The really heart-rending question is, how many lives could have been saved if we'd waited a month for this research to complete? And, as counter-point, how many lives will we have saved through this fool-hardy manuever?
And as a counter counter point: how many more shuttles will the 'page have if we give it 1 month, and will the +1 to whatever it is matter when faced with the much larger waves? How many lives will actually be saved with that many dice being rolled?
We don't know. Let's wait until more information comes in, after we comb the ashes and comes up with what actually happened, actually would have happened, and actually might happen... and only THEN we can wear our rose-tinted hindsight goggles and point at each other in earnest.
I vaguely recall this book saying that only starts with Galaxy class ships, and some evidence exists that:
Article:
Starfleet began assigning counselors to starships in the 2330s, after they realized that the pressures of extended space travel could result in psychological problems that would require professional care.
While neither of these are good sources, they are enough to make me want to double check our system for dealing with PTSD and other mental conditions. It seems entirely plausible the systems in place aren't standardized or aren't professionalized. Making sure they are both of those – even if the Vulcan ships barely use the service – is likely to go a long way to preventing the creation of an entire generation of officers who are stuck reliving the horrors of this campaign.
I vaguely recall this book saying that only starts with Galaxy class ships, and some evidence exists that:
Article:
Starfleet began assigning counselors to starships in the 2330s, after they realized that the pressures of extended space travel could result in psychological problems that would require professional care.
While neither of these are good sources, they are enough to make me want to double check our system for dealing with PTSD and other mental conditions. It seems entirely plausible the systems in place aren't standardized or aren't professionalized. Making sure they are both of those – even if the Vulcan ships barely use the service – is likely to go a long way to preventing the creation of an entire generation of officers who are stuck reliving the horrors of this campaign.
The councilors don't have to be Betazoid. Don't forget that Ezri Dax was a councilor, and she was a Trill. And I'd even go so far as to say she was better at it than Troy. Though that might just be because she only had one seasons worth of fuck ups instead of seven.
The councilors don't have to be Betazoid. Don't forget that Ezri Dax was a councilor, and she was a Trill. And I'd even go so far as to say she was better at it than Troy. Though that might just be because she only had one seasons worth of fuck ups instead of seven.
I think part of what makes Explorer crews what they are, the very elite of the elite, is that they have the sort of psychologies that can deal with just about anything. Traumatizing experiences get shrugged off and even the worst things gotten past like.... well, like they're going to the next episode of a weekly continuity-light television show.
Consider the case of Commander McAdams. Possessed, forced to betray and kill her own people while she watched helplessly trapped inside her body. It was enough to break even an Explorer and it nearly did, but in the end a camping trip was enough to put her on the road to recovery.
No it doesn't surprise me that Councilors only started to be a thing on Galaxy class starships, when for the first time a large portion of the crew was families rather than just elite Explorers.
I think part of what makes Explorer crews what they are, the very elite of the elite, is that they have the sort of psychologies that can deal with just about anything. Traumatizing experiences get shrugged off and even the worst things gotten past like.... well, like they're going to the next episode of a weekly continuity-light television show.
Consider the case of Commander McAdams. Possessed, forced to betray and kill her own people while she watched helplessly trapped inside her body. It was enough to break even an Explorer and it nearly did, but in the end a camping trip was enough to put her on the road to recovery.
No it doesn't surprise me that Councilors only started to be a thing on Galaxy class starships, when for the first time a large portion of the crew was families rather than just elite Explorers.
It's generally set up under the assumption that everybody involved is telepathic and fine with everyone being telepathic? There's probably some more fleshing out in old Trek episodes I don't remember.
Betazed had enjoyed a relatively untroubled history for the last few centuries. This peaceful existence came to a halt in 2374, when the Dominion invaded and occupied the planet. (DS9: "In the Pale Moonlight")
Betazoids were natural telepaths, an ability centered in their paracortex, with psilosynine being a mainneurotransmitter. (TNG: "Dark Page") Most developed their telepathic skill in adolescence, but a few were born with their telepathic abilities already active, such as Tam Elbrun. (TNG: "Tin Man") These individuals were almost always extremely talented and powerful in telepathic terms, but also unable to scre"en out the noise of other people's minds, so they generally suffered mental problems of varying severity depending mostly on when the problem was diagnosed. On the other end of the scale were a few individuals who develop psionic abilities which were far below average for this species (for example, Lon Suder). Those Betazoids were barely able to sense even strong emotions (empaths) of other people, not to speak of thoughts.
You eat up the distance with long strides, forcing the Andorian Captain who is briefing you to hustle to keep up. The broad, low entryway to Starfleet Tactical Command lies ahead. You see Eriksson, the head of Operations, waiting out the front, talking with a cluster of junior officers. As you approach, Shey ch'Tharvasse, your predecessor's appointee to Starfleet Intelligence, joins her. You shift course slightly.
"-a total of five hundred craft made the attack."
You glance over at that. "'Craft'? More cloaked shuttles."
"No, Admiral," the Captain says. "It seems like the Biophage entity just gathered up every small craft it could lay hands on and hurled it at us en masse."
"Damnation," you mutter. "Chain of command?"
The officer briefing you looks down as his data pad and swallows, his blue pallor turning a little teal. "Of the fleet commanders, Admiral Aelin of Amarki is dead. Commodore T'Faer is badly wounded, prognosis unclear. Of the captains, Captain Jorge of the Faithful is dead; Captain sh'Mararis of the Svai is dead; Captain Illandra of the Riala is dead; Captain Ainsworth of the Kumari is wounded, double limb replacement required. Captain zh'Olashaan of the Shakalash is badly wounded, Captain Eaton of the Courageous required the setting of a broken arm. Of the Commanders, sixty are dead, twenty are wounded. Of the Lieutenant-Commanders, a hundred and fifty are dead, thirty are-"
"Enough," you say sharply, cutting off the flood of detail. "Send the full casualty reports to my station, I'll review them later."
"Yes, Admiral."
Just ahead are Vice Admiral Eriksson and Rear Admiral ch'Tharvasse, and they perk up at the sound of your voice. "Admiral," they both say in a strange unison.
"Lachlan Ablett is setting up in Analysis 2 with the Battle Review girls and boys," says Eriksson.
"Then lead on," you say, and the three of you head down through the entrance to Starfleet Tactical, down a side corridor. The three of you are like old maritime battlewagons, plowing ahead while gaggles of escorts wend their ways around you. "What the hell happened out there?"
"I'll find out when you do, Admiral," replies Eriksson.
"How many ships are recoverable?" you ask.
"Only the Faithful is destroyed outright, lost with all hands," says Eriksson. "Most of the others are recoverable, even if the Kumari and Svai now resemble floating charnel houses more than starships. There's a lot of consternation as to how we handle the damaged ships. We may have to scuttle them so the rest of the fleet can go on, we can't detach escorts."
"Damnation," you whisper again. "Who's taken command of the fleet with T'Faer out of action? T'Lorel would be senior?"
"She would be, but ka'Sharren has taken the reigns on account of her familiarity with our ships and the Romulans," explains Eriksson.
"Any word from Sulu?"
"None yet," ch'Tharvasse of Intelligence responds.
The three of you pass through a door labelled 'BRD-002', emerging into a dimly lit amphitheatre-like room, with concentric benches set up, radiating out from a podium. Lachlan Ablett, the head of Tactical, is down there, along with a woman you recognise as Laura Mendoza, the Commodore responsible for reviewing and analysing the various battles Starfleet gets into. Her job is crucial for keeping Starfleet abreast of the different tactics and tricks that the less peaceful powers of the galaxy attempt.
"Vice Admiral Ablett," you call out as you approach the podium. The broad, blond-haired Australian startles and looks up at you. "Maybe you can explain why I've got...," you pause and look at your data pad. "Twenty-seven Federation Councillors alone wanting to speak with me today." There is a timely beep. "Twenty-eight."
"Breakdown in our coordination," says Ablett. "We thought was had a good system set up with the Romulans, and it shook out in the end, but ... well, we're not sure if it was us, the Romulans, the Amarki, or what. Look, Admiral, maybe you could take a seat and I'll guide you through it."
You frown but move towards the benches. Instead of taking a seat, you just lean against the first rank of benches, arms folded across your chest. Lachlan sighs and futzes about with the LCARS displays on the podium, and soon a grand holographic projection fills the room, much like a Stellar Cartography room.
"Okay, Stardate 21469.7," begins Lachlan, and the display zooms in on a rocky, barren world. "Fleet completes the jump from the staging point in the Galaar system to near the fourth world of the Kadesh system. According to the Kadeshi colonists, there is an important defence base here whose sensors could have intercepted any attempts to use cloaking devices in-system. We destroy the base, however, before they could move on to the next objective, a massive wave of small craft, and the fleet takes up defensive positions." He turns to look you squarely in the eyes, face grey and pinched. "Things went wrong from the first moments."
Wave 1-1 attacking Sector 3
Group Task Force Riala is defending.
!! - Wave 1-1 makes 4 hits - !!
!!! - Ship Riala has been hit, Shields at 5/7 - !!!
!!! - Ship Miranda 2's shields have collapsed! - !!!
!!! - Ship Miranda 1's shields have collapsed! - !!!
!!! - Ship Riala has been hit, Shields at 3/7 - !!!
Wave 1-2 attacking Sector 6
Group Romulan Quarantine Fleet 1 is defending.
!! - Wave 1-2 makes 2 hits - !!
!!! - Ship D7 Cruiser 1's shields have collapsed! - !!!
!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 2's shields have collapsed! - !!!
Wave 1-3 attacking Sector 3
Group Task Force Riala is defending.
!! - Wave 1-3 makes 4 hits - !!
!!!! - Ship Miranda 2 has been destroyed! - !!!!
Ship Miranda 2 has suffered casualties! 1 Officer, 2 Enlisted, and 1 Techs.
!!! - Ship Riala's shields have collapsed! - !!!
!!!! - Ship Miranda 1 has been disabled! - !!!!
Ship Miranda 1 has suffered casualties! 1 Officer, 2 Enlisted, and 0 Techs.
!!! - Ship Kumari's shields have collapsed! - !!!
Wave 1-4 attacking Sector 6
Group Romulan Quarantine Fleet 1 is defending.
!! - Wave 1-4 makes 1 hits - !!
!!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 2 has been disabled! - !!!!
Ship Bird of Prey 2 has suffered casualties! 0 Officer, 2 Enlisted, and 0 Techs.
Wave 1-5 attacking Sector 3
Group Task Force Riala is defending.
Wave 1-5 wiped out!
~~~ WAVE COMPLETE ~~~
"Whether by ill-luck or enemy design, the majority of the first wave hits the seam between the Riala's task force, and the bird of prey Saharhae's task force," continues the Vice Admiral. "The fire zones were not properly overlapping. The Riala intercepts many, as does the Saharhae, but at least ten craft strike home, and you don't need many suicide rams to bring a ship unglued. At this stage, the Faithful has been destroyed, the Svai and the Bird of Prey Rilairhan disabled."
Wave 2-1 attacking Sector 2
Group Task Force Explorers is defending.
Wave 2-1 wiped out!
Wave 2-2 attacking Sector 6
Group Romulan Quarantine Fleet 1 is defending.
!! - Wave 2-2 makes 5 hits - !!
!!!! - Ship D7 Cruiser 1 has been destroyed! - !!!!
Ship D7 Cruiser 1 has suffered casualties! 1 Officer, 3 Enlisted, and 1 Techs.
!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 1 has been hit, Shields at 2/3 - !!!
!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 1 has been hit, Shields at 1/3 - !!!
!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 1's shields have collapsed! - !!!
!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 1 has taken damage, now 3/5 Hull - !!!
Ship Bird of Prey 1 has suffered casualties! 0 Officer, 0 Enlisted, and 1 Techs.
Wave 2-3 attacking Sector 2
Group Task Force Explorers is defending.
Wave 2-3 wiped out!
Wave 2-4 attacking Sector 3
Group Task Force Riala is defending.
!! - Wave 2-4 makes 2 hits - !!
!!! - Ship Kumari has taken damage, now 1/4 Hull - !!!
Ship Kumari has suffered casualties! 2 Officer, 2 Enlisted, and 2 Techs.
!!!! - Ship Kumari has been disabled! - !!!!
Ship Kumari has suffered casualties! 2 Officer, 3 Enlisted, and 2 Techs.
Wave 2-5 attacking Sector 2
Group Task Force Explorers is defending.
Wave 2-5 wiped out!
~~~ WAVE COMPLETE ~~~
"The Biophage continues to focus on these two zones, taking advantage of the drop in firepower there. One of the D7 cruisers is destroyed outright, with heavy loss of Romulan life. The Saharhae is struck by no fewer than four shuttles, but all glancing. She survives, if barely. The Kumari has lost shields at this stage, and then takes two shuttles, which require gruesomely extensive plasma venting to cauterise, in addition to the casualties inflicted by the shuttles themselves. The loss of life is gruesome, out of seven hundred and fifty crew, barely a hundred are fit for duty. These hits knock out the fleet's command, with T'Faer being badly wounded. Captain ka'Sharren on the Enterprise is first to reorganise the fleet."
Wave 3-1 attacking Sector 3
Group Task Force Riala is defending.
Wave 3-1 wiped out!
Wave 3-2 attacking Sector 6
Group Romulan Quarantine Fleet 1 is defending.
!! - Wave 3-2 makes 5 hits - !!
!!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 1 has been disabled! - !!!!
Ship Bird of Prey 1 has suffered casualties! 0 Officer, 1 Enlisted, and 0 Techs.
Wave 3-3 attacking Sector 2
Group Task Force Explorers is defending.
Wave 3-3 wiped out!
Wave 3-4 attacking Sector 7
Group Romulan Quarantine Fleet 2 is defending.
!! - Wave 3-4 makes 1 hits - !!
!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 5 has been hit, Shields at 2/3 - !!!
Wave 3-5 attacking Sector 7
Group Romulan Quarantine Fleet 2 is defending.
!! - Wave 3-5 makes 3 hits - !!
!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 5 has been hit, Shields at 1/3 - !!!
!!! - Ship D7 2's shields have collapsed! - !!!
!!!! - Ship D7 2 has been destroyed! - !!!!
Ship D7 2 has suffered casualties! 2 Officer, 2 Enlisted, and 1 Techs.
~~~ WAVE COMPLETE ~~~
"The weight of the attack moves onto the Romulans, and sees the Saharhae knocked out, and the other D7 destroyed."
Wave 4-1 attacking Sector 2
Group Task Force Explorers is defending.
!! - Wave 4-1 makes 1 hits - !!
!!! - Ship Courageous has been hit, Shields at 2/7 - !!!
Wave 4-2 attacking Sector 5
Group Team Blue Kirk is defending.
Wave 4-2 wiped out!
Wave 4-3 attacking Sector 5
Group Team Blue Kirk is defending.
Wave 4-3 wiped out!
Wave 4-4 attacking Sector 5
Group Team Blue Kirk is defending.
Wave 4-4 wiped out!
Wave 4-5 attacking Sector 5
Group Team Blue Kirk is defending.
Wave 4-5 wiped out!
~~~ WAVE COMPLETE ~~~
"The fourth wave features a spectacular shooting exhibition from the Enterprise, carving through most of the wave herself to protect the Riala Task Force. Things are starting to settle down..."
Wave 5-1 attacking Sector 3
Group Task Force Riala is defending.
!! - Wave 5-1 makes 3 hits - !!
!!! - Ship Riala has taken damage, now 3/5 Hull - !!!
Ship Riala has suffered casualties! 1 Officer, 1 Enlisted, and 0 Techs.
!!! - Ship Shakalash's shields have collapsed! - !!!
!!!! - Ship Shakalash has been disabled! - !!!!
Ship Shakalash has suffered casualties! 0 Officer, 2 Enlisted, and 1 Techs.
Wave 5-2 attacking Sector 7
Group Romulan Quarantine Fleet 2 is defending.
!! - Wave 5-2 makes 3 hits - !!
!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 5's shields have collapsed! - !!!
!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 5 has taken damage, now 3/5 Hull - !!!
Ship Bird of Prey 5 has suffered casualties! 0 Officer, 1 Enlisted, and 0 Techs.
!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 5 has taken damage, now 1/5 Hull - !!!
Ship Bird of Prey 5 has suffered casualties! 1 Officer, 1 Enlisted, and 0 Techs.
Wave 5-3 attacking Sector 2
Group Task Force Explorers is defending.
Wave 5-3 wiped out!
Wave 5-4 attacking Sector 7
Group Romulan Quarantine Fleet 2 is defending.
!! - Wave 5-4 makes 3 hits - !!
!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 4 has been hit, Shields at 2/3 - !!!
!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 4's shields have collapsed! - !!!
!!! - Ship Bird of Prey 3 has been hit, Shields at 1/3 - !!!
Wave 5-5 attacking Sector 3
Group Task Force Riala is defending.
!! - Wave 5-5 makes 2 hits - !!
!!! - Ship Riala has taken damage, now 2/5 Hull - !!!
Ship Riala has suffered casualties! 2 Officer, 0 Enlisted, and 1 Techs.
!!!! - Ship Riala has been disabled! - !!!!
Ship Riala has suffered casualties! 1 Officer, 1 Enlisted, and 3 Techs.
~~~ WAVE COMPLETE ~~~
"Coming through the gaping hole in the defence, left by the destruction of one of the Romulan task forces, the final wave finishes the demolition of Task Force Riala and devastates more of the remaining Romulan quarantine fleet."
"What do we have left to us?"
"We still have some serious firepower," reassured Vice Admiral Ablett. "Enterprise, Courageous, Sarek, and Excelsior are fit and firing. For supporting ships, Challorn, T'Mir and two Centaurs are still available. The Romulan's Devoras is still in fighting trim, plus two other Birds of Prey. We're reassessing the next step to-"
"Contact!" calls out a young Lieutenant at one of the decks. "The Fleet has just reported a low-power warp jump and new contacts!"
Lachlan exchanges a glance with you, after which you call out, "Switch display to real-time status, put the fleet control frequency on audio."
"Aye, Admiral!"
The moment of consternation that fills the room relaxes into a pensive silence as a slight crackle begins to play. The holographic display showed a series of contacts emerging in near the mixed Starfleet-Romulan force, marked out in 'Unknown' white. The real-time relay you get from the T'Mir is unfortunately somewhat limited, and the detail on the new ships is filling in only very slowly.
"-ing weapons and moving to intercept."
"Devoras, keep weapons powered down for now, shields up."
"They're using sensor jammers, they are likely infected by the Inflictor!"
"My science officer tells me it's a form of transport inhibitor field, but we can scan through it just fine. The crew is Kadeshi and uninfected. Sarek, form up on the Enterprise, we're going to make contact."
"Are you sure they're clean, Enterprise? We aren't getting anything."
"I have the best sensor operator in the fleet, Commander, I'm sure. Curious, though, I'm not detecting shields on any of the ships."
"A sign of good faith?"
"No, I mean they don't actually have shield emitters, and everything except their four larger ships don't have warp core signatures. All the smaller ships seem very single-purposes oriented."
"Sarek is on station, ready to proceed."
"We're being hailed, stand by."
There is a pause of several seconds, and all you hear is the creaking of seats in the room as anxious faces listen. "Analysts, what are you getting from the telemetry?"
"There's a few different ship types," says a Captain. "Four large ships, about the mass of Constitution class ships, shaped like long pins, with a broad cap at one end, tapering down to a point. There are a few ships with a lot of torpedo signatures but a low power signature that seem to be about the size of a Soyuz. Then a number of very small ships that seem all armour and weapons. But no shield emitters on any ships, no warp nacelles or cores on the smaller ships. The four largest ships do have warp cores, and ... weirdly strong transporter signatures."
"This is Rachel Sarjan of the Mothership Gardenkeeper to unknown ships. State your intentions in the Garden of Kadesh."
"Rachel Sarjan, this is Captain Nash ka'Sharren of the USS Enterprise. On behalf of the United Federation of Planets, we come in defence of all life to fight the plague that has devoured your homeworld. I would like to beam aboard if I could, to discuss cooperation."
"Stand by, Enterprise." You begin to hold your breath as the seconds tick by, until finally... "Please do so, Captain ka'Sharren. This may be the last hope between our people to stop this evil."
=====
Ships Mission Killed:
1 Riala
1 Excelsior
1 Constellation
2 Miranda
(2 D7)
(3 Birds of Prey)
I maintain that this was the correct choice, and I will take responsibility for the casualties. However, we have recovered survivors, and that makes it worth it.
Also: Ka'Sharren is also authorized to take command of the fleet under Regulation 191 (Article 14) (In a combat situation involving more than one ship, command falls to the vessel with tactical superiority, should there not be a higher ranking officer present.)
And... I look forward to trying to write up this battle.... LOOKS LIKE FUN.
Dear god that sucked ass. But by the sound of it waiting a month would've easily been much much worse. Those crew losses are going to be a right bitch though, we'll need to ream the council for resources to replace them after this. And counselors. Lots of counselors. Also, rest in glorious pointy-eared Valhalla, Aelin ;_;
Also: Ka'Sharren is also authorized to take command of the fleet under Regulation 191 (Article 14) (In a combat situation involving more than one ship, command falls to the vessel with tactical superiority, should there not be a higher ranking officer present.)
