Post by Judith Eastman on Jul 30, 2020 4:42:46 GMT
As was perhaps to be expected, with so many good posts nominated, no one post has attained a majority. As a result, we now have a runoff between the top two.
In this second round, you have 56 hours to vote for the Post of the Month. Cast your ballots!
{Submission #1, by Elijah Azaria, is from the Mission}Here's what the nominator had to say:
Here's the post itself:
Read the post in context here.
This was an interesting change of pace for the character. Here we got glimpse of Elijah's past. And despite all his growth throughout the years, he was still vulnerable to a ghost from his past. Masterfully illustrated and heartbreaking at the same time.
Here's the post itself:
[Deck 5 - Elijah's Quarters]
Elijah watched in silence, feeling as though he physically couldn’t speak. It wasn’t until his throat burned that he realised he was screaming as he watched his Mother’s face crumble and rot. He backed away and hissed as he caught the edge of the table, tears burned in his eyes but he didn’t have to contemplate how many years it had been since he’d cried. He gagged as though he was about to vomit but there was nothing on his stomach, nothing inside of him; he was hollow. He turned at the sound of his Father’s voice, and within seconds he was transported to another room; leaving the carnage of his Mother behind.
Edward Azaria was a tall, wide man with an attractive face but soulless eyes. He always wore suits, even on Sundays, but Elijah had always known when his Father was angry. He would enter his bedroom, sleeves rolled up; tie missing - with this look on his face. The same look he now wore as he stood in the centre of the living room, blood splatter on his shirt, dripping from his knuckles. Elijah’s blood, he knew. He remembered that time when he was eight and he’d gone out into the street to play without his parent’s permission.
“I knew it was you making that racket,” he said, loosening his tie.
“It wasn’t,” Elijah found himself saying, pleading to be believed. He could feel the bruises highlighted on his body as if it were just yesterday he’d received them. “It wasn’t me.” Please don’t hurt me. Please don’t hurt me. His mind was spiralling. He couldn’t work up enough stability to remind himself he was just dreaming. He wasn’t like this anymore. The Elijah he was now was strong, physically, emotionally. He could easily throw hands with his Father and win, he knew that, but in his timid frame, his timid mind had shrunk every self-defence maneuver he’d learned. “I’ll be good,” he promised. Please don’t hurt me.
Read the post in context here.
{Submission #8, by Joshua Niles, is from the Event}Here's what the Nominator wrote:
Here's the post itself:
[ Ens Joshua Niles - Blue Beta Bar, Front Ear Station ]
When Commander Eastman's voice sounded over the channel, Niles barely managed to suppress a sigh of relief. She was there, and she was on top of things. Perhaps, at first, he had thought her overly cautious, but his opinion of her during the events of the space weather that had nearly crippled the Mac and the escaped prisoners running about had changed drastically. In fact, he'd found there might be much he could learn from her, such has moderating his youthful desire to act with the need to think and consider what was actually going on.
And, this particular situation was indeed a great chance to put that example to the test!
However, before he could speak, both Jeren and Lieutenant Aune had something to add. However, the big man's comment was most definitely going to be counterproductive, especially if the idea was to keep him under the radar, and possibly find a way to get him out the door as soon as possible. A Security officer who'd been within the room, being able to give a first-hand account, would be a powerful asset... but only so long as he was still breathing.
"Mister Aune, please, I would advise to remain calm and do nothing to increase the tensions in here. Too many people are hurt already, let's not add to that count." It was... interesting for Josh. Of course he had been polite, but he had remained firm; he knew he had no authority to issue orders to the Lieutenant, but if the charade could be maintained that he was a civilian then, at the worst, he could remain an ace in the hole within the bar... but only if he understood what the young Ensign was trying to do here.
Turning his attention back to Jeren, the Ensign nodded. "Sir, I'm a Starfleet officer; I was assigned to be your contact for your visit here, and this... really changes nothing. And, as part of my oath, my duty is to protect these people; the two aren't mutually exclusive. As for Commander Eastman, she is most reasonable, but I would advise you not to push her. Your threat to execute hostages unless your conditions are met will lead to the sort of response you do not want to contemplate; I don't know what grievance you want to address, Sir, but should you start killing hostages instead of talking it out, my understanding is she will make sure your actions do as much damage to your cause as she can manage."
Crisis negotiation had not been something he had been trained for; in fact, that tended to be the sort of training that came later in one's career. However, Security was also trained to deescalate tense situations, so this was not entirely an alien task. "Please understand we cannot compel Miss Fox to come in here if she does not wish to, but Commander Eastman will see to it you have access to her in some way, but only if you meet her immediate terms. She requests you call your men away from the Computer Core, and release every young, elderly and injured hostage you and your people are holding. And if she says she will not bend, Sir, I would take her on her word if I were you. From my point of view, Sir, I would suggest you indeed make this show of good faith, and I would also recommend you also free Mister Aune; the last thing you need is someone as angry and as worried as he is in here, not if you want to prevent more violence."
You can read the post on context here.
Josh was put in a very difficult situation, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading his posts as Josh tried to keep it all together and maintain peace and balance between Sven and Jeren while also trying to negotiate a peaceful conclusion. It was hard picking a post, but I think this one was my favourite because it shows Josh struggling to keep it together and him trying to calm Sven while also negotiating with Jeren.
Here's the post itself:
When Commander Eastman's voice sounded over the channel, Niles barely managed to suppress a sigh of relief. She was there, and she was on top of things. Perhaps, at first, he had thought her overly cautious, but his opinion of her during the events of the space weather that had nearly crippled the Mac and the escaped prisoners running about had changed drastically. In fact, he'd found there might be much he could learn from her, such has moderating his youthful desire to act with the need to think and consider what was actually going on.
And, this particular situation was indeed a great chance to put that example to the test!
However, before he could speak, both Jeren and Lieutenant Aune had something to add. However, the big man's comment was most definitely going to be counterproductive, especially if the idea was to keep him under the radar, and possibly find a way to get him out the door as soon as possible. A Security officer who'd been within the room, being able to give a first-hand account, would be a powerful asset... but only so long as he was still breathing.
"Mister Aune, please, I would advise to remain calm and do nothing to increase the tensions in here. Too many people are hurt already, let's not add to that count." It was... interesting for Josh. Of course he had been polite, but he had remained firm; he knew he had no authority to issue orders to the Lieutenant, but if the charade could be maintained that he was a civilian then, at the worst, he could remain an ace in the hole within the bar... but only if he understood what the young Ensign was trying to do here.
Turning his attention back to Jeren, the Ensign nodded. "Sir, I'm a Starfleet officer; I was assigned to be your contact for your visit here, and this... really changes nothing. And, as part of my oath, my duty is to protect these people; the two aren't mutually exclusive. As for Commander Eastman, she is most reasonable, but I would advise you not to push her. Your threat to execute hostages unless your conditions are met will lead to the sort of response you do not want to contemplate; I don't know what grievance you want to address, Sir, but should you start killing hostages instead of talking it out, my understanding is she will make sure your actions do as much damage to your cause as she can manage."
Crisis negotiation had not been something he had been trained for; in fact, that tended to be the sort of training that came later in one's career. However, Security was also trained to deescalate tense situations, so this was not entirely an alien task. "Please understand we cannot compel Miss Fox to come in here if she does not wish to, but Commander Eastman will see to it you have access to her in some way, but only if you meet her immediate terms. She requests you call your men away from the Computer Core, and release every young, elderly and injured hostage you and your people are holding. And if she says she will not bend, Sir, I would take her on her word if I were you. From my point of view, Sir, I would suggest you indeed make this show of good faith, and I would also recommend you also free Mister Aune; the last thing you need is someone as angry and as worried as he is in here, not if you want to prevent more violence."
You can read the post on context here.
In this second round, you have 56 hours to vote for the Post of the Month. Cast your ballots!
