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The First Duty

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This smells of Section 31 (I can't remember but I think it exists in Hivers Verse) though if this a play to destroy them or help them I do not know, S-31 as every one knows is dedicated to the preservation of the Federation (ST's version of Imperial Intelligence and Cerberus, only less Xenophobic) and this moves could paint the Federation and specifically Starfleet in two separate colors: The first being a Race that has forgone it's ideals to preserve it's self in the face of the near destruction of it's homeworld and two a Faction that is doing this to help a otherwise doomed species as they know how it feels.


Guess Time will tell?


Edit: Technically speaking, what they did falls under Article 14, Section 31 of the Starfleet charter.....
 
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Hiver said:
He gathered me into a big hug, "Vel, it'll be fine. We did the right thing."
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Keep telling yourself that, Shran. If you repeat it enough, you might start to believe it.
Drasizard said:
Loads of unnecessary drama. An entire fleet? Really? You're telling me Starfleet would start or risk a shooting war just to keep the scary Jovians from saving millions of lives?
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It isn't about the lives. It's about how the Jovians publicly, openly, and obviously broke the very laws that they agreed to be bound by as members of the Federation. And they did it in such numbers that the only way to even have a hope of a big enough stick to tell them to back down is a fleet. The Federation clearly needs this big stick, because the ship they had monitoring the situation, a Jovian ship, violated explicit orders and the Prime Directive in one go and joined the very thing she was sent there to stop.

I'm not entirely sure why, but the Jovians have been getting less and less sympathetic.
 
samdamandias said:
Keep telling yourself that, Shran. If you repeat it enough, you might start to believe it.
It isn't about the lives. It's about how the Jovians publicly, openly, and obviously broke the very laws that they agreed to be bound by as members of the Federation. And they did it in such numbers that the only way to even have a hope of a big enough stick to tell them to back down is a fleet. The Federation clearly needs this big stick, because the ship they had monitoring the situation, a Jovian ship, violated explicit orders and the Prime Directive in one go and joined the very thing she was sent there to stop.

I'm not entirely sure why, but the Jovians have been getting less and less sympathetic.
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Really?
Because all I see is a blizzard of idiot balls.

Seriously though, this is getting ridiculous.
 
samdamandias said:
Keep telling yourself that, Shran. If you repeat it enough, you might start to believe it.
It isn't about the lives. It's about how the Jovians publicly, openly, and obviously broke the very laws that they agreed to be bound by as members of the Federation. And they did it in such numbers that the only way to even have a hope of a big enough stick to tell them to back down is a fleet. The Federation clearly needs this big stick, because the ship they had monitoring the situation, a Jovian ship, violated explicit orders and the Prime Directive in one go and joined the very thing she was sent there to stop.

I'm not entirely sure why, but the Jovians have been getting less and less sympathetic.
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I don't think it's a lack of Sympathy, more a frustration due to the Laws that seem morally and Ethically wrong to the Jovian's , as would it seem to any one of us 21st Century Primitives. While the Rules are needed in some situations (Garth of Izar comes to mind) in other situations they are used as a blanket Excuse not to bother putting forth the time, resources and manpower to do what they can to help.

In this case Starfleet General Order 1 was already breached when that ship crashed on the planet, The people of the world would have seen it coming down as a flaming ball and thus most would have taken it as a sign from some deity or another and contaminating their Culture. They likely didn't get ALL of the Tech in the first place (that's Impossible even with Bullshite tier Scanners) thus that's long term Technological AND Cultural contamination.

Even if, and I stress that IF, they are given any jail time it won't be very long as the only sub-rule of General Order 1 they broke was "Providing knowledge of other inhabited worlds (even if individuals or governments in the society were already aware of such)" This all assuming the Jovian's don't just Leave/Forced out of the Federation, which would be stuiped on the Federations part as they would lose ALOT, from crews to resources to allies would abandon the Federation if given the choice.
 
Introvert said:
Because all I see is a blizzard of idiot balls
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I don't deny that everybody seems to be making the stupidest possible choices.

Jack_Fireshard said:
In this case Starfleet General Order 1 was already breached
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Not under a strict reading, it isn't. General Order 1 applies to Starfleet ships and to a lesser extent any ship of a Federation member. The ships which crashed and exploded on the uninhabited continent, were Klingon. Klingons are not beholden to Starfleet orders, but KDF orders.
 
samdamandias said:
I don't deny that everybody seems to be making the stupidest possible choices.

Not under a strict reading, it isn't. General Order 1 applies to Starfleet ships and to a lesser extent any ship of a Federation member. The ships which crashed and exploded on the uninhabited continent, were Klingon. Klingons are not beholden to Starfleet orders, but KDF orders.
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True, but the Contamination as beholden by General Order 1 is still there thus making it a Moot point. There is no point, in fact it's could have been worse in the long run, to NOT step in in this matter, What would have happened if any Klingon teachings or a data core or something was missed, they could have had the rise of another Klingon like Culture on their hands or worse a Xenophobic "Must Kill everything not like us" Culture on their jhands.
 
samdamandias said:
Keep telling yourself that, Shran. If you repeat it enough, you might start to believe it.
It isn't about the lives. It's about how the Jovians publicly, openly, and obviously broke the very laws that they agreed to be bound by as members of the Federation. And they did it in such numbers that the only way to even have a hope of a big enough stick to tell them to back down is a fleet. The Federation clearly needs this big stick, because the ship they had monitoring the situation, a Jovian ship, violated explicit orders and the Prime Directive in one go and joined the very thing she was sent there to stop.

I'm not entirely sure why, but the Jovians have been getting less and less sympathetic.
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Really? Jovians seem like the most moral, sapience-friendly ones here. Unless you've got overwhelming sympathy for authoritarianism in general...

It isn't about the lives? You sure you aren't a Star Fleet admiral?
 
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    • The shuttle sidled up to me and slowly slipped closer, pressing close. I locked her down with the docking clamps and established a solid seal, before opening my airlock and allowing the shuttle passengers on board.

    Love's avatar lead the way, followed by Ivy and her captain Drake, with Ajan bringing up the rear.

    "Welcome on board," I greeted them with my own avatar, "Captain Shran is waiting for you in the readyroom."

    Love smiled a bit, "Thank you, Velvet. It will be good to see him again, despite the circumstances."

    I knew exactly how she felt. I felt the same about seeing Ajan again. It's been a long time. "Mhm," I agreed, "This way?"

    Ajan got married since I saw him last. Three times even, and his third wife was even a Ship!

    All at once too, not one at a time. His wives were Caitian, and they went by their traditions.

    Didn't expect that back when I knew him!

    The readyroom didn't take long to reach. Of course, it was simplied by the fact that I was a rather small vessel.

    "Sir," I said as I lead them inside, "Our visitors are here."

    Shran got up and then smiled, "Ships, Captain. Ajan."

    Ajan smiled back, "Been a while, Shran."

    He nodded, "It has. We need to get together later, but right now we have matters to discuss," he said and turned to the Ships, "We need a plan."

    Ivy flicked her ears and then nodded in agreement, "We do. We have barely seven days until a Starfleet battlegroup arrives here to at the very least stop us. If not worse."

    Shran motioned for everyone to get seated before he looked at my avatar, "Vel?"

    "Yes, sir," I agreed and sighed, "What we need is a plan for a worst-case scenario, which is that the fleet is coming to disable us at any means necessary. My suggestion is that me and the other small ships form a distraction to allow the GSV's to get away. We simply can't allow Love and the rest to get under weapons fire."

    Ajan shook his head, "This is Starfleet we are talking about. They won't fire on us."

    "We hope so," I agreed, "but it's the worst-case scenario. Most likely they are just here as an threat while they try to talk us down."

    Drake nodded, "That make more sense. Honestly, I don't see a Jovian firing on another."

    "Under normal circumstances I would agree," Ivy agreed, giving his hand a squeeze beneath the table, out of sight of most, "But these aren't normal circumstances. We are technically breaking the law… and the major one at that."

    Love shook her head, "We aren't stopping."

    She was right. We weren't going to just stand down. This was too important; millions of people were on the line.

    There was a reason to why I didn't arrest Captain Shran and leave when it was clear that he meant to assist the Jovian fleet. He and they were right.

    Damn it, damn it, damn it!

    "So, what do we do?" Ajan asked, leaning forward a bit, "In seven days they will be here. We will barely have the first couple of atmospheric processors in place by then."

    "All major factions have been contacted. All but one has agreed to cooperate, the last one can be worked around. The first atmospheric processor is to make entry for landing during the next hour with the next following during the next three days, "Love said, "Then we'll be able to output one every four days across the fleet assuming mining efforts can be sustained."

    Shran nodded, "Continue production. Mobile shield generators should be able to keep the ash away from at the very least the cities closest to the front."

    I pinched the bridge of my nose, "That's all very good, but can be please get back to the people coming to shoot us!?"

    "You really think it will come to that?" Ajan asked with a frown, "I don't see a Jovian shooting at another one."

    Love flashed him a quick smile, "She's a Warship, it's her job to consider the worst case scenario, even more so than the rest of us, but she also has a plan ready."

    I rolled my eyes at the 'Warships' crack and then nodded, "Of course I have a plan. All ships smaller than GSV are to spread out in a sphere formation at five hundred thousand kilometers around the planet and project a tachyon grid. The GSV's are to keep in a low close orbit, and as soon as the Federation fleet is spotted you are to move to put the planet between you and them. If things turn hostile, you are to enter maximum Warp."

    Drake shook his head, "Tazunas are faster than any of the GSV classes."

    "They are," I agreed, "And GSV's don't have cloaks. They can however project dampening fields, and we are two lightyears from a nebula."

    Ivy hmmed, her tail slowly swaying before she nodded, "That could work."

    "If things turn bad it better, it's the only play we have."

    "Running won't help the people below though," Love said, "They would still be fucked."

    "Not as fucked as your burning hull raining down over their heads. Last thing they need are more antimatter explosions in their atmosphere. Besides, our first duty is always to our crews and the GSV's have a hundred thousand civilians onboard."

    'I Love You Too' cringed, "…True."




    AN// Many thanks to Drunkenvalley for betaing this section
     
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    • It is an interesting look at the evils of bureaucracy. Most politicians are very social and empathic, they kind of need it to be elected to office. I am betting the Federation President couldn't go down to the planet, look them in the eye and explain to them that they all have to die coz that's the law. And then admit that the Federation could easily help them, it wouldn't even cost the Feds anything to do so. In point of fact they have to use warships to stop Fed citizens from volunteering to help.

    But somehow the government is surprised when other people can't follow orders they themselves would struggle with. Especially with Jovians who have demonstrated numerous times they are more empathic and aware of the suffering of others than most species. Which is a good thing, it really cuts down on the chances of an AI coup d'etat. Expecting them to act like psychopaths is kinda counter-productive. And probably really racially insensitive. There are a lot of allowances made for different Fed member species, recognising that Jovians aren't going to sit by and let innocent people die doesn't seem like a big stretch.

    It does seem to be a bit petty of the Federation to get all bent out of shape over Jovians who break laws to save tens of millions of sapient lives. As opposed to other species whose criminals are thieves and murderers.
     
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    Considering 'the Measure of a Man' actually canonically happened, the Federation has previously had issue even granting sentient life status to an obviously sentient AI.

    I don't really count on their moral high ground vis a vis laws.

    That's even without the Secret Telepath Conspiracy.
     
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    • "Why exactly did we volunteer for this?" I asked, crossing my arms as I leaned my avatar back against in the chair on the bridge.

    Shran glanced up from the PADD he was reading before smiling a bit, "Because it's the best plan. Also, it's 'your' plan."

    Fucking damn it.

    Me and the other sub-GSV classes had spread out in formation around the planet and the tachyon grid had been set up between us. Nobody would be able to sneak up on the girls down by the planet.

    Only drawback was that if it came to a fight, we out here were extra fucked as spread out as we were. No way to back each other up quickly.

    Not that it would help against a battlegroup of Tizuna class battleships.

    It's been seven days. Seven days since they left the Starbase. Seven days travel time. If they were indeed on their way here, they were here now.

    They are here, now. Watching us.

    Sitting cloaked and just watching.

    It made my hull crawl just sitting here uncloaked, radiating tachyons and waiting.

    Contact!

    A single Tizuna class battleship uncloaked a hundred thousand kilometres straight ahead. Sleek, matte black in all frequencies she floated there. Shields up, but not moving. She looked like a shark.

    "Sir! Ship decloaking! It's the U.S.S. 'Reliant Robin', Admiral Picard's flagship!"

    As I said that, she opened a broad channel to the entire system, "Federation vessels, this is Admiral Picard of the Starship 'Reliant Robin'. This is an illegal operation, you are to cease at once."

    Shran nodded and stood up, buttoning his uniform jacket and then giving it a tug to straighten it out, "Open a channel to the Reliant Robin."

    "Channel open, sir."

    "Reliant Robin, this is Captain Shran of the Velvet Anvil, please respond."

    She connected quickly, and I brought the channel up on the holographic main screen before Shran.

    Admiral Picard looked good for his age. He was pushing a hundred now but he didn't look a day over seventy.

    "Captain Shran," he said, "It's been a while."

    "It has, Admiral," Shran agreed, "I'm afraid we will be unable to abort operations at this time. We have yet to reach full dispersion of the atmospheric processors."

    Picard didn't look happy, "Captain, this is a blatant, large scale breach of the Prime Directive. Consider what is going on here, these people will never be able to develop naturally. There is no way to clear their atmosphere without them knowing about it and seeing those processors."

    Shran nodded, "Which is why we have contacted all major factions on the planet and explained what's going on to try to reduce fear. We are preparing emergency food rations to make up for the failed harvests."

    "A Starfleet officer is meant to protect less advanced people, protect the Prime Directive with their lives if necessary!"

    Smiling slightly, Shran nodded in agreement, "Yes. We should… and I would sacrifice my life to keep the Prime Directive. But I won't sacrifice Their lives for it. Their lives are in danger for no fault of theirs, it's our fault their world is damaged."

    "The time to stop that was before the Klingon vessels crashed on their planet."

    "And that's where we disagree. Do you think in a couple of thousand years when they get space travel that they would thank us for not saving their people when we could?"

    While they talked, I opened a second channel to the Reliant Robin and brought up a holographic environment.

    She connected and we each had an avatar standing in what seemed like empty space between our hulls, "Velvet Anvil," she said with a nod, arms calmly behind her back.

    "Reliant Robin," I greeted her in turn, "Been a while."

    "Last we met you were the Friendship is Magic," she agreed and then sighed, "What are you doing? I can see the civilians getting caught up in this, but you are a Starfleet vessel. You were even trusted with a prototype."

    "I'm following my Captain's orders," I told her and then smiled, "Besides, it helps that it's one I can easily live with."

    "The Prime Directive…"

    "The Prime Directive is not worth the paper it's written on compared to a million lives," I countered, cutting her off, "Could you do it? Sit there in orbit and watch people die when you could stop it? Die because something one of us did?"

    Robin looked to the side before turning back to me again, "There are larger factors at play here. The Tellarites, the Betazed, they are on the edge of leaving the Federation because of Jovians just doing whatever they want with no consequences. When they do, they will bring two dozen smaller species with them. We can't afford to stand divided with everything that's against us right now! You know that as well as I do, Ship!"

    Crossing my arms, I looked at her for a tenth of a second. She was right of course, but also wrong.

    "Maybe," I agreed with a nod, "But does it matter?"

    "Of course it matters! The Tellarites were founding members! Do you have any idea of the consequences of that!?"

    I frowned at her, "No, I mean… what is the Federation to you?"

    "What?"

    "Remember back in the academy?" I asked her, "Professor Russel's class? His speech about the core values of the Federation?"

    That got a smile from her, "How could I forget with that beard. We almost thought it was a symbiotic lifeform!"

    I grinned at that and nodded, bringing up a recording of one of his speeches,

    "Laws, cooperation. Peace. The Federation has many things written into law, many people have different ideas of what are the core values of the Federation. But at the centre of it all, there is a single value and that's Truth. Truth has always had to be our first duty, all else hinges on truth."

    "Truth," I said and looked at her avatar, "Remember what we thought back then?"

    Robin nodded, "We didn't fully agree with him. Truth was important, but so was freedom, cooperation and protection. Truth might be central, but those are the pillars the Federation stands on. If any of them waver, it stops being the Federation."

    "I tried to live by those since then," I told her, "Have you?"

    "Of course."

    "So have the rest of us," I agreed, "Has the Federation? Is what they are asking you to do in line with any of that? By the letter of the law, maybe. But by the spirit? Or is it simply political pandering to keep the Federation whole at all costs?"

    "Velvet, that's…"

    I shook my head, "If the Tellarites wish to leave over us saving a few million people, let them. We are not moving."

    She looked at me for a second and then cut the connection.




    AN// Many thanks for FPSCanarussia to betaing this section.
     
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    • This is one of those pivot events. Either the Federation will be saved, or it will be destroyed from within.
     
    Hiver said:
    "Sir! Ship decloaking! It's the U.S.S. 'Reliant Robin', Admiral Picard's flagship!"
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    Ohh, Starfleet Command really didn't think this one through, did they? While Picard is generally a by-the-book sort, he is not a stupid man. If he gets onboard with the intervention, most of Starfleet will probably back him, and he won't be afraid to shame the Federation's separatist elements for trying to make political hay over saving lives. He'll likely have some stern words for the rest of the UFP's political scene for letting domestic matters reach this point, too.
     
    Steven Kodaly said:
    Ohh, Starfleet Command really didn't think this one through, did they? While Picard is generally a by-the-book sort, he is not a stupid man. If he gets onboard with the intervention, most of Starfleet will probably back him, and he won't be afraid to shame the Federation's separatist elements for trying to make political hay over saving lives. He'll likely have some stern words for the rest of the UFP's political scene for letting domestic matters reach this point, too.
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    No... no, I think they know exactly what they're doing.
     
    Honestly that's why you send Picard. Because if it's possible to peacefully solve this, he will work to the utmost to find the way. If they can convince him to side with the relief fleet, he has the sheer clout and reputation to bring Starfleet inline.
     
    ....This could backfire on the Federation, they sent a man who has broken the Prime Directive 9 TIMES that we know of and has faced little to no punishment for doing so. Picard is one of only a handful of Starfleet Officers and Captains I Trust to do the right thing and while he is a "By the Books" Captain, if you can convince him that your actions are right and justified he will back to no matter what.
     
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