Swept forth on solar winds we came

Entombed in lattice, crystalline

Tumbled through the subspace depths

Alone, imprisoned for all time  

Event Description

A massive subspace phase pulse ripples across the Gradin Belt. On worlds and asteroids near spatial anomalies, dilithium crystal deposits bloom in its wake. Privateers and empires alike scramble for control of newly resource rich systems. Alpha Quadrant merchants and traders pour through the Barzan wormhole to get in on the action. They’re quickly hunted by Hirogen, stranded on the subspace sandbar, and ensnared by the Telepathic Pitcher Plant; it’s clear they are unprepared for the brutality of the Delta Quadrant. Far out beyond Starfleet’s supply lines, in an unforgiving region outside the Federation’s influence, will your crew come to their aid? Can your scientists find out how this dilithium came to be? And why on getting near it, do telepaths experience such an intense, inexplicable terror?

Intelligence Office Guidance 

The Beginning

On September 16th, 2400, Starfleet’s Delta Exploration Initiative reported detection of a massive subspace phase pulse across fourteen sectors of the Gradin Belt. In the following days, valuable dilithium crystal deposits began to “bloom” on planets, moons and asteroids within five lightyear radii of the Delta Quadrant’s many subspace anomalies. Despite the best efforts of Starfleet’s Science Division, the cause of this pulse and the dilithium’s sudden appearance remain unknown.

Within a week, the ‘gold rush’ began. Cut-throat privateers of all shapes and sizes quickly descended on the region. Some were native to the Delta Quadrant, others made use of the Barzan Wormhole as it opened in early October. Many of the latter have suffered a combination of overconfidence, poor planning and unbridled greed. An ever-growing number of distress calls have been received from various Ferengi merchants, Orion Syndicate operators and others beleaguered by the deadly horrors of the Delta Quadrant. Hirogen, eager to experience the thrill of running down new prey, have been detected hunting in packs or stalking with individual ships before the kill. Entire mining fleets have become trapped in Chaotic Space, while others have strayed too close to the Telepathic Pitcher Plant and Particle Fountain. 

By mid-late October, 2400 mining activity in the Gradin Belt reached fever pitch. Starfleet vessels in the area were diverted from missions, overwhelmed by a constant stream of distress calls. Starfleet Command is reluctant to commit more resources to its most remote theatre of operations. However, Delta Exploration Initiative resources are stretched thin, and the expansionist activities of the Devore Imperium have led Starfleet to dispatch a relief force consisting of ships from the Fourth Fleet. All attached vessels are ordered to provide humanitarian relief to those displaced by the Imperium’s actions, and to avoid unnecessary confrontation with this highly advanced power. 

The Devore

The Devore Imperium has been particularly aggressive amongst regional governments, attempting to secure as many new dilithium fields as possible. This has been carried out without regard to the rights of indigenous civilisations occupying targeted planets and systems. A facistic society with a hatred for telepaths and disdain for ‘gaharey’, those unlucky enough to inhabit areas of Devore expansion have been brutally expelled or worse. By late October 2400, a steady stream of refugees flowed coreward to seek the safety of the Gradin Belt’s smaller independent worlds. 

High Commissioner Fintt of the Devore Imperium has been entrusted with overall command of “Imperative 17”; the term used amongst Devore to refer to the Imperium’s insatiable push to sequester and exploit the new dilithium fields. The Commissioner is unwavering in his commitment to the anti-telepath cause. By his order, all space under Imperium control is now subject to the Imperium’s stop-and-search policy. Rapidly changing Devore borders have led to unexpected confrontations between Imperium warships and those perceived to be trespassing. All ships, Starfleet or otherwise, are boarded and searched for telepathic crew or passengers. Upon discovery, telepaths are forcibly removed and sent to detention centres deep within Imperium space. A crew may also be detained and their vessel impounded if the Imperium Inspector conducting the stop-and-search considers them to have been uncooperative. 

Blood Dilithium: What We Know so Far 

Alongside protection of species threatened by the Devore and humanitarian relief, Starfleet’s third key priority is to learn more about the nature of this new dilithium. How has the subspace wave pulse triggered its growth? Why has it appeared only in close proximity to subspace anomalies? The question that has baffled Federation scientists most; why does it induce severe psychosis in telepaths? 

The name “Blood Dilithium” was coined in reports sent back by the USS Merevek referring to the crystals’ sinister red glow. The Merevek was the first Starfleet ship to fully analyse samples of the crystal. Findings indicated it to be identical to naturally occurring dilithium found elsewhere in the galaxy down to a subatomic level. Extreme mental disturbances of telepathic crew were first observed when approaching within 10,000km of highly concentrated dilithium deposits. Despite the best efforts of the Merevek’s Science and Medical departments, a satisfying explanation for these effects has yet to be found.

Upon moving closer to the dilithium, telepaths experienced a deep sense of foreboding, intensifying into some or all of the following symptoms:

– Paralysing fear of all personnel attempting to communicate or otherwise intervene with the affected individual. 

– Violent, disembodied voices heard only by the affected individual. Voices frequently demand “the blood of those that sent us here,” and goad the individual to “smash them all”.

– Aggressive outbursts, attacking fellow crew by punching, kicking and biting. Affected individuals have also attacked with any object to hand, including phasers.

– Fugue states. Affected individuals have attempted to sabotage ships’ systems and violently resist those intervening. 

Starfleet has begun disseminating the Merevek reports to all commands in the Delta Quadrant. All crew with telepathic traits are to be kept under close observation. We are without doubt that a vastly wider spectrum of interactions between telepaths and Blood Dilithium is possible, and still yet to be observed. Medical research teams attached to the Fourth Fleet have been ordered to investigate this, and why the dilithium fields appear to be causing this telepathic disturbance.  

Fourth Fleet Objectives

Only small pockets of the Gradin Belt have been explored. With no permanent Starfleet bases or facilities in the region, logistical support is limited at best. The Turei Alliance and their Underspace network may be of some assistance. The Federation has also secured an agreement with Kinbori and Shivolian governments to use the Markonian Outpost as a staging post for missions deeper into the region. The sprawling base possesses some repair and resupply facilities, far more limited in scope than those of a similarly sized Federation starbase. 

On November 1st, Starfleet issued the following orders for all ships assigned to the Delta Quadrant:

– Scour the Gradin Belt for as many new dilithium fields and accompanying anomalies as possible.

– Continue swift response to the uptick in distress calls throughout the region.

– Protect the independence of smaller civilisations from aggressive mining operations and Devore Imperium expansion. 

– Assist refugees displaced by mining operations.

– Gather data on nearby anomalies and their link to the dilithium’s sudden appearance.

– Investigate causes of severe telepathic disturbance surrounding new dilithium fields. 

Fourth Fleet Command plans for these orders to be carried out in three key phases:

Locate

The Gradin Belt is a large area of space. To effectively learn about how the dilithium has formed, it must first be located. Ships of the Fourth Fleet are instructed to spread out far and wide in search of unusual subspace readings which might indicate anomalies. Information might also be requested (or negotiated) from local inhabitants, who will have far greater knowledge of this relatively unexplored area’s quirks and dangers.    

Investigate

Once located, the real work can begin. This dilithium must be studied. Its nature will no doubt vary greatly depending on the nature of the anomaly nearby. Has dilithium ‘bloomed’ on an inhabited planet a few lightyears from a subspace rift? Has a mining operation, civilian or government, already discovered it? Is it jealously guarded? Your ship must first gain access to the dilithium, deal with its effects on your telepathic crew, and find out just how the subspace phase pulse has triggered its growth. Starfleet understands that each ship will present different theories and theories; command wants to hear them all. 

Mitigate

Starfleet Command expects captains of the Fourth Fleet to do what they can to protect the rights of all Delta Quadrant life in this period of great instability. The sudden appearance of dilithium may affect planetary ecosystems, attract unscrupulous mining operations, or make a region strategically valuable to the Devore Imperium. Unconfirmed reports have suggested the Imperium may have begun experiments to weaponise Blood Dilithium in order to drive entire telepathic species, such as the Brenari, from their homes. Confronting such a highly advanced empire operating in home territory is a dangerous prospect. Reinforcements will be few and far between. Nevertheless, the veracity of any such reports would be tantamount to genocide; something the founding principles United Federation of Planets bind us all to prevent.

Writing 

Writers involved in the Blood Dilithium Campaign will tell tales of their ship & crew’s involvement in the unfolding events of the Gradin Belt dilithium bloom. The Lore Office will write responsively, issuing updates that take into account writers’ contributions and advance the campaign accordingly. Expect further updates on the nature of Blood Dilithium and the Devore Imperium’s activities. 

The Blood Dilithium Campaign is open to all Bravo Fleet members. All avatar ship commanders might write of how its crew manages their deployment far from home in the Delta Quadrant. Junior officers can get involved with their Raven-class ships, perhaps scouting out anomalies or making use of their landing capabilities to survey a dilithium planet. 

All those eager to write can simply start a mission on the BFMS under the Blood Dilithium Campaign Fleet-wide Mission. Feel free to write together with another member, too! Collaboration for this event is fully supported and encouraged.

The Story

Below are some simple premises to get your stories off to a flying start for the first phase of the campaign! Feel free to use one or more of these as a base from which to springboard your own adventure.

– Your ship is tailed by a Hirogen hunting party, forcing it away from reinforcements and deeper into the void of the Delta Quadrant. How will you and your crew avoid being turned into trophies of a successful hunt?

– A subspace rupture moves through space, seeding dilithium as it goes. Its path takes it towards the home of a pre-warp civilisation soon to be consumed. Will your crew close the rupture? Will you attempt to evacuate the planet, violating the Prime Directive? Are there vulturous mining parties waiting in the wings, all too eager to hoover up new dilithium formed on the remains of this star system?

– Your ship stumbles upon a lone trading vessel. The Captain claims to know the location of a vast dilithium field surrounding a subspace sinkhole bigger than any previously recorded. Discovering an anomaly of this magnitude would be of huge scientific value, but do you trust her?

– Dilithium crystals have formed in the breadbasket region of a pre-warp civilization. Your ship arrives to find a famine underway. Can your crew reverse the crystal growth from orbit? Do you violate the Prime Directive by sending teams down to further investigate? Is the civilisation’s fate sealed?

– A civilian mining ship with a large complement of telepaths is trapped in the pull of a subspace vacuole. Under the effects of the Blood Dilithium, the telepaths have taken over five decks, destroying several key systems. Can your crew board and rectify the situation before the ship is lost?

– Your ship is boarded by a Devore Imperium inspection team. Attempts to hide your telepathic crew fail, and they are taken to a prison camp deep within Imperium space. The Inspector informs you that your ship will be confiscated and impounded. Can you escape the inspection team? How will you get your crew back?

– Your ship receives a garbled distress call from another starship trapped for days in chaotic space. Messages become more and more frantic as you race to provide assistance. How can your crew navigate the invisible labyrinth of subspace flux, gravitational waves and subspace sinkholes to rescue the lost ship?

 – A large convoy of refugees begins its journey, skirting space newly claimed by the Devore Imperium. Can your ship assist as they are harassed and threatened by Devore inspection teams? How can you help them find a new world to call home?

– Blood Dilithium has appeared near a Devore Imperium telepath detention facility. Under the influence of the dilithium, telepaths have gained control of the facility, killing all Devore personnel. Will your ship intervene before the Imperium obliterates the entire area from orbit?

– The telepathic pitcher plant has been sighted in the area, luring refugees and displaced groups into its maw for slow digestion. Can your crew awaken and save the unconscious victims inside it? 

If you’re still finding yourself in need of inspiration or further ideas, please get in touch with the Intel Office! The list of effects the Blood Dilithium might have on telepaths is not exhaustive. Feel free to have some fun with it, and make sure to keep an eye out for plot developments regarding the Devore!