Sector Zeta, Part I (TOS Era)

Written by Dan Carlson, Based on the Series by Mark Nguyen

This scenario takes a new twist on the original idea. It takes place in the TOS era — specifically, in the year 2265. Let’s see how things go in a different time period!

Introduction

Welcome, gentlemen, to Part One of Sector Zeta, the third in the “You’re the Admiral!” series at the SCN. In case you’re not familiar with the concept, the “You’re the Admiral!” series is a series of semi-guided, hypothetical exercises in starship management, fleet strategy, and diplomacy. They are similar to role-playing games in that you will assume the role of a Rear Admiral in the Federation Starfleet, given authority over a sector of space with orders to demonstrate and enforce Federation policy as best you can. To do this, you’ll be asked to first assemble, and then utilize, a fleet according to the circumstances. However, unlike an RPG, there is no interaction between the different players; this is simply an individual reaction to circumstances. The idea is to come up with different perspectives, goals, and methods to solve similar problems.

These scenarios were started on the Flare Sci-Fi Forums about two years ago, and are archived in a separate section of my site. (“You’re the Admiral!” was in turn inspired by the old “What Starship Would You Send?” threads on the r.a.s.t. newsgroup.) With Mark’s permission, I’ve started a spin-off series to conduct here on the SCN.

In order to familiarize cadets with strategic, tactical, and technical background in Starfleet, this scenario has been designed to involve different time frames from Federation history. In the first part, we will address one of the most controversial periods of the 23rd century — the Klingon-Federation conflict of the 2260’s. (The first question in this scenario begins shortly before the start of the original Star Trek series, in 2265.)

Some additional rules need to be addressed in order to ensure maximum enjoyability and proper understanding for everyone involved. Due to the comparative lack of canonical starships (you gotta love those 1960’s effects!), everyone will have to rely more on unofficial designs than in the TNG era. For any non-canon starship mentioned in your answers (except for those created by Franz Joseph), you must include a link to a picture of the ship and provide some basic specifications of its type and capability. Doing this will help make sure that everyone is on the same page, and avoid confusion based on the multitude of fandom designs.

For convenience, I have already selected a few designs that I think are appropriate for the specific duties need in this sector. However, you may choose to replace any starship already provided with a different design of similar type and capabilities.

If you need some help finding quality TOS-era designs, I’d recommend checking out the Starfleet Museum for some excellent and original starship designs. Many older fandom designs, created back in the 1980’s, can also be found at the Starship Schematics Database. Also, Steve Pugh’s website has some reliable details about these ships, as well. (These historical backgrounds were all written at various points in the past, and do not necessarily agree on a canonical timeline. Furthermore, some accounts even choose to deliberately ignore certain aspects of Trek canon, especially with respect to “Enterprise.” Participants may adopt specific historical events at their own discretion, as long as they are applied consistently throughout the scenario.)

Background on the Sector

Now for some basic information about your new assignment, Sector Zeta:

• This sector is located on the “eastern” side of Federation space, several dozen lightyears from the Earth-Vulcan-Andor core regions. Situated near the edge of the Klingon Empire, the sector is a constant hotbed of conflict, yet is not the most heated source of conflict between the Klingons and the Federation.

• The Disputed Territories are considered one of the biggest causes of the Federation-Klingon cold war. Various areas inside the region — stretching all along the common border — were first scouted by either side, but claimed by both for various reasons. The Klingons claim they require a resource-rich buffer zone to ensure security, while the Federation seeks to deny the Klingons those same resources in order to prevent further Klingon expansion and aggression.

• The Romulans have not been heard from since the signing of the truce ending the Earth-Romulan War almost 105 years ago. Although there are a few automated monitor drones scattered along the edge of the Neutral Zone, these drones are somewhat antiquated. Nevertheless, Starfleet sees no reason to expend further resources at this time, considering the rising tensions with the Klingons.

• The Azure Nebula (seen briefly in VGR’s “Flashback”) is essentially harmless, but a really nifty place to hide stuff. There’s a single unremarkable star inside — it has no planets, just a very messy assortment of space debris, of no real value at all.

• Deep Space Station K-9 was established shortly after the skirmish at Donatu V approximately 20 years ago, as a location where Starfleet’s defense, patrol, and monitoring missions can be coordinated. A secondary purpose is also as a way station for merchant ships, in the hopes of fostering increased trade with the Federation; however, its success in that role has waned in recent years as the Barolian trade fleet gains prominence.

• The Klingons, seeking to counter the Federation’s influence in the region, have likewise established an outpost nearby. It is currently located on the outskirts of the Azure Nebula.

• Japori joined the Federation in 2226, and has played a small but important role in regional affairs since then. Starfleet maintains a small, planet-side administrative base there.

• The Federation colony on Terouj IV was settled approximately 30 years ago by a group of unconventional settlers. Like some groups which completely eschew any technology more advanced than the vacuum tube, they do prefer to live “closer to nature”, with a minimum of technological interference in their daily routines —but they don’t shun modern technology completely, and make use of it in limited ways. In any event, the colony was settled under Federation jurisdiction, and the colonists have a stable relationship with other worlds in the Federation.

• Both sides generally ignored Adelphous following cursory surveys which found few resources of high value. The Klingons claim the system for themselves, but have not established any presence there yet, focusing on other points along the border for the moment. However, a recent Federation-sponsored prospecting expedition explored deeper into the planet’s crust and has found indications of vast quantities of dilithium. The Federation is currently in the process of establishing a fully operational mining colony there. So far, these activities have escaped the Klingons’ notice, but it’s only a matter of time before they pick up on what’s been found there.

• The Acamarian Sovereignty has recently emerged from a protracted civil war. Several nation-states have recently been united under a planetary constitutional monarchy. In the face of Klingon aggression, the Acamarians have received several decommissioned warships from Starfleet for defense. Four obsolete escort cruisers from the Earth-Romulan War have been restored and retrofitted with low-power phasers and primitive photon torpedoes to serve as planetary defense ships. They aren’t really capable of slugging it out toe-to-toe with a modern warship, but they are sufficient for general local patrol and defense duties. (If you wish, you can consider the ships to be old Powhatan-class cruisers.)

• The Barolians are steadfastedly neutral, refusing to side with either the Federation or the Klingons despite frequent offers and proposals from both parties. They are currently in the process of establishing a rather large trading fleet that operates in both the Federation and Klingon spheres of influence.

• The Noitamians are a pre-warp culture approximately equivalent to that of Earth in the 1970’s. Several of the nation-states are currently in the middle of developing their own space program, and their first manned, extra-orbital mission to their largest moon is expected soon.

• The Klingon colony on H’atoria was established almost a century ago. It’s a medium-sized mining colony that exports nitrium and trillium for military uses; these materials are obtained through the usual Klingon methods of strip-mining and forced labor.

Local Statistics

Japori

Population: 1.9 billion
Alignment: Federation (member)
Government: Democratic
Technology: Current
Defense: 2 destroyers (Predator-class, if you wish), plus moderate orbital defenses
Notes: Large commercial fleet, plentiful natural resources

Terouj

Population: 450
Alignment: Federation (colony)
Government: Democratic
Technology: Current
Defense: None
Notes: Low-tech agricultural colony

Acamar

Population: 3.2 billion
Alignment: Pro-Federation (allied)
Government: Monarchy
Technology: 22nd century equivalent
Defense: 4 destroyers, 30 sublight fighters, moderate orbital defenses
Notes: Heavy industrial base, plentiful raw materials

Barolia

Population: 7.3 billion
Alignment: Neutral
Government: Oligarchy
Technology: Early 23rd century equivalent
Defense: 2 destroyers, light orbital defenses
Notes: Medium agricultural base, plentiful raw materials, building trade fleet

Noitami

Population: 4.6 billion
Alignment: N/A (pre-warp)
Government: Various; several dozen nation-states
Technology: 1970-equivalent
Defense: None
Notes: Protected by the Prime Directive

Adelphous

Population: Uninhabited
Notes: Recent indications of rich dilithium deposits, claimed by both sides

H’atoria

Population: 28,000 (est)
Alignment: Klingon (colony)
Government: Viceroyalty
Technology: Current
Defense: 3 D6-class light cruisers, heavy orbital defenses

Question One

1. Taking into account the different time period of this scenario, analyze changes that you will need to account for in your strategies throughout the simulation, focusing on the following areas:

   1. Technological differences, including warp travel times, relative combat capabilities, and sensor capacities;

   2. Political differences, including Federation foreign policy, diplomatic relations, and internal affairs; and

   3. Cultural and psychological differences, especially the command styles of contemporary Starfleet officers.

   Also include any other differences you think are important.

2. As with previous sectors, define what Starfleet’s priorities in this sector should be. Describe the nature of current relations between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, and the political alignments of the other planets in the sector. Also, note any deficiencies in the information provided.

3. You’ve arrived at your new command post travelling on a nondescript Ptolemy-class tug equipped with a starliner pod, and you’re ready to take authority over the sector fleet. Sector Zeta currently has two starships assigned to the area:

   • USS Salah ad-Din, Pyotr Velikiy class, NCC-1683 (Heavy Cruiser)
   • USS Emden, Miranda class, NCC-1856

   In addition to these two, request from Starfleet a reasonable number and breakdown of starships to be deployed in this sector to accomplish your goals, and what their primary and secondary duties will be. Assume that Starfleet will assign no more than six starships (including the ones currently deployed) to the sector. You may choose to reassign any or all of the ships currently deployed to the sector, if you wish — they will depart immediately upon the arrival of your new fleet. (Due to the extremely high demand for the near-legendary Constitution-class heavy cruisers, Starfleet Command informs you that none will be available for deployment for the next year or more.) In addition to your regular fleet, a number of transports, both Federation and civilian, will be making regular runs into and out of the sector.

   There are also three other starships in the sector:

   • USS Christopher, Gagarin class, NCC-514
   • USS Berzerker, Predator class, NCC-D208 (Destroyer)
   • USS Sidewinder, Predator class, NCC-D269 (Destroyer)

   These ships are not under your direct command, and do not count towards the six starships allowed as described above. The Christopher is an ancient survey cruiser (launched way back in 2185), conducting a cultural survey of the Prime Directive-protected planet Noitami. The Berzerker and the Sidewinder are stationed as permanent defense forces in the Japori System; these shorter-range starships may be called on to perform tasks nearby, but are under nominal authority of the Japori planetary government.

4. Deep Space Station K-9 was first built along the Klingon border approximately 20 years ago. Analyze the current situation in the sector, and decide whether further permanent assets are required. If so, where should these new outposts be placed? Assume that Starfleet will not approve resources for anything larger than, say, a twenty-man border station, or a number of smaller stations using about the same amount of resources.

Question Two

1. OBJECTIVELY CRITIQUE one of the other answers to question one. Point out what you believe are the strengths and/or weaknesses in how the answer differs from yours. You may critique another answer which has already been critiqued.

2. Your task force has arrived in its entirety! But with your fleet comes one other person... In view of the increasing tensions with the Klingons, the Federation Council has sent a civilian official to oversee diplomatic issues in this quadrant. Undersecretary Nigel Hargis from the Federation Diplomatic Corps arrives at your command post and sets up his office. Technically, however, diplomatic affairs are part of your purview as the ranking Starfleet officer in the sector, and your authority in that regard has not been revoked. How will you proceed following Mr. Hargis’ arrival?

3. React to the following situations that develop in Sector Zeta. In each case, indicate which starship is closest (or most relevant) to respond, and how your fleet’s status could or should change as a result. Describe also any diplomatic efforts your staff should be making.

   1. Your starship patrolling near Adelphous detects the faint signature of a Klingon scoutship on the edges of the system. As your ship closes in to establish contact, the signature disappears —the Klingons are gone from the system. There’s no clue just how much information they might have gotten about the Federation’s new dilithium mines on Adelphous.

   2. The civilian transport SS Nakajima Maru is destroyed by an unknown starship while en route from Acamar to Japori. A preliminary investigation suggests that the Klingons are probably not the culprits, but instead a group of rogue Acamarians called the “Gatherers.” Since the civil war on Acamar has ended, it seems that some soldiers from the losing side have turned to general piracy. How will you deal with these renegades?

   3. The Christopher suffers a guidance system failure and begins drifting in its holding orbit towards Noitami. They need a completely new plasma regulator to fix the problem — naturally, they don’t have a plasma regulator on board. The ship’s not in immediate danger of crashing, but if it gets too close it could easily be detected by the natives’ radar stations. Will you send a ship to rush the replacement part out to the Christopher, and if so, which one? Remember that this is a potential Prime Directive issue.

   4. Your border monitoring stations detect a Romulan warship inside the Neutral Zone. Shortly thereafter, your office receives word of the Enterprise’s encounter with the cloaked Bird-of-Prey (re: “Balance of Terror”). That battle took place several dozen light-years to your “north”, but clearly still has ramifications for this sector. How will you redeploy your ships in response, if at all?

4. Create a scenario of your own, similar to the ones posed in Part (C). Any reasonable scientific, diplomatic, or military scenario is acceptable. However, do not answer the scenario. It will be answered by other participants as part of Question Three.

Question Three

Guest Lecture by Admiral Ross

1. Answer one of the other scenarios created by another participant from Question Two. You can answer the same scenario that someone else has already responded to.

2. Respond to the following developments/situations:

   1. SFBM-1475, a monitor drone in the Romulan Neutral Zone located to the northwest of AX-5238 has gone silent. The colony of Terouj is reporting that the have detected the signal from the drone’s log buoy which it will eject in case of emergency. These monitor drones are essential to Federation security, and the log buoy must be recovered and the drone replaced. (The starship you send will be on this assignment until you are notified otherwise).

   2. You receive a report from Starfleet Intelligence detailing Klingon convoy schedules from their mining colony on H’atoria. Frustrated with the continuing loss of convoys due to Federation destroyers, they are sending the convoys to bases where larger convoys will be assembled and sent to Klingon shipyards under heavy guard. A smaller convoy will be leaving H’atoria shortly for KFB-356. In pursuance with Starfleet’s resource denial campaign, Starfleet Command has ordered you to send up to two destroyers to either attack this convoy or lay a minefield in its path if you think it prudent. (Assume the convoy is escorted by a single E12 destroyer.)

   3. A Klingon D7 cruiser approaches the trading world of Barolia carrying a captain K’trang as an envoy to negotiate exclusive trading relations with the Empire. Bullying his way past your aide-de-campe, Nigel Hargis barges in as soon as he learns of the situation. He informs you that he wants to send an envoy as well, insisting that either him or his top aide be in charge of the mission and insisting that he have Starfleet backup, lest the Empire sway the Barolians into their sphere of influence. Talking over your explanation that you are Starfleet’s authorized diplomat in the sector, Hargis informs you that he also wants you to cede operational command of the situation to him, claiming that he has been authorized by the Federation Council to handle the delicate diplomatic situation in this sector.

3. Continue to respond to these developments/situations:

   1. The ship you sent to recover the log buoy has found it, and reports it is damaged from some sort of massive energy surge not unlike the Romulans new plasma weapon. Much of the data is unreadable, but it appears that the drone may have detected a Romulan ship inside the Zone. The drone must be replaced, but given the potential presence of Romulan warships will you assign another ship to replace the drone or have the original one complete the mission? (Whichever ship you send will still be on this assignment until you are notified otherwise).

   2. The Acamarians send an angry message to your command post protesting the destruction of one of their ships. Their vessels rescued the hulk of one of their new cruisers which was on long-range patrol. They report the ship has been gutted by photon torpedo fire and that they have detected a Federation warp signature near the attack. They are filing a formal complaint with the Federation council and plan to inform them that they may seek an alternative to the Federation for their protection.

      Nigel Hargis sends you an almost immediate and equally unasked for message informing you that he has booked passage on a Barolian ship to Acamar and that he will plan to head up negotiations with the Acamarians to repair this gaffe. He also takes the time to berate you for failing to control your trigger-happy captains. He orders you to not send any Federation ships to Acamar in case your captain cannot restrain himself from firing on any more near allies, and suggests the Acamarians won’t be particularly happy to see any Federation starships in their space. He also condescendingly suggests that you not forget to continue negotiations with the Barolians “if you think you can do it without conquering the planet!”

      Given the mysterious circumstances of the attack and the ambiguous authority of Hargis in diplomatic areas, how will you respond?

   3. Assume the following events occur simultaneously:

      1. One of your ships in the Eastern half of the sector reports intercepting low-frequency transmissions encrypted in a Klingon code from an undetermined source aimed at BD-0602.

      2. According to the report you received from Starfleet Intelligence earlier another convoy will be leaving H’atoria soon. If it is to be intercepted (either for attack or with a minefield) up to two of your destroyers should depart now to do so. (Assume the convoy will be escorted by a single E12 destroyer.)

         • If you sent a raid into Klingon space after the convoy leaving H’atoria, it is ambushed by three D6 cruisers as your ships clear the Azure Nebula. The Klingon ships demand that your destroyers surrender. (If you do not surrender the Klingons will chase your ships and attack aggresively until they are destroyed, surrender, reach K-9, or Starfleet reinforcements arrive.)

         • If you did not send a raid, a single D6 cruiser approaches K-9 with a Federation mine in tow. They release it, explaining it was part of a minefield that one of their convoys ran afoul of. They demand an official explanation and promise retribution (though this ship will not attack K-9 or any of your other vessels.)

4. Continue to respond to these new developments in the sector:

   1. If you sent a ship to investigate the transmissions, it discovers a small Klingon spy satellite near BD-0602.

   2. You learn that a Klingon D6 has approached Acamar with 75 military “advisors” to help train the Acamarian defense forces. It is also rumored that the Acamarians have received an offer to buy a D4 cruiser (significantly more advanced than the Powhatan class) from the Klingons. Hargis insists that he can control the situation and that a Federation military presence will only hurt negotiations.

   3. One D7 and one D6 cruiser approach from behind Adelphous, transporting down approximately 150 troops to rape, pillage, and plunder the growing Federation colony, seeking to claim any dilithium freighters in the area, seize any other dilithium stocks they can, and wreck the mining equipment. (They will attack any Federation ships in the system, but will not leave the system if your ships retreat. At the approach of any Starfleet reinforcements, or after 48 hours, they will beam up their troops and withdraw towards the Azure Nebula.) Assuming any of your ships are close enough to respond before the Klingons withdraw, do you continue to pursue the Klingons or secure the colony and render what assistance you can?

Assigned Reading

In preparation for next week’s lecture, I would like you to read Avenger- and Predator-class Destroyers, a historical piece on the Klingon-Federation conflict in the mid-23rd century written by Masao Okazaki for the Starfleet Museum. I’m not looking to canonize the ships or their exploits, per se, but rather help establish the background strategy, tactics, and politics of the TOS era leading up to the open warfare seen in “Errand of Mercy.” In particular, the condition, motives, and overall capabilites of the Klingons are of topical importance.

Question Four

This week’s lecture does not consist of the customary separate scenarios. Instead, it’s an exercise in real-time (or near-real-time) fleet management, in a single ongoing scenario where you start your ships as they were deployed at the end of Question Three. As each day progresses, you will describe how you react to various developments and where you will send your starships. One part of this question will be posted every other day, to give participants time to respond appropriately.

The catch, of course, is that even at maximum warp (WF 9 on the Cochrane scale), it takes at least five days to cross just half the sector (10 light-years), and a full day’s travel will only carry you about 2 LY. So think twice about where you send your ships —because even with sixteen ships, there’s a lot of empty space in this sector!

After each day (including before Day 0) give the position (coordinates) and status of your vessels, plus a short comment on what your non-ship assets are doing at that time. It’s a bit more work than is customary for YtA!, but then, this is a Starfleet Academy lecture course... 😀

Many thanks to Timo Saloniemi for helping to put this scenario together.

Prologue: Day Zero (D-1)

Word has come that the ongoing negotiations with the Klingon Empire are in danger of breaking down. Believing that war may be imminent, Starfleet has dispatched a large task force to Sector Zeta for open combat operations should war break out. Commodore Robert Wesley, the task force commander, is an experienced starship captain with many years of command under his belt; he is in personal command of the USS Lexington. However, because you clearly outrank him, his task force will be under your command, and operate semi-autonomously in the sector as a separate unit. The task force has arrived at Deep Space Station K-9, and Commodore Wesley reports to your office for a situational briefing.

Commodore Wesley brings you an update direct from Starfleet Command. Your orders are twofold, but simple: prevent the Klingons from getting what they want in Sector Zeta, and to hurt them enough to make sure they can’t get it from other sectors, either. The colony on Adelphous could be a critical conquest to power the Klingon war machine, should they manage to gain control of that system. Influence on Acamar or Barolia could give them free reign to operate through a large portion of the middle of the sector. Control of the entire Azure Nebula would give them great strategic advantages for operating scouting and strike operations all across the sector.

This corroborates the latest information you’ve received from Starfleet Intelligence and your own reconaissance assets — the Klingons are in the process of deploying a large fleet to Sector Zeta, consisting of the following:

• 4 D7-class heavy cruisers
• 3 D6-class light cruisers
• 6 E12-class destroyers

These forces are in addition to the ships already observed in the sector. It seems that a Klingon attack may be imminent. However, you do not have information on exactly where these ships are currently located, nor what their specific target is. For the purposes of this scenario, you may consider the Berzerker and the Sidewinder to be under your direct control for the duration of the emergency.

In preparation, address the following points for your engagement:

1. Define your overall political and strategic goals for engaging the Klingons in this sector, should a war actually break out.

2. Plan the actual deployment of your forces. Will you fight an offensive or defensive strategy? Which ships will you send where? What will be your primary (and secondary, if any) objectives? How long will it take your ships to reach your objective after they launch?

3. Just as important as getting in, is your plan for getting out or avoiding further losses. Should defeat occur, how will you conserve your assets and protect your present holdings? Will you have to leave any systems under- or undefended? If so, justify why you will be withdrawing Starfleet protection from the area(s) in question.

If you plan to redeploy any of your ships, they will depart their current locations at 0700 hours on Day Zero.

Addition: Some players pointed out a slight playability problem concerning the maximum speeds of various types of older starships in the scenario. Therefore, if you so choose, you may apply a 0.25 spatial compression index to all travel times in Sector Zeta. In other words, you can increase speeds by 25%. Apply the multiplier to the multiple of the speed of light, not the warp factor itself. So, if your ship has a maximum speed of Warp 8, which is 512 c, then it now has a maximum speed of Warp 8.62, which is 640 c (that’s 1.25 * 512). Hopefully this will make things a bit easier — if you want it to be easier, that is. I know some people like a challenge!

Day One (D-0)

0515 hours: Your starship closest to Adelphous comes under attack by a Klingon E12 destroyer. If your ship is a cruiser, it manages to destroy the attacker with only minor damage; if your ship is a frigate or destroyer, it suffers major damage before forcing the Klingon ship to flee.

0525 hours: Your aide-de-camp wakes you up to notify you of the reception of a Priority Code 1 signal from Starfleet Command —the United Federation of Planets has officially declared war on the Klingon Empire.

0540 hours: Commodore Wesley’s task force launches its offensive now, following a fiery pep talk from yourself. (You can write your speech, if you wish.)

0900 hours: Deep Space Station K-9 comes under attack by two D6-class strike cruisers. You manage to beat back their attack, sustaining minor damage to your smallest or least-powerful combat ship in the area. K-9 itself takes moderate damage, but remains functionally intact.

1230 hours: If your ship near Adelphous took major damage in the previous battle, its primary impulse reactor nearly overloads during the repairs and has to be shut down — crippling the ship and leaving it nearly unmaneuverable. It sends out a coded distress call — but there’s no guarantee that the Klingons haven’t broken your code.

1800 hours: DSS K-9 receives a distress call from a convoy of five Federation (civilian) transports located in grid F5, en route from Japori to Adelphous. They were caught by surprise by the Klingon invasion. They’re not under attack yet, but they believe that there are Klingon ships in the vicinity.

Day Two (D+1)

0200 hours: Relay Station 22 receives a garbled message on the standard Starfleet distress channel. Intense scrubbing of the audio recording manages to pick out the words “Christopher” and “Klingon”, but not much else of use.

0700 hours: The Acamarians and the Barolians both officially declare their neutrality in the conflict.

1530 hours: Monitoring buoys near the Neutral Zone report detecting four Romulan Birds-of-Prey near BD-4824. This is the largest concentration of Romulan ships you’ve seen so far, and thus is a cause for major concern.

2100 hours: Your assets southwest of DSS K-9 detect a fleet of Klingon warships in grid H8. They could be heading either towards DSS K-9, or towards Barolia. The Klingons are at the extreme range of detection, but the best-guess count is three D7 cruisers and four E12 destroyers.

2345 hours: Relay Station 22 comes under attack. If you have a ship nearby to defend it (i.e. within one grid-square), you drive the attacker off with only minor damage. If you don’t have a ship nearby, the station is destroyed with all hands lost. With the station destroyed, you will lose subspace contact with any assets deployed more than six light-years from either Japori or DSS K-9.

Day Three (D+2)

0200 hours: Klingon troops land on Terouj. If Relay Station 22 is still intact, you are informed of this event, but information is very spotty as all communications with the colony have been jammed, but data sent before the jamming started suggests there are two D7-class heavy cruisers in orbit, and about 500 troops on the surface. If you have a starship within two grid spaces of Terouj, one of the D7s will break orbit to confront your ship.

0645 hours: If your ship near Adelphous took damage on Day One, it has now made partial repairs to its impulse engines and can maneuver at half impulse.

0930 hours: Two D6 cruisers appear in grid G8. If your starship near Adelphous suffered damage on Day One, they advance towards Adelphous; if your ship is still in nominal condition, they head towards the Klingon outpost in grid G9. Alternatively, if you have a fleet advancing towards Adelphous or KFB-356, they will make hostile passes at the fleet, determining your force’s composition and strength.

1430 hours: Intelligence assets on Acamar report that there’s a damaged Klingon destroyer in orbit requesting repair rights and sanctuary while they fix damage taken fighting your forces.

Day Four (D+3)

• If you deployed all or part of Task Force 12 on an assault into Klingon space, state what time it will arrive at its target or make contact with defending forces.
• If you chose to assault KFB-356, you will find it defended by the E5 frigate, a D7 cruiser, plus the two nearby D6 strike cruisers. The station’s armaments are approximately equivalent to DSS K-9’s defenses.

1400 hours: If the two D6 cruisers from Day 3 head towards Adelphous, they will arrive in the system about now.

1530 hours: A Klingon fleet of 2 D7 cruisers and 3 destroyers emerges from the Eslat Expanse in grid H2, blazing straight for Japori. ETA is just under 16 hours.

1800-2000 hours: If you sent your fleet towards H’atoria or to intercept the Klingon invasion fleet spotted at grid H8, they will meet about now.

2300 hours: Your entire bridge crew is startled when their instruments become literally too hot to handle. There’s no immediate explanation, but word soon comes from Starfleet Command that a previously-unknown race of noncorporeal beings called the Organians have forced an end to the conflict —the war with the Klingons is over.

Question Five

The war is effectively over—practically before it began—with the imposition of the Treaty of Organia. The Organians have mandated a new Line of Control to divide the Disputed Territories along the common border. Starfleet has towed in a series of small monitoring outposts along the border to guard against future surprise attacks like the ones launched in Question Four. As far as you can tell, all Klingon forces have withdrawn from Federation territory.

In addition to the newly enforced border, describe any other terms and requirements of the Treaty of Organia that you feel relevant, based on your interpretation of the events of various TOS episodes.

1. Objectively evaluate your performance during the recent war. What did you do right, and what should you have done differently? Project what might have happened if the Organians had not intervened and forced an end to the war.

2. Commodore Wesley’s task force has left the sector, as Starfleet redistributes its fleets following the war. Outline what forces you have remaining, their condition. Redeploy your ships given your current fleet strength and the changing border. Draw up a request for any replacements for ships you may have lost, and/or additional ships to supplement your current forces. Justify your need for additional ships (if you ask for them) —assume that Starfleet is going to be somewhat short on starships following the recent war.

3. Slowly, the sector is returning to business as usual. Or is it? Respond to the following developments.

   1. Preliminary analysis from your science officers says they can prove that it was not a Federation ship that fired the photon torpedo that destroyed the Acamarian cruiser in Question Three-C/2. You can’t be sure who actually did, but there aren’t that many groups out there capable of such subterfuge. How will you get this information to the Acamarians, who aren’t exactly on the best of terms with the Federation at the moment?

   2. The Romulans open trade negotiations with the Barolians. They begin construction of a trading outpost near BD-4824 (the Romulans call it Unroth). The Barolians will handle all cross-Neutral Zone trade, ensuring that the Romulans don’t break the treaty with the Federation.

   3. The transport carrying the first load of dilithium mined from Adelphous inexplicably explodes barely two light-years away from the planet. There’s no immediate indication as to the cause, but the transport didn’t report any problems before she blew. How will you improve security for future shipments?

   4. With the war over, Nigel Hargis seems intent on getting back into the limelight. He proposes negotiating a truce with the Acamarian Gatherers in order to end their piracy in the sector. Considering the rather violent nature of the Gatherers, how will you support Hargis’ mission, if at all?

   5. The Christopher, untouched by the recent war (what you thought was a distress call was actually the Christopher calling to warn RS-22 about the impending attack), reports that a D7 cruiser has appeared over Noitami. Contemptuous of the warnings coming from the tiny, obsolete science ship, the Klingons appear to be beaming down a handful of men to one of the major nation-states on the surface —but they’re not engaging in hostile action. What’s your reaction?

4. The Klingon and Romulan empires announce their alliance in the face of what they call “Federation aggression.” Starfleet Intelligence reports that the Romulans are now receiving D7-class cruisers, and Klingon ships are being equipped with cloaking devices. How will this affect your deployments in the sector?

5. Once again, it’s time to move on — Starfleet commends your job here, and promptly orders you to pack up your office and take off. The incoming Rear Admiral will need a briefing, however, before he continues your work, and that is your final official duty. As with other sectors, read over your responses to all the previous questions. Define what Starfleet’s priorities should be in this sector, and your recommendations to your replacement as to what he should concentrate on.