Those protocols actually involved major shipboard modifications to make effective. And putting things back to the way they were was literally the very first thing Starfleet engineers did when the Biophage crisis was over. No one liked having that has an option.
[X] Plan: Open force is broken, concentrate on burning the roots.
[X][COPS] No changes (may not be taken with any other COPS options).
[X][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)
[X][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)
[X][DEVICES] Leave as is
[X][SIG] Leave as is
[X][SHIP] None
[X][COMP] Allow Amash Hagan to proceed. (2 Influence, -2 Syndicate Resilience, +4 Impact)
[X][ENG] Send out Tellarite Engineers (1 Influence, improve bomb resistance to bombs)
I am pleased to report that Starfleet Security measures surrounding the ratifications of the Indorian Congress and the Unified Hives of Apinae ensured a smooth and undisturbed ceremony. A number of freelance Syndicate operatives made attempts to disrupt proceedings, however they were all either apprehended or deterred.
I am further delighted to report that we have had no cases of subverted Starfleet personnel over the previous year.
Now, as to our current understanding of the galaxy. Rear Admiral Ainsworth's aggressive moves in the Gabriel have touched off a powder keg of panic in the Hierarchy. Our friends on Ethur II tell us that they have gone as close to war footing as they can manage short of openly declaring war. The inability to claim a ship in turn has infuriated their high command, and the admiral in charge of that sector has been stood aside. Beyond that seeing Starfleet stand up and basically slug the Sydraxians in the jaw has stunned the entire Cardassian Pact. Both that it worked, and that it happened at all.
We suspect the Cardassians and their friends will be a lot more circumspect operating within the Expanse.
Dutifully,
Rear Admiral Scott Linderley, Director
==========================
(Pick One Cardassian Tactical Report)
[ ][CARD] Cardassian Ship Analysis Report - Write in class
[ ][CARD] Cardassian Shipbuilding Report
[ ][CARD] Cardassian Tactics Report (Gain +5% combat vs Cardassian fleets for the next 12 months)
(PIck up to three General Intel Reports)
[ ][REPORT] What would you like to see reported on?
[ ][REPORT] Romulan Diplomatic Posture Report
[ ][REPORT] Klingon Diplomatic Posture Report
[ ][REPORT] Cardassian Diplomatic Posture Report
[ ][REPORT] <Any> Diplomatic Posture Report
[ ][REPORT] Ship Analysis Report: <Write in Ship to try to get profile>
[ ][REPORT] Shipyard Activity Report for: <Write in Power to get current build details and possibly resource levels>
NB: Not currently available for Klingons
[ ][REPORT] <Any> Tactics Report (2% combat bonus vs this fleet for 12months)
[ ][REPORT] GBZ: Pick a faction to gain an estimate of fleet strength in the GBZ
[ ][REPORT] GBZ: Determine what projects other factions are up to
[ ][REPORT] Write in other Question
==========================
Aboard USS Kumari, Approaching Bean's Star, Gabriel Expanse
"Captain. We have the report from Task Force 2, Commodore Revak says he has arrived and are awaiting us," calls out the communications officer.
Erzath zh'Darylth, the Andorian Captain of the Kumari, glances up at Commodore Rivers to see if she had anything to order. When the Commodore continues to brood over her padds of after-action reports, zh'Darlyth turns to her communications officer. "Thank you, Lieutenant. Advise Commodore Revak we will arrive within ten minutes. Sensors, anything untoward in the system?"
"No, Captain," reports a Lieutenant-Commander by the science consoles.
"Keep looking, you see anything unusual, I want to hear it, and I don't care if it turns out to be nothing," instructs the Captain. "Those Yrillians went somewhere, after all."
"Aye, Captain."
The distant bulb of Bean's Star grows slowly brighter on the viewscreen as they continue to approach. The Task Force is returning victoriously, but not without bitter wounds. Captain Chekov and many of the Endurance's crew are in the sickbays of the Kumari, Republic, and Korolev. The Endurance is in tow behind the Korolev, the Shield behind the Fidelity. Captain Dremora Sulu's Republic has a dirty big crater in the saucer that has opened up many, thankfully unoccupied, crew quarters to space. But as Commodore River's says, you should have seen the other guy. They had left quite a mess in their wake at Deva.
"We're entering the system, Captain, slowing to impulse," calls out the helm. "Rendezvous in five minutes."
"Thank you, Ensign."
"Captain," calls out the sensor officer. "I think I have something. Signat-Captain! Alert! Yrililan warp signatures!"
Captain Erzath twists about in her seat and points straight at the Commander at Tactical. "Red Alert, Mr xom Ghreg. Crew to battlestations."
"Red Alert, aye," replies the Tellarite. "Shields up, weapons charging."
Erzath stands and straightens her jacket, taking a moment to settle herself. Commodore Rivers has stood as well, and is turning towards the turbolifts. "Captain, I'll be in the battle bridge."
"Torpedoes in-bound, Captain, six, twelve, eighteen torpedoes in-bound," announces the Betazoid on sensors. "A set of Corsairs has launched at warp, then turned away and are departing the system at their maximum speed. Not sure how they were hiding, but "
"Target?" asks Erzath.
A horrified expression comes over the "... the Endurance!"
Commodore and Captain exchange a glance, and then a nod, and a mutual understanding.
"Mr xom Ghreg, depower weapons. Engineering, I want all available power outside of propulsion directed to the shields. Helm, bring us about. Interpose us between the Endurance and the torpedoes."
"C-Captain?" blurts the Ensign on the helm. "I mean, aye, Captain!"
The Captain folds her hands behind her back and walks to the centre of the bridge."Do your duty, Ensign Carter," is all she says.
The starscape ahead of them whirls, a planet spinning into and out of view. But then they see a furious set of bright lights, shooting stars coming from the black depths. The Captain walks back to her chair and settles down. "All hands. Brace for impact."
-
Yrillian sneak attack detected and averted, no further damage sustained
Due to tactical situation/low aggression/medium rule-abiding, Revak does not pursue
Due to task force damage/tactical situation, Rivers does not pursue
Fleet returns to Collie safely.
==========================
Auxiliary Task Force Commander's Log, Commodore Alejandro
I've had my first look at the damage aboard the Endurance, Shield, and Republic. The Republic I can fix here, no problems. I'll have to requisition some supplies and another Worker Bee from Apinae, but they have already given approval for that. Damage is light enough that the Worker Bee can carry the parts we need. We'll moor the Republic at Collie Station, I've been using my spare time to start the process of building a one megaton repair berth there. By no means as comprehensive as a proper shipyard berth, but she'll be able to carry out maintenance work and some repairs for us.
[One month: -2pp, -2br, -2sr]
Shield is a mess, one of the nacelles is gone. No one tell Commander Sirok, he only just put that nacelle into place. Another couple hits and they'd have had to dump the warp core. Anything from radial seventeen back to radial nine on the port side is a mess of flames and twisted metal. Thankfully not many of the battlestations were in that area, so crew losses were light. But that will need to be rebuilt, sensors will need to be replaced.
Sorry, I know you got me out here to help make repairs forward, but she needs a fully equipped shipyard. Repair job is six months, transit time is another three. I'll shore her up before we start on the Republic, otherwise it would take twice that to get there.
Remember the days when you could just about cross the whole Federation in a month at high warp?
[Nine months: -20br, -15sr, -5pp, Vice Admiral Chen has arranged for the Shield to be towed to the Indoria Drive Yard Berth A for repairs]
And the Endurance... well, there's more of the ship intact than with the Shield, but it is a charnel house inside. I worked on the repairs of the explorers after the Battle of Kadesh, this felt awfully familiar, in a way I never wanted to experience again. I'll give you the summary: serious secondary hull damage, serious primary hull damage, the port nacelle has been punctured, we need to replace six warp coils.
Shipyard job, nine month minimum. She's in better shape, so the trip won't require quite as long.
[Nine months: -75br, -50sr, Vice Admiral Chen has arranged for the Endurance to be towed to the Amarkian Arsenal Berth B for repairs]
==========================
The ratification of the Apiata and the Indorians opens up new opportunities. Most notably, new tech team options.
Please select one from each group.
[ ][APIATA] Intazzi Team - Grand Hive R&D
(Stinger Project R&D Team)
Skill 3, Propulsion/Ship Design - Escort
[ ][APIATA] Colonies Without Borders
(Apinae's Council for understanding the world around them)
Skill 2, Xenopsych/Communications
[ ][APIATA] Unified Comb Engineering Architects Bureau
(UCE Architects, responsible for orbitals and shipyards)
Skill 2, Starship Construction/Starbase
-
[ ][INDORIA] Craftsman Guild Projects Department
Skill 4, Personal Equipment only
We really should find some way to talk to the Daiwar again.
They don't even have the excuse of Cardassian military supremacy to fall back on anymore.
The Dawair are surrounded, have lost soverignty over foreign relations, have lost most avenues of expansion, and have lost their pride. In exchange they have gained no economic ties (Rather they have lost opportunities to trade with their actual neighbors instead of distant greedy Cardassia), and now they find out that they haven't even sided with the side that is strongest and boldest militarily.
I expect they're feeling pretty depressed right about now.
Rules question:
Would it be possible to add Spock to the [APIATA] Colonies Without Borders
(Apinae's Council for understanding the world around them)
Skill 2, Xenopsych/Communications
team for training on the job? Spock amassed quite a lot of experience in this area, right?
I definitely want a Cardassian Tactics Report, possibly a Sydraxian Tactics Report as well. And I think I want to finally know what the Daljerra is. But I'm not sure about the other reports.
Okay, intelligence vote first. Here is my logic. @Simon_Jester made a good case that we need to better understand the pace of Cardassian fleetbuilding now that they have all these new resources from their clients. I think it's vital that we get a Yrillian fleet strength report given that:
1. We know that they are "a chunk" of the overall estimated Cardassian-Alliance force
2. There were prepared to go to war alongside the Sydraxians
How many of those damn Corsairs do they have?!
As for the Romulans, we've been waiting on that cruiser report for a while. And of course, last two are all GBZ.
[X][CARD] Cardassian Shipbuilding Report
[X][ROM] Romulan Daljerra Cruiser Report
[X][REPORT] Yrillian Fleet Strength Report
[X][REPORT] GBZ: Pick a faction to gain an estimate of fleet strength in the GBZ - Cardassians
[X][REPORT] GBZ: Determine what projects other factions are up to
[X][APIATA] Intazzi Team - Grand Hive R&D
[X][INDORIA] All Pyllix Geological Institute
[X][CARD] Cardassian Tactics Report (Gain +5% combat vs Cardassian fleets for the next 12 months)
[X][ROM] Romulan Daljerra Cruiser Report
[X][REPORT] Sydraxian Tactics Report (2% combat bonus vs this fleet for 12months)
[X][REPORT] GBZ: Pick a faction to gain an estimate of fleet strength in the GBZ - Cardassians
[X][REPORT] GBZ: Determine what projects other factions are up to
[X][APIATA] Intazzi Team - Grand Hive R&D
[X][INDORIA] Craftsman Guild Projects Department
I suspect that the Federation's going to have some words to give to the Yrillians... Especially if they don't want to deal with a war... Or maybe not, it wasn't successful after all...
Question for @Briefvoice I thought we were looking to obtain another Mineral specialty team? Any reason you didn't take that option?
