To Boldly Go... (a Starfleet quest)

Hundreds of lives have been lost among the starship crews. Across a Federation that counts as citizens over a hundred billion sapients, this is a paltry sum, and indeed, it means that the odds of someone from outside of Starfleet knowing one of the deceased is very limited. But every officer or spacer is one of the very finest the member worlds can offer. The standards of Starfleet are not so easily met by the average person off the street. Years of institutional knowledge, subject matter experts, geniuses in both theory and practice, are lost. It is a very inefficient way of waging war.

But it is your way.

The phasers are silent but watchful, the torpedoes rest uneasily in their magazines. Though the various houses of the Arcadian Empire still retain a number of frigates, their ability to resist you fleet-to-fleet is broken. The Houses of Ixira and Kortennon are now out of the equation, foreign explorers darkening their orbits. The Emperor is dead, and the minor houses rally behind Houses Tartresis or Bene as they assert their claims to the throne. A War of Succession brews within the Empire. Against another interstellar power, the war would still rage, but with the intensely feudal nature of Arcadian politics, the loss of the Emperor without a clear heir and the disruption of the two 'culprit' Houses Major has left the war in a state of limbo.

The Federation Diplomatic Service now takes the lead. They have shackled you via the President, somewhat. Ceasefire talks are proceeding with Morshadd, Calamar, and Gesseria. You are not to do anything to endanger that. An early marker of the negotiations is the reopening of the Federation's embassy on Morshadd, which the local Romulan embassy has been caretaking in your absence. A set of Linderley's best people went with the FDS to reopen the embassy, hauling out the expected haul of bugging equipment, including an ingenious system of using a natural mould growing on ferns in the building to transmit information. That was now a great article of interest for researchers.

The greatest concern, though, is that House Bene is making rapid progress. Far more than was expected by anyone on Morshadd.

Of course, you have no plans to disrupt the dealings. You are occupied with overseeing the final preparations to occupy Gammon. Planning for the operation is the baby of Starfleet Tactical, their staff working with Rear Admiral Eaton's own to sort out the last details. It has been an ongoing process behind the scene for a while, though not one that has required your attention. The bulk of the effort is coming from the Caitians, but contributions from the MACO's, the Andorian Guard, and Amarkian Chivalric Orders round out the force. Though the Caitians have had limited involvement thus far, the President was insistent on acquiring their involvement for the operation.

But for the most part, you have your eye on the diplomacy and the politics. Even with the FDS in the lead, you have ways and means to help advance the Federation's cause. Discussions with the Laio, for instance, are understandably falling by the wayside for the FDS right now, but you have assets at your disposal that can fill the gap. You have picked up a few contacts with the Laio thus far, and they may be able to help.

[ ][LAIO] Focus on the Laian Exploration Council - They know the local systems well, and may know of any Arcadian outposts that have gone unnoticed
[ ][LAIO] Focus on the Advanced Laian Research Institute - They have worked with a number of mentats in the past, and may be able to help unknot some of their superscience traps
[ ][LAIO] Focus on the central government - Just focus on improving overall relations

As the Ked Paddah bring the surface of Ixaria under control, attention turns to the matter of all the fantastical science traps established by House Ixira. Some of these definitely bear closer inspection. Of course, the Ked Paddah would rather see them all confined to the sun - figuratively, of course. Some of these experiments you wouldn't want getting anywhere near an actual star.

[ ][KED] Allow the Ked Paddah to destroy the research station debris.
[ ][KED] Have the Vulcan Survey Corps research cruiser head out to investigate (large chance of +rp, minute chance of catastrophic ka-boom)

There is also the matter of a few remaining Kortennon frigates that still need to be accounted for. Someone will need to hunt them up while Task Force 3 keeps the immediate orbit of Gammon secure.

[ ][FRG] Assign TF 6, the Gaeni
[ ][FRG] Assign TF 1, Thuir's people
[ ][FRG] Assign TF 2, ka'Sharren's people

Beyond that, you have a few things that Starfleet should look into.

(Pick three - top three vote getters will win)
[ ][MISC] The surprising advances of House Bene are concerning, and you should try to look into them.
[ ][MISC] There are rumours of an independent research house rimward of Gammon, carefully hidden away. It should be investigated.
[ ][MISC] Reports of a Honiani tramp moving through Arcadian space should be looked at.
[ ][MISC] Linderley's team on Morshadd could be the nucleus of a useful asset if you can reinforce them.
[ ][MISC] Start a discreet program of tachyon tracking devices along the main routes between Arcadian star systems, like in Orion space.
[ ][MISC] Continue to establish protective outposts in fringe Federation systems
[ ][MISC] Have retired Admiral Kahurangi start appealing for recruits for Starfleet and the member world fleets.