Captain's Log - 2315.Q4.M3
- Location
- Australia
Captain's Log, USS Sarek, Stardate 25852.3 - Captain Straak
I have invested ten years of my existence into the USS Sarek, her crew, and her mission, in the pursuit of knowledge. Like all things, there is a season, and eventually a generation must yield to that which follows on. So too am I coming unto the end of my tenure. But there is yet one objective to fulfil.
An old colleague of T'Pirit and myself from time studying at the Vulcan Science Academy's geosciences school has reached out to me. She is working on analysis of the planet Kohl II, which was catalogued by the Orion hundreds of years ago as warranting further research, but was never deemed cost-effective enough to visit. From a purer scientific interest, however, the planet is fascinating, presenting a range of seeming impossibilities to analyse. I have ordered a course laid in to join Professor T'Keleth.
-
Captain's Log, USS Pathfinder, Stardate 25852.7
What is hoped to be the final peace summit is being held on Gaen, with representatives of all warring parties, including Houses, the Ked Paddah, members and affiliates. It is also expected to provide an answer to the Arcadian succession question. The Pathfinder will be supervising the protection of the summit, while also serving as the home base for Starfleet's own representatives to the peace meeting, including Vice Admiral Uhura.
-
Captain's Log, USS Courageous, Stardate 25852.9 - Captain Sabek
With the imminent close of the Federation-Arcadian War, we have been redeployed on the start of a new long-range exploration coreward, passing out beyond Vail and even the corner of the Gabriel Expanse. A long time between returns to Federation space will be trying, however, the crew is very excited. Already we have passed the fringes of Yan-Ros space. A number of their civilian craft followed us out of curiosity for a time, but our cruising speed is far too high for most ships to follow.
-
[Mission at Leas Akaam failed to respond - no penalty]
[Mission at Risa failed to respond, -10 relations with Risa]
-
Captain's Log, USS Selaya, Stardate 25853.1
Significant traces of polytrexcinium sulfates have been found in underground liquid methane pools on the third moon of the Winter Star's fourth planet. We have been able to extract and refine twenty grams of this extremely rare substance, which will help cover a potential shortfall that may have slowed deflector dish tempering.
[Gain +15sr]
-
Captain's Log, USS Sarek, Stardate 25853.5
Our arrival in the Kohl system has been met with unpleasant news. Researchers on the surface have informed us that Professor T'Keleth can no longer be located. She was last seen departing with a small research team into an exploration of caverns and tunnels deep within the crust. Only one of the team returned to the surface. Curiously, they claim to have simply lost sight of the rest of their team, and cannot say for sure what befell the others. Recovery attempts have located the furthest point of progress, but can find no trace of any of the doctor's team.
-
Captain's Log, USS Pathfinder, Stardate 25853.4
Negotiations are well underway. There are a few sticking points, of course, but good progress is being made.
Not without controversy, however. A Romulan agent was detained by the Technocracy after Vice Admiral Uhura returned to our ship and used our senor and communication packages to identify what she had suspected: a Tal Shiar carrier wave hidden in the Federation diplomatic signals.
-
Captain's Log, USS Courageous, Stardate 25854.1
Several lightyears past Sydraxian and Yan-Ros space, we arrived at the M-414 star system, and pulled into orbit around the fifth planet. Before we could begin studying the surface, however, a trio of starships arrived in system. They were of a rather different technology base, but seemingly equal to our own technology.
I have attempted to hail them, but this has appeared to confuse them more than anything else, as the ships immediately withdrew from the system, heading further coreward. We are cautiously following.
-
Captain's Log, USS Sarek, Stardate unknown
After beaming down to the surface, I attempted to trace the last known footsteps of Professor T'Keleth. However, as I reached her last confirmed location, I noticed some unusual energy fields emanating from rock veins on either side of a side tunnel. After manipulating them, I apparently closed some manner of quantum loop, and pushed myself and T'Pirit out of phase with the rest of the universe. Moreover, we appear to have been shunted aside into a form of slipstream space.
As a positive, we have located Doctor T'Keleth and her team. Despite this, they are low on rations and untried hypothesis. It is time to examine our new surroundings.
-
Captain's Log, USS Courageous, Stardate 25856.3
After being following at a careful distance for a few days, the unknown ships have come to a halt. We arrived in the Mercurio system to find ourselves confronted by the three ships, plus another three ships.
Thus at a heavy disparity in firepower, I ordered the lowering of shields and an approach that left us with a clear exit vector should we need to engage warp engines in a hurry. The starships are continuing to sit there unresponsively for the time being, however.
-
Captain's Log, USS Sarek, Stardate unknown
I have a suspicion that this entire complex is a rather cunning device of some manner. Although no processed materials are present, the rock shows clear signs of sculpting and sharping, all placing them on perfect angles to convey exotic particle fields. In fact, I would suggest that this entire formation is designed deliberately to hold itself out of phase.
-
Captain's Log, USS Courageous, Stardate 25856.7
A civilian starship has arrived bearing an ambassador, who has made contact with us. Apparently the ships we were following represent a group known as the Interstellar Commonwealth. They are an advanced group, with a sole species known as the Padani. From what I have been able to ascertain, they have a number of major worlds, and may in fact be the largest faction we have encountered since the Cardassians. Encouragingly, despite their original standoffishness, they appear far more inclined to starting friendly relations with us than the Cardassians had been.
[New Major Power Encountered: The Interstellar Commonwealth]
[Initial Relations: Cordial]
[Mercurio is located along the upper edge of 4d]
-
Captain's Log, USS Sarek, Stardate 25857.2
By using our tricorders together with sonic sounding instruments from Professor T'Keleth, we managed to induce a harmonic feedback in the rock structures, and shatter three key points. After this, it was a relatively simple matter to calculate a countervailing field resonance to cease the effect holding us out of phase. This became a little more difficult when it became apparent that the tricorders were not equipped with the necessary routines, and we found ourselves performing the calculations by scratching them into softer stoneworks.
Not only have we returned, however, but the whole structure as well. As near as we can tell, it was an ancient supply cache of the Tkon, which we may now be able to begin excavating.
[New colony option: Kohl II, 25 (35)br / 25 (35) sr per year]
-
Captain's Log, USS Pathfinder, Stardate 25858.4
War is over!
House Tartresis will assume the throne on Morshadd, and take the reigns of the Arcadians. We have convinced the Gaeni to not insist on reparations in exchange for bending the moratorium on accessions to the Federation if they request it in the next two years. The Ked Paddah are taking reparations, but here we managed to curb any excesses. Our observers will be kept in place on each planet, and far more authority will be centralised, enabling the Emperor to take necessary steps to help safeguard the rest of the galaxy from rogue actors. Full-course Mentats may no longer be produced, pending a long and thorough study by the Vulcan Science Academy and a number of other institutes into the Mentat process. In the meantime, the holdings of House Kortennon have been seized and distributed among the Houses Minor.
[Gain +15pp]
[War complete - gain +100 relations with Ked Paddah, gain +50 relations with Gaeni]
-
I have invested ten years of my existence into the USS Sarek, her crew, and her mission, in the pursuit of knowledge. Like all things, there is a season, and eventually a generation must yield to that which follows on. So too am I coming unto the end of my tenure. But there is yet one objective to fulfil.
An old colleague of T'Pirit and myself from time studying at the Vulcan Science Academy's geosciences school has reached out to me. She is working on analysis of the planet Kohl II, which was catalogued by the Orion hundreds of years ago as warranting further research, but was never deemed cost-effective enough to visit. From a purer scientific interest, however, the planet is fascinating, presenting a range of seeming impossibilities to analyse. I have ordered a course laid in to join Professor T'Keleth.
-
Captain's Log, USS Pathfinder, Stardate 25852.7
What is hoped to be the final peace summit is being held on Gaen, with representatives of all warring parties, including Houses, the Ked Paddah, members and affiliates. It is also expected to provide an answer to the Arcadian succession question. The Pathfinder will be supervising the protection of the summit, while also serving as the home base for Starfleet's own representatives to the peace meeting, including Vice Admiral Uhura.
-
Captain's Log, USS Courageous, Stardate 25852.9 - Captain Sabek
With the imminent close of the Federation-Arcadian War, we have been redeployed on the start of a new long-range exploration coreward, passing out beyond Vail and even the corner of the Gabriel Expanse. A long time between returns to Federation space will be trying, however, the crew is very excited. Already we have passed the fringes of Yan-Ros space. A number of their civilian craft followed us out of curiosity for a time, but our cruising speed is far too high for most ships to follow.
-
[Mission at Leas Akaam failed to respond - no penalty]
[Mission at Risa failed to respond, -10 relations with Risa]
-
Captain's Log, USS Selaya, Stardate 25853.1
Significant traces of polytrexcinium sulfates have been found in underground liquid methane pools on the third moon of the Winter Star's fourth planet. We have been able to extract and refine twenty grams of this extremely rare substance, which will help cover a potential shortfall that may have slowed deflector dish tempering.
[Gain +15sr]
-
Captain's Log, USS Sarek, Stardate 25853.5
Our arrival in the Kohl system has been met with unpleasant news. Researchers on the surface have informed us that Professor T'Keleth can no longer be located. She was last seen departing with a small research team into an exploration of caverns and tunnels deep within the crust. Only one of the team returned to the surface. Curiously, they claim to have simply lost sight of the rest of their team, and cannot say for sure what befell the others. Recovery attempts have located the furthest point of progress, but can find no trace of any of the doctor's team.
-
Captain's Log, USS Pathfinder, Stardate 25853.4
Negotiations are well underway. There are a few sticking points, of course, but good progress is being made.
Not without controversy, however. A Romulan agent was detained by the Technocracy after Vice Admiral Uhura returned to our ship and used our senor and communication packages to identify what she had suspected: a Tal Shiar carrier wave hidden in the Federation diplomatic signals.
-
Captain's Log, USS Courageous, Stardate 25854.1
Several lightyears past Sydraxian and Yan-Ros space, we arrived at the M-414 star system, and pulled into orbit around the fifth planet. Before we could begin studying the surface, however, a trio of starships arrived in system. They were of a rather different technology base, but seemingly equal to our own technology.
I have attempted to hail them, but this has appeared to confuse them more than anything else, as the ships immediately withdrew from the system, heading further coreward. We are cautiously following.
-
Captain's Log, USS Sarek, Stardate unknown
After beaming down to the surface, I attempted to trace the last known footsteps of Professor T'Keleth. However, as I reached her last confirmed location, I noticed some unusual energy fields emanating from rock veins on either side of a side tunnel. After manipulating them, I apparently closed some manner of quantum loop, and pushed myself and T'Pirit out of phase with the rest of the universe. Moreover, we appear to have been shunted aside into a form of slipstream space.
As a positive, we have located Doctor T'Keleth and her team. Despite this, they are low on rations and untried hypothesis. It is time to examine our new surroundings.
-
Captain's Log, USS Courageous, Stardate 25856.3
After being following at a careful distance for a few days, the unknown ships have come to a halt. We arrived in the Mercurio system to find ourselves confronted by the three ships, plus another three ships.
Thus at a heavy disparity in firepower, I ordered the lowering of shields and an approach that left us with a clear exit vector should we need to engage warp engines in a hurry. The starships are continuing to sit there unresponsively for the time being, however.
-
Captain's Log, USS Sarek, Stardate unknown
I have a suspicion that this entire complex is a rather cunning device of some manner. Although no processed materials are present, the rock shows clear signs of sculpting and sharping, all placing them on perfect angles to convey exotic particle fields. In fact, I would suggest that this entire formation is designed deliberately to hold itself out of phase.
-
Captain's Log, USS Courageous, Stardate 25856.7
A civilian starship has arrived bearing an ambassador, who has made contact with us. Apparently the ships we were following represent a group known as the Interstellar Commonwealth. They are an advanced group, with a sole species known as the Padani. From what I have been able to ascertain, they have a number of major worlds, and may in fact be the largest faction we have encountered since the Cardassians. Encouragingly, despite their original standoffishness, they appear far more inclined to starting friendly relations with us than the Cardassians had been.
[New Major Power Encountered: The Interstellar Commonwealth]
[Initial Relations: Cordial]
[Mercurio is located along the upper edge of 4d]
-
Captain's Log, USS Sarek, Stardate 25857.2
By using our tricorders together with sonic sounding instruments from Professor T'Keleth, we managed to induce a harmonic feedback in the rock structures, and shatter three key points. After this, it was a relatively simple matter to calculate a countervailing field resonance to cease the effect holding us out of phase. This became a little more difficult when it became apparent that the tricorders were not equipped with the necessary routines, and we found ourselves performing the calculations by scratching them into softer stoneworks.
Not only have we returned, however, but the whole structure as well. As near as we can tell, it was an ancient supply cache of the Tkon, which we may now be able to begin excavating.
[New colony option: Kohl II, 25 (35)br / 25 (35) sr per year]
-
Captain's Log, USS Pathfinder, Stardate 25858.4
War is over!
House Tartresis will assume the throne on Morshadd, and take the reigns of the Arcadians. We have convinced the Gaeni to not insist on reparations in exchange for bending the moratorium on accessions to the Federation if they request it in the next two years. The Ked Paddah are taking reparations, but here we managed to curb any excesses. Our observers will be kept in place on each planet, and far more authority will be centralised, enabling the Emperor to take necessary steps to help safeguard the rest of the galaxy from rogue actors. Full-course Mentats may no longer be produced, pending a long and thorough study by the Vulcan Science Academy and a number of other institutes into the Mentat process. In the meantime, the holdings of House Kortennon have been seized and distributed among the Houses Minor.
[Gain +15pp]
[War complete - gain +100 relations with Ked Paddah, gain +50 relations with Gaeni]
-
