CAPTAIN'S LOG:
A Joint RPG Newsletter of the Star Trek Universe

"Imagine all the people living life as one..."
~ John Lennon

Issue 1: August 1998

Captian's Log: Supplemental. These are the voyages of the Newsletter Captain's Log, our continuing mission, to seek out new rpgs and explore new webpages...to boldly go where no newsletter has gone before! To begin with, we would like to thank all of you for having the faith in us to sign up to recieve the first issue of this extremley new and developmental newsletter. We have worked very hard to make this issue possible, and sincerley hope that we have not let you down! If you have any comments, questions, suggestions, or would like to submit your own article to be published in an upcoming issue of Captain's Log, we welcome your email at [email protected]! If you are recieving this document through email, please visit us on the web at http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Hollow/3200/index.html!

Sincerley,

Craig Pichach
Amy Lindeman
Editors in Chiefs

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. High Priority: The Starfleet Intelligence Profile
2. I.n T.he O.pen
3. RPG Pointers: Welcoming Newbies
4. The Spotlight: Seventh Fleet RPG
5. Meet the Members: Sarah's Little Interviews
6. To Be or Not to Be: The Galaxy Class Question
7. Uncensored: Game or Government
8. Galactic Gossip: Star Trek IX
9. Oldies But Goodies: Star Trek Episodes
10. Fan Fiction: The Journeys of the USS Avenger
11. Star Trek Trivia
12. Ask the Admirals: An RPG Help Column
13. Classifieds Column

High Priority: The Starfleet Intelligence Profile
Craig Pichach, Co-Editor in Chief

[Star Fleet Intelligence shall select the best intelligence profiles on civilizations, threats, figures and more and present them for general usage across the Federation]

The Practical Guide to the Orion Syndicate (aka. Good people NOT to get to know).

Organized crime, that sums up the entire organization of the Orion Syndicate. A ruthless organization spanning the entire known galaxy, operating without thought as to borders, governments nor any "prime directives", the Syndicate also yields a great deal of power. This is the Mafia of the known galaxy, and no institution is immune to their tactics. It is hard to believe that this organization found it's start up from a band of Orion national fleet rebels who made a run for it following Orion's decision to join the United Federation of Planets. It is clear that they left to maintain their "high standard of living" (ie. Everyone supporting them) while maintaining an official stance of being unwilling to accept any loss of sovereignty, When Orion's application finally went through, 80% of the Orion national fleet set out into deep space en-mass, and would later form the nucleus of the syndicate. At the time, the Orion rebels could maybe launch the occasional convoy raid and smuggling operations, all acts of piracy. Perhaps their fastest growing operation was it's development of a new slave trade. They soon gained a reputation as "The Orion Pirates" at the time as their operations continued to expand. Although the Orion pirates had moderate success in terms of privateer actions along the frontier, Star Fleet vessels (such as the Constitution class) at the time could easily overpower the "raider" class vessels and were quite effective in dealing in such incidents. Orion pirates would rather die then be captured, for the number one reason is that they do not wish to die in prison. Many an arrested Orion pirates have died at the hands of their comrades in assassinations. In order to keep the pirates safe from exposure, all Orion pirates were later equipped with suicide gear. At the time, the Orion pirates were divided among varying cartels, almost as hostile to each other as police/national vessels. Imagine Star Fleet intelligence's surprise, however, when it actually became clear that the Orion pirates were organizing. During the Babel Conference, meeting to discuss the matter of Corellian acceptance (which would interfere in Orion operations), members of various Orion cartels agreed to cooperate to end the crisis. Only the actions of the original USS Enterprise saved the vast majority of the Federation Council from death at the hands of the Orion pirates. It was then that Star Fleet, and perhaps the entire Federation took notice. Star Fleet Intelligence immediately began in-depth investigations while starships began routine anti-piracy patrols. The "War Against the Pirates" was on. While the Orion pirates during this period had a brief period of increasing profits, Orion operations soon began to decline with the devaluation of dylithum, the coming of the Ferengi and the collapse of the unwritten cooperation agreement. Fracturing into various cartels, Star Fleet Intelligence gleefully watched as the pirates doomed themselves. Unfortunately, this was not to be the case. Instead, a new element emerged in the Orion Pirate elite (codenamed "The Godfather") who wished to bring about the restoration of the Orion legacy and power. Immediately the cartels under this influence were brought in, leading to the creation of the Syndicate.  With this new rebirth, the Orion Syndicate reestablished it's piracy and smuggling lines, reinstated the slave trade on various non-aligned worlds and using "Mafia" tactics became a capitalistic organization even the Ferengi have learned to fear. To the horror of Star Fleet Intelligence, the Orion Syndicate even began to create legitimate businesses as cover operations and profit operations to pay for their illegal activities. Assassinations eliminated those that opposed the syndicate and new "Raider" class starships began to appear across known space.  While illegal organized crime operations, legitimate business empires and piracy provide the wealth of the syndicate, acts such as hijackings, kidnappings, assassinations, piracy, murder and espionage establish the legacy which brings the Syndicate to the forefront as a major player in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. The Orion Syndicate serves the highest bidder, and has even done work for the Dominion. Star Fleet intelligence shall remain vigilant in their investigation of the Syndicate as it remains clear that they shall remain a clear and present danger to the Federation.

I.n T.he O.pen
News Letter Editing Staff

Often times rumors will escalate to a status where they will pit different role playing organizations against each other because of one fundamental lie that was started by an unknown prankster. In an effort to prevent this kind of thing from happening, we have established ITO as a way of getting these things out in the open so that everyone is aware of potential disturbances, and can thereby prevent anything from every coming of it. If you know somebody who has been disruptive to your RPG group, or perhaps an anonymous person who has been spamming your ship, things like that, please e-mail these reports to [email protected] and we will be happy to post such reports in the ITO section of next month's newsletter! All that we ask is that you please do not abuse this column as a way of getting back at people you don't like.

Caught impersonating an Admiral from another fleet in a letter reporting "spies"
[email protected]

RPG Pointers: Welcoming Newbies!
Steven Lofton, Tango Fleet and SFC

Just think of this. You've just joined a ship. It's the first RPG (Role Playing Game) you have ever been a part of. You start getting posts from all the crew, you read them as soon as you see them come up in your Inbox. As soon as you read them all you think about making up your first ever post. You look at the way the crew posted their posts, but it suddenly hits you... You don't really know whats going on or your not really sure how to post and you don't want to mess anything up. Not a good feeling is it?

This happens to most of the new people on ships. It's not a very hard thing to fix, once the person knows what he or she needs to. One good thing to do is make sure the person gets a good welcome. It means a lot to a new person to get an e-mail saying something as simple as "Welcome to the ship" or "If you need any help e-mail me and I'll help you as best as I can."

Another thing to do is get them into the game a little bit. Don't give them tons of things to do, but try to give them an intro so that they have someplace to start. It might confuse them a little if too much happens at once, but putting them in a post or two might help to build their confidence and get them involved. Maybe even send them on a "Away Team" one time.

If you are a Deparment Head and a new person was just added to your area, have the two of you meet and talk somewhere. Try to have a good amount of chatacter interaction with them, as you will be the easiest person for them to "get to know", at least at first.

Those are just some of the ways to help a new person out. There are many more that I have not listed. But all in all it is best to be kind and willing to help the person out. Remember, you might be going down the same path one day--if you haven't already.

The Spotlight: Seventh Fleet RPG
Alexia Neat, Tango Fleet

Seventh Fleet is a Star Trek based role playing game. Their site, http://members.xoom.com/beauman/ is quite informative and easy to follow. In this game you join a star ship and accompany it and it's crew in adventures throughout the galaxy. You create a character and react as this character would to the circumstances presented to you. As time goes on you will develop your character and your relationships with other characters in the fleet. You join others and through your e-mail create a story taking turns letting your character interact with the rest of the crew. It is easy to join and they give clear instructions as to how things are to be done. Some pages would not load and for the ones that do it takes a while for them to load but if you are patient you will see that they are nicely done. There are several sections to this site. They have an entertainment section to help you catch up on your trek trivia. Also, they have a review of the latest happenings of Star Trek DS9. I found that the people involved are eager to explain and answer any questions that I could come up with.

Enjoying life is one of the many keys to life. That is what Seventh Fleet is all about. Having fun and enjoying yourself. They enjoy watching the story unfold and being a part of it. If you are a trekker, a writer of science fiction, like role playing games, or just like having fun, you might want to look into Seventh Fleet.

Meet the Members: Sarah's Little Interviews
Sarah Wohlmuth, Interview Coordinator

Just a little disclaimer here…I am rather new at this, but we all have to start somewhere....so here goes. =) The RPG newsletter has asked me to give you the readers, articles that help enhance your experience in the individual RPG's you participate in. I thought that the best way to do this would be to showcase various members of  RPGs and give you a chance to get to know the person who plays those characters we all know and love. So with that in mind, I give you the very FIRST (and there was much rejoicing) premiere installment of  Sarah's Little interviews.....That is until I come up
with a more flashy name (laugh) My first two lucky victims, are:

Thomas Warwick, [email protected] known as Fleet Admiral Warwick in the Seventh Fleet, and

Amy Lindeman, [email protected] who plays the character of Admiral Priest in Tango Fleet.
       
Sarah: First off, let's get on a first name basis...that is if you wish, what can you tell me about the real Amy and the real Thomas?

Thomas: Well, my real name is Thomas Warwick  same as my character. I'm 14 years old and I am an assistant at a local print shop. I'm normally a professional student and intend to be until I graduate from Medical school.

Amy: Everyone knows this anyways.  *lol*  I usually threaten to hurt people who call me Admiral, and ask that they call me Amy instead.  That is, of course, when we're in a social setting.  In a formal setting I suppose it would be the other way around.  :-)  In case you haven't guessed, my name is Amy Lindeman. I live in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (for those who may not know, that is in North East Texas).  I'm fifteen years old, and I do nothing for a living other then cost my parents money!  I go to school at RL Turner High School though, and I will be a Junior next year....school starts on August 10th.  YICK!!! 

Sarah: We all start somewhere. What got you interested in RPGs, and what led to the eventual participations in the fleets that you currently serve in?

Amy:  I'd have to say, the thing that got me interested in RPGs was going to the old WWCD chat room and hearing everybody talking about their RPG ship and what they were doing in their game.  I thought it was cool, so when I heard a guy named "Jawa" (now Vice Admiral Michael Todd, Tango Fleet) talking about his ship the new USS Atrius, I asked if I
could join.  No sooner did Mike start telling me about the RPG then "Fleet Admiral Android" (now Fleet Admiral Andrew Grimm, Tango Fleet) jumped in and introduce himself to me as the Captain of the Atrius.  By the time Mike and Andy were through with me, needless to say, I was hooked.

Thomas: Well, I'd been interested in the 7th Fleet because it came up in a search for a Star Trek RPG. I'd had my eye on it for about a year. It's a good thing I joined shortly after the Tango Fleet/7th Fleet split because I was granted a commission as a Lt. Cmdr. onboard the Lion Heart as XO. The Captain who signed up failed to respond and I ended up taking his place.

Sarah: So Thomas, did you ever think that you would be at the driver's wheel of such a succesful RPG when you first started out as the Lt. Cmdr?

Thomas: Yes. It wasn't actually my intention to remain as the Lion Heart XO but to transfer to a better ship when it was available.

Sarah: I think that part of the fun of RPGing is to take a character that doesn't exsist and create a whole new person, For me I like to attach a celebirty with my character so that it helps me to get into character easier. With that in mind, who would you picture to be the person to play the role of your character or embody the character of the person you portray?

Thomas: I'd have to say I try to portray my charchter like Groucho Marx.Mainly because I don't want anybody taking me too seriously and calling me "Sir" all the time. especially when I'm only a 9th Grade student and an amateur Trumpeter who plays RPG's in his spare time.

Amy:  I don't really know.  I'm terrible with actors and actresses names. (laughs)  My character, Kiara is just a quiet commanding type character who is unsure of herself at times and has a lot going on in her mind that she doesn't share with many people. Wait....I know who I'd pick, who played the lady in GI Jane?  Whoever that was, I'd pick her, because at the moment I'd say that Kiara has about that much hair!(laughs) Long story, but needless to say, she's been wearing a wig of late.

Sarah: (laugh) Amy, now you know I can't let a great story like that pass our readers by.....so what's the scoop with the hair?

Amy:  Well, it isn't that interesting actually *lol* What happened was that I was going to be going on vacation for a week to visit my family in Wisconsin and needed an excuse to get Kiara out of the RPG for that time. Now normally I'd have just gone to a meeting at Starfleet Head Quarters or taken a shoreleave or something, but since my Barkeep at the time, Jazz, seemed to have this fixation with getting his revenge on Kiara for an earlier misunderstanding regarding leaving him in a lifepod in the middle of a warzone, I told him he could do something to put her in critical condition and then the doc would revive me when I got back.  When I agreed to this, I had no idea that Jazz was going to throw ACID at my face, and the doctor was going to subsequantly replace my ENTIRE face, including the loss of all my hair!!!  If I had, perhaps I would be coming back from Risa insted of recovering from third degree burns. (laughs)

Sarah: Obviously everyone has a life away from the RPG world, or that is we hope we do. =) What do you do enjoy doing  in your spare time? That is, are there any hobbies that you pursue, musical tastes, pets that tug at your heart strings?

Amy: Spare time?  I didn't know those words went together...  Hmmmm I like Reggae Music, Shaggy and Maxi Priest in particular, as well as Soft Rock, and that's just general.  I used to have a dog named Bubka but my parents made me get rid of him when we moved out of California.  Actually, that is why I have my own computer now -- I put up such a fuss
over getting rid of my little dog, that my dad said if I let him get rid of the dog he would buy me my own computer.  Needless to say, Bubka now resides in a quiet little home in San Diego, California, and I am sitting here today on my very own computer.  (laugh)

Thomas: Well, as I mentioned before, I'm an amature Trumpeter for the local university ensemble and 1st chair in most of my school programs. My other hobbies include goofing off with supersoakers and playing ST:CCG. I don't listen to music because I'm busy composing it or playing it. My pets are a bunch of fish including an Angelfish called Livingston.

Sarah: I am familiar with the Star Trek CCG *Customizable Card Game* game,  what can you tell our readers about the game play if you were to get them hooked?

Thomas: It's a great game if you have the patience to learn literally hundreds of rule changes and the patience to belive somebody who quotes new rules. Decipher has teriffic online support but horrible offline support and it's very difficult to organize players with each player having their own ideas for the fast changing rules. Luckily I have the time to be on a Star Trek Listserv and therefore can inform my fellow players about rules changes. To find out more about The Star trek CCG go to decipher's online headquarters. www.decipher.com

Sarah: They say that wisdom is the pearl of knowledge, What are the best words of wisdom that you have received from friends or family?

Thomas: Never urinate in hyperspace.

Amy: ~ We marvel at the power of the oceans.  Yet, within each of us is a power and a glory beyond all the wonders of this earth. ~

That's what I use on my signature for emails.  A guy on my debate team gave me a card that said that for "Senior Wills", he told me that I have the potential to be a really good debater, all I had to do is have confidence in myself.  I think that is true of everybody in one area or another, and we need to remember that we can achieve anything if we put our minds to it.  I know that sounds corny, but it's really true.

Hmmm and from my family, I'd say it would have to be my dad's sermon on being forgiving, that really struck a chord with me as well, though I don't remember the exact words he used.  Basically he said that no matter how much somebody makes you angry it won't do any good to get angry at them.  This isn't easy to always remember, but I think it has
helped me in a lot of things to realize that when someone throws an insult at me, I can try to be the bigger person and not insult them back.

Sarah: Those words are so true Amy, I think that all of us hold untapped potential in our souls that enhances us and makes us better people in the long run, How do they say that? Slow to anger and quick to forgive? OK, here's one off the cuff.  Amy,  If you had Three wishes what would you wish for?

Amy:  The obvious choice would be more wishes, but I'll be a good sport and pretend that's illegal.  :-)

Sarah: (laughs) No....actually that was the answer I had in mind but
since you have some wishes in mind.....wish away.

Amy: I would wish for one,  A 36 hour day.  That would be REALLY helpful!! Two, My mom to get a job in Texas and stay here all the time.(Currently she commutes back and forth between Texas and California) And three, For people to not fight over stupid little petty things.(Most people might ask for world peace, but if this wish was granted, I think it might achieve the same goal and much, much more)

Sarah: This question split the guy who helped come up with these questions..........BTW, Thanks Matt. ;) As a Star trek fan.......Kirk, or Picard????

Thomas: Actually, I favor Kirk in the movies because of his sense of comradeship and valor. However, I don't like his early ST appearances because they are stiff and rely on running away when the consequences are about to happen.

Amy:  As a Captain, Picard.

Sarah: Are Either of you currently you involved in any other RPG's that you would like to plug?

Thomas: I am a member of Friends of The Maquis. To find out more just e-mail me. I am also active with peace intiatives between fleets and clearing up diplomatic blunders my Fleet Admiral makes.

Amy:  I'm not really into plugging RPGs, since I think we're all after the same goal in the long run, it doesn't really matter what RPG we belong to, but, to answer the question, in addition to my character of Admiral Priest who plays as Commanding Officer of Tango Fleet's USS Masada/DS11 Station, I am on four other ships.  I'm on the USS Atrius,
and this is the ship I have been on for the longest by far, as LT Amy deLancie-Grimm, the Chief Science Officer who finds herself constantly getting into trouble--I'd say she is one of my favorite characters.  On the USS Saturn I recently started playing the character of Monica Todd, the Captain's daugher from an alternate reality (In Tango Fleet's reality, Monica died as a baby).  On the SOUL's USS Discovery I play an opinionated Botanist named Ensign Corinna Aithne Simone.  And finally, on SFC's USS Nova I play well..actually I'm several characters there because I have an interesting crew of NPCs that my assistant and I run, but my "main" character is LT Kayci Ishara, the Chief Medical Officer.  That enough for you?  *laugh*

Sarah: Finally, where do you see yourself in five years and what do you hope you have contributed to those around you?

Thomas: I plan to be the Fleet Admiral in charge of 7th Fleet (If Beau has resigned.) I would also plan to be a First Year Med. Student. I think by that time I hope to maintain 7th Fleet to the point that we've Eliminated and made peace with our enemies, and that we've grown to include all kinds of players. Right now for instance, I'm working on getting a Female command officer in 7th Fleet because I noted that out of over sixty members only 3 are female.

Amy: Hmmmm in five years I would be twenty years old, and a Junior (once again), in college.  I hope to have not caused my dad to go any greyer then he already has, which shouldn't be too hard, if he can just make it through these next few months of teaching me how to drive without going COMPLETLEY grey, and to have done my best to be a kind and friendly
person to everyone I interact with.  Hopefully I'll have a nice boyfriend, and still get to see my family and friends a lot.  I don't know where I'll be geographically, but I can tell you one thing for sure -- I WONT BE IN TEXAS.  And for those of you who will still know me in five years, and I'm sure they'll be a few...PLEASE don't throw those words back at me too strongly when you're emailing me at my Texas Tech college account? (laugh) I just hope to have fun!  (And maybe get a car while I'm at it)!

********End Interview*********

My thanks go to Amy Lindeman and Thomas Warwick , I hope that you all have enjoyed getting to know these two valuable contributors to their RPGs and if you get a chance, visit their respective fleet pages on the web.

The Seventh Fleet is at:
http://members.xoom.com/beauman/lionheartbridge.htm
Tango Fleet is at:
http://www.netins.net/showcase/tangofleet/index.html

We still have a long road to haul and many more people to get to know, so if you know of anyone out there who wouldn't mind spilling their guts to the readers send them to [email protected]. Otherwise, don't be surprised if you're contacted within the next couple of months about the possibility of me interviewing you!! Thanks for reading and until next month....

To Be or Not To Be: The Galaxy Class Question
Craig Pichach, Co-Editor in Chief
Sean Berg, Fiction Editor

The final frontier can be a dangerous place, and in some cases, and at first glance, the Galaxy class of starships seems quite capable of handling what lies "out there". Massive, heavily armed and shielded, impressive, comfortable and capable of handling a crew over a thousand, it is almost hard to believe that this "flagship" class has come into question. Today, however, in the with images of the burning hulk of the USS Odyssey in the Gamma Quadrant, the wreckage of the Enterprise-D on Veredia III and the complete destruction of the USS Yamato, all still fresh in their minds, some have gone so far to claim that the class is "flawed". In addition, some look to the smaller Defiant class vessels as the "future" of the fleet in terms of cost-effectiveness and many even feel that the Galaxy class should eventually be dropped. We have, however, seen that the Galaxy class is quite capable of both exploration and defense. Although it is obvious that the warp core ejection system must be upgraded (why doesn't that sequence ever work?) the starship remains one of the most advanced and capable designs in the entire Star Fleet. Fast, armed, and ready to face the unknown. Capable of firing a spread of 10 (!) photon/quantum torpedoes in a single spread, a virtual omni-directional phaser array and shields that can take a beating, the Galaxy is definitely an able addition to any fleet. In addition to all this technological capacity, the Galaxy class still remains "comfortable" with quarters that would impress even the Elyan of Troyius in their space and
design, a definite plus in diplomacy when one can "impress" the delegates. When compared to such designs as the Defiant, Steamrunner and other smaller escort vessels, there is definitely no match. Without shields, the Defiant is useless, you can't tear through the saucer on that one. The Galaxy class, however, as with the Enterprise-D over Verendia III can take the punishment while maintaining continual weapons fire. As for cost effectiveness, these Galaxy class starships can inflict more fire power and take more damage then any other ship in the fleet (other then the Sovereign and perhaps Prometheus classes). While 4 Defiant class ships could equal the Galaxy, that would mean 1-2 starships lost with the Defiants, the damaged Galaxy class ship can be towed back to home and restored as if nothing had ever happened. Throughout the Dominion war it is the Galaxy class starships serving at the head of the fleet, the weapon
platforms capable of taking on even the largest of battleships. Although the Sovereign class is far more capable and effective, the Galaxy class still seems more diplomatic and exploration inclined. Capable of handling families, the Galaxy class can definitely go out on longer missions, and her "exploration demeanor" makes the Galaxy the ship of choice for  both first contact and exploration missions while her weaponry has made the Galaxy class flagship of choice during the Dominion War. The "Venture" update can only increase her capabilities. Take note in your RPGs, until the Sovereign
class enters the fleet in large scale numbers, it is the opinion of these writers, that the Galaxy class shall continue to be at the head of the fleet, going where none have gone before.

Uncensored: Game or Government?
Amy Lindeman, Co-Editor in Chief

[Warning: "Uncensored" is my little little corner of the universe, and some of the opinions expressed within may not be very politically correct, but they're how I feel.]

RPG. What does that stand for? I'm willing to bet that every one of you know the answer to that question, or you wouldn't be reading this article right now. However, I don't think that everyone, myself included, is totally sure what that "G" in the initials stands for. Is it a Role Playing Game....or a Role Playing Government? Let's see if we can find out! Webster's defines a government as "Exercising authority over a state, administration, organization, etc...". Well, most RPG Administrations are exercising a degree of authority over their particular organization, so there's our answer. RPGs are Governments. But wait, that doesn't sound right, does it? Maybe I should look up the meaning of the word game as well. There must be some kind of a mistake, because, surely we aren't all members of Role Playing Governments, afterall, it just doesn't sound right! Again, I look to our good friend Webster for help, and this is what he says: "Any form of play, amusement." Hmmm...play, where does that sound familiar? Oh yes! That is the P in RPG. Well, that makes sense then, RPG is a Role Playing Game. But what about the second half of the definition? Are RPGs amusing? That seems to be the deciding factor, afterall, so far we've me the requirments of both the other definitions...

Is an RPG amusing? Well, when I went to look for different role playing organizations to invite to subscribe to this newsletter I realized one resounding thing -- there are a lot of them out there! Surely, since there are so many people interested in it, there must be some fundamental attraction that keeps them coming back for more...maybe that they find RPGs enjoyable -- perhaps even amusing? But, is that too much of an assumption? Granted, there are countless people who play games because they are amusing, but on the same token, look at how many governments there are in our world, and I find it very hard to believe that people find each one of those governments amusing, so it must be something else. What about the topic? Surely Star Trek is an amusing topic in and of itself! Afterall, Star Trek is an entertaining series to watch on television, and therefore, it must be amusing, right? But wait, what about all those serious episodes--like when Captain Picard was assimilated by the Borg. I doubt that I would call those episodes in the Star Trek saga amusing, but probably entertaining, or dramatic. That doesn't work either. So, if it's popularity doesn't make an RPG amusing, and if it's topic area doesn't make an RPG amusing, what else does that leave?

Of course! I don't know why I didn't think of it before! The people are what make an RPG amusing! When someone opens their mail and finds a post from their best friend writing about their ship's latest and greatest adventures, that always brings a smile to their face, and that more then anything else, makes an RPG amusing. It's settled then, Role Playing is, of course, a game -- not a government -- and I think that we would all agree about that if I were to take a poll, however, I'm afraid that not everyone plays the part. How can that be? What happened! We had it so well figured out...the people make an RPG amusing, so how can we not "play our parts"?!? Well, the answer to that is really very easy indeed.

Just as the people make an RPG amusing, they can also make an RPG very stressful and aggravating. In the opinion of this writer, the change occurs when people are no longer working together to make the game be fun for everybody involved, but instead, when they become involved in power struggles and other scandals that mix the game with the dirty politics that are so common in our nations' governments. You see, that is the part that the dictionary leaves out of it's definition -- in most governments there are more politics in play then anything else, and all too commonly there are scandals and other dishonest things going on. That is why the G doesn't stand for "Government", more then anything else, because that isn't what people want when they join an RPG. When people join an rpg they want to have some fun and get away from all the politics that polute our every day world, but, if we aren't careful we can easily loose sight of that original goal and become truly what it is that we were trying to escape from in the first place.

In conclusion, I realize that this article may not apply to everybody, but to those who find this striking surprisingly close to home, please, do something before it is too late. There is always a second chance, all we need to do is take it. RPGs are meant to be fun, and, when taken in the proper context, they can be a lot of fun indeed...just don't loose perspective. As a great friend once said, "Amy, it's only a game," and I truly believe that that could not be more correct.

Galactic Gossip: Star Trek IX
Joshua Guzman, Staff Writer

It's official, Star Trek IX warping into a theatre near you.  Tentatively called "Star Trek: Insurrection," the new movie will feature the Next Generation cast and crew in a search for a "Fountain of Youth."  TrekWeb (http://www.trekweb.com) places the domestic release of Insurrection at Friday, December 11th.

In "Star Trek IX," Captain Picard and the crew of the Enterprise fulfill one of man's enduring dreams - to find a fountain of youth. When the existence of this newfound paradise is threatened, Picard faces a daunting decision - in order to protect the lives of the inhabitants of this alien world, he must commit treason and take up arms against the Federation itself. (S T - I N S U R R E C T I O N . C O M)

Several web sites on the internet have a synopsis that they say is the plot to Star Trek IX.  These can be viewed at either of two URL's come across on a search for information.

STARBASE 104
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Cavern/9658/synopsis.html

- AND -

THE STAR TREK IX INFORMATION PAGE
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Rampart/4537/st9sum.html

It is not positive, however, that these are exactly what will occur in the next segment of Star Trek history.  The Star Trek 9 Information Page says that they have a collection of scanned pages from the movie, but this too, it not certain.  This can be viewed at:

THE STAR TREK IX INFORMATION PAGE
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Rampart/4537/page62.html

According to these web sites, several interviews were conducted with key poeple associated with Star Trek.  One such interview was with Michael Piller.  According to the Star Trek: The Dominion's Movie News page, Mr Piller said that there were two entire scripts written for this movie.  The first one was said to be lacking in a few areas so another script was developed.  The second one is much different from Star Trek: First Contact, in that there is much more character development.  Mr Piller also said that Riker, Troi, and La Forge will have all have significant sub-plots in Insurrection.

Another interview took place with Rick Berman.  He noted that, "There's a real sense of pride about this [film] and THE EFFECTS WILL BE FIRST RATE (as usual)."  He concluded his interview with, "My suggestion to everyone is to begin counting the days. You're in for one helluva Christmas!"

The last interview found on these pages, was a non publicized interview with Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi, TNG).  Only a few questions were published from this interview, one of which puts to rest one question that has been floating around:

Q: Will Q be making an appearance in the Star Trek 9?
A: NO

Another question was asked that introduces us to the classic Bad Guys of the movie:

Q: Who is the main enemy in the next film?
A: It's a race called the Son'a and thats all I can tell you.

One interesting tidbit, was that ILM (Industrial Light and Magic) will NOT be doing the special effects for Insurrection.  It has been suggested that this is because of budget limitations or because the best people there are working on the effects for the next Star Wars film.  Instead, VIFX alongside Santa Barbara Studios are doing us the favor of bringing us spectacular scenes.  VIFX's credits include Titanic and the X-Files feature film.   A bit of information has been debated lately, and that is, that ALL the ships in Insurrection will be computer generated images.  This has been an arguement because supposedly the computer cannot bring out the textures that a real model has.  This has yet to be seen though.

In conclusion, the hype about Star Trek IX Insurrection, has yet to be proven.  However, the people involved with the project assure us that it will be well worth the wait.  New allies, new enemies, and new ideals.  Insurrection seems to have it all, from the age old legend of a fountain of youth, to the incredible space battle scenes.  We just need to wait
and see what materializes.  In conclusion, watch out, because on December 11, 1998, Star Trek Insurrection will be beaming into a theatre near you.

Oldies But Goodies: Star Trek Episodes
Jeremy Lennert, Staff Writer

Is there any one old episode of Star Trek that you can watch over and over again on re-runs and never get tired of? If you're reading this newsletter, chances are you've seen a few Star Trek episodes. And after you've seen more then a couple, everyone begins to develop their "favorite" episode. Be it Original Series Star Trek, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, or Star Trek: Voyager, we all have them, and this is a section dedicated to those "good old" episodes, and what they were all about. The following article is written by a Captain's Log Staff Writer, however, anyone who is interested can send a review of their favorite episode to be published in one of the upcoming issues of this newsletter! :-)

Sincerley,
Amy Lindeman
Co-Editor in Chief

"All Good Things . . ."
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Episode: 177 Air Date: May 23, 1994
Stardate: 47988.1

In this episode, Captain Picard is tossed between three time periods by Q, who eventually shows up to tell him that the trial which took place in the first episode ("Encounter at Farpoint") never ended, a verdict never having been
reached -- but now they were decided to be guilty, and worse yet, Picard, himself would be responsible for the destruction of humanity.

In the "present" time period, a space anomaly is discovered in the Devron system (in the Romulan neutral zone), which is found to be 20,000 kilometers in diameter.  In the "past" time period (7 years back), a space anomaly is
discovered in the Devron system which is found to be 40,000 kilometers in diameter.  In the "future" time period (20 years forward), the anomaly is not there.

In the past and present, Picard is the Captain the Enterprise, and as such, travels to the anomaly.  In the future, he manages to enlist the help of Captain Beverly Picard aboard the medical ship USS Pasteur to travel the Devron system. Finding no anomaly, Data suggest that they modify the deflector array on the Pasteur to emit an inverse tachyon pulse, which would allow them to search for the anomaly by scanning beyond the subspace barrier.  In the other two time periods, Picard uses the same technique aboard the Enterprise to scan the interior of the anomaly.

An analysis of the temporal anomaly suggests that it is an anti-time eruption (like antimatter except with time; anti-time works reverse of time, and when the two contact they annihilate each other).  Eventually, Q shows up with a hint.  He transports Picad back in time to Earth, just before the dawn of life.  He looks up into the sky and finds that the space anomaly found in the Devron system now fills the whole quadrant.  Q demonstrates to Picard that the anomaly has somehow disrupted the beginnings of life on Earth, preventing life from ever developing.

In the future timeframe, the USS Pasteur is attacked by two Klingon battleships (the Federation and Klingon Empire no longer being on friendly terms, and the Devron system being Klingon territory).  Just as the Pasteur is close to destruction, Admiral Riker de-cloaks the USS Enterprise-D and chases off the Klingons.  They detect a warp core breach on the Pasteur, and transport all its crew to the Enterprise.  Riker takes the ship away, and Picard is sedated when he objects.

Back in the present, Data discovers inside the anomaly that the inverse tachyon pulse from the Enterprise is converging with two others, with the exact same signature, as if all three originated from the Enterprise. Picard suddenly realizes what has happened, but is tossed once again into the future.

From there, he finds Riker, Beverly, Data, and Geordi in 10-forward, and eventually manages to communicate that the very anomaly they had been searching for had been caused by the inverse tachyon pulse they had used.
They return to the Devron system, and manage to see the beginning of the anti-time eruption.  They begin working on a way to close the eruption -- the beginning of the solution being that the tachyon pulses must be disengaged in the other timeframes, since those are sustaining the eruption. Picard travels back and stops them.

Back in the future, it is determined that the only way to seal the breach between time and antitime would be to take the Enterprise to the core of the anomaly and create a static warp shell.  This shell would act as an artificial subspace barrier and could repair the gap -- however, this has to be done in all three time periods.

One by one, Picard takes the ships into the anomaly and begins creating the static warp shells.  From within the anomaly, each ship can actually detect he other two.

The Enterprise from the past loses antimatter containment -- the core breaches and the ship explodes.  Soon the Enterprise from the present suffers the same fate.  The future Enterprise, being outfitted with new technology, lasts longer.  As Picard watches, Q appears next to him and utters the words "I'm going to miss you Juan-Luc.  You had such potential. But then all good things must come to an end . . . ."

The third Enterprise explodes, and Picard finds himself sitting on the floor of Q's courtroom.  Q is sitting in his chair and taking off his gloves.

"The others didn't think you had it in you," he says, "but I knew you did. Congratulations, Juan-Luc.  You did it."

Fan Fiction: The Journeys of the USS Avenger
Sean Berg, Fiction Editor

The USS Avenger, Starfleet registry NCC-72830, is a ship with a short but significant history. Originally developed during a time of peace as a new standard in defensive and exploration technology, the ship was quickly called into action in the aborted conflict with the Klingon Empire, has played a key role in the defense against a hostile alien race from beyond the edges of known space, the exploration of several previously unknown regions, and most recently, was a significant figure in the early stages of the conflict with the Dominion. The ship disappeared on Stardate 51223.4 after completing a rescue mission inside of Dominion-held space, with no apparent explanation... However, few believe that the ship is gone for good.

Ship's development history:

Stardate 47755.9 - Construction of USS Avenger is completed. She is the eighth Galaxy class Federation Starship built. After initial shakedown cruises, the ship is prepared to greet her new captain and crew. Then, disaster strikes. Word is received of the destruction of the USS Enterprise. The Avenger's mission is delayed while Starfleet begins an inquiry into the demise of the Federation flagship. It is concluded that changes must be made to the system design of the Galaxy class. No sooner has this process begun than word is received that the USS Odyssey, another Galaxy class starship, has also been destroyed. This leads Starfleet Command to reevaluate the Galaxy class of starship in the scheme of fleet operations. In the last nine years, 4 Galaxy class vessels have been destroyed.

Based upon this, it is concluded that the immense cost of Galaxy class vessels must not be wasted so frequently... and, as more are being constructed in an ambitious new starship production program, preventing the loss of these vessels becomes tantamount. Major refits are scheduled for the remaining ships, and those vessels under contruction undergo design modifications. Adding to the ship's systems bio-gel computer conduits, a new warp drive capable of sustained high velocity travel (warp 9.7 for up to twenty hours), stronger shields, a full complement of quantum torpedoes, and (then) experimental Type XI-b phaser banks (the precursor to the Type XII banks which the USS Enterprise-E will later be armed with), Avenger is equipped with an impressive array of defensive systems-many of which are similar to those being implemented in the new Sovereign class of vessels under development. Additionally, all civilian accommodations are replaced with advanced long-range research packages, and virtually all civilian personnel are reassigned This raises some question as to the mission and profile of the Avenger; the very name of the ship seems to indicate a vessel of war. (At this point in time, none can imagine the events of the near future.) Regardless, with assurances as to the true nature of the vessel and its mission of exploration and defense, the ship is launched.

The final result is the newly armed and equipped Avenger class vessel (Galaxy class mark II), dispatched from Starbase 185 on Stardate 48432.5, with a crew complement of 1036, of which only nine are civilian passengers, and none of them children. The ship is to spearhead a new project of exploration at the edges of Federation space and beyond. Starfleet believes that the Avenger will provide an excellent vehicle for extended and independent operation, but the hazardous nature of the mission has precluded civilians from that profile. The classified reasons for this are disturbing reports of covert activities, and a possible rebellion in the Romulan Empire. As such, the ship has been equipped and crewed not only to explore, but, if necessary, to defend the Federation with little or no assistance at all.

The Story Begins Here:

Starship Avenger: A collection of short stories based on 'Star Trek', created by Gene Roddenberry.

Space. The final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Avenger . Its ongoing mission: To explore the unknown. To protect the interests of the Federation. To go above and beyond the call of duty to defend freedom and justice.

USS Avenger- Mission #1

Author's Note: This is the first mission of the Avenger and her crew, from back when I started writing Avenger . You may want to refer to the crew manifest and ship's specifications documents, also presented. While this mission is set a few months after Star Trek: Generations and is several years in the past now, it, as well as a few other 'flashback' missions that will be presented, are significant in the development of the characters, and the ship's background and history. Oh, and one last thing... The dedication plaque on the bridge to the ship reads "Above and beyond the call of duty"

Editor's Note: Due to space limitations in the publication of this document, the ship specifications have been provided, however, the crew biographies will be submitted one at a time in upcoming issues of this newsletter, along with the continuing voyages of the USS Avenger. This first mission has also been broken into segments for the same reason...keep reading to find out how the voyages progress!

***

Captain’s Log, Stardate 48432.6

The Avenger has departed Starbase 185.  Our final destination is unknown at this time.  Admiral Nechayev of Starfleet Command will be coming aboard in order to send us on our way; we are en route to meet her shuttlecraft now.  While I am aware that the Avenger’s  upgrades were ordered by the Admiral herself, I am concerned over the nature that our mission may entail. Our charter  is one of peace, but it is difficult to convince myself of that based upon the destructive firepower that the Admiral has assured me will be necessary to our success.

***

Commander Ariel Sanders ran her hands down her cranberry uniform to smooth out the wrinkles as she entered the bridge.  She found Commander Gary Chan speaking conspiratorially with Ensign Sarrell, the young Vulcan conn officer.  The young ensign had arrived from Starbase 185, and, despite this being her first assignment, she looked right at home on the bridge. A tall Andorian, Lieutenant Frambert, sat, listening to the conversation, chuckling quietly to himself.  Sanders shook her head in wonder at the scene.  After twelve years in Starfleet, she was hardly wet behind the ears, but she felt more nervous about this new mission and posting as first officer than the rank amateur officers did.  She wondered quietly about the curious combination of veteran officers and fresh, raw rookies on this ship.  The grizzled but very outgoing Gary Chan, the chief engineer, had been in the service for more than twenty-five years.  As it was, her best friend and former Academy instructor was probably among the oldest officers onboard.  The captain had known Chan at the Academy when the commander was still teaching courses on warp mechanics to engineers.  Some said that the only other engineer in fleet history that had had as much experience as Gary did was Montgomery Scott, the infamous chief engineer that had served under James T. Kirk onboard the original Starship Enterprise.

Sanders took her seat in the command chair, and let her steely glance float around the large and busy control center.  She had earned a reputation for being very straightforward; her sharp, coldly beautiful features added to that effect.  Her brilliant green eyes smouldered like Tellarite firegems.  But, despite appearances, Sanders always tried to remain on friendly terms with the crew under her.  Her thoughts were interrupted when Lieutenant Commander Richard Stiles, an old classmate and the ship’s chief of security, leaned over his console in her direction. 

“Morning, Sanders,” he said quietly.

She turned to look at him.  His tall, lanky figure, and short, crew-cut style hairdo always reminded her of old pictures she had seen of United States Marines from the 20th Century.  She smiled faintly and returned the greeting. 

“Morning, Stiles.”

Chan’s conversation suddenly took on a very boisterous air, and Sanders walked over and tapped him on the shoulder.  “Gary, don’t you have some dilithium crystals to polish or something?  Preferably somewhere else?’

Chan grinned with all his teeth and answered sweetly, “Why, of course, madam.  If you will excuse me, gentlemen, and lady?”  With that, he stepped just out of reach of punch that Sanders threw in his direction half jokingly, and left through the turbolift.

Lieutenant Frambert returned to his duties then unexpectedly turned back towards her.  “Commander, the Admiral is arriving.”

“I’ll notify the captain.”

***

The massive doors of the main shuttle bay slid closed quietly as the Admiral’s Danube class runabout shuttle settled down.  The massive main shuttle hanger, located on the aft portion of the primary hull, took up most of deck 4 and part of deck 3. About as wide as an old Earth style football field, and two stories tall, the huge facility echoed slightly as the long range passenger shuttle, Washington, settled to the deck. Crewmen swarmed about, prepping the small transport for maintenance, and Vice Admiral Alynna Nechayev stepped through the hatch. 

Captain Jeffries and Commander Sanders walked over to greet her, and  Jeffries extended a hand.  “Greetings, Admiral.  Welcome aboard.”

“Thank you, Captain.  I must say that this ship is an excellent vessel.  However, you and I have things to discuss in private.”  The Admiral nodded a greeting to Commander Sanders.  “A pleasure to see you again, Commander.”

“Admiral.”  Sanders was clearly uncomfortable.  The Admiral had once demoted her from senior lieutenant to junior lieutenant, when she had shot an Orion in self defense while on an away mission.  The mission had been to negotiate a peaceful settlement with a group of somewhat dangerous malcontents that were shipping cargo illegally.  She had encountered an Orion guard that drew his disruptor.  Without thinking, she had drew her phaser and stunned him when he moved towards her, even though he hadn’t fired at her.  The move had jeopardized the negotiations, but they
went through anyway.  The Admiral, then Captain Nechayev, had demoted her as a disciplinary measure for having an itchy trigger finger.  Considering that the Admiral had evaluated the crew of the ship personally before assigning the ship to be refit for this new mission, she was somewhat surprised to still be on board.  The Admiral and the Captain left the shuttle bay.  Sanders didn’t follow.  Instead, she went out a different exit, and headed for the ship’s rec. room at the forward end of Deck 10, Space Central.  She needed a drink.

(To be continued...)

Star Trek Trivia
Stacey Laur, Co-Editor in Chief

Did you know that Klingon blood is Lavender? That the name of Lwaxanna's late husband is Ian Andrew Troi? Maybe, but how many of you know how many of you knew that Gene Roddenberry was originally against the idea of Patrick Stewart as Jean Luc Picard??? This is a section for those of you who answered "Yes" to each one of those questions...or for those of you who wish you had! The answers to this month's trivia questions will be provided in next month's issues along with a new set of questions, so you'll have to keep reading to find the answer to these mind boggling questions! :-) New trivia questions are always welcomed, email them to our submission address listed above, but be sure to include the CORRECT answers with your questions!!!

(1) In the episode "All Good Things...", who interrupted Troi and Worf as they leaned close to kiss?
(a) Riker
(b) Data
(c) Picard

(2) Name the life form of unknown origin from TREK classic who many fans have speculated was related to Q.

(3) Who has the coldest hands in Starfleet?

(4) How many Orbs have appeared in the Bajoran sky?

(5) Who are George and Gracie?

(6) What species was introduced in TOS's "The Devil in the Dark"?

(7) Who does Louise Fletcher play on DS9?

(8) In the TOS episode, "Let This Be Your Last Battlefield", what does Bele call Humans?

(9) Who said, "Vulcans are the worst patients"?

(10) Mark Lenard died on November 22nd, what else happened on that day to make this an ironic piece of Star Trek history?

Ask The Admirals: An RPG Help Column
Andrew Grimm, Associate Editor
Amy Lindeman, Co-Editor in Chief

Dear Admirals,

I have been rpging for almost two years now, and I am a CMO on my current ship, but I feel that I should be doing more. My problem is that I don't know how to ask for a promotion. I would love to captain my own ship someday, but I don't want my Commanding Officer to feel that I am abandoing my current ship, since I really love the people there and have a lot of fun on that ship. Please help!

Sincerley,
The Troubled Doctor

Dear Troubled Doctor,

That is not a very unusual problem. I myself was reluctant to leave the ship I was serving aboard as Second Officer when I was offered my own command. Afterall, after you are in a game with the same people for almost a year (or even a couple months really), you become friends with many of them, and don't want to leave them to start totally over again on a new ship. You might consider the possibility of staying on your current ship and creating a _new_ character to become a CO, if the oppertunity presents itself, however, you need to be very careful in considering this option, since it is a lot of work to be a ship's captain and it will mean even _more_ work if you are then trying to keep up with two ships. The most important thing to remember is that you don't want the rpg to become a burden rather then fun because it is too much to keep up with, and also, you don't want to effect your performance in the rpg by taking on more then you can handle. The first thing you may want to do is talk to your CO about your feelings, and see what they think the possibilties of your getting your own ship are. I'm sure that if you explain to them that you don't really want to leave the ship but also want to continue to advance your career, that they won't be upset in the long run. Thanks for asking our advice, and I hope that helps!

Sincerley,
Admiral Kiara Priest

Dear Admirals,

I currently serve aboard a Klingon starship, and it is a lot of fun, however, sometimes we don't always know what to do or what the Klingon ship is like, because the day to day life on an Imperial Cruiser is not as well covered by Cannon Star Trek material as is a Starfleet ship.  When we run into situations where that is evidently the case, the crew stops posting, and then the mission will stall for several weeks at a time.  The captain of the ship tries her best to get people active again, but sometimes it just doesn't work.  Any advice you may have would be greatly appreciated.

Qapla',
Concerned Klingon

Dear Concerned Klingon,

My suggestion to you would be this. When a situation comes up where you don't know how to deal with something, you should decide as a crew how you want the situation to be handled now, and in the future. You probably would want to keep a record of how certain common situations are handled so you can go back to it should the situation arise again. Another tip is this. It is not always up to the ships's CO to handle that kind of problem. As a crewmember, take the initiative to solve the problem yourself and the game will run more smoothly. I hope this helped!

Admiral Andrew Grimm

Click above to Email the Admirals!

Classifieds Column
Captain's Log Editing Staff

CONSULTANTS NEEDED: Dear readers, in order for us to better service you, we need consultants from our subscribing RPG groups that can supply information and news on your RPG group to be added to the upcoming issues of Captain's Log! If you think you would be interested in this position, or know somebody else who would be, please talk to your fleet commanders about it and if they agree, check out the Captain's Log Staff page to see if the consulting position for YOUR fleet is open, and if it is, email us at [email protected] and let us know what you would like to do!!

SUBSCRIBE YOUR RPG: In our effort to include as much of the Trek RPGing community as possible, Captain's Log is continuing to accept subscriptions for Trek RPG Groups that are interested in being listed as Subscribing members of this newsletter! We are no longer accepting charter members, however, anyone who wishes to subscribe their RPG group is ALWAYS welcome to do so! Just email us at [email protected] or see our webpage at: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Hollow/3200/fleets.html for more information!

WRITERS NEEDED: As always, anyone interested in writing a column for Captain's Log, submitting a piece of fan fiction, or even submitting an article describing something that you would like to share with your fellow Trek/RPG community, we would LOVE to hear from you! Drop us a line at [email protected] and let us know!!! Deadline for all submissions to be placed in the September Issue will be Friday, August 28th.

RPG "ADOPTION": "One of the most unique RPGs on the web. We are a mixture of  Star Trek, Starship Troopers, and a few other related Science Fiction materials, but based within the Star Trek Universe. We are a group of people on a ship that almost no-one knows about and we do the dirty workof the Federation." Star Trek: The Shadow Frontier is a RPG group that was never fully "launched" do to scheadule conflicts of the creator, however, he is now considering the possibility of "giving" the RPG (webpage rights and story details) to anyone who is willing to roll with the idea in the spirit in which it was created. If you are interested in the possibility of accepting this RPG and helping to run it and get it off the ground you can visit their webpages at http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/3315/ or contact their owner at [email protected]

PLACE YOUR ADD HERE: Is there something you're dying to share with the rest of our readers? Submit your classified add to [email protected] and we will add it to this column in next month's issue, as long as it follows all of the submission guidelines listed at http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Hollow/3200/rules.html