S01E03 - Lucifer’s Ring

Mission 2 (S01E03) - Lucifer’s Ring

STARFLEET MISSION LOG – USS RHEA NCC-80110
Stardate 81330.6
Location: Grid Delta-M (27-M), Annulos Diablo – Local Designation: “Lucifer’s Ring”

Supervising officer: Lt.Cmdr Shris Sosalis
Mission: 002 - Good Smugglers Make Great Neighbors

MISSION LOG ENTRY – AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY

Compiled by: Mission Operations Division, Heimdahl AI Support System (Nyx Oversight)
Supplementary review pending: Lt.Cmdr. Shris Sosalis

Post-Mission Recovery & Commendation

Following the hazardous encounter at TV'Rall, Away Team 6 officers were granted 72 hours of rest and repair. Notable injuries included Class-2 disruptor burns across torsos and limbs, primarily sustained by Lt. Cmdr. Shris Sosalis during close-quarters defense.

Subsequent commendation ceremony held in Ten Forward. Under quiet recognition, Lt. Aze received the Silver Pulse Commendation for tactical subversion of hostile exo-weaponry. Presentation authorized by CO and officiated by XO & Lt.Cmdr Shris Sosalis per Commendation Protocol 237.4-β.

Mission Briefing: Operation Outreach

Objective: Infiltrate and assess the illicit trade nexus known as “Lucifer’s Ring”—a salvaged urban sprawl built from derelict starships and semi-functional tech grids. Mission parameters classified under Tier-3 Diplomatic Covert Mandate.

Assigned Objectives:

1. Diplomatic Outreach – Establish provisional communication with local authority structures.
2. Supply Verification – Investigate unauthorized Federation tech trade.
3. Discrepancy Reconciliation – Identify manifest conflicts in internal vs. external reports.
4. Covert Exposure of Smuggling Ring – Identify key operatives in “The Ring” without damaging diplomatic channels.

Environmental Briefing:

• Infrastructure consists of hybridized salvage, limited regulatory logic.
• Power signatures inconsistent; several readings suggest hazardous containment lapses (analysis: Lt.Jg. Lon Taril).
• Centralized medical node appears legitimate (Lt.Jg. Berza Vanel), outer clinics show signs of augmentation experimentation.

Defensive matrix features automated turret emplacements. Entry strategy developed by Lt. Cmdr. Shris: identified firing blind spots for ingress.

Pre-Mission Complications

Lt. Jg Alissa queried the briefing officer on prior Federation attempts. Received obfuscated information. Post-briefing, private interrogation conducted: actual data revealed five prior contact teams—none returned whole. Risk escalation acknowledged.

Lt.Jg Berza requested replication access for undercover attire; denied by Chief of Security. Alternative solutions pursued.

Operational Deployment

Per Starfleet Intelligence fallback contact protocols, Lt.Jg Alissa leveraged informant asset Stephen “Steve” McStevenson. Shuttle procured: Type-Alpha Ferengi transport—unsanitary, structurally compromised. Launch sequence nearly resulted in crash due to destabilized inertial dampeners. Crew recovered control; landed marginally intact on destination.

Team division:

• Uniformed Team: Shris, Lon, Berza (exited via west gate).
• Undercover Team: Alissa, Pax, Aze (exited via east gate, non-regulation attire—will trigger report review flags).

UNIFORMED TEAM ENGAGEMENT

Initial contact: “Bumpers”—worker class employing subtle pickpocket methods. Phasers removed without detection.

Enter: Vael “Glassjack” Saren – suspected local syndicate node. Psychosocial profile: charismatic, kinetic, highly tactile. Physical contact used to distract and extract combadges and Shris' bat’leth. Public show orchestrated with local performance troupe, “Shiners,” to maximize sensory overload.

Lt. Cmdr. Shris initiated confrontation upon discovering the loss. Physical intimidation attempted; Saren diffused via calculated display of local superiority. One hostility counter triggered on local “Disposition Clock.”

Vael invited officers to Sphincter Inn, a garish cantina favored by lower-tier syndicate figures. Conversation turned toward possible cooperation.

Key Intelligence Extracted:

• Vael opposes trafficking of sentient beings and organ trade.
• Willing to offer names and parts—conditional on Starfleet intervention.
• Highlights possibility of deeper syndicate splintering and internal opposition factions.

Lt. Cmdr. Shris' diplomatic tone logged as effective—two points gained on the “Friendly Disposition Clock.”

Team consumed non-syntheholic spirits. Lt. Berza displayed minor motor instability upon standing. Medical concern logged.

UNDERCOVER TEAM OPERATIONS

Lt.Jg Pax identified a Class-3 Cloaking Emitter—tagged and remotely flagged via transporter beacon. Communication uplink initiated to stealth support unit outside perimeter. Effective stealth ops confirmed.

Lt. Aze—posing as illicit arms dealer—entered local dive. Attempted to initiate black-market disruptor sale: 10 units for 2,500 GPL. Contact promised crate collection upon future rendezvous.

Lt.Jg. Alissa met Lizz, an unaffiliated local engineer. Lizz appeared intoxicated; deferred assistance with shuttle repairs until sobriety restored. Notably, this interaction produced one tick on “Happy Disposition Clock.”