You Are The Captain #11

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

You are the captain of a 25-crew member scout ship operating to gather intelligence in the Chaib sector. Among the planets in this sector is Sabitus IV, a planet home to the Hrechonet, a cervine (deer-like) humanoid species. Though not a member of the Federation, they have been an ally since shortly after first contact; the initial meeting was understandably hostile, as their planet had suffered from several interplanetary wars since they achieved warp drive 147 years ago.

The Hrechon Star Service is recovering from a massive cyber attack on its ships and intel systems, and has requested that Starfleet provide assistance while they assess the damage and determine the source of the attack and how to repair their infrastructure. Your ship is among several crafts asked to monitor the area for potential threats.

While patrolling, your ship discovers several non-sentient spaceborne alien lifeforms of a species previously unknown to Federation science. Though your ship is not a science ship, you decide to investigate. Your science and nav officers (you have a generalist science officer just in case) discover that the cyberattack was in fact a byproduct of the lifeform's attempts to navigate (alien sonar) and completely unintended to harm.

The Hrechonet are a warrior species, and have already sworn vengeance upon the party who attacked them, identity unknown, though many suspect the Zaune (a humanoid species who is a recurring enemy of theirs) of perpetrating the attack. The Federation is currently in trade talks with the Zaune, and wishes to avoid conflict with the Hrechonet, which they would view as an annoying nuisance. It is almost certain that if you reveal the creatures' existence to the Hrechonet, you have signed their death warrant. On the other hand, failure to do so is certain to make fingers (or hooves, in this case) point elsewhere. What do you do?

 

[at Quark's]

In principle, I think it would still be my duty to inform the Hrechonet, and urge them to not take retaliatory action against those non-sapients. It's out of my hands after that, unfortunately. It's bad, but the alternatives don't seem any better (causing a war between the Hrechonet and the Zaune, or perhaps even between the Federation and the Hrechonet, if we were to prevent them from taking it out on the non-sapients by using force (given that they've only got warp drive for 147 years, I'm assuming the Federation is significantly more advanced). Unless perhaps they would be intimidated enough by Starfleet to grudgingly acquiesce.)

Also, I would be puzzled by the question how we got allied with a species that aggressive in the first place (vengeance on a species that didn't even know what was doing?).

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

They don't know who did it, though they suspect a third party, and assume it was deliberate because of past conflicts.

 

[at Quark's]

Well, they would after I told them, and if I don't, odds are high they'll target the Zaune - if I understand the dilemma correctly. If not, and they'd first want to find out for certain who did it, then by all means, I wouldn't tell them.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

I suppose there's some wiggle room, after all...the whole reason you're there is because they're currently unable to do anything to anyone. Let's hope you can talk them out of it before their ships come back online. For all you know, it could be in five minutes or five months.

 

[Jedi Marso]

Honesty is the best policy, and removes the risk of tripping over lies later on.

In this case, I'd show and explain the actual situation to the Hrechon, and offer to help them clear their cyber systems by aiding the spaceborne non-sentients in navigating on their way, perhaps by placing other beacons specifically for that purpose that could help them migrate out of Hrechon territory. I would also describe to them instances of similar encounters with others species (the nursing space whales come to mind) to demonstrate how they can be resolved without harm to anyone.

Theoretically, this automatically disarms any potential showdown with the Zaune.

I would also recommend to Starfleet that a tiger-team of diplomats be dispatched to this sector to further facilitate peaceful relations between the Federation, the Hrechon, and their former adversaries.

Then I would exchange witty banter with my first officer and medical officer, accept a cup of coffee from my hot yeoman, and sail off into the stars to the accompaniment of the Star Trek theme.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

You make it sound so easy.

Don't forget, "leaving a trail of end credits in our wake."

 

[Jedi Marso]

You make it sound so easy.

Don't forget, "leaving a trail of end credits in our wake."

You only have to ask yourself - then answer- one question. What would Captain Kirk do?

 

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

You only have to ask yourself - then answer- one question. What would Captain Kirk do?

Leave his back wipe open for a critical attack simply to provide a cheap cliffhanger. But at least he can wake up without being slapped repeatedly.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

And recuperate without requiring a rare type of green blood.