Tzenkethi Conflict Ends as Hur'q Threat Begins; Dominion Fleet Looms Over Bajor
The conflict with the Tzenkethi Coalition came to a head this evening as a massive fleet descended upon Bajor with hostile intent. The Federation, along with support from the Klingon Empire and Romulan Republic, massed a fleet to defend the strategically important world. In anticipation of the battle, Deep Space Nine was moved from its usual location in the Denorios Belt into a defensive orbit above the planet.
Heavy losses were incurred by both sides, and early reports indicate that DS9 itself may have sustained catastrophic damage. Several Starfleet vessels have been listed as lost, though an accurate count has been difficult to obtain. Task forces have dispersed and multiple starships have gone silent, an action we're being told is a tactical maneuver. The defense effort was led by Captain LaForge aboard the U.S.S. Challenger. Reinforcements arriving from the 16th and 38th Fleets turned the tide, and a tenuous ceasefire was brokered aboard a Tzenkethi dreadnought by an away team from the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Heavy losses were incurred by both sides, and early reports indicate that DS9 itself may have sustained catastrophic damage. Several Starfleet vessels have been listed as lost, though an accurate count has been difficult to obtain. Task forces have dispersed and multiple starships have gone silent, an action we're being told is a tactical maneuver. The defense effort was led by Captain LaForge aboard the U.S.S. Challenger. Reinforcements arriving from the 16th and 38th Fleets turned the tide, and a tenuous ceasefire was brokered aboard a Tzenkethi dreadnought by an away team from the U.S.S. Enterprise.
Unfortunately, this was only the beginning of what has turned out to be a very long night. Shortly after the ceasefire, seismic activity was detected on dozens of worlds, including Bajor -- corresponding to those planets where the Drantzuli crystals were discovered. From deep beneath the surface, previously undetected starships emerged from the bedrock. Most planetary defenses were quickly overwhelmed by the unexpected attack.
While DS9 was occupied with the Tzenkethi and then the Drantzuli threats, a sizable Dominion fleet emerged from the Bajoran Wormhole and traveled to the site of the battle. While their full intentions remain unclear, it has been confirmed that Dominion forces joined the battle on the side of the Alliance, against the Drantzuli attack.
The Drantzuli ships have since been identified as belonging to the Hur'q, an ancient enemy of the Klingons. While the Hur'q did engage local defenses at their launch sites, they did not linger or attack further targets in-system. Instead, they regrouped near the main force at Bajor and fled beyond Starfleet's ability to track.
While DS9 was occupied with the Tzenkethi and then the Drantzuli threats, a sizable Dominion fleet emerged from the Bajoran Wormhole and traveled to the site of the battle. While their full intentions remain unclear, it has been confirmed that Dominion forces joined the battle on the side of the Alliance, against the Drantzuli attack.
The Drantzuli ships have since been identified as belonging to the Hur'q, an ancient enemy of the Klingons. While the Hur'q did engage local defenses at their launch sites, they did not linger or attack further targets in-system. Instead, they regrouped near the main force at Bajor and fled beyond Starfleet's ability to track.
The combined forces of the Alliance, the Tzenkethi, and the Dominion remain in orbit over Bajor under ceasefire. Neither the exact terms of the truce nor the reason for the presence of the Dominion in the Alpha Quadrant have been released to the media. In Paris, Earth, President Okeg and the Federation Council have been meeting in closed session with a Tzenkethi defector, while high-ranking members of the Federation Diplomatic Corps and Starfleet Command have departed for Bajor.
At a joint press conference with the Office of the President, Captain Vaas T'Lenn of the Starfleet Media Corps released the following statement:
The list of systems with a known hostile presence as well as the full Bureau of Transportation travel advisory is available via your local subspace network. FNS will continue to report on this breaking story as it develops.
At a joint press conference with the Office of the President, Captain Vaas T'Lenn of the Starfleet Media Corps released the following statement:
| It is true that there has been an emergence of unidentified starships across many worlds within and outside of Federation space. Investigating this matter is of the highest priority. In the mean time, all civilian and Starfleet ships are urged to navigate with caution near the following worlds, and not to approach any unidentified vessels matching the signatures in the attached data packet. We can say for certain that these ships have already attacked Alliance forces in orbit of Bajor leading to an extended engagement. They are considered hostile and very dangerous. The recent travel restrictions to Deep Space Nine remain in effect until further notice. |
The list of systems with a known hostile presence as well as the full Bureau of Transportation travel advisory is available via your local subspace network. FNS will continue to report on this breaking story as it develops.
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((Events of Scylla and Charybdis are now fleet canon.))