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Post by trynda1701 on Aug 16, 2020 10:17:33 GMT -7
My apologies for asking reviews on the latest addition on this thread. But there is always room for improvements. Please let me know if the spirit moves you. Many thanks in advance. I've been giving the last entry some thought, I'll get back to you soon.
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Post by brickwall on Aug 16, 2020 12:48:56 GMT -7
My apologies for asking reviews on the latest addition on this thread. But there is always room for improvements. Please let me know if the spirit moves you. Many thanks in advance. I've been giving the last entry some thought, I'll get back to you soon. Many thanks in advance.
This has been one of the hardest things I've written so far regarding the Unity. All from getting the description of the Kephan ambassador right to getting help from the KLI on the names for the test world to the idea for the Klingon comic opera. Also getting the info regarding snakefish that was posted on an earlier thread here. That along with accursed procrastination on writing and correcting this thing.
Maybe it's me but I don't think it will get any easier writing and updating things Kephan in the near future. Or maybe it's my blasted pessimism acting up again. Who knows?
Nonetheless, many, many thanks for taking time to go over this.
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Post by trynda1701 on Aug 16, 2020 13:08:54 GMT -7
brickwall My thoughts on Operation: Lazarus. Ok, been thinking about this for days. Please note, the following post is meant as constructive criticism. I like the basic concept, of tlpqan yuQ ("World of Ashes") becoming a 'game hunting world'. But I have a problem with the timescale using small scale Genesis devices. The caverns, ok, that should work, but really not sure about the daisy chaining round the planet. I think that all that terraforming being done over the course of a month total is WAY too fast! In later Trek series, terraformed worlds were mentioned, with concrete figures being mentioned for the ongoing project on Valera III in the first season TNG episode "Home Soil". In the episode, they show projections on how the planets' plant growth will develop over the next couple of decades, giving us a twenty five to thirty year time period with non-Genesis technology. For info, here's how the project is described in the "Home Soil" Memory Alpha Valera III entry. Velara III was the inhabited third planet of its star system. The planet was located in the Pleiades Cluster.
In 2360, after a Federation reconnaissance expedition certified the planet was lifeless, its Terraform Command established the Velara Base on Velara III. This base was responsible for a multidecade terraforming project with the aim of establishing an M class environment on this planet.
The terraforming was, however, canceled in 2364, when it was discovered that the process was killing silicon-based lifeforms, dubbed as "Microbrains", in a thin layer of water between a sandy surface layer, or topsoil, and a layer of rock.So, presumably, in the TOS period, it would be much longer. I don't know if any timeframes are mentioned in any Trek novels that may involve terraforming, as I haven't kept up with them for years. I have however watched one of the Star Trek Phase II fan films, which shows Kirk meeting Carol Marcus for the first time. She is involved with a new type of terraforming project, and there is a timeframe mentioned for the difference between the current TOS way, and what her new method might achieve. From the intro of the Star Trek Phase II fan film "The Holiest Thing". Carol Marcus: "I told the Science Council I could terraform Lappa III in less than a decade. At this rate, it'll take twice that long. And you know how well the Science Council does with patience."
Scotty: "That's still a whole century faster than anyone else has done it before, Doctor."Now, it's not official, but it gives us something to work with. Even though the Kephans are using the Stage 2 Genesis method, I think the difference between a hundred years and one month is too insurmountable. Here's a list of problems I see as shown in your original post, which I will then offer solutions for... A) Method is WAY too fast. B) It might bring further Klingon scrutiny to the Kephans, even though they are giving the Klingons a practical use of the Genesis technology. C) It probably WILL bring too much FEDERATION scrutiny! Not good! So, solutions? Here are some suggestions. A) Time frame. Using figures from "Wrath of Khan", it was said the tunnels took ten months for Starfleet Corp of Engineers to dig out. Memory Alpha says they also dug out the cavern, which I always thought was natural, with the tunnels dug out next to it. However, your plan to use natural caverns is sound. So, let's say after the Kephans complete the reverse engineering (6 months to a year?), they plan the setup operation to last a year or more. They find natural caverns big enough, bigger than the Regula one, say about five kilometres in diameter? They'll only set Stage 2 devices in the caverns, no surface devices. They spend that year setting up the support network of tunnels/life support systems/pressure domes at each cavern simultaneously, and then set off the Stage 2 devices slowly, making sure each one stabalises. Do it slower than the day that Carol Marcus mentioned it took? Then they start populating them with the flora and game animals. To counter the lack of surface devices, they also start some sort of basic weather control system that MIGHT start to make the surface more habitable over the next few decades. B) That last detail ties in with the Klingon scrutiny. The Kephans should definitely package this as something they can offer that doesn't cost the Klingons the setup effort, and potentially, the future running of. You will then still be giving them a 'resort planet' that caters to the Klingon warrior spirit. "You can hunt new dangerous animals, ones that those damn Earthers can't tame!" : ) And as the barren surface gets a bit more hospitable with the weather control system, keep it harsh! It offers them the Klingon equivalent of the Vulcan Kahs-wan desert challenge. Drop them in middle of nowhere, can they get back to the domed outpost over the nearest cavern? Survive the hostile climate, Bear Grylls style! C) The Federation. The thorn in the Kephans side. Here's how I suggest their scrutiny isn't too much. By only doing the Stage 2 devices in the underground caverns, you don't have the Federation go "oh, that's how we should have done Genesis", and now watching the Kephans all the more, for being able to do what they couldn't, and with MUCH less resources. Yes, word will probably get to them that you've done this (damn spies!), and knowing those seducing scum, they'll steal your idea! But they will just be more wary of the Kephans, not going "what the fuck" and assigning a border fleet to watch you more closely! You've essentially started a new type of terraforming, a sort of 'niche' market without doing it over whole planets. So keeping the Federation off your back. Perhaps you charge the Klingons a nominal fee for use of the facilities, although it IS their planet! As for the opera canyon, change that to one of the natural caverns that was going to be outfitted for Stage 2 operations. Perhaps one of the engineers or technicians, or Federov himself, was seriously into their music, and noticed this one cavern had perfect accoustics? ==================================================================== As I said, just want to make sure your idea can work plausibly. If you can use the Genesis technology in a month, those ramifications put a big target on the Kephan Unitys' back. Let me know what you think, and what you can use. Hope I don't sound too heavy handed here. That's why it took me so long to reply. But you know how much I enjoy additions to the Unitys' background. And If anyone else thinks trynda1701 is talking bollocks, chip in. I'd like to hear other people's thoughts on this too.
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Post by brickwall on Aug 16, 2020 16:16:56 GMT -7
brickwall My thoughts on Operation: Lazarus. OK, been thinking about this for days. Please note, the following post is meant as constructive criticism. I like the basic concept, of tlpqan yuQ ("World of Ashes") becoming a 'game hunting world'. But I have a problem with the timescale using small scale Genesis devices. The caverns, ok, that should work, but really not sure about the daisy chaining round the planet. I think that all that terraforming being done over the course of a month total is WAY too fast! In later Trek series, terraformed worlds were mentioned, with concrete figures being mentioned for the ongoing project on Valera III in the first season TNG episode "Home Soil". In the episode, they show projections on how the planets' plant growth will develop over the next couple of decades, giving us a twenty five to thirty year time period with non-Genesis technology. For info, here's how the project is described in the "Home Soil" Memory Alpha Valera III entry. Velara III was the inhabited third planet of its star system. The planet was located in the Pleiades Cluster.
In 2360, after a Federation reconnaissance expedition certified the planet was lifeless, its Terraform Command established the Velara Base on Velara III. This base was responsible for a multidecade terraforming project with the aim of establishing an M class environment on this planet.
The terraforming was, however, canceled in 2364, when it was discovered that the process was killing silicon-based lifeforms, dubbed as "Microbrains", in a thin layer of water between a sandy surface layer, or topsoil, and a layer of rock.So, presumably, in the TOS period, it would be much longer. I don't know if any timeframes are mentioned in any Trek novels that may involve terraforming, as I haven't kept up with them for years. I have however watched one of the Star Trek Phase II fan films, which shows Kirk meeting Carol Marcus for the first time. She is involved with a new type of terraforming project, and there is a timeframe mentioned for the difference between the current TOS way, and what her new method might achieve. From the intro of the Star Trek Phase II fan film "The Holiest Thing". Carol Marcus: "I told the Science Council I could terraform Lappa III in less than a decade. At this rate, it'll take twice that long. And you know how well the Science Council does with patience."
Scotty: "That's still a whole century faster than anyone else has done it before, Doctor."Now, it's not official, but it gives us something to work with. Even though the Kephans are using the Stage 2 Genesis method, I think the difference between a hundred years and one month is too insurmountable. Here's a list of problems I see as shown in your original post, which I will then offer solutions for... A) Method is WAY too fast. B) It might bring further Klingon scrutiny to the Kephans, even though they are giving the Klingons a practical use of the Genesis technology. C) It probably WILL bring too much FEDERATION scrutiny! Not good! So, solutions? Here are some suggestions. A) Time frame. Using figures from "Wrath of Khan", it was said the tunnels took ten months for Starfleet Corp of Engineers to dig out. Memory Alpha says they also dug out the cavern, which I always thought was natural, with the tunnels dug out next to it. However, your plan to use natural caverns is sound. So, let's say after the Kephans complete the reverse engineering (6 months to a year?), they plan the setup operation to last a year or more. They find natural caverns big enough, bigger than the Regula one, say about five kilometres in diameter? They'll only set Stage 2 devices in the caverns, no surface devices. They spend that year setting up the support network of tunnels/life support systems/pressure domes at each cavern simultaneously, and then set off the Stage 2 devices slowly, making sure each one stabilizes. Do it slower than the day that Carol Marcus mentioned it took? Then they start populating them with the fauna and game animals. To counter the lack of surface devices, they also start some sort of basic weather control system that MIGHT start to make the surface more habitable over the next few decades. B) That last detail ties in with the Klingon scrutiny. The Kephans should definitely package this as something they can offer that doesn't cost the Klingons the setup effort, and potentially, the future running of. You will then still be giving them a 'resort planet' that caters to the Klingon warrior spirit. "You can hunt new dangerous animals, ones that those damn Earthers can't tame!" And as the barren surface gets a bit more hospitable with the weather control system, keep it harsh! It offers them the Klingon equivalent of the Vulcan Kahs-wan desert challenge. Drop them in middle of nowhere, can they get back to the domed outpost over the nearest cavern? Survive the hostile climate, Bear Grylls style! C) The Federation. The thorn in the Kephans side. Here's how I suggest their scrutiny isn't too much. By only doing the Stage 2 devices in the underground caverns, you don't have the Federation go "oh, that's how we should have done Genesis", and now watching the Kephans all the more, for being able to do what they couldn't, and with MUCH less resources. Yes, word will probably get to them that you've done this ( damn spies!), and knowing those seducing scum, they'll steal your idea! But they will just be more wary of the Kephans, not going "what the f***" and assigning a border fleet to watch you more closely! You've essentially started a new type of terraforming, a sort of 'niche' market without doing it over whole planets. So keeping the Federation off your back. Perhaps you charge the Klingons a nominal fee for use of the facilities, although it IS their planet! As for the opera canyon, change that to one of the natural caverns that was going to be outfitted for Stage 2 operations. Perhaps one of the engineers or technicians, or Federov himself, was seriously into their music, and noticed this one cavern had perfect acoustics? ==================================================================== As I said, just want to make sure your idea can work plausibly. If you can use the Genesis technology in a month, those ramifications put a big target on the Kephan Unity's' back. Let me know what you think, and what you can use. Hope I don't sound too heavy handed here. That's why it took me so long to reply. But you know how much I enjoy additions to the Unity's' background. And if anyone else thinks trynda1701 is talking bollocks, chip in. I'd like to hear other people's thoughts on this too. Trynda, these are excellent points! In fact, more than excellent! Okay, now on to the details:
1) On the speed on the planetary transformation?
I was basing it on the speed of the Genesis Planet going green in the gap between it's formation during "The Wrath of Khan" and "The Search For Spock". Now the Planet itself only existed for five days according to the FASA Star Trek IV Sourcebook Update. And in "The Search For Spock", the planet's surface was green to the point of almost bring tropical in extremis. Like that of the Amazon jungle or along the Congo River in central Africa but only much worse. So I figured something similar would occur on the "World of Ashes" surface.
2) For the Kephans reverse-engineering taking a year to accomplish? Yes, that makes perfect sense. Even with experiments taking place on multiple moons, they'd need that long at minimum to get the results and work out the kinks. I'll change the piece on that accordingly.
3) On the time length of daisy-chaining of the Genesis Devices on the planet's surface? Now that you pointed that out, yes. A month is too short. Perhaps...make it a tie-in with the Kephan habit of putting things in threes. Make it three months instead of one. That seems more in line with how they'd do things.
Plus install the basic weather control devices with each surface Genesis Device, daisy-chaining them as well. Sort of "two for the price of one". Put in a back-up to the weather control stuff as well just in case. Two thumbs up on this, Trynda! I'll change the piece on that as well.
4) On a cavern substitute for the original amphitheater for the Klingon comic operetta? I never even thought of it! I'll change the narrative then to put that in as soon as possible! Many thanks for the insight! Great idea!
More details to come later on. Will get going now on the changes. Anyone else, please chip in and thank you all in advance! And again, Trynda, thank YOU for your input!
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Post by trynda1701 on Aug 16, 2020 18:16:29 GMT -7
brickwallYou're more than welcome. Note, I had no problem if the caverns ecosystems took about five days to form. That ties in with the Genesis Planet, and is more than Carol Marcus' cavern ecosystem happening in a day. Personally, I'm just not sure the Kephans should have the capabilities to terraform the planet with multiple Stage 2 devices. And as I said, it also draws attention from the Federation. I just think that having basic weather control on the surface, WITHOUT surface Stage 2 devices, makes for a more interesting concept. BUT, it's your baby, so I'll leave it there. Have fun updating!
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Post by rarcher on Oct 20, 2020 10:24:53 GMT -7
WORLDS OF THE KEPHAN UNITYWorld Log: ARISTUNGAH System Name: Aqua Stella Number of Class M Present: 1 Planetary Data Position in System: VII Number of Satellites: 1 Gravity: .6G Size Diameter: 7800 km Equatorial Circumference: 24,000km Total Surface Area: 306,000,000 sq. km Percent Land Mass: 19% Total Land Area: 58,140,000 sq. km Surface Conditions Length of Day: 26 hours Atmospheric Density: Thin General Climate: Tropical Mineral Content Normal Metals: 16% Radioactives: 3% Gemstones: 1% Industrial Crystals: 2% Special Minerals: Trace NOTEWORTHY FACTS:Aristungah (pronounced ah-REES-toon-GAH) is the second busiest ship-building planet after the Triple Capital of the Unity. Easy access to the minerals of the inner planets make this an attractive area to build and repair starships. The world's surface is mostly ocean with a string of islands engirdling it's equator. The islands themselves are unique in that each one have beaches with multicolored sand and vibrant coral reefs. The larger islands have environmentally friendly resorts catering to fans of sailing, fly fishing and scuba diving. The only major drawbacks are the low gravity and thin atmosphere that discourages any major increase in the tourist trade beyond a trickle. Question brickwall where would you like me to post custom ship designs i or to be more precise my friend does with me for the Kephans?
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Post by brickwall on Oct 20, 2020 10:43:50 GMT -7
WORLDS OF THE KEPHAN UNITYWorld Log: ARISTUNGAH System Name: Aqua Stella Number of Class M Present: 1 Planetary Data Position in System: VII Number of Satellites: 1 Gravity: .6G Size Diameter: 7800 km Equatorial Circumference: 24,000km Total Surface Area: 306,000,000 sq. km Percent Land Mass: 19% Total Land Area: 58,140,000 sq. km Surface Conditions Length of Day: 26 hours Atmospheric Density: Thin General Climate: Tropical Mineral Content Normal Metals: 16% Radioactives: 3% Gemstones: 1% Industrial Crystals: 2% Special Minerals: Trace NOTEWORTHY FACTS:Aristungah (pronounced ah-REES-toon-GAH) is the second busiest ship-building planet after the Triple Capital of the Unity. Easy access to the minerals of the inner planets make this an attractive area to build and repair starships. The world's surface is mostly ocean with a string of islands engirdling it's equator. The islands themselves are unique in that each one have beaches with multicolored sand and vibrant coral reefs. The larger islands have environmentally friendly resorts catering to fans of sailing, fly fishing and scuba diving. The only major drawbacks are the low gravity and thin atmosphere that discourages any major increase in the tourist trade beyond a trickle. Question brickwall. Where would you like me to post custom ship designs -- I or to be more precise my friend does with me -- for the Kephans? I'd say put it in the Custom Ships Et Cetera section within the subset The Kephan Unity And Her Star Navy. Hope this helps.
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Post by brickwall on Oct 20, 2020 13:00:33 GMT -7
FASA Friends, I re-discovered these posts related to the Unity on another discussion board from a long, long time ago. How long?
Near Christmas of 2011!
I kid you not! This is how long I've been working on the Kephan Unity, her people and her Star Navy. Off and on for nearly a decade!
The outline of these stories deal with the Kephan starship H.H.S. Mount Carmel and her crew. Anyway, please permit me to post the rough outlines from those long ago days. The story details have changed from long ago and probably still need to be modified. But I hope they will put a smile on your faces today.
Here's the first one from late December of 2011.
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1)After crash landing on Organia, a renegade member of planet Gideon's governing council asks for help from the Organian leadership.
2)Despite having grave misgivings, Admiral Orzelski of the Star Navy prepares to send new orders to the HHS Mount Carmel.
3)Captain Anthony Wrenfield, commander of the Mount Carmel, gets a rough awakening after another βlate night with the booksβ. Crashing into his bedside side-table after his awakening, he is carried into Sick Bay quickly.
4)Wrenfield awakens in Sick Bay, groggy. He thinks he's in an Italian restaurant, complains about the food and dΓ©cor. Adm. Orzelski finally contacts him in Sick Bay, with Science Officer Yenell of Orion and Dr. Albert Laurentian on either side of his bed. The Admiral relays orders she received from Tri-Planetary Command (TPC). They must to go to Organia and assist them regarding the Gideon councilor in any reasonable way.
5)Some time later, the Mount Carmel arrives at Organia. Their leader Ayelborne greets both Wrenfield and Yenell outside their capital city, escorts them to the Gideon councilor Pannis. He tells them of Gideon's supposed βoverpopulation problemβ. He tells them of High Councilor Hodin's scheme to spread a viral infection β unwittingly supplied by Captain Kirk of the Enterprise β into the general population, killing his fellow Gideonites by the billions to eliminate this βproblemβ. Wrenfield discerns this as genocide, agrees to help Pannis on behalf of the Unity. Ayelborne advises them on the shortest path to Gideon. Pannis joins the Mount Carmel as they leave Organia.
6)Sometime later, the Mount Carmel arrives at Gideon, the Captain and Science Officer escorting Pannis to his capitol. They're met by his older brother Vinnus, an advocate for the common people, considered a βrabble-rouserβ by the Gideon Council. He agitates for an end to the murderous plans of the βHodinitesβ.
7)Days later, after making their own investigations among the people, Wrenfield and Yenell appear before the Council in a rare open public session. When the Captain asks if they ever tried to colonize the other world in their system or their moons, or even in orbital stations around their world, the Council admits it never occurred to them to do so. This is the opportunity for both Pannis and Vinnus to lead a revolt, overturning the Council and ending the threatened genocide.
8)Vinnus, tired of years of struggles against the βHodinitesβ, decides to lead the first colonial mission of Gideonites. With help from Wrenfield, he chooses a habitable but supposedly empty world in the Coal Sack Nebula β Cheron. While the Captain contacts Organia for help securing colony ships for hire without alerting Federation authorities, Pannis and Vinnus bid each other a bittersweet farewell.
9)A fleet of 150 colony ships of various sizes arrive to transport three million Gideonites to their new home. The Mount Carmel will lead them to their destination.
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And now the second story outline. It was posted on that other board in July 2015.
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1) The H.H.S. Mount Carmel, at the head of a colonist convoy from the planet Gideon, finally arrives at the long-dead world of Cheron. This was the planet of a race of people who were half-black on one side of their bodies and half-white on the other side. During much of their history those who were half-black on their right side fought a race war against those who were half-white on their right side.
2) Professor Wrenfield, captain of the Mount Carmel beams down to the capital city of Cheron. His science officer, Yenell of Orion, joins him along with medical officer Dr. Laurentian and Vinnus of Gideon, who leads the colonization movement. They are stunned by the collapsing ruins all around them, punctuated by still-smoldering fires here and there. Ship scanners reveal there are still two life forms wandering in the area thought lifeless. The team investigates.
3) Meanwhile within the Romulan Star Empire, the niece of the Praetor bursts into his office, demanding a chance to avenge the Empire for it's defeat at the hands of the Federation a century before. She made such demands in the past, usually dismissed by him as excessive zeal. This time, she reveals a proposal to use old cloaked vessels to sneak into Federation space, then setting up a secret base at the site of their final defeat at the Earthling's hands βthe planet Cheron. From there, they would use the system's resources to build a small fleet to strike Earth without notice. The Praetor agrees and approves it, knowing it's suicidal but good in keeping the humans off-balance and scared. Plus it would get rid of obsolete ships doomed to the scrapyards anyway.
4) The Kephans are in their third day of exploring the capital city as the Gideon colonists begin beaming down to Cheron's greener plains. The team discovers the two detected life-forms β Bele and Lokai β who escaped from the U.S.S. Enterprise long ago. Their 50,000 year old hate for each other raged on, as they represented each opposing side in Cheron's race war. The team barely stops their fight, surprising them both. When the team tells them they're Kephan rather than from the Federation, they're even more shocked. Lokai calls the βThe Mad Onesβ, which is a common epithet for the Kephan Unity.
βSo what else is new?β groans Wrenfield. βWe've been called worse.β
5) A small force of Romulan ships, patched-up and barely space-worthy, sneak by a Federation outpost on the Neutral Zone. Their cloaking devices active, they are just able to infiltrate into enemy territory unseen by outpost scanners. The Praetor's niece commands the ragtag force in a refurbished D-7 cruiser the Klingons sold to the Romulans years ago. She is sure of victory and glory in the near future.
6) It is a week since the colony fleet arrived at Cheron. Bele and Lokai are held in separate brigs on the Mount Carmel, chided by a very angry Vinnus for trashing their planet due to having differing skin colors. Wrenfield is an unwitting witness to Vinnus' fury, as the Gideonite vows that his people will restore what the Cheronites destroyed.
βCheron is dead,β he says, βand you killed it, both of you! New Gideon is born!β
Seething, Bele and Lokai are speechless and ashamed, each now plotting schemes to escape the brig and return to the planet.
7) Meanwhile, the cloaked Romulan fleet arrives at the Cheron system, as the colony fleet leaves to pick up more colonists at Gideon. The Mount Carmel remains in orbit, unaware of the new arrivals. While the Gideonites rapidly clean up the polluted zones near the city, Vinnus files a formal petition for βNew Gideonβ and Gideon itself to join the Kephan Unity. In the middle of transmitting the request, the Romulans βuncloakβ and attack the Mount Carmel. Several Romulan troop transport shuttles land at the city, the Praetor's niece leading the expedition. They capture Yenell and Dr. Laurentian, who have remained on the planet.
8) Bloodied but unbowed, the Mount Carmel strikes back, splitting the old Romulan craft one by one. In the confusion of battle, Bele and Lokai find their way to the shuttle-craft bay, stealing a shuttle and making their escape back to the capitol city.
9) As the battle winds down, only the Romulan D-7 and the Mount Carmel remain. Professor Wrenfield hails them, asks them to either surrender or retreat. When the enemy commander discovers they aren't from the Federation but the Kephan Unity, they cease the attack.
βFor all we know, Mad Ones,β says the commander, βyour lunacy may be contagious!β
Back on the planet, Bele and Lokai overpower the Romulans holding Yenell and the Doctor, then take the Praetor's niece hostage. They demand the colonists leave Cheron for good as price for releasing the niece.
10) On a hunch, Wrenfield beams down to the planet, meets Bele and Lokai. He asks if they knew if either side in Cheron's race war sent colonists off-world to escape the carnage. Both remember there were attempts to do so. The Professor suggests that if they knew any still-working means to contact them, they should do so. If successful, they would free the Romulans. Agreeing, they tell him of an ancient transmitter on the city outskirts and the βreturn homeβ codes to broadcast. They find it and broadcast.
11) Three days later, several small clusters of cargo ships arrive, carrying groups of young Cheronites of both half-skin colors. Bele and Lokai meet them along with Vinnus and the Professor. The youngsters have no race hatred in them, are pleased that their old homeworld lives again. They greet the Gideonite colonists, pledge to rebuild the planet with them. The Romulans are set free, but they refuse to return to the Empire in disgrace. Wrenfield then proposes to ask the Empire to make the Praetor's niece their Ambassador and the crew as colonists. They answer βyesβ within a week.
12) At the end of that week, the Gideonite colony fleet returns with a new batch of arrivals. The Romulan D-7 is scuttled to keep it out of Federation hands. The Praetor's niece boards the fastest of the colony ships to her assignment on Kepha, the Unity's capitol world. Bele and Lokai, still bitter at each other, wander off into the wilderness, preferring a lifetime of exile to any truce with each other. Vinnus thanks Wrenfield and his crew for all their help, as the new mixture of Gideonite, Cheronite and Romulan settlers restore the planet to wholeness. The Mount Carmel leaves orbit to escape suspected Federation ships tracking them.
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As I said, these outlines and more have been slow-cooking in my brain for a long, long time. I just hope they still taste just as good as when first put together. (Sorry for the dumb food analogy.)
Thank you for your continued interest and support in this endeavor. It is always appreciated.
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Post by trynda1701 on Oct 21, 2020 10:58:46 GMT -7
Oddly enough, last night I watched "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield", and am just now watching the last few minutes of "The Mark of Gideon" just now!
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Post by brickwall on Dec 9, 2020 11:06:16 GMT -7
The following is a revised version of the original Operation: Lazarus piece. Many, many thanks go to Trynda1701 for his suggestions and insights.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
OPERATION: LAZARUS
"Rather, feed thy enemy if he is hungry, give him drink if he is thirsty; by doing this, thou wilt heap coals of fire upon his head. Do not be disarmed by malice; disarm malice with kindness." Romans 12:20-21 (Douay-Rheims Knox Version)
On Stardate 2/2206.20, a new planet was born out of the Mutara Nebula. Known as the Genesis Planet, it only lasted five days before exploding due to massive instability.
SNI operatives discovered the Genesis Device and the events around it during routine spying of Klingon activity, especially within various Imperial Housesβ science bureaus. Kepha received coordinated confirmation of this information. Bemused by what was revealed, SNI chiefs suspected a trap set up by either Section 31 or Star Fleet Intelligence (SFI). They ordered their operatives within Star Fleet to discern if this wasnβt so.
When news arrived that all was true, the Congress ordered the Ministry of Science to stop all non-essential projects. An emergency reverse-engineering effort from the Genesis Device information was now top priority for their most brilliant minds.
Multiple small experiments on different moons proved over a year's time the premise was solid. However, the Ministry judged the Stage Three one-and-done application both faulty and overambitious. In brief, Stage Two worked, Stage Three didnβt. βThe perils of proto-matter,β as they called it in their report to the Congress.
SNI added their resources to the effort, noting also that Klingon forces were gathering at the Federation borders. To them, any risk of Klingon attack would damage the Unityβs long-term plans to βliberate Occupied Earthβ from Federation control. So the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered their ambassador to inform the Klingon government about the Genesis Project and take it from there.
Recognized by a craggy face reminding one of ancient mountain ranges or canyons, Nikolai Ivanovich Federov looked old before his time. The Unityβs ambassador to the Empire also doubled as itβs spymaster among their stars. The stresses of these duties aged him in the seven years since his reluctant acceptance of his appointment to the post. Nonetheless, he was a quick study of the intrigues of the Imperial Houses, learning how to navigate the treacheries they inflicted on each other for the Unityβs benefit.
Summoned to the High Council on other matters, Federov informed them about the Project as a terraforming project that went awry. Furthermore, it showed the Federationβs impatience in trying to make a living world from a dead world in one blow. When asked, he also admitted they had operatives in Star Fleet like the Empire did. However he kept mum about the Unity spies within their own Houses.
To prove he spoke truly, he asked the Klingons for the most desolate world in their space to transform it. They easily pointed to the Say'qIs or Dust system and itβs Earth-sized fourth world tlpqan yuQ or "World of Ashes". Pleased, Federov sent a scientific team with itβs Klingon minders to investigate and prepare the world for itβs transformation.
Klingon-designed weather control systems were planted in strips along each longitude of the planet from pole to pole. During the year this was done, caves stable enough and away from quake prone areas had Genesis Devices installed. The largest was three miles in diameter and established as the control center. After the year concluded, all was ready.
Each Device was activated one at a time, every cave given a week to stabilize the process. Afterwards, the science team scattered tons of seeds of food greens Klingons ate to ensure further success in sustaining the new colony. The Effect on the seeds insured each cave was swathed in grasslands, jungles and forests. Meanwhile on the surface, each strip of weather-control systems slowly filled the skies with oxygenated clouds. They, in turn, brought the rain that made the planet's oceans and lakes, both saltwater and freshwater.
During that year, Federov sent a strange request to the many dummy corporations within Federation space. He asked them to send whatever Klingon-looking freighters to Earth to buy and transport select species of fish Earthlings avoided or hated. These fish were rumored to please Klingon visitorsβ palettes and fighting abilities. Most popular were open-mouth bass, who put up a struggle when fishermen caught them. The other species was snakefish, which many Earthlings called βthe ugliest fishβ and could crawl on land toward other ponds. The latter were considered βinvasive speciesβ eating up smaller prey and attacking fishermen who got too close.
Teams of self-described βenvironmentalistsβ ransacked markets and coast lands from India to Southeast Asia to the Carolina shores for these fish. They also figured many species of eels would be welcome in the new planetβs tropical caves, especially the moray eels. Speed was the essence in these operations to minimize SFIβs or Section 31βs suspicions. By monthβs end, seven convoys of fifteen ships each rushed their aquatic cargo to their new home.
Also during this period, Federov ordered the Kephan dummy companies in Klingon space to purchase scores of wild or farm-raised targ for transport. Usually runts of litters came into their hands but it didnβt matter. Timing was everything. As soon as the surface had a stable atmosphere, herds of targ would roam the plains of the new living world. Near the equator, a pressure dome was planted, making it the goal of hardy desert travelers looking to challenge it's harsh terrains. Below ground, facilities that grew gagh, the serpent worms Klingons ate, recorded bumper crops never before seen due to the Device's influence.
By yearβs end, it earned a reputation as a "warrior's resort planet". It became a favorite place for the nobility and high-ranking officials to travel there on holiday. Desert challenge survivors were praised for conquering the sands and wild weather. They hunted snakefish and eels in the caves with either spears or daggers for the challenge of it. Like they did with gagh, they ate them raw when caught.
In the northern temperate zone, there was a cavern that made a natural amphitheater similar to those of the ancient Greeks. Inspired by one of the technicians who was into Klingon opera, Federov ordered his team to shape it into an actual theater of that style. By the second year anniversary of the worldβs reshaping, it was completed. The acoustics were tested and perfected to the satisfaction of all.
It saw the Galactic premier of the comic operetta "A Tellarite In Marrakesh". Written in the style of Gilbert and Sullivan by the young Klingon prodigy Rasch, the simple plot had a Tellarite trying to buy something in a bazaar in that Moroccan city. Playing on the stereotype that Tellarites wanted to argue just to argue, the alien complained about the city council banning him from every bazaar forever. The reason given was he'd never leave trying to haggle sellers for the best price. The hero was a visiting Klingon giving wise advice to both Earthlings and Tellarite on how to do a proper deal. It was praised by all who heard it, eventually done the next year before the High Council in an βImperial command performanceβ.
When asked why the Kephans did this, Federov pointed out their conflict with the Kinshaya was heating up that year. He held that the Kinshaya was currently a greater threat than the Federation was. He admitted his staff obtained that information from various traders along their borders as well as in Orion space. He warned them not to spread themselves too thin on that frontier like they risked on the Romulan border.
He also wanted to prove to them that terraforming worlds was worth the effort rather than conquering them all the time. The former βWorld of Ashesβ was to be proof of the truth of his words. It was now renamed QaHQun, the Klingon version of Lazarus meaning "God has helped" from the Hebrew.
Still, some in the High Council fumed at him and his advice. They yelled in unison at him βqevnganpu', Sumaw'qu'!β or "Kephans, y'all crazy!"
Federov bowed and smiled at them. βpItlho'. latlh qab law' mu'qaDlIj qab puS, 'a pItlho'.β Translated, he said: "We thank you. Other curses are worse than yours, but we thank you."
His detractors exclaimed βnuqjatlh?β, their version of "Huh?".
The Chancellor and the rest of the Council thanked him for his staffβs work and his warnings β but still thought of him and the Unity by the epithet "maw'wI'pu'β β βThe Insane Onesβ.
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Post by trynda1701 on Dec 11, 2020 8:33:04 GMT -7
Nicely modified, brickwall . And I am humbled that you took my timings and the basic weather control suggestions to the planets' surface on-board, instead of Genesis technology, keeping Genesis for the caverns. Glad to have helped add something to your addition to the FASA universe.
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Post by brickwall on Dec 11, 2020 16:39:47 GMT -7
Nicely modified, brickwall . And I am humbled that you took my timings and the basic weather control suggestions to the planets' surface on-board, instead of Genesis technology, keeping Genesis for the caverns. Glad to have helped add something to your addition to the FASA universe. I can't thank you enough for the help, Trynda. The next thing will be either the Orions or the Romulans. Maybe the former but we'll see.
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Post by brickwall on Jan 12, 2021 11:10:42 GMT -7
Hi folks!
I'd like to replay the reasons why the Unity is at war with the Federation, though they mostly haven't fired a shot in anger at each other. Also folks reading this thread for the first time don't know the guiding philosophy behind the Kephans. So for their benefit and yours, here's the info gleaned from other threads.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
The founding philosophy of the Unity is called Distributism. It is an alternative to Capitalism, Socialism, Communism and Fascism. It was co-founded by Hilaire Belloc and Gilbert Keith Chesterton and developed by others over the decades. The roots of it came from Traditional Catholic social teaching and even further back to the writings of Aristotle. As noted by writer David W. Cooney, Distributism is βan alternate system that subordinates economics and government to ethics and subsidiarity because they exist serve the common goodβ.
Distributism "does not advocate government 'confiscation and redistribution' of wealth, which many assume based on the name alone. The name refers to the idea that justice and power in both the economic and political realms should be distributed throughout society."
Distributism, also known as Distributivism, "has been around as a named and distinct system for over 100 years, but remains relatively unknown because it is ignored by professional and academic economists". "The basic premise of distributism is that society as a whole is better off if the means of production are privately owned by a lot of people who do the work rather than owned by a small percentage of the people. Independent, locally owned small businesses and farms are the bedrock of a strong and stable economy. Large businesses would best benefit the larger community if they were cooperatives. Local, cooperatively owned financial institutions like credit unions serve communities better than large corporate banking institutions.""Distributism also advocates the devolution of government authority to the local community over the current trend of increasing the power and scope of centralized government."Mr. Cooney goes further into what it is and isnβt in his booklet βDistributism Basics: An Explanationβ. The link to it is below: www.practicaldistributism.blogspot.com/p/basics.htmlThe poster "steve" noted that "a lot of readers are going to come in liking the Federation and thinking that they're an OK group of guys. So, explain to the readers what the Kephan perspective is as to what the Federation has done to deserve this critique. I think that would go a long way in helping out this civilization."
No problem. Here's why. As mentioned years ago:
They oppose the very idea of Earth run as a "world state" run by a self-appointed elite. In their eyes, it is "just the Communist Manifesto dominant over the Earth in disguise". They also see the Prime Directive as "inherently immoral". The Federation, of course, strongly disagrees. So there will be no compromise between the two. Neither side will give up or back down. They may not fight each other tomorrow or 10,000 years from now -- now meaning the TOS Era -- but they will fight in the end.
As far as the other Galactic Powers are concerned, the Unity isnβt interested in conquering them. Still, the Klingons call them βThe Insane Onesβ. The Romulans call them the βNest of the Craziesβ. The Orions are their oldest trading partner but often can get caught unawares by them. The Gorns and Tholians see them as too far away to take notice of. The Triangle statelets β well, it depends on the situation at hand. The newest statelet, the Independent Economic Confederation (IEC), had the Unity as it's creator behind the scenes. Hence it's ally in that part of the Galaxy.
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Hope this helps you out, folks. Many thanks for being there. Thank you also for your help in continually improving this. It is always appreciated.
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Post by rarcher on Jan 28, 2021 13:24:58 GMT -7
Am I just blind or am I missing where the custom Kephan ship specs are? >.> my stupid eyes and brain cant find them anywhere on the site!!
Edit!: Nevermind found the thread! Derp me
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Post by brickwall on Jan 28, 2021 18:49:02 GMT -7
Am I just blind or am I missing where the custom Kephan ship specs are? >.> my stupid eyes and brain cant find them anywhere on the site!! Edit!: Nevermind found the thread! Derp me No problem!
Current project right now is a new design for Klingon-looking freighters mentioned in Operation: Lazarus. Something that wouldn't attract Federation suspicions but receive Klingon appreciation.
After all, a bunch of Bushel Baskets in Fed space would get Section 31 or Star Fleet Intelligence on them real fast. Right?
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Post by brickwall on Mar 3, 2021 11:57:41 GMT -7
Question for the Forum members: do you want me to work next on the Unity's dealings with the Orions or the Romulans? Gorns and Tholians are too far away, so they'd only get a brief mention in the future.
But it's your call. Orions or Romulans? Please let me know. And as always, thank you all in advance.
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Post by trynda1701 on Mar 3, 2021 12:36:39 GMT -7
Am I just blind or am I missing where the custom Kephan ship specs are? >.> my stupid eyes and brain cant find them anywhere on the site!! Edit!: Nevermind found the thread! Derp me No problem!
Current project right now is a new design for Klingon-looking freighters mentioned in Operation: Lazarus. Something that wouldn't attract Federation suspicions but receive Klingon appreciation. After all, a bunch of Bushel Baskets in Fed space would get Section 31 or Star Fleet Intelligence on them real fast. Right? Actually, I've had a sudden thought about that I hadn't considered before. Wouldn't it still be a problem sending Klingon looking freighters to Earth for the aquatic fauna? After all, in STIII, Kruge and crew interfered with the Genesis survey mission, destroying USS Grissom, plus murdering David Marcus on the surface of the planet. Then, in STIV, Klingon Ambassador Kamarag (played by John Schuck) declared "there will be no peace while Kirk lives!" at the equiry on Earth. An Klingon ambassador was of course determined to have justice over the death of his citizens, that is, Kruges' crew, and would have special dispensation to be on Earth, but there was still great tension between the Federation and the Empire up to STVI, which is about eight years !ater. So, as the Kephans developed Operation Lazarus over the next year or two, would it be likely that the Federation would allow Klingon-looking freighters anywhere near Earth? Sorry for noticing this so late (I'm kicking myself, and it was myself that offered a few suggestions about the Lazarus timescale), but could it be a problem? What do other people think?
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Post by brickwall on Mar 3, 2021 13:10:39 GMT -7
No problem!
Current project right now is a new design for Klingon-looking freighters mentioned in Operation: Lazarus. Something that wouldn't attract Federation suspicions but receive Klingon appreciation. After all, a bunch of Bushel Baskets in Fed space would get Section 31 or Star Fleet Intelligence on them real fast. Right? Actually, I've had a sudden thought about that I hadn't considered before. Wouldn't it still be a problem sending Klingon looking freighters to Earth for the aquatic fauna? After all, in STIII, Kruge and crew interfered with the Genesis survey mission, destroying USS Grissom, plus murdering David Marcus on the surface of the planet. Then, in STIV, Klingon Ambassador Kamarag (played by John Schuck) declared "there will be no peace while Kirk lives!" at the equiry on Earth. An Klingon ambassador was of course determined to have justice over the death of his citizens, that is, Kruges' crew, and would have special dispensation to be on Earth, but there was still great tension between the Federation and the Empire up to STVI, which is about eight years !ater. So, as the Kephans developed Operation Lazarus over the next year or two, would it be likely that the Federation would allow Klingon-looking freighters anywhere near Earth?Sorry for noticing this so late (I'm kicking myself, and it was myself that offered a few suggestions about the Lazarus timescale), but could it be a problem? What do other people think? Well, the Bushel Baskets did copy their bridge from the T-3 Mover assault ship. That would stick out like a sore thumb BIG TIME to the Feds. Whereas the new Cornucopia-class freighters may look Klingon but not really be Klingon to the undiscerning eye. Plus thanks to the massive amount of shuttlecrafts they have and the speed in which they operate, they'd be there and gone quicker than their nearest rival the G-8 Baka Reβ. So it is more likely they would "get a pass" in my opinion.
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Post by trynda1701 on Mar 3, 2021 16:11:33 GMT -7
Actually, I've had a sudden thought about that I hadn't considered before. Wouldn't it still be a problem sending Klingon looking freighters to Earth for the aquatic fauna? After all, in STIII, Kruge and crew interfered with the Genesis survey mission, destroying USS Grissom, plus murdering David Marcus on the surface of the planet. Then, in STIV, Klingon Ambassador Kamarag (played by John Schuck) declared "there will be no peace while Kirk lives!" at the equiry on Earth. An Klingon ambassador was of course determined to have justice over the death of his citizens, that is, Kruges' crew, and would have special dispensation to be on Earth, but there was still great tension between the Federation and the Empire up to STVI, which is about eight years !ater. So, as the Kephans developed Operation Lazarus over the next year or two, would it be likely that the Federation would allow Klingon-looking freighters anywhere near Earth?Sorry for noticing this so late (I'm kicking myself, and it was myself that offered a few suggestions about the Lazarus timescale), but could it be a problem? What do other people think? Well, the Bushel Baskets did copy their bridge from the T-3 Mover assault ship. That would stick out like a sore thumb BIG TIME to the Feds. Whereas the new Cornucopia-class freighters may look Klingon but not really be Klingon to the undiscerning eye. Plus thanks to the massive amount of shuttlecrafts they have and the speed in which they operate, they'd be there and gone quicker than their nearest rival the G-8 Baka Reβ. So it is more likely they would "get a pass" in my opinion. Looking again at the Cornucopia image, I see that only the engines look Klingon, it is minimally armed and shielded, so I could conceivably see it being "given a pass"!
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Post by trynda1701 on Mar 3, 2021 16:23:30 GMT -7
Question for the Forum members: do you want me to work next on the Unity's dealings with the Orions or the Romulans? Gorns and Tholians are too far away, so they'd only get a brief mention in the future. But it's your call. Orions or Romulans? Please let me know. And as always, thank you all in advance. If I say Orions, I look bias, but as the Kephans have to travel down the Klingon Neutral Zone border to get to the Triangle, where they then developed the Independent Economic Confederation, they DO have to pass the Orion Enclave. So that seems logical! But you could also argue that the IEC is close to Klingon AND Romulan space, so there's the argument for interaction with the Romulans! I'd say Orions first. Just my thought!
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Post by brickwall on Mar 4, 2021 15:09:46 GMT -7
Question for the Forum members: do you want me to work next on the Unity's dealings with the Orions or the Romulans? Gorns and Tholians are too far away, so they'd only get a brief mention in the future. But it's your call. Orions or Romulans? Please let me know. And as always, thank you all in advance. If I say Orions, I look bias, but as the Kephans have to travel down the Klingon Neutral Zone border to get to the Triangle, where they then developed the Independent Economic Confederation, they DO have to pass the Orion Enclave. So that seems logical! But you could also argue that the IEC is close to Klingon AND Romulan space, so there's the argument for interaction with the Romulans! I'd say Orions first. Just my thought! Okay, got it! One for the Orions!
Anyone else have a position on this? Please let me know and thank you in advance.
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Post by trynda1701 on Mar 5, 2021 8:25:05 GMT -7
I await Admiral Rarchers' thoughts in anticipation!
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steve
Commander
Posts: 538
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Post by steve on Mar 5, 2021 15:38:40 GMT -7
Okay, got it! One for the Orions!
Anyone else have a position on this? Please let me know and thank you in advance.
I am merely a passenger on this voyage; I await whatever twists and turns you have in store for your civilization...
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Post by brickwall on Mar 9, 2021 7:22:15 GMT -7
Okay, got it! One for the Orions!
Anyone else have a position on this? Please let me know and thank you in advance.
I am merely a passenger on this voyage; I await whatever twists and turns you have in store for your civilization... Okay, that makes it two in favor of the Orions. Anyone else? Please let me know.
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Post by brickwall on Mar 12, 2021 13:28:45 GMT -7
I await Admiral Rarchers' thoughts in anticipation! As do I. And Atolm, JJ, cowboy40, SITZKRIEG and anyone else who is interested in this, chime in.
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