ColinJeremy (One of Seven)


Commencement was now 24 hours old. Jeremy drifted in and out of consciousness. It seems the after party ran long into the night and into the next day. It never seemed to fail; someone will invariably bring Romulan Ale, a personal favorite of Jeremy’s. The newly decorated Ensign forced himself to rise and shine. Duty roster postings would be going up any minute and he was eager to learn what ship he had been assigned. As his vision cleared he realized he was not alone. He couldn't remember anything after the dancing ceased the night before.

He rose quickly, searching for his uniform. As he searched the lump in bed started to stir.

“Good Morning sweetheart.” the lump spoke.

“Sweetheart?” Jeremy choked. “Did we….?”

“Several times” the lump lifted the covers.

Jeremy frantically began searching for an out and made his way to the bathroom. He turned on the sonic shower and stepped inside. Memories started flooding back of the previous night’s entanglement with Colin, “did we really do that?” Jeremy shouted to the other room.

“Oh My God” Jeremy shouted. “Computer? Time?”…no response.

“It’s 08:30” Colin stated. “Move that ass of yours.” Colin stepped into the shower with Jeremy. Jeremy fidgeted past Colin and dashed to get dressed….

The drunken haze had finally cleared as Jeremy and Colin strolled out of the Junior Officers quarters and headed to the posting screens in the commons of Starfleet Academy. Jeremy was worried that he and Colin would be assigned different starships. He was, in fact falling for his friend. Both had taken similar paths in the academy Colin had gone science as was his want and Jeremy was adept at science. They had met 6 months ago in a common astrophysics final preparation class and were assigned to be lab partners for the duration. They had studied long and hard to earn their commissions and until the last few weeks had kept their relationship scholastic and skipped romance until the end of the class approached. Their first romantic encounter was explosive and from that moment on they were always together in class and out. Colin grabbed Jeremy by the arm and stopped them short.

“I need you to know something” he said softly. “I have fallen for you and want you to know that no matter where we are assigned I will love you forever.”

“Colin” Jeremy Whispered, “Ditto”. For he knew the young Betazoid could feel his emotions.

They continued on to the commons where Starfleet personnel were scattered everywhere. The guys approached the nearest screen and stood staring at it, afraid to touch it. Colin went first…

He touched the screen and entered his commission number. Instantly the screen lit up; his identification, ship designation and pertinent information flashed on the screen. Fairchild, Colin: ID# 7567891A, U.S.S. Green Bow, Medium Cruiser, Scientific Refit. He stood frozen in place. “What a bucket! This can’t be right…” He sighed and stepped back. “Your turn” he said softly to Jeremy.

Jeremy felt terrible for Colin. He hesitated then touched the screen and entered his commission number. The screen lit up the same as it did for Colin. Cross, Jeremy: ID# 7567520F, U.S.S. Green Bow, Medium Cruiser, Scientific Refit. His face brightened as he reached back for Colin and pulled him to the screen.

Colin just stared at the screen. “Well there is that.” He said his mood lightening. He stepped back tapped his com badge and stated securely, “Ensign Fairchild to Green Bow, reporting orders please.”

“U.S.S. Green Bow. Good to hear from you Mr. Fairchild. You are expected aboard at 1300 hours. Please report to the bridge at that time. Green Bow out.”

Colin turned to Jeremy. “Now you contact them”.

Jeremy tapped his com badge, “Ensign Frost to Green Bow, reporting orders please.”

“U.S.S. Green Bow. Good to hear from you Mr. Frost. You are expected aboard at 1300 hours. Please report to the bridge at that time. Green Bow out.”

Jeremy stepped toward Colin. “We both are reporting to the bridge? That is not a common order.”

“The Green Bow is not common starship it seems…” Colin replied as he grabbed Jeremy’s arm and tugged him away from the commons. “What are we going to do with our time until then? We have about 4 hours.” He asked with a sweet not-so-innocent look on his face.

“Can you think of nothing else???” Jeremy asked as he began to run towards the Junior Officers Quarters. The race was on…

I would actually prefer a weeknight. I am always so busy on the weekends. Maybe 8PM eastern on wednesdays?

Sundays would actually work rather well for me, so my attendance might improve from 'haphazard' to 'regular' if that switch occurred.

This weekend though, I'll be at PAX East, so I won't be able to make either day.

Also, jealous that you get to see Rachel! She's so cool!

Sundays would generally be good for me.

It was a remarkable thing to see the mind of his father, feel the ravages of Bendai Syndrome under the effects of a partial telepathic inhibitor. Intellectually, T'oi knew his father's condition would accelerate lending his strength to him. But, that ability to sacrifice was the quality that made Sentak of Vulcan the father that S'ynek now knew him to be. He had not sent his son into Starfleet with any sense of personal shame. It was his private desire to protect his son from a life on loneliness on Vulcan. Certainly young S'ynek would have found some other young Vulcan male to spend his life with on Vulcan and even perhaps had an above average career at the Science Academy, but Sentak knew that would not satisfy his son, and when he had the chance to encourage his boy to leave Vulcan to the wider galaxy, he did so with no sense of personal shame for him, but a pride in his son's intellectual brilliance and courage to question what others might call a "core philosophy."

Sentak could see and feel everything his son knew, and S'ynek's dawning realization of the sacrifices Sentak had made for him. This dawning realization was bittersweet for Sentak, he had never intended his son to know about the deal he had made with Prefect Sartok to secure S'ynek's freedom from a preplanned career. He certainly had never intended his son to feel the intense dislike Sentak had for Sartok, whom he regarded as a shameful manipulator unworthy of senior prefectship. He could also feel his son's love for this mysterious man...it was like a great desert wind, intensely hot and molten to the core, it was also soft and tender like a gentle underground stream. No wonder he was feeling the Pon Farr singing in his veins. A brief flash of embarassment as his son realized Sentak could also see past intimacies shared and the love he hoped for.

Tears running down his father's face, "Oh, my son...I am so proud of you. You have lived an honest life caring for others and committed to your duty to make things better for everyone you touch. Your First Officer Commander Umax sent your Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Tennyson here via Delta Flyer. He said to tell you that no Counselor had been posted to the Sagan yet, but he has put in an emergency request through Admiral Quinn to send one who is familiar with Vulcan emotional states here as fast as possible. Your Ferengi First Officer is professional and it is clear to me your crew deeply cares about you. He also wanted me to pass on a message, I don't understand it. "Tell Admiral T'oi that he is not rid of me yet, something about a promotion offer he refused?"

T'oi laughed, albeit a bit shakily. "That stubborn Ferengi is going to screw up his career by staying with me, he really deserves and needs a sole ship command."

"Well aren't we a pair father? You dying of Bendai Syndrome and me stuck in a Pon Farr cycle I can't stop. If we weren't both dying, mother would kill us both. I really never thought that joke I made among friends would come back and bite me quite like this."

"What's that, son?"

"When I was younger I used say to all of the handsome, eligible men I met...who were not Vulcan, 'Want to Pon Farr?' I expected blunt refusals and some slapping, but not Pon Farr itself taking its revenge."

Father and son broke up into uncontrollable laughter. Just at that moment his mother stepped in, looking mildly exasperated.

"Well, just look at the two of you, laughing like a pair of Earth hyenas. I never, in all of my years NEVER thought I would have to nurse back to health two emotional Vulcans."

S'ynek was laughing hard when the next Pon Farr flash hit him and he blacked out.

(cont)

So you want to get some Orichalcum on the cheap? Do you dream longingly of the now defunct Rich Orichalcum Vein in Southsun Shore? Do you miss that by-gone era of Orichalcum being below 2s per (remember January)?

Salvaging can be a wonderful way to get common/base level materials. If you know what to salvage you can often get what you need much cheaper than buying it on the Trading Post. The other side of this is that if you salvage the wrong item, you will lose coin quickly.

If you are old hat at salvage, I am probably not saying anything that you don't already know. If you tend to vendor everything or simply haven't given it much thought you may want to read on.

With salvaging your results will definitely vary from attempt to attempt. To get data for this, I did 3 sample runs of 75 units each run. In each run, the average cost for Orichalcum after selling other items varied from 1s 73c up to 2s 52c. (I did not take into account cost of salvage kits as I used 3BEK kits [same as basic], doing so would increase per unit costs).

What you will need (if you use this example). Level 80 axes (any kind will do as long as they are level 80). In my case, I opted to use a mix of Berserker, Rampager, and Cleric axes. At the time, my average bid price was 1s 10c per or 82s 50c per batch per run. For those for whom seeing is believing, I have included video links.

Attempt 1 (1s 73 per Ori): Mithril Ore: 13
Orichalcum Ore: 38
Elder Wood Logs: 32
Ancient Wood Logs: 4
Ancient Wood Planks: 2

Attempt 2 (2s 52c per Ori): Mithril Ore: 12
Orichalcum Ore: 26
Elder Wood Logs: 54
Ancient Wood Logs: 1
Ancient Wood Planks: 2

Attempt 3 (2s 19c per Ori): Mithril Ore: 13
Orichalcum Ore: 33
Elder Wood Logs: 43
Ancient Wood Logs: 0
Ancient Wood Planks: 0


So, I will probably be kicking myself in the morning when I check prices, but oh well. I was bored, a little tipsy, and generally felt like we needed more going on in this sub-forum. Plus, in my previous guild life I was a recruiter and trainer (I miss it at times).

Doing this isn't a great way to get rich quick, but it is a good way to get your crafting mats at a discount.

Next weekend, I'll be spending Saturday night in Atlanta for Rachel Maddow's book tour. You guys could have a bye week -- maybe just some informal downtime on the starbase -- but I've also heard that our current Saturday evening time slot is getting inconvenient for some people.

So I'm wondering what everyone thinks about switching our events to Sunday nights. Is that going to conflict with anyone's schedule? Is there another night that might work? (Personally, I'm a little dicey on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but other nights ought to be okay.)

((He seems to be alright, no signs of Bendai Syndrome, but he is in the middle of some sort of dream, his body shut down when...you say he behaved as if the Pon Farr had begun?))

((Yes, Doctor))

((Admiral T'oi is remarkably sensitive, his passive ability to receive telepathic communication is unusual. It is like someone or something has opened him up and he cannot shut down))

((T'oi?))

((Yes S'ynek took another name on his Starfleet records to symbolize his freedom from Vulcan's "emotional chains," his friends, contemporaries, and the last man he loved call him "T'oi." He took the news that you had Bendai Syndrome very hard, sir. Your son loves you...both of you.))

((My poor son, he came to me in a weakened state. I have seen this behavior in one other Vulcan like my son. They have both bypassed the Pon Farr. Tell me, Dr. do you know if my son has fallen in love before?))

((I don't think so, sir))

((Well, I may have Bendai Syndrome, but my son has fallen in love with someone, he may not even know it himself.))

((How do you know, sir?))

((Doctor, my son is deep in the Pon Farr, the one he loves is not here, until some sort of resolution occurs, he will continue to have these...Pon Farr flashes..I am certain he can hear us, and he will be conscious soon. One other factor against him is that he was exposed to me in my weakened state, may I suggest a phase four telepathic inhibitor as a temporary solution. It won't damage his intellect, but it will feel like his head is...stuffed in cotton. My son is damned, until he meets this person he has fallen in love with, he will be fighting the Pon Farr.))

S'ynek awoke weeping uncontrollably.

"My son, all will be well, open your mind to me and I will give you my strength"

"I can't, I can't!"

Stern. "Yes my son, you can and you will, if you let this rage in you much longer, it will kill you."

"Yes, father...my mind is yours..."

(cont)

(cont)

Stepping into his father's office, S'ynek saw the spartan computer work terminal and desk made from Andorian woods that soothed his father, who looked a little haggard, and much grayer than he remembered. Despite this fact, Sentak, father of S'ynek looked...pleased...to see him.

"Live long and prosper, Father."

"Peace and long life...my son...S'ynek. I have followed your career with interest, and not some small amount of satisfaction. You are well?"

"I am father, I have a challenging career, an excellent crew, and my studies are...progressing. I was told of your diagnosis, Bendai Syndrome. I am sorry, father."

"As am I son. I had hoped to live see you rise to the rank of full Admiral in Starfleet. I must say that when you were promoted to the Admiralty, Prefect Sartok had an expression on his face like he had eaten raw Targ. I was startled so much, that I admit I laughed. It was the first signs of my Bendai Syndrome, but it was well worth it, S'ynek. You have made me very proud."

T'oi knew it was the Bendai Syndrome that freed his father to profess his love and pride, but nonetheless it made him feel good. His father was the Chief of Photonic research at the Vulcan Science Academy; cold, calculating, and remorselessly logical. Until this moment, S'ynek had never heard a word of praise from his father, even knowing it was the Bendai Syndrome could not blunt the happiness T'oi felt. His father continued.

"So my son, have you found a man worthy of you?"

Raw, intense passion coursed through his blood like a bolt of lightning. A clear face, handsome, soft, happy, but with a passion that the softness hid...to most casual observers. The eyes limpid pools promising depths as yet unplumbed. Then mercifully, T'oi passed out.
__________________________________________________________________________

S'ynek woke up on a meditation couch, his father's meditation couch. Looking around the room, the brazier and censer at his feet made up the only ornamentation in the deliberately spartan environment. His father had sent him here to contemplate the writings of the Vulcan Physiologist T'len. Whenever S'ynek displeased his father for whatever reason, he was sent in here to contemplate in silence and set aside an intellectual task. This time S'ynek had questioned the philosophy of Surek, needless to say, young S'ynek was sent to meditate the conditions of the Pon Farr.

Little did his father know that he was going to refuse the match between him and T'ilek daughter of Stile, the grandaughter of Prefect Sartok. Lately it had occurred to S'ynek that he was not particlarly interested in Vulcan girls, in fact it was fairly clear that he preferred the company of other males....and even had intimate feelings about them. S'ynek wondered if the Pon Farr would work with two male Vulcans. The writings of T'len were unrevealing about the nature of his orientation. Humans had long gotten past their hang-ups, but Vulcan writings were...unclear.

(cont)

Thank you for the guide. I admit I'm kind of a phaser/quantum torpedo purist but only because I'm still trying to master these weapons.

I just did both of the Omega costume stuff. Let me know if you got it working or not. I had a couple of problems and fixed them.

(cont)

...Dressed for the desert in his Vulcan robes, S'ynek looked at the blue and white Vice-Admiral's uniform laying on his bed, neatly arranged waiting for his return. Only two required pieces of his current life would go with him when he beamed down. His commbadge and a very small holdout stunner that he would never need. Staring at the bed it occurred to S'ynak that his bed was too large, he hadn't taken a lover in a long time, and the room for a second man is his bed was like an open wound...aching. Admirals lived a lonely existence and for all of his care and concern about his crew, T'oi kept his own counsel when it came to his personal life. The bartender of ten-forward was an El-Aurian and he could tell she was...concerned about his personal welfare. The El-Aurians were an old and powerful race, scattered because of the Borg, subtle and always more knowlegeable than they ever admitted, it occurred to S'ynak the she could see right through his facade.

Walking into the transporter room, the brief echo of the deep desert call of Pon Farr roared through his blood, struggling to master the unexpected passion and physiological need his body was crying out for, he walked onto the transporter platform a little unsteadily. He had gone too long without a lover, and he feared it might make his father even more unsteady in his presence.

"Chief Kinson, lock in coordinates I provided and notify Vulcan and Starfleet Command of my arrival on Vulcan. Nature of visit: Personal Family Business. Log that at this time Commander Umax is in command of the Carl Sagan. Energize."

Rematerializing in his family's private transporter alcove brought S'ynak back to the day he left for Starfleet Academy. He made his decision to take his father's advice in this very room, the central family room of the estate. His mother always made sure it was immaculate, decorated in golds and the burnt orange that reminded him of his childhood and the couches arranged in a neat square so everyone could talk to each other, she still looked the same except she was grayer. Hand automatically going up in the Vulcan greeting, "Live, long, and prosper, Mother."

"Peace and long life, my son."

"How is Father?"

"He cried and moaned in his sleep last night, S'ynek...and he called out for you. I have not told him I heard it, I think he would not take such things well in his fragile emotional state."

"I agree. You look well, Mother...you are bearing his illness...rationally?"

"No my son, I am not. How do you bear these feelings I am forced to feel? His proximity and his emotions...are painful."

"I bear these emotions mother, because they are part of me. You know I have never believed Surek wanted our people to forsake our emotions to the degree we as a people attempt to do. I express these emotions because they make me a Vulcan, not some raving barbarian. I control the destructive emotions because they are cruel and senseless. But to ruthlessly eradicate all expression of my feelings would deny you, my friends and those that mean the most to me, the core truth about me."

"You seem at peace my son, your father awaits you in his study."

"Thank you, mother." Hesitating, "Mother?"

"Yes, S'ynek?"

"Is father proud of me?"

"Yes, my son, he is and so am I. Now go to him while he still has control, it will be harder later."

S'yned turned towards the study door, within his first step the sudden roar of Pon Farr descended upon him, leaving him within in bare moments of total loss of control. Dropping to his knees, the images of the man returned to him, just peeking around the corner of his sanity. With a great effort, S'ynek mastered his control.

"My son are you alright?"

"I am fine, mother. Father had a bad moment I was not prepared for."

The lie tasted like ashes, but he could not very well tell his mother he was having Pon Farr flashes about a man he had only seen briefly from afar. It was difficult enough for him without bringing his mother into it. Taking a shaky breath, S'ynek walked carefully into his father's study.

"Welcome, my son...as you might know...I am not well...."

(cont.)

(cont)

...the USS Carl Sagan spoke a language like no other starship T'oi had ever commanded. His keen Vulcan hearing allowed him to hear the hum of the sensors in one harmonic, the chirps from the comm station at another, the aggressive growl of the Borg subtranswarp engine, and the constant sound of that part of the collective cut off from from the main Borg hive mind at the low end from the assimilated console. His XO, Commander Umax had the conn. Other Starfleet vessel commanders called the Sagan, the "ship of misfit toys" in private. Always said with a degree of envy of T'oi, whose reputation as a commander of a diverse group of department heads had grown in proportion to his rank. Umax was in the first cohort of Ferengi command crew in Starfleet. T'oi had his command crew files out. Umax was well prepared for a ship of his own and a promotion to Captain, T'oi made some notes on his PADD and added his endorsement to Umax's file recommending that very thing. The rest of the command crew was equally well qualified. But T'oi could not give their files the attention they were due. Course laid in to Vulcan, Umax to to take command of the Sagan while he took care of his father. T'oi tapped his commbadge to summon his Yeoman.

"T'oi to Shras."

"Yes, Admiral?"

"Would you come to my ready room? I am finsihed with Commander Umax's file."

"Aye, sir."

The handsome Andorian Yeoman, knowing T'oi's habits walked in less than a minute later.

"Your instructions before you debark on Vulcan, sir?"

"Umax's file needs to be cc'ed to the Chief of Starfleet Personnel marked 'Special attention: Commanding Admiral.' A brief note over my signature, Shras. Quote: 'Get off your lazy ass, Sir, and give my XO his own ship, I recommend him for promotion to Captain unreservedly. You still owe me a bottle of good Earth red, you lazy sot. Best, T'oi."

"The other command personnel files need to be reviewed by Commander Umax with his endorsements due when I return. We need a new ship's counselor with Lt. Commander Weston's promotion and transfer. Take your time and find me the best available, Shras."

"Aye, sir."

"Shras?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Has your second husband, Syee settled in well?"

"Yes, sir...thank you sir. I didn't know you paid attention to my bond mates."

"I make it a habit to know my crew and their mates, Shras. We are...an unusual ship with an unusual reputation for high performance. Crew morale is a responsibility I take seriously. Surely you did not think that you were a random choice, Chief Yeoman?"

If an Andorian could blush, Shras would be blushing. "I'm sorry sir, most Captains don't get into the habit of knowing in detail the lives of their crew."

"I am not 'most Captains' Chief," T'oi said with a smile. "The morale of my crew is my top priority. You need to spend some more time with your bondmate, Shras. When you are finished with this task, tell Petty Officer Hart you are taking the rest of the day off, on my orders...and Shras?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Do something romantic, no excuses, you haven't seen each other in months, that's an order."

Shras grinned from ear to ear, "Aye aye, sir."

T'oi smiled as his young Chief Yeoman practically bounced out of his ready room. Romance...he thought, was the chief emotion that Vulcans missed out on by rigidly keeping their emotions in check. This is the cruelty of Bendai Syndrome, stripping down years of walls and laying a Vulcan's private emotions bare.

Walking over to his ready room window, T'oi stared out into the inky blackness...four hours....four hours...

(cont)

Quote by MutualCore

I need the same help. I was never able to see the whole chat...only certain people. I really need it fixed on my klingon because I can only see people in Nagh red speak so I miss out on most of what is ever said. It would help so I can join in STFs. Thanks if anyone can fix this.

Open up the Social Window, on the bottom right, click the Privacy button and then check your settings. If you're only seeing messages from people on Nagh reD, it may be because you have it set to only see messages from fleet and friends. You'll need to change it to everyone to fix it.

I need the same help. I was never able to see the whole chat...only certain people. I really need it fixed on my klingon because I can only see people in Nagh red speak so I miss out on most of what is ever said. It would help so I can join in STFs. Thanks if anyone can fix this.

Trying to work out how I can change over from solar to nuclear power without making my whole city freak out haha!

The white sand beaches of Risa usually provided some sense of quiet joy. S'ynek now known as T'oi of Vulcan enjoyed what humans called "Boy Watching." The variety of attractive male Humans, Trill and Betazeds never failed to cheer him. But today none of the selection of handsome men brought the usual smile to his face. The smile which made T'oi highly unusual for a Vulcan. Choosing at an early age to forsake the teachings of Surek, T'oi had chosen to break his arranged marriage and not complete the Pon Farr ritual with a Vulcan girl of good family, a match that would have made his father feel satisfied with his son. This choice was what had driven young S'ynek into Starfleet.

Prejudice was illogical, at least this was what his father had always said, but when young S'ynek broke from Vulcan tradition, choosing to express his emotions and his orientation toward males his father had gently suggested his home planet might not be the best place for him. So young S'ynek, scientist and scholar had chosen to request a slot at Starfleet Academy. It was there S'ynek had found a home and was given the freedom to be that smiling, laughing and passionate Vulcan.

...and now that father, who patiently tried to understand his unorthodox son was dying of Bendai Syndrome....

Rational facts...something that comforted other Vulcans...provided no satisfaction to T'oi. It was time to trade Risa's white sand beaches for the arid deserts of Vulcan and face his inner demons and provide some comfort to his father.

(cont)

I know I'm new here, but I wanted to say thank you to the people in this thread for an interesting conversation. Whether you agree with people or not, people in this thread have tried to make interesting points and speak their minds. It's rare that I see people online in any forum able to vigorously disagree with each other without resorting to pure ad hominem, and I just wanted to thank all of you for that.

Lorenius, especially thanks for your academic discussion of Pope Francis I. I wasn't aware of a number of those facts, so I'm very grateful.

Personally, while I'm going to remain frustrated with religion in general, having been raised Southern Baptist and seeing things that make me so angry in most religions... I see this as a good sign. I know that 'toleration' changing to 'respect' may seem minor in the face of the rest of it, but I'm often happy with changes in entrenched systems, especially one as entrenched as the office of the Pope.

I'm not holding my breath that there will be a reversal of doctrine, but if Pope Francis I can even allow for a change of tone from persecution to respect, I think it's a stepping stone to greater things.

*takes off "mentally-superior"/academic hat*

I'm really just a guy who was raised in a single wide trailer in rural Florida who loved to read. I couldn't go the direction of most kids, who could be popular and say all the right things. I only had my mind to defend me from the cruelty heaped on me by the kids my age. I discovered science-fiction, fantasy, and gaming. I started acting in high school.

By the time I was 12 I knew I was gay...I didn't know that word back then, so I thought of myself as "queer." It was terrifying, I couldn't run away from the kids, so I ran even more deeply into books. By the time I was 17 I had rejected Catholocism as my faith system and all of my attempts to hide my sexuality had been fruitless (at least by the high school faculty, who I discovered later, knew it all along)

I "ran" away from home at 17 into the arms of the military, this was the first of many mistakes I made trying to find my way in the wider world. I took a lover while I was in service. It was a miracle we weren't caught since we had sex in the enlisted dorms. I took an honorable discharge and early out when offered at three years. Skip forward two years to I was 22. I came out and I ran off and started making a career in the theater. It was the first time I was truly comfortable anywhere. I was finally surrounded by people that were like me. This was the middle 1980s. I had friends dying all around me from AIDS. Those were pretty grim days. I won't go into great detail about those times...maybe someday. Just imagine the horror of coming out and watching other gay guys dying around you.

Skip forward to 2007. I lost my grandmother and grandfather, the only people I ever really cared about in my family. Over the previous years I had a reasonable amount of lovers, but never anyone permanent. I had driven equal amounts of energy into my career and volunteering at LGBT centers. Losing my folks crushed me...and forced me to reassess my life. I wanted to do something meaningful for the gay community at large. After burying them both I took off to Europe alone for 40 days, I told my agent to leave me alone. When I came back I knew I had a talent for history that I had only used sparingly. When I got into university, I and others discovered I had a talent for academia. Not a wild sexy sort of moment for me.

The fact is I was never a terribly outgoing guy. I have been given a certain amount of good looks that I kept through not smoking and going to the gym, I was always too shy in private to take a vast amount of lovers. Plus I am downright picky now, when I fall for a guy it is genuine and that person had to have set off a some sort of bomb to get my attention...and for it to last that guy has to be intelligent and make me laugh...cry...ahh, hell, he has to matter.

In the present my sheer cussedness, my hard work has gotten me into a PhD program. I know I can seem like a walking dictionary, but most of that is armor. My Catholicism is long behind me, but as other folks raised Roman Catholic can attest to, you never quite get it out of your system.

I suppose I am Bashir in some senses. Shy, awkward (or at least I feel that way), and loyal unto to death to my friends and those I care about.

That's me...in the overview.

~J

Ladies and Gentlemen it’s time to get on the Boat!

Phase one is complete and the votes are in, we will be on the December 2nd cruise to the Bahamas!



We have come to a point where commitment is involved and we need to know numbers.

Rate for an inside cabin will be $600.14 double occupancy that’s $300.07 per person, 3rd and 4th person in a cabin rates can be given as needed all rates include taxes

Rates for different cabins are included in the attached PDF
Please read below for the next requirements to secure your spot on board:

Phase 2:
A deposit of $100.00 along with the First and Last names of each person in a cabin, as they appear on your passport or driver’s license.

If you don’t already have a passport please visit http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html

We need 8 cabins to get the group rate this would give us an even lower rate.

Balance will be due September 6th

Our Contact will be my close friend and co-worker Bonnie Jordon:
Group Booking # - 2333628
Bonnie Jordan
Group Cruise Coordinator
International Cruise & Excursion, Inc. (I.C.E.)
1-888-320-4234 ex. 4255
bonnie.jordan@ourvacationcenter.com

We will be hosting a one hour cocktail reception included on board as a Bon Voyage Party. I am looking into securing space for another gathering to discuss or play as we want to have at least one unique special activity

Attached is a PDF of additional details to review.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rp5i6q1jfjnhrcc/STO%20Group%20Cruise.pdf