Delta Quadrant Briefing - Part 2: The Gradin Belt
[Starbase Bravo - Meeting Room A]
[Day 02 - 0930 Hours]
After Admiral Knox's brief overview of the Delta Quadrant, he moved over to the side of the stage and sat down next to his Chief of Staff and Fleet Captain Hayden, who were both waiting in the wings, before he called for the computer to activate a program. Behind the podium, a Vulcan wearing the insignia of a Fleet Captain came into existence, a message that was pre-recorded due to the technical issues surrounding realtime contact with the Delta Quadrant.
"Good morning. I am Fleet Captain V'Sal, reporting from the Gradin Belt. For the last five years, I have been in command of Starfleet's exploratory and diplomatic efforts in the field. I am delivering this briefing in a pre-recorded format as it was impractical to return to the Alpha Quadrant in person," the hologram said. Maps on the screens behind him switched to a map of the Gradin Belt.
"As you can see from this map, the Gradin Belt is a nexus point for a number of different powerful races, including the Malon, the Turei, the Devore, the Hirogen, and the Hierarchy. These powers generally exist peacefully with one another, but the space between them is populated by smaller powers and it tends to be more chaotic. The technology level in this region is generally comparable or superior to our own," he said before he started to go into detail about every race in the region, including their shipbuilding abilities and technology.
"Finally, I'd like to bring up the Turei: they are a mid-sized power in the center of the belt and have good relations with most of the other powers. They are unique for their control of Underspace, a sub-subspace realm that allows faster-than-warp travel throughout the quadrant. We have been in negotiations with them for several years now, and they have finally agreed to send an ambassador through to Starbase 38, who will be accompanying me aboard the Seleya when I end my tour in this quadrant and am replaced by Captain Ransom of the Elysion in the field. Our objective is to secure a route to the Swallow Nebula through underspace, so that we can send a ship through to assess the region, before conducting more extensive operations there--I believe that is the subject of Admiral Knox's briefing later this morning, though."
"This hologram is programmed to answer questions about this area of space, and the admiral has allotted ten minutes for that," the program said, standing still after it finished its 45-minute briefing.
A post by
Fleet Captain V'Sal (Hologram)
Commander, Explorer Group 381
Commanding Officer, USS Seleya
OOC: Feel free to ask IC questions about the Gradin Belt. 
Comments
"The Malon." Admiral T'Vrell said after standing. "Voyager's reports indicated that they have a habit of releasing deadly radiation near inhabitable worlds. How are they maintaining good relations with their neighbors, given this? What do they have to offer?"
-Tia, Bravo Fleet Loremaster
Player of:
Rear Admiral T'Vrell, Chief of Intelligence, Fourth Fleet
Commander Eden Seraphina Enigma, Commanding Officer, The Reliquary
Commander Erika Marie Tatsu, Chief of Staff to Admiral T'Vrell
“The Malon use a subspace vortex to transport the bulk of their waste to the Swallow Nebula. Otherwise, their ships are heavily armed with weapons based on their wasteful industrial practices,” the program responded. “Admiral Tondro has offered them technology to eliminate this waste, but it has not been universally accepted by their society: waste disposal is highly lucrative and a great incentive for outsiders to avoid Malon ships.”
After the hologram of Fleet Captain V'Sal had answered Admiral T'Vrell's question, Ransom stood. "Captain Ransom, Elysion. Fleet Captain V'Sal - thank you for highlighting the key players in the Gradin Belt. Following your tour, which of those would you class as being most sympathetic towards the Federation, and which of them should I expect to be less... amenable once I get there?"
"I would not wish to classify any of the major powers in the Gradin Belt as being particularly sympathetic towards the Federation's aims, Captain. The Turei are open to negotiations, but most of the other powers range from isolationist to directly xenophobic, especially the Hirogen. Minor powers such as the Kartelans are often more amenable to Starfleet's presence," V'Sal replied. "What generally keeps our vessels safe is the knowledge that the Federation is significantly more powerful than any of the powers in the region, though this is largely a bluff since we're not willing to commit substantial tactical resources to the Gradin Belt."
Jonas hesitated before asking his question, but decided to ask anyway. "Is there a plan to establish a more permanent presence in the Gradin Belt, i.e. placing a space station as a defense and resupply point at the Gradin Belt end of the wormhole?'
"No." The answer from the hologram was clear and unambiguous. "Other than relay stations, current policy forbids the construction of permanent crewed facilities in the Delta Quadrant."
Jonas thought about the bluntness of the reply, but then realized that the answer was projected off of pre-recorded answers. It may have been too obvious of an answer, but it did reinforce Jonas' impression that he had after the first part of the briefing, that ships sent into the Delta Quadrant would be larger and more self-sufficient than he had originally envisioned. But then, the admirals would do what they would do and whether he was sent in a Wallace or an Odyssey, he would do his job to the best of his abilities with whatever they sent him to do it.