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Roleplay Threads / Forge Sagas
Last post by The Insane Admin - July 19, 2014, 01:27:56 pm
ESCAPE! A dangerous criminal is on the loose
from the prison world of Oovo IV. Dreks Falstom,
notorious murderer and gangster, has been tracked
back to his home base on the planet Selsor. There,
he plans to reunite with his former lover, and
one-time partner, Mon Iika, who has desperately
tried to put the past behind her.
In order to protect her from the dangers of Falstom,
the Jedi Council has dispatched Jedi Knight Beck,
and his padawan Tawrrowaldr, to keep Mon Iika safe
from harm.
Blue engines flared as the T-6 Shuttle exited hyperspace, altering course for the system's inhabited planet. Through the transparasteel windows the arid world of Selsor appeared to rise, its bronze appearance turned white by winter's empbrace. A pair of tawny-furred hands worked the shuttle's controls, manipulating the vessel's flight path to approach the surface. The small Wookiee glanced from his instruments to the windows as he entered the final commands, prompting a voice beside him to speak up.
"Adjust your flight angle, Tawrrowaldr," came the deep bass of Jedi Knight Beck from the co-pilot's seat. A broad smile appeared under his bulbous nose even as his tone warranted caution, "We want to enter the atmosphere, not skip across."
The young Wookiee called Tawrrowaldr looked up from the controls to glare at the Jedi Knight. A hint of bitterness coursed through his voice as he blustered a retort, his voice issuing as the series of growls and warbles that constituted his native tongue, "I got this, Master."
"Patience, my young padawan," Beck said in a quiet, but firm tone, leaving little room for interpretation.
That didn't seem to stop the young Jedi from trying, anyway. "You did ask me to fly."
"I asked you to learn."
Tawrrowaldr bristled at the rebuke, his cheeks glowing hot under their thick fur. He turned towards the window, narrowing his eyes as if that would let him see more clearly. Beck had no right to criticize him, the padawan told himself, he had but only a few weeks of training under the Jedi Knight. How could he be expected to get everything right the first time?
In a low growl, the Wookiee padawan asked, "And I'm not?"
Beck's response hurt more than the young Jedi was prepared to believe. "That remains to be seen."
The padawan kept his face turned away for the rest of the flight. He was still fuming as the pair disembarked from the ambassadorial shuttle, stepping foot onto the cold, frozen ground of Selsor. The thick pads on the bottom of his feet protected the young Jedi from contact with the frigid earth underfoot, but his master had donned a heavy, warm outfit to protect against the cold. There were some advantages to being a Wookiee, the young padawan noted to himself, as the entirety of his garments consisted of a utility belt to keep his lightsaber and comlink close at hand. The cold didn't bother him in any way.
As he scanned the icy tundra, the terrain broken occasionally by pockets of structures huddled together, Tawrrowaldr searched for signs of importance on this world. His eyes flicked from structures to the terrain, trying to imagine what value they would have to a convicted gangster. He kept up his search as Beck motioned for them to walk, examining his surroundings with an open mind. Keeping an open mind was the first step to accomplishing one's objectives, or at least that was what Master Ulthas had taught him so many years ago.
Impatience found him at last, after a fruitless search on his own, and the young padawan piped up in a high-pitched yip, "Why would he come here?"
The knight seemed to find this question amusing, for he issued a deep chuckle that almost echoed in the calm, frigid air. "My young padawan, Dreks Falstom is many things, but practical is not one of them." Before Tawrrowaldr could inquire as to what part of Falstom's nature would bring him here, his master provided that on his own, "He came back for love, Tawrrowaldr. It is a powerful emotion, but it can easily be a man's undoing."
TBC...
Roleplay Threads / Animorphs
Then the creature came forth from the ship, and Theo's mind went wild.
This guy looks like he stepped right out of Middle Earth. Totally Tolkien-esque. I do like that word, Tolkien-esque, that's a word right?
It's totally a word.
What is this thing? He's like a centaur, kinda?
But centaur's don't have knives on their tails.
And they don't have four eyes. What are those, ugh, on stalks?
Okay, whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! He's got no mouth! How can he not have a mouth? Everything has a mouth of some sort.
He looks like the Silent Hill girl. Fuck, that game was awful, I had nightmares for a week.
So, is that what this is? A nightmare? Nah, I stopped having nightmares when I was nine.
Okay, so not a nightmare. And I know I'm not crazy.
Then it has to be...
Oh, maybe its...
Yes, I think it is...
IT'S THE MOST AWESOME VIDEO GAME TRAILER EVER!
No, really, think about it. The technology's there, it could certainly be done. Holograms, makeup, animatronics. I'll bet that centaur-thing's not even real, it's probably a robot.
The ship? Well, we didn't exactly see it crash did we? It could have been here all this time.
So what about the voice in my head? Duh, omnidirectional speakers, probably using ultrasound or something to vibrate the bones in our ears instead of using sound in our hearing range. Boom, instant-telepathy.
That's it, that's gotta be it.
But why would they do it out here? Wouldn't it be cooler to do in New York or Boston?
No, I suppose there'd be too many people there. They'd go crazy. Better out here where you can control the media better.
So are there cameras around here? Mics in the bushes?
Hmm, I don't see anything, but there's no telling how small they could be. Wireless mics and cameras can be hidden easily.
This is so cool, I'm going to be on TV. Maybe I'll even get a free copy of the game. Jeremy's going to be so jealous.
Oh, the centaur-thing's speaking again. Now he's issuing a warning. We're in danger, oh boy, how terrifying.
I'll bet it's aliens. It's always aliens, right. No doubt about it.
How cliche.
From his place at the edge of the group, the freshman boy could be heard chuckling softly. The chuckling grew louder, and eventually he was full-out laughing. Theo stared at the centaur-thing, the War Prince Nierefiem-Istriff-Shaylik, ignoring everything else, and laughed. He glanced around, turning to each of the others in turn, and asked, "Don't you see? Don't you get it?"
"It's all fake."
Character Development / Re: Tawrrowaldr [Iwaku - The Star Force Sagas]
Last post by The Insane Admin - June 24, 2014, 12:24:43 am
NPC Jedi Knight
Tawrro's Master
Name: Beck
Race: Korun
Home Planet: Haruun Kal
Personality: Beck is a man of few words and deliberate action. He is a compassionate soul, but in times of battle it hardly shows; Beck is an aggressive and decisive fighter. He has mellowed in his middle age from a brash youth, and knows the moment to speak and when to hold his tongue. As a result, Beck appears solemn and thoughtful, perhaps more so than he deserves. This reputation is tempered by a penchant for rash action, sometimes leading Beck into more trouble than he can handle. Between a combination of skill, luck and grace, however, Beck has survived everything the galaxy has thrown at him.
Alignment: Republic
Lightsaber(s): A single, blue-bladed lightsaber.
Style of Combat:
Form VI, Juyo (preferred style, adept)
Form IV, Ataru (adept)
Form V, Shien (skilled)
Primary Force abilities:
Force Healing
Breath Control
Force Body
Battle Precognition
Force Leap
Amazing Feat:
Force Repulse
Force Stasis
Skill Focus: Lightsaber-focused, Guardian
Character Development / Tawrrowaldr [Iwaku - The Star Forge Sagas]
Last post by The Insane Admin - June 22, 2014, 02:25:48 pm
Name: Tawrrowaldr
Race: Wookiee
(Credit: Lucasfilm Animation, Cartoon Network, The Clone Wars)
Home Planet: Kashyyyk
Personality: Tawwrowaldr has a strong sense of identity, he is a very grounded individual, he knows who he is and where he's going. He is a high performer, and he finds many of the skills he is taught come naturally to him. Others, he is able to feel out by experimenting and doing things a little differently, sometimes with positive results. Doing is Tawrro's main method of learning. He is cocky and sure of himself and his abilities, sometimes to his own detriment. When something goes wrong, however, it is almost never Tawrrowaldr's fault. Some of his peers resent him for this attitude, but Tawrro believes that if they only performed on his level there would be no problems.
Force Alignment: Jedi
Lightsaber(s): An orange-bladed lightsaber with a carved, wooden lightsaber hilt casing.
(Credit: Source Unknown)
Form IV, Ataru (preferred style, skilled)
Form I, Shii-Cho (trained)
Form V, Djem Sho (trained)
In addition to the basic Force abilities that any Padawan needed to master, Tawrrowaldr was trained in the use of the following:
Force Persuasion
Force Stealth
Amazing Feat: Force Stasis
Skill focus: Lightsaber-focused; Guardian
Bio: The story of Tawrrowaldr began like it did for any other Wookiee, amidst the pained cries in a dark room among the wroshyr treetops. Like any proud parents, Tawrro's dame and sire were pleased to see their pup outpace his peers, running faster and climbing higher than most any Wookiee pup would dare to go. It wasn't until a tribal sage remarked on Tawrro's quick reflexes and abilities that his parents gave any thought to their special nature.
Weeks later, a representative from the Jedi Temple arrived to examine the pup. It did not take him long to agree with the old sage's assessment, that Tawrrowaldr was uniquely tuned to communicate with the Force. The decision was a point of honor for Tawrro's parents, and for his clan, to be represented among the distinguished minds and bodies of the Jedi Order. The young Wookiee could not fathom what this change meant for his future, only that he was being taken from the only home he knew, from his family and his friends. Even as a pup, Tawrro could inflict injury on the Jedi Representative. It took a strong word from his father to calm him, and a soft word from his mother to assuage his fears and let the Jedi take Tawrrowaldr to his future home.
At the Jedi Temple, the young Wookiee Tawrrowaldr soon found himself immersed in his new life. Placed in Clan Gundark with other younglings, under the tutleage of Master Ulthas, he quickly rose to the top in their physical training courses. When the time came for the younglings to begin practicing with a lightsaber, Tawrro gained new skills almost as easily as breathing. Most of his instructors found the Wookiee impatient, and Master Ulthas despaired over the pup's need for extra time to grasp specific concepts or mental talents, but within the Combat Training Chamber Tawrrowaldr was the instructor's shining star.
Tawrrowaldr was not intentionally unkind, but his singular devotion to topping the unofficial rankings of the younglings' sparring matches made him a fierce, sometimes ruthless, opponent. It was this ruthlessness that attracted the attention of the Jedi Knight Beck during one of the annual apprentice tournaments. Shortly thereafter, the Wookiee was approached by Beck and Master Ulthas, who offered an apprenticeship under Jedi Knight Beck. To Tawrrowaldr, Beck was a hero of the Jedi Guardians, a starfighter ace, and was known as a fearsome opponent who had won recognition for his valor during the Stark Hyperspace Wars. He readily accepted and became Beck's Padawan Learner.
Character Development / Jerek Zenduu [RPG: Jedi Exile]
Last post by The Insane Admin - January 25, 2014, 09:16:40 pm
Jerek Zenduu
Cole Sprouse
Name: Jerek Zenduu
Species: Human
Hair Color: Sandy Blond
Handiness: Right
Appearance: Arguably, the first thing one tends to notice about the fair-skinned boy is not his softened facial features. Nor is it the freckles that dot his face and body, or his lean and tall build. Rather, it is his wild, blond hair. Reaching almost to his shoulder, Jerek likes to keep his hair out of his hazel eyes, but little else is done to tame it. Its natural straightness doesn't keep it from looking like a mop, and its dishwater color only serves to add to the comparison. The boy's lanky frame further compounds the distinction, and is most effective in making most standard-sized clothing look baggy on his slender figure. His figure belies the boy's strength, slimming trained muscles that stretch along the adolescent's five and-a-half foot height. His physical progress, compounded by his training so far, seems to predict a well-built figure by the time Jerek enters adulthood.
Level: Padawan
Class: Sentinel
Force Abilities:
Force Stun
Force Speed
Telekinesis
Force Sense
Basic Mind Trick
Non-Force Related Skills:
Basic unarmed combat
Lightsaber Form:
Form III Soresu
Form I Shii-Cho
Although Jerek was trained in several styles, Soresu remains his preferred and most adept style. Jerek is moderately proficient in Soresu, while somewhat proficient in Form I, Shii-Cho.
Lightsaber(s) hilt(s) and colour(s): A single green-bladed lightsaber.
Comlink
Jedi Padawan Robes
Civilian clothes
Elias' training saber hilt (unpowered)
Personality - Being half of a twin pair tends to lend itself to something of a split personality, with each twin carrying a part. Jerek and Elias were just such a pair. Where Elias was confident and aggressive, Jerek was more cautious and passive. He had a calm approach that his brother envied, eschewed grudges and focused on analyzing problems rather than jumping headlong into the fray in the hopes of finding a solution.
With the loss of his twin brother, Jerek suffered for years from having half a personality. His lack of self-confidence and over-cautiousness betrayed him and left him open to bullying and disappointment. Raw intelligence has done some to help Jerek overcome the problem, while a rivalry with a fellow student in the Jedi Temple helped to bolster his self-confidence. Still, Jerek's caution and tendency to over-analyze an issue can still stop him short of achievement.
History: It was most unusual for the Jedi to discover a pair of force sensitive twins. Thus, Jerek and Elias Zenduu were brought up in unusual circumstances. In a different life, they would have grown up together and shared many experiences, but the life of a Jedi forbids such strong attachments. Shortly upon their arrival at the Jedi Temple as toddlers, the Zenduu twins were separated into different clans, taught by different instructors and slept in different wings.
Still, the twin shared a unique bond, one even the Jedi could not break. Jerek was aware of his sibling, the twins did see a good deal of each other passing through the halls and encountering each other during free times. So even if the two did not share every waking minute of their life together, Jerek knew things about his twin brother that even the Jedi Masters were unaware of, and there were times when it felt as if, just before he went to sleep, that Jerek could touch the mind of Elias and share his deepest, inner feelings.
The bond between the twins progressed as they grew older. Soon one or the other began to sneak away from their clans to join the other in classes, which was soon noticed and corrected. The Jedi Masters could not, however, keep the boys separate during their free periods, try as they might. Ultimately, it was if the two had never been separated at all, it became unusual to see one Zenduu boy without the other, much to the Masters' chagrin.
When Jerek was ten, his twin brother fell victim to a terrible sickness. The Jedi Healers could not repair Elias' withered body, and he lay weakened in bed for days as Jerek sat close by, watching his brother fade away. Eventually, Elias was taken to a private Coruscanti hospital, the cost of which was paid for by the Supreme Chancellor, where he was given the finest care and comfort. Despite all the best efforts, Elias passed away just hours after Jerek's last visit, as he was later told. The news left the twin broken, as if he had lost half of his soul.
The loss of his twin weighed heavily on the youngster's heart, and Jerek did poorly in his studies after that. He became a prime target for taunts and pranks, a task quickly picked up by one Vul Abaan. Spotting Jerek's intellect, Vul admonished him whenever possible, keeping Jerek feeling small. Without Elias, the boy did not feel confident enough to confront the bully, and his torture continued for months.
Eventually, Jerek's pent-up frustration hit boiling point, and he lashed out at Vul. The argument devolved into a full-fledged brawl. Despite his small size and his depression, Jerek nearly came out on top, only falling to Vul's blow as the Jedi Masters discovered their fight. Though punished severely by the Temple's masters, Jerek's attitude reformed and he became a worthy student. Jerek and Vul continued to be rivals, though on a much less dramatic scale, throughout Jerek's Initiate years.
Character Development / Daiya [RPG: An Army of Scum and Villiany]
Name: Daiya T'aemin
Planet of Origin/Birth: Coruscant
Force Sensitive Y/N: Yes
Passing Daiya on the street, one would think she looked like a typical Human teenager. Her blonde hair normally falls past her shoulders where she often lets it fly loose. Her fair skin has a warm complexion, rosy against the golden color of her hair, and it freckles in the sunlight, leaving a swath of dots across her nose and upper cheeks. Her azure eyes are bright and intelligent, they see more than most assume. As a teenager, Daiya's dress can range from fashionable to utilitarian, but generally she assumes a practical attire of pants, a shirt and jacket of some sort. At times a messenger bag can be seen slung over her shoulder for extra carrying capacity.
Skills/Abilities:
Force: Precognition
Combat: Blaster Pistols
Force: Force Sense
Force: Telekinesis
Art: Meager Drawing Skills
CI Comlink
Holojournal
434 Blaster Pistol
ELG-3A "Diplomat's" Blaster Pistol
Daiya is a straightforward and reasonable girl. She's been described as someone who is easy to talk with, and intelligent for her age.
As many teenagers, she is at the age where independence is a priority, and Daiya tries to prove her independence, and test its limits against adults. Sarcasm and individuality are a part of this trait, and clearly the best example is the pink and blue highlights in her hair.
She is not overly deceptive or entirely honest, perceiving honesty as a valuable quality that she shares only with those she trusts the most. Otherwise, if she must lie to stay alive, get what she needs, or otherwise protect herself or others, she will.
Daiya interacts well with adults, often forming stronger friendships with adults than with peers her own age, as those relationships are generally more stable. Her interactions with adults seems to come naturally to her, or perhaps from experience of dependence on non-parental adult figures in her life for survival.
From years of supporting herself and doing what she needs to survive, Daiya has learned notions about survival in the streets, so to speak. She is able to adapt easily to her environment, and she tries to learn as fast as she can about the natural of her surroundings and how to cope.
Daiya has a natural Force ability of precognition, untrained but for her own efforts in honing and fine-tuning her skill. This ability has aided in her survival and adaptation, but it often delivers visions of unimportant things, and obscure references. Nor do all the visions come true.
Daiya has the tendency to jump into action, to act rashly. Some would say this comes with her age and immaturity, and dismiss it as mere young age. This has gotten Daiya into many troublesome situations, and even out of some stickier ones.
Daiya is terrified of someone discovering that she has powers beyond the norm. The reactions of her mother and Eiko have fueled these fears, as have, in a reduced capacity, the displeasure of Tawrrowaldr at his discovery of her powers.
Daiya wants to learn why she has seemingly supernatural powers, and what she can do with them. This purpose has driven her ever since she left her home.
Using a holojournal to capture drawings, Daiya often records persistent or seemingly important visions. However, Daiya is not the best artist, and she'll be the first to admit it, so often her drawings only make sense to her.
Daiya was born and grew up on Coruscant, once the glittering gem of the Republic, no less the Galaxy. Yet for one to expect that her life was lavish and provided for beyond any means would be sorely disappointed. For most of her life, Daiya never even saw the beautiful sunsets that Coruscant was known to have, or see that the sky was actually blue when not littered with vessels. In fact, the word sky was a sorely undefined part of her vocabulary until later years.
Daiya's grew up in the Middle City of Coruscant, a world of apartments, skywalks, and levels of buildings of which she saw neither the very top or very bottom. No older siblings tormented Daiya, but she was joined by two younger siblings within a few years of her birth.
Her early years were highlighted by an ease in schoolwork, which came to an abrupt halt during her eighth year. A succession of financial problems due to job loss forced the family to move, priorities to shift, and Daiya to begin experiencing a series of strange dreams. Her teachers grew concerned for her behavior, which was exhibited by answering a question before it was completed, or surprising a classmate with a tissue before they were about to sneeze. When she was confronted about it, however, Daiya simply evaded their questions and provided unhelpful answers.
Inwardly, however, she was just as confused as her parents and teachers were. These dreams unsettled Daiya, they seemed to provoke her to action. The littlest things like a person sneezing or an unanswered question started to grind down, compelling her to act on them. Until she did, those dreams would persist. It seemed stupid, but once Daiya tried to resolve the problems presented in the dreams, they went away. That was all she cared about anyway, making the dreams go away.
Frustrated with the endless stream of odd jobs and family stress, Daiya's father decided to head offworld in search of a better job. He promised to send money once he started making some, but the months passed, the letters stopped coming and no money appeared. To make ends meet, Daiya began a deliver job with a small, local businessman named Eiko. Daiya eventually learned that Eiko was a small crime boss, a source of the criminal underworld run beneath the polished noses of Coruscant's elite. Yet even as her mother learned of this, Maris told Daiya to keep working for Eiko, as the family could not afford to lose her source of income.
Daiya's dreams began to shift from more trivial predictions to more serious. The streets were dangerous, and firefights were common, especially among those who patrolled unarmed. Though her dreams seemed to come less frequently, they began to be more helpful, guiding her down a rarely-used path instead of her normal one to avoid a major confrontation one day, or reminding her of a group of children and how fun it was to play that allowed her to avoid suspicions by a neighboring gang. Eiko never liked that his messages arrived late, but he appreciated how easily Daiya seemed to remain unscathed. Over time, Eiko began to trust Daiya with more important deliveries.
There were times when normal methods for evasion simply didn't work. It was at those times when Daiya was grateful that Eiko soon learned to trust Daiya with a blaster. For a while, she was able to avoid fights, but it was inevitable that she would someday be faced with blaster fire. Not long after her tenth birthday, an unavoidable slip-up caused Daiya to come under fire. After that encounter, Daiya was far more on edge. The territory was thick with rival gangs and crime rings, yet Daiya survived by the gift of her dreams and her progressing skill with a blaster. It was just then that fate decided to tip the tables on her. Her dreams, which came during sleep, began to present themselves during the day, first in idle moments or daydreams, yet over the course of several months, they shifted from dreams to full blown visions which assaulted her any time they pleased.
Both her mother and Eiko started to notice this change. Daiya's mother began to ask many concerning questions, if Daiya was feeling alright and even took her to a doctor, who could say nothing more than that Daiya was a fit, if a bit underfed eleven year old girl. Eiko, however, was not pleased that his favorite messenger was caught in broad daylight, for lack of a better term, defenseless for several seconds while she grappled with whatever vision she was receiving. Or worse, that she would do so in his presence and waste his time with what he perceived as growing headaches. When Eiko could finally tolerate it no longer, he did something he had never done before. He pointed his own weapon at Daiya and demanded that she divulge what was happening to her. And so Daiya told him, as she told her mother later that night. Her reaction did not quite top Eiko's, but it was close to the full blown stammering and rage that Eiko exhibited. He could not understand why Daiya had kept this from him, and sought, subtly, to use this to his advantage. Daiya misunderstood Eiko, and misunderstood her mother's concern, fearing that both would try to harm her for knowing this information. Packing what she needed, Daiya left her only family and Eiko that night, to flee and fight for survival on her own.
Daiya's flight was not far in galactic terms, not even stepping off of Coruscant. She soon established herself as an independent courier, adopting a similar role as she had with Eiko. Her youth granted her the ability to hide in plain daylight, which was ideal for clients who needed to keep a low profile. In a few months, Daiya was eating well. But using children as messengers was an idea that a few other organizations used, and none of them appreciated a child becoming an entrepreneur for herself.
One such organization, headed by a man called Phelaan, was ruffled enough by her entrance into their market, that they hired someone to get rid of her. Daiya began to hear from her contacts that she was not safe. A few more eyes followed her into cantinas and on a given day, she could spot a few more people looking out of place on her route home. Having friends was useful, and sometimes downright helpful for escaping death. When one whispered into her ear, instead of the name of someone looking for a messenger, the suggestion to run, Daiya didn't hesitate.
Escaping back to her small but cozy apartment, her first task was not to pack for another planet. Instead, Daiya surfed the HoloNets, passing the endless postings for jobs and combing through the myriad of information, entertainment and miscellaneous filth polluting the Nets, looking for someone who could help her. After a few days of lying low on the Nets, Daiya wired a hefty sum into the account of an entity known only as Scorpius. It didn't take long to receive a reply back, the name of the person who wanted her dead.
Phelaan was a successful crime boss, and well-feared, but he boasted proudly about never taking work home; he was a family man. Daiya's information led her to his family's home, a well-secured mansion with a luxurious view of the planet's sun. It was easy to find accomplices from the lower levels who were willing to help Daiya watch the home and track the patterns of its inhabitants. Phelaan employed no living security, only droids and computers served to watch the home of his family, including a very young wife and a toddler son. Harboring no ill will against his family, Daiya waited until Phelaan would be home alone. She spent the last of her credits to pay the Scorpius hacker to reconfigure Phelaan's security systems to recognize her as a houseguest.
When Phelaan arrived home that night, he was ushered into his sitting room to meet with a guest. Little did he expect it would be Daiya waiting for him, a blaster sitting open on her knee. In the aftermath, Daiya fled straight to a cargo transit station in the Middle City and snuck onboard an ore freighter bound offworld.
From there, she hopped from planet to planet as a gunslinger mercenary, hiring out her services to whomever needed it. Eventually she heard of a crisis on Tengaru and caught a transport to the area to see if she could find worthy employment.
Relationships and Acquaintances:
Scorpius: Daiya has utilized the services of a hacker named Scorpius on occasion, but she is oblivious to his real name and identity.
Galactic Empire: Officially, there is an arrest warrant out on Daiya for the murder of Phelaan. Unofficially, as a minor and as the killer of a crime boss, an Imperial judge would more than likely give her a simple slap on the wrist for the crime.
Character Development / Evangeline Erinth - USS Nautilus
Name: Evangeline Erinth
Nickname: Eva
Real Age: approx. 340 years
Apparent/Body Age: 11 years
Species: Miran
Homeworld: M-2553 or Miri's Planet (Name given by Captain James T. Kirk who discovered the planet on Stardate 2713.5, real name long forgotten by remaining inhabitants More Information)
Eye Color: Cerulean Blue
Physical Appearance: Slim body, medium build, appears similar in age to a human child of 11 or 12
Skin Tone: Light Tan
Distinguishing Marks: None, which made it almost impossible to tell Eva and her twin sister apart.
Appearance: A slender frame with a medium build, Evangeline looks similar to a prepubescent child of ten or eleven. Her fair complexion gives little indication of a life spent outdoors until quite recently, but coupled with her cerulean blue eyes and dark brown hair she appears pale and unhealthy. Nothing could be further than the truth, a fact easily discerned by even the most casual witness to the child's exuberance and energy.
Father: Augustine (deceased)
Mother: Rebecca (deceased)
Sister(s): Jenna/Jani (11 - Eva's twin sister), Katherine (16, deceased)
Personality: Eva is a creature of strong will and determination. She will do just about anything to get what she wants, no matter how long it takes. Her tenacity is followed by her fierce loyalty to those around her, especially her family, whom she would place above herself whenever the need should arise.
The Miran girl is terribly viscous when her age or people come under attack. While she is often mistaken for a human child, Eva does not easily dismiss the confusion, and rallies on under the banner of eliminating ignorance of her species and situation.
When she is angered or defending her age or race, Eva often employs a wide range of sarcasm to put her point across. Not able to exercise physical prowess to make her point, she instead uses her mental and intellectual abilities to do that instead.
Strengths and Weaknesses: Her strong will and determination makes Eva a reliable crewmember, and friend. Her loyalty compliments her persistence, but can also be perceived as stubbornness if taken too far.
One of Eva's many flaws is her aggressiveness towards anyone who makes the mistake of mistaking her for a child. This carries over into her daily life of, even after the initial confrontation, being mistaken and misunderstood, to which she responds in a most impolite manner.
Ambitions: Eva's greatest ambition is to see the return of her twin sibling to the reality of their situation, to accept the life they had before, and not be blinded to the life they experienced for centuries alone.
Hobbies and Interests: In her free time, Eva does exhibit some of the qualities of the children she is often compared to. While typically professional on duty, she prefers games and romping around to just sitting and talking when she can. Her free time is often taken up, then, by imagination, and engaging others when she can.
When forced to take up more conventional hobbies, Eva enjoys reading, primarily history. She is fascinated by all that went on during the years that she and her cousins were trapped in a state of eternal youth in both mind and body.
Service Record:
2290 - [CDT] - Accepted into Starfleet Academy
2295 - [ENS] - Graduated and Commissioned as an Ensign. Assigned as a junior Helm Officer on the USS Bjornke
2296 - [ENS] - USS Bjornke decommissioned.
2296 - [ENS] - Assigned to the USS Agamemnon as Assistant Helm Officer
2296 - [ENS] - Promoted to Chief Helm Officer
2298 - [LTJG] - Promoted to Lieutenant, J.G.
2300 - [LTJG] - Transferred to USS Nautilus as Chief Helm Officer
Background: None of the children knew just what to expect when the group of blue-shirted Starfleeters swirled into being before their eyes. Fear and anger were rampant as the unruly mob swarmed around the Federation relief personnel, the dirty and poorly clothed children led by a pair of twin girls who looked to be no more than eleven human years. As the dust and emotions settled, the Federation workers began to piece together the lives the children once knew and the identity of the girl known as Eva.
She was born as Evangeline, the name written on some ancient piece of paper. The name meant nothing to the girl, nor its age. A year was the same as fifty or a hundred to her, this girl who, with her twin and her merry band of misfits, had made a deserted planet their home. Once, they knew, there had been something here. A city, a world, a people, some of whom they might have called 'mother' or 'father'. That was all gone, destroyed by the hubris of some scientist who thought to tempt fate and control his own destiny, only to destroy himself and his world in the process. The irony of the disaster of the Life Prolongation Virus, or LPV, was that it did truly work. The LPV did was it was supposed to do in the mass of the world's children, permanently altering their DNA and lengthening their lifespan to the point where milennia felt no different to these children as a single year did to the average human. But the virus bound their bodies with a curse as well, for any member of their race who entered puberty, who forged the righteous path to adulthood and the wisdom it brings, would be destroyed in a swarm of aching sores and irrational madness.
Eva had witnessed her family dissolve into this debilitating state, according to some dusty records, that had been first her mother, then her father. There was no record of what happened with her sister, older than the twins by just four years, but it wasn't difficult to figure out. That experience gave Eva a healthy disrespect of grown-ups, a trait not uncommon among the remaining survivors, so much so that 'grup', their term for an adult, was a four-letter word. The Federation grups, Eva felt, were no different and could hardly last very long. Yet they persisted, the Federation sent more people to her world. Doctors and nurses, psychiatrists, teachers and administrators all came out of sympathy, curiosity, or both. They built a school, with dorms for the children to live in, with playgrounds to climb and green fields to run through and new toys to play with. Eva, her twin sister Jenna, and the children of their orphaned band were brought to this place, the Miran Institute, and here Eva encountered others like her from all over her homeworld.
At first Eva wanted nothing more than to be returned to her deserted city, to run with her sister and their pack of children. For several years, she and Jenna formed a bloc against the Federation intentions, resisting the counseling sessions, refusing to pay attention in classes or complete any homework assignments. That wasn't their life, Eva argued again and again. They just wanted to be free, to live as they had been, to play.
Eventually, something changed in Eva. She saw children making it through the Institute, graduating out of the lower classes she seemed doomed to perpetually attend. Some found themselves placed with families who could bear no children themselves, or cared not to. Some took up professions from what meager offerings there were, as most Federation species looked upon the Mirans as little more than children, too immature for all but the most basic tasks. Eva saw these Mirans succeed, and soon she saw her life for what it was. Realizing that it was going nowhere, Eva decided to turn it around. Even if she was doomed to childhood for the next few thousand years, she would endeavor not to waste them; it was time to accept that the life she had lived for the three centuries prior to Starfleet's arrival was over, Eva was a different person and had a different life to live.
The bond of sisterhood was more dear to Eva than anything, but even as she came to realize that her life must change, Jenna held stubbornly to tradition. Jenna continued to resist the Federation attempts to educate her, to resolve what feral tendencies had developed over the course of the centuries. Eva and her twin argued constantly about the shift in their perspectives, both sides failing to sway the other. Eventually, tired of arguing and fed up with what she perceived to be her sister's betrayal, Jenna began to ignore Eva and her arguments. The group they once both directed, though smaller in number than it once was, now obeyed Jenna completely and absolutely, joining her in the admonishment of Eva and her ideas.
Banished from her own enclave, Eva felt that she could do no more for herself on Miri's World. The girl began to explore the options with Federation counselors, trying to find what kind of life might lie beyond the confines of her homeworld. Her counselor took in everything she said and weighed the possibilities, finally coming up with four options. Eva could stay on Miri's World and return to her lifestyle of play and games. This, the life she had known and now rejected, was immediately discarded. The second choice was to stay on Miri's World to help other children learn about and accept their past lives, if any information could be found, and assist them in the transition to a 'normal life.' Another choice would be to find a foster family in the Federation who would accept Eva as a child of their own, and she could live with them until she reached puberty. The last choice was to apply to Starfleet Academy and to join Starfleet.
The second option was intriguing, but limited. Eva wanted to leave the environment of Miri's World and start her own life, to remove herself from a society that no longer understood her. The third option seemed no better than the first. The fourth option was the one that sparked Eva's interest, and she sent in an application for Starfleet Academy. The message came back almost immediately. Application denied. The reason: Starfleet Academy applicants had to be at least seventeen years old. Eva was furious. Her life had thus far spanned four centuries, and yet Starfleet rejected her because she was too young?
Eva tried official channels, but the numerous Federation diplomats and government officials just laughed at her or referred her to other departments. She played a chase game for the next two years, filling out forms, submitting them and being told to go to another department where the same thing occurred. Nothing seemed to be working, so she asked the counselors again for help. Going up through their official channels, one was able to find a connection to a legal service. The firm was interested in the case, and took up the sword for Eva, and for all Mirans.
It was a long and arduous journey, but in the end, it was worth it. For the next few years, the firm researched the Miran's situation, their background and medical data, the facilities and rehabilitation services that it offered to the Miran inhabitants, and then going through the Federation legal system. It took some time before the case appeared in a Federation court, and even longer still to argue it out. The case took just four months, but the entire process took a total of four years. The finished product, however, was that any Miran would be viewed as a legal adult under the Federation laws so long as they passed an assessment by the Federation officials manning the planetary base. Inspections would be held to see that certain qualifications were met, but after all that work, it finally meant that Mirans, and especially Eva, would be allowed to attend Starfleet Academy.
The assessment test, at the time, was really just three medical officials, including the base's commanding physician, to sign off on a document that would declare her a legal adult. It was not fancy and time consuming, but Eva was not disappointed. For her legal documents, Eva adopted her full name, discovered by the Federation workers to be Evangeline, and paired it with a name she found in a directory of Earth residents. Evangeline Erinth, the newly-minted legal adult of the Federation, immediately sent her resubmission to Starfleet Academy for acceptance. This time, Starfleet did not have a choice in the matter. The courts, in addition to their decision, had laid down an injunction on the Academy's denying power to Mirans for the next three years, enough time for any Miran to get through the assessment tests and submit their application.
Eva struggled through the Academy for a while, failing several classes, most notably her physical education class. She never faltered or gave up, as many times as she wanted too. Motivation came in the form of a picture of Jenna that graced the desk of her room on campus. As she progressed through the academy, Eva tried to find what career path she fit best. Her small size was terrible for security, and although it was almost perfect for engineering, she didn't have the interest in fixing or creating things. Communications was soon ruled out as well, however, as she could barely master the second language that Starfleet required their students to take. Science was too picky for her, and she could never sit still enough to focus on the experiments being made. The solution was found in piloting, or helm control. Eva found she did well during her flight lessons and astrophysics came easily to her. So her career was chosen for her and finally Eva graduated, not on time but a year later in the class of '95.
The first posting that the young Miran received was to the USS Bjornke, an aging Bonaventure-class ship, as a junior Helm officer. The old ship was usually slow in speed and sluggish in response, forcing the fresh Ensign to learn, on the fly, how to anticipate maneuvers and obstacles before the response time would be too late in implementing commands. Eva received invaluable experience from the posting, some that would have taken her years, if ever, to learn, yet was learned over a period of eight months.
The Bjornke's last assignment was as a training vessel in its later years, and had been so for the past ten. But even training ships get replaced, and so it was with the Bjornke as well. Almost suddenly for its captain, the crew was notified in early 2296 that their ship would be decommissioned in a few months. The last few missions were carried out and when at last the ship pulled into port over the Martian landscape at Utopia Planitia, the captain was in such grief that he neglected to hold a farewell event. The crew abandoned the ship without ceremony, and headed on for their next assignments.
Instead of going aboard another training ship, Eva was surprised to find that her next assignment was to a newly commissioned vessel, the Excelsior-class USS Agamemnon. Dutifully, she headed to the ship to encounter what waited for her aboard. Soon after embarking, Eva was swept into a whirlwind of events which resulted in her reassignment as Chief Helm Officer. As she struggled to learn the handling of such a large ship, alongside a new set of responsibilities, the crew of the Agamemnon were swept from one crisis to the next. Along the way, she became fast friends with the ship's XO, Commander Josias Toban. Toban soon recommended her for Lieutenant Junior Grade, a rate that Starfleet awarded with some hesitation.
The sudden transfer of Commander Toban from the Agamemnon in 2299 left Eva uncertain and disconnected. Although she could perform her duties well, the motivation to improve and succeed had faded. The Agamemnon crew, many of whom Eva had never grown close to, seemed to stare at her wherever she went. She no longer had a friend she could turn to for help, and to Eva, the new first officer was a stranger. Little by little, she grew withdrawn from the crew, and eventually her duties. When Captain Robinson could not figure out how to help her, he issued a formal complaint on her record. Embarrassed and ashamed, Eva requested a transfer from the Agamemnon to a new ship.
With Eva's record, Starfleet decided to assign her to the USS Nautilus. The stories of her time there have yet to be written.
Character Development / Re: Daiya [Threads of the Force]
Speech: #FF3399
Thoughts: #3399FF
Character Development / Jonathan "Jack" Mantell [USS Arizona (take 2)]
Last post by The Insane Admin - December 18, 2012, 09:03:51 pm
[float=right] [/float]Character Information
Name: Jonathan "Jack" Mantell
Position: Chief Flight Control Officer
Assignment: USS Arizona
Rank: Lieutenant
Date of Birth: c. 1956
Place of Birth: Miri's Planet
Nicknames/Aliases:
He has been called Jack for as long as he can remember. He might respond to variations, such as Jackie or Johnny, but he knows himself as Jack.
Hair Color: Dirty Blond
Standing at a little over four and a half feet and weighing in slightly over seventy pounds, Jack appears to be a normal ten-year-old Human boy. He has a fair complexion, a scattering of freckles on his face, and dirty blond hair, which he wears in gelled-up spikes on most days. His body betrays the appearance of an active child, Jack is limber and solidly build for his slender frame.
Father: Kent Mantell (34, Deceased)
Mother: Susan Mantell (33, Deceased)
Brother(s): None
Sister(s): Catherine (16, Deceased)
Other Family:
Adoptive Father: Franklin Gault (107, Deceased)
Adoptive Mother: Marissa Gault (92, Deceased)
Personality & Traits
General Overview:
Jack is not typical officer material. In fact, his dossier is stamped with several instances of "not command material" and "do not promote" from the various bosses and COs that he has served under in his career. Jack often behaves in a childish, immature manner, owing to the unique properties of his race. His mind is often more focused on his next pet project, or mastering a particular maneuver than an issue within his department. Nevertheless, his mind is sharp, and he can respond to situations in uncannily short order. He does seem to understand the deep responsibilities that underlie his leadership positions, for he feels regretful when he fails to accomplish them. The few ship captains that have recognized his potential and understanding took the time to nurture Jack's growth. Perhaps another such captain can help Jack to grow as an officer as well as a person.
Jack has the learning capability of a child, he picks up new ideas and methods quickly and readily absorbs and adapts to different environments. He is resilient and thick-skinned, enough to brush off a hurtful remark or an insult, or to weather through an unsympathetic superior. Jack does understand responsibility, and that he has it. Jack is quick to think on his feet, and responds well under pressure.
Weaknesses:
Jack struggles in adhering to the responsibilities and duties that he has. His first priority in the morning would be play, while for others it would be work. While Jack tries his best to maintain professionalism on the job, when off-duty he lets his childish tendencies run rampant, eschewing the responsibility of performing as a role model while off-duty. Jack is reluctant to assume leadership, he's more comfortable in choosing a follower position than one of a leader, despite his capability to be one. This lack of self-esteem is played off as humility, but Jack would definitely be excited if someone went out of their way to recognize his accomplishments.
Ambitions:
Jack's ambitions are mainly short-term goals. He hasn't planned out his entire Starfleet career, he doesn't aspire to be the next great politician, thinker, inventor or anything like that. Many of his ambitions include getting a certain computer program he may be developing to work properly, or finding a way to beat a particularly difficult opponent at Kadis-Kot.
Hobbies and Interests:
Of Jack's many hobbies, some he finds more exciting are tinkering with computer programs and systems,
-Jack is a sucker for sweets, anything from chocolate cake to marshmallows will delight this Miran.
-Jack is just at the age where he is beginning to find a fondness for girls, and though he would never consider even holding hands with one, he might enjoy the company of female coworkers a bit too much.
Linguistic Abilities:
Jack is fluent in English, and the major dialects of Vulcan, Cardassian, Romulan and Klingon, as well as several computer languages. However, he has neglected using many of his non-English, non-computer language skills for so long that many have fallen into the forgotten realms of memory.
Personal History:
The boy known as Jack was once named Jonathan Mantell. It's unknown whether he existed for a time as Jonathan, or perhaps John or Johnny. For the entirety of his memory, his name has been Jack. According to records recovered from the collapsed rubble that was the hall of government in Jack's region, his parents were Susan and Kent Mantell. They had an older daughter, Catherine, who was six years Jack's senior. All three of them were presumed dead in the wake of the Life Prolongation Virus that swept across another earth, a doppelganger nestled lightyears from its living, breathing cousin in the Alpha Quadrant. Whether the original name of the planet was also Earth, or something else, has been lost to time and decay. The centuries that decayed the records of the world also obscured the minds of those survivors, those who called themselves the Onlies. For whatever classification reasons, the Federation now refers to this race as the Mirans, and their world as Miri's Planet. (See TOS Episode 8 "Miri" and BF Infobase article Miran)
All those centuries ago, Jack was a normal ten-year-old boy living in a suburban community. He might have been rich or poor, or perhaps he was the popular or cool kid at school. None of that matters now. What matters was that in the middle of the 1960s, scientists on his world accidentally unleashed a product, a virus, that was designed to prolong the lifespan of the humanoid creatures. Fortunately, any crisis that would have surmounted following such a disaster was short-lived, as any sexually mature creature was corrupted with a terrible affliction, causing unavoidable death. The scientists who created the virus, the world leaders, schoolteachers, doctors, police, members of the military and even Jack's parents and older sister, all succumbed to the terrible and violent affects of the disease. Ironically, the virus did its job to perfection in the bodies of those children who had not yet begun the onset of puberty. It slowed their physical development to a rate of one month per century, virtually increasing their lifespan an infinite number of times. Barring injury or illness, Jack and the rest of the Mirans could live another 80,000 years or more, depending on the kindness of medicine.
During those centuries, Jack and the other Mirans struggled for survival. With a crumbling infrastructure and no sustainable food supply, the children were forced to scavenge for food or haphazardly attempt to grow it themselves. As they lived and played foolies, their name for games, their small numbers eventually dwindled even more. Death became a common phenomenon, there were at least a few every decade. The school-aged children soon became haughty survivors, desperately clinging to life. It was in that state they were found by the Federation relief workers, who came following the discovery of their world by Captain Kirk and the USS Enterprise, NCC-1701. The Federation teams quickly set up shop, establishing a group home, a teaching institution and a medical facility to treat the traumatized children for centuries of PTSD. Jack soon found himself living among the Federation establishments, attending school once more and shirking his counseling visits as much as possible.
Some of the Miran children found homes with researchers and doctors from the Federation who came to their world to assist. Jack, eager to fill the hole in his heart left by his parents' death, consented to adoption by an older couple, Franklin and Marissa Gault. The Gault's doted on their new son, for their family was small and Jack was now an only child with few 'aunts' or 'cousins' to speak of. Eventually, the enjoyment of his family waned, while his parents remained steadfast in their love, their relatives grew bored of hosting a young child annually as they continued to grow older with each passing year. His adoptive parents stayed fond of him, and for a while, Jack convinced himself that was enough.
While under the care of the Gaults, Jack discovered his interest in computer systems. He began to spend hours in front of his desk consoles, puttering away at different code combinations and programming mechanisms. Sometimes it was days between periods that he spent outside. The Gaults initially worried about Jack's newfound obsession, but as he exhibited a greater proficiency and, more importantly, pride regarding his work, they began to encourage him instead. Eventually, the Gaults encouraged Jack to enroll at MIT to study his passion academically. Yet Jack's organization skills and wandering attention span cost him in several terms of failed classes, and he dropped out, discouraged. For a time, he put away his computer programs and took up other hobbies.
Jack's timeless youth had been an advantage to him since the day he had come to live with the Gaults. There were times when it became hard for others to understand why he didn't always go to school --though he did attend a few times to be with neighborhood children he grew fond of-- or that he stayed as the same picture of youth as when the Gaults had first adopted him. Some responded warmly to his eternal childhood, and indeed Jack retained friendships with kids he had played with who had since grown into adults, even after they began to create their own families. Some were less receptive and grew cold to the Gaults, even to the point of moving from the neighborhood the Gaults lived in. Yet Jack's youth came with a perilous downside.
The Gaults were not a young couple when they adopted Jack, and their rate of aging did not slow, no matter how much Jack willed it. Over time, family friends and relatives were asked to come in to help care for Jack, younger individuals capable of keeping up with the centuries old ten-year-old. And though Jack wished as much as he could, he could not will youth back into his parents. For the Gaults had become like real parents to him, more than his biological ones had ever been to him. In 2325, Marissa Gault passed away while she slept. Jack took it badly, shuttering himself into his room and refusing to eat or let anyone in for a day. His caretakers were finally able to coax him out, to take part in life again, but for a few years Jack remained a hollow child. Try as he might, Franklin Gault could not always devote the amount of adoration that his child needed. He found it difficult to express his love to Jack, and their relationship grew apart. In 2331, Franklin finally passed away, leaving Jack an orphan once more.
This time, Jack went into a total relapse of his first days after his homeworld had withered and died. His parents were dead, and he refused to recognize any of his caretakers or other family members. The visits of old friends, those who he had played with when they were children, brought him to the surface for a brief time, until he realized that they, too, were old men and women and not their youthful selves. Jack withdrew, giving his caretakers great concern. They brought him to see several doctors and psychologists, even a few Starfleet Counselors, until one recommended sending him back to Miri's Planet for treatment. His caretakers agreed, and Jack was returned to Miri's Planet, to the Miran Institute to get treatment. There, the Federation's Miran specialists addressed Jack's case as an acute resurgence of the Post-LPV Traumatic Stress, and ordered a contingency of medications and therapy for the boy.
The counselors on Miri's Planet were troubled by Jack's state. His situation called adoptions to a halt, believing that more Mirans might end up like he did. Their best Betazoid minds tackled his case, only to find themselves rebuffed. Even the Vulcan counselor could not break Jack's anxiety. After repeated attempts at therapy and medications, the puzzled administrators of Miri's Planet called out for help from across the Federation. Their call was answered by a most unusual individual, a Tellarite. Out of all the therapy approaches that the counselors had attempted, none were as radical as this Tellarite Counselor's. Yet somehow, when he talked, Jack listened. The Tellarite, Skrav, turned his culture's penchant for insults into a means of therapy, to which the closest analogy to conventional Federation therapeutic techniques would be playing the Devil's Advocate. For whatever reason, where others failed, Skrav got through. Within a few months, Jack was responding again and even playing with other Mirans for short periods.
At Skrav's advice, Jack returned to his hobby of programming computers and making complex systems. His room was soon littered with memory chips containing dozens of programs. After a while, his skills transformed beyond the level of a hobby, and Jack found himself making improvements to the Institute's systems, often without the approval of the administration. Yet when Jack's tweaks and improvements led to the facilities saving a significant percentage of their energy outputs, Jack's case was once again reviewed. It was suggested that Jack take up a career, perhaps Starfleet, where his skills could be put to good use. When Jack rejected the suggestion, his case workers found new projects for him to work on, even transporting him off Miri's Planet a few times to assist with improving systems on other worlds. Every once in a while, someone would make an off-hand remark about joining Starfleet or someplace where his skills would be highly valued. Though he rejected the idea every time, the seed was planted in Jack's mind. After that, sometimes he would daydream about being in Starfleet, and some of his games with other Mirans revolved around this. His case workers took note, but did nothing to further pressure the boy.
In 2348, the Federation was shocked by the massacre at Setlik III. There had been crises during Jack's time in the Federation, certainly, but never had a foreign body so violently struck out against the Federation. War drums pounded across the quadrant, and Starfleet ships were readied for the conflict they had unwillingly been dragged into. The news was sparse on Miri's Planet, for the administrators were unsure how the children would react to the war. Those small snippets that escaped lead Jack to do his own research. He was shocked by the violence of their Cardassian attackers, and found himself displaying a patriotism he had never before known. The seed of suggestion planted by his case workers grew and flowered, and Jack decided he wanted to join Starfleet. With a few rounds of discussion and a flurry of signed papers, Jack's legal status was transferred to Starfleet pending his completion of the Academy, which he would enter that fall.
c. 1960 - Partial primary education, Miri's Planet
2268 - Enrolled, Miran Institute
2294 - Enrolled, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2296 - Dropped out of MIT
2332 - Re-enrolled, Miran Institute
2348 - [CDT1] - Starfleet Academy, First Year Cadet
2349 - [CDT2] - Starfleet Academy, Second Year Cadet
2351 - [CDT3] - Starfleet Academy, Third Year Cadet
2352 - [CDT4] - Starfleet Academy, Fourth Year Cadet
Medical Profile:
Jack has an altered metabolism caused by base-level RNA modifications from the man-made Life Prolongation Virus or LPV. While the active form of the virus was neutralized by an antidote created by Doctor Leonard McCoy, his blood is still contaminated and should be treated like that of an HIV/AIDs patient in the late 20th/early 21st centuries to prevent accidental exposure, especially by other children.
He has type A+ blood, but no transfusions should be attempted to non-Mirans. (See above.)
"Other than the chronic ailment of the LPV and its affects of longevity, Jack is a very healthy young man. Apart from a few poorly healed broken bones, likely obtained during the centuries of isolation on this planet, which are scheduled to be reset and healed properly with 23rd century medicine, I can find nothing critically wrong with Jack's health. Barring any kind of reversal of the LPV's affects that would allow Jack to live a normal life, I predict that he will outlive us all."
Stardate 6157.4
Doctor James Beiring, Chief Medical Officer
Federation Outpost on Miri's Planet.
Psychological Profile:
Service Chronology:
2348 - [CDT] - Joined Starfleet, enrolled in Starfleet Academy
2352 - [ENS] - Graduated Academy, posted to USS Excalibur, Communications Officer
2354 - [ENS] - Promoted to Assistant Chief of Communications
2356 - [ENS] - Transferred to USS Richmond, Transporter Manager
2358 - [LTJG] - Promoted, Transferred to Computer Systems Manager
2361 - [LTJG] - Promoted to Assistant Chief Engineer
2365 - [LTJG] - Transferred to USS Gettysburg, Assistant Chief Flight Controller
2369 - [LTJG] - Promoted to Chief Flight Controller
2372 - [LT] - Transferred to USS Charlemagne, Starfighter Pilot
2374 - [LT] - Transferred to USS Cavell, Supplies and Transport Pilot
2376 - [LT] - Transferred to Jupiter Station, Research Engineer
2381 - [LT] - Transferred to USS Seleya, Chief Flight Controller
2387 - [LT] - Transferred to USS Arizona, Chief Flight Controller
In the Academy, Jack's organizational skills once again became his greatest weakness, but his mind was tempered by years of projects of his own. It was difficult, at first, for him to adapt to the many small pieces of classwork, most of which had no bearing in the grand scheme of things, but Jack was spurred on by his newfound patriotism. Finding Engineering too meticulous for his liking, Jack chose a path in Communications. His technical skills in computers greatly aided him, for learning spoken language was not too diverse from computer languages, if only less structured. In the spring of 2352, Jack graduated from the Academy. In the stands at the ceremony were his caseworkers, Skrav, and the children of several of his neighborhood friends.
Jack's entrance into the full realm of Starfleet launched a whirlwind of events. He was assigned to the USS Excalibur, an Ambassador-class ship only recently out of her first refit. Upgraded and reinforced, the cruiser was often employed against Cardassian warships. Jack got his first taste of battle only weeks after his arrival on the Excalibur. From then on, during his time on the Excalibur, his life was a see-saw between wartime battles and resting periods. The Excalibur was battered, scarred, rattled and shaken, but she remained in one piece for his time on the ship. The young Communications officer didn't have much to do when it came time for ship-to-ship encounters, but his skills were put to work intercepting and deciphering Cardassian communiques on the field. His efforts caught the attention of the ships' Chief of Communications, Lieutenant Matthews, who promoted Jack to his assistant after only two years.
Though their relationship started out well, Jack and Matthews never found a good working dynamic. Their relationship devolved into a facade, and then a struggle. Prior to becoming an open wound, in 2356, the Excalibur's Executive Officer offered Jack a transfer. Believing his best interests were being looked out for, Jack accepted and was transferred to the USS Richmond. The Richmond was a newer starship, already implementing Starfleet's restructured department scheme. This unfortunately meant that the duties of Communications had been folded into Operations and Engineering. His orders becoming somehow mangled along the way, Jack wound up being assigned as the Richmond's Transporter Manager in the Engineering department, bringing with it a promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade.
Despite not knowing much about Transporters, Jack learned quickly. He found the experience radically diverse from the meticulous and monotonous work that the Academy had made Engineering out to be. And, to his surprise, Jack found he liked working with his hands. The war with the Cardassians continued, though the Richmond was far from its front, being a smaller ship designed to support cruisers like the Excalibur in large engagements, not take on warships by itself. By this point, Jack didn't seem to mind, he had found war not particularly to his liking. The childhood games and foolies he had played were unrealistic in comparison to the perils and terrors of war. After a single away mission against Cardassian forces, Jack begged, pleaded and tricked his way out of further ground engagements with their forces. The Richmond's duties were usually behind the lines, still carrying the Federation banner and principles to worlds that requested aid.
After a couple years as the Transporter Manager, Jack was able to request a reassignment as the Computer Systems Manager. Building on his earlier love of computers, a passion that had brought him into Starfleet in the first place, Jack approached his role with renewed excitement. His managerial style began to take shape then, Jack began to focus more of his time on pet projects than on leading his team. Nevertheless, when the role of Assistant Chief Engineer opened, the Richmond's Chief Engineer suggested Jack for the position. Jack readily accepted, eager for a new challenge. Jack was full of ideas, some more extreme than others, but far less concerned with the drama and politics that seemed to converge on the engine room. He was well liked by the Chief Engineer, and given enough room to manage a team of his own within Engineering, but his mannerisms were despised and his position was hotly coveted.
During this time, Jack began taking shifts as a relief pilot. He'd excelled in his flight lessons at the Academy, but since that time he'd found little opportunity to put the skills to good use. While the Richmond was present at the battle for a Federation outpost in late 2362, many officers were pressed into bridge duties. Jack volunteered as a pilot during this conflict, and afterwards continued serving occasionally. He quickly learned that piloting a starship is vastly different than the smaller shuttles, but Jack's quick learning abilities dissolved this obstacle in a few weeks. During a Cardassian engagement in 2365, the Richmond was heavily damaged and the crew was forced to abandon ship. With Starfleet's focus shifting away from the Cardassian front, which had largely stagnated in the past half-decade, the crew was left fragmented, broken up as no dedicated ship was available to reassign all of them to. Jack was assigned to the USS Gettysburg as their Assistant Chief Flight Controller.
It was a position Jack served in with some disdain. Though flight itself was exhilarating, the job of Assistant Chief Flight Controller didn't entirely capture his attention nor challenge his skills. Regardless, the Gettysburg was a ship with a well-seasoned crew, and there was little lateral movement, to Engineering or anywhere. So Jack persevered and stuck out the role, serving with distinction for four years. To his surprise, when the Chief Flight Controller retired in 2369, Jack was offered the position. His role as a leader during this period became well-liked, in contrast to his tenure as Assistant Chief Engineer on the Richmond, the pilots in his department preferred his laid back style. Often, Jack served on the Beta or Gamma shifts as opposed to the Alpha shift, and would ferry out away team assignments to others while he focused instead on his own pet projects.
The year 2372 brought another sense of urgency to Starfleet, with the outbreak of war against the Klingon Empire. Their tactics were vicious but predictable, and the Federation's new weapon was also an old one, fighter pilots. Starfleet was offering commissions for new pilots, and promotions for current offers who would transfer into the new roles. Encouraged by his CO, and the chance for something new, Jack took the promotion to full Lieutenant and transferred into what would eventually become known as the Starfighter Corps. Following a six-week intermediate training for all transfers, Jack was assigned to the USS Charlemagne as a Starfighter Pilot in the 45th Transfers Squadron.
Jack as a fighter pilot was an exhilarating experience. His love of flying combined with the excitement of doing something new, but that excitement quickly wore off. What remained was a grind, pilots pushed to their limits both physically and mentally to gain even a small edge over an enemy who had spent the past 70 years learning how the Federation fought. Resorting to stims to boost his flights, and meds to help him sleep, it was clear to his squadron commanders that Jack was not well adjusted for the life of a fighter pilot. Near the close of the war, Jack was transferred to the USS Cavell to serve as a pilot shuttling supplies and personnel around the battlefields, especially in the few ground battles in which the Federation engaged.
Peace lasted no time at all before war returned, this time with the Dominion. This new enemy from the Gamma Quadrant fought hard, and Jack found his assignments growing more dangerous. Routinely he found himself ferrying supplies to worlds under siege, and once flying into a battlezone to shuttle a recon crew close enough to take accurate readings of a Jem'Hadar battleship. Relieved of the need to shoot down his enemy and stay in a formation, Jack was quickly recognized for his cunning and quick-reflexes on missions.
The war went badly for the Federation, and victory came at a price. For Jack, many of the men and women he had served with, some friends, died in the line of duty. For his efforts during the war, Jack was awarded with a few medals for valor or bravery and the like, but he cared little for them, and the medals wound up on some shelf. Though offered several roles following the war's conclusion, including a few department head positions and even the command of a starfighter squadron, Jack turned them all down. Instead, he applied for a transfer to Jupiter Station as a Research Engineer.
War had been hell but Jupiter Station, so far removed from the conflict, escaped untouched. Jack found an immense new freedom in his work, and the return to mechanical tinkerings was, for the time, a relief. Though Jack had deadlines, he was free to work on whatever passed his fancy, whether or not it related to the current project of the facility. Jack's creativity went rampant, and he enjoyed creating all sorts of computer programs, gadgets and designs for devices that would likely never be greenlit or even built. That didn't seem to matter to him. Jack enjoyed plenty of free time on Jupiter Station, and its proximity to Earth allowed him plenty of vacations on warm beaches or in little parks where children play. It was almost the perfect balance of fun and work for Jack, and for a time it suited him well.
Like many things with Jack, he began to grow bored of Jupiter Station and its unstructured work. He missed the adventures, exploration and, yes, even the danger on starships. Pining for a new chapter, Jack surprised himself by asking for a piloting position, and he was unconcerned with the exact ship Starfleet would post him to. In 2381, his request was finally able to be put in motion, and Jack was assigned to the USS Seleya, under the command of Captain T'Prev. The Seleya, a Norway-class ship, was unique in the fact that it was one of few vessels crewed almost entirely by Vulcan crewmembers.
At first, the contrast between Vulcan and Miran was great and difficult for many to get accustomed to. Indeed, some of Jack's subordinates immediately put in for a transfer when they learned how Jack conducted his department. Over time, T'Prev grew to like Jack's unpredictable style and spontaneity. It may have clashed directly with her logical style of command, but T'Prev herself once conceded that logic alone could not always anticipate every solution to every problem. It was for this reason that, in 2383, Jack was offered a promotion to Lieutenant Commander.
He turned it down, insisting that he wasn't interested in the extra responsibility and that no ship captain would ever be interested in a Miran command officer. Some members of the crew were shocked by this response, and even tried to have Jack examined by a Starfleet Counselor for being "logical reasoning issues". The effort was halted when Jack began pretending to be a stoic and logical figure for a few weeks, and the humorless Vulcans actually believed him. For several years, Jack served T'Prev happily. She was forgiving of his childish nature and his difficulty with attention, though that didn't exempt him from a stern warning once or twice about "realigning his priorities to better anneal his duties as a Starfleet Officer and Chief Flight Control Officer." By that time, Jack knew enough not to laugh, endeavoring himself to improve his focus instead. He even asked T'Prev to teach him how to meditate, something counselors on Miri's Planet had once tried as a therapeutic technique.
The USS Seleya experienced a change in command in the year 2386, as Captain T'Prev took a transfer to the Vulcan Defense Force to support the growing calls for Vulcan-Romulan Reunification. The new commander, Captain Spreyn, was much less forgiving than T'Prev. He constantly questioned Jack's actions while on duty, and overrode many of the Miran's departmental decisions, mostly on the basis of being illogical. Whenever Jack confronted the wizened Vulcan on the issue, Spreyn would label his reaction as emotional and dismiss him. Sick of the mistreatment, Jack put in for a transfer, but was denied by Captain Spreyn for being, once more, illogical. So Jack bided his time. It so happened on one mission that Captain Spreyn fell ill, and the ship's XO had to step up for several weeks. During this time, Jack resubmitted his transfer request, and the XO, who subscribed to a different flavor of logic than Spreyn, approved it.
That is how Jack became the Chief Flight Controller for the USS Arizona in the year 2387. The stories of his time there have yet to be written.
Reprimands:
Character Development / Re: Elizabeth Conte
Last post by The Insane Admin - July 11, 2012, 12:51:43 am
Ideas for Lizzie plots on the Galaxy:
-Her mother becomes ill, causing Lizzie to become depressed and extremely demur and melancholy
-Lizzie becomes involved in Galaxy's gossip underground
-Enzo Marchetti offers to take over Lizzie's training from Aisha, her rival and a focus of the Mary Jane investigation
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text:
Posted on December 7, 2015 by Portsmouth Daily Times
'Time for the Holidays' continues until Dec. 12 at GGAC
Submitted photo| Daily Times Art work by Karen Everhart for her pastel 'The Run in November'
By Portia Williams
portiawilliams@civitasmedia.com
GRAYSON, Ky. — The Grayson Gallery and Art Center's 'Time for the Holidays' Art Show will be on display until Saturday, Dec. 12. Dan Click, coordinator of the GGAC, is also announcing cash winners from the Nov, 27 Final Friday Art Walk.
Cash award winners consisted of People's Choice – Mike Spears for his drawing 'Thoughts,' Grayson Gallery Board Choice , Karen Everhart for her pastel 'The Run in November,' both $50 each, and two 'Jules Downing Art Appreciation' cash awards given by Susan Downing and Al Collinsworth for "Waiting for Spring", a photograph by Velvet Childers and an Untitled pen & ink by Bill Salyers, $30 each.
"The Grayson Gallery hosted this show to coincide with the annual Grayson Hometown Holidays event so that the art on the walls would complement the seasonal festivities and we were well pleased with the over 90 pieces submitted," Click said. " While the two cash prizes given by the gallery – People's Choice and our GGAC Board Choice were already in the works, this was the first time one of our musicians has offered an award! Singer/songwriter Al Collinsworth and his wife, Susan Downing, decided to donate $30 to each of the two works chosen in honor of Susan's brother, Jules Downing. They also plan to give another cash award in Jules Downing's name at our next show, earmarked for an artist who is a newcomer to showing their art in the Grayson Gallery & Art Center."
According to Click, GGAC will be open for artists to pick up work still on hand on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 10 a.m. until 1p.m. with other hours by appointment. Contact Dan Click for winter hours and events; the GGAC will be open for workshops and group painting parties only as scheduled. The next exhibit entitled, 'Peace & Love' will open on Feb. 26, 2016.
Reach Portia Williams at 740-353-3101, ext. 1929, or on Twitter @PortiaWillPDT.
http://portsmouth-dailytimes.aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2015/12/web1_IMG_5061.jpgSubmitted photo| Daily Times Art work by Karen Everhart for her pastel 'The Run in November'
Hi! A visitor to our site felt the following article might be of interest to you: 'Time for the Holidays' continues until Dec. 12 at GGAC. Here is a link to that story: https://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/news/4225/time-for-the-holidays-continues-until-dec-12-at-ggac

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Steroid injection of SI joints can be very helpful. It is more common than one would think as is seen in post-traumatic cases, in celiac disease, in various colitis, and in certain Fibromyalgia misdiagnosed subgroups. I highlight this study so patients can see its benefits.
An intraarticular sacroiliac steroid injection under the guidance of computed tomography for relieving sacroiliac joint pain: A clinical outcome study with two years of followup. Archives of Rheumatology 27.3 (2012): 165-173.
Digestive diseases and sciences 40.9 (1995): 1906-1908.
a negative response to Kemp's test,"^' one of the pain provocation tests for sciatica (Patient's trunk rotates obliquely downward in the affected lumbosacral area. A positive response is obtained if the lower back pain radiates into the lower extremities).
Bollow M, Braun J, Taupitz M, Haberle J, Reibhauer BH, Paris S, et al.
spondyloarthropathy: indication and follow-up with contrast-enhanced MRI.
Due to the complex anatomy, SIJ injections have a very low success rate of 12-20% when performed using only clinical judgement.'^"'*-"' In addition, radiological imaging as a guidance method has been recently applied to place the needle into the SIJ space.
People seem to ignore that the sacroliiac ligaments are often inflamed as well and 10 mg triamcinolone into them is sometimes necessary.
Comment – a very successful form of treatment but often the pain regionalizes and muscles – gluteal and piriformis can be involved and need treatment as well.
This entry was posted in Back Pain, Injection, piriformis. Bookmark the permalink.


Fresh from the Unseen Steam archive, our fifth feature-length DVD presents rare, vintage footage of the golden age of steam. Carefully curated, take a step back in time and watch these forgotten films of Britain's railways brought to life in beautiful detail and expert narration. In this release we visit the Talyllyn Railway, Southern steam in the 1950s, Branches & Byways : Eastern and NorthEastern, BR Standard locos, Cambrian lines under the LMR and more! Watch with or without music track.


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BOOKSHOP The FRENCH GARDEN in FRANCE in ENGLAND in GERMANY in AUSTRIA in HUNGARY in MIDDLE GERMANY in SWEDEN in DENMARK in RUSSIA in ITALY in SPAIN in HOLLAND Next
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SWEDISH BAROQUE GARDEN DESIGN
Jakobsdal Drottningholm Carlsberg
Queen Christina first introduced the ideas of France into her country in the middle of the seventeenth century. In the first bright days of her actual reign she hoped to gather round her a splendid court of the Muses, and she summoned to her side André Mollet, the son of that Mollet whom Henry IV. had employed in France. He had left England some time before because of the Civil War and he now came to Sweden. In 1651 Mollet published at Stockholm his book called Le Jardin de Plaisir, which he dedicated to the queen, and which influenced the theory of gardening. Unfortunately he does not say for which garden he designed his parterres en broderie, compartiments de gazon, bosquets, but the style seems to indicate one of the best Swedish seats, Jakobsdal, which after the year 1684 was known as Ulrichsdal, after Prince Ulrich. The castle came into being between 1642 and 1644 (Fig. 517).
FIG. 517. JAKOBSDAL, SWEDEN
A set of fine engravings by Perelle show the state of the garden, as it was laid out about the middle of the century by Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie. It was improved by Queen Hedwig Eleonora, widow of Charles X,, who possessed the place after 1669.
The castles of Sweden owed their chief charm and beauty to their great stretches of water. The house as a rule either has the sea close to it, or has one of the great lakes, as here, on two sides. The main approach is by water, the others are by the garden. Jakobsdal stands on a terrace, which is washed on three sides by the waters of the gulf. A wonderful balustraded approach leads from the landing-place to the fine Renaissance building, which on the garden side has two wide wings standing about a paved court, A carriage road with balustrades serves as the approach on one side to this terrace. There is an ascent by very wide steps to the large parterre. There are sixteen compartments laid cut in the style of Mollet, connected by dwarf trees with statues in the corners and three fountains, In the main axis and in front of the castle is a domed building, in a grove which contains a grotto. Farther along on both sides of the middle walk there are two vivariums, the one on the left ornamented with a dragon fountain, at the foot of a wild grotto hill: here Andromeda is fixed to the rock, and Perseus appears leaping down from the heights. To the right of the castle the park climbs up the hill, and broad steps lead to the summer-house called Marienberg, after Magnus Gabriel's wife. Lying along at the foot of the hill is the orange- garden. On the other side a canal widens out into two basins and joins the sea, This garden is one which ranks Mollet, if we may assume that the design is really his, among the outstanding artists of his time, just as his father was. The style of the French Renaissance, visible everywhere, has adapted itself most happily to the magnificent situation of this castle.
In Dahiberg's Views of the Swedish Castles of the Year 1735 we find several smaller gardens clearly showing the Renaissance character, and of these Jakobsdal is the finest. The paths are covered with trellis arbour-work running crosswise, as in the pretty little garden at Eckholm, or the parterre at Mirby engraved by Perelle. But most of them show the influence of Le Nôtre, which was quite irresistible here after the end of the seventeenth century. Hedwig Eleonora in particular was devoted to the laying-out of gardens and their beautification. Her favourite place was the Castle of Drottningholm (Fig. 518).
FIG, 518. DROTTNINGHOLM, SWEDEN—GROUND-PLAN
She found a mediaeval castle on one of the islands in Lake Mälaren, and she began to make alterations in 1661 . This castle also stood on a raised terrace, and its approach was by water from an oval-shaped harbour. The garden lay towards the south, and showed the influence of Versailles more than any other in Sweden; its fine parterre was laid out in patterns of box, with a border of clipped trees and flowers. In the centre, steps in the open mount up by a wide middle walk to a basin with a Hercules fountain. After this comes the water-parterre, some steps lower, with eight round or oval basins and fountains. At the end of it there is one of those water-roads that French gardens adopted from Italy. This part ends on the left with an oval basin, with a cascade blocking the view on the other side. Beyond the water-parterre are elaborate boskets. On the west of the large parterre is an immense pond with an island on it, and adjoining it a park for deer with straight walks cutting through it. The fine scheme is completed with a menagerie site made in concentric circles on the south-east.
In the second half of the eighteenth century this garden was destined to flourish once again, loved and tended by another queen, Frederick the Great's sister, Louisa Ulrica. She, like her brother and her sister at Bayreuth, found the greatest joy of her life in the study of literature and art, and she also had inherited from her mother a delight in collecting things, and in the splendour of her surroundings. "All the queen's rooms are most beautiful," says a traveller of that day. She, like Hedwig Eleonora, chose Drottningholm for her favourite dwelling-place and furnished the inside of the castle with collections of porcelain, Chinese and Japanese carpets, pieces of furniture, and pictures. The garden, and still more the park, were now equipped with all kinds of fashionable nooks and corners in accordance with the feeling of the time. In the park, a gun-shot distance from the garden, Louisa Ulrica set up an entire little colony, which she called China. Round a plot of ground there were pretty little houses in the Chinese style, the chief one adorned with tables of lacquer and Chinese figures. There was a Chinese pagoda with a bell-tower, also Chinese vases in porcelain, and gilt statues. The whole place was enclosed with a dense border of firs, that made it dark. Hirschfeld speaks of another place with little buildings which shows the queen's affection for China: " It lies at the end of the French garden and is called Canton."
The largest of the Swedish castles is Carlsberg (Fig. 519), but the garden has not the individual character of Drottningholm, though the approach is similarly by way of the lake. Behind the house is a semicircular piece with a narrow border of flowers, and behind that are dense thickets, with immediately at the back, parterres round a large pond in a wide open space. As this garden lies towards the north, the tall trees round the house are to keep off the cold winds. Near the house itself this was made up for by handsome side parterres, which keep a decidedly Renaissance aspect, being treated partly as hanging gardens. Round about them there is a great park, penetrated by avenues that run out in the form of a star, and this park has kept its French character to a great extent even to the present day.
It follows from the situation of castles like these, that the real importance which the canal acquired for French' gardens is here superseded, for the outlook over the lake or the sea fulfils the object of the canal, though in quite another fashion.
FIG. 519. CARLSBERG, SWEDEN
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text:
ABOUT EMCON
showcasing excellence in engineering & manufacturing since 2008
DAVID LAND, CHAIRMAN, CDEMN
Ten years ago, an event to showcase the engineering and manufacturing industries within County Durham was launched.
That event was called Durham Oktoberfest.
Today, it attracts some of the biggest names within the sectors nationally and to reflect that growth, it has undergone a major re-brand to EMCON.
Here's a potted history on how Durham Oktoberfest became EMCON…
A decade ago a number of businesses from County Durham's engineering and manufacturing sectors had an idea to launch an event which would enable companies from the area to showcase their products and services and shine a spotlight on the county's world class strengths within the industries.
Their idea was to mirror the hugely popular German Oktoberfest beer festivals, bringing together dozens of companies under one roof to network and meet potential customers and suppliers.
Durham Oktoberfest was born.
Each year since, the event has grown, attracting more and more businesses who want the chance to tap into new markets and expand their supply chain.
Its profile grew, as companies from beyond the area started to sit up and take notice and realise there was no better shop window to promote themselves to businesses that they might otherwise not get the chance to meet.
In 2016 a new organisation was created to manage the event. The County Durham Engineering and Manufacturing Network (CDEMN) was an amalgamation of the three existing County Durham engineering forums and was launched to better support the area's sectors.
With a new team at the helm, organisers looked at how the event could even better support business growth, and continue to attract the biggest names regionally, nationally and even internationally.
Taking on board feedback from past exhibitors, visitors and sponsors, they started looking at the event's identity and whether the name was right given its growth and the coinciding growth of the German beer festival and countless others that had emerged around the world in ten years, all under the same moniker.
And as 2017 marked a decade of Durham Oktoberfest, the team felt it was the perfect time to make significant changes.
The biggest challenge was choosing a name that worked – a name that encapsulated everything that the event stood for and one that would enhance its profile to a global audience.
Step forward EMCON – the Engineering and Manufacturing Convention.
David Land (pictured) is Chairman of CDEMN. He said: "For some time we've been aware that the name didn't really reflect the event, which is now a national expo.
"Time after time we were being asked if the event was a beer festival, and we were also acutely aware that when you're trying to attract companies from elsewhere in the country or world, the geographical limitations of the name didn't really do our event justice.
"And while we want to be clear that we're not moving away from EMCON's history and heritage as a County Durham event, we do want it to continue to attract the biggest and best engineering and manufacturing names from around the UK, and we believe the new identity will help us achieve that.
"It really is about looking to the future and building on what's been achieved over the last decade, and ensuring we have an event that not only enables companies from County Durham and the North East to promote themselves, but also gives leading names within the industries an opportunity to meet potential suppliers who could make a real difference to the quality of products they make and their bottom line."
EMCON will continue to be held at the Xcel Centre in Newton Aycliffe, with long term supporter Business Durham remaining as one of the event's gold sponsor.
Brian Archer is Managing Director of Business Durham. He said: "EMCON is a real highlight for County Durham and really does help shine the national spotlight on our area and our world class capabilities within the engineering and manufacturing industries."
Graeme Parkins, MD of Dyer Engineering, at Durham Oktoberfest 2013
Graeme Parkins is Managing Director of Dyer Engineering, which was one of the founding companies of the event back in 2008. He said: "Every year the event has grown, attracting more and more bigger companies not just from our region but nationally as well.
As an exhibitor ourselves, we also know first-hand how good it is, enabling exhibitors and delegates to forge links with potential customers and suppliers, and we're looking forward to being part of the next decade of its growth."
Last year saw Swiss manufacturer Stadler Rail come on board as a gold sponsor, alongside Business Durham.
The company decided to sponsor and exhibit as part of their plans to raise their profile in the region and expand their supply chain and has confirmed to return this year as the event's headline sponsor.
Elaine Greenwood is UK light rail representative for Stadler. She said: "Last year was the first time that Stadler participated in the event, but it most certainly will not be the last.
"We are very keen to get to know the local suppliers and were delighted to be given that opportunity through this event. It was also very appreciated to be able to showcase ourselves to the area.
"The event was very well organised and more importantly, incredibly well attended and from a very diverse organisational base. We were able to meet potential suppliers but also some charitable organisations that we did not know even existed before this event. It was great for networking and we thoroughly enjoyed the day."
The 2018 event will also see the return of the Incubator Zone, which is taking place for the second time and is aimed specifically at County Durham micro and small businesses that have never exhibited before but want to tap into new markets. It is being delivered by LEC Communications and Design working with the Durham Business Opportunities Programme (DBOP) and is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
Other elements include an Education Zone for young engineering students to meet regional employers; themed workshops on issues that impact on businesses; and a Q&A session with a panel of industry experts.
The event returns on Thursday, October 18, 2018.
EMCON is delivered by
Engineering & Manufacturing Network | S8 Tanfield Lea Business Centre | Stanley | County Durham | DH9 9DB | Company no. 09485596
Follow EMCON


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text:
Matjaž Nemec, slovenski politik in poslanec * 10. april 1980, Nova Gorica.

Med letoma 2014 in 2022 je bil poslanec v Državnem zboru Republike Slovenije iz vrst Socialnih demokratov. V času 7. državnega zbora je bil tudi njegov podpredsednik. Pred izvolitvijo za poslanca je deloval kot asistent predsednika Republike Slovenije Boruta Pahorja. 18. maja 2022 je postal nadomestni evropski poslanec.

Politika

Poslanec v državnem zboru

2014–2018
Na državnozborskih volitvah 2014 je Nemec kandidiral v volilnem okraju Nova Gorica I. Poslanski mandat je osvojil s 1.467 oz. 11,13 %. Bil je izvoljen tudi za enega od podpredsednikov Državnega zbora Republike Slovenije.

Leta 2017, takrat kot podpredsednik državnega zbora, je Nemec Hrvaško označil za »geografsko in politično obrobno državo Evropske unije, ki ji je mesto v družbi z Bolgarijo in Romunijo.« Dodal je, da Hrvaške ne želi niti Višegrajska skupina in da je »periferna država tudi v odnosu do človekovih pravic.« Izjavi je sledil buren odziv hrvaških medijev, Jutranji.hr in Global sta zapisala, da so Socialni demokrati »postali vodilna nacionalistična stranka, hujša od desnih nacionalistov.«

2018–2022
V volilnem okraju Nova Gorica II. je bil z 2.324 glasov oz. 18,25 % ponovno izvoljen za poslanca v Državnem zboru Republike Slovenije. Je član naslednjih delovnih teles:

 Komisija za nadzor obveščevalnih in varnostnih služb (predsednik)
 Odbor za kulturo (član)
 Odbor za zunanjo politiko (član, prej predsednik)
 Preiskovalna komisija o ugotavljanju zlorab in negospodarnega ravnanja v DUTB (namestnik člana)
Na državnozborskih volitvah 2022 se je potegoval za nov poslanski mandat, a ga ni osvojil.

Evropski poslanec
Na državnozborskih volitvah 2022 je bila tedanja evropska poslanka Tanja Fajon izvoljena za poslanko v Državnem zboru Republike Slovenije, kasneje pa tudi za ministrico za zunanje zadeve. Glede na rezultate evropskih volitev iz leta 2019 je Matjaž Nemec tako postal nadomestni evropski poslanec. Državni zbor mu je mandat potrdil 18. maja 2022.

Po odstopu Eve Kaili z mesta podpredsednice Evropskega parlamenta zaradi korupcijske afere, je stranka S&D med kandidate za to mesto predlagala tudi Matjaža Nemca, a naposled na funkcijo ni bil izbran.

Zasebno
Nemčeva bivša žena je ukrajinska manekenka Irina Osipenko. Maja 2021 je s partnerko Nino Tršelič dobil sina Maja.

Sklici

Zunanje povezave
 Uradna predstavitvena stran Državnega zbora Republike Slovenije

Slovenski politiki
Poslanci 6. državnega zbora Republike Slovenije
Poslanci 7. državnega zbora Republike Slovenije
Člani Socialnih demokratov (Slovenija)
Novogoričani
Podpredsedniki Državnega zbora Republike Slovenije
Poslanci 8. državnega zbora Republike Slovenije
Evroposlanci iz Slovenije (2019–2024)

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As we go to press, the Oscar nominations for best documentary short subject have not been decided, but we have no doubt this will be a terrific program. Nominations will be announced on January 24 so we'll get the info up on our website soon after. See all the nominees before the winner is declared at the Academy Awards Ceremony on February 26!


Honey, What Do You Want To Eat?
Finally, the answer to the burning question that plagues lovers, friend circles, and co-workers alike. Everyone is sure to agree on IDK's mouth-watering Indian Fusion bites & plates.
Chef Jai Luthra marries the cuisine he was born to love with the flair of local offerings he has grown to love. He is obsessed with finely crafted food that combines freshness, quality, and tradition.
Delight your guests with one of our custom catering services. We design menus for a wide variety of events including weddings, corporate parties, and birthdays.
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