Council Chambers, Paris, Sol III, Sol Sector
You have a lot of work ahead of you today. Though by comparison to the last week, with the mayhem, and you have no other word for it, of attempting to form and generate support for new legislation and deal with the arrival of six new Councillors, this is actually rather peaceful.
You start off by working with your new friends from Rigellian space, the Mercantile faction. Rather an odd duck in the post-currency and post-scarcity halls of Earth, you have to say. Of course, some people just enjoy the cut and thrust of competitive business, much as you enjoy the politics around you. Therefore, you shouldn't judge, as long as they don't start doing it at other people's expense, like happened on this world a couple centuries ago. Or as is currently happening in Orion space.
They provide much needed insight into what makes the Orion hypercorps tick. And what can make them stop ticking. It's all Klingon Opera to you, though. It's not the sort of straight-forward, transparent budgeting as practiced in most of the Federation. Councillors Rangyad and Meiyama speak to you of junk bonds, derivative financial products, Alukk Market Indices, and stuff that makes you understand how an iron-age inhabitant would feel getting a lecture in advanced subspace field theory. The observers and delegates from the Orion Union government understand, though, and nod thoughtfully. Apparently they have a few ways to break the power of the hypercorps, and allow the Union government to start attacking the parent holding companies that hold the reins of power across the Union.
When you get the layman's summary, it provides a way to designate entire hypercorps as supporters of the Syndicate and embargo them in a way that can correctly navigate both Federation and Union laws. You didn't think this would be an issue, but apparently the ownership structure of those hypercorps is explicitly designed to defeat this kind of effort normally.
The other big part of the suggested legislation from the Rigellians is an aid package that will allow the Orion Union government to keep their economy afloat while they go about the business of destroying the putative anchors of their wealth.
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Councillor for Rigel Rangyad has put forward legislation, co-sponsored by Councillor for Ollasa IV Arsharra N'Gir, to undercut the financial underpinning of the Syndicate and enable the Orion Union to persist in their efforts to defang their powerful corporations.
[No vote on this one - although you helped get the ball rolling by getting the right people talking, no one is going to come to Starfleet for analysis of economic pro's and cons]
[Gain +5 Resilience, much harder for Hypercorps to recruit mercenaries. Ability of Orion Union to pass upcoming Constitutional changes increased]
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The following options are for modifying the Anti-Slavery Act of 2309. Options that are already in play are noted, with their costs and effects. These can be left in place, altered, or added to.
STRICTLY PLAN VOTING
Available Additional Influence Pts: 5
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Originally suggested by Councillor for Betazed Jime Okaar, the use of the Caitian Frontier Police as replacement police units that have some combat capability has been highly successful. They have kept the minor colony worlds, potentially a source of tremendous unrest, from distracting the Union government from their efforts on the core worlds. It is now time to decide if they should be left as is, replaced, reinforced, or even if it is time to remove all ground forces.
Currently: Draw on the Caitian Frontier Police force. These people keep order on the Caitian border worlds and even saw some action against the Dawiar. Full-size phaser pistols and light armour for protection are carried standard. (1 Influence, +1 Militarisation, reduce Syndicate event rate, more resilient to casualties)
Additionally: The Amarkian Gendarmes have two significant formations working with the Aerocommandos, and are currently regrouping after the bloody assault on Celos. However, more Gendarmes can be made available for normal police work.
(May select multiple options)
[ ][COPS] Draw on Andorian Guard's Peacekeepers. Police first, combat is a much lower priority. Despite this, an Andorian is always dangerous in a scrap. (1 Influence, reduces Syndicate event rate, vulnerable to be disabled by casualties from Syndicate)
[ ][COPS] Draw on the Amarkian Gendarmes. Deploying with full scale phaser rifles and body armour, these Amarki can move smoothly between investigating a break-in to storming a bunker. (2 Influence, +2 Militarisation, reduce Syndicate event rate, far greater resilience to casualties)
[ ][COPS] Draw on Apiatan Comb Staves. Whole colonies who dedicate themselves to protection of the larger hives, who take on the bulk of dealing with rebellious colonies. They use shock batons, full pistols, and backup squads with heavy wepaons. (2 Influence, +2 Militarisation, reduce Syndicate event rate, strong resilience to casualties).
[ ][COPS] Draw on the Tellarite Bobbies. Tellarite Bobbies are used to keeping law on the argumentative Tellarite core worlds and the rough-and-tumble Tellarite mining colonies, they are not particularly heavily armed but sheer stubbornness makes them difficult targets for subversion. (1 Influence, reduces Syndicate event rate, more vulnerable to being disabled by casualties from Syndicate, resistant to infiltration)
[ ][COPS] Remove the Caitian Frontier Police (Regain 1 Influence from CFP)
[ ][COPS] No changes (may not be taken with any other COPS options).
Councillor Hamith of Delta Vega is very pleased with how the Rixx Scrutineers have been able to impact the fight against the Syndicate, but wonders if more can be done?
Currently: Rixx Scrutineers from Betazed could be called upon. It is impossible to pass a direct deception by one. (1 Influence, +3 Impact, apply penalty to Syndicate infiltration operations)
[ ][DETECTIVES] Vulcan Central Inspectorate could be called on. Capable of working through vast conspiracies and webs of deduction. (1 Influence, +3 Impact, apply penalty to Syndicate financial/shipbuilding operations)
[ ][DETECTIVES] Detectives from the Indorian Argyle Bench, the center of their serious crimes investigations group can come into play, their natural instinct for pattern matching and recognition could unknot conspiracies. (1 Influence, +2 Impact, bonus to tracking down perpetrators of attacks)
[ ][DETECTIVES] Remove the Rixx Scrutineers
[ ][DETECTIVES] No additional investigators
Councillor Xom bim Cherr of Sar Alpha's idea of seeding tachyon detectors through Orion Syndicate space has taken away the ability of the Syndicate space forces to properly impact the struggle.
Currently: Seed the most likely vectors. (1 Influence, +2 Impact)
[ ][DEVICES] Build in bulk, blanket Union Space. (1 Influence, +2 Impact)
[ ][DEVICES] Leave as is
Rear Admiral Scott Linderley of Starfleet Intelligence has some ideas for hampering Orion activities outside of Union space via signal interception.
Currently: Form Office 36 dedicated to Orion Syndicate Decryption under Signals Division. [1 Influence, -5pp/yr, +5 Impact]
[ ][SIG] Remove permission
[ ][SIG] Leave as is
[ ][SIG] Form Office 36 and funnel all subspace traffic routed through Orion Space to it. [1 Influence, -5pp/yr, +2 Impact, Gain +4 Resilience, +1 Militarisation]
A few of the member worlds are offering ships to aid the task force in Orion Union space, either bolstering numbers or freeing assets to head to the Gabriel Expanse. A few of the worlds are unwilling to contribute, either a little exposed to the Cardassians, or looking to get involved in the Gabriel Expanse soon.
[ ][SHIP] A Betazoid Contingent, with a Patrol Cruiser and two Escorts. (1 Influence, +4 Impact)
[ ][SHIP] A Rigellian Contingent, with a Turtleship and a Cutter (1 Influence, +4 Impact)
[ ][SHIP] A Tellarite Contingent, with a Constitution-B, a Centaur, and an Oberth (1 Influence, +4 Impact)
[ ][SHIP] None
The Councillor Ciimad, the Rigellian Councillor for Laudon, is putting forward the idea that researchers could develop new software for mapping the Syndicate. Amash Hagan, themselves one of the greatest brands in Rigel space as well as one of your SDB research teams, could dedicate one of their civilian supercomputing teams to the task.
[ ][COMP] Allow Amash Hagan to proceed. (2 Influence, -2 Syndicate Resilience, +4 Impact)
[ ][COMP] Decline
Councillor Hiand Benat, the new representative from Indoria, is suggesting that engineering teams to help fortify police stations and outposts could keep casualties down if the Syndicate manage to regroup.
[ ][ENG] Send out Indorian Engineers. (1 Influence, improve survival rolls)
[ ][ENG] Send out Tellarite Engineers (1 Influence, improve bomb resistance to bombs)
[ ][ENG] No thanks
