As per orders, Task Force Avalon deployed with additional elements of the 26th fleet to effect an evacuation of the civilian population of the occupied colony of Ibor 3. The U.S.S. Monsoon, under my command, led Alpha Squadron, consisting of the Monsoon, Ahab, Discovery, Lakarian, Arthur Currie, T?m?raire, Repulse, Louis Fizeau and Kollontay. Captain Prinn and the U.S.S. Minerva led Echo Squadron, of similar strength, while RADL Nightmoon co-ordinated evacuation procedures through our largest and most capacious cruisers.
Initial system entry via the Reksson Nebula went smoothly, and the Klingon occupation flotilla was taken by surprise. Initial enemy forces consisted of four B'rel-class Birds-of-Prey, eight D7 battlecruisers, and one Bortas'qU-class war cruiser. The D7 battlecruisers appeared to be operating as troop transports and had a negligible effect on the skirmish, which ended with all enemy vessels destroyed by superior firepower. The Bortas'qU was functioning as a command and control ship, and was forced into Ibor 3's upper atmosphere, where it broke up over the large southern ocean.
Following the initial engagement the SSI network was deployed and evacuations were begun. Over the course of the next three hours, four separate Klingon sorties were made against the positions of Alpha and Echo Squadrons, broken up by careful attunement of the SSI relays to prevent the enemy from reacting with a single, overwhelming strike. Thanks to these tactics hostile elements were able to be attacked and repelled piecemeal over the course of the evacuation.
Total enemy losses inflicted by both Alpha and Echo squadrons as estimated via sensor data are as follows:
All 26th vessels involved in the battle received extensive damage, and were it not for the use of the SSI devices to break up the Klingon response force, we would likely have taken significant losses in life and materiel.
The U.S.S. Monsoon sustained 59 casualties (12 killed, 47 wounded). Damage to ship systems is as follows:
One hull breach 33 meters long across decks 12 and 13
Secondary forward torpedo bays offline
Microfractures through decks 11 and 14
Thermal damage to decks 9, 10, 15 and 16
Overheating and crystal fusion in the primary starboard ventral phaser array
Extensive small-arms damage to decks 4 and 5.
Estimated repair time is 36 hours will all personnel working double shifts.
Season finale: Its the end of the world as we know it..
Monday, September 2nd all hell breaks lose. Star Trek: Praetorian Season 3 finale. The Klingon Armada finally reaches Praetorian, and what does this mean for the brave men and women, not only of the 26th fleet, but the entire Fedration. Will Praetorian survive? Will the 26th push the Klingons back into their own space? Or will Praetorian be destroyed? Will it be the end of the 26th fleet and the entire Federation?
UPDATE: The season finale has been moved to August 26th. Want to join in our battle against the evil Klingons? Submit an application and we'll get you processed!
Vice Admiral Jennifer Hunter stunned 26th Fleet officers during an awards ceremony by announcing her resignation and subsequent surrender to Starfleet Security, after quoting unspecified but illegal operations she was a party to. Details were not immediately forthcoming from Starfleet as to the events that lead to this surprising decision, and Hunter herself is sequestered away pending transport to Starfleet Headquarters.
What is known is that before relenquishing her position, she conferred a field promotion to Captain Corris Sprint, the commander of Praetorian station, placing him in command in her stead. The decision is sure to attract the notice of the Federation's friends and foes alike. Starbase 381 holds the front lines against Klingon agression along the Neutral Zone and the contested Sea of Sorrows region. It is known that the Klingon High Council has followed the command of Jennifer Hunter and some of her more battle hardened officers for some time. Representatives from the Romulan Republic, including the leader of a Federation/Republic Joint Task Force were also on hand, and by all accounts were just as shocked at the sudden announcement.
More news as it happens on this breaking story.
*****
SEASON 3: THE CORRIDOR
Praetorian Season 3: The Corridor Episode one Discovery:
Alert: Intelligence reports KDF forces massing on the edge of our sensor probes. The 26th is ordered to get a solid count on their numbers.
Praetorian Season 3: Episode 2 Subspace inhibitor
The Subspace Inhibitor; an awesome piece of technology that prevents subspace fields from being formed around a ship attempting to go to warp or simply pops the field around ships already at warp. A huge tactical advantage or at least it would have been if it had been finished. In the 23rd century the project was abandoned when it seemed to be a technological dead end. Can the 26th find the long forgotten base this technological doorstop was dumped in and do they have the the technical and scientific skill set o get it working?
Praetorian Season 3: The Corridor Episode 3: The Forge of the Gods"
A vital gas is needed for the fleets plans, the only spot near Praetorian station is a Star Forge. A birthplace of stars. Beautiful thick gases of Azure and yellow. The ships of the 26th travel thru the wondrous area filling their ram scoops full of the precious gas. But something is alive inside the gases. Is it friend or foe?
Praetorian Season 3: Ibor 3
This morning Federation citizens awoke to further horror on the war front. It is official, Klingon forces have finally landed on Federation soil. The Eta Erindi sector has been a hot bed of Piracy, Slavery and of course, the decade long war with the Klingon Empire.
As of this writing, the Capital of Ibor Three, New Denmark, has fallen to a deployed Garrison of Klingon Shock Troops. Reports on the ground indicate that civilian casualties have been as high as five hundred thousand, following the surrender and execution of what appears to be a majority of the local defense forces. Iborian colonists have made numerous attempts to flee the planet, all have thus far ended in death and destruction.
High in orbit, a squadron of Klingon warships have shot down no less than nine civilian ships attempting to flee the surface. Starports worldwide are jammed with frightened citizens attempting to flee the planet.
The chips were down, and the odds were long; but the suffering of innocents can not go long ignored. Admiral Sprint's plan defied orders. Ibor 3 was evacuated of a majority of the civilian population before finally being overrun by the avalanche of Klingon military forces.
Praetorian Season 3: Skyfall
In an Effort to channel the Klingons away from the inner Colonies and thru a narrow passage of space known as Skyfall. Admiral Sprint orders the fleet to mine the local area with the new subspace inhibitors. Skyfall Nebula is filled with high energy solid rocks that can pierce thru a shield and hull in moments. It is a high risk high reward mission that could save the 26th and even the battlefield but for every Klingon ship the nebula takes out it could take out just that many Federation Starships.
Praetorian Episode 5: Resupply and Goodbye:
The Federation is pushed on all fronts. But it would never let the 26th Fleet out there to sacrifice without giving it every advantage it could. So much extra power is pumped into the prime Transwarp gate at Sol and Travel between Earth and Praetorian take very little time. The 26th Fleet travels to Sol one final time to resupply their ships, and see family.
Season finale: Its the end of the world as we know it..
Friends and loved ones have been made and sacrificed over the last year as the 26th Fleet fought to help build the Romulan Republic. Now, as the Klingon War comes to a final bloody conclusion, it's all on the line with no Republic in sight. With over 500 Klingon Ships of the line, can Starbase 381 possibly prevail? Find out in the Season Finale of Star Trek: Praetorian!
The station and fleet barely survived their trip thru the wormhole. Where are they?
OOCly: The 26th fleet is now in the play zone of the STO podcast http://ussstarfinder.com/ What we do ingame will show up in the podcast from time to time and visa versa. We will effect the playing field as we explore.
It will be at least a week ICly before we figure out where we are but here is your info dump so you can start plotting your stories.
The Outback:--
The outback is a dwarf galaxy, most dwarf galaxies are seen but have never been explorred because by the time we see them, they break apart and are assimilated into larger galaxies by the tidal gravimetric forces.
Dark matter in heavy amounts, hold a dwarf galaxy together. They orbit our galaxy below it';s core disc. The outback is a unique phenomena because not only has it remained stable, but it's orbit has been"anchored" to line up to a wormhole acting as a doorway, to the Alpha quadrant via New Australia space.
Scans never revealed the threshold to contain a dwarf galaxy, because somehow the anomalies hiding and preventing it from being explored, were so powerful that the gravimetric forces distorted any sensor scans inward and reflected it back inconclusive.
Starfleet does not believe this "gateway" to the Outback is natural. It is believed the Iconians could have created it as a "backdoor" to and from a captured dwarf galaxy they may have used as an incredible base of operations.
Also, since it is heavily rich with dark matter and dark energy, this could be in theory a source of energy they mined for weapons and other advanced technology.
Since Starfinder began it's mission, Starfleet has become aware of a few things so far.
1.) The War Monks are am ancient race on par with the Iconians technology and were at war with them thousands of years ago. There is no evidence they still exist, worlds encountered have some natives who worship them as gods, and ancient defenses left behind have triggered attacks on Starfinder.
2.) The Wrathen are a Tholian offshoot race apparently subject to capture and experimentation by the Iconians. Highly aggressive and possessing advanced dark matter weapons and a very complex defensive "cloud" of dark energy that seems to re direct incoming attacks as if a portable rift that the weapons fire into and not actually a shield system that can be weakened or damaged directly.
Starfinder managed to take one of their ships out by deploying anti matter mines around them and detonating them quickly, the explosive area of effect damage disabled the wrathen ship, but they self destructed.
3.) There are many race who seem to have reverse engineered Iconian and war monk technology to a degree over millennia, and have made use of it to defend themselves or prosper.
The key thing discovered is the valuable commodity in the Outback is Dark Matter.
There has never been a more abundant and rich amount accessible in history until now. The locals take it for granted, it allows almost fuel and energy sources in abundance, but the technology to refine and capture it is limited to the races who managed to figure out how to reverse engineer the right equipment and make it useful.
Ferengi have begun to come to the outback in hopes to trade for Dark matter and dark matter technology.
The outback has itis believed not even half the amount of stars as the milky way, therefore the amount of life inhabiting systems will be expectedly much smaller.
It's been twelve hours since the end of the Siege and Praetorian's relocation to our present location. I've invoked Starfleet Regulation 3, paragraph 12 and made use of Artifact Number 224(b). This act was carried out despite the expressed objections of Doctor Eric Wisemann, the project director inside of The Vault.
However as Commanding Officer of the 26th Fleet, it was my determination that without divine intervention or a radical shift in the battlefield scenario, Starbase 381 and it's associated elements were to be destroyed by no less than 300 encroaching Klingon warships.
The plan had originally called for the Device to be activated and send the approaching ships to another location some dozen light years away. It was our hope that the effect would be able to relocate the enemy units and either 1) Allow us to spread the attacking force out to engage them at a time and or place of our choosing, or 2) Allow us to transport Klingon starships into the star JJ28, which Praetorian formerly orbited.
Neither of these events occurred. Apparently, the gateway opened under Starbase 381, with gravitic stresses powerful enough to tear apart three of the siege dreadnoughts which had until that moment, been assaulting the starbase. Starbase 381 was pulled into the subspace event along with it's associated Starships.
As of this recording, we have been unable to re-transition back through the subspace event. I have ordered three varieties of probes to be sent through the aperture, only to have them returned crumpled like aluminum. I'm hoping that this log entry will make it's way to Starfleet Command, where the probes would not.
A list of personnel and hardware lost in the engagement and transition is attached to this log file. As of this recording, I have issued assignments to the fleet to conduct surveys into the area of space now under Praetorian's direct control. We have located a number of Klingon vessels, some with survivors. Prisoners of War will be taken and maintained as accorded by Starfleet regulation.
It is my hope that Starfleet Command will find some way to send assistance. However, if that is not to be, I would like it noted in my log that every member of this fleet has conducted themselves in accordance with the highest principles of the Federation and Starfleet. I could not be more proud.
(Federation News Service) 26th Fleet Wiped Out - Analysis of Aftermath Reveals No Survivors
Breaking news from the Eta Eridani Sector:
Reports coming in from the former site of Starbase 381 indicate that the defenders of the 26th Fleet and their starbase were completely wiped out by the Klingon Armada which had been baring down on them for the past few weeks. FNS has lost all contact with embedded reporters inside the 26th Fleet and Starfleet has not been able to make contact with any friendly personnel. Klingon presence in the area is still extremely heavy so search and rescue teams have not been able to locate any survivors, or the wreckage of the starbase, though some of it's structures have been located, possibly displaced during the battle.
Admiral Jonas Quinn, the Commander of Starfleet held a briefing this morning in which he announced that Starfleet had listed the entire fleet as Missing In Action, and that he remains positive that survivors are still out there. In addition, several other fleets are also being mobilized to track down what remains of the Klingon fleet in the area and search for survivors. A memorial is scheduled to be held this evening on the colony of Ibor III which has been retaken by Starfleet after the disappearance of much of the Klingon forces in the area along with the 26th Fleet.
It is uncertain exactly what has transpired here, but Starfleet certainly seems to be actively searching for their mission comrades. The Klingon Empire has not released a statement claiming victory over the 26th Fleet, leading some to question the apparent disappearance of both sides from the local area.
Now that we're in the 'Outback', we've started investigating and exploring again. Star Trek style. Here is an after action report, written by one of our fleet members named S'uvok. It's most likely one of the best I've ever read.
Per your orders on Stardate 91261.61, U.S.S. Sisko deployed from Starbase Praetorian, to a point approximately 213 lightyears relative from current location, tagged as the Zeta Cluster. Initial reports indicated a faint distress beacon conforming to dated Federation frequencies. We set course at warp factor 8, and due to the urgency of the mission parameters provided, Task Force Avalon Standing Order 51 was suspended ? requiring all 26th Fleet Vessels to fly exploration sorties in wings consisting of no fewer than two ships.
Arriving at the Zeta Cluster, the Sisko encountered several gaseous anomalies surrounding a neutron star. The Sisko had dedicated 25% of her torpedo magazine to science probes, in order to supplement the Sisko's base-line science stations, which allowed us to study both the anomalies and the star-remnant. Utilizing a quartet of Class A probes, we determined that the gaseous anomalies surrounding the neutron star were dispersed gas giant planets that once comprised the collapsed star's orbiting system. The neutron star itself did not seem to have suffered a naturally-occurring gravitational collapse as one would expect at the end of the star's life-cycle, but instead seemed to achieve that state by outside forces based on the evidence collected by our probes.
The probe nearest to the Zeta Cluster neutron star picked up the distress signal we were dispatched to investigate, and confirmed that it seemed to be Federation in origin. However, the signal used was not current, our databases placing it circa mid-2370's. The Sisko laid in course for the source of the signal, detecting starship debris as we approached. The neutron star made scanning difficult, requiring us to be in almost immediate proximity of the signal source to get a proper scan. Lt. Kel was able to confirm that the signal was coming from a Federation Runabout, U.S.S. Delaware, a vessel sent on a science mission and was subsequently lost in 2374. Initial scans of the Delaware showed that it had suffered hull breaches, with no active biosigns, nor active life support.
I beamed an away team to the Delaware consisting of Chief Engineer D'jongo and Ensign Davis of Engineering to investigate the wreckage. As they searched the Runabout, they came upon two casualties, sealed within EVA suits. According to the suit markings they were one Lt. Commander Syveq and one Lt. Chan, which corresponded to the historical records of the officers assigned to the Delaware at the time of her disappearance. The away team also found an unknown artifact of alien origin within the Delaware's cargo holds. Initial tricorder scans of the artifact indicated that it was of an unknown metallic alloy, though contained high concentrations of titanium. There did not seem to be any active energy source or emissions from the object, and initial scans placed the item at an exceptional age ? as many as one hundred-thousand years. Scans of the Lt. Commander and Lieutenant's bodies also indicated strange anomalies ? variances in their DNA sequence that would not conform to any known species.
Lacking the facilities to dock the Delaware, as well since full anti-contamination protocols could not be ensured for the dead officers due to the genetic abnormalities we detected, it was decided to send teams in sealed environmental suits to perform more in depth analysis, as opposed to beaming ther bodies, or the artifact aboard. Lt. D'jongo and Ensign Davis returned to the Sisko and went through decon procedures, replaced by Subcommander V'Dek and Doctor Ephoni aboard the Delaware. Initial reports from the first away team indicated a successful retrieval of data, telemetry, and logs from the Runabout, however, many of the files suffered extensive corruption, likely due to massive failure of the computer core. The Engineering department began to work post haste on recovering the fragmented data, while the Science and Medical investigation continued aboard the derelict ship.
At 2100 hours, the Bridge received a priority alert from Sick Bay ? Ensign Skong, the Chief Operations Officer had been physically assaulted by Ensign Davis and was in critical condition. Ensign Davis was likewise being held in the brig by Security Chief Koh. Initial reports from the medical and security staff indicated that the ensign began behaving in an erratic fashion in the ship's mess, and went on to attack Ensign Skong unprovoked. Ensign Davis was reported as only speaking gibberish on the scene, stating, 'the era of a new darkness was coming'. Medical analysis of Ensign Davis showed that his behavior was a neurological side-effect of a radical change taking place within his DNA structure. Early stages of this malady seemed to likewise be affecting Ensign Skong as well. An immediate quarantine was established for the medical deck ? as well as any personnel who had been in physical contact with either of the ensigns.
It was at this time the away team reported back with critical findings aboard the Delaware. Subcommander V'dek, the Sisko's Chief Science Officer, reported that the artifact had begun showing signs of activity. It's powersource was currently unknown, but technological markers of the artifact once it became active indicated that it was Iconian in origin. Likewise, Doctor Ephoni had learned that the crew aboard the Delaware had undergone a significant genetic alteration before expiring when life support ultimately failed aboard the Runabout. Genetic alterations that could be found afflicting my crew in Sick Bay. Unfortunately, my Chief Science and Medical Officers were likewise exposed to whatever it was that triggered the change in Ensign Davis. Subcomander V'dek began working to uncover the nature of this device, while Doctor Ephoni established a comms link with the pair of medical staff remaining on the Sisko to devise a counteragent against the genetic mutations affecting my crew.
Meanwhile Lt. D'jongo in engineering provided word hat his department had been able to complete a partial reconstruction of the computer data aboard the Delaware. Ships logs were forwarded to me for review, to gain some sense of understanding of how a Runabout that was lost four decades ago managed to make it this far out into unexplored space. According to Lt. Commander Syveq's accounts, he and Lt. Chan were assigned to a classified sector on stardate 50980. The sector's location has been redacted in the ship's logs, however, based on telemetry data onboard the Delaware, it was likely somewhere in the Hromi sector. Upon arrival to the classified system they located and beamed aboard the Iconian artifact for return back to the Federation. However, the artifact became active, causing a surge in several of the Delaware's onboard sensors and instruments. The events that followed are unclear, but the Runabout was caught in some sort of transwarp slipstream, causing near-instantaneous transport to this uncharted region of space.
In the days that would follow aboard the Delaware, Lt. Commander Syveq and Lt. Chan began to experience the genetic abnormality, changing them on a fundamental level. They tried to orient themselves, but this area of space was unknown. From here the logs and internal sensor data paint an account of horror. Savagery overtook the officers as supplies dwindled. Skirmishes aboard the Runabout caused hull breaches ? forcing the two to spend their last day in EVA suits trying to murder one another.
Doctor Ephoni managed to coordinate via the comms with the two medical technicians aboard the Sisko to create an experimental retrovirus that would rewrite the DNA sequencing of the affected officers of the Sisko. Utilizing the genetic records included in the medical jackets of the crew personnel records, our medical staff engineered a vaccine that would overwrite the changes caused by exposure to the Iconian device. Without the luxury of extensive trials, the vaccine was tested on the affected ensigns, Skong and Davis. The Doctor's treatment proved effective, though the reversion process was slow for affected officers experiencing later-stage mutations. When the vaccine was provided to the rest of the Sisko's crew, those who were still in the early stages of exposure experienced a faster return to normalcy.
Subcommander V'dek was able to learn the purpose of the Iconian device itself, while Doctor Ephoni worked on the mystery of the genetic mutations. It seemed to be a data storage device of some sort, at least as its primary function. The Reman science officer was able to retrieve historical data files, indicating that the Zeta Cluster was once the sight of a significant battle between the Iconians and an unknown antagonist, nearly 100 millenia ago. The collateral damage caused to the Zeta Cluster resulted in the collapse of the system's star, and the destruction of her orbiting gaseous bodies. In addition, the aritifact seemed to contain genetic markers for 'servitor races' of the Iconians, with the purpose of rewriting the genome of sentients that might find the artifact, so that should the Iconians return, there would already be a significant number of servants at their disposal. With this final piece of data, the Subcommander was able to provide Doctor Ephoni with what she needed to create the final steps in her process to stabilize the genetic code of the Sisko's crew.
At this time, the Sisko has towed the Delaware back to Praetorian via tractor beam at warp 6, however has remained outside of the 1 light year quarantine zone established by Starfleet xenoscience protocols, until the crew can be independantly examined by fleet medical staff. Since the Sisko lacks proper containment facilities, the Iconian artifact was placed in a projected quantum stasis field aboard the Delaware. The field seems to have rendered the artifact truly inert at this time. The Sisko will remain in escort formation with the Delaware, until properly equipped science teams can ensure the artifact's safe removal without putting fleet and station personnel at risk
After just about a week (OOC time) in the 'Outback', we've finally managed to get some good news!
TO: All 26th Officers and Enlisted
FROM: RADL Llwarch
SUBJECT: Home
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Fleet. It is with a happy heart I announce that we have made contact with Starfleet Command. It took the combined resources of Starfleet less then two days to locate us. Several ships including the USS Enterprise-F have been sent toward us dropping Subspace communication relays. Within the day we will have regular communication back with Starfleet command and the federation as a whole with only three seconds of lag. I know everyone will be in a rush to communicate with their loved ones but try to remember there are thousands and thousands of officers trying to do the same thing. To the best of its ability Starfleet has already informed your family of your survival.
I know the next question on everyones mind is this. When can we go home and how are we getting there? Earth has several large Transwarp gateway hubs used to reach every end of the Federation in a hurry. One of these super gates is being angled straight at us. Its taking a minute to get everything angled correctly but once its in place it should take us about as much time to get from Here to Earth as it used to take us to get from the sea of sorrows to Earth. However even with this system in place we cannot leave this area until we have this Contamination situation dealt with. We cannot afford to bring a space rot of any type to the center of the Federation. We are patient zero until we figure this out. I am sure that once it is dealt with we will be making the trip back and forth to Earth on the Regular.
Now with all that new dealt with I would like to announce the good news. The battle for Preatorian has effectively ended the Klingon war. All together Starfleet Intelligence tells us we took out almost 90% of the fleet that attacked us. SI tells us that we have effectively crippled the Klingon war machine. While no formal declarations of peace has been issued by the Klingon government you can all sleep tonight knowing that we have stopped them dead in their tracks and they will be unable to bring this fight to the Federation again for many many years. The 26th has stopped every planet in the Federation from becoming another Ibor III. For that you can be proud of yourselves.
I know what real courage is, and I understand true compassion.
Mo Yan
PS. Feel free to message me back on any information you are looking to seek on this.
RADL Llywarch, Rhys S.
CO Task Force Avalon
USS Hartford
The Klingon Defense Force has put all its eggs in one basket for one massive final push into Federation space in an effort to tie up this war between them. Hundreds of ships barrelling down on the one station between the Sea of Sorrows and a clear path into the Heart of Federation space. Starbase Preatorian and the Entirety of the 26th Fleet work for several weeks to hinder, slow and hurt the Massive armada coming to take them out.
Eventually the massive juggernaut of ships makes it to the Station itself and the battle began. The entire fleet and station were almost wiped out before a last chance gambit was taken and the Iconian gate that had been sitting in the heart of the Station's Lab was activated. A hole in space was opened and the entire station and surviving Federation vessels were pulled in. The Klingon Vessels were also pulled in however they did not survive the trip as easily as the 26th.
On the other side of the tear in space the Station found itself being bombarded with debris of the destroyed klingon vessels and no clue where in the Milky way or if they were even still in the galaxy. After a week of intensive repairs and looking out to the black of space to find home they finally got in contact with Starfleet Command. The station and the fleet found themselves in a dwarf galaxy just below the main galaxy disk known as the The Outback.
The outback is a dwarf galaxy, most dwarf galaxies are seen but have never been explorred because by the time we see them, they break apart and are assimilated into larger galaxies by the tidal gravimetric forces. The Dwarf galaxy is contained in a bubble of the galatic barrier that created Gary Mitchell. Scans never revealed the threshold to contain a dwarf galaxy, because somehow the anomalies hiding and preventing it from being explored, were so powerful that the gravimetric forces distorted any sensor scans inward and reflected it back inconclusive. Starfleet does not believe this "gateway" to the Outback is natural. It is believed the Iconians could have created it as a "backdoor" to and from a captured dwarf galaxy they may have used as an incredible base of operations. Dark matter in heavy amounts, hold a dwarf galaxy together. They orbit our galaxy below it';s core disc. The outback is a unique phenomena because not only has it remained stable, but it's orbit has been"anchored" to line up to a wormhole acting as a doorway, to the Alpha quadrant via New Australia space. The key thing discovered is the valuable commodity in the Outback is Dark Matter. There has never been a more abundant and rich amount accessible in history until now. The locals take it for granted, it allows almost fuel and energy sources in abundance, but the technology to refine and capture it is limited to the races who managed to figure out how to reverse engineer the right equipment and make it useful. Ferengi have begun to come to the outback in hopes to trade for Dark matter and dark matter technology.
The outback has itis believed not even half the amount of stars as the milky way, therefore the amount of life inhabiting systems will be expectedly much smaller.
Some of the Strange Aliens of the Outback
The Wrathen are a Tholian offshoot race apparently subject to capture and experimentation by the Iconians. Highly aggressive and possessing advanced dark matter weapons and a very complex defensive "cloud" of dark energy that seems to re direct incoming attacks as if a portable rift that the weapons fire into and not actually a shield system that can be weakened or damaged directly.
The War Monks are am ancient race on par with the Iconians technology and were at war with them thousands of years ago. There is no evidence they still exist, worlds encountered have some natives who worship them as gods, and ancient defenses left behind have triggered attacks on 26th Fleet ships.
The Nua are a powerful, but reclusive species residing within this dwarf galaxy. Although possessing great scientific curiousity, they have little desire to expand, and do not control any colonies or star systems beyond their home. However, numerous automated outposts are scattered throughout the region.
The Yeth Collective
The Yeth appear as a race of bipedal humanoids but are in fact parasitic worms. Their hosts are nominally sentient, roughly equal to cro-magnons, but all the technological advancements are due to the highly intelligent parasites. Children are bonded with a worm once they are beyond the toddler stage in their development. Culturally, they are driven by social pressures to be dominant in any social setting, and every pursuit imaginable - from military to science to the arts - is a battleground of fierce proportions.
There are many race who seem to have reverse engineered Iconian and war monk technology to a degree over millennia, and have made use of it to defend themselves or prosper.
The Dyson Sphere...
In the perfect center of the Outback lays the Dyson Sphere. It is unknown at this time what effect the sphere has on the area but the massive amounts of energy the Structure puts out tells us that it is an essential part of the "ecosystem" of the dwarf galaxy. Weather it stops the bubble from popping or keeps the galaxy in a stable orbit has yet to be seen.
How to Explore the Outback.
IC: Starfleet command has commandered one of the huge traffic transwarp gates near Earth and given it over to the Starfleet corps of Engineers and the scientists from Jupiter station. The details are rather technical but the yellow and blue shirts describe lining up the transwarp gate to shoot thru space into a portal near New Australia and then thru most of the Outback space to Starbase Preatorian as "trying to hit a bullet with a smaller bullet whilst wearing a blindfold, riding a horse." However they have assured us at this time that it can be done and is mostly safe.
OOC: Feel free to join the fleet itself! Check us out here at http://26thfleet.enjin.com/home Or hit us up in the channel SB381 for IC and OOC permissions to come visit us in the great old Outback. If you have any questions at all someone will be there to answer it for you. Come get back to some classic star trek. Exploring the great unknown!
We have recently rearranged the fleet member roster, and it is now easier to see who is at the top of the chain. Adjutants, Commander & Vice Commander (Obviously) and Senior Officers will be happy to answer all questions you have. In game and on the forums. Shoot us a message if you want to know anything.
After being in the 'Outback' for a while now, we've been starting to meet some rather interesting species. Here's an after action report written by a fellow member of our fleet, about a new 'First Contact' with a new species from the 'Outback'.
TO: All Command Staff of the 26th Fleet
CC: CAPT S'uvok
FROM: CAPT D. Monas
SUBJECT: First Contact with Trel'ek
ATTACHMENTS: Sensor logs, tactical analysis by Ares TacInt, Comm transcript, technical details of alien device
U.S.S. Sisko, under the command of Captain S'uvok, and U.S.S. Ares, under the command of Captain Monas, dropped out of warp several thousand kilometers from cracked planetoid M-32794 and proceeded ahead on impulse. Sensors aboard the Ares detected a series of regular pulse-emitting devices and were attempting to corroborate find with Sisko and verify origin and purpose of beacons when unknown vessel decloaked off Ares's starboard side, between her and the planetoid, and opened fire with all weapons (see attached sensor logs and tactical analysis), stripping her of starboard and aft shields before they could be rotated to compensate. Both Federation vessels raised shields and returned fire; repeated hails were answered in gibberish. A running battle ensued where the Sisko and Ares used pincer and split-fire to keep the enemy vessel, which I estimate to have been of roughly cruiser tonnage, on the ropes, interspersed by periods when the unknown vessel would cloak to lick her wounds before reappearing. Hails continued on both sides without progress being made by the universal translators.
Staff aboard the Sisko finally cracked their language and shared translation protocols with the Ares. The aliens next transmissions revealed that we had violated their wargraves with warships and were to leave at once. Both Starfleet captains identified themselves and their vessels and assured the aliens of our good will, which led to an opening of dialogue; both sides kept shields up and weapons armed, however, and the Ares moved between the alien vessel and the smaller Sisko to provide physical shelter in the event of a surprise attack.
We explained to the aliens that we had not understood their language or beacons and any damage or incursion was completely accidental. As we tried to explain why, in their words, we had brought "warships for investigation", they scanned the Ares and went to high alarm, bringing weapons and shields to full and accusing us of bringing Chi'Taka, 'poison', which they claimed had destroyed their world. It took the combined efforts of both captains to talk them out of resuming hostilities. It ensued that Chi'Taka was their term for dilithium, though why the UT didn't pick up on this and several other Trel'ek terms is a mystery to this captain. The alien vessel, it should be noted, ran on ion propulsion. Captains Monas and S'uvok were able to placate the alien by promising to relocate outside of their sacred space in exchange for gleaning the alien's identification: Rin'tek Gelesh of the Trel'ek cruiser Jhelmn. My linguists inform me Rin'tek is most likely an indication of rank and not a part of Gelesh's given name per se.
Before leaving Captain Monas ordered S'uvok to proceed first and to make best possible speed back to Starbase 381 if more than three additional cruiser-sized ships arrived. Gelesh became impatient with the Federation intruders' progress and fired a warning shot across the Ares's bow; nevertheless, the three vessels proceeded out of the system in good order.
Outside of the M-32794 system talks resumed along similar lines, with Monas explaining why it was felt necessary to send warships on an exploration mission. As they talked, the Jhelmn flew around both ships, probing their computer banks (see attached Chief Engineer's report), and seven additional ships of similar design warped in on the Jhelmn's signal: one dreadnaught class, another cruiser, and five smaller vessels I estimate to be around Miranda tonnage (see attached sensor logs and tactical analysis).
At this development Captain Monas ordered Captain S'uvok out of the system to preserve information integrity should the encounter turn hostile. S'uvok objected, was over-ruled, and apparently left the system. He was followed briefly by the Trel'ek dreadnaught, but the warship quickly abandoned its chase and returned to monitoring the Ares, which had fired a torpedo spread to detonate ahead of it.
Rin'Tek Gelesh then began asking revealing questions indicative of a successful probe of part or all of the computer banks of one or both Starfleet vessels: what is a dreadnaught, stating outright that we were from the Milky Way and demanding to know how we arrived in the Outback (see complete transcript for more). Chief Science Commander Loebi of the Ares did an admirable job explaining, as best we understand it presently, how SB381 and the rest of the 26th Fleet were transported from our original position without mentioning Klingons or the battle. Gelesh seemed to sense that she was not getting the whole story, but rather than answer her demands for more information I was able to turn the conversation back on to her, sifting for details about M-32794 and her people. She said that roughly a hundred years ago her people were attacked by ships we were able to identify as Borg, and that one of their cubes landed on her homeworld before the dilithium stockpile went critical. This shattered their world into the broken state it is in today. It also wiped out their Royal Palace and entire Royal Family down to their Princess, who Gelesh claimed was presently aboard the Jhelmn, as the Jhelmn was their flagship. She claimed the Borg had not returned in the hundred years since the Trel'ek's pyrrhic victory.
Discussion was interrupted when a fresh dreadnaught decloaked by the Jhelmn and Gelesh demanded to know "why our other ship hides" - referring to the Sisko. who despite orders had remained in the vicinity, cloaked. Gelesh claimed that her dreadnaught had discovered the vessel and wanted to destroy it, and that only her intervention prevented this. Captain Monas tried to talk the Rin'tek out of killing everyone, Gelesh warned the Starfleet officers that she had many ships in-bound, and the Sisko decloaked and warned the Trel'ek that we had many of the same. Almost 200 Trel'ek ships arrived in-system (see attached sensor logs and tacanal) and at this point Captain Monas suggested very strongly that both Federation vessels leave, after setting up a later meeting date to discuss mutual interests. The Jhelmn responded to this suggestion by beaming a small object through her shields onto the bridge of the Ares, where it attached itself to the comm center. Her commander informed Monas that it was a 'gift' that would allow him to contact her once and that it would also allow them to track the Ares. As the alien intelligence clearly already possessed the present location of SB381, it was determined that leading them back to our base of operation would give them nothing they did not already possess, and both ships set home at maximum warp.
Captain Dominic B. Monas
Commanding officer, U.S.S. Ares
ATTACHMENTS:
CHIEF ENGINEER KONOM'S REPORT
The device beamed aboard our vessel has been successfully removed and its tracking beacon, along with any other latent abilities, defused. It was not a terribly sophisticated device. Our present speculation is that only part of its matter was beamed through the shields; the rest was coalesced out of present gasses and materials as a kind of long-range replicator. We have modulated our shield frequencies and are relatively certain this will prevent further intrusions, but of course without field testing such a determination is impossible. The frequencies are to be found in my detailed schematic of the recovered alien device.
Investigation into the intrusion into our computer banks goes much more slowly; Captain Monas, rightly I think, prioritized the removal of the potentially-lethal alien tech from our ship over the databanks intrusion. The work goes slowly due to a shortage of qualified personnel via enemy attrition over the last several months, and we do not know when we will have satisfactory answers to the questions command will undoubtedly ask, let alone countermeasures.
In the midst of the climactic showdown with the Klingon Armada, Starbase 381 "Praetorian" and the 26th fleet were caught in a mysterious anomaly and flung into the unknown reaches of space. Despite suffering extensive damage, the station and its attendant ships made the journey intact. The Klingon fleet did not, and save for a few survivors, now forms a large debris field around the station.
The ships of the fleet have been repaired and are commencing ongoing exploration missions in the immediate region in the search of resources to replenish their depleted stores, as well as that of the starbase. Station crews undertook salvage operations in the debris field, but the wreckage has been impregnated by dark matter. Crucial components were scrapped and quarantined as the infection spread. Science personnel soon had the troublesome particles isolated and the situation is under control, but without the salvage from the debris field, the resource situation remains critical.
However, all has not been without success! A probe finally made it through the anomaly and back to home, mostly in one piece. Starfleet soon began searching, and communications were established - laggy and unreliable, but there. Earth celebrated the news that the 26th live. The first attempts at creating a safe transwarp corridor between Praetorian and Sol were made, but the results leave much to be desired. Praetorian has been placed under quarantine until the dark matter field can be cleared and a more reliable transit corridor established.
At the 26th fleet you are not restricted to one character. You are allowed several alts in the fleet should you wish to have any. How, you ask? Here's how.
TO: All 26th Fleet Personnel
FROM: CAPT Vempati
CC: RADM Sprint, RADL Llywarch, RADL Nightmoon
SUBJECT: The Way Home
Fellow officers,
It gives me great pleasure to inform you that we have discovered, and secured, a route back to Federation space. CAPT Val-Doran led a scouting party consisting of the U.S.S. Wollongong and U.S.S. Bremen through the wormhole located through CAPT Wright's negotiations with Nua representatives. As promised, the Nua had used their command of gravitics to stabilize the wormhole for safe travel, and CAPT Val-Doran's task force successfully navigated the anomaly to emerge near the Federation colony of New Australia, where contact was made with both the civilian administration and the local Starfleet outpost.
Despite this good fortune, we cannot rush home just yet. Starbase 381, our home-away-from-home, represents a significant investment in resources, and one that Starfleet is unwilling to leave languishing in this distant sector of space. It will take the combined efforts of all task force vessels to tow the station from its current location to the wormhole for transit home. In addition, we will need to clear the path of dark matter blooms, and detonate all remaining intact salvage in the debris field to ensure it does not fall into the hands of local species, altering the balance of power and violating the Prime Directive.
The job will be hard, but we can, and will, accomplish it. Starfleet will have a supply convoy waiting for us at New Australia when we arrive, alleviating our most immediate needs, and the Starfleet Corps of Engineers will take over ferry-duties for our station once we get it through. We've had a rough ride, and not all of us have made it through. The performance of the fleet, and the task force, has been exemplary, and I am proud to help lead such a dedicated and resourceful cadre of officers. Once we reach New Australia, the first round is on me.
The 26th is proud to announce an expansion. As the Federation fleet continues to grow, we've expanded into the KDF. Our goal? To bring quality role play to the Klingon Empire and to give KDF RPers a safe haven to interact, intermingle and network with other role players. You can stop by the 52nd's site here
Just wanted to write in to say that I've enjoyed the immersive quality of the RP in the 26th Fleet, since I joined in mid August. I've found the fleet to be welcoming of different RP styles, and widely different play times. I had not expected to be RPing with so many folks from outside of North America, but it has been a blast so far. You can quite literally log on almost any time of day and interact with a large number of fleet members.
One last thing - You should try before you buy, and you can with the 26th Fleet! When I was shopping for an RP fleet, I stumbled across this - 26th Fleet's Open Starbase, and had some nice RP interaction before deciding to move forward with my application.
Hi all. You are all invited to a Military Ball hosted in the SB381 Diplomatic hub (aka. New Romulus Embassy
If you want to come and try out an evening of RP with the 26th we are holding a Military Ball on October the 5th. See Here for the event time and date in your timezone.
Ball will firstly consist of a memorial to those in the 26th Fleet who lost their lives over the recent months.
Followed by the formal evening, to christen this new era for the Fleet and to provide social time for the officers and crew.
Senior Officers in the Fleet will give speeches to those attending at points during the evening.
Dress Uniforms or equivalent will be required.
To gain invites to the Embassy for the event please us the SB381 chat channel
Event Start: Saturday, Oct 5, 09:00:00 pm (GMT +1)
Event End: Sunday, Oct 6, 03:00:00(ish) am (GMT +1)
To: Whome it may concern
From: Starfleet Inter Fleet Liaison Office
To whom it may concern,
As it may be known the 26th Fleet has recently regained permanent contact with Starfleet and are making arrangements to ensure that this continues.
They will be arranging a Memorial service for the fallen followed by a Military Ball to celebrate their safe return.
If attending this memorial and ball you are reminded that Class B or Class A Dress uniforms are required to be worn.
Also any supplies that ships attending can carry will be greatly appreciated by the fleet.
It has been a long and grueling five weeks. Five weeks of struggle and sacrifice in this hostile and alien landscape, fighting not only for a way home, but our very survival. The fact that I am able to speak to you today is a testament to the strength and resilience of the 26th. Once again, we have done the impossible, and you have my sincerest respect for coming through one more time. For your hard service, I am authorizing rotating fleet-wide leave over the next three days. Tear it up on New Australia, meet the locals and see the sights of the nearest Federation colony in our area of operations.
Transwarp access back to Sol, however, will not be possible. Not just yet.
Starfleet Command has been in touch, sending updates through the wormhole on the situation back home. It seems we bled the Empire enough that they still haven't shown their faces across the border, and they've only begun to rebuild their shattered industry in Archanis. Command has informed me that they don't need Praetorian back on that front quite as badly as they first thought, and rather than go through the expense and dangers of moving a starbase the size of ours halfway across the Federation, they've given us new orders.
We're staying here. Praetorian will be the guardian of this new realm. A vast sea of unexplored territory lies open before us, and it is our charge to see to it that it is explored, charted and relations made.
Now that we're back in contact and regular supply with home, our situation will improve rapidly, and the 26th Fleet can do what Starfleet was always meant to do: Explore the final frontier.
So, the memorial ball was yesterday. Although we had slight technical difficulties (Cryptic put a hard cap on the Embassy population), everything went well. Here are the speeches from last night.
The speeches:
Levesley
"Thankyou for all attending. I will now hand over to the person who has been asked to make the memorial speech."
gestures to Sammy. "The CO of Task Force Avalon Commodore Samantha Vempati."
Samantha Vempati 'Sammy'
Vempati looks out across the gathering. "Fellow officers. Thank you for attending here this day."
For months we have known nothing but struggle, and though we have won, though we stand victorious over all who came against us, we are not without loss.
"Today is our final farewell to those who have honoured us by making that greatest of sacrifices, laying down their lives so that others might live. Their deaths have been heard across the Federation, but echo most closely here, among those with whom they lived."
"We are gathered here to preserve and uphold the memories of the officers and crew who gave their lives in the line of duty, our heroic dead who made themselves a barricade between the Federation and its foes, and paid the ultimate price for their noble sacrifice."
Vempati gestures at the large, marble structure behind her, engraved with the names of the fallen in their thousands.
"The memorial we erect today, furnished with all the adornment and security that the boundless wealth of our civilization can provide, is but the least tribute we can give to the memory of the Federation's slain defenders."
"We shall let no vandalism of avarice or neglect, no ravages of time testify to present or future generations that we have forgotten, as a people, the cost of a free and sovereign society."
"Free of oppression, free of devastation, free of fear."
"If other eyes grow dull, other hands slack, other hearts cold in this solemn trust, ours shall keep it well as long as the light and warmth of life remain to us."
"In memoriam to the fallen."
Vempati closes her eyes in a moment of silence, head lowered, lips pressed tight.
Vempati looks up again once a full minute has passed, speaking past a hard lump in her throat. "Thank you."
Levesley@Levesley:
"Normally one of the Flag officers would speak now. Sadly they are tied up with important business."
"So now you are invited to remember our comrades however you wish. But we now as a fleet turn our eyes to the unexplored space that streches out before us."
"And in true Starfleet tradition we will go bodly where no one has gone before
he raises his glass. "To absent friends and new horizons."
Operational Assets
USS Lakarian, Planetary Survey Kit Mk VI, Mod III (x3), Planetary Survey Sensor Package Mk IX, Mod II (x1)
Operational Concept
USS Lakarian transits to System OB-425. USS Lakarian engages in standard solar system survey operations, specifically focusing on dilithium and duranium deposits.
Upon completion of system survey, an operations team will transport to the surface of the only intact planetary body, OB-425 IV ("Solitaire") and establish a survey base
An away team consisting of the above mentioned personnel will then transport to the surface, and conduct standard planetary survey operations.
Upon completion of planetary survey, including sensor tagging and cataloging all finds, operations team and away team will transport back to USS Lakarian. USS Lakarian will than leave OB-425 and transit back to SB381.
Analysis of findings will commence upon return of USS Lakarian, and will consist of standard bio/chem/geo and astronomical analysis procedures. Subsequent operations to system OB-425 will be dependent upon analysis findings and senior officer direction.
Summary
The trip to OB-425 was uneventful. We detected no other vessels and no anomalous contacts en route or in the system itself. Upon entering OB-425's erratic orbital envelope, we began standard system survey scanning protocols. We also scanned specifically for dilithium and duranium. The physical makeup of OB-425 was as advertised by the Stellar Cartography department: the system mainly consisted of asteroids, planetoids, and planetoid-sized asteroids. StelCar theorizes that at some point in the past, a rogue planetary body passed through the system, causing a massive collision with one or more planets. The debris from that event and subsequent collisions account for the current state of the system.
LT Alderman detected two promising deposits of dilithium and we made our way to the locations of the readings. The first site held only trace amounts of dilithium, not enough to merit cataloging. We proceeded to the second asteroid. It contained approximately 3 tons of usable dilithium and was tagged for later retrieval.
LT Alderman found a relatively high concentration of duranium on the surface, and we decided to concentrate out efforts there. The operations team and away team beamed down without incident. OB-425 IV, or 'Solitaire' as StelCar named it, is a rocky world with very small equatorial oceans and little liquid water. The climate ranges from low-temperature temperate at the equator to arctic and sub-arctic zones across the rest of the planet. The teams were outfitted with temperature-regulated gear. Ops Team Alpha set up our base camp, and LT Alderman led the way to the first deposit. I tasked Commander t'Khnialmnae with ensuring LT Alderman's safety, as this was the LT's first field assignment. CAPT Corvus, LT Ghemor, and myself followed and kept lookout, per standard Starfleet ground operations protocols.
The first two sites were low-quality finds that did not merit cataloging. As we proceeded to the third site, the weather became markedly worse, snowing heavily and reducing visibility. The third site held a significant deposit of duranium, and was sensor-tagged for later retrieval. We set off for the fourth site as the weather continued to worsen. Visibility was further reduced, and LT Alderman fell down a slope, breaking her ankle. Probably due to her armor's automatic first aid functions and joint bracing, she was able to continue without significant impediment. The fourth site also contained a considerable duranium deposit and was sensor-tagged as well.
By the time the away team reached the fifth site, visibility was nearly zero, even with enhanced optics. We sensor-tagged the final deposit and were ready to beam back to Lakarian, when we received a transmission from the ship. They were unable to obtain sensor lock due to the storm, and communications were spotty. In addition, our general area was being bombarded by meteorites and we were in danger. Lakarian had already advised Ops Team Alpha of a nearby cave that could serve as shelter from both the weather and the meteorite strikes. We made our way through the storm to rendezvous in the cave.
The cave seemed to be naturally formed, but had several peculiar features. There were a number of large plants that were slightly luminescent. It was not apparent how they obtained sustenance, but I assume they were fungal in nature and did not require natural light. Some of the cave walls were also melting, indicating a heat source, probably geothermal in nature. We continued further into the cave and found Ops Team Alpha. They had arrived moments before us and had not yet established a campsite. A few moments later, a group of ice spiders appeared from further into the cave and attacked, undoubtedly drawn to the additional noise and heat. We engaged the spiders and continued deeper into the cave, in order to secure our campsite as much as possible.
It became quickly apparent that there was a larger group of spiders in the next chamber, and that we had attracted the entire horde. Several large, bear-like mammals also attacked, possibly driven into a panic by the spiders. It is unknown how our sensors did not detect any of these life forms during our initial scans. Perhaps the widespread presence of duranium in the planet's crust obscured the life signs, since these creatures all appeared to live underground.
We fought off several waves of attacking spiders and finally made or way into the final chamber. We made a security sweep and found the chamber cleared of threats. Towards the rear of the chamber, there was a crystal formation that none of the away team immediately recognized. LT Alderman scanned the formation, but could not decipher the results. CAPT Corvus took a look at the readings and determined that the crystals were pure dilithium. None of us had encountered a natural formation of dilithium of such purity and quality. LT Alderman tagged the formation and collected a sample for analysis.
As there were no more spiders in evidence, we returned to the main chamber, where the Ops team had set up a small base camp. LT Alderman got a faulty generator working, and we decided to wait out the storm until morning. Commander t'Khnialmnae took the first watch and the rest of us slept.
Less than an hour later, we received a call from the Lakarian. They had sent down a rescue team with the ships few shuttles. Lakarian warned us that the meteorite strikes were getting worse, and that Solitaire was simultaneously becoming geologically unstable, and was beginning to break up. We abandoned camp and headed for the LZ. The blizzard had not abated, and it became difficult to keep everyone together. Using our comms and suit sensors, we were able to regroup and arrive at the LZ unscathed. All personnel were then extracted from the planet's surface to Lakarian.
Once on board, we stayed on station to record the planet's final moments on sensors. After the destruction of Solitaire, we set course to SB381 and left OB-425.
Findings
We cataloged and sensor tagged over six thousand metric tons of duranium and over five tons of dilithium, including a remarkably pure formation in the cave that we sheltered in. According to scans made after the break-up of Solitaire, that formation is still intact, probably protected by the cave itself.
There are other minerals in abundance in the system that fit standard planetary component profile: nickel, iron, and various silicates. While not as valuable as dilithium and duranium, these materials are useful in starship parts and construction as raw fabricator stocks.
Action Items
Mining and recovery operations are recommended. The minerals found in OB-425 represent a significant raw materials source for future fabrication operations, as well as potential source for tradable goods with the local cultures.
With the Lakarian's sensor record of Solitaire's breakup, it may be possible reconstruct what exactly caused the planet's demise. This seems a worthwhile subject for study by our Geological Sciences department.
It may be advisable, in the future, to place a permanent mining and fabrication facility in the system itself, to reduce the logistical strain of transporting the raw materials.
Comments
Despite the unforseeable circumstances surrounding the planet's break-up, the mission was largely successful. We identified a significant amount of useful materials and there were no casualties. That's a win in my book.
I'd like to commend CAPT Corvus for her exceptional piloting skills. OB-425 is literally strewn with rocky debris, with asteroids ranging in size from a few centimeters in diameter, to continent-sized chunks of iron and rock. She kept Lakarian out of harms way and didn't even scratch the paint.
Commander t'Khnialmnae performed admirably as our tactical support. On Lakarian, she operated the tactical station with skill and attantion. On Solitaire, she was able to keep LT Alderman safe, until the LT literally fell down a hillside. In side the cave, the Commander took point, fought well, and helped me clear the final chamber. All in all, her professionalism and reliability was a testament to our colleagues in Task Force Thierr. I truly hope we see more of this kind of cooperation between Republic and Starfleet personnel.
LT Ghemor remained cool under the mounting pressure of the mission as conditions degraded and offered timely advice in adverse circumstances. The LT took up position on our six and made sure we weren't followed or observed. Her level head was an asset I'd welcome on any operation.
LT Alderman performed satisfactorily on her first field mission. She is in need of more experience and training if she is to continue field operations, but she led us to the mineral deposits we were looking for, and didn't slow us down, despite an injury. This is to her credit.
For more specific scientific information about our findings, please consult the Fleet Operations database, ref. number: OB425-H182001-9
So, last night we were out "exploring" an unknown planet, and my own character (Donar) got into a little hustle with the local wildlife. However, this is a prelude to the mission itself.
TO: ALL TFA COMMANDS; PRAETORIAN SCIENCES DEPT.
FROM: CAPT S. Prinn
RE: OB-878 ? Beta Zoological Survey
The OB-878 system lies at a distance of 7.3 LY to the current location of Praetorian station. A Class K main-sequence star of approximately 0.76 , OB-878 has five orbitals of planetery classification and two asteroidal belts. Of the five planets, the inner two are rocky worlds, though the class Y world of OB-878 ? Alpha lies too close to the solar periphery and, at a standard temperature of 622 degrees Kelvin due to excess of carbon within the atmosphere and lack of any natural planetary cooling mechanism, is too hot to sustain organic life. The class J OB-878 ? Gamma and Class I OB-878 Epsilon are gaseous giants, with the Class K OB-878 ? Delta a cold, rocky world afflicted with an erratic orbit due to the gravitational pull from her two gaseous neighbours.
OB-878 ? Beta is the system?s sole M ? class world. Preliminary orbital scans by U.S.S. Minerva detected numerous lifeform readings, though has found no evidence of any civilisation nor of any varieties of life displaying sentiant qualities. Therefore, manned survey of the planetery ecosystem is judged to not be at risk of causing any prime directive conflicts.
The most predominant terestrial forms of life across OB-878 ? Beta are vermiform, with the majority of these moving overland via. adapted tube-feet. Evolutionary diversity has allowed some members of this group to have developed quite complicated sensory organs, including multifaceted eyes and sensory ?whiskers? (actually a pair of adapted tube-feet) and simple jaws. The brief preliminary survey showed a number of these jawed seeing-worms (the variety observed being coated with a fine layer of bristles) moving as a grazing pack; it can be assumed that there are also predatory members of this clade, despite none having so far been witnessed.
Chordate-analogous life is, for the most part, limited to aquatic or semi-aquatic forms at the present stage of the planetary ecosystem. It appears that one of the first chordate-analoge species from which these evolved must have posessed two notochords, for so far the binary notochord/binary vertebral column has been observed in every specimen within these taxonomic groups. Initial surveys suggest an early taxonomic split between species varieties with laterally-placed vertabral columns and those with a dorsal and a ventral column, though further observation is required to validate the accuracy of this hypothesis.
But we have, so far, only surveyed a very small part of the planet's overall biological diversity. There may be even more bizarre and wnonderous lifeforms yet to detect; with good fortune this expanded survey mission should allow us to greatly expand our biological knowledge of this world.
I look forward with working with any Officer able to attend this survey. Seeking out strange new life-forms has long been an integral part of Starfleet?s mission, and I hope all officers concerned will enjoy a respite from conflict situations during their time on this mission-team.
Signed,
CAPT Siana Prinn
USS Minerva, [NCC-131885]
XO, Task Force Avalon
Another exploration and first contact. The Outback has it's fair share of new species.
TO: Admiral Sprint, Admiral Llywarch, Commodore S. Vempati, Captain S. Prinn
FROM: Captain J. Romar
CC: Captain A. Wright, Commander F. MacKenzie, Lieutenant Commander M. Isawa
Subject: Exploration/First Contact, OB-951 System.
On Stardate 91363.7, the Gettysburg deployed a series of Class 1 Deep Space Probes to explore potential regions for contact with other species. Such a system was found in the OB-951 Region. The probe transmitted a great deal of information, before ceasing contact in the vicinity of the 5th planet of the system while navigating an Asteroid Field.
Some of the Highlights of the probe's information before ceasing transmissions:
OB-951 has three Class-M worlds and one inhabited Class-K world in it's 12-planet system.
The Dronagzi have a nickle-based blood biochemestry, and breathe Oxygen-Nitrogen as we do.
Technologically speaking, they are approximately 150 years plus behind us. Their best recorded starship had weapons compriable to a Constitution-Class starship in the 2260's, minus Matter-Antimatter torpedoes.
They were friendly and open; on one occasion, a patrolling light cruiser attempted to hail the probe and determine if it required assistance.
On Stardate 91369.46, after having the chance to review the sensor data and to afford my Squadron's vessels time to recover and complete the assigned R&R period, I lead a squadron to the system to initate first contact protocols. The people in the region, called the Dronagzi, met the criteria for first contact. Following procedures for initating contact with Scientific Personnel first, I decided the best course of action was to approach what appeared to be a research facility.
The Task Force departed Starbase 381, six hours later we were in-system. Upon arrival, we detected a civilian vessel being set upon by technologically-superior raiders. They broadcasted a distress signal. Following protocol, we moved our position to protect the freighter. Opening a channel to the raiders to call off their strike, they refused - even boldly stating that they would take our ships from us.
The engagement was brief, and the raiders were driven off. They appeared to be technologically inferior to ourselves, though not by as much as the Dronagzi. Captain Wright of the Caspian took detailed scans of their vessels while combat ensued.
Upon disabling or driving off the raider vessels, the Dronagzi captain hailed us, a man by the name of Reginaard. He appeared to speak slowly and simply, in many ways he seemed to remind me of Pakled conversations from the 2360's. He formally asked for our aid, as much as we could tell, in assisting in helping his people further. The raiders had moved into orbit about the facility, and were deploying weapons platforms to keep the Dronagzi at bay. Being caught between several rocks and a few hard places, they did not have the resources to oust the raiding vessels.
The Dronagzi were peaceful, and even in their state, offered trade and further contact. Operating under the guidelines for the distress signal, I gave the order to proceed to the planet itself, to assist in the raider's removal.
The raiders seemed undeterred by news of the previous engagement, and, again with superior numbers, engaged our vessels. After disabling the platforms and most of the attacking ships, we were greeted by Reginaard's apparent superior - a Matriarch Tyiss. Unlike Reginaard, she spoke with flowing eloquence. Tyiss greeted us friendly, and asked for our assistance in disabling her research facility's probe creation devices, stating that the loss would not be significant to them, as they had additional facilites on their home-world. She explained further that the raiders were after that technology, and it would be devistating to their people if it fell into their hands. Commander Isawa speculated that the pirates may have detected our probe, and in a bit of confusion, reasoned the Dronagzi created it.
Assuming the risk, an away team consisting of myself, Lieutenant Commander Isawa as the command-escort, Commander MacKenzie, Captain Wright, and one of my security officers, beamed down to the facility and began working our way towards the construction area underground. Locating one of the entrances to the shielded facility, and stunning the raiders who were about to use it, the team made their way inside.
Inside the facility, the raiders turned it's security systems against us. We rapidly made our way throughout the facility, disabling or destroying the probe-creation machines and software on our way. We also located our probe remains - Commander Isawa appears to have been right in this respect - and flagged the damaged and disassembled property for transport. It should also be noted that the probe construction itself appeared to be Iconian-derived. It is unknown at this time what the exact capabilites of these devices are, and perhaps this information could be looked into as part of an exchange of ideas.
While we were finishing the task asked by the Matriarch, we found a 'leader' of the raider group - we didn't get his name, and he beamed out before we could apprehend him. The raiders appeared to have numerous unidentified species in their ranks, and simmilar hodge-podge construction on some of their vessels.
The task complete, Matriarch Tyiss contacted us again, thanking us for our intervention and warning us that new vessels were in orbit, manuvering towards ours.
We returned to our vessels, dispatching and driving off the attacking ships. Tyiss contacted us again, stating:
**Begin Replay**
"Federation Ships, you have done us a great service today. In keeping with our policy of Throkai's Will - Our Queen's policy of Benevolence towards All - we are eager to open more formal communications with your people. It was unfortunate the pirates could not be happier with what we gave them. If I may say, Captain, for a male of your species, you are more... eloquent than I am used to."
**End Replay**
We exchanged pleasantries, with myself extending the offer to send our own diplomatic team, as long as her government gave it's consent. Her reply:
**Begin Replay**
"So do I. My regards to the officers I observed with you [Meaning: Lieutenant Commander Isawa and Commander MacKenzie] - I would like a chance to meet them personally, someday. I am confused that you were not protecting them, as is our custom for our leaders to be protected. I shall inform the Queen directly, Captain, and look forward to your diplomatic arm. Matriarch Tyiss out."
**End Replay**
Following this exchange, and the promise of friendly diplomatic ties for once, the squadron was ordered back to Starbase 381. Vessels sustained overall minor damage that will not require anything longer than a solar day to repair in the worst of cases.
It is the recommendation of this officer that trained diplomatic personnel or ambassadors be dispatched to the Dronagzi as soon as possible. It is also reccomended that these officers include at least one female - the society appears to be Matriarchal in structure.
***Additional Notes:*****
The Dronagzi appeared to have at least some contact with the Yeth; Reginaard stated "You are nice, not like Yeth. Yeth like to take more than give."
The Dronagzi males appear to be less vocally developed; I find it difficult to believe personally that they are somehow 'slower' in the head.
This 'Throkai's Will' may need to be investigated further, perhaps with a cultural exchange of information.
As more information becomes available, a dossier can be established and filed about their system and people.
On a personal note, I flag the mission as a success: it's good to have friends out here, even if they are 'behind the curve' technologically.
In July of 2013, Starbase 381 opened to the general public with great results. Yesterday, Cryptic Studios posted a guest blog written by the 26th Fleet's guild leader inviting the entirety of the role play community to network and mingle aboard Praetorian station.
Last night's numbers are an overwhelming success. At last count a hundred role players, both new and seasoned joined together to help build a Star Trek Role Play Community. Introductions were made, alliances formed and guild memberships established between players.
In short, you've spoken and we hear you loud and clear. Last night, I fielded a question from omegaphallic on the STO Forums:"Is there a Klingon equivalent?"
The answer is, not yet. However the 26th Fleet has a KDF sister fleet that is building the core necessary for an open Starbase to function effectively, and we need your help. We're looking for responsible men and women who want to offer a hand up to their fellow role players, men and women who know how to tell a good story and work together as a team to accomplish established goals.
Or, just role players who give a damn and want to make a difference. If that's you, visit the 52nd Legion today and put in an application!
Recruitment has been closed for a majority of the month of October while we process the current batch of Recruit members. This was done to give our Admissions staff the chance to take time off. It was also part of an olive branch to Cryptic studios to highlight the primary focus of the Open Starbase Project that has become such an amazing success.
After discussions with the senior staff, we've decided that we're going to reopen the recruitment process that has been so successful for us over the last year and a half.
What does this mean for our current applicants? We'll begin by contacting you via the Application tab on the bottom right of your Enjin home page. All correspondence is to be contained there. Applications will be handled on a first come, first serve basis. You can find the 26th's Fleet Standards in the application drop down menu. The Code of Conduct, Romulan Protocol, etc are all required reading when submitting an application. It also helps to know The Story behind SB381.
Since October 17th the flow of traffic to Starbase 381 has been in some cases, overwhelming. As a guild, we'll be working on some guidelines to help our guests fit in with one another and get the most out of their shared experiences aboard the station. With the lack of a proper community to naturally develop standards and rules for conduct, we'll be publishing some guidelines taken from past Communities that we've all taken part in in other games.
We hope that this will be the foundation for an ever evolving role play community in Star Trek Online. Also, we would like to thank our friends at the Unified Sector Taskforce for helping us with station traffic last night.
Please check back frequently as we make amendments and refinements to this project.
Mirror universe is the unofficial designation for the parallel universe the Terran Empire and the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance originate from. In contrast to the "prime" universe, the course of history has taken a different turn early in Earth's history (and possibly other planets as well). Humanity has not risen to be a respected member in an interstellar alliance of equals, but a totalitarian regime oppressing other races by brutal force.
This week we take on the role of our Terran Empire counterparts. Excellent source material is: "In a Mirror, Darkly" (ENT); "Mirror, Mirror" (TOS); "The Tholian Web" (TOS); "Crossover", "Through the Looking Glass" "Shattered Mirror", "Resurrection" & "The Emperor's New Cloak" (DS9). Activities will be announced as the event date draws closer.
Comments
TO: RADM Sprint, RADL Llywarch
FROM: CAPT Vempati
SUBJECT: AAR: Operation Ironclad
Admiral,
As per orders, Task Force Avalon deployed with additional elements of the 26th fleet to effect an evacuation of the civilian population of the occupied colony of Ibor 3. The U.S.S. Monsoon, under my command, led Alpha Squadron, consisting of the Monsoon, Ahab, Discovery, Lakarian, Arthur Currie, T?m?raire, Repulse, Louis Fizeau and Kollontay. Captain Prinn and the U.S.S. Minerva led Echo Squadron, of similar strength, while RADL Nightmoon co-ordinated evacuation procedures through our largest and most capacious cruisers.
Initial system entry via the Reksson Nebula went smoothly, and the Klingon occupation flotilla was taken by surprise. Initial enemy forces consisted of four B'rel-class Birds-of-Prey, eight D7 battlecruisers, and one Bortas'qU-class war cruiser. The D7 battlecruisers appeared to be operating as troop transports and had a negligible effect on the skirmish, which ended with all enemy vessels destroyed by superior firepower. The Bortas'qU was functioning as a command and control ship, and was forced into Ibor 3's upper atmosphere, where it broke up over the large southern ocean.
Following the initial engagement the SSI network was deployed and evacuations were begun. Over the course of the next three hours, four separate Klingon sorties were made against the positions of Alpha and Echo Squadrons, broken up by careful attunement of the SSI relays to prevent the enemy from reacting with a single, overwhelming strike. Thanks to these tactics hostile elements were able to be attacked and repelled piecemeal over the course of the evacuation.
Total enemy losses inflicted by both Alpha and Echo squadrons as estimated via sensor data are as follows:
4 Negh'var heavy battle cruisers (3 destroyed, 1 disabled)
14 Vor'cha cruisers (7 destroyed, 2 disabled, 5 damaged and retreated)
23 Raptor attack ships (4 destroyed, 5 disabled, 14 damaged and retreated)
37 B'rel birds-of-prey (11 destroyed, 7 disabled, 17 damaged and retreated)
All 26th vessels involved in the battle received extensive damage, and were it not for the use of the SSI devices to break up the Klingon response force, we would likely have taken significant losses in life and materiel.
The U.S.S. Monsoon sustained 59 casualties (12 killed, 47 wounded). Damage to ship systems is as follows:
One hull breach 33 meters long across decks 12 and 13
Secondary forward torpedo bays offline
Microfractures through decks 11 and 14
Thermal damage to decks 9, 10, 15 and 16
Overheating and crystal fusion in the primary starboard ventral phaser array
Extensive small-arms damage to decks 4 and 5.
Estimated repair time is 36 hours will all personnel working double shifts.
Signed,
CAPT Samantha Vempati
CO, U.S.S. Monsoon [NCC-131801-A]
XO, Task Force Avalon
Monday, September 2nd all hell breaks lose. Star Trek: Praetorian Season 3 finale. The Klingon Armada finally reaches Praetorian, and what does this mean for the brave men and women, not only of the 26th fleet, but the entire Fedration. Will Praetorian survive? Will the 26th push the Klingons back into their own space? Or will Praetorian be destroyed? Will it be the end of the 26th fleet and the entire Federation?
Join us and help us defeat the Klingons!
More details can be found here; http://26thfleet.enjin.com/events#op=detail/preset_id=9239604/event_id=549189/timestamp=1377475200
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6Rw1tFqkkPQ#t=207
(Associated Federation Press - AFP) Stardate 91021 - Starbase 381
Vice Admiral Jennifer Hunter stunned 26th Fleet officers during an awards ceremony by announcing her resignation and subsequent surrender to Starfleet Security, after quoting unspecified but illegal operations she was a party to. Details were not immediately forthcoming from Starfleet as to the events that lead to this surprising decision, and Hunter herself is sequestered away pending transport to Starfleet Headquarters.
What is known is that before relenquishing her position, she conferred a field promotion to Captain Corris Sprint, the commander of Praetorian station, placing him in command in her stead. The decision is sure to attract the notice of the Federation's friends and foes alike. Starbase 381 holds the front lines against Klingon agression along the Neutral Zone and the contested Sea of Sorrows region. It is known that the Klingon High Council has followed the command of Jennifer Hunter and some of her more battle hardened officers for some time. Representatives from the Romulan Republic, including the leader of a Federation/Republic Joint Task Force were also on hand, and by all accounts were just as shocked at the sudden announcement.
More news as it happens on this breaking story.
*****
Praetorian Season 3: The Corridor Episode one Discovery:
Alert: Intelligence reports KDF forces massing on the edge of our sensor probes. The 26th is ordered to get a solid count on their numbers.
Praetorian Season 3: Episode 2 Subspace inhibitor
The Subspace Inhibitor; an awesome piece of technology that prevents subspace fields from being formed around a ship attempting to go to warp or simply pops the field around ships already at warp. A huge tactical advantage or at least it would have been if it had been finished. In the 23rd century the project was abandoned when it seemed to be a technological dead end. Can the 26th find the long forgotten base this technological doorstop was dumped in and do they have the the technical and scientific skill set o get it working?
Praetorian Season 3: The Corridor Episode 3: The Forge of the Gods"
A vital gas is needed for the fleets plans, the only spot near Praetorian station is a Star Forge. A birthplace of stars. Beautiful thick gases of Azure and yellow. The ships of the 26th travel thru the wondrous area filling their ram scoops full of the precious gas. But something is alive inside the gases. Is it friend or foe?
Praetorian Season 3: Ibor 3
This morning Federation citizens awoke to further horror on the war front. It is official, Klingon forces have finally landed on Federation soil. The Eta Erindi sector has been a hot bed of Piracy, Slavery and of course, the decade long war with the Klingon Empire.
As of this writing, the Capital of Ibor Three, New Denmark, has fallen to a deployed Garrison of Klingon Shock Troops. Reports on the ground indicate that civilian casualties have been as high as five hundred thousand, following the surrender and execution of what appears to be a majority of the local defense forces. Iborian colonists have made numerous attempts to flee the planet, all have thus far ended in death and destruction.
High in orbit, a squadron of Klingon warships have shot down no less than nine civilian ships attempting to flee the surface. Starports worldwide are jammed with frightened citizens attempting to flee the planet.
The chips were down, and the odds were long; but the suffering of innocents can not go long ignored. Admiral Sprint's plan defied orders. Ibor 3 was evacuated of a majority of the civilian population before finally being overrun by the avalanche of Klingon military forces.
Praetorian Season 3: Skyfall
In an Effort to channel the Klingons away from the inner Colonies and thru a narrow passage of space known as Skyfall. Admiral Sprint orders the fleet to mine the local area with the new subspace inhibitors. Skyfall Nebula is filled with high energy solid rocks that can pierce thru a shield and hull in moments. It is a high risk high reward mission that could save the 26th and even the battlefield but for every Klingon ship the nebula takes out it could take out just that many Federation Starships.
Praetorian Episode 5: Resupply and Goodbye:
The Federation is pushed on all fronts. But it would never let the 26th Fleet out there to sacrifice without giving it every advantage it could. So much extra power is pumped into the prime Transwarp gate at Sol and Travel between Earth and Praetorian take very little time. The 26th Fleet travels to Sol one final time to resupply their ships, and see family.
Season finale: Its the end of the world as we know it..
Friends and loved ones have been made and sacrificed over the last year as the 26th Fleet fought to help build the Romulan Republic. Now, as the Klingon War comes to a final bloody conclusion, it's all on the line with no Republic in sight. With over 500 Klingon Ships of the line, can Starbase 381 possibly prevail? Find out in the Season Finale of Star Trek: Praetorian!
Welcome to the Outback. G'day mate.
http://ussstarfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/outback-1024x690.jpg
The station and fleet barely survived their trip thru the wormhole. Where are they?
OOCly: The 26th fleet is now in the play zone of the STO podcast http://ussstarfinder.com/ What we do ingame will show up in the podcast from time to time and visa versa. We will effect the playing field as we explore.
http://i.imgur.com/HjtrsgD.jpg
It will be at least a week ICly before we figure out where we are but here is your info dump so you can start plotting your stories.
The Outback:--
The outback is a dwarf galaxy, most dwarf galaxies are seen but have never been explorred because by the time we see them, they break apart and are assimilated into larger galaxies by the tidal gravimetric forces.
Dark matter in heavy amounts, hold a dwarf galaxy together. They orbit our galaxy below it';s core disc. The outback is a unique phenomena because not only has it remained stable, but it's orbit has been"anchored" to line up to a wormhole acting as a doorway, to the Alpha quadrant via New Australia space.
Scans never revealed the threshold to contain a dwarf galaxy, because somehow the anomalies hiding and preventing it from being explored, were so powerful that the gravimetric forces distorted any sensor scans inward and reflected it back inconclusive.
Starfleet does not believe this "gateway" to the Outback is natural. It is believed the Iconians could have created it as a "backdoor" to and from a captured dwarf galaxy they may have used as an incredible base of operations.
http://hydra-images.cursecdn.com/sto.gamepedia.com/thumb/f/fa/Iconian_Concept.png/180px-Iconian_Concept.png
Also, since it is heavily rich with dark matter and dark energy, this could be in theory a source of energy they mined for weapons and other advanced technology.
Since Starfinder began it's mission, Starfleet has become aware of a few things so far.
1.) The War Monks are am ancient race on par with the Iconians technology and were at war with them thousands of years ago. There is no evidence they still exist, worlds encountered have some natives who worship them as gods, and ancient defenses left behind have triggered attacks on Starfinder.
http://i.imgur.com/0i3VnhS.jpg
2.) The Wrathen are a Tholian offshoot race apparently subject to capture and experimentation by the Iconians. Highly aggressive and possessing advanced dark matter weapons and a very complex defensive "cloud" of dark energy that seems to re direct incoming attacks as if a portable rift that the weapons fire into and not actually a shield system that can be weakened or damaged directly.
Starfinder managed to take one of their ships out by deploying anti matter mines around them and detonating them quickly, the explosive area of effect damage disabled the wrathen ship, but they self destructed.
3.) There are many race who seem to have reverse engineered Iconian and war monk technology to a degree over millennia, and have made use of it to defend themselves or prosper.
http://i.imgur.com/iuZQqka.jpg
The key thing discovered is the valuable commodity in the Outback is Dark Matter.
There has never been a more abundant and rich amount accessible in history until now. The locals take it for granted, it allows almost fuel and energy sources in abundance, but the technology to refine and capture it is limited to the races who managed to figure out how to reverse engineer the right equipment and make it useful.
Ferengi have begun to come to the outback in hopes to trade for Dark matter and dark matter technology.
The outback has itis believed not even half the amount of stars as the milky way, therefore the amount of life inhabiting systems will be expectedly much smaller.
http://i.imgur.com/FDl7iNu.jpg
But there is evidence growing that races adapted to this limit of stars and found artificial dyson sphere type technology to compensate.
Breaking news from the Eta Eridani Sector:
Reports coming in from the former site of Starbase 381 indicate that the defenders of the 26th Fleet and their starbase were completely wiped out by the Klingon Armada which had been baring down on them for the past few weeks. FNS has lost all contact with embedded reporters inside the 26th Fleet and Starfleet has not been able to make contact with any friendly personnel. Klingon presence in the area is still extremely heavy so search and rescue teams have not been able to locate any survivors, or the wreckage of the starbase, though some of it's structures have been located, possibly displaced during the battle.
Admiral Jonas Quinn, the Commander of Starfleet held a briefing this morning in which he announced that Starfleet had listed the entire fleet as Missing In Action, and that he remains positive that survivors are still out there. In addition, several other fleets are also being mobilized to track down what remains of the Klingon fleet in the area and search for survivors. A memorial is scheduled to be held this evening on the colony of Ibor III which has been retaken by Starfleet after the disappearance of much of the Klingon forces in the area along with the 26th Fleet.
It is uncertain exactly what has transpired here, but Starfleet certainly seems to be actively searching for their mission comrades. The Klingon Empire has not released a statement claiming victory over the 26th Fleet, leading some to question the apparent disappearance of both sides from the local area.
Previously on Star Trek: Preatorian...
The Klingon Defense Force has put all its eggs in one basket for one massive final push into Federation space in an effort to tie up this war between them. Hundreds of ships barrelling down on the one station between the Sea of Sorrows and a clear path into the Heart of Federation space. Starbase Preatorian and the Entirety of the 26th Fleet work for several weeks to hinder, slow and hurt the Massive armada coming to take them out.
Eventually the massive juggernaut of ships makes it to the Station itself and the battle began. The entire fleet and station were almost wiped out before a last chance gambit was taken and the Iconian gate that had been sitting in the heart of the Station's Lab was activated. A hole in space was opened and the entire station and surviving Federation vessels were pulled in. The Klingon Vessels were also pulled in however they did not survive the trip as easily as the 26th.
On the other side of the tear in space the Station found itself being bombarded with debris of the destroyed klingon vessels and no clue where in the Milky way or if they were even still in the galaxy. After a week of intensive repairs and looking out to the black of space to find home they finally got in contact with Starfleet Command. The station and the fleet found themselves in a dwarf galaxy just below the main galaxy disk known as the The Outback.
http://ussstarfinder.com/
What is the Outback?
The outback is a dwarf galaxy, most dwarf galaxies are seen but have never been explorred because by the time we see them, they break apart and are assimilated into larger galaxies by the tidal gravimetric forces. The Dwarf galaxy is contained in a bubble of the galatic barrier that created Gary Mitchell. Scans never revealed the threshold to contain a dwarf galaxy, because somehow the anomalies hiding and preventing it from being explored, were so powerful that the gravimetric forces distorted any sensor scans inward and reflected it back inconclusive. Starfleet does not believe this "gateway" to the Outback is natural. It is believed the Iconians could have created it as a "backdoor" to and from a captured dwarf galaxy they may have used as an incredible base of operations. Dark matter in heavy amounts, hold a dwarf galaxy together. They orbit our galaxy below it';s core disc. The outback is a unique phenomena because not only has it remained stable, but it's orbit has been"anchored" to line up to a wormhole acting as a doorway, to the Alpha quadrant via New Australia space. The key thing discovered is the valuable commodity in the Outback is Dark Matter. There has never been a more abundant and rich amount accessible in history until now. The locals take it for granted, it allows almost fuel and energy sources in abundance, but the technology to refine and capture it is limited to the races who managed to figure out how to reverse engineer the right equipment and make it useful. Ferengi have begun to come to the outback in hopes to trade for Dark matter and dark matter technology.
The outback has itis believed not even half the amount of stars as the milky way, therefore the amount of life inhabiting systems will be expectedly much smaller.
Some of the Strange Aliens of the Outback
The Wrathen are a Tholian offshoot race apparently subject to capture and experimentation by the Iconians. Highly aggressive and possessing advanced dark matter weapons and a very complex defensive "cloud" of dark energy that seems to re direct incoming attacks as if a portable rift that the weapons fire into and not actually a shield system that can be weakened or damaged directly.
The War Monks are am ancient race on par with the Iconians technology and were at war with them thousands of years ago. There is no evidence they still exist, worlds encountered have some natives who worship them as gods, and ancient defenses left behind have triggered attacks on 26th Fleet ships.
The Nua are a powerful, but reclusive species residing within this dwarf galaxy. Although possessing great scientific curiousity, they have little desire to expand, and do not control any colonies or star systems beyond their home. However, numerous automated outposts are scattered throughout the region.
The Yeth Collective
The Yeth appear as a race of bipedal humanoids but are in fact parasitic worms. Their hosts are nominally sentient, roughly equal to cro-magnons, but all the technological advancements are due to the highly intelligent parasites. Children are bonded with a worm once they are beyond the toddler stage in their development. Culturally, they are driven by social pressures to be dominant in any social setting, and every pursuit imaginable - from military to science to the arts - is a battleground of fierce proportions.
There are many race who seem to have reverse engineered Iconian and war monk technology to a degree over millennia, and have made use of it to defend themselves or prosper.
The Dyson Sphere...
In the perfect center of the Outback lays the Dyson Sphere. It is unknown at this time what effect the sphere has on the area but the massive amounts of energy the Structure puts out tells us that it is an essential part of the "ecosystem" of the dwarf galaxy. Weather it stops the bubble from popping or keeps the galaxy in a stable orbit has yet to be seen.
How to Explore the Outback.
IC: Starfleet command has commandered one of the huge traffic transwarp gates near Earth and given it over to the Starfleet corps of Engineers and the scientists from Jupiter station. The details are rather technical but the yellow and blue shirts describe lining up the transwarp gate to shoot thru space into a portal near New Australia and then thru most of the Outback space to Starbase Preatorian as "trying to hit a bullet with a smaller bullet whilst wearing a blindfold, riding a horse." However they have assured us at this time that it can be done and is mostly safe.
OOC: Feel free to join the fleet itself! Check us out here at http://26thfleet.enjin.com/home Or hit us up in the channel SB381 for IC and OOC permissions to come visit us in the great old Outback. If you have any questions at all someone will be there to answer it for you. Come get back to some classic star trek. Exploring the great unknown!
http://26thfleet.enjin.com/members
In the midst of the climactic showdown with the Klingon Armada, Starbase 381 "Praetorian" and the 26th fleet were caught in a mysterious anomaly and flung into the unknown reaches of space. Despite suffering extensive damage, the station and its attendant ships made the journey intact. The Klingon fleet did not, and save for a few survivors, now forms a large debris field around the station.
The ships of the fleet have been repaired and are commencing ongoing exploration missions in the immediate region in the search of resources to replenish their depleted stores, as well as that of the starbase. Station crews undertook salvage operations in the debris field, but the wreckage has been impregnated by dark matter. Crucial components were scrapped and quarantined as the infection spread. Science personnel soon had the troublesome particles isolated and the situation is under control, but without the salvage from the debris field, the resource situation remains critical.
However, all has not been without success! A probe finally made it through the anomaly and back to home, mostly in one piece. Starfleet soon began searching, and communications were established - laggy and unreliable, but there. Earth celebrated the news that the 26th live. The first attempts at creating a safe transwarp corridor between Praetorian and Sol were made, but the results leave much to be desired. Praetorian has been placed under quarantine until the dark matter field can be cleared and a more reliable transit corridor established.
At the 26th fleet you are not restricted to one character. You are allowed several alts in the fleet should you wish to have any. How, you ask? Here's how.
http://26thfleet.enjin.com/forum/m/9239612/viewthread/8765711-how-to-apply-for-alt-in-26th-fleet/post/last#last
One last thing - You should try before you buy, and you can with the 26th Fleet! When I was shopping for an RP fleet, I stumbled across this - 26th Fleet's Open Starbase, and had some nice RP interaction before deciding to move forward with my application.
JT
If you want to come and try out an evening of RP with the 26th we are holding a Military Ball on October the 5th. See Here for the event time and date in your timezone.
Ball will firstly consist of a memorial to those in the 26th Fleet who lost their lives over the recent months.
Followed by the formal evening, to christen this new era for the Fleet and to provide social time for the officers and crew.
Senior Officers in the Fleet will give speeches to those attending at points during the evening.
Dress Uniforms or equivalent will be required.
To gain invites to the Embassy for the event please us the SB381 chat channel
Event Start: Saturday, Oct 5, 09:00:00 pm (GMT +1)
Event End: Sunday, Oct 6, 03:00:00(ish) am (GMT +1)
http://sto.perfectworld.com/news/?p=1008471
In July of 2013, Starbase 381 opened to the general public with great results. Yesterday, Cryptic Studios posted a guest blog written by the 26th Fleet's guild leader inviting the entirety of the role play community to network and mingle aboard Praetorian station.
Last night's numbers are an overwhelming success. At last count a hundred role players, both new and seasoned joined together to help build a Star Trek Role Play Community. Introductions were made, alliances formed and guild memberships established between players.
In short, you've spoken and we hear you loud and clear. Last night, I fielded a question from omegaphallic on the STO Forums:"Is there a Klingon equivalent?"
The answer is, not yet. However the 26th Fleet has a KDF sister fleet that is building the core necessary for an open Starbase to function effectively, and we need your help. We're looking for responsible men and women who want to offer a hand up to their fellow role players, men and women who know how to tell a good story and work together as a team to accomplish established goals.
Or, just role players who give a damn and want to make a difference. If that's you, visit the 52nd Legion today and put in an application!
Join the adventure, join the fun, join together.
Go Boldly...
After discussions with the senior staff, we've decided that we're going to reopen the recruitment process that has been so successful for us over the last year and a half.
What does this mean for our current applicants? We'll begin by contacting you via the Application tab on the bottom right of your Enjin home page. All correspondence is to be contained there. Applications will be handled on a first come, first serve basis. You can find the 26th's Fleet Standards in the application drop down menu. The Code of Conduct, Romulan Protocol, etc are all required reading when submitting an application. It also helps to know The Story behind SB381.
Since October 17th the flow of traffic to Starbase 381 has been in some cases, overwhelming. As a guild, we'll be working on some guidelines to help our guests fit in with one another and get the most out of their shared experiences aboard the station. With the lack of a proper community to naturally develop standards and rules for conduct, we'll be publishing some guidelines taken from past Communities that we've all taken part in in other games.
We hope that this will be the foundation for an ever evolving role play community in Star Trek Online. Also, we would like to thank our friends at the Unified Sector Taskforce for helping us with station traffic last night.
Please check back frequently as we make amendments and refinements to this project.
Submit an application now, and join the fun!