=/\=SPECIAL EDITION - 2ND ANNIVERSARY NEWSLETTER, PART-B=/\=
-- USS Goliad
-- USS Minerva
-- Independence Fleet Symbol
-- Interview
-- Closing
=/\=USS GOLIAD=/\=
The USS Goliad saw a change of captaincy in June. The former CO was reported to be constantly unavailable and crew morale was dropping. A search for a new CO was conducted and the Admiralty found a replacement. Under the guidance of Rear-Admiral Dragonetti, Captain Larakizhaan sh'Harena (simply known as Captain Zhaan for short) took over the ship as CO and has since gotten crew morale up and also posting activity. Also, the Goliad created a new website for it's homepage, which is available off the IDF main page.
Captain Zhaan and Rear-Admiral Dragonetti requested that the Goliad's mission statement be published in the newsletter for everyone to see, so here it is!
<<< The Dominion War is over, the wounds are beginning to heal, but the peace is fragile. No where is this more truer than in the Gamma Quadrant itself. The Federation has established five colonies in this distant region of space, with an agreement of non-interference from the Dominion. But there are those who want conflict and to restart the war between the quadrants.
It's up to the USS Goliad, the DRF flagship in the Gamma Quadrant, to keep the peace and safe guard the thousands of Federation citizens now living on the other end of the Bajoran Wormhole.
Their mission is not simply one of defence, but the continued exploration of the Gamma Quadrant, and building better relations with the Dominion and the other inhabitants of the Quadrant.
But if they fail to maintain the peace, the highly trained Hazard Team, led by Lieutenant Michael Honorad, is dedicated to help restore order and maintain the peace. >>>
Thank you USS Goliad for your contribution to the newsletter!
* * * * * * * * * *
=/\=USS MINERVA=/\=
Captain Krol would like to make this announcement about his vessel, the USS Minerva, recently transferred to the DSE Division.
<<
-Krol>>>
Thanks to Captain Krol for his contribution to the
special edition newsletter!
=/\=INDEPENDENCE FLEET SYMBOL=/\=
Announcement of an IDF Contest!
When does it have to be in by? Just get all
submissions to me by July 31, 2003 and the winner
will be announced in the August 15, 2003 newsletter.
The only requirements are that it be between 100x160
pixels or 160x100 pixels. Smaller is just fine (not
too small!), but please try not to go too much larger.
Have fun making a logo for us. Good luck! And don't
forget you can submit as many as you want just get any
and all to me by midnight on July 31. Please feel free
to contact me with any additional questions/comments.
Happy graphics!
Vice-Admiral Felicity Dragonetti
=/\=INTERVIEW=/\=
Today, IDF staff had the honor of sitting down and
talking with Commander Ace Decade. Decade talks about
his simming career, stepping down, USS Washington,
Admiral West, when he will call it quits and much
more!
Editor: Ace I just want to say that it's taken us two
years to catch up with you, and ironically enough it
is on the IDF's two year anniversary. You must be
honored to be interviewed for the Special Edition
newsletter? A lot has happened since the last time we
spoke. How have you been?
Ace: Great, and yes I am honored. How are you?
Editor: Oh I can't complain really. The wife and the
kids are doing just fine, took a vacation to Florida
about two months ago, had a blast. But, enough about
me, everyone wants to know what Ace Decade has been up
to. Just recently you took a step down and gave up
your role as the Captain. Can you tell us how that
felt and what was going through your mind when you
made that decision?
Ace: It was a tough decision, it really was, but now
that I look back on it I don't regret it. I was
getting really busy in real life, and it was just
bogging me down. I hardly ever posted and the Liberty
became deserted. Everyone knows how much I love this
sim, and I won't let anyone take it down, not even me.
So I had to do what I had to do in order to save the
sim. I asked a great guy by the name of Jeremiah
Griffith to come in and take over for me.
Editor: Did he accept right off or was there any
persuasion involved?
Ace: No, no, he told me to give him a few weeks to
give the Patriot a notice and he would be right over.
By the beginning of the new year he was the new CO.
Editor: Was Captain Griffith your first choice? Or was
there candidates you were looking at? The Liberty is
probably the single most successful sim in IDF, giving
a big job like that up, must have took some time.
Ace: Oh it was a two month process. I looked at a lot
of XO's on other sims before I asked. Admiral Star
helped me out and suggested Henry "Hank" Logan, who
was then the XO of the Washington and now Captains the
Patriot. He declined and I went right to Jeremiah.
Editor: Did things get off to a great start under
Griffith?
Ace: Yeah, the posting totals went up and everyone
seemed to be having a great time, I know I was.
Editor: That's good news. Ace, through the years it
has seemed that the USS Liberty and Washington were
dominating the posting awards. Both ships have brought
home the posting title five times, respectively.
Nowadays it has been the Excalibur and the Conqueror
winning the award. Can you compare those two sims with
the Liberty or the Washington's success?
Ace: So your going to put me on the spot, huh?
{Laughs} Umm, that's a tough one to answer. I think
that all four ships have a similar dominance in the
fleet. I mean, all have had great Captain's in the
helm, all have made their mark in IDF history.
Editor: So to make a long story short, Seldon,
McCloud, K'lar and Ace are just that damn good huh?
Ace: {Laughs} That's one way of putting it. But, a
year ago I think the competition was more even, now
you have the Conqueror pretty much owning it all.
Editor: Yeah, they have won the title five times in a
row, a record in IDF which I might add, and they have
done it inside this whole year.
Ace: Yeah, that's impressive. They have a great crew
and could possibly, one day, be the best sim ever.
Editor: WOW, that's saying a lot for the sim. I am
sure they will appreciate your comments, Ace. Another
award that seems to mean a lot to the simmers is the
MVP (Most Valuable Player). Being the very first, you
actually laid the ground for the future MVP's to come.
How does that feel?
Ace: Winning the MVP award just two years ago was an
awesome feat. I beat out top simmers like Joey Carroll
of the Washington, (who is now a member of the
Liberty) and T'Cal formerly of the Sunfire. It wasn't
easy, and winning that award eventually elevated me to
become a Captain, and thus the Liberty was born.
Editor: Yes we all know that story, {Laughs} and if
you don't you can check it out in the "History" of IDF
section on the website at
www.angelfire.com/trek/independencefleet Ace, do you
have any intention of winning that award again, being
that your are now eligible and have been since January
of this year?
Ace: No, I don't set out to win it. If I do, then
great. I pretty much have proved who I am and what I'm
all about in this fleet. I encourage others to try and
win it, but don't forget the fun of simming. If it
becomes a competition, then it becomes a problem.
Editor: Well I hate to break the news to you, but your
representing the Liberty for the MVP award this
month! Do you think you can pull it off just two
years after winning it for the first time?
Ace: {Laughs} It would be cool, but I am laid back
about it. Now, it's like I am in a canoe, drinking
beer and enjoying the ride, ya know?
Editor: That does sound relaxing. Tell me
something, does the step down from CO to XO bring you
closer to drawing your simming career to a close?
Ace: Nothing is definite, I see all these veteran
simmers lately resigning, calling it quits. Make no
mistake, I am still in my prime and have a ways to go
before I give it up. I don't plan on it, but plans
change when you least expect them. All though I will
admit, I have thought about it numerous times, but
something always brings me back.
Editor: Well thank God for that. Do you ever see
yourself becoming CO again?
Ace: Oh yes, always. I am comfortable where I am at
right now, and in no hurry to be a CO again. But, if
my ship needs me to fill that spot, I will always be
here.
Editor: Ever think about leaving the Liberty and
making your mark elsewhere? Say on another ship in
IDF, or possibly outside the fleet?
Ace: Truthfully, once I am done on the Liberty I will
take a break and come back somewhere else. That has
always been my plan, and I intend to stick with it. It
will be a while before any of that happens I might
add.
Editor: What do you think of the Admiralty at this
point in time? Robert Seldon has long since retired,
and Admiral Star appears to be on a long LOA, can West
handle things?
Ace: Oh no question. West knows what he's doing, plus
he has some good help behind him. Like Dragonetti and
Rager, I am confident in both gals. Griffith has just
gotten a promotion to, and he's more than worthy.
Editor: So your not worried about the admiralty's
leadership skills?
Ace: No.
Editor: What do you think about the USS Sunfire's
departure? Do you think it was a wise decision for
Captain Murchadh to make?
Ace: Murchadh knows what she's doing. And as I
understand it, it wasn't just her choice, but her
crew's as well. I have known her for a little under
two years now and she is a great person and a great
leader, she'll be all right. I hate to see the Sunny
leave, but it's for the best I suppose.
Editor: I hear Admiral West plans on re-launching a
new Sunfire in the distant future. If IDF made a list
of the top twenty greatest simmers in her history for
these past two years, where, and be honest, would you
see Ace's name? What number pursay from one being the
best and twenty being the worst?
Ace: That's a very interesting question. So basically
you want to know how good I think I am, or have been
over the years? Hmm, tough decision. To be honest it
would have to be one of the top three spots, and we'll
just leave it at that.
Editor: Well, it is no secret that your one of the
cockiest simmers ever, {Laughs} but you have a right,
and it's definitely arguable. You've done a lot for
this fleet, but the competition is stiff these days.
Ace: Yes, we have some awesome simmers in this fleet.
A lot have came from the Liberty too.
Editor: Who is your favorite character on the Liberty?
Ace: Wil Parks. We've been friends since the beginning
of the old Sunfire days, and he is probably the
greatest, or one of the greatest simmers I've ever
seen. He isn't given enough credit like most people
are, and his time is limited, but he sure can write.
Editor: Yes, I have seen some of his work, he is a
talented young man. You have other great writers on
that ship too, Joey Carroll, Envy Conyers (AKA Ashla
Bogan), the new comer Leto Corrino and thats just
naming a few! Are you satisfied with what the Liberty
has accomplished and how the Liberty is today.
Ace: Who wouldn't? Five time posting champs, we have
had three MVP's on that ship, the crew has won
numerous awards and there is much more to accomplish.
The crew of today is as good as any crew. And I
couldn't ask for anything more.
Editor: No one should. Just recently, the Liberty has
moved from the DSE (Deep Space Exploration) division
to the SOD (Special Operations Division). How did you
feel about the move since the Lib has been in the DSE
since it's creation?
Ace: It was no big deal, I loved the DSE don't get me
wrong. Now, we will have to see what life is like in
the SOD. {Laughs}
Editor: Ace, before I bring this interview to a close,
and it has been great talking with you, I am going to
ask you some real quick questions and you give me your
opinion.
Ace: Okay, I think I got it.
Editor: Which do you prefer? Star Wars or Lord of the
Rings?
Ace: Star Wars, by a long shot.
Editor: In a wrestling match, who would win? "Hitman"
Bret Hart or "Nature Boy" Ric Flair?
Ace: The Hitman!
Editor: Who would kick who's ass? Willow or Yoda?
Ace: Yoda.
Editor: Metallica or Kiss?
Ace: Kiss.
Editor: Lebron James or Michael Jordan?
Ace: Air Jordan all the way!
Editor: Who's the better Captain? Picard or Kirk?
Ace: Picard.
Editor: Godzilla or King Kong? Who would win?
Ace: King Kong.
Editor: Spider-Man or Batman?
Ace: Batman.
Editor: Mike Tyson or Lennox Lewis, Part 2?
Ace: Lewis, no question.
Editor: Ace Decade or Robert Seldon?
Ace: Ace Decade {Laughs}
Editor: {Laughs} Ace it's been great having you, we
hope to see you soon and try and not wait a year
before we talk to you again. Good luck with your
simming career, and with the USS Liberty!
Ace: Thank you, it's been a pleasure.
=/\=CLOSING=/\=
Thank you to everyone who made this newsletter
possible. Special thanks to Mr. Robert Seldon, who
took the time to create the opening for this special
newsletter.
There will still be a newsletter issued as normal on
July 15th as well. However, since so much was covered
in this newsletter, the normal issue may be pretty
short!
Let's move forward from here on out and make it to
another year. I hope all of you are still here when I
(or whoever) types up the 3rd anniversary newsletter!
IDF is looking to have its own custom logo and we want
one made by you. This is a contest that is open to all
of the fleet including civilians and admirals and you
can submit as many designs as you want! Any and all
submissions need to be sent to me (Vice-Admiral
Dragonetti) at poisonwake@yahoo.com. Winning symbol
will be used on the website and you will get website
credits. This symbol will also be used for any
webrings or groups IDF wants to join!
poisonwake@yahoo.com
AIM: Mystakae
=/\=END TRANSMISSION=/\=
*************************
Admiral James West
Director of Operations
Independence Fleet
*************************
