Episode 2.01: Brushfire!

[Nolmir]

OOC: Sorry, been a busy couple weeks. But yes, I'll take that positive influence tally for Tobin. 

Reputation roll, current Reputation is 11:

Rolled 2d20 : 3, 8, total 11

Both officers take the proffered hand in turn. "And you; we're grateful you came along when you did," the lieutenant commander responds. Reed smiles broadly.

"I heard you kept a close eye on us during the fight, even alerted your captain to the enemy reinforcements coming up the hill so he could send more hunters our way," he adds. "Not sure I'd be standing if you hadn't. Thank you, sir."

Tobin smiles in return. "I learned some time ago that part of our duty as Starfleet officers is to look out for our crew. That also applies to those fellow officers who chance puts us in a position to help along the way. I'm sure you'll return the favor, whether to me or another, so no thanks are needed."

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Just missed on triggering your Privilege. 2 Successes vs. Difficulty 0. +2 Reputation. Gives Tobin a 13 Rep, now.

"I'll remember that," the ensign says with a friendly nod. He notices his counterpart hanging back, still looking a mite worse for wear.

Walking over, Reed asks, "Still feeling it, sir? Frankly, I'm surprised any of us are up and about so soon. Your docs do good work."

[Renny]

"They sure do, Mr Reed", Cole agrees, forcing himself to sound more upbeat than he feels. "I've not been on the Drake long but the Doc is up there with the best."

He nods over to where Treyva and Styles are talking.

"What's next for you? Any idea yet where the fleet will make use of your talents?"

[Doug Burke]

Even-Vered steps aside and lets the younger men talk, taking a place next to Sorak. "How long have you served as first officer under Treyva?" she asks.

Sorak raises an eyebrow, "I have been First Officer under Captain Treyva since Stardate 8675. I have found the position at once challenging and gratifying. And you?"

I'm also good with the positive mark.  Sorakdidn't do much this episode.

Reputation Roll, current Rep 11:

Rolled 2d20 : 8, 15, total 23

[Patrick Goodman]

OOC: I'm good with that count.

Treyva's face darkened as Styles spoke; he remembered one of the last things Dietrick Schrepfermann had said to him after they had apprehended him. "You're not the first person to express that opinion to me recently, Styles," he said. "I just hope you're both wrong."

Treyva Reputation roll, 2 Positive Influences, Reputation 17, Rank 4

Rolled 2d20 : 13, 12, total 25

Here we go.

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Sorak gets 1 Success vs. Difficulty 0. +1 Reputation, increased to 12.
Treyva gets 2 Successes vs. Difficulty 0. +2 Reputation, increased to 19.

Cole
"No idea. I've never had a ship shot out from under me," Reed says, shrugging. "I could probably reach out to Uncle Mal; he has friends at Command. My first assignment out of the Academy, and this. Not an auspicious start."

Sorak
"All of four months. Styles pulled strings to pluck me off my last ship; I thought he was a pariah at Command, and yet he somehow plucks me off the Potempkin, of all places, complete with a promotion to lieutenant commander and a spot as first officer," she responds. Then, with a sideways glance and a wry grin, she adds, "Wouldn't trade it for anything, though."

Treyva
Lawrence sighs. "Me, too, Treyva. Me, too."

OOC: I was going to write more, but the third episode of "Murder in Provence" was too interesting to ignore. John Light has a real knack for playing villains...although I'd love to see him as a virtuous hero just once.

[Davy, aka GM]

Sorak, continued
The navigator surveys the expansive cargo deck. "From an engineer's perspective, what do you think about the Constellations? I've heard some cautionary tales about quad warp systems."

Treyva, continued
Shaking his head as if to clear a thought from it, Styles adds, "At least we eked out a win this time. Hopefully, they'll be more likely to behave on Sherman's Planet and Nimbus III."

OOC: I'll give you folks a chance to respond to last said (I couldn't think of anything more for Reed to say), and we'll move on to the closing scene.

[Renny]

"No idea. I've never had a ship shot out from under me," Reed says, shrugging. "I could probably reach out to Uncle Mal; he has friends at Command. My first assignment out of the Academy, and this. Not an auspicious start."

Cole forced a slight smile.

"You did right by your people, Mr Reed. I have a feeling that Captain of yours won't let you sit idle for too long. I wish you good luck"

Cole reached out to shake the hand of the younger officer.

[Doug Burke]

"Wouldn't trade it for anything, though."

With both brows raised and his trademark half-smile, Sorak nods, "Nor I, Commander."

The navigator surveys the expansive cargo deck. "From an engineer's perspective, what do you think about the Constellations? I've heard some cautionary tales about quad warp systems."

Sorak reflexively mirrors her survey and grows thoughtful, "I have had no complaints. The ship has been responsive and quite dependable so far. I find myself intrigued by the possibilities in warp development that will be available to our successors in Starfleet. If you follow the progression logically, there is an eighty-nine-point-three percent chance that they will need to re-scale the warp factors for the first time in centuries to compensate for increasing speeds."

[Davy, aka GM]

Cole
Reed takes the proffered hand. "Thank you, sir, and good luck to you, too."

Sorak
Even-Vered raises an eyebrow of her own. "You really think so, Mr. Sorak? I mean, the Federation has only doubled subspace velocity every 65 years or so since the Vulcans introduced the warp 7 engine upon joining," she says. "At the next doubling, we'll only be counting to warp 14 by the middle of next century.

Offering a sly smile, the lieutenant commander adds, "Unless somebody at the Cochrane Institute is getting really offended by double digit numbers..."

[Davy, aka GM]

Captain's Log, Stardate 8854.7: The Drake and the Ambassador Thoris are departing the Neural system, while Fitzpatrick and Comsol remain on station over the planet. Maybe there's hope that the ordeal suffered by the Rostov's crew will shake the tree, as they say, and make Starfleet Command take more seriously the situation on the ground here.

On a personal note, I can't help but be concerned about the similar warnings I've received from both a disgraced and a decorated officer. One could be dismissed as a madman, but the other is, for all his faults, well studied and rational in his assessments. Is there trouble in the halls of the Klingon High Command? Are competing factions or the government as a whole hell-bent on giving the Federation a black eye, or worse, starting a war? Is Starfleet unprepared for a fight that's coming?

Regarding Captain Styles, I've included in my report a commendation for his efforts protecting Federation interests on Neural. He is truly a tactical and strategic thinker, with intuitive insights into warfare that I can only begin to comprehend, and those qualities led to a successful defense of the Tyreen, and, hopefully, the confidence needed by the Tyreen to both protect their way of life and fight to win. That the leader of the Apellans would meet with Tyreen directly is a good sign.

Our next stop is 40 Eridani Shipyards and workups following our findings from our shakedown cruise.

"Commander Jiemba sends his regards," Miguel reports of the Fitzpatrick's CO, as the Drake crosses the heliopause at full impulse. "And Captain Tralohsa is ready to enter warp."

"Very well, let's not keep him waiting," Treyva responds. "Navigator?"

Cathy nods. "Course for Vulcan plotted and laid in, sir."

"Engineering?"

"All warp factors are available, sir." Sorak reports.

"Very well. Helm, warp factor 9."

"Warp factor 9, aye, sir," Maria says with more than a little relish. "Hold onto your seats, boys and girls."

In a flash, the Constellation-class cruiser streaks into subspace, followed closely by the massive Chandley at her side...

OOC: Okay, folks, milestones!

Treyva receives his 8th (Spotlight).
Sorak receives his 7th (ARC).
Cole receives his 3rd (ARC).
Tobin receives his 2nd (Spotlight).

Remember, all ARC milestones include a Spotlight and Normal milestone with them, and all Spotlight milestones include a Normal milestone with them. Let me know what, if anything, you do with each. Core rulebook p.139 deals with milestones.

Once we get these done, we'll move on to the next episode.

[Renny]

OOC: Great thanks.