BAROSSA NEBULA – A Malon freighter full of toxic waste is on a collision course with Idrustix (II), the colony planet currently under development by the Second, Sixth, and Twentieth Houses of Betazed in the Delta Quadrant.
The freighter, named “Third Constant”, is understood to be hurtling towards the Betazoid colony planet. Reports indicate that the vessel is having severe engineering problems, causing many of its systems to fail. Amity Outpost, the Federation Diplomatic Corps embassy space station situated in a nearby system in the Delta Quadrant’s Barossa nebula, dispatched its ancillary Defiant class vessel, the USS Independence-B, to try and avert the disaster.
If the freighter reaches Idrustix’s atmosphere, anti-matter waste and theta radiation will kill much of the flora and fauna on the planet, including the helpful “Lucia” (Geobacter lucia) bacteria – a sentient bacteria that operates in a symbiotic relationship with all life upon the planet. Hosts of the bacteria provide shelter and resistance from the radiation that bombards the planet. But not even Lucia will be able to help the planet’s life and colonists from theta radiation. The Malon ship entering the atmosphere severely threatens the habitability of the planet, and therefore the Betazoid colonies.
If, however, the Malon waste vessel explodes in space in the system, the entire Idrustix system will be contaminated, and subspace will be badly ruptured, meaning communications and warp in that area will become impossible.
“After consulting with our own experts and with Starfleet Science, we’ve determined that the potential environmental and health risks posed by such an event warrant a full evacuation of all non-essential personnel,” said Tri’lea Polgonz, Daughter Ascendant of the Twentieth House of Betazed and Colony Administrator for Idrustix. “Our plans are focused first-and-foremost on keeping all at-risk Federation citizens safe, though we will continue to work closely with experts to develop environmental contingencies as well.”
Something has sent the Third Constant off course, hurtling them towards the Idrustix system at high speed. Starfleet have been tight-lipped on the operation so far, saying only, according to spokesperson Crewman C’lem Phan’ta’go, that “this is a developing operation and I can’t make any comments at this time, I’m afraid.”
The Malon have been encountered by the Federation before, during USS Voyager’s long return home in the 2370s. They dump antimatter waste from their home world Malon Prime into unused areas of space away from their system. They have refused to develop technology to process the waste, and instead rely on a lucrative “export” industry by using large freighters to move the waste product. The practice puts many Malon crew at risk of theta radiation poisoning. Individuals knowingly sign up to become crew members, accepting the risk to accept the high monetary rewards.
It’s understood that the Malon are running out of isolated places to dump their waste, having to travel further and further away to find suitable sites. This means that the freighter in question is a long way from home.
The Independence-B has dispatched a Starfleet contingent to the Malon vessel to help contain the situation and avert a disaster. It’s understood that the Malon “controller”, the captain of the vessel, abandoned ship in an escape pod at the first sign of trouble. He has been apprehended by Starfleet and is being questioned by security officers. The Federation News Service in no way implies that the Malon individual is in any way responsible for the unfolding emergency.
Written by Kit Ivanovic
