ST:TTV424 | "Perception"

Stardate 95916.6

Following a tentative start to the Regulators 'Judgement'. The Valley Forge proceeds across Regulated space under escort, knowing that each lightyear could draw them towards a fresh challenge, be it orchestrated or by happenchance. The first such challenge comes in the form of an unusual small and isolated colony that may not be all it appears at first glance...

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Keliaya@anncarise FX | It has been a week since the Valley Forge encountered the Regulators. With their Evaluator and Analysts remaining on board to conduct their Judgement, the Valley Forge proceeds through the - Keliaya@anncarise: - Regulated Zone following the Regulator vessel. They have been allowed cursory scans of nearby systems, but had not detected anything of note nor entered a system until now. Keliaya@anncarise | Ann: "Should be enterin' sensor range o' the system now. Regulator ship's already waitin' somewhere inside." Keelah@crystyll: "Alright, standard approach and commence survey" Keliaya@anncarise: "There's twelve full sized planets in orbit of a blue giant star. Fairly standard system layout with several Class Js in the central area." Keliaya@anncarise: "I'm seeing another one of the Regulator satellites in orbit of one of the gas giants. No other signs of technology." Keelah@crystyll: "Nothing to get excited about then, suits me just fine. A systemmatic sweep of each planet should suffice to populate the astrocharts" Keliaya@anncarise FX | The turbolift doors open and the Evaluator steps out, accompanied by his security escort. Keliaya@anncarise | Some of the crew still glance at the imposing suited figure as he arrives, but many have already become used to his observation over the past week. Keelah@crystyll looks over with a smile, "Just in time. I assume this is another of your monitored systems?" she gestures to the screen Keliaya@anncarise | Evaluator: "Yes, as you can tell from the presence of an Array." Keelah@crystyll: "Well I don't imagine we shall be here long. Just a standard planetary survey" Keliaya@anncarise: "I'm seeing something. Looks like a small pocket of bipedal lifesigns on a moon in orbit of the same giant as the Array. Class L, marginally habitable." Keliaya@anncarise | Kazra: "I see it too." Keelah@crystyll: "Colony indicators, technology level?" Keliaya@anncarise: "Pre-warp, but post-industrial from the readings here, but these lifesigns...is it what our computers think it is, or a false equivalency due to similar biology?" Keelah@crystyll looks between Kelly and Kazra curiously Keliaya@anncarise | Kazra: "Doing a manual comparison...it's definitely correct. There's a hundred and seventy-six Forli down there, Captain." Keelah@crystyll: "Forli?" she asks with a perked brow, "Not a genetic offshoot, but actual Forli?" Keliaya@anncarise | Kazra nods, "The lifesigns are identical to the Forli we've encountered, at least. We'll need to be at much closer range to obtain any genetic data." Keliaya@anncarise: "No signs of any ruins or previous habitation on the planet. If they are an offshoot, they definitely didn't evolve here." Keelah@crystyll: "hmm. hypothesis?" Keliaya@anncarise: "Colonies of that size typically reuse everything they can, and it's standard Federation practice to break down their colony ships and repurpose them for building supplies. Some designs even have - Keliaya@anncarise: - the ship meant to be converted into homes. There's no sign of a ship here. No tech of a level that would allow them to reach this planet from anywhere else." Keliaya@anncarise | Ann: "An' colonies don't usually regress in tech. They don't move forward if they're isolated, sometimes some people'll make use o' lower tech stuff like on Nimbus, but there's always modern - Keliaya@anncarise: - tech 'round /somewhere/," Keelah@crystyll: "Stands to reason. Alright, lets get into range for a more detailed scans. If this theory is right, I'd expect to see trace signs of the ship - material composites if not remnant technology" Keliaya@anncarise | Ann: "Movin' us closer." Keliaya@anncarise FX | The Evaluator watches silently as the Valley Forge moves towards the moon. Keliaya@anncarise: "They have metals, but I'm not detecting anything spaceworthy. There's no real power signatures, no electricity or fusion, let alone warp cores." Keelah@crystyll: "Can we get a more thorough genetic mark up? Given that we know the Forli are spacefaring, this represents an anomaly that I would like to answer" Keliaya@anncarise | Kazra: "Still look identical from scans at this range." Keliaya@anncarise | Vrolmacht: "Perhaps the Array pulled them here?" Keliaya@anncarise: "They'd still have their ship, though." Keelah@crystyll: "Indeed. Continue analysis" Keliaya@anncarise | Kazra: "The lifesign distribution of other species only has slight differences to other nearby regions. It doesn't look like the presence of the Forli has disrupted the ecosystem that much." Keliaya@anncarise | Kazra: "Not that this planet /has/ much of an ecosystem, but the presence of any intelligent lifeform should have a major impact, regardless of technology level." Keliaya@anncarise | Kazra: "Which means these Forli are either extremely conscious not to disrupt their environment, or they haven't been here for long. A few decades, at most." Keelah@crystyll: "Any way we can expand on this analysis to determine how long they have had a footprint on the planet? Perhaps compared with the technological development we will see more" Keliaya@anncarise | Kazra taps her console some more, "I'd say probably between ten to twenty years." Keelah@crystyll: "Then the question remains; how does that tally with the development level" Keliaya@anncarise: "Well, we have a Regulator Array in orbit of the same gas giant. We know the Regulators control technology, and the Forli didn't exactly demonstrate responsible use when we met them..." Keelah@crystyll: "Hmm, interesting theory" she glances to the Evaluator briefly before looking back, "So we surmise that a Forli vessel - concurrent with the population numbers here - encountered Regulators and + Keelah@crystyll: + responded... typically. Resulting in the determination that they are not capable of handling the technology and so having it confiscated?" Keliaya@anncarise: "And were resettled on this moon, yes." Keelah@crystyll: "Well the theory fits the facts. Though we know little of Judgement in all, I believe it is a reasonable deduction" she looks to the Evaluator a little disapprovingly, "But would you not return the + Keelah@crystyll: +crew to their people?" Keliaya@anncarise | Evaluator: "That would allow them access to technology once again, technology that they are too socially underdeveloped to use." Keelah@crystyll: "Logical. So as long as the rest of the species refrain from entering Regulated space again, you harbor no requirement to process them. I believe I understand now" Keliaya@anncarise | Evaluator: "This is not the first time they have attempted to enter a Regulated Zone. But their situation is a complicated one, and the Directors are still deciding what to do with them." Keliaya@anncarise | Evaluator: "I am not permitted to share the specifics of this encounter, but you are permitted to interact with the Forli. So long as you do not share technology, of course." Keelah@crystyll: "I am not surprised. During our encounter with them we found them to be... persistent. Though your Directors may be interested in the cultural implications to them of more recent events" Keliaya@anncarise | Evaluator: "I take it you are familiar with the latest occurances with the Forli, having arrived from the direction of their territory?" Keelah@crystyll nods, "And given that you are in the thralls of a Judgement, I am willing to share what we know about the present situation there. Though it may not impact this specific crew, it may bare + Keelah@crystyll: + some significance to the larger picture" Keliaya@anncarise | Evaluator: "We do not actively monitor that region, and the Regulators will appreciate any updates you possess. In the meantime, you may make contact with the Forli here if you wish to learn - Keliaya@anncarise: - more, or continue your survey if you are content with the data you have gathered so far." Keelah@crystyll: "We shall continue the system survey for the time being. Perhaps in the mean time, we should relocate to the conference room where I can bring you up to speed on the Forli situation" Keelah@crystyll: "With that done, we will then determine if there is any benefit to contacting them" Keliaya@anncarise | The Evaluator nods, "Let us proceed, then." Keelah@crystyll stands, "Kelly, you have the conn" and gestures for the Evaluator to join her as she exits Keliaya@anncarise | The Evaluator follows Keelah off. NPC@annpc#5570 | The Evaluator takes a seat after entering the ready room, his helmet folding down once again to reveal his crimson visage. Keelah@crystyll takes her usual seat, first making herself comfortable with a freshly poured tea which she offers one to the Evaluator as well NPC@annpc#5570 examines the tea and decides to take it with a curt nod of thanks. Keelah@crystyll smiles, pouring one out for him too, "This is called Spiced tea. A staple of my people" NPC@annpc#5570 takes a sip, "A fine drink." Keelah@crystyll: "A simple beverage I never used to care much for" she looks it the cup in her hand almost amusedly for a moment, "I suppose this extended journey of ours has left me with a fresh appreciation for + Keelah@crystyll: + reminders of home. But I digress... the Forli" NPC@annpc#5570: "I can sympathize. It has been some time since I have been to my home, and though our technology allows for near-instantaneous travel, my duties come first." NPC@annpc#5570 sets the cup down and looks to Keelah, "But yes, I take it your encounter with the Forli was more than just a passing one?" Keelah@crystyll: "Indeed. We spent considerable time amongst them and the Trinity Alliance before progressing to Regulated space" NPC@annpc#5570: "You are aware of the Alliance and their dynamic with the Forli, then." Keelah@crystyll: "Painfully so..." NPC@annpc#5570 nods, taking another sip of tea, "Do elaborate." Keelah@crystyll taps on her console to call up the relevant reports, "Well it all began when we moved to survey a quartenary star system we had detected on long range sensors. This is something of an anomaly none + Keelah@crystyll: + of our teams on board had witnessed first hand before and so were eager to explore it" NPC@annpc#5570: "As expected of an exploration vessel like yours." NPC@annpc#5570 activates his helmet for a moment before it retracts once again, "I believe the system you refer to is one near or inside territory claimed by the Forli. Were you attacked trying to study it?" Keelah@crystyll shakes her head, "Quite the contrary in fact. We indeed came across what we later learned to be a Forli vessel in the system. However it was belonging to their Research fleet and also studying the + Keelah@crystyll: + anomalous system. We were closing to establish contact with hopes of a positive first contact with like minded people when a solar flare erupted violently. It knocked out many of our systems, but + Keelah@crystyll: + the Forli vessel was left disabled and being pulled in by the stars gravity field" NPC@annpc#5570 nods, "Your technology being more advanced than theirs." Keelah@crystyll: "And my crew more experienced with gravitational effects it would seem" Keelah@crystyll: "Anyway, we established contact and saught to render assistance" Keelah@crystyll: "I can provide you copies of our reports on the event for details, but in summary; the only method we found to pull the ship free was by modifying their shields so that a single face could be dropped+ Keelah@crystyll: + to allow a tractor lock. Our action in saving the ship resulted in positive first contact and we were subsequently invited back to their colony for a formal greeting. We proceeded with positivity" NPC@annpc#5570: "Interesting. We have not had such peaceful contact with them before. Your reports would be appreciated." Keelah@crystyll: "Of course. It was during our visit to their world that we began to see signs of a less amenable society than we had first perceived from this interaction however" Keelah@crystyll: "Our arrival was met by their military fleet and a senior Marshall who - whilst welcoming - left a feeling of unease" Keelah@crystyll: "Given the heavily armed status of his flagship, and his emphasis on our contributions to 'improving' their shield technology being a game changer did not help" NPC@annpc#5570: "That is more in line with the Forli in our records." Keelah@crystyll sagenods, "Indeed, it would seem our initial encounter was the exception. Not the rule" Keelah@crystyll: "Anyway. We were not long into our visit - which was highly amenable and in line with the level of society we anticipated from said encounter - when things took a turn" Keelah@crystyll sips her tea some, "A rare public address was made by the Marshall we met earlier, declaring a new 'age of expansion' in which this ill-perceived shield upgrade was to be credited with giving them + Keelah@crystyll: + the edge to launch a war campaign against the Trinity Alliance" NPC@annpc#5570: "As they have done many times in the past. The Alliance has held against them all this time, and by your familiarity with them I expect it still stands?" Keelah@crystyll: "It does, but it is not so simple a tale just yet" NPC@annpc#5570 continues to sip his tea as he listens. Keelah@crystyll: "One point of interest here, is the public reaction we witnessed to this announcement. It did not appear to be favorable with the majority of Forli society, only the ruling military. And so, we left + Keelah@crystyll: + our research friends there with encouraging guidance while we engaged a pursuit of the Marshall's fleet" Keelah@crystyll scowls, "I was unwilling to accept a goodwill gesture being framed as gifting a technology upgrade to benefit warmongering" NPC@annpc#5570: "Your reasons for assisting in their technological development is understandable, and minimal, it seems. You were not familiar with the Forli and sought only to assist." Keelah@crystyll nods firmly, "And my crew adhered to strict procedure regarding technological development. No Federation technology was undermined or provided to the Forli. We simply applied knowledge to their own + Keelah@crystyll: + systems" Keelah@crystyll: "Regardless, we caught up to the Marshall and - as you will confirm from the reports - prepared to stand against him if it meant preventing his campaign" Keelah@crystyll: "Though the engagement was brief owing to the arrival of an Alliance vessel who misread the situation as the Forli aggressively pursuing us. We stood by the Alliance and turned the Forli fleet away" NPC@annpc#5570: "And that was how you met the Alliance." Keelah@crystyll: "Indeed. The engagement gave them a brief view of this shield upgrade, and so we proceeded to elaborate on the events which led to that encounter. From there we accompanied them back to the Chlasi + Keelah@crystyll: + colony near the border, where we believe the Forli fleet was intending to attack. Suffice to say that we found the Alliance to be much more akin to our own perspectives and remained there for some + Keelah@crystyll: + time. While my teams helped them understand the Forli shield upgrade, they graciously assisted with repairs to this ship while my crew and I engaged in cultural exploration" NPC@annpc#5570: "We have contacted and evaluated the Alliance species as well and come to the same conclusion. They are the only reason we have not intervened with the Forli." NPC@annpc#5570: "I have never evaluated either group personally, but from our reports, our Directors decided not to convert Forli space into a Regulated Zone as it would be detrimental to the Alliance's economy." NPC@annpc#5570: "They have been able to keep the Forli in control so far, and we have relied on them to continue doing so." Keelah@crystyll: "I can see the logic in that" she nods, "Anyway, whilst there we learned of an anticipated Forli offensive and stood our ground in helping to defend the colony. This was successful, but transpired to+ Keelah@crystyll: + be a diversion while they moved swiftly against one of the Trinity's homeworlds elsewhere" Keelah@crystyll: "Fortunately, our time among the Alliance species had been productive and when the Marshall contacted them to demand surrender, we had sufficient intelligence gathered that I was able to intervene + Keelah@crystyll: + dissuade him. You see, we learned some dark truths about his upbringing and the way he had been politically manouvered from a young age by those bent on warmongering. He believed he was succeeding + Keelah@crystyll: + his fathers legacy with this campaign, when in fact he was undermining it. We managed enough to convince him to investigate and leave the Trinity be while he did so. He went on to withdraw from his+ Keelah@crystyll: + conquered world back to Forli space. We remained on station with the Chlasi on standby to render aid where needed. In the mean time continuing our cultural exchange and harboring of diplomatic + Keelah@crystyll: + relations while some of my officers pursued a rather unexpected development of a personal nature there" Keelah@crystyll sips her tea, "Long story short; we later learned of a civil conflict within the Forli ranks. The Marshall had learned the truth and staged a coup. As it stands now, he is looking strong to seize + Keelah@crystyll: + control with subvert aid from the Trinity Alliance. It is my hope that - with their considerable expertise, as you said - they will be able to stabilize the Forli socity and that a more enlightened+ Keelah@crystyll: + one will emerge from the ashes" NPC@annpc#5570: "That is quite a development indeed. The Forli are now at war with one another, and the Alliance remains intact?" Keelah@crystyll nods, "In summary, yes. Whilst civil conflict is far from agreeable; it is a sign that the Forli are evolving beyond those ways. The optimist in me anticipates us one day returning to this region to+ Keelah@crystyll: + find them flourishing as allies to the Alliance" NPC@annpc#5570 nods, "I will report this information to the Administration immediately. As for the Forli you see here, they were one of many attempts by the Forli to enter a Regulated Zone." Keelah@crystyll: "Of course, I do not expect this news to result in any rethink regarding the group here, now. I only hope that this will shed new light on their situation and maybe, if the people as a whole prove + Keelah@crystyll: + capable, maybe those here will be given a chance at redeption too?" NPC@annpc#5570: "That is unlikely. From the reports, these Forli were captured when attempting to utilize new stealth technology to enter this Regulated Zone and obtain data on Regulator technologies. Their - NPC@annpc#5570: - stealth capabilities were far from being able to evade detection, and they were relocated here. Perhaps in a few generations, their offspring may be allowed to return if they prove capable of - NPC@annpc#5570: - responsible use, along with the rest of the Forli people." NPC@annpc#5570: "But I am not here to evaluate the Forli. That decision will fall to others. I will merely relay this information." Keelah@crystyll nods, "I understand. Such crimes would see equal punishment by the Federation also." Keelah@crystyll smiles, "If nothing else, this has prompted us to share valuable current intelligence with you on their situation" NPC@annpc#5570 nods, "Indeed it has. The Administration appreciates this update." Keelah@crystyll: "What are friends for" she smiles, "As to the group here, I will not be looking to make contact with them. With proper context now applied to the circumstances I see no favourable outcome from any + Keelah@crystyll: + such correspondence" NPC@annpc#5570: "We will proceed on with our travel, then." Keelah@crystyll: "Yes, we'll complete our survey of the star system then resume course" NPC@annpc#5570: "Let us know when you are ready to depart, and I will give the signal for our vessel to continue on." Keelah@crystyll nods, "By all means. In the meantime, if you or your analysts want to further study our encounter with the Forli, I invite you to do so. It may present an intersting study on our ways" NPC@annpc#5570: "I expect some of our Analysts will be interested to learn more." Keelah@crystyll: "My staff will be accommodating as always. Well, if there is nothing more?" NPC@annpc#5570 nods and stands, "That is all." Keelah@crystyll dips her head, "Excellent. I will update you when we are ready to depart then" NPC@annpc#5570 turns and heads out of the ready room.

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Stardate 95916.5 Today saw the first of our Judgement trials, be it happenchance or orchestrated though, I can not say for certain. We moved to conduct a standard survey of a star system we were passing with 2LY of. Largely unremarkable in and of itself, we focused on a Mutara class planet seeing it as an opportunity to demonstrate LCDR Lendaria's research teams at their finest. However, close inspection of the planet revealed the presence of what appeared to be a pre-warp society with some unusual inconsistencies. As well as finding orbital debris, the population size & distribution was unusually minimal given the technology level detected on the surface. Further to this was the confirmation of Forli lifesigns. We soon came to the realization that these were survivors from a destroyed vessel, a fact confirmed by the Evaluator. Further discussion with the Evaluator revealed that this particular group of Forli had failed Regulator Judgement after attempting to Regulated space and forcefully seize their technology. This led to a lengthy discussion and valuable insight into the Judgement process, not to mention the fate which awaited us should they decide we were unworthy... This did however prompt me to show willing with the Evaluator by sharing with him some valuable insights we gained through our own recent interactions with the Forli & Trinity Alliance. In addition to providing our hosts with valuable information pertaining to a species they previously deemed unfit, it also afforded me the opportunity to showcase our own capability in influencing societal development as I presented details of our journey through that region. Although the Evaulator invited us to open communications with the Forli colony, I opted to decline. Despite a desire to reach out and offer reassurances to them, I felt that doing so would only lead to further turmoil for those held unwillingly on the planet through the illusion of false hope. Instead, I have opted to consider this a penal colony of sorts. Given that these Forli were found to be making an aggressive move against the Regulators, I do not see this as a stretch of perception. With our survey concluded, we continued on our way across Regulated space with a newfound level of understanding. I can only hope that the Evaluator feels the same.