Interview with Captain Himbog Stardate 20401.01

This month's subject is Capt Himbog, Commanding Officer, USS Sheridan.

How did you first get involved in the site?

I joined originally after Ex-Commander Terra had shown me the site and explained how it was a good way of putting off homework for a day or two! He got some points from it and I got much needed writing practice for my English exams so it worked out well for both of us.

Who, other than yourself, would you say has had the biggest influence on your character?

My character, beside being a Ferengi, isn't actually based on me at all. I wouldn't say there's one person that has had an influence on him, he just developed from a non-conformist Ferengi I suppose. I dare say there have been other characters that have helped me to develop him, Kes and Rayne being two, but nothing specific.

How, if at all, has your characters development differed from what you first imagined?

When I joined the site, my imagination in character development was fairly minimal. All I had to begin with was a name and a biography that I whipped up in a few minutes. Since then Himbog has developed a sense of responsibility that he was afraid of to start out and he has become more optimistic in his views since the conflict with the Borg.

Could you sum up your character in just a few words?

Selfless, reserved, friendly... Everything your average Ferengi wouldn't be!

Do you really believe there is intelligent life somewhere, out there?

I'm not sure to be honest. I'd like to think that there is. The size of the universe is incomprehendable to me and with all those stars and all those planets, there must be another one somewhere that has similar, if not the same, conditions us our Earth, right? I don't know, I think my head would explode if I try to put a value to infinite possibilities!

Which of the televised Star Trek series is your favorite and why?

Deep Space Nine has always been my favorite. I thought the characters in that series were so different from any other that it made for a more interesting mix. The storylines that were possible with the use of the wormhole as a gateway to relatively unknown space were excellent. Plus, Terry Farrell is hot!

Which are your favorite characters from each series and why?

TOS: Bones. Has to be Bones! I've often been told that the likeness between my personality and his is scary! I've always liked sarcastic people.

TNG: Am I allowed to say Wesley Crusher? *LOL* I'd have to say Data. The development of his character throughout each season created new storylines and new events that had never appeared in any other series. I always liked his attempts to become more human.

DS9: I should probably say Quark what with him being Ferengi and everything! Disregarding that, though, I'd probably say that Odo is my favorite. The subplots that were created for him and his background were some of the best episodes of any series and the range of connotations that could be made from his unique character made him all the more interesting.

VOY: I always liked Nelix. I'm not sure why though! There was something about his character that made me chuckle and I'm sure as we've all discovered on the site, a little laughter goes a long way in Star Trek!

Ent: No preference here. I never really managed to get into the series. The inconsistencies in the timelines are frequent. And that just plain annoys me!

Do you have a favorite moment or scenario your character has been involved in?

There was a time on the USS Avenger when Himbog and Kesla were stuck in the science labs with very little to do. Since we appeared to be online at the same time, both with very little to do, we managed to create something out of nothing and ended up playing the age old science favorite, "Who can count and analyze the most space dust in under ten minutes!" Not all that life changing, but I enjoyed the writing!

In your opinion, what makes a really good post?

Detail. My imagination is very vague, so in order for a post to work for me it has to have good description. I often read a paragraph after writing it, close my eyes, and imagine that I am in that same situation. If I can't do that, then I know that there's something missing. That often means that walking into a room and sitting down is a six paragraph post! But if I can sit back and understand what I've written, then I'm happy.

What advice would you give to our newer players who might be hoping for a Command within the site someday?

Don't make it your number one priority. There are a lot of players on the site now and many of them may never want to get a Command position. However, the chances are that everyone has a dream of reaching the admiralty and that just isn't feasible! My best advice would be to aim one step higher each time and no more. If you aim too high, too soon, you may end up getting frustrated and that's never a good thing.

Which characteristics do you feel you have in common with your character?

Very very few. The biggest likeness I have is my inability to interact with new people. I always find it hard to start a conversation from nothing incase I offend someone so I tend not to at all. That's one trait that I've transferred to Himbog. Apart from that, I'd say we're very different 'people' all together.

If you were Fleet Admiral for a day, what would you change about Federation Space?

• Must... refrain... from bringing up... rank pips...* lol (I'm joking... Please don't decommission my ship!) Probably the point system. I've always thought that if I owned an RPG, players would be promoted by experience and quality of writing. That way it would seem more like a reward. Unfortunately that would bring up a lot of controversy with certain players being promoted more often than others so it's not the best of ideas but hey, it's something I'd enjoy testing out.

What is it like to be a commanding officer? What are the biggest challenges you face? Are there any rewards?

I have very little experience of it at the moment, but some problems I've encountered so far is trying to find something for everyone to do in quiet times. There are only so many things a person can do before it starts getting repetitive. I've been relying a lot on player initiative recently but I think I'm getting the hang of it. And rewards? I hate to sound like a cliché but I'm not in it for the rewards. It enables me to write posts differently to before and I enjoy that. Anything else is just a bonus.

Where did you get the idea for your character?

From my trusty "Idiots guide to creating Fedspace characters" book! I really don't know. Himbog was something I whipped up as a laugh. I thought it would be fun playing a Ferengi that acted slightly differently to others. It was only later on that I started to really develop him into a fully fledged character with a background, a personality, etc.

What do you like to do when you aren't playing Federation Space?

I listen to a lot of music. I play the trumpet, guitar, and piano so I often play along to many songs. Music is a big hobby. Those of you who know me will know that I like making web pages. I like writing things in code and seeing what happens when they're translated into something else. It's like magic! I don't do a lot of sport, but I work as a lifeguard in a local Recreation Center so I'd have to say swimming is a hobby as well for legal reasons!

What is your favorite movie of all time? Why?

Braveheart. I love that film! Full of spirit, and with a true meaning to it. It's everything a movie should be.

What is your favorite book of all time? Why?

I'm not big on reading. Which, I suppose, is probably why I was never a good writer. I like the discworld series of Terry Pratchett books and 'Raiders of the lost Car Park' by Robert Rankin is quite funny, but I don't really have a favorite book.

What kind of music do you like? Who are your favorites?

I like a wide range of music depending on what mood I'm in. Right now, I'm listening to 'Madness' since I saw them in concert just last week. Ska music always cheers me up. I'm also a big fan of rock music. The Chili Peppers, Feeder, The Darkness, Green Day, Queens of the Stoneage and Muse are particularly good. Muse ties another music taste I have in with rock - piano. If I need to relax, there's nothing like a relaxing piano sonata. Now that's music!

If you could make your own ST series, what would it be?

In risk of being unoriginal, "Star Trek: A Generation After." I always thought a series would be released with the Enterprise E and the Defiant being used as the main focus. I like those ships and always thought it would be interesting to see what would happen if they teamed up. The voyages of the Starship Enterprise would go on...

If you had free reign to command any ship in the fleet, what would it be, and why?

I'm quite happy with my destroyer to be honest. Anything bigger would just confuse me! I like something with power but also agility. Ok, so the destroyer isn't the most agile ship in the fleet but then again if we all had Light Cruisers the site would be a very boring place! Tam, you can keep all the light cruisers you wish!