The Federation Tribune - September 2008

[Chief Editor Frontier Fleet]

                  ==== The Federation Tribune ====
                       ==== September 2008 ====

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Chief Editor's Notes:
By Rob Verlinden
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Welcome to the September edition of the Federation Tribune, the official 
Frontier Fleet newspaper. I apologise for being slightly late with this 
issue.
In this issue you can read what is going on on all dutystations, including 
the Academy. You can check out the crew changes and the posting statistics 
in which the Valkyrie has topped the Atlantis last month. Also, stay 
updated on current events by reading the Newsflashes. Then there is a 
Legendary Post by a former Frontier Fleet Member, who posted a story on the 
fan fiction forum. And off course, there is another chance to listen to the 
Podcast, if you haven't done that already.

Enjoy the following:
USS Calhoun Status Report, August 2008. By Adrien Rodd.
USS Odyssey Status Report, August 2008. By Sussie Andersson.
USS Valkyrie Status Report, August 2008. By Rick Clogston.
USS Atlantis Status Report, August 2008. By David Susman.
SF Academy Status Report, August 2008. By Rick Clogston.
Crew news, August & September 2008. By Rob Verlinden.
Posting Statistics, August 2008. By Rob Verlinden.
Newflashes, August & September 2008. By Rob Verlinden.
A Legendary Post. By Rob Verlinden.
The Frontier Fleet Podcast. By David Susman.

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USS Calhoun Status Report
August 2008
By Adrien Rodd
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EPISODE: #32, "Do No Harm" (2.06)

STARDATE: 2394.06.08
LOCATION: Lynand VI, close to Federation space

The team sent to infiltrate a Lynander military building and retrieve the
captive drones and Borg technology have met with failure, being forced to
flee after rescuing only one drone. The away team has now returned to the
ship, with three members injured, and the command staff must decide on the
next phase of operations. Meanwhile, the Klingon ship remains close by. The
Klingons have vowed to eradicate the Borg presence on a world too close to
their space. While they may be content to sit back and let Starfleet do the
work for now, their patience may not last if the Calhoun crew fail again. .
.

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USS Odyssey Status Report
August 2008
By Sussie Andersson
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Stardate: 2393.03.13
Location: Planet M-667 (still crashed...)

Efforts continue for the Odyssey crew to locate the Romulan ship and
their missing away team. Captain Jalando and Commander Nerfertii
continue their talks to the native Griznian Centurion Gordianus  in
sickbay in an attempt to learn more about the natives and their enemy,
the Bethesdans. The natives continue to be convinced that the crew are
gods worthy of their complete devotion with only a small group
opposing them.

Meanwhile for all this time the ship's ACMO has been stuck in a lab on
deck 13 and the  new ACEO was tasked with freeing her, an assignment
he performs admirably well.

Stardate: 2393.03.16
Location: Planet M-667

Captain Jalando has a plan, to make the Centurion Gordianus a sort of
emissary to his people and have him convince the natives that they are
in fact not gods. Something which may prove difficult as the Emperor
of the Griznian Empire himself are convinced they are the new gods...

We learn that the away team have been captured by the Bethesdans, who
are showing signs of having met the Romulans...

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USS Valkyrie Status Report
August 2008
By Rick Clogston
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The Valkyrie is still participating in the Games of Upsylom on Thensa III.
Most of the individual games have concluded, and the team events are
beginning. Captain Denebris made it into the upper levels of the poker
tournament, but was eventually defeated by a Zakdorn named Thorlin
Dymaltra. Dymaltra warned the Captain that a Ferengi named Genk was signing
up athletes for a flying sports venue, and was eager to acquire any member
of the Valkyrie crew.

Cdr. PaRel and Lt. Rose are participating in the marathon race up and down
Mount Kehmet, with varying degrees of difficulty. Lt. Schofield is doing
better than several other members of the equestrian endurance event. Lt.
Davis is apparently doing quite well in the gymnastics competition. Ensign
Anita Schofield and Grytta have completed the second round of the cuisine
event.

Ryn, in disguise as Lt. Foster, has won the beauty contest. Unfortunately
for her, it seems that her deception has finally been challenged by no less
than the re-arrival of the real Lt. Foster. With her are a new crewmember,
Ensign Alexander Duster, and a colleague of hers from her time away,
Sergeant Jaden. The chase is currently under way.

The basketball team has also played its first game, defeating the Bolian
team. Ensign Bondarenko and Ensign Brewster stood out among the team, which
performed well.

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USS Atlantis Status Report
August 2008
By David Susman
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Stardate: 2394.06.16 - 2394.06.17
Location:  Planet Atrios, Zeos System, Gamma Quadrant.

The Atlantis is continuing their survey of the Zeos System, looking for
the reported Dominion spacedock that was supposedly destroyed at the end of
the war.  Three teams have been selected to participate in the Atriosian
celebratory races.

The new Ambassador has arrived and is settling in and adjusting to life in
the Gamma Quadrant.

In Sickbay, Cadet Demone is suffering from the hallucinogenic affects of a
yellow substance found in Transporter Room 1.   So is Crewman Krewmann,
although he is tripping in his quarters waiting for the pink Borg Bunnies
to get him.

Meanwhile, in Engineering, a still is up and running in one of the
storerooms.  That's okay, because after trying to repair the repairs on the
Borhyas, LT Montgomery could use a stiff drink.  The minor explosion than
ensued could not have been planned better to influence the Ambassador.

Posting on the Atlantis was down from July, but many of us are getting
ready for school and grabbing those last, precious vacation days of
Summer.

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Starfleet Academy Status Report
August 2008
By Rick Clogston
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FF Starfleet Academy, Commandant's log, 2008.09.01

Congratulations to Frontier Fleet on reaching its eighth anniversary! I
have been here probably a little more than half that time. By the time I
got here, all four ships were in place and Pandora Station was a PC duty
station as well. When I look at the ships' rosters, I can still think of
myself as one of the "newbies" when I realize how many of our players have
been here longer.

Which means, especially as this goes to the Command and Instructors' lists,
that most of you reading this have more time here than I do. To you, I give
my gratitude that you would trust me to administrate this Academy, which I
consider to be such an important part of this game. I have, and will
continue to, try to live up to that trust. I love this game, and have an
awful lot of fun here. It is also an important creative outlet for me, and
helps me keep what little bit of sanity I can claim. In light of that, I
will once again make a request I know I have made here before; that if you
have any ideas on how we can improve the training of incoming cadets, or if
you have any suggestions for me on anything, your comments will always be
welcome. Consider Admiral Clark's door always open.

One situation I would like to address; as a citizen of the United States, I
would like to apologize to the rest of you for the apparent poor quality of
our education system regarding language skills. With all the signups I've
looked at since becoming Commandant, it is younger Americans that seem to
be the most problematic. My wife, Lynn, and I have always kept a close eye
on the quality of our childrens' schoolwork, but I suspect that not many
others do. Young Americans seems to be unable to properly use such basic
things as capital letters or punctuation.

In-game I have made it a rule not to harrass anyone about their misuse of
the English language, especially considering the number of people in the
game for whom English is not a first language. In fact, I have seen a great
many people who's writing in English has improved dramatically over years
of posting. Plus, the quality of the creative end of things is so high, a
few misspellings and misplaced commas is pretty small potatoes.

I confess, from time to time I have quietly edited a JP I was working on
with somebody, but as a rule I try not to get on anybody's case about it.
In the Academy, it's another thing. I believe we have a responsibility to
make sure our graduating cadets are not only creative, but readable. I have
gone as far as writing back to new signups and warning them that writing as
if they were texting their friends was unacceptable. Sometimes I've
rejected a signup and suggest a resubmission, with more attention to detail
in their presentation.

For myself, I try and take extra time to edit before I send a post. Not
only does this lead to mild re-writes that make it more descriptive or flow
better, but it gives me a chance to take out unneccesary commas, check my
spelling, or chop out an excess of "but"s and "just"s that sneak in. I
don't expect everybody to do this. I know a lot of people just let the
juices flow and worry later about how it looks, and I enjoy those posts
just as much. Creativity is what we're shooting for here.

But so is readability. If you have a cadet that tells a good story but is
unintelligable to read, you're doing us all a favor to bring it to their
attention. Be kind, but don't be bashful. And to you who are Dutch, French,
German, British, Canadian, or Australian; yes, the Americans really are the
worst. Sorry. So beat us up, and make us do better!

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Crew news
August & September 2008
By Rob Verlinden
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First of all we would like to welcome the new players that recently joined:
Marnix Vastenhout and Lex Medlicott recently joined the Valkyrie and 
Odyssey respectively.
Maxamillion Orion returned as ACSO Ensign V'toth aboard the USS Calhoun. 
Welcome back!

On the USS Atlantis two players have resigned due to time constraints.
Dawn Johnson, who played CMO Lt. Rowan O'Gallagher and Wuli Pawlat 
(Counselor Ensign Arlan Sunder) you will be missed.
They have been added to the Hall of Fame:
http://www.frontierfleet.com/lcars?page=1738

Good news is that Sussie Andersson (CSO Lt. Allison Saylor and more) has 
recently been announced to become the Odyssey's First Officer. Sussie is 
already acting as FO, and Lt. Saylor will be promoted to that position 
after the current mission. Congratulations to Sussie!

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Posting Statistics
August 2008
By Rob Verlinden
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Calhoun players (8, active 8):
      Adrien Rodd 24
      Kelley MacKinnon 37 (Cal 22, Atly 4, Panda 11)
      Laura Elliot 7
      Mark O'Bannon 10
      Benjamin Ditch 16
      Zev Roodenburg 9
      Daan Schmidt 5
      Maxamillion Orion 3

USS Odyssey players (9, active 7):
      Rob Versteegt 12 (Ody 9, Cal 1, Panda 2)
      Martin Miller 3
      Rob Verlinden 3
      Sussie Andersson 10 (Ody 9, Panda 1)
      Lex Medlicott 3

USS Valkyrie players (9, active 7):
      Dennis Church 8 (Valk 6, Ody 2)
      Rick Clogston 21 (Valk 14, Panda 13)
      Ann Montague 1
      Ruben Hilbers 17
      Kelly Power 16
      Katie Crockett 9 (Valk 5, Atly 4)
      Marnix Vastenhout 11

USS Atlantis players (7, active 6):
      David Susman 30 (Atly 23, Ody 6, Panda 1)
      Merijn Donders 14
      Bram Peeters 6 (Atly 5, Ody 1)
      Sasa Gerbus 8 (Atly 4, Valk 4)
      Alex V. 8
      Tessa Niles 10

Total FF players (33, active 28):
      posts 297 (last month 268)

Top posters August 2008:
      1. Kelley MacKinnon 37
      2. David Susman 30
      3. Adrian Rodd 24

Dutystations:
      1. Calhoun 92
      2. Valkyrie 73
      3. Atlantis 72
      4. Odyssey 38
      5. Pandora 22

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Newflashes
August & September 2008
By Rob Verlinden
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- Council elections are coming up.
In September there will be changes in the people that lead our game. There 
will be elections for *one* position in the Frontier Fleet Council.
Members of the command teams (COs, FOs, 2Os) and executive officers 
(Webmaster, AcadCM, PR) can stand for election.
Votes from all members of this "Command-group" are taken into account. I 
will keep you informed about the elections next month.

- Transwarp ban lifted.
Following the Fleet Wide Mission in 2005 and the recent Odyssey mission 
(ended last March) it was found that transwarp engines were damaging a 
subspace layer which was inhabitated by energy beings. When these 
"transwarp aliens" retaliated it was decided to ban the use of tranwarp 
until further notice.
Starfleet has been working on modifying the transwarp engines so they would 
no longer damage the particular subspace layer. The efforts have been made 
easier by data on how to communicate with the energy beings, taken back 
from the future by the Odyssey. The scientists and engineers working on the 
project have recently achieved a breaktrough.
Starfleet has designated transwarp as "safe to use" and the transwarp ban 
was lifted. The modifications still have to be tested, so it is recommended 
to Frontier Fleet captains to only use transwarp in urgent situations. At 
least they can say: "Energise" again.

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A Legendary Post
By Rob Verlinden
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This time the legendary post is special in it own kind. The post is written 
by a former member of Frontier Fleet, who regularly visits the forums. On 
the forums there is a special Frontier Fleet fan fiction forum (FFFFF :-). 
It can be found here: http://forums.frontierfleet.com/viewforum.php?f=22
On the fan fiction forum background stories can be written, which are not 
officially part of Frontier Fleet. It's also the place for the "Critics 
Lounge". There are great stories there, I can also recommend "Sacrifices" 
written by Dennis.

For this edition of the newspaper I have picked a post by Matt Brown. He 
last played Ensign Majok Denton, the ACEO of Pandora Station, in 2005. But 
Matt has been hanging around and recently he wrote a new story for his 
character Denton. It is enjoyable to read. I have published the first part 
below:

Title: A Dish Best Served Cold: A Denton Tale (Part 1)

Security Chief John Watley raced through the corridors of Deep Space
Outpost 27, a phaser clutched in his right hand, a team of medical and
security personnel hot on his heels. Around him, alert klaxons blared, and
the corridor was bathed in the blood-red of the emergency lights.

Skidding to a halt, Watley grabbed the handrail on the raised promenade of
the habitat section and surveyed the scene of destruction below.

He choked slightly. Where there had once been a row of civilian clothes
stores, information stands, and cafes, there was a scorched and jagged
hole, and stars twinkling in the distance. Debris drifted in the void
beyond, and the force field maintaining the atmosphere where Watley stood
flared as occasional chunks of blackened metal floated into it.

Ten minutes ago, the habitat section had been a hive of activity; now it
would be weeks before anyone stood there again.

Watley took out his tricorder and scanned the wreckage, but he already knew
what he would find: no life signs. His tricorder chirruped, its readout
showing evidence of extreme thermal damage and an unusual tricobalt
explosive signature.

Watley heard the rapid footfalls of the medical and security teams come to
a halt behind him; a series of gasps followed. Turning to face them, Watley
shook his head, a sickness rising in his stomach. "There's nothing we can
do here," he said. "Call engineering: get this hull beach sealed as soon as
possible."

The walk back to Watley's office seemed to take an eternity. A million
thoughts clouded the Security Officer's mind, among them the distorted
faces of those who had died, of men, women, and children, all merging
together. He wondered what he was going to put in his report to the
captain.

Entering his office, Watley slumped behind his desk. Slamming his fist down
on the table, he sent a pile of pads clattering to the floor. This was the
third explosion in as many weeks. As Chief Security Officer, it was his job
to prevent this sort of thing, and so far, he had failed. As far as he was
concerned, every funeral that took place over the next several days was his
fault.

He picked up a pad at random and stared at its contents. Like many of the
pads that littered the floor, it contained details of the explosions that
had racked the station. The first had been in the main shuttle bay during a
maintenance cycle; the second in a nondescript corridor on Deck Six. 
Today's
explosion had been the first in a highly populated area, and the most
severe so far. As far as Watley could determine, the attacks, as he had
come to suspect them, followed no pattern, and the only link between them
was the mysterious tricobalt signature that lingered after each blast.

Letting out a deep breath, Watley scooped the remainder of the pads off the
floor. Somewhere among the mass of data was a clue, a hint that would lead
him to who was responsible, and why. He turned to the replicator. "Coffee,
strong and black," he said. A mug materialised in the receptacle. Watley
took it, settled behind his desk, picked a pad at random, and began to
read.

Two sleepless days later, Watley tapped his combadge. "Watley to Captain
Marshal."

" Marshal here. "

"Sir, I've found something I think you should see."

* * *

Majok Denton floated in space, watching over his team of spacesuited
engineers as they worked diligently to repair the hole that had been torn
into the outpost's hull. Every so often, a small puff of thruster exhaust
could be seen as the engineers hovered around the breach like bees around a
hive.

It had been a long day, and it was coming to the end of their shift.

When Denton had arrived on the station, he had expected an uneventful
month. Seventy years ago, during the height of the tensions between the
Klingons and the Federation, Outpost 27 would have been a key strategic
installation - but now, with the Federation-Klingon alliance firmer than
ever, nothing much happened, save for the occasional layover by a Starfleet
or Klingon vessel looking for some R&R. All Denton had been hoping for was
that the station gym wouldn't be too busy, and that the holodeck would be
occasionally free for a game or Parrises squares.

All that had changed, however, once the explosions began.

With only a small engineering detail aboard the station, Denton had been
quickly drafted in to increase their numbers, and with his credentials as
an Assistant Chief Engineer, had been placed in charge of the engineering
section's beta team.

Denton checked the chronometer on his suit's wrist panel. "All right," he
said into the comlink. "All personnel, return to their airlock. I will
complete the final structural integrity scan myself." Despite the fact the
breach wouldn't be completely sealed for days, it was standard practice to
scan the integrity of the work that had been done so far, and ensure it was
up to spec.

Once the last spacesuited figure had disappeared through the airlock,
Denton removed the tricorder from his utility belt and flipped it open. As
he had come to expect from the outpost crew, today's work was perfect, and
scanning was merely a formality.

His job for today done, he manoeuvred his way after his colleagues.

Once the airlock was pressurised, Denton removed his helmet and waited for
the interior doors to slide apart. They did so.

But where Denton had expected to see his engineering detail waiting for
him, he saw three Security Officers, each armed with phasers.

"What is the meaning of his?" he demanded, a surge of adrenaline
immediately preparing him to fight if necessary.

The officer in the centre of the phalanx stepped forward. "Ensign Denton,
by orders of Captain Marshal we are to escort you to the captain's ready
room. Please come with us."

"For what reason?" Denton snarled. Orders or no, he wanted to know why
three armed men were here to accompany him when the captain could simply
have called him over the com.

"I can't tell you that, sir," said the guard. "Please come with us."

Denton looked sceptical, but nodded slowly. "Very well," he said, then
added: "Does the captain wish to see me in an EV suit or in uniform?"

The guards looked at each other, then the lead one said: "We'll allow you
to change, sir."

Denton smiled sarcastically. "How very considerate."

Five minutes later, properly dressed, Denton was marched through the
station's corridors to the captain's office.

* * *

Captain Marshal was seated behind his desk, perusing a pad, when the ready
room doors slid open and Ensign Denton was escorted in. Putting the pad on
his desk, Marshal gestured for the guards to wait outside, before rising
and gesturing to a chair opposite him. "Take a seat, Ensign," he said
coldly. Denton looked confused, and not just a little angry, Marshal noted,
but he didn't have time to consider the man's feelings right now. He had a
job to do.

Denton obediently sat, and Marshal followed suit.

"Do you know why you're here, Ensign?" Marshal asked, folding his hands on
the desk in front of him and leaning forward. His gaze was fixed and
unyielding.

"No, sir," Denton said. He bristled. "And I find the armed guard to be
quite unnecessary."

"Perhaps," said Marshal. He picked up a pad. "Read this, Ensign."

Denton took the pad and read. "Security reports regarding the recent
explosions," he said, looking up.

"And now this," said Marshal, handing Denton a second pad. Either the young
man hadn't twigged about what he was being shown, or he was a damn good
liar, Marshal thought.

Denton's brow furrowed. "Internal sensor readouts... showing my whereabouts
over the past twenty-three days."

"Do you see a connection, Ensign?" Marshal said, his voice icy but patient.
He was going to get to the bottom of this, no matter how long it took.

Denton glanced from pad to pad. Then he placed both on the desk and
growled. "I do not, Captain. What is the purpose of this? I have work to
do. As I am sure you're aware, my team has just completed an EV shift
repairing the hull, and -"

"Let me spell it out to you, Mr Denton," Marshal cut in, leaning forward,
his anger beginning to get the better of him. "We have had three
unexplained explosions on this station over the last three weeks -
explosions which didn't begin until two days after you arrived. And
according to internal sensors, you were the only individual present in all
three locations just prior to the blasts. Do you see what I'm getting at
here, Ensign?"

For a brief moment, Denton looked taken aback. Then fury crossed his face,
and he rose sharply from his seat. "Captain, if you believe I am
responsible for these cowardly attacks -"

Marshal raised his eyebrows. "No one mentioned 'attacks', Ensign. Unless
you have something to tell me."

"If I did, you would be the first to know, Captain," Denton snarled. "I was
merely inferring that due to the nature of the explosions - tricobalt
blasts - an attack is the only logical conclusion."

"And if so, you are our only real suspect, Mr Denton," Marshal said. 
"That's
why I'm having you confined to quarters until a hearing can be convened."

" What? " Denton said, furious. "I must officially protest against this
course of action, Captain! I am an engineer, and with the damage this
station has taken, you need me. These explosions are more typical of a
Romulan " - he spat the word with disgust - "than a Klingon warrior!"

Ever since Denton had come aboard, Marshal had found it difficult to take
that aspect of him seriously. Despite being human, the fact that he had
been raised in the Klingon Empire gave his some interesting quirks, among
them his notion that he was somehow a "soldier of the Empire". Marshal
wondered why he hadn't been returned to the Federation after he had been
found by the Klingons as a child: it would have resulted in a much more
stable upbringing.

"I'm afraid it will be up to a tribunal to decide that," Marshal said
soberly. "As I'm sure you're aware, we're quite busy right now, but I aim
to convene a hearing within the week."

"Then at least allow me access to the data on the explosions," Denton said.
"I assure you, there is something you've missed, and I intend to find it."
He fixed the captain with a firm look. "All me the chance to clear my
 name."

Marshal paused, thinking it over. Finally, he nodded. "All right," he said.
"I'll have the data transferred to the workstation in your quarters. But
understand this, Ensign: you are not out of the woods. You will remain in
your quarters, under guard, until I see fit to release you, is that clear?"

Denton looked like he had more to say, but he contained his frustration and
simply nodded. "Aye, sir."

"Dismissed," Marshal said. He pressed the call button on his desk, and the
three Security Officers re-entered the room. "Escort Mr Denton to his
quarters," he said. "I want him under supervision at all times. He is to
have contact with no one."

The lead guard nodded. "Understood, sir." He turned to Denton. "Please come
with us."

Denton gave the captain one last look before turning and leaving the ready
room.

Marshal sat back in his seat, steepling his fingers in front of him. So
far, all the evidence pointed to Majok Denton - but still Marshal felt a
niggling doubt. Something wasn't quite right. Despite his belligerence,
Ensign Denton didn't seem the type of person who would kill scores of
people in cold blood. The Klingons had their ways, especially in battle,
and bombing civilian centres wasn't one of them.

Marshal reached for a pad containing all the data they had on the
explosions. He had a suspicion that Mr Denton may be right: they were
missing something here, and he intended to find out what.

To be continued...

for more:
http://forums.frontierfleet.com/viewtopic.php?t=2656

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The Frontier Fleet Podcast
By David Susman
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If you haven't listened to the 8th Anniversary Podcast yet, you really 
should. It has a nice contribution from Rob Versteegt.
Go here:
http://frontierfleet.podbean.com

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