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Chirakis
STSF GM-
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Posts posted by Chirakis
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Greetings and welcome to STSF, Mr. North. So you are not overwhelmed with information before you even enter the academy, a few thoughts in response to your post.
Okay so, here's the deal. I'm new here (obviously), haven't even done my first academy session yet (since I had the bad luck to show up just as it seems everything is shutting down for the holiday). I have about 10 years of roleplaying experience in all sorts of different settings... but this is my first venture into the Trek universe. As a matter of fact, I had never even watched an episode of any of the shows or anything until this week (seeing the new movie got me curious, lol).What I'm wondering is... is being a new comer to the franchise going to throw me completely out of whack, and leave me stuck in the academy forever? I've been doing a lot of research this last little while and have come to understand things like the ranking systems, screw positions, a certain degree of ship equipment, etc. but I'm still FAR from an expert. For example, when reading the "How to Sim" section of the main page I would see phrases like "transport room 3" and think "How many transport rooms ARE there?"
If you have ten years of role playing experience (and I am assuming you mean online role playing) you already know about characterization and interaction with other role players. No matter what the genre, role playing depends on team work, so you can probably check that skill off as "learned."
The academy focuses on the basic skills of online text-based role playing, which are:
- Teamwork within the Chain of Command (CoC)
- Cooperative interaction with others in your department (security, engineering, science, and medical are the basic departments)
- Creative contribution to the current mission, such as suggesting a course of action to your department head when the Game Master (GM) presents a problem to be solved
- Knowing how we put action into text on the screen in the chat room by using colons (::in Main Engineering (ME):: or ::entering the turbolift:: )
- Remembering to use the comm system (+com+ or +bridge+ or +medical+) when needed
- Your ability to follow the action onscreen and respond appropriately to the GM's action statements.
- Your ability to play your position. For instance, if you are a science officer you don't go running off to fix the engines (unless the GM tells you to, of course).
When we see that you have mastered the basics and are ready to tackle an advanced simulation you will be promoted. So, you get a lot of experience before we throw you to the wolves ::grin::
So basically my first question is, are not knowing things like that going to hurt my chances?No. Knowing how many transporter rooms are on a ship (or other trivia) will not hurt your chances of graduation. Concentrate on learning the basics. The GMs will tell you all the other stuff, either onscreen or in Private Message (PM). In the academy, everyone is human and everyone is a cadet. We keep it simple.
Lastly, since I'm just starting out, i don't quite know the order in which to do things. Do I write up some kind of profile for my character first, so he can be used in the academy, or do the academy first and worry about stuff like that later?Do the academy first and worry about the other stuff later. As you play in the academy you will learn more about timelines, characters, species, and departments, so when you graduate you will probably have a good idea of what kind of ship you want to play on and what kind of character you would like to create.
One last thing:
There are academies every day of the week, but each is different because each host has a different style of leadership. You might consider starting in the Tuesday 9pm academy with Sorehl and Farrington. Sorehl actually has a teaching section at the beginning that lasts about 15 to 20 minutes. Some cadets have found that very helpful.
Any more questions, keep on asking. We're here to help.
- Teamwork within the Chain of Command (CoC)
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Sky Harbor Aegis will be running on Friday 22 May as scheduled.
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Ambassador Drankum visits OPS Manager Porter for updates on all his soon-to-be-profitable ventures. He greets our new security officer, Midshipman Allen Armstrong, with his usual charming, "Shouldn't he be doing something?" followed closely by, "Do we not have any medical persons still aboard this place? Don't they have to prod or do whatever they claim to do when someone new arrives?"
Security Chief Lt tr'Jeth Dabi, contends with the medical and science team sent to investigate the illness on TKR-117. He struggles with his Federation Standard, reporting that the team is interrogating instead of diagnosing, logical phraseology to Dabi but questionable to Aegis OPS Manager Porter.
Drs. McKinney and Pavilion, along with Chief Science Officer SrLtn Feretti and Ltjg Lucindak continue probing the cause of the illness. They question Dr. McDowell, Colonial Administrator, about a new site she mentions, believing it should be explored.
Aboard Aegis, Dr. Lepage struggles with lack of sleep while Drs. Delevan and Belar investigate the medical section of the diplomatic wing to be sure it is ready to quarantine evacuated colonists.
Cmdr Chirakis and Ambassador Joy Two visit Chief Engineer Jorahl for an update on shipyard construction.
Science Officer SrLtn LeMorte completes integration of updated graphic and sensor three dimensional rendering equipment and software into the holoimaging systems.
Engineers Lt Coleridge and Ltjg Fletcher have entirely too much fun terrorizing deckhands in the fighter bay in their quest for the source of a power drain.
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Mission Summary – Sky Harbor Aegis – 15 May 2009
Dr. Lillian Belar is promoted to Ltjg
Leilani Feretti is promoted to SrLtn
Dr. DJ McKinney is promoted to LtCmdr
Time Between Games is 20 minutes.
Ambassador Drankum visits OPS Manager Porter for updates on all his soon-to-be-profitable ventures. He greets our new security officer, Midshipman Allen Armstrong, with his usual charming, "Shouldn't he be doing something?" followed closely by, "Do we not have any medical persons still aboard this place? Don't they have to prod or do whatever they claim to do when someone new arrives?" Security Chief Lt tr'Jeth Dabi, contends with the medical and science team sent to investigate the illness on TKR-117. He struggles with his Federation Standard, reporting that the team is interrogating instead of diagnosing, logical phraseology to Dabi but questionable to Aegis OPS Manager Porter.
Drs. McKinney and Pavilion, along with Chief Science Officer SrLtn Feretti and Ltjg Lucindak continue probing the cause of the illness. They question Dr. McDowell, Colonial Administrator, about a new site she mentions, believing it should be explored.
Aboard Aegis, Dr. Lepage struggles with lack of sleep while Drs. Delevan and Belar investigate the medical section of the diplomatic wing to be sure it is ready to quarantine evacuated colonists.
Cmdr Chirakis and Ambassador Joy Two visit Chief Engineer Jorahl for an update on shipyard construction.
Science Officer SrLtn LeMorte completes integration of updated graphic and sensor three dimensional rendering equipment and software into the holoimaging systems.
Engineers Lt Coleridge and Ltjg Fletcher have entirely too much fun terrorizing deckhands in the fighter bay in their quest for the source of a power drain.
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Heartiest congratulations go to George Pickett who graduated from today's Sunday Academy.
Congratulations, George, and welcome back!
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A reminder that our European-friendly academy will take place this afternoon/evening at:
* 3:00 PM US Eastern Standard Time
* 8:00 PM GMT, Western European Time (London)
* 9:00 PM Central European Time (Germany)
=/\=MISSION BRIEF=/\=
=/\=17 MAY 09 =/\=
=/\= Stardate 23855.10 =/\=
While en route to Starbase 375, the USS Algonquin (Akira Class) encountered a subspace distortion through which a battle-worn Federation starship emerged.
The USS Discovery, an Oberth class ship used for peaceful exploration before the present Federation-Romulan War, was transformed to a medical ship and is assigned to a sector of space several hundred light years from here.
Yet here she is, in her pre-war configuration.
The Federation-Romulan War? Wasn't it the Earth-Romulan War, and didn't that end in 2160?
At sim begin we are a ship of war, rigged for battle.
The Discovery has been brought along side, we have boarded, and are ready to assist in whatever way we can.
We cannot remain in this area for long since Romulan forces have been picking off Federation ships like flies.
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/\=MISSION BRIEF=/\=
=/\=Starfleet Academy =/\=
=/\=10 MAY 09 =/\=
After "assisting" with a Tzenkethi rite of passage in an unclaimed area of space, the USS Algonquin (Akira Class) is en route to Starbase 375.
=/\= ROSTER =/\=
Game Master (GM) - Chirakis
Game Master (GM) - STSF Linus
Mission Commanding Officer (MCO) - Chirakis
Mission Executive Officer (MXO) - STSF Linus
Tactical Officer (TAC) - Damian Porter
Helm (HELM) - Rialia Sinclaire
Operations Officer (OPS) - Samantha Kent
Chief Science Officer (CSCI) - Sakiko Anami
Assistant Science Officer (ASCI) - Pace
Chief Engineering Officer (CENG) - JJ Lexi
Assistant Engineering Officer (AENG) - Wade F Knight
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) - STSF Nickles
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Mission Summary – Sky Harbor Aegis – 8 May 2009
TBG is ten minutes.
Three runabouts bearing medical, science, and security personnel, have landed on TKR-117 to investigate the mysterious illness that has incapacitated the colonists there. One runabout stands by to evacuate the colonists if medical personnel deem it necessary. Others are ready at Aegis to dispatch at a moment's notice.
Science Chief Feretti noted influenza virus in the atmosphere along with the radiation reported by Dr. McDowell.
Lt Dabi's suspicion level rises when Dr. McDowell tells him that "everything is okay" in the colony.
Aboard the station, Drs Lepage, Delevan, and Belar continued deciphering the data that Administrator McDowell sent when she called for aid. If the need arises for evacuation, the medical facility originally constructed in Pylon B for the Diplomatic Section will be used for quarantine.
Engineer Coleridge continued to tweak the defense grid. Fletcher readied additional runabouts in case they were needed by the away team and played with a maintenance plan for the new fighters, dubbed "Starfleet go-carts, under powered, over complicated, and needlessly decked out with useless features" by Romulan Chief Engineer Centurion Jorahl.
Ambassador Joy Two, interested in proceedings on TKR-117, visited the Control Tower, then returned to the Federation Embassy suite to plan for the impending visit by Joy Eight.
For anyone who is interested,
- Sky Harbor Aegis has been in its present position for 38 days.
- The colony on TKR-117 was established 17 days ago.
- Distance from Aegis to TKR-117 is approximately 12 hours by runabout.
- Distance from Aegis to Kobheeria is approximately one week at max warp.
- Sky Harbor Aegis has been in its present position for 38 days.
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Hi, Crazygreek, and welcome to STSF! Judging from your question - and your name - I'm guessing you are in Greece. All our advanced simulations and most of our academies are in US Eastern Time. There is one "European friendly" academy that is held on Sundays at 3pm, which would be 8 PM GMT, or 9 PM Central European Time.Hope this helps you out. Ask away if it doesn't.
Yes. What she said. ::grin::
Welcome, Crazygreek. I look forward to seeing you in the academy!
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Three shuttles bearing science and medical teams arrive at Alastair I on TKR-117 to evaluate the source of the colonists' illness. Aboard the station, work continues on the shipyard.
Time between games is a few minutes.
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Welcome to STSF, Leila.
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Welcome, Tristan. As for your next step, check out the schedule and come to an academy. The rest is academic.
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Welcome to STSF, Katsya. Glad you found us.
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Yeah...I was wondering that too. It seemed rather contrived and (if you'll pardon the obvious joke) illogical.Contrived, yes, but it also appeals to the younger set and goes to the "rebooting" of the franchise. A favorite childhood fantasy is to save the world - or in this case, the universe - when you are still a cadet/student/teen. It's the classic theme of the hero coming from the youngest, most unexpected character, from King Arthur pulling out the sword to Alex saving the galaxy in The Last Starfighter.
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Orion "slave girl" as a Starfleet cadet?! How could anyone concentrate in class - or on the same ship as them? It would definitely take more willpower than the typical Alpha Male (or Alpha Female, for that matter) can muster! "Lt., Fire all... ooooohhh, you're looking nice today."Heh-heh, yeah, yummy film, time to go back for seconds!
I thought that a bit strange, not to mention that her makeup looked like . . . makeup. Very disconcerting.
Seconds? Yes please. And thirds, if possible.
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A reminder that our European-friendly academy will take place this afternoon/evening at:
* 3:00 PM US Eastern Standard Time
* 8:00 PM GMT, Western European Time (London)
* 9:00 PM Central European Time (Germany)
=/\=MISSION BRIEF=/\=
After "assisting" with a Tzenkethi rite of passage in an unclaimed area of space, the USS Algonquin (Akira Class) is en route to Starbase 375.
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Just a reminder that Sky Harbor Aegis will sim tonight, though some will be at the new movie. We will continue on the current plot, but no plot advancements will occur.
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Event Horizon
A Joint Log by Ambassador Joy Two and Commander Chirakis
Were Ambassador Joy Two not an android her statement may have been tossed aside or lost amid the hubbub of activity and rush of communication in the Control Tower. Within a matter of minutes activity had shot from normal operations to dealing with a call for emergency aid from the colony on TKR-117. A medical emergency, Administrator McDowell had said, possible radiation poisoning. While Operations Chief Porter shifted into high gear coordinating and dispatching supplies, personnel, and runabouts, Dr. Lepage, Ambassador Drankum, and Kirel had conferred in the center.
Joy, on the other hand, had remained at a free comm console, calmly offering assistance from the Mudd ship that was currently docked at Kobheeria, suggesting options, and, as was her habit, politely awaiting a request from the biological beings her processors were programmed to serve.
After some time there came a break of a few seconds wherein everyone's thoughts paused, their voices stilled, and the comms silenced. At that precise instant Kirel noticed Joy standing before them and realized that the timing might have been precisely calculated for maximum effect. Such had been the habit of Joy's sister, Ten, with whom Kirel had served for several years. It followed that the same Asimov processing had occurred here.
"Ambassador," she had said as she addressed the commanding officer, a look of grave concern clouding a normally polite and graceful expression. "I am a bit concerned that Doctor McDowell's team was doing archeology, but she would not say what she was excavating. I don't believe a colonial survey would have missed a planet wide radiation problem. It seems likely that the radiation is related to Hannah's dig. If so, they might not wish to stay near the dig. The problem could be associated with ancient alien technology."
Kirel knew Joy's expression well, and given the message to Ambassador Drankum she realized that one of Joy's three dominant Priorities must have been violated.
Priority one was the Prime Directive: cultures ought to be able to choose how they develop, and should not be forced or coerced. Priority two pertained to Asimov's First Law of Robotics. Sentient life is sacred. All steps should be taken to prevent loss of life, which implies all steps should be taken to prevent war. Priority three was to preserve, protect and defend the Federation Constitution.
After a few quick calculations of her own, Kirel surmised that Priority two had come into play. Because of a supposed excavation, sentient life – the lives of the colonists – was in danger. Furthermore, if the excavation revealed the presence of an ancient culture and/or technology, there could be the possibility that whatever they had found or could find might lead to conflict, which could eventually lead to war.
That, however, was not Kirel's immediate concern. She knew Joy Two well enough to recognize from her posture and mannerisms that one of those three issues was in play, and that failure to figure out which one was the problem and resolve the concern was apt to result in an intensely stubborn and emotional android who happened to be in the Control Tower. Having a Mudd android going into emotion chip overload in the Control Tower during a crisis was, indeed, something to be avoided. She had witnessed such in Joy Ten. A stubborn and emotional android was not a pretty sight.
After a glance at Ambassador Drankum then back to Joy, Kirel was on the comm. to Dr. Lepage, Lt Feretti, and Lt Dabi with an update, emphasizing that the information was hearsay, with conjecture on the part of Dr. McDowell. She tossed in another due diligence and an all caution for good measure, then shifted her attention back to Joy to see if her Priority had been satisfied. If so, Joy could relax, and a CT event of emotionally catastrophic proportions avoided.
Joy seemed satisfied. All was well in the universe.
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And the latest from Europe, whose preview was today. Definitely a must-see, and more than once.
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Mission Summary – Sky Harbor Aegis – 1 May 2009
Time Between Games is one day.
Alastair I, the colony on TKR-117, has called for assistance in a medical emergency. All twelve of their colonists have become ill with coughing and flu-like symptoms. Administrator McDowell suspects radiation poisoning from possible exposure to jakmanite and our medical and science teams are quite concerned.
Jakmanite is rare and did not show on pre-colonization geological scans. It is one of only five undetectable substances that can exist in a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere and can alter the molecular structure of glass.
Science, medical, and colonist transportation runabouts have been readied and will depart before game beginning on Friday.
Teams assigned to the mission are:
- Medical: Drs. McKinny and Pavilion,
- Security: Chief tr'Jeth Dabi,
- Science: Chief SrLtn Feretti and Ltjg Lucindak.
Be advised:
- Full isolation protocol is in effect.
- Scans and information on the colony and planet will be required before anyone receives permission to disembark at the colony.
- The cause of the illness has yet to be determined.
- Whether the colonists will be transported to Aegis will be decided by medical personnel.
- Medical: Drs. McKinny and Pavilion,
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A reminder that our European-friendly academy will take place this afternoon/evening at:
* 3:00 PM US Eastern Standard Time
* 8:00 PM GMT, Western European Time (London)
* 9:00 PM Central European Time (Germany)
=/\=MISSION BRIEF=/\=
The Federation Starship USS Algonquin (Akira Class) is monitoring the area between Federation and Tzenkethi space after reports of a few skirmishes.
The Tzenkethi have been at peace with the Federation since the Dominion War, though their own government has endured several internal coups.
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And you don't look a day over 75. ::grin::
Congratulations and Happy Birthday!
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Safe Passage
"How does it feel?"
Clad only in a thin sleeveless tunic and shorts, Kirel lay in a near-fetal position upon the dank cave floor, totally compliant to her captor's wishes. That was what was required, or at least she vaguely remembered it was. Much had become hazy over the past few days. Still, the urge to attack was strong, and, if by some strange quirk of fate she could muster the strength from her emaciated body, she probably would fall into his trap, attack, and die. "One never knows how one will respond in any situation until one is presented with that situation," her instructor had said not so long ago. She trusted him then. She had to trust him now.
Her captor's tongue hissed in her ear, and then his voice, gruff and taunting, whispered insult and innuendo as he worked his way within an inch of her face from one side to the other. She felt a harsh, calloused hand brush slowly down the center of her back and across her thigh, but she remained still and unresponsive, except for a slight shudder she could not control. Threats of violating her body – and those of her teammates – spat from his lips in the company of a putrid odor.
After a long pause a second voice, not her captor's, came from farther away, close to the drip of cave seepage that nearly drove her insane from thirst. "How does it feel?" it said again. Another male, familiar and yet not familiar. Water. She couldn't even remember its taste. One drop. Only one. One… drop. "How long will you last? Just say the word."
"Tomar," she replied, though the voice didn't sound like her own. Perhaps she could suck some moisture from the damp cave floor. "Tomar," she said again. Safe passage. She knew nothing of the Federation and their strategies. All she required was safe passage, nothing more.
Not even in the Cardassian slave camp of her childhood, where hunger and thirst drove them to the garbage heaps of their masters and the puddles that gathered after infrequent rains, had she known such a heaviness. A feral instinct had engulfed her very being, trapping it in a desperate struggle for survival. Her head pounded, everything magnified a thousand fold, the drip… drip… drip from deep within the cave, the floor spinning with the slightest movement of her head, the anguish from constant retching when there was nothing left to retch, her tongue swollen beyond speech, her cracked lips oozing what little moisture was left in her body.
"Y ka'alat tomar," Kirel repeated. I require safe passage. Yes. That's what I'm supposed to say. Nothing else.
"Tell me your name." Her captor again. The first voice, not the second.
"Tomar." No name. Nothing.
"Who sent you?"
"Ka'alat… tomar." Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth and her lips pasted together as she struggled for words.
"Where are you from? Say it, and you will live."
"Ka'al…." Kirel choked, her head lolled on the cave floor, and what she could still see spun uncontrollably.
Her captor withdrew to be replaced by another – not the second she had been hearing in the background for the past few… hours, were they? Or days? Or weeks? The third one had a different manner, a different smell, a different touch, and a calm, soothing voice. It knelt next to her and the sound of a tricorder flicked past her ear. "That's it. No more," it said. And it sounded like… a female?
The second, more distant presence joined the third next to her. Kirel craned her neck to see who it was, but her dry, unfocused eyes were beyond seeing, and her mind, becoming more confused by the minute, would not give her the information she required for reason. The language she did recognize – Federation Standard – and she had a faint recollection that she knew this second person, but the rest wouldn't come. He knelt next to her and seemed to study her for a long time, then spoke carefully and with authority.
"Remember how you feel, Lieutenant. Remember every sensation in your body. The swelling, the disorientation, the pain… everything. Remember it well. Now you know how far you can go. Beyond this there is only death."
A rustle of hurried bodies approaching, the hiss of a hypospray, and a cool, moist cloth over her face brought her mind back to remembering her mission, which was not a mission at all. It was, instead, an investigation of self-awareness, who she was and how far she could go, into learning the signs of her own body and realizing how much she could endure. All operatives, in a course called, strangely enough, Survival, endured – or did not endure – this test.
"And how they groan and grumble when their Midway is barren," said Kirel as these thoughts passed. Now a Commander and second in command of Sky Harbor Aegis, she was taking a few minutes to enjoy a lemonade on the concourse. She had been watching the excitement of opening day for several of the smaller concessions, somewhat pleased that the crew had a place besides their quarters or the holodeck for relaxation. She imagined that Ambassador Drankum was also pleased with the resurrection of commerce, of profitable ventures, though she knew his heart was in the shipyard.
Was this the feeling they called command satisfaction? For a brief moment Kirel considered that she might have become addled, and that perhaps she was actually settling into this post. Immediately after that, however, she began to wonder how the crew would endure in times of famine, though she knew from their files that many already had. Some had seen the Dominion War, and some had experienced the dire events of the Cardassian plague. Those thoughts had, in turn, led her to question the extent of their emergency stores, which led to wandering thoughts of her youth, her time with the Maquis, and her first few years of training with what they called The Service. In short, a long, involved, mostly useless mental journey had interrupted her enjoyment of one tall glass of fresh lemonade.
"Porter to Commander Chirakis. Your birds are in the bay."
Kirel smiled as she answered the comm. Supplies had arrived, the shipyard had begun construction, businesses were opening, and now they had fighters. Could it have been a better week? A better day?
"I'll meet you there," was her succinct reply, and in less than an hour she and Operations Manager Porter were taking stock of two fighters, with promise of more on the way. Their outward appearance mimicked the Mongoose Mark IIs but their interior configuration and accompanying technology was, according to R&D, beyond imagination. But to Kirel, the bottom line would be do they work?
She took a deep breath and climbed aboard to find out.
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Welcome to STSF, Brynna. Hope to see you around the academies and on an advanced simulation some time soon.