This is just a small collection of notes and knowledge to help you gather information on the Spartan and the galaxy as this particular group of writers will experience it.

Events to know in the Spartan Universe

Stardate of Launch: March 4^th, 2380

Location: Utopia Planitia Shipyard in Earth Orbit

Crew must report by: March 2^nd, 2380

Political Situation

The Federation is, at the moment, peaceful. There are no threats known beyond the borders of the UFP, though there has been increased activity in the Romulan Empire following the attempted coup (Star Trek Nemesis), it success and then it’s failure when the Romulan August Body reclaimed their power from the Remans. The Romulan Empire has opened talks, again, with the UFP and has hearkened back to the Alliance forged during the war with the Dominion.

The Ferengi appear to be engaged in some sort of internal conflict, which has invited a nearby alien civilization called the N’thon to take advantage and launch an invasion. Though the Ferengi have not asked for assistance, and the UFP is not likely to vote to help should they ask, some Starfleet vessels have been dispatched to that border to prevent their conflict from spilling into UFP space.

The Klingon Empire shows an unexpected growth and has begun to expand to the Galactic South and South East, along the outer rim edge of the Federation territory there. They have discovered a new nebula in that region that blankets several sectors of space and though barely visible from a distance seem to hold several worlds high in resources. This has unfortunately brought them into minor conflict with the Gorn Hegemony, which has been quick to respond with force. There is talk of another conflict on the horizon that may require Starfleet assistance.

Bajor has become a Federation Member World, at the direction of the Prophets and as such is beginning to reap the benefits such an alliance brings. One of which has been increased trade through the wormhole and to their world. Bajor becomes rich and prosperous and is becoming once again known for its culture and philosophical sophistication.

Cardassia works with the Federation in an ongoing process to create an Alliance that they’re happy with but now in its third year of negotiations, many feel it is hopeless. The Federation came to the aid of Cardassia following the razing of the planet by Dominion forces at the end of the war and has given then a tremendous boost to their economy and their industry. However, the ecological damage to their home world and many of their colonies, added to their bad reputation with many subsidiary species, makes their recovery much longer than it could be. Though the treaty has yet to be hammered out and ratified, several Federation Citizens of Cardassian descent have entered Starfleet, of which a few work towards the eventual ratification of a treaty.

The Am of Delta Prime, the Theocratic body of the Deltan race, announced that they were allowing several members of their sect to join Starfleet I they were so inclined. Starfleet Command jumped at the opportunity, as no Deltans save for the (in)famous Dr. Thessyr Tal had entered Starfleet or had congress with it since the death of Alia in the mid 23^rd century. Upon the agreement worked out with Starfleet, in which those so qualified would be able to take entrance exams to qualify and classes to familiarize them with Starfleet protocols, four-hundred and fifty-eight Deltans tested and passed the Starfleet entrance exams easily. Of these, three hundred and forty-none of these went into Medical or Counseling and a few into Diplomatic Services. The remainder entered Engineering and to the surprise of many on the council, Security. After completing their entrance exams, the already well-educated Deltan’s were given placement exams to determine the extent of training required to graduate from Starfleet Academy. Many of those so place required only a year or so to “polish” their already advanced educations.

Late last year, due to the discovery of a Borg beachhead in the Telis Mining system, Starfleet issued a general alert and sent the USS Shrike, USS Nikiski and an unspecified Klingon Attack vessel into the area to investigate and if able, destroy the forces there. The Shrike and Nikiski engaged two Borg cubes and damaged them severely. Then a small squadron of Tactical Spheres emerged from the transwarp conduit and engaged the Shrike and Nikiski, ultimately destroying the Nikiski and damaging the Shrike. During this the Klingon vessel, an upgraded Vor’Cha, engaged the damaged Borg cubes and managed to destroy one and badly damaged the other. The USS Nikiski, before her demise, was able to damage the internal support structure of the transwarp conduit and cause it to collapse and driving a huge subspace surge back through it to its originator. The resultant subspace shockwave thinned the subspace curvature in the area so sharply that warp travel became impossible to a radius of four parsecs. This area also does not allow subspace communication to move through, in or out of it and has been designated the Telis Sargasso (the term “Sargasso” is credited to Don, creator of the USS Avalon).

It took nearly two weeks for the USS Shrike to limp out of the Sargasso under impulse with the remainder of the Nikiski’s crew aboard. The Shrike returned to Sector 001 for repairs and debriefing and the Captain of the Nikiski, Captain Frost, was assigned to the Shrike as her XO.

On the Home Front

Orion Syndicate activity has been quiet for almost a year until suddenly a burst of activity and a number of reported deaths in late 2378 caused Starfleet Security and Internal Affairs to sit up and take notice. Reportedly thousands of beings died in messy battles and what appeared to be battles between factions. Several Starfleet vessels were dispatched to intercept some of these forces and met with limited success, though what success they had was attributed to cooperation with local planetary and Starbase security personnel.

Because of the political aftermath of this kind of outbreak of violence, Internal Affairs, Starfleet Ssecurity and several Planetary security organizations met and worked out what is now called the Gendarme Project. Named for the Terran French word for “Police”, this project created a force of Planetary, Starbase and Fleet-engaged Criminal Management and Rescue organization that would work with Starfleet yet operate as a separate body. The new Gendarme Project would work as the new Law Enforcement Arm of the Federation Judiciary Body in the enforcement of Law, capture and detainment of criminals and the Search and Rescue efforts that all Fleet vessels are required to respond to. In this way freeing up much of the Fleet resources required for rescue operations that often took vital larger vessels away from problems and issues they would be more suited for elsewhere.

The class of ships chosen for this type of mission profile would be a refit version of the Nova hull, which with it’s adequate size, upgraded speed, limited weapons and interchangeable internal configuration made then suited for various mission profiles of this sort. They were also short mission duration vessels and would be well suited to a roving circuit of patrol about the entirety of the Federation.

So in mid-2379, Utopia Planitia shipyards began the refit of the USS Ikari to the new Gendarme specifications. The launch date for the new USS Spartan, the first ship of the new type, was set for March 4^th, 2380.