Official Releases: Starbase 72

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• David Member

  May 2021

  Week of May 30, 2021: "Increasing Tensions"

  [Starbase 72 - Runabout Hanger]
  Captain Mortcombe circled around the Danube-class runabout that had just returned to the starbase after a mission in the Former Demilitarized Zone. The Missouri River had only been tasked with delivering medical supplies to one of the smaller colonies there, but it had come back with blast marks from True Way vessels. Luckily, the pilot had managed to fend them off--Hideki-class patrol ships weren't stellar combatants in the best of circumstances, let alone in the hands of an organization like the True Way that couldn't keep them in top shape. Still, he didn't like a milk run turning into a situation where his people might get hurt. The DMZ was now firmly in Federation space, but it now had the inverse of the Maquis problem of so long ago: this time it was the Cardassians resenting now living within the Federation, rather than Federation colonists chafing under Cardassian rule. Given that the Federation was not a xenophobic, totalitarian regime, he didn't see what there was to be so upset about on their side, but the True Way had become increasingly aggressive in recent months.
  
  After taking notes on the condition of the runabout, Mortcombe walked out of the hanger for the short journey to the station's main operations center, which was in the center of the 'north' hanger trench in the spacedock. Commodore Jalian was there watching ships come and go on the massive holographic display in the center of the room.
  
  "How's our runabout?" the commodore asked.
  
  "It'll take the technicians a day or so to get her back into shape, but there isn't any major damage. I'm concerned about sending more runabouts into the DMZ, though," Mortcombe replied.
  
  "Yes. With Task Force 72 stretched thin, there's not a lot we can do in terms of sending in actual starships, though, and these shipments have to get where they're going," Jalian replied. With a wave of her hand, the Saurian switched the display to show the sector-wide plot rather than the local plot around the station. "We have to keep sending our runabouts on these supply runs, but I think we can... what's the phrase you Humans use? Pork up their security?"
  
  Mortcombe cleared his throat. "'Beef up,' ma'am. We could equip the Danubes with their torpedo pods. Our New Atlantics are already running with enhanced tactical systems," the captain suggested.
  
  "Hm. Good. Do that. I also want us to increase the frequency of our scout patrols of the region and divert more power to the long-range sensors. Part of our problem is not knowing where or when the True Way is going to strike and we need to solve that," Commodore Jalian replied.
  
  "Understood. It might also be prudent to dispatch engineers to set up remote sensing platforms on some of these more remote colonies that don't have robust defenses."
  
  "Yes. I agree. Make it happen, Captain Mortcombe."
  
  Implications & Story Ideas
  

  • The former DMZ is once again a dangerous place, especially if you're flying a runabout carrying valuable cargo like medicine or technical supplies. Most of Starbase 72's runabouts are being used for cargo deliveries to the most remote colonies within the DMZ. They are carrying critical equipment and supplies that can't be replicated. The runabout in this story barely made it back.
  • It's not just equipment and material that these colonies need; they're short on doctors, engineers, and trained tactical officers, so you might write about medical treatment, infrastructure improvements, or defense against raiders.
  • Starbase 72 also has a number of Orion-class scouts that you could use to help the starbase locate True Way forces. They're fast and can defend themselves, but they're not craft you'd want to purposefully take into combat. If you'd like to write a more engineering-heavy story, consider setting up a sensor array on a backwater colony to help improve our detection abilities. You might also fix an existing one, or even defend one from attack!