CAPTAIN'S LOG Stardate 100451.8
Reyga is in transit to the edge of the Agrama Sector. We’ve been tasked with supporting the upcoming invasion of the Fvillhaih System by cutting the flow of supplies and reinforcements from Agrama.
We could do this with a blockade, of course, but Starfleet’s come up with something more nuanced – a plan that’ll only require one ship, us, and won’t telegraph the fleet’s next move.
A system near the Imperial supply route has been identified with a degree of stellar instability. The plan is to use Reyga’s metaphasic shields to enter the star’s corona and capitalize on the instability to direct a coronal mass ejection at an Imperial convoy. The idea is, if we time it properly it’ll look like a natural occurrence. One dangerous enough to give the Empire pause before sending another convoy. Plus, the … the cultural significance of being attacked by a star … is likely to make waves.
The key though, is making it so that the convoys need to pass through this system. To do that, we’ll need to enlist the aid of a neutronic storm to block the usual route.
CAPTAIN'S LOG Supplemental
Reyga’s arrived at NGC-1716. Doctor Castillo and Ensigns Ban and Sadaann have departed in Aesop to work on diverting the storm. Commanders Sedai and Kuvak are leading teams here working on the CME plan.
Briefing the senior officers was more contentious than I’d have liked. Doctor Castillo and Sadaann were both pretty upset by the plan. I … I suppose I understand the objection, to some extent. None of us joined Starfleet to kill people, but sometimes it can’t be avoided. I think they do understand that, but it’s the scale and method in this case that gets under the skin. It’s offensive. It’s unprovoked. It’s indiscriminate. There’s no possibility of retreat, or surrender.
On its face, I … I get it. When we’re forced to fight, conventionally, we go through all the steps. Order retreat, fire to disable, ask for surrender. Everything and anything we can do to take as few lives as possible.
But I have to take a step back and remember that we’re at war. We’re in their space. This is not a civilian convoy or innocent bystanders. These are military personnel on their way to attack and kill our allies. If we go the normal route, we’d have to put half the 38th in their path for them to even think about turning back. Our mission is certainly no more deadly than a fleetscale battle. Not to mention that the Empire would then know our objective. We’d lose any advantage, any chance for a less bloody offensive later, and open the door for even more costly fights.
We’re not playing a game. It’s not supposed to be sporting. If we can destroy an enemy convoy and dissuade them from sending another – and if we can do it while only risking one of our ships, then of course we should do it. Why wouldn’t we?
CAPTAIN'S LOG Stardate 100452.3
Reyga has entered the corona of NGC-1716. We’re now out of contact with Aesop and can only hope they complete their mission. Commanders Sedai and Kuvak have filled in the science and engineering details for amplifying and targeting a CME. There’s some danger to Reyga, which depends at least in part on timing, but I believe it to be acceptable.
Nothing to do now but complete preparations and await the convoy’s arrival.
CAPTAIN'S LOG Supplemental
…
We did it.
It was like nothing I’ve ever seen. Destruction on a scale rivaling the weapons of the Azedi, or the Iconians. Twenty seven ships destroyed or damaged beyond repair.
The survivors turned back. I don’t … I don’t think they’ll be sending another convoy for some time.
We …
We’re fine. We had to take evasive maneuvers to avoid an ejection of stellar surface material, and suffered some damage. A brief disruption of the shields gave us all a radiation dose, but it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.
We’ll be heading out of the corona to rendezvous with our runabout shortly.
CAPTAIN'S LOG 100455.3
Reyga is in transit back to Cero, after picking up Aesop and our away team. The three of them are in pretty rough shape, and will be for at least a week or two, but they’re thankfully all expected to survive.
Medical is in the process of providing treatment to most of the rest of the crew for minor radiation-related symptoms. The most serious shipboard cases are burns and injuries from EPS ruptures on the lower decks. Incredibly, we’re expecting to walk away with no deaths.
Our underside is where we sustained the majority of our damage. A few sensor pallets are out of commission on the ventral saucer, Deck 9. A transporter emitter and the industrial replicator suffered power surges and had to be shut down. Two escape pods hangars are inoperative, and we’re keeping most of Deck 16 off-limits as a precaution due to outer hull microfractures. Engineering reports that we’ll be fully patched up within a few days.
(( Event • Transcripts: Reyga, Aesop • Related Rumor • AAR ))