FNN: Crisis Roundtable
Posted on Thu Aug 21st, 2025 @ 3:20am by Ensign Kaelun Merak
787 words; about a 4 minute read
Mission:
The Raz Defense
Location: Federation News Network Studios
Tags: FNN, Borg
The FNN logo dissolved into the studio feed. Behind the anchor desk, a Borg cube loomed on the screen, its geometric surface bristling with conduits and machinery, a perfect equal-sided fortress of 3,037 meters per face. Silent, massive, and impenetrable, it had become the image of the Federation’s worst defeat.
Rana Teyar (Anchor):
“This is what destroyed Earth. A Borg cube—each dimension 3,037 meters across. Larger than any Federation starbase, stronger than any ship we could send against it. Five days ago, this single vessel entered the Sol system. In less than eight hours, Starfleet’s defenses collapsed, San Francisco burned, and a general retreat was ordered. The next day, Utopia Planitia—our crown jewel of shipbuilding—was destroyed as well. At least fifteen starships are confirmed lost, though with the communications blackout in place, the true figure could be higher. Tonight, we discuss what happened, what it means, and what comes next.”
The camera panned to the roundtable.
Teyar:
“Joining me tonight are three panelists: Retired Admiral Draylen Vos, formerly of Starfleet Tactical; Ambassador T’Vel of Vulcan, senior Federation diplomat; and Federation historian Rennic Kaas. Admiral Vos, I’ll begin with you. How could the heart of the Federation fall so quickly?”
Draylen Vos (Retired Admiral):
“It fell because Starfleet was unprepared. Thirty ships stood against that cube, most of them science vessels and cruisers designed for patrol. Good crews, brave crews—but not warships. The USS Graham Greene and the USS Royal Oak were both gutted while shielding transports. The USS Achilles had to ram the cube, self-destructing to buy time. Those ships died to cover an evacuation because Starfleet has spent decades prioritizing exploration over defense. That’s the truth.”
T’Vel (Ambassador, calmly):
“Your truth, Admiral, does not alter the facts. The cube was not a conventional adversary. It adapted to every strike. It absorbed every phaser spread and torpedo volley. Even a fleet built purely for war would have struggled against such an enemy. The tactical and security personnel aboard those ships fought with logic and discipline. Their sacrifice preserved thousands of civilian lives. That is not failure—it is Starfleet fulfilling its duty, however grim.”
Rennic Kaas (Historian):
“And yet, Ambassador, there are many who now ask whether the Borg should have been a surprise at all. In 2293, when the El Aurian refugees were rescued, their ships were fleeing something. Many believed then, and still believe now, that it was the Borg. But Starfleet dismissed those claims, calling them rumor. Romulan rumor, even. Was it convenient, perhaps, to ignore what didn’t fit the image of an invulnerable Federation core?”
T’Vel:
“There was no definitive evidence tying the El Aurian tragedy to the Borg. The refugees did not identify their pursuers. Romulan accounts cannot be considered reliable intelligence. To restructure Starfleet policy based on unverified speculation would not have been logical.”
Vos, sharply interjecting:
“Not logical—or dangerously complacent? The Borg didn’t appear from nowhere. We had warning signs, and we chose to ignore them. And let’s not forget, Rana—Starfleet once had an organization dedicated to warfare: the Military Assault Command Operations. MACO was dissolved in 2201 in favor of Starfleet’s pacifist ideals. Their tactics, their expertise, should have been integrated into Starfleet Security. Instead, we buried them. And five days ago, we saw the cost of that mistake.”
Teyar (Anchor, pressing):
“Admiral, you’re saying the Federation needs to return to a military footing?”
Vos:
“I’m saying the Federation needs to survive. That means reorganizing Starfleet, pulling ships back from the frontier, and defending the core systems: Vulcan, Andor, Tellar, Alpha Centauri. If we don’t protect those worlds, we won’t have a Federation left to fight for.”
T’Vel:
“And if we abandon exploration and diplomacy, Admiral, we will no longer be the Federation. To allow fear to consume our purpose is to surrender more than our worlds—it is to surrender our very identity.”
Kaas (Historian, gravely):
“And yet, identity means little if there are no worlds left to uphold it. We stand at a crossroads. Either the Federation adapts, or it risks extinction.”
Rana Teyar looked into the camera, her voice steady as the image of the Borg cube returned to the screen.
Teyar (Anchor, closing):
“Five days after the fall of Earth, the Federation faces its greatest crisis since its founding. A cube destroyed our capital, shattered our fleet, and obliterated our greatest shipyard. Starfleet remains silent under blackout, leaving us with only speculation, grief, and the memory of those who fought. The question now: can the Federation survive, and at what cost?”
The cube rotated silently against the black of space as the broadcast faded to black.
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