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

"To infinity ... and beyond!"
~ Buzz Lightyear, The Toy Story

Issue 9: May 1999 - http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Hollow/3200/index.html - [email protected]

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. Frustrating Fundamentals: Spock or Tuvok?
2. The Original Series: Observation
3. Subscribing Fleet News
4. The Spotlight: Delta Fleet 4
5. Meet The Members: Mike Bremer
6. Neophite News: Creating a Character
7. Trek Trivia
8. Federation History: Warp Theory
9. Classifieds
10. USS Atrius: Obsidian Order Part I

Frustrating Fundamentals: Spock or Tuvok?
Tracey Harnack, Guest Writer   

Tuvok is definitely my favorite character of any series (unless you count The New Frontier books). I have loved all things Vulcan (or Romulan) ever since my uncle forced me to watch my first Trek episode. Until Voyager came along I was a die hard Spock fan. But, then with Voyager came the first reoccurring Vulcan since TOS. I mean look at him!

At least he can admit he HAS emotions without dying first. He may not express them all the time but, they're there. He has a wife and five kids. He can sing and write holo-novels (sort of). He's great with children and he plays a vulcan game, kelto, instead of chess. All in all he's an extremely well rounded vulcan. He also breaks the typical Vulcan-in-the-sciences mould. I mean how many vulcans choose to go in to security? Perhaps the most important difference is Tuvok's sense of humor. Spock has been known to make a joke or two and argue with the doctor, but Tuvok could make living as standup comedian! I particularly like that joke in "Unforgettable" about "protecting Neelix from occasional wrath of the crew".

Of course we can't forget about Tim Russ, who makes his character come alive in a way that few can. (Idle question: Did you know that Tim was being considered for the part of Geordi on TNG?). Tim is capable of putting on a completely Vulcan demeanor while keeping his natural humor. I believes that Tim Russ is the second most talented actor on television (the first being Jason Carter, if anyone was wondering). Hopefully Tim will stay with Voyager as long a the show is on.

To any Spock fans out there who are probably wondering how I could just dump Spock for some new guy the instant he shows up: Spock (and Leonard Nimoy) will always have special place in my heart, but, to me at least, Spock just doesn't have the depths that Tuvok has. Sorry.

I hope that anyone who reads this will understand and respect my point of view. And thank you for taking the time to read my opinion.

The Original Series: Observation
Julian Machin, Staff Writer

Thirty years have passed. We have four series, more ears and strange shaped foreheads than you shake a stick at. Computers phasers, tricorders, cortical stimulators, tractor beams, warp drive, impulse drive, transporter, anti grav, shuttles, runabouts and Defiance (or is that Defiant.) Life was straight forward in the sixties and the original Star Trek. The only regular alien had bad hair and pointed ears, to whom all was fascinating. A ship that could go really fast and a Scottish engineer who worked in what looked like a DIY warehouse/tool rack. Sickbay was a botempi organ and a couple a mattresses. The bridge was a cross between the parallel bars and a Christmas tree on acid. Tricorders were good for ham radio and ' definitely not human sir' only. The special effects team just had polystyrene paint and hoped the audience had imagination. Planet beam down scenery consisted of either blue green and purple with rocks. Or green purple rocks with a bit of blue left over from last week.

 A typical space battle with a Klingon ship your nephew could have reproduced with some sugar paper, dried pasta and a torch. A space anomaly? They made do with a Kaleidoscope and some 'really spooky music'. Or you got a strange floaty face with an echoed voice. 'Your species is interesting to us we have come to learn about your... 'emotion' and .....'love' to which the majority of the crew looked to Kirk to sort out. The best thing was when the Enterprise would become engaged in some serious trouble. The engines made some incredible noises. No expense spared, although 'repairing bad plumbing' never quite rang true as 'faster than light speed engines in trouble'.

The best thing was the characters on the show itself. You had an alien, an American, a Russian, a Chinaman, an African, a Scotsman and another American. The producers were either trying to relay racial harmony in the 23rd Century or were really desperate for some new Irishman, Englishman Scotsman joke material. Spock was the one know one really understood in the sixties. Either due to the drugs or his passion for logic. Logic tells me that hairdressing is not a career for the Vulcan. His love of peering into a blue scanner obviously paid havoc with the poor guys ears. That blue scanner thing? He would lean over it a announce 'scanning'. More like shoving some class 'A's up my nostrils excuse me for a moment.

He would always be asked to comment on the Kaleidoscope by the captain, sorry special anomaly. He always came up with one of two answers after those immortal words 'Analysis Mr Spock?'. 'Pure energy captain emanating from the centre - recommend we raise shields'. (Hey there never down on the Enterprise D!) The other standard response is 'Definitely not human Captain'. Hell, one of the Security officers in a red uniform or a 'not so bright Tribble' could have answered this question. Again the blue scanner thing I think was to blame.

Other typical traits from Mr Spock (no first names on Vulcan or what? Bloody confusing when dishing out pressies at Xmas. This ones from Mr Spock to one of the little Spocks. Spock come and get your present, oh no wait a minute it's for Spock Spock I mean ....... oh never mind can I call you Barney or something?) Sorry back to the point. Mr Spock would also occasionally pinch someone, resulting in total paralysis for a good twenty minutes. Why his hand could render a 6ft Klingon or otherwise helpless is a bit confusing. He had twenty cc of colorful in his palm I reckon. He also never waved at anyone but insisted on the Vulcan V sign (the 23rd Century equivalent of the finger.)

Then he wanted you to get old prosper and live long. You figure it out. So to summarize on Spock bad hair, bad ears but amazing hands. Checkov, okay he also had very few hair dressers to choose from in his native Russia. Either that or they had very blunt or no scissors. He was thought to be the first Tribble until they noticed the legs. His English is not so good and he is about 12. Good candidate for a science officer if you ask me!

They apparently dragged him screaming from a science class room in Prague. All he had in his hand was a test tube and a copy of 'How to be Keptin by Adolescence.' Before he knew it he was wearing a pair of mustard pyjamas and told to 'sit here fly this and look serious. Kirk on the other hand was a tower of strength and testosterone.

Definitely from the Commander Riker school of bird pulling. He was at it every episode. 'This is called love, this is what we call...love, on my planet two people make..... love...' He was either good at this or good at finding naive women. Either way the episode 'Space Seed' was thought to involve Kirk's hormones populating the alpha quadrant rather than a genetically engineered human mad tendencies. McCoy, spent a lot of time shouting Leonard McCoy Physician and telling the Captain 'he's dead Jim'. 23rd Century medicine consists of a spray that can cure anything and a black bed bench thing with a seat belt and Casio rhythm section.

 Scotty was a bit like your average engineer or mechanic from the 20th Century. 'We can't do that here, what a cold warp engine start without a warp core?, I can't change the laws of physics but our other branch might have one in stock.' Always saying it can't be done. Then bugger me if four seconds before the kaleidoscope will engulf the ship or the Klingons are going to be in firing range... 'Warp Speed available, full power sir, shields at maximum captain'. 'Well done Scotty you're a miracle worker!' He never had the heart to tell Kirk that 'Star Ships R' Us' could deliver that part on a Saturday to sector 27 after all.

Uhura (bless you), you always knew when the shit was about the hit the fan. All could be well, no Klingons in sight. The Planet Green Purple and Blue were okay, Kaleidoscopes were all in their boxes. Then out of the blue. 'Captain I lost contact with Starfleet, I can't understand it, some kind a jamming signal sir.' I always felt like saying 'take that stupid coat hook out of your ear for a start then try another frequency bozo.' Universally translate that Uhura. Uhura (bless you), stomach complaint or communications officer, you decide.

Subscribing Fleet News
Newsletter Consulting Staff

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: If you are a subscribing member and did not get your RPG news included in this month's issue, please send us a brief summary of important events that you would like to see posted in the May issue by the regular deadline for article submissions. If anything major happens after that point you can contact us and we will try to add it to the newsletter as events happen. I look forward to getting news from more fleets for next month!

Amy Lindeman
Editor in Chief
Captain's Log News

Bravo Fleet: In recent months, Bravo Fleet has been busy! We've added Task Force 9 which is a TF for Marines. TF9 consists of six ships and is under command of the Fleet's Marine CO, General Scott. We have also revamped our Academy, adding new teachers, websites, and classes. So far, it's been a big success.

And lastly, Bravo Fleet is coming off of a Fleet Wide Mission. All of our 100+ ships in Bravo Fleet took part. The ships were divided into their respective Task Forces and assigned a target as part of the whole. The feedback has been great for this successful mission. Something we're all proud of!

- Mike Bremer, Bravo Fleet Consultant

Echo Fleet: This month, after several weeks of planning and putting together, we created the Planet 'Sovereign Prime'. There are 4 governments on Sovereign Prime, the Cardassians, Starfleet, Bajorans and Klingon. Right now, a ton of storylines have already unfolded, including a war between the Klingons and Starfleet.

We put the USS Encore under the Command of Commodore Kathryn Clemens so that the previous Commander of the Encore could take on the Sovereign Prime project. We also restarted the USS Saskatoon RPG (again).

- Jeff Johnson, Echo Fleet Consultant

Gamma Fleet: This month three ships of Gamma Fleet have been engaged in a big Borg encounter. Sadly the USS Lancelot was lost during the battle (along with the Merlin's saucer section!). But it proved an interesting mission, with my character and a couple of others off the USS Merlin getting captured. While a raging space battle was being fought, a brave team from the Falcon boarded the cube and staged a rescue mission.

Anyway, other fleet news. Recently command of the USS Valiant has been handed over to Captain Nicole Dupart. The previous commanding officer Captain Vanessa Gareth has moved to command the newest edition to Gamma Fleet, the USS Essex. The Essex is a modified Steam Runner Class ship, capable of travelling through time. It is on a mission to repair all the damage that has been caused by other time travellers (I think) for more information about the USS Essex, please contact [email protected].

Finally, in the next week or so, command of the USS Melbourne is going to be given to Captain Devon Val, and we also have two other other ships who have incoming Commanding Officers who will hopefully be arriving soon.

Anyway that's all for this month. Till next month, see ya.

- William Haywood, Gamma Fleet Consultant

Tango Fleet: Some recent political unrest in Tango Fleet led to much conflict and even more changes over the past month. Happily, though, after a productive meeting between the Executive Council, the proposal of many changes in policy in favor of a more player oriented RPG, and the resignation of myself as Game Manager, Tango Fleet appears to be back on the road toward success. The fleet is currently thriving under the leadership of Andy Grimm and Liesel Gresham. Although there is still a lot of changes that need to be made, on my ships at least, the missions have been as creative and invigorating as ever, and I look forward to the continuance of that in the future.

As a result of my resignation as Game Manager, however, I am no longer as closely involved with the administration of Tango Fleet and thus cannot accurately report as much detail of the fleet's activities. Hopefully, next month, someone from the Executive Council will take my place as the fleet consultant. For now, however, I'll just say that Tango Fleet is still going (and going, and going and going...)!

- Amy Lindeman, Tango Fleet Consultant

The Spotlight: Delta Fleet 4
Will Haywood, Staff Writer

Hello again. This month I have chosen Delta Fleet 4 to review. Delta Fleet 4 is a bit of a 'mouth full' so I am going to refer to
it as DF4 from now on.....

At first glance, the DF4 website is neat and smart looking. It is well presented in a style that is good to look at and very clear. Looking into further detail, all information is concise and to the point: no babble. The web site contains all the information you need to know about DF4. It has an interesting map of the Galaxy and the DF4's mission is different than most other Fleet's. Instead of just 'fight the Dominion War', it is to protect a deep space system, named H-25, from the Borg.

Anyway, going back to the web page. There is a database of the Fleet's ships. Almost each one has a groovy little animation. I have one suggestion, for whoever makes the page if they are reading this....put a link to each active ship's web page from the ship database.

The site contains a clear set of fair rules which are easy to comprehend and a straightforward way of joining, either by email, or via a form.

All in all, Delta Fleet 4 has a smart, practical web site. It looks like both a good, and an interesting sim to be part of.

Well that's it for now. See you next month.

Meet the Members: Mike Bremer
Amy Lindeman, Editor in Chief

<Amy> Hello!  Today we have the privilege of interviewing Mike Bremer. Mike, could you tell us what your involvement is in Star Trek RPGs?

<Bremer> Well, right now I'm the CO of the Bravo Fleet RPG. I started out about 4 years ago in Tango Fleet. A few of us started Bravo Fleet about a year and a half ago, and that's where most of my time in RPGs goes now.

<Amy> Are you on any ships in Bravo Fleet currently?

<Bremer> I command the USS Pegasus-A. I also have characters on the USS Calidorn, USS George Washington, and Avalon Shipyards.

<Amy> That sounds like a pretty full schedule.  :-) Which do you find takes more?  Keeping up with your characters, commanding Pegasus, or Game Mastering Bravo Fleet?

<Bremer> Being a GM. Don't get me wrong I have a great staff and the players in Bravo Fleet are the best, but between updating websites, mailing lists, reading e-mails about new ideas, people wanting to have this ships join BF, Admiral staff meetings, etc., that takes up more time than posting for a character any day.

<Amy> I can understand that completely.  With all of that work, do you ever find that GMing detracts from your ability to just sit back and enjoy the actual game part of it?

<Bremer> Yes and no. Yes, there are times where something comes up that detracts from the fun, but that's rare. Most of the time, it's great fun. Even recruiting is fun, a great break from the hassle of real life, work, bills, etc. Besides, that's what we're all here for, fun. When the fun goes, why play the game?

<Amy> Absolutely.  :-)  Speaking of real life, perhaps you'd like to tell us a little bit about what you are like outside of the game?  Do you have any favorite hobbies (besides the obvious, RPGs)?

<Bremer> Well, RK keeps me rather busy as well. I'm the VP of a car club in my home town. The club is called 'Ground Zero' We enter car ships, stereo competitions, etc. It's great fun. I also love sports of all kinds, music, and generally having a good time with my friends.

<Amy> *laughs* You're as busy in real life as you are in RPGs!  I'm not very knowledgeable about cars, so please excuse my ignorance, but what sort of cars do you enter into competitions?  Classical cars, sports cars, or something else?

<Bremer> The club's got a wide range of different types. Everything from low rider trucks to sports cars. Most of the rides in the club sport rims, tinted windows, neon lighting, stereo systems, the whole nine yards. A few have hydros and other 'goodies'.

<Amy> Cool.  *smiles, admitting she is way out of her league w/ this line of conversation* You certainly do have a lot going, that is for sure.  Is there any advice you can give on how to balance all of these different activities?

<Bremer> When you like something, you make the time. Granted, don't cut work or school, or miss family activities for this, it's just a game. But when you do have time, sort out what's important. Update that website, or post? Reply to people asking about your group of talk to a friend that'll be on for a while. When you get things in order, it makes them really easy. Just
don't get overloaded, remember, it's a game. Also, giving some of the small things to other staff members helps you get more done, and gives them a better sense of running things. Helps them feel more 'needed', and that's always good! :)

<Amy> *smiles* Everybody likes to feel needed....  I think that one of the things I strive for most of all is to be useful to those around me.  If you had one wish, what would you wish for?

<Bremer> Hmm, that's a tough one. Of course, there's world peace, money, long life, etc. But I'd make this one a little more along the lines of RPGs. There are many RPGs out there and many many good players. I wish all RPGs could co-exist with out some of the B.S. and other crap that goes on. Again, this is a game and there's enough players for everyone to exist with out trying to steal players, ships, ideas, etc. I mean, come on, have fun, that's what it's all about after all! :)

<Amy> I couldn't have said it better myself.  In fact, I think we'll end on that happy note.  :-)  Thank you very much for agreeing to talk with us today, Mike, and I wish you the best of luck with Bravo Fleet and your goals. Hopefully your wish is one that may be realizable sometime not too far into the future.

<Bremer> Thank you, it's been a pleasure.

If you or anyone you know may be interested in participating in an interview for an upcoming issue, please contact me at [email protected] for more information. Thanks!

Neophite News: Creating a Character
Amy Lindeman, Editor in Chief

[Editor's Note: This is a modified copy of something that is used in the Tango Fleet Academy curriculum, and it was originally an adapted version of another training group's curriculum, so as a result, I am not the sole author of this article, but I have absolutely no recollection at this point in time as to who the original author was. My apologies in that respect.]

Biographies are perhaps the most important element of an rpg, because they are the basis upon which your characters will grow.  Usually those who have some interesting elements in their biography find it easier to develop their character within a mission, as well as making it easier for other characters to involve them while portraying their character accurately.

The basic requirement for anyone wishing to participate in an e-mail rpg is the character. A character is simply a real person recorded as facts in a character biography. Your character that you'll use can be almost anyone or anything, with any special talents or capabilities, or ANYTHING you can think of - as long as your CO approves it.

A basic character biography contains a name, age, gender, species, as well as a partial character history. Keep in mind, however, this is only a basic biography; it may not cover every piece of information a CO might ask for in an application and this is only a SUGGESTED outline.

Name
Names can surprisingly be one of the hardest choices to make regarding a biography. Your name can be influenced by what species you pick (Klingons, Bajorans, and Vulcans use special naming conventions), as well as your gender (male, female, or neutral).

The easiest way to pick a name is by picking up a phone book and flipping to random pages, or perhaps you have a name that you wish you had been given when you were born. I've found baby naming books and baby name websites to be most helpful in this effort.  Alternately, you may want to use a friend's name.

One way which many people find helpful for developing not only their own name, but also alien names--and just about anything else you will ever need to name in an rpg--is the "backwards technique".  The backwards technique is something which a friend of mine taught me awhile back, and has proved indespensible to me in my career as a Tango Fleet officer.  It is very simple, in that, you just reverse a word.  For further explanation of this, read the back issues of Captain's Log -- I believe I talked about it in a previous article regarding naming aliens. 

Regardless of how you choose your name, you must keep it for the entire time you use that character--barring unusual circumstances.

Age and Gender

In most cases, your character will be fresh out of the academy.  Assuming that the schools and higher educational facilities run on the same principles in the future as they do now, your character will be approximately 16 - 20 Terran years old upon entering the academy, and anywhere from 20 to 25 years old when they leave.  Possibly as low as 18, but this would not be "usual".

Of course some characters may be much older, or even younger, depending on the particular circumstances of your biography.  Just try and keep an amount of realism when you determine your character's age.  :-)

It may sound wierd, but you do have a choice in gender as well. It is relatively easy to simulate one's own gender, but e-mail simming isn't for skipping the challenges. Many rpgers have both male and female characters, and some think that by playing the opposite gender of what you are gives a chance to see a unique view of what the other gender goes through.

Species

Possibly the hardest choice in your bio--right after your name--will be your species. Your species will affect your behaviour, social skills, physique, mental skills, name, gender, and your history.

Perhaps the easiest way out is to be a human; however I find many people attempt to portray the other "more popular" enemies/allies, such as
Betazoids, Klingons, Romulans, and yes, we've even had people sign up as ex-Borg.

TIP! The easiest and best way to pick a species is to revew the sim's crew roster and see what the current balance is. If there's a shortage of humans, then try being a human. If there's no Betazoids on board, perhaps you might consider that. This will make the game more realistic, in that, most Star Fleet crews should have a variety of species, however, you must also be comfortable with the species you choose.

Beware the "privilaged" species - those species that have special talents, such as the Klingon "knack" for fighting, the Betazoid mind-reading, the Vulcan intelligence and mind meld. Over-use of these powers can severely hamper your ability to enjoy the game. Often it is preferred to be a human and have to deal with the lack of those skills than to possess them.  I know that I certainly found this to be the case shortly into my personal gaming career. 

Any Q are usually a bad choice as a species, because this promotes the eventuality of Superhero Syndrome.  "It's hard to work in a group when you're omnipotent." Even if your proposal on how such a character would end up on the ship is unique, expect to have it turned down.  Some other species may be turned down as well for similar reasons, so please try and keep this in mind when writing your Bio.

In addition, many people attempt to portray cross-breed species.  These characters can often be very interesting, but you need to keep a few things in mind. 

#1) Is it likely/possible that these species would mate?  The Bajorans only got out of the occupation like 6 years ago, so it would be unlikely to have a Klingon-Bajoran twenty year old unless you have a REALLY good explanation. 

#2) Will your multiple heritages give you superhero powers?  This is a definite possibility if you have a mutt character that you will suddenly make them able to do impossible things.  While a Vulcan, Betazoid, and Klingon crew member working together can add advantages to the story, someone who is all that and just solves the plot in one post can make the story no fun. 

#3)  Can you keep up with all these heritages?  Once I tried a character with such a mixed heritage that I had difficulty portraying her accuratley...this also makes the game no fun.

History

You'll want to provide some history on your character. Basically any events from this character's past are fine here, ranging from a list of
extracurricular activites at the academy to your academy major, romances, parents, or yes, even what percentage of the class you graduated in.

A note on that is in order: Not everyone can be the best, or even close to the best. Too many of our COs get applications with characters stating to be anywhere from the top 25% to the top 10% of the class to even valivictorian of the class.  The challenge of e-mail simming is to take a less-than perfect character, have him/her react to the mission plot as it unfolds and participate to his or her's best skill level.  This is just a suggestion of course.  :)

Your history also preferably should not be just one line describing:

How you were found abandoned on the steps of a church without any data on who you were.

How you were found abandoned with no clue who you were, but with indications that you might not be a plain ordinary human.

Strange events indicating you are not who you seem to be.

How you were raised by a pack of wolves.

How you were raised by Q.

Having a character suddenly pop up and say "Hey, look at me, I can adjust the flow of time", or "Wow, look, I can snap my fingers and do anything" can SEVERELY interrupt not just the plot, but the mission itself.  For this reason, such open-ended histories are generally discouraged.

A Little Extra

Creating a biography can be on of the hardest requirements of simming, following closely the accepted practice of novelists in drafting out their characters before they write the novel.

Writing a bio that is one-notch above the standards gives you more of a base to build your character off of, as well as impresses your commanding officer.  :-)

Additional enhancements focus around adding on to your biography, such as descriptions of your character physically (pictures are a major plus), a pysch report, academy classes (a plus if they are actual classes you have taken at your fleet's academy), and even some sample writings or adventures from the Academy may help as well.

You MUST be careful with enhancements, as they can quickly over-enhance your character. Try to leave some room to develop your character in the sim. It also helps to add to your biography as you progress in the sim; add significant events, occurances, promotions, and experiences that affect your character and his/ her actions.

The only other way to enhance your character is in the sim itself, by relating or reminiscing on past events, reading a journal, comparing current events with what he or she has been privilaged to in the past.

Your bio is effectively never done if you want to have an excellent character.

Star Trek Trivia
Stacey Lauer, Trivia Guru and Photographer

Classifieds Column
Captain's Log Editing Staff

CORRECTION: Last month the opening quote was captioned as being said by Data in Star Trek: First Contact. It has been brought to my attention that this information is incorrect and Data really said that line in the first TNG motion picture, Star Trek: Generations. My apologies for the mistake, and I again extend my thanks to the individual who caught this error! :-)

ITO NEWS ALERTS: 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 (an acronym for "In The Open") 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 to the ITO alert sent to all subscribers of our newsletter! All that we ask is that you please do not abuse this service as a way of getting back at people you don't like. Also, please note that the contents of this column are purely submissions we recieve from concerned readers, and in no way represents Captain's Log taking a side on any inter-fleet disagreements. To become a part of this ITO alert chain, simply subscribe to our newsletter at http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Hollow/3200/subscribe.html.

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 upcoming issue is the 20th of the month.

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

USS Atrius: "Obsidian Order" Part I
Cindy Aranjos, Becky Manes, Maria Andrews, & Amy Lindeman

[Editor's Note: This will be the first in a series of this story. The USS Avenger series will continue also, so look out for the sequals to both these strings in upcoming issues!]

Prologue

The year is 2375, and the Federation has found themselves battling for their very existence in a war against the combined powers of the Dominion and Cardassian Empire. As a result of this, Starfleet, a primarily peaceful and exploratory unit designated for the Federation’s protection, has taken on increasingly militaristic characteristics and found themselves at the heart of this struggle for survival.

Apart from the staggering statistics of war casualties and other skirmishes amongst the Federation and her allies, however, the members of Starfleet have retained their identities. Indeed, many may very well have fought more valiantly due to the individual values and ethics unique to each crew, usually gained through their respect and admiration of their leader – their Captain. In this, the crew of the USS Atrius-B, Tango Fleet’s flagship, has proven no exception, serving under the guidance and experience of their Captain, Admiral Andrew Grimm.

An intelligent man in his mid-forties, with a slightly muscular build, and darker features, Andrew Grimm has managed to bring his crew together from a number of unique and unusual circumstances and molded them into one of the most revered entities in Starfleet. Most notably among these are the Atrius’ senior staff…

Commander Blaize Mendak, First Officer of the Atrius, is a Romulan man of thirty years, who has served with Andy ever since the christening of the original Atrius, five years earlier. Although he appears Romulan, and certainly knows and appreciates his heritage, Blaize chose to abandon his own empire, The Romulan Star Empire, in favor of the more peaceful cause of the United Federation of Planets. During his service in Starfleet, Mendak has encountered several differences of opinion, and at times, has even faced open hostility from particular officers that he served with. However, on the Atrius, he has found a home, and earned the respect and friendship of the ship’s senior staff and many others onboard.

Commander Dejara Evek, Operations Manager on the Atrius, has a history far more complicated than any other onboard. Born and raised on Cardassia Prime, Dejara and her husband were political refugees, who happened upon Admiral Grimm in one of his many exploits before he even gained the rank of Captain. Most of the Eveks’ past history has remained classified to only Grimm’s knowledge and those whom he may have told. Nonetheless, Dejara and husband have done their best to start anew on the Atrius and have recently had two children, Damar and Katra. The couple now occupies much of their time in educating their children in the Cardassian values, which they believe their people have lost sight of with the outbreak of the war and the Cardassian alliance with the Dominion.

Lieutenant Commander Maria Andrews, more commonly known as Doctor Andrews, serves as Chief Medical Officer on the Atrius. The widowed mother of two Betazoid children, Maria struggles to find a balance between raising her children and her many responsibilities on the Atrius. An excellent Doctor, Maria’s first and foremost priority always lies with her two children, Philip, age 11, and Phylicia, age 7, who mean the world to her. Although Maria and her children have Betazoid origins, people often mistake them for humans due to the mirror resemblance of the two races, and Maria rarely corrects this mistake as she believes it to be insignificant. Betazoids are a telepathic race of people who were charter members of the Federation and exist in a largely peaceful society.

Lieutenant Chan Lauren, Command Intern on the Atrius, is not a regular member of the ship’s crew, but is serving as Second Officer, on leave from her regular ship, the USS Masada. Chan has accepted this temporary transfer in order to complete the required Command Training elements necessary to graduate from Command School at Starfleet Academy and gain eligibility for a First Officer or Captain position of her own. Although Lauren is listed second, it is actually her given name, Chan being the Lieutenant’s family name, according to traditional Bajoran naming customs. A former member of the Bajoran resistance movement called the Underground, Lieutenant Chan joined Starfleet after the original Cardassian Occupation of Bajor ended, and with the advent of the Cardassian-Dominion War, and thus the second occupation of Bajor, her open animosity towards Cardassians has only proven to increase. Having served with the Atrius for one mission already, Chan has worked out most of her personality conflicts with the Eveks after they proved themselves to be the exception to the rule in her book. However, Chan still has a very strong hatred towards their people due to their oppression of her fellow Bajorans for as long as they did.

Amy deLancie-Grimm, former Second Officer of the Atrius, and wife of Admiral Grimm, has also been with the Atrius since her initial launching. Unfortunately, at the end of the Atrius’ last mission, Mrs. Grimm managed to get herself into enough trouble to warrant a Court Martial after adding a thirteenth reprimand to her twelve pre-existing ones. Amy’s reprimands vary from crimes ranging from insubordination to theft of Starfleet property and escape from the brig on numerous occasions, but in every case her motivations can be traced to the innate distaste for authority and personal ethical agendas that she seems to posses. Probably the only thing that has kept Amy sane as a civilian has been her two children, four-year-old Michael Andrew Grimm and 3-month-old Kendra Amy Grimm.

This group of apparent misfits and menaces to society has banded together on numerous occasions to defeat unbeatable odds, and somewhere along the way, they have formed a family amongst themselves. A heavily armed battle-ship, the Atrius does not have many civilians aboard, and only through his many connections in Starfleet, did Admiral Grimm get the okay to allow his wife and the children of the senior officers to remain aboard the Atrius. However, even with these couple families onboard, the general feel of the Atrius is one of power – a ship meant for war, and so, after a trying and difficult mission, the crew of the Atrius has a lot on their mind when this story begins…

Chapter One

Sitting in his ready room with a symphony from Beethoven playing quietly in the background, Andrew Grimm is momentarily escaping from the pressures of command when he notices a message coming in from the Federation Headquarters on Terra. The previous mission still weighs heavily on his mind as he turns on the viewscreen and sees the Federation President come into focus. Unconsciously straightening his posture in the presence of such a noted figure, Andy greets his caller.

"Good day, Mr. President. What can I do for you today?"

Seemingly unamused by the younger man’s attempt at good humor, he jumps straight into business, informing the admiral, "We have lost contact with the noted scientist, Dr. Victor Henry, during his trip to Deep Space Nine. One moment he was on the screen talking to Colonel Kira, and the next he has disappeared without a trace. No one on DS9 knows exactly what happened."

The president frowns at what he is about to say; he makes eye contact with Admiral Grimm, ascertaining that the severity of the situation is not lost upon his colleague. Satisfied at Grimm’s attentiveness, he continues, "Several possibilities exist. A Cardassian missile could have hit the doctor’s shuttlecraft, the Cardassians could have captured him, or he could merely have crash-landed on the surface of Bajor. We don't think that the Cardassians captured him as our sources in the Cardassian Military would have heard something by now in that scenario."

"This is where you come in, Admiral. The Bajoran Underground may have found Dr Henry, but we haven't heard from them. Unfortunately, Starfleet currently has no official informants in their ranks," he pauses to look Andy in the eyes. "What do you know about Bocaj Jacob?"

Shaking his head, the Captain of the Atrius responds, "Never heard of him." When the president offers no immediate response, Grimm decides to play along and asks, "Who is he?"

Not even noticing the slight pause in conversation, the president answers in an almost mythical fashion, "The leader of the Underground. Nobody knows much about him, and we do not even have a picture or a sketch." As though remembering the purpose of his conversation, the older man reverts to his initial business demeanor and asks, "Is Lieutenant Chan Lauren still onboard the Atrius, or has she been transferred back to the Masada? What about the Cardassian family you helped to gain admittance into Starfleet? Do they still serve on your ship?"

Slightly confused at this line of questioning, Grimm nods, "All present and accounted for."

In way of explanation, the president expounds, "From what I have been able to gather, Chan grew up with Bocaj. He might prove useful in helping her to find Dr. Henry and get him out of a Cardassian camp in the event that they have captured him. Even if Henry isn’t in Cardassian custody, Bocaj could still prove instrumental in the location and rescue effort – if his Underground is anything like its predecessor, they will have their eyes and ears everywhere. I'm also sending you the latest picture we have of Dr. Henry and the route that he had taken. This is one person we do not want to have fall into the hands of the Dominion."

Grimm nods. This mission might just prove one of their most difficult yet. Nevertheless, the Admiral has confidence that his crew can handle anything that Starfleet throws at them. "I can assemble an away team to leave for Bajor as soon as we come within range, but what about the rest of my crew?"

The President seems prepared for this as he offers, "The war with the Dominion is not going well, and the presence of a warship like the Atrius should certainly do the station some good. Primarily, however, Starfleet understands that your last mission put many of your people on edge, and those who do not get assigned to Bajor can use the opportunity to relieve some of those stresses."

Aware of the truth behind both of the other man’s statements, Andrew Grimm accepts the mission with little hesitation, replying, "Aye, sir. My crew and I will get underway at once."

Nodding professionally, the president replies, "Good, but be careful. I'd hate to lose one of the best scientists in the Federation," he forces a smile, "not to mention a damn fine Admiral, all in one shot."

With that last remark, the president cut off communications with the Atrius, leaving Grimm staring at the blue Federation seal shining docilely where the president’s image had been.

Mulling the situation over in his head, a plan begins to formulate in the Admiral’s head. He decides that he can send Chan Lauren and Dejara Evek out to search for Dr. Henry; however, given the long existing tensions between their two species, the Underground would probably not approach Chan with Dejara Evek close by. Of course, Andy knows that he cannot order Gul Jarret Evek to go; nevertheless, he has a feeling that the Gul will want to help. If Evek agrees to help, it will allow the Eveks to look around the planet together while Chan makes contact with the Underground. Andy decides to send Blaize Mendak with Chan, altered from his usual Romulan appearance to appear Bajoran, a process which would prove relatively simple, requiring only a minor nose alteration and surgery to his ears. With that done, hopefully the two of them could use Lieutenant Chan’s contacts to search for Dr. Henry through the Underground. Nodding, Andy concludes that this course of action will also prove beneficial since it would allow him to avoid sending Chan on her part of the mission alone.

Tapping his commbadge, the Admiral contacts the current duty officer, "Grimm to the bridge. Set course for Bajor at Warp Five. I also need to see Commander Mendak, Lieutenant Chan, and both the Eveks in my ready room as soon as possible."

Word is sent out to the four officers in question as they have all gone off duty for the day. Thirty minutes pass before anyone shows up, however, Chan comes in almost ten minutes later than the rest…

Looking slightly winded from her obviously rushed trip to this meeting, Chan apologizes, "Sorry, I had to go to Sickbay. The cast got damaged, and I needed to get a new one." As if to justify her tardiness, she holds up her freshly wrapped right arm for all to see, an artifact of their previous mission.

Nodding curtly, having already dismissed her lateness from his mind, Grimm begins questioning the newly arrived officer, "Do you know a man by the name of Bocaj Jacob?"

Chan’s face gives away her immediate recognition of the name, however the Bajoran’s answer belays her cautious nature, bred into her since youth. "We grew up together in the Underground." She smiles wryly at the recollection, "He was my main "tormentor" and probably my best friend until I joined Star Fleet." Having now settled down into an empty seat on the couch next to Mendak, the Bajoran looks at her commanding officer with curiosity and inquires, "Why?"

Now speaking to the entire assembly, Grimm explains, "We have reports that Bocaj now heads the new underground on Bajor. The Federation Scientist, Dr. Victor Henry has disappeared, and we believe that Bocaj may have the ability to assist us in locating him. Our mission is to find Dr. Henry and bring him back before he falls into Dominion hands. The four of you will consist of the away team I plan on sending to Bajor. Any objections?"

When no complaints are immediately voiced, Andy takes that as an acceptance of their task. Having expected this reaction from his staff, the Admiral continues with their briefing.

Now turning to his first officer, the Captain continues, "Blaize, Dr. Andrews will alter you to look Bajoran, and you are to stay with Chan as much as possible; the two of you will need to make contact with Bocaj and then follow your leads from there. Chan, establishing this contact falls mostly on your shoulders. Once you have opened communications, get him to help you in your search. Starfleet fears what the Cardassians can learn from this scientist; your need to make their fears irrelevant."

Mendak nods, as does Chan, both very much aware of the importance of their mission.

Chan agrees adding only half in jest, "More like, Bocaj will find me." However, as she considers the plan, a concern comes to her mind, "But I doubt if anyone will make contact with me unless they see me alone; the biggest fear in the Underground is mice."

Recognizing the misused Earth saying, Dejara laughingly corrects the Bajoran, "You mean moles."

Undaunted, Chan responds, "Whatever. I can’t guarantee that the Underground will accept Commander Mendak. If he comes with me, they might lock him up as a spy since they don't know him. Jacob might listen to me, but I’m not sure about the others; they have lost too many family members and friends to have the luxury of trust".

Understanding the logic in what his Second Officer is saying, but unwilling to give up on Mendak’s presence quite yet, he concedes, "Let's just go out there and rescue Dr. Henry. Do it anyway you can. Once he is rescued, we can leave." When Mendak and Chan both nod their ascent, he turns to the Cardassians who, until this point, have waited patiently for their assignments. "Now for you two, Dejara and Jarret I want you to mix in with everyone on the surface; you should manage to fit in relatively unnoticed due to the increased Cardassian presence on Bajor. Once you’re there, you are to gather as much information about Dr. Henry as you can from the local sources. I'm not sure how this will work, but as I said, our main objective is simply to find this man through whatever means available to us, and then get out of there as fast as we can."

The assembled crew offered their collective agreement and words of encouragement to their fellow officers, and shortly thereafter, everyone filed soberly out of the small office space to begin making preparations for their upcoming mission to Bajor.

As they are leaving, Chan turns to her new "partner" and offers, "Mendak, I hope you don’t have any fears of small places or the dark; we might need to go down into the Underground caves, and they can get pretty confusing to outsiders."

"I can take care of myself, thanks," Mendak retorts as he enters the turbolift, never hearing the end of the Lieutenant’s remark.

Leaning against the wall of her own turbolift moments later, Chan adds quietly to herself, "I just hope that the caves haven't changed too much since I left…"

Later that night, in the Grimms’ quarters, Amy sits rocking her infant daughter to sleep. After the small farewell party for their friend and former Chief of Security, Remy LeBeau and his family, Andy had gone off to his office, expecting a transmission regarding their next assignment, and that was the last Amy had seen of the good admiral. Glancing at the chronometer, she realizes that the time is now 2350, and Amy begins to worry about exactly what this mission will entail. Generally speaking, Andy only stayed on the bridge this late when there was a dangerous mission in the midst, and so Amy probably did have reasonable cause to worry, but reminding herself that her imagination sometimes does run away with itself, she put her fears aside for the time being. Shortly thereafter, Amy notices that her infant daughter Kendra has finally fallen asleep and decides that she can probably use some rest herself. Five minutes later, both mother and child are fast asleep in their respective beds.

At 0500 the next morning, Amy pulls a pillow over her head, waking up to the computer chiming its annoyingly pleasant alarm. When the noise doesn’t stop after a few more long seconds, Amy elbows Andy in the side in hopes that he will get up and shut the stupid thing off. Her plan works, and a few moments later she a blissful silence immerses the room, however, it came too late. Realizing that she has already woken up and will have a difficult time falling back to sleep again, Amy reluctantly rationalizes that her son Michael will wake up shortly and want his breakfast so she gets out of bed and prepares to face the day.

Making their bed, Amy yawns, "Where were you last night?"

Still somewhat sleepy, but getting over it, Andy quips, "Good morning to you, too," smiling apologetically. "I had to do some work on the new mission."

Smiling, Amy kisses him on the cheek and apologizes, "Sorry, good morning," but that is all her curiosity can take, and she continues, "What is it?"

Laughing, Andy sticks his head out the door of their bathroom which he had just entered and questions with mock naivete, "The morning? It's a morning – I think…"

Amy exclaims in frustration, "No, not the morning! The mission!"

Shrugging, Andy returns to his morning rituals, replying rather dully, "It's a mission," at his wife’s look of growing frustration, however, he adds, "Honestly, I'd like to tell you, Amy, but in case you didn't notice, you have kind of managed to get yourself classified as a security risk."

Amy just rolls her eyes, "Little ol' me?"

Sarcastically, as he turns off the water, Andy chuckles at Amy’s insistence, "Hard to imagine, isn't it?"

Pouting, deLancie flops herself back onto the now made bed in her bathrobe, "One little mistake, and you never live it down!"

Andy calls from the other room, "Thirteen little mistakes."

Amy replies dismissively, "Same difference," and then, conversationally, she tries to return to her primary concern, "So, the mission is classified?"

Without even giving it a second though, Andy answers, "To you? Yes," playfully adding, "A mission to classify fungi would be classified to you."

Throwing a pillow at the half open door, Amy shouts, "ANDY!"

Laughing, Grimm concedes, "Yes, it is classified."

Heedlessly, Amy inquires, "Can you at least tell me where we're going?"

"Officially, no," Andy continues, cutting off the objection he knows will shortly come from this very determined civilian if he leaves it at that. "But it will prove rather difficult to keep it from you once we actually arrive this afternoon, so if it will shut you up to tell you about it now, we are headed towards Deep Space Nine."

Her curiosity curbed for the moment, Amy absorbs this new information, "DS9? That's right on the border of... Please tell me we aren't…"

Her good humor has suddenly drained as the implications of a mission so close to the war zone fully sink in, and Amy finds herself left momentarily speechless – a rare occurrence for her...

"I can’t say anymore," Grimm warns.

Stomping off into the next room as her husband follows her out in his uniform, Amy decides to change the subject, commenting, "Maybe I'll see if Jarret wants to go with the kids and I to the Holodeck this afternoon."

Shaking his head, Andy almost looks as though he regrets having to tell Amy this, "Jarret is working on special assignment from Starfleet this mission."

Realizing that this day doesn’t have much prospect of going the way she would like it to, Amy sulks, "Then that means that I am the only civilian on this entire ship!"

A twinkle in his eyes as he says it, Andy reminds her, "You should have thought of that before you got yourself court-martialed. Besides, that's not true," and laughing softly, he continues, "Michael, Kendra, Doc Andrews' kids, Damar, and Katra, are also civilians."

Amy just makes a face at him, not even gracing that comment with a reply.

"I'm sorry, but you really did do this one to yourself," Andy shrugs apologetically. "I have to go on duty now, I’ll see you later."

Replicating herself a cup of orange juice and throwing herself entirely into the self-pitying mood she has already begun, Amy wonders, "So what am I supposed to do?"

Kissing her on the forehead as he heads towards the door, Andy smiles conspiratorially, "I have no doubt that you'll think of something."

Just then Michael comes out of his room, looking for breakfast.

Tousling Michael’s hair on his way out, Andy says, "See you later Mikey!"

"Bye daddy!" Michael replies, already bothering his mother to go to the replicator.

After feeding Michael and allowing him to go to the Holodeck with Philip and Phylicia (Dr. Andrews’ children), Amy feeds Kendra and puts her down for her morning nap. Then the would-be civilian cleans her quarters twice, takes Kendra for a walk around the ship (all twenty-three decks), and eats lunch in the crew mess lounge. Returning to her quarters, Amy changes Kendra’s diaper several times, dusts everything in their quarters for the fifth time that day, and reads two chapters in the book she has been reading. After growing tired of the novel, Amy feeds Kendra again, reads the latest news in the Starfleet Communiqué, and checks on Kendra (who is still sleeping soundly). Sighing, Amy plops down on the couch and finds herself thoroughly BORED!

Breaking quiet of her quarters, Amy requests, "Computer, time?"

"Time is 1500 hours," the computer pleasantly replies.

Sighing, Amy remarks, "Still annoyingly early." An idea suddenly hitting her, Amy sits down at her desk and turns on the computer console, already mesmerized by the screen, she distractedly calls, "Computer, load old Earth game - Solitaire."

The same day, in the Eveks' quarters, Commander Dejara and Gul Jarret are getting their twins ready for the upcoming mission.

Putting Katra in her stroller, Dejara says, "I hope Amy is ready for twins! You know Kendra is so small and needs constant attention."

Placing Damar in the stroller next to Katra, Gul Evek smiles at his wife’s over-protectiveness, "She can handle them! It won’t last for long, and besides, she can always use the holographic baby-sitter. Of course, I am not wild about that idea myself."

"Neither am I!" Dejara exclaims, then as she remembers something; "You did ask Amy about this yesterday, didn't you?"

A look of surprise consumes Jarret’s face as he searches his memory, "Me?" he questions, with the classic ‘whoops’ expression forming across his features, "Ah… I thought you said you were going to?"

Dejara appears to have gotten slightly upset now as she stows the final bag beneath Katra’s stroller and exclaims, "Great!" Sighing, she knows that her husband shouldn’t have to take complete responsibility for this oversight, and encourages him, "It’s okay. We are just going to have to wing this! Come on…"

The Eveks soon leave their quarters with the twins in tow and arrive at the Grimms’ quarters shortly thereafter. Gul Evek presses the door chime, and they wait for Amy to answer, hoping that she will be home.

Looking up from her Solitaire game when she hears the door chime, Amy’s voice belays just a tad too much eagerness for interruption as she calls, "Come on in! It's open!" To her great surprise, the wearied civilian watches as the Eveks walk in, complete with children and diaper bags.

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Amy smiles openly as she welcomes her company. "Hello! I thought you two had a part in this mission. What is going on?"

Dejara’s face is mixed with apprehension. Noticing the computer monitor on, she suddenly wonders if Amy has begun work for Starfleet Science, and suddenly, she feels very obtrusive. Unsure where to begin, the Cardassian lady finally decides to just get straight to the point, "Amy we are very sorry, each of us thought the other had asked you. But, we both... well we both messed up. Would you please watch the twins while we go on this mission? Dr. Andrews’ children are good baby-sitters, and they have volunteered to watch them in the past; if you get too busy or need a break, I am sure..."

Over anxious for the additional occupation, Amy did not even let the other lady finish her sentence, before interrupting with, "Please! It is okay! I can handle them! Don't worry, and yes I will use Philip and Phylicia also! Now don't be late, and please, be careful!

Amy and Dejara hug, and then the Eveks go off with Amy practically pushing them out the door.

A short time later, Gul Evek and Commander Dejara both enter the shuttle area, meeting Lieutenant Chan and Commander Mendak, who have already begun to prepare for their upcoming mission. The most notable evidence of this is evident in Blaize Mendak, who now looks as Bajoran as the Celestial Temple, and to the untrained eye, he and Chan could now easily pass for relatives.

Inspecting her Commander and friend’s alteration, Dejara comments, "Commander Mendak! You look -- well, so different as a Bajoran!

Not very amused, Mendak glowers at her. He replies dryly, "Well, I am sure you would look very different as a Bajoran also, Commander!"

Subdued, Dejara apologizes, "I did not mean anything by it!"

Wishing to relieve some of the tensions as she notices the frayed nerves of her fellow officers coming to head after the past few hours of preparation, Lieutenant Chan interjects into the conversation before it can get any further. "Well, let’s get ready. We will reach DS9 shortly, and we will take a shuttlecraft to the surface of Bajor. At that time, Commander Mendak and I will try to make contact with the Underground. Commander Evek, you and Jarret need to try and find out as much as you can from the Cardassians on the surface. We have to remain in contact with each other; that will prove the trickiest part. If anyone learns anything about Dr. Victor Henry, we must relay it to the other part of the team. Understood?"

The Bajoran makes eye contact with the other three away team members, who all nod in acknowledgement. The rescue of Dr. Henry is no laughing matter, and all quarrels and jokes aside, when it comes right down to it, the crew of the Atrius understands that.

Smiling, Chan is pleased with the return of their focus on the mission. "Okay then, we must sit and wait until we reach DS9!" she informs them.