Starbase 118 crew bring down illegal racing circuit

TRINITY SECTOR — Starbase 118 confirmed that its senior staff were involved in a bold effort to shut down an illegal racing circuit.

A press conference was held at the starbase’s Media Relations Tower upon the crew’s return to base. Starbase 118’s Deputy Press Secretary Lieutenant Violet-Marie Schiff confirmed that a contingent of the station’s Operations Tower senior command staff had been assigned to investigate a number of figures involved with an illegal racing circuit, believed to have ties with the Orion Syndicate. She also confirmed that arrests were carried out, marking the culmination of months of investigation by the Starfleet Intelligence division aboard the station.
“The mission was green-lit following the destruction of the civilian freighter Houston Five,” confirmed Schiff, “who had sourced replacement parts from individuals connected to the Jenatris Racing Confederation, which the intelligence community aboard the station believed had connections with the Orion Syndicate.”
Schiff also confirmed that two undercover teams who took part in the race ended in the Top 3, although neither team has been announced as the winner. More worryingly however, Schiff also confirmed that the station’s auxiliary support ship, the USS Columbia, was attacked by Orion battlecruisers after luring the starship away with a fake distress call.
“As is Starfleet policy, Columbia, commanded by Lieutenant Commander Theo Whittaker, responded to what they believed to be a distress call from a Klingon vessel and were attacked by the Orion vessels, who we believe had agents onboard the ship, connected to disgraced former flag officer, Commander Allan Kinney,” said Schiff. “I am happy to report, that the Orions were defeated and Columbia returned to the Geneva system in time to retrieve the away teams.”
The DPS refused to be drawn on who was arrested, stating that Starfleet Intelligence was not releasing the names. Signing off, she reiterated the station’s commitment to fighting the resurgent Orion Syndicate: “We will not, bend or break until we have removed the stain of the Syndicate from the Trinity and Serellan sectors.”