TO<38th Fleet Commanding Officers>, <DS13 Department Heads> CCCMDR Caspius, RADM Perim, VADM Krvhn FROMCAPT Thiessen SUBJ.Caution: Regarding Loss of Ships
I am afraid I have the duty of informing all of you who are not aware that the USS Gainsborough, Caelian and Damocles have been lost. The vessels were, as far as is currently known, lost to an attack by an unknown species.
This species has several identifying factors that are known as we wait on reports from survivors of the attack.
The vessels were observed to have the ability to open a stable wormhole in space near to the vessel and travel through said wormhole. It was observed by an officers that this process lacked any geodesic radiation, which is abnormal as a geodesic fold can theoretically be manipulated into existence by a normal being.
The vessels were observed using neutrino-based weaponry.
The vessels seem to be more powerful than our own. The shielding and weaponry were superior to those of the ships present in all observable ways.
They are capable of infiltrating ships' computers to retrieve potentially all data on a vessel.
Please proceed with the utmost caution in future patrols. Subspace readings may be useful to take to observe for any abnormalities.
Deep Space Thirteen has been elevated to a yellow alert as of stardate 93710.4 and will remain as such until directed otherwise by higher fleet command.
Be safe.
//SIGNED//
Captain Tau Thiessen
Commanding Officer, Deep Space Thirteen
Please see the attached report from the Captain of the Damocles, and keep aware of any updates posted that may contain relevant information. The two known enemy vessels types have been added to the most recent IFF package update, which all vessels should be receiving within the next few hours.
It appears that the virus that crippled the Gainsborough was transmitted via the comm system. Until a method of defending against this type of electronic attack can be developed, Starfleet and allied vessels encountering these ships are advised not to attempt contact and to withdraw immediately if circumstances allow.
Expect an update to this memo in the coming days once command has properly assessed the situation.
Orders received and understood. However, I'm concerned that a prohibition against attempting or accepting communications with these entities leaves us no options other than retreat or violent confrontation.
I propose that some or all starships prepare a physically isolated communications system, possibly installed aboard a shuttlecraft, and configured to transmit and receive only low-bandwidth signals: plain text, simple graphics, perhaps (at the very most) compressed audio. In my opinion, such a relay - physically "air-gapped" and "fire-walled" - would allow at least limited communication with greatly reduced risk of a software injection attack against a starship's main computer and other systems.
Should this prove unacceptable, or unsuccessful, my concern (per above) is that we are faced with no alternative but conflict.
(I further submit that anything they can do to our comm systems, they can also do to our sensors - especially now that they have the technical specifications for same. We'd have to shut those down too, and try to fight them completely blind. I'm extremely pessimistic about our chances in such a scenario.)
TORADM Perim CCVADM Krvhn, CAPT Thiessen FROMCMDR Caspius SUBJ.Caution: Regarding Loss of Ships
Admiral Perim,
I have some suggestions regarding scans.
Whilst on the Gainsborough, I conducted a neutrino scan (wide-band, low energy, variable harmonic, passive filter) similar to those I used during the Polaris's stellar cartography mission. The scan allowed us to find a neutrino trail that indicated the departure trajectory of the aggressor vessels up to the point when they entered the near-side entry point of their wormhole. A follow-up scan (standard array) for verteron particles established the wormhole location and recent activity, confirming the reason for the trail's abrupt cessation. And, a magneton scan (multiple axis, high energy) allowed us to predict particle trajectory to determine the likely location of the distant terminus of the wormhole, even when the wormhole was not present or active.
Although these scans are unlikely to detect in advance an incursion by the aggressor vessels into a new area, they may prove useful as a precaution if one of our ships should exit warp in a location already visited by the aggressor vessels. For this reason, I suggest that our ships consider performing the above scans upon exiting warp, as a precautionary measure whilst this threat remains, so that they may be aware of any recent, prior activity by the aggressor vessels in the area.
//SIGNED//
Commander Caspius
Executive Officer, Deep Space 13
