Task Force 17 Report #2

September 1, 2024

It’s remarkable how swiftly these past three months have flown by since my last report, and with so much having unfolded during this time, I’m excited to invite you all to dive in and explore everything that’s happened in Task Force 17!


Task Force Updates

Without further ado, I want to emphasize that there’s no ‘I’ in Seventeen, and I extend my heartfelt thanks to every Seventeener for your incredible contributions to our shared victory in the recent Labyrinth Fleet Action! I could list each of you by name, but that would mean listing the entire Task Force page—you know who you are, and your efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.

Right after the last report, Bravo Fleet successfully launched the ‘Assets & Prestige’ system, which has quickly become a fantastic addition to our already vibrant community, adding new layers of engagement and opportunities for recognition. I’m especially pleased to announce that our very own Nitus (Kerbero_the_great) has jumped into action, taking on the role of Staff Assistant to the Logistics Department with enthusiasm and skill, ensuring everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.

Around the same time, we had the pleasure of welcoming Alycone Brennan (Warplore) to our Task Force, and her impact has been nothing short of extraordinary. She recently took command of the USS Valkyrie, infusing the game with fresh energy and vision. Alycone’s leadership has already sparked new excitement and possibilities within the crew, and her innovative approach is inspiring others to push boundaries and think creatively. In addition to her role as captain, Alycone has also stepped up to serve as a Defender in our JAG Office, showcasing her versatility, commitment, and willingness to take on challenges for the betterment of the team.

Speaking of stepping up, our powerhouse, Mamof (Also Mamof), has truly gone above and beyond in his contributions to the fleet. In the past three months alone, Mamof has taken on not one but two Deputy positions, demonstrating an exceptional level of dedication and responsibility. His tireless efforts have been instrumental in driving our operations forward, and his impact is felt across multiple areas of the fleet. Mamof’s leadership, reliability, and passion for the mission have set a high standard for all of us, and I’m incredibly grateful for his continued commitment to our success.

On a more personal note, I want to express my deepest gratitude to Aaslin Braim (Annex) for his outstanding work as TF17XO over the past few months. His unwavering support, strategic insight, and tireless commitment have been nothing short of extraordinary, playing a crucial role in our progress and success. Annex’s infectious enthausiams and his dedication to the Seventeeners have been instrumental in getting us to where we are today. We truly couldn’t have reached these heights without his invaluable contributions. While I’m excited to see him spread his wings and take on a leading role in the launch of the new Task Force 21, I know that his presence in our lounge will be greatly missed. Annex, your impact has been profound, and we’ll see you around!

In addition to Annex, we have another Seventeener bidding farewell to our team—Nitus has moved on to Task Force 93 to take on the role of XO. We wish him all the best in his new position! However, it’s not all goodbyes; with their departure, we’re also excited to welcome back Th’lora Vehl (alekianuroz) to our ranks. Th’lora previously served as TF17XO in 2021, and we’re thrilled to have them return.

Fiction Updates

USS Calistoga – The Calistoga, on low power after having over-extended its mission profile, is pulled into an Underspace aperture. Their time in Underspace is brief as they exit in a remote location of the gamma quadrant with little power to engines and systems left. The crew contend with the challenge of being in the wake of a large black hole and being pulled to the event horizon. A rogue/dead planet is discovered orbiting the black hole and, for reasons unknown, is emitting a large energy signature, which could be leveraged to restore power. The crew successfully orbit the planet and encounters powerful non-corporeal lifeforms who after confirming they are no threat, help the Calistoga escape the black hole and return to Underspace. To the crew’s surprise, they awake a week and a half later with the Calistoga databanks showing no evidence of their recent adventure. They make it safely back to Federation space before the collapse of the expanded network at the hands of the Cardassians.

USS Lakota / Lakota Squadron – Following the death of a loved one, the Lakota crew are struggling to return to normality, with matters made worse when the squadron is hit by massive personnel changes. On the eve of their next mission, a cargo run to Eridanus, a distress call from the starship Proteus indicates a new, developing crisis requiring urgent investigation: a Borg sphere has emerged from an Underspace tunnel. Upon responding to the distress call, Lakota squadron finds Proteus and the Borg in tatters following a brutal battle. A cunning plan is devised to gather intelligence and destroy the Borg before they can regenerate. They never get the chance to enact their plan, however, as the Borg (damaged and faced with three starships) flee from the scene. In a cruel twist, Proteus is engulfed by an aperture just short of fifty light years from Deep Space 17, with no trace to be found…

USS Hypatia – With a new commander at the helm for the first time, Hypatia undergoes a number of personnel changes, leading to a clash with the senior commanders of Lakota Squadron. Captain Kauhn and Commander sh’Elas form a cohesive unit as they begin their first mission – an analysis of the Vadlox nebula. With strange new readings and phenomena reported, Hypatia encounters not one, but two Underspace apertures, one which drags her to an unknown location. With long-range sensors offline, the crew tries their best to discover their fate, only to have matters complicated by the presence of a Gorn heavy cruiser brought to them by the very same aperture. When all is said and done, they discover they are much closer to home than they thought, much to their relief – and the chagrin of the Gorn, who must be escorted across Federation space to their homeworld.

USS Resolute – Captain Raan Mason returns to command of the Resolute in the aftermath of the Underspace crisis, as old faces meet new. An altercation between crewmates whilst at Deep Space 17 leads to an unfortunate confrontation with the TFXO, who makes it abundantly clear that the Resolute crew is on their final warning. However, the encounter works out in other ways, too, as Mason discovers that the ship and crew are being attached to the brand new Canterbury Division.

USS Io – Assigned to a brand new, four-year mission of exploration to the Gamma Quadrant, the crew of the USS Io are only just getting used to their new surroundings when a strange distress call draws their gaze and drags them to a new location deep in the Alpha quadrant frontier. A small debris field sparks the investigation to life, complicated by the discovery of the remains of a Romulan warbird. A massive gravitational anomaly drags the Luna-class ship nearly sixty-thousand lightyears from their last known location into the depths of the Delta quadrant, where she comes face to face with the Romulan warship Vihroi and a Hirogen hunting party. Only an unlikely alliance between Federation and Romulan alike can give either side hope of coming through their crisis without further peril.

USS Paramount – Two long days have passed since Paramount entered one of the dangerous and unpredictable Underspace corridors, and when she emerges, she finds herself on the far side of the known galaxy. Whilst trying their best to discover further details of their location, the crew comes across a peaceful yet politically unstable and technologically superior civilization ruled by an oligarchy. Negotiations ensue concerning further discourse with the Federation, and as tensions heat up on both sides of the divide, a military build-up reveals an all too familiar adversary pulling the strings from the shadows. Upon a timely return to the Beta Quadrant, Paramount is recalibrating a group of sensor arrays along the Klingon border near the Archanis Sector when she receives a distress signal from an Orion cruiser dangerously close to the Klingon side of the border. Commander Nitus orders the ship to investigate…

USS Fearless – In the aftermath of her significant refit Fearless is reunited with Captain and crew, the final Excelsior-class starship to be modified to the new Excelsior-II configuration. Their reunion is short-lived, however, as a distress call is received in the middle of their survey mission, citing the presence of unusual, unstable phenomena.

USS Gilroy – Shortly after arriving home from the Delta Quadrant, the crew of the USS Gilroy is sent on a mission to respond to a nearby gravitational aperture. Upon arrival, they are pulled into the anomaly and thrust a great distance to the edge of the gamma quadrant. The crew quickly figured out that they transversed Underspace, a phenomenon encountered by the USS Voyager on their journey home. They set course for a long journey home, determined to uphold the values of the Federation in their travels. The Gilroy responds to a distress call from a nearby M-class planet from some familiar species and successfully rescues those in need. They had suffered a similar fate to the Gilroy but had experienced a longer time-lapse, and several years had passed since being marooned on the planet. The crew of the Gilroy manages to figure out how to open an aperture and make it home, avoiding the long journey they had anticipated.

USS Anaheim – While completing resupply to a research station, an aperture near the planet the Anaheim crew are supporting catches their attention. Captain Forsyth decides to explore the nearby underspace corridor, and Anaheim enters the aperture. They encounter some flight issues and subsequent power failures that lead to a rough exit into Cardassian territory near the Borias cluster. It was discovered that a graviton wave was the culprit of the event. The Anaheim crew quickly pieced together what was happening with the manipulation of tetreyon waves on behalf of the Cardassians. They receive a visit from a Cardassian vessel that gives them a strict course to follow out of their space, with threats of destruction should they not comply. While en route, Anaheim witnesses the Cardassian platforms at work and the folding on the Underspace aperture they arrived in. They report back to Federation space for further orders.

USS Cupertino – A new commanding officer assumes command of the Cupertino, Captain Saffiya Nassar, and is soon put to the test when the Cupertino and crew encounter an underspace aperture and succumb to the gravimetric distortions. The vessel is hurled to an unknown/unchartered region of space, enduring some damage and having some crew injured. The crew of the Cupertino encounters a number of challenges during this time: disagreements with their new commanding officer’s decision-making, the emergence of an artificial intelligence determined to become a member of Starfleet, a debris field that threatens to damage the Cupertino even further, and a Cardassian vessel in need of assistance with their injured. An altercation occurs when the Cardassians will not return the crew members sent to help them due to concerns of ‘a spy’ and Captain Nassar seeks the aid of their AI to assist in retrieving the hostages. The Cardassian vessel suffers damage from incoming debris after a brief tussle with Cupertino, and Nassar offers aid once more, but those in need would come on board Cupertino instead. The AI discovers the plans to close Underspace, having uploaded itself to the Cardassian vessel systems. The Cupertino makes plans for a quick exit out of Underspace and even assists the Cardassian vessel as well. All things considered, they part ways peacefully and amicably.

USS Ahwahnee – A seemingly harmless Jem’Hedar attack ship is boarded by the crew of the Ahwahnee, with no life signs on board. Things take a turn for the worse, though, as it is quickly discovered that the Borg has infiltrated the vessel and assimilated its crew. The drones have an altercation with the away team, and the ship’s systems power up. An underspace aperture opens and swallows the Jem’Hedar vessel, and the Ahwahnee carefully follows. Something mysterious happens to Captain Vordenna, and they lose consciousness. In Underspace, the Ahwahnee struggles to maintain course trajectory with the attack ship due to borg modifications giving an advantage. The away team stranded on the attack ship takes refuge in a maintenance bay, tending to an injured colleague while trying to stay positive about their predicament.

 

Task Force Recognition

Awards

Promotions

  • Callen Varro – Captain
  • Mamof – Commander
  • Aaslin Braim – Commander
  • Jabir Tior – Commander
  • Alycone Brennan – Lieutenant Commander
  • James Miller – Lieutenant Junior Grade
  • Vaus – Cadet Freshman Grade, Cadet Sophomore Grade, Cadet Junior Grade, Cadet Senior Grade
  • Wolfe – Cadet Freshman Grade, Cadet Sophomore Grade, Cadet Junior Grade, Cadet Senior Grade
  • David Awi – Cadet Freshman Grade, Cadet Sophomore Grade
  • JB Dersch – Cadet Freshman Grade, Cadet Sophomore Grade


Conclusion

We’ve demonstrated incredible activity across the board, making this an exceptionally rewarding time to be part of Seventeen. The growth and achievements we’ve experienced have been truly inspiring, and I’m eagerly anticipating the new heights our band of Seventeeners will reach in the future. Audācēs nāvigāmus in altum! 

 

SEVENTEEN

Callen Varro Deputy Operations Officer
Task Force 17