 | TO: 38th FLEET COMMAND | CC: CAPT D. Konieczko, U.S.S. Vanguard FROM: CAPT A. A. Timoreev, U.S.S. Ananke STARDATE: 93013.7 SUBJECT: Liyan Cluster |  |
PRELIMINARY REPORT
In stardate 93011, as part of her patrol duties, the U.S.S. Ananke entered the Liyan Cluster, at the edges of the Donatu Sector, in order to perform regular check on the few satellites deployed there by Starfleet to monitor movements along the nearby Klingon border. Indeed, our sensors picked unusual readings from one of the satellites, pointing to possible malfunctions.
Upon reaching the satellite, the engineering team sent on board identified the problem in the introduction of a hacking device. It was promptly disabled, and beamed on board the Ananke while maintenance on the satellite was completed and it was restored to full operational capabilities. Further analysis of the device allowed to determine its origin (in part) and scope: it was used to hack the satellite main controls, in order to make it perform scans inside the Cluster instead of its original objective, and to send reports back to a location inside the Cluster itself; analysis of its material composition allowed to identify it as manufactured near the Kirrsha System.
Due to our lack of knowledge about the Cluster (see the dossier attached to this report), and this system in particular, I decided to reach Kirrsha in order to investigate the motives behind the hacking of a Federation military satellite. Upon reaching our destination, we were immediately met by a squadron of three frigates from the Kirrsha Confederacy, hailing us and requesting explanations about our intrusion in their own space.
We informed them of the situation, and they agreed on escorting us to their nearest colony, based on a moon of Kirrsha III, where a meeting was organized with a representative of the Confederacy. Hishp-R'tip, deputy minister for foreign affairs of the Confederacy, was the diplomat in question: he met us personally on the Ananke, and proved extremely collaborative. He informed us that the device was not manufactured by the Kirrshans, but that it was instead a product of the Gad Unified Council, probably used to hack the satellite in order to obtain new intelligence on the Kirrshans (see attached dossier on Liyan politics for further informations). As evidence to sustain her statement, Hishp-R'tip gave us a similar device, clearly manufactured on Gad, to confront with the device in our possession. After my Chief Engineer confirmed that two devices were presumably built in the same factory, I decided to proceed in the Gad System to question the Unified Council about their intrusion in Federation space. Although the Kirrshan deputy minister actively tried to discourage us from such an intention, she finally disembarked: I asked to her to inform the Gad government of our impending arrival, in order to avoid further problems; a proposal to which she agreed as a sign of goodwill toward the Federation. The three Kirrshan frigates escorted us to the edge of the system, where we were finally able to warp toward Gad.
Inside the system, we were welcomed by four frigates and one cruiser sent by the Unified Council. Although initially suspicious, the captain leading the squadron was soon convinced of our goodwill, and escorted us directly to Gad Prime, capital of the Unified Council, under specific orders of his government. There, we were greeted by a delegation from the Council, led by councillor Eparti. After formalities were completed, he agreed on a private meeting, where he candidly admitted that the device was manufactured on Gad, but strongly refused to admit any implication of the Unified Council in the matter: he made allegations about the Kirrshans using the device to blame the Gadians and thus stir trouble between the Unified Council and the Federation. He offered us evidence of his statements by allowing us to identify and analize the imprinting of all State-manufactured devices. By the way, he offered the apologies of his government for the involvement of the Federation in this matter (although still denying any responsibility about it), and explained the political situation from the Gadian perspective (see attached dossier for more informations).
Few hours after, we left the Gad System in order to reach the edges of the Cluster, back into Federation space. During the journey, we were contacted by Hishp-R'tip, accusing us of offering Federation aid to the Gadians and questioning our motives to do so. Apparently, the reason for such a communication was that Gadian interplanetary media were interpreting our visit in their system as a diplomatic one, spreading the news that we had decided to aid the Gadians. Of course, I firmly denied any Federation involvement in the matter. Upon hearing my statements, Hishp-R'tip then began to question, gently but clearly, if the Federation would be interested in becoming mediator in the disputes still existing between the Kirrshan Confederacy and the Gad Unified Council. I promised to submit their request to Starfleet Command.
Then, I ordered the Ananke back to Federation space, where we checked all remaining satellites in order to assure the absence of further devices.
ANALYSIS
Although this incident was relatively small, and peacefully resolved without further Starfleet involvement, it is my opinion that it requires more attention than what apparently it deserves.
The Liyan Cluster has been relatively isolated from galactic politics during the last century, and the result is that actually it is a sort of micro-world of interplanetary politics. Unfortunately, it appears that this helped fostering divisions and conflicts among the members of the Cluster interplanetary community.
I took the opportunity of our visits to the Kirrsha and Gad systems to make some quick analysis of the situation on the field, through news media analysis, sensor checks, and interviews with the representatives we had the occasion to speak to. The results of this analysis are as follows:
- Tensions between the Kirrshans and the Gadians are going to increase in the foreseeable future. Although it's impossible to determine if and when exactly the actual Cold War-like attitude will mutate into open conflict, it is the opinion of myself and my intelligence section that this is a likely outcome.
- The impossibility to determine the exact origin of the hacking device didn't allow us to blame one side or the other: unfortunately for us, technology in the Cluster is too much similar to clearly allow such a determination without very careful analysis of the manufacturing processes of every single factory. In any case, the fact that one of the two powers decided to hack a Federation satellite, without concerning itself with the consequences of such act in the pursuit of valuable intelligence, led me to conclude that there are forces, inside the Cluster, which would gladly see a quick shift in the balance of power existing today. This shift could be achieved in many ways, and could have unforeseen consequences.
- The decision to use a Federation satellite is also of concern here: clearly, someone inside the Cluster, wether the Confederacy or the Unified Council, would gladly see the Federation involved in the Cluster politics. From the request received by Hishp-R'tip, I would point that the power willing to see so is the Kirrshan Confederacy, although it's probable that similar thoughts are also harboured in many government circles of the Gad Unified Council, as demonstrated by the willingness of their media to show the Ananke as a diplomatic representative of the Federation. It is possible, although difficult to predict, that, should tensions further arise, one or both powers could decide to use more assertiveness in asking for Federation involvement, including blackmail and threats to existing trade routes inside our nearby the Cluster.
- An all-out war inside the Cluster will surely have destabilizing consequences for the whole sector, including the Federation-Klingon border. The Empire could also be called by one of the powers to meddle into the conflict, with unpleasant consequences for the strategic stability of the whole sector.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Looking at all data, it is my opinion that the situation needs to be closely monitored by Starfleet. The Federation cannot afford at this moment to see a cause for further destabilization on one of its most critical borders. Also, it should be pointed out that a war could almost surely have damaging consequences for all nearby colonies and Federation planets. Also, we need to assert explicitly that further intrusion into Federation space, and hacking of Federation property, will not be tolerated further.
My recommendations are two-folded:
- First and foremost, we need to intensify our intelligence network inside the Cluster: basing on the data retrieved by the Ananke, we should be able to set out a road-map for Starfleet intelligence in this sense. We need to assess more clearly the strategict situation inside the Cluster, in all its aspects, and to investigate about the possible outcomes of the tensions between the Confederacy and the Unified Council while also assuring that no other third party could be involved.
- Secondly, we need a diplomatic approach: although I cannot say if it would be wise for the Federation to accept the mediation request made by the Kirrshan Confederacy (which should be, in any case, also submitted to the Gad Unified Council), we need to intensify our diplomatic presence in the Cluster for the protection of trade and Federation interests. Only after that, we could think about a Federation mediation.
ATTACHED FILES: