Newsletter/Spring 2007

Newsletter for the Star Trek: Freedom Wiki. Spring 2007 edition.

To see previous editions of the newsletter, visit The Archive

News from the Front

• USS Nimitz:

After the rescue of Dru Tagon from the clutches of Doenitz forces, Sash faced censor and demotion from his position as Battle Fleet Commodore. However, there is an opportunity to curry some favor from the admiralty. Doenitz forces on Cait Prime have been performing bizarre experiments in an effort to create a new super soldier. Captain Sash and the crew of the Nimitz have been ordered to retake the planet from its minor invasion force, and put an end to Doenitz's unnatural experiments. With many new crew members, Sash, Lemar and the entire crew will have to show that there's more than one way To Skin a Cat.

• USS Boudicca:

With the USS Boudicca in spacedock after being badly damaged during her encounter with the USS Exeter, the senior officers and part of the crew are temporarily housed on the USS Kitty Hawk, and have gone to answer a distress call from Colonel Eva Straton. An away team has taken a shuttle down to the planet Iradon, where they believe Eva's shuttle crashed, only to find that none of their technology works there. Thrown back on their own resources, and in the midst of a pre-industrial society, the away team will have to rely on very different skills from usual to fulfil their mission. Meanwhile the Kitty Hawk has left orbit, unaware of the predicament of the away team, and is attempting to aid an alien vessel in need of assistance.

• USS Spectre:

Having now successfully recovered the Federation President, the USS Spectre is currently in the Carraya system faced with imminent contact with the Romulan Warbird DihVhael & one of the deadly Zulu Alpha Prometheus variants of Admiral Doenitz's feared assassination squads. Captain T'Vhor has preempted the Romulan Commander's motives behind his recent contact & has successfully anticipated the hostile engagement of the Zulu Alpha attack ship. A battle now ensues between the three ships, the Warbird having uncharacteristically sided with the Federation vessel in an attempt to defeat the renegade aggressors, whilst the Spectre prepares for imminent boarding via inbound MARTS launched from the Zulu Alpha.

• USS Dennison:

Still coming up from repairs during "Supernatural," the Dennison is currently in orbit of a telescope/array of sorts used for communication for Federation spys for Doenitz's cause. Meeting up with another Federation ship known as the Beowulf, the crew have joined forces and knowledge to attempt to find a spy of their own aboard their vessel before a deadly virus can be realeased, at the same time battling to take control of the telescope for control over communication in their current sector.

• USS Hades:

In the Hands of an Angry God: After resolving some of the puzzles found on the planet Beta Seranis III, the crew of the USS Hades have spent three days correlating mountains of data collected on and about the planet. When leaving the system, they encountered the Myenru, a humanoid species devoted to conquest, stealing technology, and using a stable Genesis wave along with wholesale racial genocide in thier efforts to conquer. To battle them, the Hades has gone into Tri-Vector Assault Mode. A Myenru boarding party has gotten aboard the Phlegathon and abducted 25 crew members and technology. Saleke seeks to get thier crew back. Meanwhile the Science department has been working diligently to help those crew that were mutated by the Genesis wave become normal again.

• USS Champlain:

The USS Champlain is on the verge of a first contact… but there is a complication. The primitive warp vessel they encountered near the planet Irlix carries a Starfleet warp signature… not a close replica, but actual Starfleet. No one knows yet how this came to be, but the crew is getting ready to find out!

• USS Paladin:

Star Trek: The Adventure Continues

by herbalsheila

In a recent hour long interview posted by StarTrek.com, Walter Koenig spoke of starring in the new upcoming fan powered, star studded release, “Of Gods and Men” a new miniseries soon to be finished and then released on the Internet. The final release date is unknown at this time.

“Of Gods and Men” looks to be loaded with outstanding music, great acting by consummate professionals, believable special effects, and an engaging and suspense filled storyline. It is being filmed out of love and respect on a mainly voluntary basis for the Star Trek genre fans and to honor its creator Gene Roddenberry.

Also fondly referred to as a ‘Webisode” by Koenig in the interview, he stated that it takes place 40 years after The Original Series. Skye Conway, Ethan Calk and Jack Trevino wrote the film script and shooting will continue through May 2007. Filming is taking place in part on the fabulous New Voyages sets in New York, though it is an independent production from Star Trek: The New Voyages.

Tim Russ is directing a stellar cast which, in addition to Koenig, includes Nichelle Nichols, Alan Ruck, Tim Russ, Garret Wang, JG Hertzler, Chase Masterson, Gary Graham, Crystal Allen, Ethan Philips, Lawrence Montaigne, Cirroc Lofton, William Wellman, and Grace Lee Whitney. Skye Conway is also in charge of production.

Tim Russ will reprise his role as the Vulcan Tuvok (Voyager), Grace Lee Whitney will again be playing Janice Rand (TOS), Nichelle Nichols will be playing Nyota Uhura (TOS), Lawrence Montaigne as Stonn (TOS), while Cirroc Lofton (DS9), Gary Graham (Enterprise), Crystal Allen (Enterprise), Chase Masterson (DS9), Garret Wang (Voyager), and JG Hertzler (DS9) will play entirely new characters.

Walter Koenig will be playing Chekov, but according to him, ”This ain’t your Daddy’s Chekov.” The plot and this interpretation of Chekov, promises to be more guttural and will include a surprising old character that has resurfaced. Chekov himself will have suffered a great loss and yearns for revenge. It promises to be “electrically dynamic and controversial.”

To view this fanstastic piece of Star Trek history, which is being done independently of CBS Paramount to celebrate 40 years of Star Trek, go to the site to view the teaser and trailers, and check out the first three minutes of Act 1. http://www.startrekofgodsandmen.com/index.htm

Independent of OGAM and CBS Paramount are the other webisodes directed by James Cawley which can be downloaded for free at http://www.newvoyages.com/ and also look to be well written and acted. One of the more recent ones, written by DC Fontana, “To Serve All My Days” is a sequel in idea to the TOS episode ‘The Deadly Years.” It stars Walter Koenig as the much beloved Chekov and gives insight into the stages of terminal illness and what those with terminal illnesses go through.

To obtain a download, free software is given on the New Voyages site, called Bit Torrent, and is used to view the New Voyages. Be aware, however, that actual downloads of the webisodes themselves can take over an hour or more even with a broadband connection. The teaser trailers and first three minutes for "Of Gods and Men" are set up to view directly from the OGAM site.

Top 10 Questions of Things You Never Knew

For any member to answer

Q1

Of all the species on Star Trek Freedom which one is your favorite and why?

I have many favourites but I must confess to a weak spot for the Borg, I dunno they just seem so cold & malevolent. I guess they remind me of being scared shitless by the Daleks & the Cybermen when I was a kid. Ahhh, the good ol days. Alan Reading

I always like the Xenolithe[[1]], the games own creation and quite detailed, I like them! Anthony Keen

My all time favorite canon species has always been (of course!) the Horta and number two would be the Vulcans. I get a huge kick out of looking at the universe and us humans through a more alien mindset. It gives a fresher perspective on what we percieve as life and ourselves, using differing philosophies. -herbalsheila

Trill. I didn't start watching DS9 till series 5, so I am still discovering more of the back story day by day Nymes

Andorians! Is there anyone who doesn't love those cool antennae? ;) Gajendra

OK, folks, call me boring, but here’s one for the Humans! Humans are the most varied, fascinating, and flexible race of all, even in the Star Trek context. After all, despite their failings, they did bring all the rest together, right? Klingons run a tight second, with Caitians right on their leathery heels. -GrannyGM

For me it's the Bajorans. An ancient, cultural and deeply spiritual people who broke out of their hidebound caste system and joined together to fight their invaders for 60-odd years and who eventually forced them (against all odds) to leave. To their determination and spiritualism you can add resourcefulness, courage and sheer bloody-minded refusal to admit defeat and knuckle under to their oppressors no matter what the cost or how long it took. - Liz Geuken

Q2

What attracted you to the Star Trek genre in the first place?

The sense of adventure, the feeling that there might be something better than all of this out there amongst the stars somewhere & that whilst we are still looking, we can live & dream it via shows such as Star trek. Alan Reading

Definately the adventure and the almost endless chances for discovery. Being able to go someplace new and saying, hey I'm the first person to ever see this. The Trek genre offers something for everyone, archology, xenobiology, geology, astrophysics, diplomacy, warfare and on and on and on. The possibilities are endless and you are only limited by your imagination. -Ken

I always thought it fascinating due to the fact that it almost could be like that. We, as humans, are presently on the cusp of space exploration. Its the idea that it could be me or my familial decendents out there living on a starship, exploring, serving in a diplomatic aspect, or just military patrolling to keep the peace. Plus I like all the cool aliens. LOL! -herbalsheila

The drama in the stories and characters of every Star Trek series is the reason I’ve always tuned in. Even when I think they’ve put together a horrible cast (Voyager), in the end they end up writing great episodes and tied everything together to create a great universe. -Jason French

The idea that, in the future, we can put aside all our petty differences and work together to achieve so much more than we can whilst we allow our world to remain divided. Plus the idea that we are *not* alone in the vastness of the universe :) Though to be truthful, that's what attracted me as an adult, to the Next Generation when that was first shown in the UK. What attracted me as a child when Star Trek was first shown here in the 60s was that it was so very different from everything I'd seen before. The whole idea of the ship in space, the characters, the technology... it was just amazing and exciting to me! I just loved it from the start. -Liz Geuken

Spock. Leonard Nimoy in Spandex with a Beatle haircut. Hey, it was the 60’s, I was an All-American Teenybopper, we just got a brand new color TV… what do you expect? *Grin* -GrannyGM

Q3

Who is your favorite actor in all of the Star Trek movies and television series and why?

Brent Spiner Alan Reading

Leonard Nimoy and Tim Russ. I think that doing a believable vulcan would be extremely difficult and these two actors have definately set the standard. -Ken

JG Hertzler has long been a favorite of mine. They tend to have him play Klingons, but with that deep voice and a magnetic stage presence that comes across on camera so well, that man just floors me! He can act so well no matter how many funky teeth they stick in his mouth. Kate Mulgrew also fights for number one right along with Patrick Stewart. These three have what I refer to as 'gravity'; they draw people's attention to them. -herbalsheila

I thought Scott Bakula did a great job as Captain Archer. He played the role well. It was a different time for Starfleet, the character wouldn’t be as reserved as captains we had seen in the past. He had to be more impulsive and willing to take risks and I thought that really came through in Scott’s performance. -Jason French

Favourite? Its Avery Brooks, in "Far beyond the Stars". The scene in which he declares "I am a human being" is pure brilliance, let down (only marginally) by the out of character action afterwards by the others on screen. Nymes

I love the character of Kira Nerys but my favourite actor would be a joint award to Leonard Nimoy (partly because he's a good actor but also because he's a really nice guy) and Patrick Stewart, who is a truly great actor. -Liz Geuken

Michael Dorn, and Scott Bakula. Can you imagine Worf played by anyone else but Dorn? He created Worf as surely, and as deftly, as William Shatner created Captain Kirk, but the Worf’s greater depth of character and his capacity for growth far outshines the original Space Cowboy Captain. And all that in a funny forehead, as well! Along with Dorn, I’m with Jason for Scott Bakula. Dittos to Jason… Scott made me believe in Archer! -GrannyGM

Q4

Which television ST series is the best and why?

The Next Generation, I just think it has so many more avenues of adventure that perhaps a Starbase such as DS9 doesn't, Voyager was good for the same reason but my favourite is still TNG. If I had to choose that is... Alan Reading

I'm not sure I could pick a hands down favorite. DS9, TNG and Voyager all have interesting overall story arcs that are both compelling and interesting. To pick one...I can't do it. -Ken

I have the same problem as Ken does. I love 'Voyager' since I adore Kate Mulgrew and had long since wanted to see a female captain in much the same way that I think we need to have a female US President (as long as it isn't Hilary Clinton!). But I also enjoyed TNG so much and I really liked 'Enterprise'. DS9 was a grittier series, but no less compelling than the others. I just can't pick! -herbalsheila

Although I have loved every series, I have to say Deep Space Nine was by far my favorite. At the time, it was like nothing else we had seen on Star Trek. Right from the beginning they had set Commander Sisko at odds with Picard, which was a bold move. I also thought the Cardassian occupation of Bajor was an interesting back story which led to many great episodes. -Jason French

DS9 is my favourite, partly for the characters, but most of all for the fantastic story arcs they had. TNG is a close second, mind you ;) -Liz Geuken

I have two favorites for two different reasons. My ‘bread and butter’ favorite is TNG. It set forth the Star Trek scenario I enjoy playing in, but sometimes I find watching it a little dry… more like research than entertainment. For pure entertainment, my hands-down favorite is (*gasp*) Enterprise. Might not be particularly consistent as far a Star Trek ‘cannon’ goes, but the characters were believable, and it was consistently fun. I don’t really care about Star Trek Canon anyway… a story is a story, a writer’s game, and the writer makes, bends or breaks the rules. As long as I like the way they do it, I’m satisfied. I liked the Star Trek world the writers and the actors on Enterprise showed me, regardless of canon breaches and plot holes big enough to fly a flagship through at full impulse… because it was FUN! -GrannyGM

Q5

Which ST movie is the best and why?

It would be a toss up between First Contact & Nemesis. As for why, I really dunno. Alan Reading

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan has always been my favorite. Captain Kirk at his finest and it all came down to out witting you opponent. -Jason French

I loved the movie with the whales. It had such great memorable and quotable one liners. -herbalsheila

Q6

Do you think it is easier to play a tough bad ass character or a sensitive emotional character?

I can do both, but I must confess it's fun to play a real nasty baddass sometimes as it's so unlike the real me. Alan Reading

I think the hardest characters to play are those who have emotional or psychological issues that they are trying to overcome. I find that sensitive and emotional characters can sometimes be irritating and the desire to slap them a scream, "Get over it," often takes away from a storyline. I think some of the best characters are the ones that you just love to hate! -Ken

I think that sensitive or emotional characters are more fun to play since they often end up being surprisingly resilient and stronger than expected. When the time comes to fight, since they have already been working through thier own issues, then coping with a combat gets just that much more interesting. -herbalsheila

I think in general it's easier to play a tough bad ass character, and they are a lot of fun to play. The danger with them is that they can often seem one-dimensional. That is a problem even if the character is only there as a villain for one mission, and even more so if it's a PC. It's a lot harder to play a sensitive emotional character well, ie in a way that people will be sympathetic with; all too often they end up coming across as whinging and self-absorbed. So kudos to anyone who can play such a character without making the rest of the crew want to shove him or her out of the nearest airlock! That said, I think the best characters are probably somewhere in between the two extremes, but then again that wasn't the question ;) -Liz Geuken

I think the only characters worth playing are those with a decent emotional IQ. That doesn’t mean they can’t be badass at need, it just means they aren’t apes. The “tough badasses” are notoriously one-dimensional, and often appear to be trying to cover up some kind of insecurity. The sensitive types are capable of real strength, and of knowing how to correctly apply it. If we routinely mistake brittleness, brutality, and/or big-mouthed bluff for strength, we might end up with pretty boring characters in the long run. I admire anyone who can play an arrogant “badass” for any length of time without the other characters seeing through their façade and pushing them out an airlock. -GrannyGM

Q7

Who do you think is the most dangerous/lethal character currently in play, opposition included?

If you mean in the ST universe, I guess it would be the Borg. If you mean in game, hmmm, that's a tough one, I need to think on that one... Alan Reading

The Myenru, in our current USS Hades mission are pretty brutal, cruel, cold and ruthless. Put that together with thier propensity for racial genocide on thier self proclaimed jihad through space. They are pretty nasty. -herbalsheila

I dislike all telepathic characters, just for the propensity to be too... Metagamery - I don't like other characters closing doors on my posts before i have had a chance to address it Nymes

Q8

Is it possible that the membership of Star Trek Freedom could eventually be too large and cumbersome?

I don't think so, the more the merrier but I guess Anthony may have other ideas as more players may mean more work. Alan Reading

Conditionally no. What we would have to do though after we hit a certain level would be to start being selective in who can join. We would need to tighten requirements and insist on a certain level writing competance as well as performance. -Ken

As the site grows, we will have a need for more ships to accomodate more players. Good captains are hard to find. They tend to be very special people, with the talent requirements of addressing disputes agreeably, imaginative storylines, and flexibility. I thank God we have such good captains. But only time will tell. -herbalsheila

I agree. A new ship brings with it the chance to expand the game. Nymes

Here at Freedom there is a nice, friendly, family feeling. A lot of bigger games just don't have that. On the other hand if we can keep that feeling going even if the game expands and we add more ships - and of course Tony and the Council don't mind the extra work that will entail!! - then expansion would work out OK. But yes, I do think in general it is possible for games to become too large and too cumbersome. -Liz Geuken

I have considerable experience with family-oriented organizations that grew from “small and cozy” to “huge and mighty” within a few years due to their own success. A few are ripped apart by that, but the good ones are not. Those tend to simply and naturally divide into smaller subgroups, delineated mostly by the preference of the members. These subgroups need not become cliques if the larger group has a solid base of respect and friendliness in the first place, and breaches of the code of acceptable behavior are not allowed to stand unaddressed. In the end, if well-managed, the larger the main group, the more smaller, family-like subgroups appear from which to choose. Thus, everyone can hope for a better fit.

In a group that is too small and claustrophobic, the chances of its operation being seriously hindered by one or two difficult individuals is much greater than in a larger group. The larger group with different subgroups allows personalities that mesh well to gravitate together, and those that clash the space they need to drift apart, so that all can continue to participate without constantly tripping over one another.

So, my best solution would be similar to the one that has worked for my fast-growing but close church family. The door is open to all, but the emphasis is on the subgroups, and on keeping the infrastructure shored up to match the growth. (In this case, that means we have lots of new study classes, deacons, elders, etc, springing up like Missouri morrel mushrooms on a treestump by the crick.). The goal: No one gets left behind or lost in the shuffle, even in a congregation that has gone from about 300 to way over 700 in less than a decade. And we don’t even take applications or have an academy! If FBBC, St. Joe Mo, can do it, so can ST:F.

This expansion could take place in the form of adding more ships. But as Sheila has wisely stated, good Captains can be hard to find. So, perhaps new sections of infrastructure could be set in place. Could the council members use assistants, with specifically designated duties, as delegated by the individual council member? Perhaps the Academy could benefit from some assistants who just screen applications, and then report back to the Academy CO, or something like that? We have the talent available… why not use all of it, and let our site grow, as her success deserves? -GrannyGM

Q9

How can the Star Trek Freedom site be improved?

I think it's pretty good as it stands, although perhaps more incentives for players to post more would be good. An overall, all ship poster of the month perhaps with an honorary mention on the site, plus the post itself for all to read. The only problem is, who would judge? Alan Reading

Good idea Alan. How about all the ship captains voting with a majority on who would win? Then the question becomes who would nominate the posts? -herbalsheila

Excellent idea, Alan :) And a good idea for the judging, Sheila. As to nominations, how about each command team selects one post to represent their ship? Players on the ships could nominate posts (not their own!! lol) to their CO for consideration as well -Liz Geuken

Q10

What was the best conceived, well written post that you have ever done to date as a player?

You would have to ask somebody else that question as I don't really like to blow my own trumpet much. Alan Reading

I would have to say that the battle between the IKS Hegh'delar and the USS Vindicator, written by myself and David Cherrington would have to be ranked as some of the best work I've done here thus far. -Ken

I have a few favorites but I have to admit, I got a real kick out of writing a JP with Daniel Greene as the Maraht and Baylon Trinin Safari into Hydroponics after the USS Hades got hit with the Genesis Wave and turned it into a major jungle, turning some of the crew into carnivorous primates. We put in a giant flesh eating plant and some weird spitting avians. We had a blast! It was very fun since we could just make up all sorts of stuff! -herbalsheila

I liked the JP that myself and Jono wrote during the Dennison's Porthells mission, a survival horroresque thing that was built on in the holodeck mission following that. More recently, the JP with Connie, introducing her SPC to the ship Nymes

I agree with Alan, in my case you'd have to ask other people that. Now if you'd asked which post I'd enjoyed writing the most, that I could have answered ;) -Liz Geuken

I’m proudest of a post I did as a JP with Jono on the Champlain. The conception and the writing were good, but it was the overall result that made it so satisfying.

We had just ended a mission that had proved stressful for both the characters and for some of the players. Things did not turn out quite as expected, and there could have been some hard feelings, especially between me and Jono, both in character and out. But instead, we marched our characters to the holodeck for a sparring match, and in a classic good-old-boy (even though Bree is hardly a boy), fight-it-out fashion. Our characters worked out their differences, shook hands and emerged as friends. And Jono and I had such fun writing it that we didn’t have time to be annoyed with each other!

I love it when doing a joint post both enriches the story and helps keep a valued friendship intact… what more could one ask? –GrannyGM

I think my best ever was when my PC told his back story to a friend in sickbay .Ash

Well it seems that two JP's I have done with other characters have come out top with them, So I thank you both. Greg and Connie, it was a pleasure doing those series of JP's with you both. I thoroughly enjoyed myself on both occasions. I would have to say on my own behalf that although both of them come close to my top spot, I believe that some of my more recent posts have been at a higher standard than those JP's. Purely because of the fact my writing style as ever, has changed, I think for the better. - Jono Bradley

Computer Cores, Explained

Computer Cores By Anthony Keen

A Computer Core

The cores of a ship or base are the nerve center of all computer and automated functions, from waste management to subspace communications. The core size and complexity cannot be underestimated, the larger cores are 10 decks high. Usually, a second core is carried as a redundant backup plus due to the complex systems, Engineering has their own core to regulate computer functions associated with warp and impulse engines.

Quadritonic Optical Subprocessors are distributed around the ship/station and allow independent functions of terminals such as the Bridge, in case of dire emergency or failure of all the cores at the same time.

Each core has a number of subspace field generators, allowing data to flow faster then the speed of light. Every sensor, replicator, PADD is attached in some way to the core and regulated from the controls monitor rooms of the computer technical team.

Story 3

This story should go here, it should be about the number 3, or anything else.

Words of Wisdom

You can be as nutty as a fruitcake, but as long as you can hold a job, and you are not a danger to yourself or others, and you don't make too many people uncomfortable around you....you will not end up in the nuthouse. -Jim McCrary

Live well, whatever that means for you. If others don't understand, let them be. -GrannyGM

Make new friends, but keep the old; the new are silver, the old are gold. Liz Geuken

Website News Rotation

• Here is a new section for you, the front page has a few news articles that rotate around in a flash banner, if you want to add or update it, put down here what you want to see included

Backspace

• Hey guys, Sheila and I have agreed on a seasonal newsletter, next one should be out about Summer, so May-June-ish, I believe. Complain at me below. - Kevin Schram

No, Spring! I said Spring, Kevin!!! LOL, That would be March, April, and May! -herbalsheila

• But isn't this already the spring edition, as it's the middle of April, so the next one will be out in the summer.Pdennett 06:52, 11 April 2007 (EDT)

June, July, August would be the Summer 2007 issue. May is a spring month! -herbalsheila

• I don't know if you were getting the weather we're getting up in the Northeast, late April and May might actually be moved to the Summer.