Rihannsu - Dominion Battle Abort and Time Loop

[Joy 0]

Subject : Rihannsu - Dominion Battle Abort and Time Loop

From : Joy Eight

To : Ambassador Gem Rhee, San Francisco

CC : Ambassador Joy Seven, San Francisco; Ambassador Joy Two, Aegis

Encryption : UFP : 88D

Precedence : Flash

 

The battle between the Rihannsu and apparent 'Dominion' force was abruptly aborted when some interaction between the two force's technology combined to create a major energy wave front and time loop effect. Cardassia III and Aegis Station were destroyed several times and the system's sun went nova once before the Rihannsu found a way of breaking the time loop without a major lasting effect. As of now, the time loop seems ended. There were some casualties among the Rihannsu and 'Dominion' fleets inflicted before the time loop. Both fleets are damaged but operational. None of the damage from the energy wave front survived in this time line, though other time lines were observed.

 

The 'Dominion' force fled the time loop effect, and does not seem to be returning. The Rihannsu do not seem eager to pursue. For the moment, at least, the conflict seems to have been suspended. Everyone in system has memories of at least one death. The area of effect of the time loop has not yet been determined, but would include at least the entire Cardassia Prime system.

 

Long term implications are unknown. It seems clear that someone, whomever was behind the apparent 'Dominion' force, intended to start a war. War suddenly doesn't seem like such a good idea. I suspect the tension between the Federation and Rihannsu is likely to ease. There does not seem to be a need for urgent reinforcement, though major acts of war have been committed, and a still operational hostile fleet is in the area.

[Joy 0]

Subject : Search, Rescue & Witness

From : Joy Eight, USS Mudd

To : Hes'tral t'Oryla

CC : Joy Two, Aegis

 

Hes'tral

 

I suspect you have sufficient resources at hand that one courier scout will not make a large difference, but we are required to prevent the loss of sentient lives, and thus an offer of search and rescue support is proper from our perspective.

 

Two and I are also most curious as to what race is crewing the Dominion ships. Even if rescue support is not required, you might wish a witness.

 

Joy

[Joy 0]

Gloria Fulton of Galactic Network News considered herself to be a professional. She did manage to hold her sensor-recorder steady, her 20 megawatt smile active, while every single blonde hair was still in place. She wasn't quite sure, however, that she could convey to her viewing audience that she understood what Ambassador Joy had just said. She was a reporter, not a astrophysicist. "Could you simplify that somewhat, ambassador?"

 

Joy Two parsed what she had just said. OK. Perhaps her more exotic theories ought to be held up, waiting for the science conference that would likely be called to analyze the disaster. Simplify. "The Rihannsu were fighting someone in Dominion ships. There was a large explosion, physically comparable in power to Praxis. The explosion also created at least five alternate realities. People in system may have memories of things that happened in all five mirror universes, but the physical reality we are now living in has extended from the least damaging of the possibilities. In this reality, the energy wave was greatly weakened by the Rihannsu, Aegis did not take any damage, the station is entirely intact and undamaged, Cardassia III is entirely intact, and the Cardassia Prime sun was not effected at all.

 

"In short," Joy concluded, "in our current timeline, the only timeline we have real reason to care about, the explosion was a dud, but people in the system have memories of other realities where the explosion was very powerful."

 

"Is the situation likely to repeat?"

 

"Rihannsu have fought Dominion technology many times. It has not happened before. Perhaps one fleet or another has developed something new. If so, the results pleased neither fleet commander. The two fleets were battling with the intensity one would expect in a Rihannsu Dominion encounter. After the explosion, both commanders broke off the engagement. I don't expect anyone is pleased with what happened, though there is no net damage done in this the only observable reality."

 

Gloria considered. "An absolutely harmless doomsday weapon?"

 

Joy shook her head. "We don't even know if it was a designed weapon or a freak accident. Regardless, negotiations among rational races to prevent anything similar from occurring again seems worth considering."

 

"What were the two fleets fighting about?"

 

"It seems very likely that whomever planted the terrorist bombs, and whomever is behind the Dominion equipped fleet, wishes to start a war. It seems likely that one group is behind both incidents. At the moment, we do not even know who crewed the attacking fleet, though this is likely to change soon. We do not know their intentions, though they are clearly using both deception and violence. They have committed acts of war against Cardassia, the Federation and the Rihannsu, among others.

 

"The Rihannsu have recently expressed the desire to honor the alliance that won the Dominion war. They have an obligation to defend Cardassia while they are occupying part of it, and while the alliance is limiting the size of Cardassia's military. They might also have a historical dislike for most anyone who shows up uninvited in Dominion ships. I do not know for certain which of these reasons, or what other reasons, might have motivated the Rihannsu. I suspect they will be making their own announcements in time."

 

"The Dominion proper is rather distant. Could they really support a fleet operating this far from Gamma Quadrant?"

 

"That is a good question," responded Joy. "I am reluctant, however, to openly conjecture on who is behind the Dominion technology fleet. We are likely to learn more when we examine the wreckage of some of the attacking ships."

 

"What role did the Federation take in the battle?"

 

"None," said Joy. "The Federation did not engage."

 

"Why was that?"

 

"You had best speak with Starfleet for that. Their relations with the Rihannsu were strained at the time of conflict. I know Mudd picked up a signal that we interpreted as a possible threat, or, given hindsight, it may have been a feint or decoy. That might also have played a role. There may have been other considerations as well."

 

"We have also heard stories of abusive behavior towards civilians by Starfleet personnel. Have you any comment?"

 

"Starfleet should honor and respect the Guaranteed Rights of Sentient Beings. However, when there is a clear and present danger, it is quite proper for Starfleet to declare a state of emergency. In this case, they declared a Class Two Alert. The Guarantees can quite properly be suspended in the interests of public safety. An ongoing major fleet action certainly counts as a clear an present danger. I saw nothing in the shelter area during the battle which I would call abusive. Still, since I have been here, Starfleet has acted as if a state of emergency is permanently in place, when no clear and present danger has been perceivable. The diplomatic corps has had our own problems, similar to a few of the circulating civilian stories. While I would urge civilians to honor Starfleet's directives during an emergency, I can also understand civilian frustration at Starfleet's constant ongoing use of emergency powers."

 

"Thank you, Ambassador Joy. This is Gloria Fulton, reporting from Sky Harbor Aegis."