ILLARA PRIME, PAR’THA EXPANSE — Power fluctuations and opportunists swarm as the crew of USS Atlantis investigate allegations of a spy at the Freeworlds Trade Conference.
Witty Wordsmith: Action for Plot, Reaction for Drama
Narration is what makes a sim come alive, and many of the strongest sims we read have a harmonious blend of great dialogue and great narration. But if we pick apart the narration of our sims, what makes the difference between a functional sim and a sim that is exciting to read? A lot depends on your balance between action and reaction in your writing. If we break it down there are two major aspects of narration in sims: plot and drama.
Plot narration is action based. It describes the action of the scene as well as providing details to the characters and setting. Descriptive text is plot based, as is any scene-setting narration. Having good plot narration helps a writer clarify what is going on in the scene to the other players. The stronger your plot narration the more you can push the action of the scene forward allowing your character, and your teammates to be proactive. Plot narration is the basic building block of strong narration. If you are at a starting point with adding more narration to your sims, focus on describing your character’s actions clearly. Add in setting details and character details as appropriate. Then focus on making sure your character’s actions contribute to the plot and help push the narrative forward.
Welcome the USS Arrow to the StarBase 118 fleet
The Executive Council is happy to announce that we’ve launched a new vessel, under the leadership of Commander Randal Shayne. Please welcome the USS Arrow to our fleet!
Cmdr. Shayne is a seasoned member of the group, having joined in February of 2015 and served on nine ships before the Arrow as her CO! Starting in the helm position, he has also dabbled in Engineering and played a Second Officer on three ships before becoming the First Officer of the USS Eagle.
He is also highly decorated, having received the Sheathed Sword, B-Plot Award, TOSMA, Russ Bar, Pathfinder Award, Silver Palm, Khan Award, Nebula Bar, Scotty Cross, and Chief’s Citation Award. For his duty post simming he has been recognized with both the Voyager Medallion and the Pilot’s Sextant. And he has received the 1-, 3-, and 5-year length of service awards.
Out of Character, Shayne has co-facilitated the Federation News Service and Poll of the Week teams, been a member of the Advanced Starship Design Bureau and the Awards Committee of 2396, and acted as an Academy Training officer.
The crew was comprised of members of the Juneau, as well as new recruits. The ship is currently undergoing repairs after being salvaged. It will soon embark on a mission in the Aavaro Wilds.
New Academy Graduates
Please welcome our newest Academy graduates to the StarBase 118 fleet: Rion Sladek, Selara, Kionn Rao, and Kevix!
All Charges Against Fleet Captain Jalana Rajel Are Dropped
STARBASE 104 — The well-reported court-martial of Fleet Captain Jalana Rajel ends in a victory secured by the timely intervene of fresh evidence.
It’s time to chat! Join us today for our special OOC fleetwide trivia party
Join us in the chat room for our monthly OOC chat today (Sunday, July 12th) at 10am Pacific / 1pm Eastern / 6pm London / 3am+1 Sydney (AUS). (See your timezone here.)
Our monthly chats are a place to meet other members of the fleet, catch up on current fleet events, share stories, and talk about Star Trek. Especially if you’ve never attended a chat before, we hope you’ll participate this month!
Ship Closeup: USS Juneau
“Toow-u latseen khaa jeexh attee.”
Juneau motto translated from Tlingit language it means “It gives strength to the Spirit.” The Tlingit language is spoken by the indigenous Tlingit who resided along the coastline from the Pacific Northwest to Alaska.
The USS Juneau (NX-99801) launched stardate 239705 (May 2020) under the command of Captain Oddas Aria. The ship was designed with experimental warp technology. It is the first to utilize this advanced warp propulsion system. Fittingly, Captain Oddas co-developed a prototype Warp XV engine that eventually became known as the Oddas-Rahman Next Generation Warp Propulsion Assembly, the precursor to the now OR-400MV. The Juneau is the first non-test ship to hold the OR-400MV and it is still working out some of the kinks. She is a fast ship with a cruising speed of warp 12 with a maximum sustainable cruising speed of warp 14 and a maximum warp speed of 15.
When contacted for this article, Captain Oddas Aria noted the ship was “designed to be used as a test bed. It’s the result of really a multi-year effort from a lot of talented people in the fleet and I’m just beyond glad that we get to be the ones who are trusted with its continued success.”
Colonists Saved From Vanishing World, Crew Enjoys Shore Leave
MENTHAR CORRIDOR — After completing a high-risk extraction of the colonists and officers trapped far beneath the surface of Vel Meijan, the crew of the USS Thor (NCC-82607) takes much-needed leave on nearby Ferenginar.
Poll of the Week: Opening Credits Music
The universe of Star Trek has given us some beautiful pieces of music. These iconic works of art embody the vastness of space and the wandering spirit of our favorite heroes as they traipse through the galaxy each week. The warbling tones of The Original Series reminded us of the other-worldly nature of their journey among the stars. The Next Generation brought a brassy and unforgettable tune that energized us for the story ahead. Each piece fit into an amazing tapestry of audible delight. And don’t get us started on the movies!
When Enterprise aired, however, many fans were split on the inclusion of music with lyrics – Russel Watson’s “Where My Heart Will Take Me”. For some, it is the perfect reflection of the explorer’s creed. It reminds us that the intrepid explorers are on a mission that is led by their beating hearts. It is why they are out there among the stars and why we watch their exploits with such rapt attention. For others, it’s something to be banished from memory.
For our poll this week, we invite you to imagine that the ship or installation you serve on is the setting for a Star Trek television show.
What would be the music playing over the opening credits? Let us know what music reflects the culture and ethos of your ship!
Promotions for June
The staff of UFOP: SB118 would like to congratulate all who saw their hard work and dedication pay off this month. Please be sure to congratulate these members when you see them around the forums and chat room!
Thor
- Ben Garcia to Lt. Commander
- Alieth to Lieutenant JG
- Wes Greaves to 1st Lieutenant
