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#91
MILESTONES

Spotlight Milestone - Reduce Presence by 1, Increase Control by 1
Normal Milestone - Apply change of Focus for Ally Banks - Change Hand Phasers to Combat Medic

#92
Current Determination
2

Reputation
Episode 2.2: 4

Advancement
Log entry after Episode 1.13: -1 Presence (9), +1 Control (10)
Milestone after Episode 2.1: +1 Command (3)
Character Arc after Episode 2.2: Add Encryption focus
#93
Background
Tobin grew up on Trill, the son of a writer and a musician. His parents encouraged him to explore the arts, and he eventually became a fine player of the kinor, a Trill instrument similar to the cello. He enjoyed studying great literature and art, but as he grew older, it became apparent his real passion, and talent, lay in mathematics and science. He applied to the Initiate Program, devoting several years of his life to the program, but failed to win a symbiont, leading to a period of depression as he attempted to figure out what he would do with his life.

As his people's ties with the Federation grew and it began to appear inevitable they eventually would join, Tobin latched onto the idea of joining Starfleet, attracted by the challenge it presented. Impulsively, and against his parents' advice, he traveled to Earth at the age of 22 and applied to Starfleet Academy, quickly gaining acceptance, and majored in the sciences. Despite the rigorous coursework, Tobin, who was the only Trill at the Academy (or in Starfleet, as far as he knew) initially found the largest obstacle to be working with the wide variety of students, who hailed from all corners of the Federation and beyond. However, by his sophomore year, he had adapted to, and embraced, this diversity, finding it to be one of Starfleet's greatest strengths.

He graduated from the Academy in 2281, receiving an assignment as a junior science officer aboard the USS Macon, an Oberth-class science vessel assigned to survey systems that had previously received only cursory attention from passing Starfleet vessels. He served on the Macon for six years, rising to the rank of lieutenant and eventually becoming chief science officer under the command of Capt. Prugm bav Gronnahk.

Several months before he was due to transfer off the Macon for several months' leave to visit home on Trill, the ship suffered a catastrophic accident during one of its routine survey missions. While cruising at warp 2, a freak malfunction lead to a cascading failure of the ship's warp drive, quickly escalating out of the crew's ability to contain. All hands reported to the lifeboats, and most made it off the Macon before she was destroyed. Tobin and his good friend Lt. jg. Evan Good, the ship's communications officer, shared a lifeboat, and found themselves adrift for several days before they crash-landed on a barely habitable Class-L planet. Good was injured in the crash, and Tobin, who also was injured, did his best to save his friend while they waited for rescue, but it wasn't enough. By the time rescue vessels found them, Good had died.

Tobin blamed himself, falling back into a period of depression, though he received a promotion to Lieutenant Commander for his efforts to keep Good alive in the survival situation. Tobin reluctantly accepted the promotion, not feeling truly worthy of the honor. After several months of medical treatment and counseling (and a visit home to Trill) following the destruction of the Macon, Lt. Tobin Les returned to active duty, being dispatched to Starbase 24 amid heightened tensions along the Klingon border. Still grieving the loss of his friend and other crewmates, he decided to redouble his efforts, working long hours -- his counselor says it is a (hopefully temporary) coping mechanism for dealing with his grief and feelings of guilt. Regardless, he has received orders to take over as chief science officer aboard the USS Drake.

Appearance
Average height and build, curly, short black hair and a short, neatly trimmed beard.

Personality
Tobin is a focused and dedicated officer, often working in the science labs after the end of his scheduled shift. When he does take time off, he often can be found playing his kinor (a gift from his mother after the Macon was destroyed) in his quarters, as he finds it very relaxing. Very well-read, Tobin tends to use large words in everyday speech. Despite his workaholic tendencies, Tobin does not expect others to work as much as he does, and he generally gets along well with his crewmates and those he supervises. He tends to take a hands-off approach to management, trusting his science officers' skills and dedication.
#94
Reputation / Milestone Changes
"Rivulets of Copper, Eyes Aflame"
  • 2 Positive Influences, 0 Negative.  Rolled 1 Reputation Complication, so Reputation drops from 10 to 9.
  • Gained Spotlight Milestone.  Replace "Dauntless" Talent with "Quick Survey", and Gambling Focus with Cold Reading
#95
Determination Changes
"Rivulets of Copper, Eyes Aflame"
  • Episode starts with 1.
  • Episode 2.02, Post #638: Spent 1 Determination using "The First Step Always Involves Risk" when flying the Dubilier through a Vulcan sandstorm to buy a Perfect Opportunity.  Determination at 0.

"The Trill Question"
  • Episode starts with 1.
  • Episode 2.03, Post #42: Gained 1 Determination using "Exploration Over Tradition" after determining that the reclusive Trill society mirrored his own resented, sheltered upbringing.  Determination at 2.
#96

Born: Day 372910 of the Zaranite Reckoning, Earth year 2200

General Description: Medium-build, about 1.78 meters in height,  Continually wears a Zaranite rebreather with developed fluorine reservoirs and a facemask with eye protection.  Wears a standard uniform without Zaranite familial decoration.  Gregarious and inquistive, his vocoder is pitched slightly higher than standard in a bid to sound more approachable.

Background
Voshen is the third son of three siblings.  His mother and father are employed as geothermal scientists within the Scientific Corps.  Devout in their belief in the numerology underpinning Zaranite psychohistory, they settled their family on Argus V, a far-flung isolated colony, after conferring with the mystics on their homeworld.  Voshen's childhood was spent exploring the cliffs surrounding his colony and dreaming about the motion of the stars behind the ash clouds of the planet.  As he grew into adolescence, his itinerant stargazing would take him farther from his home, begging passage from the occasional resupply shuttles and sometimes even stowing away.  His application to Starfleet came as a foregone conclusion, his parents long since given up in curtailing their son's wanderlust and he having given up on their orthodox beliefs that choked him more than any rebreather he would need on Earth.

Life at the Academy was fascinating, full of thousands of new faces and species.  With a hunger, Voshen leapt into his studies and quickly gained a reputation as a gregarious cadet and skilled pilot, if not a bit of a daredevil.  After a junior prank had him buzzing the academy grounds in a commandeered shuttlepod, Voshen was nearly expelled.  His flight privileges revoked, he realized how devastated he would be had he been forced to return home again to Argus V Colony.  He redoubled his efforts into his studies, promising to only engage any further risk-taking in service to his crew.  Forced to change focuses to Navigation, Voshen found the more intellectual field to be a pleasant change, charting stars and courses reminding him of nights spent at home under the stars.

The academic reprimands stalled Voshen's career out of the gate, but he quickly made up for lost time.  He made himself invaluable on every ship he was assigned to, not only as an astronavigator but as a friendly face and a dependable presence, especially around the poker table.  A small hiccup occurred in 2284 when aboard the USS Hawking, non-corporeal lifeforms infected his rebreather, taking control of his mind and driving him to nearly breach the warp core.  The crew rescued the ship and him in the nick of time, and he left the event humbled and with a strange but useful understanding of high-energy particles and their motions.

His career was nearly brought to a permanent halt on the surface of Eta Indi VII.  While on a routine shuttlecraft maneuvers, his shuttle was struck by a rogue gravitic eddy and crash-landed on the Class K planet.  His rebreather non-operable after the crash, Voshen survived for 18 hours, long enough to repair a distress signal, but not before irreparable damage was done to his lungs and respiratory tracts.  On medical leave, Starfleet doctors were able to refine his rebreather to give the specific gas combination his body could absorb, but he would be tied to the rebreather forever.  Sinking into a deep depression, unable to even return to his home, Voshen eventually pulled himself out of his despair by concentrating on returning to duty.  Making peace with his new disability, Voshen uses it as a motivation to become the cornerstone of any crew he is on.  After all, for better or worse, the ship is his home now.

Lifepath
  • Species: Zaranite [Control/Fitness/Reason +1; "Multispectrum Vision" Species Ability]
  • Environment: Frontier Colony (Argus V) ["Exploration Over Tradition" Value; Fitness/Conn +1]
  • Upbringing: Science and Tech (Rebelled) [Daring/Engineering +1; Insight +2; Helm Operations Focus; Dauntless Talent]
  • Career: Command Track [Starfleet Officer Trait, "My Actions Must Serve the Crew" Value; Control/Daring/Presence +1; Conn +2; Engineering/Command +1; Astronavigation, Team Dynamics, Gambling Focuses; Collaboration: Conn Talent]
  • Experience: Experienced ["A First Step Always Involves Risk" Value; Technical Expertise Talent]
  • Career Events: Encountered a Truly Alien Being [Reason/Science +1; Exotic Particles Focus], Serious Injury [Fitness/Medicine +1; Composure Focus; Necessary Rebreather Trait]
  • Finishing Touches: ["The Ship is My Only Home" Value; Presence/Daring +1; Conn/Security +1; Reassuring Talent; Poker Pastime; Navigator Role]
#97
VOSHEN
88 year old Zaranite male
Lieutenant, UFP Starfleet
Navigator, U.S.S. Drake, NCC-2491
Command Department

Traits
Zaranite
Zaranites are hardy and immune to toxic gases, complications due to bright lighting, and can survive the extremes conditions of the vacuum of space, so long as their respirator tanks last. In general, Zaranites are pleasant if not somewhat reserved. In addition to their service in Starfleet, Zaranites also serve in various positions within the scientific community and diplomatic corps.

Multispectrum Vision
Zaranites can see a broader spectrum of light than most humanoid species, allowing them to visually detect electromagnetic radiation not in the standard range of visible light.

Starfleet Officer
A member of Starfleet, an officer committed to Starfleet's ideals of exploration, diplomacy, and scientific endeavor.

Necessary Rebreather
Whereas most Zaranites may remove their rebreather on their home planet or the confines of specialized quarters, an accident has left Voshen fully dependent on his rebreather at all times.  Without it, even his native fluoride gas would damage his respiratory organs inside of a few minutes.

Attributes
Control: 9
Daring: 10
Fitness: 10
Insight: 9
Presence: 9
Reason: 9

Disciplines
Command: 2
Conn: 5
Security: 2
Engineering: 3
Science: 2
Medicine: 2

Determination: 2 / 3
Stress: 10 / 10
Reputation: 9

Focuses
Helm Operations, Astronavigation, Team Dynamics, Cold Reading, Exotic Particles, Composure

Pastime
Poker

Values
Exploration Over Tradition
My Actions Must Serve the Crew
A First Step Always Involves Risk
The Ship is My Only Home

Talents
Multispectrum Vision (Species Ability)
Zaranites can see a broader spectrum of light than most humanoid species. You gain the Multispectrum Vision trait, which represents the ways that your senses differ from those of other members of your species. Further, when you attempt a task to locate something hidden or concealed, or to detect details not normally perceptible to that sense, you may re-roll a single d20.

Quick Survey
At the start of a scene, you may immediately ask one question, as if you had spent 1 Momentum on the Obtain Information Momentum Spend. The answer can only provide information that you could obtain with your own senses: you cannot gain information from equipment in such a short time.

Collaboration: Conn
Whenever an ally attempts a task using Conn, you may spend 1 Momentum (Immediate) to allow them to use your Conn rating and one of your relevant Focuses.

Technical Expertise
Whenever you attempt a task assisted by the ship's Computers or Sensors, you may re-roll one d20 in your pool, or you may allow the ship to re-roll its d20.

Reassuring
When you succeed at a task using your Presence, you may spend Momentum to reassure your allies, so long as they are able to hear you. You may spend 1 Momentum (Repeatable) to allow one ally who can see and hear you to recover 1 Stress. That ally may not recover more than 3 Stress from one use of this talent.

Role
Navigator
When you attempt a Science task related to astrophysics or stellar navigation, you may use your Conn rating instead of Science. When you attempt or Assist a Task to maneuver a starship through difficult or dangerous terrain, you may spend 1 Momentum to ignore a Complication suffered (Repeatable).
#98
Based on the post I made when we were converting over to STA (and well before I considered the possibility that the Anton-class Drake would be retired), here's a potential 2295 command structure for the current ship.

Potential future command structure of USS Drake, NCC-2491

Commanding Officer
Captain Paula Tyler, human/female (Texas, USA, Earth)

Executive Officer
Commander Durham Cole, human/male (Australia, Earth)

Chief Navigator
Lieutenant Commander Miruku Bong, human/female (Deneva Colony)

Chief Engineer
Lieutenant Commander Nikolai Kolesnikov, human/male (Russia, Earth)

Chief Helm Officer
Lieutenant Commander Voshen Zaranite/male (Zaran II)

Chief Science Officer
Lieutenant Sonek, Vulcan/male (Vulcan)

Chief Communications Officer
Lieutenant Chev ch'Valk, Andorian/male (Andoria)

Chief Security/Weapons Officer
Lieutenant Katarina Schrepfermann, human/female (Germany, Earth)

Chief Surgeon
TBD

Phaser Control Officer
TBD

Head Nurse
TBD

Other Notable Personnel
Lieutenant, junior grade, Miral, Denobulan/female (Denobula) as a shift helm officer on the ship
Lieutenant, junior grade, Ernst Schrepfermann, human/male (Starbase 11) as a junior engineer on the ship

Disposition of Other Former Senior Staff
Treyva: Will likely be promoted to Commodore and assigned as commanding officer, Starfleet Station, Vulcan.
Sorak: At the end of Ep. 2.02, he was promoted to Captain and assigned as captain of engineering and portmaster, Eridani Shipyards, Vulcan (which will eventually make him Treyva's de facto second-in-command again).
Tobin: Will likely be promoted to Commander and assigned as chief of astrosciences (and de facto commanding officer), Betreka Astrosciences Station, at the edge of the Betreka Nebula.
Maria Del Vecchio: Unknown at this time (although there are possible plans for her in a future episode).
Miguel Costaluna: Will likely be promoted to Lieutenant Commander and assigned to an Epsilon communications station as chief of operations (equivalent to first officer).
Cathy Chen: Prior to Ep 2.02, she left Starfleet to become the first mate on her namesake aunt's merchant ship, the Jenny.
Dr. Dourap: I have plans for him later this season.
Casey Kiunya: Will likely be assigned to Starfleet Medical on Earth in an administrative role (which may be his last tour before he retires and returns to his native Alaska).
#99
Aquashuttle DUBILIER, NCC-2491/5

Entered Service: 2270

SYSTEMS
Communications 6
Computers 6
Engines 5
Sensors 5
Structure 6
Weapons 5

DEPARTMENTS
Command 0
Conn 1
Security 1
Engineering 0
Science 1
Medicine 0

SCALE 2
RESISTANCE 2
SHIELDS 9
CREW SUPPORT 0

WEAPONRY
Phaser Cannons (Close Range, Damage 4, Versatile 2, Escalation 1)

TRAITS
Shuttlecraft, Short Range, Small Craft, Aquashuttle

TALENTS
- Rugged Design (Whenever a task roll is attempted to patch or repair a breach, a d20 may be re-rolled. Further, if the task is successful, the crew may spend Momentum to patch a second breach; this will cost 2 Momentum, +1 per additional step of Potency on that second breach.)

NOTES
Length/Beam/Height: 13/8/3.5 meters
Complement: 8 (2 crew, 6 passengers)

Like most shuttlecraft, the Dubilier is capable of traveling at low warp, but can also match the Drake's cruising speed for (very) short periods.

Named after 20th-21st Century marine microbiologist Dr. Nicole Dubilier.
#100
USS Drake, NCC-2491
Crew Roster
Commanding Officer
Capt. Treyva (Denobulan/male)
played by Patrick Goodman

Chief Science Officer/First Officer
Lt. Cmdr. Tobin Les (Trill/male)
played by Nolmir

Chief Helmsman
Lt. Maria Del Vecchio (Human/female)
Supporting Character

Chief Communications Officer
Lt. Miguel Rene Carlos Ramirez de Costaluna (Human/male)
Supporting Character

Chief Security/Weapons Officer
Lt. Durham Cole (Human/male)
played by Renny

Chief Navigator
Lt. Voshen (Zaranite/male)
played by socrates200X

Chief Engineer
Lt. Nikolai Kolesnikov (Human/male)
Supporting Character

Chief Surgeon
Lt. Ratz Dourap, MD (Tellarite/male)
Supporting Character; formerly played by Philip Lashbrook

Head Nurse
Lt. Casey Kiunya, RN (Human/male)
Supporting Character

Shift Communications Officer
Ensign Th'irichev Echib "Chev" ch'Valk (Andorian/male)
played by Chev ch'Valk

Other NPC Crewmembers (rank name, species/gender, notes)
Command Branch
Helm/Navigation
Lt. j.g. Eiko T'Flar, Efrosian/male, Helm (supporting character)
Lt. j.g. Michael Clarke, Human/male, Helm
Lt. j.g. Miruku Bong, Human/female, Helm/Navigation (supporting character)
Chief Specialist Donnie Brown, Human/female, Navigation
Chief Specialist Jalal keth Athrun, Andorian/male, Navigation

Phaser Control
Lt. Maximilian Ritter, Human/male, Phaser Control Officer
Lt. j.g. Addaron, Tellarite/female, assistant phaser control officer and Armory Officer
Ensign Katarina Schrepfermann, Human/female, shift phaser control officer (supporting character)

Note: Ships built after 2270 no longer have distinct phaser control rooms, instead opting for automated control of phaser systems. On such ships, phaser control officers instead are in a cross training position in the support branch, monitoring and maintaining phaser systems alongside both engineering and security personnel and manning the phaser systems monitoring station on the bridge (relieving the helm and weapons officers of such additional responsibilities, so they can focus on combat operations). Further, phaser control officers are given responsibility over the ship's armory, and the personnel that maintain sidearms.

Sciences Branch
Science
Lt. Dan Hodgkins, Human/male, A&A Officer
Lt. Thadis keth Dra, Andorian/male, Astronomer (supporting character)
Lt. j.g. Jacob York, Human/male, Biologist
Ensign V'Las, Vulcan/female, Geologist
Chief Specialist Samuel Tostin, Human/male, Lab Technician
Petty Officer 1st Class Elinor Hughes, Human/female, Lab Technician
Petty Officer 2nd Class Campbell Levi, Human/male, Lab Technician

Medical
Lt. Peter Galt, MD, Human/male
Lt. Robin Brown, RN, Human/female
Lt. j.g. Thelma Fernandez, RN, Human/female
Chief Specialist Edrion Kalsi, senior medic, Efrosian/male (supporting character)
Petty Officer 2nd Class Terris, medic, Vulcan/female

Other medical personnel are junior nurses/orderlies, and will follow the 1943 CCB phonetic alphabet (in the spirit of M*A*S*H):
(Junior Nurses) Abel, Baker, Fox, and King.
(Orderlies) Charlie, Easy, George, Love, Nan, Peter, Queen, Roger, Tare, Victor, and William.

Support Branch
Administration
Chief Yeoman Waymire, Human/female, Captain's Yeoman (supporting character)
Yeoman Tremayne, Human/female
Yeoman Zorana, Denobulan/female (supporting character)

Communications
Lt. j.g. Qin Ming Ahze, Human/female
Lt. j.g. Vanderfels Portmain, Centauran/male
Senior Chief Specialist Nnamdi, Human/male

Engineering
Lt. j.g. Orenthal Viktor, Human/male
Lt. j.g. Graan, Tellarite/male
Lt. j.g. Kennedy Hale, Human/female
Senior Chief Specialist Heather Martin, Human/female
Chief Specialist Ma Xue Fang, Human/female
Chief Specialist Nathan Grove, Human /male
Petty Officer 1st Class Shrantha keth Claness, Andorian/female
Petty Officer 1st Class Jeremy Anderson, Human/male
Petty Officer 2nd Class Carole Wise, Human/female
Petty Officer 2nd Class Alan Achison, Human/male

Security/Weapons
Lt. David Lear, Human/male, Security/Weapons (supporting character)
Lt. j.g. Gerald Fryling, Human/male, Security/Weapons
Ensign Tann-Tyra, Deltan/female, Security/Weapons (supporting character)
Ensign Olodon Anh Sal, Edosian/male, Security/Weapons (supporting character)
Ensign Calum O'Neil, Human/male, Security/Weapons
Chief Specialist Shawn Morais, Human/male
Chief Specialist Gurwinder Dhall, Human/male (supporting character)
Petty Officer 1st Class Ed Kowalski, Human/male
Petty Officer 1st Class Domonique Mattin, Human/male
Specialist 1st Class Ally Banks, Human/female (supporting character)
Specialist 1st Class Nolar Nata
Specialist 1st Class Elia Noles
Specialist 2nd Class William Brindley
Specialist 2nd Class Ariana Tsu Ling
Specialist 2nd Class Shilov Th'qelith
Specialist 2nd Class Chipo Obi
Specialist 2nd Class Remiel Ruza
Specialist 3rd Class Yuri Prokov
Specialist 3rd Class Sabrina Morell
Specialist 3rd Class Jordan Parris
Specialist 3rd Class Julian Barrett
Specialist 3rd Class Ramak Chend
Specialist 3rd Class Joanna Gale
Specialist 3rd Class Harry Welsh
Specialist 3rd Class Hamed Atem


Names in italics have been recently added, and full species information isn't yet available.

Non-named security specialists & petty officers will be drawn from the US Colonial Marines characters from the film Aliens. They are: Vasquez, Hicks, Hudson, Apone, Drake*, Frost, Ferro, Spunkmeyer, Dietrich, Crowe, & Wierzbowski.

* Specialist Drake is a 4th-great granddaughter of the ship's namesake, and a 2nd cousin, twice removed of retired Rear Adm. Gabriel E.J. Drake, the first USS Drake's original commanding officer. Her teammates jokingly call her "Namesake" or "Namesake Drake." -Ed.