I�m also in the "kill the lizards in cold blood" camp, but I�ll still critique one of my co-unsympathizers, namely Wraith. Not that I would have anything against the moves you make against the advance force of the scalies. It is just that there�s an element of denial there: the Gorn forces outnumber the defenders something like four to one until the reinforcements arrive, yet there is no actual plan for delaying action.
Plans B through D, no matter how desperate, would be important here, as you have to coordinate with Shaala on whatever happens when the main fleet arrives.
===Q6b===
Hooray for lizard brains! It very much seems that S�sgrrng fell for my pincers ruse and went for the chance to hurt my strongest unit, thereby slowing him down enough for the 1st Space Cavalry to arrive. The �heavily disabled� ship will be my leading cruiser Robuste, now stranded well outside the ZTZ. Along her were lost the frigate Katana and my armed tender Veracruz, the latter with many Gorn prisoners aboard.
The Gorn transport still floats out there, deprived of propulsion, power and much of her life support, with my troops in nominal control but with the thousands of Gorn colonists struggling to change the situation, or just to live to see another hour; it seems nobody has the time to do anything about that, at least not until the battle is decided one way or the other.
A few stray fighters from the Veracruz buzz aimlessly across the battlefield, deprived of a practicable carrier vessel.
All I have left in terms of combat capability here are my two remaining cruisers, both of which are in a trailing position vis-�-vis the Gorn intrusion. The best they can do is spit volley after volley of torpedoes at the rear shields of the Gorn. Hopefully, they manage to inflict some damage to the enemy fleet. While the double-pincers battle probably weeded out a couple of the lighter Gorn units, I have not yet made a concentrated attack against any of their battleships.
The Balmoran arrives at SB 403 just as the action begins, and sails out again with my flag onboard as I receive news of the success of the delaying action and the demise of half my combat forces. I head for the Zemch battlezone, deploying a couple of outrider drones to create the illusion of greater combat potential. The Gorn are unlikely to fall for that, though, or to alter their course even if they did.
===Q6c===
The strategic timetable didn�t work quite as much to my favor as I hoped: the Gorn now have their scaly snouts facing Shaala�s forces, not mine, and are a bit deeper in the ZTZ than desirable. Still, the tactical reality of the situation remains the same. It is up to Shaala now to take out the battleships one by one, making use of the singleminded Gorn push in one direction while the Starfleet forces can maneuver at will.
What would the odds be? Against my three casualties, which were on the evasive in the initial battle, the Gorn probably lost most of their more adventurous light units. The fighter wings would have been dealt with by my greater multitargeting capabilities and the Veracruz fighters. The two battleships and ten cruisers would remain the principal threat. The numbers of hulls would be more or less even, but with each Gorn unit twice as heavy as our counterparts.
If we triumph, this will be one for the history books. In the �myths, legends and generally highly dubious achievements� section.
===Q6d===
Would the Semmans be interested in assisting the Gorn transport? Out of the 60,000 live resources for stylish boots aboard, several are probably still breathing, and I�m not going to trigger the scuttling charges or anything. Life support support would be more than welcome, as would be towing to SB 403.
Sigh. I had placed at least some hopes on getting the Semmans to cooperate. Since those damn salads & scrambled eggs aren�t talking to me anyway, I�m withdrawing the Humason and her holo-envoys for the time being. Let them play their part in the Zemch crisis for now. The little Nova and her two escorting Akiras and four Sabres (all made of good solid hard light) will head for the battlezone at maximum speed.
===Q6e===
Expedited processing of UFP membership paperwork would be nice if it gave me access to those hordes upon hordes of Zemch battleships that are no doubt just minutes away from completion. However, whoever heard of expedited paperwork?
Not much to be done regarding the Zemch entry to the interstellar community. But I�m sure Shaala can spare that Gemini scout of his to take care of escorting the Zemch vessel to relative safety.
posted
Damn aggressive Gorn. We were supposed to fire first after they entered Federation territory and then instantly warp out. I suppose this plan was the only thing that saved the Hornet, but the Battleaxe and Quasar are now floating wrecks. Such nicely named ships too� what a pity�
Now, though, the Federation and Gorn are at war! The Gorn and all other neighbors must realize that the Federation will defend every bit of its territory with an iron will (which is hopefully true, and will prevent additional wars and skirmishes). The current forces are sufficient for a delaying action, but if the starbase is to be held in the long-term, major reinforcements must, of course, be sent to this sector.
With my plan I would think that the forces fired simultaneously (unless the Federation fleet was waiting outside Federation territory, in which case a staff officer�s head will roll), so the Gorn transport is hopefully disabled.
At any rate, it was never expected that the Gorn could be prevented from entering the Zemch area if they wanted to, so the previous plans will be implemented. I will clarify one point, though. The mines are not scattered willy-nilly over space. They are deployed near important planets (though not the Zemch homeworld, which is considered their territory) and possibly other strategically valuable zones, if they exist. I thought this was obvious, but rereading my post, it wasn�t extremely clear (was too sleepy�). The mines are mobile, since fixed mines even near a planet would be unlikely to hit anything.
It seems that the Semmans are still observing. Since repeated hails obviously aren�t being answered, they are not yet a factor in this battle.
First contact should definitely be made with the Zemch. They deserve to know what�s going on, as the Gorn may seek to absorb them too. The Superb is already in the system, and will send an appropriate message: �Attention: Zemch vessel. We are not hostile to your species. However, we must inform you of an immediate threat to your world and people. The Gorn Empire is coming; our defenses are crumbling. You may be in immediate danger. Please respond.�
The precise actions that follow depend on the exact situation on Zemch Prime. If they seem to have a stable government, basic weapons and other useful technology could be provided if it looks like the Gorn are heading there. Hopefully, though the Gorn will stay away from the Zemch.
Critique of Timo�s Answer: Are you crazy? You just attacked Gorn ships in neutral space, starting a war! That�s probably why the Gorn entered your territory�hehe� Lots of ententes bluster and posture, but that is no excuse to attack, only to step up war preparations. The could be many instances where conflict is averted, after a buildup on the border. In this case, you properly read Gorn intentions, but nevertheless, in the eyes of Federations citizens, you committed an act of aggression, starting the war!
Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
QUESTION SEVEN (five parts)
The Big Damn Battle doesn't go well. Althought the Starfleet forces give as good as they get, the Gorn hammer you hear. The situation does not look good.
Until.
The three Semman vessels move in & begin to harangue the Gorn forces, adding their firepower to yours. Eventually, 30% of the enemy is destroyed or disabled, & the remaining forces retreat out of the zone. In the aftermath the Semman commander contacts you. An odd image; he (it?) is one of the Sh'sh'l; others of the species can be seen in the background aloung with Zznjlii members. The commander opens by stating that his people(s) have considered themselves the watchdogs & mentors for the sector for hundreds of years. They have placed operatives, both plant & insect, on the local planets to observe & gather information, & in this aspect have passively nudged the Zemch towards warpflight. They observed the Federation's actions in the sector over the years & have been impressed by its actions, especially your willingness to protect from outside influences that which you do not know about. As a result, he has been empowered to request the formal opening of negotiations. It has made one request, however: that his people(s) participate in the Zemch first contact. How do you go about handling that?
The Trusteeship Zone has been successfully defended & the Gorn have been pushed back. However, the "lower right" star has been conceded by the Federation to the Gorn. Describe how (or even if) this redraw of the borders changes your future fleet disposition & plans for sector operations.
Speaking of the Zemch first contact, how is that to be handled? After all, it was only an in-system warp flight. (map of Zemch system here) Will you send a ship? A message? (which may or may not be detected) Will you handle it personally or delegate it to a junior officer? What about the Sh'sh'll commander's request?
The Dorzan rebellion is put down, & brutally at that. The entire colony is leveled. In the initial negotiations, the Semmans have revealed that they had operatives on the colony & were able to smuggle away the Federation citizens before the Dorzan assault arrived. All remaining on the colony are lost, however. How does this affect your future relations with the Dorzans, if at all?
Starfleet has reviewed your reports & supported your decisions. They have asked to for future recommendations & requests for the continued Federation presence in the sector. What thoughts & reasons do you have behind what you tell them? They have also offered you the chance to move on to another posting if you desire. The choice is yours: stay? Or go? Why?
And so we come to the end of Sector Dorza. I hope you've enjoyed playing this as much as I've enjoyed putting it together for you. I do have one final request, something different than previous scenarios.
It's been over a decade since I've run any kind of roleplaying game, so my skills are a little rusty. Any comments or critiques, both positive & negative, from you the players & observers would be appreciated. In this way, the format can evolve & grow, & become stronger through the following iterations.
I have my own comments & critiques to make as the "gamemaster." I see these scenarios both as a symbol of our personal & professional natures. How we react in this fictional setting given the parameters laid out--overt in questions & implied in Trek history--gives insight into how we are ourselves, & how we may deal with real-life situations. We all know the nature & actions of the Federation, & we can easily opine how a Starfleet officer might or might not respond to a given situation. In that sense, I have tended to look upon these games as training sessions.
I am rather dismayed by the overtly aggressive nature in the responses of some players. The flat-out militaristic bent appalls me & in some cases sickens me. Would some of these replies be "real," they would no doubt end in courts-martial. Remeber that Starfleet's mission is not to enforce the peace, but to create & protect it, & that the Federation's highest goal is the preservation of life in all forms & the advancement of knowledge.
I am also rather shocked at the rather blatant disregarding in many cases of the Prime Directive. Intrusions into quarantined areas of space & star systems, harassment of species that have rejected contact with the Federation, & a general slant towards the influencing of an affiliate's internal policies--these are NOT the actions of a Starfleet officer in the 2380s. Perhaps some of these decisions would be more accepted in the cowboy days on the 2260s, but not today. The Prime Directive is there not to safeguard pre-warp & uncontacted species against everyone but the Federation, but rather against everyone INCLUDING the Federation. Perhaps a refresher course in the history of planetary-scale cultural contamination should be scheduled & made mandatory to attend.
On a more positive note, I am extremely overjoyed to see the level of creativity in the actions of some here. Many times, I had to rethink my planned questions to take into account the novel approaches devised by the players. The fact that such original thinking forced me to do so is a sign of & a testament to the flexible nature of command training. So many different solutions to a single problem means we can all learn from each other & become stronger in ourselves.
Again, thank you for participating, & for those of you who did not but merely watched, I hope you will join in the next installment.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
Registered: Jun 2000
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Well, little surprise the Big Damn Battle didn't go well. My first officer wryly quips, "You know this is why we almost lost to the Dominion, you know. Superior numbers." I thank him for the re-enactment.
As for the Semmans... I'd say I was surprised, but I've watched too many 20th century fantasy dramas to be truthful there. Anyway, I'd be quite happy to cooperate with the Semmans in making First Contact with the Zemch. It seems as if they've been doing on a local scale what the Federation tries to do for an entire quadrant. I'd ask if they'd be willing to share any knowledge about the Zemch society so we don't accidentally cause any misunderstandings. (Though I'd be willing to wager that the "incident" with the Semmans was staged to get us to back off, as a sort of test. Dunno if I can ask the Semmans that, though.)
== Part Two ==
This obviously means that the Gorn will be shacking up permanently in the sector, which will necessitate a major increase in our local patrol squadron. Although the Zemch have achieved warp travel, they certainly won't be able to take advantage of the entire ZTZ for quite a while yet, much less have the ability to defend it. Without being privy to the exact legalese, I would remind the Federation Council of the old adage of possession being nine-tenths of the law. Therefore, we'd need to continue to defend the zone against incursions for the foreseeable future.
== Part Three ==
I'd love to head over personally with the Zemch commander, probably hitching a ride with one of the Novas � a ship that's not too big (and imposing) but still fully capable. (And I'm sure the Semmans will want to have one of their ships along, too.) But the Zemch flight being only in-system? What difference does that make? The Vulcans were happy to pop on over the very day that Cochrane's first flight took place! Besides, the Federation seems to have expedited their policy concerning political relations during and after the Dominion War... remember the Evora, for example?
Of course, I'd much rather that the Federation take things a bit more slowly. Certainly the Zemch society needs to gradually acclimate itself to the idea of other alien cultures out there. But we can now start to lay the foundation for a lasting relationship.
== Part Four ==
I will personally recommend to the Federation Council that the Dorzan membership application be rejected in full. They are quite obviously not ready. I'd like to try to keep some diplomatic channels open, but that will depend on their reaction to our disapproval. Probably we'll cut off a lot of trade as well, especially embargoing the more advanced Federation technology. Certainly the rebellion was an internal affair that we weren't going to directly get involved in, but that doesn't mean we can't intensely disapprove.
The Semman rescue, though greatly appreciated, won't affect the matter in the slightest as far as the Dorzans are concerned. The Dorzans wouldn't have known that the Federation citizens weren't in the colony any more! However, I will again ask the Semmans what kind of data they have on Dorzan cultural development, and also ask for their input about how to proceed with them in the future. After all, it seems like they've been at this (in this sector) longer than we have.
== Part Five ==
My first priority in making recommendations is for future fleet strengths. Ideally, I'd love to have at least a force equivalent to the recent Gorn invasion fleet, but that's unrealistic. I'd instead want to have at least ten or twelve combat ships (everything from Defiants on up) as an in-sector patrol force, but I'd also want to ensure that Starfleet has a much beefier rapid deployment force held in reserve in the region near the Gorn Hegemony. It seems that relations with the Gorn may get testier as time goes on.
Another idea would be to establish some kind of secondary starbase inside the ZTZ. This, of course, depends on the establishment of friendly relations with the Zemch. But I envision the Federation continuing its role as protector, in cooperation with the Semmans and the consent and active participation of the Zemch. Starbase 403 would be useful for this role, but it's not ideally positioned. I'd like to keep 403 as a Starfleet-only base for more military and logistics purposes, while the new station would be for diplomacy and lower-level resupply. (One main reason for this is to avoid the automatic assumption that the Zemch will become Federation members. That's obviously something we like to offer, but we can't approach that as an automatic given in any First Contact.)
In other concerns, we'd need to step up our covert surveillance of the Dorzans, especially concerning their military capability. It seems that Admiral Whatshisname, my predecessor, may have been on to something after all. I'll consider relaying his message to the Semmans, as well, to see what they think of it.
As to my own career opportunities, I'd be quite happy to continue in my current post, to help cultivate the Semmans and to groom the Zemch. Having some consistency in command may also act as a passive deterrent to the Gorn, as well. (I assume that my answer doesn't affect any future scenarios, of course.)
== Comments ==
"Preacher, don't the Bible have some pretty specific things to say about killing?" "Quite specific. It is, however, somewhat fuzzier on the subject of kneecaps."
Although I absolutely understand Shik's arguments concerning the military attitude, and share some of his reactions to certain responses myself, I feel that Starfleet and the Federation have also undergone a great change through the 2370's. Certainly that can't be used as carte blanche justification in the current scenario, since the Federation is obviously not at war and the consequences aren't nearly so dire. However, I would like to think that the Federation has learned some lessons from the war, and can apply some of those lessons to avoid from some crises becoming even bigger as a result of past practices.
For example, despite the fact that my ships fired the first shots in the conflict by launching the preemptive strike against the initial expeditionary force, does that automatically make me the aggressor? For the same reason, Sisko provoked the Dominion by laying the minefield around the Bajoran wormhole... mine laying can be considered an act of war in and of itself in certain circumstances. Once it became obvious that the Gorn were not going to back down, despite my willingness to negotiate, my primary responsibilities became (1) safeguarding the ZTZ and (2) safeguarding the lives of the crews under my command.
On another subject, something that's always irritated me has been the vagueness of the terms of the Prime Directive. Originally, it seemed that those rules only applied to pre-warp civilizations. And although the Federation did have strict rules of conduct for internal affairs of warp-capable societies (c.f. Klingon Civil War, 2367-68), that never seemed to fall under the umbrella of the Prime Directive. But later on, mainly in VGR, it seemed as if the Prime Directive became more of a general non-interference rule for any non-Federation culture. And that's something that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, unless you are 100% isolationist. Therefore, although I tried to take a hands-off approach with the Dorzan rebellion crisis (except with regard to the safety of the Federation citizens), I don't see how any kind of political influence leveraged could be considered a breach of the Prime Directive.
Also, a more direct question... Shik, are you passing any kind of judgment on the interpretation of the ZTZ enforcement? I've never read Prime Directive, and I suspect most of the other participants haven't either. I don't see how sending Federation ships into the Zone for monitoring and defensive purposes isn't allowed. And if the novel did present the idea of a trusteeship zone to mean "everyone INCLUDING the Federation isn't allowed in," then that's just ridiculous. If you weren't referring to the ZTZ, then what did you mean by "intrusions into quarantined areas of space"?
Overall, though, I definitely congratulate you on a quite challenging and thought-provoking scenario. I never really thought about some of the Prime Directive issues in quite the same way before, and I had to spend some time thinking about a few of my responses before I posted. Well done, sir!
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
Registered: Nov 2000
| IP: Logged
quote:...these are NOT the actions of a Starfleet officer in the 2380s.
Had you said "in the 2360s", I'd have an easier time with this.
In the 2380s, I'd think Starfleet would shoot to kill, often preemptively, out of fear of showing weakness in the aftermath of a war it nearly lost. It would also more aggressively engage in the affairs of primitives, ST:INS style. And it wouldn't consider in any respect "neutral" a sector of space where Starfleet has a starbase.
I'm not quite sure what the political attitudes towards the Gorn at the time would be, exactly (I think the lizard guys only appeared in a comic during the war, and I haven't seen that one), but I would gather that any signs of aggression would be met with disproportionately pissed-off response especially if the Gorn weren't on the winning side in the war.
===Q7a===
The concept of a Trusteeship Zone would appear to call for complete rather than partial abolition once the protected culture has "matured". I do not think it would be within my powers to prevent the Semman delegations from approaching the Zemch now that their warp program has been completed, my own contact mission has already been launched, and in all likelihood the Zemch themselves have witnessed the presence and actions of three alien cultures.
My intended contact vessel and my flagship will arrive at the scene more or less at the same time the battle concludes. While the latter will have to engage heavily in postcombat mop-up, I invite the Semmans to do some formation flying with my Nova, with simultaneous beam-down and joint introductions all around.
Until now, I have been under the impression that this sector, save for its inhabited systems, has been UFP territory de facto if not de jure. The Semman revelation puts that very much in question. I take advantage of the joint First Contact mission to initiate discussions on the subject and the possible need to "reduce" Starfleet presence to a defensive alliance with the landlords. In practice, the "reduction" would probably involve moving in major military forces.
===Q7b===
Sector space has been "ceded"? It does appear this was UFP territory to begin with, as I assumed with my "if you cross the sector border" ultimatum.
In principle, standard pseudo-random sector control patrol patterns relying on three cruiser-sized vessels should still suffice even after the change in astrography. In practice, Starfleet will wish to show force here, and most likely deploy three times the number of cruisers for a short period of time, concentrating half of them on the Gorn border.
Such deployment probably cannot be sustained for long if the crisis is deemed to have passed, though; a return to original deployment plans would then follow, only with fortifications (sensor chains and possible forward combat/resupply outposts) against the Gorn space. Also, four rather than two support frigates will be called for, and the Runnymede and Humason are likely to be moved to other assignments.
===Q7c===
As stated, my Nova was already en route to the scene, with holo-envoys aboard. While my regular diplomats are still engaged in Dorzan negotiations, I press on with this holo-staff for an immediate, hands-on contact mission that involves me personally, as well as the Sh'sh'l commander. That is, unless the Semmans know more about the Zemch than I do, in terms of showstoppers?
I hope to create global contact with full disclosure, as the signs of the space battle will be reaching the planet in a few years anyway and may already have caused panic thanks to the planet's ability to listen to subspace comm traffic. I also wish to present the case for UFP membership so that the planet has maximum lead time to prepare for it; otherwise, other, less exclusive empires may get too much of an advantage in the race to assimilate the Zemch...
===Q7d===
The Dorzan developments take me by surprise, as I was intent on using force to stop the government from endangering the UFP hostages. For the government to have been successful at leveling the colony, I must assume the Runnymede destroyed. Technically, the Federation is now at open war with the Dorzan government.
I'm happy to hear that the hostages were extracted even before my military operation reached them, but I lament the loss of my diplomatic team along with the starship. Are there survivors? Prisoners of war? Their extradition would be my first priority. I would first implement an immediate and complete blockade of the Dorzan system with whatever combat forces I have remaining (possibly as little as one Nova and one Sabre), and then begin the process for a cease-fire and possible peace.
===Q7e===
Given the near-complete loss of my original starship assets, I would first recommend dispatching of a corresponding replacement force to maintain status quo. However, my subsequent recommendation is for negotiations for cooperation and division of labor with the Semmans. They seem willing to tolerate Starfleet presence in the sector; Starfleet could continue survey operations on the uninhabited worlds, maintain anti-Gorn defenses, and forge ties with the Zemch, all jointly with the Semmans.
Starfleet has its own agendas in the area as well. Sufficient pressure on the Dorzans to quickly resolve the issues related to the loss of the Runnymede is warranted; after that, I recommend a cool-off period during which Dorzan attempts at expansion will be frustrated as much as can be done without military force, before an attempt to normalize relations is made.
As for myself, I ask for transfer to the Gorn front. If the postwar Starfleet has some use for the likes of me, apparently it's not here...
Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
Member # 343
posted
Although I am not a huge fan of the novels, Prime Directive is a VERY good read & I highly recommend it to all.
Everyone's interpretation of the Prime Directive is going to be different based upon their own thoughts, ideals, & cultural influences. Mine is definitely shaped by my own philosophies of diversity & non-interference, & by the following paragraph:
As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its normal cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Starfleet personnel, Federation citizen and/or representative may interfere with the normal and healthy development of alien life and culture. Such interference includes introducing superior knowledge, strength, or technology to a world whose society is incapable of handling such advantages wisely. Starfleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their lives and/or their ship/installation, unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental contamination of said culture. This directive takes precedence over any and all other considerations, and carries with it the highest moral obligation.
That's a pretty broad brush. I read it as saying not just pre-warp civilizations, but ANY non-Federation society. The Klingon civil war. The Klingon/Cardassian conflict. The Bajoran power struggle. All are incidences where Federation involvement was minimal, & more often than not requested. We've seen a civilization destroyed (or thought to be) because of it, a planet ask us never to return & we've heeded that.
I believe that when a species reaches a certain point technologically, the missions to its area decrease sharply. It's easier to just warp into a system & hang out in orbit when it's a Renaissance-era world; when they have radar & interplanetary spaceflight, that makes things far more difficult. I would also venture to guess that the exclusionary zone then becomes wider; that plus an idea presented in the novel was the basis behind the ZTZ.
I suppose, though, I also tend to take a far more cautious appraoch to General Order 1.
In any event, thanks for the thoughts, & next time....well, might be me again, might be MM, might be both of us (& no one can help you THEN.)
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
Registered: Jun 2000
| IP: Logged
I�m glad a treaty prevented a full scale war. The spirited defense by the Federation will hopefully serve to prevent future incidents, as well as strengthen the alliance with the Klingons.
Apparently the Superb failed to make contact with the Zemch. The captain clearly needs a refresher first contact course (being a combat captain, he/she/it probably just tried to use regular subspace channels�grumble grumble�no subtlety), which will go on the permanent record�
Nevertheless, this allows first contact to be made in a friendlier setting. I don�t see why the Semmans shouldn�t be allowed to participate. They have gathered information on the Zemch, which should actually improve the first contact situation. Since the Zemch have subspace communications, a subspace message (or another message if that fails) could be sent asking for a meeting, which as admiral, I should personally attend. If we can�t seem to get through to them fairly quickly, then we�ll just land a runabout near their warp facility. Scientists should be less scared then other citizens, especially warp scientists.
As another note on the Zemch, since they were able to achieve warp drive so quickly after the subspace breakthrough, they must be a very united people, and their desire for exploration seems to indicate that they have similar principles to the Federation.
Formal negotiations with the Semmans should be a benefit for the entire sector. If their interests are indeed similar to the Federation, a sector defense alliance may be possible, or even incorporation of them into the Federation over the long term.
The Gorn now have a permanent presence in this sector, but what kind of presence will it be? If they are just making a colony, then it is not much of a threat. However, if the Gorn also (or perhaps just) build a military base, defense preparations will have to be stepped up. At any rate, an increase in readiness and defenses will need to be made all along the Gorn border, as they have proven themselves to be blatantly aggressive.
The Dorzans have slaughtered their own citizens, and almost killed Federation citizens along with them. I would think that if the Semmans evacuated them, this would be detected (they would need some kind of ship), thus allowing the Runnymede and Sofia to stand aside, preventing direct conflict with the Dorzans.
Nevertheless, this will mean a certain rejection of Dorzan Federation membership. Diplomatic relations will be maintained, of course, but they will be very cool, similar to Federation-Cardassian relations during the occupation of Bajor. This will no doubt restrict trade with them. Furthermore, the is no longer any need to preserve additional colonization areas for the Dorzans, and the other stars in the area that are part of Federation territory can be colonized at leisure. Finally, the Dorzans must continue to be monitored closely. They are extremely unstable, and may stupidly attack someone in this area with hardly any provocation.
Recommendations: Military presence should be stepped up in this sector with a Defiant (the Superb can remain) and a patrol ship (roughly Sabre-equivalent in capability) to patrol the Gorn border. The Runnymede can remain to cover the rest of the sector (and perhaps parts of adjacent sectors). They Oberth and Istanbul can remain, though the new job of the Istanbul will be to transport things to the Zemch that they request (I would think that after first contact, the Federation must have some program to bring the new race up to standards in technology before admittance to the Federation). The Oberth will assist in Zemch and Federation colonization efforts. Materials for construction of embassies should be delivered for Semma and Zemch Prime (the Semman embassy constructed in careful consultation with the Semmans). There should also be plenty of defense equipment delivered and the response time for delivering additional forces to this sector decreased (as with all Gorn border sectors). Finally, the starbase should be moved closer to the Zemch and Semmans, preferably in Zemch territory with their permission.
I certainly would want to stay in this sector in the near future. There are many things to do before I would want to leave: 1. There may still be hope for the Dorzans. They were quick to attack, and may be just as quick to condemn that action. This could even be the beginning of rather fast social chance. 2. Diplomatic relations need to be established with the Semmans � carefully! 3. First contact with the Zemch needs to be prepared. 4. Defenses need to be prepared. As well as other possibilities that I mentioned above.
posted
P.S. A note about the military reaction to the Gorn threat: It might be easier to think of the proper response to that in terms of a situation on Earth, rather then from a sci-fi point of view. Consider the following scenario. Year 2020: Canada discovers lots of oil and becomes a great power with a big navy. Meanwhile, the U.S. was just weakened from defending Taiwan against China. Due to tectonic evolution, there has always been a minor group of islands near U.S. and Canada that both claim. The U.S. has a much better claim, and has occupied the island for over 80 years (though there is only some scientific equipment there now).The island gives economic exclusion zone to some important sea resources.
Canada, always quick to take advantage of U.S. weakness , decides that they must have the island, and they send a ship. The U.S. fleet is in the Pacific mostly, so only a couple destroyers and a sub can reach the island. Canada demands the islands, and the U.S. refuses. Canada is sending reinforcements.
Does the U.S. attack the Canadian ship now, despite the fact that they�ve remained in international waters? Hell no! Worse provocations have occurred that have not lead to war. The recent historical Canadian-Danish dispute over some crap island is relevant here.
However, the Canadian fleet arrives and eliminates the destroyers killing several hundred crew, and occupies the island. NOW what does the U.S. do? Does it just attack the Canadians with the sub, and call for some reinforcements. Probably not. This would be a Pearl-Harbor style incident, though obviously less surprising. The U.S. would fight Canada in areas other then the space around the disputed island, though the very first part of the war might be around the island (depending on the specifics, but it is possible for the analogy to hold up here).
posted
Ah, but how about this? What if there had been some actual, alert anti-aircraft defenses deployed on the far side of the island of Hawai'i on the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor? Assuming that the aircraft were positively identified as being Japanese, what would you suggest be done? Let the massive bomber strike force, clearly on a direct heading towards Pearl Harbor, continue on because they haven't dropped their bombs yet? Or would you open fire first, because the planes were very clearly intent on launching an attack, in the interests of defending your valuable military base/assets (and lives) by shooting down some bombers before they reach their target?
Obviously we have the benefit of hindsight in the Pearl Harbor attack, but my belief is that (1) I had already issued an ultimatum to the Gorn fleet, telling them not to proceed any further, and (2) the Gorn forces had a clear intent, and there was very little chance that they were going to turn around after the ultimatum deadline passed. In short, the Gorn were the ones that made the conflict inevitable. I simply chose to move their timetable forward slightly to gain a little advantage back. Or in other words, I wasn't willing to let the Gorn back me completely into the corner... I chose to act while I still had some maneuvering room.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
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posted
Also important here would be power balance issues. A post-WWII US would not have hesitated to crush weak and smelly Mexico in Neutrino's scenario even if a strong and ah so westernly Canada might have given it pause.
Are the Gorn powerful? Do they have the capability of unopposed strategic strike, in the Cold War style, or only of opposed strategic strike with battleships, in the pre-WWI style? Are they backed by other powers through political alliances, or do they stand isolated?
The Federation speaks of the Prime Directive when weak Klingons have a civil war, but no such mention is made when strong Klingons pour across the borders and take over pastoral planets. A border transgression is not an "internal affair"...
It still remains a bit unclear whether the Dorza Sector was supposed to be UFP territory or not. If not, why was there a starbase there? If the intent was just to guard the ZTZ, the station probably should have been in there; if UFP presence was only due to Dorza being a member candidate, there should have been just a consulate on the surface there.
posted
I dunno, I've always figured that it'd be acceptable to place starbases in international, interstellar space. After all, it's friggin' huge enough (space, that is) that on its own, it can't effect that much of a claim to an entire sector. I'd say that the starbase would be more akin to all the various naval bases that the US maintains all around the world, like Guatanamo, Okinawa, Pearl Harbor (before statehood) and so forth.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
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posted
MinutiaeMan, in your scenario the Japanese would already have violated U.S. territory after being spotted, so AA fire would certainly be enacted. However, a similar plausible scenario is: what if the U.S. detected the approching Japanese Carrier fleet and considered attacking it with airplanes and subs before it struck?
Well, the Japanese were definitely planning to start of war, so in hindsight, attacking them would be the best move from a purely military and ethical perspective. Indeed, with intelligance intercepts and the fact the the Japanese were moving in secret probably would have been enough information to justify this without hindsight.
The differance here from the Gorn situation is that it would have been known that war war in the offing. With the Gorn, unless you had special intelligance sources , it could simply have been interpreted as a show of force, not a guranteed attack.
Finally, public opinion is important. It both scenarios, it might be better to increase preparedness, but not to launch a first strike, so the public solidly supports the war.
Tim , if Mexico tried to conduct a simiilar action, they simply would have been laughed at, not attacked. In fact, there probably wouldn't even be significantly stepped up defensive preparations.
I always assumed that the sector was Federation territory. It would sort have been silly not to claim it, since then anyone could just march in and do what they like.
posted
Okay then, fine... if we'd had technology (unknown to the Japanese) to detect the incoming fleet, then yeah, we'd have every right to pick them off.
But again, you're missing my initial statement... I issued an ultimatum to the Gorn, telling them to reverse course at least 12 hours before they would've reached the confrontation point. They knew exactly how I was reacting, and that I was considering their reinforcements as an act of aggression. Given that ultimatum, and the extreme threat to our forces (being outnumbered) and the known instructions from Gorn High Command to "knock over" the Starfleet defenses.
A preemptive strike was perfectly justified.
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
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Shik
Starship database: completed; History of Starfleet: done; website: probably never
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posted
Picking at the trees. Look at the forest.
My overall plan here was a lesson in the ambiguities of the Prime Directive. An armed skirmish was of course in the cards all along; it was written into the scenario. Even if you had let the Gorn waltz into the ZTZ, they would've then headed for Dorza, or Semma. The militaristic points that caused me to twitch, yes, were elemetns such as Neutrino's statement that "the Gorn & the Federation are now at war!" Wars don't start over backwater sectors; even the Klingon Conflict of 2372 wasn't REALLY because of Archanis.
The question here was "How far are you willing to go, & how liberal will you be in the application of noninterference?" A Federation ally with a hatred of the old, a member of the "iron fist, velvet glove" club. A mysterious & enticing planet of symbiotes who won't have anything to do with you. A world on the verge of entering the galaxy. An old antagonist rattling a saber. Each of these presented their own unique challenge; combined they caused a bit of a headache.
The goal here was to THINK. As Starfleet officers you are trained to PROact, not REact. Yes, there has been a war 4 years past. Yes, there's still effects from that. But as devastating as that war was, there is still the chance for hope. There are so many "dark days after the Dominion War" concepts floating around the web. They deal with destruction, broken faiths, rebuilding, picking up the pieces. I seem to be the only one who believes that there was a simple redirection.
Let us continue with the WW2 analogy already in effect. After the war it took many, many years to ramp down from a war production state. Ships were held onto for 20, 25 more years or were sold off to lesser nations who needed to rebuild. Materiel still flowed, although not as much as the days of war. Men returned from overseas service armed with the knowledge & drive to build something better. By the middle of the Eisenhower administration, this had been channeled into the very same military-industrial complex that he had warned against, the one that continued until the early 1990s. Eventually the hit was felt because there was nowhere to go with this area of industry. with no war, no standing enemy, you take a hit. Slowly but surely there's been diversification into the public field, but the same opportunities are not there.
Now we have the same situation 430 years later. A great war has been fought & ended, there is still massive war production rates going, & there is a need to rebuild. But unlike the post-WW2 US, the post-DW UFP HAS an outlet, the same outlet it's always had.
Exploration.
Rather than huddle close to home, rather than quiet the engines of war, rather than keep an eye on what we have with an aim to make sure it's never taken from us, I choose to believe the federation once again looked OUTWARD for the impetus to heal from within. The did not huddle close to home; they surged forward to explore more, to learn, & to make sure that they can be better defended BY that knowledge. They did not quiet the engines of war; they turned them to the engines of peace, with new ships & installations to replace what was lost, to spearhead the new frontier. They did not look to hold on to what was theirs by denying everything else; they held on to it by seeing MORE. Starfleet & the Federation spent 2 years enforcing the peace. Now it would return to creating the peace.
There is a severe difference between the peace of the gun & the peace of the open hand. Belief in the former was necessary to survive the war; belief in the latter is necessary to survive the aftermath.
Class dismissed.
-------------------- "The French have a saying: 'mise en place'—keep everything in its fucking place!"
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![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
, decides that they must have the island, and they send a ship. The U.S. fleet is in the Pacific mostly, so only a couple destroyers and a sub can reach the island. Canada demands the islands, and the U.S. refuses. Canada is sending reinforcements.![[Smile]](smile.gif)
, it could simply have been interpreted as a show of force, not a guranteed attack.
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