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I’m going to write something later, and like a log from last weeks training simulation shift. But first I had some thoughts and questions.
The TSN ship/bridge information is helpful so far. The PDA device (sorry not remembering the name off the top of my head.) is a great touch, and I believe I can play on that, to show the differences in someone’s RL computer as their device. Mine for example being slightly outdated as a new Ensign. (My lousy laptop with one screen, compare to the multi-screen comps most of you use.)
They could be heirlooms, or rewards from promotions/awards in the RP setting? Some could even modify them, etc. No two are alike?
It’s also good to know we pretty much share bunk space with everyone. That creates a different environment then most having their own quarters; Privacy is premium.
Good to know we have some form of droids. Always fun to create NPCs with one.I do have a question about the artificial breeding for pretty much Humans and another species. Do you mean basically the old Space: Above and Beyond In-vitros? (Test tube babies) Or more like some gene-therapy, minor evasive procedures to the parents?
Still keen to be a half-human myself, so I think it may be important to see if there’s a social stigma, depending on how we’re born. The Loran (aquatic) species sounds like something I’d like to see developed.Just my 2 creds for the day.
In terms of the data tablets, I was envisioning them being military issue. They would all therefore be the same. The modification would be to the actual display itself, particularly when in off-duty mode. Imagine the way you can have two identical iPads (or SmartPhones or other tablet computers) and, even though mechanically they are identical, they are very much individual based upon the layout of the screen, the apps downloaded as well as how it is used.
The data tablets themselves would be pretty sleek (thinking modern day high-end tablet) with an “edgeless” touchscreen as the main interface. There would be no sockets or ports as recharge would be through the induction technology being introduced now (or perhaps even the wireless recharge that is being developed).
I like the idea of them being different though, and matching up to people’s real life computers. Thinking along those line, perhaps the ones issued at the academy are simply older versions that full officers used until the tech aboard ship was upgraded. When new data tablets came out, the front line ships were issued them, and the ones that were being replaced were refurbished and sent down to the academy. Still having it when you leave the academy can be explained by saying that “it works, so why replace it”. Basically, you will get a new one when they all get updated to new tablets. Until then, the tech guys can keep things up and running relatively smoothly.
Where were droids mentioned? Need to look into that.
For breeding, I envisioned eggs being taken and fertilized with genetic material from both parents before being implanted in the mother, or if that is not possible a surrogate mother. As for a stigma attached to it, because of the whole Unukalhai war, it meant that not accepting or tolerating inter-species breeding is very much frowned upon. If citizens of the USFP wish to cross breed, they have a right to do so and are protected by law.
Been hammered with RL projects. My stories might to have to wait a while.
But, here’s a short log for a review, anyways. I decided I’m going to go for a human/(amphibious) species. Perhaps I look like a Star Wars Nautolan, sans the head tendrils? Should be interesting.—————-
Stardate: 06/08/2237
Duty Log, Ensign Solari, TSN Hydra BC-016, 4th LDSimulations. Simulations. And more simulations.
Our Fleet Captain has been out of the division for a tad. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say someone is planning something. Or maybe they’re finally promoting him to Commodore?Whatever is going on, it’s been quiet besides from another two ships from our division on another assignment last duty shift. No information was officially released on it, so I’ll as Humans say, keep aunt about it. Correction, mum. I’ll get these idioms someday.
Nothing else to report, besides the XO getting some Captain time. I’m finding simulations with him to be almost enjoyable. If he ever decides to go for a command, well it might be a good thing in my limited experience as an officer.
Still no results for tracing the pirate hacks to the newer systems functionality. Luckily, our simulations have shown no degradation to the Hydras ability to perform our duties. Personnel wise, Lt junior Luna will be leaving our ship. Re-assignment, such is the life in the navy. Note to the ships Yeoman, update our roster. It’s out of date.
End duty log.
Personal Log:
Having some difficulties with my fully Human bunkmates on the Hydra. My species requires some time in the water, and anything above Human room temperature becomes almost, intolerable.
Instead of being as Humans say, a mammal out of water, I’ll have to see if R&D can modify my uniform to fit my needs. Perhaps a water filtration/cooling system?
I’m sure my fellow officers would appreciate not having the shower allotments taken up any more.
And a note to the galley. Yes, I do eat seafood. I’m half Human after all.End personal log.
Looks good. I’d be happy to put that up officially for people to view if you want. It would be a post (like a blog post) that is set to a specific category (I’m not sure how familiar you are with wordpress). Needless to say, it would be linked on the site and made visible to all.
Punch it then sir. Let’s see if someone else wants to jump on board with some logs.
Just get visible a tad.Going for a story this time, because of the logs and recording information restrictions. It seems to fit.
—————
The lights inside the bunk-room were very dim, aboard the Hydra. Most of the crew was on ration at the few remaining research facilities. But Solari tended to be a loner afterwards. When you spend so much time on a bridge with others constantly, it was good to get away from that and collect oneself.
But only for so long, it seemed.A soft computer voice echoed in the dim room. “Operations Order thirty-one in affect. Log recordings offline. Data retrieval offline. Outbound TSN channels unavailable.”
Solari nearly slammed his slightly webbed hands down on the terminal. Frustration was creeping in. Normally, his species kept a very calm demeanor…in public. When one could live in the water, it made for displaying emotions like a Human, rather odd in it.
~So much for that,~ he thought.He was desperately wanting to recount the last duty shift in some way. To make some sense of what was going on. A new species that used black holes like they would a jump gate? Mass Driver suicide asteroids? The TSN Kinetic held in place by, an unknown creation.
The weapons training in him was scared. They’d been lucky the Division lasers and torps had even been effective, and that shields worked. And sadly they had proved dangerous to almost three of the stations crews that had been out here.
Yet the science training in him, was almost…what was the Human expression? As twitty as a schoolgirl? The technology level they, whatever they were called, displayed was certainly unconventional. And what was the TSN conducting out here in the first place that required a Quantum Entanglement communication device?
Black Holes and Quantum singularities made for a dire mix.The thoughts were just swimming in his head. Taking a deep inhale and a slow exhale, he knew he wouldn’t get anything. The divisions senior officers would have to deal with that. For now, he sat up in the still dim lights, and tugged on his uniform. It still felt odd on him after almost three months without NCO stripes.
Just like his career though, events were changing. Sometimes too fast.
Swimming thoughts gave him an idea. Perhaps he’d go aboard and see if the station had a decent water tank. If not, an EVA suit and an airlock would do. He just wanted to float and relax a while.
Who knew what was going to happen next.Like the story. Some great ideas in there. Just a couple of things/ edits:
was on ration at the few remaining
Should this read ‘was on station’?
Would it be alright to just rephrase a couple of things when I post it up to? For example:
He was desperately wanting to recount the last duty shift in some way.
Just a minor change to:
‘He desperately wanted to recount the last shift in some way’
I hope you don’t mind me critiquing; my aim is to be constructive. The stuff you’re producing is great.
Ugh this is why I usually use Word to catch my typos. Aye it is station.
Hmm. Normally, I use the present tense when I write an immediate action for a character. Past tense to me, is for actions that already happened or came to mind but might not have been able to be done beforehand. But I reckon it works, to shorten it.
Good catches.
Was hoping I’d be able to edit that post because I’m planning on making this short story into a longer segment during the week, now that I think about it. Days and such. That was Day 1 on Saturday. Now to Monday.
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Day 3There really hadn’t been much time to relax per-se, after the initial sock had worn off from two days ago.
The Hydra was currently part hospital ship, and part watch-dog. Luckily, the unknown assailants hadn’t been back for another round.
And that was quite alright to Solari.He was sitting next to one of DC team members, a Crewman Kaplan. She still slept in her doctor induced coma, just one of the many patients still being treated.
The sickbay itself was mostly quiet. Save for the hums of the medical scanners and nursing droids, it was almost peaceful.The Ensign hadn’t moved in an hour. In fact, he barely seemed to be looking at the Crewman directly now. He was lost in his own guilt. Kaplan had been knocked out after the Hydra had taken a hit with her shields down. A moment of his doing during the first strikes with the unknowns.
He kept playing the memory in his mind. Shields, shields the bridge crew kept calling out. Solari knew he had pressed the button on his console to activate them; it was always the first thing he had his hand over. The helmsman’s own collisions with asteroids to the front of the Hydra, had kept him on edge with keeping them raised much to his own credit.
But for some reason during combat, had he somehow froze, or blanked out?
It was, as humans said, feasting at him.
Sometimes it was easy to forget that a ship had a crew, and that one mistake could have consequences other than bad timing, or repairable minor damage. The old military adage of ‘with rank comes responsibility’, always applied.It was another twenty minutes, before Solari stood up and put his webbed hand on the Crewman’s own. “Get well,” he whispered.
Moving, he took a look around at the other patients in sickbay and nodded. Most of them were civilians or TSN researchers from the bases. The outlook for them was good though.As he left sickbay, he took a glance at his chrono. 2200 ships time, yet 1400 station local. It was easy to choose sleep over his current mood.
Day 5
The 63rd anniversary of the USFP had come and passed by the 4th Light Division.
Whereas most of the worlds were still celebrating, and wishing each other well, this little pocket of classified research space was still doing anything but the sort.
Sombre would be the word for it.Recovery and restoration were still on-going. Most of the senior staff seemed occupied by the still yet-to-be-named entities capabilities.
But Solari was backtracking even further. The pirates and the ship theft. The explosion of the jumpgate. It all seemed like a minor random act compared to what happened afterwards. So, why was he even thinking about it?Still nursing a spiced tomato juice in the galley, the edgy Ensign was remembering having fired the Hydras main batteries at one of the stolen mining ships that had suddenly turned into a hostile RFF ID. Lieutenant Verok, the acting Captain, had reminded him after-the-fact that they should have had an ECM ready to disable it. They never got another chance to do so though.
Solari knew why he had clicked on the ship. He simply had a dumb moment and thought he was on sensors again that could scan. He’d been curious. But that, as Humans might say, killed the dog. Or some sort of domesticated animal.He sipped his drink with a quick swallow and gave a sigh. That had been the first of his two mistakes on that extended duty shift. From that, he was starting to think Science and Tactical didn’t mix well. Or perhaps the truth was, he didn’t mix the two well. The thought of that was dangerous.
Gulping the last of his drink, he placed the glass back in the replicator for recycling. Watching it disappear, he rather wished self-doubt could be taken back just as easily.
In the end though, the day wasn’t about him. The USFP was another standard year older. For all the good and ill that had happened so far, it was still around. A good enough example to live by.
Solari exited the galley and went back to living. The mine field surrounding the bases needed re-stocking and they weren’t going to lay themselves.
Still no other bites from people? Hopefully some of the returning ones might show an interest. Time will tell though. *shrugs* Oh well, more for me in the meantime.
Oh, and please edit what you need Xavier/Jemel (I trust your judgements.) and post this as one short story before our next duty shift, if possible? Hope to be back to simple logs after Saturday’s duty.
——————
Day 7Most of the wounded had recovered from the events almost a week ago. Crewman Kaplan had woken up yesterday, eager to get out of sickbay, much to Solari’s internal delight.
What few who hadn’t were on bed rest in their own bunks. Yet, some funerals had been held. Still an odd Human custom to Solari’s non-Human half. On his home-world, land was a premium, and so letting the body fall down into the watery depths, to feed the endless cycle, was more appropriate than burying a useless husk. It was almost the same with space, and sending a body, if there was one, out into the black. In fact on his home-worlds defence ships, they recycled the body into…well nothing was wasted. Practicality ruled, not sentiment.That aside, repairs, re-arming, sensor sweeps, meetings. Life was going on in the 4th, and the stations.
If there had been an inspection by the old Academy Commandant, the Division would have passed with running colours, as Humans might say. Or was it hovering?
The Hydra itself was remarkably almost dent free from the last beating she had taken almost a week ago. A testament to her engineering crew and the research stations mysterious supply of hull coating, salvaged amongst other things, from one of the derelict stations. Humans had a way of being practical with some things, it seemed.And with all that, something was coming. Most likely more questions than answers from command, if Order 31 ever ceases to be running.
Hopefully, it would be business as before, or there would be more complications. Either way, this lull wouldn’t last; It never did.
But isn’t that why they were out in Space?I have been distracted of late so have not yet posted these up. I will do this evening before the shift is due to start.
Still here.
I’ll be writing a log post tomorrow (my time, heh.) Expect this to be my usual thing. One log a week, every Thursday, unless something huge story-wise happens.For that though, I had a request of sorts. Been calling my non-human half, nothing. ‘His species’, is getting me nowhere, and I was keen to finalise the other half’s name.
Xavier, do you have an amphibious species already named and not set in stone as to the details? I’d ask for suggestions from the people in the division, but um…yeah caltrops? No repeat on that for me, hah. [Off-note: Didn’t even vote for my own recommendation. I voted for ‘The Swarm’ once I saw it. It just simply sticks out as to what they are in general, not just the ships, in my little opinion.]Anywho. If not, I’ll submit some names with my log; but you all can share ideas as well please. After that, I’ll give a go at making the full species profile, as my project for a tad.
Heh, too many games, not enough time. Lame excuse, but that’s my delay for today.
Been thinking about my other half species, and when it came to names, I had to remember, that this species lives in water and the air. So, normal vocal sounds might not exactly have been useful half the time.
Instead of doing something odd, like say dolphin echolocation, because that wouldn’t be good for story, and I’m not trying to make some overpowered character, I’m going to go with more of a whales song. They literally chant out of water to communicate and it travels well underwater.To that end, I think Solari’s character voice is going to be low and almost hum-like when he speaks words. Especially since he’s not full on Human. That also means the species name would probably be tonal, and needs a ‘Terran’ translation. When I say tonal, I mean basically a musical scale would be on how it’s pronounced. Like Gregorian chanting.
Ha, that’s the Terran name for them: Gregorians. What do you reckon about that? I realise it’s close to Arvonians, but many species in sci-fi have held similar sounding random names.
Anywho, onwards.
——————————————————-Stardate: 21.08.2237
Duty Log, Ensign Solari, TSN Hydra BC-016, 4th LDAlmost a week since we arrived back at Atlantis command. The events of the *redacted* at the *redacted* are behind us.
The Hydra has been once again in a fair state of repair ever since the, shall I say, embarrassing, live fire exercise almost made her a wreck. The captain was none the pleased to be sure. Details of the *redacted* ships were re-created a tad too much.
Of note: The people at R&D, if able to create such replicas for training, may want to consider using such ships as decoys, for the TSN in future engagements with the *redacted*.With the Hydra out of action temporarily, we did not participate in the last mission. Rumours of something to do with Arvonians and negotiations are abound. The Humans call it scuttle-bread, I think? Whatever the case, progress with them can only benefit the USFP, if this is true.
For our part, the Hydra instead performed more simulations, under our XO, Lieutenant Verok. The Captain is hopefully taking note of his performance.On the whole, pirate activity increased slightly. This is…puzzling at times. It seems no matter how many the TSN engages, the more seem to loiter and harass ships in this sector. I just hope it’s not related to the *redacted*.
Last note: Our ships roster is still out of date. Then again, I doubt it will ever be current. Some TSN officers seem to come and go at random assignments.
End duty log.
Personal Log:
Prototype construction has been ongoing with my uniform. Project Dune, some of the Humans call it. I do not know what a dune is, beyond a mound of Terran sand, so I’m confused on how it relates to water retention. Remind me to research this further.
Back to it though, the closest I can compare this invention to would be like having an outer circulatory system exoskeleton. Something called catch pockets as well?
However the prototype is a tad bulky under a standard TSN uniform. I think I have a rash on…no, never mind.
I’ve also suggested replacing some of the material with some more water porous or absorbent. At this point I wonder if I should just wear a wetsuit, with a water-skin tube and be done.
But I have to thank all of the engineers who are putting their free time on this endeavour of mine. I believe it might be Human custom to find a rare alcoholic beverage for them, sooner than later.
Let’s hope the waters are calm as the next duty cycle approaches.End personal log.
Wow. You blokes and ONI did a brilliant of job this last duty shift. I actually feel exhausted, like I just came off an old Army patrol.
Having typed that, I reckon all this FUBAR needs a another 4 day short story.
——————-
Hour 1Hope and loss. In the span of the last duty shift, that was all Solari could manage to think of. He sat, dejected at Atlantis Command’s medical bay, waiting to tend to his minor wounds, still fresh after hours.
One of those two words outweighed the other. Exhausted, he attempted to recall the events.
Hope?
The day had begun wonderfully. Bridge crews managed to fill up, including some new and older faces, the half-human hadn’t recognised.
Someone had finally noticed his XO had been taking command of the Hydra, and promoted Verok to Lieutenant Commander, a senior officer. The division needed a few more like him up there. But as Humans say, the sewage runs downward; somehow he had gotten promoted as well. No, that didn’t count so much as hope; it as more akin to shock. Good, but not wanted. It was his non-human half that had the proverb: ‘Don’t rise too high with the tide, or the undertow will take something away.’ Humans needed to swim more.Back to hope though. The news of the day was that negotiations were to begin with the Arvonians. Rumour had turned to fact, and the fourth light division was to make it happen, despite the Raven being dry-docked for repairs.
A brief simulation later, and the Hydra was underway. The currents had favoured them, as they dropped of the negotiation team, and were holding off a surprise Kralien attack. It didn’t help that the Arvonian’s carrier group launched fighters that still read the TSN a hostile.Then it happened. Loss. The newly minted Lieutenant junior had happily taken the science station once again, and was scanning what seemed to be and endless wave of drones and ships, when the Hydra began to buckle and groan. It was worse then the live-fire training incident.
The moments afterward were still a blur. Smoke, screaming to be heard, getting into a life-pod, being picked up by another ship and placed on yet another.
The Hydra had been wrecked apart. The captain was not going to be pleased when she returned, assuming she had one to command then.Complicating things more, the negotiation team taken aboard one of the Arvonian carriers had also lost their ship. The survivors were now somewhere on the station. Yet despite the setbacks, it was considered a mild success by command.
The Arvonians would determine that for real.Yet, to add insult to further injury, the pirates came back in full force to the Cerberus system. Fielding little more than two scouts and two light cruisers, the now-aptly-named ‘light’ division waded into the incursion with other elements of the TSN.
The first explosion heard over the ships speakers was the start of the downward spiral. One of the major jump-gates in the area had been blown apart. No warning at all. Only later, in the debrief did the past come back to haunt them. One of the stolen mining ships had done the job. One of the ships Solari knew might have been caught with better information, had he not destroyed the first one he encountered.It didn’t end there though. Even firing everything they could, at the advancing waves the TSN evacuated the system. Pirate or not, they had shown their cleverness. Holo-disguised ships, stolen ships, capturing stations left behind. They were organised. And they were not done.
Loss it was then. At least for today.
Well bugger. Wish I had known about this um…time dilation we’re going through. Stardates are going to be a problem for a tad, as far as records go, eh? Not conductive if they’re still based on the Real Life counterpart on a 1:1 ratio.
I digress.
Luckily writing is nothing but adaptable. Going to keep my format, but like Kirk says in Star Trek II (not the reboot rubbish.), “…hours instead of days. Now we have minutes instead of hours.” That got me thinking, I’ll just write this short story in hours, in lieu of days. Changing format too often is every writers bane. 😛
Now I need to edit my first ‘hour’ instead of the ‘day’. Is there someway I can do that? The edit button is always gone after an hour.
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Hour 3“I said no synth-cast!” Solari’s exclamation came out more as a lyric then a yell at the Atlantis’s Chief Medical Officer.
That happened when you were part of an amphibious species. Sound travelled differently underwater, so they learned to chant their acoustic language.
It’s why the Lieutenant junior always sounded like he was humming his Terran speech. It’s also why the Humans had named them the Gregorians, much to their initial chagrin. Until they heard the Human chants and loved it, taking the word as an honour.The present came back to him.
He put a webbed hand up to his face and let a sigh out. “I’m sorry sir. Xeno-biology, basics. You mostly treat Humans, aye? Remind me what a cast does to fully Human skin?”The doctor, with the Commander insignia barely noticeable on his medical uniform, was standing in front of Solari, and very much soaked in his own perspiration.
He was putting away his diagnostic scanner, when he replied. “Well synth castes immobilise and dry up the epidermal…”, he didn’t need to finish, looking at the purple-skinned officer, and his ‘modified’ uniform, still in slight tatters.
“Ah, I got you. We’ll have to consult the inter-species database then. You’re my first half-Gregorian patient, let alone that I’ve never treated a full one.”
The doctor, picked up his data screen, and stared for a moment.Solari was curious. “Something ahit sir?”
A strange glance followed the doctors reply, “A what Lieutenant?”
The half-Human gave a blink, with his four eyelids. They reminded Humans of a Terran frog supposedly. “Ah, I mean amiss? That is the correct word, aye?”
“No and yes”, replied the Human. “Actually, strange coincidence. We seem to have a small group of Gregorians on a liner, from the system evacuation. One of them, is, by the documents, a xeno-biologist.” The doctor seemed to stop sweating for the moment, and looked back up. “We’ll see if we can get them over the coms at least. Until then, you’re confined to bed for recovery while the time allows.”
Solari cocked his head to the side. “I no longer have one presently sir.”
The doctor, so busy treating people, had barely ay time to recognise any other kind of damage. “Damn. Well, we’re full up here, and the station is processing evacuees in every space we…”
A webbed hand from Solari stopped the doctor. “I believe Atlantis command’s main foyer has a wall aquarium?”
“Well this is named after that mythical island..” Again, the doctor realised where this was going. “You’re telling me you want to go in it, aren’t you?”
Solari nodded. “Aye sir.”
“Well, I think I just my appetite for today’s meal. I’ll get an attendant to help, Lieutenant.” The Doctor chuckled, probably for the first time in the last few hours, as he went to his next patient and muttered “Catch of the day indeed.”
But Solari didn’t get the joke.
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