12||0|4299|0| 0|0|0|||1||Teaser%3A OOTR11 Technical Difficulties|Gryphon||02:57:30|03/08/2014|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Nov-08-14 AT 06:07 PM (EST)]This is in final review%2C or would be if Phil wasn%27t at NekoCon. %3A%29 Probably be out sometime next week.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe story has been overhauled for stylesheet release%2C but the text of this sample still stands%2C so I%27ll just bump this post rather than repost it.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bhr%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bpre%5D Commander Jurdak looked up from his dinner and scowled at Sub-%0D%0ACommander Krattak. %22What do you want%3F%22 he said. Seeing the small%0D%0Afigure standing next to the general%27s adjutant%2C he scowled still more%2C%0D%0Ahis bushy eyebrows colliding%2C and then inquired acidly%2C %22What%27s this%3F%0D%0AHas the Chancellor decided to include bring-your-daughter-to-work day%0D%0Aamong the human traditions we%27re now expected to embrace%3F%22%0D%0A %22General Thalekh%27s compliments%2C%22 said Krattak with the%0D%0Aimperturbable calm of a man who knows his position makes him untouchable%0D%0Aby common%2C everyday officers%2C regardless of their relative ranks. %22He%0D%0Ahas found you a replacement for Battle Engineer P%27maav.%22%0D%0A Jurdak%27s scowl became a thing of legend. %22Is this Zargh%27s idea%0D%0Aof a joke%3F%22 he demanded.%0D%0A Krattak smiled thinly. %22General Thalekh doesn%27t -have- an idea%0D%0Aof a joke%2C%22 he replied.%0D%0A Jurdak surged to his feet%2C his great bulk moving more swiftly%0D%0Aand easily than the sight of him implied. Standing%2C he was a good two%0D%0Afeet taller than the figure standing next to Krattak%2C slim and slight in%0D%0Aspite of her armored uniform%3B but though she had to tilt her head back%0D%0Asome way to do it%2C she looked him in the eye without evident fear as he%0D%0Aglowered down at her.%0D%0A %22What am I expected to do with -this%3F-%22 the commander wanted to%0D%0Aknow%2C his voice precisely calibrated so that everyone in the bird-of-%0D%0Aprey%27s messhall would hear it clearly. %22It%27s too small and fragile to%0D%0Abe of any use in battle and too young to know the machinery. If I were%0D%0Aputting together a klin zha kinta team it might do for a Swift%2C but only%0D%0Aif we were playing against Ferengi.%22%0D%0A Most of the others in the messhall laughed raucously at that.%0D%0AStanding next to Krattak with her jaw set and her back straight%2C%0D%0AB%27Elanna glanced quickly but incisively around the room%2C taking note of%0D%0Athe few who didn%27t. Of that handful%2C most were watching the situation%0D%0Aunfold too intently to find it amusing%2C and one - the hulking figure in%0D%0Athe far corner - was paying no attention at all. He was facing away%0D%0Afrom the captain%27s table and appeared to be reading something.%0D%0A %22The one doubts my assessment of the candidate%27s skills%3F%22%0D%0AKrattak inquired%2C his voice cool and pleasant. %22Perhaps the one will%0D%0Ainform General Thalekh of his reservations regarding the efficiency of%0D%0Athe general%27s chief of staff.%22%0D%0A The laughter stopped suddenly at that%2C as if someone had fired a%0D%0Awarning shot into the ceiling. Sub-Commander Krattak was always calm%2C%0D%0Aalways collected%2C never raised his voice. A few around the Seventh%0D%0AFleet whispered that he might have a little bit of Vulcan in him%2C but he%0D%0Awas far more dangerous than a Vulcan - so perhaps the calmer%2C deadlier%0D%0Akind of Rom.%0D%0A Now his deceptively pleasant tone even penetrated Jurdak%27s%0D%0Abluster. His broad%2C scarred face greying slightly%2C the commander%0D%0Agrowled and seated himself again%2C then gestured to one of his%0D%0Asubordinates and said%2C %22Vokaan%2C see if it can defend itself with those%0D%0Atiny hands.%22%5B%2Fpre%5D 1|1|0|||||RE%3A %28in-progress fragment%29 S5E4 Technical Difficulties|drakensis||08:23:22|03/08/2014|I hope that the Battle Engineer %28B%27lanna I presume%29 defends herself in a manner befitting a duellist. 2|2|1|||||RE%3A %28in-progress fragment%29 S5E4 Technical Difficulties|ejheckathorn||11:41:18|03/08/2014|%3EI hope that the Battle Engineer %28B%27lanna I presume%29 defends herself in %0D%0A%3Ea manner befitting a duellist.%0D%0A%0D%0AI think you can safely presume that%2C given that her name was mentioned. 3|1|0|||1||RE%3A %28in-progress fragment%29 S5E4 Technical Difficulties|Mercutio||14:06:35|03/08/2014|Every time I start to think I actually like the Klingons%2C I%27m reminded of the fact that they have a deeply sick culture. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AYou know%2C I actually lost track of B%27Elanna awhile back. Curious as to the circumstances that could ever get her to serve on a Klingon ship%2C as if I recall correctly she wasn%27t precisely all that enamored of the Empire.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat 4|2|3|||1||RE%3A %28in-progress fragment%29 S5E4 Technical Difficulties|Gryphon||14:26:10|03/08/2014|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Mar-08-14 AT 02:26 PM (EST)]%3EEvery time I start to think I actually like the Klingons%2C I%27m reminded %0D%0A%3Eof the fact that they have a deeply sick culture. %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AThere%27s some exploration of that in the story this is a piece of%2C actually.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EYou know%2C I actually lost track of B%27Elanna awhile back. Curious as to %0D%0A%3Ethe circumstances that could ever get her to serve on a Klingon ship%2C %0D%0A%3Eas if I recall correctly she wasn%27t precisely all that enamored of the %0D%0A%3EEmpire. %0D%0A%0D%0AShe explains her reasoning fairly well in the scene back in %5Bi%5DPrelude in A Minor%5B%2Fi%5D wherein she signs up%3A%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bpre%5D The door to his quarters chimed. %22Come in%2C%22 Zargh called%2C%0D%0Aexpecting to see his adjutant - but instead%2C he found himself facing%0D%0AB%27Elanna O%27Brien.%0D%0A %22What do you want%3F%22 he asked - not belligerently%2C just by way%0D%0Aof greeting.%0D%0A He was mildly surprised when she replied in Klingonese%2C %3CI%27ve%0D%0Acome to join your fleet%2C General Thalekh.%3E%0D%0A Zargh frowned. %3CYou%3F Whatever for%3F You renounced your%0D%0AKlingon citizenship years ago.%3E%0D%0A %3CMy uncle forced that course upon me%2C%3E she replied. %3CI was%0D%0Ayoung and powerless%3B I fled the brutal tyranny under which he ran my%0D%0Afamily because it was my only option.%3E Her dusky face darkened as she%0D%0Awent on%2C %3CI am no longer powerless%2C and now his fist holds half the%0D%0AEmpire. I would do my part to end that.%3E%0D%0A %3CAn admirable sentiment%2C%3E Zargh said. %3CNot all my warriors%0D%0Amay see it that way%2C though. With your human blood and your%0D%0AEarthman%27s name%2C you won%27t have many friends in the fleet.%3E%0D%0A %3CI don%27t need more friends%2C%3E B%27Elanna said with a cold little%0D%0Asmile. %3CMy goal isn%27t to be loved%2C it%27s to help the Empire throw off%0D%0Amy uncle%27s yoke.%3E%0D%0A %3CTo what purpose%3F%3E Zargh wondered. %3CWill you fight out of%0D%0Alove for the Klingon people or hatred of your uncle%3F%3E%0D%0A %3CBoth%2C%3E she said without hesitation%2C surprising him again with%0D%0Aher forthrightness. %3CYes%2C I fled the Empire and denied my Klingon%0D%0Aheritage. I was a child and I made a child%27s mistake%3A equating my%0D%0Auncle%27s savagery with the Klingon way of life. Since then%2C others -%0D%0Ayou%2C Captain Krontep%2C Professor Kraalgh - have taught me that the%0D%0AKlingon way is not my uncle%27s mindless brutality. I%27ve learned to%0D%0Aappreciate the beauty and honor of my mother%27s culture. But if he is%0D%0Anot deposed%2C my uncle will -make- the Klingon way his way within a%0D%0Ageneration.%3E She shook her head. %3CI can%27t stand by and allow that.%3E%5B%2Fpre%5D%0D%0A%0D%0AThat%2C too%2C connects to the experience of serving with Commander Jurdak%2C who is... rather %5Bi%5Dnot%5B%2Fi%5D one of the %22beauty and honor%22 Klingons she has lately come to appreciate.%0D%0A%0D%0AAs an aside%2C Chief of Staff Krattak sort of stole the scene he%27s in for me%2C because he%27s sort of the Klingon converse to Maximilian Chin XVII - the master bureaucrat and logistician%2C indispensable to those he ostensibly serves%2C calm%2C unflappable%2C always polite... and in%5Bi%5Dcred%5B%2Fi%5Dibly dangerous within his own native context. %28Which Chin totally is too%2C it%27s just... less obvious.%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D 5|3|4|||1||RE%3A %28in-progress fragment%29 S5E4 Technical Difficulties|Mercutio||15:34:49|03/08/2014|%3E%3EEvery time I start to think I actually like the Klingons%2C I%27m reminded %0D%0A%3E%3Eof the fact that they have a deeply sick culture. %3A%29 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EThere%27s some exploration of that in the story this is a piece of%2C %0D%0A%3Eactually. %0D%0A%0D%0AI%27ll be interested to read it%21 One of my favorite scenes in DS9 was when Ezri straight up tells Worf %22the Klingon Empire is dying%2C and I think it deserves to die.%22%0D%0A%0D%0ATimes have been tough for old-guard Klingons in UF lately%2C one imagines. There was the whole Klingon Republic thing%2C and if I recall correctly the Empire had to accept a number of reforms as a condition of reunion that moved it away from the whole %22rule by the strongest and most brutal%22 thing Klingons are known for. And then Klayvor%27s attempt to undo all that in one fell swoop didn%27t precisely work out either. %0D%0A%0D%0A%3E%3EYou know%2C I actually lost track of B%27Elanna awhile back. Curious as to %0D%0A%3E%3Ethe circumstances that could ever get her to serve on a Klingon ship%2C %0D%0A%3E%3Eas if I recall correctly she wasn%27t precisely all that enamored of the %0D%0A%3E%3EEmpire. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EShe explains her reasoning fairly well in the scene back in %5Bi%5DPrelude %0D%0A%3Ein A Minor%5B%2Fi%5D wherein she signs up%3A %0D%0A%0D%0AAnd there she is%21 Thanks%2C Ben. Now I%27m caught up.%0D%0A%0D%0A%28It can be tough to keep track of your cast. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAs an aside%2C Chief of Staff Krattak sort of stole the scene he%27s in %0D%0A%3Efor me%2C because he%27s sort of the Klingon converse to Maximilian Chin %0D%0A%3EXVII - the master bureaucrat and logistician%2C indispensable to those %0D%0A%3Ehe ostensibly serves%2C calm%2C unflappable%2C always polite... and %0D%0A%3Ein%5Bi%5Dcred%5B%2Fi%5Dibly dangerous within his own native context. %28Which %0D%0A%3EChin totally is too%2C it%27s just... less obvious.%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AOh man%2C now I totally want to read about this guy%2C because I just love that breed of character.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat 8|3|4|||1||RE%3A %28in-progress fragment%29 S5E4 Technical Difficulties|Prince Charon||22:32:50|05/04/2015|%3EAs an aside%2C Chief of Staff Krattak sort of stole the scene he%27s in %0D%0A%3Efor me%2C because he%27s sort of the Klingon converse to Maximilian Chin %0D%0A%3EXVII - the master bureaucrat and logistician%2C indispensable to those %0D%0A%3Ehe ostensibly serves%2C calm%2C unflappable%2C always polite... and %0D%0A%3Ein%5Bi%5Dcred%5B%2Fi%5Dibly dangerous within his own native context. %28Which %0D%0A%3EChin totally is too%2C it%27s just... less obvious.%29 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%0D%0AOK%2C sorry to bring this up after so long%2C but I just noticed it%3A Who is Maximilian Chin XVII%3F Google has been very unhelpful%2C and Wikipedia%2C likewise.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%22They planned their campaigns just as you might make a splendid piece of harness. It looks very well%3B and answers very well%3B until it gets broken%3B and then you are done for. Now I made my campaigns of ropes. If anything went wrong%2C I tied a knot%3B and went on.%22%0D%0A%09-- Arthur Wellesley%2C First Duke of Wellington 9|4|8|||||RE%3A %28in-progress fragment%29 S5E4 Technical Difficulties|TheOtherSean||22:48:06|05/04/2015|Chin is a bureaucrat in Republic City who handled a number of things when the Duelists and company were visiting. He pops over to Air Temple Island a few times. I think Juni runs into him %28or one of his programs%29 in Heritage%2C as well. 10|4|8|||||RE%3A %28in-progress fragment%29 S5E4 Technical Difficulties|drakensis||03:52:12|05/05/2015|I think Maximilian Chin XVII %28and his dynasty%29 are original to UF rather than an outside reference. 11|4|8|||||RE%3A %28in-progress fragment%29 S5E4 Technical Difficulties|Star Ranger4||17:18:54|05/10/2015|%3EOK%2C sorry to bring this up after so long%2C but I just noticed it%3A Who %0D%0A%3Eis Maximilian Chin XVII%3F Google has been very unhelpful%2C and %0D%0A%3EWikipedia%2C likewise. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%0D%0Aas noted%2C Chin is an OC%2C and a perfect example of how if a bureaucrat LIKES you%2C things become so much easier. OF course%2C the converse of this is you really really don%27t want to get him upset at you either.%0D%0A%0D%0AHis first appearance is%2C appropriately%2C in the first movement of the Diqiu Suite%2C when he is instrumental in finishing up paperwork for Serge%27s arrival in Diqiu with Kate 12|5|11|||1||RE%3A %28in-progress fragment%29 S5E4 Technical Difficulties|ebony14||13:55:24|05/11/2015|%3E%3EOK%2C sorry to bring this up after so long%2C but I just noticed it%3A Who %0D%0A%3E%3Eis Maximilian Chin XVII%3F Google has been very unhelpful%2C and %0D%0A%3E%3EWikipedia%2C likewise. %0D%0A%3E%3E%0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3Eas noted%2C Chin is an OC%2C and a perfect example of how if a bureaucrat %0D%0A%3ELIKES you%2C things become so much easier. OF course%2C the converse of %0D%0A%3Ethis is you really really don%27t want to get him upset at you either. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EHis first appearance is%2C appropriately%2C in the first movement of the %0D%0A%3EDiqiu Suite%2C when he is instrumental in finishing up paperwork for %0D%0A%3ESerge%27s arrival in Diqiu with Kate %0D%0A%0D%0AThis accuses the Honorable Master Chin of favoritism%2C which would be unprofessional%2C if it were true. It would be better to say that Maximilian Chin XVII%2C much like those before him%2C is the perfect example of a bureaucrat who %5BI%5Dlikes his job%5B%2FI%5D%2C and who understands that the wheels of government must spin freely and cleanly and efficiently in order for things to be done in the best possible time and manner. Ergo%2C he does everything in an upright%2C forthright%2C and efficient fashion%2C because to do otherwise would be to cause friction and%2C well%2C we knows what happens to a machine that experiences undue friction in its mechanisms%2C yes%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AThis is not to say that Master Chin does not like the Avatar%2C or indeed any of her friends from the Big Universe. He clearly does%2C but even if he did not%2C all of his bureaucratic duties would be performed with no less efficiency%2C speed%2C and appropriateness. He just wouldn%27t be as pleasant a person to talk to.%0D%0A%0D%0AEbony the Black Dragon%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Life is like an anole. Sometimes it%27s green. Sometimes it%27s brown. But it%27s always a small Caribbean lizard.%22 6|1|0|||||RE%3A %28in-progress fragment%29 S5E4 Technical Difficulties|Zemyla||05:27:12|03/10/2014|%3EJurdak%27s scowl became a thing of legend. %22Is this Zargh%27s idea of a joke%3F%22 he demanded.%0D%0A%3EKrattak smiled thinly. %22General Thalekh doesn%27t -have- an idea of a joke%2C%22 he replied.%0D%0A%0D%0AFirst time I read this%2C I thought it was just funny at face value. Then when I read it the second time%2C I remembered who Zargh was%2C and collapsed.%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EIf I were putting together a klin zha kinta team it might do for a Swift%2C but only if we were playing against Ferengi.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AOh boy. B%27Elanna%27s not only a Duelist%2C but one trained with the bat%27leth%2C from what I recall. That%27ll be amusing when it finally boils over.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe medic%27s reaction when he has to reattach the victim%27s arm%2C given what I know about Klingons%2C would probably be %22You shouldn%27t have been so %5Bi%5Dkhest%5B%2Fi%5Ding stupid in the first place.%22 7|2|6|||1||RE%3A %28in-progress fragment%29 S5E4 Technical Difficulties|Peter Eng||16:07:47|11/09/2014|%3E%0D%0A%3EThe medic%27s reaction when he has to reattach the victim%27s arm%2C given %0D%0A%3Ewhat I know about Klingons%2C would probably be %22You shouldn%27t have been %0D%0A%3Eso %5Bi%5Dkhest%5B%2Fi%5Ding stupid in the first place.%22 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%0D%0AShe%27ll probably avoid dismemberment. B%27Elanna did promise not to kill too many of them.%0D%0A%0D%0APeter Eng%0D%0A--%0D%0AAd%27jur Duras woke up%2C attempted to sit up%2C and tried to remember what happened.