ALPHA QUADRANT — Questions arise on the USS Astraeus after receiving orders to track down a rogue Starfleet vessel.
“Attention all hands, this is the Captain. We have just received word from Starfleet Command that a Federation starship has gone rogue and is working to sabotage preparations for Frontier Day. We do not have details on their activities or motivations, but we are now under orders to detach from the Home Fleet and join a small task force led by the Intrepid. Our mission is to locate the USS Titan, relieve her Captain of command, and bring her home.” This announcement was made to the crew of the USS Astraeus, NCC-70652, resulting in a mixture of shock and disbelief tempered by their professionalism to complete the mission.
Captain Delano immediately called a meeting with his senior staff. While details of the meeting remain unknown, First Officer Cmdr. Serala had a private conference with the Captain afterward, presumably about the nature of their mission. Meanwhile, LtCmdr Esa Kiax and LtCmdr Lael Rosek-Skyfire, recently reassigned back to the Astraeus from Shemsh Colony, went to Strategic Operations to enlist the aid of their Strategic Operations officer, Lt Neshala. Due to the classified nature of StratOps, the specifics of their investigation remain unclear, though it is believed that they were investigating the Titan crew.
The Astraeus managed to pursue the Titan without making direct visual contact and eventually found themselves in the Chin’toka system, where a Vulcan ship had gone missing. While tracking the Titan, a massive explosion occurred in Astraeus’ Operations Center. Casualty reports indicate that fifty-two people were injured, including fatalities among Kiax, Rosek-Skyfire, Neshala, and Acting Chief Engineer Lt Wyatt Ral. They suspected sabotage after the explosion occurred in Astraeus’ Operations Center, specifically targeting Strategic Operations. The discovery of the body of Chief Master-at-Arms CPO Andrew Davis in the Environmental Control Unit heightened this suspicion. Someone had taken his life prior to the explosion. The investigation into the explosion is ongoing, with Kiax severely wounded but expected to recover after surgery.
The crew eventually tracked the Titan to Daystrom Station, a classified remote space station. The rogue crew’s intentions remain a mystery. Upon arrival, a Changeling attacked Delano in his Ready Room during a meeting with the Captain of the USS Cole, solidifying the sabotage theory. Further attacks confirmed the presence of at least two Changelings on board, one cornered in Main Engineering after a failed attempt to blow up or seize control of the ship.
The status of the Titan and the motivations of its crew remain unclear. The presence of Changelings on the Astraeus has raised concerns about a potential threat. We will provide further updates as the situation develops.
Written by: Serala
