FNN Edition 24
Star Fleet News
Headlines
New Fleet Position Created
KEVIN AVERY
Managing Editor
Stardate 21005.01
Star Fleet Admiral Derrick U.S. Grant, who was named as the Commanding Officer of the USS Nova a few months ago, has been reassigned to a new position which will begin immediately. Grant, whose career has been both celebrated and chastised by Star Fleet Officials, took an unexpected turn when the Admiral was offered and accepted a diplomatic liaison position that will place him as a point man between the United Federation of Planets and the Romulan Star Empire. Star Fleet Commander Imina Sevala, former RSE member, also accepted a similar liaison position.
In addition to his roles as liaison Admiral Grant will be working as the Chief of Operations for the evacuation and rescue of the Romulus system. The operation, which has been named ‘Exodus’ is scheduled to begin at once given the tragic and devastating news revealed by system wide superpowers at the recent conference on Carraya.
In recognition of the new position Rear Admiral Grant received a promotion to Vice Admiral with all of the authority and power that comes along with holding a senior admiralty position. A Federation spokeswoman indicated that Admiral Grant was the perfect candidate for this position given his previous encounters and relationships with members of the Romulan Star Empire.
Star Fleet Admiral Reassigned
KEVIN AVERY
Managing Editor
Stardate 21005.01
Star Fleet Vice Admiral Joseph Daher, former Commanding Officer of the USS Ticonderoga, was recently reassigned to a position on Earth at the Headquarters for Star Fleet Command. The Admiral, whose career history is far too impressive and long to list in an article, has accepted the position as Strategic Operations Officer for Star Fleet Command.
A spokes person for Star Fleet Command indicated that not only was Admiral Daher on the short list for potential replacements for the vacant position but their first choice as well. “One look at his career and it is clear that he is a perfect fit for the position.” Said the spokesman.
Nova New Commanding Officer Named
KEVIN AVERY
Managing Editor
Stardate 21005.01
The FNN previously reported the reassignment of Federation Commanding Officer Admiral Derrick U.S. Grant. This reassignment opened a position on the Pulsar Classed Battleship the USS Nova. Star Fleet Command informed the FNN that a new commanding officer was selected and assigned in a quick manner of time as the replacement was highly qualified.
Replacing the veteran commanding officer on the newly launched ship is Rear Admiral Thomas Grayson. Grayson, who spent many years at the Academy, gained his doctorate in Advanced Warp Navigation Theory and Development before serving as a Chief Tactical Officer onboard a vessel.
Grayson served in the Fleet for many years, earning multiple command ranked positions, before returning to work for Research and Development at Star Fleet Command on Earth. During this time Grayson eventually was named Strategic Operations Supervisor for Star Fleet Command.
A Star Fleet Official, who wished to remain anonymous said that it was only a matter of time before Grayson was reactivated for a command rated position as he was “a perfect man for the job, any job.”
The FNN wishes Grayson luck in his new command position.
Ticonderoga First Officer Promoted
KEVIN AVERY
Managing Editor
Stardate 21005.01
With the reassignment of former Commanding Officer Vice Admiral Joseph Daher Star Fleet Personnel was forced to find an acceptable replacement for the command of the Heavy Cruiser. Star Fleet Command decided to fill that position from within the ship itself.
The FNN can now confirm that Commander Paul Braggins, former Fist Officer of the USS Ticonderoga, has been promoted to the Commanding Officer of the Fearless Classed vessel. Braggins, who has previously served as a tactical officer as well as a fighter pilot, was named the First Officer of the USS Ticonderoga roughly two years ago.
Braggins was of course the obvious choice for Daher’s replacement given his extensive knowledge of the ship and crew. The FNN wishes the newly named Commanding Officer luck in his first Command.
FedSpace News
Headlines
Congratulations are in Order
KEVIN AVERY
Managing Editor
Stardate 21005.01
While it certainly would be easy to write up an article each month congratulating those who earned awards, promotions, and other recognition for their great work on Federation Space this month seemingly has more than normal and several that cannot and should not go unmentioned.
We at the FNN would therefore like to congratulate the following people for receiving the following medals!
Commander Aloysia Yvette- For receiving the Leonard McCoy Life Saving Cross for her excellent and outstanding work on the Medical Section of Fedspace specially the wiki. As someone who was put to work by Commander Yvette she not only knows her stuff and works on it herself, but helps train others as well. Congratulations Melissa and thanks for walking me through the basics of wiki work!
Vice Admiral Daniel Wueste – For his amazing work on advancing the security field both in game and on the wiki the Admiral was awarded The Ministry of Justice Citation of Valor. As someone with a security background I counted on Admiral Wueste’s advice several times and thankfully he always responded to my e-mails. Congratulations Admiral!
Lieutenant Commander “Bear” Hudson –Was awarded The Order of the Shadowed Veil for his continuous work on the wiki in the intelligence field. Congratulations Hunter and thank you for your work keeping all of our stuff up-to-date!
Riov Imina Sevala – This amazing Fedspace player was awarded the Sword of the OPFOR for her work on the wiki for the Romulan and Klingon sections of the site. In addition, Riov Sevala was awarded the President’s Medal for her dedication which made the OPFOR a reality on the site. As someone who knows the Riov in real life I can assure our readers that the OPFOR is on her mind quite a bit. She is continuously discovering ways to make that section of the site better and more efficient. Congratulations!
Captain Alexis Tregelen – Without Captain Tregelen’s continuous work the Fedspace Wikipedia would not exist. It is rumored that Captain Tregelen spends more time working on the wiki each week than he does at his actual job- something I believe could be true! For his hard work Captain Tregelen was awarded the President’s Medal. Thank you for all of you hard work Aaron and congratulations!
Rear Admiral Thomas Grayson – This man might better be known as Derrick Grant or perhaps to our veteran players Captain Torgh or even Avark! Whatever you call him one thing is clear; without all of the work he does, both in plain sight and more importantly behind the scenes, this site would not be what it is. For all of his work Grayson was awarded the Order of the Shadowed Veil as well as the President’s Medal. Thank you Perry for the countless hours that go into creative aspect of this site as well as the numerous other duties you perform!
Commander Julia Nielson – This player wears numerous hats throughout Fedspace. One of the probably most overlooked though is her work on the Federation News Network. As someone who has been with the FNN from the beginning I can say without a doubt that this ‘newspaper’ would have fallen apart and disappeared a long time ago without her and her continuous work and dedication to it. For that hard work, dedication, and overall love of the FNN, Commander Nielson was awarded the President’s Medal. Congratulations Andrea and thank you for always giving 110% to the FNN!
In addition to these medals being awarded the FNN would also like to congratulate the following Command Officers for their promotions!
- Captain Mike Wong was promoted to Commodore.
- Commander Kenneth Fitchel was promoted to Captain .
- Commander Paul Braggins was promoted to Captain and named the Commanding Officer of the USS Ticonderoga.
- Lieutenant Commander Zor Kayzon was promoted to Full Commander.
- Lieutenant Commander Nicholas Ristone was promoted to Full Commander.
- Lieutenant Commander Fran Katzenjammer was promoted to Full Commander.
Dear Abby
Questions for 21005.01
CDR ABIGAIL TAYLOR
Guest Columnist
Stardate 21005.01
Each month I will be taking your questions regarding FedSpace procedure and protocols, and getting answers from various Academy personnel and FedSpace admins. No question is too small!
Are players allowed to carry concealed weapons?
The simple answer is no, generally they are not. But this question has a few facets. During Green Alert / Cruise Mode, there is no need for a character to be carrying a weapon, concealed or otherwise. When a ship goes to Yellow Alert, the state of ship readiness goes to General Quarters One. This means all Security personnel are issued phasers, set on stun (these are not concealed). Even during a Red Alert, when crew readiness goes to General Quarters Two or higher, hand arms may not be distributed to personnel other than security. This would be the call of the CO, FO, or COS. During times of war, all crew are issued side arms that are worn in the open for easy access. I notice that many characters like to have concealed weapons, usually as a form of character development. Before you go with this, please check with your CO! Some COs don't mind, and some frown at the thought of character's having concealed weapons. So check first, before you post.
Why is so much emphasis placed on Spelling and Grammar?
The reason why we stress spelling is because, lets face it, this is a written RPG. According to the Constitution the purpose of the site is to bring together a diverse group of writers with a common interest in Star Trek, friendship, mutual respect, and the art of writing. We're not overly picky about spelling as we know that not everyone is a master of the English language: everyone makes mistakes. All we ask is that you spellcheck posts. Many web browsers (such as Firefox) come with built-in spellchecks. I usually write my posts in Word first, run the spellcheck, and then post them. Spellcheck is just a small step that makes a big (and obvious!) difference.
Are any starships equipped with ablative armour?
Yup, Avenger Class Battle Cruisers and Wake Island-class Light Marine Assault Ships are equipped with ablative armour.
Can one PC marry another PC?
Of course, as long as the other PC is willing.
What is the difference between a main plot and a subplot?
While the main plot affects the entire ship, a subplot is an underlying story that’s being told within the main plot. While a main plot is directed by our GM, a subplot can be run by any player who has received prior approval by the ship’s CO or FO to run that particular subplot. An example of the difference between the two, is that the main story would be the ship falling under attack, whereas the subplot would be a character having to deal with an on ship pregnancy, or perhaps trying to write the next great holonovel.
Do you have a question for Abby? Please email her or the editor-in-chief.
20 Questions
Lt Gabriel Fairen
RACHEL CHRISTIE
Editor-in-Chief
Stardate 21005.01
This month for 20 Questions I spoke with Matt who plays Lieutenant Gabriel Fairen, Chief Medical Officer aboard the USS Gettysburg,
Age, Sex, Location?
25, male, Louisville KY
When did you first join FedSpace?
September 2002... I can't remember the exact day though.
What brought you to FedSpace?
A friend in high school mentioned the website one day in class. We both joined and made it through the academy but he only stayed less than a month where as I got hooked and have been around since.
Tell me a little about the process of developing your character.
With Polvin, I didn't really have a process, things just kind of fell into place. With Fairen though, I have tried to mold him a bit more. Not sure how to describe it but I take bits and pieces from my favorite film and tv characters. Like I have a mixture of Simon from Firefly, Raylen Givens from Justified, the Doctor from Voyager... there's some others but they're escaping me at the moment. Of course, can't help but put myself in there as each of these characters are an extension of our own personalities and mannerisms.
Do you think it is easier or more difficult to play someone based on yourself?
I try not to make it 100 percent based off me as that would be boring to play me in this game but most of the time it is easier as I have been through a lot in my short life. I just take the expriences and use what I know to my advantage if that makes sense. For example, I have 3rd degree burn scars on my body so I know how to treat burn patients in game.
So far, what is your favorite part about being a member of FedSpace?
My favorite part can also be considered the worst part for me and that is meeting people from all over the world. Most people on here are some of the nicest people you can ever hope to meet but then there are those that no matter what you do, you just butt heads with them.
If you were president for a day, what would you change?
Add a rule and put in a procedure in place about what to do when a player stops posting and responding to emails and they have not put themselves on LOA. Have something more clear cut to follow as I've dealt with this problem too many times.
What do you spend your time outside of FedSpace doing?
Spend time with the family at the local bar we all frequent, tend to my peach tree, go the movies with my brother, help the grandparents with yard work and what not since they are getting up there in age.
What is your favorite Star Trek series?
Even though I have seen every episode of Voyager as it was the first one I really watched, I prefer DS9 as it had more engaging stories.
Do you have a favourite line or phrase from either a show or movie?
"I have a dream; a dream that all people -- human, Jem'Hadar, Ferengi, Cardassians -- will someday stand together in peace... around my Dabo tables."—Quark (The Search)
Quark is one of those characters that is hard not to love as he knows who he is and what he wants.
Do you have a favourite character from the shows and why?
it would have to be a toss up between the Doctor from Voyager and Neelix from the same series... Both of those characters really stand out to me due to how much they grew over the course of the series. Neelix started off being the comic relief of the series but as it went on, you started to see that he was broken man at times given that his people were pretty much wiped out. With the Doc, he started out being stuck only in Sickbay and on the holodecks but once that little emitter came around, it gave the character a chance to expand... kinda like Data in a way. I still remember that episode he had a family on the holodeck and B'Elanna made a change to them to make it more like a real family and the daughter died... that episode is one of the few that I can still easily remember.
What piece of Star Trek Technology would you most like to see today?
The Dermal Regenerator... having a handheld device that you would just wave over a cut or a buise and the wound no longer be there would have a great impact on this world as a whole. There would no longer run the risk of the smallest cuts getting infected which would cause so many more problems.
What was it about Star Trek that made you fall in love with the show?
This may sound a bit hokey but it was because my pop was such a big fan, that he grew up with the original series... we may have been busy with other things during the day but when Next Gen, DS9, and Voyager came on, we'd sit down either as a family or just he and I to watch the shows.
What FedSpace character would you most like to meet in real life?
That's a bit of a toughly... it would probably have to be Marcos Dregs as a large talking Dragon like person would be fun to chat with.
What makes a good Ship/Station?
A goodship/station really falls on how well the player does in telling the story.
If you could list one pet-peeve about your fellow players, what would it be?
It would probably have to be when something is missed or ignored in a post.
Do you feel there is any disconnect between you and other players based on geographical location?
Nope, not in the least. Thanks in part to email and messenger of course.
What is in your FedSpace future for your character?
To make it to LCdr... I set two goals for myself when I returned. A)I would make CMO and B)Make LCdr... when I left as Polvin for the first time, that was my position and my rank. I've been off and on with this site so many times that I wanted to put a real effort into getting back to that level I was at with Polvin... beyond that, I don't know.
If there was one thing you would want everyone to know about you, what would that be?
Respect is key. If you show me respect, I will give it right back to you ten fold
Thank you to Matt for answering my questions! Would you like to be featured in 20 Questions? Please email our editor-in-chief!
Movers and Shakers
Academy Graduates
CDR ABIGAIL TAYLOR
Guest Columnist
Stardate 21005.01
Please join me in welcome all the recent graduates to Federation Space! Please note that this table reflects the new Midshipman who graduated in March and April.
Star Trek News
Headlines
No Sequel to STO
RACHEL CHRISTIE
Editor-in-Chief
Stardate 21005.01
Fans of the popular Star Trek: Online MMORPG can breath easy with the fact that there won't have to shell out more money for a sequel version of the popular game.
The game's developer, Cryptic Studios, has confirmed that there are no plans for a sequel to STO. Craig Zinkievich, executive producer for Cryptic, stated that it didn't make much sense for them or any other game company to make a sequel for an MMO game. He added, “Typically, you see a MMO called a sequel because either a new team worked on the property or the original team wanted to reboot their IP."
Rather than saving any updates and then releasing the new edition. Star Trek: Online will be updated as it is needed. According to Zinkievich, these updates will always be ongoing, because the story of Star Trek will never really finish. "Barring a new edition of our engine," Zinkievich said, "I can’t really see us doing a sequel.”
Trek Trivia
This Month's Questions
1. Which two officers took Scotty down to Argelius III for shore leave?
2. What was Deanna Troi's job?
3. What kind of company did Ezri Dax's family own?
4. Who designed the EMH?
5. In The Voyage Home, where did Kirk see a sign advertising a pair of humpback whales?
6. Name the Trill administrative body responsible for selection of symbiont hosts.
7. Where did Christine Chapel find her long lost fiancé?
8. What meal of Kirk's did tribbles get into?
9. Name the episode in which a dog clears Tom Paris of a murder charge.
10. Who did Data push into the water for "fun" in Star Trek Generations?
Last Month's Answers
1. What was Nancy Crater's nickname for Leonard McCoy?
- Plum
2. Who was Worf's biological father?
- Mogh
3. Name the Captain with the transparent skull whom Jadzia Dax occasionally dated.
- Boday
4. In the episode "Time and Again," which two officers did Tom Paris suggest that he and Harry Kim double-date?
- The Delaney sisters
5. Terrell and Chekov found cargo carriers from what vessel on Ceti Alpha V?
- SS Botany Bay
6. To what ruling body was Gul Dukat made military advisor in "The Way of the Warrior"?
- Detapa Council
7. In "Tomorrow is Yesterday," the Enterprise traveled back in time because of a near collision with what?
- A black star
8. Which of the following characters have we not seen fencing?
- d) Ezri Dax
9. In what episode does a Founder impersonate an ambassador aboard the USS Defiant to sow dissent among the Alpha Quadrant powers?
- The Adversary
10. Name the class of starship pictured to the right that is escorting the Enterprise.
- Antares class
Last Month's Winners
1. Buck Wausau
All Around Champs
| Rank | Player | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Alexis Tregelen | 28 |
| 2. | Kyle DeWitt | 19 |
| 3. | Buck Wausau | 10 |
| 4. | Jericho Roberts | 6 |
| Hall of Fame | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player | Points | Year |
| Laura Macleod | 91 | 2009 |
Joke of the Month
Starfleet's Top 5 Guidelines for Space Exploration
- 1. Never use an old solution for a new problem. Always do things the hard way.
- 2. No matter how tired and ill-prepared you are, and no matter what condition the ship is in, feel free to get as close as possible to dangerous areas of space, unknown phenomena and other threatening situations with absolutely no preparation or backups.
- 3. If you're showing any unusual symptoms, don't bother mentioning them until it's too late.
- 4. When reporting strange incidents and phenomena to Starfleet, don't expect Starfleet to show any interest in your report for several years at least.
- 5. Every problem takes 48 minutes to solve, or a multiple of 48.
Science News
Astropic
Spiral Galaxy NGC 3190 Almost Sideways
Credit: Data - Hubble Legacy Archive, ESA, NASA; Processing - Robert Gendler
Science News
Toying with the Weather
RACHEL CHRISTIE
Editor-in-Chief
Stardate 21005.01
The start of global weather control satellites, or merely scientists having some fun with a laser pointer? Researchers from the University of Geneva have been testing a theory that they create clouds by pointing a laser beam up into the sky, though the process behind it is a bit more complicated than that.
By shooting a high-powered infrared laser into a cloud chamber, Jérôme Kasparian and his scientific colleagues were able to confirm their theory. When the laser shot extremely short pulses of intense energy, the view in the chamber clouded up immediately. This wasn't one of those experiments that only computers could measure the outcome.
“The effect in the cloud chamber was very spectacular and visible by bare eye,” Kasparian says. “We expected an effect, definitely. But that magnitude was pretty much a surprise.”
The researchers took the laser out of the chamber and tested it out in the open sky. Over several nights the laser was aimed at the sky. This time the changes weren't visible to the naked eye so the scientists aimed another laser to confirm that clouds were forming. “It also worked quite well in the free atmosphere,” Kasparian said, “That was quite surprising, and a very good surprise.”
While using lasers have the potential to provide a more reliable and environmentally friendly way to build clouds compared to methods tested in the past (which included sending silver iodide into the atmosphere), don't expect to lasers as a weather control system anytime in the future. The process doesn't quite result in droplets being formed that are heavy enough to create rain, though the potential is clearly there.
And while the benefits of such a technology being successful are many, Kasparian and his colleagues are cautious, and warns, “There are potentially huge consequences.”
This Day in Astronomy History
Space Shuttle Endeavour
RACHEL CHRISTIE
Editor-in-Chief
Stardate 21005.01
This month in astronomy history… the Space Shuttle Endeavour, OV-105, was launched, on May 7, 1992. Endeavour was the last Space Shuttle Orbiter built by NASA, and is one of three that is still in operating condition.
Endeavour was planned as a replacement for the Space Shuttle Challenger, and the official contract for construction was awarded in July 1987. It was built using structural spares from the construction of Discovery and Atlantis. Options had been to either refit the Space Shuttle Enterprise, or build a new one using these spare parts – the latter was chosen on cost grounds. Because it constructed later than its sister ships, Endeavour was built with the latest hardware to expand its capabilities for extended durations in space.
Space Shuttle Endeavour has flown 24 missions, with 148 crewmembers since her launch in 1992. She has spent 280 days in space, and done almost 4,000 orbits of Earth.
NASA plans to decommission Endeavour and her sister ships, Atlantis and Discovery, sometime this year. Endeavour is currently slated to be the last space shuttle in the fleet of orbiters to fly.
