Question Six

1. Objectively critique another participant’s battle scenario from question 5(D). What elements do you consider useful and/or practical, and are there any aspects you would change?

2. The latest Cardassian convoy arrives in the sector. If you haven’t placed a colony in the Baro Foro system (R047), they set up camp on the third planet; otherwise, the convoy settles on the fourth planet of the Wyo system (E73)—regardless of whether you have your own colony or outpost in the system. Wyo IV is an inhospitable class-H world, and was generally ignored by the Federation’s survey missions. Apparently it’s a bit more desirable for the Cardassians. One Galor cruiser and 3 Hideki scouts begin patrolling the system.

   1. How does this development affect your strategy? How does it affect your current fleet deployment?

   2. One Hideki starts loitering closer to your colony or outpost in the system (even if your outpost is in deep space, up to 3 ly away from the system).

3. Your intelligence officer brings you urgent news. React accordingly:

   1. If you sent a team to retrieve the missing agent, things went south: they got discovered shortly after arrival on the Cardassian colony where the missing agent was last heard from. The team lost one man, but the others made it back. No solid information about the first missing agent was obtained. There’s been no communication from the Cardassians on the matter.

   2. Your starship closest to the McAllister Nebula has reported detecting some odd subspace fluctuations coming from within. According to the ship’s science officer, these readings may or may not be natural; your intelligence officer is convinced that this indicates the Cardassians are massing forces inside the nebula for a surprise attack.

4. Respond to the following developments:

   1. Another civilian convoy has arrived in the sector, ready for immediate settlement. Choose a location for the newest colony. Justify your choice.

   2. Your “westernmost” colony (excluding Iadara) reports it is experiencing problems with its early-warning sensor net; it’s giving lots of false positives and other garbage data. The colony requests support to repair and upgrade the sensor net; they have ships available to reach the probes, but don’t have the technical facilities to fix or replace them.

   3. There’s an explosion in the main marketplace on the Xepolite trading station. At least 20 people are killed (mostly Xepolites, but 3 Federation citizens and 2 Cardassians died as well). The Xepolite security force reports that the bomb appeared to be made from Federation materials. They don’t accuse you of setting the bomb, but this incident has seriously chilled their disposition towards you.

   4. Long-range sensors detect a lone Hideki, probably operating out of Kavnoor, scouting the G40 system. G40 has no habitable planets or moons, but is about halfway between Kavnoor and Minos Korva. How serious is this incursion to your fleet and strategy? Do you ignore them, monitor them, or confront them? Justify your answer.

5. You receive a status update regarding the border negotiations between the Federation and the Cardassians. The talks aren’t really going well: the Cardassians are making stronger demands, and have laid claim to Baro Foro and Beaumonde (J123)—in addition to the other colonies they’ve already settled on Kavnoor and Wyo IV. If you have placed colonies on these worlds, it seems the Cardassians want them gone. The diplomats are still considering the options; they want to know what sort of compromise you would consider acceptable; which worlds could be safely de-colonized and ceded to the Cardassians, and why?