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[Story by Shawn Alpay, Character Art by Thomas Marrone]

Previously on Star Trek: Loma Prieta…
Episode 1: Shifts – Prologue
Episode 1: Shifts – Act 1
Episode 1: Shifts – Act 2
Episode 1: Shifts – Act 3
Episode 1: Shifts – Act 4

 

ACT 5

Sung didn’t say anything for a moment.  “Explain, Ensign,” he finally commanded.

“I’m not sure, sir.  I…” Marrone turned back to the console, looking it over a moment before shrugging somewhat and holding his open palms upward.  “I’m just reading what it says.”

Sung frowned, then narrowed his questioning. “How many warp signatures in total?”

“Twenty-seven, sir.  All Federation, all apparently destroyed via core detonation.”  Marrone swallowed.  “All at the same time.”

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Please note, STAR TREK: LOMA PRIETA will be taking a mid-episode hiatus starting today. We will return with Act 5 of Episode 1 on Tuesday, October 8th.

[Story by Shawn Alpay, Character Art by Thomas Marrone]

Previously on Star Trek: Loma Prieta…
Episode 1: Shifts – Prologue
Episode 1: Shifts – Act 1
Episode 1: Shifts – Act 2
Episode 1: Shifts – Act 3

ACT 4

“Rothschild here.  What’s the latest, Commander Sung?”

“He’s been read his charges and directed to the brig, Admiral, per your direction.”

“Very good.”  With his bulky build and greying beard, Admiral Rothschild cut an imposing figure in his chair as displayed on Commander Sung’s console, though he clearly exuded the air of a man past his physical prime.  “That’s very good.  Starfleet won’t stand for such incursion against its vessels, and Perkins will taste justice soon enough.”

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(This happy-hour entry has been re-posted from Yeoman Bukowski’s blog)

RULE #23: There is no sex on the Holodeck.

When most of your time is spent meandering the florescent hallways of the ship, facing ever-impending destruction, or responding to the Captain’s 5-a-day Book updates, the pressure of it all leads to some serious need of R&R. So I am pretty sure it’s like half the reason most of us are still in Starfleet, the other half being selfless scientific discovery and inter-planet diplomacy (duh). And since the holodeck remains the final frontier of entertainment when you’re light years from home, it is pretty much the most important room we’ve got — I mean, next to the bridge… obviously. Erm, and I guess the decks of main engineering… primarily warp core access balconies… Ugh, and I guess sickbay depending on your biological stamina… Whatever, they’re all kinda important… But I digress… I need a refill.

The point is the holodeck is everyone’s favorite playground. And more than once I’ve come to realize that there might be some extra-curricular activities happening to and upon our most beloved recreational area.

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[Program must remain PG(-13?), please]

There is no sex on the Holodeck. No matter what a slutty hologram tells you, there is no sex on the holodeck. Keep your nasty Ferengi fantasies fluid-free. Understandably, there’s a majority of single crewmen who need to “explore strange new worlds” and I mean, we’ve all been there! In fact, there’s been more than one occasion where it was of everyone’s benefit for me to find a way to relieve the stress and keep a zero BAC to simply make the right decisions in a time of need. But you know what? Not on the holodeck. Sure, I’ve programed some racy run-ins with various Starfleet candy (“Oh well, hellllooooo Commander Riker! What a flattering 19th century naval uniform you’re wearing…”) but take it back to your quarters and keep your proverbial private-time phasers to yourself. Your “person juice” is not regulation replicated matter.

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[Ewwwwww… NOOOOOOO.]

You know what’s worse than replicating a sexual partner? Bringing one with you. I get it, there are some fine ass couplings all up in the USS Loma Prieta, but c’mon people… this isn’t the Academy! Keep it in your pants and out of the common area. Oh, you want to roll around on the ivory sand of Risa? Then take some leave. Don’t jumble your junk all over the grid for some simulated backdrop. I mean, you have the infinite background of the fucking universe to be your sexytime mood lighting. If that doesn’t get your partner off (OR YOU), then I demand for their (OR YOUR) immediate resignation. Need to spice it up? I highly recommend taking a couple hours when we’re scheduled to warp, because there’s nothing more arousing than zooming through star-fields.

I think we can all admit to some fooling around on the ship. I’ve even heard *ahem* of some crew personnel finding some “special down time” in some very creative nooks & crannies of our beloved Loma Prieta. And you know what? I totally don’t care. Just keep it off the holodeck. Pornography is ancient Earth shit… just pull out your Pad and access the archives. Do not interrupt my holonovel mystery with concerns like “Why is this slippery”? or “Something doesn’t smell right”.

Now where’s my homemade pickleback?

=^= En. Tiffany Bukowski
Ship’s Yeoman
USS Loma Prieta

[Story by Shawn Alpay, Character Art by Thomas Marrone]

Previously on Star Trek: Loma Prieta…
Episode 1: Shifts – Prologue
Episode 1: Shifts – Act 1
Episode 1: Shifts – Act 2

ACT 3 

Captain’s Log, Stardate 48316.2.  In the wake of an outbreak of food poisoning generated by the ship’s replicators, I’ve assembled my senior staff to receive a debrief of Hesser and Bukowski’s latest efforts to get to the root of an increasingly worrying problem.

“Well, Captain, we’ve got some bad news, some good news, and some terrible news.”

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[Story by Shawn Alpay, Character Art by Thomas Marrone]

Previously on Star Trek: Loma Prieta…
Episode 1: Shifts – Prologue
Episode 1: Shifts – Act 1

ACT 2

The science lab was teeming with a mix of yellow and blue uniforms as Bukowski entered.  She didn’t recognize some of their faces, and she assumed most of them to be recent transfers or Academy grads, judging by their bright eyes and lone pips on each of their collars.  LCARS consoles were strewn about the room in various state of disassembly, each accompanied by a pair of harried but determined crewmen, tinkering with the consoles’ insides or taking notes on PADDs.  Complicated combinations of math equations and chemistry shorthand littered the screens activated nearby.  She made a mental note to review the most recent crew logs, and to pay closer attention during Lieutenant Roodman’s lessons, as she walked around the corner in search of the chief science officer.

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