Djorn Major Incident
For a Friend:
On Stardate 2407.03.04 Captain Devan Sash briefed select members of his crew of the impending execution of Lt. Dru Tagon, a long time crewmember of the USS Nimitz. Tagon had been captured during a battle with Doenitz forces and after a show trial he was sentenced to death.
Admiral Robert LoDona and the 52nd Fleet command made the decision that a rescue operation would be too risky and therefore could not be attempted. With fleet assets spread out over a wide area and in the aftermath of several extremely savage battles, LoDona was unwilling to risk the Nimitz and her crew in such an operation. Captain Sash and his team however had other plans.
Borrowing a Klingon B’rel class Bird-of-Prey, the IKS Hegh’delar, the team managed to infiltrate Doenitz controlled space under cloak and approached the prison facility of Djorn Major XJ-003 undetected. Their mission was to infiltrate the station, penetrate it's security, and then rescue Lt. Dru Tagon.
The Rescue Team:
The following Nimitz crewmembers participated in this unsanctioned mission:
Captain Devan Sash
Lt. Commander Jonas Lemar
Lt. Tarus Daban
Lt(jg). Divon Lronen
Ensign(sg) Ahmed Ibn Salid
Ensign(sg) Cecilia Bruce
Ensign(sg) Eric McDermott
Ensign(sg) Tom Jackson
Ensign(jg) Harry Doorman
Ensign(jg) Lawrence Drake
Ensign(jg) Raymond Kean
Ensign(jg) Thom Hania
Crewman 1st Class Tek Gizell
Djörn Major XJ-003 Command Personnel:
In charge of the Djörn Major Facility for over twenty years was Administrator Hyrim Kuln who had built his career and a major part of his life around the station, making it one of the most successful maximum security penal institutions in the UFP Penal system. Before his take-over the facility was known as one of the most violent of Federation penal facilities, with inmate murders, riots an escapes being an almost every day occurrence. With the previous three Administrators guilty of embezzling funds from the stations operational budget, Djörn Major XJ-003 was on the verge of bankruptcy and collapse when Kuln took command. It took Kuln less than three months to turn the facility around and in the twenty years since the facility has maintained a spotless record.
The enigmatic Sirius Krell served as Kuln's Assistant Administrator and as his right hand. Among his many innovations during his time on Djörn Major was a highly trained Tactical Security Team which far exceeded anything offered by standard station security personnel. Krell also streamlined station operations and instituted numerous changes that increased station operational efficiency while decreasing operational costs. Krell served aboard Djörn Major for nearly six years.
Rounding out Djörn Major's command personal was Darnar Brokas who served as the Head Gaolor at Djörn Major for nearly twenty years. Brokas was initially posted to Djörn Major as a quartermaster, but was reassigned to the temporary position of Head Gaolor after the prior Gaolor had been killed during a prison riot. In time the posting became permanent. Brokas worked tirelessly to control the prison population, sometimes resorting to violence and subterfuge. He was charged on several occasions with improper conduct, although none of the charges were ever substantiated.
Telepathic Mayhem:
During the trip to Djörn Major a number of unforeseen events occurred that became a threat to the success of the mission before it had even really started. Divon Lronen, the Nimitz ships Counselor collapsed into unconsciousness without apparent reason within hours of the rendezvous with the Hegh’delar. He remained in a coma for the rest of the mission despite the best efforts of Doctor Jonas Lemar and the Nimitz’ Assistant Counselor, Cecilia Bruce.
Shortly after this incident Ensign(jg) Harry Doorman assaulted without warning, Ensign(sg) Eric McDermott. In a subsequent conversation with Counselor Bruce after the incident Doorman appeared confused and even went so far as to state that McDermott had forced Doorman to attack him. Later that evening Doorman attempted suicide by trying to blow himself out of an airlock.
The final incident occurred during the second day aboard the Hegh’delar during a mission briefing. The senior tactical officer aboard, Ensign(sg) McDermott appeared distracted and confused and the plan he submitted for the rescue action was unusually brief and his explanations for his plan was both terse and hostile. The meeting eventually devolved into a bitter confrontation between McDermott and Ensign(jg) Thom Hania.
In a later confrontation with Captain Devan Sash, McDermott became even more uncharacteristically confrontational and emotional and nearly attacked his own Captain. It soon became obvious that McDermott was suffering from great duress and was only partially aware of his surroundings.
It was at this point that Ensign Bruce intervened and explained to the Captain that McDermott was part Betazoid and was suffering from some kind of Telepathic overload. Bruce had been keeping McDermott’s true nature a secret, as even he was not aware of his own heritage and she had yet to decide how to break the news to him.
It was only through later investigation by Bruce, that proved that the incidents were caused by Lt(jg). Lronen. Lronen, had been seriously affected by a previous telepathic incident in which his own mind had been overwhelmed and was in turn inadvertently affecting everyone else on board the Hegh’delar, including the unsuspecting Doorman and the untrained McDermott.
Bruce who suspected the problem that Lronen was having was unaffected.
The end result was that Lronen and Doorman spent the rest of the mission in the Hegh’delar’s small sickbay and McDermott was treated with telepathic inhibiting drugs to allow him to think clearly. McDermott was further declared unfit to participate in the extraction mission by Captain Sash and was ordered to remain aboard the Hegh’delar.
The Rescue:
The rescue team was made up of two elements; the first led be Captain Devan Sash was made up of the majority of the Nimitz Personnel with the exception of Lt. Commander. Jonas Lemar, Ensign(sg). Eric McDermott, Ensign(jg). Tral and Ensign(jg). Lawrence Drake.
Sash’s team infiltrated the station with extensive help from Ensign(sg). Ahmed Ibn Salid. The Nimitz’ Chief Engineer came up with a number of ideas included a cloaking armored EVA suit, modified from the available Klingon EVA suits, attuned to the Hegh’delar’s cloaking device; A series of portable sensor ghost generators, and a mobile handheld command net interdiction device which later allowed the crew limited access to the station’s main computer systems. Unfortunately despite successful tests of the stealth suits aboard the Hegh’delar, the stealth features mysteriously failed once aboard the station.
The Nimitz Assistant Counselor Cecilia Bruce also came into her own during the course of the operation as she was called upon on numerous occasions to use her skills to detect approaching station security personnel and on one occasions rendered an entire security detail unconscious without a shot being fired by the two opposing forces. Bruce also lent some less obvious support by keeping in touch with Ensign(sg). Eric McDermott who was still aboard the Hegh’delar, telepathically, allowing Captain Sash to stay abreast of what was happening aboard the Klingon vessel without having to communicate directly with it.
The captain’s team using stealth and speed was successful in capturing the stations computer core and from there the team was able to wreck havoc on the facility. Ensign Salid worked in concert with Ensign(sg) Tom Jackson to disable the stations shields and weapons. Salid also created a powerful plasma surge through the tactical systems. The end result was the unexpected explosion of the Station’s Ventral Shield Generator, which was responsible for extensive damage to the station and the deaths of hundreds of station personnel including the stations Engineering Chief.
The second team was made up of the Klingon crew of the Hegh’delar led by the Nimitz’ Second Officer, Lt. Commander. Jonas Lemar. Despite heavy opposition Lemar and his team were able to fight there way to the Maximum Security Detention Area where Lt. Tagon was being held and link up with Captain Sash’s team.
In the confrontation with the Starfleet Marine Detachment led by Major Julian Wells, Ensign Bruce was able to negotiate a ceasefire in order to prevent any further casualties to both sides. Wells heavily outnumbered and in danger of being overwhelmed, agreed in order to buy time for more station security to arrive on the scene in order to tip the balance in his favor. As part of the agreement Wells agreed not to interfere with Sash or his team unless they endangered the life of Lt. Tagon.
Part of the security to prevent Tagon’s escape was an explosive collar that would detonate if he were moved too far away from its automated triggering device. Captain Sash discovered a way to disable the device and to the surprise of Wells and his detachment, the rescue team was beamed away with the newly liberated Lt. Dru Tagon.
The Death of Major Julian Wells:
Despite the odds against them, the extraction team led by Captain Devan Sash and Lt. Commander Jonas Lemar, had succeeded in infiltrating the maximum security section of the station and rescued Lt. Dru Tagon after having fought the marine detachment of Major Julian Wells to an uneasy stalemate.
It was at that point Captain Sash ordered Ensign(sg). Cecilia Bruce to enter into negotiations with Major Wells and she was able to appeal to the Major’s sense of honor resulting in a ceasefire agreed to both by him and Captain Sash. While it was obvious that the Major had an ulterior motive to agreeing to the ceasefire, specifically the probability that more reinforcements would arrive to assist him, he agreed to terms.
During the ceasefire the team was able to free Tagon from his cell and the only moment of tension occurred when Wells and his Marines moved to prevent the extraction team from moving Tagon out of the vicinity of the maximum security cell block. Wells ordered the move however to save the life of Tagon who was wearing and explosive collar which would detonate upon him being removed from the immediate vicinity.
As such Wells had not violated the provisions of the ceasefire as he had stated from the outset that as long as the prisoners life (Tagon) was not endangered he and his men would not interfere.
Captain Sash used the time to discover a way to defeat the explosive collar and with that done ordered a STS transport right out from underneath Major Wells’ nose.
It was at this precise moment that a member of the rescue team threw an explosive charge at Wells and his marines at the moment of beam out.
Witnesses to this action were Ensign(sg) Cecilia Bruce, Ensign(jg) Raymond Kean and Security Crewman Tek Gizell.
After successfully escaping from Djörn Major, Bruce informed Captain Sash who had not witnessed the incident, of the action so that he could take formal action against guilty officer. During the subsequent interview, the officer freely admitted to taking the action and did not seem to believe that he had done anything wrong at all.
It was at that point that accused officer insinuated that Bruce had betrayed him and then without further warning, collapsed and died, toxicology tests indicate poisoning as the cause of death.
Initial investigation of the death has been ruled by the Investigating Officer as a suicide. The further investigation continues at this time.
Subsequent intelligence intercepts indicate that Major Julian Wells was killed as a result of this act. As a result this incident is classified as a premeditated murder, as well as a direct violation of Starfleet Special Order Number Two.
IKS Hegh'delar vs The USS Vindicator:
Ensign(sg). Eric McDermott, Ensign(jg) Tral and Ensign(jg). Lawrence Drake remained on board the IKS Hegh’delar while Captain Devan Sash and Lt. Commander Jonas Lemar led the away teams on Djörn Major. This turned out to be an unparalleled opportunity for these young officers as during the course of the mission, the Defiant Class Starship, USS Vindicator discovered the cloaked Hegh’delar in close proximity to the station. In the resultant clash, McDermott took command of the Hegh'delar and working together the three young officers fought their first starship engagement.
Despite being overmatched, the trio succeeded in leading the USS Vindicator in a nearly forty-five minute long hit and run battle which eventually resulted in the crippling of the Vindicator and the death of her Captain along with nearly half of her crew. In the climax of the battle McDermott made use of a modified version of the ‘Picard Maneuver’, which would later come to be called McDermott's Sidestep. After the Vindicator was disabled the Hegh'delar was able to pick up the rescue team and Lt. Tagon without further incident and withdraw from the system.
52nd Fleet Intelligence Update:
With the successful rescue of Lt. Dru Tagon the political and military repercussions of the Djörn Major incident were widespread. With the apparent deaths of Administrator Kuln and Assistant Administrator Krell as well as the death of Starfleet Captain Laura Bentsen, officials in the Doenitz regime were looking for a scapegoat.
The senior Doenitz officer on the scene, a Captain Harl Whorlet of the USS Nightshade arrested the only remaining Djörn Major Officer, Darnar Brokas on Stardate 2407.03.10 on the charges of Treason and obstructing an investigation. Whorlet was convinced that Brokas was an accomplice to the team that freed Dru Tagon, and that he was responsible for wiping the facilities computer logs and murdering the Administrator and Assistant Administrator, as well as wiping his own memory.
On Stardate 2407.03.11 a Special Tribunal found Brokas innocent of the charges of treason and obstruction, although they did find him guilty of gross incompetence and he was banned from again working in the Federation Penal System. While it is not clear how Brokas avoided being found guilty of all charges, it can be speculated that the former Head Gaolor had some means of influence that allowed him to escape virtually unscathed.
After the trial Darnar Brokas disappeared and his current whereabouts are unknown.
While Administrator Hyrim Kuln and his Assistant Sirius Krell have been presumed dead by 'official' Federation Investigators, recent evidence points to the possibility that the two escaped through some as yet unknown means. Their current location and status remains unknown at this time.
