Starfleet CIR: Post-Terran Status of Azedi Worlds

[kermit]

CLASSIFIED INTERNAL REPORT
DISTRIBUTE TO AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY

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ABSTRACT

Intelligence update on current status of Confederacy of Azed, categorized by known government units.

The six Ministers of the Confederate Cabinet, the Confederacy’s overall governing body, were executed by the Terrans. Though processes theoretically exist for each Azedi member world to select a new Minister and reform the Cabinet, the supporting institutions and other functional necessities of centralized government were destroyed with the fall of Azed. Without a new Cabinet the Azedi remain fractured, with each world in a different state of disarray.

SUMMARY

Azed (Species: Frith)

System Report:

The planet, Azed, was totally destroyed by a weapon of mass destruction. A black hole was left in its place, rendering the system extremely hazardous. The Frith suffered the heaviest casualties, by far: it is estimated that less than 300,000 Frith remain in the entire Confederacy.

Government Status: Localized

The few Frith religious leaders, Guides, that survived the homeworld's destruction have been diligently organizing functional Frith communities wherever they are, while preaching a number of variations on the theme of divine punishment. The exact object of blame varies by community, but they share the consensus that the Terran invasion was penance exacted for some sin against the Azed deity.

Predictions:

The Frith are unlikely to contribute meaningfully to any effort to re-form the Confederacy, but their Guides may still exert an influence on the more devout members of the other Azedi species.

Citali

System Report:

Though the general population and infrastructure suffered comparatively little hardship, the Citali science and research facilities were devastated by the Terrans' search for knowledge of wormhole technology. A relatively rapid recovery is possible, depending on factors such as the Citali's ability to organize its workforce and whether imports from other Confederacy worlds can be reestablished.

Government Status: Ad-hoc

Because the original Citali government was comprised of its leading scientists, they were among the first to be killed during the Terran occupation. Despite this, the Citali mounted one of the most organized resistance movements in the Confederacy. Despite multiple crackdowns and compromised cells, the resistance continued to harass the Terrans right up until the planet's liberation by Starfleet, and its leadership is believed to still exist, though far outside the public eye.

Predictions:

While the resistance leadership may not represent a true government, it is likely that they will be selected for reestablished government roles in short order. If the Confederacy is re-formed, Citali will be vital to the effort and likely support it.

Ikmore

System Report:

Conventionally, Ikmore was the Azedi world least damaged by direct Terran actions. The planet's population and infrastructure are largely intact.

Government Status: Succession Conflict

Despite suffering little physical damage, Ikmore remains largely in functional disarray because of the execution of the entire royal line of succession. Not only were the monarch and her descendants killed, but records of the original monarch's genetic profile were destroyed, severely hampering efforts to accurately identify the next in line to the throne. As a result several factions have formed, each supporting a purported heir. Though the situation has not yet not devolved to open warfare, it is preventing any concerted recovery efforts from being undertaken.

Predictions:

The hostility the Ikmore factions are showing each other over the succession issue is borderline uncharacteristic of them based on previous interactions. There is a high likelihood that the Terrans deliberately fueled their disagreements in order to keep them from mounting a resistance. A spontaneous peaceful resolution is extremely unlikely. Without outside intervention, civil war is the most likely short-term outcome. A stabilized Ikmore government MAY support the re-formation of the Confederacy, but is just as likely to assert its independence.

Kacam

System Report:

Kacam's heavily industrialized, heavily urbanized environment was the site of the majority of the ground combat seen during the Terran invasion. Though it was spared from orbital bombardment, there are very few areas of the planet that were not at least partially devastated by the fighting. Conditions for the average resident of Kacam are extremely poor. Millions are estimated to be living in damaged structures, and a significant portion of the population has lost access to the power grid and water purification systems. Of particular note is that Kacam relied heavily on imported food shipments to maintain its population. Emergency stores were largely depleted during the occupation and the food shortage is now a major crisis.

Government Status: Intact

Though Kacam's minister to the Confederate Cabinet was executed along with the others, the world's corporate structure was able to generally avoid Terran scrutiny. The Board of Directors quickly selected a new Chief Executive, and the government remains fully function. Notably, Kacam's upper class has been disproportionately spared the effects of the conflict. While the average citizen currently lives in squalor, the average corporate manager lives in luxury, even by pre-occupation standards.

Predictions:

Kacam is expected to be the strongest supporter for the re-formation of the Confederacy, primarily because without food shipments from Ralin and the expertise provided by specialists from other worlds, its civilization is more likely to collapse than successfully adapt to isolation.

Ralin

System Report:

On Ralin, population centers were the hardest hit by the Terran occupation. Most political organizations advocated for resistance of some sort, which resulted in their extermination. Various other supporting industries are experiencing workforce shortages as a result of casualties, thought he planet's food production industry was largely unaffected, thanks to its decentralization and the use of low-population settlements that generally escaped the Terrans' notice.

Government Status: Functional

While a large portion of Ralin's legislative body, the Principal Assembly, was killed, the world's robust and complex system of political parties has allowed replacement candidates to fill most of the empty seats. Though inexperienced as leaders, they have been able to rely on well-established procedural legislation to ensure continuity of government. Surviving Delegates, no matter how junior, have found themselves in prominent roles on reorganizing and rebuilding committees. The current Governing Coalition, the first formed after the Terran withdrawal, is comprised of three unlikely and previously-insignificant parties: the Anti-Corruption Assembly, the Ralin Sovereignty Assembly, and the Assembly for the Advancement of Fishermen.

Predictions:

Political winds on Ralin are notoriously difficult to predict with any accuracy, however the makeup of the new Governing Coalition suggests that it is an alliance of convenience that will last only as long as the primary focus is on Ralin's own recovery and stabilization. The world's stance towards the other Azedi worlds and towards the Federation may vary wildly depending on which group manages to retain power at the end of that period.

Viggo

System Report:

Viggo was rendered largely uninhabitable by Terran orbital bombardment. Casualties were high, but enough hardened infrastructure remained intact to support a significant number of survivors planetside, albeit restricted to indoor compounds with air filtration systems. It is not yet clear whether these compounds will be self-sufficient enough to survive long-term.

Government Status: Fragmented

The losses sustained by the Azedi Military resulted in the depletion of officers of sufficient rank to fill Viggo governmental positions. Though the Terran retreat has seen the return of surviving military units, commanded by Commandant Eraton, formerly the 3rd highest ranking officer. Despite this boon, the Viggo officer corps remains too depleted to maintain control. "Temporary" civilian governments have begun to form in each surviving compound. For the moment each local government appears to be willingly subordinate to the Commandant.

Predictions:

It is likely that the military will retain control of the Viggo population, though it almost certainly will not be a bloodless process. The Viggo do not have the scientific or technical expertise to properly assess the environmental damage to their planet. Based on their history it is likely that they will turn to conquest rather than compromise. Though a shadow of its former strength without its backbone of dreadnoughts, if the Viggo manage to consolidate the remains of the Confederate Navy they would be in a position to overpower the other Azedi worlds with relative ease. Without the counterbalance of a strong Frith input, the Viggo are unlikely to support a peaceful re-creation of a Confederacy.

END SUMMARY
STARDATE 98948.4

//ATTACHMENT// INTEL-AzediStatus.98948.pkg

[kermit]

CLASSIFIED INTERNAL REPORT
DISTRIBUTE TO AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY

=/\=

ABSTRACT

Update on current intelligence and diplomatic standing for Confederacy of Azed, categorized by known government units.

The Viggo and Ikmore claim to represent the continuation of the Confederacy, despite the absence of the Frith and the remaining three former members establishing independent states. The Federation recognizes the Viggo/Ikmore Confederacy as a successor, alongside Kacam, Ralin, and Citali.

SUMMARY

▨ Originally Recognized Azedi Territory
■ Confederacy of Azed (Viggo/Ikmore)
■ Kacam Corporate Authority
■ Ralin Commonwealth
■ Citali Autonomous Collective

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Frith Communities

The surviving Frith have formed no centralized government, and control no territory. The Frith population is spread among the other local powers. Some have organized into small local communities, but the majority now live as a minority species under the jurisdiction of the other former-Confederacy powers. While their numbers are relatively insignificant, Frith Guides of Azed wield great influence among some of the other former-Confederacy populaces and their religion continues to permeate Azedi society.

In addition, at least one Etnoziroh-class dreadnought is operational and presumed to be under the control of a small religious sect. While sightings have been rare, it has demonstrated hostility towards both the Federation and former-Confederacy independent governments.

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Starfleet Command advises all personnel to assume any unidentified Azedi dreadnoughts are hostile until determined otherwise. These vessels pose a significant threat. Tracking of their allegiances, movements, and activities is a high priority.

The Teleraptor graviton beam remains the first-line defense and is presently the only effective weapon available to peacetime-equipped Starfleet vessels. Commanding officers are instructed to request reinforcements and engage only with tactical superiority, unless absolutely necessary.

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As they have no official government, the Frith accordingly have no independent diplomatic standing. Defer to the jurisdiction of local/regional government authorities in this report.

The Federation is willing to engage with and/or recognize a Frith government, if one should emerge in the future.

Confederacy of Azed (Viggo/Ikmore)

Despite the devastation, Viggo has declared itself the new capital of the Confederacy. Grand Chancellor Eraton, having taken that title as the highest ranking surviving official, now claims to speak on behalf of the entire Confederacy.

It is not an entirely empty claim: Eraton’s ascension to the rank of Grand Chancellor is in accordance with pre-existing policy, and an estimated 91% of the surviving Confederate Navy has consolidated under his command. Recent reports indicate that Ikmore is also backing Viggo’s claim to the original, unbroken, Confederacy.

The Viggo local government has stabilized since previous reports, with support firmly behind Eraton. Despite this, the situation on the planet itself remains precarious, with the population restricted to a small percentage of the surface, reliant on structures operating barely-sufficient life-support systems. Viggo will not be able to sustain its population over the long-term without outside technological assistance. Of the former-Confederacy members, only Citali and Kacam are likely to possess the expertise to resolve the ecological situation.

Ikmore’s succession conflict has resolved with the ascension of Guru Tecern. Tecern’s claim to the monarchy is extremely tenuous. Though civil war was avoided, multiple factions still contest her rule and are supporters out of practicality alone. Ikmore’s support of Viggo’s vision of the ongoing Confederacy is predicated on Eraton’s repeal of several research bans.

Militarily, Starfleet Intelligence has confirmed that Eraton’s forces possess no dreadnought type vessels, though building one has clearly been among their priorities. The backbone of the Confederacy’s fleet is a somewhat dated destroyer design which pose little pound-for-pound risk to Starfleet. They have, however, begun retrofitting warp drives into their surviving Rayopa-class support cruisers. Even without dreadnoughts, with these cruisers back in the mix, the Confederate Navy may soon regain its standing as the premier military power in the Itrin Sector.

While Eraton’s Confederacy continues to claim all space previously controlled by the Azedi, their reach in practice extends only to the lower third of that area. Starfleet Intelligence believes that attempts to reclaim lost territory, either diplomatically or by force, are likely to resume within 4-6 months.

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Starfleet Command advises a cautious posture when dealing with the Viggo/Confederacy of Azed. Respect the Federation-recognized borders as you would the borders of any other sovereign entity.

Be prepared for posturing and attempts to goad Starfleet vessels into initiating conflict. Be cautious if forced to engage Azedi support cruisers, as they possess considerable electronic warfare capabilities. Starfleet countermeasures were sufficient as of the last recorded engagement, but they have proven to be highly adaptable in the past.

In case of unfriendly contact occurring in neutral space, follow normal rules of engagement. In case of unfriendly contact occurring in disputed space, defer to the Federation-recognized government of that space (Citali, Kacam, Ralin).

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While the Confederacy’s governmental setup places Eraton and Tecern as equals - Ministers to the Confederate Cabinet, in practice Eraton is currently exercising sole authority with Tecern’s quiet support.

The Federation recognizes this (new) Confederacy of Azed as a successor to the original Confederacy. Previous agreements remain in force only insofar as they do not infringe upon the other newly formed successor states. Specifically, the Federation does not recognize the Confederacy’s claim to Citali, Kacam, and Ralin, nor to the original Confederacy’s borders encompassing those civilizations.

Diplomatic channels have been established, though efforts to negotiate a trade agreement have been unsuccessful. The Federation is unable/unwilling to provide the type and quantity of raw material requested (ie. neutronium for dreadnought construction), and the Confederacy has been unwilling to accept offers of environmental/humanitarian aid.

Kacam Corporate Authority

Kacam's planetary government remains intact and functional in the wake of the Confederacy's collapse, however they remain entirely lacking traditional warp capable starships, having been completely dependent on wormhole transit methods.

Likewise, their naval capacity is nonexistent. Kacam is defended only by a handful of intrasystem transit vessels retrofitted with weapons. Their primary defense against potential invasion is their large standing ground army - the vast majority of surviving Confederate Marines are concentrated on Kacam. Though they have no method of deploying off-world, Kacam’s ground forces presently outnumber the estimated troop capacity of all other former-Confederacy members combined, by a 3:1 margin.

The situation on Kacam remains tenuous, with living conditions for the majority of the population being extremely poor. Without a constant supply of food from off-world, the population would quickly starve. That food supply is presently being facilitated by the Federation in the form of direct shipments and assistance transporting shipments from Ralin. While this is sustainable in the short term, additional logistics infrastructure is required before Kacam will be able to build up any meaningful reserve.

With their immediate food supply needs met, Kacam has been largely content to remain independent. Though they remain open to the possibility of reforming/rejoining the Confederacy, they are understandably wary of unilateral Viggo leadership, and intrinsically linked to Ralin’s disposition.

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Starfleet vessels are authorized to travel freely through Kacam territory per our agreement, and standard patrol routes may include this area.

Food shipments - including both Federation-operated and Ralin-operated transports - are prime targets for piracy and should be afforded protection whenever possible. Requests for assistance from Kacam should be honored to the extent permitted by general orders.

Command advises vessels operating in the area be on alert for interference by the Viggo/Confederacy. Reference section above for guidance if encountered.

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Kacam may be the touchstone for Federation diplomatic efforts among the Azedi. If Kacam joins Eraton’s efforts the remaining members are predicted to follow, whether through pressure, obligation, or force. The Federation has a vested interest in preventing this outcome.

Maintaining diplomatic ties with an independent Kacam is among the Federation’s highest priorities in the Itrin Sector. The currently in-effect trade agreement by which the Federation provides foodstuffs in exchange for raw materials is a solid foundation. Continuing to facilitate the construction of warp-capable freight vessels by Kacam and Ralin is also a step in the right direction. Starfleet should heed requests for assistance, providing defensive, logistical, and technical aid as needed.

A notable problem point surrounds the social inequality inherent in the Kacam governmental system. FDC has determined that the income disparity and problematic distribution of wealth/resources observed on Kacam is purely an internal matter, invoking applicable Federation non-interference directives. Fortunately, Ralin’s leaders are likely to push in some manner for reforms on Kacam. In that context, and ONLY in that context, Starfleet personnel may support such efforts.

Ralin

The previously reported Governing Coalition (Anti-Corruption Assembly, Ralin Sovereignty Assembly, Assembly for the Advancement of Fishermen) remains in power. This particular coalition is noteworthy for having been long in Ralin's minority. It is likely to favor independence from the re-forming Confederacy and to advocate for reforms of Kacam's corruption.

General planetside rebuilding efforts are proceeding steadily, and Starfleet Intelligence estimates that Ralin may reach its pre-war baseline economic status within 5 years. This timeline may be greatly accelerated since the reintroduction of regular trade with Kacam (raw materials ⇔ food).

Like Kacam, Ralin was reported to have no warp-capable vessels in its defense fleet, and its government was eager to accept Federation aid in outfitting freighters with warp drives. Without the benefit of a large standing defense force, Ralin is also keenly interested in producing combat vessels, presumably with the intent of defending itself against Viggo expansionism.

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Starfleet vessels are authorized to travel freely through Ralinterritory per our agreement, and standard patrol routes may include this area.

Food shipments - including both Federation-operated and Ralin-operated transports - are prime targets for piracy and should be afforded protection whenever possible. Requests for assistance from Ralin should be honored to the extent permitted by general orders.

Command advises vessels operating in the area be on alert for interference by the Viggo/Confederacy. Reference section above for guidance if encountered.

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Ralin is presently unlikely to voluntarily join Eraton’s new Confederacy, but has no viable method of resisting annexation without assistance. If requested, that assistance should be provided.

Strengthened ties between Ralin and Kacam are in the Federation’s best interest and should be encouraged wherever possible and permissible. Ralin’s Anti-Corruption Assembly has a history of attempting to improve equality in Kacam’s society. This mandate also aligns with the Federation’s goals and should be supported to the extent possible.

Ralin was the Federation’s first nonhostile contact with the Azedi and FDC believes them to be still the most innately likely to engage in diplomacy out of interest rather than necessity.

Citali Autonomous Collective

Since the previous report, the Citali government has reemerged, with an Overseer Nirflim at its head. As they have no warp-capable vessels, the Citali have not yet made contact with the other former-Confederacy members, and they are geographically the most isolated.

Citali’s recovery is proceeding rapidly. While innovative research has stalled due to a lack of facilities, other industries previously relying on imports from other worlds have developed to the point of being self-sustaining. At this point in time, Citali is most likely the only former-Confederacy world that is entirely self-sufficient.

While none of their vessels are warp-capable, Citali does posses a not-insignificant fleet of Rayopa-class support cruisers, giving them a potential military force second only to the Viggo. As the Viggo have been able to retrofit that type of vessel with warp drives, it is likely the Citali will be able to as well, if and when they make that a priority.

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Citali space remains closed to visitors, including Starfleet vessels, unless invited. Diplomatic efforts are ongoing and Starfleet may be tasked with escort missions into the area.

Follow mission-specific protocols and seek guidance from the Diplomatic Corps as needed.

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FDC believes Citali equally likely to remain independent or rejoin the Confederacy if approached peacefully. Given their experience with the Terrans, an attempt to force them back in is likely to result in their resistance. In that event, and if requested, the Federation should support Citali’s independence.

The revelation that one of Citali’s local heroes was actually a Starfleet Vice Admiral has had a profound impact on Citali-Federation relations. At first, this was a boon, improving the popular opinion of the Federation among the Citali. Unfortunately, the subsequent court martial of said former flag officer has muted that effect.

Diplomatic channels are open, and discussions are ongoing. No formalized treaties or agreements are in effect.

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END SUMMARY
STARDATE 100679.0

//ATTACHMENT// INTEL-AzediStatus.100679.pkg