RPG:
Mission: Prelude
Day: 1
Stardate: 2444.05.02

(San Francisco - Federation Headquarters - President's Office - Admiral Remae Ktell - 09:35)

President Staiave was reading from a PADD while Admiral Ktell listened on in less than a happy mood and Jana was listening from outside.

"After action report.Battle of Wolf 359 - 2367.", she started.

(Mars, Utopia Planitia Shipyards)

Several hours before, a vast armada of Federation ships headed out to meet the incoming hostile vessel, anything and everything that could fly was sent, leaving nothing else in the sector. 
=^= This is Jupiter Outpost 92, to any vessels in range, reporting visual contact of a Borg cube, heading for Earth, repeat. =^=

"Acknowledged Outpost 92, ETA?", asked the commander of the facilities.

It wasn't going to be very long till it arrived, he looked around pretty helplessly.

=^= This is Starfleet Command, launch all vessels, repeat launch all vessels. prepare for an attack. =^=

The CO of Utopia Planitia looked at his console with despair. What were they going to launch exactly? All flyable ships had been sent to Wolf 359, and it was looking like all those 39 ships had been disabled or destroyed given the lack of communications although one ship seemed to have survived.

Sensors were now picking up the cube, and he threw a switch on his console.
a woosh noise was the signal that the last line of defence had been activated. Three unmanned drones screamed towards the cube. pop, pop, pop.
they were destroyed without any sign of the aggressor slowing down. The cube flew past Mars, untroubled by its mission to Earth and not seeing Mars as a threat.

"That's that then.", he said, his chair creaking as he lent back and the extent of the Earth's defensives had been exhausted.

(2375, Breen attacks Earth)

San Francisco was on fire as the Breen conducted a massive but pointless attack on the heart of Starfleet which had claimed many thousands of lives, proved that the Federation was vulnerable, but the newly install defence grid had seen off most of the attack, the fleet did the rest, but the fear, the danger and the feeling of vulnerability had been sown.

The defensive grid around the Earth combined with the forces which engaged the enemy won the day, but the damage was done. A more defensive posture was assumed, more resources were poured into defensive and not antagonise the enemy or even a friend.

(2387, Federation assists the evacuation of Romulus)

Starfleet attempts to save Romulus and Remus before a nearby star goes nova.
they failed, billions died, and the Romulan people become homeless and eventually, the entire dissolution of the Romulan Empire occurs leaving Romulans as refugees across the entire quadrant. The Federation agrees to take in many Romulans to try and make up for its failure. The entire Romulan species end up scattered, some of them enlist in Starfleet, some of them become rebels, some of them become refugees.

The Federation fleet failed in its mission, and many Starfleet Captains never recover from the incident. Questions are asked regarding the purpose of Starfleet, if it couldn't defend the Federation nor can it assist in stopping disasters, why did it exist?

(2408, The Civil War Ends)

The Federation resumes operations after the civil war, but the state of the Federation is far from normal. Fleet rebuilding efforts stall as Starfleet focuses less on exploration and defence but, slowly, carefully, and perhaps unknowingly, it adopts a defence posture, bringing back its operations and ignoring what's happening outside its own bubble. A new, less aggressive and more conservative leadership takes over. During this time, new policies direct the Federation to cease expansion, exploration and generally anything that could upset anyone else. This time sees many worlds on the border of Federation space become exposed to attacks and are taken over by opportunists, who have no regard for treaties or diplomacy. These worlds seek alliances with anyone who will defend them, and old agreements become obsolete.

(2418, Andorian departs the Federation)

In a move that shocked everyone, Andoria departs the Federation stating it sees no point in continuing if the union serves no purpose. Andoria closes its borders and demands the Federation to return all technology belonging to them. To avoid the conflict, the Federation agrees to the process even though it could decades. An increasing number of member words start to leave the Federation, and the beginning of a general contraction commences that will continue for over 20 years.

(2419, Cardassia joins the Federation)

For the first time for many years before and after, a new member world joins the Federation, the Cardassians and are welcomed, with more than a few objections from many quarters to the Federation.

(2431, the 52nd Fleet is disbanded)

Operations with the 52nd Fleet end and many others across the existence of the Federation, it disbands most of the fleet, spending more time with diplomatic missions, believing they can talk their way out of any issue.

(2443, Earth is attacked)

Millions are killed in an attack known as "The Incident", and by this time Federation has lost a quarter of its member worlds, a crisis inside the Federation occurs, an emergency is declared. President Atremi, a Bajoran, is elected; however, many do not want the aggressive, expansive, militaristic ways of the past.

(San Francisco - Federation Headquarters - President's Office - Admiral Remae Ktell - 10:05)
 
"Thanks for the history lesson.", grumbled Ktell, his amused look had long departed. How the story ended was well known but had anyone learned the lessons? The story was told, and Remae wasn't angry anymore, he felt pretty numb and looked over at the President who was again sitting down. 

The truth had rolled over the three of them like a wave. Everyone knew what was happening but no one was willing to admit it.

"Most of the Admirals are scared about doing anything; the fleet is in shambles, we have so much rebuilding to do not only here by out there, we neglected it for so long. where do we start?", she said.

"You are in charge now, why don't you haul the Commander in Chief of Starfleet and order them to restart fleet operations, to begin again. to get out there.", he said, once again pushing the responsibilities onto her.

". and if I do, what do you think will happen? Most of them were quite happy with the contraction, focusing on ourselves and not what was out there. If I ask them to do it, we'll be sitting here, and 10 years later, nothing will have changed.", she said as if explaining the situation to a petulant child who wasn't listening.

"So, instead, I suppose you want me to do it. effectively alienating me from them, my chain of command and hanging me out to dry.", he wasn't convincing anyone. not even himself.
". this from the outcast?", she said, looking at him again and smiling, "Come off it. You aren't fooling me or anyone else, you want to do this, and you've been pushing it for a while, so what do you want to do?"

The conversation was over. 

At that point, Jana walked in and sat next to her husband and took his hand, she kissed him on the cheek.

"We rebuild.", he said, and they all nodded in agreement, "Where do we start?", he asked.

(Reply from None)
(Posted any Anthony Keen)


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