Federation Council hearings on the disaster at DS13 have begun, on Earth. The initial sessions were open for public viewing and syndicated on both FNS and GNN broadcasts, as well as some less reputable outlets. Some high-level testimony has garnered fairly extensive news coverage.
Ambassador Jiro Sugihara of the Federation Diplomatic Corps spoke at length about inviting the Confederacy of Azed delegation to a Federation starbase for talks. The ambassador stressed that it was a calculated risk that would almost certainly have paid off, if not for intervention of the hostile third party. The Ambassador went on to praise Federation Diplomat Lev Bim Bozgid and Rear Admiral Dmitri Konieczko for their handling of the actual negotiations. As is typically the case, the FDC deferred logistics and implementation questions to Starfleet.
Despite first delivering a statement supporting the 38th Fleet and its decisions leading up to the crisis, Admiral Chakotay, Head of Starfleet Intelligence, later admitted that if additional information had been gathered prior to the conference it may have led to a different, less disastrous outcome. Particularly damning was the revelation that a Junyad ship has been sitting in a Starfleet surplus yard for two years after initial investigations of the then-mystery vessel fizzled out. Also of note, the Admiral refused to comment on allegations that an enemy agent may have been aboard DS13 at the time of the attack. Pundits have been quick to point out that the more damaging conclusions from the Intelligence testimony were reached as the result of hypothetical and leading questions by the Council Committee, but that fact hasn't deterred the amount of airtime being given to the most negative-sounding clips.
Vice Admiral Neema Perim, Commander of the 38th Fleet, underwent two full sessions of questioning on the disaster, focused on the events leading up to the conference. Despite being physically incapacitated during the incident, her preparations and decisions prior were scrutinized and criticized. Among the strongest failures identified were the decision to bring such a dangerous potential enemy to a high-population location, and the lack of appropriate preparation for unexpected threats. Media and public opinion on Perim's testimony has been mixed, or leaning slightly negative. The Vice Admiral's answers to questions of intentions prior to the conference have been seen as surprisingly universalist and anti-conflict. While a number of military analysts have corroborated Perim's tactical assessments, her attitude has been heavily criticized as lax on security and soft on aggression.
Overall the Vice Admiral was calm and well-spoken, but there were a number of tense exchanges that may not have reflected well upon her. In particular, Perim and Councilor Mercer Ferris clashed over the accusation that the 38th failed to prioritize the safety of civilians in Federation space. A frustrated Perim declared that she was trying to prioritize the safety of civilians in all space.
Hearings are expected to continue through next week, including continued sessions with Vice Admiral Perim with a focus on the events of the conference, the battle itself, and the immediate aftermath. Additional testimony is expected from Vice Admiral Caroline Winters of the Bureau of Starfleet Personnel, and several high-ranking officials from Starfleet Tactical Command. The investigation is expected to conclude with a series of closed sessions to discuss classified and ongoing operations.