Lesson 07-ST: Away Team Missions

An away mission is an event that takes place away from the normal duty station. Usually the away mission will be to a planet. There are opportunities where an away mission will occur to another ship or to a starbase. Be aware that away missions are difficult because it takes a character out of a comfort zone (namely the ship) Very often a good poster will go silent when exposed to an unfamiliar set of circumstances. Persistence and adaptability are vital to moving around the Star Trek universe.

An away mission requires the following from a simmer:

• Observation of the landscape
• Observation of the civilization
• Observation of the natives and other lifeforms (if any)
  
• Movement of Character in an unfamiliar area
  
• Coordination of observations of others on the away mission
  
• Communications with the ship or team leader
  
• Completion of a mission that can at times be unclear

Now the observations can be rather tricky. If the planet is known (as Bajor is) then the observations are relatively easy and can be found by checking various links on the Internet. This technique can be used for any of the known Star Trek planets (ie. Vulcan, Andor, Mars Colony etc.). The key to observing a known planet is to use what is known.

Now the observation of an unknown planet. This is where the imagination is used. More often than not, the Captain will give some hint or information about the planet that is being visited. When describing anything it is best to fall back on "reporter's" questions, "who, what, were, when, how" (this applies to most descriptive events by the way...).

Matters such as temperature, smells, visual sites, sounds, natives, description of the natives, native culture, housing and civilization all fall under the "What" descriptive area. "Who" is simple... who is going and who is seen. "Where" is where the away mission is going.... and where on the planet is the team going (equator, poles, continent, an island, desert, ice field, forest etc.). The "When" can be when the team goes and what time of day the team arrives on the planet (night, day, dawn). The "How" is how the team gets there (shuttle, beaming). When one person posts an observation then all others should add to the observation rather than contradict (never describe that it is day when someone has already established that it is night).

Once you have the observations established you need to move your character through the scenery. (ie. Cadet So-n-so wiped his brow to remove the sweat that had developed while crossing the hot, dry desert). Movement during an away mission is no different than movement on a ship. On the ship, and while on an away mission, you describe the actions that your character goes through while taking part in the mission. The movements can include physical actions, thoughts about the actions and reactions to actions taking place around your character. (ie Cadet New-to-sim ducked behind a large leafy bush when he heard the tall furry natives talk. He took a deep breath hoping to calm his racing heart. He didn't understand the words, but he recognized the tone as being angry). In this sample the cadet did something, explained why he did it while describing a physical reaction and a sound he heard.

It's important that movement continues. Think about it like this: what happens when your heart stops beating? You die. It is no different with a non-moving sim. When people stop posting, the mission dies. Yet another way to help you move your character around is to think about this: what actions do you go thru in a Real Life (RL) day. You rise from bed in the morning, you eat and enjoy food, you appreciate or dislike some things you observe, smell, hear or do during the day. If you apply naturally occuring events you can make your simming easier. Ask yourself "How would I get from point "A" to point "B" if it were me? You should have a thought about what your character could and should do. If you feel uncomfortable with using yourself as a model, think about an actor or an actress that you admire and think your character is like. If you use this modeling method, ask yourself what would (actor's/actress' name) do in this situation. While developing movement you will also develop your characters identity. Cadet "A" hides when he hears a threatening sound while Cadet "B" pulls his phaser and prepares to defend him/her self. In both cases movement takes place but at the same time the readers get a hint about the personality of the cadet.

Communications is vital during an away mission. It is also considered an action or movement. Keep the ship informed about what is happening and what is seen. While informing the ship or your supervisor you create a situation for interaction and direction of movement. (=/\=Cadet I-am-here to Captain On-the-ship, the away team has arrived on the planet. There appears to be several natives picking nuts from a tree nearby, there is a chance we will be seen shortly or mistaken for nuts.) In this example the away team has made some observation and made some movement (contacting the ship). Now it is natural to expect a response from the Captain.

Please be aware that Starfleet and other organizations have a chain of command so it would not be appropriate for all individuals on the away mission to contact the Captain. One person the designated leader will most often establish communications. All other members of the team will communicate to the team leader. In most situations, the Chain of Command at the academy goes from:

1. Cadet
2. Cadet Section Head
3. Section Supervisor
4. Senior Supervisor
5. Captain.

On a regular ship it will go from:

1. Officer
2. Department Head
3. XO
4. Captain.

An away mission is one of the rare cases where the Away team leader will contact the Captain directly rather than going through the Chain of Command. In simming as in RL, the Captain of the ship can not hope to respond to every member of the crew. It is not because there is a lack of desire. It can be due to shear volume of expected responses. Be aware out in the fleet most ships enforce a chain of command whereas the goal here at the Academy is to assist you while you are learning.

Now the mission of an away team. There will be times when a mission will be clearly defined (ie. go down pick up a rock and return). This is easy. You send your character through the motions to complete the job. And then there will be times when you have a vague idea about what is going on (ie. go down, observe the eating habits of the natives, then return). Here you have to add personal observations and there is no clear ending to the mission. Here you are expected to use your imagination. It is best to not go off on a wild frenzy. If you have any doubts about a plan, check with your supervisor or with the Captain to clarify what the end result of a mission is. (ie.... never post that all the plants in a region are mutating when the mission is to meet a diplomat to escort him/her on board)

This concludes Lesson 07-ST. Please select from the following options:
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