"Damn the torpedoes, Full speed ahead!"
Those words where uttered by Admiral David Glasgow Farragut (1801-1870) Aboard Hartford, Farragut entered Mobile Bay, Alabama, 5 August 1864, in two columns, with armored monitors leading and a fleet of wooden ships following. When the lead monitor Tecumseh was demolished by a mine, the wooden ship Brooklyn stopped, and the line drifted in confusion toward Fort Morgan. As disaster seemed imminent, Farragut gave the orders embodied by these famous words. He swung his own ship clear and headed across the mines, which failed to explode. The fleet followed and anchored above the forts, which, now isolated, surrendered one by one. The torpedoes to which Farragut and his contemporaries referred would today be described as tethered mines.
In January of 2008 the Star Trek Gaming Community was rocked by the horrific news that a game that they had been looking forward to for 3+ years was no longer going to be developed and that only the Intellectual Property (art work) was to be transferred to an undisclosed bay side developer. Shortly before this announcement came a new Fleet named Lotus Fleet that promised to maintain its course and strive through the adversity and the prospect that from its inception it may never have a game to call home, a game that would one day join its small but loyal group of members. However nearly 6 months after the Fleets Launch and nearly 4 1/2 months of communications silence, Lotus Fleet held true to its calling and against all odds has held its course. It is only now that a Lt. Commander whom of which is the only man of his species to ever join Starfleet who uses and truly understands the power of "Damn the torpedoes, Full speed ahead!", however I believe that his words are more appropriately used as **Slam and beat the nearest console** and then order **Ramming Speed!!!** to convey his intent in that through the rough and difficult times that we as the fans of not only all Star Trek games but as well as the Patient awaiters of STO that we can say, this day forward "Ramming Speed!!!!" to finally know that our dream of one day playing an MMO centered around the culture that is Star Trek is like seeing the very bright light at the end of the tunnel, and while I do not doubt that the tunnel is still very long, what brings me great pride is how a Fleet that seemed to have been a victim of bad timing has managed to hold its course damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead, and prepare for RAMMING SPEED right into Star Trek Online!
Each and every man and woman of Lotus Fleet has the right to say that they are among the most dedicated of all Star Trek gaming fans, simply because of the experience that has taught us in recent months that Star Trek Online is exactly what we choose to make of it, thereby allowing us to not only imagine through our Role playing events but also through the preparation of the immense service that we wish to offer upon its opening, a fully functional Star Fleet Academy with 40+ courses, and the knowledge that despite the greatest adversity this little Fleet has surged on and will continue to strive for greatness.
It is with great pride that today, with the vague but undeniable truth that Cryptic Studios is developing Star Trek Online that I put a call out to all of the Star Trek Online fans that will one day seek membership to a Fleet that they can not only affect but also grow for and with, as we await Star Trek Online or more appropriately the bright light at the end of the tunnel.
Fleet Admiral Nova
Commanding Officer
Lotus Fleet
www.lotusfleet.com
