TF21 Wildfire Scenario

Task Force 21, as the frontier operations and colonial support unit of the Fourth Fleet, finds itself at the forefront of facing the Gorn aggression due to its oversight of Starbase 611 and, thus, the Cestus System. A key battleground of Gorn-Federation conflict in the 23rd century, its proximity to the border makes Cestus and the surrounding systems particularly vulnerable. The Cestus region is no less affected by the stellar disruptions troubling the wider border, compounding an already precarious situation. But it faces other challenges.

The Gorn have always wanted Cestus. They wanted it in the 23rd century, and whatever has driven them into their current state has not changed that. Rather than constant and sustained aggression, their actions towards Cestus and its immediate neighbours are of probing - raids, yes, but also more scouting, observation, patrols that feel like territorial prowling. This may be a precursor to some large push - or it is simply that the Gorn have an interest in Cestus which is more animalistic than strategic.

Even without greater aggression at Cestus than elsewhere, this needs a response. Starfleet patrol ships cannot move on. Colonists who have sheltered twice this month must shelter again. Resources into the systems must support readiness as much as relief and rebuilding. The mission here is the same as anywhere else on the border - manage the stellar disruptions, protect colonists, drive back raiders - but the relentlessness of it is particular to Cestus.

At the Cestus system, too, is Starbase 611 - a modest Jupiter-class starbase, but the Starfleet station closest to the border. It was not positioned expecting Gorn aggression on this scale, but short of Ardana or DS-2, it is one of the most significant starbases of the region. Starships rely on it for resupply, coordination, and repairs. It cannot, under any circumstances, be allowed to fall.

Likewise, the Cestus colony is one of the success stories of the Federation in the region. Everyone in the Cestus Sector Block knows the colony's history - and the tragedy inflicted on it by the Gorn a century and a half ago. Colonists across the region are proud of what Cestus represents, and if the new colony suffered the same fate as its predecessor, it would not only be a calamity but a tremendous blow to morale. Should Cestus fall, colonial development in the entire sector block might fail with it.

Task Force 21 always has a commitment to the wellbeing and defence of Cestus, the neighbouring systems, and Starbase 611. With the Gorn circling and the eyes of the Sector Block on this old battleground, this duty has never been more crucial - and must come through upholding the colonies as much as fighting the enemy.

Encounters

These concepts below are story prompts any writer can use to tell their story. All the TF21 encounters are unique, which means any member interested in writing one of these prompts should contact their TF staff first. It is perfectly acceptable to use these ideas as inspiration for a similar story using a different location or ship.

Encounter One

A small Gorn force raids Havesna, a nascent colony on the outer reaches of the Cestus Sector Block shortly after USS Atascadero - conducting regular patrols in that area - leaves. The timing is considered a coincidence, but after a second incident occurs during another predictable gap in coverage, that assumption becomes harder to defend.

Your crew must determine whether Gorn reconnaissance has mapped Starfleet patrol patterns or whether Federation communications are compromised.

Encounter Two

Your vessel is tasked to rendezvous with the USS Hopkins, which is sent to evacuate the survivors of a nearby colony and facing resistance. After sustained attacks on the colony, trust in Starfleet’s protection has eroded considerably. Mere light-years away, your ship comes across a damaged Gorn vessel. Its crew is injured but alive, its propulsion is disabled, weapons are offline.

Starfleet law and Federation principles point fairly clearly toward rendering assistance while the colonists have considerably less enthusiasm for that interpretation.

Encounter Three

A Gorn raiding force enters the Cestus System. It is not large enough to seize the colony and appears unwilling to engage directly. Instead, the vessels strike isolated infrastructure such as sensor arrays, power relays, communications stations, and withdraw whenever confronted. The attacks do relatively little material damage but repeatedly force Cestus into emergency protocols.

Your crew is tasked to protect the colony while determining whether the Gorn are testing its defenses, deliberately exhausting Starfleet readiness, or simply attacking targets of opportunity.