The Road to 2386 (Timeline)
Pirate Campaign 2380-2382
After it’s disastrous first contact with the pirate group that would soon become known as the Rikan Pirates, the USS Pacifica docked at Starbase 257 for much needed repairs. With Starfleet handling the investigation into the pirates attacks the Pacifica’s crew were free to enjoy some rare downtime and celebrate the human holiday of Christmas. The Pacifica’s senior staff underwent a minor reshuffle following the departure of Lieutenant James Harris who was replaced as Chief Science Officer by Lieutenant Marcus Cesarian. Despite the recent encounter with the pirates and Harris’ departure the crew’s morale was at a all time high which was helped by the first ever child birth on the Pacifica and news of Commodore Butterworth and Doctor Morgan’s engagement. (see Deck the Halls for more information) With the Rikan Pirate threat now fully confirmed Starfleet assembled a Task Group that would be helmed by Butterworth and the Pacifica with the intent of protecting Federation shipping and stemming the tide of pirate activity. The Pacifica departed Starbase 257 in the early days of 2381 and immediately went on patrol where the ship would serve as flagship and as a rapid response vessel against any pirate activity. The first few months of the campaign passed by slowly with very few pirate attacks taking place on Federation shipping, despite the lack of results the Pacifica continued to patrol and coordinate the efforts of it’s Task Group.
In March the Pacifica responded to a distress call from the USS Roswell a Starfleet vessel that was attached to the Pacifica’s Task Group. At the time the Roswell was escorting a small convoy of Federation freighters and had came under attack from 3 Rikan Vessels. The Pacifica successfully drove off the attacking ships and provided a protective screen for the Roswell and it’s freighters until the USS Isis arrived on the scene. With the Isis taking over protection duties for the convoy the Pacifica gave chase to the fleeing Rikan vessels and was able to track 2 of the vessels to a small M Class world in the unexplored Pearen System. (see Strange New World for more information) The USS Pacifica’s crew were able to overcome a number of obstacles during the Pearen Mission that included the near loss of Lieutenant Francine Hart who was badly injured during an away team mission to the surface and were able to locate a small pirate base on the surface of Pearen IV. With some help from a local inhabitant of Pearen IV the Pacifica’s crew were able to seize the pirate base and take it’s crew without any lose of life.
The USS Pacifica was soon joined in orbit around Pearen IV by the USS Isis and the two ships started the work on disassembling the pirate base together. Whilst doing this the two crews found a number of Romulan Plasma torpedos in the base, which introduced a Romulan element into the situation with the pirates. It was also learned that whilst in orbit around Pearen IV the Pacifica had been scanned and it’s computers hacked by a Ferengi starship. Butterworth passed the information about the Romulans onto Starfleet Command for further investigation and got the Pacifica back underway with the intention of tracking down the Ferengi Starship. Over the course of the next two months the Pacifica was involved a painstaking game of cat and mouse with the Ferengi Starship that had been identified by another Ferengi trader as the Dorias. The Pacifica was eventually able to catch up with the Dorias and was able to retrieve it’s stolen data following a short fire fight. The Dorias was destroyed shortly following the engagement in a surprise attack by a unknown Defiant Class starship, which raised more questions than it answered. The USS Isis was assigned to investigate and identify the unknown starship and this was a task that would be personally seen to by the Pacifica’s Executive Officer Buzz Polaris who had just been named as the Isis’ new Commanding Officer.
The USS Pacifica delivered the freshly promoted Captain Polaris to Starbase 118 in June of 2381 where he would meet up with the USS Isis. Whilst at Starbase 118 the Pacifica took on construction supplies that it would deliver to the Federation Colony on Garis Kinard III. Shortly before departing SB118 Commodore Butterworth promoted Lieutenant L’Verrem to the rank of Lieutenant Commander and named his as the Pacifica’s new First Officer. The Pacifica arrived in orbit around Garis Kinard III where it would remain for several weeks as it’s crew assisted the colonists with the construction work on a second habitat zone for the Colony’s rapidly growing population. Whilst in orbit around Garis Kinard III the Pacifica’s runabouts and fighter squadrons responded to a distress call from the Freighter Durban who had come under attack by the Rikan Pirates. As soon as the Pacifica’s support craft arrived on the scene the attacking Rikan vessels turned tail and retreated into the Neutral Zone, where they would be out of reach of Federation forces.
