I’m Admiral John, and I’ve been a Trek fan longer than I’ve been playing TTRPGs, which considering that I grew up with 70’s reruns of Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock, that makes me an old fogey. That’s not to say I don’t enjoy newer Trek – I do – but to me, nothing surpasses those golden days of yesteryear, where action and adventure took front seat in the stories and risk was indeed our business. I really try to balance my games to accommodate newer players’ expectations, though – with a satisfying blend of old and new!

▪︎ Starbase 47 Executive Officer’s Log:

Commander John Cooper reporting.

Stardate 2681.13 (2268.01.13) 11:20 hours.

While supervising sensitive cargo due to be loaded aboard the USS Eldridge upon her arrival, I was pleased to meet her newly assigned Communications Officer Lieutenant Vrenir Nedan. She had just disembarked from the USS Bombay and due to the layover of her new assignment, she needed temporary quarters.

Just as I was about to address Lieutenant Nedan, I was accosted by Ambassador Viltoars of Rigel VII – or as he constantly and pompous introduces himself, Ambassador Lord-Patrician Sil Viltoars of the Splendor of Rigel VII. His obnoxiously loud accent was almost as offensive to the senses as his garnish manner of dress. Apparently, 16th century Italian noble fashion was the norm on Rigel VII, right down to thick ruffled collars and brightly colored hats, masks, tunics, and tights.

The Ambassador had a special interest in the classified cargo being moved. Apparently it had been delivered from his Noble House of Orion and had a classified nature to it that required expediency and care. Checking my PADD, I realized he wasn’t just making a puffed-up nuisance of himself – like he usually would. This cargo entry had a particularly high degree of classification that only Starfleet Intelligence regularly assigned.

The Ambassador continued to make demands on my time as I noticed an officer uniformed in black rapidly making his way across the hanger. It was ‘Agent Dragon,’ a mysterious Commander of Section 31. He ignored both Lieutenant Nedan and myself and began barking at Viltoars in a less than respectful tone considering his delegated office. I took this awkward opportunity to escort Lieutenant Nedan to the billleting center personally, and we hurriedly made our way to a turbo lift.

▪︎ Executive Officer’s Personal Log:

I had never met a Trill before and discovered Lieutenant Nedan was what is known as a ‘non-joined’ Trill. The Trill are a paired species – symbiote and host, but Nedan had not yet undergone that procedure. Her fascination with Linguistics had been a life long pursuit, parallel to her fascination with Klingon culture – if their path of tyranny can be called such.

The Billeting Center is located on a specialized deck of Vanguard Station known as Star’s End, a fully realized city built with advanced Ceratodraco holographic that impressively simulated the effect of being planetside. I understand the Ceratodraco are also planning to install a type of suite that can simulate nearly any environment through high tech holograms.

I’ll believe it when I see it!

▪︎ Starbase 47 Executive Officer’s Log:

Stardate 2681.13 14:00 hours.

Delegates of the Gorn Hegemony are due to arrive at Starbase 47 presently and a welcoming ceremony is set to mark the historical occasion as the first Gorn to ever be received by the Federation. Station Commander Commodore Reyes seemed on edge, but I assured him that security teams were in place and the Starfleet Band detachment had been practicing for weeks.

The Federation Representatives were in full regalia; distinguished by Anna

Sandesjo, who negotiated a cease fire with the Gorn after the Cestus III incident. Ambassador Jetanien of Rigel III and Ambassador H’Nuss of Cait were also present in representation of the UFP.

Ambassador Lugok, Son of Breg, made a dark and somber silhouette in his traditional Imperial Klingon armor. He literally dwarfed his attache, U’Rohl; who strangely looked more Human than Klingon, without ridges or crest and swarthy, coppery skin. She stood as stoically as her counterpart, with a stern glare cast in contempt of the proceedings.

It was not terribly unusual that the Tholian delegation was absent – Ambassador Sesrine despised its EnviroSuit as much as it seemed to despise diplomacy – nor was it strange that the Metron ‘Representative‘ wasn’t present. It came and went from the station as it willed … no one knows how it arrives or departs.

The trio of Gorn representatives arrived by shuttlecraft and were greeted with much fanfare. Of course, Universal Translators were used extensively until it was discovered Lieutenant Nedan had a sense of the Gorn language – enough to address one of the Ambassadors in its own tongue.

The Klingons abruptly left as the band began performing. Apparently, they’re not music lovers.

As the affair came to a close, I addressed Nedan and suggested she accompany the command staff to the banquet. The gathering would be in the Ambassadorial complex in Star’s End and she would need to wear her dress uniform, so we hurriedly made our way to the familiar turbo lift.

Shortly, we arrived on time at the Dignitaries Banquet; appropriately attired and prepared to receive the Gorn. However, after several minutes, it became apparent the guests of honor were more than suspiciously late. After failing to contact the Gorn delegation via multiple comms, I contacted security to send a team to the Gorn Consulate. The team quickly reported back on the Emergency Channel –

One of the Ambassadors was dead!

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