Each month, we interview a captain or first officer of the fleet to gain more insight on what it takes to command a ship and learn more about how each of these staff members found their way into these roles.
This month, we’re interviewing the Commanding Officer of the starship USS Eagle, Commodore Kali Nicholotti, a female Human.
We are going to also highlight their secondary character, Ash MacKenna, for winning the Honor of the Admiralty Award.
S. RICHARDS: We’ve seen a handful of interviews from you. Tell us what you and your characters have been up to since the last time we saw you!
NICHOLOTTI: Well…let’s see…I don’t remember quite when the last interview was, but I can assure you that my characters have been getting up to no good. I mean, what else is there to do in the universe? Ash adopted a cat, much to Captain Shayne’s chagrin, and is often seen carrying him around the ship. Of course, while she is off on hiatus, the cat, Anubis, is residing with our friendly Captain Shayne, a fact that I’m still not sure he is overly happy with.
Kali is doing Kali and getting into messes that help bind her crew together as they all climb out of them. It’s a strange method of things, but it seems to work. Adriana Morgan is taking a walk through memories on a ship she still has thoughts of, and everyone else is just kind of doing what they do.
Your secondary Character, Ash MacKenna, won the Honor of the Admiralty Award. Could you tell us about the journey that led to winning this award?
No one really sets out to win an award doing what they do, so I guess the journey wasn’t to the award, but to the many opportunities I’ve had within 118. While I am not as deep into everything as I once was, I am able to sit back and see the fruits of all the work that I was once involved in, which is an awesome feeling. I’ve enjoyed the many roles I’ve played and the positions I’ve held, and the things I’ve gotten to do. Being honored with this award was simply the cherry on top of an amazing trip, and I am deeply moved to have been nominated and chosen.
You recently became the CO of the USS Eagle. How has that been going so far? Is there anything vastly different this time around since the last time you took command?
The Eagle was an old stomping ground, so when Falt and I decided that this would be the ship to galavant around the Atrian Reaches with, I was secretly a little giddy. It’s always a treat to reconnect with moments from the past, and it’s another thing that sets 118 out from other groups. The history and canon is so complex and storied that you can go years weaving stories and eventually loop around to where you began. I still love that feeling.
There isn’t much vastly different this time around in the game. Out of the game, I have moved, rescued some dogs, and watched my kids take off on their own, so I suppose it lends to less time trying to drown out kids yelling to try to write. Secretly, I miss that like most parents do, but time stands still for no one.
It is no secret that you have been a part of this fleet for a long time. Can you tell us what it has been like being around for so long and witnessing so many changes to the fleet?
To watch something you love evolve and grow over time is a wonderful thing, especially when you have a hand in some of the things that change. From the birth of the Image Collective to the relative decommissioning of the forums, not all changes have been ones that thrilled me. But like a proud parent in a sort of way, I have watched and experienced the changes, knowing that the capacity to change as we do is a big reason that we are still around decades after inception.
Change isn’t always easy, and it’s not always fun, but it’s necessary to continue forward, so I’ll say that I look forward to seeing more changes coming.
What kind of things can we expect to see from Nicholotti and/or MacKenna this coming year?
To be honest, I’m not sure. They haven’t told me their plans as of yet, which is typical. They do their own thing, and I rarely have control of it. That might sound funny for the characters that I write, but I’ve always said that I don’t control them, and I really kind of don’t. If you know, you know!
Thanks for your time, Commodore Kali Nicholotti!
You can read more about Commodore Kali Nicholotti on the wiki.
