The Adamoi

The USS Saratoga included a photo of an Adamoi woman in their data packet to Starfleet Command. That photo was included within our mission information as well.

The Adamoi are a near-Human species who live up to 800 years. They are intelligent and creative, with a rich artistic culture, deeply-rooted love of nature, and a technology level equal to the Federation (although, no interstellar space travel). They are universally fair-skinned, with white hair and violet-colored eyes.

They appear to be a rather captivating species.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 27, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

A Diplomatic Mission to Meet the Adamoi

The Enterprise left Earth earlier today, and is currently underway to our first assignment since the Devron Anomaly. Our mission takes us to the Federation frontier, where we are to engage in a diplomatic mission to the newly discovered Adamoi.

The USS Saratoga (Miranda-class) recently made first contact with the Adamoi while on a survey mission. Their crew, however, was not equipped for a full diplomatic mission, so we have been given that task instead. We have diplomacy specialists aboard to assist us in this endeavor.

The Adamoi homeworld of Techelen is 40 light years from Earth. At warp 9, we will get there in ten days. The Saratoga will continue interactions with the Adamoi until we arrive.

According to reports, the Adamoi are an intelligent, creative, and extremely long-lived Human-like species. Most Adamoi are light-skinned, with white hair and violet-colored eyes. They have a rich artistic culture, a deeply-rooted love of nature, technology equal to the Federation (although, no interstellar space travel), and lifespans between 700-800 years. Their homeworld is surrounded by a protective canopy of water that keeps the entire planet in a comfortable, lush and naturally vibrant greenhouse state.

The Adamoi are also a peace-loving people, and may be an ideal species for Federation membership. According to Captain Storil, the Vulcan captain of the Saratoga, the Adamoi requested this Federation diplomatic envoy. They appear as eager to learn about us, as we are of them, although, there may be more to their request than they are letting on.

We shall see. At the very least, a new friend and ally on the frontier is always welcome.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 26, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

Cleared For Service; Preparing For Departure

The Enterprise has been cleared for service, we now have a full crew aboard (including all senior officers), and we are scheduled to leave Earth for our next mission this coming Wednesday. At the present time, I cannot comment upon the details of our next mission (I am prohibited from sharing information that hasn’t been approved for public consumption), but I should be able to do so in a day or two.

For the time being, all crew are being recalled from shore leave, and the final steps are underway for our departure. There are many aboard this ship who are eager to get back out into space – especially after our experiences with the Devron Anomaly. Time has not been kind to this ship, but we remain resilient nonetheless. The universe can’t keep a good crew down.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 23, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

Enterprise Company

The USS Enterprise-D operates a full Marine base on deck 8. Starting next week, that base will house 90-100 soldiers that comprise a military unit known as “Enterprise Company”. “EC”, as I’ve already heard it referred to, will consist of three rifle platoons (30 men/women each), commanded by a Marine captain. All Marine housing, and most combat training, will be confined to deck 8, although, some drilling may take place in other areas of the ship – such as the large shuttle maintenance and storage bay on deck 5 (below our Main Shuttlebay).

The Marines of Enterprise Company are tasked with securing and protecting all away teams on a planet surface, and conducting combat operations into hostile territory, as needed. They are also trained in boarding actions, if the invasion of enemy starships is ever required.

Our Starfleet security personnel will maintain all police and security actions aboard the Enterprise, with the exception of the Marine base.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 19, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

Unexpected Marine Deployment Issues

Well, it looks like we’ll be held in port – here, in orbit of Earth – for another week. Starfleet has extended our stay to accommodate “unexpected Marine deployment issues”.

Most civilians don’t realize this, but the Enterprise actually carries a full contingent of Starfleet Marines -- for combat operations, as well as added ship defense. In fact, all Starfleet ships have at least a few stationed aboard – you never know what dangers await us out in space, or what hostile forces might show up during an away mission. Starfleet security maintains all safety and police matters aboard a ship, while the Marines deploy with – or ahead of -- away teams, and handle all ground hostilities on a planet.

Marines have been a common part of every Starfleet crew since the early MACO days aboard the Enterprise NX-01. The Marines are a branch of Starfleet, but they have their own command structure. This means that most Marine officers graduate from Starfleet Academy, but go on to additional command training before being deployed. The majority of the Marines, however, consist of enlisted personnel – trained soldiers who dedicate their lives to keeping the Federation safe and free.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 17, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

The Devron Timeline

I was having a discussion with some of our temporal physics personnel in Ten Forward earlier today, and we were discussing the topic of alternate timelines. Theoretically, there could be trillions of alternate timelines, each one branching off from this one. Our recent experience with the Devron Anomaly suggests that there are at least two other realities, as evidenced by the two other versions of the USS Enterprise-D along us inside the phenomena. We never made contact with those Enterprises – we don’t know where they came from – but they were there.

At one point, our conversation drifted toward what we might call our timeline -- if there was ever a need to differentiate it from others. Many ideas were presented, but in the end, only one seemed to fit the best – “The Devron Timeline”. To be honest, the anti-time anomaly in the Devron System did affect our past, present, and future, so, it would seem to define us rather well.

Our timeline is the only timeline we have ever known. The rest of the Federation never experienced what we experienced – entering an anti-time anomaly, de-aging, and traveling into the future. The universe may have its own views of this reality, and what it means to them, but to us, “The Devron Timeline” seems as good a name as any.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 15, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

Technology: Transporters

Transporter technology is often misunderstood within our universe. The official name for this mode of travel is actually known as, “transportal relocation”, because short-term artificial wormholes transfer people and objects between two coordinates, or portals.

The transporters that we know must always operate between two compatible transporter pads. This is required since each pad generates a terminal vortex. Without two vortexes, there cannot be a generated wormhole, thus no transport. For this reason, an individual aboard a starship cannot travel down to a planet’s surface, unless there is an operational transporter pad to arrive upon. As a result, unless a planet has a network of transporter substations, most away teams from a starship travel down to a planet’s surface via shuttlecraft.

Now, some shuttles, like the Type-7 cargo shuttles carried aboard the Enterprise, or our compliment of Danube-class runabouts, do have small transporter pads integrated into the vessel. If an away mission to an uninhabited planet requires a transporter connection, one of these auxiliary vessels can land on the planet’s surface, and facilitate a temporary transporter pad, thereby allowing subsequent transport between the away team and the starship in orbit.

At the present time, all personnel and cargo transporters have a maximum range of 40,000 kilometers. The power needed to generate a transporter wormhole is currently too great to expand the operational distance any further than these limits.

Transporters are unable to work site-to-site on a planet’s surface, due to both the gravitational pull and the curvature of the planet. For this reason, all transport from one location on a planet to another is directed to intermediary transport stations in orbit. If someone wanted to travel from a pad in Moscow, Russia (on Earth) to a pad in New York City, USA, they would transport up to an orbital transport station, and then transport down again to the New York transport pad.

There have been theories within the scientific community, that could, some day result in digital relocation. The theory – currently unproven -- is that a person could be disassembled on a molecular level, routed through a computer processor (or buffer), and then reassembled at a new transport destination. The problem with this theory, however – and the reason why this doesn’t exist, is that people and objects cannot be turned into energy, and then be reintegrated as solid objects. Living beings are far too complex to be taken apart on a molecular level, and then put back together at a destination, exactly as they were before. There are no computers even remotely powerful enough to handle this kind of digital data for objects, living or otherwise.

Since transporters consist of generated short-range wormholes, and these wormholes have distance limits, most traffic to or from the Enterprise makes use of shuttlecraft. As a result, our Main Shuttlebay can be a very busy place, with shuttles coming and going on a daily basis. In addition, whenever the Enterprise is docked at a drydock or large space station, there is an umbilical connect – a tunnel – that connects the station to the neck of the Enterprise, on deck 25. There are also two vertical cargo elevators that can attach to station arms above or below the Enterprise, and raise or lower people or cargo through the saucer.

Transporters are an integral part of living in space, however, just like anything else, there are limits to what it can do. Someday, we may find a way to break those limits, but, for now, we have to make due with the physical limitations imposed by the reality we live within.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 14, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

The New Crew of the USS Enterprise-D

The new crew of the Enterprise is taking shape. Many personnel have transferred out to other assignments, with new crew coming in to take their place.

Commander William Riker was originally scheduled to be our first officer – once we returned from the Neutral Zone. However, when the Enterprise “disappeared” in the Devron System, and Starfleet thought we had been destroyed, he was reassigned to the USS Galaxy as their first officer instead. A year later, with the news that we had not, in fact, been lost, Commander Riker has been reassigned back to the Enterprise, and, moving forward, will be our new First officer.

Commander Beverly Crusher was originally scheduled to be our chief medical officer, however, when we disappeared, she was reassigned to Starfleet Medical Academy. She will be remaining in her current position. Instead, our new chief doctor will be Commander Katherine Pulaski, the former chief medical officer of the USS Repulse.

Lieutenant Commander Terence Argyle, our chief engineer, requested reassignment, and was transferred to an engineering position on Earth. To replace him, we have been assigned a Lieutenant Geordi La Forge. Our new chief engineer was originally scheduled to join the Enterprise as a helm officer, however, when the Enterprise vanished, La Forge continued to serve aboard the USS Hood. During the year that we were “missing”, he earned a promotion, and transferred into the engineering department. He is a skilled engineer, and should be an able replacement for Lieutenant Commander Argyle.

With our chief security officer, Lieutenant Natasha Yar, also leaving the Enterprise, a new officer was needed for her position as well. After considering a number of candidates, Captain Picard has chosen to replace her with bridge auxiliary officer, Lieutenant (JG) Worf Rozhenko – our resident Klingon. Worf has been promoted to full Lieutenant, and will administer the security department. An incoming officer, Lieutenant Belo Darva, will become chief tactical officer.

Once the Enterprise leaves Earth next week, we will finally have a full crew. If you would like learn more about this crew, please visit our USS Enterprise-D crew page.

We’re preparing to head back out into the unknown. Hopefully, this time, we’ll last a little longer out there, and won’t have any more run-ins with “anti-time anomalies”.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 13, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

Technology: Replicators

Another iconic technology aboard Starfleet ships are replicators. Replicators have two distinct functions – one, to create an array of solid objects on demand, and two, to provide water-based beverages for the crew.

Contrary to popular belief, replicators do not produce food (other than beverages). To do so would require a starship to have vast tanks filled with many different kinds of raw food materials, from which to comprise replicated food. The problem is, space aboard a starship is limited, and materials storage for so many different edible food components would take up too much space. Replicators must have raw materials from which to create objects. It is physically impossible to replicate something out of nothing, energy, or thin air.

So, what does the crew of the Enterprise eat? Well, food, just like everyone else. Every large deck has at least one galley or mess hall, each of which is staffed by cooks, chefs, and baking professionals who provide daily meals for the personnel and civilians aboard the ship. Menus vary from day-to-day, and often depend upon available foodstuffs brought aboard-ship at the last resupply date. In addition, for-profit restaurants can be found along the Promenade on deck 10, for those interested in a more specialized food experience. Some quarters also contain small kitchenettes – for those who wish to cook their own meals.

Since replicators do not provide food, they get used for other objects instead. The larger replicators (as seen on the left in the attached image) produce small, solid objects from up to three specific raw materials. These materials are: a metallic-like resin that emulates the strength and durability of metal, a clear transparent plastic, and a solid opaque plastic. Special dyes can be added to any of these three materials to create a wide variety of colorful tools and products.

Object replicators can also deconstruct previously-replicated objects, thereby recycling the resin materials for secondary use at a later date. Replicators cannot produce clothing, phasers, batteries, or any other electronic item.

The smaller wall replicators (as seen on the right in this image) provide water-based beverages for the crew. In most cases, water is mixed with various flavors and additives to create a desired beverage. Beverages can be hot, or cold, depending upon the beverage chosen. In many ways, these beverage replicators are a lot like vintage soft drink dispensers of the early 21st Century. They can be found in crew quarters, lounges, and public spaces throughout the ship.

Replicators have become an important part of everyday life. They may not provide the food needs of a ship’s crew (other than beverages), but they do produce most of the small objects necessary to live and work aboard a starship.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 12, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

Technology: Holodecks

One of the most awe-inspiring technological marvels aboard the USS Enterprise, are the holodecks. These holodecks comprise 16 individual rooms located on deck 12 of the saucer. Each room generates holographic objects, characters, and environments, all of which can be used for entertainment, training, and presentations.

Contrary to popular belief, however, the objects, settings and characters simulated in these holodecks are not real – they cannot be touched, nor can they be physically interacted with. They have no substance, and are nothing more than sophisticated light projections. The projections are designed to appear as if they are solid, but if a holodeck user attempts to touch or interact with them, they will pass right through the projected object.

Since objects on the holodeck are nothing more than light projections, the physical confines of the holodeck remain valid. Three dimensional visualizations can appear on the walls, ceiling and floor, thereby expanding the perceived space to something larger than the room itself, however, users cannot move beyond the actual size of the room. Most programs have built-in visualizations to alert users of the functional space, without detracting from the realism of the program.

Holodecks can also project characters, creatures and animals, although, like everything else, these projections have no physical substance. They can be programmed to look, sound, and act like a real person or creature, however, they are still operated by the computer – and, as such, have no true emotions beyond their programmed responses.

Holodeck users are permitted to bring props into a holodeck to add physicality to a program, and costumes are always encouraged. Holodecks cannot simulate clothing on holodeck users. Storage rooms near each holodeck block offer some common props, and problems can be readily addressed to personnel working within nearby support offices.

All holodecks are available by reservation only, although, two holodecks are always kept on stand-by for use by the senior officers during mission operations.

Various laboratories throughout the ship also feature small holographic alcoves for programming use. These alcoves are not large enough for recreational simulations, but they can be used to simulate characters and other research-themed projections. In addition, most crew quarters contain at least one small, round holographic table. Common table-top projections include games, story simulations, mini-performer concerts, and historical presentations.

Galaxy and Nebula-class starships are the only Starfleet ships that feature holodecks at this time, although, most vessels have holographic programming alcoves and table-top projectors.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 10, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

Lieutenant Natasha Yar Has Been Reassigned

Another senior officer on the Enterprise has accepted transfer to a new location. Lieutenant Natasha Yar is being reassigned to the USS Bonestell (Oberth-class). She will be the new chief security officer aboard that science vessel. I never had the chance to get to know her, myself, but I always heard good things. She will be missed aboard the Enterprise.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 7, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

The Borders of the United Federation of Planets

I have been talking to a few people lately – most of whom reside on Earth, and there seems to be a common misconception that the Federation has clearly marked borders. The thing is, space is vast, open, and three-dimensional. On a planet, a border between nations is like a wall, firmly planted into the ground. On one side, the land belongs to one nation, and on the other side, it belongs to another. But in space, a wall is just a ring – a line. Ships can easily go over or under that line without any trouble. Therefore, a border line does nothing in space – because space is not two-dimensional.

When you hear someone talking about the Cardassian border, or the Klingon border, there is no set line, with the Federation on one side, and the Klingons or Cardassians on the other. Instead, borders are three-dimensional quasi-defined regions of space. Areas between certain star systems usually become known as border regions. Good border regions are vast tracks of nothingness that buffer the empires adjacent to each other. After all, empty space has very little value to anyone; it is the habitable planets that define the controlled territory of empires.

So, how does the Federation defend its borders with the Klingons, the Romulans and the Cardassians? Well, the Federation and her member planets defend their star systems with regional fleets, carefully placed sensor buoys between star systems, and small patrol ships that remain in constant contact with those sensor buoys. In a way, planets become like the territorial islands in an ocean, while the empty areas of space are the “international waters” between them.

But doesn’t this allow an enemy to just warp through the vast emptiness between star systems? Theoretically, yes. However, when your opponent’s planets are heavily defended, open space is vast and holds no value, your invading supply lines become long and vulnerable, sensors are completely useless at warp (so you don’t know what awaits you at your destination), and communication of any kind cannot travel faster than the speed of light, you tend to keep your resources close, and conduct planet-to-planet wars. There just isn’t any incentive – or safety -- in long-distance invasions.

In the Federation, most member planets maintain their own defense fleets, with the ships of the military-based Federation Port Guard providing additional support. Port Guard ships also patrol the marker buoys between controlled systems, and coordinate sensor data with Starfleet vessels, Federation trade ships, and other service vessels operating in the area.

While a wall on a planet might delineate a national border, the true “borders” of the Federation are maintained by the vast emptiness of space, and the limits of vital technology for all invaders who might try to pass through it.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 6, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

Losing a Chief Engineer

Unfortunately, the Enterprise will be losing its Chief Engineer. Lieutenant Commander Terence Argyle has requested reassignment, and, today, his request was approved. He will be transferring to a new engineering post on Earth, and the Enterprise will likely receive a replacement, either by internal promotion, or from an outside officer transferring in.

Nearly 350 Enterprise crew have requested reassignment, most of whom are believed to be doing so for personal reasons after our mission to collapse the “anti-time” Devon Anomaly, and the time travel incident that followed.

We will likely see more approved transfers in the coming days.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 4, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

How Large is the United Federation of Planets?

While the Enterprise remains in orbit of Earth, and our crew enjoys a few days of leave, I thought I would take a moment to address something that I often get asked. For some reason, there seems to be a great deal of confusion over the size of the Federation. Many people have conflicting ideas about how large the Federation is, how many member planets there are, and where all of Starfleet’s starbases are located.

I think this is a good opportunity to put all of those questions to rest.

Right now, as of June 2364, there are 22 member planets within the United Federation of Planets. These 22 planets are the home worlds of member species, with the exception of a few colony worlds that have large enough populations to be represented on the Federation Council. In addition, there are nearly 100 inhabited protectorate planets, all of which are smaller colony worlds – consisting of mining colonies, science and research colonies, notable Federation-controlled planets, etc. Protectorates are not represented on the Federation Council, but do hold protective status under the Federation Constitution.

Starfleet does not defend these planets and protectorates. Instead, planetary defense belongs to the ships of the Federation Port Guard, which is, in fact, larger than Starfleet, but maintains smaller combat-oriented vessels. Both Starfleet and Port Guard vessels are active in the war against the Cardassians – along the Cardassian border.

In terms of the size of the Federation, there are 70 light years between Tzenkethi space and the Romulan Neutral Zone. The Federation resides between these two empires. There are 60 light years between the Cardassian border and Klingon space. The Federation controls those 60 light years of space. There are 80 light years between Cardassian space and the Romulan Neutral Zone, with the Federation located in the middle.

The Federation is roughly 100 light years from border to border. It takes a vessel, traveling at warp 9, twenty-five days to cross 100 light years.

The current UFP member planets are (in alphabetical order):

Agralakis – (Algol System) – Algolians
Andoria – (Procyon System) -- Andorians, Aenar
Axanar – (Epsilon Eridani System) -- Axanar
Betazed – (Beta Zeta System) -- Betazoids
Bolias – (Bolarus System) -- Bolians
Deneva – (Deneva System) -- Federation citizens (Human colony world)
Denobula – (Denobula Triaxa System) -- Denobulans
Desotriana – (Coridan System) – Coridanites
Earth – (Sol System) – Humans
Kazar Prime – (Kazar System) – Kazarites
Keracindal – (Alpha System) -- Federation citizens (Human colony world)
K’Norm – (K’Normia System) – K’Normians
Lamatillis – (Lorillia System) – Lorillians
Mars – (Sol System) -- Humans
Tamatal – (Qualor System) – Zakdorn
Proxima – (Alpha Centauri System) – Federation citizens (Human colony)
Risa – (Epsilon Ceti System) – Risians
Sauria – (Psi Serpentis System) -- Saurians
Seyalia – (Delta System) – Deltans
Tellar Prime – (Tellar System) – Tellarites
Trill – (Trillius System) – Trill, Trill symbionts
Vulcan – (Vulcan System) – Vulcans

The Federation (and by extension, Starfleet), does not maintain large space facilities. The resources to build large space stations is prohibitive, so most Federation administrative facilities are located on planets. Some member planets, however, do maintain their own orbital space stations (of various modest sizes). The only space stations Starfleet maintains are of the Regula-class (which usually house no more than 200 residents), and the newly deployed Galaxy-class saucer starbases, which can comfortably house roughly 2,600 civilians and personnel.

There was discussion, over a century ago, of Earth possibly building a massive “Spacedock”, however, in our history, the design was far too large to be practical, and the idea never went beyond the drawing board. Today, the only orbital structures above Earth are Regula-class space stations, the “crab-like” McKinley Station, and a handful of drydocks and small administrative stations associated with Starfleet’s San Francisco Fleet Yards.

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 3, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)

Anthem of the United Federation of Planets

Happy Federation Day!

-Lieutenant Sam Archer

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June 1, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)