October 10, 2013

Fleet "Special" Mission

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Fleet,

Normally at this time of the year, we are gearing up and making preparations for a Halloween Special Mission. Some spooky happenings grip the Federation and we're sent to investigate.

However, it seems this year, we're even more unlucky. Instead of a spooky situation, the Federation is in a dangerous situation. Millions of lives are in danger.

We are pleased to announce that instead of a Halloween Mission, Shadow Fleet will be hosting a Fleet-Wide mission. One mission. All three ships. One intense storyline.

A story written up by our own Mike Anderson has been released to the Command Officers of the ships.

However, what I will tell you all, is this; If this mission fails, then the Federation could fall.

The Fleet mission will take place in November, so keep your eyes peeled.

September 15, 2013

Spread the Word Halfway Point

Laddies and gents, we are now halfway through the month of September, which means we are now halfway through Spread the Word 2013 part 2. Have you made an effort yet? Then don't forget to tell us on the Spread the Word topic in the Fleet News board. If you haven't, don't worry, there's two weeks to go and you can still spread the word when it comes to a close.

Thanks to all the effort, especially on the part of Mr. Harriman, we now have four new members so far this month:

Please give them all a warm welcome and continue spreading the word. 

September 4, 2013

New Command (ADMIN) Position Promotion

Ladies and Gentlemen of Shadow Fleet,

It is our pleasure to announce the promotion of a Long-Term player to the rank of Command Master Chief Petty Officer.

Shelaf Greegy will be given the most senior Enlisted rank in Task Group Alpha.

Shelaf Greegy has been with Shadow Fleet for coming up on 7 years now. He has always been a valuable member of the Fleet even during busy periods of his life. He advanced highly on the Enlisted Ladder before creating a second character, Connor Price. Shelaf was the Chief of the Boat on the USS Discovery for a long time. He is a exemplary member, and is always willing to help with Administration issues when they crop up.

Rear Admiral John Brown has this to say:


"He has been a long serving member of Shadow Fleet and with all the hard work and service to this Fleet, we now decided to give him this postion to help the Fleet."
Shelaf is hereby elevated to the rank of Command Master Chief Petty Officer and removed from his current ship duty.

August 31, 2013

Announcing "Spread The Word" 2013! PART 2

As one of the biggest events in the Shadow Fleet calendar, our "Spread The Word!" Campaign is back for a second round this year.

"Spread The Word!" is all about us - the members - going out onto the internet and literally "spreading the word" about Shadow Fleet. This could be in the form of a link submission to a website, a Facebook status update, a twitter post, a post on another forum or blog, or even by putting up posters in your local area...the list is endless!

The aim is to increase the fleet's online presence which, in turn, will help us to gain new members. And you know what new members mean? That's right, more members equals more ships, and more ships equals more promotions all round! With over forty players regularly posting on the forums, even a minor contribution from of each of us could help enormously.

This official "Spread The Word!" Campaign will take place from September 1st - 30th and is an excellent opportunity to show your support for the rest of the fleet. And as an added reward, all participants will receive the coveted "Spread The Word!" Campaign ribbon to proudly display in their forum profile!

So get your thinking caps on and tell us, what will you do to "Spread The Word" in 2013?

August 16, 2013

New Admirality Position

Today we are pleased to announce that Rear Admiral Reece Thompson, currently head of Task Group Alpha is hereby being promoted to Vice Admiral and effectively in charge of Task Force 10 and Fleet Executive Officer. This comes after Admiral Thompson dedication to the simms and forums over the his career on several simms and becoming Task Group Commander several months ago.

The second promotion that will be occurring is the now vacant position of Task Group Alpha Commander. As we currently have a Task Group Executive Officer in place for this situation, as of today, Captain John Brown is being promoted to the rank grade of Rear Admiral (Lower Half) and taking over as Task Group Alpha Commanding Officer.

Admiral Brown has a very long service history with the fleet which stretches back to before the fleet reformation into Shadow Fleet. Please congratulate both Admiral Brown and Thompson's promotion.

With this promotion, comes the official Shadow Fleet Reorganization.

August 5, 2013

New Players

We are delighted to welcome three new players to the fleet.

James Booth is a human male who will be joining the crew of the DS Magellan as their newest Civilian Crewman.

Jon Park is a human male who will be joining the crew of the DS Magellan as their newest Sec/Tac Crewman.

Gabriel Arthur is a human male who will be joining the crew of the DS Magellan as their newest Engineering Crewman.

Please give them all a warm welcome!

August 1, 2013

Post of the Month--July 2013

This month, the post of the month goes to CoB Sukal. Please join us in congratulating him.

[Briefing Room]

Sukal's face was one of contemplation as the rest left the room after Commander T'Ra had given her solution to the Chief Engineer's thoughts.  It was still difficult to think of Lance as the CEO instead of the Captain, but his new CO was Captain Price and that was that.  For his first briefing to give, Sukal thought he hadn't done a bad job, but certainly not as good as it should have been.  His former CO had brought up some good points, and then the new helmsman had given his own briefing of the situation.  That he had not covered all his bases in his new role as the CotB made Sukal frown a bit.

'It comes with practice,' he thought to himself with a slight sigh and looked out the observation window that showed Miranda's moon coming in to view.  For just a moment, he thought about his recent discovery about who his Imzadi was:  Anara McKnight, now a nurse on the CHURCHILL.  He closed his eyes, and then for a moment saw her resting in Sickbay after what seemed a long day.

~Anara....beautiful Anara.  I need to find some time to talk to you,~ he thought with a slight smile.
 ~Who are you?~ She called out. There was only that soft whispering.

Still... She had to try.

~Please tell me who you are.~ She called out once again.  Nothing but that whispering this time a little louder.

Jumbled words some which she couldn't grab. Her heart raced and an odd tingling overwhelmed her chest. As if her very soul was trying to rip itself out of her.

*Why iis this happening?* She thought.

Suddenly, the whispering got softer but it wasn't the jumble that caught her attention, it was the voice she heard. The very voice which made her concentrate harder on it.

The very sound of Sukal's voice.

*Oh God.... Sukal...* She thought feeling that ripped feeling once again.

Suddenly, as if out of no where, came an image of his face. She hadn't seen him in a long while, however, upon seeing this image, it felt instantly familiar and comfortable.

"Sukal.... Please.... talk to me...." She cried out. The image was about to speak when Anara jolted awake.

Her voice resonated in his mind...in his very being...far more powerful than anything he had ever experienced to date.  He was just about to speak to her...if indeed it was her and not some figment of his imagination...when the connection was abruptly cut off.  She felt so far away...not just far away as in distance, but Time as well.  Confused, Sukal's eyes opened to narrowed slits with his brow wrinkled in concentration.  Something was wrong on the CHURCHILL, but what...?  With their mission to Miranda rapidly approaching...there was little the GETTYSBURG could do if the CHURCHILL was in trouble, but the compulsion to help was strong.

'Duty must come first for now.  Still, it wouldn't hurt to have someone check on the CHURCHILL's status," he decided, and then glanced at his Ko-kai.

"Well, this is going to be interesting," he stated.  "I certainly could have been better prepared for that."

July 24, 2013

Starbase Magellan Crew Roster Announced

Following on from our official announcement of the opening of our next SIMM, the SB Magellan, we are pleased to reveal the full crew roster of those who will be serving on her.

The Starbase Magellan will be Shadow Fleet's first CITADEL Class Starbase SIMM. The Magellan will act as the central starbase for all of Shadow Fleet, as well as house a brand new Civilian population, and act as a hub for all major Fleet operations. Commanding the first Starbase will be Fleet Admiral Chris Newberry. He will be assisted by Rear Admiral (LH) Reece Thompson.

The introduction of the Magellan will also bring in several new features to the Fleet, such as Freighters and Shops.

These will be explained in a later post. Take a look at the full crew roster listed below:

Commanding Officer: Ft. Adm. Chris Newberry
First Officer: R. Adm. Reece Thompson
Chief Security/Tactical Officer: Lieutenant Richard Ransom 
Chief Engineering Officer: Lieutenant Commander Archangel T'Koris
Chief Medical Officer: Lieutenant 'Doctor" Rennan Protheus
Truffles Bar and Grill: Civilian Owner Chris Truffles
Drydock Manager: Civilian Owner Kale Bridgson

Full instructions for those transferring to the Magellan will be made available in due course, but if you didn't get a place on our newest starbase, don't worry! There will be plenty of opportunities for transfer later on down the line.

The Magellan is due to open with her first mission entitled "Neues Welt Part 1" this August 1st.

Station Specification Teaser

July 16, 2013

Newest Player - Dasta Amaryl

We are delighted to welcome a new player to the fleet.

Dasta Amaryl will be joining the USS Discovery as an Medical Crewman.

Please give her a warm welcome.

Newest Player - Kenneth Enor

We are delighted to welcome a new player to the fleet.

Kenneth Enor will be joining the USS Discovery as an Operations Crewman.

Please give him a warm welcome.

July 14, 2013

New Members

We have recently had the pleasure of welcoming two new characters to our fleet. Akemat th'Zul is joining the USS Gettysburg as an Flight Control Crewman, and Dnarion Jade is joining the USS Churchill as an Operations Crewman. Please give them both a warm welcome.

Resignation of Commander Alyssa Meadows


It is with great sorrow that we must announce the leaving of another amazing member.

Commander Alyssa Meadows has been with the Fleet a long time and has had a very distinguished career. She was a valuable member who was never afraid to speak her mind.

You can say your goodbye in her resignation topic, found here.

July 3, 2013

Task Group Awards (July 2013) - With Admiral Reece Thompson


Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time for the mid-year awards ceremony.

It's been an interesting half a year, with a lot of a changes. Every one of you has helped these changes go along smoothly, and I wish I could award you all something. However, I just don't have the patience or creativity to come up with an award that everyone gets. So here are the awards that I can give out now.

I'd like to start with the Shining Record Award.


This is one of the newer awards given out to new members who submit an exceptional application. The first ever winner of this award goes to Kiera N'Valae. It was lengthy and well detailed. An excellent start for a promising character.

Next up, I'd like to the do the ship awards.

I'll start this section off with the Amiable Crew Award.


This is also one of the newer awards. It's for the most friendly and welcoming SIMM. Without a doubt, this had to go to the crew of the USS Gibson. They were the first ones to start up the welcome topic, and it's been active every single time someone joins that ship. Good going Gibson.

Next up is the Crew Efficiency Award.


You all know this one. It's for the best organised SIMM. I had one in mind immediately, but then a different SIMM caught my eye. They have been through a lot of changes, but the SIMM has always been organised and well run thanks to the Command Staff. I'd like to award this to USS Gettysburg.

The final award for this section is the Unit Citation.



This colourful award goes to the most active SIMM. Therefore, it went straight to the USS Churchill. Even though they've wormed their way through a quarter of a dozen Command Officers this half-year, the crew have always been active and have excelled themselves with their posting ability.


Lastly, are the individual awards.

These awards are for those individuals that I believe have outdone themselves.

I'm going to start with the Distinguished Command Award.


This award is for the Commanding Officer that I think has shown the best leadership. Now, I couldn't give this to myself unfortunately, so I went for the next best. It's my pleasure to award this medal to Captain John Brown.

Next up is the Distinguished XO Award.


This is a relatively new award as well. Given to the Executive Officer who I think has performed their duties the best. There were two contenders for this. And I found it extremely difficult to choose between them. However, I could only choose one, so I decided to give it to Commander T'Ra Jones. She managed to keep the Gettysburg running and organised during the CO's absence, and for that, thoroughly deserves this award.

Finally, the last award I would like to give out is the Task Group Commander's Commendation.


 
This award is given to a person who I believe is worthy of special recognition. A lot of people have stepped up to the plate recently, and I would like to give each of them this award, however, I can give it to only one person. As such, I would like to give it to Lieutenant Jon Tulley. He has helped Admiral Newberry and I in a large number of ways and has taken on more responsibilities recently. Thank you Jon.



Those are all the awards that I can give out, however I would also like to give a special thanks to all the Academy Instructors, and everyone who applied to be one. Also, thanks to the Media and Recruitment team and big ol' thank you to the crews of each SIMM. Shadow Fleet couldn't function without all of you, so thank you all very much.

Well done, everyone.

-Admiral Reece Thompson

Newest Player - Nias Remm

We are delighted to welcome a new player to the fleet. Nias Remm will be joining the USS Gettysburg as an Sec/Tac Crewman.

Please give him a warm welcome.

July 2, 2013

Newest Player - Christian Grix

We are delighted to welcome a new player to the fleet.

Christian Grix will be joining the USS Churchill as an Sec/Tac Crewman.

Please give him a warm welcome.

June 30, 2013

New Member - Kiera N'valae

We are delighted to welcome a new player to the fleet.

Kiera N'valae will be joining the USS Gibson as an Operations Crewman.

Please give her a warm welcome.

Post of the Month--June 2013

It is once again time to present the Post of the Month! Please join us in congratulating Mr. Klaus Vogel! "This post was well researched and mind blowing in it's level of detail. The scene was effectively and accurately set by Klaus's exhaustive dedication. The incorporation of pictures was well formatted, as well. Klaus Vogel has established himself as a respected writer on the Gibson."
- Luke Stafford

[Astrometrics Lab]

The astrometrics lab was used usually for stellar cartography. It had an overall surveillance and reconnaissance strategic function but also tactically as a support to operations and helm. The database herein was used by the ops on a daily basis and thus was thoroughly controlled by "those ops militia" as Science department called them. Besides a few random stations with diverse functions in maintenance the room had a big touch sensible graphene control desk in the middle.

Klaus found the SED reports that CSO left for him in the lab. Those were stored on Leonard's PADD memory card. He took it then approached the main desk and simply threw it gently on the table. It's special properties allowed to read the data on the cards found on its surface, a technique used as a standard technology since ages ago. The table's material composition around the memory card started to change and soon a confirmation dialog box appeared on the touch sensible material. Klauss made sure no one was watching then tapped the confirmation code and sat satisfied in his superior's chair.

The content appeared briefly as a holographic projection above the table.

                                                                                                                                               

Moab System          
Moab IV, Class B Planet, Terramorphed   
Population 4 000 colonists, 600 children
Mining Activity Mainly, Self sustained
             Main Star
Stable Dwarf Class M1V  
NGC2736
6 planets, 1 habitable

Other
Human colony established 2168. Genetically engineered inbound social establishement. Known
recent history of Neutron Star nearmiss 2368. Main activity mining. High surface temperature
variance and earthquakes. Non-suit travel advised only for terraformed establishements. Recent
sparks in tau-antineutrinos detected few units near the planet. Surveillance mission advised.

                                                                                                                                              

"Ok, so we have a normal terraformed planet revolving around a red dwarf, nothing interesting so far" thought Klaus and kept reading further. At some point the report indicated an increase in neutrino radiation on some coordinates not far from the colony. He paused a minute, opened a separate holographic window and searched through the ship's database. Accordingly, there should be nothing at those coordinates. A mild silence took the room and Vogel's inner self. He needed to find an explanation for his chief but here he was, helpless, without sufficient data to reach a conclusion.

"It could be anything: a black hole, a neutron star, a man-made nuclear facility, a remnant of that star that nearly hit the planet 20 years ago, a crystaline entity for what it's worth. Where should I start? How about human made facilities. I don't think there should be some in the area"

He commanded the computer to check all the available databases for nuclear experiments in the area. While the computer connected to the main data core Klaus went on with other possibilities. He used the composite scan found in the report to separate the infrared component and rule out the case of an accretion disk surrounding a black hole but nothing came out. It could be a remnant of that neutron star, in which case the abnormal gravity levels would be explained but that won't explain the absence of other types of light. And moreover, the radiation source after careful analysis wasn't a single point. It was scattered around those coordinates like a crack or better yet a neural network. The computer chimed. The answer for the human activity in that area came negative.

"No way it's a crystalline entity" thought Klaus. "In this case, we ll need more data. Not much is known about the encounter with those beings other than it's transforming matter into energy and it feeds on almost anything. We need to get in the range of long sensors and see if we can read something although I doubt it". Didn't finish his thought, a voice behind him asked.

"Erm, yes, what?" Klaus almost fell off the chair.

He finally stood up and took the official posture in the presence of a higher rank. Lieutenant Safi Larson from the honorary Militia-Operations department was inspecting carefully the lab as if someone just stole something. They never met before, he was sure about it. In front of him he could see an attractive woman around 25, a light open face. The position of her body, the raised chin and her scrutinizing look seemed to suggest a tough personna although there was something in those sparkling eyes. "Did she cry?" Klaus asked himself after noticed the blush around her eyes.

"A few simulations Lietenant at the request of the Science Officer Leonard" he responded to Safi's question.

June 29, 2013

Shadow Fleet's Next SIMM!

 We can now officially confirm that Shadow Fleet's next SIMM will be named the Starbase Magellan.
We are delighted to announce that the Magellan will be a Citidel-class station, the first station since the first Deep Space Blaisdell which was destroyed back in 2009. A starbase class station, this new SIMM will primarily focus on scientific exploration on the planet, fleet drydock and resupply station, fleet headquarters and more challenges.

Her commander will be someone with whom many of you are familiar. Admiral Chris Newberry will be stepping up to taking command of this new starbase with a small staff.

The full crew roster and further details surrounding the launch of the Magellan will be announced in the coming days.

New Academy Instructors


We are pleased to announce the newest additions to the Shadow Fleet Academy staff.
The EPC will continue to be run by Mr Greegy, and the Command Course by either Admiral Reece Thompson or Admiral Chris Newberry.

Please join us in congratulating these people on their new positions.

June 24, 2013

CORP Graduates

Please join us on congratulating Caelene Tam and Ser Conley on passing their Academy courses!

Resignation of Admiral John Kawolsky


Ladies and Gentleman of Shadow Fleet,

Some of you may be aware that recently, the Fleet has been going through some problems.
It appears that, as these issues are wrapped up, the result is the resignation of our very own Rear Admiral John Kawolsky.

John joined the fleet on January 5th, 2007, when it first started. He has been a loyal member ever since, and has helped the Fleet grow in so many ways.

While I do not know all of his actions, I know that he commanded the USS Discovery for many years, and held everyone's respect. He was then promoted to Task Group Commander, and he helped Task Group Alpha grow beyond 2 small slow ships. Whatever problem the Task Group faced, John managed to face it down and fight through it.

John Kawolsky was a founding member of Shadow Fleet and more than that, was a defining member of Shadow Fleet. He helped this fleet grow massively, and will be remembered.

Please leave your respects to Rear Admiral John Kawolsky in Fleet News thread.

-Admiral Reece Thompson

New Players

We have recently been blessed with four more new crewmen on Shadow Fleet. Please join us in welcoming Crewman Recruits Belle Spencer (Gettysburg), Callie Ashley (Churchill), Jennifer Anderson (Gettysburg), and T'Vala Vakar (Gibson).

June 11, 2013

Commissioned Officer Recruiting Period 03/13

We are pleased to announce the launch of 2013's third Commissioned Officer Recruiting Period, or CORP for short.

The CORP is the opportunity for all eligible crewmen to apply for a place on a Commissioned Officer Training Course (OTC) at Shadow Fleet Academy.

During period 03/13, we are looking to recruit into the following fields:
  • Security/Tactical
  • Flight Control
  • Engineering/Operations
  • Science
  • Medical
If you are an enlisted player holding the rate of Petty Officer Third Class or above and wish to apply for the Officer Training Course in any of the above fields, send a request to your Commanding Officer via private message explaining the field in which you are applying and why you wish to become a commissioned officer in Shadow Fleet.

The deadline for all applications is June 17th, 2013.

Good luck!

Note: Not all applicants will be successful. If you are not accepted onto an Officer Training Course, there will be another opportunity through CORP 04/13 to be announced later in the year. Successful graduates may be required to transfer ship to satisfy officer personnel requirements across the fleet. Maximum graduating rank in this CORP is Ensign.

Newest Player - Ra'jann

It is our pleasure to welcome another new player to the fleet.

Crewman Recruit Ra'jann is a Caitian male who will be joining the USS Gettysburg as their newest Flight Control Crewman.

Please give him a warm welcome!

Gibson Day - Coming Up


Join the crew of the USS Gibson as they prepare for Gibson Day this June 18th! We hear there's a barbecue involved...



June 10, 2013

Newest Player - Valkor Draco

We are delighted to welcome another new player to the fleet.

Crewman Recruit Valkor Draco is a Klingon Sec/Tac Crewman who will be joining the crew of the USS Gettysburg.

Please give him a warm welcome!

June 8, 2013

Newest Player - James Douglas

It is our pleasure to introduce a new player to the fleet.

Crewman Recruit James Douglas will be joining the crew of the USS Discovery as their latest addition to the Security/Tactical department.

Please make him feel welcome!

June 7, 2013

Churchill Day


 Ladies and gents,

On this day, 2 years ago, the USS Churchill was released into our fleet. Today, a special commemorative topic has been made to celebrate this event. It can be seen here. This special topic contains interviews with some of the crew, a youtube video, and more. Go take a peek, and help us celebrate this special day for the Churchill.

June 1, 2013

Post of the Month - May 2013

Following the conclusion of our biggest Special Mission to date, it's time to celebrate some fantastic writing by awarding the Post of the Month for May, 2013!

A pleased smile crossed Kylik's face, the Rutian glad that they would have the Lexington as a backup 'central nerve'. Even better, if he became too busy to effectively command the flight group, he was sure the command staff would be able to take over. 'I just hope it doesn't come to that.' he considered. Like most shuttles, the X-90s controls were designed in such a way that a single person would be able to handle most of the tasks to be done, even under difficult conditions.

Kylik noted one behemoth of a man make his way to the Seeckt to store his gear, and soon a few more away team members followed. Near the rear of the shuttle, medical equipment was being loaded in. To the helmsman's eyes, it looked like Dr. Wu and his team were planning on opening a hospital on the planet.

With the final few minutes available to him, Kylik did a walk-around of the shuttle, checking for any potential issues that would make it unsafe to fly. He knew most of the other pilots would be doing the same. It was a strange notion, considering that the engineers had checked each shuttle both inside and out. But it could be therapeutic, especially ahead of a mission. A ritual to clear the mind and focus on the task at hand.

The words hung in the air for a second before the Rutian was spurred into action. He closed the distance to the shuttle hatch quickly, pulled himself inside and waited for the hatch to seal before checking that the flight lock had engaged. He gave a quick look about the cabin, making sure the away team and the majority of their gear was strapped in.

He paused next to Ensign Tam. "Ensign, we may need to do a particularly quick descent to the complex. If that's the case, I'm going to ask you to shift power from the auxiliary systems to the internal inertial dampeners, and to do it quickly." It wasn't really an instruction, but rather an effort to get Tam to have a plan in place for if the time came. He wasn't sure about the Trill, but he had seen other engineers get the impression of 'deer being caught in headlights' when given such instruction without forewarning.

Finally, satisfied that they were as ready as they would get to be, he made his way to the cockpit. He started cycling up the shuttles power plants as he strapped in, though the familiar whine was drowned out by the sound of crewmembers shuffling in the aft section. Soon the whine died down, and was replaced by a gentle purr as Kylik started the engines.

=/\="Comet lead to shuttlebay control, departing. Comet 2,3, follow me out."=/\=

The Rutian couldn't prevent a smile from erupting on his face. This wasn't the pleasant distraction that the previous flight had been. Despite his inhibitions about them, they were taking the X-90s on an actual mission.

[X-90, Corsair B upper atmosphere]

With the [I]Lexington[/I] parked so close to the planet, the shuttles hit atmosphere within mere minutes, and shortly thereafter Kylik started getting his first decent views of the surface. At first, all he could see was a sea of green, with several mountainous outcrops dotting the horizon. As they descended, though, the full effect of Corsair B started to weigh on him.

Kylik had been to many scenic locations since joining Starfleet. He'd done some travelling on Earth, Risa and Casperia Prime. Each had presented a natural wonder that could not be compared to anything else, that overwhelmed the senses grabbed at the heart.

But the scenes he remembered so fondly now seemed pale, controlled and lifeless. Corsair's landscape was vivid, wild and flourishing. Green canopies extended as far as the eye could see, broken by occasional patches of grassland. In those grasslands, Kylik saw patches of colour, though none that he had ever known a plant to possess.

Kylik heard Ley, the navigator seated with him in the cockpit, gasp and then sigh as they surveyed the scenery. Kylik wanted to call Commander Tulley to the cockpit to observe the scene with them, but his heart would not let him. Somewhere, deep within the primal parts of his mind, he didn't want to share this moment. It was his, and nothing would ever be the same again after it.

Kylik wasn't sure how long they sat, mesmerised, but he only returned to the cockpit of the X-90 when the flight controls chimed that they had reached the next waypoint on the route. Kylik shook his head, hoping to clear the image of Corsair B from his thoughts enough that he could concentrate on the mission. He only partially succeeded.

=/\="Ok Comet 2, time to do your thing. Get down to that complex and get us some intel."=/\=

=/\="Aye Lieutenant."=/\= the pilot answered. Kylik saw the shuttle speed past them, already several hundred meters below them and dropping fast. The shuttles were still relatively high up, but he knew at the pace they were capable of Comet 2 would be nape of the ground within a two minutes. Meanwhile, he eased his shuttle into a slightly gentler descent.

About as quickly as he'd expected, several images began flickering on his screen - images sent to them from Comet 2. The complex was easy to make out, a hive of interlinked structures sticking out like a sore thumb in the midst of the greenery surrounding it. There was something off-putting about the images, though, causing his brows to furrow as he tried to figure out what it was.

=/\="Comet 2, there's nothing on these images you're sending me."=/\=

=/\="Blanks, sir?"=/\= they answered.

=/\="No. Nothing alive. I don't see any people, any wildlife or any sign of power. Heck, it doesn't even look like anyone's lived in that complex in years. We’re supposed to be looking at a battle scene?"=/\=

=/\="Yes sir, we saw that too. We're doing a second pass now, but everything is quiet here."=/\=

The Rutian didn't like this. He supposed it was possible that they were simply too late, that the animals had simply dragged off all of the scientists. Still, he expected to be able to see at least some kind of aftermath of the conflict as the occupants of the facility fought to survive.
 "Commander Tulley," Kylik called to the back of the shuttle. "Preliminary scans don't show anything going on in the complex. I'm sending Comet 2's report to the panel next to you. Instructions?"
He could already see the complex ahead of them, and they were descending fast. They would be over the complex within a minute if they continued.


In what is probably one of the longest posts of the entire Special Mission, Kylik Roth has managed to include a variety of posting techniques into this one submission.

Speaking of this post, Acting First Officer on the Gettysburg Lieutenant Commander T'Ra Jones commented, "It is very in-depth, and all of the detail makes it feel like you're actually there with his character."

Join us in congratulating Kylik on what is also his second Post of the Month Award in a row! Don't forget, if you see a post you think is worth of recognition, send it to your Commanding Officer before the end of June.

Newest Player - Bradley Miller

We are delighted to announce a new player has joined the fleet.

Crewman Recruit Bradley Miller will be joining the crew of the USS Gibson as their newest Engineering Crewman.

Please give him a warm welcome!

May 30, 2013

Newest Player - Ezac

We are delighted to welcome another new player to the fleet.

Please welcome Crewman Recruit Ezac who will be joining the USS Gibson as a Security/Tactical Crewman.

May 28, 2013

Star Trek Lost Paradise Comes To An End

After nearly a full month of posting, our Star Trek Into Darkness celebratory tie-in mission has now officially come to an end.

Our official Special Mission was an excellent opportunity for everyone in the forum to come together as part of an unusual and exciting storyline. All in all, we are excited to report that the Lost Paradise saw nearly five hundred new posts submitted to the boards, not including mission-related discussions which is a tremendous achievement from everyone involved.

The Shadow Fleet Admiralty would like to extend a thank you to both Luke Stafford and Jon Tulley for organizing and running the Special Mission throughout May and ensuring fun was to be had by all.

Speaking of the opportunity, Luke said;
"It's truly indicative of the talent and dedication we have throughout the Fleet that this mission came off so smoothly. It was a joy!"
While Tulley commented;
"Much like having a child, this special mission was born from the mind of Luke and myself. From a twinkle in the eye to its first tentative steps in the real world, the mission was a labour of love for both of us. We had our ups and downs but ultimately, I feel our baby developed into a mission Shadow Fleet can be proud of."
Furthermore, as a thank you to all the players involved in this fantastic mission, we can also announce that the following will receive the Star Trek: Lost Paradise Special Mission Ribbon to proudly display in their forum profile: Luke Stafford, Jon Tulley, Archangel T'Koris, Alexander Wu, Kirok, Caelene Tam, Mike Anderson, Kylik Roth, John Harriman, Ser Conley, T'Ra Jones, John Brown, Safefta Pardek, Anara McKnight, Michael Tritter, Tanibak, Sukal, Tiberius Howard, Revek Tre'el.

And as we round of the month that is May and the excitement it has contained, we would invite you all to comment on the official discussion topic with your most memorable moments of the Special Mission along with any feedback you may have, good or bad so that we can make the next time just as good, if not better.

A very big thank you and congratulations to all those involved for making our latest Special Mission such a good one!

May 27, 2013

USS Churchill Two Year Celebration

Shadow Fleet's first Intrepid-class vessel will be celebrating it's second birthday soon and we're inviting everyone to be a part of it!


June 6th, 2013 will see the two year anniversary of the USS Churchill, the first and currently only Intrepid-class vessel in Shadow Fleet. To mark the occasion, the Churchill will be opening its airlocks to members of the fleet to come and join in the celebrations.

Read the following message from Churchill Commanding Officer John Brown:

"As Commanding Officer of the USS Churchill, I would like to invite the officers and crew of each vessel in the fleet to join the officers and crew of our ship in the first ever Churchill Day celebrations. See you all there!" -Commander John Brown
 If you would like to attend the first ever "Churchill Day" as it is being affectionately called, simply turn up on June 6th and join in the celebrations!

May 26, 2013

Newest Player - Servoc

We are delighted to welcome a new player to the fleet.

Crewman Recruit Servoc will be joining the crew of the USS Churchill as their newest Science Crewman.

Please give him a warm welcome.

Newest Player - Corbin Langar

We are delighted to welcome a new player to the fleet.

Crewman Recruit Corbin Langar will be joining the USS Discovery as an Engineering Crewman.

Please give him a warm welcome.

May 24, 2013

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (16)

Today's excerpt is brought to you by Kylik Roth. Gas has been released into Engineering. How long before it works? Stay tuned.
It was a plan. He couldn't say it was a good plan. Heck, he was pretty sure there were any number of officers on the [I]Lexington[/I] that could poke it full of holes. But they were here, and he was, and he would see the job done.

Within moments, the gas canisters arrived. After they were loaded into the vent, the release was activated. All they had to do further was wait.

=/\=[B]"Roth to the bridge. The gas has been released. Waiting for your go."[/B]=/\=

[B]"How are we looking on that door, Ensign?"[/B] Kylik asked, hoping that Tam had found them a way in.

Memorial Day Fleet Banner

 Shadow Fleet rolls out another new banner in honor of Memorial Day weekend in the U.S.

May 22, 2013

Resignation of Captain Lance Krol

It is our unfortunate duty to announce the departure of one of our most senior Command Level Officers from the fleet.

It is with a heavy heart that the fleet admiralty has had to accept the resignation of Captain Lance Krol from his position as Commanding Officer of the USS Gettysburg.

Captain Krol joined Shadow Fleet as an Ensign in May 2011 and quickly made an impact on the fleet and its members. Jumping into the role-playing, he quickly showed an aptitude for producing high quality posts which earned him the respect of his Commanding Officer on the Discovery. By November that year, Lance had achieved the rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) and earned a transfer to the USS Churchill as their Chief Engineer.

Over the next twelve months, Lance continued his successful advancements through the rank structure attaining the ranks of Lieutenant and Lieutenant Commander by May 2012. During his time on the Churchill he was also selected to take the Command Officer Training Course which he completed shortly afterward. By August 2012, Lance had earned the rank of Commander and was appointed the Commanding Officer of the USS Churchill, a position which he excelled in until his transfer to the USS Gettysburg in February of this year.

After a successful two and half years with the fleet, we are very sad to see him go but we would like to encourage all of our members, past and present, to bid Captain Krol goodbye and good luck.

A replacement commander for the USS Gettysburg will be announcement in due course.

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (15)

Today's excerpt is brought to you by Kirok. Is Dalton Kampf's plan really to block out the Earth's sun? Stay tuned.
KC turned to the his commanding officer and offered a nod.  The urgency of the situation was very clear to the Betazed/Vulcan and he didn't waste time.   He put sacred akai on the floor beside him and placed his free hand on the clone's face.

KC brutally pushed his consciousness further into the clone's mind.  The clone spasmed once again in an attempt to resist, but finally gave in.  A moment or two of silence past by and then KC gasped.  "Into Darkness!" he warned.

KC's breathing increased rapidly as he psychically digested the horrible images in the clone's mind which revealed the plans Kampf had for Earth.  KC finally pulled one hand away from the clone and looked at the Captain.  "If Earth is to survive, we must stop those ship" he said dramatically.

"Kampf has designed an agent which will be released into Earth's atmosphere.  It will block out the effect of the sun, throwing Earth temporarily into darkness.  Just long enough to kill of the Human population" he said.

May 20, 2013

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (14)

Today's excerpt is brought to you by Jon Tulley. Tulley's clone has been beamed aboard. How long before the crew of the Lexington realizes he's an imposter? Stay tuned.
[Conference Room - USS Lexington]
The white swirling glow formed in the conference room, materializing one Commander Tulley. He looked slightly worse for wear with a few minor scrapes and bruises, he smiled at Luke.

"Miss me?"

Jon brushed himself off.

"I managed to slip away by distracting one of Dalton's guards. The details aren't important, what is important is the mans got a whole army of clones down there! He went off on some rant about teaching the Federation respect and having them come to heel. He's mad Luke, we have to stop him."

Also, courtesy of Jon Tulley, take a look at the intelligence file on Dalton Kampf, the main villain of the special mission.

May 19, 2013

Newest Player - Klaus Vogel

We are delighted to welcome another new player to the fleet.

Crewman Recruit Klaus Vogel will be joining the crew of the USS Gibson as a Science Crewman.

Please give him a warm welcome.

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (13)

Today's excerpt is brought to you by Mike Anderson. Is the crew of the Lexington going to have to deal with clones now?
Mike sat back in his chair, with a light frown, that hadn't occurred to him. "Are you suggesting they're Clones Sir?"  Observing the image once again, he raised his eyebrows. "Well that's interesting, but who has bred them?"

May 18, 2013

Star Trek Into Darkness Quote of the Day (12)

Today's excerpt is brought to you by Luke Stafford. The away team, with the exception of Mr. Tulley, has returned to the Lexington. But it seems like another adventure still awaits them. Stay tuned.
"=/\=Take some rest and refreshment, Roth. I have a feeling we're not done with the X-90s quite yet.=/\="

May 17, 2013

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (11)

Have you been following the special mission? Commander Tulley has been captured, killed, and replaced by a clone! What's next? Stay tuned.
Standing next to Dalton, was an identical copy of Commander Jon Tulley. The appearance and clothing were a perfect match, his voice had been digitally altered to sound the same. Dalton smiled.

"Your ship may present a problem to my plans being in orbit of my planet as it is. I believe my clone here can take care of it in a most efficient manner."

The real Tulley moaned and rocked against his restraints. Dalton ramped up the device to full power and let the lightning discharge through the needles directly into the commanders brain, killing him instantly. He turned to his clone.

May 15, 2013

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (10)


We've reached the half-way point of our special month celebrating the release of Star Trek Into Darkness. Are you following our Special Mission? If not, please take a look. And today's excerpt is brought to you by Jon Tulley. At last, the away team has landed. What's in store for them? Stay tuned.
[Corsair B]

Jon released all seat restraints from his command console. Situated nearest to the hatch, Jon was up and out first. He had his rifle raised and was aiming down the sights scanning for any threat. The beauty of Corsair was a sight to behold, the deep blue sky with a majestic mountain range reaching up to meet it. Jon looked over his shoulder to the rest of the away team who were disembarking.

"You have your assignments, proceed with the mission."

Jon lowered his rifle and flicked open his communicator.

=^= "Captain, we have made landfall and are about to secure the facility. All clear so far." =^=

May 14, 2013

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (9)

Today's excerpt is brought to you by Kylik Roth. The away mission has already taken an unexpected turn, as the shuttles enter the planet's atmosphere. Is there anyone alive below? Stay tuned.
=/\="Comet 2, there's nothing on these images you're sending me."=/\=

=/\="Blanks, sir?"=/\= they answered.

=/\="No. Nothing alive. I don't see any people, any wildlife or any sign of power. Heck, it doesn't even look like anyone's lived in that complex in years. We’re supposed to be looking at a battle scene?"=/\=

=/\="Yes sir, we saw that too. We're doing a second pass now, but everything is quiet here."=/\=

The Rutian didn't like this. He supposed it was possible that they were simply too late, that the animals had simply dragged off all of the scientists. Still, he expected to be able to see at least some kind of aftermath of the conflict as the occupants of the facility fought to survive.
 "Commander Tulley," Kylik called to the back of the shuttle. "Preliminary scans don't show anything going on in the complex. I'm sending Comet 2's report to the panel next to you. Instructions?"
He could already see the complex ahead of them, and they were descending fast. They would be over the complex within a minute if they continued.

Star Trek Into Darkness - Spoilers

Still haven't seen the new movie? Too excited to wait? Here are some spoilers if you would like to watch.


May 12, 2013

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (8)

Today's excerpt is brought to you by Tanibak, one of Shadow Fleet's newest members. The crew of the Lexington prepares for another away mission. What will the outcome be? Stay tuned.
Tanibak had been busy going over some of the munitions stores when his superior commed him. Since things were getting tense, it always paid to keep up on what you have in your inventory, rather than not know until you need something and find out you don't have it. He quickly tapped his badge and replied =/\=On my way to join Ensign Pardek, Commander. Tanibak out =/\= It was only logical to follow orders, and besides, having Vulcans on the away team would be a decided advantage against whatever they may have to face, after all, this crew had never truly had an easy time of things.

Star Trek Into Darkness - Cast Interview

Take a look at this in depth interview with Pine, Quinto, Cumberbatch, Saldana, Pegg, Urban, Eve, and Abrams.


New Player - Tanibak

We are delighted to welcome a new player to the fleet.

Crewman Recruit Tanibak will be joining the USS Discovery as a Security/Tactical Crewman.

Please give him a warm welcome.

May 11, 2013

Star Trek Into Darkness - John Cho Interview

Read Startrek.com's latest interview with John Cho, the actor who plays Sulu in Star Trek Into Darkness. 

 

May 10, 2013

Newest Player- Schalbrin Genkala

We are delighted to welcome another new player to the fleet.

Crewman Recruit Schalbrin Genkala will be joining the fleet as a Medical Crewman attached to the USS Discovery.

Please give her a very warm welcome!

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (7)

Today's excerpt is brought to you by Archangel T'Koris. The interrogation of the prisoner is complete, but will there be more divided loyalties? Stay tuned.
After a few more moments, Archangel stood up, tapping her access code into the forcefield controls and leaving the cell.  As soon as she was out of sight of the prisoner, she sank down to sit on the floor, trembling, her back against the wall and her head in her hands.  Taking a deep, shaky breath, she raked her fingers through her hair.  She stayed there for a minute, trying to calm herself down.  She felt as if her heart was going to beat itself right out of her ribcage. 

With what seemed to be a great effort, she pulled herself to her feet, making her way over to the comm panel on the wall. 
=/\=Ensign T'Koris to Commander Hearn.  I've finished interrogating the Romulan, sir.  I can present you with a report at your convenience.=/\=  As she waited for a reply, Archangel looked over at Safefta with a slightly puzzled expression.
"How can you not be affected by all this?" she asked.  "By what we had to do to our own kind?"

Newest Player - Jack Bishop

We are delighted to announce that a new player has joined the fleet.

Crewman Recruit Jack Bishop will be joining the USS Gettysburg as a Flight Control Crewman.

Please give him a very warm welcome!

Star Trek Into Darkness - Chris Pine Interview

Want to read one of the latest interviews for Chris Pine, the actor who plays Kirk? You can, courtesy of Startrek.com.



May 9, 2013

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (6)

Today's excerpt is brought to you by Luke Stafford. The crew of the Lexington still don't know what to expect when they beam down, but as a precaution, the captain orders for at least one member from each department to be present. Will this be enough? Stay tuned.
"Dr. Wu," The captain favored the man with his watered down smile. "Your team will also shoulder the lion's share on the away team. Prepare sickbay for casualties and give me two on the away team. As far as our new Romulan squatters and our guest here on the Lexington goes, we will deal with them when we have a spare moment." Something tells me we won't have many.

Stafford took the other department heads in with his next order. "Everyone else, assign one person to the away team. There may be damage across the board down there. Flight Control pilots the shuttle, and communications stays here to raise Crobe and research more on him and his lab, respectively."

After the long brief there was silence, Stafford giving each of the men a few moments to collect their thoughts and reply.

Star Trek Into Darkness - JJ Vision

Take a look at this new video, in which JJ Abrams discusses his vision for the upcoming movie.


May 8, 2013

Shadow Fleet Returns To The Official Star Trek Las Vegas Convention!

For those of you around last August, you'll remember our first-hand coverage of the Official Star Trek Las Vegas Convention in Nevada, USA. The time has now come to excitedly announce that Shadow Fleet will be back in Las Vegas for a second year running! But that's not all...

http://www.shadowfleet.org/images/news/STLasVegasConventionLogo2013.jpg

In addition to a comprehensive Facebook and Twitter coverage of all four days, this year we're going all out with our very own table dedicated to the fleet, its players and our creativity!

As part of the planned setup, we're looking for contributions from any and all players, new and old to showcase how fantastic a community effort this fleet really is. Are you an artist at heart? Do you like to put pen to paper? Perhaps your skills include model making or graphic design? Wherever your interest lies, we want to hear from you!

To help us make our promotional table truly special, let us know how you can contribute by emailing contact@shadowfleet.org today. And if you have any suggestions or ideas for our upcoming convention appearance this August, don't hesitate to post them in the comments below!

It's an exciting time as we prepare for what is one of the biggest Star Trek events this year. Will you be part of it?

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (5)

Today's excerpt is brought to you by Archangel T'Koris. The crew of the Lexington has captured a Romulan, who is now a prisoner in the Lexington's brig. And, with Archangel's similar physiology, perhaps she can coax some information out of the prisoner. Will she succeed? Stay tuned.
[Brig]
After laying the prisoner on the bunk in the cell, Archangel turned, preparing to leave the brig.  She paused.  Without her uniform and with their physical resemblances, maybe there was a chance that she would appear to also be a captive.  She placed her hand phaser on the console, nodding the the officer on duty before taking a stool and placing it a few metres away from the bunk but still within the cell.  As she took a seat, she heard the familiar sound of the forcefield being activated, locking both captive and Starfleet officer inside.  Archangel took a deep breath, crossing her legs and settling in to wait for the prisoner to recover from the stun blast.

Star Trek Into Darkness - Alice Eve Interview

Alice Eve talks about playing Carol Marcus in Star Trek Into Darkness. Read it at http://ow.ly/kJl1j


May 7, 2013

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (4)

Today's excerpt is brought to you by Archangel T'Koris. Firefight on the station! And T'Koris is caught right in the middle so to speak. What's going to happen next? Stay tuned.
Archangel spun around as the away team charged in as planned, ducking away from the line of fire, unwilling to be caught on the wrong side of a stun blast.  As she turned to stand alongside her shipmates, she found herself confronted by a dilemma, torn between her loyalties.  Her hand strayed up to touch the two bone ridges on her forehead, mirrors of the enemy.  She had been born in the Federation to a human woman, raised there.  She owed the Federation.  But she was also half-Romulan.  She owed them her loyalty as well.

She raised her phaser, aiming for one of the Romulans, but couldn't pull the trigger.  Despite the oppressive weight of her duty to the ship and the fleet that felt as if it was crushing her, the rigorous training she had been through to shoot without question, she couldn't.  Her phaser hand shook as tears welled up in her eyes.  The careful web of rules that she had built up around herself was coming crashing down.

New Short Story by Archangel T'Koris

A new short story called "The Tribble Voyages" by Lieutenant Archangel T'Koris has been uploaded to the "articles" section. Take a look!

Star Trek Into Darkness - Spoiler Free Review

Have you read TrekMovie.com's spoiler free review of Star Trek Into Darkness?



May 6, 2013

Conclusion of Enlisted Training Course Consultation


Following a three-week consultation, we are pleased to announce the results of the New Enlisted Training Course proposal.

The proposal as set forth by Ensign Jon Tulley and Petty Officer Third Class Luke Stafford recommended Shadow Fleet implement a new training course for new enlisted players upon joining the fleet. Originally a compulsory course designed to assess a player's posting ability and provide points for improvement, the idea evolved into a voluntary scheme that new players could enroll in if they so desired.

Having weighed the pros and cons of this idea along with the comments made by members during the consultation, the Shadow Fleet Admiralty have come to the decision not to implement this policy for a number of reasons.

Firstly, we believe that implementing a new training course such as this, voluntary or otherwise, would go against the very nature of joining as an enlisted crewman and getting involved in the posting straight away. Furthermore, we do not expect all players to be perfect posters when they first join and their initial joining period up to the rates of Senior Crewman is intended to provide them with this experience. Finally, we believe this kind of training course would go against the role of each SIMM's Chief of the Boat, a position which in its very nature is responsible for the training and welfare of all enlisted players.

Though we have decided not to implement the idea in full, the Admiralty have agreed to recommend the creation of official "welcoming" topics in each starship SIMM following the success of such an idea on the USS Gibson. While this is not compulsory, all Commanding Officers have been encouraged to take the idea on for the benefit of new players.

We would like to thank Jon and Luke for presenting their idea to us along with each and every one of you who put forward your comments in support or against it.

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (3)

Today's excerpt is brought to you by Jon Tulley, XO of the special mission. The plot thickens... and the away team is beaming right onto the station. Will they survive? Stay tuned.
Jon weighed his options. They could fire on the station and eliminate the threat completely, the station was in a bad state of disrepair anyway. A second option would be to try and capture one of the Romulans for Starfleet intelligence, they would greatly appreciate such an act. The third option was to simply contact Starfleet for extra detachments of security personnel. The fourth was to try and negotiate. However, since they just cut off negotiations this was no longer viable.
Returning to a seated position, Jon activated the communications interface directly to transporter room 1. Which was right now slowly filling up with the assembled away team.
=^= "Captain be advised, we have further information. The group can be considered hostile and are unwilling to negotiate. I am standing down the other away teams, intelligence would love to get their hands on one of Nero's crew. I recommend you beam over to junction 7-A, which is close to a small concentration of Romulans. A distraction would be advisable. We will be ready to beam you out at a moments notice. Good luck." =^=

Star Trek Into Darkness - London Premiere

TrekMovie.com talks with Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman at the London premiere of Star Trek Into Darkness, revealing how fan input influenced the new movie. Take a look for yourself here.

May 5, 2013

Cinco De Mayo Shadow Fleet Banner


Did you get a good luck at Shadow Fleet's special Cinco de Mayo banner? What did you think? Tell us your thoughts in the official discussion topic for yesterday's "May the Fourth Be With You" special banner.

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (2)


Today's excerpt is brought to you by Ser Conley. Are there really life signs aboard the abandoned station? Is there a connection to Nero's ship? Stay tuned!
"The power source is disrupting my reading, but I'd say thirty to forty life signs.  I can't tell the species." Conley checked his reading again "The power their using is strange.  It's like nothing I've seen.  I'm running a comparison now."  It took a couple of seconds to run it through the database, but when it came back, Conley started.  "Sir, the closest thing we have in the database is the ship that attacked earth a year ago."

May 4, 2013

May the 4th Be With You

It's May 4th and in case you haven't noticed it's cause for another special forum logo!

That's right, for those of you who didn't already know, May 4th is Star Wars Day! And to celebrate our sci-fi rivalry, we've created a very special and unique logo featuring Star Wars style fonts along with the Death Star and an X-Wing to boot!

We're eager to hear your thoughts on our latest celebratory logo, so feel free to post in the comments in official discussion topic along with any suggestions for future logo designs. And remember, May the 4th be with you...always!

Star Trek Into Darkness - "Keep Going Scotty" Clip

Everything's going sideways! Can Scotty hold on?


May 3, 2013

Newest Players

We are delighted to welcome two new players to the fleet. Crewman Recruit Caelene Tam, a joined Trill with years of experience in role-playing, will be joining the crew of the USS Gettysburg as an Engineering Crewman. Crewman Recruit Warren Norris will be joining the crew of the USS Gibson as a Security/Tactical Crewman.


Please give them both a warm welcome!

Star Trek Lost Paradise Quote of the Day (1)

Shadow Fleet's newest special mission is already off to a smashing start! Have you had a chance to delve into the action yet? If not, here is today's quote of the day. This excerpt is brought to you by Luke Stafford, captain of the Lexington in this special mission.
"I will leave whatever preparations you feel are necessary up to you, Mr. Hearn. I will allow you all a fairly free hand," Stafford turned to take in the other department heads with these words. "This assignment was given to us in order to test all of us...myself included. Starfleet wants to see what the Lexington can do, so let us show them." The words hung heavy in the air. His tone was neutral and flat, and the rangy Earth accent was the only flourish to his voice. It was plain that he intended to see what the men gathered before him could do, as well.
The captain took in his chief engineer with a glance. "Mr. Sukal, I'm afraid Heimdall Station had already fallen largely into disrepair even before it was vacated. You will have your work cut out for your more than the others, I'm afraid."
Looks like the crew of the Lexington  really has their work cut out for them. Will they succeed, and what kind of troubles will they run into along the way? Stay tuned to find out.

Star Trek Into Darkness - Berlin Premiere

It's all glitz and glamour at the Berlin premiere of Star Trek Into Darkness. Check out the spectacular photos at Trekmovie.com.


May 1, 2013

New Player - Sebastian Sinclair

We are delighted to welcome a new player to the fleet.

Crewman Recruit Sebastian Sinclair will be joining the crew of the USS [i]Gettysburg[/i] as an Engineering Crewman. Sinclair is another recruit of our very own Mike Anderson so please give him a warm welcome!

Star Trek: Lost Paradise Launches!


Star Trek: Lost Paradise, our biggest and most anticipated Special Mission has now launched!



The first such mission set entirely in JJ Abrams' Star Trek (2009) universe, Star Trek: Lost Paradise follows the adventures of the Constitution-class USS Lexington and its crew as they unravel a centuries-old mystery on a lost planet in the far-flung reaches of space.

As a Special tie-in to the upcoming movie Star Trek Into Darkness, we'll also be posting up-to-date news and features to do with the new movie and more right up until its world-wide release on May 15th!

For those who registered, you can jump right into the action aboard the Lexington now by heading along to the official Special Mission topic.

For everyone else, feel free to read along as the story unfolds or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and here on Blogger for full coverage as we enter the month of May!

So in the words of Captain James T. Kirk..."Sounds like fun!"

Star Trek Into Darkness - New TV Spot

Take a look at the brand new Star Trek Into Darkness TV spot to run this week in the US.


April 30, 2013

Two New Officers For The Fleet


It is our pleasure to announce that two players have successfully graduated Shadow Fleet Academy following successful applications during our recent Commissioned Officer Recruiting Period.



Ensigns Jon Tulley and Mike Anderson have successfully completed a grueling officer assessment, testing their verbal reasoning skills, posting ability, departmental knowledge and dispute management. In their new roles, they will be held to higher standards and expected to demonstrate a standard of leadership befitting an officer in the fleet.

Are you aiming to become a commissioned officer? Keep your eyes open for our next CORP, coming later in the year. Until then, please congratulate our latest additions to the Shadow Fleet officer corps!

Newest Player - Samantha Reyes


We are delighted to welcome another new player to Shadow Fleet.

Crewman Recruit Samantha Reyes will be taking up a position as Engineering Crewman on the USS Churchill.

She also happens to be the sister-in-law of our very own Ensign Mike Anderson so please afford her an extra-special warm welcome!

Star Trek Into Darkness - New Movie Banners

Scotty, Chekov, Sulu, and Bones get their own banners... Take a look at http://bitly/11IUYIF. Do you think Chekov  will survive the change in colors?



April 29, 2013

Post of the Month - April 2013




The last thirty days has certainly gone by quick as it's now time to announce April's Post of the Month!

[USS Gibson, Deck 7, Exercise room]
Kylik had only barely gotten the shaky Hobson prepared for transport when the Gibson rocked violently. It took the Rutian a moment to register that something had impacted the ship, and that something had not met resistance from the shields. Two more hits registered, sending the medical crewman tumbling.
Kylik half-stumbled, half-crawled to the viewports lining the side of the room, and didn't like what he saw. He wasn't sure of the configuration, but several smaller attack ships had surrounded them, and were flying complicated manoeuvres all around the ship. It appeared, however, that the attackers were choosing their targets carefully. Kylik noted that several of the small ships had fired in exactly the same pattern as they had come bearing down on the Gibson. Before the Rutian realised why, though, his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the training room doors hissing opening.
He heard Lloyd gasp first. Next, he noted the reflection in the viewport, a figure blocking out nearly the entirety of the light that should have been flooding in from the corridor. Next, a fetor pervaded the room, smelling as if it had been allowed to fester from years. Yet none of these were enough to prepare him for what he saw when he turned.
Even standing, Kylik barely measured 5'8". Slumped against the wall, however, it appeared to be a bastion rather than a beast standing in the doorway. Sheets of black plating adorned the creature and glinted as if metal. All of the limbs and the neck were thicker than Kylik's waist, hinting at powerful musculature. At the extremities, the creatures were covered with hairs, small and dark. Small amounts of bluish-grey skin could be seen peeking out from underneath parts of the armour. Worst of all was the mouth, an abnormally large jaw with protruding incisors that glinted as if generously covered in liquid.
'Poison.' Kylik thought.
The beast looked down upon the Rutian, clearly in no hurry to make a move. It knew as well as he did that Kylik was no threat. Slowly, the creature started approaching him, a muffled clicking sound escaping from its closed mouth, as if it eagerly anticipated the coming kill.
Kylik was frozen with fear, stuck in place. But he wasn't alone, and as Lloyd charged the beast from the side, the Rutian almost believed there was hope. It proved false, though, the Braxian catching the blow at the last second and sending Lloyd crashing into a nearby stack of weights.
Realising this would likely be his only opportunity to do something, Kylik reached for the phaser at his belt.
His hand grasped at air, and the realisation of the phasers hidden in sickbay came crashing down on him. Other than a futile charge, there was nothing he could do.
The Rutian watched in horror as the Braxian approached the downed crewman, apparently deciding to deal with him first. This time it did not see the blow coming, the injured Hobson attacking the beast from behind, wielding a training weight as a weapon.
Hobson, although smarting, was throwing his full weight into every attack, and appeared to be shouting.
It was only then that Kylik realised that Hobson was shouting his name.
"Roth! Roth! Snap out of it! Do something! Do something or so damn you I'll let him eat you! Roth!"
Kylik barely registered how loud the screams actually were, but it was enough to galvanize him. Only, he had no idea what he could do. Lloyd had recovered enough in the distraction to begin a two-pronged attack on the Braxian, but even together it was obvious that they were only a momentary distraction. But without any real weapons nearby, there was nothing the Rutian could do to help.
'Nothing. Except, maybe...' Kylik's eyes fell on the medkit he had brought along. 
He looked from the kit to the Braxian, who had again sent Lloyd crashing and was now toying with Hobson. 
Back to the kit.
There was no way to be sure the hypospray would penetrate the creature's shell.
Back to the Braxian.
It had grabbed Hobson around the neck, raising him several inches off the floor, seemingly wanting to consider the human at eye level.
He had to try.
Kylik rushed to the kit, easily releasing one of the pre-loaded hyposprays from the satchel. He selected Neurozine, set it to maximum dosage, and turned. The Braxian had sent the crumpled form of Hobson flying into the far corner of the room, and had rounded on the Rutian. As it started approaching him, Kylik mirrored it.
The Braxian's gait became more cautious, the creature obviously uncertain why the terrified Rutian was actually moving closer.
"What are you doing on my ship?" Kylik taunted. It worked exactly as he'd hoped, the creature opening its mouth to respond. Kylik stepped in, trying to jam the hypospray he was holding into its mouth. Its reflexes were lightning, though, and it easily caught his arm. Kylik wasn't sure whether it was shock or reflex, but he dropped the hypospray, only to catch it with his left hand.
This time it definitely was shock that prevented the Braxian from reacting fast enough as Kylik jammed the metal cylinder into its mouth and activated it.
For a moment, the Rutian and the Braxian simply stared at each other, not sure what would happen next. After a few seconds, it appeared that the answer was nothing, and the Braxian spat the hypospray to the floor.
With a savage grin, the Braxian grabbed Kylik's collar with its other hand, picked him up as if he weighed no more than a pillow, and sent him flying. He felt his head hit something hard, and his vision dimmed.

Congratulations go out to Crewman Kylik Roth on a stunningly detailed post that describes not just the scene around him but his character's thoughts and feelings in a clever and extravagant way that maintains an exciting flow for the reader.

Speaking of Roth's post, Acting Commander Zuriel Soreka commented, "Kylik very early on set the mood of the current situation of the Gibson. Feeding off his fellow shipmates he has given an in depth look at how his character reacts to an emergency situation. With posts like these he has established himself as one of the Gibson's premier members."

Please congratulate Crewman Roth on his achievement this month and don't forget to send you nominations for May's Post of the Month to your Commanding Officer.