98260
CAPT Remoi, J.
After Action Report
LOCATION Japori Sector, Contested Space
MISSION Investigate the loss of contact and disappearance of five imperial vessels along the border.
OUTCOME Debris fields and wreckage for all five craft found and analyzed. No enemy contact during mission or clear indicators to identify attackers.
KEY PERSONNEL
- I.S.S. Albion, CAPT. Remoi J.
NARRATIVE The I.S.S. Albion was requested to investigate a total of five ships gone dark, then missing in or near the Jopari sector.
ISS Erebus - Centaur Class
ISS Sun Wukong - Avenger Class
ISS Carthage - Cheyenne Class
ISS Dyatlov - Nebula Class
ISS Phillip Green - Thunderchild Class
Using supplied information the Albion made way to the last known locations of the missing craft and performed long range scans from below the galactic accretion disk. Upon detecting debris fields the Albion approached under cover of sensor masking to investigate.
Erberus, Sun Wukong, and Carthage were all reduced to debris fields, leaving very little to go on. Wreckage of the Dyatlov and Phillip Green were found in two different states, but provided substantially more information.
Dyatlov wreckage indicates it was first disabled via significant kinetic damage, much of it hull sheering caused by some type of high powered shrapnel or flak weapon. However sensors were inconclusive when determining what primary form of energy weapons were used. Sensor readings of hull damage showed signs of being caused by phaser, disruptor, as well as plasma weapons. After being disabled the Dyatlov decks were breached one by one, which gave the crew time to send a distress signal. The ship’s computer suffered extensive damage, the logs and sensor data were largely unrecoverable.
Signs indicate the Phillip Green was ambushed while en route to answer the Dyatlov’s distress signal. The ship suffered extensive damage, including signs of an apparent ram that sheared off the forward saucer section. Damage done to the vessel was much the same as the Dyatlov, with heavy kinetic and energy damage, although some logs of the battle were recoverable. The ship’s sensors show the Phillip Green being ambushed and overpowered by a ship matching the profile of a Union Battlecruiser. Interestingly, the computer on the Phillip Green shows no damage dealt to the Union ship and ends abruptly when the Terran ship attempts to ram the Union vessel.
The final bridge logs of the Green were recovered, including the final conversation of the Captain, Chief Science Officer, and Operations Officer:
Final Bridge Recording
No debris from any enemy vessels was discovered, nor were there any traceable enemy signals or signs of enemy activity during the operation. No survivors were recovered from any of the five Terran Vessels.
Wreckage of the two partially surviving vessels (Dyatlov, Phillip Green) were destroyed after investigation to prevent any further enemy espionage and/or facilitate the cover up of their destruction by alien vessels, as the Empire sees fit.
PERSONAL CONCLUSIONS The two surviving wrecks quite clearly indicate being destroyed by combined fire consistent with what you would find from a diverse enemy force, much like a galactic union. Furthermore, signs that the Dyatlov was pieced apart deck by deck and had largely unrecoverable computer banks are consistent with an enemy reconnaissance operation. And the computer records of the Phillip Green clearly identify a Union Battlecruiser as being the culprit.
These, along with the fact no survivors were left, are the strongest indicators that the Union was not involved with these attacks.
Three Terran vessels were completely destroyed, proving that the enemy had the ability to completely destroy the wreckage of the other two vessels and completely cover their activities if they were clandestine. The fact they would have chosen not to destroy those vessels which in turn provide us with clear evidence pointing towards the Union is highly suspicious.
In addition, the Phillip Green sensor logs and final words of her command staff indicate something vastly deceitful about their confrontation. Kinetics bypassing their shields, as well as the damage caused by whatever they rammed, and their confusion in their final moments. The Empire’s Enemies are conniving and cunning to dare attempt to be a threat to us. While outlandish, there are forms of sensor masking and holotech that exist that would fool sensors to some degree, mimicking Union vessels (which the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance is more familiar with) while in truth being something else entirely. As for what else, cloaking tech as well as ramming damage of this size recall some old stories of Klingon first contact and the surprise of what we in the Empire referred to as “Cleave Ships” although such vessels would be an oddity to see.
The benefits an enemy state would gain from attempting to provoke or goad the Empire into a hasty and un-timed war before we are properly prepared are clear to see.
There is also the honest possibility that we are simply dealing with a childlike empire that has no grasp of information warfare and are quite literally fools. Thinking our empire too weak to respond in kind or some other logical fallacy allowing a cavalier attitude along our borders in an attempt at ascertaining our military strength before initiating their first real diplomacy with a superior threat. Stranger things have happened, but the Empire has grown strong by considering all possibilities.
RECOMMENDATION Given the nature of the wreckage of the two mostly intact craft there are equal signs that this was scouting attack, or deceitful provocation, both likely linked to Union diplomatic meeting aboard BS 13. In either case too aggressive of a response at the border would either send the messages of weakness or, in the case of it being deception, be exactly the response they were hoping to provoke.
A solid presence of powerful ships and level-headed captains ready to “support” the diplomatic meeting, and keep an eye out for meddling, could be a prudent counter to both. As it happens, the Albion will be in the area if needed.
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RECOGNITION The I.S.S. Albion was more than happy to assist in this investigation as part of her ongoing activities in the area. The recognition that she was able to step in where the 38th was unable at the time is all that is required.
OOC Built using Info-dump from Davin. GM of Event. Mi’Shune @D-Rock has IC knowledge of the content of this report from possibly overlooking it while Captian Remoi was working on it.