Ref: Starfleet Communications Handbook - Standard check-in procedure Starfleet standard Search and Rescue operations procedure and timelines FNN Article: The Intrepid Class - Meet the new ships that laugh at plasma storms.

Encl: (1) U.S.S. Voyager crew manifest (2) U.S.S. Voyager tactical inventory

Search and Rescue Operations (referred to as SaRO henceforth), after pursuing all plausible leads and conducting a thorough search of The Badlands finds as follows:

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. The U.S.S. VOYAGER was constructed at McKinley station, Earth. The third of a new class of starship fitted with bio-neural circuitry, variable geometry pylons and a class 9 warp drive. Capable of sustaining warp 9.975, fitted with advanced new sensor suites and carrying 40 type 6 photon torpedoes and 2 experimental tricobalt devices (2).

2. The VOYAGER under the command of CAPTAIN KATHRYN M. JANEWAY departed DEEP SPACE NINE on Stardate 48306 to conduct a search of THE BADLANDS for the Maquis Vessel VAL JEAN. Their mission was to take place over two weeks, with the VOYAGER expected to return to DEEP SPACE NINE on stardate 48343.

3. In addition to its standard crew complement, the VOYAGER was carrying 1 civilian advisor - THOMAS EUGENE PARIS (1). All were onboard the VOYAGER when she was lost.

4. With the exception of THOMAS EUGENE PARIS, all persons listed as being onboard were members of Starfleet on active duty.

5. All persons onboard VOYAGER were onboard for the purpose of executing official duties.

6. There were no reports of spatial anomalies or Maquis activity in the area at the time VOYAGER went missing.

7. SaRO responsibilities were assigned to the U.S.S. DEFIANT, under command of CAPTAIN BENJAMIN L. SISKO. DEFIANT was the first Starfleet vessel to conduct scans of the area after VOYAGER was overdue for scheduled check-in (a).

8. DEFIANT conducted a search of THE BADLANDS for two calendar weeks, with assistance from 3 Danube class vessels. RIO GRANDE, ORINOCO and RUBICON.

9. DEFIANT reported tetryons present on Stardate 48315.6. This information was reported to Starfleet in accordance with procedures established in (b).

10. RIO GRANDE detected VETAR, a Cardassian Galor class on the edge of the system monitoring SaRO.

11. RIO GRANDE deviated from standard search pattern (b) to move into communications range of VETAR. Hails were unanswered.

12. DEFIANT instructed RIO GRANDE to return to SaRO.

13. DEFIANT was unable to find any weapons traces, escape pods or other debris during the initial two week search and returned to DEEP SPACE NINE in accordance with (b) and orders from Starfleet Operations.

14. ORINOCO and RUBICON remain in the area to continue the search for further 4 weeks. With regular crew rotations and resupplies administered by RIO GRANDE.

15. U.S.S. LAKOTA under the command of CAPTAIN JANEL ZON arrives at DEEP SPACE NINE on stardate 48568 to deliver cargo before continuing to THE BADLANDS.

16. LAKOTA reports engine trouble shortly before arrival.

17. Shuttlecraft TETON departs LAKOTA to investigate DEFIANT report of tetryon particles.

18. TETON confirms report before being struck by a plasma tornado.

19. LAKOTA enters the plasma storm to retrieve TETON. Retrieval is successful but the ship is struck by a forming plasma tornado, taking damage to starboard nacelle and primary hull.

20. That on stardate 48571 ADMIRAL JACK TRACY wilfully disobeyed orders onboard TETON to disengage and return to LAKOTA. Additionally CAPTAIN ZON disobeyed direct orders from Starfleet Operations restricting LAKOTA from entering the Badlands.

21. LAKOTA returned to DEEP SPACE NINE on Stardate 48572 with 16 casualties. Casualties were transported directly to the station infirmary and given care by DOCTOR JULIAN BASHIR and his team.

22. As of this report, 3 fatalities have been reported. CAPTAIN ZON remains in critical condition.

23. Starfleet vessels continue to be assisted by civilian scientists and merchant ships in THE BADLANDS. The search for VOYAGER continues.

OPINIONS

1. The loss of the U.S.S. VOYAGER was in all probability due to either:

a. Overconfidence and/or inexperience amongst the crew underestimating the danger of plasma storms. Encouraged by (c)

b. Radical systems failure due to an unanticipated interaction between new, untested systems.

2. A systems failure could have resulted from:

a. Unexpected reactions between bio-neural systems and the unpredictability of THE BADLANDS

b. Failure of safety systems developed for the class 9 warp drive.

c. A fault in a variable geometry pylon causing a warp shearing effect if the ship was trying to evade or travel from THE BADLANDS. Which would explain the lack of debris located in the sector.

3. The continued search for VOYAGER is leading to the rise of ever more irrational conspiracy theories. Many of these theories have been overheard being shared amongst Starfleet and Bajoran officers stationed on DEEP SPACE NINE.

4. The ongoing search has provided a useful cover for ongoing counter operations against The Maquis in THE BADLANDS

5. The loss of VOYAGER has caused a notable split of focus amongst the senior staff on DEEP SPACE NINE. With DEFIANT expected to continue to run exploratory missions into the GAMMA QUADRANT that the ship is not suited for.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The search for Voyager has been extensive and has already led to significant damage on one Starfleet vessel, with there being the potential for further harm to civilian vessels that hasn’t been recorded or captured by DEEP SPACE NINE.

While the search has also been a useful cover for other operations, there is a considerable risk that continuing to use SaRO in this manner could cause significant reputational damage if it were to become public knowledge.

1. That further INTREPID CLASS starships be restricted to diplomatic duties until the exact cause of the disappearance of the VOYAGER is established.

2. Starfleet Operations redirects a new Starfleet vessel to DEEP SPACE NINE as soon as one is available to undertake exploratory and trade missions into the GAMMA QUADRANT

3. That Starfleet officially declares the VOYAGER missing in action to give families closure.