Star Trek: The New Order

[Starboard Watch]

THE STATE OF EMPIRE, 2387

STAR TREK: THE NEW ORDER

DISCORD

Peace reigns in the Quadrant. A triumphant Federation has destroyed the mortal enemy of Freedom, the Dominion, and sent it back across the wormhole from where it came, and now stands as the predominant power in the region. Their century-long enemy, the hardfought foe of Cardassia, has been brought to heel and, with an allied - cynics might say puppet - government, they are no longer a thorn on the side of Starfleet. Relations with the Klingon Empire, disregarding the usual border disputes and brazen acts of individual privateers, have never been higher. Even the Romulan Empire, shrouded behind the veil of the Neutral Zone, has been making overtures of peace and reconciliation. Optimistic scholars say that reunification with Vulcan is possible within a generation. And all of this is to the direct benefit of the Federation, which in the wake of the Dominion War has swelled to a size never seen before. In other words, the Federation stands unchallenged in its corner of the Galaxy. It seems that the Eternal Peace, which billions of men and women gave their lives for in dozens of star systems and fleet actions, was a dream that was worth fighting for. It is now not only a dream, but a reality made possible by their sacrifice. Post-War prosperity rings in good times throughout the Federation, as Starfleet returns to its normal mission of exploration after being on war footing for almost ten years. It seems that life, after such chaos and destruction, is finally returning to normal.

But it is soon all about to change.

Disjointed and oft contradictory reports begin flooding the listening posts along the Neutral Zone, the officers manning the post not used to such activity from the usually secretive and paranoid Empire. Not much is able to be made out of the chaotic transmissions, except visions of an Apocalypse drawing near. As more reports fly in, the picture comes into focus. The worst fears of Starfleet are confirmed when a Romulan Warbird decloaks on the Federation side of the Neutral Zone, asking for asylum for their crew:

Romulus has been destroyed, and the Romulan Empire is disintegrating by the minute.

The various client states and slave races once kept in check by the military might of the Emperor are unleashed upon the dying Empire. The Remans, not having tasted independence since Man discovered fire on Earth, raise up the standards of their ancient Kingdom. But there are many claimants to the Obsidian Throne, each with their own men to draw upon. The Nausicaans, the Vronnuks, the Troknai, and the thousand other slave races once subject to oppressive Romulan rule too raise their banners in rebellion, but only time will tell if their struggle for independence will succeed.

The Romulan Government, having been decapitated by the loss of Romulus, scrambles to find itself in the swirling mess of the Empire. A Provisional Council, set up along Federation ideals of representative democracy - or at least a Romulan conception of it - is formed and quickly finds itself in contact with the Federation, seeking aid in the coming civil strife. Elsewhere, warlords with their squadrons roam the Empire, a headless army without a leader or a mission. They tear through star systems, looking for purpose but finding only loot and bloodshed. Rumors roll throughout the remnants of the Romulan Star Navy that, somewhere deep in Imperial space, the Empire continues on with a relative of the last Emperor on the throne, and is preparing itself for the restoration of the Empire.

It is clear to all the powers in the region that the vacuum caused by the destabilization of the Empire can only mean one thing. War is coming. The Klingons mobilize their military forces and begin sending punitive expeditions into the fractured and weakened Imperium, exacting revenge for crimes done onto their people. Squadrons of birds-of-prey and cruisers fly from their bases, bloodlust in their eyes as they descend upon the defenseless Romulan colonies.

Frantically, the 12th Fleet - normally kept in reserve for anti-piracy operations, is deployed to the Neutral Zone to deal with the incoming refugee crisis and, ostensibly, to keep the peace. One of these ships, practically rushed out of the drydock, is the USS Vigilance, an aged Ambassador-class starship in drydock for extended repairs. The crew is picked from those on temporary duty assignment and those awaiting transfer orders and, with a brief shakedown cruise to the Neutral Zone the only thing to prepare them, are sent out to enforce the Federation's ideals of Freedom, Democracy, and Liberty.

Or, at least, that is what they believe. For the dawn of a New Galactic Order is peaking over the Milky Way Horizon, and it can be stopped by no man.

Setting the Stage

This story begins roughly a few weeks after the destruction of Romulus, as depicted in the first reboot Star Trek movie. The Federation is the dominant power, by a significant margin, in the wake of its dual victory over the Dominion and Cardassia. Much has changed in the culture of Starfleet and the Federation due to the wars of chaotic war and strife, but things are beginning to look bright until this terrible tragedy occurs that, for better and for worse, totally reorients the balance of power in this troubled region of space.

This story will follow the Command Staff - the Ship's Company - of the USS Vigilance, which I will detail its service record in its own "character sheet" below. She is an older class ship, rushed out of the drydocks to take part in this operation. This will be the first time these characters will have served together, and it will be the first time they are ever aboard this vessel. The Vigilance is being deployed on a peacekeeping mission in Romulan space closest to the Federation and Klingon border zones. Most of this region of space is uncharted by the Federation and thus this story will feature both the exploration part of Star Trek, and greater political overtones as well.

I am changing a lot of things in this story in regards to Starfleet's structure as a military organization. For the sake of the RP, pretend as though this was always the case, and that Starfleet always had enlisted personnel and such. I suppose it is my biggest gripe and I intend to totally change it up. Under the hider below is the rank structure of Starfleet personnel E-1 through E-9:

Rank Structure

E-1: Crewman Recruit
E-2: Crewman Apprentice
E-3: Crewman¹

E-4: Petty Officer Third Class
E-5: Petty Officer Second Class
E-6: Petty Officer First Class²

E-7: Chief Petty Officer
E-8: Senior Chief Petty Officer
E-9: Master Chief Petty Officer³

A rank insignia chart is displayed here⁴:


1: Until rated, E-1 through E-3 are referred to by their rank, or more simply just "Crewman."
2: Petty Officers are customarily referred to using their rates: "Machinist's Mate, First Class" or "MM1"
3: At E-9, Master Chiefs can take on more administrative roles as a Command Master Chief, Fleet Master Chief, Force Master Chief, and in a special case, Master Chief Petty Officer of Starfleet.
4: Taken from Memory Beta. It was the best I could find. For the sake of our RP, the General Wear (no insignia) will be E-1, and the second "Provisional Crewman" will be E-2 and E-3.

Another thing that I will be altering is the uniforms. We can pretend as though Starfleet, true to its traditions rooted in the United States Navy, is altering its uniforms again for all servicemen. This time it's a total shuffle in regards to learning lessons in the Dominion War. In the hiders below, I will link these uniforms and their intended usage. This is mainly for your own visualization and to ease my discomfort on the idea of Starfleet personnel working pretty much their entire time in service uniforms. I mean, who does maintenance in a service uniform?

Starfleet Uniforms

Starfleet Working Uniform

(note: pretend as if it says "Starfleet" instead of US Coast Guard!)

The Starfleet Working Uniform (SWU) is a two-piece uniform, the blouse being stitched with servicemember's surname (or name of use, if surname is not customary) on the right breast and "Starfleet" stitched on the left. If the servicemember is an officer or senior-enlisted (E-7 through E-9) the lettering is gold, and for lower-enlisted the lettering is white. The trousers are stitched in the same format on the top of the right rear trouser pocket, and the trousers themselves are worn with a rigger's belt - black for lower enlisted and khaki for senior enlisted and officers. The rank insignia of the wearer will be stitched onto the rank tab on the center of the chest. On the right shoulder is a velcrod Federation Flag patch and on the left shoulder is the Starfleet Jack.

The proscribed cover for the SWU is a blue eight-point cover, a solid blue cover with the Great Seal of the Federation directly on the front, worn by both enlisted and officers. Covers will not be worn while on board a Starfleet vessel or orbital/deep space starbase, but will be worn while outdoors. The cover can be altered to the Starfleet Combat Helmet (SCH), Cold Weather Ushanka, or other climate-related proscribed uniform items per CO's discretion. A combadge will be worn on the left breast pocket.

A colored band, running down the side seams of the blouse and trousers, will denote the department of the servicemember wearing the uniform. A communications badge is to be worn on left chest, under the Starfleet tape. An all-weather parka is authorized to be worn with the SWU, as are other climate-related proscribed uniform items. Black non-slick boots will be worn with this uniform, the toes polished and blackened.

The SWU is to be worn while on an active duty status during working hours or while underway, as per command instruction. The SWU is not authorized as a liberty uniform, and it is not permitted to leave a Starfleet installation while wearing the SWU unless given orders to do so.

Starfleet Service Uniform

The Starfleet Service Uniform is a two-piece uniform, worn as a blouse-trouser-and-undershirt set, with the undershirt denoting the servicemember's department. The rank insignia will be displayed on the left side of the undershirt's collar, with the communications badge to be worn on the left chest. The SSU is permitted to be worn without the blouse at CO's discretion.

The proscribed cover for the SSU for lower-enlisted is a black garrison cap, with the wearer's rank insignia on the left side. For chiefs, a black combination cap is to be worn, with the Starfleet insignia on the center of the cover. For officers, the cover is the same as chiefs with the inclusion of "scrambled eggs" on the brim, denoting a junior, senior, or flag officer. The cover may be altered to the Cold Weather Ushanka, or other climate-related proscribed uniform items per CO's discretion. A combadge will be worn on the center of the left breast.

An all-weather parka, trenchcoat, and peacoat are authorized for wear with the SSU, as well as other climate-related proscribed items per situational discretion. The SSU will be worn with black dress shoes, polished and shined.

The SSU is to be worn while on an active duty status during working hours or while underway, per CO's discretion. The SSU is an authorized liberty uniform and personnel are permitted to wear it while in an off-duty status.

Dress Uniform

(Note: Replace "Admiral, Captain, Officer" with: "Officers, Senior Enlisted, Junior Enlisted")

The Dress Uniform is a three-piece uniform worn during special events such as ceremonies, Starfleet Balls, marriages, and while conducting official business in the name of the Federation and Starfleet, and also as a liberty uniform. On the left chest a communications badge is to be worn and on the rest chest the servicemember's medals and ribbons will be displayed. While wearing the Service Dress Uniform, one will only wear the ribbons, and while wearing the Full Dress, one will wear both medals and ribbons. In the event of wearing the Full Dress variant, the wearer will place the ribbons above the combadge on the left side. The wearer's rank insignia will be displayed on the right collar.

The proscribed cover for the Dress Uniform for lower enlisted is a white service cap, known traditionally as a "dixie cup." For chiefs, a black combination cap is to be worn, with the Starfleet insignia on the center of the cover. For officers, the cover is the same as chiefs with the inclusion of "scrambled eggs" on the brim, denoting a junior, senior, or flag officer.

An all-weather parka, trenchcoat, and peacoat are authorized for wear with the SSU, as well as other climate-related proscribed items per situational discretion. The Dress Uniform will be worn with black dress shoes, polished and shined.

Starfleet Combat Uniform

The Starfleet Combat Uniform (SCU) is issued to Security Personnel for planetary missions and for watchstanding while on a starbase or underway aboard a vessel, and to Starfleet Marines as a duty uniform. The SCU is worn with a olive-green eight-point cover, the SCH, a Cold-Weather Ushanka, or another climate-related uniform items as per situation. The SCU will be issued to personnel in standard olive-green, with camouflaged patterns produced and replicated by Sciences Personnel as the need arises. Black or coyote brown boots are authorized for wear with the SCU, depending upon variant worn.

The SCU is to be worn by Starfleet Naval personnel only in a duty status and is not an authorized liberty uniform.

In addition to this, I will be introducing the Starfleet Marine Corps. I will detail their history and such in the Fact Files post below, but for now I will post the ship's compliment of Marines, their uniforms, and weapons

Starfleet Marines

Rank Structure

Enlisted:


Warrant Officers and Officers:

USS Vigilance's Marine Compliment

Starfleet Marine Company (Reinforced)

The Starfleet Marine Battalion consists of a Headquarters and Headquarters Company which contains the Battalion Commander (LTC), his staff, communications, medical, mess and other combat support elements to support the line companies of the Battalion. There are five line companies, lettered A - E in the Battalion. The line company is commanded by a Major and consists of three marine platoons, Light Weight Company Mortar section and a headquarters section. The Platoon has three marine squads, three Medium Phased Array Disruptor crews (MPAD) and three Man Portable Photon Cannon gunners (MANPAC) for a total of 54 personnel assigned.

Often times, a line company is detached from the Battalion, given combat support and combat service support attachments to assist them in their shipboard assignments. This Starfleet Marine detachment consists of a line company, a combat engineer platoon, a fire support team (FIST) and a medical team.

A Company has an Authorized Strength: 219
The unit has the following personnel on hand: 209

Shortages:
9 each Carabiner Marines, PFC
1 each Rifleman, Engineer, PFC

Racial Breakdown:
113 Humans
56 Bajorans
37 Andorians
1 Klingon
1 Romulan
1 Vulcan

Marine Company
HQs Section [8 men]
3x Marine Platoons [54 x 3 = 162]
1x Combat Engineer Platoon, attached [29 men]
Light Weight Company Mortars (LWCM) [10 men]
FIST (Fire Support Team), attached [5 men]
Company Medical Team, attached [5 men]

Total: 219 Authorized
209 On Hand

A Company HQs section
Co. Cdr – Major Kurt Watkins, Human, HP, PC
Co. XO – Captain Tak Poggok, Klingon, PC
Co. 1st Sergeant – 1SG Raymond Cue, Human, PC, HP
Operations Sergeant – Gunnery Sergeant Jerome Washington, Human, PC
Co. Supply Sergeant – SSG Kenneth Randolph, Human, PC
Co. Armorer/Unit Supply Clerk – CPL Aditya Ram, Human, PC
Vehicle Driver –PFC Daisuke Nakamura, Human, PC
Vehicle Driver –PFC Sasha Romanov, Human, PC

1st Marine Platoon
Platoon Commander – 1st Lieutenant (1LT) Ikolaor Th'rhaolrik, Andorian, PC
Assistant Platoon Comander – 2nd Lieutenant (2LT) Apo Otaso, Bajoran, PC
Platoon Sergeant – Staff Sergeant (SSG) Skulvik, Vulcan, PC
Platoon Guide – Sergeant (SGT) Oliver Nilssen, Human, PC Assists as Weapons Squad leader
Sniper – Sergeant Mathias Rendal, Human, phased sniper rifle, HP
Spotter – Corporal Liam Fosen, Human, PC
MANPAC gunner – LCPL Greg Thorndike, Human, HP
MANPAC gunner – LCPL Peter Braun, Human, HP
MANPAC gunner – LCPL Victoria Kendall, Human, HP
MPAD gunner – LCPL William Glenn, Human, HP
Assistant MPAD gunner – PFC Clayton Peters, Human, PC
MPAD gunner – LCPL David Mayes, Human, HP
Assistant MPAD gunner – PFC Reginald Titan, Human, PC
MPAD gunner – LCPL Eteses Th'shraanen, Andorian, HP
Assistant MPAD gunner – PFC Kar Ch'ovaalnon, Andorian, PC

1st Squad - 1st Platoon
Squad Leader – Sergeant Irtu Nandama, Bajoran, Laser Carbine (PC)
A Team Leader – Corporal Kodu Abrem, Bajoran, PC
LPAD gunner – Lance Corporal (LCPL) Nuze Finece, Bajoran, Light Laser Auto Carbine (LPAD)
Grenadier (GL) – LCPL Uvel Glimos, Bajoran, PC /w semi-auto Grenade Launcher (10 rd. magazine).
Carabiner (CA) – Private First Class (PFC) Gerpa Dadawa, Bajoran, PC
B Team Leader – CPL Rejad Gebea, Bajoran, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Eeko Kett, Bajoran, LPAD
GL – LCPL Teefa Odell, Bajoran, PC /w GL
CA – PFC Vale Tan, Bajoran, PC
C Team Leader – CPL Meti Najal, Bajoran, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Nur Dubari, Bajoran, LPAD
GL – LCPL Oki Blorja, Bajoran, PC /w GL
CA – PFC, PC ***EMPTY***

2nd Squad - 1st Platoon
Squad Leader – Sergeant Yamana Kamali, Human, Laser Carbine (PC)
A Team Leader – Corporal Gail Petroski, Human, PC
LPAD gunner – Lance Corporal (LCPL) Kim Newmark, Human, Light Laser Auto Carbine (LPAD)
Grenadier (GL) – LCPL Zhan Bao, Human, PC /w semi-auto Grenade Launcher (10 rd. magazine).
Carabiner (CA) – Private First Class (PFC) Lin Jing, Human, PC
B Team Leader – CPL Victor Perez, Human, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Wali Salahuddin, Human, LPAD
GL – LCPL Zaire Poole, Human, PC /w GL
CA – PFC Alejandra Colon, Human, PC
C Team Leader – CPL Shannon McDonald, Human, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Sergio Fuentes, Human, LPAD
GL – LCPL Chatur Bajpevi, Human, PC /w GL
CA – PFC, PC***EMPTY***

3rd Squad - 1st Platoon
Squad Leader – Sergeant Zopyad Ibe, Bajoran, Laser Carbine (PC)
A Team Leader – Corporal Ravi Patel, Human, PC
LPAD gunner – Lance Corporal (LCPL) Gopal Kapil, Human, Light Laser Auto Carbine (LPAD)
Grenadier (GL) – LCPL Dhani Nayar, Human, PC /w semi-auto Grenade Launcher (10 rd. magazine).
Carabiner (CA) – Private First Class (PFC) Shinu Dheer, Human, PC
B Team Leader – CPL Huang De Ming, Human, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Khor Th'qerat, Andorian, LPAD
GL – LCPL Sahr Sh'telloq, Andorian, PC /w GL
CA – PFC Rocco West, Human, PC
C Team Leader – CPL Rene Porter, Human, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Brylee Phelps, Human, LPAD
GL – LCPL Pablo Valverde, Human, PC /w GL
CA – PFC, PC***EMPTY***

2nd Marine Platoon
Platoon Commander – 1st Lieutenant (1LT) Jeeska Cham, Bajoran, PC
Assistant Platoon Comander – 2nd Lieutenant (2LT) Torsten Hjertsson, Human, PC
Platoon Sergeant – Staff Sergeant (SSG) Ushu Xape, Bajoran, PC
Platoon Guide – Sergeant (SGT) Doded Baral, Bajoran, PC Assists as Weapons Squad leader
Sniper – Sergeant Okob Ch'tokrorh, Andorian, phased sniper rifle, HP
Spotter – Corporal Kehren Th'shytrik, Andorian, PC
MANPAC gunner – LCPL Foged Sart, Bajoran, HP
MANPAC gunner – LCPL Zaki Rokaga, Bajoran, HP
MANPAC gunner – LCPL Lelid Wevoc, Bajoran, HP
MPAD gunner – LCPL Forje Gebrug, Bajoran, HP
Assistant MPAD gunner – PFC Tirni Rhih, Bajoran, PC
MPAD gunner – LCPL Sobu Shirkumo, Bajoran, HP
Assistant MPAD gunner – PFC Iskur Ponay, Bajoran, PC
MPAD gunner – LCPLAnyor Pygheano, Bajoran, HP
Assistant MPAD gunner – PFC Gujok Kiwen, Bajoran, PC

1st Squad - 2nd Platoon
Squad Leader – Sergeant Lacey Webb, Human, Laser Carbine (PC)
A Team Leader – Corporal Emilio Sanchez, Human, PC
LPAD gunner – Lance Corporal (LCPL) Leopoldo Valesquez, Human, Light Laser Auto Carbine (LPAD)
Grenadier (GL) – LCPL Chunder Naidu, Human, PC /w semi-auto Grenade Launcher (10 rd. magazine).
Carabiner (CA) – Private First Class (PFC) Liam Steinbeck, Human, PC
B Team Leader – CPL Per Lindberg, Human, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Rolf Steinmitz, Human, LPAD
GL – LCPL Kyle Mason, Human, PC /w GL
CA – PFC Niklaus Reznik, Human, PC
C Team Leader – CPL Kalina Volny, Human, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Olena Tolstoy, Human, LPAD
GL – LCPL Stanik Jovanovi, Human, PC /w GL
CA – PFC, PC***EMPTY***

2nd Squad - 2nd Platoon
Squad Leader – Sergeant Krinu Chugum, Bajoran, Laser Carbine (PC)
A Team Leader – Corporal Lepyi Fid, Bajoran, PC
LPAD gunner – Lance Corporal (LCPL) Fatyun Gohar, Bajoran, Light Laser Auto Carbine (LPAD)
Grenadier (GL) – LCPL Tuki Iwo, Bajoran, PC /w semi-auto Grenade Launcher (10 rd. magazine).
Carabiner (CA) – Private First Class (PFC) Zuni Foss, Bajoran, PC
B Team Leader – CPL Bilo Horic, Bajoran, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Zupa Sato, Bajoran, LPAD
GL – LCPL Suhu Horic, Bajoran, PC /w GL
CA – PFC Reemyo Welby, Bajoran, PC
C Team Leader – CPL Purde Solgune, Bajoran, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Rapad Vur, Bajoran, LPAD
GL – LCPL Oja Sogoro, Bajoran, PC /w GL
CA – PFC, PC***EMPTY***

3rd Squad - 2nd Platoon
Squad Leader – Sergeant Oshras Ch'iranneq, Andorian, Laser Carbine (PC)
A Team Leader – Corporal Kos Th'orisrot, Andorian, PC
LPAD gunner – Lance Corporal (LCPL) Okob Th'atikross, Andorian, Light Laser Auto Carbine (LPAD)
Grenadier (GL) – LCPL Kehren Th'taroth, Andorian, PC /w semi-auto Grenade Launcher (10 rd. magazine).
Carabiner (CA) – Private First Class (PFC) Sylla Zh'vahless, Andorian, PC
B Team Leader – CPL Vevi Zh'riaqis, Andorian, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Thalle Sh'riress, Andorian, LPAD
GL – LCPL Tyv Ch'iryhril, Andorian, PC /w GL
CA – PFC Kohlel Th'ikesrar, Andorian, PC
C Team Leader – CPL Theress Ch'viarreq, Andorian, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Tyb Ch'shrovor, Andorian, LPAD
GL – LCPL Shob Th'eraolnar, Andorian, PC /w GL
CA – PFC, PC***EMPTY***

3rd Marine Platoon
Platoon Commander – 1st Lieutenant (1LT) Ren Yimu, Human, PC
Assistant Platoon Comander – 2nd Lieutenant (2LT) Matthew Bishop, Human, PC
Platoon Sergeant – Staff Sergeant (SSG) Leon Winthrop, Human, PC
Platoon Guide – Sergeant (SGT) Jiao Qiang, Human, PC Assists as Weapons Squad leader
Sniper – Sergeant Li Zhuan, Human, phased sniper rifle, HP
Spotter – Corporal Sho Nakayama, Human, PC
MANPAC gunner – LCPL Cinya Ebag, Bajoran, HP
MANPAC gunner – LCPL Udo Meeg, Bajoran, HP
MANPAC gunner – LCPL Lela Wartes, Bajoran, HP
MPAD gunner – LCPL Waase Gupta, Human, HP
Assistant MPAD gunner – PFC Mohammed Ali Mansour, Human, PC
MPAD gunner – LCPL Bahir Shahidi, Human, HP
Assistant MPAD gunner – PFC Reuben Hanley, Human, PC
MPAD gunner – LCPL Jalen Greene, Human, HP
Assistant MPAD gunner – PFC Boris Jindrak, Human, PC

1st Squad - 3rd Platoon
Squad Leader – Sergeant Vladimir Malik, Human, Laser Carbine (PC)
A Team Leader – Corporal Jataya Sakar, Human, PC
LPAD gunner – Lance Corporal (LCPL) Ace Chambers, Human, Light Laser Auto Carbine (LPAD)
Grenadier (GL) – LCPL Abdul Ali-Hannan, Human, PC /w semi-auto Grenade Launcher (10 rd. magazine).
Carabiner (CA) – Private First Class (PFC) Amir Habibi, Human, PC
B Team Leader – CPL Zheng Bo, Human, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Obi Yoshiro, Human, LPAD
GL – LCPL Roberto Galinas, Human, PC /w GL
CA – PFC Guillermo Vega, Human, PC
C Team Leader – CPL Noah Young, Human, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Daniel Freiberg, Human, LPAD
GL – LCPL Jacob Salander, Human, PC /w GL
CA – PFC, PC***EMPTY***

2nd Squad - 3rd Platoon
Squad Leader – Sergeant Edgar Lindelöf, Human, Laser Carbine (PC)
A Team Leader – Corporal Henryk Jung, Human, PC
LPAD gunner – Lance Corporal (LCPL) Omi Yos, Bajoran, Light Laser Auto Carbine (LPAD)
Grenadier (GL) – LCPL Brego Trec, Bajoran, PC /w semi-auto Grenade Launcher (10 rd. magazine).
Carabiner (CA) – Private First Class (PFC) Bipo Mewin, Bajoran, PC
B Team Leader – CPL Hoche Pintag, Bajoran, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Atariahl Th'ezolarh, Andorian, LPAD
GL – LCPL Rutag LeBajoranr, Bajoran, PC /w GL
CA – PFC Krishan Patil, Human, PC
C Team Leader – CPL Dragomir Jankovic, Human, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Volmir Jablonski, Human, LPAD
GL – LCPL Minoru Doi, Human, PC /w GL
CA – PFC, PC***EMPTY***

3rd Squad - 3rd Platoon
Squad Leader – Sergeant Shritti Zh'zakren, Andorian, Laser Carbine (PC)
A Team Leader – Corporal Sithihr Ch'zhaarherh, Andorian, PC
LPAD gunner – Lance Corporal (LCPL) Keb Th'qerhel, Andorian, Light Laser Auto Carbine (LPAD)
Grenadier (GL) – LCPL Ton Th'ozarrok, Andorian, PC /w semi-auto Grenade Launcher (10 rd. magazine).
Carabiner (CA) – Private First Class (PFC) Tor Ch'otaonneth, Andorian, PC
B Team Leader – CPL Sashe Zh'shaannin, Andorian, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Ishir Ch'shesrin, Andorian, LPAD
GL – LCPL Kor Ch'athaoqel, Andorian, PC /w GL
CA – PFC Tynor Th'shraallerh, Andorian, PC
C Team Leader – CPL Syre Sh'atothriq, Andorian, PC
LPAD gnr – LCPL Tolla Zh'vhorreq, Andorian, LPAD
GL – LCPL Tevaor Th'shyhren, Andorian, PC /w GL
CA – PFC, PC***EMPTY***

4th Platoon - Combat Engineers - Attached
Platoon Leader - 1st Lieutenant Jordan West, Human, PC
Platoon Sergeant - Gunnery Sergeant Lou Harrison, Human, PC

1st Squad - 4th Platoon Combat Engineers
Squad Leader – Staff Sergeant Leo Donatelli, Human, PC
Support Team Leader – Sergeant Colton Bienvenue, Human, PC
LPAD gunner – LCPL Philip Boisvert, Human, HP
Grenadier – LCPL Oleg Mendelev, Human, PC /w semi-auto Grenade Launcher (10 rd. magazine)
Rifleman - PFC Elsa Dubrovnic, Human, PC
Assault Team Leader - Sergeant Oscar Delarosa, Human, PC
Demolitionist - Corporal Jose Valencia, Human PC
Riflemen - LCPL Naomi Oyebanji, Human, PC
Riflemen - LCPL, PC***EMPTY***

2nd Squad - 4th Platoon Combat Engineers
Squad Leader – Staff Sergeant Niyontsinzi Greene, Human, PC
Support Team Leader – Sergeant Xolani Jata, Human, PC
LPAD gunner – LCPL Malusa Kenda, Human, HP
Grenadier – LCPL Rashid Lindelani, Human, PC /w semi-auto Grenade Launcher (10 rd. magazine)
Rifleman - PFC Bas Th'achikris, Andorian, PC
Assault Team Leader - Sergeant Langalibalele Funaka, Andorian, PC
Demolitionist - Corporal Darweshi Musa, Human, PC
Riflemen - LCPL Amani Dube, Human, PC
Riflemen - LCPL Luvo Azizi, Human, PC

3rd Squad - 4th Platoon Combat Engineers
Squad Leader – Staff Sergeant Privu Ayd, Bajoran PC
Support Team Leader – Sergeant Eedo Garn, Bajoran, PC
LPAD gunner – LCPL Rivuld Meebro, Bajoran, HP
Grenadier – LCPL Pubo Lekaci, Bajoran, PC /w semi-auto Grenade Launcher (10 rd. magazine)
Rifleman - PFC Lodot Krem, Bajoran, PC
Assault Team Leader - Sergeant Wuzi Suno, Bajoran, PC,
Demolitionist - Corporal Prada Nalbog, Bajoran, PC
Riflemen - LCPL Umu Relb, Bajoran, PC
Riflemen - LCPL Shu Lint, Bajoran, PC

LWCMS Mortar Section
Section Leader – Staff Sergeant Seta Hisashi, Human, PC
1st Squad Leader/Gunner – Corporal Kenta Matsushima, Human, PC
Assistant Gunner – Lance Corporal Daisuke Miyasato, Human, PC
Ammo Bearer – PFC Kajiwara Sichiro, Human, PC
2nd Squad Leader/Gunner – Corporal Omori Hotaka, Human, PC
Assistant Gunner – Lance Corporal Kanai Michio, Human, PC
Ammo Bearer – PFC Minori Fujimura, Human, PC
3rd Squad Leader/Gunner – Corporal Kato Fuchida, Human, PC
Assistant Gunner – Lance Corporal Ryo ShiBajoranta, Human, PC
Ammo Bearer – PFC HiRomulanki Nomura, Human, PC

Fire Support Team (FIST) - Attached
Fire Support Officer (FSO) - 1st Lieutenant Jateel N'Plentar, Romulan, PC
Fire Support Chief - Sergeant Jude Bowman, Human, PC
Senior Target Acquisition Specialist - Corporal Kozi Haas, Bajoran, PC
Target Acquisition Specialist - LCPL Athehr Th'thothoth, Andorian, PC
Target Acquisition Specialist - LCPL Arysaahl Ch'atianik, Andorian, PC

Company Medical Team - Attached
Team Leader - HM1 Vijay Mahanta, Human, HP
Senior Corpsman - HM3 Ferndando Duran, Human, HP
Navy Corpsman - Corpsman Jeze Attini, Andorian
Navy Corpsman - Corpsman Boris Rabinow, Human
Navy Corpsman - Corpsman Rahim Nouri, Human

PC = Phaser Carbine
HP = Hand Phaser
LPAD = Light Phased Array Disruptor (similar to a SAW)
MPAD = Medium Phased Array Disruptor (similar to an M60 or M240B).
MANPAC = Man Portable Photon Cannon, anti-vehicle or armor weapon similar to the MAWS or Javelin, but using Photon’s antimatter warhead.

Officers
Maj Kurt Watkins, Human, 32, Company Commander
Capt Tak Poggok, Klingon, 29, Company XO
1LT Ikolaor Th'rhaolrik, Andorian, 27, 1st Platoon Commander
1LT Jeeska Cham, Bajoran, 28, 2nd Platoon Commander
1LT Ren Yimu, Human, 30, 3rd Platoon Commander
1LT Jordan West, Human, 26, 4th Platoon Commander
1LT Jateel, Romulan, 30, Fire Support Officer
2LT Apo Otaso, Bajoran, 22 1st Assistant Platoon Commander
2LT Torsten Hjertsson, Human, 23, 2nd Assistant Platoon Commander
2LT Matthew Bishop, Human, 24, 3rd Assistant Platoon Commander

Senior NCOs
1SG Raymond Cue, Human, 38, 1st Sergeant
PSG Jerome Washington, Human, 33, Operations Sergeant
PSG Skulvik, Vulcan, 32, 1st Platoon
PSG Ushu Xape, Bajoran, 30, 2nd Platoon
PSG Leon Winthrop, Human, 31, 3rd Platoon
PSG Lou Harrison, Human, 34, 4th Platoon
SSG Leo Donatelli, Human, 26, EN 1st Squad Leader
SSG Niyontsinzi Greene, Human, 27, EN 2nd Squad Leader
SSG Privu Ayd, Bajoran, 26, EN 3rd Squad Leader
SSG Seta Hisashi, Human, 27, Light Weight Company Mortar Section Leader
HM2 Vijay Mahanta, Human, 28, Medical Team Chief

USS Vigilance's Marine Compliment Equipment

Weapons:
Phaser Carbine (PC)


Hand Phaser (HP)


Light Phased Array Disruptor (LPAD)
(Squad Machine Gun)

Medium Phased Array Disruptor (MPAD)
(Platoon Machine Gun)

Man Portable Photon Cannon (MANPAC) anti-vehicle or armor weapon similar to the MAWS or Javelin, but using Photon’s antimatter warhead.


Sniper Rifle


Vehicles:

Argo Buggy


TT4 Cargo Truck

Marine Combat Utility Uniform

The Marine Combat Utility Uniform is issued to Starfleet Marines as a duty uniform and as a combat uniform. The MCUU is worn with a green eight-point cover, the SCH, a Cold-Weather Ushanka, or another climate-related uniform items as per situation. The MCUU will be issued to personnel in standard olive-green, with camouflaged patterns produced and replicated by Sciences Personnel as the need arises. Black or coyote brown boots are authorized for wear with the MCUU , depending upon variant worn.

The MCUU is to be worn only while on duty status. Under no circumstances are Marines permitted to wear the MCUU while doing business off base, unless during working hours.

Marine Service Uniform

The Marine Service Uniform is issued to Starfleet Marines for conducting official business when neither the MCUU nor Dress Uniform are applicable to the situation. Consisting of a green jacket, tie, and trousers with a tan collared shirt, the uniform is to be worn with ribbons and pins as applicable to the Marine.

The MSU's proscribed cover for both enlisted and officers is a combination cap with the Lion, Globe, Sword of the Marine Corps. A garrison cap is also permitted to be worn, with the rank insignia on the right-hand side and the LGS of the Marine Corps worn on the left.

The MSU is permitted to be worn while on duty and is also a liberty uniform.

Marine Dress Uniform

ENLISTED:


The enlisted variant of the Marine Dress uniform is worn during special events such as ceremonies, Starfleet and Marine Corps Balls, marriages, and while conducting official business in the name of the Federation and Starfleet, and is also permitted to be worn as a liberty uniform. The dress uniform may only be worn with medals received by the individual, no ribbons permitted. It consists of a black tunic with a white undershirt and black pants, with the rank insignia of the Marine sewn onto the shoulder. The proscribed cover is the Marine Pith Helmet.

OFFICER:


Similar to the enlisted variant, it is worn under the same conditions and likewise is a liberty uniform. It also only to be worn with medals and no ribbons. The difference mainly lies in the uniform itself, resembling a black variant of the MSU, and the cover, which is a combination cap rather than a Pith Helmet.

A final piece of the puzzle is the main character of this story, the ship herself. Below, in the hider, I've taken the liberty of writing up a partial story of our faithful old ship:

The Vigilance

USS VIGILANCE
NCC-56912
"No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation."

Dimensions:
Length:
524.256 meters
Width:
283.006 meters
Height:
101.955 meters
Mass:
3,710,000 metric tons

Specifications:
Decks:
33
Crew:
700
Top Speed:
Warp 9.4
Armaments:
10 type-IX phaser arrays, 2 photon torpedo launchers
Defences:
Ablative Hull
Deflector shields
Auxiliary craft:
Four Shuttlecraft

The USS Vigilance, an Ambassador-class heavy cruiser, was once one of the most powerful ships in Starfleet. Her illustrious career saw her deployed to Sector 562 during the Federation-Cardassian War, where she took part in numerous planetary invasion operations as well a convoy interdiction. For her part during the Fleet Action of Stardate 44538, she earned the Battle Efficiency Award for singlehandedly destroying twenty munitions-laden supply ships headed to the front.

When, in 2370, the Treaty of Yle-Oy was signed, the Vigilance was moved into a reserve capacity. She was assigned to the Orion Belt, patrolling that lawless portion of Federation space, and it is where she remained for ten years. Crews came and went through her hallowed P-Ways, each doing their best to keep the peace in that violent sector. She was, briefly, deployed to Betazed during the Dominion War but did not see much action. The decades-old ship was considered a liability, and kept in a primarily defensive posture, guarding convoys moving through secured space.

It is here, sometime in 2380, that the service record of the ship disappears from Starfleet records. She doesn't appear again until 2385, when she was towed into the Rigellian Fleet Yards with her electronic systems completely fried, her engines wrecked, and in need of critical repair. She sat at the mothball fleet in the yards, awaiting decommissioning, until an order came down in 2386 to begin repairing and retrofitting her. The Vigilance, given new life, was given the order not a second too soon, for just as the repairs were completed, orders came down from Starfleet Command for her to be immediately recrewed and sent to deal with the rapidly unfolding situation in Romulus.

[Starboard Watch]

FACT FILES

More will be posted as I write them.

The United Federation of Planets

>FACT FILE FROM
>THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
>CAPTAINCY HOUSE, LONDON, EUROPEAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001
>FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES

The United Federation of Planets

The Grand Flag of the Federation, designed by George Dayan in 2161.

The United Federation of Planets is a dream thousands of years in the making. The union of hundreds of freedom-loving species, the Federation represents the single largest democratic union in the Galaxy, and in fact the second largest known political entity (second only to the Dominion in the Gamma Quadrant). Spanning approximately 8000 light years, the Federation has thousands of inhabited systems with trillions of citizens living within its borders.

Founded in 2161 with the political union of the Coalition of Planets, comprised of Andoria, Vulcan, Tellar, and Earth, the Federation has lived through and survived war with the Klingon Empire, incursions from the Borg, a decades-long border conflict with the Cardassians, and invasion from the Dominion. Outlasting all that have stood against it, the Federation is the paramount power in the Quadrant. With the largest and most powerful Navy, with millions of starships and approximately nine-hundred billion servicemembers in Starfleet and the Federation Defense Force, it is unrivaled in power projection. Yet, even with its dominant position, the Federation has pursued peace and reconciliation wherever it turns.

The Federation is a centralized parliamentary republic with a President and an elected Parliament, which are both referred to in general as 'The Federation Council'. The President of the Federation functions as the head of state and controls the executive branch but is largely answerable to the Prime Minister of the Federation, who controls the legislative branch.

The Presidency, while holding a great deal of theoretical power, rarely steps out of the boundaries set by Parliament. The President is elected via popular vote across the entirety of the Federation and is in charge of the executive running of the Federation, which includes appointment of ministers to the various ministries (Ministry of Information, Ministry of Defense, Foreign Office, etc), conducting of foreign policy. The office, in practice however, is largely symbolic and most of the appointments are made upon advice of the Prime Minister. The President is elected every four years, and can serve unlimited terms. Traditionally, however, the President usually vacates office after two terms.

Each constituent Member State elects representatives to populate the upper and lower houses of Parliament - the Federation Senate and the House of Commons respectively. The House of Commons is populated with representatives from each Sector, whereas the Senate is populated by two representatives from each Member State. Senators are appointed and serve life terms, whereas Members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons serve rotating two-year terms, and can run until they choose not to. This system ensures that each Member State is represented fairly, as well as the greater population of the Federation. The majority party of the House of Commons forms the government, which then appoints a Prime Minister. The Prime Minister then holds office until his party loses majority, or he is voted off in a vote-of-no-confidence.

The Federation allows its constituent Member States to conduct internal affairs as they see fit, as long as they do not break any Federation laws. In recent years, there has been a greater centralization of authority towards the Federation Council but Member States are permitted to keep their local political traditions and customs. This means that even though the Federation as a whole is a Republic, many of its constituent nations are monarchies. These local customs, however, do not impede upon the right of every Federation citizen to participate in political life.

The military arm of the Federation is both Starfleet and the Federation Defense Force, both organized under the Ministry of Defense. Starfleet, which forms the larger of the two branches, is the primary offensive and exploratory arm of the military. Starfleet and the Federation Council exist with a special relationship, in that while Starfleet nominally reports to the MoD, in practice it is represented by the Chief of Starfleet Operations on the Federation Council. The FDF, however, is solely under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense.

Starfleet possesses in its arsenal millions of starships, thousands of starbases, and billions of personnel in its service, and operates wherever the Federation calls upon it to go, whether that is in defense of freedom, or pushing the boundaries of knowledge across the Galaxy. It is the largest naval force in the known Galaxy and, uniquely, points scientific exploration at the forefront of its mission, contrary to the other great powers which emphasize military prowess over scientific progress. In addition to the more well-known naval force, Starfleet also has in its employ the Starfleet Marine Corps, which is the naval infantry and ground attack arm of the Navy. The SFMC has fought in every major engagement that Starfleet has been a part of, and has grown exponentially in size since the Dominion War.

The Federation Defense Force, on the other hand, is solely for defense of the Federation and its Member States. Organized in the wake of the Dominion War from the disparate national guards of the Member States, the Federation Defense Force is divided further into the Ground Defense Force, the Naval Defense Force, and the Merchant Marine. The Ground Defense Force primarily defends the planetary and satellite assets of Member States and their colonies, the Naval Defense Force patrols the sea lanes of the Federation in defense of pirates, and the Merchant Marine represents the merchant starships at the governmental employ.

In recent years, an awakening of political consciousness has rippled across the Federation, leading to tense crises in not only the outer colonies but in the Core Systems as well. Economic downturn and unemployment in the wake of the destruction of many planets' industries during the Dominion War have left many seeking, and others demanding, answers from the Federation Council. One thing remains certain, however, and that is the Federation's ability to endure throughout any struggle. The hopes and dreams of entire Races have been given fruit in the blossoming flower of the Federation, and that flower will withstand the test of time.

The Romulan Star Empire

>FACT FILE FROM
>THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
>CAPTAINCY HOUSE, LONDON, EUROPEAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001
>FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES

The Romulan Star Empire

The flag of the Romulan Star Empire

The Romulan Star Empire, known in the Romulan tongue as the Nnefi d'Rihanh - the Empire of the Declared, is one of the great powers of the Galaxy and is second only to the United Federation of Planets in territory and military might. According to official Romulan sources - which are heavily propagandized - they possess somewhere in the realm of a million systems and have under their banner over six trillion souls, most of which are client races. The Romulan Empire was founded during the Flight of the Raptors, by Vulcans who fled their home planet in the Age of Surak and forever changed the face of the Galaxy, nearly ten thousand years ago.

The Flight of the Raptors is shrouded in mystery and myth, but it is believed based on recent archeological breakthroughs that the whole process took two generations and led to the demise of the Reman Kingdom, the Vronuuk Empire, and the entire Troknai Race. Others, like the Nausicaans and the Nelwigs, were swept up in the tidal wave of the Raptors who formed their Empire around the temperate world of ch'Rihan, known to the Federation as Romulus. It is now understood that the founding of the Empire was built upon what would today be called a genocide.

The Romulan Empire's history is one of constant war. For centuries the Romulans have fought a continuous border war with the Breen Confederacy, seemingly expanding as far from Vulcan as they could. Incursions towards their former home planet led to the disastrous Earth-Romulan War, fought by the Coalition of Planets against the Romulans, between which no direct contact was ever made. During this War, the Romulans were pushed back to what is now the Neutral Zone and forever contained behind an impenetrable wall of stellar fortresses and starbases erected by the Federation.

For centuries it was believed that the Remans, who comprised most of the foot soldiers of the Romulan military, were the Romulans. This belief was only broken by visual contact made with a Romulan warbird by the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) in 2266, nearly a century after the Earth-Romulan War ended. The Romulans have, since the conclusion of hostilities, hid behind the Neutral Zone in total secrecy from the Federation. Attempts at reconciliation with the Treaty of Algernon ultimately failed to break the cold war conditions between the two great powers. During this time, the Romulans launched many raids into the Klingon Empire and no less than ten times brought the two powers close to open conflict, though it never totally boiled over.

Reconciliation began in the way only Romulans know how, on the battlefield. Side by side with old enemies - the Federation and the Klingon Empire - they waged war against the hostile invading Dominion, and their Breen allies. Seeking to end an ancient feud, the Romulans destroyed the Breen industrial base and made them a puppet state, stealing away many vital territories that had been for centuries considered rightful Romulan territory. While protesting in this open land grab, the Federation and Klingon Empire quietly acknowledged these territorial gains in the Treaty of Bajor, laying the groundwork for what would become known as the Congress of Bajor.

Due to the efforts of Ambassador Spock and other sympathetic Senators, the Romulan Empire has begun a slow but sure process in opening up to the Federation, perhaps even reuniting with Vulcan and joining the Federation. While this may be a generation or more away, this is a dramatic shift from decades ago, when the Romulans only left their borders to raid or wage hostile actions against the Federation. Only time will tell, however, if this detente is successful.

The Romulan Star Empire's true military and industrial power is ultimately unknown but is believed by Starfleet that they possess the second-largest Navy in the Galaxy and have the ability to construct ships on a scale that rivals even the Federation. It is unknown, however, if the Romulans have the capability of waging a sustained total war against either of the powers that comprise the Congress of Bajor. It is this uncertainty that has led to the warming of relations, in hopes of avoiding another Galactic Total War.

Slave Races of the Romulan Empire

The Vronuuks

>FACT FILE FROM
>THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
>CAPTAINCY HOUSE, LONDON, EUROPEAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001
>FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES

The Vronuuks

Image of Sir Vomogr Trokaa, leader of the Society of Freedom which advocates for Vronnuk independence. Image taken by Ministry of Information staff on Stardate 47413.

The Vronuuk Race (plural forms are the Vronuuks and Vronuukai) was once one of the dominant forces in the Galaxy. When the ancestors of the humans were first climbing down from their trees, the Vronuukai had established a hegemony across what is today the Alpha Quadrant. Their Empire once extended across what is now Federation, Romulan, and Cardassian space, with archeological ruins found on many worlds across the Galaxy. Frequently in competition with the Remans and the Troknai, there is ample sites which detail these empires' bloody encounters with each other.

Their internal strife was cut short and curtailed by the arrival of the Raptors, the Vulcans who rejected the teachings of Surak and began the ethnogenesis of the Romulan people. According to Romulan and Vronuuk sources, as well as being supported by the archeological record, the conquest of the Vronuukai was a brief and bloody affair. The Romulans destroyed city after city across the decaying Empire, weak from a millennia of constant war. It is believed that most of the Vronuukai Race, which at the time numbered at least in the trillions, was slaughtered in what would today be called a genocide.

The surviving Vronuukai either fled into deep space, or were turned into practical serfs by their Romulan conquerors. For centuries, and with no end in sight, the Vronuukai remain a slave race in the Empire. Their status renders them as non-citizens, and thus not subject to legal protection equivalent to that of a Romulan. Frequently, Vronuukai are pressed into hard labor construction projects and, in times of war, into massive conscript armies to throw at enemy defenses. The Vronuukai have a limited form of self-government, with whole systems allotted as "reservations" for their Race, but in practice they are governed directly by a Romulan Governor and any independence movement heavily suppressed.

The Vronuukai who fled into deep space have been discovered by Starfleet expeditions, most notably in the 2290s when the species was first discovered by Federation scientists. The USS Java (NCC-1794), a Constitution-class heavy cruiser, came across one of their disparate colonies in what is now Sector 742. During the initial contact ceremony and survey, the locals protested at the presence of the Vulcan Chief of Security, and demanded that he be removed from the ceremonies.

There are approximately one million Vronuukai living in Federation space, with an additional but hypothesized three billion in Romulan space. It is a far cry from their once prosperous Empire, and while it is believed that there may be some isolated pockets of the species deeper in the largely unexplored Beta Quadrant, most of the species appears to be in stasis, locked out of development by brutal subjugation and enslavement. The million Vronuukai in the Federation agitate for some form of campaign to liberate their brethren in the Empire, but stellar geopolitics overrides these fringe advocates of war.

Physiologically, the Vronuukai are a reptilian humanoid species. Males are the larger in the species, standing at an average of 200cm as compared to a female's 180cm and weighing at 113kg as compared to 90kg in females. They live to an average age of 245, making them one of the longest-lived species in the galaxy, with some individuals living upwards of 400 years. The Vronuukai are a hardy people, well suited to physical labor and hard toil by their sturdy builds.

Their culture has witnessed a dramatic downturn since their Conquest, becoming almost frozen in time at the moment of their Race's destruction. It is unknown on what developments the Vronuukai still in Romulan space have taken, since defectors very rarely make it past the Neutral Zone, but in the Federation their customs and traditions are eerily similar to those practiced by their ancestors a millennia ago. This, perhaps, is due to the belief in eventual return to power by the Vronuukai, who see their golden age as coming around once more, when the Romulan Empire is destroyed.

The Remans

>FACT FILE FROM
>THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
>CAPTAINCY HOUSE, LONDON, EUROPEAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001
>FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES

The Remans

Computer-generated image of a Reman male and female, made by the Ministry of Information on Stardate 56413

The Reman Race (plural Remans), referred to in the Romulan language as the Havrannssu, is by far the most prominent of what is commonly referred to as the Slave Races of the Romulan Empire. The Reman Kingdom once held sway across what is now the Romulan and Breen Empires, but centuries of war with the Vronuukai and Troknai left them weakened militarily and susceptible to encroachment by the future powers. It is believed that the first of the cataclysmic events that led to the demise of the Kingdom was the invasion of the Breen, which saw many of the most profitable and industrious systems robbed from them.

The final nail in the coffin, however, was the Flight of the Raptors, which spelled doom for all of the former great powers of the Quadrant. The Remans fought a brutal path all the way back to their homeworld, which is known in the Rihannsu tongue as ch'Havran. Their race was ultimately defeated but the Romulans, who decided to make their capital on the sister world which has come to be known in the Federation as Romulus but to the Romulans as ch'Rihan, were impressed in this Race's will to fight. Unlike the other two prominent empires, they were not subjected to a campaign of extermination but rather were accorded special status among the client species in the Empire and have held this position since.

Today, Remans occupy many positions across the Romulan military and government, and are afforded home rule across many of their systems. While still closely controlled by the Romulan military, they are allowed some breathing room that all of the other slave races are not allowed. The Remans comprise most of the combat personnel in the Romulan Ground Forces and can be seen in the lower-enlisted ranks aboard their starships in the Star Navy. They are permitted to rise through the enlisted ranks, but face increasing discrimination the higher they get. There are, however, no known Reman officers in the Romulan military.

The Remans have a highly militarized culture, which is fostered by the Romulan government for the purposes of raising a Race totally dedicated to the craft of war. Little is known about the specifics of their culture, or whether there are any more peaceful subcultures, but whenever there is a display of military power on Romulus, there are sure to be battalions of finely-drilled Reman soldiers marching along the parade route.

First contact with the Reman Race was first established during the Earth-Romulan War. It was initially believed that the Remans were, in fact, the Romulans until visual contact was established between a Romulan warbird and the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) in 2266. The Remans were witnessed in the ground combat phases of the War, fighting with tenacity against the Coalition of Planets forces repelling their invasion. There has, however, been no official first contact with their species, given their status as a slave race within the Empire.

Physiologically, Reman males are the stronger and larger of the two genders. Exact figures are unknown, but males stand at least a head above the average Human male and are significantly more stockier than Human males. Females are believed to be physiologically equivalent to a Human male in both height and weight. They have a short average life-span, perhaps given to the extreme duties accorded to their Race by the Empire.

Very few Reman defectors have come to the Federation, but the ones that have find it extremely hard to adapt to the Federation way of life and culture and quickly disappear into open space. One of the most prominent was Uhlan Lorad, who fled his post on the Neutral Zone after killing his Romulan superior officer. Initially granted asylum, Lorad was found guilty of a series of assaults on Starfleet officers and deported back to the Romulan Empire. His ultimate fate is unknown.

It is not known whether there are any agitating forces seeking to reestablish the Reman Kingdom inside the Romulan Empire, but the secretive nature of the Empire makes any sort of study on this impossible. Ultimately little is known of the Remans except for what the Romulans have allowed the Federation to known.

The Troknai

>FACT FILE FROM
>THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
>CAPTAINCY HOUSE, LONDON, EUROPEAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001
>FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES

The Troknai

Computer-generated image of a Troknai couple, made by the Ministry of Information on Stardate 56413

The Troknai (both the singular and plural of this species) are a little-understood client race that exists only within the Romulan Empire. Once one of the greatest and ancient powers in the Alpha Quadrant, they were severely weakened by centuries of war with the Vronuukai and Remans which left all three powers decayed and weakened. Troknai ruins of archeological importance have been found deep in Federation space, indicating a large presence across the Quadrant, but it likewise shows their hasty demise in the face of wicked warfare between the former great powers of the region.

When the Raptors, the Vulcans who were expelled from their planet in the Age of Surak, came across the Troknai, they found a dying and sickened beast. The Raptors descended upon the Troknai and, very quickly, destroyed their political union forever. Romulan records show that the Troknai put up an obstinate but ultimately vain fight against the superior forces of the Raptors. It is now understood that the conquest of the Troknai could be considered a genocide, with perhaps trillions of Troknai being slaughtered in their cities via Raptor orbital bombardment.

The survivors were rapidly turned into one of the many slave races of the Empire, confined to military-governed systems in the Core Regions of the Romulan Empire. As punishment for defiance, their race was forced into agriculture. Removed from their starships and their intestellar empire, their space-fairing race was forever grounded and enslaved to Agri-Worlds, farming to feed the trillions of Romulans who inhabit the Empire.

Due to their brutal enslavement by the Romulan military, the species' culture and in fact their physiology is little known to the Federation. Only scant references by Romulan sources and what can be extrapolated from archeological ruins in the Federation shed light on this race. There have, however, been a handful of sightings by Federation citizens of this mysterious race, most notably by Marines in 3/1st Marines, who witnessed a whole battalion of Troknai conscripts sent into Jem'Hadar artillery fire to distract the guns from the main Romulan offensive.

From what little can be known, the Troknai are a hardy race with males being the larger and stronger of the sexes. Their skin is a shade of blue, with females being a lighter hue. Their most notable feature is long appendages which protrude from their heads like tails. Males have a more prominent head-tail, with females having smaller but freer-flowing ones. Ancient depictions show Troknai warriors parading through cities, perhaps denoting a militarized culture in their species' antiquity.

Most of what is known about the Troknai is conjecture, based upon archeology and from what little can be known from Romulan sources provided to the Federation. Only an opening of the Romulan Empire can shed light upon this race, which once held so much power over our region of space.

Federation Unity Party

>CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT FROM
>BUREAU OF STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH,
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR BURSTARINT EYES ONLY

The Federation Unity Party

Standard of the Federation Unity Party, designed by Party Chairman Istvan Cordalis

The Federation Unity Party represents a paradigm shift in Federation politics. Founded in 2377 by Dominion War veteran Istvan Cordalis, the Party has aggressively taken control of electorates across the Federation, specifically in the outer frontier districts, and have even made encroaching gains in local elections in the Core Systems. Their sudden jump into power shows that the current political system is ill-equipped to deal with the growing discontent across the Federation.

The Unity Party's origins lie in veterans' meetings organized by Istvan Cordalis, a Marine who fought with 1/1st Marines in the Dominion War and was wounded in Cardassia. He and many of his comrades, who were settled on the United Earth colony of Rosavara, organized a union to defend their rights as settlers in accordance with the Veterans' Welfare Act of 2376. In response to perceived violations of the law by the planetary authorities, Cordalis ran and won resoundingly for the office of Planetary Commissioner, defeating the incumbent Conservative Party commissioner in a landslide.

After taking office, Cordalis organized a series of public works initiatives to ease the growing unemployment on the colony - a symptom of the hard times that are falling on the Federation. In a rare success story of the outer colonies, Rosavara saw its unemployment rate fall by 15% and its industries - primarily mining and farming - skyrocket. Other veterans' organizations on New Brittany, Gerulata, Scarbantia, and other United Earth outer colonies aligned and joined the nascent Unity Party and found the same electoral success. The Party grew from one mostly interested with veterans to that of the greater, and oft-forgotten, Federation public.

When his term for Planetary Commissioner ended in 2380, Cordalis passed off the reigns to another Unity Party member as he ran for the Sector Seat in the Federation Parliament, which he won quickly and defeated the sitting Conservative MP just as totally as he did the Planetary Commissioner. Cordalis took his seat in the Federation Parliament just in time for the Constitutional Crisis of 2381, erupting over the Veterans' Welfare Act which propelled the Unity Party to power, to erupt. Cordalis took this opportunity to rally the backbenchers and crossbenchers to the Party, and to soundly decry what he referred to as "the Old Guard" who so opposed the people of the Federation.

With this electoral victory, and others to follow in the snap election of 2381, he paved the way for other Unity Party candidates to run and win their elections. The Federation Parliament now has at least 45 Unity Party MPs, and perhaps just as many sympathizers and prospective crossbenchers. Their party, while far from being able to claim majority, is now an electoral force to be reckoned with, a bloc that must be appeased in order to get a vote through. It is believed that in the 2388 election, there will be double the amount of Unity Party MPs in Parliament, enough to form a coalition government with the National Action Party.

The Federation Unity Party's ideology could best be described as nationalistic. Putting the Federation and its people above all else, the left-wing of the conventional parties decry them as reactionaries and harken back to a time in Earth's history of dictators and populists, and the right-wing denounce them as violent revolutionaries leading the Federation down a path of ruin. But to most people in the Federation, they are a breath of fresh air into an otherwise fracturing political landscape, ill-equipped to deal with the darkening future. They are radically pro-Starfleet, with many Party members and even more sympathizers in its ranks. One dramatic thing that sets them apart from the other parties is the belief in strengthening the office of the President in order to override Parliament in times of political deadlock, which would've been unheard of twenty years ago, this belief has taken the Federation by storm in light of the Constitutional Crisis of 2381 and the downfall of the Liberal Progressive Party.

The Party has a paramilitary wing, referred to as the 'National Guard' taking its name from the old planetary militias, which threatens peace and order across the outer colonies. In many colonies, the National Guard has totally usurped the local FDF garrisons as the local soldiers are all convinced party members. This paramilitary wing, while occasionally defending the colonies against pirates and raiders, has a primary purpose of ensuring local Party control. In the Core Systems, the National Guard is rumored to be behind numerous attacks on Conservative Party and Workers' Party offices and have reportedly instigated the riot on Betazed over food shortages.

The Party is rumored to have upwards of a billion followers across the Federation and that number is growing exponentially with each political scandal from the old and decaying parties. The Federation Unity Party dramatically threatens the very fabric of the Federation, and while their political power seems to be growing by the day, Starfleet Intelligence must do everything in its power to prevent them from gaining a majority government.

PROFILE COMPILED BY CAPT. C.J. BELT, STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE ON STARDATE 64254.

The Congress of Bajor

>EXCERPT FROM
>"THE STELLAR CRUSADE: THE DOMINION WAR 2373-2375"
>BY FREDRIK PRINTZ
>PUBLISHED BY THE FEDERATION NAVAL INSTITUTE, 2382

CHAPTER XXIII - THE CONGRESS OF BAJOR

In the wake of the Dominion's unconditional surrender and the Treaty of Bajor that followed, the foreign ministers of the Allied Powers came together on Deep Space Nine in meetings that would be known as the Congress of Bajor, establishing the current balance of power that is referred to the same name by other writers and even in the Federation Council itself. [...] The constituent powers - The Federation, the Romulan Star Empire, and the Klingon Empire - would over the course of the month-and-a-fortnight long congress formulate a system to ensure that war between the three victorious powers would not erupt over the ashes of the Quadrant.

Foreign Minister Marilena van der Ryk, who represented the Federation at the Congress, prided herself upon the Federation's commitment to Freedom and Democracy, in the following excerpt from an official communique sent to Parliament after the conclusion of the meetings: "We have, through hard struggle and toil, ensured a Dignified Peace that will withstand our children's children." The term Dignified Peace has come to be synonymous with the Congress of Bajor, although not all of the Quadrant would agree to this assertion. As far as the Federation was concerned, however, it supported its dominant position in the Galaxy.

[...]

While the exact circumstances of the Congress, and the actual minutes of the meetings, have not been declassified and released to the general public, aides and witnesses to the meetings have shed crucial light on the details hammered out over the Cardassian-built tables of the former station of Terok Nor. The atmosphere in those conference rooms, according to Federation diplomatic aides, was tense at numerous times, especially over the Romulan conquest of the Breen Military Frontier and the Klingon occupation of many of Cardassia's colonies. Disagreements over the status of the defeated Alpha Quadrant powers - the Cardassian Union and the Breen Confederacy - many times threatened to end the Congress prematurely.

In particular, the Romulan delegation refused to even consider evacuating the conquered Breen sectors. Once constituent systems of the ancient Reman Kingdom, the Romulan Star Empire had long considered them de jure part of their stellar empire and had sought many times over the centuries to "reclaim" them, with little success. The Romulan Foreign Minister, Lai Radaik, threatened to continue the Romulan occupation of the entire Breen Confederacy if its "reasonable demands of reunification of its rightful territories" was honored. [...] After much debate, and some minor concessions on the part of the Romulans in regards to the status of the Breen Confederacy, the Klingon and Federation delegates decided to quietly recognize the de facto status of the former Military Frontier, while stopping from outright legitimating it.

[...]

The next outbreak of tension at the meetings erupted over the occupation of the Cardassian colonies which bordered the Klingon Empire. Seized after a bloody campaign which left millions of Klingons slain, the Klingons considered these territories theirs by right of spilled blood. In violation of the Treaty, the Klingons began evicting the untold hundreds of millions of Cardassians who had not fled when the War first broke out from their homes and resettling the worlds with Klingons. This act of genocide - according to Federation Law - was a direct violation of sentient rights and undermined the Federation's position of promoting the Dignified Peace. After all, the Federation had taken the position that the Cardassian Government had been illegally usurped by extremists and had only been restored in the last days of the War through an internal revolution. [...] The Klingons outright refused to consider stopping their settlement campaign and the Federation and Romulan delegates were forced, in the same way with the Breen Question, to recognize the de facto state of those worlds while not legitimizing the conquest.

[...]

The final, and perhaps the point of most contention, disagreement boiled over from the actual final status of the Breen and the Cardassians. The Federation, having been slightly embarrassed by the upsets with the Military Frontier and the Cardassian colonies, took a hardline position in regards to the Cardassian Union and the Breen Confederacy. Under no uncertain terms, the Cardassian Union would remain a Federation protectorate, ostensibly to guide it towards a Federation-style government but more obviously to prevent the entire State from being carved up by the Klingons. Foreign Minister van der Ryk faced the laughs and jeers of the Klingon and Romulan delegates, who derided her empire-building disguised as peacekeeping. [...] The question on the Breen was settled just as satisfactorily, although not as unanimous, in favor of the Federation. In return for the de facto recognition of the Romulan acquisition of the Military Frontier, the Breen Republic would be established as a disarmed and neutral power. The Romulans, while objecting to the very existence of the Breen Race, were forced to concede when the Federation delegates threatened to leave the Congress all together.

[...]

While the Congress, at first glance, may seem like a cycle of conceding and demanding, it informally established the current system of power-sharing across the Quadrant. It was agreed that none of the great powers would wage war against each other without the agreement of the other two, and with hatred between the Romulans and the Klingons ancient and still red-hot with rage and animosity between the Federation and the Klingons reaching a point not seen since the Khitomer Accords, it seemed unlikely that any of the powers could unite to take down the others. It also formally established, for the first time, the status of the borders between the Federation, the Romulans, and the Klingons. The Neutral Zone had, up until this point, been more de-facto than a fact of law as the Romulans still claimed the Vulcan systems as rightfully theirs. With the agreements made on Deep Space Nine, the Romulans dropped their claims on Vulcan in exchange with the Federation recognizing the Neutral Zone as their ultimate and final frontier in regards to the Romulan Empire.

[...]

The Klingon-Romulan Border, once a "Galactic Powder Keg" in the words of President Orlop Rictic, was likewise formalized and agreed upon in the hopes of stopping another flashpan border war which had so plagued the early decades of the 24th century. Neither side considered this agreement totally satisfactorily, and neither side agreed to drop their claims on the other, but the ruling powers on both sides of the border quietly agreed to respect the current border, discouraging military adventures into each other's Empire while not totally stopping them. [...] The situation, while far from perfect, was a warp jump from the volatile status prior to the Congress.

[...]

Other proposals from the Federation delegates, like the movement of free trade and sharing of scientific advancement between the powers, was attempted but ultimately failed to make any progress with any of the other powers. The Romulans rejected it without a second thought, on the grounds that it would inevitably lead to undue Federation influence on their Empire. The Klingons, meanwhile, agreed to the free trade clause but shied away from the science-sharing scheme. This agreement would lead to the Federation-Klingon Goods and Customs Agreement, signed in 2378, but would not include the Romulans at all.

[...]

Ultimately, the Congress of Bajor established the current stability of the Quadrant, which has been unseen in all of known history. For the first time, and hopefully not the last, the three powers met at the negotiating table and made the first unsteady steps towards total Galactic Peace.

The Klingon Empire

>FACT FILE FROM
>THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION
>CAPTAINCY HOUSE, LONDON, EUROPEAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001
>FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES

The Klingon Empire

The Banner of the Empire.

Once one of the Federation's most fearsome foes, the Klingon Empire - in Klingonese 'tlhIngan wo' - has become one of its steadfast allies in both good times and bad. Stretching over thousands of star systems, it is the third largest galactic power and has within its borders trillions of Klingons and other client species, called the jeghpu'wI', which comprise the lower castes of Klingon society. It is also one of the constituent nations of the Congress of Bajor, ensuring the balance of power in the Quadrant.

The Klingon Empire is a constitutional monarchy, with a ceremonial Emperor sitting on the Throne who holds some theoretical power but in reality can exercise none of it without the support of the High Council. The power in the Empire truly resides there, where representatives of the twenty-four Great Houses make the decisions of the entire Klingon Empire. The central figure of the High Council, the Chancellor, is the pre-eminent councilor and, while he is considered officially "first-among-equals" he is in practice the dominant political force and guides the Council in its decisions.

The Klingon Empire was, according to Klingon myth, founded by Kahless the Unforgettable in roughly 854 by uniting the disparate tribes and nations on Kronos, known in Klingon as Qo'noS. Once planetary unification was achieved and warp drive invented, Kahless turned his sights to the stars and set a course for conquest across the region of space that would become the core systems of the Empire. By 972, the Empire would stretch across a dozen star systems, teeming with culture and life.

This would all change in 972 when the Hur'Q, a little-known Race, invaded and ransacked their way through the young Empire. Many priceless artifacts, including the mythical Sword of Kahless, were lost to these mysterious beings as they tore their way through Kronos. The entire home system of the Klingons, by the time the Hur'Q's rampage was over, would be reduced to ruins that would take the work of many centuries to rebuild.

As a result of this, Klingons migrated en masse across the stars, and with them the Empire expanded tenfold. These rapid expansions brought them in conflict with the Romulans as the migrating Klingons encroached on their territory. In 1975, a brief but bloody war erupted over a Klingon colony in what the Romulans characterized as their sovereign territory, beginning the long cycle of conflict between the Romulans and Klingons. These border disputes and flare ups in war would characterize the hostile relationship between the two powers until the final settlement regarding the borders with the Congress of Bajor.

First contact between United Earth and the Klingon Empire occurred in 2154 when a Klingon attack fleet encountered the UES Shikoku (CC-34) while it was on routine patrol. The Amarillo-class cruiser was outclassed by the four D2 cruisers that comprised the Klingon fleet, but the Klingons were impressed by the ability of humans to outfight their overwhelming force. Even though it was critically damaged, the Klingons decided to spare the Shikoku from total annihilation and considered the humans, in the words of the Klingon captain of the lead cruiser, "our cousins from across the stars," but warned the United Earth of continuing its expansion into that region of space. This first contact mirrored that of the Vulcan-Klingon contact, where a Vulcan research vessel countered a Klingon battlecruiser with a barrage of torpedo fire and was greeted with a friendly message.

Tensions over border disputes characterized the early relationship of the United Earth, and later the Federation, and the Klingon Empire. These tensions boiled over in 2252, almost a century after first contact. After a century of encroaching Federation colonies, the Klingons finally lashed out in what would become known as the Four Years' War. Hundreds of Klingon warships descended from the Empire and outright destroyed many of the border colonies, slaughtering millions. The Federation was only able to push back against the Klingon advance due to a power struggle within the Empire and a Romulan military expedition onto their side of the border. A ceasefire was signed in 2256, but the War only officially ended with the Khitomer Accords, signed in 2293. In the ceasefire years, a tense peace reigned over the Klingon-Federation Demilitarized Zone, as Starfleet and the Imperial Klingon Navy stood watch against each other over vast stretches of stellar fortresses.

Since the Khitomer Accords, with a brief interruption in the prelude to the Dominion War, the Klingon Empire and the Federation have been at peace and, for the most part, uneasy allies of convenience. Both sides, not wishing to see either a dominant Romulan or Cardassian power in the region, are bound together by hostile neighbors. These ties of blood have been strengthened in the Dominion War and the subsequent Congress of Bajor, although the status of the conquered Cardassian colonies remains a tense issue between the two powers.

Joint Federation-Klingon Peacekeeping Task Force for the Romulan Empire

>CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT FROM
>OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF STARFLEET OPERATIONS
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

JOINT TASK FORCE

The official logo of the Joint Task Force.

The Joint-Federation Klingon Peacekeeping Task Force for the Romulan Empire, simply the Joint Task Force, is the interstellar mission established by the High Council of the Klingon Empire and the Federation Council after the destruction of Romulus and the destabilization of the Romulan Empire. Its primary mission is to restore order within Romulan Space and assist the Romulan Government in rebuilding its institutions and economy after being torn apart by the homeworld's destruction.

The two elements, the Federation and Klingon fleets, are each led by their respective commanders and coordinate through diplomatic and military channels. The Federation commander, Commodore Doma, has no jurisdiction over General Katogh's Klingon formations. This state of affairs, while not ideal for operational unification, is ultimately sustainable through the cooperation of the Klingon and Federation governments.

The Federation fleet is comprised of the following ships:

Federation Fleet

USS COURAGEOUS NCC-26241, Sovereign-class battleship. Flagship of the Federation forces. Commanded by Commodore Doma
USS KRISHNA NCC-51836, Galaxy-class battleship. Commanded by Captain G.S. Howard
USS WAKEFUL NCC-65123 Galaxy-class battleship. Commanded by Captain L. Illra
USS SELEYA NCC-48890 Excalibur-class battlecruiser. Commanded by Captain Heranek, son of Stekkek
USS RANDOLPH NCC-25132 Excalibur-class battlecruiser. Commanded by Captain A. L. Tyson
USS RODNEY NCC-50560 Excelsior-class heavy cruiser. Commanded by Captain I. Ulpa
USS ASHORA NCC-31998 Jupiter-class fighter/bomber carrier. Commanded by Captain F.M. Recco. (Flight Wing commanded by Captain I.P. Lind)
USS VIGILANCE NCC-74862 Ambassador-class heavy cruiser. Commanded by Captain Strenn, son of Soral
USS ANJANRA NCC-71901 Intrepid-class cruiser. Commanded by Captain B.R. Groveland
USS SHIKAHR NCC-19989 Cheyenne-class frigate. Commanded by Captain Pivuk, son of Hol
USS JANUS NCC-67797 Luna-class frigate. Commanded by Captain S. Th'veneloth
USS BICKINGS NCC-93949 Saber-class destroyer. Commanded by Commander L.S. Ivanova
USS DEMETER NCC-67246 Saber-class destroyer. Commanded by Commander M.N. Greene.
USS BRISBANE NCC-75813 Meteor-class destroyer. Commanded by Commander M Ysloda
USS HAMMERSLEY NCC-75814 Meteor-class destroyer. Commanded by Commander M.A. Sandeen.
USS CARL SAGAN NCC-27871 Nova-class reconnaissance/science vessel. Commanded by Commander S. von der Oder.
USS HOPE NCC-55012 Olympic-class hospital ship. Commanded by Captain T.Y. Marlowe
USS OCTOPUS NCC-75641 Resolute-class hospital ship. Commanded by Captain T. Grollor, M.D.
USS ADVANTAGE NCC-71392 Fabrux-class tender. Commanded by Lieutenant Commander R.D. Phillips
USS WESTERWALD NCC-75266 Fabrux-class tender. Commanded by Lieutenant Commander W.J. Adams
USS TREKRENDIK NCC-75270 Fabrux-class tender. Commanded by Lieutenant Commander I. Ishikawa

Logistics for the Federation fleet is supported by the Fabrux-class tenders and a number of Federation Merchant Marine vessels requisitioned for Operation Vanguard.

The Klingon fleet's exact composition is unknown to Stafleet Command, but it is believed to consist of:
IKS NA'QJEJ Ty'Gokor-class battleship. Flagship of the Klingon forces. Commanded by General Katogh
IKS KURAK Mogh-class battlecruiser.
IKS OL'LAGH Negh'Var-class battlecruiser.
IKS SUVWL'QEH Negh'Var-class battlecruiser
And an indeterminable number of battlecruisers, cruisers, frigates, and birds-of-prey.

Life aboard a Starfleet vessel

>CLASSIFIED REPORT FROM
>THE OFFICE OF STARFLEET INSPECTOR GENERAL
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

FROM: LIEUTENANT H.R. FREDERICK, INVESTIGATING OFFICER
TO: CAPTAIN G. TH'CHYLOK, CHAIRMAN OF STARFLEET HEALTH-AND-WELLNESS BOARD

Sir,

My investigation in conditions aboard USS QINGDAO (NCC-73333), a Bremen-class frigate assigned to border operations along the Neutral Zone, have concluded satisfactorily and I believe that the accusations sent anonymously to the Starfleet IG are entirely unfounded. I recommend that any further accusations that Starfleet vessels are "unlivable" or otherwise inhospitable for prolonged service be disregarded as malingering.

My six months about USS QINGDAO proved to me of the successful implementation of Starfleet's policies regarding energy waste and a return to military tradition which, in the last few decades, has dangerously lapsed. These new policies have ensured that our ships do not needlessly waste their precious resources on luxuries, saving whatever they can for essential operations, and have reinstilled military bearing within an organization which had, for some time, all but lost it.

Replicator rationing has been one of the notable successes. For the junior enlisted mess (E-1 through to E-6), a strict ten-meal replicator menu is allotted to them to ensure that wasteful extravagant meals are no longer ordered en masse. These meals, likewise, ensure that the crewmen are always eating a nutritious and healthy diet. The removal of replicators from junior enlisted berthings have likewise cut down energy expenditure by nearly 5%.

In the Chiefs' Mess, colloquially known as the 'Goat Locker,' one sees a more wide varied of replicator options, but they are still limited by overall energy expended to create their choices. This means that while Chiefs get some leeway in their decisions, they are ultimately constrained by the replicator's energy output. One replicator is allotted for each chiefs' berthing, which sleeps three.

In the Officers' Mess, they are entitled more privilege and are allowed a greater degree in choice and in energy expended to create their meals. They are also permitted a replicator in each of their rooms, with a similar allotted energy expenditure limit. However, and this goes for the Chiefs' Mess as well, the CO can limit the senior enlisted and officers to the same restrictions as the junior enlisted in times of energy crisis or at their discretion.

Holodeck usage has also been curtailed significantly, to be used only at the CO's discretion for training purposes only. Personnel are not permitted to conduct personal programs unless authorized by their CO. Aboard USS QINGDAO, the ship's crew were forbidden from utilizing the holodeck for any purposes except training. This cut down on energy expenditure by nearly 15% and also has prevented cases of space psychosis from manifesting, which has so often happened on deep-space starships who have allowed personal holodeck programs.

It is my belief that the allegations regarding Captain H.S. Phillips and the Command Staff of USS QINGDAO are totally unfounded and based on resentment upon policies that are Starfleet-wide. The Office of the Inspector General can safely dismiss these wild fantasies as nothing more than a junior crewman with a grudge.

V/r,
LIEUTENANT H.R. FREDERICK,
STARFLEET IG.

Subcommander N'Vekar

>CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENT FROM
>BUREAU OF STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH,
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR BURSTARINT EYES ONLY

NAME AND KNOWN ALIASES (IF APPLICABLE): ROKOV N'VEKAR
APPROXIMATE AGE: 34
PLACE OF ORIGIN: ROMULUS, ROMULAN STAR EMPIRE
ALLEGIANCE: MILITARY INTELLIGENCE AGENCY, IMPERIAL ROMULAN STAR NAVY (SUSPECTED TAL SHIAR OPERATIVE)
LAST KNOWN OCCUPATION: SUBCOMMANDER, ASSIGNED TO IRS TOMAL.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE:Varasth-Romulan Male, of average height and build. Jet-black hair cut in traditional Romulan fashion. Ridges along the forehead in accordance with the Varasth-Romulan subrace. Relatively unremarkable in physical appearance with the exception of a metallic right-hand.

NOTE FROM BUSTARINT: Intelligent Profile MUST be updated to include physical image. Directives should be issued to field personnel to retrieve one at once.

HISTORICAL PROFILE:
Subcommander N'Vekar's career with the Romulan Star Navy is relatively hazy and building a picture of his exploits has been a struggle that took many months of hard groundwork. From what has been gathered, Subcommander N'Vekar enlisted into the Naval Service sometime in 2371 as an Uhlan in the Romulan Naval Infantry. Records show that he was posted to the elite 4th Naval Infantry Regiment 'Mnhei'sahe', which means 'Ruling Passion' in the Romulan tongue and assigned as a Gunner in an infantry platoon. His record becomes hard to piece together until the Dominion War. It is believed, extrapolating from intelligence gathered about his unit, that they were involved in counter-insurgency operations deep in Imperial space. Romulan counter-insurgency operations are rarely merciful, and tend to include wholesale destruction of cities in reprisal attacks.

When the War broke out, his unit was moved towards the Neutral Zone in a general mobilization of assets. There they remained for a year until the Romulan Empire declared war on the Dominion, in which he and his unit were deployed into hostile combat zones. He is reported in earning many combat distinctions and awards, including a promotion to Decurion. It is here, during a battle on the Breen Front, that he is reported to have lost his hand during treacherous warfare on a Class L planet.

While in recuperation, N'Vekar was accepted to the Imperial Naval Academy on Romulus, where he was trained as an Intelligence Officer. It is believed at some point while studying here that he was contacted by the Tal Shiar and entered into their organization. Further groundwork will need to be conducted to prove this hypothesis. The facts are, though, that N'Vekar graduated 6th in his class in 2379 and was commissioned into the Romulan Star Navy as a Sublieutenant, assigned as an attache to the Military Governor of the Nausicaan colony of Stri'linar. Here, he proved to be a ruthless enforcer of Romulan rule, stomping out resistance across the system with cold efficiency.

In 2383, N'Vekar is promoted to Lieutenant and reassigned to the Neutral Zone. It is unknown on what his purpose while assigned here was, but it can be assumed from knowledge of other Imperial Intelligence and Tal Shiar officers that were posted on the Neutral Zone that he was involved in observation on Starfleet targets from deep-space sensor arrays that dot the Romulan side of the Neutral Zone. He is occasionally awarded with a medal or two, but otherwise not much is known from the official record. It is believed that N'Vekar, while in this capacity, was responsible for many of the Romulan incursions into the Neutral Zone at this time. The incursion of Romulan forces into the neutral world of Eccarro, where they ransacked the planet in search of ancient ruins, is believed by Starfleet Intelligence to be the work of N'Vekar.

In 2386, N'Vekar is given another promotion, this time to Subcommander, and assigned to the IRS Tomal, a D'deridex-class battlecruiser, which is known to be part of the Jaeih Fleet, assigned once more to the Neutral Zone. He is here - ostensibly - as an Intelligence Officer, but it presumed that Subcommander N'Vekar is tasked to the IRS Tomal as a Tal Shiar operative to ensure loyalty to the Emperor and to the Empire, a common practice aboard Romulan vessels. The IRS Tomal has been sighted by Starfleet vessels probing stellar fortresses in Sector 098, testing reaction times of the ships assigned to that region of space.

Subcommander N'Vekar has proven to be a dangerous asset in the Romulan Empire. He is a young and up-and-coming officer in their ranks and, if allowed to progress in his career, will surely be a thorn in the side of reconciliation talks between the Romulan Government and the Confederacy of Vulcan. More proactive methods will be needed in order to deal with this meddlesome man.

PROFILE COMPILED BY LT. R.L. RATHMANN, STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE ON STARDATE 64065.

[Starboard Watch]

CHARACTERS

COMMANDING OFFICER, CAPTAIN STRENN

Captain Strenn

>UNCLASSIFIED DOCUMENT FROM
>BUREAU OF STARFLEET PERSONNEL
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

LEGAL NAME: STRENN, SON OF SORAL
RANK AND PAYGRADE: CAPTAIN (O-6)
AGE: 45
PLACE OF ORIGIN: VULCANA REGAR, RAAL PROVINCE, VULCAN, VULCAN SYSTEM, CONFEDERACY OF VULCAN, UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: Vulcan Male, approxomately 190CM in height and 85Kg in weight. Reddish and/or copper complexion with brown eyes. Distinguishing and identifiable marks include one plasma burn scar, approximately one and one half inch along right cheek.

NOTE FROM BUSTARPERS: INDIVIDUAL MUST UPDATE SERVICE RECORD to include physical image by end of fiscal year 2387, as per BUSTARPERS T-4382. Consult with local BUSTARPERS Representative for appointment.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE:
Profile conducted by LCDR G. R. Volker, M.D. on Stardate 62774 at Starbase 764, Sector 982.:
"Captain Strenn is the stereotypical Vulcan, if there ever was one. Fervent of logic to the point of religious frenzy. Captain Strenn is committed to the Vulcan tradition as laid out by Surak. It is my belief, however, that there is a great storm brewing under the cold veneer of rationalism, a tidal wave crashing against the levies of his mind. Recommend follow up with Starfleet medical personnel prior to receiving orders for space duty."

SERVICE RECORD (With annotations, as per BUSTARPERS S-5412):
STARDATE 37521: Transferred to Starfleet Academy from Vulcan Diplomatic Institute.
STARDATE 37726: Inducted into Class 789 of Starfleet Academy as a Midshipman.
STARDATE 40539: Assigned to USS COMMENCEMENT (NCC-26255) as part of junior year midshipman cruise.
Annotation from Commander Rakka from Stardate 40651: Excellent officer material, but extremely impersonal.
STARDATE 41447: Graduated Saultatorian as part of class 789 from Starfleet Academy; commissioned as an Ensign.
STARDATE 41546: Detached from Starfleet Academy and reported for duty aboard USS MELBOURNE (NCC-62043). Assigned as DIVO to DIPMEDIV, Effective Stardate 41641.
STARDATE 42007: Awarded Meritorious Service Ribbon.
Annotation from Captain L. P. Foxwell from Stardate 42007: For exemplary divisional inspection and stress test scores.
STARDATE 42265: Promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade. Effective immediately.
STARDATE 42983: Awarded Space Service Medal for one years service on space duty.
STARDATE 43396: Mentioned in Dispatches.
Annotation from Captain L. P. Foxwell from stardate 43396: For extraordinary commitment to duty during the Razzakian Peace Accords.
STARDATE 43955: Promoted to Lieutenant. Effective immediately.
STARDATE 44018: Reassigned from USS MELBOURNE (NCC-62043). Transferred to starbase 440, sector 399. Assigned as Department Head of Diplomatic Department.
STARDATE 44783: Awarded Federation Peace Medal.
Annotation from Commodore A. P. Mennkisch from Stardate 44783: For singlehandedly negotiating a ceasefire on L'Liv X between colonial government and insurgents. Noted on record that Lieutenant Strenn, disregarding advice from local authorities, beamed into the insurgent camp in order to persuade them to the peace table. His bravery and commitment to peace is well noted.
STARDATE 46700: Promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Effective Immediately.
STARDATE 46983: Awarded Awarded Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for five years of space duty.
STARDATE 47013: Reassigned from Starbase 440. Transferred to USS T'KUMBRA (NCC-62100). Assigned as Department Head to Diplomatic Department.
STARDATE 47342: Reported to Starfleet Academy for advanced warfare training.
STARDATE 47607: Returned to duty aboard USS T'KUMBRA (NCC-62100)
STARDATE 48169: Assigned as Chief of Operations. Effective Immediately.
STARDATE 49346: Awarded Federation Cross for Valor.
Annotation from Captain Solok, son of Polok from Stardate 49346: For Bravery in the face of fire during the Federation-Klingon conflict. Saved ship from certain destruction.
STARDATE 50764: Promoted to Commander. Assigned as Executive Officer. Effective Immediately.
STARDATE 51429: Awarded Starfleet Wound Badge in Silver.
Annotation from Captain Solok, son of Polok from Stardate 51429: Awarded for wounds sustained during the Battle of Barnard's Star.
STARDATE 51983: Awarded second Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for ten years of space duty.
STARDATE 52616: Promoted to Captain. Effective Immediately.
STARDATE 52616: Awarded Federation Medal of Honor, Dominion War Campaign Medal (With Bajor Liberation and Cardassia Liberation Clasps and Starfleet Wound Badge in Gold.
Annotation from Grand Admiral T. K. Merriweather from Stardate 52791: Awarded for bravery above and beyond the call of duty during the Liberation of Cardassia. Performed his duty under extreme pressure, taking charge and leading evacuation efforts after the death of Captain Solok while critically wounded from a plasma fire burn.
STARDATE 52684: Transferred to Deep Space Nine for Medical Treatment.
STARDATE 52742: Discharged from Deep Space Nine and placed into temporary reserve status.
STARDATE 56188: Returned to active duty. Placed in Temporary Duty Holds at Starfleet Liaison Office, Vulcan.
STARDATE 57100: Assigned as Commanding Officer to USS GALLANT (NCC-74882).
STARDATE 59698: Awarded Captain of the Year for the 12th Fleet.
STARDATE 60983: Awarded third Space Service Ribbon bronze star for fifteen years of space duty.
STARDATE 62698: Detached from USS GALLANT (NCC-74882). Transferred to Starbase 764, Sector 982. Assigned to Department of Diplomatic Affairs.
STARDATE 64564: Detached from Starbase 764, Sector 982. Transferred to USS VIGILANCE (NCC-56912) as Commanding Officer.

EXECUTIVE OFFICER, COMMANDER UDRUS AHRUME

Commander Udrus

>UNCLASSIFIED DOCUMENT FROM
>BUREAU OF STARFLEET PERSONNEL
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

LEGAL NAME: UDRUS AHRUME

RANK AND PAYGRADE: COMMANDER (O-5)
AGE: 33
PLACE OF ORIGIN: SINGHA, TOZHAT PROVINCE, BAJOR, BAJORA SYSTEM, REPUBLIC OF BAJOR

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: Bajoran Male, approximately 180cm in height and 85kg in weight. Fair complexion with short brown hair and blue eyes. Extremely muscular with less than 10% body fat. Identifiable marks are one phaser scar approximately three inches in radius on abdomen and one tattoo on left shoulder with "Freedom or Death" written in Bajoran Script

NOTE FROM BUSTARPERS: INDIVIDUAL MUST UPDATE SERVICE RECORD to include physical image by end of fiscal year 2387, as per BUSTARPERS T-4382. Consult with local BUSTARPERS Representative for appointment.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE:
Profile conducted by LT P.K. SELITRENNY, M.D. on Stardate 64218 at Deep Space Eight, Sector 390.:
"Commander Udrus is an enigma, that will require many years of intense counseling to unravel. Fighting practically since birth, war and bloodshed is all he has ever known. Adapting to the peace he fought for has become a daunting task, one that will be just as hard as fighting the Cardassians. He is extremely abrasive, perhaps to a fault. Commander Udrus shows all the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but further counseling is needed to plan treatment options."

SERVICE RECORD (With annotations, as per BUSTARPERS S-5412):
STARDATE 53745: Integrated from the Bajoran Military Guard to Starfleet with the rank of Lieutenant (O-3). Assigned to Deep Space Nine as Security Divisional Officer.
NOTE FROM BUSTARPERS: Contact Bajoran authorities for pre-Starfleet service record
STARDATE 54112: Awarded with half month's pay (2x) and restriction for altercation with Cardassian Diplomatic Representatives.
Annotation from Captain Kira Nerys from Stardate 54112: Lieutenant Udrus must learn to control himself in the presence of Cardassians. The War is over.
STARDATE 54194: Reassigned from Deep Space Nine. Transferred to USS KING ARTHUR (NCC-72204). Assigned to Board and Seizure Team, Security Department.
STARDATE 54536: Awarded Starfleet Achievement Medal.
Annotation from Captain L.M. Stanley on Stardate 54536: Awarded for gallantry under fire during boarding operations against Orion pirates. Saved mission from certain failure.
STARDATE 54879: Mentioned in Dispatches
Annotation from Captain L.M. Stanley on Stardate 54536: Lieutenant Udrus shows promise as a Combat Officer in Starfleet. He has shown initiative in training the B&S Teams with advanced tactical practices, most certainly learned in the face of the enemy. He is an asset to retain.
STARDATE 55873: Promoted to Lieutenant Commander, and assigned as Assistant Chief Security Officer.
STARDATE 56035: Reported to Starfleet Academy for Advanced Warfare Training.
STARDATE 56207: Returned to duty aboard USS KING ARTHUR (NCC-72204).
STARDATE 56216: Awarded Space Service Medal for one years service on space duty.
STARDATE 57423: Awarded Counseling Chit for verbal altercation with Cardassian Military Advisor.
Annotation from Captain L.M. Stanley on Stardate 57423: LCDR Udrus and a Cardassian observer were seen engaging in a verbal argument in the officers' mess. In light of Udrus' peoples' plight at the hands of Cardassia and his otherwise exemplary service aboard my ship, I have decided to issue him with a minor infraction. I expect him to learn his lesson.
STARDATE 57783: Detached from USS KING ARTHUR (NCC-72204). Transferred to Starfleet Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Vulcan as Company Commander.
STARDATE 59531: Awarded the Starfleet Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
Annotation from Brigadier General K.M. Ludwig on Stardate 59531: Fostering a culture of warfighting and warriorship in junior officers and in recruits. Has suggested numerous plans to improve combat arms training and is an invaluable source for knowledge in battlefield tactics. Recommend that LCDR Udrus transfers to Starfleet Marine Corps to truly utilize his talents.
STARDATE 61868: Detached from Starfleet Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Vulcan. Transferred to USS ALBATROSS (NCC-75810) as Chief Security Officer.
STARDATE 62259: Awarded Federation Cross for Valor.
Annotation from Captain Stavath, son of Mofath on Stardate 62259: Personally led a boarding party on a pirate operations base in Sector 273, disregarding danger to ensure mission success.
STARDATE 63035: Awarded with restriction for incident involving Cardassian Frigate SHAAL RONN.
Annotation from Captain Stavath, son of Mofath on Stardate 63035: Lieutenant Commander Udrus was nearly the cause of a diplomatic incident between the Cardassian Union and United Federation of Planets due to an illegal boarding action. Three Cardassian crewmen were critically injured by the boarding event, and the lives of the entire B&S Team were put in unduly danger. Due to his otherwise good conduct, placed upon two-month liberty restriction and recommend immediate reassignment from USS Albatross, as it frequently encounters Cardassian vessels along the border between the UFP and CU.
STARDATE 63131: Detached from USS ALBATROSS (NCC-75810). Assigned to Deep Space Eight as Chief Security Officer.
STARDATE 63564: Promoted to Commander.
Annotation from Commodore M.S. Robbins on Stardate 63564: Disregarding a colorful service record, Commander Udrus is one of Starfleet's finest and most experienced officers. He has improved efficiency within the Security Division by over 45% within his first months aboard. Conditional to his promotion, Commander Udrus is required to attend psychological counseling twice a week, and is required to produce progress reports every month. Failure to do so will result in medical separation from Starfleet.
STARDATE 64566: Detached from Deep Space Eight. Assigned to USS VIGILANCE (NCC-56912) as Executive Officer.

COMMAND MASTER CHIEF, COMMAND MASTER CHIEF PETTY OFFICER BYN CH'OVIAVAL

CMC Choviaval

>UNCLASSIFIED DOCUMENT FROM
>BUREAU OF STARFLEET PERSONNEL
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH,
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

LEGAL NAME: Byn Ch'oviaval
RANK AND PAYGRADE: Command Master Chief Petty Officer (E9)
AGE: 43
PLACE OF ORIGIN: KIL'ADORN, SHIHRAOB COLONY, SHIHRAOB SYSTEM, ANDORIAN EMPIRE, UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: Command Master Chief Ch’oviaval stands 6’ 1” tall and weighs 195 Lbs (Kgs). He has a light blue complexion and wears his silver hair very short; high and tight. His antennae stand proudly at the traditional angles upon his forehead measuring approximately five inches in length. CMC Ch’oviaval has a plasma scar on his left thigh and right shoulder. He also has three blade scars; two on his upper torso and one on the left side of his jawline.

OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH:

CMC Choviaval

This photograph was taken on Stardate 63940 at Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco, CA.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE:
Profile conducted by ENS W.A. Rogers, M.D. on Stardate 64159 at Starbase 74, Sector 001.:
“Master Chief Petty Officer Ch'oviaval is fit for duty. During the Dominion War, he was assigned to the USS Tonawanda (NCC-71201) which never made contact with any ships of the Dominion. Chief Ch'oviaval feels both fortunate and as though he missed out on something. He remains in service to find out what that was.”

SERVICE RECORD (With annotations, as per BUSTARPERS S-5412):
STARDATE 39428: Entered Starfleet Service as Crewman Recruit at Starfleet Training Base (STB) Listor Island, Procyon V.
STARDATE 39869: Graduated Seamanship Training, rated as Boatswain’s Mate (BM) aboard USS BONESTELL (NCC-31600). Assigned to Auxiliary Cargo Bay Team.
STARDATE 40000: Promoted to Crewman Apprentice
STARDATE 40162: Promoted to Crewman
STARDATE 40870: Awarded Space Service Ribbon for one year of space duty.
STARDATE 42247: Promoted to Boatswain’s Mate Third Class (BM3)
STARDATE : Awarded the Starfleet Marine Corps Commendation Medal
[Annotation Lt Cdr T. Oburne, Operations Officer: BM3 Ch'oviaval performed his duty above and beyond the call of duty. He set the example for other enlisted sailors to follow. Keep your eye on this one.]
STARDATE 43666: Detached from USS BONESTELL (NCC-31600). Transferred to USS IDAHO (NCC-71808). Assigned to Cargo Bay Team.
STARDATE 44870: Awarded Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for five years of space duty.
STARDATE 46666: Promoted to Boatswain’s Mate Second Class (BM2)
STARDATE : Awarded the Starfleet Marine Corps Commendation Medal /w First Oak Leaf Cluster. [Annotation Lt. G. Fuln, Operations Officer: BM2 Ch'oviaval saved the lives of several crewmembers when he discovered a radiation leak in Cargo bay three. The leak was contained and no one was harmed. A few people including BM2 Ch’oviaval suffered radiation poisoning.]
STARDATE 47162: Transferred to Master at Arms School at Starfleet Training Base San Diego, Earth.
STARDATE 47631: Graduated MA School, rerated as Master-at-Arms Second Class. Assigned to Temporary Duty Shore Patrol at Starfleet Training Base, San Diego.
STARDATE 47650: Detached from STB San Diego. Transferred to USS TONAWADA (NCC-71201). Served as LPO of Cargo Security Team.
STARDATE 49871: Awarded second Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for ten years of space duty.
STARDATE 52329: Promoted to Master-at-Arms First Class (MA1)
STARDATE 54870: Awarded third Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for fifteen years of space duty.
STARDATE 57498: Promoted to Chief Master-at-Arms (MAC)
STARDATE 58116: Assigned as LCPO of Security Department at Starbase 74, in orbit of Tarsis.
STARDATE 58316: Awarded Starfleet Meritorious Service Medal
[Annotated Lieutenant Commander K. Sode, Security Officer: Due to Chief Ch’oviaval’s leadership, his unit received highest security rating for anyone previously in this position. His team scored highest on Naval Physical Fitness Test and weapons qualifications.]
STARDATE 59870: Awarded Space Long Service Medal for twenty years of space duty.
STARDATE 60247: Promoted to Senior Chief Master-at-Arms (MACS)
STARDATE 64247: Promoted to Master Chief Master-at-Arms (MACM)
STARDATE 64565: Assigned as Command Master Chief (CMC) to USS VIGILANCE (NCC-56912).

CHIEF ENGINEER, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER HORST MEYER

LCDR MEYER

>UNCLASSIFIED DOCUMENT FROM
>BUREAU OF STARFLEET PERSONNEL
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

LEGAL NAME: HORST DIETRICH MEYER
RANK AND PAYGRADE: LIEUTENANT COMMANDER (O-4)
AGE: 30.
PLACE OF ORIGIN: FLENSBURG, EUROPEAN REGION, EARTH, SOL SYSTEM, UNITED EARTH SYSTEMS, UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: Human Male, approximately 193cm in height and 86kg in weight. Fair complexion with blue eyes and blonde hair. Lean build. Identifiable marks include missing pinkie finger on left hand.

NOTE FROM BUSTARPERS: INDIVIDUAL MUST UPDATE SERVICE RECORD to include physical image by end of fiscal year 2387, as per BUSTARPERS T-4382. Consult with local BUSTARPERS Representative for appointment.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE:
Profile conducted by CDR T. AVAR, M.D. on Stardate 63840 onboard USS RIGHTEOUS (NCC-42451):
"An energetic worker but extremely difficult to work with by accounts of the crew. Would be a good fit for a Chief Engineer if he works out his spatial tendencies. Has a hard time communicating with others - suspected neglected upbringing. Would do well to get out of deep space and onto a shore assignment."

SERVICE RECORD (With annotations, as per BUSTARPERS S-5412):
STARDATE 52690: Inducted into Class 442 of Starfleet Academy as Midshipman.
STARDATE 54111: Assigned to USS OKINAWA (NCC-13958) as part of junior year Midshipman Cruise
Annotation from Lieutenant Commander G.S. Ulysses, Chief Engineer, on Stardate 54111: On his way to being a Subject Matter Expert. Recommend immediate deep space assignment to hone his skills.
STARDATE 55443: Graduated from Class 442 of Starfleet Academy; commissioned as Ensign.
STARDATE 55750: Detached from Starfleet Academy. Transferred to USS ATLANTIS (NCC-73961) as DIVO to Aft Damage Control Team.
STARDATE 56854: Awarded Space Service Ribbon for one year of space duty.
STARDATE 57016: Awarded Meritorious Service Ribbon.
Annotation from Captain D.S. Sullivan on Stardate 57016: For best divisional scoring on Battle Stations drills.
STARDATE 57865: Accelerated promotion to Lieutenant. Reassigned to Main Engineering Team.
STARDATE 58169: Awarded Starfleet Achievement Medal and Starfleet Wound Badge in Silver.
Annotation from Captain D.S. Sullivan on Stardate 58169: Went into harms' way to seal hull breach after a collision with runaway freighter, losing a finger in the process.
STARDATE 60005: Detached from USS ATLANTIS (NCC-73961). Transferred to USS RIGHTEOUS (NCC-42451) as Assistant Chief Engineer.
STARDATE 60854: Awarded Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for five years of space duty.
STARDATE 63005: Promoted to Lieutenant Commandeer.
STARDATE 64583: Detached from USS RIGHTEOUS (NCC-42451). Transferred to USS VIGILANCE (NCC-56912) as Chief Engineer

CHIEF OF OPERATIONS, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER ANCELIN TREMBLAY

LCDR TREMBLAY

>UNCLASSIFIED DOCUMENT FROM
>BUREAU OF STARFLEET PERSONNEL
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

LEGAL NAME: ANCELIN PIERRE TREMBLAY
RANK AND PAYGRADE: LIEUTENANT COMMANDER (O-4)
AGE: 32.
PLACE OF ORIGIN: MONTREAL, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH, SOL SYSTEM, UNITED EARTH SYSTEMS, UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: Human Male, approximately 176cm in height and 82kg in weight. Fair complexion with brunette hair and green eyes. Average build. No reported identifiable marks.

NOTE FROM BUSTARPERS: INDIVIDUAL MUST UPDATE SERVICE RECORD to include physical image by end of fiscal year 2387, as per BUSTARPERS T-4382. Consult with local BUSTARPERS Representative for appointment.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE:
Profile conducted by LT(jg) E. NEIMUK, M.D. on Stardate 64265 at Starbase 764, Sector 982:
"A brutish man with a colorful sense of humor. Freely admits he would've been better off as enlisted, and it is hard to argue with this statement. He lacks all the qualities of a Starfleet Officer, but is the stereotypical lower enlisted. Rough around the edges, but deep inside good (even if he wouldn't admit this himself) I believe all he really needs is someone to care for him."

SERVICE RECORD (With annotations, as per BUSTARPERS S-5412):
STARDATE 51750: Enrolled in Starfleet Student-to-Officer Program in sophomore year studying Interstellar Logistics at Université de Montréal.
STARDATE 54440: Graduated with a Bachelor's in Interstellar Logistics from Université de Montréal. Commissioned as an Ensign and placed in temporary reserve status.
STARDATE 55013: Reported for duty aboard USS GIBRALTAR (NCC-73689) as DIVO to Military Logistics Division.
STARDATE 56013: Awarded Space Service Ribbon for one year of space duty.
STARDATE 58427: Promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade
STARDATE 60013: Awarded Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for five years of space duty
STARDATE 60128: Awarded Meritorious Service Ribbon.
Annotation from Captain G.S. Likely on Stardate 60128: LTJG Tremblay responded to a shortage of phaser rifles with extreme ingenuity, which should be recognized officially.
STARDATE 61335: Detached from USS GIBRALTAR (NCC-73689). Transferred to USS ANCHORAGE (NCC-70863) as OIC to Logistics Division.
STARDATE 61920: Awarded Starfleet Achievement Medal and promoted to Lieutenant.
Annotation from Captain Bentsa on Stardate 61920: Saved critical medical assets from decaying while en route to a colonial crisis. Devised rotational scheme to ensure samples stayed fresh.
STARDATE 62331: Awarded with liberty restriction, half month's pay (2x), and a letter of reprimand for incident on Risa.
Annotation from Captain Bentsa on Stardate 61920: Lieutenant Tremblay, as well as Sonar Technician First Class Roland van Norden and Torpedoman's Mate Second Class Bryce Howard, were involved in inciting a drunken bar fight while USS Anchorage was stopped over at Risa for a two-week liberty call. The fight involved the crew of USS Anchorage and USS Lombard against locals and tourists. Over five-hundred Federation Credits worth of damage was done and the incident nearly caused a riot in the Pleasure District. Lieutenant Tremblay is found to be guilty of fraternization, destruction of private property, and conduct unbecoming of an officer and a gentleman. He is restricted from liberty so long as he is aboard my ship, and his pay shall be reduced to half for two months. In addition, I will see to it that he is removed from my ship at first opportunity.
STARDATE 62424: Detached from USS ANCHORAGE (NCC-70863). Transferred to Starbase 764, Sector 982. Placed in Temporary Duty Holds.
STARDATE 63005: Awarded Order of Merit of the Republic of Bajor.
Annotation from Cultural Minister Zara Cilki on Stardate 63005: While on leave on our fair planet, Lieutenant Tremblay assisted our archeologists with finding long-lost ruins of the ancient city of Iprelo, long thought to be destroyed by the Cardassians in their opening move during their Occupation. Without his invaluable service, it is doubtful the archeological team could've organized the effort to begin with. The Republic owes a debt of gratitude to Starfleet for its selfless-serving officers.
STARDATE 63123: Promoted to Lieutenant Commander.
Annotation from Commodore P v.d. Laudenburg on Stardate 63123: Promoted after careful consideration from Starfleet Command, in light of his recent activity assisting the Republic of Bajor.
STARDATE 64588: Detached from Starbase 764. Transferred to USS VIGILANCE (NCC-56912) as Chief of Operations.

CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER ROKUUA

LCDR Rokuua

>UNCLASSIFIED DOCUMENT FROM
>BUREAU OF STARFLEET PERSONNEL
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

LEGAL NAME: ROKUUA, OF THE DAROSI CLAN
RANK AND PAYGRADE: LIEUTENANT COMMANDER (O-4)
AGE: 53.
PLACE OF ORIGIN: NUOAGTANAG, CROWN COLONY OF MIATU, MIATU SYSTEM, KINGDOM OF SAURIA, UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: Saurian Male, approximately 180cm in height and 79kg in weight. Blue-hued scales, with light yellow eyes. No reported identifiable marks.

NOTE FROM BUSTARPERS: INDIVIDUAL MUST UPDATE SERVICE RECORD to include physical image by end of fiscal year 2387, as per BUSTARPERS T-4382. Consult with local BUSTARPERS Representative for appointment.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE:
Profile conducted by ENS F.P. THOMAS, M.D. on Stardate 64374 at Earth Spacedock, Sector 001:
"Lieutenant Commander Rokuua seems like a jovial, affable sort of fellow. His disarming charm is hard to avoid, and has no trouble finding light in darkness. His climb through the ranks, from Enlisted to Officer, has instilled a great deal of pride within him but not without the ego to come with it. He seems to be a hard individual to call out if he is doing wrong. There is also underlying stress from years of working with no vacation, as he has freely confessed to never returning home. Recommend that he takes holiday leave at first opportunity, and recommend a follow-up before next PCS."

SERVICE RECORD (With annotations, as per BUSTARPERS S-5412):
STARDATE 11089: Entered Starfleet Service as Crewman Recruit at Starfleet Training Base (STB) Freedom, at Auornos, James Region, Acamar Prime. Detached from STB Freedom and assigned to Mine Warfare Training Center (MINEWARTRACEN) at San Diego, North America Region, Earth.
STARDATE 11769: Graduated Mine Warfare Training Center. Rated as Mineman (MN). Assigned to USS VINDICATOR (NCC-26242) as part of Mine Warfare (MIW) Detachment.
STARDATE 11840: Promoted to Crewman Apprentice
STARDATE 12588: Promoted to Crewman.
STARDATE 12769: Awarded Space Service Ribbon for one year on space duty.
STARDATE 12840: Designated as Junior Sailor of the Quarter for USS VINDICATOR (NCC-26242).
Annotation from Commander B.T. Nelson on Stardate 12840: MNCN Rokuua shows impressive dedication to his craft and to Starfleet. Recommend Accelerated Promotion at soonest opportunity to Petty Officer.
STARDATE 14130: Promoted to Mineman, Third Class (MN3).
STARDATE 14363: Awarded Meritorious Service Ribbon.
Annotation from Commander B.T. Nelson on Stardate 14363: MN3 Rokuua has taken initiative upon being frocked, quickly leading his junior sailors in their assigned tasks.
STARDATE 14796: Mentioned in Dispatches:
Annotation from Commander B.T. Nelson on Stardate 14796: The MIW Detachment aboard USS Vindicator, in specific MNC Fisher, MN1 Miller, and MN3 Rokuua, showed exceptional attention to detail during MCM operations in Trosxie V to clear out a Cardassian minefield
STARDATE 15681: Awarded Cardassian Campaign Ribbon for ninety-days of service in Cardassian Operational Theater.
STARDATE 15862: Qualified for Board and Seizure Team Operations.
STARDATE 16054: Awarded Starfleet Achievement Medal.
Annotation from Commander B.T. Nelson on Stardate 16054: For gallantry above and beyond the call of duty during boarding operations against a Cardassian warship. Singlehandedly took control of the Cardassian bridge and forced an end to hostilities.
STARDATE 16443: Promoted to Mineman, Second Class (MN2).
STARDATE 16769: Awarded Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for five years of space duty.
STARDATE 16919: Awarded Starfleet Wound Badge in Silver. Transferred to Starbase 902, Sector 221 for medical treatment.
Annotation from Commander B.T. Nelson on Stardate 16919: Wounded during Fleet Action with Cardassian Navy, in which USS Vindicator was lost.
STARDAATE 17135: Discharged from Starbase 902. Transferred to Mine Warfare Training Center (MINEWARTRACEN), San Diego, North America Region, Earth as Tactics Instructor.
STARDATE 17786: Promoted to Mineman, First Class (MN1).
STARDATE 21586: Detached from MINEWARTRACEN, San Diego, North America Region, Earth. Assigned to USS MAJESTIC (NCC-31060) as part of MIW Detachment.
STARDATE 24103: Detached from USS MAJESTIC (NCC-31060). Assigned to Starfleet Munitions Command, Xi'Lin, Ghuwo Province, Tellar as LPO of Mine Assembly Division.
STARDATE 31339: Promoted to Chief Mineman (MNC).
STARDATE 33750: Detached from Starfleet Munitions Command. Assigned to USS GEORGIA (NCC-1822) as LCPO of MIW Detachment.
STARDATE 34769: Awarded second Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for ten years of space duty.
STARDATE 38286: Detached from USS GEORGIA (NCC-1822). Transferred to Starfleet War College, Lor'Tan, Andoria as Officer-Candidate.
STARDATE 43459: Graduated Starfleet War College. Promoted to Lieutenant (jg), with a Combat Officer qualification. Placed in Temporary Duty Holds at Andor Spacedock, Andoria.
STARDATE 43681: Detached from Andor Spacedock. Assigned to USS THUNDERER (NCC-2023) as Officer-in-Charge (OIC) to Board and Seizure Team C.
STARDATE 45165: Awarded Starfleet Commendation Medal.
Annotation from Captain S. Allegri on Stardate 45165: Gallantry in the face of fire during boarding operations against suspected arms smugglers.
STARDATE 47034: Awarded Starfleet Wound Badge in Gold.
Annotation from Captain S. Allegri on Stardate 45165: Wounded while repelling Cardassian boarders on Stardate 47004.
STARDATE 47769: Awarded third Space Service Ribbon bronze star for fifteen years of space duty.
STARDATE 49007: Detached from USS THUNDERER (NCC-2023). Transferred to Starfleet Military Mission to the Klingon Empire in support of Operation Friendship as a Military Advisor.
STARDATE 50563: Awarded Medallion of the Empire.
Statement from General Rathugh, son of Bek on Stardate 50563: Trained numerous warriors in battle-proven tactics.
STARDATE 51265: Inducted into the Order of the Bat'Leth
Statement from High Chancellor Gowron on Stardate 51265: A brave and honorable warrior who has fought and bled alongside the Klingon Empire in this glorious War.
STARDATE 52725: Promoted to Lieutenant.
STARDATE 52769: Awarded Space Long Service Medal for twenty years of space duty.
STARDATE 56180: Detached from Starfleet Military Mission to the Klingon Empire. Transferred to USS TRIDENT (NCC-31347) as DIVO to Board and Seizure Teams.
STARDATE 62013: Detached from USS TRIDENT (NCC-31347). Transferred to Starfleet Command, San Franscisco, North American Region, Earth as OIC of PSD to Chief of Starfleet Operations.
Stardate 63054: Promoted to Lieutenant Commander.
STARDATE 64577: Detached from Starfleet Command. Transferred to USS VIGILANCE (NCC-56912) as Chief Security Officer.

CHIEF TACTICS OFFICER, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER CONAAR VUVIAS

LCDR VUVIAS

>UNCLASSIFIED DOCUMENT FROM
>BUREAU OF STARFLEET PERSONNEL
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

LEGAL NAME: CONAAR VUVIAS

RANK AND PAYGRADE: LIEUTENANT COMMANDER (O-4)
AGE: 33
PLACE OF ORIGIN: GHERYZAN, AUTONOMOUS DEPENDENCY OF DODRUM, DODRUM SYSTEM, MOST SERENE REPUBLIC OF TRILL, UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: Unjoined Trill Male, approximately 181cm in height and 76kg in weight. Short-length brown hair with noticeable greying and brown eyes. Has a full beard within Starfleet regulations. No reported identifiable marks.

NOTE FROM BUSTARPERS: INDIVIDUAL MUST UPDATE SERVICE RECORD to include physical image by end of fiscal year 2387, as per BUSTARPERS T-4382. Consult with local BUSTARPERS Representative for appointment.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE:
Profile conducted by ENS T. SYNDOS, M.D. on Stardate 64440 on board USS NEPTUNE (NCC-77000).:
"Lieutenant Commander Vuvias is an enlightening individual who would perhaps better be placed in a civilian research organization, excavating ancient stellar ruins and analyzing prehistoric remnants of fleet actions. He is a Subject Matter Expert in his craft, to be sure, but there is underlying disgruntlement in the way his life has turned out. He believes himself to have become a slave to what he refers to as 'Big Starfleet,' and sees his life as not his own. He has, however, resigned himself to this "fate" and wishes only to retire with a pension and his limbs intact."

SERVICE RECORD (With annotations, as per BUSTARPERS S-5412):
STARDATE 50750: Enrolled in Starfleet Student-to-Officer Program in sophomore year studying Xenoarcheology at King's College, London, European Region, Earth.
STARDATE 52429: Graduated from King's College, London with a Bachelor's in Xenoarcheology. Commissioned as an Ensign. Transferred to Starfleet Academy, San Francisco, North American Region, Earth for Basic Combat Leadership Course.
STARDATE 53013: Completed Basic Combat Leadership Course. Assigned to USS LIBERTY (NCC-69796) as DIVO to Forward Torpedo Control.
STARDATE 54018: Awarded Space Service Ribbon for one year of space duty.
STARDATE 54498: Awarded Starfleet Achievement Medal
Annotation from Captain D.S. D'Isslet on Stardate 54498: Prevented a critical failure of Forward Torpedo Tube One after malfunctioning during an engagement with Orion pirates.
STARDATE 56010: Promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade.
STARDATE 56769: Detached from USS LIBERTY (NCC-69796). Transferred to Starfleet Academy, San Francisco, North American Region, Earth as Basic Combat Leadership Course Instructor.
STARDATE 57013: Awarded Starfleet Commendation Medal.
Annotation from Admiral J.Q. Bentham on Stardate 57013: Saved the lives of students during a shipboard emergency simulator after a failure of safety systems.
STARDATE 59416: Detached from Starfleet Academy. Transferred to USS NEPTUNE (NCC-77000) as OIC to Forward Torpedo Control.+
STARDATE 60016: Promoted to Lieutenant
STARDATE 60018: Awarded Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for five years of space duty.
STARDATE 61166: Mentioned in Dispatches
Annotation from Captain G.D. Verdeker on Stardate 61166: Responded in accordance with the Starfleet values of Honor, Valor, and Loyalty by standing by his post during a hull breach. Continued the operations of forward torpedo tubes and allowed the Sulu to drive off hostile pirates raiding shipping lanes.
STARDATE 64421: Detached from USS NEPTUNE (NCC-77000). Transferred to Deep Space Six, Sector 401 and placed on temporary duty holds.
STARDATE 64580: Detached from Deep Space Six. Transferred to USS VIGILANCE (NCC-56912) as Chief Tactics Officer.

CHIER SCIENCE OFFICER, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER PADRAIG O'SULLIVAN

LCDR O'SULLIVAN

>UNCLASSIFIED DOCUMENT FROM
>BUREAU OF STARFLEET PERSONNEL
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

LEGAL NAME: PADRAIG CILLIAN O'SULLIVAN
RANK AND PAYGRADE: LIEUTENANT COMMANDER (O-4)
AGE: 42
PLACE OF ORIGIN: LUTETIA, COLONY OF NEW BRITTANY, SAINT MARTIN'S SYSTEM, UNITED EARTH SYSTEMS, UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: Human Male, approximately 172cm in height and 72kg in weight. Pale complexion with red hair and green eyes. Identifiable marks include an elaborate back tattoo of Saint George slaying the Dragon, and freckles across body.

NOTE FROM BUSTARPERS: INDIVIDUAL MUST UPDATE SERVICE RECORD to include physical image by end of fiscal year 2387, as per BUSTARPERS T-4382. Consult with local BUSTARPERS Representative for appointment.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE:
Profile conducted by LT. R. G. HENRION, M.D. on Stardate 64191 onboard USS INDEPENDENCE (NCC-90346):
"Dedicated to his field of study, Lieutenant Commander O'Sullivan has found it extremely hard to adapt to Starfleet's new culture of warfighting. It is of my professional opinion that, had he been born 20 years earlier, he would've had a successful career in the Sciences and would've perhaps been captain of his own vessel by now. But, instead, his career has stalled out and he faces an uncertain future within Starfleet. In summary, an exemplary man who was simply born at the wrong time."

SERVICE RECORD (With annotations, as per BUSTARPERS S-5412):
STARDATE 40681: Inducted into Class 776 of Starfleet Academy as Midshipman.
STARDATE 43172: Assigned to USS FARADAY (NCC-6781) as part of junior year Midshipman Cruise
Annotation from Commander G.T. Gregorio on Stardate 43416: On track to be one of Starfleet's most promising xenoarcheological officers. Once he graduates, I want him on my crew.
STARDATE 44429: Graduated from Class 776 of Starfleet Academy. Commissioned as Ensign.
STARDATE 44451: Detached from Starfleet Academy. Transferred to USS FARADAY (NCC-6781) as DIVO to Xenoarcheological Away Team Division.
STARDATE 45453: Awarded Space Service Ribbon for one year of space duty.
STARDATE 45751: Awarded Starfleet Achievement Medal
Annotation from Commander G.T. Gregorio on Stardate 45751: Discovered and cataloged fifteen archeological sites on Alpha-Epsilon V, discovered by the Faraday on the same expedition. With the little time we had in orbit, Ensign O'Sullivan managed to piece together a rough history of the previous inhabitants of this barren world.
STARDATE 46090: Awarded Starfleet Commendation Medal
Annotation from Commander G.T. Gregorio on Stardate 46090: Successfully hosted a Xenoarcheological presentation on the Faraday's discovery on Alpha-Epsilon V at Starbase 214 to Ministry of Exploration officials.
STARDATE 46668: Promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade.
STARDATE 47005: Mentioned in Dispatches
Annotation from Commander G.T. Gregorio on Stardate 47005: Wrote a groundbreaking article in Stafleet's Bureau of Sciences academic journal on Faraday's discovery on Alpha-Epsilon V, theorizing that it was a stopping point for what would become the Romulans after their expulsion from Vulcan.
STARDATE 48112: Detached from USS FARADAY (NCC-6781). Transferred to Joint Service Science Station D-4, Federation-Romulan Neutral Zone as part of a joint Federation-Romulan xenoarcheological studies team.
STARDATE 49453: Awarded Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for five years of space duty.
STARDATE 49751: Awarded Federation Citizens' Medal.
Annotation from Senator J.G. Gibbons on Stardate 49751: Awarded for service in uniting our two fractured peoples, taking the first steps to reconciliation and peace between the Romulan Empire and the Federation.
STARDATE 50451: Awarded Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for five years of space duty.
STARDATE 51123: Recognized by Ministry of Exploration as Starfleet Science Officer of the Year for exemplary service to the Federation.
Annotation from Minister of Exploration Lady Kiavra Travso on Stardate 51123: Lieutenant(jg) O'Sullivan's work on the origins of the Romulan people have changed the entire way we think about the Age of Surak and the Flight of the Raptors.
STARDATE 53669: Promoted to Lieutenant
STARDATE 55451: Awarded second Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for ten years of space duty.
STARDATE 55849: Awarded Meritorious Service Medal, the Confederacy of Vulcan's Medal for Scientific Merit, and inducted as an Officer in the Romulan Imperial Order of the Golden Raptor.
Annotation from Admiral F.Z. Josef on Stardate 55849: Recognized by the constituent governments of the joint scientific expedition on the origins of the Romulan people. Lieutenant O'Sullivan, as de-facto chairman of the team, has made galaxy-shattering conclusions that the Flight of the Raptors took place nearly 2000 years before previously thought, which has changed the previously established ethnogenesis of the Rihannsu. The arrival of the Romulans at ch'Rihan (Romulus), previously thought to be a gradual process over many generations, can now be understood as a relatively quick affair within two generations due to the efforts of Lieutenant O'Sullivan and the science team under his supervision.
STARDATE 56416: Detached from Joint Service Science Station D-4. Transferred to Starfleet Academy as Instructor on Xenoarcheology.
STARDATE 60416: Detached from Starfleet Academy. Transferred to USS INDEPENDENCE (NCC-90346) as Assistant Chief Science Officer.
STARDATE 63027: Promoted to Lieutenant Commander.
STARDATE 63750: Awarded Counseling Chit for verbal altercation with LCDR A.Z. Macedo, Chief Tactics Officer.
Annotation from Captain L. Ibbidon on Stardate 63750: Lieutenant Commander O'Sullivan was witnessed in a heated argument with Lieutenant Commander Macedo in the Officers' Mess by senior officers over the state of Starfleet. Lieutenant Commander O'Sullivan is a fine officer but must learn that the age of exploration as Starfleet's primary mission has long passed, and that the new age demands that our military presence comes first.
STARDATE 64577: Detached from USS INDEPENDENCE (NCC-90346). Transferred to USS VIGILANCE (NCC-56912) as Chief Science Officer.

CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER REXA AVUREM

LCDR AVUREM

>UNCLASSIFIED DOCUMENT FROM
>BUREAU OF STARFLEET PERSONNEL
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

LEGAL NAME: REXA AVUREM

RANK AND PAYGRADE: LIEUTENANT COMMANDER (O-4)
AGE: 39
PLACE OF ORIGIN: MEDARA, THALZED REGION, BETAZED, BETAZED SYSTEM, PRINCIPALITY OF BETAZED, UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: Betazoid Female, approximately 162cm in height and 53kg in weight. Tanned/olive-skin complexion, with black hair and green eyes. Individual is identifiable by a cybernetic right eye and a long scar, approximately 3 inches, running along where eye used to be.

NOTE FROM BUSTARPERS: INDIVIDUAL MUST UPDATE SERVICE RECORD to include physical image by end of fiscal year 2387, as per BUSTARPERS T-4382. Consult with local BUSTARPERS Representative for appointment.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE:
Profile conducted by LCDR V.I. ZIMONOV, M.D. on Stardate 64361 at Betazed Spacedock, Principality of Betazed.:
"Lieutenant Commander Avurem, while a telepath, is an incredibly difficult person. She finds it, extraordinarily for her Race, to relate to even smallest problems of other people. It is an extremely good thing that she took up physical medicine and not psychological counseling. Intensely committed to Starfleet regulations, she frequently finds herself at odds with her chain of command and those under her. Perhaps a less adept counselor would assign most of this to Post-Traumatic Stress, from experiences during the Occupation of Betazed, but I am willing to venture that she was always like this."

SERVICE RECORD (With annotations, as per BUSTARPERS S-5412):
STARDATE 43689: Inducted into Class 854 of Starfleet Academy as Midshipman.
STARDATE 46262: Assigned to USS TSUNAMI (NCC-48202) as junior year midshipman cruise
Annotation from Captain S.P. Loggicco on Stardate 46487: Frustratingly difficult to work with. Doesn't understand a single thing about the nature of deep space cruises. Will be in for a rude awakening when she hits the Fleet.
STARDATE 47437: Graduated as part of Class 854 from Starfleet Academy. Commissioned as Ensign.
STARDATE 47448: Detached from Starfleet Academy. Transferred to Starfleet Medical School, San Francisco, North America Region, Earth, studying General Practice.
STARDATE 51426: Graduated from Starfleet Medical School. Promoted to Lieutenant, Junior Grade. Assigned to Prince Oanran ly Grein Hospital in Iscandar, Semizad Region, Principality of Betazed for Residency.
STARDATE 51550: Commissioned in the Liberation Army of the Princes of Betazed.
STARDATE 52106: Promoted to Lieutenant. Awarded Dominion War Campaign Medal (With Betazed Liberation Clasp), Starfleet Wound Badge in Silver, Federation Cross for Valor, and Princely Order of Otoh of the Principality of Bajor.
Annotation from Admiral G.T. Hyse on Stardate 52106: For actions above and beyond the call of duty during the brutal Occupation of Bajor. Lieutenant Avurem, as part of the Liberation Army, directed a field hospital in the caves of the Loneel Valley. When Dominion forces threatened to overrun the cave system, she fought bravely against Jem'Hadar foot soldiers and was stabbed through the eye by an enemy trooper. She has, along with many of the leaders of the partisans, been awarded with a territorial honor from her home planet.
STARDATE 52117: Reassigned to Bureau of Starfleet Medical, San Francisco, North American Region, Earth on temporary light duty.
STARDATE 52829: Detached from Bureau of Starfleet Medical, San Francisco, North American Region, Earth. Transferred to USS CAPITOL (NCC-75715) as part of General Medical Surgeons Detachment.
STARDATE 53280: Awarded Starfleet Achievement Medal
Annotation from Captain F.L. Richmond on Stardate 53280: Took charge during relief efforts on Cardassia.
STARDATE 53830: Awarded Space Service Ribbon for one year of space duty.
STARDATE 55089: Detached from USS CAPITOL (NCC-75715). Transferred to Deep Space Six, Sector 771 as G.P. of Station Civilian Division.
STARDATE 56667: Promoted to Lieutenant Commander.
STARDATE 57032: Subject to Office of Starfleet Inspector General investigation and subsequent court-martial. Cleared of all charges.
Annotation from Commodore O.I. Zadok on Stardate 57032: A veritable witch hunt. It is regrettable that this must be documented on the record of an otherwise outstanding officer, and thus I will seek to fix this blemish. A misunderstanding arose while treating a Federation Senator. LCDR Avurem refused to allow the Senator to, in her words during the court-martial, "cut the line." This Senator took offense to this and reported LCDR Avurem to Bureau of Starfleet Medical and the Starfleet IG for malpractice and violation of Medical Oath. What trifling nonsense! It is a shame this will negatively affect her career. A deep regret that I can only hope to diminish by this entry.
STARDATE 57830: Awarded Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for five years of space duty.
STARDATE 58103: Detached from Deep Space Six. Transferred to USS SPITFIRE (NCC-53551) as Chief Medical Officer.
STARDATE 59829: Awarded Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for five years of space duty.
STARDATE 60032: Awarded Starfleet Good Conduct Ribbon.
Annotation from Commander T.A. Atkins on Stardate 60032: Ensured Medical Department is at top efficiency for all situations. Bravo Zulu, shipmate.
STARDATE 62750: Detached from USS SPITFIRE (NCC-53551). Transferred to Betazed Spacedock, Principality of Betazed as personal doctor to Admiral Helena S. Medvedev.
STARDATE 62829: Awarded second Space Service Ribbon Bronze Star for ten years of space duty.
STARDATE 63415: Mentioned in Dispatches.
Annotation from Admiral H.S. Medvedev: A stellar doctor but lacking in all proper decorum, I would have no one else as my doctor. She takes no excuse that I give her into consideration of what must be done. I feel as though her talents are wasted on an old desk-pilot like myself. Recommend that any available deep space billet for Chief Medical Officer be immediately allotted for her.
STARDATE 64585: Detached from Betazed Spacedock, Principality of Betazed. Transferred to USS VIGILANCE (NCC-56912) as Chief Medical Officer.

COMMANDER OF ALPHA COMPANY, 1/7TH MARINES, MAJOR IMPISI GWALA

Major Gwala

>UNCLASSIFIED DOCUMENT FROM
>BUREAU OF STARFLEET PERSONNEL
>STARFLEET COMMAND, SAN FRANCISCO, NORTH AMERICAN REGION, EARTH,
>SOL SYSTEM, SECTOR 001.
>FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

LEGAL NAME: IMPISI GWALA
RANK AND PAYGRADE: Major (O4)
AGE: 34
PLACE OF ORIGIN: ULUNDI, AFRICAN REGION, EARTH, SOL SYSTEM, UNITED EARTH SYSTEMS, UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE: Human male, approximately 188cm in height and 97.5kg in weight. Dark complextiom, with a shaved bald head and brown eyes. Extremely muscular. Identifable marks include pock marks on both cheeks from excessive acne and a tattoo on right shoulder of the Lion, Globe, and Sword of the Starfleet Marines.

OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH:

Major Gwala

This photograph was taken on Stardate 63940 at Camp van Jensen, Moongdrui V.

PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE:
Profile conducted by LT S. Th'avhialass, M.D. on Stardate 64236 at Camp van Jensen, Moongdrui V.: “Major Watkins has made great progress in dealing with his experiences during the Dominion War. He still suffers from occasional bouts of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and uses physical exercise to deal with those brief episodes. His mild case of PTSD is not enough to prevent him from carrying out his duties as a marine infantry company commander. He is fit for deployment in space.”

SERVICE RECORD (With annotations, as per BUSTARPERS S-5412):
STARDATE 47652: Inducted into Gibraltar Division of Starfleet Marine Academy at Annapolis, Maryland (Earth)
STARDATE 48008: Appointed to Candidate Midshipman Command Master Chief
STARDATE 51378: Graduated from Starfleet Marine Academy, Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Starfleet Marines
STARDATE 51718: Completed Infantry Officer Basic Course, Camp Benning, Georgia
STARDATE 51729: Detached from Marine Infantry Officer Basic Course. Assigned 3rd Marine Platoon Commander, C Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Starfleet Marine Regiment (1-1).
STARDATE 51750: Awarded Bronze Star and Starfleet Wound Badge in Silver.
Annotation by Colonel Soton, son of Sel on Stardate 51750: Led the Forlorn Hope during the Siege of Lusbua on Sigma-Kappa II. Led his platoon into the Dominion headquarters and captured the Vorta officers, ending enemy resistance on the planet.
STARDATE 52616: Awarded Dominion War Campaign Medal (with Cardassia Liberation clasp), Starfleet and Marine Corps Cross, and Starfleet Wound Badge in Gold
Annotation by Colonel Soton, son of Sel on Stardate 52616: Took part in the brutal urban fighting in Cardassia's capital city in the final operation of the War. 2nd Lieutenant Gwala planted the flag of the Federation atop the ruins of the Cardassian Chancellery, marking the end of the War.
STARDATE 53002: Promoted to 1st Lieutenant.
STARDATE 55164: Detached from 1-1 Starfleet Marines. Transferred to Starfleet Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego as Company Commander.
STARDATE 55983: Awarded Space Service Ribbon for one year service on space duty.
STARDATE 56013: Awarded Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
Annotation from Brigadier General A. Th'qaolnohr on Stardate 56013: In recognition of tireless service to producing the finest Marines the Federation has to offer.
STARDATE 57087: Promoted to Captain.
STARDATE 59098: Detached from Starfleet Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. Assigned Company Commander, A Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Starfleet Marines.
STARDATE 59249: Deployed with 1-7 Marines on board USS LEXINGTON (NCC-30405) in Orion Space as part of Operation FIANCHETTO.
STARDATE 59336: Awarded Space Service Ribbon with bronze star for five years' space duty.
STARDATE 62092: Detached with 1-7 Marines from USS LEXINGTON (NCC-30405). Forward-deployed to Camp van Jensen, Moongdrui V, Moongdrui System, Sector 881.
STARDATE 63254: Promoted to Major.
STARDATE 64583: Deployed with A Company, 1-7 Marines on board USS VIGILANCE (NCC-56912).

[Starboard Watch]

INDEX

Prologue
CHAPTER ONE: THE ROMULAN CRISIS
I

[Starboard Watch]

I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above,
Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love;
The love that asks no questions, the love that stands the test,
That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best;
The love that never falters, the love that pays the price,
The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.

Presidential Mansion
Lake Victoria, African Region
Earth, Sol System, Sector 001
United Federation of Planets

The halls of the Presidential Mansion rung with the thousand frantic calls of what had happened across the Neutral Zone, the President insisting on status updates every fifteen minutes. He summoned the Defense Minister, Foreign Minister, and the Chief of Starfleet Operations. All the communiques which filtered out of from the Neutral Zone confirmed the same thing.

Romulus was no more.

President James Aquilina, elected as a reformer who would move the Federation out from the shadow of the Dominion War, with all its chaos and strife, and into a new age of prosperity and peace, could only thing of one thing. How much it would affect him on the polls. A refugee crisis? Destabilization of the Quadrant? The end of the Congress of Bajor? That all meant he would be confirmed to a single, terrible term. History would forget him, lost in a sea of Presidents, nameless to all except a few studious bookworms.

He, his ministers, the CSO, and the Klingon Ambassador - brought to the Mansion by the CSO’s insistence - gathered in the war room at his mansion overlooking the grand Lake Victoria. The view, which commanded a stunning view of the Alexandra Nile as it flowed into the illustrious lake, was Aquilina’s favorite, and he wondered how much longer he would be able to enjoy this sight.

“We must send some kind of force into the Romulan Star Empire, or what remains of it, before it falls into total and complete anarchy. That will not be good for anyone, not us, not the Klingon Empire, and certainly not the Romulan people. A whole stretch of space, fallen to piracy and warlords! We cannot allow that!” Grand Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, Chief of Starfleet Operations, declared. It had been eight years since the event on the Enterprise-E, deep in Romulan space, brought him from the captain’s chair to an admiral’s desk, “Ambassador Torak, surely the Klingon Empire agrees?”

“The Klingon Empire must not have chaos on her borders! If the Federation is willing to enforce order, then we likewise will send our own force into Romulan space,” Torak concurred with Picard’s view, even if they had a different outlook on what that intervention force would be doing, “Is Starfleet up to the challenge, Picard? To fight these Romulan petaQs as they are pushed against a wall? Is today a good day to die?”

“Ambassador, if the Federation does get involved, it will be for humanitarian aid and peacekeeping only,” Foreign Minister Ramadhani Shamasdin spoke up, after deliberating his words carefully, “the Federation will not take part in a campaign of retribution and conquest of what remains of the Romulan Empire.”

Ambassador Torak simply scoffed and sipped at his glass of water, turning his gaze towards the Lake and refusing to answer. Picard looked over and, seeing the President looking disinterestedly in the same direction, began to speak towards him, “Mr. President, I must ask you to forget your notions of retaining power. Right now, it is the time to act, a time to step up to what your office stands for. You represent the United Federation of Planets, the greatest force for good the Galaxy has ever seen, and you must not allow billions of lifeforms to be swept into civil war and chaos.”

“Admiral Picard, if I may interject….” Defense Minister Thuzok Rossah butted in, “I don’t believe we have the resources to commit to another full-scale conflict, which this will surely spiral into. Who knows what’s beyond Romulan space! Or what’s in it, for that matter! They’ve never let us know the true number of client races within their Empire. We have no reason to do anything except increase security along the Neutral Zone.”

“And if we do that, Mr. Rossah, we’ll only be delaying the inevitable flood of refugees. It will be like the Hunnic hordes storming across the Rhine and into Rome. Do you wish to be the one who causes that, Defense Minister?” Picard looked from the Defense Minister and turned his gaze towards the President, “Or you, Mr. President? If not, you must act decisively and you must act now.”

“Alright, Jean-Luc…” Aquilina murmured, after spending what seemed like an eternity in silent thought, “You always are a bully when it comes to getting what you want, but you always have a point…” He chuckled dryly, “you’ll get your task force, Picard. Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me…” Aquilina gestured to his two ministers, “we have a press conference to prepare for. The Prime Minister is going to tear us to shreds…”

As the President and his ministers left, Picard walked over towards the large panoramic windows, admiring the still relatively untouched beauty of Africa. A flock of white-bellied storks flew in the distance, gliding over the waters of Lake Victoria, “Admiral Picard, you have great honor. Your reputation is well-known throughout the Empire,” Torak spoke from behind Picard, still nursing his glass of water, “it is a privilege to meet you.”

“As you, Ambassador,” Picard nodded, turning around to face the Klingon, “your fleet action at Ioya V during the War was astounding. I remember reading the after-action reports and…”

“Enough of my track record, Admiral,” Torak smiled, cutting off Picard with a wave of his hand, “We have a problem, that only men who have tasted combat will ever see…” He had Picard’s attention, “The Romulan space must be absorbed into our states. There is no other option. It is a simple fact, that no one wants to come out and say! Oh, how you Federation types love your word games. Whatever we do, peacekeeping and securing space, just delays when we must face up to that fact.”

“They will be admitted into the Federation if they so choose, Ambassador…” Picard spoke, but he knew the Klingon spoke wisdom.

“As your War Advisor pointed out, there is much out there that we do not know of.” Torak paused, and then turned his gaze towards the lake, “This view reminds me of my home. Except there, it is much more beautiful.”

[Starboard Watch]

I heard my country calling, away across the sea,
Across the waste of waters, she calls and calls to me.
Her sword is girded at her side, her helmet on her head,
And around her feet are lying the dying and the dead;
I hear the noise of battle, the thunder of the guns;
I haste to thee, my mother, a son among thy sons.

CHAPTER ONE: THE ROMULAN CRISIS

Somewhere near the Neutral Zone
USS VIGILANCE
STARDATE 64607

"-Romulan refugee ships have begun to filter across the Neutral Zone. Starfleet ships have been dispatched to assist in aid operations, which is becoming the greatest humanitarian crisis of the Alpha Quadrant's history. Here with us is-"

"-Defense Minister Thuzok Rossah has announced that the joint Klingon-Federation task force has entered Romulan space and is proceeding to make contact with the Romulan Provisional Government in the Hasseleh system. The Romulan Provisional Government consists of former sen-"

"-in soccer , Vulcan has beat Earth 5-4 in the third round of the Federation Cup. They will proceed onto play the Saurians in the next match tomorrow. We'll now take it to T'Pra for the latest stock exchan-"

Captain Strenn switched off the newsreader. It was all too much. He sat in silence in his ready room, the stars streaming past the large window above the settee. A cup of herbal tea, made from leaves grown in the arid deserts of the Forge, was slowly losing its warmth on the table before him. The Vulcan Captain's mind was racing, far faster than he could handle with his nearly five decades of carefully constructed mental walls. His father would be utterly ashamed that his eldest son could not keep his emotions in check, but how could he? Strenn had been aboard the T'Kumbra, in fact had been her Executive Officer, when it was destroyed on that fateful day above Cardassia. Captain Solok, that brave officer, went down with the ship and with most of the crew. Strenn, for his bravery, was promoted to Captain and awarded the highest award the Federation can bestow. Strenn, however, considered it an insult, even contemplated on resigning his commission. But that would not logical, since Starfleet needed experienced officers now more than ever.

And so that's what brought him to this lofty position as a Commanding Officer of a cruiser, no matter how aged she might be. It was a high responsibility to be a starship captain, and he felt the pressure sit heavily upon his shoulders now that he was sitting in the central seat. But the question "What would Solok do?" raged in his mind every time he made a decision, even if it was 'Boats, ahead warp five.' Solok was a true Starfleet officer, and more, he was a true Vulcan. Strenn, on the other hand, was only a fair facsimile.

The great pressure of being a starship captain weighed even more knowing that the Vigilance would be a high-profile ship, certainly subjected to scrutiny from the highest levels of Starfleet. The actions that the 12th Fleet, now temporarily renamed the Joint Federation-Klingon Peacekeeping Task Force for the Romulan Empire - or simply the Joint Task Force, would take - or not take - would be analyzed from every angle. The stakes were incredibly high, and for Strenn, it seemed too much.

Why had he come back to Starfleet at all? The Vulcan Diplomatic Institute had even offered him a tenured teaching position, disregarding his youthful rejection of the stuffy university for the future in the stars that Starfleet promised. It certainly wasn't the money, for he had enough of that, and it wasn't because he enjoyed space, because he had seen enough of it. He found it difficult to isolate exactly why, in the churning waters of his mind. The storm continued to rage and send electric bolts flying every-which-way in his brain, with no end in sight.

The door buzzed, breaking through the clouded thoughts of the Vulcan captain.

"Enter."

***

Commander Udrus Ahrume, Executive Officer of USS Vigilance, entered into the ready room of his Commanding Officer. It would be his first time meeting face-to-face with Captain Strenn, who had suspiciously secluded himself in the two weeks that they had been on the ship, getting the heavy cruiser shook down in preparation for what the papers were now calling "Operation Vanguard," the largest peacekeeping mission in known history. It sounded like horse-shit to him, but what did he know?

"Good afternoon, sir," Commander Udrus stood at attention as he entered into the cramped ready room, which was little more than an office desk, a settee with a coffee table, and a replicator mounted to a wall. Nothing adorned those walls, typically spartan as most Vulcans tended to be. Udrus made notes of his surroundings as he stood in those brief seconds before reporting, and did a glance down upon his own uniform. His Service Uniform was immaculate, pressed with no lint or dust hairs, and his shoes were so polished you could see the streaking stars on the toes. Not that if mattered if he was unsat, since he couldn't change it by then anyway, "We've crossed the Neutral Zone, and entered Romulan Space."

The Vulcan looked up from his gaze, firmly locked on the tea cup sitting on the table, and locked eyes with his First Officer. Commander Udrus, though no telepath, knew the thoughts running through that analytical Vulcan's mind. He would, by now, be recalling that this Bajoran Rebel-turned-Starfleet Officer had a track record the size of some small holonovels, most of all that damned business on the Albatross with that Cardie frigate.

If the Vulcan asked for an explanation, he mused to himself, then he would simply tell him that he only regretted that he did not kill the lot of them when he had the chance.

But instead of demanding that he explained in detail why he hated the Cardassian Race so much, the Vulcan simply rose to his feet and spoke one word, "Good...." and without further discussion led the way back onto the bridge. Udrus noted, in the back of his mind, that this Vulcan was perhaps the most peculiar he had ever known. Even more strange than that bastard Stavath.

One thing was certain, Vulcans were hard to get along with, and even harder to understand.

***

"Lance Corporal, I need not have to remind you to 'wrap it' and to have some military bearing."

Lieutenant Commander Avurem shook her head unsympathetically to the five Marines in Sick Bay. The first "casualties" of the Vigilance's underway were these foolish Marines who caught STDs while on liberty call at Starbase 764 before she departed. They had all been involved in a group orgy, apparently, and it got out of hand relatively quickly - even for Marines.

Fucking bitch....

Avurem's eyebrow raised as the Lance Corporal's inner monologue spat venom at her. Little did he know that "this fucking bitch" was a Betazoid. She chose, oddly diplomatically for her, to hold her tongue instead of firing back. "I will be consulting with the Major to schedule more instruction on sexual health."

The Marines' inner thoughts said some more vulgar obscenities, but outwardly they remained stoic and unbreakable. They were dismissed from Sick Bay, each with a hefty prescription of antibiotics and the knowledge that they would soon be sitting through hours of Naval-mandated powerpoints on the dangers of unprotected sex.

The Corpsmen and nurses in the Sick Bay shared the Marines' distaste for the Betazoid doctor, but she didn't care at all. She had stared down and won against foes far greater than they. It didn't matter much if they hated her, so long as they did their jobs. And she made sure of that. With an iron hand, the battleaxe doctor ensured total obedience to naval regulations.

Naturally, the more experienced and seasoned medical staff chafed under these rules but they had no choice. Avurem was committed to following the regulations to the letter. She had seen first hand what happens when they aren't followed; people die. With the grumbling thoughts of the medical staff piercing her brain, she beat a hasty retreat into the office and closed the door behind her, valuing what little inner silence she could have.

***

In his office, Lieutenant Commander O'Sullivan read the reports from Romulus with great sadness, but also great enthusiasm. The sadness, from the demise of a glorious Empire and the almost-assured fracturing of the political union that had been around since before Man united his own world. The enthusiasm, from the knowledge that out of this chaos, so much could now be uncovered about the secretive Romulan Empire.

He knew firsthand the kind of secrecy that the Romulans prided themselves upon. It was like pulling teeth trying to get anything out of them, and that was on a joint scientific effort on their own people. Debates would draw into the wee hours of the morning some days on whether or not the science teams could be permitted to stray into the Romulan-aligned worlds in the Neutral Zone. It was a work of nothing less than God Himself that O'Sullivan had been able to prepare a report on the Romulan ethnogenesis at all.

He wondered what sort of secrets the Vigilance would be on the frontline discovering. Those mythical races like the Troknai could finally be studied, and their Race's history finally given true light in the Federation. Perhaps even the Vronnukai would be able to reclaim their birthright.

But, at the moment, he could only watch the holonews and wait for the order to come down to his Department.

***

"I'll take a rum and coke, thank you very much."

The mixed drink phased into existence on the replicator dispenser tray in the Officers' Mess, and was eagerly taken in hand by Lieutenant Commander Tremblay. He was thankful that the Starfleet replicators ensured that the beverage was distinctly nonalcoholic. If it wasn't, well, he would probably be stuck back on that Starbase in Terminal Holds.

It was a wonder that he had been permitted back into space at all, after that whole business on Risa. As he took a seat in the empty mess, he chuckled quietly to himself about the crazy turn of events that led him here at all. An adventure while on leave in Bajor made such a shock in the new Member State that politics forced Starfleet Command to re-evaluate the troublesome Lieutenant. A reassignment to a tinpot cruiser was one thing, but a promotion? When the Commodore gave him his official certificate, he could've hardly believed it possible.

Politics was the name of the game, after all, and Tremblay played it exceedingly well. He even got a nice medal from the Republic of Bajor to show for it too. How many non-Bajorans had been able to get anything from their government, even a thank you for liberating us? Very few, so few that they could all be counted on a human's hands.

As the ship sped at warp speed into Romulan Space, the Chief of Ship's Operations downed his synthetic mixed drink and slammed the glass on the table, and debated within himself on whether or not he wanted another drink.

***

Reports from the latest all-hands drill sat on the Chief of Security's desk, right beside a cup of scalding hot coffee. The Saurian Lieutenant Commander never had the drink before he went to Mineman A School in San Diego, but soon found himself utterly addicted to the drink. Wherever he went, that cup of coffee followed him.

The reports, as expected, were well above Starfleet standards. But they were not up to Rokuua's. The response times of the anti-boarding parties were abysmal to him, and those sailors would be running drills this entire underway until they shaved off those precious 30 seconds. He knew, better than any of the officers here, the sort of grumbling these sailors would be cursing and swearing about their Security Chief, but he knew that deep down they would understand if the Vigilance was ever in a true battle situation.

He learned a lot from the Klingons, and sought to implement their anti-boarding tactics into Starfleet as a whole. He considered his experience in the Empire all together positive, if a little shaky when the brief conflict between the Federation and the Klingons exploded just before the Dominion War. But he bled alongside that warrior Race, and found great sympathy in their honor-bound race. They reminded him of his own, who had once been so much like them.

Rokuua took another sip of his coffee, and pondered exactly how he was going to shave off those 30 seconds.

***

Deep in the bowels of the aged heavy cruiser, Lieutenant Commander Meyer was hard at work crawling through the Jefferies tube adjacent to the Main Engineering compartment. The Division Officer, a young Ensign fresh from the Academy, was outright confused not only by Meyer's insistence on crawling into the tube at all, but making the young officer come along with him. The accompanying Engineman, Second Class (EN2), however, took a distinct degree of pleasure in watching the DIVO squirm.

"EN2, you said that this was the junction where the system reported a problem?" Meyer inquired from the Petty Officer who was picking up the rear as they reached a tube junction, his thick German accent making it hard for either man to understand him very well. "I don't see a damn thing wrong here!"

"Sir, I'm tellin' you, this ship is haunted..." The EN2 shook his head with absolutely no sign of joking, "This isn't even the half of it. The computers randomly turn off, or start accessing files from random folders. The Warp Core Main Terminal locked us out for a good three hours yesterday. We almost had to pull back into port. What an embarrassment."

The trio sat in the cramped junction as the Chief Engineer wracked his brain. It was like the computers had a mind of their own! He had even gotten reports that the shields were randomly deactivating, thankfully only for split second intervals but it would be a major problem in the heat of battle. What next? Life support systems fail across the ship? Malfunctioning holodeck training simulators kill the entire Marine contingent?

"Sir..." The DIVO interrupted the Chief Engineer's rambling and disjointed thought train, "Could we perhaps figure out this problem....outside the tube?"

"Ah, ja, of course, of course!" Lieutenant Commander Meyer nodded, a little red from embarrassment of having been caught in his head. With the relieved DIVO and a bemused EN2 in tow, Meyer slid down the tube, eager to research exactly what the hell happened to this ship.

***

Major Gwala, an imposing figure amongst the Starfleet sailors aboard the Vigilance, stuck out like a sore thumb in his Utility Uniform. The coverall-like SWUs were like a sea of blue in the haze-grey passage ways, and the Marine was like an island in this vast ocean. He thought to himself how odd it was that most of these sailors had barely come of age when he was fighting the Dominion armies on a hundred worlds.

Did any of them know that he was the man who planted the Grand Flag atop the ruins of the Chancellery? The image had burned itself in the holofeeds across the Federation, and indeed across the Galaxy. When the Blue Flag of the Federation was unfurled over the burning city, it sent out the signal that the Terrible War had finally ended. But scars never heal so nicely. How many men and women died in fields far from home? The freedom that they had fought for had been taken for granted for far too long, and only now the Federation was beginning to realize it.

There was little love between the Marines and sailors, an interservice rivalry older than the Federation and Starfleet, but the Major had some respect for the iron men and women who sailed on titanium ships in open space. So many Starfleet sailors perished, just as the Marines did, in brutal combat. Starfleet had gone in half-cocked, and it was only due to their will and courage that the Federation had triumphed at all.

The Major said nothing as he entered the turbolift, except to say "Bridge." There were two sailors inside the lift, talking about something that made the old Marine smile.

"...I don't know why GM1 has to be such a fuckin' dick. My boots were perfectly fine. I literally put polish on them last night. Dickhead thinks we're all supposed to have clean and polished boots like we're in A School or something. The instructions say they need to be blackened..."

"I don't know either, man. Maybe his wife cheated on him."

The pair of grumbling sailors departed on Deck 6, and the Major continued his trip up to the bridge. The doors slid open shortly after, and he stepped out onto the bridge just in time to witness history.

***

This was the oldest ship he had ever been on, and he didn't like it one bit. There was too much wrong with this damned ship.

Lieutenant Commander Vuvias shook his head from the Main Tactical station on the bridge. On the screen, all systems reported functioning and normal, but he knew that was bullshit. If a Romulan warbird confronted them now, he was sure that the shields would fail or that the torpedo tubes would malfunction like they did on the shakedown cruise. That German Engineer still hadn't figured out what was wrong with the ship, let alone gotten anywhere close to fixing it.

Why did Starfleet have to move so slow? Why did they decide to bring this piece of shit back into service at all?

The Vulcan Captain, flanked by the Bajoran XO, entered the bridge from the Captain's ready room and began the ritual of relieving the Watch.

"Attention on deck!" Lieutenant von Körner, the Officer of the Deck, shouted as the Captain entered the bridge.

"As you were." Strenn waved his hand and approached the OOD, "Any updates, Lieutenant?"

"USS Courageous is requesting all vessels attached to the Fleet connect to her channel. She is going to begin broadcasting soon." The Lieutenant made his watch report, still standing at attention before Captain Strenn, "other than that, there has been some odd readings from the Warp Core and from minor systems on Deck 6, but Engineering is dealing with it and it has not affected any operations."

"Very well." Strenn nodded, "I relieve you, sir."

"I stand relieved. Attention in the bridge, Captain Strenn has the deck!" Lieutenant von Körner shouted once more and the bridge, once more, leapt to attention. This sort of pageantry and show-ponyism always left a sour taste in Vuvias' mouth, and he hoped that he would never have be subjected to this indignity if he ever became Captain.

***

Of all the things he would wish to deal with, a Disciplinary Review Board was certainly not one of them. The CMC hated those, even more so than when he was a junior sailor. Now on the inside looking out, it was such a tedious process and almost wholly unnecessary. A show of theatrics that younger chiefs and senior chiefs indulged in, that he found no similar need to do.

The latest was that of Yeoman, Third Class Daniel Joachimshalter. The recently-frocked Petty Officer made a fool of himself while on duty, sneaking off to his berthing and nipping at some smuggled whiskey he brought aboard. When assuming his watch station, the sailor he was relieving immediately smelled the alcohol on his breath and reported it to their LPO, who escalated the situation to necessitate a DRB. Ultimately, and all but assured, YN3 Joachimshalter was recommended for an XOI board, where CMC Ch'oviaval would have to see his face again. And surely after that, he would see him once more at Captain's Mast, when that same Third Class would get placed on liberty restriction, half months' pay, and the host of other punishments that could be meted out.

As the CMC made his way up from the Third Deck, where the DRB had taken place, to the Bridge, he thought about some of the more unusual punishments he had seen given to sailors while in Starfleet. There was that one time on the Idaho, when his LPO, BM1 Conta, had been caught running a gambling ring in his berthing. Instead of giving him the normal restriction, half months' pay, and Extra Military Instruction, BM1 Conta had his designated replicator meals restricted to bread and water only for a month.

CMC Ch'oviaval smiled to himself, remembering those bygone times with some fondness. Whatever happened to that old Tellarite anyway? Surely, he was either a CMC like Byn or out of Starfleet entirely by now. Perhaps, though, he was one of the untold billions who did not survive the Dominion onslaught which claimed so many.

The CMC entered the Bridge just as the official hand-off of the Watch from the Officer of the Deck to Captain Strenn was concluded, so his entrance was unnoticed except by the glances of some of the petty officers manning their stations. Certainly none of the junior - or for that matter senior - officers noticed the Command Master Chief enter. Not that he minded much anyway.

Captain Strenn, standing to the right of the Captain's chair but for some reason refusing to take a seat, turned towards the Communications Station, where Chief Operations Specialist Kernaghan was awaiting his orders, "Chief, put Courageous through."

"Aye, aye, sir." OSC Kernaghan replied simply and obediently, and with a slight move of hand, the viewscreen that once showed stars was replaced with the bridge of the Sovereign-class starship, the flagship of the Task Force. At the center of the screen was Commodore Doma, a grizzled Bolian and a veteran of the War. Vigilance must have been the last to connect, for shortly after he was put on the viewscreen the Commodore began his speech.

"All Starfleet and Federation vessels, we are about to undertake a mission unlike any other in the Alpha Quadrant's history. The eyes of thousands of species are upon you today, the hopes and dreams of billions of souls depending upon your adherence to duty. I expect every sailor in my task force to be model Starfleet servicemembers, and to act in accordance with the Starfleet Creed. We represent the Federation, and we cannot let these people down. Captains, you will receive a coded transmission detailing your specific operational goals." The Commodore paused, "I wish you all the best of luck. Godspeed!"

The screen was replaced by the eternal starscape of deep space, displaying a region of space that had not been traveled by Starfleet since the days of the Earth-Romulan War. "I'll be in my ready room. Commander, you have the bridge." Strenn turned heel, and without doing the formal trade-off of the Watch with the Executive Officer, disappeared into his ready room as quickly as he had come onto the bridge. The bridge staff was stupefied by the quick disappearance of their Captain into the ready room, none moreso than Ch'oviaval, who had been used to ostentatious and eccentric Captains using every opportunity to "show their feathers."

The strangeness of the incident, however, was quickly lost as the bridge staff returned to duty. Except the CMC, who locked eyes with the XO as both seemed unsure of what to do next.