Bravo Fleet
Difference between pages "Nebula Class" and "User:Woozamagoo"

Difference between pages "Nebula Class" and "User:Woozamagoo"

From Bravo Fleet
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{{Specification
{{Phenomenon
| image = [[Image:Nebulaclass.png]]
| name = Blood Dilithium
| displayName = '''''Nebula'' Class'''
| image = [[File:Dilithium incubator.png]]
| name = Nebula
| class = Mineral Deposit
| affiliation = [[United Federation of Planets]]
| starsystem =  
| operator = [[Starfleet]]
| sector = [[Gradin Belt|Gradin Belt]]
| status =
| quadrant = [[Delta Quadrant]]
| role = Heavy Cruiser
| satellites =
| type =
| natives =  
| precedingClass =
| succeedingClass =
| dateEntered = 2353
| productionEnd =
| retired =
| expectedDuration = 100 Years
| expectedRefit = 10 Years
| timeResupply = 3 Years
| crewComplement = 750
| emergencyCap = 9,800
| civilians =
| populationCap =
| flightCrew =
| passengers =
| length = 442.23 meters
| width = 453 meters
| diameter =
| height = 130.43 meters
| decks = 34
| propulsionSystem = Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 6
| maxSpeed = Warp 9.1
| emergencySpeed = Warp 9.6 (12 hours)
| energyWeapons = *6x Type-X Phaser Arrays
| torpLaunchers = *1 forward
*1 aft
| torpPayload = *200 Photon Torpedoes
*100 Quantum Torpedoes
| shields = Multi-Layered Shielding System
| dockingfacilities =
| shuttleBays = 2
| shuttles = 10
| runabouts = 4
| fighters =
| aux =  
| msd =  
}}
}}
Designed and built at the same time as the larger and more famous ''Galaxy''-class explorer, the ''Nebula''-class heavy cruiser is a more compact vessel that in its nearly forty years of service has become one of Starfleet’s most reliable workhorses, surpassing the ''Excelsior''-class as the ship-of-choice for most mission profiles. Notable for its interchangeable mission module, the ''Nebula''-class is a highly versatile ship that will be in Starfleet service for at least another four decades.


=== Exploration and Science ===
"Blood Dilithium" is the term coined by the crew of the [[USS Merevek|USS ''Merevek'']] to describe strange formations of dilithium crystals found in the [[Gradin Belt]] after a massive subspace phase pulse passed through the region on October 14th, 2400. Although structurally identical to naturally occurring dilithium, Blood Dilithium has been seen to emit a crimson glow; perhaps the main reason why its nickname has stuck. The extreme speed with which blood dilithium grew on the surfaces of planets, moons and other celestial bodies has hitherto been thought impossible. Growth locations have thus far only been observed in areas within five lightyears of various [[Gradin_Belt#Noted_spatial_anomalies|subspace anomalies]] in the region. Starfleet Science has put out a call for further studies on blood dilithium, particularly regarding the numerous reports of a violent terror instilled in the minds of telepathic species in close proximity to it.  
Like the ''Galaxy-''class, the ''Nebula''-class has long bands of lateral sensor arrays on both the primary and secondary hulls. These bands have hundreds of attachment points for discrete sensor pallets, allowing them to carry both generalized, mission-specific, and single-use sensors, which makes them one of the most effective scanning platforms in Starfleet. With the addition of a sensor pod, the ''Nebula''-class can read a newspaper on Cardassia from Bajor, at least according to the Starfleet Corps of Engineers.  


The ship has a very large science department, with multiple scientific assignments conducted by both visiting scientists and the ship’s normal crew ongoing at any given time. The ''Nebula'' has a research potential of 150% of the ''Excelsior''-class that she replaced, due to her large amounts of mission-configurable lab space. In addition, a full 15% of her internal volume is left empty at launch to be configured for anything that might be necessary during the course of her service, leading to several vessels of this class to sport science departments that rival starbases.
== History ==
The earliest reports on the appearance of new dilithium fields in the Gradin Belt date from October 19th, 2400 following the detection of a subspace phase pulse in the region eleven days earlier. News of its appearance quickly spread throughout the galaxy, attracting government and private mining operations alike to the area in the hopes of exploiting the new resource. Rumours of the new dilithium's strange effects on telepaths quickly began to circulate.  


Where the ''Nebula''-class falls behind true explorers is her endurance; the lack of an interconnecting dorsal and thus a smaller deuterium fuel tank and fewer bays for stores means that the ship is limited to three years maximum without support from a starbase with a standard crew complement, versus the ten that a ''Galaxy''-class starship can manage. A select few of these ships have been equipped with additional fuel tanks in place of some of their labs to increase their endurance, but this has a deleterious impact on her oversized science departments.
On October 28th, 2400 the USS ''Merevek'' became the first Starfleet vessel to perform a detailed analysis of the new dilithium. Operating on a diplomatic liaison mission near Turei space, the Merevek quickly diverted upon detecting dilithium deposits within the accretion disc of a 10km wide neutron star. The Merevek closed to a distance of 35,000km of the collapsed star’s core to obtain adequate sensor readings. Their course took them within the accretion disc itself, at extremely close range to high concentrations of new dilithium growing upon the rocky remains of planets that once orbited the collapsed star. Captain Correth later noted in her log that as the ship inched further through the jagged rubble, all eleven telepathic members of the ship’s crew reported a slow-building sense of unease. On moving within 10,000km of the most concentrated dilithium veins, abject terror began to rip through their minds.<br><br>


=== Diplomatic ===
<blockquote>Chief Medical Officer's log, stardate 77824.9. Photon emission tomography scans indicate patient H, a Betazoid, is suffering hyperfusion in the lateral temporal cortex. Observations are consistent with visual and auditory hallucinations arising from severe schizoaffective disorders. Symptoms alleviated only when the Merevek moved away from the dilithium field. Remarkably, structured questioning shows patient H’s experience to be nearly identical to that of the other ten patients affected. Auditory hallucinations have taken the form of a single voice of indeterminate sex, speaking in a low snarl. Clear statements recorded include, “Smash them all,” and, “Spill the blood of those that sent us here.” '''~Dr. Vashek, Chief Medical Officer, USS ''Merevek'''''
The ''Nebula''-class is one of the most commonly-used starships for diplomatic purposes, as it has extensive guest quarters, conference spaces, and recreational amenities to entertain dignitaries of any species. In addition, the large number of holodecks aboard further increases their ability to conduct diplomacy. Due to their combat strength, the ''Nebula''-class is considered a significant display of force for ‘show the flag’ patrols along the Federation’s borders, reassuring colonies and deterring enemies, and thus conducting diplomacy through indirect means.


''Nebula''-class ships are fully capable of conducting first contact operations, and many have done so on their extended deep-space missions outside of Federation space.
</blockquote>


=== Engineering ===
==Nature==
While the original configuration of this class had more marked differences from the ''Galaxy''-class, a redesign in the late 2360s has resulted in them sharing over 90% of their components. The primary difference between the two classes is that the Nebula-class lacks an interconnecting dorsal hull between its elliptical saucer section and rounded engineering hull. The nacelles they use are identical, but they are inverted on the ''Nebula'' class, hanging under the ship’s superstructure rather than over it. In addition, the distinctive mission pod of this class gives it a significantly different profile.
Blood Dilithium has so far been found only within five light-year radii of [[Gradin_Belt#Noted_spatial_anomalies|subspace anomalies]] in the [[Gradin Belt]]. The crystals have the potential to appear on any solid surface in these areas of space, including asteroids, planets, moons and artificial structures. Blood Dilithium crystals share the same refinement and starship fuelling potential as ordinary dilithium. Crystal formations can at times be extremely dense, wreaking havoc with planetary ecosystems and civilisations. All formations have appeared after the subspace wave pulse detected in the Gradin Belt  on October 14th, 2400.  


The class-seven warp drive aboard the ''Nebula'' gives the ship solid and impressive cruising speeds, though she does not have the same sprinting abilities that the ''Galaxy'' has, due to a slightly smaller warp core. The impulse engine systems are significantly different, as the ''Nebula'' uses exhaust diffusers to protect the pod’s superstructure from super-heated plasma. Instead, the ship relies entirely on its subspace driver coils and thrusters to maneuver at sublight.
The proximity of Blood Dilithium growths to spatial anomalies has led some Starfleet scientists to theorise that the subspace wave pulse has somehow weakened interdimensional spatial boundaries. While currently an extremely crude hypothesis, it is thought that the Blood Dilithium may be spreading from a realm of space outside our current knowledge.  


This class uses standard isolinear computing systems, with two computer cores in the primary hull and a third in the secondary hull. There are provisions for a fourth core that is occupied by an inert ballast opposite the third core, but few Nebula-class ships have ever been equipped with them, and even then only for extremely special circumstances.  
Blood Dilithium's effects on telepathic species are poorly understood. From what has been observed, the greater a species' telepathic ability, the more severe the observed changes in an individual's behaviour. Reports have varied from a general sense of foreboding experienced by mildly telepathic species (e.g. Vulcans, Deltans) to an all-consuming psychotic terror in fully telepathic species (e.g. Betazoids, Ullians). In the most severe cases, reported symptoms have included unknown, disembodied voices fueling a sense of paranoia within the affected. Voices encourage individuals to commit acts of violence and destruction against both personnel and/or ship's systems in the vicinity. To these ends, the use of handheld anti-personnel weapons, nearby objects, and the individual's own hands and teeth has been observed.  


The ''Nebula''-class has extensive cargo transport abilities and small craft hangers, with a large shuttle bay complex under the bridge, and another on the stern of the ship. In addition, there are cargo bays in the undercut of the secondary hull and on the lower levels of the primary hull, all with direct access through hatches to space.  
==Response==
Reports of great upheaval in the Gradin Belt began to filter their way through to Starfleet Command by mid-October, 2400. The appearance of Blood Dilithium created "gold rush" into the Delta Quadrant, with mining operations from species across the galaxy racing to prospect new dilithium fields and capitalise on the strategic resource. There followed a huge spike in distress calls, placing great strain on Starfleet's limited resources deployed to the region as some of the only ships willing to attend. Undue confidence, poor preparation and unfamiliarity with the perils of the Delta Quadrant have contributed to this.  


Like the ''Galaxy''-class, the ''Nebula''-class is capable of separating the primary and secondary hulls and reattaching them without starbase support. This functionality is intended to allow the saucer to take the majority of the ship’s company out of danger in an emergency, but some captains have used it in tactical situations as well. Given that the impulse engines are located in the saucer, the stardrive section must rely on thrusters and the warp engines configured to generate a subspace field akin to what the impulse engines’ subspace drivers coils do to sustain sublight flight. This is not particularly efficient and so it is rare for these vessels to separate.
With no permanent bases and limited supply lines, Starfleet's Delta Quadrant presence found itself stretched to the breaking point as the displacement of populations by Blood Dilithium growth and mining operations threatened humanitarian disaster. The sudden aggressive expansion of the Devore Imperium led to several tense standoffs with the advanced telepath-hating empire, forcing Starfleet to commit yet more units to protect threatened populations.  


=== Tactical ===
Concerned by these developments in the Gradin Belt and increasingly puzzled by sudden appearance of the Blood Dilithium, Starfleet has directed the Fourth Fleet to bolster its presence in the region. As the Task Force most commonly relied on to operate far beyond Federation space, Task Force 17 was chosen to spearhead efforts. Fleet Captain Erill'Yun Mek and Captain Andreus Kohl were given temporary command of all Delta Quadrant operations from a temporary command post established at the Markonian Outpost. Vice Admiral Alexander Beckett coordinated wider Fourth Fleet resource deployment from Alpha and Beta Quadrants.
The Nebula-class is a solid ship-of-the-line with powerful shielding and large phaser arrays. With both forward and aft torpedo launchers in her stock configuration, she is a major threat to other ships of her size. This power can further be augmented by a mission pod, mounting additional torpedo bays or phaser arrays. During the Dominion War period, nearly all of these vessels were equipped with tactical pods that brought their combat potential to or beyond the ''Galaxy''-class explorer, but the long-range sensor pods have also proven useful in combat for ECM and ECCM duties.  


Given her smaller profile than her larger cousin, the ''Nebula'' is highly maneuverable at sublight, but her firing arcs are more limited. Due to the position of the nacelles, certain angles from the primary phasers are restricted, and the ''Nebula'' lacks arrays that can fire directly aft. ''Nebula''-class captains are trained to favor head-on attacks and strafing runs, rather than relying on extensive phaser coverage through multiple arcs.
The Fourth Fleet's response was arranged in three protocols:


=== Mission Pods ===
===Locate===
The ''Nebula''-class has several different module options, ranging from a long-range sensor pod, to a tactical pod containing extra torpedo launchers, to hospital pods, to colony pods, and scientific laboratory pods. The limit of this system is generally left to the imagination of her captains, though it can take several days to install a new pod correctly at a starbase, and several weeks for an entirely new pod to be fabricated in the first place.  
The Fourth Fleet was initially tasked with locating as many dilithium fields as possible. Starfleet Science considered it a key priority to gather all the data it could. It sought information on the types of spatial anomalies around which Blood Dilithium had grown, patterns in which it had formed, its interactions with subspace, and details of its effects on telepathic species.  


Standard pods currently available are:
Ships of the Fourth Fleet spread out across the Gradin Belt in search of spatial anomalies. Captains were given wide discretion as to where to focus their searches. Long range explorers made for the outer edges of the Gradin Belt, cruisers dipped their toes into unexplored space, and smaller vessels took care not to stray too far from tenuous Starfleet supply chains. They faced challenges every step of the way from miners jealously guarding their dilithium hoardes to spacebourne lifeforms, Hirogen Hunters to fanatical officers of the Devore Imperium. Few Starfleet vessels avoided the capricious mores of the Delta Quadrant. 


* A long-range sensor pod that significantly increases the ship’s scanning range, but which lacks any extra defenses.
===Investigate===
* A tactical pod containing six forward-firing torpedo launchers and an additional two aft-firing launchers with 200 photon torpedoes.
Upon discovery, the local area was to be surveyed and scoured for any signs of Blood dilithium growth. Interactions between Blood Dilithium and local stellar phenomena, planetary (or interplanetary) ecosystems, particularly intelligent life, were to be observed and recorded. While still permitted to remain assigned to their ships, all telepathic crew were to be closely monitored when approaching the Blood Dilithium and its effects on their behaviour studied.  
* A colony pod that can detach from the ship and land on a planet’s surface with two-hundred colonists and enough supplies to build a rudimentary colony.
* A medical pod with a 100-bed hospital and supplies to construct a further four field hospitals.
* A hanger pod, with a forward-aft through-bay that can carry up to eight runabouts or sixteen fighters.


=== Shipboard Life ===
At this stage Starfleet Command needed theories about how this dilithium had seemingly been 'created' by spatial anomalies, and what lay behind the crystal's strange effects on telepath behaviour. It was ultimately hoped that some way might be found to neutralise the dilithium's harmful properties. This was made a key priority amidst growing fears that Blood Dilithium might eventually be weaponised against telepathic species.  
The Nebula-class is a comfortable, modern ship with all of the amenities one would expect from a ship of her size and age. With substantial recreational facilities and holodecks, there’s always something to do when off duty aboard a ship of this class. While an older vessel, it is still considered a prestigious assignment. It is especially popular among scientific personnel, as it offers a larger science department than even dedicated science vessels. While not sent on as long of missions as the large explorers, crews can still expect to be together for years on charting and survey missions, which leads to a strong sense of camaraderie for those on board.


Because this is a very common ship, crews tend to go out of their way to make things unique by naming lounges, altering color schemes, and otherwise prizing the tiny differences between a class with over 300 members, which leads to cross-ship rivalries. This increases performance to a degree but sometimes can lead to integration difficulties when crewmembers transfer between ships of this class or join the midway through a mission.
===Mitigate===
As Starfleet scientists studied the Blood Dilithium itself, its sudden appearance continued to send cascading uncertainty throughout the Gradin Belt. A chaotic region of space only grew more so as entire populations were uprooted, either by Blood Dilithium rendering planets uninhabitable, or by violent expulsion by mining cartels and Devore Imperium armies. A humanitarian relief effort to address all disasters and atrocities in the Gradin Belt was impossible with what amounted to an expeditionary force of Fourth Fleet ships committed. However, as per the founding principles of the United Federation of Planets, Starfleet was bound to do what it could to aid the rapidly growing ranks of the displaced.  


Captains of ''Nebula''-class ships run the gamut from those fresh out of Command School to experienced veterans. In particular, many of the captains of ships of this class are former ''Excelsior''-class captains, who have elected to continue in Starfleet following their original ship being decommissioned.
Furthermore, with each passing day Fourth Fleet Command grew ever more troubled by intelligence reports from Devore Imperium space. Several corroborating sources indicated the Imperium's efforts to synthesise anti-telepathic warheads from Blood Dilithium, capable of eradicating populations on a planetary scale. Were such efforts to succeed, genocide of species such as the long-hated Brenari would become a probability.  


== Class History ==
==In Play==
Though the venerable ''Miranda'' and ''Excelsior'' classes of starships had been serving Starfleet’s needs well, and the ''Ambassador'' class has provided Starfleet with an incredible long-range exploratory platform in the 2330’s, fleet modernization was on the admiralty’s mind by the early 2340’s. Based on innovations made through the ''Ambassador'' project, the Advanced Starship Design Bureau proposed several new designs to take Starfleet into the second half of the 24th Century. Four of these designs (the ''Springfield, Cheyenne, Challenger, and New Orleans'') were slated to begin construction in the 2340’s and 2350’s, to serve as test-beds of the technologies that would be showcased in the ''Nebula'' and ''Galaxy''-class explorers to be constructed in the late 2350’s, and they would eventually become companion vessels to their larger cousins.
 
The ''Nebula'' design was authorized in 2343, along with the ''Galaxy'' design, and the design process continued in tandem until both designs were completed in 2350. The ''Nebula''-class starships were intended to be the more pragmatic sister of the ''Galaxy'', with a more compact design, and provisions to install a mission-specific module on a large pylon. This would give the class the ability to serve in a number of roles. While it also had the mission-specific configurable spaces within the hull, the changeover period was much better than the ''Galaxy'', while providing an external configurable space that the other class did not; tactical and sensor systems, for example, were more easily added in a pod than inside the ship’s hull.
 
In their base configurations, the ''Galaxy'' is the superior tactical platform, as the ''Nebula'' class lacks in all-around phaser coverage, due to the position of the pod. This armament limitation was deemed an acceptable trade-off for mission versatility. In addition, the ''Nebula'' would have very similar but not identical hull components, with a narrower secondary hull and a primary hull that traded crew quarters and other support systems for extensive cargo bays around the perimeter of the hull.
 
Construction on the prototype began in mid-2350 at the Beta Antares Fleet Yards. A further 15 units were authorized, for an initial production run of 16. Construction completed in 2356 on ''Nebula'', with ''Honshu'' following closely behind her. Shakedown operations ran successfully through 2358, with the class fully-commissioned and in regular service starting in the spring of 2359. By 2363, all 16 units had been completed, with a further 20 ordered, at a rate of five per year. They were popular with their crews, and served with distinction in many capacities. Despite this, the Battle of Wolf 359 dealt the fleet a devastating blow, and Starfleet scrambled to find ways to improve the fleet’s tactical readiness.
 
In 2367, all of the ''Nebula''-class ships on active duty were recalled to starbase for refit. In studies of the class’ performance over the years, it was discovered that the bifurcated pylon structure that held the mission modules was lacking in stability. All units were modified, instead to use a larger, more robust pylon that was better-designed to withstand warp and combat stresses. This new pylon blocked direct access to the main shuttlebay from the stern, so new approach and departure protocols were developed. The impulse systems were redesigned, with covers installed over the exhaust systems to mask their ion trails and to protect the superstructure from superheated plasma. This refit was completed in record time, thanks to the fervor in the fleet after the Borg invasion, by 2369.
 
Furthermore, it was decided to standardize the ''Nebula'' and ''Galaxy''-class production lines, with additional Galaxy-class ships now being ordered. As such, ''Nebula''-class ships built after 2367 have a secondary hull without the narrow undercuts that the original model did, as well as a saucer identical to the ''Galaxy''-class other than the impulse engine mounts. Further modules were developed, with the most heavily-deployed version being the new Tactical Pod It combined some of the sensor ability of the old sensor pod, with eight forward-firing torpedo launchers, and two rear torpedo launchers, that made the ''Nebula''-class capable of being outfitted as a gunship, while retaining the ability to explore.
 
At the start of the Dominion War, there were 52 ''Nebula''-class ships in the fleet,. The class served primarily in combat roles, though some units were equipped with medical or troop pods to support the war effort. Several were destroyed and others were heavily damaged, but the vessels served with remarkable combat performance, especially compared to their ''Excelsior''-class cousins. Following the war, they remained in service, with the majority of the ''Nebula'' fleet transitioned back to exploratory roles.
 
Upgrades were scheduled to be completed for the class by the end of 2390, with twenty more units ordered to bring the fleet up to a round 100 units by 2395, making the ''Nebula'' class a Starfleet mainstay well into the 25th Century, with every sign of being just as venerable as the ''Excelsior''-class ships that she replaced.
 
== In Play ==
 
* The Nebula-class is a robust ship of the line. Even after the Galaxy-class stopped production, this remained in service and is essentially the Excelsior-class of the 25th century. With a large crew complement and well-rounded systems, she is fit for most missions.
* Being a common sight in Starfleet, this makes a good NPC ship when you need reinforcements or a rescue. Alternatively, you could be the one escorting them.
* The mission pods are a major selling point of this class, as they allow the ship to take on the role of a specialist ship with only a few days of change-over. This can allow you to run a game with wildly different missions from episode to episode, with the right amount of planning.
* A Nebula-class ship is a large and serious threat to many other vessels in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, but it is not as threatening as the large explorers. For some, this will be an advantage as it will mean that they can avoid being seen as a threat, but for others not being seen as a threat may lead to combat.
 
{{clear}}
[[Category:Federation Starship Classes]]
[[Category:Heavy Cruisers]]

Revision as of 08:00, 5 October 2022

This article is official Bravo Fleet canon.









Dilithium incubator.png
Blood Dilithium
Information
Class

Mineral Deposit

Sector

Gradin Belt

Quadrant

Delta Quadrant

Template:Phenomenon


"Blood Dilithium" is the term coined by the crew of the USS Merevek to describe strange formations of dilithium crystals found in the Gradin Belt after a massive subspace phase pulse passed through the region on October 14th, 2400. Although structurally identical to naturally occurring dilithium, Blood Dilithium has been seen to emit a crimson glow; perhaps the main reason why its nickname has stuck. The extreme speed with which blood dilithium grew on the surfaces of planets, moons and other celestial bodies has hitherto been thought impossible. Growth locations have thus far only been observed in areas within five lightyears of various subspace anomalies in the region. Starfleet Science has put out a call for further studies on blood dilithium, particularly regarding the numerous reports of a violent terror instilled in the minds of telepathic species in close proximity to it.

History

The earliest reports on the appearance of new dilithium fields in the Gradin Belt date from October 19th, 2400 following the detection of a subspace phase pulse in the region eleven days earlier. News of its appearance quickly spread throughout the galaxy, attracting government and private mining operations alike to the area in the hopes of exploiting the new resource. Rumours of the new dilithium's strange effects on telepaths quickly began to circulate.

On October 28th, 2400 the USS Merevek became the first Starfleet vessel to perform a detailed analysis of the new dilithium. Operating on a diplomatic liaison mission near Turei space, the Merevek quickly diverted upon detecting dilithium deposits within the accretion disc of a 10km wide neutron star. The Merevek closed to a distance of 35,000km of the collapsed star’s core to obtain adequate sensor readings. Their course took them within the accretion disc itself, at extremely close range to high concentrations of new dilithium growing upon the rocky remains of planets that once orbited the collapsed star. Captain Correth later noted in her log that as the ship inched further through the jagged rubble, all eleven telepathic members of the ship’s crew reported a slow-building sense of unease. On moving within 10,000km of the most concentrated dilithium veins, abject terror began to rip through their minds.

Chief Medical Officer's log, stardate 77824.9. Photon emission tomography scans indicate patient H, a Betazoid, is suffering hyperfusion in the lateral temporal cortex. Observations are consistent with visual and auditory hallucinations arising from severe schizoaffective disorders. Symptoms alleviated only when the Merevek moved away from the dilithium field. Remarkably, structured questioning shows patient H’s experience to be nearly identical to that of the other ten patients affected. Auditory hallucinations have taken the form of a single voice of indeterminate sex, speaking in a low snarl. Clear statements recorded include, “Smash them all,” and, “Spill the blood of those that sent us here.” ~Dr. Vashek, Chief Medical Officer, USS Merevek

Nature

Blood Dilithium has so far been found only within five light-year radii of subspace anomalies in the Gradin Belt. The crystals have the potential to appear on any solid surface in these areas of space, including asteroids, planets, moons and artificial structures. Blood Dilithium crystals share the same refinement and starship fuelling potential as ordinary dilithium. Crystal formations can at times be extremely dense, wreaking havoc with planetary ecosystems and civilisations. All formations have appeared after the subspace wave pulse detected in the Gradin Belt on October 14th, 2400.

The proximity of Blood Dilithium growths to spatial anomalies has led some Starfleet scientists to theorise that the subspace wave pulse has somehow weakened interdimensional spatial boundaries. While currently an extremely crude hypothesis, it is thought that the Blood Dilithium may be spreading from a realm of space outside our current knowledge.

Blood Dilithium's effects on telepathic species are poorly understood. From what has been observed, the greater a species' telepathic ability, the more severe the observed changes in an individual's behaviour. Reports have varied from a general sense of foreboding experienced by mildly telepathic species (e.g. Vulcans, Deltans) to an all-consuming psychotic terror in fully telepathic species (e.g. Betazoids, Ullians). In the most severe cases, reported symptoms have included unknown, disembodied voices fueling a sense of paranoia within the affected. Voices encourage individuals to commit acts of violence and destruction against both personnel and/or ship's systems in the vicinity. To these ends, the use of handheld anti-personnel weapons, nearby objects, and the individual's own hands and teeth has been observed.

Response

Reports of great upheaval in the Gradin Belt began to filter their way through to Starfleet Command by mid-October, 2400. The appearance of Blood Dilithium created "gold rush" into the Delta Quadrant, with mining operations from species across the galaxy racing to prospect new dilithium fields and capitalise on the strategic resource. There followed a huge spike in distress calls, placing great strain on Starfleet's limited resources deployed to the region as some of the only ships willing to attend. Undue confidence, poor preparation and unfamiliarity with the perils of the Delta Quadrant have contributed to this.

With no permanent bases and limited supply lines, Starfleet's Delta Quadrant presence found itself stretched to the breaking point as the displacement of populations by Blood Dilithium growth and mining operations threatened humanitarian disaster. The sudden aggressive expansion of the Devore Imperium led to several tense standoffs with the advanced telepath-hating empire, forcing Starfleet to commit yet more units to protect threatened populations.

Concerned by these developments in the Gradin Belt and increasingly puzzled by sudden appearance of the Blood Dilithium, Starfleet has directed the Fourth Fleet to bolster its presence in the region. As the Task Force most commonly relied on to operate far beyond Federation space, Task Force 17 was chosen to spearhead efforts. Fleet Captain Erill'Yun Mek and Captain Andreus Kohl were given temporary command of all Delta Quadrant operations from a temporary command post established at the Markonian Outpost. Vice Admiral Alexander Beckett coordinated wider Fourth Fleet resource deployment from Alpha and Beta Quadrants.

The Fourth Fleet's response was arranged in three protocols:

Locate

The Fourth Fleet was initially tasked with locating as many dilithium fields as possible. Starfleet Science considered it a key priority to gather all the data it could. It sought information on the types of spatial anomalies around which Blood Dilithium had grown, patterns in which it had formed, its interactions with subspace, and details of its effects on telepathic species.

Ships of the Fourth Fleet spread out across the Gradin Belt in search of spatial anomalies. Captains were given wide discretion as to where to focus their searches. Long range explorers made for the outer edges of the Gradin Belt, cruisers dipped their toes into unexplored space, and smaller vessels took care not to stray too far from tenuous Starfleet supply chains. They faced challenges every step of the way from miners jealously guarding their dilithium hoardes to spacebourne lifeforms, Hirogen Hunters to fanatical officers of the Devore Imperium. Few Starfleet vessels avoided the capricious mores of the Delta Quadrant.

Investigate

Upon discovery, the local area was to be surveyed and scoured for any signs of Blood dilithium growth. Interactions between Blood Dilithium and local stellar phenomena, planetary (or interplanetary) ecosystems, particularly intelligent life, were to be observed and recorded. While still permitted to remain assigned to their ships, all telepathic crew were to be closely monitored when approaching the Blood Dilithium and its effects on their behaviour studied.

At this stage Starfleet Command needed theories about how this dilithium had seemingly been 'created' by spatial anomalies, and what lay behind the crystal's strange effects on telepath behaviour. It was ultimately hoped that some way might be found to neutralise the dilithium's harmful properties. This was made a key priority amidst growing fears that Blood Dilithium might eventually be weaponised against telepathic species.

Mitigate

As Starfleet scientists studied the Blood Dilithium itself, its sudden appearance continued to send cascading uncertainty throughout the Gradin Belt. A chaotic region of space only grew more so as entire populations were uprooted, either by Blood Dilithium rendering planets uninhabitable, or by violent expulsion by mining cartels and Devore Imperium armies. A humanitarian relief effort to address all disasters and atrocities in the Gradin Belt was impossible with what amounted to an expeditionary force of Fourth Fleet ships committed. However, as per the founding principles of the United Federation of Planets, Starfleet was bound to do what it could to aid the rapidly growing ranks of the displaced.

Furthermore, with each passing day Fourth Fleet Command grew ever more troubled by intelligence reports from Devore Imperium space. Several corroborating sources indicated the Imperium's efforts to synthesise anti-telepathic warheads from Blood Dilithium, capable of eradicating populations on a planetary scale. Were such efforts to succeed, genocide of species such as the long-hated Brenari would become a probability.

In Play

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