Captain's Log Challenge 0810.29 "...more than a question of style..."

"I don't get it," Jim Kirk muttered angrily




Pike smiled wryly and began to step through the door. "You will." Then the door was closed and he was gone.



"I don't," Kirk glowered at the closed door. "I said I don't get it!"



"That makes two of us," Admiral Kirk added with a resigned grin. "That was Chris Pike?"



"Nobody calls him Chris. I don't think his parents even call him 'Chris'. That was Admiral Christopher Horatio Pike. Who the hell are you?"



"Call me Jim. I'm afraid I don't recognize your uniform. Who-?"



"James Tiberius Kirk. USS Enterprise. Starfleet. I suppose they didn't have uniforms this nice when you got your first command."



Admiral Kirk's eyes widened, but he covered it by smiling. "Oh, we had something like that, but the collars were hell, and the fabric didn't breath."



"Look, I don't understand where we are, or why we're here. And I really don't get why my uniform is so important to you."



Admiral Kirk suddenly started to take in his surroundings. "Actually the uniform is the least important-"



"Then wha-" Jim Kirk stopped in mid sentence as he too took in his surroundings. "Where are we?"



"I've been here before, long ago, and strangely enough, on a planet lightyears away. It's a bar, called 'The Captain's Table'."



Jim Kirk picked a glass up off the bar and blew a thick coating of dust off of it. "Must be a pretty popular place." He started to open up cabinets and compartments. "Do they serve Budweiser classic in this place?"



Admiral Kirk moved behind the bar like he owned it, and pulled out a dusty bottle. "This is better. Saurian Brandy." He poured two drinks, handing one to Jim. "Cheers."



Jim Kirk drank it in one shot and grimaced. "How long has that been sitting there?"



Kirk lifted the curve-necked bottle and looked. "2265."



"Good trick," the younger one answered. "Last time I checked, it was 2263."



"This isn't your typical bar," Kirk said. "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"



"How personal?"



"Personal. It's important." Kirk poured another shot of brandy. "About your father."



Jim Kirk threw the shot back. "If you have to. I don't know too much about him."



"Let me put it this way. How much are you your father's son?"



Jim looked away, his eyes moving along a wall that had several empty mounts where decorations must have been displayed. "Kind of hard to say, considering that he died about thirty seconds after I was born."



"Sorry. I could have put that better. What I meant to ask was, how has your life been shaped by him? By how he died?"



"It didn't help. I grew up with a stepfather that hated me, and a mother who spent more time off-planet than on."



Admiral Kirk looked at the younger Kirk, taking him in fully. He was different. Very different. And it was so much more than a question of style "Yet you've grown past all that."



"I didn't have much of a choice," Kirk answered. "And if it hadn't been for Pike..." His words trailed off. "Who are you? Where do I know you from?"



"I knew my father. He inspired me to do the things I've done. But where you've had Admiral Pike, I lost that mentor. I also lost a son."



Jim Kirk was suddenly uncomfortable with the older man's obvious pain. "Sorry to hear that."



"I've come to terms with it. It'll always be there, but you learn to live with it. But..."



"But what?"



Admiral Kirk answered by pouring a third drink. "Take this one a bit slower, Jim. Enjoy it." He raised the glass to the young man who was so much him, and so much someone completely different. "To missed opportunities."

Captain's Log Challenge 0610.24 "... the benefit of hindsight..."

"... the benefit of hindsight..."




ENT Era

Captain Erika Hernandez

Columbia NX-02



As I look back at the events surrounding the evacuation of Alpha Gallorus IV, I actually find myself wondering what future starship commanders might think of what transpired here. This log has been encrypted and sealed, but they always eventually see the light of day. Even Zephram Cochrane's wild early memoirs have been unsealed. So once the truth comes out about Alpha Gallorus IV, will future generations, with the benefit of hindsight, paint me as a success, a failure or a minor footnote? I know that I'll eventually be judged not by my intentions but by my results. I can only say what I've done and why, and hope for the best.



There was no way I could get every scientist off of the planet before we crossed the treaty boundary, even using all four shuttlepods and overtaxing the transporter, so we worked as fast as we could and hoped we didn't get caught. We got lucky. That's what I thought as we crossed out of the neutral zone, until a Romulan Atomic Missile Cruiser appeared from out of nowhere, did a hard scan of the planet, then blanketed it with its full load of warheads. Even from a distance our scans showed that the atmosphere had been burned away, and the planet rendered uninhabitable.



So what can I say about that? We got every scientist off of the planet. For that, I justify crossing the border. We preserved vital scientific and intelligence data of unimaginable value to the Federation. For that, again, I justify crossing the border. But what of the thriving native ecosystem of Alpha Gallorus IV that has been wiped out as a result of a political disagreement? What of the open wound between the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire, over not just Gallorus IV, but the desperation-imposed treaty? Since there has yet to be a renewed flood of birds of prey across the border, I assume and hope that the cruiser Commander chose to keep the incident secret. Do even Romulans get sick of war? I certainly hope so. In the meantime, we seem to have a peace of sorts. Even at the cost of millions of people on both sides, and the innocent, unaware life on Alpha Gallorus IV.



For next week. write a 100+ word log entry including the phrase "... more than a question of style...". Post it in the yahoo group or on the blogsite's "comment" feature for a Command College Point.

Captain's Log Challenge 0610.05 "... no matter what it costs..."

(Post-TNG Era)


Captain William T Riker

USS Titan



Galorndan Core has been a source of trouble between the Federation and the Romulan Empire since the very birth of the Federation. When the Romulan peace treaty was established, there were a few systems along the edge of the nuetral zone that actually drifted across the treaty boundary due to the effect of galactic drift in the area, as well as the imprecise mapping of the time. Many of those systems contained colonies that were civilian in nature and actually capable of evacuating themselves. Galorndan Core, known as Galorus IV at the time, was a different matter. It was a surveillance outpost, put there specifically to watch for any Romulans coming back to settle the score.



The actions taken by Captain Erika Hernandez of the NX Class Columbia at the time, while safeguarding the assets on the planet without provoking a resumption of warfare, inadvertantly ensured that Earth and the Romulans would be at odds over Galorndan Core for the next two hundred years. Now, as political upheaval in the Empire has presented us with the possibilty of either lasting peace or another war, Galorndan Core again finds itself at the flashpoint. As the planet begins to drift across the same poorly drawn political line from two centuries ago, the diplomatic team on the Titan will find itself joining forces with a Romulan diplomatic team to forge another treaty, this time based on more than the desperation of mutually assured destruction. As Ambassador Spock has said, we have more than fear and mistrust in common. And just as Captain Hernandez did what she did because there was no alternative, we also have no alternative. We will find a lasting solution, no matter what it costs.



For next week. write a 100+ word log entry including the phrase "... the benefit of hindsight...". Post it in the yahoo group or on the blogsite's "comment" feature for a Command College Point.

Captain's Log Challenge 0510.14 "... do it the old fashioned way..."

"...do it the old fashioned way..."
(Pre-ENT Era)

Personal Log Jonathon Archer

Dad died ten years ago today, without seeing his engine fly. Despite what everyone says about honoring his legacy by making Enterprise a success, despite all of the dangers and detractors, I can't get past the fact that Dad will never see it happen. Trip tells me that Dad will be there with me. No, he won't. And I have to wonder if we had stayed on the course set by Dr Cochrane, would we already be at warp five? Would it have been better to do it the old fashioned way of building on our successes and failures, rather than following the guidance of Vulcan committees? Would we have gotten here faster? I went through hell getting Enterprise into spacedock, after it had been cancelled and condemned not once but twice, and there are still people who say that I didn't deserve her, that I didn't earn the center seat, that I only got it because of who my Dad is. Maybe I should be worried about not blowing it. Maybe we need to prove that we can move out of the Vulcans' shadow and start to risk a little. Maybe I need to worry about my own legacy. But for now- for today, I just wish that Dad could look into the night sky over San Francisco and see Enterprise finally being built.

Captain's Log Challenge 0410.26 "...a system that works..."

(Post TNG Era)

Traitor. That is what they called me on the Altair Queen as I left Federation space for the last time. On Qo'noS, they call me 'urwi' tera'ngan . Human traitor. On both worlds, there are few words or expressions worse. A decorated hero. A veteran of two Borg incursions. A veteran of conflict with Romulan splinter groups and Klingon warriors. A family name that has helped to defend Earth since before there was a Federation. A Stiles. So how could a Stiles be labeled a traitor by friend and enemy alike? By living. By surviving and coming home to a world that defined itself by its peaceful ideals, and a system that works through freedom and self-determination, but had also seen enough of war to last several lifetimes. Did I make things worse when I came home? Did I have trouble turning off the soldier inside of me? Yes. A long succession of counselors told me I'd have trouble, and how they thought I should deal with it. But none of their suggestions silenced the alarms that went off in my head when someone walked in the room, or got rid of the shakes that I went to sleep with every night.

None of that made me do what labeled me a traitor. What did that was being forced to take refuge in the Vulcan compound in San Francisco because nobody else could look at me and not see a loved one who hadn't made it home. Only the Vulcans could look at me and see just another human soldier. And they couldn't keep me there forever. Funny, the Klingons laugh at me, spit at my feet, call me 'urwi' tera'ngan, but they let me live on their world and somehow, strangely, they make me feel like I belong.

Captain's Log Challenge 0109.20 "Whatever it is, contact in six seconds."

(TOS era)
USS Star League, NCC 2101. Commodore Stewart recording. What began as a simple planetary survey of a gas supergiant in the Epsilon Aenar system has turned into a unique rescue operation. The survey ship USS Maine was mapping the Epsilon Aenar system when an impulse manifold blew, dropping the ship into a perilous orbit around the gaseous seventh planet in the system. The survey ship was still relatively safe until a chance meteor passed by and struck the damaged ship. From that point, the immense gravitational pull began to draw the ship down. A distress signal was received by a nearby Starfleet Monitor Station and retransmitted to Starbase 16. The Star League was docked at Starbase 16, receiving crew transfers and computer upgrades, and left immediately for Epsilon Aenar.

Upon arrival, we located the Maine's flight recorder spinning in an unstable orbit, as well as debris indicating that the ship had been slowly pulled apart by the tremendous gravitational forces exerted by the Class I gas supergiant.

After beaming the recorder aboard, we scanned its exterior, which showed signs of actually coming up through the atmosphere. Intensive scans of the planet's thick atmosphere revealed a wake left behind the recorder as a chemical rocket blasted it upward, confirming the scans. Furthermore, the flight recorder seemed to indicate that a large part of the ship, including the bridge and engineering survived to penetrate the outer atmosphere and gaseous hydrogen surface. The voice of Captain Holden can be heard clearly as the ship passed through the surface, stating "Whatever it is, contact in six seconds." Sensor scans from the Maine at that point were sketchy, but seemed to read a large energy source in their path. At this point the Maine's propulsion systems were inoperative. It was in a slow-motion freefall. At that point, the flight recorder was ejected. Since that happened, almost twenty-four hours ago, there have been no matter/antimatter explosions beneath the surface of the planet, leading me to believe that the Maine still may be intact down there. I see no choice but to attempt a rescue. Fortunately, the Star League is a Mark X Federation Class Dreadnought. This is the kind of mission that this ship was built for.

Captain's Log, Supplemental Entry: Captain of Engineering Brahms transferred surplus warp power into forward shields and the structural integrity field to bring us through the atmosphere of Epsilon Aenar VII. At two kilometers above the surface, our sensors detected an energetic plasma field in place below the surface. Gas supergiants can be strange things, but an energetic plasma field does not naturally occur within the body of one. There was no doubt that the field is what Captain Holden was talking about when he said "Whatever it is, contact in six seconds." We pushed the Star League through the gaseous surface, and at three kilometers below the surfacd, found the saucer and engineering hull of the Maine intact, and contained within a second field. Scans showed 36 lifeforms on board out of a crew complement of 87. We were unable to communicate through the plasma field, but we did detect a life force existing in the plasma field. It wouldn't be the first energy-beings ever discovered, but as far as I know, it's the first found living inside a gas giant. Within seconds, the field enveloping the Maine had grown to surround us as well, and we found ourselves being pulled back through the atmosphere and into space. Moments later, the plasma field had plunged back into the soupy planet without communicating with us.

We are obviously happy that there were survivors from the Maine, and it is always a bonus to meet an intriguing new lifeform. But I will admit to being humbled. These energetic plasma lifeforms were quite capable of rescuing the Maine without our help, and in fact they picked up the massive Star League and pushed it into orbit without apparent difficulty. It is disquieting to discover that what we call a dreadnought doesn't impress every creature that it encounters.

Captain's Log Challenge 0109.14 "We're hoping the log will provide some answers"

(ENT era)
"Captain's Starlog. October Fifth, 2166. Challenger, NX-07. Captain Sam Carpenter in command. While investigating an uncharted planet in the Hekaras system, we were surprised to discover a planet that presented us with a series of inexplicable mysteries. Upon achieving orbit, we noted the planet's strong resemblance to the planet Venus, including a high surface temperarure due to greenhouse effect; water existing only as vapor, and an extremely dense atmosphere, consisting mainly of carbon dioxide and sulfides. That wasn't too surprising, considering its proximity to the local sun. But we received an automated signal using Morse code. This warranted suiting up in environmental suits and investigating in a shuttlepod. Upon landing on the planet, we found circumstances that quite frankly didn't match what we detected from orbit.

Surface scans showed an abundance of water and terrestrial plant and animal life, as well as perfectly breathable air. Further investigation, including a high-altitude fly-over revealed a pattern of continents exactly matching those on Earth. None of us recall any such dramatic change during the descent to the surface, and the shuttlepod's sensor logs seem to be unreadable.

A scan of the pollution content in the atmosphere, as well as an examination of star positions after nightfall seemed to indicate that we were on Earth in our present time, despite the absence of any humanoid habitation or technology. We found no evidence of artificial satellites or lunar colonies that should be abundant. For all intents and purposes, we were alone, on Earth on the date October Fifth, 2166, while Challenger remained in orbit still scanning a planet much like Venus, along with the lifesigns of everyone in the landing party. As for the source of the Morse Code signal, we found no device capable of sending such a signal, nor evidence that it had ever been there. The only anomalous reading was what my science officer tells me is a chroniton signature. Time travel. In any case, we returned to Challenger, leaving behind what still appears to be a planet indistinguishable from Venus, with an automated Morse Code signal still transmitting. The sensor log from the shuttle has been uploaded to the main computer for analysis. We're hoping the log will provide some answers.

Captain's Log Challenge 0109.04 "This is the first time that such a weapon had been used by such a ship."

(TOS era)
"Warship Log. IKS Goltlh'. Captain K'vak recording. I am recording this message in the hope of relaying vital intelligence to the Empire. Our assault on the new Excelsior Class heavy battlecruiser has ended disastrously. I can only hope that our honorable combat will earn us berths on a ship in the Black Fleet. We crossed over into a poorly defended section of the Federation border in order to test reports that the hated, interfering Organians have truly disappeared, and approached the massive ship under cloak. We followed standard procedures and made our first attack at point blank range. The monster's shields turned away our first volley, and we withdrew at maximum speed. Phaser fire and photon torpedoes almost disabled us, but I chose to make another pass at the Excelsior before considering withdrawing. Before we could recloak at a safe range, however, the heavy battlecruiser launched a plasma torpedo that smashed through our shields and began to buckle our hull. Before they went out, our sensors determined that the torpedo originated from Gorn technology. This is the first time that such a weapon had been used by such a ship, and hints at an alliance between the reptiles and the Federation. If this is true, we face a grave threat. I can only hope that this warning reaches Imperial Intelligence in time to do some good. Our ship is losing hull integrity, and I have just seconds to send this transmission. Repeating. Warship Log. IKS Goltlh'. Captain K'vak recording. I am--"

Captain's Log Challenge 0410.14 "...the hidden dangers of diversity..."

Write a 100+ word log entry including the phrase "...the hidden dangers of diversity...". Post it in the yahoo group or on the blogsite's "comment" feature for a Command College Point.


(Mirror TOS/AOS)

Even as Vulcan knew that our logic and physical superiority made us the natural rulers of the galaxy, we also knew to listen to others. It is illogical to assume that every answer, every piece of wisdom must come from a Vulcan. The concept of IDIC, Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations made us what we are. But I failed to anticipate the hidden dangers of diversity. There are obviously those viewpoints, even valid, logical viewpoints that are too dangerous to be allowed.

Chasing the Emperor Tiberius back in time was, in and of itself, dangerous, and full of incalculable variables. But the alternative was even more dangerous. As a result of the influence that a mirror James Kirk had on me, the Terran Empire is in shambles, Vulcan is a slave planet, and Earth has been rendered uninhabitable. The Klingon/Cardassian Alliance has now swallowed up the territory once held by the Empire, and is making inroads into Romulan space. All this because I listened to the words of an honorable man. And because I didn't kill the James Tiberius Kirk from my universe. Now he knows that I am the cause of this destruction, the architect of this tragic affair as a Klingon poet once said, and he is determined to destroy Vulcan in an attempt to stop me from being born. Tiberius does not understand quantum temporal mechanics. This will not save his Empire, nor will it destroy my Vulcan. But again, the words of the Mirror Kirk come to mind. The illogic of waste. Tiberius must die.

For next week. write a 100+ word log entry including the phrase "...a system that works...". Post it in the yahoo group or on the blogsite's "comment" feature for a Command College Point.