Drake Mission 03: "Kessik Quandry"

Captain's Logs

Starddate 20502.18

Stardate 20502.18

A communication from Admiral Benestad on Starbase Alpha has just given us orders to break from patrol to investigate the loss of contact with the mining colony on Kessik Four.

The potential for trouble here should not be underestimated, Of course it is possible that the communications equipment is inoperable, such things are common place especially on out of the way colonies. However, given the proximity of the Kessik System to the Klingon border I do feel somewhat apprehensive. The Klingon civil war is worrying enough if it remains within their territory, if it were to spill over into surrounding areas...

On our journey over there I shall be researching Star Fleet database on everything we know about that region and the colony itself. To add to the mix, Kessik is also near to the border of the Gorn Hegemony. I personally know very little about this race and figure I shall need to call on my previous hosts Diplomacy skills as I take a somewhat untried ship, crew and indeed Captain, into the unknown. I feel certain that the crew and ship are more than up to the challenge, as for their Captain, well time will tell.

End log.

Stardate 20505.07

Stardate 20505.07

The Drake has entered the Kessik system in the Delta Triangle and is initiating a sensor sweep of the fourth planet in search of the Federation colony. No contact has been made so far, our hails unanswered.

We encountered more trouble getting into this system than I anticipated. Getting our intentions across to the Captain of a Gorn ship which investigated our arrival proved tricky. With the language and cultural differences between the Gorn and the Federation it was touch and go for a while whether the crews of the respective ships let their nerves get the better of them. Diplomacy prevailed however and I once again have to sing the praises of my symbiont's previous host, Ambassador Rentara Jal. The tentative Treaty of mutual co-operation remains intact.

Added to the Gorn situation there have been a number of incidents on the ship that cause me some concern. With a small number of casualties from outbreaks of violence, and seemingly unexplainable system malfunctions across the ship, I am at the point of wanting to investigate fully in person. Obviously I am unable to given that we have arrived at Kessik. I would normally have my First Officer look into the shipboard matters but Commander Caer is among the number of casualties, as is Colonel Mormel and my Chief Science Officer Commander Treborn, so far I have been unable to ascertain the circumstances.

Hopefully we will make contact with the Kessik colonists and all will be well, then I can get my house in order again too.

We remain at Yellow Alert and General Quarters One. At least the ship systems all seem to be fully functional now.

End log.

Stardate 20506.14

Stardate 20506.15

The Drake remains in orbit around Kessik IV, and the situation is looking more desperate by the hour. The colony appears to have been devastated by orbital bombardment. Dust storms and polaron radiation are endemic across the surface, which is going to make any further survey attempts difficult to say the least.

Our progress thus far is down to sending an unmanned shuttle to the surface, but communications were cut off once it reached a point 700m above the planet’s surface. Yet another obstacle that blocks the way to finding out what has happened here. But we have to try harder to reach the planet’s surface; sensors report faint traces of lifesigns there and I cannot just turn the ship around without at least trying to reach any survivors.

An away team will have to travel to the surface, and there is no way around that. I’ve just emerged from a senior staff meeting and the Department Heads agree. Subject, of course, to finding a way to protect everyone. Science and medical will begin work on that immediately.

Science though is providing me with another problem. My chief of science is barely out of a coma which she fell into after having killed a chief petty officer and a young girl, and very nearly Colonel Mormel as well. I can’t reconcile this behavior with the Lieutenant Commander Treborn I have got to know since she came aboard. “Uncharacteristic” would be a grievous understatement.

Whatever has happened to her, I need her ingenuity and scientific abilities in order to protect the away team, and I also get the impression that we are going to need scientific input on the surface. For those reasons I want to include Commander Treborn in the Away Team. Lieutenant Meagher in particular objects vehemently, and I do understand her objections. For myself, I will reserve judgment until I have had the chance to speak with Alanna.

The ship is still at yellow alert, and General Quarters 1 remains in force. Whoever has attacked Kessik IV could still be in the area and I do not intend to be caught unawares.

End log.

Stardate 20507.12

Stardate 20507.12

We are still in orbit around the fourth planet in the Kessik system, and an Away Team consisting of Lieutenant Commander Kajel, Ensign de Vincenzo, Ensign Kortoli, Lieutenant Stewart, Lieutenant Tynan and Lieutenant Commander Treborn has just left for the surface, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Meagher, our newly-appointed Second Officer.

The Drake has just lost contact with the Away Team’s shuttle. We still have sensor lock and they appear to be on course to land safely, but not being able to contact them does concern me. Their mission though is important enough to justify the risk. Any survivors to the apparent attack on the colony have to be rescued. And we have to be sure what happened here to avoid any future reoccurrences.

I have fewer concerns for the team’s safety once they land at Kessik. The medical and science staff have come up with methods to protect the crew from the high radiation levels; personal deioniser fields neutralize the polaron radiation, and a high-strength ‘vaccination’ is ready in case of any radiation sickness.

I hope that they are able to swiftly bring this mission to a close. The Gorn are strongly implicated in events, and the sooner we know for sure, the happier I’ll be. Rentara Jal was a superb diplomat but I doubt even he would be able to keep the fragile treaty with the Gorn intact if they have wiped out a Federation mining colony.

Whilst we await news from the away team, a saboteur on board is giving me an opportunity to keep myself sharp. They have my command codes and, whilst I don’t know what their intention is, they appear to have caused a series of explosions on board, not to mention the systems failures recorded in a previous log. Thankfully Engineering is on top of the situation and all systems are functioning normally, at least for the time being.

The situation surrounding Commander Treborn is still ongoing. I have managed to speak to my CSO, and I still do not believe she is capable of knowingly murdering anyone. Ensign Pavona, a science officer and mother of the child Alanna killed, has resigned. Whilst losing a crew member is always hard, when they announce their resignation by confronting an already distraught officer it makes it doubly hard. I have had to send Alanna on the away mission and hope she is able to maintain focus long enough to do her job. I don’t doubt her professionalism, but in her position, even with three lifetimes of experience, I know I’d find it difficult to say the least.

I must draw this entry to a close. The news of the saboteur is testing my temper to its limits. I know I must remain calm and draw on Tirol’s experience, but knowing that someone is out there and potentially working to destroy my ship and harm my crew is not something any Captain can tolerate.

The Drake remains on Yellow Alert and at General Quarters 1.

End log.

Stardate 20508.14

Stardate 20508.14

The situation on board with the saboteur has been contained. The culprit is now in Sickbay under guard. Once his condition is stabilized he will be brought to consciousness and questioned about his actions and motives.

My concern now is whether he had time to leave any unpleasant surprises for us further down the line.

Before we can conduct a ship-wide diagnostics check however we have a more pressing matter.

The Away Team has been split up. Part of the team has returned to the Drake but they brought news that a Klingon ground force has captured the remainder of the officers.

The captives include most of my Department Heads but this does not make the matter any more serious than if the personnel were non commissioned ranks. Naturally I will not leave them down there and have formulated a plan with my officers to resolve the situation.

As hesitant as I am to sanction the use of force in this delicate of times I have ordered Lieutenant Colonel Mormel to take a unit of Marines down in a shuttle to retrieve our people. I hope that the matter can be dealt with as quickly and as cleanly as possible. In the meantime up here in orbit we have more than a handfull to deal with too. The Klingon Bird of Prey Gralark is keeping us company and Commanding Officer Captain Kraltar is unsurprisingly taking an aggressive stance.

The next few hours may well be critical for the Drake and her crew, and perhaps for the stability of this part of the Quadrant. I only hope I make the right decisions...

End log.

Stardate 20508.21

Stardate 20508.21

The Drake is currently engaged in ship to ship combat with the Klingon Bird of Prey Gralark. In the initial volley the Klingons have the upper hand but once clear of Kessik four's gravity well we should out maneuver them.

Commander Caer has been one of the first casualties of the battle however and I have just sent her and one of the tactical officers directly to Sickbay.

Next log when I have more time to report.

End log.

Stardate 20509.23

Stardate 20509.23

The Drake has survived ship to ship combat with the Klingon Bird of Prey Gralark.

Despite giving every chance for Captain Kraltar to cease hostilities he took the option of finally ordering his unarmed and barely mobile ship to ram the Drake. I was forced to order the Gralark be stopped to protect the lives on board the Drake and regrettably the Klingon ship was destroyed.

I believe that the Drake would not have reached this outcome if not for the intervention of the Gorn vessel Sasskarra and it's Captain Illrezach who responded to our distress call.

Our Away Team was successfully recovered from captivity on the surface of Kessik four by a Marine unit commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Mormel. I am due to take a report of the Away Mission from CSO Lieutenant Commander Treborn, as appointed mission leader Lieutenant Commander Meagher was rendered unconscious during the mission and is now recovering from injuries.

I am deeply saddened to learn the extent of the damage to the Drake and to see just how many of the crew were injured or lost their lives. My First Officer, Commander Caer remains among the casualties in Sickbay.

I shall report further in a supplemental when more data is available.

End log.

Stardate 20509.28

Stardate 20509.28

Remaining in orbit of Kessik Four, the Drake has encountered no further hostile forces. No further contact has been made with the Klingon Empire or for that matter with the Gorn. It seems that they have their own distractions more important than a mining colony on their borders. Particularly one with a Federation starship and a plucky crew still in the vicinity.

On that matter the crew have been working on repairs from the moment the battle with the Klingon ship ceased. Systems have been steadily returning to service. The ship is capable of defending itself, if only briefly.

A full report of the Away Mission to the surface of the planet and to find out the status of the Mining Colony is filed appropriately.

As a result of the Marine and Away Team overcoming the Klingon force on the surface, a representative of the Colonists, a Tenbar Eloran, offered the surrender of the colonists to what they clearly perceived as a conquering force.

This shocked me and disturbs me greatly. Learning that the Colonists considered themselves as having left the United Federation of Planets and members of the Klingon Empire was almost as shocking.

I have asked Lieutenant Commander Treborn to set up a dialogue with Eloran so that a proper discussion can be made between the Star Fleet Diplomatic Corps and the colonists.

I am requesting a debriefing with Admiral Benestad upon return to Starbase Alpha.

I am also recommending that certain members of the Away Team, and indeed of the crew who remained aboard the Drake be commended by Star Fleet upon return to Starbase.

The Drake will remain in orbit of Kessik until sufficient repairs are made to enable our journey to SBA. During this time we shall be supplying the Colonists with whatever supplies they require.

End log.

Stardate 20510.02

Stardate 20510.02

The Drake's business at Kessik four has drawn to an end.

Our crew have worked hard to restore the colony with operational communication equipment. Science have managed to clean up the polaron radiation contaminating the atmosphere, Marine Engineers have repaired the damaged reactor. We have supplied them with whatever medical and food supplies they required to get them by until they get back on their own feet again.

Whether these people do leave the United Federation of Planets or not neither I or my crew could turn away anyone in such need of what is termed 'humanitarian' aid.

I hope now that further discussion with Federation Diplomatic Corps may convince the colonists to remain within the UFP. Of course if they choose not to then their wishes must be respected.

The Drake is now capable of warp travel and I am about to give the order to leave the system and head for Starbase Alpha. I am scheduled for a meeting with Admiral Benestad as a debriefing. I can't say I am looking forward to being the bearer of bad news.

End log.

Stardate 20510.16

Stardate 20510.16

The Drake has arrived back at Starbase Alpha.

During the journey the crew managed to conduct a good number of the repairs needed after our encounters at Kessik four. I have made sure that the ship is logged for a full repair and refit at Space Dock once the crew have disembarked.

As I and the crew prepare to leave I find myself preoccupied with the feeling that while we achieved our Mission goal, it was a somewhat hollow one.

I am due to head for debriefing scheduled with Admiral Benestad, where I must detail the wishes of the Kessik colonists to leave the United Federation of Planets. I must also deliver account of the part that the crew of the Drake took during the mission. An account of valor and duty, in some cases on the behalf of officers who did not return home with us. Once again I feel great pride to serve with such a dedicated crew. I am personally recommending many of the crew for commendation.

End log.

Crew Logs

Ens Nikko Kortoli

Stardate 20523.09

Ens Kortoli Personal Log Ensign Nikko Kortoli Stardate 20523.09

What the Drake has been through, crew and ship alike, on the Kessik IV mission is beyond words; however I will try anyway.

Kessik IV was bombarded with some type of poloran weapon, causing massive radiation on the planet surface. I went with the first away team to go down to see what was going on. Things did not go too well.

The team was split into three units. One was to try to find out what happened to the colony, the other to find sole the life sign the Drake had detected, and the last was to get the disable shuttle that had been remotely sent down up and running. The latter was the team I was on.

The Lagoda was in a bad way. Unfortunately, I could not fix most of it without parts from the Drake.

Not all of the officers returned from the other teams. The ones that did brought with them a wounded Klingon.

Lt. Stewart made the call to leave then and return with reinforcement. Upon reaching the Drake again, we reported to the Captain, who immediately authorized a Marine task force to retrieve our missing officers.

Again, I was selected to go on the away team, this time armed with the parts needed to fix the Lagoda. While this was happening, however, a Klingon warship uncloaked, and required the Drake's surrender.

The Captain still wanted us down on the planet to get our crew mates, so the Drake was maneuvered to give us an opportunity to launch and make for the planet.

We made it into the atmosphere, and the first Marine team dropped at their designated spot. Before we could drop the second team, we were shot down, presumably by the tower cannon we saw last time. We crashed not too far from the Lagoda.

We raced for the Lagoda, and upon reaching it were ambushed by Klingons. The marines immediately engaged them, while Ensign Pierre and I attempted to fix the Lagoda, since it was now our only means of getting off the planet.

Having to cannibalize parts from the crashed shuttle (and dodging disruptor fire to do so) Ryan and I were able to get the shuttle repaired enough to get us out of there. By now, the marines were mostly dead or injured. Ryan and I had to engage a few of the Klingons, and barely made it out of that mess, mostly due to some quick thinking by Ryan, and some foolish bravado by me.

The Klingons having been neutralized, we got the Lagoda airborne, and made it to the rendezvous point. There we met up with what was left of the first marine team, along with our missing officers.

The flight back up was harrowing, to say the least. The inertial dampeners were off line, the nav system was fried, and my only level indicator was a plumb bob affixed to the bulkhead.

Out in space, a Gorn vessel was added to the mix. Kessik IV's immediate space was becoming crowded. With some helpful maneuvering of the Drake, I was able to pilot the shuttle into the bay without any further damage.

On board, we quickly discovered that the Drake had been boarded by Klingons. Engineering was one of the decks under attack. Meeting up with a team of security on my way their, we made for the fight in engineering. The battle was fast and furious, and even now it seems more like a dream to me than reality. But I will never forget the feeling of that disruptor cracking the Klingons skull. I still shiver at the thought.

With the Drake finally secure, it was time to set about putting her back together. I assigned teams to the various tasks that needed to be done, then went to my quarters to get some much needed rest.

The Captain just called for the DH's, so I better report to Engineering in case Mandrak needs me.

[End Log]

Lt Stovon Stewart

Supplemental

Lt Stewart "Computer begin recording personal log, Lieutenant Stovon Stewart.

Well it has been eventful to say the least. In my last log, I said things could get hairy, and they definitely did. we had a run-in with the Gorn that almost resulted in a firefight. Then upon arriving at the Kessick system we discovered that the planet appeared to have been bombarded from orbit.

The planet was also saturated with polaron radiation. That necessitated finding solutions to keep equipment and people intact.

I got assigned to my first away mission. I was selected to pilot the shuttle down. Once on the surface, we were able to assess the condition of a shuttle we had previously sent down by remote. We also found that Klingons had entered the system and were on the planet.

Because our landing party had split up, Ensign Kortoli and I had to rescue a number of people when the Klingons attacked. Unfortunately we were not able to rescue everyone and several of our officers were taken captive. The shuttle also was fired upon by the Klingons, forcing us to retreat to the Drake.

Captain Jal sent another party down, including a group of Marines to retrieve our captured officers. Shortly after that, we found ourselves in a full scale battle against a Klingon Bird of Prey. I would like to say we came out wonderfully, but the truth is we took a pretty good beating.

During that time, the Gorn vessel we had previously encountered entered the system and assisted us. Their timely arrival allowed us to best the Bird of Prey, unfortunately we were also boarded.

At this point everything is returning to normal. Work crews are busy repairing the ship and all of our captured officers have returned.

I am still not happy with my decision to leave them behind. T'Pren tells me it was logical. I tell myself it was the right thing to do. Still, it haunts me. My stomach turned flips when Commander Treborn came on the bridge earlier, and I found myself barely able to talk to Commander Meagher. I have no idea how I will face Salene when I see her next.

Anyway enough of that.

End recording.

Security

Mid Kenneth Fitchel

Stardate 20525.09

Mid Fitchel Personal Log Stardate 20525.09 Midshipman Kenneth Fitchel, Security Officer - USS Drake

Its 0230 hours and for reasons I hope to explain in this log entry, I am unable to sleep. I was awakened by a fragment of a nightmare which I can’t seem to remember and I am bothered by it so much that rest is the furthest thing from my mind. It could just be a relapse of my encounter with the Nausicaans from the Orion Syndicate, but I suspect it more likely has something to do with what’s happened to me since being assigned to the Drake.

My first duty shift ended with me making an unscheduled trip to Sickbay as a result of a well-placed thrust from a Klingon mek’leth. I have been fixed up and discharged, but the pain is likely to keep me on light duty for the next couple of days. The boarding action that culminated in my stabbing on the Bridge was a vicious and bloody affair. My first command, a detachment of five men, took quite a beating during a firefight outside of Main Sickbay on Deck 9 – everyone was either killed or wounded. However, they performed admirably enough to make this green Midshipman look good. Later, I had to beam onto the Bridge with no advance warning to stop it from being taken over. I was forced to engage two Klingons on my own resulting in the above mentioned wound. They were neutralized thanks to my actions and the timely intervention of the Drake’s Marine Commander, LtCol Mormel, who finished off the second Klingon with a well placed shot from an ancient projectile-based sidearm.

The end result of this whole affair was satisfactory – the Klingons didn’t take over the ship and I’m still alive – but I am left with a sense of failure because some of the men under my command did not live. Considerable instructional time is spent at the Academy in the leadership classes on the necessity and inevitability of giving orders that may result in the death of subordinates. It is one of those things that are expected of all officers, but I didn’t expect it to happen to me so soon. In my case, it was the deployment of my men on Deck 9 that caused some of their deaths. The rational me says my decision was sound – the roving patrol gave me advance warning of the Klingon intruders – but the emotional me grieves for the lives lost.

I am also left with the feeling that killing lacks any nobility or purpose. Taking a life is worse than actions or inactions that cause others to die. Right now rationalizing murder in order to ensure my own survival is scant justification for the blood that literally stains my hands. My physical wounds will probably heal quickly, but the emotional scars will be there for awhile. I should probably see the ship’s counselor about this. However, the prospect of someone crawling around in my psyche is an equally disturbing prospect.

On a lighter note, because of my in processing and the subsequent Klingon attack, I have had little opportunity to meet my crewmates. My CO, Captain Jal, is a joined Trill that I have only met her briefly. However, I expect, like all joined Trills, that she has the experience and presence of mind that will serve the ship and crew very well. My fellow security officers are an interesting group to say the least. At present, my nominal DH LtCdr Miryes Kajel is out of action due to injuries received during an away mission on Kessick 4. I have not met her yet, but I understand she is a tough cookie. I hear nicknames such as “Kajel the Hun” and “Killer Kajel” – appropriate monikers for a starship COS I suppose.

The acting Chiefs of Security, Lieutenants Natalie and Rachel Treborn, are a matched pair of twins who take great delight in the confusion their similarity causes among the unwary. They appear to have a marvelously devilish sense of humor and yet are cool and professional under pressure. Finally, there is Ensign Angeno DeVincenzo who acted quite standoffish in our short meeting. I think he’s probably a nice enough guy – just under a lot of pressure. Maybe our next encounter will be more sociable.

That’s it for now – I’ve got to report for duty in a couple hours.

[End Recording and Save]