was jarred as the strike impacted with the upper hull and sent spatial turbulence rippling across the decks. “Okay, these so called pirates are pretty precise with their military attack patterns, so let’s change it up a bit and go for some down and dirty attack patterns so we can smack ‘em right back with some strife.” “Mister Julio, bring the Agincourt around in standard frontal attack pattern, head straight for the Ferengi marauder ship. Drop down, go under them, and invert the ship. Bring it around to fire on the Breen ship instead. Keep alternating between the ships with the same attack pattern.” Julio acknowledged my order with an “Aye sir, invert and the fire, alternating patterns”, and moved his hands his control station and started to program the flat inset helm console for the ordered attack pattern. I then turned my attention to the bridge officer manning tactical, pointing a gentle paw in his general direction as I spoke, “Lieutenant, once we clear the underside of the Ferengi ship, fire off the aft cannon, full spread of torps. Then, have the secondary programs fire the front weapons at the Breen ship. Change up the firing patterns based on wherever Mister Julio needs to twist and turn for the evasive. We need them for questioning, and if you can take them out without extreme damage, fine, if not, that’s their choice if they do not disengage. I guarantee at least one of them will make a mistake and allow us to capture them.” My statements, particularly the one about the enemy not disengaging and the retaliatory course of action that we would be forced to undertake in this case, echoed bluntly across the bridge, and I wondered fleetingly if I would have given the same type of orders say five years ago? Prior to getting on the command fast track? Some of my command decisions came easy, while others just came across as so callous. My tail swished, like it was physically dismissing the unsure feelings, and the random thought swished away along with it. Command was not an easy path, this was true. And finally, I looked at the officer at sciences waiting intently for her orders. “Lieutenant, keep tying your sciences sensors and programs into the tactical systems so the firing solutions get that boost to the grid tracking patterns. And have any of your tertiary programs scanning the other ships anything we can use. Computer files, engine output, whatever.” I also planted my butt down on the command chair. High gee maneuvers, Commander Kansas JoNs trolling unsecured across the bridge, incoming fire, boom, ship goes sideways, close encounter with the far bulkhead, smashed feline. Let’s do the tactical math here. Been there, done that, not going there again. “Mister Julio, engage on my Mark. Three, two one … go! Tactical, go, Science, go! And we know Shadow is out there in the black doing his energy draining thing on that Ferengi ship. Everyone hold on and let’s unleash some well deserved boo yah on those Raiders … ”

03.04.09 Agincourt Mission Update: TBS: Five Minutes Word of the Week: Strife - The Agincourt crew tracked the Breen and Ferengi raider ships to another sector. - The pirate ships were in the process of attacking yet another colony; after the opposing ships ignored hails, the order was given by the senior bridge officer in command to engage the two hostile ships in battle. - Shots were fired, and the next sim will pick up with the continuing skirmish.

Alrighty: BEtor was my deciding "voter". I'll keep the Red Shirt Kitteh. Go forth and continue quote-age!

I located another pic that is even better material for a caption contest; any objections to a replacement pic posting and new go round? or leave the round as is?