Each month we interview a First Officer of the fleet as part of our “First Officer in Focus” column to get to know them better, and learn more about what their positions entail.
This month, we’re interviewing the First Officer of the starship USS Arrow, Lt. Commander Cayden Adyr, a female joined Trill..
DeVeau: You’ve told us a little about yourself in previous interviews. Would you be willing to tell us a bit more, perhaps how you found SB118 and what led you to join?
Adyr: This question seriously dates me…I guess after a decade, feeling old is natural? Anyways, I played in a sim that originally met on mIRC and played in real time, before moving over to email as message lists became more of a thing and ‘build your own websites’ emerged. I was a teenager then, but eventually took command of a ship there for a while.
Two kids, half a degree, and a marriage later, Star Trek suddenly popped back in front of my face with the reboot movie. A whole slew of fond memories came back, from the conventions I had gone to with my family, to this game I used to play. It was then that I asked myself, “Self, I wonder if any of those old pbem games are still going?”
Thankfully at this point in my life, Google had come along and a quick search provided me with way more options than I thought I would find. I applied to a few of them, but it was 118 that responded first. A couple of days later, I was in an academy class and the rest is history. Not quite ancient history, but getting there…
Before you were Adyr, you were Commodore Kali Nicholotti. What made you decide to change characters and position?
Like with any big shift, there were lots of pieces and parts that came into play when I considered the move. Fleet growth had been pretty stagnant, my life outside the game had gone in the opposite direction of that, and so in the interest of everything involved in this massively long equation, I chose to put my focus on the Arrow and light the fuse of Captain MacKenzie’s launch. Of course at that point, the fleet started growing, we were able to launch the Ronin as well, and I made it back in red.
How do your characters compare to each other? How are they alike? How are they different?
I have a slew of characters like a few of us do. While there are different reasons behind each of them and why I created them, each of them embodies a piece of myself in a manner that allows me to explore and experience things from that lens of life. Over time though, each character has grown into its own person, and I dare say that they kind of write themselves.
To that end, Kali is the type of person who believes in service leadership, in always learning, in easing whatever suffering she can, and in the precious nature of life. She’s a fierce and loyal partner, mentor, follower, leader, and friend. She is the type that will readily lay down her life for the greater good, which is usually how she gets into trouble. She’s not loud, but she is piercing and focused and very driven. Oh, and she likes to dance. Just ask Genkos. 😉
Cayden, on the other hand, has lifetimes of experience swirling within, and she uses that as a strength. She’s quiet, she asks lots of questions and works to multiply the genius of those around her. While she is a good leader, she’s not the point and tell type. Instead, she follows where her people lead and supports them in the ways they need it, stepping in only when there is a need. Otherwise, she leads from the shadows. She herself is young, and that sometimes leads to some stumbles and second guessing in her role. Lessons from previous hosts help guide her back to the path and that is when she draws on her empathetic, compassionate nature that strives to comfort the Galaxy while protecting who and what she loves.
What made you decide to use Adyr for the position rather than another character, or perhaps even a brand new one?
The last brand new character I made for an XO position ended up sacrificed to the gods of epic writing (along with Jo Marshall’s MSNPC) when the Resolution became home to a genesis device bringing death to any who remained, and life to the potato of an asteroid that happened to be in its path. I hear the trees are beautiful there, but that may just be rumors.
At any rate, I have characters that I know and love and I want to use them. Ash MacKenna is already aboard, and is definitely not the type to be a good XO. She liked her shadows and patterns and doesn’t care much for people. Kali is stationed on the Tholian border, waiting for…well, that’s classified. A few others make guest appearances here and there, but of them all, Cayden was in a prime place for a command/leader role, so here we are.
You’ve actually been a member of our community for quite some time. Would you mind sharing with us the various roles you’ve served in and what you’ve gleaned from your time here?
Oh boy, here we are with the almost ancient history again. Let’s see here…
Marine Fireteam Leader
Captain’s Guard
Helmsman
Medical officer
Fighter Pilot
Engineer
Spook
Science officer
Paramedic
Communications/Ops officer
Press Secretary
Ambassador
Station Commander
Starship Captain
First officer
Second officer
Frog
Sentient Holomatrix Clone
EMH
Mission specialist
Command advisor…eh, you get the picture.
What have I gleaned from my time here? That’s a loaded question, but if I had to boil it down to a single thing that has impacted me well beyond the bounds of this game, it would be the introduction to Hanlon’s Razor. I couldn’t find it now if my life depended on it, but I read it first in some training docs on my way to command for the very first time and it resonated in a way that few things ever have. I now share it with every manager, supervisor, or leader that I work with or mentor, and I can honestly say it’s diffused more than one situation.
Of course there have been other lessons as well – don’t be afraid to delegate, it’s not always your fault, some people have endless amounts of time to demonstrate the definition of insanity, perspective is reality, intent matters, and probably the most striking, the world is hurting and this place we’ve created has offered a sliver of hope in a world that is sometimes very dark.
This group of what was once something considered ‘internet friends’ and thus somehow less than friends made outside of the internet has changed lives for the better. I’ve made lifelong friends and connections, some of whom I have met outside of the net, some who have open invites to their homes should I ever make it to their corner of the world, and still others who I’ve watched their children grow up via ongoing, frequent conversations.
It’s been a wild ride, but I don’t think I’d trade it.
What are your goals for the next year?
Number one, don’t let Kali die…again. I’m laughing at that, but seriously I think that I would like to play the game and settle on my feet after a very tumultuous year. The opportunities that present themselves will be taken as they come.
Thanks for your time, Lt. Commander Adyr!
You can read more about Lt. Commander Cayden Adyr on the wiki.
