Starfleet Action in Former Azedi Territory

[Sam]

To: @38th.All
CC: @38th.Command
From: RADM Bishop, S.
Subj: Starfleet Action Plan Azedi

ALCON,

The Federation has had a long and troubled relationship with the Confederacy of Azed, with the 38th Fleet bearing the brunt of these relations.

With the destruction of the former Confederacy at the hands of the Terrans, the region remains in a state of flux. This power vacuum and uncertainty has cost millions of lives, and countless are suffering because of it. It becomes, therefore, our moral obligation to have a plan of action regarding this situation, even if that plan is ultimately non-interference.

Many of us have a stake in this matter. It would therefore be a disservice to exclude you from creating this plan of action, especially when it will have a direct impact on 38th Policy.

Thus, I am inviting you to share ideas and reports up the chain of command regarding the Azedi. You must:

• Discuss if we should adopt a policy of intervention or non-intervention.
• Discuss if we should adopt a policy which is actively aggressive, passively aggressive, neutral, or engage in active diplomacy in regard to the new Confederacy of Azed.
• Discuss if we should adopt friendly stances with Kacam and/or Ralin, and which to prioritise, if any.
• Discuss if we should pursue any active diplomacy with Citali.

There are a multitude of other variables that arise within each of these categories, and I encourage you to think fully about the ramifications of any action or inaction. Do not do this in isolation. Discuss, critique, and defend your ideas with others. When it is ready, submit it to your commanding officer to pass up to the Office of the Admiralty.

The true strength of the Federation resides in our diversity. By embracing our varied ideas, backgrounds, experiences, and cultures, we fortify our collective unity. Your ideas will help to ensure that our plan showcases the Federation’s ideals.

//SIGNED//
Rear Admiral (Upper Half) Samuel Bishop, PhD
Executive Officer, 38th Fleet ‘Argo’

OOC Reply here with your amazing plans! Let me know if you have any issues!

[Sam]

To: RADM Bishop, S.
CC: @38th.Command
From: MAJ Valencia, G
Subj: RE: Starfleet Action Plan Azedi

It is clear from the transcript that there is a desire for an aggressive stance against the Azedi. MACO teams should be deployed to destroy key sites to force the Confederacy to come to the table.

This would minimise loss of life whilst maximising effectiveness. A long blockade and potential space battle would result in more death and destruction.

//SIGNED//
Major Gabriella Valencia,
Executive Officer,
6th MACO Group

---

To: RADM Bishop, S.
CC: @38th.Command
From: CAPT Mirazuni, A.
Subj: RE: Starfleet Action Plan Azedi

Admiral,

In order to safeguard lives, we must intervene, but such an action has to be done carefully. We need to help the people of Kacam, Ralin, and Citali to ensure their self-sufficiency, especially when it comes to their food production.

Similarly, many people within the Confederacy are suffering because of the lack of emergency aid going to them. We need to step up our diplomatic efforts with the aim of solving this humanitarian issue first and foremost; we should not be bargaining with people’s lives.

We must double our efforts in fostering a positive relationship with each of these territories. That way, we will improve our relations, reduce the suffering of innocents, and should aggressive moves be made by any power, be in a position where we will be able to assist, either due to our proximity or because the governments have asked us to intervene.

To summarise, we must not take any aggressive moves; we must double our efforts in diplomacy.

Regards,

//SIGNED//
Captain Mirazuni Ayesha, M.D.
Commanding Officer, USS Endeavour
38th Fleet ‘Argo’

[DrakeTungsten]

To: RADM Bishop, S.
CC: @38th.Command
From: CAPT Tungsten, D.
Subj: RE: Starfleet Action Plan Azedi

Admiral,

I feel that I made my position clear, and was heard in the meeting today, but it seems like a good idea to also put this in writing, and maybe add some detail.

I do not think that a blockade of Viggo and Ikmore is wise. It will likely prove too aggressive and provocative. I understand the place where the idea is coming from, to degrade the warfighting ability of a potential hostile enemy. I do not begrudge the idea being put forth, either. If we do this though, we possibly lose some goodwill with all former Confederation parties, and give fuel to anti-Federation rhetoric, particularly from Viggo and Ikmore. It could be used to paint us as hypocrites, and have enough traction with the public to not fade away with the day’s news cycle.

• I believe we have more to gain in offering assistance to Kacam and Ralin, primarily (but not necessarily exclusively) in the form of helping to guard their food shipments from pirates. (This will also serve our interests in preventing pirate groups from gaining a solid foothold, and we can be transparent about that.)
• We will obviously also stand to gain much from working with Kacam to find ways to distribute these supplies more fairly, especially if we include our own aid.
• We should try to engage Citali diplomatically. I will note that in my initial AAR upon the capture of the former Admiral Ashkeph, I believed she may be more valuable in their hands as a gesture of goodwill, than in our prison. I believe she committed all the crimes she was accused of, and even sat on the jury that convicted her of most of them, but I still believe this to be true. JAG and the Diplomatic Corps may want to work out details if this idea is agreed to at higher levels, such as if there’s a full or partial exile from Federation space attached to this or not to satisfy her sentence, or other caveats.
• We should see if there is an appetite between Kacam, Ralin, and Citali for a trade pact, and/or mutual defense pact. This should serve them well for self-sufficiency among them, their security, and continued independence.
• We should at least discuss further whether we can give technical assistance to Kacam, Ralin, and Citali, particularly warp drives. As Citali has ships, and Kacam has a large contingent of Marines, it should take little to set them up well for mutual defense. Obviously, we need to tread very carefully here, as we want to help them achieve peaceful and functioning societies, but we do not want them to just build up a war machine to rival that of Viggo and attack them.
• We should consider non-military and environmental aid to Viggo and Ikmore, if they will even accept it. As I have had two opportunities to speak to Grand Chancellor Eraton over communications already, it is clear to me that he may view, or feel that his supporters may view, accepting aid as weakness he cannot afford. As such, being rebuffed would not be surprising, but it will be more difficult for him to whip his people into a war-frenzy if they are actually living relatively comfortable lives, which is of course a good goal in itself. This will also hopefully prove that our intentions are not hostile. I do understand counter-arguments, tactics, and strategy, that would point to degrading their abilities to wage war by possibly even starving them, but I think this friendlier route would be the better approach on the balance.
• I do not recommend giving them materiel that could easily be used for war. Dual use commodities such as raw building materials, if considered, should perhaps be monitored. They should not need neutronium nor warp drives to build houses and hospitals, though.
• I agree with others that gaining intelligence on the mood and opinion of various populations across Ralin, Kacam, and Citali would be valuable, but I recommend using the lightest touch possible, perhaps even stopping at just asking their governments and applying analysis of their own biases later. If anyone is sent in to observe and listen, I strongly recommend they do so with full respect for the people and laws of the planets they visit. Goodwill is incredibly important to all the efforts above if we are to avoid conflict, which we should endeavor to do.

Again, I do feel most of this was covered verbally in the meeting, but I hope you find it more useful in written form.

//SIGNED//
Captain Drake Tungsten
Commanding Officer,
USS Dragon

[GDetuggo]

To: RADM Bishop, S.
CC: @38th.Command
From: CAPT Detuggo, G.
Subj: A Radically Different Idea

I was going to put down all of the suggestions I made in the meeting, but I do not think I can add or elaborate on them in any meaningful way and the transcript is available for public viewing. I do sincerely believe that as morally dubious as it is, realignment operations represent the best method for steering the various governments in the Azedi region towards our interests. There is a risk - but the idea is that if successfully executed, then even if discovered the sitting decision makers will be inclined towards a charitable interpretation of things rather than a hostile one. However, throughout the entire meeting I was thinking solely of Federation interests with Azedi interests being, put simply, irrelevant beyond how they can be manipulated to our ends. I own this truth without shame and do not regret this proposal. Yes, it is cold, calculating, and completely amoral - I do not dispute that.

However, as I left the meeting and thought on the remarks of my colleagues I continued to think about this goal, and feel I must now voice an alternative that is on the radical opposite end of my previous suggestions. The idea is based on a wholly different goal from what I believe to be the most moral position we can take on the Azedi - that our actions in the region are done exclusively for the benefit of the Azedi people. If we adopt this goal then we must also accept a bitter truth for individuals of action - only the Azedi know what is best for the Azedi, and if our mission is in fact to make that region the best possible region for them we have to operate to that end. We can try to understand them, and must always endeavor to do so, but when it comes down to what is in their best interests they must be the ones in control of that.

In order to facilitate this, we first inventory all of the assets we can spare (assets to include personnel under Starfleet command that can be reassigned in addition to materials, technology, etc.), present that list to the Azedi people (this means all territories to include Viggo/Ikmore), and ask them where and when they want them. They decide what our aid does, where it goes, and whom it serves. I realize that facilitating this goal is easier said than done (the methodology I’ll leave in the hands of the diplomatic corps whom will have a better understanding of key players in each government and who can be trusted to carry out their duties in good faith), and even in the best case scenario would be a monumental logistical hurdle. This is to say nothing of those governments found to be hopelessly corrupt where what can only be described as state-sanctioned smuggling may become the best option to delivering aid (again I leave that decision in the hands of the diplomatic corps).

This broad idea is of course highly risky - the Azedi have historically been an antagonistic power and it is probable (even nearly certain) that many of those resources would be used to rebuild their military forces. However, what all peoples want is to prosper, and the manufacturing capacities that permit prosperity are easily turned to war making. In short - minimizing risk to the Federation and maximizing the welfare of the Azedi people are at opposite ends of a spectrum, one must necessarily be sacrificed for the sake of the other for so long as the people of that region in general are antagonistic towards the Federation.

With this proposal we gain nothing tangible (potential soft power benefits I’ll let the diplomats determine). While I believe it fully embodies the values the Federation espouses, the moral high ground affords little protection against photon torpedoes. The tactical officer in me says this is the sort of boneheaded naivety that gets good people killed. The Captain in me says that if this idea is adopted it is my crew that will pay the price. However, there is still that tiny kernel of perhaps naive hope that wants to believe the galaxy really is so simple that if you do good by others they’ll do good by you.

I want to absolutely emphasize that this radically optimistic, high risk proposal could simply accelerate Azedi reunification and see them show up to hang us with the rope we so thoughtfully provided. Of course, if it works, it’d be an incredible diplomatic and moral victory - even possibly the first step in warming relations with the Azedi. My final thought on this, and I say this fully expecting to be on the front lines if this plan is adopted and rejected - It’s worth it.

//SIGNED//
CAPT Gerree Detuggo
Commanding Officer,
USS Ain Jalut

[Timoreev]

To: RADM Bishop, S.
CC: @38th.Command
From: CAPT Dubois, C.
Subj: RE: Starfleet Action Plan Azedi

Admiral,

First of all, allow me to apologize for not having been able to attend the meeting as I originally intended. Unfortunately, I could not anticipate the mission in the Alpha-7190 Sector proved to be longer than expected.
However, I have managed to carefully review the meeting’s transcript, and read my colleagues’ communications, and I felt compelled to lay out my ideas nonetheless.

As a premise, I should say that my view is substantially aligned with that of Capt. Tungsten. Our shared experience in Task Force Peacecraft may perhaps account for such a similarity.
However, as former CO of the Task Force, I believe I may still add something of value to the discussion.
To better show the differences between my view and Capt. Tungsten’s, I will address the argument from his same points.

• I totally agree with the necessity to provide escorts and protection for routes to Kacam and Ralin. Such a protection will increase confidence in those operating the routes, and possibly enhance our relationships with both actors. However, there is a potential downside which should be taken into account in setting this operation: increased Starfleet presence, with a clear military posture, as needed for escort duties, may be seen by others (namely Viggo and Ikmore) as potentially threatening. Any planning for escort and protection operations should take into account this, and provide for correctives. A possible solution may be to organize the operation with joint participation of Kacam and Ralin.
• I agree also on the importance of diplomatically engage Citali. The idea forwarded by Capt. Tungsten concerning former Admiral Ashkeph is surely worthy of further exploration and feasibility assessment.
• Fostering a trade and mutual defense pact between Kacam, Ralin, and Citali is also a good idea that deservers further exploration. However, once again a caveat is needed. Active promotion of such a pact (particularly if concerning mutual defense and other kinds of military assistance) by Starfleet and the Federation may once again be perceived as fundamentally hostile by other actors in the area. In other words, a move conceived for providing peace, security, and stability could have the effect of obtaining exactly the opposite effect. While the ideal solution to the conundrum would be to have also Viggo and Ikmore join talks concerning trade and defense pacts, it is unlikely this may be achieved in the foreseeable future. My suggestion to at least turn around the obstacle is twofold. First, the issue should be handled exclusively by the Diplomatic Corps, with no role given to Starfleet representatives. This may help ease distrust in some way. Second, trade and mutual assistance may be connected to the previous point concerning the participation of Kacam, Citali, and Ralin forces to the protection of trade routes. Those missions may offer the best opportunity for joint talks, both at military and government levels, easing tensions and building trust and confidence. The end result would be that the idea of a trade and mutual defense pact may arise from Kacam, Citali, and Ralin themselves, with the Federation merely assisting the process.
• The involvement of the Diplomatic Corps leads me to the following point: instead of strictly technical assistance, it is necessary to establish a permanent and structured diplomatic presence in Kacam, Ralin, and Citali. In other words: embassies and/or consulates. A first step may be made in the form of establishing Permanent Missions for Recovery & Assistance, with Starfleet providing technical and operational support (and protection, when needed), but always with discretion. The final objective is the same as outline by Capt. Tungsten: to achieve peaceful and functioning societies. But to reach it, technical assistance may prove insufficient in its own.
• Viggo and Ikmore clear play the proverbial role of the elephant in the room, in this case. Unfortunately, I do not share Capt. Tungsten’s optimism that economic recovery may actually serve to deflect Eraton’s more militaristic agenda. The effect may indeed prove to be quite the opposite. Capt. Tungsten’s reasoning is solid in itself, but its implicit premise is that Eraton’s regime would not control the speed and direction of said economic recovery. This is clearly not the case. To achieve a re-orientation towards more peaceful aims, we would need to control Viggo’s and Ikmore’s economic recovery. This is clearly beyond our current possibilities, and it may objected that it is also beyond any reasonable interest of the Federation. At the same time, I disagree with the idea of blockading Viggo, or of Starfleet taking any kind of offensive posture towards Viggo and Ikmore. It would be an ethical, tactical, and strategic mistake, as it would run counter Starfleet’s mandate, and surely inflate Eraton’s revanchism. We need a more subtle approach: to establish a direct communication line between Eraton and the 38th Command (this way, incidents and misunderstanding while operating in the area would be reduced to a minimum, while also giving Eraton the idea that we respect his rule); to ensure a minimum deterrent presence in the surrounding regions of space by instituting patrol areas (ideally, with very few, but selected, units involved, to maximise deterrence and minimize the risk of misreading the patrols as hostile acts); finally, after a while, to extend to Eraton’s regime too the establishment of a Permanent Mission for Recovery & Assistance, perhaps on a more temporary basis so to minimize the possibility for a rebuttal of the proposal.
• The other two points highlighted by Capt. Tungsten find me in full agreement. I believe that my previous proposals may also help achieving them in the best possible way.

I hope this draft may be useful to this Command. In any case, I am of course more than willing to further discuss and possibly improve it.
Cordially

//SIGNED//
CAPT Christian Dubois
Commanding Officer,
USS Peacecraft

[kermit]

To: RADM Bishop From: š̷̨̹̚y̴̙͌̕s̴̡̗͋t̴͓͋e̷͈͎͋m̶̡̜͑ ̸̬̓͘͜e̸̥̊r̸͉̣̔̕r̵̩̀̊ỏ̸̘̲r̷͔̀͑ Subj: Re: Starfleet Action Plan Azedi

they’re finally vulnerable, we should just finish them off so they can never threaten anyone again

[HLtol]

To: RADM Bishop, S.
CC: @38th.Command
From: CAPT Sh’ow, H.
Subj: RE: Starfleet Action Plan Azedi

Admiral,

I will just start by saying I am sorry for not attending the meeting, I had a personal matter that kept me busy and unable to attend the meeting.

My points are rather brief in nature due to having only the summary of the meeting and what was said, but I agree with points raised about providing aid and support where we can, and think this would go a long way to aid diplomatic relations between the Federation and the former Confederation parties that would be open to our aid.

However we should also bare in mind that not all concerned parties in the former Confederation will be open to Federation aid, and could take an aggressive and hard line against ourselves and aid we try to render to others with-in the former Confederation, as they could interpret our aid attempts, as Starfleet trying to influence the balance of power in the region, which we should be prepared though it is possible a good show of strength to any possible hostile parties could help de-escalate any tense situations, by showing we are not willing to back down and give into their posturing.

Whilst I am not suggesting we actively seek conflict and combat with some more of the possible hostile parties, I am simply suggesting we be prepared in the event we do ruffle some feathers, and be prepared to make a show of force, and be prepared for any possibility, that may arise from the course of action we taken.

As by getting involved in anyway, even by providing aid to some of the more friendly systems, we do run the risk of conflict with factions that may have a strong dislike of the Federation and Starfleet, and I believe this is something that should be considered before any actions are taken and that the fleet is prepared for any and all possibilities.

//SIGNED//
Captain, H’Ltol Sh’ow
Commanding Officer,
USS Defender

[Serris]

To: RADM Bishop, Samuel (@Sam)
CC:
From: LCDR Zital, Serris
Subj: Confederacy of Azed Strategic Outline

Good morning, Admiral.

Per your request, I’ve put into writing my suggested plan of action regarding the remnants of the former Confederacy of Azed. With the 25th century proving to be a volatile and conflict-prone time in galactic history, it is my belief that a pragmatic foreign policy with the aims of deterring other parties from engaging in conflict with the Federation will best ensure the success of our exploration initiatives, diplomatic outreach, and humanitarian efforts. After our wars with the Klingons, the Iconians, the Romulans, and the continuing threat of Borg incursions, it would stand to reason that developing new defensive technologies is long overdue.

While the Azedi factions are fractured and no longer the threat they used to be, it is imperative that we ensure peaceful co-existence with their more militaristic powers while respecting their right to self-determination. I believe our best course of action, in accordance with current Federation foreign policy, would be to scout and scour debris fields from the Azedi’s recent conflict with the Terran Empire, with the aim of salvaging their technology to reverse engineer its functionality and develop better defensive countermeasures.

To that end, I believe employing the defensive countermeasures we already have access to would be prudent. The unpredictability of the Frith and their possession of functional dreadnoughts present a remote but significant threat against our assets along the border. I believe Project Battlement should be retrieved from storage and deployed along the defensive perimeter of Deep Space 13 as a deterrent. I will be contacting Lieutenant Commander T’Pemi Carter on Deep Space 13 to begin networking an engineering “think tank” to work towards adapting this countermeasure to mobile platforms for deployment on starships.

Thank you for your time,

//SIGNED//
Serris Zital
Chief Engineer,
U.S.S. Mariner NCC-74671-A