[DCE] New Cappadocia

[Planet of Hats]

SUBMITTED: Stardate: 99516.4

FILED BY: CAPT Jadrys Itana

SECURITY: Level 1 - Open

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LOCATION: New Cappadocia
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MISSION: Continuing Deep Copernicus Expedition initiative. ​
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OUTCOME: The Copernicus encounters a crew of sensor-evading corsairs while exploring a rugged moon.
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KEY PERSONNEL:

CAPT Jadrys Itana
LCDR Rena Fox
PO2C Sturik
PO2C Aidan Makur
PO3C Eral Nywythe

​NARRATIVE: In view of continuing risks of travel within sectors adjacent to Ustavan Starleague space, the Copernicus has, on approval from RADM Quistra at Starbase 91, diverted spinward to survey key star systems on a line roughly towards the blue star 3 Centauri.

The HD 124595 system was a priority target for our survey of this region because of its potential for life-harbouring planets. The Lyonesse Observatory identified seven planets in this system, with the star itself being about 3.4 billion years old with a spectral type of G1. Our initial surveys identified additional planets: Three smaller rocky inner worlds, a very large N-class "Super Venus" on the nearer edge of the habitable zone, a K-class world at its outer edge, two major gas giants and two more outer worlds missed by long-range scans. While none of these worlds initially appeared to harbour life, our investigation of the large I-class supergiant planet, HD 124595 VI, revealed an extensive system of no less than 29 moons, four of them large enough to qualify as planets.

We identified the ninth moon of HD 124595 VI as an L-class inhabitable moon with predominant surface conditions akin to rugged badlands and mountains. The topography was compared by PO2C Ghukasyan in the Sciences department to landscapes predominant in Earth's Anatolian region, and the moon HD 124595 VI-i has since been given the appellation "New Cappadocia." Atmospheric conditions are suitable for human habitation and complex life exists mainly in the form of sparse foliage and non-sentient fauna, though we initially discovered no signs of habitation.

Cognizant of atmospheric readings indicating significant storms in parts of the planet, I ordered away teams to regions with no intrusive weather. Four teams were dispatched by Delta Flyer to gather samples and explore the surface. I determined that transporters would be inadvisable in the event of weather or radiative interference from the planet.

Analysis has revealed that New Cappadocia's core composition allows for the generation of a sufficiently potent magnetic field that much of the radiative energy from HD 124595 VI does not reach the surface. It does, however, create complex atmospheric auroras and energy patterns that must be compensated for by both transporters and vessels. These auroras appear intermittently depending on the interactions between the atmosphere and the energies from the planet and can create unpredictable disruptions. Following a disruptive aurora event, I ordered the away teams to return to the ship until a solution could be found that would allow free transit between the ship and the surface without turbulence or communication loss.

While three landing parties returned to the ship with little difficulty, the away team led by LCDR Fox, aboard the runabout Ptolemy, experienced an issue when they discovered three humanoids attempting to extract components from the warp nacelles. While these beings carried modern tools and weapons, they did not register to sensors until the crew got within five metres of their position. A firefight was exchanged, during which the away team stunned one of the aliens and forced the other two to retreat, but not before they struck the Ptolemy with a disruptor and damaged its flight systems, preventing takeoff. We attempted to extract the away team via transporter, but worsening atmospheric auroras and storm turbulence scrambled pattern locks sufficiently that a beam-up could not be safely achieved.

As communications degraded, I ordered LCDR Fox and her away team - security officer PO2C Sturik and science team members PO2C Makur and PO3C Nywythe - to remain in place and attempt to repair the damage to the Ptolemy. While none of the four are certified engineers, PO3C Nywythe proved to have had past experiences maintaining recreational flitters for short-track races on Betazed and demonstrated the ability to affect basic repairs. These were made more difficult by the worsening weather conditions, which manifested as a large dust storm with high winds.

During the storm conditions, the team remained alert for another attack by the humanoids. This came approximately two hours later by four hostiles armed with disruptor-type rifles. PO2C Sturik was wounded in the encounter, but the away team again successfully repelled the attack.

At this time, the first prisoner regained consciousness. Under questioning from LCDR Fox, the individual confessed that their group - identified as of the Garshaan species, of Shalgarsh in a nearby system - were "corsairs" utilizing New Cappadocia as a hideout from which to conduct raiding activities. He revealed that their invisibility to sensors was not intentional, and LCDR Fox was able to confirm that this was mainly an artifact of an unusual life structure: Garshaan blood is thallium-based, an element known to obstruct sensors. The prisoner revealed the initial party was attempting to extract engine components from the Ptolemy to repair their own vessel, which had suffered damage in a prior raid, and that future raids would be likely.

With assistance from PO2C Makur, PO3C Nywythe was able to affect a jury-rigging of the RCS systems that would theoretically allow the Ptolemy to lift off, albeit with risk of failure. LCDR Fox judged that the risk was worth taking despite the severe weather conditions, particularly given the severity of the injuries to PO2C Sturik, which could not be fully treated planetside and ran serious risk of fatal complications. With significant effort, the Ptolemy made liftoff and entered the storm system. Exceptional piloting by LCDR Fox and PO3C Nywythe resulted in the Flyer exiting the storm-aurora system with minimal damage, and the team's shuttle reappeared on our sensors aboard Copernicus in the midst of our planning an emergency away mission to try and retrieve the shuttle.

It became apparent at this time that the corsair ship had launched in pursuit of the Ptolemy. The vessel - approximately the displacement of a Bird of Prey - rapidly caught up to the Flyer, which exited the storm system just in time for us to beam it directly to the shuttlebay. The corsair ship proceeded to strafe the Copernicus with disruptor-type weapons en route to trying to break past our coverage and escape into open space. Our scans, however, revealed the ship had sustained preexisting damage to her secondary power coils, coupled with overall displacement and tactical capacity significantly below that of Copernicus. We disabled the vessel with no loss of life and took it in tow.

I am pleased to report that PO2C Sturik will make a full recovery. In the interim, we have transferred 27 crew from the Garshaan corsair to USS Firebreak to be ferried to Starbase 91 for investigation. The corsair vessel itself will also be towed to starbase and impounded pending charges. While we expect much of the crew to be extradited to the Garshaan homeworld, at least some of them will be tried for direct assault against Federation property.

In view of his performance planetside, I have filed a letter of commendation for PO3C Eral Nywythe. This officer's ingenuity resulted in the away team escaping a potentially lethal situation with no casualties, and is all the more remarkable in that he was able to render assistance well outside his normal field of duties.
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RECOMMENDATION: Pursue relevant charges against those corsairs implicated in direct action against the Copernicus crew and extradite others and their vessel to the Garshaan government.
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OOC: