Captain's Log — 2019

December 2019

Vehicles approached the weary cruise survivors. Davon was surprised to see Magar and more surprised at the sarkku she was travelling with. The Cardassian ambassador demanded they take everyone back to the Cardassian farm settlement. Station's ancillary ran down the last of it's power reserves shortly after being loaded onto a vehicle.

The inhabitants of the settlement did not appear friendly although Magar browbeat them into providing food and water and a promise not to shoot the rescue shuttle out of the sky. Station contacted itself from the Cardassian settlement.

Ensign Sandar lead the mission to rescue the survivors of the cruise shuttle crash. The rescue team of security and medical were entirely men. The survivors, all women, needed transport home rather than rescue. Ana and Station shared a feeling of helplessness. Davon had maintained the illusion of a Cardassian farming settlement.

Ariana examined the samples she had collected while in the Sphere. She had explored the Kharian territories and a Cardassian farming settlement.

On Holodeck 6, Radak, Damon and JentoQ continued to explore the haunted house and solve it's many puzzles. They entered a room with a table set with plates and jars of animal parts. Each taking a sack of salt, they explored the rest of the house.

Doctor Saghder searched for a bone marrow match. Lieutenant Outanyocon was the best match for Damon Wood. He was ready and willing to undergo the extraction procedure. Damon collapsed of hypoxia in the school corridor and was transported to Sick Bay. The bone marrow transport was needed immediately. Doctor Saghder called for the donor to report to Sick Bay and prepared for surgery.

Lieutenant Arev contacted Inspector Del on Fenihap III, the reported destination for the Tullis before it was raided and scuttled. It was to pick up a full hold of minerals which meant it's hold would have to be offloaded somewhere between where it was scuttled and it's destination.

Quidano was happy to have Dr. Belva off the ship. Axel would take on supplies and leave as soon as possible. He recorded a message for his sister and wished her blessings.

Targa was skeptical of Kivul's explanation that her ship was attacked by pirates. She asked to join Axel's crew rather than be dropped off at a neutral station. Her asset was connections. Bresa agreed, cautiously, to take the Romulan aboard.

Drint calmly let himself be detained by station security. The security officer confiscated a cannister labeled "genuine nanoprobes".

Ensign Hunter overslept and rushed to her morning appointment with Lieutenant Arev. She had an appointment with Governor Ashon-Milyo about increased security measures on the Promenade.

Ensign Sandar noticed the holographic Johvan coin Lieutenant Outanyocon was examining. The ensign had explored underwater sites on Ekos. The two decided to approach the Yridian trader who knew the location of where the coin was found. Jentrissek negotiated a trade of latinum and information.

Station greeted Ensign CAX in it's spherical form, the station's new pediatrician and child caretaker. The ensign mistook it for a fellow Circaloid. Damon and Rex accepted their new caretaker with curiousity. Damon offered to teach CAX chess after their visit to the park.

Damon awoke to find a mountain of gifts for Christmas including a book on dog training. Hazel liked that she could give Damon a family for Christmas. Radak received a white rabbit for Christmas. She found a photograph of herself and her parents minutes after her birth for her a'nirih.

Governor Ashon-Milyo and Station decorated a space on the Promenade for Yule. The space was designed as a tree tunel with a long wooden table soon to be filled with traditional dishes. A burning log, dimmed lighting and a just-above-freezing temperatures completed the space. Station chose a warm orange hue for herself. Robi wore a robe and crown of mistletoe. Some of the crew wore ugly jumpers.

Robi felt lonely, even in the crowd gathered to celebrate Yule. She recorded Yule messages for her brothers and Gerard Marpan.

Emily and Ana reunited aboard Sentinal Station. Amico and Rex met and were fast friends.

Principal Ellis gathered the children of their skit. The kids each recited an alliterative poem to spell the word 'Yule'.

Bresa thought about his family on the eve of Scribe Grimana Day. They had all escaped from Gatrubbe before it was destroyed. Malot asked to silently watch Bresa practice the day's rituals. Bresa offered to listen to Malot's Story.

Quidano lounged in Axel's common area unaware that foliage sprouted from the bulkheads. In a pouch were two figurines he remembered from his childhood. Targa stomped through the corridor and came across Bresa holding a book from his childhood. Malot was encircled by glowing orbs and formed into flowing robes. The remainder of the crew congregated in the lightly falling snow. Malot could not find an exact match for her own appearance in the database but it was similar to figures of many cultures that celebrated the winter solstice on their respective worlds. Quidano suggesting sharing the significance of each of the gifts the crew received: Quidano had a figure carved by his grandfather; Targa had a 10" fictional Klingon warrior figure; Bresa had a book from his childhood; Xin had clothes peg dolls; Kemak declined to open a sealed, unlabeled package.

Non-Roleplay

Sam joined OH1. He reintroduced the Circaloid species first seen aboard Starbase Phoenix.

Our December event was a celebration of Yule with a number of traditional elements.

Subject Lines of the Month

2419.12.01.01 DYSN Ariana "Rescued by... farmer Cardassians? Not sure if the air quotes should be around Rescued or Farmers"

2419.12.07.01 AXEL Quidano "The Garan was Nestled all Snug on His Couch While Figures from Ages Past Appeared In His Pouch"

Interaction of the Month

From (#91) 2419.12.29.01 ~ SENT ~ CAX ~ Well met furry being:

Rex having awoken from his slumber padded out of Damon's room to find his master, and upon seeing CAX bounded up to the intruder and sniffed it to assess it, it smelt odd and Rex was none too impressed by the intruder so he began barking madly at CAX

CAX floated 2 feet off the ground and focused on the dog but there was nothing external to show where its focus was set. CAX saw many different species and although it was relatively new to this multiracial living CAX thought it weird that there was a species living among them who didn't have a translator.

"WellMet, MyNameIsCAX.IWasNotInformedThatThereWereTwoChildrenHere.WhatIsYourNameAndIfIMayWhatSpeciesAreYou?" CAX asked the dog in its whistly highpitched translator voice.

Damon fell about the floor laughing his head off "Rex isn't a child, he is a dog," he managed to say in between fits of laughter

Rex had begun to calm down around the intruder, he crept forward and sniffed it once more, he then sat down in front of Damon wagging his tail as it to indicate all was well

"A dog is a non-sapient animal. He can feel but he doesn't think in the same way we do. He is a part of our family though. The human word is a pet," Hazel explained to CAX.

"ADog,ThatIsAnInterestingBeing.ItServesAsAPetYouSay?" Cax replied, "IsItsTranslatorBroken?"

Damon stood up and patted Rex on the head "Dogs don't communicate like we do, his voice is what you heard when he barked at you," he tried to explain to CAX

"AhhIGetIt." CAX responded. "WeWillBeFastFriendsInNoTime,ThatIAmSure."

Damon looked down at Rex whose tail was wagging frantically "I think he likes you, when their tails wag they are happy," he told CAX

—Sam (CAX) and David (Damon, Rex)

Player of the Month

David celebrated the season with Damon and Hazel exchanging gifts, Damon and Rex playing and exploring the Promenade, Damon participating in the Yule skit with other children. In every scene, Damon was appreciating how valuable a gift it is to be with his family. He has a strong bond with his adopted mother and her extended family in the absence of his own, with Rex whose needs are simply to be loved, with his bestie Radak. Arev, David's other character, is such a contrast: suspicious, aggressive and curt. At this time of year, it's easy to lose sight of the most important reason we celebrate this season. A child character is a forceful reminder.

November 2019

The kids met up for trick-or-treating. Radak was a witch and Damon was a vampire. JentoQ felt extorting sweets was not honourable. Still, they stopped at every door with high expectations. Governor Ashon-Milyo gave them lingengrass-flavoured treats with mixed reactions and they declined crabgrass in favour of gold-pressed chocolate latinum.

Captain Mirel dropped used isolinear chips in the kids treat bags confident they'd figure it out. JentoQ suggested they try it in a replicator to see what was programmed into it. It produced a six-scoop ice cream sundae. Next up was trying the isolinear chip in a holodeck.

Radak, Damon and JentoQ were in the foyer of a haunted house with staircases leading into darkness, creaking floors and a cold draft. A figure appeared in the sitting room and heavy doors enclosed the trick-or-treaters. Pulling the correct dook on the shelf opened a hidden doorway behind a bookshelf. Entering a mad scientist's laboratory, they realized it was a series of rooms they had to escape from by solving riddles.

Hazel inquired at Starsong Courier about passenger transportation to Starbase Horizon for herself and Damon. She wanted to adopt a puppy for Damon. Kamaia was blunt in that she would self-destruct her ship rather than risk assimilation. Hazel wanted to use private transport to avoid Drint and also the stares of other people.

Hazel and Damon met Kamaia and JentoQ at the Taumaru. Hazel appreciated the efficient lay out of the tiny interior. Starbase Horizon would be a three-hour travel time.

Hazel contacted Nana Kathy and introduced Damon to the whole May clan.

Emily Skye arrived at Sentinel Station by commercial shuttle. Escaping her own abusive relationship, she followed the same route as Elizabeth Morales who had settled at Sentinel as Ana Ferguson. Station was weary to verify that Elizabeth was aboard her but offered the station's hospitality until Ana gave or declined permission. She was directed away from Second Chances Cafe despite Ana being away on a cruise.

Station invited Kamaia to join herself and Emily at Pilgrimage Cafe and Books. If was the first time Kamaia and Emily met a Gatrubbian. Komara Imtaren, the proprietor, recommended a meat- and vegetable-filled pastry along with a sampling platter of vegetables. The cafe was filled with people quietly reading books made of paper. Station owned a single book which she kept in a friend's quarters. Kamaia commented on how many authors in Earth's 20th centry tried to predict the future. Station highlighted 'Blood Music' and 'Ancillary Justice' predicting aspects of the Borg. Emily appreciated that Station would keep an eye on her and ensure her safety. Kamaia found that level of monitoring disturbing.

Arev shared with Hazel about how Radak's mother was assimilated. Damon didn't want to tell Radak what the Borg really were and contradict her father. Hazel recognized T'Ro as Seven of Ten, a member of her own unimatrix, who died when their ship was attacked by Species 8472 and abandoned by the Collective.

Arev decided to follow the example of his Vulcan grandmother and tell Radak the truth. It would hurt less in the long term. Her mother was not "helping the Borg". She had been kidnapped and turned into a Borg. Radak wanted to help her escape like Damon had but she had died. The girl made her father pinky swear to always tell the truth. Sarek always said the truth was important.

Kamaia accepted a pick-up job from a nearby Traveler outpost. Alec Parker welcomed her to the otherwise unoccupied outpost. He was working as a middleman for the owner of the crates that had been left behind when Pier's One-Of-A-Kind Imports was hastily abandoned. Kamaia had moved the crates to storage. She was now tasked with discrete delivery of the items. He provided her with a specialized crate with a stasis field intended for what appeared to be promethean quartz but they both knew it wasn't.

Six of Twelve contacted Kamaia to provide a periodic update. DFA Cromwell-B had recently completed a mission that included a confrontation with Jem'Hadar. The Mirror counterpart of Doctor Clark feigned a medical emergency to lure her ship. Some of the crew were damaged but none had been deactivated. JentoQ compared his relationship to Klingon society to Six's with the Borg Collective.

Lieutenant Outanyocon contacted Six of Twelve aboard DFA Cromwell-B. He wanted advice on helping Hazel successfully transition to individuality. Jack West produced simulated Borg background voices for Six, and, Four of Seven, her new sub-unit. They accepted all commands from Cromwell, their current Collective. The Borg could not originate nor innovate ideas. They iterated every possible solution for a best-fit. Six was still part of the Collective but on an extended fact-finding mission to learn why individuals resisted assimilation. Six suggested giving Hazel and Damon tasks that would keep them constantly busy to avoid lonliness and 'free time'. Outanyocon declined Six's offer to communicate with Hazel directly and would rather Hazel contact Six at her own pace.

Ensign Robi Hunter returned to the station after time away. Her father, Lieutenant Commander Hunter had been awarded posthumous honours. She had an appointment with Governor Ashon-Milyo before she had time to unpack.

Hunter found the governor looking down from the top level of the Promenade. People were still jittery from the spate of vandalism. They needed to see increased security and build a sense of community.

Radak met with Principal Ellis for her entrance assessment. She had an encyclopedic knowledge of lagomorphs. Her tutor aboard USS Falcon rated her as 'Meeting Expected Targets' or better in every subject. Her biggest weakness was working with other children on group projects.

Damon had a quick breakfast on his way to school for his entrance examinations. He had assimilated a lot of data while maturing, moreso than any child his age. He lacked analytical skills.

Lieutenant Arev tracked down Ensign Sandar with questions about his recent foray off-station with Captain Mirel. Arev softened him up by reminding him of why the pilot joined Starfleet. Sandar deferred to the flight logs. But they didn't explain why the Elbe went to a set of coordinates or why the logs were classified. Mirel interrupted with a request for immediate launch to rescue the crew of a Bolian freighter. Arev invited himself on the rescue mission.

The freighter had been attacked, looted and left to drift. Sandar beamed the crew aboard the Elbe where they examined by Doctor Saghder. The cargo hold was open to space and emitting radiation from volatile polaric plasma residue. Captain Mirel invited Captain Tullis to the cockpit and immediately asked for this ship to be destroyed as a safety precaution.

Davon received Magar's personal homing signal and immediately dispatched a rescue party. Her presence in the Sphere was a surprise.

The ground shook under the women as they crossed the sand. They were crossing paths with a thirty-foot sand worm. Everybody ran for firmer ground while Magar fired her phaser at maximum to drive it away. The phaser took some time to break the skin which caused the sand worm to burrow back underground.

Weary from the sun and heat, Magar could see dust rising in the distance from approaching vehicles.

Quidano was bothered by the attempts are creating life on a lifeless planet. The experiment within the Sphere was very small and further experimentation was banned.

Belva was undeterred by the unexpected outcome of his project. Quidano wanted him off Axel as quickly as possible.

Xin detected an escape pod from a ship at the edge of long-range sensors. It appeared that it's reactor was going critical. Targa coordinated picking up the escape pod at high speed on approach to the distant ship. The ship went critical before Axel was within transporter range.

Kemak and Xin were dispatched to the cargo bay to examine the escape pod and it's vulcanoid passenger. Commander Kivul t'Hamosa emerged. Targa ejected the Romulan's escape pod just before it self-destrucred.

Arev prepared Radak for a sleepover while he was off-station. Damon reluctantly cleaned his room in preparation. The two worked on Radak's maths homework. The reward for finishing their homework was a holomovie about animals. And popcorn. Hazel picked up dinner from Cats Tango with sponge cake for desert.

Hazel was concerned about Damon's over-regenerating. Doctor Saghder confirmed that Hazel had not been discussing nanoprobe therapy as Drint had suggested. Damon had strong memories of his assimilation and was weary of medical examination. Saghder joked that it could have been a side effect of too much Halloween candy. Damon's blood was poorly oxygenated due to a genetic fault in red blood cell production. The cybernetic components were insufficiently correcting the issue. The solution was a bone marrow transplant to produce healthy cells.

Drint presented himself to Med Bay with shortness of breath. Even before the examination began, he was asking if the doctor could offer nanoprobe therapy for the pain in his back. Doctor Saghder quickly showed him out.

Damon noticed a Ferengi was following him home from school. He alerted Hazel who rushed over to Zeke's Emporium. She threatened to assimilate him if he didn't leave her son alone but the sight of her tubules only enticed him further. He asked about learning Borg Alphanumeric for a friend of his. Hazel collected Damon and they went home. She explained that he should not walk home alone and to call for security if he ever saw the Ferengi man again.

Cadet Hazel May spoke to Lieutenant Arev about her Ferengi stalker. The security officer quickly realized their military potential. Ensign Hunter ran a background check based on the image provided by Station. He had been a frequent person of interest with no outstanding warrants.

Drint tried to get into Hazel and Damon's quarters but was scared off by Station. In reporting to Security, it was decided that Drint required additional surveillance.

Drint apologized to Hazel and Damon for his behaviour and offered Damon a hu-mon baseball as penance. Hazel was clear that in no way would she ever sell her nanoprobes. Hazel dropped it rather than give it to Damon. Drint caught the ball and scurried away.

Drint admired his handiwork: fake Borg nanoprobes. They emitted Borg-like signals, contained minute traces of Hazel's DNA and were stamped with "Made in Unimatrix One". He had discovered a perfect preclusive market category.

Lieutenant Arev checked in on Drint. The Ferengi spoke with the security officer in the corridor rather than his quarters. Arev reiterated that he would be monitored in public spaces and warned about harrassment. It was time for Drint to seek opportunity elsewhere.

Drint bundled all of his belongings into a wheeled trunk and proceeded to the turbolifts. Station kept the doors open so Chief Petty Officer Frank Jones could join the Ferengi. On exiting the turbolift, the trunk fell over and a jostled a cannister labeled "genuine nanoprobes" out of Drint's pocket. The presence of nanoprobes outside a drone triggered a security alert.

Fenata, a Ferengi lawyer, appeared fortuitously and offered her services. After a hasty negotiation she offered her legal advice and left Drint to be arrested by station security.

Non-Roleplay

Doug asked for every character's favourite toy as a child for an upcoming Christmas storyline.

We brainstormed for our upcoming end-of-year event.

Miriah shared some Klingon pop music and highlighted che'ron 'oH parmaq 'e' (Love is a battlefield) as her favourite. Pat Benatar famously performed the English-language cover.

Subject Line of the Month

2419.11.25.01 ELBE Mirel/Tullis "The last thing we want is to preserve evidence"
—Tullis requesting the destruction of his own ship rather than allowing it to be towed for further inspection by a very suspicious Arev (Richard)

2419.11.10.05 SENT Radak "You know whats even worse than team sports? Group projects!"
—Radak expressing the exasperation of every introvert (Tabitha)

Players of the Month

Tabitha and David have introduced family life to Sentinel Station. Radak and Damon are interesting characters and not simply placeholder children for adult characters. Their pasts are sadly connected by the Borg. They each have challenges settling into life aboard the station that includes navigating a haunted house on the holodeck. Damon has three families to reconcile. Their parents, Arev and Hazel, respectively, have professional and personal lives. All very strong characters. I look forward watching these families over time.

October 2019

The survivors of the cruise were all smart, tough women. Ariana set the order to pull themselves across the river: Eiwan first as the best climber and Station last as the heaviest and likely to break the line. Before Mary started across the rope, all of the equipment was ferried across the ropes. The underwater shadow was registering as a lifesign as it's massive jaw broke the surface. Magar rushed out onto the line which weighed it down even closer to the water. Magar was ready with a pair of knives when the creature rose out of the water. It received a blade across it's snout. Ana was nervous to cross. Station stunned the creature when it returned which was a conflict of it's programming to do no harm. The ancillary demanded it be deactivated lest it's error be transferred back to Station as a whole. The error could allow Station to drop all defences because capture of it's crew was prefereable to combat and risk of death.

The group reached a desert. The Cardassian settlement was nearby. A massive animal the colour of sand rushed the group. Phasers and gravity plating did nothing to distract it.

A Bolian freighter came under attack from unknown assailants. The crew retreated to panic rooms to await rescue.

Lieutenant Arev boarded Sentinel Station with his daughter Radok. The girl confirmed that Station knew how to play Kotascot as she arranged three boxes of stuffed toys on her bed and covered the walls in rabbit stickers. Radok happily munched on her peanut butter sandwich on the way to the playground. Arev was surprised to see a child with Borg implants. Damon, JentoQ and the other kids invited Radok to play. Damon needed Hazel's reassurance to admit he was formerly Borg. He invited his new friend and her dad over for dinner.

Cadet May met with Lieutenant Outanyocon to discuss her assignment aboard Sentinel Station. She had been assimilated during her cadet cruise and never defended her senior thesis. Her thesis advisor was now named 'Two of Fourteen'. May would be given resources necessary to continue her research into predictable quantum singularity events.

Lieutenant Arev sought out the pilot of Captain Mirel's recent covert mission. Lieutenant Arev and Ensign Sandar had both joined Starfleet to make a difference. He suspected the smalltalk was not the lieutenant's true purpose. The pilot directed the security officer's questions to his own department and to the captain.

Hazel offered a family dinner to Damon's new friends. Kamaia suggested a picnic with take-away from one of the restaurants on the Promenade. Damon had to get home and promised to be back for 1830 hours. Damon told Hazel that none of the kids were worried about him being Borg. He was saddened that he was, again, an individual and his parents were either dead or drones. Hazel comforted him and readied him for their picnic. JentoQ talked about what he learned in his Klingon culture class. Kamaia was surprised to see that Damon's parent was also Borg. Hazel's implants were subtle compared to Six. The group decided to pick up dinner at the Cardassian Cafe. Hazel identified the species by Borg designation and Kamaia explained that they were half siblings. Dovos was surprised to see the group of sarku enter the restaurant. He handed them menus written in Cardassian rather than Standard. Kamaia wanted the food mild, Hazel only vegetables and JentoQ asked after live food. Seket stated that the food was generally spicy, almost entirely meat, and, well and truly killed before serving. Most Cardassians only eat with equals so take-out was not unusual. Hazel offered Seket to join their band of misfits for a picnic. Everyone enjoyed their food. Hazel confessed that she was worried Damon would be ostracized for being Borg. Kamaia waved away the concern. The station was a thoroughly welcoming place. Seket did not have fun as fun did not benefit the State. Damon and JentoQ noticed kids from school playing the ancient human sport 'soccer' and were offered to join in. They returned sweaty, covered in grass and mud stains. On returning to their quarters JentoQ finished off Kamaia's leftovers. The two discussed a visit to the Sphere. Station shared a few highlights an no-go zones.

Kamaia inquired about Station's sapience. Station stated that it is a prototype artificial intelligence and one-of-a-kind. Kamaia felt nauseous at the thought of Station monitoring her constantly. Station offered to disable all sensors within Kamaia and JentoQ's quarters and provice a communications device when they wanted to interact with Station. Kamaia agreed and wanted to make the modifications to her quarters herself. Kamaia remained suspicious of Station's ability to covertly surveille her and JentoQ.

Axel gulped up Shuttle XIX, closed the bay doors and turned back to space. Bresa checked on his crew as they unloaded. Belva and Lenar argued openly about continuation of the project. Belva wanted to watch the planetoid evolve and suggested Lenar go back to Oka. The interior of the shuttle was a mess and the outside was badly battered. Quidano was curious of the Gatrubbian attempt at sparking a living planet was even possible. Bresa had seen a small-scale test within the Sphere. The captain was glad to have his crew back, whole, and leave the ethics to the Gatrubbian government. Quidano screamed as BERT treated his wounds without anesthesia. All of the sedatives had been used up for Toraith who was swatting at imaginary flyers. BERT zapped Toraith into unconsciousness and Quidano made a hasty escape.

Xin detected an escape pod from a nearby ship. It's power core was overloading but there was no distress call. Bresa decided to bring the pod aboard. With Toraith out of commission, Targa, Kemak and Xin would meet it's inhabitant. Two other escape pods launched away from Axel in different directions and were immediately lost on sensors when the ship exploded.

Non-Roleplay

Outpost Hope One and Seiklon Axel transitioned to Groups.Io after Yahoo announced the removal of nearly every feature. OH1/Axel was the only group within Star Trek: Borderlands still using Yahoo!Groups. Our group switched from Solaria to eGroups (the precursor to Yahoo!Groups) in 1999. The last 20 years of content was downloaded and backed up.

Subject Line of the Month

2419.10.29.01 SENT Hazel "Tabitha and Damon are part of the Borg Fan Club but poor Radok just wants to know where her mum is"
—Radok thinks her mum is "helping" the Borg. (Tabitha)

2419.10.11.01 AXEL Bresa "Rescue Mission 2: This Time In Space"
—Sounds like an amazing sequel. (Kevin)

Player of the Month

This month's pick for Player of the Month is unusual in that Drika doesn't write a character within Outpost Hope One. She is the Commanding Officer of SES S'Task. Until recently, Borderlands Council and every duty station used Yahoo!Groups. Outpost Hope One, Starbase Phoenix, USS Ticonderoga and USS Saratoga were the first four duty stations. Over time we've retired duty stations and commissioned new ones. Drika downloaded every in-character and out-of-character message, every attachment, every poll, every image, and, every file shared over the last twenty years. I tip my hat to her.

September 2019

Outanyocon checked in on Damon and asked if he wanted to meet Hazel. The boy didn't hesitate. The two would be an interesting research project for the sociologist. Hazel, formerly Five of Ten, awoke in a Federation Sickbay. A nurse handed her a padd with her pre-assimilation biographical information. She saw Damon enter and recognized him: she had assimilated him. Damon wanted them all to be friends. Hazel and Damon were given a supervised tour of USS Fawkner. Damon was fascinated by the different species working together. Hazel asked to see the Science and Research Operations Centre as she had trained as an astrophysicist before she was assimilated. Damon wanted to be a miner, like his parents, when he grew up.

Lieutenant Outanyocon asked Captain Mirel for permission to bring Hazel and Damon aboard. The captain stated that they would be given the same freedoms aboard Sentinel Station they had about USS Fawkner but she reserved the right to amend them pending reports from Fawkner's captain and chief of security. She asked Station to prepare the same protocols in place during Six of Twelve's visit a year earlier. A number of personnel transferred to Sentinel Station as USS Fawkner put in for refit. Several children stared at Damon as he moved through customs. Captain Mirel was blunt in asking Hazel's future plans. She was assimilated during her cadet cruise and did not officially graduate from Starfleet Academy.

Williams arrived on Sentinel and was greeted by the station's AI. It piqued his curiousity and he promised not to take Station apart without it's permission. They took the scenic route through the Promenade on the way to the captain's office. Williams served as a medic during his time with the Marines and retrained as an engineer.

Bresa ordered Axel into the planets atmosphere still unable to raise the shuttle. The planet surface was emitting odd life sign readings. A large mass of life enswarmed Shuttle XIX. Targa fired disruptor turrets which attracted the mass to the Axel. Lenar checked on Quidano's and Toraith's injuries enroute back to the orbiting observation station. The Garan was in rough shape while the Gorn appeared unscathed.

Damon was excited to attend school again. His chronological, biological and intellectual ages were affected by Borg maturation. Hazel showed Damon how to use a regeneration alcove. She reassured him he would remain aware of his surroundings; it was like meditation rather than sleep. His first regeneration cycle had been frequently interrupted by nightmares. Hazel had begun searching for Damon's sister but had not looked for her own surviving family. Hazel admitted to him that it had been her who assimilated him and was forgiven instantly. The school aboard the station was far more advanced than the mining colony his family came from. Hazel had kept a school friend right up to the day she was assimilated. Damon's eduation would focus on analysis and inference rather than recitation of facts which would be natural for a former drone with eidetic memory.

Hazel offered to open a neural link between the two. Each would have their private thoughts but could speak to eachother using their intact Borg tranceivers. Damon didn't mind a link with Hazel but the thought of a link to the whole Borg was scary.

Kamaia was warned about her actions evacuating Audrey Three. She reassured Parker that bureaucracy would keep her actions from ever being investigated. They had fulfilled their last contract for Juno. JentoQ had dismantled something and scattered it all over the floor. Kamaia asked if JentoQ would enjoy visiting Hope One, only one of two known Dyson Spheres. It filled the entire viewscreen of the Taumaru's bridge.

Kamaia reached out to Six of Twelve aboard her old ship, DFA Cromwell. Four of Seven had come aboard and become Six's little brother. Six listed the nineteen new crew members unknow to Kamaia who noted that Brinn, Six's previous handler, was no longer aboard and that Six was now being utilized as a tactical drone. The two agreed to communicate every month or so.

Kamaia wanted to find quarters aboard the station, find space for an office and enrol JentoQ in school. She was determined to give her younger brother stability. He had only known life as a Mikhal Traveler. Kamaia was ready to put out the shingle of the boutique Starsong Courier. The space was littered from it's previous occupant and voles had clearly nested in the walls. Ensign Hobbes inspected the shop as part of the wider clearing out of the infestation. The two shared an appreciation of two-dimensional films.

Kamaia and JentoQ settled into their new space. The Klingon expected that keeping and butchering live animals would violate station rules. Voles were raised as livestock by the Cardassians and were clearly nesting aboard the station. Kamaia gifted her little brother with paper maps of the Delta Quadrant. The following morning the two met with the principal of the station's school. Mr. Ellis reviewed JentoQ's transcripts and explained the school's thorough assessment process. He would have access to holographic labs where he could safely dismantle a warp drive and run fractal algorithms. JentoQ would continue his Klingon cultural education aboard the station in preparation for his Rite of Ascension.

JentoQ and Damon met in the corridor after class and introduced himself as a fellow new student. Neither had spent much time exploring the station. Damon did not shy away from his Borg identity. Two stopped for ice cream on the way to Starsong Courier. Kamaia immediately recognized the telltale signs of a former drone. Hazel checked in on Damon and asked him to return to their quarters before his scheduled regeneration time. The two unpacked crates and placed the items on display.

Ana, Ariana and Magar discussed bring Nox along in a stretcher. Station stated it's ancillary would have enough power for 48 hours and could then be abandoned. Ariana and Eiwan collected capacitors to keep the ancillary running until they reached the Cardassian settlement several days walk away. The Sphere was too large a place to wait for rescue.

While milling about, several large wolf-like animals circled the crash survivors. It would be perpetual noon and they would only fatigue the longer they remained in the shuttle. The group mulled over different ideas to escape with killing the wolves hotly debated. Ana suggested Station carry meat to draw the wolves away. Eiwan offered a jury-rigged repulsor plate as a non-lethal option. Phasering the wolves would be a option of last resort. There was a loud thump followed by quieter thumbs and whimpering. With the wolves gone, the survivors quickly existed the shuttle and began to move through the dense forest.

The group moved quickly through the trees, hearing menacing sounds all around them. Magar recognized the name Sesgaard and Ariana realized that Magar had been aboard Pheonix a number of years earlier. A wolf pounced on Magar at the back of the pack. Despite a couple of good slashes, Ariana stunned it to protect Magar.

They stopped at the edge of a wide river for a short break and a meal. Katie was concerned about Station's energy expenditure. There were several, potentially dangerous life signs within the river. Ariana had the idea of crossing the river by suspended rope. Magar was grumpy when she regained consciousness and may have thanked Ariana.

Non-Roleplay

Miriah returned to Borderlands and joined OH1.

Of the 248 posts last month, 92 posts (15,066 words) were of the ill-fated cruise within the Sphere. I am very happy to see such an active thread. Despite being so active, it is only a third of September's posts. There was a lot going on this month.

A listing of all departments aboard Sentinel Station was added to the website. It evolved from a conversation with Devon (who is also Cromwell's CO) and the listing on Cromwell's website. It will help players when they pick a specialty for their characters.

Miriah shared an update on Axanar. The images used for Sentinel Station were "borrowed" from the Axanar project and they have since changed the design of the station in the film. https://axanarproductions.com/

Subject Line of the Month

2419.09.27.01 SEN JentoQ "Maturation is weird enough without a chamber"
—by Miriah. Add "Baba O'Riley" as background music and it's a perfect opening line for a movie trailer.

Banter of the Month

"Okay, here's another one," said JentoQ, encouraged by her reaction. "How many voles does it take to screw in a light bulb?"

Kamaia smiled. "When you think about it, it's kind of amazing that an ancient technology like light bulbs – a conductive filament encased in a glass ball with a threaded connection to a base – has lived on in jokes."

JentoQ glared at her. "You're taking all the fun out of it."

"Okay then," said Kamaia, "tell me."

"Two," said JentoQ. "but nobody can figure out how they got inside the light bulb."

—JentoQ (played by Miriah) telling jokes to his big sister

Quote of the Month

"You'll neither sink nor swim Damon, you'll soar," she said confidently.
—Hazel (Tabitha) to Damon; nominated by Devon as "very poetic"

August 2019

Borg Scout Ship 510 detected a quantum singularity just as it lost contact with the Collective. Species 8472 had caused the loss of multiple Borg ships. USS Fawkner detected the scout ship, approached it cautiously and decided to board it. Nine drones were dead. Five of Ten was infected with the 8472 virus and dying. An immature drone was also found alive. Both were beamed to Sick Bay.

Lieutenant Outanyocon sat quietly as Damon awoke. His last memory was being injected by a Borg drone aboard the Lugash. The child did not hear the Collective and promised he would tell Oot if he heard them again.

Elagabalus recited an exhubirant summary of Kharian history including being given the Sphere by the Gods, besting the Borg and returning to mind the child-like Johvan and Starfleeters. The Cardassians gifted the Kharians voles to suppliment their native animals.

Tia met with Jila to discuss having Phoenix as a service animal. Jila knew voles as subsistence food during the Occupation. Tia was worried that Scott was nearing end-of-life. Phoenix was the most well-behaved vole anyone would meet. Jila recommended a review by a registered trainer and observation in the field.

The Guild of the Writers were rising as influential isolationists. The Council of Readers was divided on the group prompting speculation of elections for a new Ubanir Vimeg.

Dux Turg'ak walked through the Promenade unsure of who to approach. He had cowed the Kel'ak trader. He stopped at a garish sign promising his wishes to come true.

Tia met with Doctor Saghder to be prepared for the intense sunshine of the Sphere. She would be susceptible to severe burns and blindness. She preferred a permanent solution like a molecularly-bonded artificial eye lens.

Doctor Saghder analysed the virus sample drawn from Ensign Hobbes. It showed traits of Terran lyssavirus and Cardassian crowanvirus.

Targa entered the bridge after a frustrating exchange with their Cardassian stowaway. The flight path of the XIX shuttle was erratic and Xin could not open a clear channel. Bresa decided to take Axel to the surface.

The Gatrubbian scientists ran full tilt as flying creatures swarmed over them. Quidano yelled for Kemak which drew the creatures' attention. He fired non-lethal rounds into the swarm as Toraith faced them unarmed, his thick hide protecting him as he clawed back. The noise of the shuttle was overwhelming for the flyers as they circled. With the few survivors inside, Quidano demanded Kemak lift off. A startingly large animal attacked the shuttle knocking Quidano into the bulkhead head first.

A FREE* luxury cruise exploring the Johvan region of the Hope One Dyson Sphere appeared on consoles across the station. Ensign Jila was contemplating her own prejudices with respect to her new patients. It would an opportunity to observe. Chief Eiwan was wading through endless complaints about replicator failures blamed on voles. Since coming aboard, she had wanted to explore the Sphere's forests. Captain Mirel deleted the message. Ana hesitated leaving her cafe. V'Lias and Latta were settling in but she wasn't sure they were ready to be on their own. Station was excited to spend some time in the Sphere again with Ana. Magar presumed the notice was an insidious virus or scam. Station tempered the concern suggesting it was an attempt to increase tourism.

Ana, Magar and Station arrived at the cruise shuttle with boarding passes in-hand. They were immediately offered for-cost premium upgrades such as food. Once aboard, everyone settled into their seats. Magar selected a seat near the back where she could watch everyone. She name-dropped herself and coerced Nox into offering food for free. Katie was amazed by her first experience visiting the Sphere. The shuttle encountered turbulence as it moved through the atmosphere. Magar tried to reassure her fellow passengers with stories of surviving crashes. A loud bang came from the cockpit. Katie noticed that the shuttle's shields were being bombarded. Shields and engines failed and the shuttle tipped into a crash dive and the pilot was not responsive. Magar continued to share her stories as a distraction. Eiwan tapped into the deflector controls as Katie modified it's output to slow them down.

Ariana watched the cruise ship spiral down to the surface of the Sphere. Katie and Eiwan did their best to soften the landing by triggering an anti-reaction with the Sphere's subsurface artificial gravity generators. It was a hard landing in a thick forest. Magar was screaming on the inside but remained physically relaxed. Phoenix escaped through a broken window. Ana was shaken. Station failed to communicate with herself. Nox was not breathing.

Magar immediately armed herself against the native wildlife. Station had no access to the wildlife database. No one else was armed. Ariana trudged through the thick forest and deep water as the heavens opened a thunder storm. There was a loud thumping on the exterior followed by irregular tapping. Magar opened the door and saw a long grey tail and heard phaser fire. Ariana was gleeful over her aim. Magar suggested they move to open ground to look for a settlement with communications ability.

Non-Roleplay

Sandy quit OH1.

Jan-Willem joined OH1. He is a long-time Trek fan with roleplay experience. He will play Sentinel Station's newest engineer.

David joined with an interesting character. He currently writes on Cromwell and Probe 815.

Previously unwritten monthly Captain's Logs will be shared over the coming months to fill in the gaps in our story. Every Captain's Log since 2008 is available: http://outposthopeone.nfshost.com/captains log 2008.html.

Subject Lines of the Month

(8629) 2419.08.19.01 DYSN Ariana "We interupt this vacation to bring down a spaceship"
(8637) 2419.08.22.01 DYSN Ariana "You couldn't have landed in the open area next to me could you?"

Quote of the Month

Exceprt from 2419.08.11.01 KHA Elagabalus "Pioneer life":

"If you have money, there is a griller nearby who serves dusky brujin. Served with chopped root vegetable and ketchup sauce." The man wiped his chin with a handkerchief. He wondered if all the girl's kind were all as pale.. His skin was a deeper bronze than most from working in the fields. In the bright sun, it had a golden iridescent hue. The Cardassians were grey in skin tone and personality, from what he heard. And this girl was like white sand and pink around the edges.
—Elagabalus Com'ak, played by Richard

This assessment of the Cardassians got mixed responses. As always, our resident Cardassian expert feels they are just misunderstood.

Player of the Month

No player selected.

As a station, we have the ability to tell a lot of mutually independent stories. It's rare to have so many characters in one place at the same time. Many came together in August for a free* cruise. I'm looking forward to seeing how the characters resolve this situation. We have a couple of new former-Borg characters coming to Sentinel. The crew of Axel is running for their lives. We had a very strong month. Everyone showed creativity and teamwork.

July 2019

A free luxury cruise offer was widely circulated aboard Sentinel Station from 'Delta Cruises'. Ana was eager to take a few days of vacation now that V'Lias and Latta were trained. Ambassador Magar was as suspicious as she was of Ferengi charities. Scott wanted to go to avoid his schooling.

Jila thought back to the day her mother was taken into custody by Bajoran security forces. Jila blamed her for the death her father and would no longer cover for her separatist activities. She left Bajor immediately for her first Starfleet posting. Jila didn't have much to unpack. She stuffed a jewelry box into the back of the lowest drawer. It held her family earring. She would build her wardrobe and furnish her quarters and office now that she was aboard the station. She declined a tour by Captain Mirel preferring to explore the station herself. Station provided a list of recently vandalized shops with Jila promising to make house calls.

Ariana crossed the tense border between Starfleet Marines and Kharian security forces. Ariana stopped at a cafe on her way to the Monument of the Triumverate; three upraised fists constructed out of concrete. She chatted with Elagabalus Com'ak, an elderly Kharian keeper of livestock, admiring the monument.

Tia had a calming influence on a mother vole as she removed a pup from the cage. She expected to be able to tame it more easily than Phoenix. Seket asked to come by Tia's quarters. She had never seen a vole that young or that calm. Tia believed that their ill temperament was a result of contact with large, hostile beings. She could domesticate a vole if trained from a young age.

Scott was chomping at the bit to skateboard again. With the holodeck safeties in place, he could avoid further head injury. Station identified Scott as a kinetic learner and adjusted the skatepark so that the obstacles were shaped like letters. By skating the obstacles, he would learn and retain their shapes.

Magar was designing the layout for the art exhibit. It would let people see positive aspects of Cardassian culture with the Bajoran occupation still the dominant feature of Cardassian history. Tia brought a holocube of an ancient Hebitian tomb. It contained statues and an empty sarcophagus. Ana prepared a number of cheese and fruit trays as well as chilled fruit juices and sparkling wines for the occasion.

Ensign Hobbes was transported to Sickbay bleeding from a vole attack. She was delirious, dreaming about USS Deimos. There were 147 penguins in the warp core, at least twice as many as there should be. Buttons roaming on the engineering console had to caught and slapped back into their proper place. She awoke to the ophidian Doctor Saghder. Seket and Saghder elicited similar responses in human-like species which she thought would be comforting rather than scary. The engineer was bit while clearing clearing voles. Saghder described the voles as being infected with the Earth disease rabies.

Magar told Station the story of the first Cardassians, Sil and Ruxt, a mix of divine blood and the soil of Cardassia. Their two sons longed for wives. A vole and zabu were transformed into cardassian women.

Magar shared with Station about her adopted daughter. Station suggested she meet with the station's new counselor. Magar felt speaking with a Federation therapist was a waste of time. But it was a learning experience. She froze when she was the counselor was bajoran. The counselor baited the ambassador by appealing to her fearlessness. Ensign Jila reiterated counselor-patient confidentiality. On Cardassia, secrecy is only guaranteed by not speaking of secrets. Despite the war, Jila did not hold the entire race responsible for the Occupation.

Targa offered Axel's stowaway an unusual meal. Dakot claimed he had fallen asleep before Axel disembarked. He offered to fix their replicator to which Targa assured him the Garan food was replicated correctly. Insulted, Targa knocked the tray from his hands and tossed him against the wall.

Quidano thought of Zelazia. They were betrothed before Quidano left their home to join the Nal'Gaharay. He decided he would only carry non-lethal weapons for the search and rescue. Kemak carried knives and a disruptor rifle. Toraith's primary weapons were his claws and teeth.

Quidano scanned the area around the X1X shuttle. The weather pattern was stable. There was some tectonic activity. The shuttle set down as near the location of the scientists as they could determine although there was no sign of technology. Quidano fired flares into the air. They heard the sounds of people or animals running towards them. Three Gatrubbians ran out of the treeline pursued by wolf-like creatures. Toraith killed one bare-handed and the remainder retreated.

Non-Roleplay

Tabitha was announced as Sentinel's XO.

Shauna joined OH1 as our new counselor.

Anna-Maria is collaborating on a Kardasi dictionary project. It's not ready to go public yet.

We discussed the Star Trek: Picard trailer.

Phoenix was suggested as a service or comfort animal for Scott.

Quote of the Month

Stephen wrote some hilarious bits during Katie Hobbes' delirium:

"I'm not sure, Cap... Jazz. The instruments are telling me there are 147 penguins in warp core reactors and that seems to be a bit high."

"I'll say," Jasmine said. "That's at least twice as many as there should be."

"I know but all the instruments are reading correctly," Katie said. She bit her lip and shook her head. It also struck her as being odd that the buttons on the panel were starting to exhibit the unusual behavior of getting up and running around the panel in almost exactly the same way that buttons generally don't.

"Why not?" Lt Commander Nicholas Hobbes said leaning forward toward the display, catching one of the roaming buttons and slapping it back into its proper place on the console.

—Tabitha felt it was a bit like reading Alice in Wonderland in Space. Richard felt a dash of Douglas Adams and Anna-Maria wondered if the hungry voles were looking for the restaurant at the end of the universe.

Player of the Month

Shauna has come to Outpost Hope One with a lot of drive and skill. Ensign Jila Keran comes with a conflicted backstory including an exchange with the captain of the transport ship that I am excited to see more about. As a Bajoran counselor, she was able to convince a Cardassian to share. She has also participated in non-roleplay discussions.

June 2019

Ambassador Magar offered to assist in the vole hunt. It had been years since her last. Tia sensed the predatory nature of the 'hunt'. Station reassured her that the remaining voles would be treated humanely and would keep an ancillary within the Embassy to keep watch over the caged voles. Magar was relieved when the thought-stealer left. Station wondered why Cardassians, particularly difficult minds for telepaths to read, were so concerned with telepathic species. Magar was disapproving and generally disappointed with the younger Cardassians aboard Station. Seket had taken her punishment in stride and become an integral part of the medical team which earned her no credibility with the Cardassian Ambassador. Station changed the subject to the perception of time; specifically, watched a kettle boil. Magar turned the conversation back to the vole infestation as a plot against the Federation, or, the Cardassian Order itself.

Scott fell asleep with Phoenix curled up beside him. He remembered his time from Christ Church, fearing Tia without knowing why. He flashed to a Sunday morning breakfast before church. He remembered the degenerative condition suffered by his mother and aunt that was either caused or cured by everclear.

Tia took her pet vole to see Dr. Herrstum. She wanted to be absolutely sure that Phoenix had no infection. The vole was clear of the rabies spreading through the feral population aboard Station. She then took Scott for a checkup with Doctor Saghder. He was interested in Tia's telepahty as he performed a neuro-structural analysis on Scott. In the meantime, Scott would be allowed to skateboard on the holodeck with added safety protocols.

Tia described her various devices to Seket. Seket asked a lot of tangential questions about Tia's telepathy. Seket related Tia's home world to the times dark after the Hebitian Age. Tia offered to provide Seket with schematics of her telepathic blocker disguised as a hairpiece. Seket peppered Tia with questions about range, effectiveness, how much the girl could glean from untrained minds.

Katie Hobbes was lured to Second Chances Cafe by the smell of lemon croissant. She had tasted real, non-replicated lemons and chicory coffee during her time at the Academy. She was introduced to Tia (and Phoenix) and Magar.

Magar sat in her quarters reflecting on her isolation. She could not show a sliver of weakness in front of her people. She told Station about Laro, her adopted daughter. She thought more and more about her. It was a weakness.

Eiwan was hanging from the ceiling, working on the biofilters. Katie had never heard of a vole. As soon as they were done with the air filtration system, the water transport system was next. Opening a panel Katie loosed a mass of fur and nesting materials. They readied to beam the estimated seven million voles into a holding pen. Opening one hatch, a vole Katie presumed was dead was anything but. The wound bled freely and was beamed to Sickbay for medical treatment.

Magar worked with Station to find a suitable venue to host an exhibition on Hebitian art. She preferred a cargo bay over a broom closet near the waste disposal system... although a malfunction could draw them all out into space. The two discussed the guest list including Cardassians of good families and Federation personnel to see another side of Magar's people. Tia was a skilled holographer although, as a thought-stealer, Magar was uneasy at the thought of working with her. Magar told Station of the story of the farmer and his slothful wife. She allowed her home to be infested with voles, even raising one from a pup. The vole bit the farmer's wife, ungrateful for the compassion shown it. Magar was never one to let her guard down.

Magar met with Anna to plan the menu for the art exhibition. The ambassador suggested vole bellies and fruit and fish juices.

Toraith tied up the Cardassian stowaway pending a diplomatic solution of getting rid of him. He wondered if he was related to their new Cardassian pilot.

Bresa assembled the away team to search for survivors on the planetoid. The X-1X shuttle would take the team down along with pattern enhancers in case of an emergency beam-out in the wildly fluctuating conditions. They were mostly armed with non-lethal weapons although Kemak and Toriath each carried hidden, lethal weapons. Toraith also brought snacks.

Non-Roleplay

We discussed an upcoming art show of ancient Hebitian art as a collective storyline.

Anna-Maria announced her intention of selling voles on eBay. She reassured us they were poseable models rather than living creatures.

Subject Lines of the Month

2419.06.05.01 SEN Eiwan "99 packs of voles in the walls, 99 packs of voles"
2419.06.05.01 SEN Hobbes "Take one down and pass it around"
—A song to help in the rooting out of vole nests. 99 might be a bit optimistic.

Quote of the Month

Excerpt from 2419.06.23.03 SENT - Magar "Things past"

“You were right incidentally. There is a reason for my dislike of Seket. And understand this goes no further. No-one else can know.” Magar pulled out a small imager, held it out. There was a picture of a young Cardassian, caught in a 3d image on some long gone occasion. Laro was – well I adopted her I suppose. An orphaned brat and the closest thing to a daughter I have ever had since agents do not have family as a rule. And when I had become accustomed to having her around it was gone. She was gone. Perhaps Seket reminds me of her a little because she is a young Cardassian….and has a little of –“ She caught herself, it was still painful to say the name even now, “- a little of – ahhh - a little of Laro’s spirit. She has not had her enthusiasm knocked out yet. So I prefer to avoid her because it brings up painful memories.”

—Magar (played by Anna-Maria) showing a crack in her character's veneer and sharing her feelings with Station in a way that simply could not be shared with anyone else

Player of the Month

Anna-Maria has written some very memorable posts this month. The story of the slothful farmer's wife is particularly telling of Cardassian culture. After many years Magar has finally found a friend to confide in. It is a pleasure to read Anna-Maria's writing. She is also commanding officer at Starbase Horizon. So glad she is a part of OH1.

May 2019

Kemak waited impatiently for her Ferengi contact to deliver highly legal tojal and yarmok sauce. She received a call and rebuked the speaker before realizing it was a Gatrubbian. Emila Kora was warning all Cestus-class cargo vessels of a catastrophic explosion between a Cestus-class and a Provider-class bulk carrier. The Cardassian pilot was naturally suspicious of a well-intentioned warning.

Axel had received a new contract with Stellar Dynamics and Bresa was eager to depart. Their destination was well away from the usual trade routes. Targa inspected the new disruptor canon assembly. He didn't expect to find Toraith looking for another stowaway. And yet... there was another stowaway; a dock worker who had fallen asleep and been left behind. Toraith offered to eat the stowaway if his employer didn't want him back.

Axel exited warp near Sterliva IV, a testing site of Project New Worlds. The planetoid was giving unusual bio signs. Kemak asked to join Targa and Malot in searching for the missing scientists.

Station wanted to teach Malot about food. Spiciness was often described as heat although there was no thermal effect. Malot commented on the number of Gatrubbian celebrations that revolved around a meal. These celebrations mark significant changes in their lives and society as a whole.

Station agreed to help Tia develop a curriculum for Scott. Scott thought the Vulcan nurse from Sickbay was hot. Station decided on a holographic excursion to Vulcan to study the culture. Scott asked for a pattymelt like he had on Christchurch and didn't understand how Vulcans liked vegetables. Station suggested they visit Cardassia Prime, where Seket was from, after lunch.

Tia asked Station for help with preventing her holograms from being stolen. Station recommended a conversation about patents with Eiwan who had patented some of her own inventions. The engineer hadn't realized Tia's direct connection to Station's systems.

Scott awoke from his surgery. He was anxious to know if his brain was fixed. He asked about home and Tia reminded him that it was long behind them. Tia demanded that Scott be sterilized. Phoenix hadn't yet had a litter which surprised the Cardassian scientist. The doctor offered a limited-time contraceptive and a follow-up in a year. Seket administered cognitive tests. Tia apologized to Seket for Scott's behaviour. The Dunson clan were like a pack of voles but with less sense. He had no manners and no education. Station offered to help Tia teach Scott.

Ensign Katie Hobbes made herself at home. She holoprojected a view of the Pacific Ocean as seen from the Earth island of Maui. She uneasy with the black mass of the Sphere blotting out half of space. She sent a letter to her sister Jasmine, Jazz, to say she had arrived safely. She decided to begin her reconnaissance of the station on the Promenade and a drink.

Lytton could not believe where he was being sent for a rendez-vous although the payment of ketracel ice was more than enough motivation.

Tia took her pet vole to the vet for a checkup. She was in good health. Tia explained to Station what it was like to see through the eyes of a vole. Tia trained Pheonix to be a house pet. It would also serve a guard vole to keep Scott from leaving their apartment. She wanted to keep Scott safely home while minding her shop. Holographic pets were a hot commodity. Tia gifted Station with a holographic pet: an animated rose. It communicated in squeaks and had some freedom of movement within it's enclosure.

Magar was teaching Station the art of painting Hebitian masks. Station could approximate artistry by mimicking existing examples. They were interrupted by the hissing of a caged vole. Station scanned the wall and found life signs for a nest of baby voles which she transported into the cage with their mother. Station equated Tia's skills with the legend of the Pied Piper. Magar enjoyed the part where the Pied Piper attracted all of the rats in a town and drowned them in a river. Tia recounted the bite Magar had received as she learned from the vole's point of view. It was the first time the Cardassian Ambassador had encounted the thought stealer. Tia learned that the vole had escaped from the Cardassian Cafe aboard the station where she was being kept as livestock. Magar gave permission for Station to locate all of the loose voles and she offered to transport them to the colony within the Sphere.

The vole found in the embassy was ill. There was little known of vole disease as the standard treatment was eradication. There was never a shortage of the vermin and there was no commercial value in treating a sick vole. Station sounded a Blue Alert as a precaution. The disease had similarities to the Terran disease rabies. Magar wondered if it had been introduced to the voles as a biological weapon against the Cardassians on Station and within the Sphere. Hunor and Varadi scanned the remaining voles for signs of sickness. Seket let the two know that Magar was in the room with a zas grenkac; a thought taker. The two ran through the implications.

Doctor Saghder attended to the Cardassian Embassy with Seket. Varadi excluded Seket from the invitation into the embassy, amused at her lowly position with the sarrku. Tia had a calming influence on the voles. The dislike between the Cardassian women was palpably hostile. Ambassador Magar, every Cardassian and every sarrku had to be innoculated for rabies. Magar raised the question of how such a disease could have spread on Station. The Cardassians were already eradicating the diseased animals with a phaser. The Ambassador confiscated the phaser and feigned disciplinary action in front of Station and the other sarrku. Doctor Saghder confirmed the disease as rabies, assured everyone that it was treatable and that he should be able to ascertain it's origin.

Non-Roleplay

Stephen joined OH1 as our newest engineer: Ensign Katie Hobbes.

Quote of the Month

If these upgrades weren't executed with precision the repercussions could be catastrophic, so he wasn't about to turn the groundwork for the whole plan over to something that couldn't die. There was no vested interest for them.
—Targa (played by Rich) inspecting the new disruptor cannon assembly

Player of the Month

Tabitha has been working very hard behind the scenes. There has been a lot of discussion about the current state of OH1 and where to go from here. It has been invaluable support.

April 2019

Gubri Kalmar arrived on Station to continue his corporate espionage of Delta Star Logistics. He met with a known associate to pay for the disappearance of a DSL ship and cargo. Gubri was approached by a hooden figure who demanded he stop and punctuated it with a disruptor blast to the abdomen. He left a bloody trail as he crawled to a busier corridor. He was beamed immediately to Sickbay and taken directly into surgery for his injuries. Nurse T'Lin offered to calculate his low probability of survival. Lieutenant Bear waited for Gubri to awaken. The Gatrubbian could not identify anything about his attacker. He stated he was on the station for business but did not elaborate.

Dux Targ'ak admired the holographic sky of the Terrarium. The Dux demanded the shopkeepers records with plans to confiscate them. Ariana was astounded by his demands. Station asserted that the station was Federation jurisdiction. Haldar stated that the Dux was within his rights under Kharian law and would provide all of the documents by the following morning.

Tia stopped for breakfast at Second Chances Cafe. She sensed JJ was nearby when he was transported into medical isolation. Tia unknowingly accepted a communique from JJ's father who threatened his former slave. She abruptly closed the channel. Station reassured Tia of her safety.

Targa dreamt about about his Age of Inclusion ceremony. He proudly claimed the rights and duties of the House of Yorgh.

Doctor Butler inquired about Ambassador Magar's implant. The Wire dulled pain but the Cardassian was reluctant, even with the Federation concept of doctor-patient confidentiality, of revealing any details. If it failed, there was no way for Butler to properly diagnose and treat her.

A Provider module merged with a Gatrubbian freighter and exploded shortly afterwards.

Quidano stopped by Toraith's room for a security walkthrough before they departed. Toraith looked shinier, newer and it took the Garan a moment to realize that he had molted.

Tia walked around the Promenade with a vole under her arm. Seket stopped her to question the wisdom of carrying a wild and savage vole. It had entered her quarters and immediately calmed under Tia's telepathic influence. Seket suggested a cooking pot was the best place for a vole. Tia explained how, within her shield, she could communicate with the vole mind-to-mind. They shared a prey's caution against predators in their respective environments.

Targa presented a resonance burst rectifier to the crew. It looked like a metallic box. It would give Axel's weapons much greater range with the precision of a scalpel. It was a leap forward in the upgrades the Klingon engineer had for the ship.

Station reassured she would not, and could not, disclose that Magar was in Sickbay. It would cause the ambassador to lose face. Station was excited about the exhibit of ancient Hebitian art and artifacts. Magar offered a vole as an Easter gift in lieu of a bunny rabbit. Instead the two would paint eggs which was also an ancient Terran Easter tradition with a similar custom on ancient Cardassia. Magar began her design with fine green lines to which she would add leaves and flowers. Station was able to copy the design nearly identically but encouraged to be more creative and unique.

Axel limped home from their trip through the anomaly field. They were eager to offload their prisoners. Targa and Malot had managed to repair enough of the ship to get home and were hoping for Gatrubbian assistance. Stellar Dynamics offered to repair the ship quickly if they accepted an urgent mission. Bresa wondered by the Gatrubbians did not sent their own ship immediately.

Kemak stayed aboard Axel during the repairs. She did not want to risk being identified and extradited to Cardassian justice. She nearly boarded Sentinel for a jar of spices. She asked Captain Bresa for permission to stay aboard. He was satisfied with her performance and had no intention of cancelling her contract. She was relieved and grateful.

Malot appeared in one of Stations holosuites and put the kettle on. It had recently been knocked offline during a firefight. Malot feared permanent deactivation and shared that there was no pain during it's temporary deactivation. Station turned to the happy matter of a 'taste' subroutine that it shared with Malot. Malot explored the sensation of a warm, fruity tea and asked about other tastes. Station had overreacted to spicy Cardassian fare. Station ordered creme egg frappuccinos which tasted very pleasant. Neither could be harmed by food overindulgence.

Station was one of several sentient programs. Tia mentioned M5, a very early artificial intelligence that gained control of the USS Enterprise with catastrophic consequences. Station reassured her that she had very strong ethical subroutines that overrode all other programming. It was hard-wired to do no harm. It had been created by Bynars whose own planet was managed by a sentient computer. The rights of sentient computers was below that of androids and sentient holographic persons. She regularly communicated with Malot, a sentient hologram aboard Axel.

Magar noticed a lost-and undernourished-looking human and recommended they eat together at the Cardassian Cafe. Tia was reassured by her interaction with Station and wary of everyone else. Tia lowered her mental shield and didn't sense any immediate danger from the stranger. Magar recommended a few dishes and cautioned the young whelp against the spice. She was disturbed by the cannibalism practiced on Christ Church amongst the slave class and their reliance on rats for food. Station found the idea of a non-vegan diet distasteful. It's ethical subroutines prevented it from harming it's users, and, by extension, partaking in the harm of living beings. Magar doubted that zabu stew would taste as good if made with Terran yams.

Non-Roleplay

Rich stepped back from OH1 to focus on his Axel characters.

Karen stepped back from OH1 to focus on real life.

We discussed changes to post headers. Players can change the order of the header to show characters-in-thread first and optionally bold tagged characters.

March 2019

Jacqueline and Alison's giggling attracted the attention Ensign Hunter. She relied on Station to identify the pair who, at 0255 hours, were running around the Promenade unsupervised and appeared intoxicated. Alison appeared to have sprained her ankle and Hunter detoured to Sickbay. Station informed the girls' parents.

Seket and Hunter had coffee and croissants together after the girls were patched up and sent home. Seket admitted that her work in Sickbay was a punishment. She had to be persuaded to take a breakfast break. Terran coffee roused her and believed it was an acquired taste.

Doctor Butler was concerned about Seket's bedside manner. She needed to act as if she really cared about the patients. Seket promised to study the subject of human compassion. Butler was reassured about her emergency medical training.

Latta and V'Lias arrived for their shift at Second Chances Cafe. Station was curious about their relationship, clearly very close but without any signs of affection.

The replicator failed to produce a cup of coffee. In removing the panel, Magar was bit by a vole. She allowed the blood to drain before bandaging and laughed at Station's request she seek medical attention. The severe swelling and infection required professional medical intervention. Magar declined painkillers

Ensign Riker reported to the Cardassian Embassy regarding sporadic system issues. The Cardassians heavily modified the standard Federation systems. The engineer identified it as a rodent problem immediately. Varadi was weary of bringing more people into the embassy for trapping and repairs.

Scott fussed in his seat as he and Tia were on final approach to Sentinel Station. He had never seen anything as massive as the Dyson Sphere. Once aboard, Tia interfaced directly with Station who asked her to remain in the outermost ring of her internal systems.

Quidano, Targa and Tirza moved through the Viatorem cautiously. With time running out to meet their contract obligations, they disabled the ship's weapons systems and beamed back to Axel. Eugene and Blank remained somewhere on the Viatorem. Axel was secured from the raiders.

Tirza was left guarding the storage compartment where the prisoners were kept. Bresa thought it best to hand them over to Federation security aboard Sentinel. Quidano had wanted to kill the pirates and, fearing he would, carried a non-lethal weapon. He was pleased with his RB4K.

Malot's program rebooted after it's unexpected shutdown. It mechanically reported for duty while Targa checked for damaged and corrupted subroutines. Malot's sentience struggled to assert itself.

Magar had a dark sense of humour. The lighting dimmed and the ambassador joked that it was voles in the walls. She wondered what it felt like for the station to be damaged, did it hurt Station? Station described it as a physical limitation but the concern was existential. It wanted to provide a comfortable environment for it's users. Some parts of the Promenade were purposely damaged or blocked from her sensors.

Dux Castrorus Severus Optimates Turg'ak arrived aboard Sentinel Station to a paltry honour guard. Ensign Hunter had been hauled out of bed. Turg'ak presumed a lack of privacy and armed escort. Governor Ashon-Milyo offered a tour of the Promenade but the Dux wanted to meet with Haldar Kel'ak first.

JJ bullied his way aboard Sentinel Station. He found Tia and made it clear he wanted to reinstate their master-slave positions. Station reassured Tia that she would restrain JJ if he intended harm. The xenophobe took a swipe at Station's ancillary who immediately transported him to secure holding. He injured Ingvar and Hunter during questioning and was moved to medical isolation on suspicion of mental defect. He insisted that Tia was property and assault against non-humans didn't count.

After the events in the Sphere, Project New Worlds had been forced to relocate. Belva observed the surface of Sterlita IV from his observation cupola. The probe flashed on the barren surface filling the atmosphere with the necessary components for life. Twelve hours later, Stellar Dynamics HQ received a broken distress call from Sterlita IV.

Non-Roleplay

Sandy joined OH1.

We all agreed that Station is light years ahead of current smart home technology.

JJ's over-the-top aggression contrasted with Quidano's abundance of caution against harm. JJ is at a place where Quidano was when he joined the Nal'Gaharay.

Subject Line of the Month

2419.03.12.02 SENT Station "Huh... Ariana is my easiest user right now"
—Ariana tried to throw Station for a loop by searching 'Hey Siri By Alexa'. And, yes, Ariana was less of a handful than Station's other users.

February 2019

The crew of the Axel had caught or killed all of Stanley's raiders. In two groups, they checked every compartment on the ship looking for stragglers. Targa dispatched a raider sneaking up on Kemak who was told to refrain from killing. Quidano was armed with his non-lethal RB4K; trying to distance himself from his time in the Nal'Gaharay. Eugene heard heavy footsteps and thought it was Blank backing him up. He lunged at Bresa when he realized it was a Gorn. Toraith incapacitated him but was forbidden to eat the raider.

Seket was hiding in plain sight by working the night shift. Most Cardassians disliked doctors. Doctor Butler was concerned with Seket's bedside manner and expected her to be compassionate and empathic.

Station noticed a power fluctuation that Magar suspected was a vole infestation. It did not feel pain but malfunction or incapacitation were bothersome. Ensign Riker reported to Chief Eiwan and given the option of converting a section into a sulphur-rich environment or repairing the environmental systems in the Cardassian Embassy. Ambassador Magar felt that Starfleeters generally held a dim view of Cardassians.

V'Liatta (V'Lias and Latta) were nervous in their new surroundings. Ana noticed immediately. They were not used to being purposeless and gladly accepted cooking lessons.

Ensign Hunter called for immediate beam-out. The Nal'Gaharay facility was incinerated but it was unclear whether the personnel had escaped beforehand. Captain Tekenat recalled USS Liberacion from mop-up maneouvres to escort USS Daystrom back to the safety of Sentinel Station.

Magar inquired how Station was enjoying it's new smell and taste subroutines. They were a combination of references to other sensations Station was already familiar with. The subroutines ran in safe-mode with Station's core programming secured and restricted. The two enjoyed coffee with milk, one of the most requested drinks from Station's replicators.

Magar looked over the Hebitian art when it arrived aboard. Much of it was hand-carved jevonite looted from burial vaults for private collections. Cardassia was state-imposed atheistic. Station recited standard arguments for atheism but every known culture had a version of after-life. Magar challenged Station to identify the subroutines for beauty. Biological organisms simply understood beauty.

Subject Lines of the Month

2419.02.26.01 SENT Station "Happy and Warm"
2419.02.27.01 SENT Station "/They/ are eating /me/ right now"
—Station (played by Tabitha) started out with a tasting subroutine and ended up as a meal for ferral voles.

Player of the Month

Anna-Maria presented Magar in a beautiful light this month. What appeared to be a clever attempt to get into Nor's programming by offering "taste" subroutines turned into an exploration of sensation. Magar brought ancient treasures to Sentinel Station for an art exhibition. It was no surprise to know that ancient tombs were raided for the personal collections of Obsidian Order members. In an atheistic culture valuing love of the state above all else, it was a surprise that Magar knew ancient Hebitian prayers. It seemed that Magar enjoyed drinking coffee with milk and admiring objet d'art.

January 2019

Ensigns Hunter, Emganwini and Marpan transported into the communications facility. The security officer lead the trio to the computer core and provded cover fire. The engineer needed time to crack the security protocols and download commuications logs. The Nal'G decided to destroy the mainframe itself rather than allow it to be accessed. Marpan detected that the power core was also beginning to overload.

Sentinel Station's senior programmers returned to Bynaus after a 16-year absence. They had lost contact with their parents after an encounter with the Breen. They eagerly shared the news that Station was a sentient mainframe. 

Avery and Henry were reminded of their debt to Magar for their failure. Dakar stated they were to pick up dangerous cargo from within the Sphere and transport it to it's destination. He was ordered to accompany them to ensure compliance.

Soros awoke in his cell. He and Cathal got hands around each other's necks and vapourized in a flash.

Teami Davoth cleaned up the disarray in her shop. She had some inventory in storage to replace some damaged items. She and other proprietors asked for additional, visible patrols by station security.

Anka Syrik surveyed the damage on the Promenade during a break between back-to-back duty shifts. Station joined him for a holographic beer. Rik described intoxication as distorted senses and amplified emotion. By the end of the evening he was convinced that Ensign Serota was involved.

Lieutenant Anka showed Ensign Serota one of the devices planted within Station. It was uncannily similar to her 'Romulan noisemaker'. She disabled her device and offered it to the engineer for examiation. It was designed to cancel may spectrum inputs with an inverse signal: turn everything into background noise. Serota suggested a dampening field aroud the device that would reduce it's inputs and neutralize it. The Nal'G device contained a Devore-style plasma-discharge self-destruct.

Targa and Quidano tested the new RB4K non-lethal side arms. Quidano no longer wanted to have the power to take another person's life. He also wanted the untrained members of the crew to be able to defend the ship. Toraith preferred his hands of weapons anyway. He acidentally fired a capsicum cartridge against the cargo bay wall but did not enjoy the flavour.

Kemak was surprised to be asked questions by Bresa instead of simply receiving orders from Axel's captain. Quidano oriented her to Axel's navigational controls. Kemak was not as easily distracted as Quidano by Xin's innuendos.

Mason and Eugene argued over the best way to capture the Axel. Within the Crossroads Disruption Field, they'd have nowhere to run.

Axel was entering an area of drifting, globular temporal anomalies. They needed a curret map for the Exemplar Nova freighter following two hours behind them. Tirza took over the helm and Toraith moved to weapons. The raider overwhelmed Axel's shields. Eugene lead the boarding party. Blank disabled Malot's holoemitter with a punch. Toraith chipped a tooth trying to bite the Brikar's splenius.

Non-Roleplay

We exchanged New Year's greetings from all corners of the Earth.

Debby returned to OH1 as shopkeeper Athena Theophilus.

Rich introduced the non-lethal RB4K side arm used aboard SS Axel. It is based on the contemporary OCA system.

Older Captains Logs