STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
guest EDITORIAL THE GEEK I AM` DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS LOG BY MY HONOUR BOUND – SHORT FICTION
HEARTS OF OAK ARE OUR SHIPS From fiction to fact – Trek gadgets in the Real World The day I met “The man” starbase europa update Don’t Yield – Back AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D.! FLEET COMMUNICATIONS – AN OFFICER’S GUIDE Starfleet communicator redesign challenge Iron gut publishing Star trek fine art offer COMPETITION Admiralty dispatch CONTACTS/FLEET LIST
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LEGAL NOTICE STARFLEET COMMAND RECOGNISES THAT Star Trek, and all related, derived or inferred ideas are the intellectual property of CBS STUDIOS INC. No infringement is intended in the use of this material and no attempt is made to supersede holders of copyright to star trek or other material . STARFLEET COMMAND DOES NOT NECESSARILY SHARE THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS PUBLICATION NOR ARE THEY INTENDED TO CAUSE OFFENCE. All articles are copyright Starfleet command (Quadrant 2) and the original authors. This publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part in any media without the express written permission of the director of communications. the persons, organisations and events portrayed in all star trek series and motion pictures are fictitious – any similarity to actual persons (living or dead), organisations and events is unintentional all submissions, suggestions for improvements and any other comments should be directed to the Director of communications, Starfleet command – contact details are at the back of this publication.
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
Admiral Mark Mitchell, guest Editor Greetings, True Believers! In honour of Admiral Arlow’s brush with greatness (for details, see this issue of Comms), it’s only fitting to launch this editorial in the Mighty Marvel manner! Allow your humble Guest Editor to welcome you to the latest issue of the Communications Update - Starfleet Command’s far–too occasional inter-fleet Newsletter. I’m Mark Mitchell, normally Starfleet Command’s Director of Administration (AKA the Office of Paper-Pushing), but just for once I’ve been released from my desk to bring you this issue – to be honest, if the admirals don’t get out of headquarters from time to time we get a bit musty – and I hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed putting it together. For those of you new to SFC, Comms is a tradition and a service that dates back to the days before the internet: when paperwork actually was on paper; we all thought computers should sound like Majel Barrett and a phone call from Aunty Jack-Boots made even the bravest Captain tremble in his regulation boots! Fortunately, times have moved on: almost all our paperwork is electronic; the average desktop computer packs more computing power than Kirk’s Enterprise and if you really need an Admiral, you don’t need to look much further than facebook! But Comms is still with us – the format may be (constantly) changing but our mission remains the same: bringing you the latest SFC news together with articles and reports from the wider worlds of Trek and fandom that we hope will entertain and inform you. And remember, if you would like to contribute to your Communications Update we’re always looking for articles, reviews, fiction poetry and even artwork. You can send whatever you’d like to share with the fleet to info@starfleet-command.co.uk with the subject Comms Submission. Don’t forget to include your name, rank and Unit so we can properly credit you in print. And that’s it for now, crew – I’m signing off and going back to my desk and a pile of paperwork. No rest for the wicked!
Excelsior!
Mark Adm. Mark Mitchell Director of Administration. Full Disclosure: Mark is a self-confessed long time fan of the Original Earth-616 Nick Fury and although he’s got nothing against Samuel L. Jackson, he would like to point out that from 1963 until 2001 Nick was considerably more Caucasian and everyone seemed happy with that. Also, if Marvel continue to insist this wasn’t stunt casting, then we’re way overdue Sarah Jessica Parker as Storm, Jason Statham as Black Panther, Naveen Andrews as Captain Britain and Jet Li as Captain America! Mark would also like to take the opportunity to deny the rumour that he has too much time on his hands!
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
We continue our nostalgic look at the influences that have made us the people we are today with Tom Burns, CO of the U.S.S. Northumberland and selfconfessed cosplayer and geek.
First Geek toy:
It’s difficult to remember what came first, there were so many from such an early age. I persuaded my parents to take me into Fenwick department store to buy me a Darth Vader figure on the way back from watching The Empire Strikes Back at the Cannon Cinema in Newcastle. But before that I remember days sitting with my Dad watching the adventures of Captain Kirk (possibly the manliest Man I had ever seen and exactly what a hero should be) and dreaming of my very own Enterprise. I used to head out into the back lane behind our house, collecting any nuts and bolts to begin building my working Starship, planning on boldly going (as long as I was home for tea!). Then one day my Dad brought home a present for me, a 1976 Dinky Toys Starship Enterprise with firing “photon torpedoes” and opening Shuttlebay with shuttle inside. It came everywhere with me…. right up until I shot my big brother in the eye with a photon torpedo! I swear he looked like a Klingon! All these years later, it still sits in pride of place on my living room “Geek Shelf” and I wouldn’t part with it. It started it all, ensuring I can’t walk past Forbidden Planet or a model shop without popping in and lightening my wallet!
Pride & Joy: In 1982 a little known franchise set in a galaxy far, far away was making a slight impact on kids around the world. Like all young lads I dreamt of following Old Ben on some damned fool crusade or hanging around in a wretched hive of scum and villainy. My toy collection had gone from average to disturbing and all-encompassing to my parents’ eyes as, like so many others, I “NEEDED” every figure out there and life would be ruined without all their vehicles too. As Xmas came around I shunned the idea of asking for world peace or an end to famine in favour of the really important stuff… The Millenium Falcon, an AT-AT and the pinnacle of geeky toys at the time, Slave 1. I pleaded, pestered, begged and cajoled my parents at every opportunity and Xmas morning, I was spoilt rotten, Captain Solo had the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy, Echo Base was under attack from a shiny new Imperial Walker, and Boba Fett…. well… he still had his jet pack I suppose.
Slave 1 never materialised, and as the holiday passed and I headed back to school, I put it out of my mind. Jump forward 13 years, I was helping my parents with a clear out, sorting boxes and cupboards when my dad walked over with an embarrassed and puzzled expression holding the mint, still boxed, Slave 1 he had put away for me all those years ago. His “safe places” are now legendary! I felt the same excitement I had all those years ago – the same joy just looking at the box, and now it still sits, safe, preserved perfectly and as cool as ever but
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013 now I have it! Someday it will be my son’s – but not yet, I’m not ready to let it go, there’s a lot of lost time to make up! Pivotal moment: My Dad is a great bloke. A family man and a gentleman and I don’t hesitate to say I love him to bits. When I was a little kid though, we just didn’t get along. I’ve no idea why, but we just didn’t quite “get” each other. So he shared something with me that I never knew – he loved comic books. We began collecting and reading together comics of all kinds, from Dan Dare/Eagle, Savage Sword of Conan, and of course the “Big Two”, Marvel and DC. We loved the superheroes, Green Lantern, Flash, Batman, Spider-Man, X-Men, you name it, but the one that we both loved was Superman. Yeah he could be cheesy, naff, and clichéd if not handled properly, but when done right, he was inspiring. Then, one day, when I was very young, my dad bundled me on the bus, took me into Newcastle and into the cinema. I sat down with my Kia Ora and Butterkist and wondered what we were seeing. Then it happened, and I believed, I completely believed with all my young heart that a man could fly. Chris Reeve WAS Superman.
Everything I had read, everything I had understood about how inspiring the character could be. I spent the whole time open mouthed, my popcorn and juice untouched, grinning ear to ear and crying. I had no idea why, but I cried. And as soon as it was over I begged to watch it again. Looking back, it wasn’t a perfect film by a long shot, but to that kid, who’s first real connection to his Dad came via Superman comics, it didn’t matter, it was perfect for me then. I still love it to this day, it may be a bit obvious, and an easy answer, but it’s honest, it changed me and I couldn’t be happier that it did. General Geekiness: I’m a complete geek in every way. I’ve never found it a thing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about and always indulged it. I have more geeky t-shirts than I can remember, our house is covered in an ever growing collection of posters, comic book covers, toys, figures, statues, props and replicas. We have framed film cells and an original autographed photo of Brandon Lee from The Crow, more Hot Toys and Kotobukiya statues pre-ordered than we care to think about. I love reading all kinds of Sci-fi and fantasy as well as my growing collection of comics. I’m a member of a costuming group, getting together having a laugh dressing up as people from comic books, TV and films, and yes while we raise money for charity which is fantastic, I would do it just for the sake of it, who doesn’t want to step out as an Avenger or a Jedi, or a Ninja Commando? I have plenty of tattoos including Superman’s symbol on one arm and the Arashikage symbol from G.I. Joe’s Snake Eyes on the other, with plans for full comic book sleeves. Guilty Pleasure: It’s a terrible, awful song, but I can’t help but sing along to Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone Now” – I think I need to hand in my Metal Card now!
Don’t Worry Tom – your secret’s safe with us!
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
NOVEMBER 2013, STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS, LONDON Welcome to Q2 Comms, Starfleet Commands irregular newsletter. We had hoped to have a review of the Star Trek Xbox/PS3 game. Unfortunately it never arrived. That might turn out to be a good thing as the game was widely criticised. In fact, JJ Abrams even went so far as to say that he thought the game damaged the films reputation http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-trek/27297/jj-abrams-star-trek-videogame-hurt-star-trek-intodarkness A while ago, I mentioned on Facebook that I was thinking on buying it for the Xbox and not one Trekkie came to its defence. Looks like I saved a few quid there!
A few weeks ago I was forced to remove the Director of Fleet Communications from position. This was due to inactivity and having only produced one issue of Comms in six years. As a result there is now a vacancy on the Admiralty Board. Anyone interested in this role, should contact me directly. However, don't think on it as a fast track to promotion. A position on the ADMB is undertaking a commitment to the club and its members A brief outline of the job description for Director of Fleet Communications (DoFC): A A
Director of Fleet Communications is an Admiralty Board position DoFC will receive a brevet promotion to Commodore. The DoFC will be confirmed in rank upon publication of their first Comms A DoFC will liaise with all unit Communications Officers A DoFC primary duty will be to serve as Editor of Q2 Comms, the Fleet newsletter m m m
Comms should be produced and distributed to the Fleet at least twice a year SFC is a Star Trek fanclub and as such the majority of content should be Trek related Content should, ideally, come from members of SFC
And a massive thank you to Mark who managed to compile this issue of Comms in a little over 2 weeks. Someone should give that guy a balloon or something! OK, enough from me. Enjoy the read and don't forget to sign up to the Forums and Starbase Europa on Facebook
Have fun
Scotty ADM Scott D Arlow Director of Operations
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
"I, a Klingon warrior of the blood Sha'Qhar, bind myself, of my will, by my word and in honour.
T
he red glow of the Klingon transporter beam faded to reveal five figures. The shortest of the group, leaning on what appeared to be a metal tipped quarterstaff, stepped forward. "Take me to your Commanding Officer." A few minutes later the group stood before the Romulan commander. The Klingon leader spoke, in Federation Standard, "I am Klist sutai Sha'Qhar, Master of Warriors and Striking Sword of the Emperors Hand. These are my batlh `vwI'. I am instructed by My Emperor to join you." Reaching under his cloak he withdrew a datachip which he handed to the Romulan. "Greetings Colonel. I am Commander Gim Kr'Vat ." Without moving his eyes from the Klingon he inserted the chip into a data-reader. Never moving his eyes, he said, "Your records state that you are an experienced and ruthless `warrior'. " The word warrior tasted bitter in his mouth. "It also states that you harbour, shall we say, strong feelings towards my people. Will there be a problem for you serving aboard an alien vessel under a Romulan commander?" "I have sworn to My Emperor that I will follow the orders of my commanding officer. wa' Qu'vaD wa' DevwI' tu'lu' (For one mission, there is one leader)." replied Klist. His hand disappeared beneath his cloak and withdrew a bundle of scrolls. "These are our oaths." The Romulan opened the first scroll and examined the contents:
I swear to serve and defend my Emperor, the noble Kahless, his heirs and successors as designated, the Empire, and my House and family. An affront to one is an affront to all and I swear to avenge such without mercy and regardless of cost. I swear to obey my Lords and those Officers set over me by my epetai, the embodiment of my House, honour and lineage. I swear to discipline warriors under my command by such authority, for it is my right, duty and privilege to lead those warriors with courage and honour on the path of glory. Duty is my only just path, in service to Emperor, Empire, House and family. I seek neither reward nor recognition, save an honourable death. The honour is to serve.�
Entering his quarters, Klist breathed in deeply. The smell of feminine weakness filled his lungs. "Do'Tan, have our supplies been brought
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013 aboard?" "Yes Master." The use of the master was not as 'servant to master', but a mark of respect for his position as Master of Warriors. "The Romulans said they would be delivered immediately." Do'Tan removed himself from Klists quarters and took up his position outside the door. Using a flex-polymer adhesive, Klist placed hooks evenly across the walls to his quarters. From the two furthest apart hooks on the aft wall he hung a tapestry depicting Kahless victory over Molok. The cloth spanned four metres and hung to the floor. Carefully he undid the clasp and opened a wooden casket, unfolding the panels of his 'portable' shrine and placing a small bronze statue of His Emperor before it. Kneeling in silent prayer, Klist lit the candle placed atop the bleached white skull of 'Sarek', his childhood targ. Lighting an incense burner be breathed in the fragrance of white roses, at home they were called Azetbur's Tears.
spine. "Colonel, the honour guard were wondering what we should do about weapons?" "Secure your sidearms. Wear your d'k tahg openly at all times. I will take the matter up with the Commander. If our hosts are openly armed and we are working as equals, their Romulan courtesy dictates that we are allowed the same freedom. We would never allow an 'enemy' to bear arms in our company but it is their tradition and we must respect it." Klist smiled. "I have set up a rotating frequency, dampening field in these quarters. They will see us but not hear us." Klist rose from his chair. "Pass my good wishes for an enjoyable meal to the guard." Do'Tan rose and saluted, "Yes Colonel!" before leaving the room. "Computer. Dim the lights 20%. Crimson tint." The lights dimmed as Klist knelt before the shrine. Not only would he discuss the matter of weaponry with the Commander but also the matter of some Klingon computer programs - holodeck, fodstuffs and lighting. Klist entered the reception area and stopped in the doorway. Immediately he spotted two of his guards, already the victims of idle Romulan chatter. It was obvious by the silence that crept over the room that many of his hosts had never seen a Klingon Master in full ceremonial robes. The two guards strode away from their ‘hosts’ and stood to attention before Klist, speaking in the Klingon dialect know as ‘Battle Tongue’, a clipped speech almost like code to the uninitiated.
After a few moments, Klist rose and hung his batl'teh above the shrine. "DO'TAN!" he shouted. The doors opened and the guard entered."Yes Colonel." "Are the men settled?" "Yes sir. They are...comfortable." "I thought they might be," Klist smiled, "It is our Romulan friends idea of a joke. Make the quarters as bearable as possible without destroying them." "Yes Colonel, of course." He smiled. "Colonel, may I ask a question?" "Of course. Enter. Sit." Klist had a habit of inviting others to sit when entering his company. Many thought it was a courtesy unusual in most Klingons. In truth, sitting eased the pain in his
“Return to your hosts” he instructed, “Hegh maj!” All three broke into hearty laughter. As the laughter died down the Commander approached. “Glad you could join us Colonel. I hope that your quarters are satisfactory? May I offer you a drink?” He led Klist towards a table containing numerous coloured beverages. “The quarters are satisfactory Commander. I do not like my quarters being ‘bugged’!” Klist replied bluntly. “Are we not allies? Have I not given my word?”
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013 “Of course, Colonel. I will have the matter dealt with.” Replied the commander grudgingly. “Good. Now that we have dealt with the formalities, I look forward to a successful mission.” He raised a glass of green liquid to his mouth, “The Emperor!” he announced and promptly emptied the contents in one swallow. “The Empress!” replied the Romulan, swallowing his drink. Klist threw his arm around the Romulan’s shoulder, “Come, we are off duty. You will call me Klist and I will call you…” ~Romulan dog~, he thought “G’im. Let us sit and watch our men pretend to like each other.” Klist sat in a leather chair beside one of the viewports, his guards never leaving sight of him. The
Romulan lowered himself into the seat opposite. “Tonight we shall talk of glory, you shall try gagh and I shall try…..I shall try whatever it is that you eat!” he laughed = 3 hours later = Klist returned to his quarters escorted by K’aren. Many issues had been discussed and resolved, not least of all the matter of sidearms. Klist and his guard would carry disrupters aboard ship and, when off ship, any other weapons as deemed appropriate. An uneasy friendship had sprung up between the two men. Klists skin crawled at the thought that he may just ‘like’ a Romulan.
Sooner or later, every incarnation of Star Trek features a variation on my favourite scene - a starship (let’s call her Enterprise) hangs in the metal grip of a floating drydock: slowly, the dock retracts, umbilicals and worklights pull back into their ports; the last members of dock crew jet away in workbees or on thruster packs; as the camera pans around the ship we the hull lights flare to life, illuminating name and registry number; the navigation lights wink into life; then the impulse drives start to glow and finally she moves out under her own power, stately as a schooner under sail as the soundtrack reaches a crescendo, with one final tracking shot along her hull to read her ident: Starship U.S.S. Enterprise – United Federation of Planets… I first saw that scene in a seaside cinema in South Wales in the summer of ‘79 and it still gives me a thrill every time I see it. But only being the fictional Starfleet Command, we don’t have the budget for special effects like that (and lying under the night sky reenacting the scene with models just isn’t the same – not that we’ve ever done that of course!) but we do have SFC’s very own dedicated facility in the shape of the Clydeside Orbital Drydock in geostationary orbit above the historic dockfronts at Port Glasgow. One of many Starfleet traditions associated with the facility is for newly-appointed Commanding Officers Earthside to pick up their first command from the Yardmaster at the “Orbital Jockyard” before proceeding to “Terramain” Spacedock for the formal confirmation and appointment ceremony.
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013 The latest Commanding Officer to collect his papers at Clydeside was Lieutenant Tom Burns of the U.S.S. Northumberland. Although the Saber Class has been around for a number of years, Northumberland is the first of her class to enter Starfleet Service – a replacement for the Steamrunner Class Northumberland which had been intermittently in and out of service for a few years previously. No stranger to ship operations, Tom came up through Engineering to Command and was the choice of Northumberland’s previous skipper to take command when he left the ship to move on to other projects. Like her namesake the Saber is a compact and versatile starship suited to active roles in the field – the Northumberland is officially classified as a Fast Frigate, but is particularly configured for Scout/Patrol duties with up rated power generation, control and weapons systems. Her mission profile favours forward deployment into potentially hostile territory advance of exploratory vessels with the option of deploying in an escort role or performing more traditional patrol duties in colonised sectors. Current tactical thinking favours formation of Saber Class wings for “pseudo fighter” operations in high-level conflicts and we can expect future refits to the Northumberland to reflect this contingency. Our first stop is the outer berths where two of Starfleet Command’s newest vessels have just returned from Shakedown: U.S.S. Avon and U.S.S.Old Sarum. Both ships are so recently Commissioned that this Comms Update will probably reach their respective Commanding Officers before their official confirmation paperwork! U.S.S. Avon is SFC’s latest Intrepid Class starship, under the Command of Lieutenant Carl Best, who was lucky enough to bring his ship and crew home in time for a more important event - the birth of his daughter, Avia-Lynne! Like her sister ships, the Avon is a Light Cruiser designed with Exploration in mind. Her shakedown cruise took her out to the edge of Tholian territory on a routine stellar cartography survey that will add much to our knowledge of space on and beyond the far reaches of the Federation. Named for the historical location of both an Iron Age hill fort and a Second World War airfield, U.S.S. Old Sarum is Starfleet Command’s latest Heavy Cruiser and as such is continuing the tradition established by predecessors that include the famed and storied Enterprise, Excelsior and Invincible. Under the command of her C.O. Lieutenant Commander Paul Harrison, it’s expected that Old Sarum will become a familiar sight on the frontier. Unique among Starfleet Units, Old Sarum has strong links to the UK’s armed forces and as such has a particular place of honour in the Home Fleet. Finally, we come to the Dock Yard’s Central Dock – a McKinley-class ring dock reserved for heavy work on the larger classes of starship: currently home to the Galaxy-class starship U.S.S. Demeter which has been undergoing serious repair and refurbishment for damage received during her last mission – including replacements to her dorsal ‘spine’, stressed by extraordinary combat manoeuvres. Once her repairs have been signed off by the Dock crew, Demeter will move out to one of the drydocks at Clydeside High for final fitting before Lieutenant Mark Rogers assumes command as her new CO. And that’s it for our look around the Clydeside yards, thanks for joining us – Good Luck and Godspeed!
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
Jackie Cowper, Deputy Director of Communications (Expanded and Notations by Mark Mitchell) We all know the argument that Star Trek set the blueprint for the future of technology, but just how many of the gadgets that helped the Enterprise crew explore the Final Frontier have found a home in the real world? Follow me as I take a closer look…
MOBILE PHONES:
Left to Right: Captain Kirk’s trusty Starfleet Communicator – The Motorola StarTac flip phone – Excerpt from Nicholas Cage’s infamous audition for JJ Abram’s Star Trek Reboot featuring a Motorola StarTac.
It’s funny when you think about it. Remember flip phones? Captain Kirk had one before they were cool! While mobile phones are now a part of our everyday lives, back in the 1960s, the idea of a long range mobile communicator was nothing more than a dream. Land line phones were the norm, and even the concept of dialing a number was new, with telephone switchboard operators still connecting callers manually. Treknologist’s Note: The first “clamshell” flip phone was the Motorola StarTac – released in the US on January 3rd, 1996.
VIDEO CONFERENCING:
LtoR: Khan gives his reaction to casting choices – Picard and crew catch up on this week’s Dragon’s Den – Cardassian Pizza Hut’s customer service is legendary – Jobbing actors allow us to look in on their conference.
Another concept that was conceived by science fiction many decades ago and has been portrayed in many forms, but Star Trek was arguably the show that introduced the concept of the “viewscreen” to the wider audience. Video conferencing allows a face-to-face meeting to happen from across town, or across the planet. Video conferencing has come a long way since the 1990s when video phones began to hit the consumer market, but never really took off. Nowadays, the technology has come out of the board room
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013 and into the living room and it’s an everyday event to Skype with your grandma about mission critical objectives, like picking up the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Treknologist’s Note: The first public videophone service operated between Leipzig and Berlin in 1936! Videophone booths opened in the USA in 1969 and the first practical home videophone was marketed by AT&T in 1992. Surprisingly, none of these systems were a great success.
SPEECH RECOGNITION:
LtoR: Blade Runner’s ‘Esper’ Machine – Scotty finds Apple’s user interface a little primitive – Voice recognition software makes the cell dwellers life easier - Fans re-enact ST-IV’s “Hello Computer” scene, apparently.
A mainstay of Science Fiction since the golden days of radio serials, in the real world talking to your computer indicated you might be a little off. In Star Trek, voice commands were their main way of interfacing with the computer and anyone who’s ever seen Star Trek IV will recall Mr. Scott ‘hilariously’ attempting to operate a computer by talking into the mouse like a microphone. More recently, through the use of Windows’ speech recognition software, it is possible to control a wide array of functions with your voice, not the least of which being dictation to text. Treknologist’s Note: In 1952 Bell Laboratories’ “Audrey” system could recognise digits spoken by a single voice. DARPA’s Speech Understanding Research Program in the ‘70s greatly advanced the field but the technology wasn’t commercially available until 1990’s Dragon Dictate package - which cost $9,000!
TABLETS, PADS AND KINDLES:
LtoR: A rare example of Kirk doing his own paperwork – Jean-Luc Picard: vintage iPad collector – In DS9’s Dominion War arc, PADDS were often used as secure, portable media – Sanctuary featured the rugged ModBook – Steve Jobs unveils Apple’s revolutionary, never before seen iPad concept, Geeks snigger.
Moving on from The Original Series’ wedge-shaped ‘clipboards’, on Star Trek: The Next Generation the crew were always writing duty rosters or reading books on large flat devices called “data pads”, later to become PADDS – Personal Access Data Device. Just a small flat screen that could be carried around easily, no thicker than a notebook, and could be typed on with fingers to enter information. In the 1980s, it seemed absurd that people would abandon the printed page in order to read a book on a little handheld screen. Now, everyone owns a Kindle, a Nook, an iPad, or a tablet PC…and if they don’t, they certainly know someone else who does. Isn’t it amazing how times change? Treknologist’s Note: The first usable Personal Digital Assistant was the Psion Organiser II launched in
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013 1986, a TOS-like device wouldn’t be seen until 1993’s Apple Newton MessagePad 100 and of course the PADD-inspired Apple iPad in 2010.
MONOCULARS AND H.U.D.S:
LtoR: Ko-Dan Captain’s Monocle, 1984 – Borg eyepiece, Best of Both Worlds, 1990 – Captured Jem’Hadar Monocular Virtual Displays, DS9, 1997 – Google Glass introduced, 2013 – The Future of law Enforcement?
Another Science fictional mainstay, from simple helmet sights to complex control interfaces, the headset is the futuristic alternative to the modern Heads-Up Display or the traditional Main Viewer. Modern Assault helicopters use a form of rugged monocular display, but a similar product won’t be available to the general public until the much-touted Google Glass goes on sale in 2014. Treknologist’s Note: The Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System was introduced in 1984 as the interface between pilot and aircraft control systems on the AH-64 Apache Attack helicopter.
JET INJECTOR:
LtoR: Dr McCoy wields the Classic 23rd Century Hypospray – Dr Crusher gives Riker his shots with the 24th Century equivalent – The intimidating Med-E-Jet Vaccination Gun, 1980 – The Biojector 2000’s design seems more familiar – Self-medicating with a modern single-use spray injector, the Sumavel DosePro
This last item is something commonly assumed to have originated with Star Trek, but actually didn’t. Known in Trek parlance as a “hypo spray”, this device took the place of a hypodermic needle, allowing an injection to be given without breaking the skin. The Jet Injector was actually invented by Aaron Ismach in 1960, at least 5 years before Star Trek premiered, as a way to mass vaccinate people for diseases like smallpox. Since the average person had never seen such a thing, the common assumption (even today) was that it originated with the show, like the other technologies mentioned above. So, while it wasn’t created for Star Trek, it certainly is a fun fact! Treknologists Note: The Jet Injector was infamous for cross contamination from “infected matter” that would become lodged in the nozzle and in 1997 the US Department of Defence discontinued its use. The smaller, more hypospray-like Biojector 2000 has been available since 1993 and features the familiar screw-in dose bottle. Sumavel’s DosePro , a disposable single-use injector suitable for self-injection used for migraine relief entered the market in 2010. The fascinating thing about these inventions is the “chicken and egg”/”life imitating art” conundrum their existence raises. Is it possible that, had there been no Star Trek, that one or more of these things might’ve never existed? Fortunately, we’ll never have to find out!
*This Article Previously appeared in a different format at Den of Geek
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
Spider-Man. Nick Fury. Dr Doom. The Hulk. Doctor Strange. Silver Surfer. Professor X. Fantastic Four. Galactus. Daredevil. Aunt May Parker. Magneto. Cyclops. She-Hulk. The X-Men. Batroc the Leaper. And over 300 other characters. All created by one man. Stan Lee aka Stan 'the Man'. It was announced late in 2011, that the creative legend that is Stan Lee would be making his first ever appearance at a UK comic con, the London Super Comic Con in February 2012. I've been going to scifi and comic cons for over 25yrs and never queued for an autograph or picture. But this is different. This is Stan Lee. To put that in perspective, at a Thor preview at KaPow last year, one audience member asked Chris Hemsworth (Thor), “what was it like to appear in the same film as Stan Lee?”. Stan has had a cameo in virtually every Marvel related film since 1989. Although Stan would probably argue that he was the star. He's in the Guinness Book of Records because his creations have appeared in more movies than any other writer. And that includes Dickens and Waggle-Dagger
We bought the tickets a few months in advance. People started asking me “what are you going to
say if you meet him?” Erm...oh...dunno. As most of you know, I'm not shy and I'm not short of comments. By Christmas, after input and suggestions from various corners, we'd come up with: “I love you” - complete with hand thrust forward. And then it got worse. What to wear? I've never planned in advance what to wear – I'm a 44yr old man with an overabundance of tshirts, couple of formal suits, numerous types of trousers and underwear for all occasions. But I'm getting my picture taken with Stan Lee. This is more complicated than getting dressed for my wedding. I settled on a pair of cargo pants (I believe that’s what our Colonial friends call them) and a blue designer tshirt bought in Glasgow, bearing the words “Jings, crivvens & help ma boab” - a phrase attributed too Oor Wullie, a Scottish cartoon strip first published in1936 and still in print. And a pink beard The day arrived. We'd paid extra for early entry, so Klara and I set off at 0830. A mile from home we switched on the satnav and ...nothing...the words ”cannot find route” stared at me from the screen. After a few moments of panic, it was Android phone and Google Maps to the rescue. An hour later we arrived, just in time to take advantage of the last 10mins of early entry before the cheapskates entered the hall. We nabbed our ID badges – LSCC Tier 2 VIP – and joined the signing queue. It was 1005 and we were last in line. A cheer echoed through the hall as Stan entered through a side door – I was too far away to see anything. The line slowly shuffled forward but spirits were high. The woman in front was a primary school
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013 teacher, the guy behind was dressed as one of the new X-Men Academy students.
Around 1130, we were nearly there. I could see him signing other peoples comics/books/prints. I've never queued this long for ANYTHING. My turn...Stan looked very old. And very frail. No conversation with punters, just a signature. I reached into my bag and took out a limited edition Bowen bust of...Stan Lee and passed it over. He glanced at it and smiled before scribing Stan Lee across the plinth. I thanked him. And then Klara did one of those little things that remind me why I married her. We'd all received a free J Scott Campbell A3 print of Stan Lee surrounded by Spidey, Thor, Hulk, MJ, Thing etc. She held out her print and asked, “can you make it out to Klara & Scott?” His minder/manager said “Sorry, just signatures” then he paused and passed the print to Stan and said “Can you make this out to Klara and Scott?” And he did. Well, sort of. The picture actually says “To Clara and Scott, Stan Lee” but lets not quibble. It IS Stan Lee and I reckon he knows more about names and words than Klara's parents!
Next we joined the short queue for photograph tokens (£25 per pic) and then joined the actual photo line. It was midday-ish. By the time we reached the front, we'd queued for over 3 hours since arriving. I saw a little video later on YouTube from the event and it showed that the turnaround for photos was pretty damn quick – in.click.out.next.in.click.out.next (have a look for Bleedingcool.com: sitting on Stan Lee's lap). Klara/Clara had already decided not to be in the pic as I intend having the image stuck on a tshirt. I went into the booth and there he was. He quickly realised that the stool he was sitting on was too high for a pic alongside me and moved it aside. As he turned back I stuck my hand out and said “Good afternoon sir, its an absolute honour to meet you” We shook hands, posed for a couple of pics and as I was leaving, he shook my hand again and thanked ME for coming.
Later that day was the Stan Lee Q&A Session. Entry was guaranteed to all Tier 2 & 3 VIPs, everyone else had to queue and take their chances – when the room was full, no more entry. We found one empty seat in the front row, extreme left and Klara/Clara sat down (as usual, I brought my own seat) Stan came out bang on 4 o'clock to rapturous applause and a standing ovation. It was a closed floor and all the questions were from the Host and were they type of thing you'd expect: how did you get started...tell us how you invented SpiderMan...tell us about your new projects...what do you think of the Marvel films. The questions didn't matter. Stan had changed. The frail old man who'd been scribbling his signature all morning was gone. Here was a showman – as
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013 my old mum would say, “he had his childhood injections with a gramaphone needle” For a writer, there's definitely a bit of PT Barnum DNA in there. He held the audience in his hand for an hour. Sometimes the answer wandered away from the question but no-one cared. Over the years he's fine-tuned these anecdotes and knows his audience.
Place in Space had the biggest area of all – nine tables if I recall
| The area walled off for the Panel Sessions was useless. When I say 'walled off', I should clarify – the 10ft screens sectioning off a corner of the hall with a ceiling almost 100ft above. The acoustics were awful – we actually walked out of the 2000AD panel He mentioned some of the friends he worked with – Jack, Jim, Bob That'd be Jack Kirby, Jim Steranko, Bob Kane. He's not name dropping, he's just talking about his friends. And you kinda get the feeling that you might be his friend too. You might be exploring the branches of the tree and looking beneath the leaves, but this is the man – The Man – who planted the seed and nurtured it for the first few years
The aisles between the stalls were way too narrow – and I'm not just saying that as a wheelchair user. Strangely, the stalls and dealers were squeezed into 1/3 of the hall, the signing and 'Stan area’ another 1/3 and the last 1/3 was just...empty. Wasted space
The rest of the event was a bit of a let-down to be brutally honest. This was advertised as “the first US style comic convention in the UK” but KaPow boasted the same thing in May 2011. IDW proudly announced that this was their first appearance at a UK convention – and they brought nothing. They even relied on a UK supplier to bring the books. Klara/Clara reads Locke & Key by Joe Hill (Stephen King’s son) and has a collectible 'key'. She went to see if they had any of the others that are available in the US. The guy on the stall looked at her as if she was asking about a dancing puppy.
And when it boils down to it, I met Stan Lee.
That particular weekend was 2000AD's 35th birthday – 2000AD had one of the smallest stalls and turned up with half a dozen (old) tshirt designs and promptly ran out of the birthday special Prog by 2pm on day one. Forbidden Planet had 2 stalls (?) and the larger one looked like a jumble sale. In fact most of the dealers had small stalls – except my local comic shop. A
In fact the only thing that this con had that the others didn't was the star guest.
You didn't. Nuff said.
Scotty
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
REAR ADMIRAL JASON HICKINBOTHAM, COMMANDING OFFICER STARBASE EUROPA Hello folks, Just an update on the pies that I’ve got my thumbs in. Starbase Review, I would say is about 70% successful in getting contributions from Units, which I’m grateful to the CO’s who are dropping me a line on a regular basis. Please remember to filter them down to your crew. Like I’ve said a few times I don’t need great lengths of text, just a quick hello and what you have been up to. Engineering exams have had a bit of a non-start and I have had no takers in them. Which is a shame, but they are there if you would like a go. Engineering Fleet Project. Again nothing on the horizon for entries, so I’ll keep it open if anybody wants a crack at it in the future. If you want to contact me, you can find me in the forum or you can drop me an email. Live Long and Prosper
Hicky Jason Hickinbotham CO, SB Europa, Ambassador, Adviser to the Admiralty Board.
ENGINEERING FLEET PROJECT PROJECT The yearly Engineering Fleet Project (EFP) gives a Chief Engineering Officer a creative output for their departments energies. If you do not have a CEO, the CO and crew of the Unit can attempt the EFP. The project can be based on any Engineering subject. It could be a layout of the ship or a diagram of the waste reclamation system. Two previous projects can be viewed in the download section, to give you ideas on the type of subjects that have been done before. Winners will receive a Unit citation and certificate and the knowledge that your department is the best in the Fleet. The winning entry will also be posted for download. Submissions sent to me at: jhickinbotham@hotmail.com If you have any questions you can contact me here on the forum or drop me an email. Good Luck!
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
For many, the Iron Man movie was their first encounter with Marvel’s super spy agency – although Clark Gregg’s bureaucratic Federal Agent Coulson was a disappointment to some of us who associated S.H.I.E.L.D. with something more than Homeland Security. It looked like the original sci-fi spies had been downgraded to an arm of the US government. Fortunately, five years on we know that the comic book S.H.I.E.L.D. is alive and well at the heart of the Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division and Phil Coulson has become a cornerstone of the Marvel movie universe and an undisputed fan favourite - so much so that his death at Loki’s hands inspired not only the Avengers but a fierce fan campaign to see their hero return. Which brings us neatly to Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which marks not only the first smallscreen appearance of the Marvel Movie universe, but also the return of Joss Whedon to the small screen as showrunner (for the pilot episode at least). As the man at the reins of The Avengers - Marvel’s flagship franchise – it wasn’t surprising that what we’re seeing references and expands on what we’ve seen on the big screen. This is the world post Battle of New York: Superheroes exist; technology both alien and advanced beyond belief is available to the highest bidder and legitimate and illegal organisations want to get their hands on both.
Enter Agent Phil Coulson - recovered from his far-too-near death experience at the hands of the “Asgardian Mussolini” – in command of a handpicked team of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s best and brightest and airmobile in the flying Command Centre known as “The Bus”, Coulson and his Agents travel the world investigating ‘the weirdest show on Earth’ and trying to keep a lid on the growing insanity.
NEVER know…” says Maria Hill in the pilot. But whatever the truth may be, the experience has definitely changed Phil Coulson and in ways we’re slowly discovering – the least of them being the loss of muscle memory he reveals while trying to clear a feed jam from his service pistol, clearly the mind remembers but the body is untrained. Could he be the rumoured Life Model Decoy or is it something altogether more fantastic? Only time will tell. Another change in super-self reliant Coulson is his support team – a collection of agents best described as “Shaky” if not downright dysfunctional! In order of appearance we have Grant Ward, Black Ops specialist and field agent. Something of an action man, Agent Ward is reluctant to be reassigned to Coulson’s travelling circus, but his training and composure make him the ideal trigger man in a difficult spot.
And although Coulson might believe he’s fighting fit, the top brass are hiding something: his memories of R&R in Tahiti – it’s a magical place - seem to be covering a darker secret: “He can
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013 Next up is Melinda May – a seasoned Field Agent nicknamed “The Cavalry”, she’s the stuff of legends. And she wants no part of her fame – Coulson finds her buried deep in the bowels of S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters as far away from the action as she can get. The team needs her to drive the bus, but she won’t come willingly – in the field she’s an icy if reluctant combatant and burdened by skeletons in her closet. By way of light relief, meet Agent Fitzsimmons – that’s Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons – the team’s tech support, qualified in fields as diverse as weapons design, surveillance tech and XENObiology. Not long out of the Academy, both come across as somewhat naïve babes in the wood (Simmons talked Fitz into taking a field assignment over hard research) but their scientific knowledge is second to none and it’s appliance has helped the team out of more than one tough spot. Rounding out the team is the mysterious Skye – a ‘hacktivist’ for the Rising Tide group whose goal is to expose S.H.I.E.L.D.’s dark secrets and drag the men in black into the light of publicity. Skye provides information management and computer support – and fan service. (Seriously, this girl is an Olympic-level jiggler and she’s going for the gold!) The highpoint of her career so far being the chase in “The Asset” when she escapes from a Rising Tide hench squad by leaping into a swimming pool and charging pell-mell and soaked through
a garden party in a scene (pictured) that was only missing the Benny Hill theme to make it complete. No offence to Chloe Bennett, who’s both charming and mischievous in the role, but maybe we could have a week or two where her cleavage isn’t a major plot point? Because despite widespread complaints about the soap opera theatrics and clichéd dialogue, MAOS is sharp enough and big enough to stand on it’s own two feet and it’s built on a particularly solid foundation: we’re talking about a property created in the golden age of comics – Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. debuted in 1963 and characters and elements that originated in those stories have been at the heart of the Marvel Universe ever since.
You might have noticed that I’m a fan – to be honest, if the show consisted of Clark Gregg sat in an armchair reading back issues of Nick Fury, I’d still watch it. But seeing such attention paid to the franchise makes up for the odd holey (and hokey) plot or lame dialogue. Take a look at the Special Thanks in the credits and you’ll see Jim Steranko’s name – Steranko is the legendary artist credited with creating the look and style that contributed to the success of the original strips and made it the subject of countless homages, shout outs and outright plagiarism over the years.
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013 Whedon himself strongly insists that the show isn’t an easter egg factory, but there’s no denying this is a show that knows where it’s come from, even if they’ve had to strip back the concept to fit into the cinematic constraints - and we’re only in season one! Has ANY genre show seriously found its feet that quickly? And there have even been complaints that the show isn’t realistic enough! Really people? We’re talking about a world where the good guys have flying cars and even FLYING AIRCRAFT CARRIERS and the greatest weapon of mass destruction known to man wears purple slacks and you’re complaining about realism? In the words of Benjamin J Grimm, literary critic of this parish: gimme a break!
actually Dunlop 65’s. And they manage to pull off this level of immersion while continuing to tell a story and build their own mythology and threats. So far we’ve been introduced to the Rising Tide, who have hacked their way into S.H.I.E.L.D.s mainframe; a shadowy research group (A.I.M.?) secretly working with the Extremis biotechnology to create Super Soldiers; South American nationalists and our first genuine supervillain in waiting: .
At this early stage nothing is certain – except that we’ll be seeing Dr Franklin Hall/Graviton again and he won’t be happy with Coulson‌ Because the production team seem to understand that this isn’t high drama, we’re here to have fun! And a word about that attention to detail? Lola is clearly a pre-1967 Stark-built MK V S.H.I.E.L.D. Flying Car created by Jack ‘King’ Kirby – how do I know? When she converts over to flight mode, we get a great view of her machpressure fan jets spinning up to speed and those fan jets were phased out after issue 162 of Strange Tales when Gaffer rebuilt Fury’s personal Mk V with miniature vortex beams‌
One positive inclusion in the format is the “beer cooler� scene: similar to the Star Trek’s “Laugh on the Bridge� closing scene, we see the team relaxing off duty when the mission is over, often with the aforementioned beer cooler and a few frosty ones. I don’t know about anyone else, but it makes the characters a little more realistic for me. But as I said before, it’s too early to make a fair judgement, although based on just 4 episodes so far, I’d say we’re on to a winner and just wait for the post-Winter Soldier second season, but then I would say that. So in conclusion:
If he geeks out again shoot him Err, yes‌ So, attention to detail – and an obvious love for the genre that isn’t restricted to Marvel titles – “Eye Spyâ€?s diamond-loaded golf balls were a clever reference to “Diamonds are Foreverâ€?’s smuggling trick, although I couldn’t make out whether the dissolving balls were
i
CONS: Script quality variable; budget limited; uneven tone; too much fan service
i
PROS: Clark Gregg; fully-realised universe; on-going story arc; movie tie-in; relaxed cast
My verdict‌ Wait for it‌
on t Yield, Back I E L
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
An Introduction from the Admiralty Board Communication is the lifeblood of the Fleet – it bands us together and brings us closer and not just in an exchange of information and conversation. Some members will become lifelong friends while others will just pass through on their way to other things, but all of us have the right to communicate with our peers. In addition to social interactions, the established protocol for interFleet Communication is given below: A Starfleet Communications will undertake to produce AT LEAST three Communications Updates per year. A All members in good standing have the right to access the Fleet Forums at Starbase Europa, A All members in good standing have the right to request access to the Starbase Europa group at facebook. In addition to providing these venues for Communication, SFC’s Officers’ Handbook states the following: A Unit Department Heads are expected to be available to the members of their Departments by email at least and telephone if appropriate, A Unit Commanding Officers are expected to be available to their Command Crew via email and telephone, A HQ Staff and Flag Officers are expected to be available to Unit Department Heads via email and telephone, A In addition, Admiralty Board, HQ Staff, Flag Officers and Unit Commanding Officers are expected to be available to each other via email and telephone. The Okudagram above sets out exactly what those rules mean and through them the very least we expect of you and what you can expect in your position, wherever you may stand in the Chain of Command. At the risk of labouring the point, we’ve added a few notes on the protocol: Continued on next page
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
1.
All Members in Good Standing have the right to communicate with their immediate Department Head – your Unit First Officer can inform you who that will be. Your Department Head will inform you what events and activities your Department is undertaking and how you can get involved.
2.
Department Heads will report their Department Status and Activity to the First Officer and feed back any reaction or comment as appropriate. Department Heads are encouraged to offer members the widest range of activity and take advantage of any activities offered by their Fleet Support counterpart. Once again the Handbook lists the forms by which this communication is encouraged to take place.
3.
The First Officer will keep the Commanding Officer up to date on the activities and events organised by the Departments as well as feeding back information to the Department Heads and keeping them informed of upcoming activity they may not be familiar with. As before, the Handbook lists the forms by which this communication is encouraged to take place.
4.
The Unit Commanding Officer is responsible for ensuring that his First Officer, Department Heads and Unit Members are communicating and the widest range of activity and/or events is available to them. In addition, the CO is responsible for reporting to the Starbase Commanding Officer via bi-monthly reports and feeding back any information passed on by the Starbase Commander via the Starbase Review. The Handbook lists the forms by which this communication is encouraged to take place, but Senior Officers are expected to be mature enough not to need our encouragement.
5.
The Starbase Commander receives and collates the reports sent in by Unit COs and publishes the Starbase Review which is distributed to COs, Fleet Support and Admiralty Board. Starbase CO is also responsible for monitoring the Fleet Forums at Starbase Europa and reports back any issues raised by members to the Admiralty Board.
6.
Although not in the conventional Chain of Command, Fleet Support Staff including the Academy Commandant and Fleet Department Heads report back to the Admiralty on events and activity within their area of supervision. They are expected to provide activities such as Examinations and Fleet Projects at Unit and Member level and to oversee and maintain activity at their level within their discipline.
7.
The Admiralty Board receives reports from all Commands and replies accordingly. Communication from the Admiralty is often sent directly to all involved parties as well as being copied into the Chain of Command. In addition, all members of the Board are expected to make themselves available to Unit COs, Fleet Support and Starbase Commander as required by any reasonable means necessary.
8.
Both Members and Unit Department Heads are encouraged to contact the corresponding Fleet Support Staff member for their Department to learn what activities may be available to them and to suggest activity, events or improvements that might benefit the Department at Fleet level. We hope we don’t need to tell you what forms of communication are available…
Of course, we realise that such a rigid framework is impossible to enforce and hideously impractical. So naturally, we offer it only as a guide and in everyday life, good communication bends this template through multiple dimensions like a pretzel! First and foremost, we want to encourage you to talk, not just to each other but to us! Without the ideas and affection of fans like us, Starfleet Command would be nothing but another sterile faction in pretty costumes - but with your support and input we can make the Home Fleet grow into something to be proud of and continue our proud legacy for another 40 years! On the next page, you’ll find something specific we’d like your opinions on – feel free to take part in the challenge which will quite literally affect the appearance of Starfleet Command in the future. We know you’re up to the challenge, now come and show us just what you’re capable of! ADM Scott D. Arlow, DOPS ADM Mark Mitchell, ADMIN
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
A fleet-wide contest The time has come - the Admiralty said – to talk about updating the Commbadge: for those of you not in the know, Starfleet Command retains the ‘Voyager’ era communicator - as DOPS quite rightly pointed out that means we’ve been using the same design since 1995! The SFC seal is updated every 5 years or so, so we think it’s high time the communicator design was updated – and that’s where you come in: we’re looking for a new design for the Starfleet Communicator Badge (or Commbadge if you're of a Treknical inspiration) which will become the official SFC design and will feature alongside our crest on the Fleet website and in all Fleet graphics publications As a guide and for inspiration, here’s the Voyager communicator currently in use. Now, what do you think the replacement should be? Perhaps the ‘canon’ future communicator from the “All Good Things” timeline? Or would you prefer to see something completely different? Since we introduced the Challenge, we’ve had a few intriguing suggestions and you can see our favourites so far below, but we’re throwing down the gauntlet – we want to see what our talented members can do. No more hiding your light under a bushel – stand up and be proud of your talents! First we have two designs from the initial design consultation. On the left: This design was a favourite of the Director of Administration – Admiral Mitchell particularly liked the simplicity of the horizontal bars as a step towards the AGT design without going too far from the Generations design legacy, favouring the longer bars over the shorter as a further step forward. On the right you see Admiral Arlow’s favoured design. The Director of Operations was very fond of the immediate similarity to the AGT communicator and the possibility that the star could be hollowed out to show department colour if worn on an undershirt. It should be noted that both these designs feature the ‘reboot’ arrowhead logo as featured in Star Trek (2009) and on the current SFC seal by way of a link between all incarnations of Trek. On the left is the third and final design from the initial consultation and one which attracted some positive comments in it’s own right. The ‘Pilot Wings’ were intended as a double homage to the “Future Imperfect” Communicator and also to modern pilot’s wings. Our last design, here on the right is a complete break from conventional designs. Dubbed “The can opener” by the Admiralty, this art deco design by Andy Pepperell earned him an honourable mention, although it was judged too difficult to replicate in 3D with the limited resources available to the prototyping team. But as skills develop, who knows what the future may hold for this design – it’s already been suggested as a possible Fleet Award… And now you know where we stand – we’ve seen some interesting designs and some unique ones, but can you bring something new to the challenge, we think you can! Some simple guidelines and small print before you start: Entry is open to current members of Starfleet Command Q2 only. Closing date for entries is January 1st, 2014 – all entries to be sent to comps@starfleet-command.co.uk with the subject “New Commbadge”. Your design will need to be
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013 original, suitable for rendering in colour, greyscale and black and white –and preferably easy to convert to a simple line graphic and should reflect the design lineage of previous Starfleet insignia. Entries will need to be in the form of a jpeg or gif image and should include the entrant’s name and Unit. The winning design will be chosen by the Admiralty Board - in the event of a tie, the contesting designs will go to an open vote. The winning design will be featured in the next available copy of Starfleet Comms and credit will be given to the designer. Entry means that you give permission for Starfleet Command Q2 to use your design without payment or other credit in perpetuity. Bragging rights are of course included! So, the word is given - thinking caps on and let's see what you've got! ADM Scott Arlow - DOPS ADM Mark Mitchell - ADMIN SFC Admiralty Board
ADVERTISEMENT WATCH OUT FOR OUR REVIEW NEXT ISSUE!
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
WIN A STARFLEET COMMAND T-SHIRT or Baseball Shirt
With Christmas coming, the perennial challenge is to find the perfect gift for the geek in your life. And although we’re not suggesting we have the perfect solution, we can suggest one option that makes it easier to buy for that special Trekker - Starfleet’s very own Café Press stores: Starbase Europa Quartemaster Stores; Spacedock Souvenir Shop and The Honest Orion. Thanks to CBS’ new rules on merchandise, we are able to bring you a wide range of Starfleet-branded and Trek-themed items, from T-shirts to kitchenware in a range of existing designs which rotate on a monthly basis and are updated several times a year. But Starfleet Command has a long-standing tradition of Generosity – over the years we’ve given away everything from Halloween in a box to costumes for your little Trekkie. And so we’re going to give one lucky member the chance to enjoy one of our shirts for free – just answer the question below and you could be in with a chance to win either a Starbase Europa Baseball Shirt or an SFC pocket print T-shirt. Just email your answer to comps@starfleet-command.co.uk along with your choice of shirt and size and we’ll wake up the goblins down in Web Services so they can earn their pay (you wouldn’t believe how much it costs to keep a fully-equipped state-of-the-art Goblin habitat) and pick one lucky winner who will receive the shirt of their choice. And the question is: Which famous landmark serves as the entrance to Starfleet Command’s London Headquarters? Here’s a clue: the answer can be found on the SFC website at Starfleet-command.co.uk Email your answer to comps@starfleet-command.co.uk with the subject: COMMS Competition Don’t forget to include your choice of shirt: Baseball or T-Shirt along with your size and home address and your Service Number so that we can confirm you’re a member of SFC. If you don’t know your service number, you can find it on your Academy Acceptance Letter, your Graduation Certificate or your Duty Orders. The closing date for entries is December 15th, 2013 and we’ll be contacting the winner shortly afterwards. Good Luck! And if you’re not feeling lucky – or just feel like treating yourself, why not take a look at our CafePress shops?
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
ADVERTISEMENT
Designs are rotated on a random basis and new designs are added regularly wherever possible, but IF THERE’S ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO SEE AT any of THE Quartermaster Stores, let us know – just drop the Director of Administration a line at info@starfleet-command.co.uk and let us know what you want us to add to the range and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
STARDATE: 67846.28 05/11/2013 To all commands, all vessels – attention:
COMMISSIONS: The Admiralty Board, Starfleet Command Quadrant Two hereby grants charter on the following vessels, may God bless them and all who sail in them:
U.S.S. AVON – INTREPID CLASS – NCC-97513 U.S.S. OLD SARUM – AKIRA CLASS – NCC-23812-A
PROMOTIONS: The Officers below are acknowledged to have performed their duty efficiently and professionally to the high standards expected of Starfleet Officers and are duly recognised:
Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Leanne Burns (U.S.S. Demeter) to Lieutenant Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Mark Rogers (U.S.S. Demeter) to Lieutenant Lieutenant Carl Best (U.S.S. Avon) confirmed in rank Lieutenant Commander James Paul Harrison (U.S.S. Old Sarum) confirmed in rank.
COMMENDATIONS: It is the opinion of the Admiralty that the Officers here named have performed their duty to a standard above and beyond that expected of Starfleet Officers and are hereby awarded the Starfleet Commendation:
Lieutenant (Junior Grade) David Melsome (U.S.S. Sovereign) for services to administration and operations Commodore Clive Saunders (U.S.S. Sovereign) for distinguished service
MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES: The Officers below have been recognised at the highest level for their commitment, dedication and involvement in Starfleet Command and beyond:
Lieutenant Tom Burns (U.S.S. Northumberland) Please join with us in congratulating all those named above. ADM Scott Arlow - DOPS ADM Mark Mitchell - ADMIN SFC Admiralty Board
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STARFLEET COMMAND COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE – NOVEMBER 2013
STARFLEET HEADQUARTERS admiralty board admiral scott arlow – Director of Operations scottarlow@hotmail.com
Admiral Mark Mitchell – director of administration
director of communications – position vacant
admin@starfleet-command.co.uk
FLEET SUPPORT STAFF commandant, Starfleet academy – captain wendy Dutton academy@starfleet-command.co.uk
starbase COMMANDER – Rear admiral Jason hickinbotham, Starbase Europa jhickinbotham@hotmail.com
Starfleet operational forces SECTOR OO1 – INTERNET U.S.S. SOVEREIGN – COMMODORE CLIVE SAUNDERS thterik@googlemail.com
SECTOR 011 – NORTH U.S.S. DEMETER (stockport) – LIEUTENANT MARK ROGERS` U.S.S. NORTHUMBERLAND (Northumberland) – Lieutenant Tom Burns markrogers723@gmail.com
tomburns315@gmail.com
U.S.S. VALKYRIE (Edinburgh) - LIEUTENANT ALEXANDER MCEWAN mcewan_alex@yahoo.co.uk
SECTOR 012 - SOUTH u.s.s. atheling (Isle of wight) – lieutenant Andrew john a.john41@btinternet.com
U.S.S. AVON (Bristol) – Lieutenant Carl best carl.best.1986@googlemail.com
u.s.s. old sarum (Salisbury) – lieutenant commander Paul James Harrison angelsword@live.co.uk
u.s.s. pendragon (Southampton) – Captain sue emery hawkeyesg13@hotmail.com
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