Ex Astris Scientia (OOC)

[The Australian]

IC

Leave your home, O youth, and seek out alien shores. A wider range of life has been ordained for you.
-Petronius.

For all of humanity's time on Earth, it has looked up, up into the stars. Many times, it has been thought that a Supreme God or Gods have reigned from their palaces or kingdoms in the sky. As humanity learned, and progressed in the fields of Science, most of those beliefs have dwindled into extinction. Only tiny sects, constantly changing their beliefs to fit the progression of science, remain.

On April 12th, 1961, Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin went into outer space, leading humanity to their future. July 21, 1969 marked the date that Neil Alden Armstrong and Edwin Eugene 'Buzz' Aldrin set foot on the Moon. Those two dates became significant, even though at the time they were used as political propaganda tools. As the Cold War between the United Soviet Socialist Republics, with it's Warsaw Pact Allies, and the United States of America, and it's NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) allies, drew on, both powers began to try to out-weight each other in the Cosmos. Little did they know that those petty competitions would eventually send humanity into a new Golden Age.

In 2014, a coalition of American, British, Chinese, German, Swiss, and Japanese scientists were sent to set up a permanent scientific outpost on the Moon. Every six months, the scientists rotated with another team who would go in and conduct the same type of researches. In 2015, an experimental Artificial Gravity device called the 'Gravity-Stabilisers' were installed in the colony, which produced resounding success. Even though the device would only work in the buildings of the colony, it proved that gravity could be created. Updated versions of the device were used when gravity was not available (Zero-gravity planets, space-ships, space-stations)

In 2016, after four years of complete peace in the world, the United Nations started to take large steps to make a 'United Earth.' As New Years' Day loomed on 2018, the dreams of a United Earth were realised. The last country, Iran, was admitted into the new government. The United Earth Government was one that strived for the betterment of humanity, and the progression of science. More of the scientists went to work to build ships and technology for space travel and the likes.

2020 marked the year that the Luna Colony reached the permanent population of 200. It also marked the year that a permanent colony was started on Mars. Terraforming would take centuries, but it was a landmark achievement. For the first time, humanity finally united in some way.

In 2060, humanity broke the speed of light barrier. In just four decades, in 2100, Humanity achieved speeds equivalent of Warp 4.5. It was a ground breaking achievement that changed human space exploration forever

Fast forward 120 years. Humanity has colonised 9 star systems. In all that time, they had discovered animal-like, non-sapient species, but no intelligent, sapient life. That changed in 2145, when five being calling themselves the Kriarians landed on Earth. They had been monitoring the humans progress, and when they have achieved a level of advancement, they made First Contact. After giving the United Terran Systems technologies, more intelligent life was unveiled by the humans, and more systems were able to be colonised.

On July 24th, 2270, four strong, stable powers in the area; the United Terran Systems, the Kriarian Alliance, the Thorian Empire, and Takanian Republic, united under the banner of the Union of Independent Systems and Planets, or the Union. The Union's goal was to discover new life and new civilisations, to keep everyone in it's control safe and secure, and to defend itself. After thirty years, three more powers were admitted into the Union, and more colonies were established. Their military/exploration forces, the Union Planetary Ground Command and Union Fleet Command, were less of a military branch, and more of an exploration sector. Most of the resources of the Union Fleet were put to using ships as exploration craft.

In 2327, the last of the Renaissance-class starships were completed and put into service with the Union Fleet Command. They were to be one of the few flagship classes in the Union. Their top speed was Warp 8, which ranked with the Olympia-class as the fastest class in the fleet. Their armament included phaser arrays, photon torpedoes, and a hangar at the end of the ship. The hangar contained six shuttlecraft that could carry ten men in them. Even though the Renaissance-classes were armed heavily, they had extensive scientific equipment, such as probes, the most advanced sensor and scanning devices in the Union, and numerous other devices. The total crew compliment of Renaissance-class starships are 650 crewmembers, but the maximum capacity is 800. It's length is 225m, it's width is 99m, and it's height is 55m. The Renaissance-class consists of ten ships; The USC Renaissance, the USC Bonaventure, the USC Aurora, the USC Poltava, the USC Gosford, the USC Istanbul, the USC Yorkshire, the USC Horatio, the USC Essex, and the USC Excalibur

We are the crew of the USC Excalibur, UFR (Union Fleet Registry) 1851. It was the last to be constructed, and sent to Earth for the crew pickups. The motto the USC Excalibur is 'Ex Astris, Scientia.' In English, it means 'From the stars, knowledge.' In any case, the majority of the crew of the Excalibur is fresh out of the Union Fleet Academies, and don't have much experience. However, they all knew their mission. That was to explore the stars, and serve the Union. And that, they would do.

Out of Character Information:

If this looks sort of like Star Trek, that's because it is influenced off of it. I absolutely love Star Trek (Picard>Kirk, bro) and I wanted to make a RP based a little off of it, but where I could throw in a lot of my own details and fact. The basic premise of this RP is to explore new worlds, chart new civilisations, and meet new peoples. I will, however, add some twists and turns to make the RP interesting and enjoyable for everyone involved, but I want to keep it realistic in the sense that we'll be charting star systems, escorting convoys, and observing new cultures rather than firing away at ships that look at us funny. Since this roleplay is going to be somewhat realistic, I won't accept things like transporters from Star Trek. We will be using docking hatches, shuttles, and physical ship landings. There is also none of that holodeck things either. Since I've used quite a bit of pictures from this site, I'd like to thank EAS because I'm a nice person, and I think it's the least I could do. Many of the starship pictures come from that site, so, I'd figure I'll thank them.

As far as posting orders are concerned, I don't quite care for them. They will be rather simple; You post, two other people post, then you can post again. As for posting sizes, I don't expect nor want a novel, I would prefer a simple 1-4, detailed paragraphs for everytime you post. I'd like some frequency in your posts, and if you cannot post for an extended period of time, be sure to tell me over PM, VM, or some other sort of communication.

Since in our previous incarnations of this RP, we've had trouble in ways that we each pictures sections of the ship, I'll post pictures that will hopefully clear some of this up:

Bridge
Main Engineering
Briefing Room
Senior Officers Quarters (You can customise them IC-ly)
Sickbay

The standard uniform of Union Fleet personnel is a blue jumpsuit with red lines along the shoulder area. Along the right shoulder, just above the red line, is the rank insignia (I will get to those later.) The dress uniform of the Union Fleet personnel is worn during occasions such as promotions, weddings, court martials, and other special occasions.

Here is a link to the rank insignias. I will give you your ranks when you post your CS, but I showed the link so you can see what your character's rank insignia is.

The roles that I have laid out are rather simple. I will not start until they are all filled:

Captain: Captain Charles Endicott Nelson (The Australian)
First Officer: Commander Alessandro Kostas (TripMyHop)
Chief Medical Officer: Commander Gabriel Andis (rpg101)
Chief Science Officer: Commander Alessandro Kostas (TripMyHop)
Chief Tactical Officer: Lieuteant Kel 'Thuzad (Turtlicious)
Chief Engineer: Lieutenant Commander Nathaniel Garrick (Pockets)

Now, without further adieu, the long-awaited CS:

Name:
Gender:
Age:
Birth-date (The year is 2327):

Appearance:
Role:
Rank (I will assign this to you):

Personality:
Biography:

[The Australian]

Name: Charles Endicott Nelson
Gender: Male
Age: 38
Birth-date (The year is 2327): June 14th, 2289

Appearance:

Role: Captain
Rank (I will assign this to you): Captain

Personality:
Charles Nelson, having spent years in the Union Fleet, has a strong sense of duty and loyalty to the Union. He signed up because he wanted to explore the universe, and that shows with his optimism in the sciences. Since he has been in combat many times, usually with pirates and bandits, he has an understanding of the risk. He can sometimes neglect reasoning in favour of an emotional response. He is a joyful man at heart, even though he is usually a realist.
Biography:
Charles Endicott Nelson was born in New Cardiff, a small mining village on Mars. His father, an ore miner, worked in the mines not far from the village for days on end. His mother was an assistant to the local doctor, who's work was mostly diverted to the miners. In the local school, he did exceptionally well in astronomy, astrophysics, exobiology, exoarchaeology, and engineer. However, when he came home, it was to a torn household. His parents regularly fought, typically over his father's suspicion that his wife, Charles' mother, was having an affair with the doctor. When Charles was ten, his father was killed in a mining accident and his mother ran off with the doctor. After a small legal battle, the province's court found his mother unfit to raise Charles, so they gave his paternal grandparents, Philip and Candace Nelson, custody of him. They took him to their home in New Nottingham, the captial of the Gagarin Province, where he received proper education. He considered them more of parents than his real ones ever were.

After he graduated at 17, he went to Earth to go to the Sol System Union Fleet Academy. He excelled in all of his classes, coming out as second in his class. At age 20, he graduated from the Fleet Academy as an Ensign, and went on numerous assignments and postings. When he was 27 and a Commander, he was posted to the USC Hutchinson, a Kobe-class starship, as it's First Officer. The Hutchinson was mostly assigned to guard shipping lanes, deliver aid and supplies to colonies, and participate in drills and war games. After five years, he requested a transfer. A personal friend from his Academy years, Rear Admiral Edward Miller, personally approved it, and Charles was transferred to Sol Sector Command.

After spending two years in the Sol System, observing and occasionally participating in small-scale drills, visiting old friends, and doing a whole lot of nothing, he was promoted to Captain and given commission of the USC Excalibur. It was a new starship, and it was his first command.

[CelestialCelery]

Name: Mei Yong
Gender: Female
Species: Human
Age: 27
Birth-date: March 3, 2300

Appearance: (Pic taken at her Fleet Academy graduation party on Vogtaron IV. Typically wears it either pinned up or in a ponytail when on duty)
Her Hearing Implant: (Worn on her left ear. if the weird heart things are too noticeable I can easily find other pics of this implant; just thought they looked like flashy lights)
Role: Helmsman/Navigator
Rank: Ensign

Personality: Typically she has a fun loving personality but does not forget to do her job. Although not preferring to be the center of attention, she does enjoy parties and meeting new people. She likes jokes (though she doesn't remember many herself), colorful alcoholic drinks, warm food and astral geography. (I learn as I play, things may be added or taken)

Biography: She was born on Vogtaron IV, previously known by the name Gliese 581 G in the also renamed Libran system. When she was 8, there was an thermal generator explosion in a building near her city home, Sestine, which caused her (among many others including her mother) hearing loss. They were taught sign language and tried different treatments and hearing devices which her mother would always attempt first to see if they really would benefit Mei; years later Mei chose a new implant that allowed her to hear something small from 100 yards but mostly chooses not to use that aspect, as the volume increase bothers her.

After a few miscellaneous jobs, she entered the Libran Union Fleet Academy when she was 23 and graduated at 26, excelling at navigation. She piloted The USC Tempest, a Belgrano class for a year, patrolling her home system. Finding it boring, she requested a transfer. With very little activity EVER in that area, the transfer was approved after finding a suitable replacement.

[Turtlicious]

Name: Kel 'Thuzad

Birthdate: Thorians do not celebrate birthdays, this would be unimportant.

Age: 29 Standard Galactic Cycles (The average life of a Thorian is 80)

Gender: Male

Appearance:

Rank (I will assign you these): Lieutenant.

Role: Tactical Officer

Physiological Assessment: Stronger then most humans, has an exterior exo-skeleton and very powerful ligaments holding his body together, his mind is extremely sharp. Due to lack of vocal chords, Thorians have a slightly synthetic sound to their voice. The razor sharp teeth click as they talk and is a normal sign of their moods. Their eyes are extremely vulnerable and most Thorians get occular implants by the the age of 18.

Kel has issues maintaining relationships with people, he's socially awkward and unable to connect on an emotional level. He has a tendency to follow orders to the T and has issues deviating from them, he hates soldiers who are unprofessional and is rarely heard joking off duty. This tends to hurt his leadership skills, and only allows a few people to actually get to know him. It does not help him but hinders him. He goes to therapy weekly to work on it.
History:

Kel Thu'zad was chosen due to his superior physique and leadership ability at the age of 5 for the warrior caste (like the majority of Thorian boys who share the same characteristics, , he trained for 7 years and killed his first Space pirate at 12. At 16 when he reached peaked physically, he earned the rank of Sire for his superior valor on a rebel mining base creating Orbital Weaps, a strictly regulated weapon only allowed by the most advanced ships of The Union. At 17 he lost his eye-sight, and was forced to get ocular implants. They were painful, but Kel was happy for the upgrade on his eyes, and was later heard joking about getting his arm blown up so he could trade it in for a phaser.

At 25 he lost his brood mate (another warrior caste Sire) to a skirmish between a Pirate Frigate and his own, his Sire Katina Thu'zad, (an interceptor pilot) reportedly had a systems malfunction that caused her chaff not to deploy properly, causing her to be cut to shreds by the Pirate fighters. Kel went into a deep depression, and retired for 2 years. at the age of 27 he re-enlisted, and over the next year he rose to the rank of Lieutenant, he was soon transferred to his current post as a Tactical Officer.

[Pockets]

Name: Nathaniel Garrick

Birthdate: April 16, 2300

Age: 27

Gender: Male

Appearance:


Rank: Lieutenant

Role: Chief Engineer

Psychological Assesment: quick thinking and startling aptitude for mechanics and engineering. An intuitive grasp of quantum mechanics and mechanical operations he has always been good with machines. Socially awkward but making attempts to befriend his fellow crew mates.

Biography: Nathan grew up on Earth and as he did he was always fascinated by two things. The stars, and machines. If it could be built Nathan could build it. At the age of ten he constructed a new method for diverting power through a constellation class engine system. His method of power supply and transportation to the necessary parts of the ship became standard in all Union ships after that.

He was also given a free ride to the academy and guaranteed acceptance aboard one of the then under construction flagships.

At 18 he joined the academy and breezed through the course load. Handling it with consummate ease and frequently testing out of several of the courses because they were too simple for him. He even created several new innovations in power distribution and built a new communications array allowing for courses to be taught even to students abroad. A simple screen and a text book would allow students on other planets to participate in real time with courses in session on earth. This system has yet to be accepted by the Union however and is under review.

[TripMyHop]

Name: Alessandro Kostas
Gender: Male
Age: 29
Birth-date (The year is 2327): November 30th, 2298

Appearance:

Role: Chief Science Officer, 1st officer
Rank (I will assign this to you): Commander

Personality: Alessandro is curious, warm, friendly, energetic, and inquisitive. But above all, he is driven. When he makes a decision he feels strongly about, he pushes it past any barriers or objections. Sometimes he can be blunt to the point of tactlessness in situations where criticism is warranted (or needed), but it always comes from a place of honesty. He has a strong sense of morality but it's internally based, so it leads him to make unilateral decisions in some cases. Due to the time he spent at various research institutes, he also tends to talk more than is necessary about some subjects. His discipline and maturity reigns this in somewhat--but if you get him into a conversation any deeper than routine pleasantries, you have to know what you're in for.
Biography: Alessandro comes from the city of Vancouver on earth itself. Showing a gift for the sciences, he became set on his path from an early age. After completing his education he was a well regarded researcher at the Mars Institute.
Once there he discovered that what he had been driven towards wasn't strictly science. He wanted to seek answers to big questions, to see new things, new places, new lifeforms. What he realized was that life as a researcher was cloistered, weighed down by rules and long verification processes, as well as pointless politics. The life he was looking for, as it turned out, was that of an explorer. He promptly resigned and joined the Union Fleet Academy. He stood out as slightly older than the other recruits, but he took to the different environment very well. He sought out command training so that he could eventually be at the vanguard of exploration, in charge of his direction in life.
Eventually he became the chief science officer of the USC Sarajevo, a Detroit class ship. The Sarajevo suffered a catastrophic systems failure that required a full evacuation. Her captain recognized Kostas' ability to command and be decisive, which led to a recommendation for 1st officer on the USC Excalibur. Kostas was unprepared for such a promotion, but nevertheless embraced it.

[Pockets]

Questions about technology. Are we going with the start trek terms? Anti-matter relays, plasma conduits and such for a warp engine or am I free to make some of my own stuff up. Sub space transport gravametric engines or what?

[The Australian]

Questions about technology. Are we going with the start trek terms? Anti-matter relays, plasma conduits and such for a warp engine or am I free to make some of my own stuff up. Sub space transport gravametric engines or what?

For the most part, Star Trek terms, but you are free to make up your own as long as they make sense and you explain them.

[Pockets]

Sounds like a plan. I shall endeavor to get a post up today. This should be fun.

[The Australian]

Not to rush anyone if they are legitimately busy, but, is anyone going to post?