Season 14, Episode 1: Treasonous Assertion (Discussion)

[Tekin Nevir]

Welcome to a new season of Discovery!  In this season, the story arc ("Dawn of the New Republic") will be centered around the Romulus Republic becoming the official power of the Romulans.  We've got a lot lined up, and some new and old faces for you to enjoy.

This first mission, remember to ask questions here if you are confused, lost, or unsure.

Episode 1 – Treasonous Assertion - by Tekin Nevir

Prologue: The Discovery is en route to the Tryka System with the Praetor of the New Romulus Republic. A conference will be taking place on the Discovery as a neutral party for the negotiation between New Romulus and the Deutsu Alliance to join as one sovereign power.  This is the first step in making the New Romulus Republic the legitimate government of the Romulan region.

Everything seems to be going well, until a hail comes in from the Tryka System, informing them that the negotiations have been cancelled by order of both the Alliance and the Republic, and the Discovery is given the demand to continue onto the system and then surrender.

The charges?  Kidnapping, assault, and murder.

We are currently starting en route.  I will let Ops know when the message comes in... we don't want to rush things, thats no fun.

[T'Lara]

Lots of tags in the meeting, but to Safefta Pardek in particular

[Tekin Nevir]

Summary of current evidence:

Visual:
• From the Warbird T'Chunh:
○ The Discovery warps into the system and arrives past the ship as it docks with the station.  There is no activity until the timestamp of the attack, when the Discovery suddenly separates Alpha and Gamma hulls, and the three make a strafing run on the station before firing down on the planet, and then rejoining.  Discovery heads out of the system under disrupter fire, and then warps out.
• From surveillance satellite:
○ It is the same visual as the ship, but from an opposite angle.  Here the Discovery is seen in greater detail as it attacks and heads off past the satellite.
• Station Exterior:
○ View from near the docking port itself, starts off with the Discovery docking at the station.  No activity until the attack, when lights around the docking port start flashing red.  The ship is seen separating, and while two of the pieces begin targetted attacks on the station, the last part of the ship forcibly breaks away from the docking port.  Heavy damage is seen on the station itself as the Discovery slips out of view of the camera.
• Station Interior:
○ 6 feeds, one showing the banquet hall, one showing a conference room, one with the docking port, two hallways, and an engineering junction.
§ Docking Port - View of Praetor leaving with escort, and then view of the docking port exploding.
§ Banquet Hall: Dignitaries meeting and mingling is disrupted by the doors opening and a 5 man team of Federation security officers coming in and attacking. There are clearly targets being sought for.  The team finishes their assault, taps badge for a beam out, and then the hall has an explosion from the outside.
§ Conference Room - Three leaders of the Deutus alliance meeting separately.  Door to the room forced open by 5 man security team and they enter, attacking the three men.  The man at the head of the table is wounded, but show an officer walking over to him, whisper something, and then shoot him in the back, pushing the dead man onto the table.  The team then beams out.
§ Engineering junction - Two engineers and three security officers make it to the junction, and plant a device on the console to allow them access to the systems.  Station sensors, shields, and weapons are disabled before the team beams out.  Console overloads and explodes.
□ Nira Said's face is shown on this team
§ Hallways: both show Federation teams of 5 moving through, and gunning down guards.  At one point, one of the teams comes to a locked door.  Here they put a device on the door, tap controls, and then the door opens.  After a certain point, the temps either leave camera, or beam out from their spot.

Sensory:
• Station Sensors: Highly damaged, but show what is identified as the Discovery docking.  There is a flash of an error, but otherwise the data itself is irretrievable.  Evidence used is confirmation of the Discovery docking.
• Ship Sensors: Full detailed scans showing the crew lifesigns and ship systems.
○ Issue: Ship appears to be devoid of damage or repair, almost like it was completely refit before it left Earth.  This obviously did not happen.
• Station Alerts: Phaser weapon discharge detected, attempted to go into Station Alert, attempt failed.  Comm panel activated in Banquet Hall, message irretrievable.  Structural Damage, analysis shows photon torpedoes.  Areas Affected: Banquet Hall, Conference Room, adjoining living spaces and meeting rooms.  Extreme stress to docking port.  Docking integrity failed.

Physical:
• Federation Door Override Device: maglocks disable.  Item was caught in an explosion.
• Federation Torpedo: Federation Make, serial number shows registered to the USS Discovery
○ Issue: All Discovery weapons accounted for.
○ Issue: Serial Number goes to torpedo declared lost several months ago as a result of pirate attacks in the former Neutral Zone.
• Damage hull samples: shows dispersal pattern consistent with phase weapons.  Residual ions on pieces show it was phase and not disrupter.
• Autopsy: Leader of Alliance, 2 Commanders of the Alliance, 4 Commanders of the Republic , 2 Republic Diplomats.  Cause of death is phase weapon discharge set at above stun.  Leader has second entry point from back; died execution style.

Locations:

• Station - The space station in orbit of the planet is the hub where both the trial is being held, and where the main portion of the attack occurred.  Damage is confined to the side of the station, destroying the conference room, banquet hall, and a half dozen offices.  The areas are currently off limits to non-official visits, and are protected by force fields.
• Surface - The Alliance main headquarters in Tryka's capital city, the facility was of an ornate design reminiscent of the old Empire, a smaller version of the Imperial Senate.  Sixty percent of the building was destroyed in a bombardment blamed on Discovery, but the superstructure itself remained intact.  The facility is being used still for the Alliance, though right now there is an interim council. 

Additional Facts:
• The Praetor of the New Romulan Republic was found in a comatose state when brought on board the station.  Accusations stand that she was in such a state before and during rescue.
• The Discovery would have arrived the day before like shown, however during the trip a neutron star passing through the region forced the Discovery to alter course and slow down.
Captain had a message sent ahead of them explaining the delay.  Message was shown to be transmitted and received.  Station shows no record of message.

This will be added to as others discover information.  Feel free to ask questions here about the evidence as part of investigations.