USS Philadelphia, NCC-66053-A Mission 4

Operation Ursa Major
Ship:	USS Philadelphia, NCC-66053-A
Commanding Officer:	Captain Jennifer Braggins
Mission Timeline
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Mission 3		Mission 5

Overview

The USS Philadelphia crew joined the crew of the Artemis in a bold plan to retake the [Parhelia|Parhelia System]] and recover the Callisto, which Starfleet had previously thought destroyed by Cardassians.

Having dispatched the recovery team, the Philadelphia crew were informed the mission had been cancelled. Intending to disobey orders, Braggins found herself facing mutiny when Jensen refused to follow her orders.

Mission Logs

Captain's Logs

Stardate 202308.30

The Philadelphia has been assigned a mission that will likely dictate the fate of the Alpha Quadrant.

The Callisto has been discovered in the Parhelia System. Presumed destroyed two years ago, it has been in Cardassian hands since the day it was lost; why we are just discovering this now, I do not know, probably another example of "Starfleet Intelligence" being a contradiction in terms.

With the recent attempts by foreign powers to steal Quantum Slipstream technology, Starfleet Command have decided it is vital to recover or destroy the Callisto to prevent a working example remaining in Cardassian hands. Quantum Slipstream has horrific potential as a first strike weapon; the balance of power in the Quadrant is iffy at best, any sudden change could rip the fragile peace apart.

The Philadelphia is to act as Pathfinder for the task force assigned to this mission, which includes a strike team from the Artemis who will either liberate or scuttle the Callisto. Our secondary objective is to force the Cardassians out of the system and secure the Benamite mines for our own use; the Cardassians won't make this easy for us, the last reconnaissance probe indicated at least two Cruisers, Patrol Craft, and a brand-new Nor-type station. We will have to destroy the station or force the Cardassians to abandon it if we want to take the system.

This ends one of two ways; we're the heroes that liberated Parhelia and secured the next several decades of deep-space exploration, or we're the opening act for the next war.

Either way, a lot of people might die in the next few days.

Against the security of the Alpha Quadrant, it's worth it.

It has to be.

End Log.

Stardate 202310.03

We have arrived at Parhelia, seemingly undetected. Our role in the mission ends here; once the Liberty Bell is away, we are to depart to keep up the façade of pausing to update our navigation systems and then proceeding on our way. Part of me wishes we could accompany the team liberating the Callisto. Another part of me knows this plan is moronic and wouldn't wish it on my own worst enemy.

In other news, I have dispensed with the services of my Chief of Security. I am sure Commander Kurasa has many excellent qualities, but she has failed to demonstrate them while serving under my command. No doubt her own version of events will differ from those on record so as to serve her own purposes, but since coming aboard the Philadelphia at Jateran and then on the Aquila in the Omarion Nebula, I had noticed a sense of entitlement that did not pair well with her apparent lack of leadership ability.

At this time, Commander Jensen will resume his role as Chief of Security in addition to First Officer. Hopefully we will not need his services in this role any time soon.

End Log.

Stardate 202403.20

A lot has happened, so much of it that it hardly seems like only a few days have passed. The mission was called off after the Liberty Bell had already launched, and my attempts to disobey orders and warn the Artemis were thwarted by my First Officer. Was he right to stage a mutiny? Maybe. Will he go down in flames with me anyway? Probably.

Having been taken to Outpost Gamma Seven for interrogation, I took it upon myself to continue my mission anyway and appropriated the Starship Yeager from its repair slip. That was when I received word that Starfleet POWs had been discovered; this added legitimacy to my actions and put me back in command of the Philadelphia, but in the long run won't absolve me of my crimes.

We have disabled a Cardassian Q-Ship that was carrying the prisoners, while taking severe damage ourselves. Commander Jensen is leading a recovery party; I can only hope his mission is successful before the authorities arrive to take us into custody; maybe it'll soften the consequences for my crew.

Supplemental

I have disobeyed orders and stolen a starship. I have fired upon a vessel flying the flag of another nation. All of these are court-martial offences, each carrying serious penalties. Chances are I'll get a desk job at best, a discharge and maybe prison time at worst.

I don't regret my actions; in fact I stand by them as the moral choice rather than the legal choice.

That said, life outside of Starfleet... I've been in Starfleet forever. It's my family, my life. Everything and everyone I know is here, not that I made many friends in the first place...

Last I heard, Zephyr is back on Betazed working on hybridising plants for medical use with a family of her own. She wouldn't want me hanging around even if we had parted on good terms; I don't even know anything about plants! Jake is...somewhere; I'm told he pissed off another CO not taking no for an answer and ended up assigned to a Relay Outpost in the ass-end of nowhere.

No future. No friends. No choice.

Maybe I should buy a ship and go into freight hauling. Or perhaps the Fenris Rangers are hiring.

End Log.