Rogue Planet Alert: All Merchants Ordered To Keep Ongoing Long-range Sensor Scans

FEDERATION SPACE — Starfleet has ordered all cargo transport vessels to keep long-range sensors active as USS Veritas chases a rogue planet.
Starfleet today issued a region-wide alert for a rogue planet making its way out of Cardassian space. This planet, given a preliminary designation of “Hecate” by Starfleet Cartography, is moving through known trading routes. While there are no reports of any danger so far, merchants have been advised to keep active sensor sweeps and be aware of any possible issues.
From what information has been shared by the Cardassian Union, experts theorise Hecate is capable of subspace and warp travel. Discovered by Cardassians two weeks ago, information has been slow to trickle through to Federation sources. Starfleet cannot confirm whether the planet is a natural phenomenon or a man-made occurrence.
Starfleet Admiral Joseph Washington of Cait Spacedock has ordered USS Veritas to investigate.
“Tracking backwards from its current course, there’s no record of it appearing from any ships that had traversed its path,” states Washington. “If it truly is travelling through subspace, it can disappear and reappear anywhere. The next time, it could be in Breen or Tholian space. Maybe on the other side of the galaxy. We might not get another chance to learn more about it.”
However, the order takes Veritas out of its primary operating region of the Shoals, leaving the region without its major Starfleet presence. The ship is also without its commanding officers: Captain Roshanara Rahman has taken personal leave to Krios, and reports suggest executive officer Lieutenant Commander Sky Blake is on a medical leave of absence. Lieutenant Commander Jansen Orrey and Lieutenant Wil Ukinix have taken command as CO and XO in their steads.
Information about Hecate is scarce and has only been obtained through Starfleet’s long-ranged telescopes, though scientists are eager for the information Veritas will be able to provide.
 
Written by Sky Blake