Anyway, comments on the update itself:
Flash Alert, Starfleet Intelligence
To: All Commands, All Stations
RSE and KE now in state of undeclared war. Fleet engagements at border ongoing.
Report status on receipt.
So it begins...
Captain's Log, USS Cloudburst, Stardate 25802.7
We have faint tachyon emissions headed out of Romulan space towards Arcadian space. We are currently working with the T'Mir and Oda-Gach-7 to see if we can isolate this source and identify it.
-
Ambassador's Log, Morshadd, Stardate 25805.2
House Bene is continuing to advance, drawing Minor Houses into its embrace. The estates of a Minor House who had defied them, House Gimble, were bombed just yesterday, and the surviving heir has fallen into line. Notably, this heir was sixth in line, but had House Bene links. Our new friends from Starfleet have investigated, and there is strong evidence that the bomb employed is not of Licori make.
-
Captain's Log, USS Cloudburst, Stardate 25805.5
We have just witnessed a meeting between a House Bene frigate and a Romulan Bird of Prey. It was too far to intercept communications without giving away our position. However, I can confirm that the Romulans is in contact with House Bene.
-
Ambassador's Log, Morshadd, Stardate 25806.3
After being forwarded the report of the USS Cloudburst on Romulan intervention, we are starting to push that angle more vigorously. Already we are uncovering signs that Romulan aid to House Bene has been substantial, and that without aid of their own, House Tartresis will fail to secure the throne. The implications of that are ... deeply unsettling.
Personally, I'm glad that the decision on this one will be above my paygrade.
...and hopefully the Romulans get distracted enough to stop this shit. Goddamn opportunistic vultures. Not that I'm super gung-ho about a new Federation affiliate in the Licori (which their pre-war relations value would've normally resulted in), but the stakes of the whole Arcadian Crisis just rose with Romulan involvement now.
Starfleet Academy Red Squadron Supervisor's Log, Stardate 25807.2
We believe we have narrowed down a list of possible systems for our unknown research facility. It has been tricky. If it isn't operating a proper cloak, it is operating something not functionally dissimilar. Still, we'll sniff it out and give you the full low-down.
Also hopefully not Romulan-related. Not that cloaking necessarily means Romulan involvement - Ixiran mentats have shown the capability of at least some type of home-made cloaking (the Silent Repose system in Ixaria).
[Lose 10pp, gain +1 Crew Rating, UESPA loses a Miranda-A to astrological hazards]
[Lose -10pp, but Apiata avert strategic costs]
Sigh... UE has suffered a lot this year. Two completely lost Miranda-As, a damaged flagship, and I think the most crew losses among the member fleets so far. If so, only Starfleet and Ked Paddah have lost more.
Can't wait to return our garrisons to full strength. Indeed, I suspect that member worlds are already lobbying the Council to
increase the garrison requirements.
Every effort to rescue her crew was made, however the conditions were too perilous, and only three dozen souls were saved out of the crew of two hundred.
Aside: So this confirms the overall 50 crewmembers per point of crew (O-1 E-2 T-1). (Still wonder how the heck 300 crewmembers are jam-packed into the tiny Oberth.)
The head ambassador is an Andorian man of very impressive physique, an expert in the Andorian martial arts. Not who I expected to see in the diplomatic service, but it does bring to mind a saying I heard once about running silent and double-dosing your photon torpedoes.
A Challenger Appears!
Personal Log, Captain Vol Chad, Stardate 25804.5
Very little margin in it, but I can bench more than the Ambassador.
Fear not, Starfleet, your name has been upheld!
Thankfully, our engineers crews were able to deploy and use a few work bees to reestablish dome integrity.
For a moment, I thought the Apiata got involved with their cargo ships. Then I realized that "work bee" is a semi-official name (depending on which canon is official) for the small utility crafts that are used by Starfleet and original core Federation. That naming coincidence has got to have intrigued both Starfleet and the Apiata
Captain's Log, USS Atuin, Stardate 25805.9
A research ship belonging to an Ixiran mentat had been lying in wait along our path. However, Rear Admiral Ainsworth and the staff back at San Francisco were able to piece together a number of clues and discover its likely whereabouts. Their warning arrived just in time to shut off our warp engines, before a deeply destructive subspace instability field was created in our path. The mentat's ship has been disabled, and her crew apprehended. My ship's Counsellor and science officers will see what there is to learn about what happened.
[+5rp, +5pp, +25 with Laio]
[Ainsworth re-roll exhausted for 2315]
Geez
Atuin and Vol Chad have got the worst luck. Only saved by Ainsworth's sidegrade "promotion".
Still, Laio is now an affiliate!
Captain's Log, USS Enterprise, Stardate 25803.5 - Captain Samhaya Mrr'shan
The SS Mural is no tramp, it seems. The Honiani ship is in fact a joint Honiani-Yan Ros operation. Based on their own relationship with the Laio and their links to the Arcadians, they are on a mission to eliminate a particular mentat target. They are, however, being very close-lipped about who, what, and why.
After consulting with Commodore ka'Sharren, we have allowed them to head on their way, though with a warning to be careful about where they step.
[Chief of Staff NB: FDS blew a gasket over letting them go, but Ops is happy to back the Captain's judgement in this one]
I too trust the opinion of former and current (and future!)
Enterprise captains.
Wish we sent someone along with them so we could record the epic RWBY-esque beatdown about to commence.
edit:
Staff Industrial Liaison's Log, Stardate 25803.3 - Tash sh'Petreth, Andorian Chamber of Industry
After completing the rush work on the upgraded sensor arrays and deflectors for the USS Courageous' repair and reift, the factories of the Shorc Xurth Resource Combine on Tellar are switching focus. They are being tasked to work with Starfleet Tactical as well as United Earth's MACOs and the Caitian armed forces to supply and replace equipment during the Gammon operations.
Also, good to see that our earlier work on more outpost components likely won't be wasted. A Gammon outpost, even temporary, along with a stockpile for the GBZ is a good use of them.
