~\\_               
          \\\\_             
          `\\\\\            -----------------------------------------
           |\\\\\           Starfleet Command, Eighth Fleet (OOC)    
            \\\\\|__.-~~\   
         _--~         ~~/   Defenders Task Group 85.3, "Whitestone"  
       /~         _-~~~'    Embarked on U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901   
      ('-//////-//          Rear Admiral Tebrun Lora Kor, Commanding 
       ////// }}-)          -----------------------------------------
     /////~                 Simulation Teaser                        
  _///~                     Stardate 240307.28                      
 `                          
 _______________________________________________________________________ 
/ Simulation Teaser                                                     |
/ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ 

 (From Dilithium and You, an educational filmstrip produced by the
 Dilithium Information Institute, a subsidiary of the Deneva Mining
 Consortium, a division of Deneva-Universal Enterprises Limited.)

 Dilithium!

 This amazing mineral, as beautiful as any jewel, harder than any
 diamond, is vital to civilization as we know it today.  It is no
 exaggeration to say that the Federation in which we live could not
 exist if not for dilithium, the wonder mineral.

 But just what is it that makes dilithium so amazing?  Scientists
 here, in the laboratories of the Deneva Mining Consortium, the
 Federation's largest private producer of dilithium crystals for
 government and industry, have spent many years and huge amounts of
 resources unlocking the secrets of this unique substance.

 We'd like to point out that it's the United Federation of Planets's
 wise and forward-looking policy of tax deductions for research
 expenditures that make the wonders you're about to see possible.

 Mountains fall, and dilithium is revealed!

 Don't be afraid -- what you're seeing is not some alien war machine,
 but the Chariot of Progress!  This is a Tagra-X Planetary Excavator.
 These mighty machines, capable of swallowing whole mountains at a
 gulp, unearth dilithium ore wherever it may hide.  Itself powered by
 a dilithium-focused antimatter generator, the Tagra-X allows the
 mining of planets that before would have been left untouched and
 useless.

 Fire one -- it didn't break!

 Bullets just bounce off crystals of dilithium, the hardest known
 substance in the universe.  Dilithium is in fact so hard that it
 exceeds the theoretical physical laws for materials.  This paradox
 baffled scientists for decades until researchers for the Deneva
 Mining Consortium discovered the amazing truth: the crystal
 structure of dilithium extends not just in the usual three
 dimensions, but in four!

 Did you say... four?

 That's right!  As illustrated in this computer animation, the
 internal structure of dilithium extends both into the past and the
 future.  The Deneva Mining Consortium named this phenomenon
 Goniochronicity(tm).  The extreme difficulty of cutting dillithium
 into usable shapes, requiring high-output lasers over a long period
 of time, became suddenly understandable.  Here's Dr. Wallace
 Thaumazein, star of everyone's favorite popular science show, "Dr.
 Wally's Kitchen of Wonders," with the explanation.

 "Scientists like me always thought it was net energy absorption by
 the crystals that made them finally give up under pressure, since as
 you probably know that's how most of the stuff we live with in our
 everyday lives acts.  If I hit this pane of glass with a hammer,
 it's gonna break."

 "It sure did, Dr. Wally!"

 "Right.  Are you guys all right down there, with the glass...? 
 Anyway, what we scientists figured out was that you don't just have
 to hit a dilithium crystal hard, you have to hit it hard last month,
 now, and a week from Tuesday, so to speak.  Now, here's a dilithium
 crystal that we hit two days ago.  And I've made a note in my
 appointment calendar -- you can see it here, on my wristwatch
 display -- to hit it again two days from now.  Now, some of you are
 probably wondering, 'what if you don't hit it two days from now?'
 and that's an interesting question.  What I always say to that is,
 'I'm a scientist, not a philosopher.'  Now, I'll hit it... well,
 now."

 "That's amazing, Dr. Wally!"

 "It sure is, and it also shows why you kids watching shouldn't try
 this experiment at home with any dilithium you might have around the
 house.  That man will recover, because he got prompt medical
 attention, which we always have on call here at the Kitchen of
 Wonders.  You might not be so lucky."

 That's an important safety tip, Dr. Wally.  Yes, dilithium, the
 wonder mineral, can be dangerous.  But isn't a certain level of risk
 always present in our everyday lives?  Think of thermonuclear
 fusion, our mighty but mischievous friend.  Or the dome over the
 city where you live; think how easily it could crack and decompress
 your whole town.  Even this ordinary wooden pencil is potentially
 explosive, if it should touch antimatter.

 Is there an answer to these risks?  Yes.  The answer is in each one
 of us.  We must all vote for continued tax deductions for dilithium
 research and fight to preserve the Dilithium Depletion Allowance. 
 This, then, is the choice that faces each of us in a free society.

 This is dilithium... and you!

 (Tagra-X film courtesy of Tagra Geoforming Corporation.  Gun
 provided by Denevarms Division of Deneva-Universal Enterprises
 Limited.  Goniochronicity is a registered trademark of the Deneva
 Mining Consortium, all rights reserved.  Dr. Wallace Thaumazein
 appears courtesy of Apocrine Pictures Video, an entertainment unit
 of Deneva Fizz Inc.)

\_______________________________________________________________________ 
\ End Simulation Teaser                                                 |
 ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ 

 Defenders Task Group 85.3, "Whitestone" Staff:
    Commanding, TG 85.3:       RADM Tebrun Lora Kor      (Jester)
    S-1, Group Adjutant:       Cmdr. Sieven Drexler      (Brad)
    S-2, Group Intelligence:   Cmdr. Kariasa Ma'Aru      (Kari)
    S-3, Group Logistics:      Cmdr. Savant              (Savant)
    Commanding, M64 Ground:    Brig. Jeremy Ironside     (Fraser)

 U.S.S. Coronado Crew Roster:
    Commanding Officer:        Capt. William Daren       (Chris)
    Executive Officer:         Cmdr. Velorna Tal         (Aggie)
    Chief of Operations:       Cmdr. Olme Tlaloco        (rev)
    Chief Flight Operations:   Lt. Maiko D'Rall          (Farrell)
    Raptors Squadron Leader:   LCol. Thomas Wayne        (Masters)
    Battalion Commander:       Maj. Jacob Prescot        (Prescot)
    Watch Tactical Officer:    Lt. Thirishar ch'Thane    (Alffred)
    Chief Engineer:            Cmdr. Zunite Oswald       (Sonya)
    Assistant Engineer:        LCdr. Jack C. Farley      (CCC)
    Assistant Engineer:        LCdr. Aramis Skylooker    (LewisSharp)
    Chief Medical Officer:     Cmdr. Alec Reed           (McC)
    Assistant Medical:         LCdr. Lauren Dyson        (Natty)
    Bartender:                 PO/1 Bridget Bordeux      (Dolin)

 On Extended Leave of Absence:
    Command Yeoman:            Spec. Miranda Forester    (Fox)
    Marine Flight Leader:      1Lt. Natalia Petrovna     (Phishie)

 Positions Available:
    Chief Science Officer:                               (---)
    Watch Tactical Officer:                              (---)
    Marine Flight Leader:                                (---)

------
Jester

Rear Admiral Tebrun Lora Kor
Commanding, Defenders Task Group 85.3, "Whitestone"
embarked on U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901
http://www.jestertrek.com/coro2400/