AAR: Second Exploration of Kilur System

Subspace Network Reports
1
SUBMITTED:
Stardate 93899.2
FILED BY:
CAPT L Omar
SECURITY:
Level 2 - Confidential

LOCATION: Kilur System, Doza Sector

MISSION: Exploration and Intelligence Gathering

OUTCOME: Kilur computer containing potentially useful intelligence recovered. Application for salvage permit filed with Kilur Salvage Exchange as part of a process to investigate scavenger activity in the region.

KEY PERSONNEL:
CAPT Omar
CMDR Ailes
COL Lestrade
CMDR d'Evreux
LCDR Konieczko
CENT Vekkei
LT H'ajah
SUBLT T'Lhoell
LTJG Harrington

NARRATIVE: On stardate 93898.6, the U.S.S. Lexington and U.S.S. William Ockham arrived in the Kilur System, home to the Kilur species, a former power in the sector which was brought to extinction in an incident involving the U.S.S. Halcyon. The last exploration of the system was interrupted by a distress call, and new intel suggesting that the Kilur may have information on Species 2492 (See this report for more details) has prompted a return to their homeworld.

Our scans of the debris field, the remnants of Kilur spacecraft, yielded nothing of interest save for the fact that it was difficult to distinguish between the debris and scavenger vessels in the area due to the scavengers making use of salvaged Kilur technology. Lieutenant H'ajah discovered a damaged station that was still partially powered in orbit of the 8th planet, but the station did not possess any data storage units.

Despite the dangers of high radiation levels, it was decided that an away mission onto the surface of the fifth planet was the only way to acquire anything of use. The radiation potentially interfered with sensors, requiring the presence of a ground team, yet also holding promise of untouched technology on the surface. I initially proposed to send a single shuttle, with my Peregrines as backup should a rescue attempt be needed. Commander Ailes proposed the risky but brilliant plan of taking the smaller Intrepid-class William Ockham into the atmosphere to bypass the interference and act as transporter support for the shuttlecraft. I green-lit the plan and the away team, led by Commander d'Evreux and consisting of Lieutenant H'ajah, Sublieutenant T'Lhoell and Lieutenant (JG) Harrington boarded the William Ockham.

While the William Ockham and away team explored the fifth planet (to be detailed in a following report), the Lexington continued to scan the surrounding space for items of use for either information gathering or scientific interest. In the midst of our search, we detected three scavenger vessels in the debris and hailed them. Commissioner Wyrick of the Kilur Salvage Exchange, apparently a scavenger organization, answered us and asked to see our salvage permits.

I was informed that we did not have much intelligence on these scavengers, so I maintained dialogue with Commissioner Wyrick for as long as possible in an attempt to gather more. It seems that some scavengers have formed a faction regulating the trade of the Kilur energy source (called simply the Source by the scavengers). The Kilur Salvage Exchange is based on Itrin Station and its primary function is to ensure a fair market for the Source.

Centurion Vekkei's scans revealed that the scavenger ships were using very low-tech methods of recovering the debris, neither employing tractor beams nor transporters. They had a low-power plasma cutting beam which would not pose much threat to our vessels. During my conversation with Commissioner Wyrick, he was also very avoidant when I asked about the laws and enforcement of his organization. One possibility is that this Kilur Salvage Exchange is nothing more than opportunistic scavengers seeking to make extra profit. If it is indeed a group regulating the trade of the Source in the sector, their reach is limited only to Itrin Station and its vicinity and they do not appear to have much military strength to crack down on those who break the rules.

Thanks to Commander Konieczko's efforts, a complex application for salvage rights was filed to the Salvage Exchange. Wyrick also informed us that we could speed up our application process by offering fifteen litres of Source, but as we did not have such commodities on board, we merely submitted the paperwork. At this time, the away team had already completed their mission and the William Ockham returned with a Kilur computer. With the likelihood of the scavenger ships detecting one single computer extremely low, we decided to leave the system with our salvage while the application is still pending.

RECOMMENDATION: First and foremost, the Kilur computer is to be thoroughly studied for information on the Kilur civilization and potentially intelligence on Species 2492.

The results of the permit application to the Kilur Salvage Exchange could also be noteworthy. If they do allow us salvage rights despite not having paid them any Source, it will verify that they are what they claim to be and not a group of scavengers attempting to scam newcomers. Regardless of whether or not our request is approved, we should further investigate this Itrin Station by bringing the Source to it, either as another attempt at an application or as currency to trade with.

//SIGNED//
Captain Leila Omar
Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Lexington
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2
SUBMITTED:
Stardate 93900
FILED BY:
CMDR Ailes, B.
SECURITY:
Level 2 - Confidential

LOCATION: Kilur System, Doza Sector, 5th Planet

MISSION: Away Mission to Planet's Surface

OUTCOME: Computer from Kilur building recovered.

KEY PERSONNEL:
CMDR Ailes
CMDR D'Evreux
LT H'ajah
SUBLT T'Lhoell
LTJG Harrington

NARRATIVE: As stated in CAPT Omar's report, on stardate 93898.6, the U.S.S. Lexington and U.S.S. William Ockham arrived in the Kilur System, home to the Kilur species, a former power in the sector which was brought to extinction in an incident involving the U.S.S. Halcyon. The last exploration of the system was interrupted by a distress call, and new intel suggesting that the Kilur may have information on Species 2492 (See this report for more details) has prompted a return to their homeworld.

After scanning the system, and making the determination that the fifth planet was the best possible source for information, a plan was put in place. The William Ockham would skirt under the heaviest layer of atmospheric radiation and launch a shuttle from there, providing transport backup. The away team boarded the William Ockham and the plan was launched, with CAPT Omar's approval.

The ship moved under the radiation layer and the shuttle was launched without event. Radiation vaccines were administered during the progress of the flight.

There was no turbulence and the shuttle was able to find a landing zone--a street between two buildings--without incident. There was no landscape to be seen on solid terrain, the entire area before the away team was either buildings or ocean.

Once the shuttle penetrated the troposphere, the away team donned EV suits, in case of radiation entering the vessel or need to leave it.

It was impossible to determine if there were any computer units in the nearby buildings because all power had been shut off, however, the grid appeared to be still intact. There were also structures under the water, some of which were shielded and unable to be penetrated by our scans.

Radiation was also a constant concern. If any members of the away team left the shuttle, it would only be a matter of ten to fifteen minutes before the radiation would penetrate the EV suits they wore.

It was determined that the first course of action would be to ascertain if there were any computers remaining in the buildings nearest the shuttle, immediately, and to attempt an uplink. CMDR d'Evreux volunteered to leave the shuttle and venture into the nearest building. A computer was, in fact, discovered, but the instability of the building ended up requiring that it be removed and an emergency transport be performed in order to recover the Commander, before the building collapsed entirely, damaging a second building severely in the process.

The shuttle was able to lift off and escape the collapsing building before any damage was suffered. in order to begin immediate analysis of the computer, it was decided to return to the Ockham and to aim for a revisit of the planet with a modified shuttle and prepared away team to attempt the shielded underwater areas.

The shuttle docked with the William Ockham, decontamination procedures were followed as the ship made its way out of the atmosphere and rejoined the U.S.S. Lexington, where LTJG Harrington and CMDR Ailes beamed back aboard to rejoin the others and report.

RECOMMENDATION: Study the Kilur computer for any information that can be garnered from it. Secondly, prepare a specific mission to tackle the underwater structures and shielded areas for a second visit. Recommend that a shuttlecraft be modified to take on the particular needs of the mission.

//SIGNED//
Commander Beylara Ailes
Commanding Officer, U.S.S. William Ockham

OOC Notes: Any mistakes regarding your name, rank or events that occured are mine alone. Please contact me if you note something I've missed and I will correct as soon as possible!
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