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Sector Beta - Written by Mark Nguyen (2002) Rebuild the Ulian infrastructure, patronize local anti-technology colonists, and keep abreast of Klingon internal politics. The neighboring Driian Empire is rumored to possess weapons of mass destruction — should you send in weapons inspectors, or launch a massive invasion? For Sector Beta, assume that: It is located relatively close to the Klingon border, but off the major Federation supply lines. Somewhere in the Beta Quadrant, coreward side, with the Federation to the “west” and the Klingon Empire to the “east.” In any case, reinforcements from anyone are at least two weeks away. The Black Dwarf system is a proverbial gold mine of ores used for many things, like starship construction, agricultural use, and a variety of precious metals. The supernova that destroyed the system also rendered the ores into a natural semi-refined state, ideal for mining. The Driian Empire is a xenophobic race with no diplomatic ties with anyone. They strictly maintain their borders and for centuries have been concentrating on their three-planet territory alone. This has resulted in the depletion of their own resources, and a population explosion. Ulia is a low-profile Federation member. It has a small, planet-based Starbase, though it’s mostly for administrative purposes — Ulia operates its own facilities to maintain its commercial fleet. For raw materials, they mine the Black Dwarf System, exporting finished materials to the Federation. Dawson’s Planet is home to scattered communities of humans who have pretty much renounced any technology following the vacuum tube. They were placed there centuries ago by an unregistered colony ship which never reported the colony, and disappeared thereafter. In fact, most people had forgotten they were even there until the events that caused the current situation. Still, their priorities are mostly to be left alone. The planet itself is high in natural resources, but in a state which would require much processing to become viable. The Black Dwarf System is neutral territory, and is large enough such that no one race would need to stake out territory in order to ensure the flow of the raw materials from the system. In addition to the forces already mentioned, small mining operations have been known to happen, taking the raw ore to other sectors. This scenario occurs shortly after the end of the Dominion War. The setup of this situation is that the Klingons used to help keep the peace in the sector from the aggressive Driians, with only minor skirmishes happening as the Driians were mining the Black Dwarf system. The Klingons also operated a major communications array (think the Epsilon 9 station, but green) in the sector, and also mined the Black Dwarf system, taking the stuff directly back to the Empire. Following the Klingon War of 2372-3 and the subsequent Dominion War, the Klingons almost abandoned their military presence in the sector in favor of higher-priorities. This left the sector open to aggression from the Driians, who attempted a Blitzkrieg of the sector during the final year of the Dominion War, occupying Dawson’s Planet, the Black Dwarf system and Ulia. They were eventually beaten back to their borders by a combination Klingon/Federation task force (emphasis former) with heavy losses to both sides. The current fleet composition of the Driian Empire is what remains following the hostilities; it used to be three times that much. Also, the Klingon comm station was destroyed, and both Ulia and Dawson’s Planet suffered major casualties and will need to rebuild. Ulia Population: 2 billion Alignment: Federation (member) Government: Democracy Technology: current Defense: medium-sized commercial fleet - moderate orbital defenses Notes: Low natural resources, large industrial base Black Dwarf System (BDS) Numerous Class-D planetoids Heavy raw materials Dawson’s Planet Population: 500,000 Alignment: Neutral Government: No planetary government Technology: pre-industrial Defense: None Notes: Earth-originated non-technological colony, high natural resources Driian Empire Population: 27 billion (total) Alignment: Anti-Federation Government: Dictatorship (expansionist) Technology: 24th century equivalent Defense: Approx. 15 warships (Defiant-class equivalent) - light orbital defenses - medium-sized commercial fleet Notes: Heavy industrial base, low resources Section One Define what Starfleet’s priorities in this sector should be. Note the political nature of the planets in this sector have not changed, nor of the Klingons. Also, note any gaps in the information provided and where you’d want to focus your intelligence-gathering. Following the Dominion War, resources are stretched pretty thin, with both the Feds and the Klingons wanting to focus on the rebuilding of more important sectors. However, the Klingons do want to have a more permanent presence in here, and want to build a space-based Starbase equivalent to the one you had back in Sector Alpha (think the ones over Ty’Gokor) containing a new comm station, and to assign one Vor’cha and two B’rels to it. Likewise, Starfleet is assigning you enough resources to either upgrade the Ulian starbase to a larger facility with heavier orbital defences and Starfleet repair facilities, or to build a small outpost-like station somewhere in the sector, smaller than Starbase 375 and with moderate defences and support facilities. Choose which option you’d like to pursue, and recommend where the Klingons should put their station. Justify your answers. The ship that transported you to Sector Beta from your previous assignment is now part of the fleet you’ll have to use in this sector (a generic Excelsior-class ship). In addition to that ship, recommend to Starfleet what a reasonable number and breakdown of ships should be deployed to this sector to accomplish your goals, and what their primary duties will be. A fleet based on your recommendations will be assigned there after the events of question two. Assume no more than a dozen starships of any kind will be assigned to the sector, and that in addition to this force a number of Federation and Klingon transports will be making regular runs into and out of the sector. At present, in addition to your ship there are a small number of runabouts and auxiliary craft assigned to the Starbase.