| SUBMITTED: Stardate 95890.4 | FILED BY: CAPT Andrej A. Timoreev, U.S.S. Attar | SECURITY: Level 1 - Open |
LOCATION: PK-1122 system, Ba'aja Sector
MISSION: Exploration of PK-1122 star system and surrounding region of space
OUTCOME: All data gathered and processed, and system fully charted. Probes dispatched to most notable bodies.
NARRATIVE: The Attar arrived in PK-1122 has its final step into its medium-range patrol of the borders between the Ba'aja and Aldebaran Sectors. The system had been previously identified by Starfleet probes but never thouroughly explored, so with the patrol assignments duly completed ahead of schedule I ordered the plot a course for the system in order to begin a complete exploration and data-gathering operation.
The new assignment was completed in two weeks. First, a thourough astrometrical analysis was undertaken, and the system was completely charted. In this first step, no particular anomaly or relevant phenomenon was detected, so the system has been cleared for safe navigation. We proceeded with the detailed analysis of each body, which revealed some interesting elements, particularly concerning the two terrestrial planets (full data are provided in attachment to this report).
In particular, an away team equipped with hazardous environments was sent on PK-1122-III: the team was headed by CMDR Iria, and composed by two geologists, one biochemist, three xenobiologists, two engineers, and a security detachment of three. The team stayed on the surface for four days, with the Attar standing by in orbit, while collecting specimens and samples, and conducting preliminary analyses. Standard quarantine procedures were adopted for their return, but they were soon cleared for duty after all contaminant agents from the planet's toxic atmosphere were removed.
With the laboratories intent in furthering the investigation on the recovered samples, the Attar moved on to gather more data on the asteroid belt dividing the system's star from PK-1122-I, the nearest planetoid. The exploration of the belt took five days, due to unexpected difficulties created by fast-orbiting asteroids and the strong presence of alloys that at first hampered deeper sensor analyses.
With this last phase successfully completed, and after consulting with the senior officers involved, it was decided to dispatch probes to PK-1122-III and IV in order to keep collecting data, while the Attar plotted a course back to Deep Space 13.
RECOMMENDATION: Though generally speaking it cannot be defined as a place of particular scientific interest, the preliminary results gathered from PK-1122-III seem to indicate that the planet did not have in the past the same toxic atmosphere it has nowadays. At the moment, our data indicate that the transformation in the planet's atmosphere took place around four-five thousands years ago, and the circumstances of the event are still unknown, though it may be possible to link ti to some external agent who could have been also responsible for some alleged traces of settled presence detected on the surface of PK-1122-IV, the moon of the third planet. I believe that it could be of interest for Starfleet to pursue the investigation, both for its possible scientific outcomes and for the possibility to further deepen our knowledge of the history of this region of space. A science vessel should be dispatched to collect the data from the probes and keep investigating.
\\ATTACHMENT\\: PK-1122_Data
OOC: This is not the AAR of any event, but just a report about the Attar activities during my absence these weeks from more active play.