=/\=MAY 2003 INDEPENDENCE FLEET NEWSLETTER=/\=

-- News Items
-- Vice Admiral Seldon's Retirement
-- Fleet Academy
-- 4th Division
-- Graduation Announcements
-- Fleet Awards
-- Interview
-- Mission Features
-- Special Thanks

* * * * * * * * * *

=/\=NEWS ITEMS=/\=

-- Vice Admiral Seldon retires once again after only serving three months in IDF. [See article below for details]

-- Commodore Zachari J. Vrona returned briefly to the fleet during his LOA to announce that Captain K'lar Zantai-Rasmehlier, Commanding Officer of the USS Conqueror, has been chosen to take on the responsibility of the SOD Deputy Director position.

-- Rear Admiral Felicity Dragonetti has relinquished command of the USS Patriot to Henry "Hank" Logan. Rear Admiral Dragonetti plans to continue heading up the Defense Response Force and will remain a member of the Fleet Command. Captain Logan's XO is Lt. Commander Lewis Concorde.

-- New material has been added to the memorial page of John Cage, also commonly known as Captain T'Maekh tr'Lennex. Additions include a newspaper editorial about the accident, a profile of one of his other characters, and memories from those who knew him. The John Cage Memorial Page can be found by clicking the following link.
www.angelfire.com/trek/starbase10/memorial.html

-- The Fleet Academy Project is suspended until a replacement Commandant can be found, due to Vice Admiral Seldon's retirement. [See article below for details]

-- A 4th division is now in the planning stages within Fleet Command. [See article below for details]

* * * * * * * * * *

=/\=VICE ADMIRAL SELDON'S RETIREMENT=/\=

Once again, Vice Admiral Seldon has retired from IDF completely. In last month's newsletter we read a letter written by the former Director of Fleet Development, who stated that he was relinquishing that specific duty, but was going to remain in the fleet as the Academy Commandant.

However, recently, the former flag officer stepped down completely, leaving IDF without an Academy Commandant.

Vice Admiral Seldon had been with the USS Sunfire when it first launched 3 years ago, and was instrumental in the formation of IDF and it's continued success. A good officer and friend, the fleet won't operate the same without his expertise. Seldon says that he will still be around for consultation if anyone needs him.

* * * * * * * * * *

=/\=FLEET ACADEMY=/\=

Due to Vice Admiral Seldon's retirement, the Fleet Academy Project is left without a Commandant. Fleet Command is eager to get this project underway, and will be accepting applications from qualified personnel for the position of Academy Commandant. Below are the minimum requirements for the position:

1. Must currently be serving in IDF and must have served for at least 3 consecutive months.

2. Previous CO/XO experience is extremely preferable, but not necessarily required.

3. Must be responsible, have the free time and willingness that it takes to run a sim, be able to recruit fresh new players, be very skilled with all aspects of simming (as you will be teaching it) and must be knowledgeable in the basic HTML skills necessary to run a website.

4. If you are a current CO or XO, you may have to transfer your character, as generally a player is not permitted to have more than one command position within the fleet.

5. If you are an XO or lower, your CO must send a letter of recommendation to Admiral West (Insidr524@aol.com) explaining your responsibility level, writing skills, and other things which would make you qualified for the position. If you are a CO and planning to transfer, you must get the same letter sent in from your Division Director.

If you can fulfill these requirements you can put in an application directly to Admiral West (Insidr524@aol.com). Include the following: Current Character Name, e-mail address, AIM screen name if applicable, current position(s) in the fleet, and previous experience, all in resume format.

Application and Letter of Recommendation deadline is May 26th 2003. After that, Fleet Command will review the applications, select and interview finalists. After a Commandant has been chosen, he/she will work together with Admiral West and Fleet Command in the planning of the Academy and will run it once the setup is completed.

* * * * * * * * * *

=/\=4TH DIVISION IN IDF=/\=

This past week, Admiral West released a statement about a proposed 4th Division within IDF. The division, according to the Director of Operations, is merely in the preliminary planning stage, but the Admiral stated that when the division is ready to be set up he will put another announcement in the newsletter.

As for what the division will be called, Admiral West only stated the following:

"I want this division to be completely new and unique. I want it to stand out like no other. You can look at any fleet out there, and you will always find some kind of Delta Quadrant Exploration, Temporal Investigation, or Covert Ops Division. There's no sense in starting one of these as our own. Our new division will definitely be something totally new."

Keep your eyes open within the next few months for more information on this monumental event!

* * * * * * * * * *

=/\=GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENTS=/\=

This year we are honoring some of our graduates from within the fleet. Here are only a few of the people graduating from schooling this year.

***

Hi, my name is Rachel. On the Excalibur I am known as Lt.(jg) Airika Calhoun. I will graduate from Ridgewood High School on May 23rd. I will be going into the United States Navy in June. Wish me Luck.

***

Whitney, or Rear Admiral Felicity "Slash" Dragonetti, is graduating from Branson High School in the top 13% of her class. She starts this summer at the University of Missouri - Rolla, aiming for a double major in Computer Science and Computer Engineering.

***

I'm Joseph Quinlisk, known to my crewmates on the Minerva as Lieutenant Rhian Chal. I graduate from Fort Zumwalt West High School on May 31 with a class rank of 30 out of 407. As for future plans, I intend on going to University of Missouri - Rolla, and studying computer engineering. Thanks for the recognition.

***

I'm Lee, AKA; Admiral West. This Spring I just graduated from EMT school at Chattanooga State Technical Community College with an 86 final grade. In case you don't know what an EMT is...which surprisingly some people don't...it's the main title of people who come on the ambulance and save your life. Paramedic is a seemingly more known title than EMT...although a paramedic and EMT differ slightly in terms of training, essentially both titles serve the same purpose. I know all sorts of awesome life support skills such as basic drug administration, Cardiac/Respiratory arrest management, advanced shock management, spinal immobilization, emergency childbirth, and basic ventilatory management...among other things. But anyway, I have plans to work for either Hamilton County EMS or Erlanger Hospital EMS (Erlanger is the Regional Level 1 Trauma Center based here in Chattanooga). Hopefully I will work for one of them full-time until next year when I enter police academy. Then I will be a police officer full-time and work EMS part-time.

***

Congratulations to all of our fleet graduates! Great job, keep up the excellent work!

* * * * * * * * * *

=/\=FLEET AWARDS=/\=

Below are the Fleet Award Winners for the month of April. Only eight sims out of fourteen submitted nominees, but it was still extremely hard to pick just one winner. There was sooo much excellent posting. In fact, Rear Admiral McCloud, one of the judges, stated this about the selection process:

"Picking awards gets harder and harder as the writing talent continues to improve. We have a great many good writers in the fleet and it's very hard to give out only one award."

Without further adieu, the winners...

April Winners

Best Story Post: Major Modin Biatherc Post #1542, Starbase 10
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Starbase10IDF/message/1945

Best Character Post: Lt. Commander J'Dem Post #780, USS Horatio Nelson
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/horationelson/message/1441

Funniest Post: Ensigns Calhoun/Hawkins (joint post), Post #2332, USS Excalibur
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/uss-excalibur/message/2873

MVP: Lt.(jg) Starling, USS Horatio Nelson

Outstanding Simmer: Commander Kiara Rodale, USS Conqueror

Rookie of the Month: Ensign Steven Junxion, USS Patriot

Most Improved: Lieutenant Savai N'gellin, Deep Space 15

Recruitment: Ensign Airika Calhoun, 1 recruit, USS Excalibur and Ensign Ryan Dunmore, 1 recruit, USS George W. Bush (it was a tie)

Genesis: Lt. Commander Rager, Starbase 10, Post #1516

Most Posts: Commander Kiara Rodale, USS Conqueror, 75 posts

Congratulations to the fleet award winners for this past month. Keep up the good posting and good simming!

* * * * * * * * * *

=/\=INTERVIEW=/\=

This month our interviewer sat down with Lt.(jg) Calhoun from the USS Excaliber...one of our graduates this year mentioned above. Let's see what she had to say!

***

Interviewer: We are joined today by Lt.(jg) Airika Calhoun. She is the Excalibur's Assist Intelligence Officer. Welcome Lt.(jg) Calhoun. I hear you were just promoted from Ensign. Congratulations. How do you like being on the Excalibur?

Calhoun: I love being on the Excalibur. The crew has made me feel like I was at home.

Interviewer: How did you hear about the Fleet and the Excalibur?

Calhoun: I just went to search and looked up Excalibur and I found the site and I read the site and loved it. I joined and I haven't regretted it.

Interviewer: What is your favorite Star Trek series?

Calhoun: That's a tough one........I like them all but if I had to choose one it would be Deep Space Nine

Interviewer: How about your favorite Trek Movie?

Calhoun: It would be a tie between ST: The Voyage Home and First Contact.

Interviewer: Ok, getting back to the Excalibur, you said you did a search, why the Excalibur?

Calhoun: Because I love the New Frontier Books and the ship is called the Excalibur.

Interviewer: Is that where you got your character's last name, Calhoun, and is your character related to the main character Captain Mackenzie Calhoun of the Excalibur in the Star Trek New Frontier series?

Calhoun: Yes that's where I got the last name. And yes he's related to my Character, D'ndai is his brother and my father.

Interviewer: How long have you been with the Excalibur?

Calhoun: Since March 17th, 2003.

Interviewer: Wow, such a short time, you have been nominated for a few awards. How do you feel about that?

Calhoun: I was quite surprised. I didn't expect to be nominated for any awards but I was happy about it. It made me feel like I was contributing to the Excalibur.

Interviewer: The Excalibur has been one of the top ships in the Independence Fleet over the past year, did you know this when you joined the ship in March?

Calhoun: No I didn't. I just wanted to Sim.

Interviewer: Yeah, with over 2400 posts, the Excalibur has passed ships that have been around since the Fleets start. What do you think of your CO, Rear-Admiral McCloud? Is he a good commander?

Calhoun: hmmmmmm..... Yes, he's a great Commander. He listens to his crew and then makes the decision that is best for the ship.

Interviewer: What do you think of the Fleet in general?

Calhoun: If the Excalibur is a representative of the Fleet then I like the Fleet. I think that the Fleet is doing a very good job letting Star Trek Fans sim about it.

Interviewer: I know you have not been on the ship long, but what do you think about the missions you have been involved in so far? Are they interesting? Exciting?

Calhoun: They are quite interesting. There are plot twists when they are least expected. I'm starting on my third mission and I find them quite fun to participate in.

Interviewer: What is your current mission about?

Calhoun: A comet hit the Planet called Elaysia. The comet threw off the gravity of the planet and the Elaysains can no longer fly in their Atmosphere. Command told us to investigate and help them anyway we can.

Interviewer: Sounds like it might be an interesting mission. Do you have anything you'd like to add before we end this interview?

Calhoun: Yes, I'd like to thank all the crew. Without them it would not be any fun. And that is the main point to this entire thing, to have fun and to make friends.

Interviewer: Well, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to talk with us today. And keep up the good work on the Excalibur.

Calhoun: It's no problem, anyway to help. I plan to continue the good work on the Excalibur.

* * * * * * * * * *

=/\=MISSION FEATURES=/\=

Here are a few of the many exciting missions going on within IDF!

***
USS Excaliber (submitted by RAdm McCloud)

While on Starbase 234, the Excalibur is called upon to go to Elaysia, a planet with surface gravity so low that the Elaysains can actually fly in their atmosphere. A comet or meteor has landed in one of Elaysia's oceans and may be the cause for the planet's gravity to increase. With the Elaysian's no longer able to take flight, and the gravity increasing, Rear-Admiral McCloud and his crew must find the reason and find a way to reverse it, before the planet's inhabitants are crushed by their own world.

***
USS Conqueror (Submitted by Cmdr K. Rodale) After a few really long and hard missions, Captain K'lar decides to take the crew to the new R and R planet called Centerx 2. We have been hearing so much about this place that we can?t wait to try it out for ourselves. Centerx 2 is on one of the most beautiful garden planets in the known worlds called Centerx. The caretaker of Centerx 2 boast of having the most high tech computer ever built. It also runs the whole 300 mile complex where your very wish comes true. The whole 300 mile complex is surrounded by a force field and weather controlled. The whole crew settles in for the time of our lives in our different fantasy areas of the park but something goes terribly wrong. This marvel of computer goes haywire well it is more like berserk!!!! Now the planets shields are up, we are defenseless and are trapped here with the computers safe guards off. We must find out where the shields generators are and get them down so we can stop the mess, but how did this happen? Was it a glitch in the computer or was it an anit-federation group?

***
Deep Space 15 (submitted by Cmdr Concord)

--The Wedding--

The ceremony's officiator has lost her memory, the groom's been kidnapped, the best man's crash landed somewhere unknown, the maid of honor's disappeared into time... What's a bride to do??

The Groom's escort, being the one of the two who can speak the native language, has been taken out of her body and replaced by a native's consciousness using a rite. He has only a few scant hours to try and convince his kidnappers to reverse the process before it's permanent. The station's sensors have been sabotaged, revealing a vengeful Trill behind the crash landing and the kidnapping, who's ultimate goal is to claim the Maid of Honor. Two Admirals want answers only one's allowed to have, and, as usual, time is running out... the Mother of the Bride is almost here!

Officiator=CO
Maid of Honor=XO
Bride=AXO
Best Man=MCO
Groom's Escort=CCO

***
Starbase 10 (Submitted by Lt. Cmdr Rager)

--The Five W's--

Who, What, Where, and Why having finally been determined! Aliens #1 are beings on the verge of an ascension to another plane, one entirely of the mind. Aliens #2 are zealots bent on stopping what they view as a hedonistic ritual. However, they carefully avoid contact with the station, and maintain a non-provoking stance, until three of their scouts find their presence on the station viewed as an intrusion and are knocked out by a security team. The station's telepaths and empaths were mentally being trapped in a place called The Void, which does not exist in the physical universe and which is a stepping stone in Aliens #1 journey to ascension. Of course, an attempt by Aliens #2 to peacefully stop Aliens #1 without interfering with the station ends up forcing the telepaths and empaths back out of the Void and into their bodies. Only... no one took any care to put everyone back where they belong, and now there are mix-ups such as a Commander in a 12 year-old girl's body!

Finally an understanding of the alien language is established through the joining of an empathy and one of Aliens #1, though the CCO and an alien program running through the station's computer keep trying to translate the written messages that have been sent back and forth so communications can be held with Aliens #2. Aliens #1 frantically request asylum, and persuade Starfleet to give it to them. In a last attempt to complete their journey/ascension, a risky plan is formed and set into motion while the station's Marines head out to the ship of Alien's #2 to try and help force them back into the funnel portal which brought them to the station...

***
USS Patriot (Submitted by Capt. Logan)

After catching the infamous women and arms dealer Big Head, the USS Patriot is on it's way back to Starbase 12 to receive orders for it's new mission under it's new captain, Captain Henry Logan. What amazing things are in store for the gallant crew of this Nebula vessel? Only time will tell.

***
USS George W. Bush (Submitted by Capt. Absecon)

The George W. Bush has traveled to the Dinlo System in respond to a mysterious distress signal. At arrival they find a group of bewildered villagers, and strangely a sole Romulan hiding in the hilly areas. However, the officers of Starfleet keep their presence hidden from him. Little does the crew know, but there isn?t just one Romulan, but at least one more alien, a Klingon, and what they are devising is still unknown. While these events unfold on the planet the Bush has an encounter with a cloaked Romulan ship that will give no reason to its presence. Back on Dinlo V, the villagers suddenly disappear. Communication with the away team having been lost due to Dinlo V?s erratic atmosphere, a rescue attempt is undergone, since the last audible message was that of weapons fire.

***

Wow, these are some really great missions going on here. There are surely more happening on the many other sims in the fleet. Tune in next month for more exciting mission summaries!

* * * * * * * * * *

=/\=SPECIAL THANKS=/\=

This month the newsletter was created and put together by officers who had not done so before. With Vice Admiral Seldon's retirement and Admiral Star's LOA, the fleet was left without an experienced newsletter editor.

However, Admiral West valiantly took charge and recruited Rear Admiral McCloud, Rear Admiral Dragonetti, and Captain K'lar to help him out. Together, they all superbly put together this awesome newsletter and, in a great show of teamwork, got it out by the 15th! Excellent work everyone! Thanks to them!

***
Extra Special Thanks from Admiral West to:

Lt.(jg) Airika Calhoun, Commander Victoria Concord, Lieutenant Rhian Chal, and all the COs who submitted summaries!

=/\=END TRANSMISSION=/\=

*************************
Admiral James West
Director of Operations
Independence Fleet
*************************