OSFI Orestes Sector Situational Report

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Orestes Sector Map


  • NAME: Orestes


  • GENERAL LOCATION: Gold Fleet Area of Operations, z +25 ly from the galactic plane


  • SUMMARY:

The Orestes Sector is a sector of space that overlaps the political boundaries of three major star-faring governments- the Federation, the Romulan Star Empire, and the Gorn Hegemony- almost 150 light years to the galactic south of the location of Deep Space 13. It rests about 25 light-years above the galactic plane.

Orestes- until recently- had been a relatively unremarkable sector aside from sporting 10 Class-M planets, as these planets had no indigenous intelligent life. Its chief notoriety had been as a main junction of the shipping lanes in the area, which gave rise to trade union activity and resort enterprises (1). However, recent events have changed brought this sector out of its cozy anonymity and onto Star Fleet's sensor screens.


  • Merchant/Trader Conflicts

In recent months, a political and business conflict on between two of the area's most prominent unions- the United Merchant's Group and the Trader's Union- has threatened to spill over into armed conflict. This conflict, primarily over costs and expenses, has brought more militant factions of the Trader's Union, led by Union vice president Rowena DeSoto, to prominence. No armed conflicts have broken out between the groups as of yet. (1)


  • Pirate Activity

In the months since the destruction of Deep Space 13, piracy has increased along the shipping lanes in the Orestes sector due to the weakened Starfleet presence. Starfleet has reassigned USS Circe to the KRIMA Area of Operation partially in response to this increased activity (1).


  • Woren and Lehrren Interests

Wreckage identified as Woren and Lehrren equipment and starships have been found on three of the class-M worlds within Orestes (2). This points to the expansion of the Woren/Lehrren conflict outside traditional Woren and Lehrren space- which is on the fringes of the Milky Way galaxy, roughly 40,000 to 60,000 light years away from Federation space (3). Further scans have detected a stable wormhole within Orestes, presumably leading into Woren/Lehrren space.

It should be noted that the wormhole found by TITANIA over four years ago was unstable, and was located within the Goliath Nebula, located about one light-year to the galactic south of Deep Space 13's former location. That means that this stable wormhole- possibly created BY the Woren (who had such technology at the time of TITANIA's encounter)- is over 20 light-years from the location of the unstable wormhole found by TITANIA.

For further details on the Woren/Lehrren conflict, consult the DS13 post archives, beginning with #202, entitled "(DS13)USS TITANIA: down the White Rabbit's Hole..."


  • Gorn Activity

Federation scientists have been working hand-in-hand with Gorn Confederacy terraforming experts in Orestes in ongoing efforts to meld proven Gorn terraforming techniques to Federation science in the hopes that this will produce more stable planets in a quicker timeframe (4). Past Federation terraforming endeavors have not always been successful, but many leading Federation experts believe that Gorn terraforming technology, long a Gorn source of pride, may hold the key in this regard.

Of course, one cannot mention the Gorn without mentioning the Gorn Hegemony. In the months since Deep Space 13's destruction, they have increased their activity along the Federation border- most notably in the mineral-rich Orestes region. However, given the lack of natural hiding places like asteroid belts, nebulae and ionic disturbances, the Gorn have been far subtler in their endeavors than they were in the Tybiiran Complex and Voira Tundra 3 years ago.

It is also of note that the Romulans have increased their own border activities as well, most likely a response to increased Gorn Hegemony activity. Given Orestes' location straddling these governments, Orestes seems a likely location for a confrontation should one occur.


  • Star Fleet Interests

Star Fleet's current primary interest in the area is one of security; Orestes is to be the eventual location of Outpost 668. Construction was recently begun on OP 668, but has been hampered by acts of sabotage, which has, in turn, spurred separate SECIS and OSFI investigations into the matter (2). The culprits of this sabotage are unknown; however, given the number of candidates in the area who would benefit by keeping Star Fleet's presence in the Orestes Sector weak, the investigations are sure to take some time.


Other Resources


Credits

This brief was compiled by Scott Lusby.

The map of the Orestes Sector was created by Scott Lusby with much input from Austin Forsyth.


Footnotes

1) "USS CIRCE: Flying Into Hell Part II- Pirates, Merchants and Traders, Oh My!", written largely by Noah Eaton with additional input by Scott Lusby. Dated SD 151104.

2) "USS CIRCE: Flying Into Hell Part III- Old Friends in New Places", written largely by Parker Jones with additional input by Scott Lusby. Dated SD 151104.

3) "(DS13) USS TITANIA: Comin' to blows?", written by Ted Swedalla. Dated SD 110523.

4) "USS CIRCE: Flying Into Hell Part I- Gorn Amock", written largely by Eric Boyum with additional input by Scott Lusby. Dated SD 151104.