MindScanner #56
COLD TERROR FLEET
by Bill Hedrick <[email protected]>

Greetings! I am Qob sutai-Hurric, the new Fleet Commander of the Cold Terror Fleet. Recently I was Commander of the Cold Death Quadrant (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota) I have been in KAG six years this fall. Tonya Walters has stepped down and she and the other Quadrant Commanders asked me to take over.

First a bit of history. When Tonya stepped away last year, Stacie and I talked on the phone and she asked me if I wanted the job. At that time I said no. I think I've gotten dumber the last year because when the chair was pulled out this time, I gulped and didn't say no; and despite the assurances of all my friends, I still feel greatly humbled by the idea.

Every leader should have a vision, and since I am asked to lead I need to articulate one. In thinking about it, I am reminded of the beginning of the IKV RakeHell (and I feel that most of the good will I receive is due to the RakeHell in general and Mary Bertleson in particular). Minnesota was a wasteland as far as klingon fandom was concerned and when Mary began the RakeHell her main concerns were this: that no one take it seriously - the exact words in the RakeHell charter are, "If you come to us looking for 'a life' keep looking this is a club for people that have lives."

It is my profoundest hope that the Naval Fleet known as the Cold Terror Fleet will embody this principle: It's Supposed To Be Fun. Always remember, we're real people wearing funny latex foreheads.

That being said I also want to say that I don't think anyone should dictate (within the bonds of common sense and basic KAG principles) HOW you should have fun. I've seen people that take Klindom more seriously than I do, I've seen people that take it more casually. I won't insist that ANYONE conform to my idea of how to do things (even though my way IS best <grin>) I have often said this to Tonya and everyone that is 'above' me in the Chain of Command: I'm not going to follow you. What this means is embodied in the statement of the hero of "The Final Reflection" by John M. Ford, "I serve the empire, but I am not its servitor." What I understand it to say is that while the Empire (here read KAG) is my love and I will do for it what I feel is right, I will not blindly obey as a slave. I've also been quoted, "Leading Klingons is like herding cats." This gets truer every day. I think the best leaders can put forth an idea in such a way as to make people say, "Yes! THAT'S what I want! Let's do it that way!" Not to say to their minions, "My way or else." And at this point, I need to say I don't have any particular person in mind when I show off this dictator.

Communication is imperative, therefore I'm going to pledge myself to keeping in regular touch with the Quad CO's of CTF. In order to make this work however, I need (on a one time basis) a report of who's who in CTF. I need from them lists of ships and captains names. I will not ask for contact information because I hope the contact I have with individual ships will be through the Quad CO's. BUT I will require the Quad CO's to do a good job. If I hear a complaint that the IKV NoseHair hasn't heard from their QCO and has needs that the QCO hasn't addressed, I'm going to find out why. This won't work unless EVERYONE in the COC pays attention to the person below them and above them. I'm going to get updated contact info for each QCO and try to get in contact on a regular basis. We need to brainstorm and come up with fun fleet wide activities

KAG-Navy USA is made up of 3 fleets, Ring of Fire, Cold Terror, and Dark Moon. I haveproposed privately to some of my friends in each fleet a sibling ship program. I envision this program as three ships, one from each fleet, getting in contact to share info, party together if possible, and generally get to know each other. Much animosity is generated by ignorance. I'm sure the creative people of KAG will amaze me with ways to play together. I also look forward to becoming friends with the ROFF CO, and the DMF CO.

There's a lot of work to do, I know this, I was reluctant to take the job, but I'm committed now, "I can hear the nice young men in their clean white suits! They're coming to take me away! HAHA!"

Qob sutai-Hurric
from the Cold Terror Fleet