Captain's Log 2269.65 - Mission Report

The first Federation colony has been established within the Genesis Expanse. Personally, I believe the colony to have been initiated out of an overwhelming desire to reestablish Starfleet presence, and the haste overruled judgment. What is done is done, however, and the colony is now in place. It was, however, unnecessarily challenging fraught with hardships that should have been averted had we proceeded with greater dilligence and caution.

Between the native "dikironium cloud creature" (see Dr. Marketa's report concerning the entity) and the Orion pirates under "Pirate Queen" Jemaxa's command, the transition from unsettled planet to frontier colony was difficult. 512 colonists and 2 Antares crew members paid for the expedited settling with their lives.

The command crew of Antares acted with exceptional skill and bravery against an unknown and unforeseen enemy, however. As expected, Lt. Commander Shran's tactical expertise is an asset. Coupled with Lt. T'zark's combat piloting, Antares fared better than would have been expected in an outnumbered conflict.

Lt. H'suur, Lt. Marketa, Lt. Mirene, and Ensign Pren deserve special commendation. Lt. H'suur handled the attempted Orion occupation of Pollux IV with remarkable restraint and ingenuity, minimizing casualties to both Federation and Orion forces. Lt. Marketa and Lt. Mirene's work in comprehending and communicating with the dikironium cloud creature were nothing short of phenomenal, proving yet again that the Genesis Expanse is filled with wonders we simply cannot prepare for and must meet head-on with an open, easily adaptable mindset. Finally, Ensign Pren's electronic attacks against the Orion Marauders proved quite helpful in rapidly and handily defeating their multiple vessels.