FNN Edition 14
Star Fleet News
Headlines
USS Gettysburg Destroyed in Space Battle
KEVIN AVERY
Fleet News Editor
Stardate 20906.01
The USS Gettysburg, one of the only two Battle Cruisers in the entire Federation Fleet, was according to Star Fleet Command lost in a space battle when ambushed by several Romulan vessels near Outpost Nine.
Star Fleet has yet to release the black box information that was rumored to have been received at Starbase Alpha but ensure that all the information they had received thus far indicated left no doubt that the Battle Cruiser and every member of her 2,160 size crew was lost in the ambush.
The Commanding Officer of the USS Gettysburg was Rear Admiral Derrick Grant. Grant had been the Commanding Officer for over a year before the ship was lost. The Federation News Network would like to give condolences to the surviving friends and family members of the Battle Cruiser that had been known as Gettysburg.
No current plans have been released to develop another Battle Cruiser which seems to indicate that the USS Dauntless will be the only one in the fleet. It had yet to be announced whether or not another Gettysburg will be christened or if the name will be retired after the tragedy.
The Tribble
JIMMY "The Weasel" FRATIANNO
The Tribble Columnist
Stardate 20906.02
The Commander of the 6th Fleet, while giving a speech, was reported to have killed a Gorn Diplomat when he 'broke wind' right in front of him. The Admiral claimed that a mysterious force caused the wind breaking. This is related to the incident when the Betazoid ambassador vomited all over the Vulcan diplomat, which resulted in a diplomatic catastrophe within the Council chambers. All across the Galaxy there have been reports of mysterious forces popping up, and it seems to concentrate on board Federation ships. Many people believe this explains the deaths of Security Officers and Engineers who are only known by their last name.
The First Officer of the USS Aphrodite, Commander Arizona Dargo, has been reported to have sexual relations with a fellow crew member, Crewman Recruit Amy Easybee. JAG has conducted the investigation and has reported that after careful consideration all charges were dropped. The Investigator in Charge was only reported to have spoken, "We need to hunt him down and pin the Medal of Honor on that lucky man.”
The Romulan propagandist agency issued a statement to the Klingon Empire. According to the Linguistics Division, the statement is assumed to read: “The Enterprise has killed your people in cold blood while we were looking for peace with a noble empire.” However when it was translated into Klingon text, it read: “The Enterprise has mailed your people in cold mud while we were looking for space with such a noble sandpaper.” (The writer has not altered the preceding quote in any way, shape or form.) There have been no reports of Klingon response, although the Klingon channels have been filled with laughter for the following 24 hours.
The Ferengi news has reported with grave sadness that the planet's largest Tribble, worth 2,000,000 Federation Credits, exploded today sending hundreds upon thousands of baby Tribbles into the air, covering an entire city block. The owner exiled himself when he learned that thanks to the depreciation of Tribbles, he can only get 2 Federation Credits per baby Tribble.
FedSpace News
20 Questions
Lieutenant Vladimir Komoscov
RACHEL CHRISTIE
Editor-in-Chief
Stardate 20906.02
This month we spoke with Jeremy, who plays Lieutenant Vladimir Komoscov, Chief Engineer aboard the USS Dauntless, BC-1553.
Age, Sex, Location?
20, Male, Milpitas, California, USA
When did you start playing on FedSpace?
My first round was I believe in either 2005 or 2006. I returned in December 2007.
Tell me a little about the process of developing your character.
he name was something that I developed prior to joining Fed Space. I also wanted to develop someone who is abnormal from regular Star Trek characters. I made Komoscov abnormally large and strong, and also ironic as he wants to be an Engineer instead of a Security officer. I also made him a really odd guy and pretty much polar opposite to many characters on the site.
Do you think it is easier or more difficult to play someone based on yourself?
I think it's easier; however, it's more fun to explore and get to know Komoscov as a whole 'nother person which makes the interaction between the characters that much more interesting. Obviously to most people, Komoscov is not based on myself.
What makes a good Ship/Station?
In my opinion, a good ship needs as a requirement a good crew who can face a problem and as a team learn to solve the problem as best as they can.
What do you see as some goals for the future of your character?
Personally I'd like to see him grow out of his shell and become more social and to understand his ancestry since his knowledge of Klingon history/rituals is very limited. It would be nice to see him as a FO or maybe a CO, but short term wise becoming more of a "Klingon Warrior" is something definitely in the works.
If you could choose, what Trek species would you be?
Well, i'm already Human, so I guess that choice is out. It would be interesting to be a Klingon, not because of the strength or the consitution, but mainly they live a longer lifespan and can still be very active.
So far, what is your favorite part about being a member of FedSpace?
Fed Space is like a drug. When I left the first time, I started going through withdrawls if that makes any sense. When I came back, I noticed that the only things that changed on Fed Space were the players and the characters. The plots, energy, and everything else in this site makes it hard to get rid off. To describe it in one word, it's just too damn fun.
If you were President for a day, what would you change?
In game: I would probably be realistic and just contact the Romulans and threaten that if they don't cease hostilities we will drop a warp core right on their planet and tell the Klingons they are free to do what ever they felt like, we will not get in the way. Of course once the 24 hours is up, I'd hand the keys over the next guy and say, "Have fun."
If you could name your own ship, what would you name it?
USS Skullcrusher
What was it about Star Trek that made you like it?
It was mainly my father who got me into Star Trek in the first place, but it was the whole Engineering background of it all that attracted me the most.
Who is your favourite Trek character?
My all around favorite character is LaForge, mainly because he reminds me of me in a lot of ways.
What piece of Star Trek technology would you most like to see today?
The Tricorders. Having something like that around would be pretty cool.
What do you spend your time outside of FedSpace doing?
Pretending to be a mechanical or aeronautical engineer and designing aircraft, doing some research on aircraft accidents and talking to my friend's online.
What character from FedSpace would you most like to meet in real life?
I would like to meet with Thrawn to be honest, mainly because I would like to talk strategy and politics with him.
What person from FedSpace would you most like to meet in real life?
There are so many people who I’d like to meet in real life, and I've already met Grant (Perry) years back. If I had to pick one, it would be cool to meet the man behind Mike Wong.
If you could list one pet-peeve about your fellow players, what would it be?
Some players unfortunetly bring out of game drama in game which causes unnessessary drama for the rest of us. I've noticed it doesn't happen often, but it's still there.
Do you feel there is any disconnect between you and other players based on geographical location?
Considering that players range from the United States, Europe and Canada, I can't really say there is a disconnect since each individual player if from a more or less different area, so to me it's like a giant cultural melting pot.
What would you most like to do on the site?
I would like to help the Engineering division move to the next level of ship design and even weapons. I wouldn't do it for the points, I would do it just for the benefit of the site.
If there was one thing you would want everyone to know about you, what would that be?
I think up crazier plot lines and stories then the entire cast of Monty Python and Mad TV combined.
Thanks to Jeremy for answering our questions!
Promotions
Medals
No medals were awarded this month.
Role-Player of the Month
Academy Graduates
Trek News
Headlines
Summer Reading
RACHEL CHRISTIE
Editor-in-Chief
Stardate 20906.01
As summer arrives here in the northern hemisphere, one of my favourite hobbies is to lay out on a beach blanket in the sunshine and power through a good Star Trek book. I think the most difficult part is trying to figure out which book I want to read next. There are so many different books out there, where to start? So while I try to figure out which book to tackle, here is a list of some new Trek titles to check out.
Star Trek: New Frontier: Treason
- By: Peter David
- Release: April 14, 2009
- Description: It is a time of political upheaval and uncertainty in the New Thallonian Protectorate. Following the brutal assassination of her husband, Si Cwan, former Star Fleet officer-turned-newly-appointed-Prime Minister Robin Lefler must now face the growing danger and intrigue surrounding her newborn son and heir to the noble line of Cwan. Following a harrowing assassination attempt, Robin has no choice but to flee New Thallon with her child...seeking refuge with Captain Mackenzie Calhoun and the crew of the U.S.S. Excalibur and creating a major diplomatic crisis in Sector 221-G. The political fallout between the Federation and the New Thallonian Protectorate pales, however, in comparison to the threat of an enigmatic alien race determined to seize the infant Cwan for its own mysterious purposes. But nothing could possibly prepare Calhoun for the shocking betrayal from within—an act of treachery to aid and abet this alien race—forever altering the lives of the Excalibur crew....
- RC’s Note: While I haven’t read anything by Peter David, the reviews I’ve heard are nothing but good.
Star Trek Movie Tie-In
- By: Alan Dean Foster
- Release: May 12, 2009
- Description: A novelization of the Star Trek movie.
- RC’s Note: While I really enjoyed the film, and novelizations can often go into more detail and the reader is treated to more “between the scenes”, I’m a little hesitant to suggest this one. It’s written by Alan Dean Foster who is a renowed science fiction and Star Trek author. However I have yet to be impressed with his work, often finding it boring and painful to read. The bookstore I work at had a copy, and I had a chance to leaf through it quickly, but we sold it before I had the chance to really peruse it.
Star Trek: TNG: Losing the Peace
- By: William Leisner
- Release: June 30, 2009
- Description: Fortune has smiled on Lieutenant Jasminder Choudhury, chief of security on the USS Enterprise. She has survived. But her homeworld, Deneva, one of the planets targeted in the massive Borg invasion, has not. The entire surface has been wiped clean of everything, killing anyone who did not evacuate and rendering the planet uninhabitable. Choudhury is left to wonder whether her family was one of the displaced. Or are they all gone forever? The Enterprise is just one ship, and Jasminder Choudhury is just one officer, yet her story is being repeated over and over across the galaxy. Hundreds of thousands of displaced persons haunt the space ways, seeking comfort, looking for someplace safe, somewhere, anywhere to find solace. Captain Jean-Luc Picard is ordered to do everything he can to rescue and if need be to recover the lost souls from the Borg invasion. For the first time in generations, citizens of the Federation know want, uncertainty, and fear. Bloodied yet unbowed, the Federation now stands on the edge of a precipice. The captain of the Enterprise finds himself in the unenviable position of wondering whether it is true that those who can win a war well can rarely make a good peace.
- RC’s Note: I haven’t actually read anything by this author, not have I really read much in the way of Next Gen titles. Sounds interesting enough.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Soul Key
- By: Olivia Woods
- Release: July 28, 2009
- Description: Cardassian agent Ileana Ghemor, who was once surgically alterered to resemble and replace the Bajoran Kira Nerys, dreams of fulfilling a prophecy that will mark her as the one true emissary of the mirror universe—a messianic figure who will lead her followers into a war that could open the way to cleansing the multiverse of countless alternate Kiras in countless parallel realities. But the stakes are higher than anyone imagines, for alongside Ghemor, the pull of destiny tugs at other souls who are swept into the vortex of the Prophets, the remote and timeless beings who have set these events in motion. The outcome of this struggle for the fate of one universe will ripple across many others, giving shape to a future that will prove to be the greatest trial yet for the heroes of space station Deep Space 9.
- RC’s note: This is the author’s first book.
Quote
Rules of Engagement
"Life is a great deal more complicated in this red uniform." "Wait 'til you get four pips on that collar. You'll wish you had gone into botany."
- Worf and Sisko
From: Deep Space Nine, Season 4 Episode 18, Rules of Engagement
Trivia
This Month’s Questions
Because there is no issue next month, we have double the questions!
1. Besides English, what other language was Nyota Uhura known to speak?
2. Who introduced Jack Crusher to Beverly?
- a) Jean Luc Picard
- b) Walker Keel
- c) Dr Dalen Quaice
- d) Sarek
3. Julia Bashir graduated ________ in his class from Star Fleet Medical.
4. What was Seven of Nine’s complete Borg designation?
5. What was the name of the Vulcan science officer assigned to the Enterprise at the beginning of Star Trek The Motion Picture?
6. Which Klingon’s engine room was once inundated with tribbles?
7. The highest law in the Federation prevents interference in other cultures. What was this law known as?
8. What drink did Balok serve to Kirk, McCoy, and David Bailey in The Corbomite Maneuver?
9. In which episode does an alien virus invade the Deep Space 9 computer system, become attached to Chief O’Brien’s company, and refuse to leave?
10. Name the species pictured to the right.
11. In The Original Series, what colour shirt did you not want to be wearing if you were part of a landing party?
12. In the episode Preemptive Strike, with what group was the Enterprise-D in conflict?
13. Which of Deep Space 9’s runabouts was the only one never destroyed?
14. True or False: In the episode Deadlock, Harry Kim and Naomi Wildman died but were replaced by exact duplicates who have been with the ship ever since.
15. What kind of weapons were banned by the Khitomer Accords?
16. Who are the greatest polluters of the Delta Quadrant?
17. In the Mirror universe, what characteristic distinguished the alternate Spock from his counterpart?
18. What series is the episode Whispers from?
19. What kind of dog was Porthos in the Mirror universe?
20. How many times was Katherine Pulaski married?
Last Month’s Answers
1. Name the episode in which Hikaru Sulu first appeared.
- TOS, Season 1 Episode 1, Where No Man Has Gone Before
2. What device enables a blind Geordi La Forge to see?
- VISOR
3. Miles O’Brien’s father hoped Miles would attend the Aldeberan Music Academy to study what instrument?
- The Cello
4. What species was Kes?
- Ocampa
5. What was the captain of the Enterprise at the beginning of The Motion Picture?
- Will Decker
6. Name the episode in which Sarek first appeared.
- TOS, Season 2 Episode 15, Journey to Babel
7. The order prohibiting any contact with Talos IV is known as Star Fleet General Order
- b) 7
8. Which Next Generation character is passionate about archaeology?
- Jean Luc Picard
9. In the episode “The City on the Edge of Forever,” what three words did James Kirk tell Edith Keeler would be recommended even over “I love you” in the future?
- Let me help
10. Name the species picture at the right.
Last Month’s Winners
1. Laura Macleod
All Around Champs
| Rank | Player | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Laura Macleod | 46 |
| 2. | Rachel Christie | 11 |
| 3. | Tara ch’Thane | 8 |
| 4. | Joseph Daher | 6 |
Joke of the Month
The Skant
Call for Submissions
VERNON IGNOFFO
Opinions Editor
Stardate 20906.01
Hello everyone! For our next issue I want to compile a list of people’s favorite websites for everything imaginable. So, if there is a website you visit on a daily basis that you think your fellow posters would like to check out, send me the link in an email. I am looking for sites about everything from news to finding good deals to funny pictures! So, get to emailin! The.cute.birl@gmail.com
Science News
Astropic
Volcanic Terrain on Mercury
Credit: MESSENGER, NASA, JHU APL, CIW
Astronomy News
Galaxy Zoo
VERNON IGNOFFO
Opinions Editor
Stardate 20906.01
Galaxy Zoo recently launched its new site design which they have affectionately named Galaxy Zoo2. Galaxy Zoo is a great time wasting website that actually helps in the end! Their website states “Galaxy Zoo contains pictures of almost a quarter of a million galaxies which have been imaged with a camera attached to a robotic telescope (the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, no less).” Their ultimate goal is to understand how galaxies form, and to do that they require humans to classify these images based on shapes. It’s pretty easy to take part. First you register, and then you go through a quick training orientation and quiz to make sure you understand. From there, you are unleashed into the world of Galaxies.
The original Galaxy Zoo was launched in July 2007. The team that launched the site figured it would take a few years to go through the million-plus images they had accrued. However, according to their site, “Within 24 hours of launch, the site was receiving 70,000 classifications an hour, and more than 50 million classifications were received by the project during its first year, from almost 150,000 people.”
Although looking at various galaxies from across the universe is quite fun in itself, one of the best parts of classification is finding those rare objects that aren’t quite galaxies. You can mark it as an odd/rare object and it gets further explored. There is a section in their forums (the most active section!) where people routinely write the classification number of the rare or odd object for everyone to check out. It can be super exciting to be the first to find a rare object!
Check out the exciting website: www.galaxyzoo.org
Science News
VISOR? Try bionic eye
RACHEL CHRISTIE
Editor-in-Chief
Stardate 20906.02
The VISOR is a quintessential item that makes up the Star Trek universe. Its function is to help give a version of sight to people who would otherwise be blind. Australian scientists are currently in the works of developing technology that does likewise. After much success developing a cochlear implant (bionic ear), the Australian government is funding research to develop a bionic eye.
"Australia's development of the bionic ear has already made a dramatic difference to the lives of thousands of people world-wide and has cemented Australia as a world leader in bionics. Bionic eye research holds similar promise, with the potential to restore sight to thousands," Said Australia’s Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, when she announced the plan to fund $50 million into bionic vision research.
To date bionic eyes have been tested around the world with some success, with recipients able to detect shape and space but with little detail
Read more: http://www.itnews.com.au/News/104658,australian-government-offers-50m-toward-bionic-eye-effort.aspx
This Month in Astronomy History
June - Soyuz 11
RACHEL CHRISTIE
Editor-in-Chief
Stardate 20906.01
On June 7, 1971, the Soviet rocket Soyuz 11 was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in central Kazakh SSR. It carried cosmonauts Dobrovolsky, V.N. Volkov, and V.I. Patsayev. They became the first people occupy a space station, and they lived on the station Salyut 1 for 22 days.
July - Philosophae Naturalis Principia Mathematica
RACHEL CHRISTIE
Editor-in-Chief
Stardate 20906.01
On July 5, 1687, Sir Isaac Newton first publishes his three laws of motion and his law of universal gravitation. These are printed in his work Philosophae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, which is considered to be one of the most important scientific works ever written.
