Ship: UFN Vanguard | FC: COMMODORE SMARTY | Classification: INTEL OPS

Crew

  • Captain — COUGAR (Lieutenant)
  • Engineering — HERO (Lieutenant)
  • Helm — 2-RS (Ensign)
  • Relay — SPOOKY (Lieutenant)
  • Science — FRENCHIE (Sub Lieutenant)
  • Weapons — TRACKER (Lieutenant)

Awards

  • SPOOKY — Diplomatic Service Citation

Promotions

  • COUGAR promoted to Lieutenant Commander
  • 2-RS promoted to Sub Lieutenant

Debrief

UFN Vanguard was dispatched to escort a classified convoy through contested space. On reaching the assigned holding position, the crew found two vessels missing and the remaining freighter critically damaged, abandoned and stripped of its cargo and records.

A fleeing Ghost vessel was pursued to the GST Hackers Conclave. Intelligence recovered from the station included an intercepted copy of the convoy orders. This revealed one detail - that the authentication key on the leaked document did not match the one for the Flight Controller COMMODORE SMARTY. This led the crew to try and work out who was behind the leak.

UFN Vanguard subsequently operated under an AXIS recognition profile following [REDACTED BY ALF]. This enabled the covert investigation required to obtain evidence clearing your Flight Controller. [ALF ADDITIONAL — AN AXIS SIGNATURE ENSURED THAT LOCAL SECURITY CONCENTRATED ON THE THREAT RATHER THAN THE CREW’S INTENTIONS. TECHNICALLY, THIS WAS A COVERT INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED VERY LOUDLY.]

Authentication records were subsequently recovered from the UFN Intel Comms Relay through [REDACTED BY ALF] and entered into evidence.

Comparison confirmed that the leaked orders carried Commodore Chris Kinsey’s personal authentication key. Flight Commander COMMODORE SMARTY has been cleared of all responsibility for the breach. Kinsey’s signal was traced to the UFN Trust, operating under the protection of a Ghost escort force. The Vanguard engaged the hostile formation and eliminated the Ghost vessels.

UFN Trust was disabled and held in position until a UFN arrest group arrived. Kinsey was transferred to a prisoner transport and taken into custody pending court-martial.

The source of the convoy security breach has been identified and the Flight Controller exonerated. The classified cargo remains unaccounted for. Investigation of Kinsey’s network and the wider Ghost operation has been transferred to UFN Intelligence.

By order of UFN Intelligence, all records relating to Operation Columbo are sealed under TOP SECRET — SENIOR OFFICERS AND ACTIVE CREW ONLY classification. Mission data, recovered communications, authentication records and the identities of involved personnel must not be copied, transmitted or discussed outside authorised command channels.

[ALF ADDITIONAL — UFN INTELLIGENCE HAS SEALED THIS REPORT TO PREVENT FURTHER SECURITY BREACHES. THIS WAS APPARENTLY EASIER THAN FIXING THEIR SECURITY.]