Task Force 86 – Report #1

September 16, 2023

Keeping The Borders Safe Again

Anderson made his way down the corridors of Starbase 86 with his head held high. He knew damn well that most of the people on the station didn’t actually know who he was – yet – or what position he held – yet – but he was proud of it anyway. He turned down the corridors toward the offices he and his CO would occupy. He adjusted the collar on his uniform one last time before stepping into the antechamber of Captain Takato’s office and smiling at the yeoman.

“Captain Keith Anderson, TFXO for 86, to see Captain Takato,” he said, liking how those words came out of his mouth.

“Captain Takato had not yet arrived. I had received the information that her transport ship had docked, and she was making her way to the office as we spoke,” the woman spoke formally. “Please take a…” The woman turned her head to the hallway, and a Captain walked quickly to them. “I believe your appointment is here…”

Slowing down, Takato looked at her assistant briefly and then back at Anderson. “Follow me.” Without a moment for her assistant to reply, Takato entered the office. “Take a seat. I had not had the chance to settle back in,” Takato placed her PADDs on the table. “Brief introduction, my name is Captain Ryoko Takato, the Task Force Commanding Officer of Task Force 86. I would love to offer you a drink, but we are straight to business.”

Anderson gave a grin and a shrug to the Yeoman as he stepped into her office behind the TFCO. He took the offered seat and smiled at the woman across from him. “Not a problem, ma’am! I was getting here myself,” he explained. “What do we have, Captain?”

She took a seat and looked at the desk that was vaguely familiar to her. “The whole situation of the Lost Fleet, the Changeling plot, not to forget the Borg.” Takato paused briefly and sighed. “Task Force 86 has quite a mission to accomplish, and we are tasked to focus most of our forces on the Deneb region.” Leaning back in her chair, she continued, “I got myself briefed on the way from Deep Space 47 to hear about everything related to the task force affairs. We can send ships to border defense and patrols for vulnerable colonies, as they were easy prey for pirates right now.”

Anderson nodded, “Understood, ma’am. With the Breen poking out our borders, it will be a lot of work for CO’s to keep all the colonies safe,” He said. “Have we started looking at improved patrol routes?” He asked.

It has been a busy period for us since the last report. We were part of the Lost Fleet event, where we achieved fourth place! I congratulate everyone on this accomplishment and thank you for participating in it. We brought in quite some awards during this event! We also participated in the Frontier Day event, which concluded the Picard third season. 

Click Here to continue reading.

Task Force Updates

During the Lost Fleet event, we performed exceptionally with 144 entries. This is a special shout-out to Captain Leland Maddox, Lieutenant Commander Landen Monter, Commander Sh’ill, and Lieutenant Grigor Eisenberg-Sloane, who brought in the prizes for our Task Force. We had quite the energy this past FA and are confident we will secure first place in the next FA! Now, for those who participated in the Fleet Action story, don’t forget to update the relevant Deneb wiki articles with the events that have occurred. 

After the events of the Lost Fleet, Task Force 86 continued to explore the aftermath of Frontier Day, examining how it affected the crew and their surroundings. Task Force 86 is now preparing for its latest Priority Mission, the Ashes of Deneb. Do you wish to get involved in the Priority Mission, or would you like to brainstorm? Give a shout-out to the Task Force Staff in #tf86-lounge on Discord. Check the latest fiction post as a source of inspiration. 

There have been some staff changes for TF86. Captain Ryoko Takato took the cloak as Task Force 86 Commanding Officer, and Captain Keith Anderson as the Task Force 86 Executive Officer. The current task force staff are committed to encouraging our members to enjoy themselves in Bravo Fleet and Task Force 86.

Fiction Updates

  • USS Sovereign – The Sovereign waged a daring battle against the Dominion to secure a supply depot in the Nasera system. Sneaking in under the cover of a dangerous Ion storm, the ship surprised the Dominion forces there and secured the supply depot for the Federation. With the battle won, the Sovereign returned to normal operations. 
  • USS Los Angeles – After a successful first patrol in the Triangle, the Los Angeles was reassigned to the Deneb region to perform border controls to keep the Dominion’s ‘Lost Fleet’ in check. The Los Angeles encountered several daring attempts to cross the borders by the Lost Fleet and successfully repelled them. The USS Los Angeles met with the USS Jaxartes, commanded by Lieutenant Devron, where the two joined forces to protect the border. 
  • USS Rubidoux – En route to a distress call, the Rubidoux stumbled across an isolated planet that appears to have been used as a testing ground for black market weapons, some of which seem biological. Now, worried that the distress call may be related to the concerning findings on the backwater world, the crew of the Rubidoux must prepare for the worst to help those in need. 
  • Mariner Squadron: 
    • USS Mariner – The Mariner’s first mission was directly connected to the arrival of the Lost Fleet. They headed to the Gamma Quadrant to contact the current Dominion. However, the command team could not give the crew full details due to the mission’s secrecy. This caused friction during their journey, which escalated when the Dominion representatives travelled onboard the ship. The mutiny was quickly shut down, and the Mariner managed to make it on time to deliver the representatives after diving into a Dominion battle group with the USS Serenity, USS Andromeda, and USS Valhalla providing their defense. A few weeks later, following the events of Frontier Day, the USS Mariner travelled to the Delta Quadrant to begin preparations for launching their deep exploration mission. However, a cry for help at the Markonian Outpost might change their direction. 
    • USS Tokyo – The USS Tokyo struggled with losing its previous captain during Frontier Day. The crew did not get the space to mourn their losses as they were assigned exploration duties northwest of the Deneb region under the new command of Commander Yoon-Jung.
  • Lafayette Squadron
    • USS Lafayette – The USS Lafayette stumbled upon a Dominion incursion at Outpost 4871 and was able to liberate the outpost from the occupying forces. After repairs and some R&R, they’ve received orders to investigate a mysterious distress signal from a remote research outpost studying a supermassive black hole. 
    • USS Alita – The Alita took a beating during the liberation of Sevury. While the away team and crew aboard the ship were able to liberate the planet successfully, they all took plenty of damage mentally and physically. Now, finally getting their feet under them, they’ve been alerted to a pirate raid on a Federation colony and are rushing to save the people who’ve been kidnapped. 
  • Manticore Squadron 
    • USS Manticore – The crew of the Manticore came together to prepare the ship to be launched for their new adventure. Meanwhile, the command team gets to know each other on the bridge of the Manticore. 
    • USS Resolute – The Resolute joined the fight against the Dominion Lost Fleet by protecting Arriana Prime at all costs. Captain Mason didn’t wait and planned to defend Arriana Prime against the incoming enemy forces with many inexperienced officers. Meanwhile, Commander Burton onboard the USS Resolute got the civilian cargo ship Morningstar, under the command of RJ Reese-Riggs, involved in helping rescue civilians from Arriana Prime. The ground team encountered heavy resistance from the Lost Fleet forces but successfully repelled most Jem’Hadar forces on Arriana Prime. A few weeks later, the USS Resolute remained at Avalon Fleet Yards for minor maintenance and transfers but joined the Frontier Day festivities. However, only some things went as planned, as they had to survive the Borg’s hostile takeover. Ultimately, they managed to survive the attack, and Captain Reese-Riggs was appointed as the new Commanding Officer of the USS Resolute, joining the Manticore Squadron. 
  • Valhalla Squadron 
    • USS Valhalla & USS Andromeda – Deployed to the planet Arkan II during the Lost Fleet crisis, the Valhalla, and the Andromeda faced the aftermath of a Dominion Incursion. The crews tried to figure out why the Dominion would abandon a planet so prosperous with fungi that could be used to create massive amounts of Ketracel-white. A handful of Dominion prisoners captured by the colonists could provide answers but found a dead end there. While they were rendering aid, it became apparent that the Dominion had not left but retreated to regroup after the unanticipated resistance from the colonists. Now, back in full force, the Valhalla, and Andromeda found themselves in a wicked battle. With the help of a few Federation Allies, the two ships could fend off the invasion fleet and save the colony. During the battle, a changeling (which had taken advantage of infiltrating the crew after its ship was shot down) was found trying to sabotage the ship. The crew handled the situation before any critical damage was done. Now, both ships are recovering from their heavy wounds and getting ready to set off on their next set of orders to defend the border.
  • USS Jaxartes – The crew of Jaxartes had seen quite a few adventures. It had been outmaneuvered by a Ferengi during a routine patrol, dealt with Orions while surviving their attacks, and was sent to Vashran on diplomatic terms. When the Lost Fleet invaded the Deneb region, the USS Jaxartes joined forces with the USS Los Angeles in their patrolling duties. While investigating a planet, the Jaxartes found remnants of Dominion forces devoured by maggots eating organic life. When trying to rebuild what had been damaged, an incoming Jem’Hadar fighter started its attack run as the Jaxartes barely survived it. The crew discovered that their ship had been infiltrated by a Changeling disguised as Ensign Cho, but they managed to stop it. However, when a stand-down battle group of Dominion and Breen ships informed them that there would be a last stand at Farpoint, USS Jaxartes warped to join the fight. Their main goal in the fight was to save as many lives as possible. A few weeks later, after the Battle of Farpoint against the Lost Fleet was won, the Jaxartes found themselves dragged into the conclusion of the Changeling plot at Frontier Day. Ultimately, the USS Jaxartes assisted the USS Chapel and survived the Borg onslaught.

Task Force Recognition

Awards

Promotions

Conclusion

We have seen some great activity within Task Force 86 for the last few months. But we do not stop there. We shall continue with the arrival of the Priority Mission named Ashes of Deneb. Some of our Primary Commands have already started their stories in restoring Deneb’s trust. You can participate in fleet activities such as competitions and gaming (like STO and World of Warships). You could join the Sandboxes, like Starbase Bravo, Avalon Fleet Yards, and USS Columbia. But also, the USS Pioneer, our very first TTRPG, is now in development. These are exciting times for us all!

Ryoko Takato Deputy Security Officer
Task Force 86