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#51

Star Trek: Drake's Legacy [Modiphius 2d20] / Re: Episode 2.03: The Trill Qu...

Last post by Renny - March 02, 2025, 02:41:52 PM

Cole takes another drink, his tone suddenly wistful.

"Yeah, I grew up just outside Brisbane. My folks lived on a...farming commune, I guess, you'd call it. They didn't believe in technology, so all the farm work was done by hand."

He laughs quietly.

"Ironic that I ended up out here, right?"

#52

Star Trek: Drake's Legacy [Modiphius 2d20] / Re: Supervisory & Supporting C...

Last post by Davy, aka GM - March 01, 2025, 09:50:53 PM

de Costaluna, Miguel Rene (born Miguel Rene Carlos Ramirez de Costaluna) - Supervisory Character
Lieutenant, Starfleet
Chief Communications Officer, USS Drake (NCC-2491)

27-year-old human male (b. ca. 2262, Terra Nova Colony)

Department: Operations
Traits: Human, Starfleet Officer

ATTRIBUTES
Control - 10
Daring - 9
Fitness - 8
Insight - 11
Presence - 8
Reason - 11

DISCIPLINES
Command* - 3
Conn - 2
Security - 3
Engineering - 4
Science - 4
Medicine - 1

FOCUSES
Linguistics, Cryptography, Damage Control Coordination, Subspace Communications*

TALENTS
Faith of the Heart (Species Ability): When you use one of your values to spend or gain Determination, you may also add 1 Momentum to the group pool.
Collaboration (Engineering)* - Whenever an ally attempts a Task using Engineering, you may spend one Momentum (Immediate) to allow them to use your Engineering score and one of your Focuses.

VALUE
I Can Speak That!*

Introduced: 1.3, Featured: 1.5, 1.11, 2.01

NOTES
Human Attribute Bonuses: Control, Insight, Presence

Background
Note: The traditional Spanish patronymic style used by the Novans makes Miguel's full surname Carlos Ramirez de Costaluna and dictates that "Carlos" is the shortened version of his surname (and the name used for alphabetization); however, 23rd Century Novan culture uses the final surname, especially the section preceded by "de," as the shortened surname (and the basis of alphabetization). Thus, instead of being Miguel Rene Carlos, he is Miguel Rene de Costaluna. Miguel Rene is a single name (a compound forename, as per Spanish traditional naming practices, even though he normally answers to just Miguel).

Miguel Costaluna was born in 2262 on Terra Nova; he was a bookish sort, though physically active as the son of a secondary school gym teacher. Miggy excelled in school, especially linguistics; he originally intended to attend UTN-NI (University of Terra Nova - New Ireland), but a friend convinced him to apply to Starfleet Academy.

The young Costaluna breezed through the academic curriculum, specializing in communications operations. Upon his graduation near the top of his class in 2284, he was selected for the advanced command placement program, a new initiative by Fleet Admiral Morrow to accelerate the advancement of high academic achievers. He completed the one-year program and chose USS Drake (NCC-1553) as his first assignment (against the advice of his detailers), stating that it was "distinctive" to serve on the last ship of a class.

Miguel was seriously injured and nearly lost his life in a skirmish with a blockade runner, but he was able to recover and contribute to the remainder of the mission.

Personality
Since his arrival on the Drake and subsequent injury in 2288, Miguel is less the energetic and youthful officer struggling to master his social skills. He has matured and found himself more at ease with his shipmates; however, he spent significant off-duty time in seclusion, retreating into his academic world of linguistics notes and self-entertainment of manufacturing languages. Of note, the addition of Ensign Chev ch'Valk to the crew has brought him out of his shell somewhat, and the two have started a language creation game between themselves.

#53

Star Trek: Drake's Legacy [Modiphius 2d20] / Re: Episode 2.03: The Trill Qu...

Last post by Davy, aka GM - February 28, 2025, 10:35:04 AM

"That's a tough break, Gina," he sighs, "Here's to boldly going, with the right meds..."

Regina snickers at the comment, probably a little more enthusiastically than intended.

"Do you have family in the service, Gina, or is everyone back home in Aus?"

"My great-granddad was in Starfleet - enlisted in 2198, I think it was. I remember him telling me all sorts of stories about it, including a scrap with the Klingons just before he retired in '26." She takes a sip, appearing to savor a memory. "He wore his old uniform at my graduation from the ETP. Had the Academy Superintendent fawning all over him."

She sidles a little closer to Cole. "How 'bout you? Your family was rural, like mine, right?"

#54

Star Trek: Drake's Legacy [Modiphius 2d20] / Re: Episode 2.03: The Trill Qu...

Last post by Renny - February 28, 2025, 03:12:35 AM

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Cheers."

Cole grimaces in what he hopes is a sympathetic manner and clicks his glass in response.

"That's a tough break, Gina," he sighs, "Here's to boldly going, with the right meds..."

"Do you have family in the service, Gina, or is everyone back home in Aus?"

#55

Star Trek: Drake's Legacy [Modiphius 2d20] / Re: Episode 2.03: The Trill Qu...

Last post by Renny - February 28, 2025, 03:04:02 AM

"But we're supposed to be off duty for the night. Tell me, what do you think of our accommodations? Do they have resorts like this back on your homeworld?"

Voshen looked down at his hors d'oeuvre and wrinkled his eyes in amusement.  "On Zaran II?  No, no, nothing like this.  Cloud cover 80% of the year, volcanic ash storms, fluorine atmosphere...but.  The Third Caves of Vas'thath?  Imagine: perfectly symmetrical caverns of iridescent crystal, precise fractal facets, concentric within each.  Zaranite monks add new cuts every cycle, perhaps a millimeter, each one planned and calculated over years.  Maintained over millennia."

He twisted the base of the cup idly.  "I've never been.  I've watched the holos thousands of times, of course, but...my family moved to Argus V Colony before my birth.  Mandated.  By the Great Enumerations.  The very same ones used to construct the Third Caves, ironically enough.  Very devout, my family.  Very observant."

Pushing the dish away, he levelled his gaze at Tobin.  "I'm the third of three sons, Commander.  It is my preordained duty to man my household, never to leave its environs until the end of my days.  My...culture.  I left, and never looked back.  I have experienced wonders and friendship and done and seen more than I could have done in thirty lifetimes at home."

Tapping his fingers, Voshen turned to watch the horizon and took in a slow breath.  "Anyway, no.  Nothing like this."  The susurrus of the waves swelled and ebbed. 

"Is it much the same?  On Trill?  What exactly are we arguing for here?  What are we being asked to defend?"

OOC: Excellent stuff, seriously!

#56

Star Trek: Drake's Legacy [Modiphius 2d20] / Re: Episode 2.03: The Trill Qu...

Last post by Renny - February 27, 2025, 05:36:59 AM

Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Cheers."

Cole grimaces in what he hopes is a sympathetic manner and clicks his glass in response.

"That's a tough break, Gina," he sighs, "Here's to boldly going, with the right meds..."

#57

Star Trek: Drake's Legacy [Modiphius 2d20] / Re: Episode 2.03: The Trill Qu...

Last post by socrates200X - February 26, 2025, 09:27:36 PM

"But we're supposed to be off duty for the night. Tell me, what do you think of our accommodations? Do they have resorts like this back on your homeworld?"

Voshen looked down at his hors d'oeuvre and wrinkled his eyes in amusement.  "On Zaran II?  No, no, nothing like this.  Cloud cover 80% of the year, volcanic ash storms, fluorine atmosphere...but.  The Third Caves of Vas'thath?  Imagine: perfectly symmetrical caverns of iridescent crystal, precise fractal facets, concentric within each.  Zaranite monks add new cuts every cycle, perhaps a millimeter, each one planned and calculated over years.  Maintained over millennia."

He twisted the base of the cup idly.  "I've never been.  I've watched the holos thousands of times, of course, but...my family moved to Argus V Colony before my birth.  Mandated.  By the Great Enumerations.  The very same ones used to construct the Third Caves, ironically enough.  Very devout, my family.  Very observant."

Pushing the dish away, he levelled his gaze at Tobin.  "I'm the third of three sons, Commander.  It is my preordained duty to man my household, never to leave its environs until the end of my days.  My...culture.  I left, and never looked back.  I have experienced wonders and friendship and done and seen more than I could have done in thirty lifetimes at home."

Tapping his fingers, Voshen turned to watch the horizon and took in a slow breath.  "Anyway, no.  Nothing like this."  The susurrus of the waves swelled and ebbed. 

"Is it much the same?  On Trill?  What exactly are we arguing for here?  What are we being asked to defend?"

#58

Star Trek: Drake's Legacy [Modiphius 2d20] / Re: Episode 2.03: The Trill Qu...

Last post by Nolmir - February 26, 2025, 04:33:41 PM

"Commander?  May I join you?"  Lt. Voshen approached Tobin on the patio with a fluted glass of small, local crustaceans, a bright floral stalk waggling on top.  He spent an awkward moment detangling the stem from the tubes of his respirator.  "The need to embellish even the smallest foodstuffs here is certainly a choice."

A peal of laughter rang out from the main building.  Ambassador Dax had reached the punchline of some story and was in the middle of replacing an empty tropical cocktail with another one.  "The ambassador certainly does not seem to mind...embellishment."  He clicked his vocoder twice wryly.  "I will admit: it is a strange temperament to see in such a high-ranking diplomat.  But his reputation speaks for itself, of course.  Are all Trill functionaries as...convivial as Ambassador Dax?"

Tobin smiles as he turns to glance inside at Dax as he holds court. "He is particularly gregarious, for just about any species. At least the ones I'm aware of." The officer looks down and picks at his food. "Certainly part of that is just his personality. But I'm fairly certain he also uses it as a tool for his work -- getting people to let down their guard is highly useful. So don't let his charming frivolity fool you, he is a formidable person."

He looks back up at the Zaranite. "You know, Voshen, he does more than just wrangle diplomats. When I was first assigned to Capt. Treyva's command, we worked with him on an operation to take a rogue Starfleet officer into custody. It was definitely a harrowing introduction to this crew," he says, snorting out a chuckle as he shakes his head ruefully.

"But we're supposed to be off duty for the night. Tell me, what do you think of our accommodations? Do they have resorts like this back on your homeworld?"

#59

Star Trek: Drake's Legacy [Modiphius 2d20] / Re: Episode 2.03: The Trill Qu...

Last post by Davy, aka GM - February 26, 2025, 11:07:52 AM

The best he can describe it, the drink has the qualities of a smooth lager - maybe a bit heavy on the malt flavor - with notes of a very good single grain whiskey in the background. It certainly kicks like whiskey.

"Oh, don't get me wrong; your girl's as solid as they come. I just can't be in the same compartment with her," Gina admits, throwing a mischievous smile his way as she adds, "that is, unless you're looking for an excuse for me to pass out in your arms.

"You remember that bastard Niro in Captain Schrepfermann's gang? Well, before we knew anything about him, he was just the new helmsman who was coming aboard right after we got back from the first contact with the Watu. I was the duty yeoman and took the opportunity to give him a quick tour of the ship - y'know, good looking Deltan and all...

"Anyway, we're in the turbolift when, all of a sudden, everything goes black," she waves her glass around for effect. "Next thing I know is that I'm on the deck, flat on my back, with Doc Dourap and Casey looking down over me. They tell me I'm allergic to Deltan pheromones - don't react to them the same way others do. Full on anaphylaxis. I tell ya, I've never been more disappointed in anything in my whole life."

She finishes the last of her drink and motions for the bartender to bring another. "I take regular meds, but, apparently, my system can still get overloaded from prolonged contact - like dinner and drinks. Nausea after about 15 minutes, dizziness after about a half-hour - not in any mortal danger, but still not pleasant. Doc said I could take a double dose of meds as a 'booster' to counter it, but, you know, the side effects are mild nausea and migraines. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Cheers."

OOC: The Ballad of Regina Waymire...

#60

Star Trek: Drake's Legacy [Modiphius 2d20] / Re: Episode 2.03: The Trill Qu...

Last post by Renny - February 26, 2025, 03:29:07 AM

"OK Gina...," Cole replies, accepting the glass from the bartender with a nod and clinking Regina's glass in salute,
"Here's to....whatever this is."

He takes a sip in response, finding the drink not unpleasant.

He leans in slightly closer to the chief.  "I can't let that one slide.. what's with Tann-Tyra then?"