Peacekeepers of the Vast/Operation Crow and Pitcher

Template:TOCrightOperation Crow and Pitcher was a Peacekeeper-led investigation into the incursion of the United Empire into Interstellar League space, and the details of it remain highly classified.

//*SECURITY CLEARANCE GRANTED*//

Initial Operation

After learning of the detection of deep-space signals near Terhav VI headed into the United Empire, as well as reviewing information from the Ganymede Collapse, Peacekeeper HQ jointly worked with the Interstellar League Expeditionary Service to covertly send two cruisers into the buffer zone at the edge of ISL-controlled space. These vessels, the SUIV Endeavor and the TFEV Calm Waters, encountered a megastructure anchored in hyperspace. This structure, large enough to be on a Dyson-sphere scale, surpassed all ISL member state's currently known technology, and apparently captured the two cruisers through the use of a sophisticated technosapience virus. They were unable to request assistance and would have been feared lost.

Secondary Crew

The crew of the Phonoi was also tasked with investigating the source of these signals. This particular ship was selected for their service record and their history of encounters with Singularity, a UE agent the crew apprehended. Specifically, their mission goals were given as the following:

Mission Objectives

Determine how UE has infiltrated us

Determine how we can infiltrate UE

Options for Retaliatory strike

Figure out what's happened to the boats out there

The Phonoi stopped at Terhav VI, and used their established contacts to prepare for an arduous journey into the smaller buffer states to hunt down the United Empire's point of entry. However, while en route to a probable border state with ties to the United Empire, the crew of the Phonoi deduced the likely location of the vessels, given their rendezvous point, vectors of travel, and an analysis of data available on the United Empire's tactics and behaviors. With a little luck, the Phonoi happened upon the two ISL vessels. Or, rather, they first happened on the UE megastructure.

Combat and Recovery

Given the extraordinary size and function of the megastructure, the crew of the Phonoi deduced it was a United Empire listening outpost of some sort, using extraordinary technologies to anchor it in the strange red of hyperspace. The structure was heavily dampening its outgoing radiation and signal, and so the Phonoi attempted to actively scan it. This resulted in the megastructure opening fire with lightspeed weapons, damaging the Phonoi and causing the crew to perform an emergency drop.

After outmaneuvering a sensor net, the Phonoi returned to hyperspace after launching a 'screamer' probe. In hyperspace, the Phonoi made contact with the two cruisers while avoiding detection from the megastructure. Both vessels were undamaged but disabled. As the Phonoi attempted to make contact with the ships, it was fired upon by the Calm Waters, whose geist had been taken over by a technosapient virus.

The Professor quickly hacked into and disabled the weapons on the Calm Waters, while Picasso and Tiny navigated the snub-fighter and TAG suit onboard the Phonoi to infiltrate the Calm Waters via smashing through the hull of the vessel with the TAG. Picasso then navigated to the Endeavor, while the Profesor and Quadrant provided logistical support, overwatch, and remote hacking solutions. While Picasso was onboard the Endeavor, he came across an additional Peacekeeper field agent, Orla, who provided additional support to retaking the ship with minimal damage. Tiny, meanwhile, managed to destroy the infected computer core in the main computer core (with some timely assistance from le Prof) but not without dealing significant damage to the electronic subsystems of the Calm Waters, leading to some difficulties in returning the vessel to ISL space.

De-Escalation

The Phonoi was approached by a medium vessel of unknown make after regaining control of the cruisers, which parlayed the request of the megastructure - leave now, peaceably, or face a stronger retaliatory force. The captains of both cruisers, as well as the crew of the Phonoi, accepted the offer and departed after completing minimal stationkeeping repairs to the Calm Waters. Both vessels were returned to ISL space, and some of the significant power of the UE was laid bare.