View source for The Sojourner Crisis

{{Conflict
| conflict_name          = The Sojourner Crisis
| image                  = 
| imagecap               = 
| date                   = [[2388]]-Present
| location               = [[Galactic South]]
| result                 = TBD
<!-- combatant 1 --> 
| combatant1             = '''[[Federation]]'''
| commander1             = <sub>[[Federation]]:</sub><br />[[Alexander Gunning]]<br />[[Liarra Von]]
| strength1              = Unknown
| losses1                = Unknown
<!-- combatant 2 --> 
| combatant2             = '''Sojourner-Ritorian Alliance'''
:[[The Sojourners]]<br />[[Ritorian Confederacy]]
| commander2             = <sub>[[The Sojourners]]:</sub><br />[[Vaishaa]]
| strength2              = Unknown
| losses2                = Unknown
}}
{| class="wiki-sidebar"


The Sojourner Crisis was a mild conflict that began in late 2388 between the Federation and the Sojourner-Ritorian Alliance.  The conflict was focused on the Galactic South, in the primarily theater of operation of [[Task Force 11]], part of the [[Eleventh Fleet]].

== Prelude ==
The first signs of Sojourner activity in the Galactic South was in 2387, indicated by an increase in pirate raids.  At the time, Starfleet intelligence did not know the source of the raids, believing that the attacks were led by the [[Vinarian Syndicate]] due to the similarities to their established tactics.  However, the attacks were far from the normal operating area of the Vinarian Syndicate.

In early 2388, the {{USS|Shiloh}} was dispatched to the Galactic South Salvage Company starship boneyard.  While on patrol, the {{USS|Savannah}}, a member of Strike Group Shiloh, discovered that a number of ships had gone missing.  The missing ships consisted of two {{Class|Miranda}}, a {{Class|Constitution-Refit}}, an {{Class|Excelsior-Refit}}, two {{Class|Constellation}}, a {{Class|Curry}} transport, and two {{Class|Oberth}} vessels.  Further investigation revealed that the vessels had been stolen.  The strike group planned an ambush, but were not able to determine who was responsible for the thefts.  All they knew was that the ships were stolen and moved to another group, and had no leads as to where the ships were sent.

By the end of 2388, a private investigator working on {{SB|332}} recovered intelligence on a Ritorian attack on the [[Thane]] system.  Starfleet dispatched a fleet from {{SB|332}}, consisting of the {{USS|Antietam}}, commanded by Captain [[Alexander Gunning]], the {{USS|Jackal}}, commanded by Commander [[Liarra Von]], and the {{USS|Metis}}, commanded by Lt. Commander [[Nilani Prax]].  When the strike group arrived at Thane, they did not find the Ritorian fleet they been expecting.

==The Succession of Thane==
The strike group was met by a fleet consisting of a Klingon Bird-of-Prey, a Cardassian Galor-class, two {{Class|Miranda}} starships, and an {{Class|Excelsior-Refit}} vessel as the flagship.  Unlike their standard configurations, all of the vessels had a new blood red paint scheme.  The former starfleet vessels matched the configuration of some of the missing vessels investigated by the ''Shiloh''.  The lead ship hailed the ''Antietam'' and announced that the strike group was in violation of Sojourner space.  

As Captain Gunning quickly pointed out, the Thane system was protectorate of the Federation.  However, Akurq, the Regent of Thane, had passed tactical and regional control to the Sojourners.  Although the official documents had yet to be filed, it was within their rights as a protectorate to open negotiations with the Sojourners.  When Captain Gunning insisted on leaving the ''Jackal'' in the system until the documents were filed, the leader of the Sojourners, a woman named [[Vaishaa]], ordered her ships to open fire.

===The Battle of Thane===
Initially, the Federation vessels held their own against the attacking ships.  The ''Jackal'' and the ''Antietam's'' fighter groups were able to destroy the Bird-of-Prey and severely damaging the Miranda class ships.  The ''Antietam'' engaged the larger vessels, but their focus was not on the strike group's flagship.  Instead, the focused on the considerably weaker {{Class|Nova}} ''Metis''.  The ''Jackal'' attempted to come to the ''Metis's'' aid, but was delayed by the arrival of Sojourner reinforcements.  Another Miranda-class ship and another Bird-of-Prey dropped out of warp and engaged the ''Jackal''.

The reinforcements kept the {{Class|Defiant}} starship busy on the far side of the battlefield.  With the fighters busy engaging the Sojourner fighters, and the ''Antietam'' tied up with the Galor-class vessel, the ''Metis'' was left mostly to fend for herself.  The science ship took a beating, suffering many casualties.  In the mean time, the ''Jackal'' was having better luck with her targets.  One of the Miranda-class ships was destroyed, while the newest one was taking steady damage.  With the ''Metis's'' warp core on the edge of collapse, and the ''Antietam'' taking heavy damage, all seemed lost for the strike group.  Fortunately, the {{USS|Vesta}} arrived to aid the fleet.  Even with the failure of her quantum slipstream drive, the ''Vesta's'' superior speed allowed the ship to intercept the forces at Thane.  Despite the help of the ''Vesta'', the ''Metis'' was lost.  Luckily, the forty-three surviving crew members were beamed aboard the ''Vesta'' before the ''Metis'' was destroyed.  Captain Gunning signaled the retreat, and the remaining ships limped back to ''Starbase 332''.

==The Sojourner Cold War==
After their victory at Thane, the Sojourners quickly moved to grow their control in the sector.  Using Thane as their capital, the Sojourners spread out and begin skirmishing with the Ritorians along their border.  They send their patrols deeper and deeper into Federation territory.  Fearing that tensions with the Sojourners could escalate, Starfleet increases their military strength in the Archanis sector by sending a battalion of Federation marines to {{SB|332}}, and replacing the destroyed ''Metis'' with the {{Class|Excelsior-Refit}} {{USS|Carthage}}.

The Ritorians, thinking that they could put themselves in a better position against the Federation, decided to negotiate an alliance with the Sojourners.  While they felt they could easily roll over the Sojourners, the military action would put them in a difficult position since Thane is technically part of the Federation.  The Sojourner-Ritorian alliance was met with diplomatic resistance by the Federation Diplomatic Corps, but several smaller states, notably the [[Pak'Leth]], the [[Myaz Sovereignty]], and the [[Ferengi]] at [[Mira]], signed a non-aggression pact with the Ritorians as a result of the alliance.

This now gives the Sojourners free reign to conduct raids against convoys and Federation planets in the sector.  Through these means, the Sojourners are able to secure a stretch of territory below the [[Ritorian Confederacy]] that allows them to threaten the borders of both the Federation and the Myaz Sovereignty.

In hopes to better combat the Sojourners, Starfleet dispatches Lt. Commander [[Brian Ratchford]] to {{SB|332}} to lead a series of war games.  He will take command of the USS ''Jackal'', tasked with chasing down the USS ''Carthage'', under the command of Commander Liarra Von.  The ''Carthage'' is tasked with acting as the Sojourners, simulating raids against Federation targets.  However, this operation would not go unnoticed by the Sojourners.

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