Captain's Log, Stardate 56259.18.

     The Swiftsure is currently exploring a large debris field, all that is left of the USS Kuniper and the small ships that attacked and destroyed it. The science and engineering departments are conducting experiments on sections of the debris in hopes of learning something about the ships that destroyed the Kuniper. Once we have completed our scans and analysis we will be heading to Vanderia V to continue our investigation.

     The Kuniper was responding to a distress call from a Ferengi Merchant convoy that came under attack from an unknown enemy. While the Kuniper saved the convoy, it was destroyed in the ensuing battle. We've learned via the Ferengi Ambassador on Starbase 285, that the convoys are carrying medical supplies to the Vanderian System, and that the Ferengi are being paid a very high price to do so.

     After an analysis of the known history of the Vanderians, a tall and avian like species, we've only found more questions than answers. It would seem that the small one person fighters that destroyed the Kuniper are Vanderian in origin. However we will not be able to confirm this until reaching the Vanderia System. We must find out why the convoys are being attacked, who is attacking them and put a stop to it. The next Ferengi convoy will be headed through this region in three days time. We have until then to prevent another attack.

Captain's Log Supplemental Stardate 56262.18  

     The Swiftsure is enroute to the Vanderia system at maximum warp. 

We have discovered the source of the attacks on the Ferengi Merchant

Convoys and the party responsible for the destruction of the USS Kuniper.  

A Vanderian warship, the Varinox, under the command of a Commander 

Jorax Ket is responsible.  The Commander agreed to a meeting aboard the 

Swiftsure to discuss the events.

     He claims the the Merchant ships are really smuggling weapons into his system and

arming the Vanderians that inhabit the Sixth planet of the system.  Apparently a civil war

is about to break out among his people and he is attempting to stop it via a one ship

blockade on the system.  He seems honest and believable, but I need hard evidence as

to what he is saying. 

     In reagards to that aspect we are enroute to the fifth planet in the system.  The home

of the central government of the Vanderian people.  We hope to find more answers to

what's going on and to avert another attack on a merchant convoy.  Commander Ket

gave us until the next convoy to discover what is going on.

     In other matters there was an explosion aboard ship that knocked out most of the

secondary power qrid.  This has deprived us of half of our defensive capabilities.  Our

chief engineer has discovered a chemical compound that was coating the inner lining of

the conduit and appears to believe that an act of sabotage was attempted on this

vessel.  I have assigned Lt. Villant to investigate the matter and to coordinate his efforts

with Admiral Loren's Chief of security aboard Starbase 285.

Captain's Log Supplemental, Stardate 56265.36

     The Swiftsure currently orbits Vanderia VI, the so called colony world of this system. We have found both of the inhabited planets in this system to be over-populated and basically laid out in the form of one giant city. The space lanes and atmospheric lanes are extremely congested with craft of all sizes. Upon entering the system we met with a Deputy Undersecretary to the Prime Minister, Howlan, on Vanderia V. While being very polite, he basically gave us the brush off.

     Commander Jat met with a Vanderian Warship Captain, Mulax, on the lower levels of the planet. From there we proceeded to Vanderia VI. Upon arriving Commander Jat led a small away team down to the planet to a set of coordinates that had been covertly furnished for us. We have lost contact with the away team due to some sort of dampening field that surrounds the area which they beamed into. Lt. Lynch analyzed the field and believes it to be of Cardassian origin. How the Vanderians obtained the technology I am not sure.

     On a similar note, a listening device was found in the conference room were we met with the Vanderians at the site of the convoy attacks. Lt. Villant stated that only four races could have produced the device, one of them being the Cardassians. I find it odd that they would be involved in this system, but so far the evidence leads me to believe that they are either selling technology to the Vanderians or directly involved here somehow.

     Lt. Brown has taken a team down to the planet, to work with the local Vanderian law enforcement, to find our missing crewmembers. Our deadline to stop the next attack on the Ferengi Merchant convoy is fast approaching. We have less then a day to find our missing crew, wrap up the mystery of this Vanderian Civil War, and save a bunch of profit hungry Ferengi from their doom. There is more here than is readily apparent and I can only hope that we pull off yet another miracle and help avert a civil war.

First Officer's Log, Supplemental, Stardate 56268.5

     Our mission to the Vanderian system has concluded. An old enemy, long thought to be dead, was found to be alive and well. The Cardassian L'Mek, once a powerful Gul, and known as the Butcher of Betazed, was found to be at the root of all the problems that the Swiftsure was undergoing. It appears that his plan was to lure the Swiftsure to Vanderian Space and to destroy the ship, via a series of hidden booby traps. They apparently were installed during the Swiftsure's recent refit by workers under the employ of L'Mek. The destruction of the Swiftsure in Vanderian space would lead to an investigation by Starfleet and possibly bring it into the Civil War that is sure to break out in that system.

     It would seem as well that L'Mek has convinced the Vanderians that the stories of his brutality are wholly fictional and that the Betazoids cannot be trusted as a result. After a touch and go escape from the planet's surface the Swiftsure raced back to the convoy, only to find Admiral Loren and the Aurora guarding the merchant vessels, along with the Boston and the Furious. The Vanderian vessels, two fighter carriers and the four frigates from the planet, were unloading the cargo from the Merchant Vessels, with the approval of Admiral Loren.

     The news that L'Mek was alive seemed to shock Admiral Loren, and why wouldn't it. The Cardassian, had it been known that he was alive all this time, would be a wanted war criminal. However, as the convoy was in neutral space, and there being no treaties with the Vanderians, Admiral Loren's hands were tied, much to the chagrin of Captain Wayne. Under orders we are currently enroute back to Starbase 285. Once there we will conduct a complete overhaul of the last "refit" and get this ship back to a proper working order.