the commonwealth -1- issue 12: december 201420thfleet.org.uk/onewebmedia/runabout/12.pdf · star...

The Commonwealth -1- Issue 12: December 2014


@ttention ^ll h^nds ...

Welcome to the last regional newsletter of 2014. I am prepared to argue that 2014 has been the best year for Region 20 since our reactivation in 2010. Our roster has grown, we broke the two-hundred member mark (briefly – here's hoping we get some renewals when things settle down with the database) and we are getting noticed. But numbers are just numbers. I’d rather have ten active members in the Region, then 10,000 members on the R20 roster. Numbers look good – smiles on faces in photos look better. And we have had some fun. The Alba, Iceni, and Cuchulain have been out there at Dublin, London, Milton Keynes, Edinburgh, Belfast among others, providing lots of great photos whilst flying the flag for their chapters and SFI. We came together, with a lot of our fellow UK clubs and groups for FCD at Leicester and of course, we finally did it – we delivered that elusive regional event. It was a great start to something really special, and it was a great honour to be the sitting RC for this event, my thanks to Rich and the team for again, making the event into the success it was. Of course, we’re a fan club and it’s a hobby for us all. Among the events we have let our hair down, is the Banquet, the SFBall and the aforementioned FCD. For the first time, a member of the Regional Staff, Scott Peter represented us at the IC. Truly, Region 20 is here to stay. December also sees the six month point of my run as Regional Coordinator. There have been hiccups but, overall, it has gone smoother than I ever thought possible, and this is thanks to the patience of you all. My thanks to Scott Peter, Rich Sams, Pat Stoneham, Anni Potts, Amanda Barrow, and everyone else who has contributed at Regional level. I never wanted a post of authority, but if my stint is as enjoyable as this one, those Admiral’s Bars don’t seem so bad… (at least, not yet). That being said, it’s come to my attention that a person felt that the region wasn't inclusive to them. Fair play to that person, they addressed their concerns with me, they still weren’t happy, and I offered them a solution. It has started a dialogue and we have acted upon that. However, it’s come to my attention that other people within region 20 feel that the region isn’t inclusive to them. Therefore, if we are going to make 2015 an even better year than 2014, we


need to hear from you our members, weather its getting involved with open posts at regional level, sending in articles for the newsletter, or coming to me with your personal concerns please speak up. With your valuable feedback, Region 20 can keep boldly going forward. I would not be where I am today without inclusivity, so I want to ensure that Region 20 is a fair, fun place. I wish you the best for the Holidays and I look forward to seeing you in 2015.

Dan

FLEET CAPTAIN Dan Adams

Vice Regional Coordinator

"To Thine Own Self Be True"

@@cckknnoowwlleeddggeemmeennttss Our thanks go to this issue's

contributors (listed alphabetically):

LCDR 'Panda' Barrow USS Stargazer

Lt Cdr John Brogan USS Alba

FCAPT Dan Adams USS Stargazer

Keith Callaghan USS Cuchulain

CRMN Damien Devlin USS Cuchulain

Lt Pat Stoneham USS Stargazer

LCDR Anni 'Zig'Potts USS Stargazer

CMDR Eilidh Montgomery USS Alba

LTJG Alan Whelan USS Cuchulain

The Commonwealth is the newsletter of STARFLEET

International, Region 20. Unless otherwise stated, all

articles are the property of the author. Any opinions

expressed are solely those of the author and may not

reflect the opinions of the editors, STARFLEET Region

20 or STARFLEET International.

Star Trek and all related trademarks are the

exclusive property of CBS. They are used here without

permission for entertainment purposes only.

IIssssuuee DD^̂tteess Issue Date Deadline for

Submissions

SPRING

SUMMER

AUTUMN

WINTER

March

June

September

December

18 February

22 May

22 August

22 November

Please remember that the Editor only

edits the magazine so unless you make

submissions, the Commonwealth will

be very small indeed. All submissions

are welcome, but the Editor reserves

the right to edit, postpone or not to

publish a particular item.

Submissions should be sent to

[email protected]. Many thanks.

LTCdr Anni Potts

Chief of Communications

20th Fleet


In this Issue ...

Attention all hands .............................................................................................. 2 Acknowledgements....................................................................................... 3 Issue Dates .................................................................................................... 3

In this Issue ... ...................................................................................................... 4 Twin Tribble Rescue Mission ............................................................................... 5

History ........................................................................................................... 5 Case Notes..................................................................................................... 6 COMPETITION TIME!..................................................................................... 6

DSTL 2014 ............................................................................................................ 7 STARFLEET Medical, Region 20.......................................................................... 10

Stardate: 2014.10.18 ~ Ebola Virus - Update .............................................10 Breaking News from around the Region.....................................................11 Currently Appointed CMOs .........................................................................12

STAFF VACANCY.................................................................................................12 Deputy Assistant Surgeon General, Region 20..................................................12 Looking back at – Star Trek: Nemesis................................................................13 Aboard the Cuchulain ........................................................................................15 Captain's Log, USS Stargazer..............................................................................17 Captain's Log, USS Cuchulain .............................................................................18 Cuchulain Crew Profiles .....................................................................................19 SCIENCE REORT: How is Eye-catching Space Technology Helping to restore

Human Sight?.....................................................................................................21 A new beginning ................................................................................................22 A Fond Farewell .................................................................................................23 The Banshees at the Hive ..................................................................................24 The Secret of The Venture PART TWO...............................................................26 So what is "Member Services" about? ..............................................................35

A A A Cover photo by Beata Izabela Miller.

I wouldn't normally put myself on the front cover of anything, but as this is a

special issue of the Commonwealth for me (as you'll find out later), I felt this

photo said everything about what being a member of the USS Stargazer and

Region 20 means to me. Thank you, guys, for making this so great.

Zig


Twin Tribble Rescue Mission

Chief Medic^l Officer: Sub-Comm^nder T'V^h'L'Q^'YiN

TOP SECRET - CL@SSIFIED

SPECIMEN: Polygeminus grex (NOT to be confused with

Megalopyge opercularis)

COMMON NAME: 'Tribble'

HOMEWORLD: Iota Geminorum IV

STATUS: "Rescued"

CONDITION: Ready for Fostering

ATTENDED BY: Chief Medical Officer, Sub-Commander T'Vah'L'Qa'YiN

HHiissttoorryy These identical Twin Tribbles were rescued from the Qochbe'wl experimental

facility located in the southern tip of the Uhq'ra Mountains by the crew of the ill-

fated USS York. As identical twin specimens of this specie is not a natural

phenomena, the extraction team believe that only one of the creatures is a

Polygeminus grex. The other is thought to be an Allasomorph.


CC^̂ssee NNootteess On return to the USS Stargazer the twins were

immediately placed under twenty-four hour guard in

the converted Cargo Bay 5. Access was strictly limited

to essential personnel.

After prolonged and extensive surgery the binding

device joining the two creatures together was

successfully removed. Further studies have identified

the joining device as a neural inhibitor.

The specimens were placed in the cellular re-

generator for thirty days. Their survival rate was

estimated of 30.075%

Recovery has been a very slow progress and it is

believed that their fur will never grow to the normally

luxuriant and vibrant lengths seen in wild specimens.

Engineering have been able to develop an artificial

voice box for the twins and a recent outing to the

Regional Summit 2014 proved that they had now

recovered to a point that they were almost ready for

re-homing. Unfortunately, one of the twins was

damaged by an over-enthusiastic delegate which has necessitated further

remedial surgery for a replacement voice box.

Recovery from surgery was hampered somewhat as the uninjured specimen

appeared to be constantly nudging the injured specimen; separating them

completely only reduced them to emitting high pitched squealing.

Four of Four was assigned to 'holding' duties and several days of missed rest

cycles motivated her to construct a 'sling' device in which the twins could nestle,

seemingly content.

As Four of Four must return to her duties and the twins are now fully

recovered we need to locate a suitable foster home for them.

CCOOMMPPEETTIITTIIOONN TTIIMMEE!! Sub-Commander T'Vah'L'Qa'YiN is looking for names for the adorable duo. The

winner will then have the honour (and responsibility) or adopting the duo. To

take part, simply eMail your name and suggestions to [email protected] .

Closing date is Christmas Eve. Winner to be announced on 10th January 2015.

An Allasomorph in its

natural state


DSTL 2014

Lt Cdr John Brog^n, USS @lb^

Stardate 201410.03 at 1400hrs saw 'Doors Open' for an event known as either

Destination Star Trek 3 or Destination Star Trek London, but before Doors Open,

for those of us who had booked in advance, (and I had a Lieutenant's Silver

Package), at 1130hrs there was a private viewing of The Wrath of Khan, followed

by a Q & A session with the movie's director, Nicholas Meyer.

But, if I am to tell the story of DSTL, 'warts and all', I would have to report that

my first day started at 09:00 when I had to report to the Box Office to collect

duplicate tickets because the Lieutenant

Package, ordered at £225, failed to arrive in

the post. Still, after two attempts and a few

more gray hairs, I had my paper ticket, which I

now had to take to the Ticket Office to

exchange for my plastic pass and where I

would also collect my goody bag.

The goody bag is worth a mention. It's a

soft, black plastic type bag bearing the DST3

logo etc, secured with cord drawstrings in such

a manner that the bag could be worn like a

rucksack. Inside, were a number of items

including a signed photo of actor Jeffrey

Combs who, despite playing nine different

characters in Star Trek, was most famous as

the Vorta clone, Weyon, in DS9, and the photo was in character. There was also

a glossy magazine-style official programme, a button badge, a lanyard for the

security pass and a silver (not real silver) coaster with the DST3 logo and dates,

and various flyers for stalls within the venue. I also received a rolled up poster,

which I lost so quickly that I do not remember seeing it after the first 10 minutes

and never saw what the poster was. Ah well, somebody benefitted there.

So as well as this bagful of goodies, my Lieutenant Package included a ticket

for a TNG Enterprise bridge photo shoot, a ticket for a Borg regeneration booth

photo shoot, a Jeri Ryan talk and Q & A (pre-chosen) and a Bill Shatner talk and

Q & A (also pre-chosen).

Having collected all my goodies, it was back to the hotel (which was about

500m from the London Excel) to change into uniform and get stuck in. Following


The Wrath of Khan, I had nothing else pre-booked until the Opening Ceremony

hosted by Jonathon Ross at 1900hrs, followed by the Party with the Stars at

2100, so it was into the main arena where all the Star Trek stars we know were

busy signing autographs, and doing photo shoots.

On the 'free' stages on Friday afternoon was 'Tomorrow is Yesterday' bringing

the tech of Trek to life, with David Coplin, Chief Envisioning Officer at Microsoft,

'Welcome to DST3' with Max Grodenchick, Aron Eisenberg and Casey Biggs,

'Women of Star Trek' with Suzie Plakson, Hana Hatae and Alice Krig, 'History of

Star Trek Costumes and Uniforms' with Martin Netter, 'My Time on Star Trek'

with Jim Moorhouse and Larry Nemecek and much more.

The Opening Ceremony was at 1900hrs on the Friday, hosted by Jonathon

Ross, and consisted of short interviews with all the Trek stars and directors who

would be appearing over the

weekend.

The climax to Friday was the

Party with the Stars, which took

place from 2100hrs onward in The

Fox Pub, right next to the Excel.

Entertainment was provided by

The Enterprise Blues Band

comprising of Steve Rankin,

Vaughn Armstrong and Casey

Biggs (Vaughn played Admiral

Maxwell Forest in

Star Trek: Enterprise, whilst

Steve and Casey were

Cardassian officers in

Deep Space 9). I have to admit, the only stars I saw mingling in the Party with the

Stars were Anthony Montgomery, who played Travis Mayweather in Enterprise,

and Max Grodenchik: Rom, the Ferengi engineer and brother to Quark on DS9. I

actually managed to spend several minutes chatting to Max as he moved around

the room talking to people. The party went on 'till late' as they say, but for me it

had been a long enough day.

On the Saturday I had nothing pre-booked other than a photo-shoot on the


TNG Enterprise Bridge and one in a Borg

regeneration booth. Those and a

talk/Q & A session with Jeri Ryan of

Voyager. So, mostly, the Saturday was

spent wandering around the stalls and

displays that filled this large arena. I was

able to meet up with Region 20 crew

members from the USS Iceni and USS

Cuchulain. Interestingly enough, I ran

into Max Grodenchik again, as he

wandered around the arena in full Rom

costume. I thought this was a good touch

by him as people on a budget who could

not afford photo shoots could at least

get one picture with a Trek star.

All Saturday there was a lot happening on the various stages as the stars gave

their talks and demonstrations. Around the walls were the autograph booths

where the fans could have photographs signed or, indeed, the photo shoot

booths where one could briefly meet your hero and be photographed with them.

Jeri Ryan gave an excellent talk with anecdotes about her time on Voyager

and took many questions, joking with those who got a moment to speak with

her. I don't know quite what I was expecting, but Jeri's voice is pitched higher

than Seven of Nine's and she is funny and bubbly and there is none of the

seriousness of Seven of Nine. I thought she was a lovely lady.

Sunday was another day of talks, displays and shopping until it was time to go

to my last pre-booked event; a talk with Bill Shatner. Again, this was highly

amusing. Bill is a great talker and spoke with humour and affection of his

experiences, getting quite serious when he spoke of his love for horses.

So that was it. After the Bill Shatner talk it was almost over. There was thirty

minutes shopping time left as the stall holders tried to get a last few bucks, but

all else had closed down. As I left for the final time, playing over the music

system was the novelty song Star Trekkin' which made No. 1 in the UK in 1987.

There was much more to this weekend than I have been able to report in this

short piece. For me the highlight of the weekend was meeting Max Grodenchik

twice on a personal level and not on a supervised 30-second photo shoot or

autograph session.

Before I close, I would say to any of you reading this that if DST comes to

London again you should (and I will) make every effort to get there. It is a superb

experience.


ST@RFLEET Medic^l, Region 20

LCDR @m^nd^ B^rrow @ssist^nt Surgeon Gener^l – Region 20 Chief Medic^l Officer – USS St^rg^zer

As Assistant Surgeons General in the STARFLEET Medical Corps, we represent the

visible concern of STARFLEET for members on issues related to public health,

specifically health promotion and disease prevention. In our assigned region, we

work with and collaborate with health science / medical leadership to bring

important health promotion and disease prevention information to chapter-level

health science / medical points-of-contact (e.g., Chapter CMOs) for the benefit of

the local membership.

Our current Surgeon General is Major General Oliver Savander SR. The

Surgeon General reports directly into the Vice-Commander, STARFLEET (VCS).

NEWS ... NEWS ... NEWS ... NEWS ... NEWS ...

SStt^̂rrdd^̂ttee:: 22001144..1100..1188 ~~ EEbbooll^̂ VViirruuss -- UUppdd^̂ttee As I write today the threat of a

world wide pandemic is bubbling

just under the surface and it

would seem, the Ebola virus is

knocking gently on the doors into

the UK.

Ebola virus disease, formerly

Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a

severe viral haemorrhagic fever


(VHF) caused by a virus of the filovirus family.

There are five distinct species of Ebola virus, of which four have caused

disease in humans: Zaïre, Sudan, Tai Forest and Bundibugyo. Reston ebolavirus

has caused disease in non-human primates and pigs, but not in humans.

On the 14th October 2014, Public Health England is helping to roll out

enhanced screening for Ebola starting at Heathrow, then Gatwick and St Pancras

(Eurostar) in passengers that Border Force officers identify as having travelled

from Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.

Passengers will have their temperature taken and complete a questionnaire

asking about their current health, recent travel history and whether they might

be at potential risk through contact with Ebola patients. Based on the

information provided and their temperature, passengers will either be given

advice and allowed to continue their journey, or undergo a clinical assessment

by PHE staff and if necessary be transferred to hospital for further tests.

Source: Public Health England

BBrree^̂kkiinngg NNeewwss ffrroomm ^̂rroouunndd tthhee RReeggiioonn From: CMDR Michael Hartley

CO - Shuttlecraft York NCC 7991/01:

Date: 15th

October 2014

CMDR Hartley passed a three-day First Aid at Work course. The training provider

was Green Cross Training. There were two parts:

• Practical side covered DRABC/Recovery, CPR, and Bandages.

• A Theory Exam: There were 6 questions and a discussion.

CMDR Hartley found the course to be very good and informative.

The Home of the @SG – R20 on F^cebook

The ASG 20 Facebook page received a very welcome face lift in the form of a new

banner design. I would like to record my very grateful thanks to LCDR Anni 'Zig'

Potts for rescuing me (and the group) from my very poor efforts.

The 'Home of the Assistant Surgeon General R20' Facebook group have

covered a wide variety of topics ranging from:

• Osteoporosis (hairline fracture of vertebrae)

• HRT Therapy

• Predicting and Preventing Infectious Diseases with Google Earth

• Hair Loss (and the benefit of wigs)


• Cancer – and feeding tubes

• MRI scans

• Plus a very interesting article on 'hookworms' as a 'cure' for celiac's

disease

Region 20 Ch^pters: CMO / Medic^l Dep^rtment Report's

Each month I am required to submit a ASG-R20 report into the Surgeon General.

This report briefly summarises the various activities in the medical and science

departments in the Chapters. If you are a CMO or Science Officer in your Chapter

I would love to hear from you.

CCuurrrreennttllyy @@ppppooiinntteedd CCMMOOss • USS Alba: LTJG Sandy McNeillie-Welsh

• USS Stargazer: LCDR Amanda Barrow

ST@FF V@C@NCY Deputy @ssist^nt Surgeon Gener^l, Region 20

An opportunity has arisen for a Deputy Surgeon General – Region 20.

The ideal candidate will have already have completed the OTC course, will be

a member of good standing and will already serving within their chapter in the

Science, Medical and or Counselling departments.

Duties to include:

• Updating and expanding the ASG R20 webpage with news worthy

articles.

• Keeping an up to date list of current CMO's within the Region.

• Help to compile the monthly Regional Report.

• Deputising for the ASG – R20 as required.

Candidates must have the permission from their Chapter CO before applying for

the post.

In line with all Regional appointments - candidates will undergo a 'vote of

confidence' after a two year term has been completed. To apply: please forward

your resume to: LCDR A Barrow email: [email protected] .


Looking b^ck ^t – St^r Trek: Nemesis

FC@PT D^n @d^ms, USS St^rg^zer

Recently at my local gaming store in Mansfield, I played some more 'casual'

games of Star Trek: Attack Wing using the scenarios that come with some of the

ships. One of those missions was 'Destroy the Scimitar' which, is based on

Nemesis. It is different in that it is a cooperative mission so there is no

competition. Instead, two friends and I tried to blow up that pesky Romulan ship,

and managed it on our fourth attempt.

When I got home, I decided to fire up the DVD player and take a fresh look at

this much derided piece of Trek Lore.

Derided seems like a strong term, but Marina Sirtis and Levar Burton have

both been very ciritical of the film in the years since its release.

Billed as 'a generation's final journey', it saw the Next Generation Crew and

the Enterprise-E embark on a mission to Romulus, and the first appearance of


the Remans led by Prateor Shinzon, played by Tom Hardy.

I think that the plot holds up pretty well compared to some of today’s

blockbusters. It does feel like it owes a lot to the Wrath of Kahn, and while I

enjoyed this repeat viewing, I still have some issues with it.

Despite the marketing slogan about being 'a generation’s final journey', I can

only assume that there was some hope of the movie franchise continuing.

Otherwise, why would they be so keen in killing off Data and hinting about a

possible resurrection? Surely it would have been better to have a TNG equivalent

of the 'signing off' scene at the end of ST6. It would have been more satisfying to

see Data stand side-by-side with the crew as they ride off into the sunset.

It’s not even the fact that Data died that rankled me but rather that his death

was so evocative of Spock’s sacrifice, (isolating his comrades from danger as he

chooses to sacrifice

himself, followed by a hint

at resurrection). It would

have been much better to

have Data be killed at the

hands of the Remans only

for Picard to rise above his

instinct for revenge.

My only other problem

is the search for parts of B4

on the planet—the people

on the planet seem to be pre-warp. Surely joy riding around the planet in the

Argo isn’t the best way to protect the prime directive?

It is wonderful, though, to see the crew together, slipping on the characters

for the last time. Patrick Stewart is comfortable with the character of Picard, and

Data’s scene with the apparently witless B4 is heart-breaking.

Tom Hardy, while not being the best Picard lookalike in the world, exudes

menace in his role as Shinzon, who became more bestial as his DNA unravelled.

This is a film for set pieces, and there are some great ones in this film. While I

have already expressed my concerns, the Argo scene is great aesthetically. The

Scimitar is a beautiful, if scary, monster of a ship. The ramming scene was

another delight.

Overall, any film going against a Lord of the Rings film was going to struggle

and, thus, even if this film had been more of a fan favourite like TWOK or First

Contact, its box office takings would probably still have been lower compared to

the Middle Earth Behemoth. However, I found rewatching the film to be a most

enjoyable experience.


@bo^rd the Cuchul^in

Keith C^ll^gh^n, USS Cuchul^in

In the early part of 2014 I was introduced to the USS CUCHULAIN, captained by

Alan O'Shea, by my sister-in-law, Laura Murphy. I was always interested in sci-fi

movies and games but when Cuchulain arrived, to me it was another chapter in

my life opening up. My first outing on the Cuchulain was such a great time. I

slotted right in and felt like I was there for a long time. On my way there, I was

complimented by strangers on my Wrath Of Khan uniform: "Hey! Nice Star Trek

uniform wee-woo!" So

that was a boost on my

first outing.

Since then, I have

managed to do the

Ensign's exam with more

to follow in time

hopefully.

The Wrath Of Khan is

my favourite Trek movie

so with what my all-I-can-

get-my-hands-on budget

allows, I have included in my uniform

badges, boots, phaser a Star Trek 2

communicator and my Cuchulain comm

badge, which has pride of place on my

uniform. I have been to quite a few

Cuchulain outings and always felt part

of a great team, always with lots of

laughter.

There is nothing like dressing up at

parties and conventions and people

asking, 'Can I get a photo of you?" and

the best is the expression on people’s

faces, especially children, whether it’s in

amazement, shock or genuinely afraid,

it is all good fun.


I have a few Cosplay costumes too, some parts bought and some made (with

many layers of skin and clothes either burnt or glued together). Those costumes

include Predator (I’m planning

to improve my Predator

costume greatly; it’s all work in

progress at the moment),

Wrath Of Khan full uniform and

accessories, and Terminator

(Arnold mask, T800 and a T2

leather jacket) and my latest

Gears Of War. I always had an

interest in movies and games

that my costumes came from—

like my Gears Of War costume.

It is my motorbike gear painted

and lacquered and I added led

lights from Lidl and some EL

wire with controllers, airsoft

gloves painted. All the

motorbike gear, including the

trousers from Lidl, were painted

sliver with a light coat of black

to try get a battle effect. When

it comes to Cosplay, there are

always people there to help and

offer advice. I never miss a

shopping opportunity, no matter

where or when, to buy gadgets

because you just never know when they will come in handy.

In August at Dublin ComicCon, I joined the USS CUCHULAIN as Marcus Fenix

from Gears Of War for a few photos. It's always a superb event to see lots of

fantastic costumes, and it is great to see a lot of members from the Cuchulain in

uniform too. It creates a really good impression of a well organised group, and

it’s a great feeling to say that your part of such a massive worldwide community.

I’m rally looking forward to many more Cosplay parties and conventions in one

of my many costumes.


C^pt^in's Log, USS St^rg^zer

FC@PT D^niel @d^ms

It’s been a fantastic few months for Region 20’s

longest serving chapter.

TREK FIRST is something I believe in

passionately. Star Trek inspires people. Whether

it’s a child or teenager inspired to go into

engineering or science fields, or artistic ones like

performing, writing or other artistic endeavours,

Star Trek inspires, even if it’s just having fun. Our crew have been getting out there for the

Stargazer, representing the chapter at Sheffield Film and Comicon, DSTL, the

Starbase 24 Banquet and the regular Manchester and Leeds meet ups. It's always

fantastic to get out there and see what our crew get up to. Our crew have all

been busy on the Academy too, particularly our star navigator, Ensign Kathy Ball.

Away from events, both our CO and XO have become part of the Star Trek

Attack Wing scene in their local areas. Playing this game is a fantastic way to

meet new people and chat.

Christmas is coming too. It's always been a special time for my 'trek-ness'. If I

remember correctly, I first started to enjoy Star Trek during the early autumn of

1993. That Christmas, I was properly introduced to the original series crew

during a festive showing of Star Trek 6, perhaps my favourite to feature the

original cast. With Christmas came Christmas money, and I spent it on two Trek

VHS tapes (remember those?) and so it came to pass that I saw in 1994 watching

Worf trying to escape from a prison camp. This was also when my family realised that this was more than a phase, so I

had more Trek videos, models, watches and other gifts than you could shake a

tribble at. I particularly remember spending that Christmas morning watching 'All

Good Things' in my pyjamas. Ah! Happy memories.

Anyway, I look forward to seeing the rest of the Fleet out there in 2015!

FCAPT Dan Adams

CO, USS Stargazer

'To Thine Own Self Be True'


C^pt^in's Log, USS Cuchul^in

FC@PT @l^n O'She^

Since putting back to Starbase for our refit, I must say

that I am very pleased with our new state of the art

Nova Class vessel and we have resumed our mission

to seek out new life and new adventures. Special

thanks to Head of Special Operations, SCPO Jonathan

East, for all his hard work at ship yard design stage

and to Cuchulain comms officers, LTJG Karen

Bebbington and Gianandrea Commande for their gallant

effort in getting our new look website up and running;

fabulous job. 2014 was a very busy year for the Cuchulain and

crew, with attending various events throughout the year from Invasion Belfast to

Starbase 24 Banquet—too many to mention, but I am sure you will hear more on some

of those adventures from other members too in this issue.

The Cuchulain is very proud to see the launch of the second chapter in Ireland, the

USS Caroline, and we were delighted to send a detachment to Belfast to support their

launch event. The Caroline are moving along very nicely. We are proud to be Caroline's

support ship and we wish her God speed on her journey.

The Cuchulain is also very pleased to participate in a sister ship arrangement with the

USS Charon, NCC-80111, all the way from North Carolina in Region 1, the home of SFI.

This journey of cultural exchange and friendship reached an all-time high when my XO,

Captain Frank Kiernan, and friends were lucky enough to travel to the States to attend

Dragon Con when he met up with the Charon's CO, Commodore Scott Gibson, and some

of his crew which was a great experience. Closer to home, I am pleased to see the

beginning of our marine unit's training with manoeuvres in the field at a specialist indoor

training facility at the Hive in Dublin, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

December is a very busy time for the Cuchulain with us gearing up for our annual

Christmas Party and immediately after that, for our hardened marines, more training at

Airsoft as well as lots of new events planned for 2015. Watch this space!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish the Cuchulain and her crew, the RC and

his team and all chapters across Region 20 a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

and hope that 2015 is your best year yet.

FCAPT Alan O'Shea

CO, USS Cuchulain

DOIC, 391st the Banshees


Cuchul^in Crew Profiles

CRMN D^mien Devlin, USS Cuchul^in

Hello folks. I am Damien Devlin a crewman and operations officer on board the

mighty USS Cuchulain. Some of you may already know me as the IRISHTREKKIE

from YouTube. Just to give you a bit of a background about myself, I hail from

Galway in the west of Ireland and I am a

father, a husband, a YouTuber, musician,

artist, a science fiction fanatic ... and the

list goes on. Call me a nerd or a geek, I

wear each badge with pride.

To pay the bills I work in the tech.

industry, which is right up my alley. Over

a year ago I started my YouTube channel

founded on reviewing 'The Star Trek

Starships' magazine, as a hobby. It has

since evolved to be much more than I

had expected and a great community has

emerged. This is also how I came to find

the USS Cuchulain.

I love science, space, gaming and

technology and my family are great

supporters of my interests. I love to set

up my telescope and search for distant

planets and stars letting my imagination

take flight. This feeling also comes true

when I watch science fiction such as Star Trek, Babylon 5, Stargate, Battlestar

Galactica and so many more.

The ideals that Gene Roddenberry promoted in the Star Trek universe:

equality, respect, science and exploration are the very same attributes I find here

at the USS Cuchulain. And that is why I joined her crew in early 2014.

What does the future mean for me? More YouTube, more USS Cuchulain and

more sci-fi. You folks are the best. Set phaser to FUNFUNFUNFUN and live long and prosper.

You can find Damien's YouTube channel at: www.youtube.com/irishtrekkie


Ensign L^ur^ Murphy

My name is Ensign Laura Murphy a member of the Cuchulain medical team. I live

in Dublin and I am new to SFI but I have been a Trek fan my whole life. My

passion is Cosplay. As much as I enjoy participating, my favourite thing about

Cosplay is meeting people, talking to them about the work they put into their

Cosplay and how much they enjoy doing what they love. I love meeting people

are conventions and seeing how creative they are and putting their own spin on

well known characters. Social

networking is great for watching the

build from beginning to end,

especially when I see it at a

convention in person. I have tried my

hand at Cosplay, to make some parts

of my outfits. My Ewok costume was

almost completely homemade, my

walking stick came from a storm

damaged tree I cleaned and

varnished and the furry ears sown to

a scarf.

My favourite Cosplay has to be

my Original Series Starfleet uniform. I

Cosplay as a Vulcan. I really enjoyed

wearing it at Dublin Comic Con and

enjoying the camaraderie of the

other Star Trek fans I met there. I'm

always on the lookout for new ideas,

I recently bought a Next Generation

uniform and hope to have a uniform

from every series.

My prized possession is my

assimilated Tribble, a gift from my

brother in law. He was assimilated using LED lights and tubes. I had been leaning

towards more Star Wars for Cosplay, but with the various seasons of Trek, the

possibilities are endless with ST. My sister has been Andorian and I would love to

try that or Klingon or Bajoran.

A A A


SCIENCE REORT: How is Eye-c^tching Sp^ce Technology Helping to restore Hum^n Sight>

Lt P^t Stoneh^m, Science Officer, USS St^rg^zer @rticle courtesy of Kelly Both^m of the Europe^n Sp^ce @gency

Laser surgery to correct eyesight is

common practice, but did you know

that technology developed for use in

space is now commonly used to track

the patient’s eye and precisely direct

the laser scalpel?

If you look at a fixed point while

tilting or shaking your head, your eyes

automatically hold steady, allowing you

to see clearly even while moving around. This neat trick of nature is a reflex and

we are usually unaware that it even happens.

Behind the scenes, your brain is constantly interpreting information from the

inner ear to maintain balance and stable vision. An essential feature of this

sensory system is the use of gravity as a reference. Most species on Earth, going

back as far as the dinosaurs, rely on it.

But how do astronauts in space cope when the inner ear can no longer rely

on gravity? How well do astronauts focus on a computer screen when floating

by, and how do they judge speed?

To investigate these questions, a team led by Professor Andrew Clarke based

in Berlin, Germany, designed a series of experiments to measure astronauts’ eye

movements as they worked on the International Space Station.

Researchers needed a robust method to track the eyes without interfering

with the astronaut’s normal work. The answer came in the form of a helmet

feeding high-performance image-processing chips similar to those found in

consumer cameras.

Lost in sp^ce

Ten years ago the first astronauts used the device on the Space Station, followed

by more than four years of experiments.

The results showed that our balance and the overall control of eye

movements are indeed affected by weightlessness. These two systems work


closely together under normal gravity conditions, but become somewhat

dissociated in microgravity.

The findings point to the entire sensory-motor complex and spatial

perception relying on gravity as a reference for orientation. After a flight, it takes

several days to weeks for the astronauts to return to normal.

B^ck to E^rth

In parallel with its use on the Space Station, the engineers realised the device

had potential for applications on Earth. Tracking the eye’s position without

interfering with the surgeon’s

work is essential in laser

surgery. The space technology

proved ideal.

"This eye-tracking

equipment is being used in a

large proportion of corrective

laser surgeries throughout the

world," explains Prof. Clarke.

"In addition, a commercially

available version has also been

delivered to a large number of

research laboratories in Europe

and North America for ground-

based studies.

@ new beginning

Well, this is the last issue of "The Commonwealth" ... but don’t panic! After

discussions between the captains of the Region, the decision has been made to

change the name of the newsletter.

What to? Well, that’s where YOU come in. It was felt that the current name

didn’t accurately reflect the interests of the Region, so what do you think would

be a better name? Send up to three choices to me at [email protected] by

6th December. Members will then be asked to choose from a list of eligible

entries and the winner will get a special prize.


Rules

1. Up to three entries per member. If more than three entries are submitted,

three will be selected at random.

2. All entries must be sent to [email protected] Entries sent via other eMail

addresses, Facebook etc. won’t be counted.

3. Choices may be vetoed for reasons of appropriateness, taste or availability. If

a choice is vetoed, the member will be contacted with the CO copied in

explaining why.

4. If the winning entry is submitted by more than one person, the winner of the

prize will be determined by a random draw between those that submitted it.

So don’t just be good, be original!

The deadline for submissions is 22:00 hours on 6th December 2014.

@ Fond F^rewell

LCDR @nni 'Zig'Potts

And with the new name for The Commonwealth will come a new editor because

this is the last issue of the Regional magazine that I'll be producing—and before

the speculation and rumours start, it's got nothing to do with changing the name

of the magazine. I too will be submitting suggestions. So why this move?

I've had the privilege of pulling the Commonwealth together for the last two

years but now, but I think it's time I let somebody else has a go. After all, unless

we step aside, it'll be the same old people doing the same old stuff all the time,

and that's not good for the Region. By allowing others to have the chance to do

things, it gives them the opportunity to flex their wings, try something new or

develop their skills. It will also help to keep the Region vibrant, allow it

to develop and grow with its membership.

So, if you fancy a go at editing the magazine

next time around, please contact the RC,

Dan Adams at [email protected] .

So, is that it from me? Nope! I still have the

Member Services role, which I hope to be developing,

so I shall still be seeing you out there, and submitting

stuff to the magazine.


The B^nshees ^t the Hive

LTJG @l^n Whel^n, USS Cuchul^in

St^rd^te 2014.11.09:

Greetings readers,

My name is LTJG Alan Whelan and I am a member of the USS Cuchulain

senior command team and a reservist in the 391st The Banshees, the Cuchulain's

Marine Strike Group.

On Earthdate 9th November the crew of the USS Cuchulain gathered at a

secret Starfleet training facility known as The Hive for their first operational

training session as marines: The Banshees.

We arrived by shuttle and transporter from various sectors across the country

not knowing what to expect but ready for anything; budding hardcore marines

one and all. We gathered in the Dublin suburb of Tallaght on a cold Sunday

afternoon for what promised

to be an eventful day. We

were a mixed bag of seasoned

Mil Sim'ers and complete first

timers. The excitement levels

were high as we were granted

access to the Hive for the first

time. Section 31 marshals took

us through some basic safety

and information procedures

required for an enjoyable session. We then received our squad assignments, Red

Squad under the command of Captain Alan O'Shea and Blue Squad under the

command of Captain Frank Kiernan.

With an even mix of experienced and novice players across both squads, we

changed into our combat fatigues, put on our war faces, grabbed our weapons

and made our way into the battle arena for our first glimpse of the place that

would see so much blood, sweat and tears lost in the next few hours. War truly

is hell.

Our first skirmish took the form of an assault on a fortress, with Red Squad

attacking and Blue Squad defending. Red began with a murderous frontal assault

and some testing flanking manoeuvres. With pellets flying in all directions, Blue


Squad managed to hold their position for a gruelling twenty-two minutes until

they were charged by crewman Stephen O'Neill in a berserker style action

worthy of Klingons or Remans. First game to Red Squad. Blue Squad lost all souls.

Relatives were informed by subspace communiqué.

Second session had the roles reversed with Blue attacking and Red defending

for all they were worth. Again the action was fast and brutal. Over the cries of

the wounded and through the fog of battle, two of Blue Squads members,

LTJGs Alan Whelan and Gianandrea Comnende managed to take Red Squad's fort

in seventeen minutes. Game Two to Blue Squad.

After this we took a break to mourn our lost comrades, to visit the fresher,

hydrate and reload from our ammo caches. The battle weary marines of the

391st were treated to some hot chow flown in for them through heavy AA by the

brave pilots of the Cuchulain's waverider craft. These same pilots seem to also

moonlight for Dominoes Pizza.

When combat recommenced, Red and Blue Squads found themselves in a

situation where an unstable quantum torpedo mysteriously materialised in their

area of operations. Both squads were instructed by the S.31 marshals to move

this explosive device into the opposing team's zone and maintain the device

there for thirty minutes. This was a pitched battle with both sides bravely

carrying the device back and forth on numerous (short) occasions. When the

allotted time ended the device was unfortunately found to be in Blue Squad's

area. Win number two for Red Squad.

The final test of both of the 391st squads mettle came with a fast and furious,

highly tactical session which saw the marines attempt to capture each others

armbands, each trooper having been supplied with three armbands. The pace of

this game was extremely fast with the flow of battle moving rapidly across a

multi level arena. At the end of this testing game, all captured armbands were

counted and Blue Squad were announced the winners. Win number two for

Blue Squad.

With both teams apparently evenly matched, we were released by our

Section 31 handlers. Though the day had been tough, a great time was had by

all. We then left to return to the Cuchulain as we had received orders from

Starfleet Command to resume our mission to chart Sector 742. When next the

Cuchulain returns to Earth, the Comnander of the Banshees plans to improve on

his marines formidable skills with further training at the Hive and the Predator

proving grounds.

Space just got a bit more dangerous. In space everybody hears the Banshees

scream !


The Secret of The Venture P@RT TWO

@ sci-fi seri^l ^dventure CMDR Eilidh Montgomery, USS @lb^

Ch^pter Three: The Ceremony Tiberius MacAlpin left Captain Galen’s quarters in something like a daze. The

events of the morning had taken him completely by surprise and he didn’t quite

know what to make of what had occurred. He walked back to the large glass-

domed atrium which was filled with people busily coming and going. He stopped

in the centre by a large water feature that glowed with ever-changing fibre-optic

lights as the water flowed in its constant cycle. He sat on one of the marble seats

set into the base of the feature and raised his wrist to his mouth. He spoke the

call signal for Lashinda Levack into the minute transmitter and waited until her

voice responded in his ear.

"Can we get that coffee now, Lash?" he asked, trying to keep his voice from

giving away anything.

"Of course. What’s up? You sound a little strained."

"I’ll tell you when we meet. I’m at the fountain. Want to go to the usual

spot?"

"I’ll be there in ten," she responded. "I have something to finish off before I

can get away."

"I’ll be waiting." He smiled at the sound of a kiss in his ear and knew that she

had probably kissed her transmitter to make that sound so clear. "Love you too,"

he added as he ended the transmission.

The usual spot was a coffee bar in the open plaza outside Headquarters.

Tiberius was waiting there when Lashinda came hurrying up.

"Sorry, Tibby," she said. "I didn’t have a break time coming up. I had to beg

for a break ... that’s why I had to finish what I was working on ... to have a good

reason why I could take a short break." She leaned over and kissed him. "I can

stay as long as it takes to drink a large latte."

He returned the kiss and smiled.

"I’ll order." He returned a short moment later with a latte for Lashinda and a

strong black coffee for himself.

When they settled, Lashinda looked at him. "What’s up? You were called to


see the Admiral. Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing is wrong," Tiberius replied slowly. "I can’t tell you really ... I had

a shock. That is all."

A A A Captain Galen glanced at his reflection in the mirror and silently thanked God

that his illness did not show in his face. He needed time to get used to it. Perhaps

there was just a wee shadow under his eyes but no one would be looking that

closely—he hoped. All eyes should, tonight, be on young MacAlpin. There would

be surprise, shock even at the news. Surprise would be an understatement. Even

shock would not quite fit the bill; people would be stunned. MacAlpin was

young, not extremely young but very young to be promoted directly from

Lieutenant to Captain and to be given, for his first command, the fleet’s newest

ship. And a ship surrounded by so much controversy. The name itself would be

enough, Galen thought, to wring a gasp from the assembled people.

Jealousy even, maybe. There were some who were due for promotion and

would perhaps feel that they had been overlooked. And there was, of course,

the old story everyone knew, details apart, the closed case of MacAlpin’s father

and the destruction, under mysterious circumstances, of the Venture.

The hall was packed, filled with the buzz of many voices. It was not every day

that a new ship was commissioned and the secrecy regarding this launch fired

everyone’s imagination. Everyone was agog to hear the news.

The hall looked out onto dry dock but the bay doors were closed and there

was not a glimpse of the new ship. Excitement was rife and there were many

speculations flying around the room.

The crew of the Magellan came in. Captain Galen and Commander Ross first,

with Lieutenant alongside. Those closest to the group as they entered saw that

Galen was looking tired, although there was nothing in his demeanour or lack of

spring in his step to give any hint to it.

They took their seats and Commander Ross leant over to the Captain.

"Any idea what is going on, Xander? Is it to do with those meetings you’ve

been attending?"

Xander Galen nodded.

"I’d been lying to you if I said I had no idea," he replied. "And yes ... all those

meetings."

Some of them had been legitimate meetings with Admiral Malabaare and the

Admiralty Board. Others, he had told them were meetings, but they were

meetings of a different nature. Meetings and consultations with doctor after

doctor, specialist after specialist, trying in vain to find a treatment. He had not

had the heart to tell Commander Ross, and they had been good friends for many


years now.

And of course, the reason for this commissioning. He, like MacAlpin, had been

sworn to secrecy. Not an inkling of the news was to leak, especially the news of

MacAlpin’s sudden shock promotion. That would have the room in an uproar.

MacAlpin was nervous. He managed to hide it though, even from Lashinda

who came up now to sit beside him.

"Hey, Tibby. Where have you been? I was looking for you," she said, reaching

across and squeezing his knee.

"Lash! Don’t! Not when people are looking!" Tiberius MacAlpin’s face turned

red. Galen glanced across and smiled.

"He was with the Admiral this morning," he said.

"Oh! You broke our date to see the Admiral?!" Lashinda’s voice was teasing.

"Should I be jealous?"

"Lash!" MacAlpin was horrified. "She’s an Admiral! You think I’d risk my

career—" He broke off, seeing the twinkle in her eyes. "Oh, you’re teasing me.

Anyway, you knew I was going to see her."

Galen and Ross laughed.

Lashinda Levack settled back in her seat.

"So, what’s all the secrecy about?"

"You’ll see, Ensign," Captain Galen said, leaning back in his seat and sighing

slightly.

Commander Ross seemed about to speak but stopped himself. No, he

thought. If there was anything wrong, Xander would have told me.

Just then the doors at the back of the hall opened and the senior officers

came up onto the platform and took their seats. They sat talking among

themselves while the buzz of expectation rang around the hall. Admiral

Malabaare had not come in yet and the proceedings would not get underway

until she arrived. There was still ten minutes to go before the ceremony was due

to begin and everyone knew the Admiral would arrive exactly one minute before

time.

After what seemed like ages, the door opened again and Admiral Malabarre

entered and took her seat. As the clock chimed the half hour, complete silence

fell and Admiral Malabaare stood up. She looked around the crowded hall at the

sea of faces before her. Some old, some young.

"We are all here for the same reasons," she said. "To open a new chapter in

our history, a wonderful, exciting chapter—to launch a new ship—a new chapter

in starship design. To honour the long and dedicated service of one officer and to

mark the start of, what we hope will be, the long and distinguished career of

another officer. So, a launch, promotions and awards are the order of the day.


We will begin with the launch of the new ship."

She turned to Admiral Cheng.

"Over to you, sir." She took her seat and Cheng stood up.

Galen shifted slightly in his seat. He was feeling a little uncomfortable. It

seemed his retirement from active service was going to be announced in public.

This would cause some stir, he knew. He hoped Commander Ross would not be

upset. They were good friends but he had not told him anything at all.

And that the Magellan was to be decommissioned, that would be a shock. In

the normal way of things, Ross would be given the Captaincy, but the crew were

being transferred to the new ship and Ross was not getting the Captaincy. He

was to remain First Officer while young MacAlpin was promoted over his head.

Ross leaned over.

"You okay, Xander?"

Galen nodded.

"Yes, just a little stiff. These chairs are not comfortable after a time."

Admiral Cheng was continuing and moved to the lectern.

"Thirty years ago, a prototype of a new ship was launched ... and lost on her

maiden voyage. Today, we remember the Venture and her lost crew as we

launch Venture II."

There was a gasp around the room as Cheng pressed a button on the lectern

and the blinds over the big glass windows overlooking dry dock lifted and the

new ship was finally revealed.

The older officers, who remembered the launch of the first Venture, looked at

each other. She was exact in every detail, the blueprints had been followed to

the letter, to the smallest detail.

Captain Galen thought of his friend, MacAlpin’s father, who had held the

command of the fleet’s newest ship and on her first voyage, had to make the

decision that no Captain ever wanted to make: to destroy their ship wiping out

every life on board, and for no recorded reason.

He guessed MacAlpin would be thinking of his father too—the disgrace that

surrounded him, no one knowing whether it was deserved or not , and knowing

that in one way, he bore his father’s shame just for being his son.

Admiral Cheng turned himself and looked at the new ship, massive and

beautiful against the night sky. There was a very long silence as everyone looked,

as though spellbound. Then Cheng looked back.

"With the commissioning of this ship, we must also announce the

decommissioning of another."

This caught everyone’s attention again and every Captain in the room was

afraid for their ship. No, not my ship! went through the mind of every man and


woman in the room who captained a ship.

"But," Cheng was continuing, "that will be later. Firstly, there are a couple of

items we must go through. Admiral Malabaare ... over to you."

The little woman stood up again.

"Long service to the Fleet must be rewarded, especially when it is drawing to

its close. In this case, however, this career draws to a close, from active service

only. This officer has chosen to retire from active duty and accept a position on

my staff."

Everyone looked around, wondering who it was. Commander Ross suddenly

had a sinking feeling at the bottom of his heart. It was Galen, it had to be. He had

not been looking well but brushed off any references to it. It was common

knowledge that he had spent some time recently in hospital. He must be retiring

through ill health, which meant it was serious. And he had said nothing to him—

his closest friend. Did that mean he was getting the Magellan? He knew that was

what should happen. He glanced at Galen. Galen turned his head slightly and

saw Ross looking at him. He flushed a little and looked away. Admiral Malabaare

was going on.

"Captain Galan, join me please."

Xander Galen stood up and marched smartly to the dais, mounted the steps

and stood facing her. He saluted.

"Captain Galen. Your career has spanned almost five decades and has been

filled with success, promotions and awards. Your name is ranked among some of

our finest captains and they teach our cadets about you. It will be with mixed

feelings that you take on your new roll. Please accept your Long Service medal."

She reached up and pinned the medal on his uniform. Then she picked up

rank pins. She reached up and attached them to the collar of his tunic.

"It is with great pleasure that I promote you to Rear Admiral."

Galen’s pale cheeks flushed a little. He saluted.

"Thank you, Admiral. I appreciate the opportunity to continue serving for as

long as I am able."

"Dismissed," she said softly. She watched him turn and leave the dais.

Galen retook his seat. Ross leant across.

"Xander?"

"Not now," Galen said, looking him right in the eyes. "I will tell you the truth

... later."

Admiral Malabaare turned her attention back to the assembled officers.

"I know you will all be intrigued to find out whom her Captain is, and who is

being assigned to her as crew. She is fitted out for deep space missions and

designed to be away from base for a greater length of time. Admiral Cheng ..."


Admiral Cheng stood up.

"The crew of the Magellan are to be assigned to Venture II, with all ranks and

positions remaining as they were aboard the Magellan."

Commander Ross looked at Galen.

"I’m not getting the Captaincy?" he mouthed. "But ... after you ...?"

Galen shrugged slightly. He was glad that he was not to be the one to

announce this. Ross would be a good Captain, but like himself, he had refused

promotion time and time again to remain serving with Galen. Just as he himself

had with his friend MacAlpin. Now that he was to leave active service, Ross could

be forgiven for thinking that the time was right to accept a captaincy.

Admiral Cheng looked around and then continued.

"I am sure now, that you are all desperate to learn who has been given the

captaincy of this new vessel. A lot of thought has gone into this due to the

nature of this ship’s first mission, which at this moment in time is classified.

However ... Lieutenant MacAlpin, step forward please."

There was a gasp around the room as MacAlpin stood up and approached the

dais. Ross turned and looked at Galen.

"You knew!" he hissed. "They are giving that ship to MacAlpin? After what his

father did?"

"Shh!" Galen hissed in response. He was watching MacAlpin receiving his new

rank. "I am proud of him right now. He deserves a break. He has suffered so

much because of what it is surmised that his father did. What if everyone was

wrong? Now let him have this moment. I know you are disappointed but they

must have reasons. I will discuss it with you later."

He turned back, looking across at MacAlpin who was shaking hands with the

Admirals before saluting and leaving the platform.

Ch^pter Four: The Re^ction Tiberius MacAlpin came back to his seat and flopped weakly into his chair. He

was still stunned—absolutely and totally stunned. He felt numb, almost as

though he had been sat there all the time, watching someone else on the

platform. His head was swimming. He barely even felt Lashinda reach across and

hug him warmly, or saw the dirty look that Commander Ross shot him. He felt his

hand clasped warmly and raised his shocked eyes. It was Galen who had taken

his hand.

"Well done, kid," he said. "You deserve it. You will make a wonderful

captain." Although he had already known that he was to be promoted, he had

not quite allowed it to sink in until that moment. Looking around from the dais

and seeing the equally stunned faces looking up at him, that is when it had


begun to really hit him that all this was true.

MacAlpin shook hands numbly. He did not even bother to point out that, at

thirty four years old, he was no longer a kid. He no longer heard the remainder

of the speech from Admiral Malabaare. Part of him was so shocked that he could

not believe it was true; another part wanted to scream and jump up and down.

He had longed for this with all his heart. To captain a starship, just like his father

had, like his father’s friend, Xander Galen, like all his heroes over the years;

those special, privileged men and women he had idolised as a child. He was not

stupid. He knew that the entire room was stunned. He knew there were officers

and crewmen and women who remembered his father all those years ago. It did

not take a genius to know that there were many mixed feelings, the

predominant one being surprise and shock. But some, he knew, would be

wondering why, when his father had been condemned as a coward and a

murderer, why on earth his son had been given the new ship. The exact same

ship that, thirty years ago, that his father had destroyed on her maiden voyage.

An untested ship, the only records available were the weekly regulation logs that

had been submitted to Headquarters before that fateful day.

He barely heard Admiral Malabaare announce that the ship was to be

christened. Galen leaned across as everyone stood up at a sign from the senior

officers.

"Stand up!" he hissed.

MacAlpin looked around and then sprang to his feet. A button was pressed on

the lectern and, in the best age old tradition that even in the thirtieth century

was still adhered to, a bottle of champagne was swung and broken against her

hull. Admiral Malabaare spoke a clear voice, "I name this ship Venture II. May

God bless her and all who sail in her."

There was a loud cheer that rang around the hall, ringing in the rafters.

Whatever everyone was thinking, it was a splendid sight to behold a new ship

and to be present at the commissioning. After the cheers, came the applause.,

and then silence as the vessel, manned by a specially chosen crew, slid silently

from her docking bay and out of the big open doors of dry dock and out into

space.

Admiral Malabaare summed up all their thoughts with her next words.

"And all I ask is a tall ship, and a star to steer her by."

MacAlpin smiled softly to himself. He had heard those words from the

ancient poem by Masefield many times before, and he quoted another line

under his breath, "It is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied." That

summed up his feelings as to why he had followed his father’s footsteps against

his mother’s wishes. The call his father had felt called him also, and he had


dreamed of little but having the command of a starship for himself—it could not

be denied.

Then one of the officers, an old class mate of MacAlpin’s raised a cheer for

the new ship’s equally new Captain.

"Three cheers for Captain MacAlpin!"

The cheers were given and MacAlpin hung his head in embarrassment. He

was not ashamed by the blackness that surrounded his father’s memory—he had

always maintained that he was innocent but right now, it was very much in his

mind. He only had to look at Commander Ross’ face to know exactly what that

man was thinking. He knew Ross had expected to take over from Galen one day,

not so soon perhaps, but one day, and to have that promotion, that chance of

the captaincy he dreamed of snatched away from him ... He could have been left

the Magellen. MacAlpin did not know why that was not the case. Why could

Ross not have been given his own command? Instead, he had to put up with a

man who now resented him for his First Officer! As if things were not tough

already! An already tough situation instantly made harder.

The proceedings finished when Admiral Malabaare announced that the

postings for the crew members assigned to the new ship would be found on the

screens in the main vestibule. Everyone stood up and saluted as the senior

officers withdrew and then, with much talking, the hall was vacated.

The vestibule, or the plaza as it was generally known, was a wide open area,

flanked by cafes and small shops, almost like an old railway station or shopping

mall. At one end of the plaza, high up on the wall, were screens where postings

and other information were displayed.

On the way out of the assembly chamber, MacAlpin put his hand on Galen’s

arm.

"Would you grab a coffee with me? We need to talk. You too, Commander

Ross."

Ross looked at the younger man.

"I have duties to attend to. Excuse me, gentlemen." He strode off.

"Forgive him," Galen said softly. "You know as well as I do what his problem

is! I will talk to him."

MacAlpin nodded.

"It is a shame. We have served together for long enough. I thought he liked

me, but I don’t need him to like me ... just to do his duty."

Galen put his hand on the younger man’s shoulder.

"He will do that. He is a good officer. Now, that coffee ..."

The two men crossed to one of the small coffee shops and sat down at a table

and put in their order via the tabletop tablet ordering system. When the coffee


arrived, Galen leaned back in his chair and sighed.

"Ah! I need this ... I was getting thirsty in there."

MacAlpin nodded.

"Xander? How much did you know? Before the ceremony, I mean ... did you

know that I was to get the Venture?"

Galen nodded. "Yes. I knew." He sipped his coffee. "I was to have been given

the command of the Venture, but you know that I am dying; I have a few years

left at best."

"Don’t say that!" MacAlpin interrupted, his face pained.

"It is true. There is no cure ... not on Earth, and I am too old to start chasing

around the Universe seeking a cure which may only be a myth." Galen smiled

kindly. "It is a part of life, son. Anyway, I wanted the best officer to succeed me,

and no, that was not Commander Ross. He is too impetuous to make a good

captain. He is a good First Officer ..."

MacAlpin nodded.

"I understand. But why me?"

"You will make a good captain. Do you remember that time when Ross and I

were both injured in that attack that put us both in sickbay for three months?

You took command of the ship. You negotiated a truce with the race that

attacked us and set up a trade agreement. All the crew reported how good you

were. I was impressed, and very proud of you." Galen looked down at the coffee

mug in his hands and then looked up. "You are like your father. He was an

excellent officer and one of the best captains I ever served with despite what is

said now. As you know, I refused my own command many times so that I would

remain serving with him."

MacAlpin sighed. "Ross will make it hard for me. He’s your friend."

"Ross will behave as he should," Galen said. His tone boded ill for

Commander Ross if he should behave in any way that was unacceptable in his

position. "I will talk with him. You must understand, it was always assumed that

he would get the Magellen after I retired. And then, on hearing it was to be

decommissioned, the prospect of a new ship to command would thrill anyone ...

and to lose that ... you’re not the only one to dream of it, kid. We all do, every

single one of us."

MacAlpin sighed again.

"He is a good officer and I always looked up to him. I just feel that somehow,

it won’t be the same."

"Of course it won’t. You will be the captain and he must take his orders from

you. But also, he must help you and advise you. That is his duty. That is assuming

that he has been posted along with you. Perhaps your crew are all to be new."


Galen finished his coffee and leaned back.

"Time for another? Or perhaps you should go and join a certain young lady

who has been sitting by the fountain waiting for you ever since we left the hall."

MacAlpin looked up and saw Lashinda patiently sitting waiting. He waved to

her, beckoning. "She can join us for one more."

Lashinda hurried across and sat down with them. "I’ll have a mocha," she said

as Galen tapped at the tablet.

TO BE CONTINUED ...

So wh^t is "Member Services" ^bout>

LCDR @nni 'Zig'Potts

It's not just half of the old Recruitment and Retentions role—I'd like to think it is

a little bit more than that: a role developed to help ensure that you get the Trek

experience that you are seeking from your membership, to help ensure that you

are not missing out on some of the great stuff that is going on.

Most of our members have this sort of information fed down to them by their

CO, but if you are a member who has chosen not to be part of a chapter, then

Member Services will be particularly important to you to ensure that you aren't

left out. Don't worry, I'm not going to try and strong-arm everybody into joining

a chapter—that's not the object at all, but having said that, if you would like to

join a chapter, I can help you with that too.

Additionally though, I am here to help you so if you have a problem or just

wish to pick someone's brains about something, so please do just ask me. I

should be able to help with most things, or find out the best person to speak to,

and for those delicate matters, yes, we can speak in complete confidence. I'll

even ask questions on your behalf and protect your anonymity if you feel a little

awkward about something.

Well, th^t's ^bout it for this issue. The next issue is out 1st M^rch with the de^dline for

submissions being 18th Febru^ry. [email protected]

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