IDK this is trust-affirming if anything else, insofar as now you know you can't trust Oneiros at all about it, doing away with the latent paranoia of what-if and maybe. (If you trust nobody and nothing, they can't betray you.)
If you trust nobody and nothing, expecting betrayal, does that mean if someone is steadfastly trustworthy they have, in essence, betrayed your worldview?
If you trust nobody and nothing, expecting betrayal, does that mean if someone is steadfastly trustworthy they have, in essence, betrayed your worldview?
If you trust nobody and nothing, expecting betrayal, does that mean if someone is steadfastly trustworthy they have, in essence, betrayed your worldview?
Alright, I'm up, but from a quick look, it seems that the plan with Vaccine research and the plan with General Biophage Research are neck and neck.i have a bunch of errands to clear through this morning, so I'll leave the vote open for now and close it when I get back home.
Okay, this might strike people as a little odd, but the 6+2 vote has it, 8 votes to 7.
Reason being that the only difference between those votes is the Quarantine Fleet vote aaaand you don't get to vote for the Quarantine Fleet because it is under Romulan control, so that part doesn't count.
Winning vote:
[X] Starfleet Command - Mobilise an Asset (1 turn)
[X] Federation Emergency Council - Mobilise an Asset (1 turn)
[X] Andorian Ambassadorial Team - Request Asset from Affiliate [Request Betazoid empaths] (1 turn)
[X] Starfleet Engineering Command - Crash Build Machado IV Outpost w/ Extended Sensors (+2 Science for Scanning) - (4 turns)
[X] Andorian Civil Engineering Team - Fortify Indi Beta Outpost - (2 turns)
[X] Starfleet Medical Command - Create Evacuation Hub on Machado IV, Andor Sector - (2 turns)
[X] Starfleet Infectious Disease Institute - Biophage Vaccine Research Rush - (1 turn)
[X] Starfleet Tactical Command - Tiger Team - Biophage Combat Research Rush (1 turn)
[X] Starfleet Tactical Command - Runabout Recon Squadron - Scout Neutral Zone Area 1 (2 turn)
[X] Commodore T'Faer - Romulan Cooperation Doctrine Research - (1 turn)
After assuming command of our forces patrolling our border with the neutral zone, I have focused them around Indi Beta and Solitude. The Mirandas are being used to run patrol routes outside the operations area, on the core-ward half of the neutral zone, while the other ships handle the more dangerous assignments. I felt it logical that until we can evacuate the obvious colony targets, that we must remain on the defensive. The Biophage appears to have no operational base to tie it down, whereas we must protect several sites.
The Sarek and Courageous have been assigned to defend the outpost at Solitude, and the Vulcan colony there, while the Kumari and Excelsior defend the Indi Beta quarantine outpost. The Constellation-class cruiser Challorn is leading the two Centaur-class escorts in a constant sweep of the colony and science outpost locales, with the Challorn's sensors being used to scan the sites for signs of infection.
During the reporting period we encountered one small craft carrying the Biophage that attempted to infiltrate the Indi Beta quarantine site. We are endeavouring to ascertain the origins of its infection. Regardless, it has been destroyed and irradiated by the Kumari.
Task Force Challorn reported no contacts.
Task Force Explorer reported no contacts.
The upgrades to the weapons and sensors for the outpost at Indi Beta are logical and are approved of. The work has commenced and is satisfactorily on schedule.
Efforts to continue the mobilisation of the Federation's resources are bearing fruit. We have a number of task forces already under way and under your control, and we expect to be able to raise two more soon. The Andorians are closest to the scene and are providing much of the opening contribution, plus Starfleet's own assets. A list of new teams will be sent to you shortly.
Please Select two new Teams (Line voting, top two vote getters win)
[ ][NEW] Andorian Orbit Guard Runabouts - Combat (Recon) Team
[ ][NEW] Tellarite Mining Expedition 1 - Combat (Demolition) Team / Civil Team
[ ][NEW] Tellar Prime Industrial Concerns 1 - Industry (Heavy) Team
[ ][NEW] Earth Industrial Concerns 1- Industry (Heavy) Team
[ ][NEW] Vulcan Industrial Concerns - Industry (Heavy) Team
[ ][NEW] Andorian Industrial Concerns - Industry (Heavy) Team
[ ][NEW] Vulcan Science Academy Detachment - Research Team
[ ][NEW] 40 Eridani A Ship Design Detachment - Research (Ships) Team
[ ][NEW] Federation Diplomatic Service - External Diplomacy
[ ][NEW] Andorian Civil Service - Internal Diplomacy Team
[ ][NEW] Tellarite Work Crew - Civil Team
[ ][NEW] Andorian Medical Service - Civil (Medical) Team
End Report
Biophage Vaccine Research Report, Starfleet Medical, Infectious Diseases Institute, Rear Admiral Park Seong-Ho
Starfleet Medical's Infectious Diseases Team reports that they have begun research of a potential vaccine to defang this Biophage. Work is hazardous and far slower than desired, but by putting the full effort of the department into play, they have completed the analysis of the properties of the Biophage. It is a tremendously fast-acting techno-biological virus, which will reform refined materials to suit their purposes. They cannot process raw dirt because of the intensely compounded nature of it. Plus although it can form contagious matter out of non-sentient biological material, it tends to eschew it in exchange for Sentient life. We assert that this is because non-sentient life lacks sufficiently developed nervous system structures to be adapted into bio-circuitry. When a large concentration of the Biophage, such as the quantity formed by infecting an explorer-grade vessel, allow the Biophage to emit a biologically-active accelerated particle beam, which applies large doses of the organism to the hulls of ships. This is only possible when ship shields are down. We believe that it may be possible to take modify the structural integrity fields of ships in order to slow the process of penetrating the hull, but more research is required.
Recently received data provided by Romulan scientists bear out our findings.
10 / 10 Perform full analysis of the properties of the Biophage.
6 / 20 Sample Bio-laboratory Containment Procedures
11 / 20 Sterilisation Procedures
6 / ??? Vaccine Development I NEW 0 / 20 Structure Integrity Field Modifications I
We have successfully obtained a talented team of empaths from Betazed, who will be joining us shortly. We are told to expect a team of six led by Dastra Sul. They have been made aware of the potential hazards and horrors of the mission, and thus Betazed has selected their best empaths in the field of mental shielding to withstand what the Biophage may throw at them. Of course, no one knows if it will be sufficient.
Where would you like us to direct the team to?
[ ][BETAZED] Commodore T'Faer's RBZ Fleet
[ ][BETAZED] Machado IV Evacuation Center
[ ][BETAZED] Indi Beta Quarantine Post
End Report
Starfleet Expedition to Machado IV Report
Machado IV orbit is an absolute hive of activity. Starfleet Engineering platforms are present with a dozen large freighters, assembling a station in geosynchronous orbit around the evac site. A trio of hospital ships, and more freighters are in orbit as well, establishing a semi-permanent refugee camp that could house up to two million. Starfleet Medical is installing their best bio-medical sensor technology, and arranging the camp into a series of self-sufficient, easily isolated modules, that can be divided by strong forcefields to limit any outbreak's spread. The outpost in orbit is having experimental sensor technology provided by the Vulcan Science Institute, which will give it detection capabilities on the same order as an Explorer or a core-world Starbase.
End Report
Starfleet Tactical Command Report
Admiral, our long range recon team has been busily probing each of the twelve star systems in the area we have designated NZ Area 1. So far we have found an abandoned and thoroughly stripped Earth-Romulan War era base, and one Class L planet, but no signs of Biophage or intelligence life.
We have also continued our work developing new tactics to fight this creature, and with the local Sector Commander, Commodore T'Faer, and the diplomatic service, have been finding ways to coordinate with our Romulan counterparts. A digest of our research results is as follows:
Biophage Combat Tactics
9 / 20 Develop EPS Venting Protocols (Saving Roll for infected ships)
4 / 20 Romulan Combat Footage Analysis (+1 Combat vs the Inflictor)
Romulan Cooperation
9 / 10 Establish Initial Contact Points
End Report
Report from USS Enterprise, Captain Nash ka'Sharren, seconded to the Romulan Quarantine Fleet
Apparently the Romulans had lost a colony at Malora six months ago. Over forty thousand perished. There was one more relatively easy to evacuate civilian colony, Irthid II, in Area 1, but then there is Alepsis II with over a million Romulan Civilians and a large Starbase with a yard that can be used to build Birds of Prey.
The evacuation of Ithrid II was, regrettably, a debacle. We did pick up some anomalous sensor contacts, but we were unable to properly assess what they were. A hundred thousand Romulan Civilians were being loaded onto fifteen small cargo ships and one large colony craft, when Zaardmani started reporting some peculiar readings. It wasn't until the first wave of shuttle craft dropped cloak, raised shields, and rammed a quartet of cargo ships that we realised what was happening. The bad news is that we were unable to provide the fleet with advanced warning, but after seeing it the first time, Zaardmani was able to detect a second set of ramming shuttles. Not that that was any comfort to the thousands who were caught on those cargo ships. The Heavy Warbirds destroyed three of them, but the fourth escaped to warp.
A D7 Cruiser was detached to chase down the freighter, following it's warp trail. When it arrived, we received a report that it had encountered the former USS Miracht. We never heard from the Cruiser again.
More waves followed. We deployed in a sphere around the convoy as it prepared to break orbit, Heavy Warbirds fore and aft, Birds of Prey on the port, starboard, ventral, and dorsal positions. We were away from the main group with a D7 for escort, providing sensor overwatch. After we missed the first wave, we caught all three of the following waves, even when the Romulan sensors showed nothing. Commander Velin's Devoras wiped out the second wave, a Bird of Prey on port flank the third wave. The fourth wave, however, caused an outright debacle. The Admiral's Heavy Warbird, in the aft position, demonstrated some terrible awareness by not realising they were the direct target of the final wave. They destroyed one shuttle, two impacted the shields, collapsing it, and the fourth struck the ship.
Quick thinking by Lt Zaardmani and Commander Mrr'shan was able to pinpoint the location of the impact and the extent of the infection. We instructed the Warbird to roll over, drop shields, then placed a photon torpedo and a blast of focused radiation from the navigational deflector into the wound. This cauterised the infection, saving the ship.
However, the end result is that the Romulan fleet is now down one D7 Cruiser, a Heavy Warbird that may be in for a year of repair work, and one Admiral, who I hear has fallen on their sword in an unusually literal fashion.
However, no further losses to the evacuation convoy were sustained.
The Romulans would have been utterly screwed without the Enterprise helping them there...
Noting Lt Zaardmani for promotion and possible future commands once we control Personnel.
The first of those doesn't make any sense, since either the mining expedition or the Andorian Medical Service can do everything this team can and more besides.
[X][NEW] Vulcan Science Academy Detachment - Research Team
[X][NEW] Tellarite Mining Expedition 1 - Combat (Demolition) Team / Civil Team
I considered picking the runabouts to double recon speed, but we need to get the evacuation started.
So not only can the biophage steal ships, it can significantly improve and advance their technology. I.E. Miniaturize cloaking devices enough to fit on a shuttle. Something that wasn't developed to that point by any faction until well after TNG era.
The first of those doesn't make any sense, since either the mining expedition or the Andorian Medical Service can do everything this team can and more besides.
So not only can the biophage steal ships, it can significantly improve and advance their technology. I.E. Miniaturize cloaking devices enough to fit on a shuttle. Something that wasn't developed to that point by any faction until well after TNG era.
What exactly would this give us? A new asset, a bonus to Evacuation rolls, a decrease in the amount of turns it takes to evacuate colonies, something else?
Just asking, because if it's an asset and we decide to take this next turn, we may also have to pick Expand Federation Mobilisation Level (not sure if we have enough slots or not). Just something to keep in mind.
What exactly would this give us? A new asset, a bonus to Evacuation rolls, a decrease in the amount of turns it takes to evacuate colonies, something else?
Just asking, because if it's an asset and we decide to take this next turn, we may also have to pick Expand Federation Mobilisation Level (not sure if we have enough slots or not). Just something to keep in mind.
What exactly would this give us? A new asset, a bonus to Evacuation rolls, a decrease in the amount of turns it takes to evacuate colonies, something else?
Just asking, because if it's an asset and we decide to take this next turn, we may also have to pick Expand Federation Mobilisation Level (not sure if we have enough slots or not). Just something to keep in mind.
Federation colony ships are much better ships than your average cargo hauler, and come equipped with reasonable shields and hull, giving them a better chance to survive hits that slip through.
The Romulans would have been utterly screwed without the Enterprise helping them there...
Noting Lt Zaardmani for promotion and possible future commands once we control Personnel.
Lieutenant-Commander Zaardmani thank you very much! He will be quite pleased to hear you say that though.
[X][NEW] Vulcan Science Academy Detachment - Research Team
[X][NEW] Tellarite Mining Expedition 1 - Combat (Demolition) Team / Civil Team
I think we should do this:
[X][BETAZED] Machado IV Evacuation Center
because this is the place we'd most want to prevent anything slipping through, and the activity would likely draw attention.
Also, considering what happened during the Romulan evacuation, I am super happy that we picked cloak detection. It's going to pay off. I'm just wondering where these ships are coming from, unless that Heavy Warbirb was some sort of shuttle tender/carrier.... OR MAYBE BIOPHAGED JANEWAY!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!?! We just don't know.
We have successfully obtained a talented team of empaths from Betazed, who will be joining us shortly. We are told to expect a team of six led by Dastra Sul. They have been made aware of the potential hazards and horrors of the mission, and thus Betazed has selected their best empaths in the field of mental shielding to withstand what the Biophage may throw at them. Of course, no one knows if it will be sufficient.
Where would you like us to direct the team to?
[ ][BETAZED] Commodore T'Faer's RBZ Fleet
[ ][BETAZED] Machado IV Evacuation Center
[ ][BETAZED] Indi Beta Quarantine Post