Bolak, Author at Independence Fleet

My Favorite Trek: Jackson Andrews

Posted on September 21, 2021 | by Bolak | Leave a Comment

Let me welcome our newest guest on My Favorite Trek…

Character: Jackson Andrews

Rank: Commander

Position: Executive Officer

Other Characters: Ensign James Phoenix (USS Washington), Lieutenant Thriss Kla’ren (USS Sunfire), Lieutenant Raelyn Mckenzie (USS Wayfarer), Lieutenant JG Travis Ryson (USS Montana) & Ensign Jack Keegan (USS Chuck Norris)

Favorite Star Trek episode? This is a hard one, but I’d have to go with The Best of Both Worlds Parts One and Two.

Why? This is something I genuinely enjoy about many shows and Trek, but I really liked how it showed different possibilities of what could have happened. For example, the promotion of different officers, Picard’s possible fate, etc. I also like how it slightly segues into future TNG episodes.

Favorite Star Trek series? If the last question wasn’t clear, Star Trek: The Next Generation is by far one of my favorites. But I also enjoy most of the other shows that take place in the 24th century. Most notably: Star Trek DS9 and Voyager.

Why? I like how it shows how far the Trek Universe had advanced since The Original Series. It also vastly explored what Starfleet expanded to. Who wouldn’t like to explore the universe on a big Galaxy Class ship?

Favorite Star Trek film? Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home

Why? Multiple reasons, actually. It felt more laid-back than many other Trek films. It was cool seeing a legendary cast go back in time to the 80s, which was the present day when the film was released. Plus, Kirk and Spock’s “Colorful Metaphors” were enjoyable to watch too.

Favorite Star Trek Captain? Honestly, it’s a hard decision. But if I could give an answer at this moment in time, I’d have to say Janeway. Even if she broke the Prime Directive a few different times, she had to make tough calls for her crew. Not only that but she is a fellow coffee drinker. However, I am salty that she never promoted Harry Kim.

What year did you start simming? I started simming in 2020. I know that it’s far from as long as many of the others have been simming. However, before I was doing simming, I roleplayed constantly on various video games, and other forms of entertainment. I had been looking for a way to roleplay Trek when I came across the world of simming.

What sim was it? My first sim was one of IDF’s finest, the USS Washington.

What keeps you simming today? Today, what keeps me simming is the strive to know what happens next in the story, whether it’s small or large. So essentially, it’s the story that keeps me going.

Favorite non-simming hobby? I have many different hobbies outside of simming, especially, watching various shows, including Trek. However, I have a big passion for cars. I genuinely love the automotive world.

Favorite non-Trek series? Right now, it’s probably the new Magnum P.I series.

Favorite non-Trek film? This is a hard one, because I actually have two: Unstoppable and Need for Speed.

Favorite book (fiction or non)? I don’t necessarily have a favorite right now, but I have been reading the Star Trek novel, The Dark Veil. I also enjoy reading the Harry Potter Series.

Favorite video game? Honestly, while I have the games I constantly return to, like the Forza Games, I played and finished Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order. It is by far one of the best story games I have played so far. That’s not to say that it will change. But hey, I’m a sucker for story games.

Favorite musician or band? Linkin Park is by far my favorite, but I also like Greenday, Foo Fighters, and pretty much anything that is rock, or alt rock.

Favorite superhero? Probably Spider-Man at the moment, because I can relate to him the most.

If you could have any super power, what would it be? Teleportation

Favorite sport? Anything to do with motorsports, mostly with cars.

Favorite team? McLaren F1

Favorite food? Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi

Lennon or McCartney? Lennon

Jordan or LeBron? Jordon

Star Trek or Star Wars? Star Trek

Rank the Trek TV shows from best to worst. DSN, TNG, VOY, ENT, PIC, DSC, TOS

Rank the Trek movies from best to worst. TVH, FC, TWOK, I, G, N, ST (2009), ID, TUC, B, TFF, TMP, TSFS

Was this too many questions? No.

Commander Jackson Andrews, and all his other characters, everyone!

The Captain’s Chair: Emmalyn Marcus

Posted on May 26, 2021 | by Bolak | Leave a Comment

Welcome to the Captain’s Chair, Captain Marcus. Please input your details into the data pad before we begin...

Name: Emmalyn Marcus

Rank: Captain

Position: Commanding Officer

Fleet Sim: USS Montana

Thank you, Captain. So let’s get started with your favorite Captain. Whose chair are you sitting in today?

Obviously James T. Kirk’s. I think that Kirk is the very embodiment of human nature. He is compassionate towards others, something few humans have mastered. Second, he’s reckless, but again that’s a human thing.

Very interesting. Does that make The Original Series your favourite or is there another?

Yes, that it is my all-time favorite. However, I also love Star Trek Discovery as well.

Do you have a favourite episode?

As of right now it’s Miri, s1e8, believe.

How about the movies, which is the best one?

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

And the worst?

Generations… Kirk falling off a rock, come on!

How’s your Captain’s chair by the way? Comfortable?

It’s great. Very Comfy.

Good, good. How about the ship? Are we on the Montana or would you prefer another? You can have anything you like, we have a huge imaginary budget.

I enjoy it, lol. Honestly I like the style of the ships from the 60’s.

Absolutely! When did you start simming?

A little over a year ago.

And what was your first sim?

USS Chuck Norris

What keeps you interested?

Complex plots.

What about real life? What else do you enjoy doing?

Being lazy, writing, video games. Oh, and being lazy.

I take it you’re a Montana fan given the ship we’re on. What else are you into besides that and Star Trek?

I love Sci-Fi. I also love U.S. history, specifically WW II.

And at the Movies?

Back to the Future, Tron, Jurassic Park, Star Wars, anything with Tim Allen, James Bond movies, and the Mission Impossible series.

Time for the quick fire round now before go to warp. Are you ready?

Always.

Favorite book? The Giver

Favorite video game? Super Mario Bros. 3

Favorite musician or band? David Bowie

Favorite superhero? Doctor Strange

If you could have any super power, what would it be? Duh Magic.

Favorite sport? Basketball

Favorite team? Utah Jazz

Favorite food? Sushi

Coke or Pepsi? Coke

Lennon or McCartney? Lennon

Star Trek or Star Wars? Trek, obviously.

Jordan or Lebron? Jordan

Excellent! Thank you for sitting in the Captain’s Chair. It’s been a pleasure to get to know a little more about you today. Emmalyn Marcus (aka John Wyatt of the USS Chuck Norris & Spivick of the USS Albion), everyone!

Star Trek Character Search

Posted on April 29, 2020 | by Bolak | 3 Comments

Hidden within this nonsense article are 25 names of popular Star Trek characters. Can you find them all?

Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh, Scotland is fabled to be the home of the scottish faeries. While some consider the legends to be part of ancient Scottish lore, others consider them to be the result of a drunken Scot typing nonsense to sell cheap local literature. Old Jimmy Price is recognised as the author of most contemporary prints and evidence of his historical research can be found in the old mans pocketbook which is on display in Edinburgh public library.

Old Jimmy Price made millions from his local tall tales and bought himself a Lamborghini with the profits from the first volume. The second edition was even more popular that the first allowing him to say “adieu Huracan” and “bonjour” to a brand new Porche 911. He would often be found sitting in one of his expensive cars tucking into a bag of ready salted McCoys.

Old Jimmy was also something of a politician and had the french consul under his influence due to an overhead Back handed jibe made by the frenchman at a local function. He used his influence to fund the opening of a zoo where he cared for a varied menagerie. It was during these years that he began his famous treaties on the natural sciences making ground breaking observations such as;

When feeding platypi, cardboard containers are prefered due to the animals aversion to plastics. He discovered that feeding a penguin an icecube was an excellent way to facilitate egg production and through lengthy observations of his pet Kestral Jane, discovered the in workings of the birds mind through the application of Odorless Ordifal oil to the feeding trough. If you study the data it will show Orfidal is often prescribed to treat anxiety. Unfortunately his discoveries were cut short when one day his assistant gave Jane way too much of the oil and she sadly died.

Jimmy Price was indeed an accomplished man. A man’s man. He was an expert archer, a superb swordsman with an ability to strike right on time to deal the finishing blow. He was an expert fisherman and once caught a prize winning pike which he kept over his fireplace in pride of place next to his ancient scottish Blood axe. In his latter years he moved his field of interest into the sciences and discovered that the centroid or geometric center of a plane figure is the arithmetic mean position of all the points in the figure before concluding that a quark is a type of elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. He was however until his dying day a terrible cook and could even burn ham if not properly supervised.

Fame came at a price however and it took the form of his older brother George. Quite simply Jimmy made George ordinary and uninteresting by comparison. Turning up to his older brothers 60th birthday party Jimmy made the bash irrelevant as the friends and family ignored the birthday boy to flock around Jimmy to hear his latest tall tales of adventure and accomplishment. So incensed was George that he invited his brother on a trip and while traveling he attacked and killed the poor fellow placinging his body in a mechanical crusher to hide his crime.

Until this day the body of Jimmy Price has never been found, though rumours abound of his grizzly fate.

Happy Hunting!

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My Favorite Trek: Aurther Winters

Posted on April 10, 2020 | by Bolak | 1 Comment

It’s that time again as we reach out into the community and ask one of our esteemed members about their “Favorite Trek.” Aurther comes to us after a break from the simming world and we are overjoyed to have him back.

Aurther cut his teeth back in 2003 when he was recruited into his first Sim through a college message board. So started the adventures of James Sullivan on the USS Dragon in IDF. From lowly Ensign to Chief Engineer James rose through the ranks until that thing we call “a life” dragged him away.

But the call of Captain Youngblood of the USS Chuck Norris called him back again to engage in technobabble once more, a language in which Aurther is quite fluent. Alas life struck again and Aurther went of to live it for several years before recently stumbling on an invite to returned to his old stomping ground to Trek once more!

Now a proud father of a beautiful 8 week old daughter and a man with a little extra time on his hands (or perhaps better time management skills) he has returned to the Chuck Norris and Independence Fleet to which he has remained loyal all these years!

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Aurther and his Favorite Trek :

Name: Aurther Winters

Rank: Commander

Sim: USS Chuck Norris

Position: Executive Officer

Favorite Star Trek episode? Darmok

Why? This was in the height of the TNG best writing and acting. The plot and the messages that came out of it were some of the best. The premise of being able to speak the same language but not the same language is a dynamic I don’t think is often explored enough.

Favorite Star Trek series? The Next Generation

Why? It expanded what was originally set out in TOS, but the stoy and acting was far superior. It also laid out the groundwork and subplots for would would come later in different series. Also I feel like there is nothing more iconic then then the Enterprise-D.

Favorite Star Trek film? First Contact

Why? As much as I love how Iconic the Enterprise-D was, when the Enterprise-E made the scene I was in love. As a fan of the ships on Star Trek this was one where there was just so many to see and like. This one also had a good fee call backs well also being interesting and showing us all where the line is. Here. No further! *Insert smashing glass scene*

Favorite Star Trek Captain? Captain Picard

What year did you start simming? 2004

What sim was it? USS Dragon

What keeps you simming today? Keeping the writing skills and imagination up, and love of Star Trek

Favorite non-simming hobby? Hockey

Favorite non-Trek series? The Orville

Favorite non-Trek film? Ghostbusters

Favorite book (fiction or non)? Redshirts

Favorite video game? Halo

Favorite musician or band? Greenday

Favorite superhero? Captain Canuck

If you could have any super power, what would it be? Don’t know if you would call it a superpower, but being able to understand and speak every language

Favorite sport? Hockey

Favorite team? Colorado Avalanche

Favorite food? Tacos

Coke or Pepsi? Pepsi

Lennon or McCartney? Lennon

Jordan or LeBron? Jordan

Star Trek or Star Wars? Star Trek

Rank the Trek TV shows from best to worst. The Next Generation (1987–1994) Original Series (1966–1969) Discovery (2017–present) Picard (2020–present) Orville (2017) Enterprise (2001–2005) Deep Space Nine (1993–1999) Voyager (1995–2001)

Rank the Trek movies from best to worst. II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) IV: The Voyage Home (1986) III: The Search for Spock (1984) The Motion Picture (1979) V: The Final Frontier (1989) First Contact (1996) Generations (1994) Nemesis (2002) Insurrection (1998) Star Trek (2009) Into Darkness (2013) Beyond (2016)

Was this too many questions? I mean by the end I thought you might have been asking for my shoe size, but I think this was a good amount.

Fantastic Aurther please take a bow and everyone else have a great Easter weekend!

A House Call from Dr. McCoy

Posted on March 25, 2020 | by Bolak | Leave a Comment

As I often tell an old friend of mine; life and death are seldom logical, and there is nothing logical about the state of the earth right now. It seemed like a good time to reach out and check up on you all, wish you well and encourage you to stick together during these troubled times.

We are after all ahead of the game when it comes to sticking together and building communities while in reality being physically quite separate and sometimes isolated. We have a talent for using out imagination and communication skills to bridge the gaps in time and space that separate us. The world needs people like us right now.

As a trained Star Fleet doctor I could tell you all about washing your hands, and maintaining social distance but you already know the basics. So what advice should I give? I often tell my good friend that the release of emotions (something he struggles with), is what keeps us healthy– emotionally healthy, that is.

Staying emotionally healthy right now is just as important as keeping that virus at bay. We have these great imaginary worlds to lose ourselves in and express ourselves through, as well as wonderful communities of people from all walks of life to chat and share with. Reach out and make the most of it.

I’m a doctor not a fortuneteller so who knows what the future will bring, but I do know that I feel lucky to have such great communities to enjoy my time and express my creativity with.

Look after each other…

“McCoy“

USS Sanctuary “Lost In Space”

Posted on March 20, 2020 | by Bolak | Leave a Comment

Kirk, Spock and McCoy are lost in the Star Trek multiverse and find themselves beamed in to your stories. You can’t see or hear them but they can see and hear you. Just goes to show, you never know who’s watching. So here we go, beaming into the USS Sanctuary to witness its opening scene through the eyes of our favourite Trek heroes.

Fade in to the familiar golden shimmer of transporter beams as three figures appear in a dark room. They immediately draw phasers and glance around as if waiting for attack.

“Dammit Jim, where are we?” the doctor glanced around nervously.

“I have… no idea. What do you think of Spock?” the Captain turned to their Vulcan companion waiting for a response.

“I suspect…” Spock mused, “…that we have been drawn into an alternate dimension. We are here to witness monumental events and perhaps learn from them.”

“That’s nonsense. How could you know that you green blooded goblin.” Spat McCoy, his nerves getting the better of him.

“It is quite simple.” Spock explained, “I have read the script.”

“Oh boy!” exclaimed Kirk as he lowered his phaser in shock.

“That Captain, is the wrong franchise, but otherwise entirely appropriate to our current circumstances.” Spock replied.

“So what now?” demanded McCoy.

Lieutenant Commander Robert Razer has been dead for many years. his body lost to the cold space…

“Who said that?” McCoy jumped at the ethereal voice.

“I suggest you calm yourself Doctor.” Spock holstered his phaser, “that was just the narrator.”

A light flickered on from above and…

suddenly,

Robert gasping for air..naked… in a dark room with a single light shinning down on him …his head, arms and legs were strap down… he did not have a clue where he was nor who he was.. he felt random eyes staring down on him within the darkness… but he could not do anything to escape.. his body hurt… his mind was on fire, he was crying and he could not speak..

“Good heavens man we should help him.” McCoy made to reach for the trapped man but his hand simply passed through the solid matter like mist.

“I am afraid we can do nothing but observe.” Spock looked on impassively.

“He’s naked.” observed Kirk, “we can see his phaser.”

“Dammit Jim dont look at those.” the Doc turned his back.

“Mine’s bigger,” mused Kirk.

The scene flickered and changed. The same man but no longer strapped to the table.

Curled up in a corner Robert squeezed his legs against his body.

Kirk runs over and kneels next to the man, listening as he mumbles under his breath.

Robert- no it can be?…i can’t be alive?…. i cant? .. can’t… I am dead… I am dead…

Robert rocked back and forth repeating the words. My hurts… my head hurts so bad. why am I alive?….

The room had no lights in it.. It was bare. Bare floors, bare ceilings. There was nothing in the room but Robert.

“Who is he?” Kirk demands as the man continues to speak to himself his voice becoming louder and more frantic.

“This must be hell …. Hell. Hell…..hell (and as loud as he could scream) Hell!……

“Someone should give him a sedative.” said McCoy.

“That would defeat the object of the torture.” replied Spock.

Robert never thought of the outside world .. what was going on or where he was.. just the pain, just the darkness. there is no we ..there is only darkness.. darkness is my friend.

“This narrator is bugging me out.” McCoy looked around trying to find the source of the strange voice.

“Pretty cool though, having darkness as a friend.” Kirk considered the idea, “Hey I’m Captain Kirk and this is my good friend Darkness.”

“He was not being literal.” Spock gave a long suffering sigh.

“I bet darkness rides a motorbike.” Kirk pressed on unperturbed.

Robert rocked back and forth…. Laughter began to arise from the darkness…

“Oh he’s losing it.” Kirk stood up and went to stand next to Spock. They both looked down at the stranger named Robert as he cried out.

“Strike me down demon scum.. stop your toying with me and end my suffering.. if this is indeed hell…kill me…”

“I think he’s talking to you.” McCoy gave Spock a grin just as golden light surrounded them once more.

“That Doctor was uncalled for.” Spock’s voice lingered for a brief moment as the trio vanished into the ether.

“Oh boy!”