Bravo Fleet
Starfleet Intelligence Division
Office of the Director of Fourth Fleet Intelligence
Starbase Bravo, Mellstoxx System
TOP SECRET – Eyes Only
From: Cmdr. Elizabeth Lockhart, Senior Intelligence Advisor
To: Adm. Alexander Beckett, Director of Fourth Fleet Intelligence
Stardate: 78961.64 (December 18, 2401)Recent developments across multiple sectors continue to reveal significant expansion in black market activity, with increased trafficking of advanced technologies, particularly Borg-origin malware and weaponry. Oltanis IV has emerged as a key nexus for illicit technological trade, while known trading posts such as the Jade Exchange continue to support the ongoing black market. These activities are not isolated, as other criminal organizations and smuggling rings across the old Neutral Zone, as well as operations in the Archanis sector, have demonstrated heightened interest in cutting-edge R&D and stolen Federation assets.
Political instability continues to complicate Starfleet’s efforts to secure peace and stability. On Duraxis, investigations into the recent terror attack revealed ties between local opposition leaders and external agents providing Borg malware, which could destabilize upcoming elections. Meanwhile, ongoing subversive actions from Hysperian actors, operating under false pretenses and covertly interacting with criminal networks, signal potential threats to strategic assets, such as the Genesis Device. Reports from Xanderia suggest possible involvement of criminal elements in political disruption, demanding we continue to monitor the situation.
With the end of Week 4 of The Devil to Pay, the campaign has hit the two-third mark. This is often the hardest part of the event; we’re tired, we’ve been writing a month, and the end isn’t quite in sight yet. It’s also been the holiday period! Nevertheless, I’m delighted by the progress this week and overall: this campaign has now produced 340,624 words across 227 stories by 31 members. Support continues apace, with 388 comments by 26 members. It’s been a slower week – but a steady one, and that’s part of the nature of marathons like these campaigns. What matters is to keep going, and, more importantly: there’s plenty of time to make it to the end. Constant, massive output is simply unsustainable, but I know we can all do it.
To that end, I’d like every writer in this campaign to try something a little different: rather than just dig in and Write More – because we can always Write More – lift your head up from the parapet. Over the final two weeks of the campaign, I challenge you all to leave one comment on a mission you haven’t commented on yet. It’s support like this that motivates people to make it to the end of these events.
Because we’re approaching the end, there’ll be no update for Week 5 – I’m going to save the next release for one huge release after week 6 and the end of the campaign that gives a strong summary for everyone’s grand finales. So keep an eye out, get those grand finales penned, and then we celebrate together!
But until then… last time, on Bravo Fleet…
The Devil to Pay: Week 4
USS Blackbird
The interrogation of an Orion Syndicate lieutenant leads the Rooks back to the Blackbird and on a race across Federation space to hunt the Changeling. Their heading: Oltanis IV, a hub of black market technological trade, research, and development in the old Neutral Zone. Clashes with informants lead them to the ‘chop shop’ of a Romulan criminal named Kanem, a specialist in the sale of Borg technology and highly advanced R&D surrounding it – and the purchase and exploitation of xBs. Rosewood begins to broker a deal with Kanem for intelligence on the Changeling who sought out his services, only for Cassidy to put his foot down. Without trade, the only way for the Rooks to secure the information they need is by force – carefully applied against some of the worst people in the galaxy.
Canterbury Division
Undercover to infiltrate a black-market auction, the Canterbury team move to phase two of their mission, securing the stolen technology. Unfortunately, no plan survives first contact and shots are fired…
USS da Vinci
Having beamed two teams over to the seemingly abandoned USS Stavanger, they discover the dead body of former Commander William Armitage along with a handful of unknown humans; all dressed and posed to look like the ship’s crew. Lieutenant-Commander Alara Ley and those with her; now trapped on board the stolen Norway-class vessel, as it speeds towards Klingon space; on a mission of destruction, they battle to gain control of the ship. Efforts by the USS Sizemore to collapse the Stavanger’s warp bubble, using an Inverse Graviton Burst have failed after the computer altered its course at the last possible moment.
Deep Space 19
With plans now in motion, Hawkins finds himself preparing to say ‘I do’ as part of his covert mission to get close to Briasyraa’s inner circle. Though warned to be careful with his next step by an agent from the Tal Shiar, Hawkins finds himself pulled on all sides on who to trust. As he prepares for an elaborate wedding, Hawkins discovers that his betrothed is more than he knows. How far can he go before he needs to take action to stop Briasyraa from starting a possible war between the Federation and the Romulan Free State?
Helios Division
Helios continues to speed through space, racing towards Pamack Base with information that could save the out of contact away team. On the small planetoid, the team continues their surveillance of Aspis but when a stakeout reveals their target may not be all it seems, it’s time to head into the belly of the beast.
Polaris Squadron
The USS Diligent continues its investigation into the terrorist attack on Duraxis. The crew has successfully apprehended two young men that planted the malware of Borg origin within the fusion reactor, but things take a complicated turn when it is revealed during the interrogation that the malware was given to them by none other than Voral, the localist opposition candidate in the upcoming election. The JAG wants to move against Voral immediately, but Fleet Admiral Reyes urges patience and further digging before they do something that will deeply unsettle relations with the already-skeptical colony.
Aboard Archanis Station, protocols are in place to slow the spread of the deadly contagion of Dominion origin, but still the medical services unit is pushed to their limits as cases continue to rise. The Advanced Science, Technology and Research Activity continues its work on a cure from the USS Polaris, which thus far has seen no cases, but when a dead body is found on the station with links to the Polaris’ crew, suddenly it becomes clear that the Polaris may not be case-free for much longer.
USS Republic
With assistance to the Hysperian starcastle Hohenzollern rendered, further confirmation that something ‘wasn’t right’ aboard the strange vessel was confirmed when a day later it had disappeared from all sensors. This was then coupled with information from the Hysperian’s Royal Intelligence that Viscount Crashanburn’s story of crashing after his wayward piratical twin was a fabrication. In fact it was revealed that the Viscount likely had some interaction with the Orion Syndicate prior to coming out to the Archanis Sector and was now in route to rendezvous with them again to purchase a missing Genesis Device. While this was happening Operation Mousetrap was sprung, with two Nausicaan raiders captured by a small force from Republic, including a boarding action to seize one of the ships from the inside while the Night Witches fighter squadron disabled the other.
USS Yamato
Captain McLaren and her team recover the anti-matter disruptor they were tasked to recover and escape from the Jade Exchange. They use the chaos caused by the discovery of the Yamato herself to disappear into the Badlands and lay low until they can meet up with the ship.