You command the Federation, with a twist (RAR).

[The Romulan Republic]

Just another little RAR idea I came up with.

"How would you lead the Federation"-type scenarios have been done before, of course, but hopefully this one will be unique, given the time frame and the position you have within the Federation, and the victory conditions.

In this scenario, find yourself in the Star Trek galaxy, courtesy of Q, as of the start of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Specifically on Earth, in the city of San Fransisco.

At the same moment, a few light years beyond Farpoint station, a wormhole opens. Its other end emerges in a galaxy far far away, a few hundred thousand miles beyond the orbit of a mostly uninhabited desert world called Jakku. Due to unprecedented size and stability, it cannot be collapsed by any means known to the Federation, or within the reach of their current technology.

The date is 41 BBY, and on another world, a young child named Anakin Skywalker has just been born.

Q informs you of what has happened, and warns that if the Sith gain control of the Star Trek galaxy (and particularly its knowledge of time travel and various god-like psychic beings), the result will eventually lead to the destruction of both galaxies. But with your outside knowledge and perspective, you have a chance to avert this. This... this is to be humanity's trial.

Shortly thereafter, you are approached by a Section 31 Operative. Through sources that will remain nameless, but which likely involve time travel, they are aware of your mission, and are prepared to provide you with any resources to ready the Federation and prevent the dominion of the Sith, provided that they believe that you are acting in the Federation's best interests. They also have the ear of certain Starfleet admirals and influential Federation Councillors.

In other words, you just became the Federation's shadow President for Life, at least as far as intergalactic security and defence is concerned, and you have a few decades plus foreknowledge to prepare for the coming storm.

If you succeed, you will have earned the respect of Q and a retirement anywhere you please in either galaxy (or you could ask Q to return you to your old life).

If you fail, trillions of sapient beings will burn.

Note that, as far as Q (but not Section 31) is concerned, the survival of the Federation is not required. Only that the Sith, or similar entities, do not triumph.

How do you proceed?

[atg]

I assume I have my knowledge of the Star Wars verse?

Presuming just going to the Jedi and telling them who Palpatine is is not an option... Knowing who Palpatine truly is I send operatives to kill him from afar using those Federation teleporting sniper rifles from DS9. Catching him at a diplomatic event shouldn't be too hard and even if he senses danger he wouldn't have any knowledge of the abilities of that sniper so he wouldn't see the attack coming.

Maybe even just teleport him out of his bed one night into the cold of space? Or onto a star ship that would explode in <5 seconds.

Once Palpatine is down the Sith are gone. No need to do anything to Anakin.

[The Romulan Republic]

I assume I have my knowledge of the Star Wars verse?

Yes. All your real world knowledge and abilities, plus the forewarning Q gave you, over two decades' head start on the Sith takeover (presuming your presence doesn't result in it happening faster), and whatever support Section 31 and its contacts can provide (as long as they believe you are working in the interest of the Federation).

Presuming just going to the Jedi and telling them who Palpatine is is not an option...

You could try it, and it certainly has a novel... directness, but remember, Palpatine was able to conceal himself from Jedi senses for many years despite being a Sith Lord living on the same world as the Jedi Temple. And so unless the Jedi can pierce however he's hiding himself, you will be accusing a politician (hmm... is Palpatine Senator of Naboo yet in 41 BBY?) of being part of a supposedly dead cult. Good luck convincing anyone.

Now, if you dug up corroborating evidence and went to the Jedi with that, or convinced them to at least take a closer look at Palpatine, that might work out.

Knowing who Palpatine truly is I send operatives to kill him from afar using those Federation teleporting sniper rifles from DS9. Catching him at a diplomatic event shouldn't be too hard and even if he senses danger he wouldn't have any knowledge of the abilities of that sniper so he wouldn't see the attack coming.

This presumes that Palpatine is ignorant. Who's to say one of the most powerful Sith of all time won't sense the massive change to the timeline that Q's interference and the presence of the wormhole will cause, and investigate further?

Maybe even just teleport him out of his bed one night into the cold of space? Or onto a star ship that would explode in <5 seconds.

Once Palpatine is down the Sith are gone. No need to do anything to Anakin.

These might be effective ways of killing Palpatine, if you could catch him somewhere without a lot of security (such as means of jamming or shielding against transporters).

But it ignores the fact that their are always two Sith. Now, I'm not sure what Plagieus's standing is in the current continuity, but either Palpatine has an apprentice, or he is the apprentice and their is a second, more experienced Sith out their.

[Lord Revan]

seeing as how the sith philosophy works (while the details are now in legendaries the canon seems to imply it's not been changed), you could pretty expect that either the master (aka Darth Plageus or how ever you spelled his name) or the appretice would be the one who allow you to take a shot at Palpatine (metaphorically speaking).

after all full text of the rule of two is "always 2 there will be, one to embody the power and one to covet it", the Sith really don't loyality to anyone but the "code" really, an apprentice is loyal to the master only as long as the master is of use to apprentice after that it's not only expected but demanded that apprentice kills the master. Also if the apprentice is so weak that he falls to simple assasination ploy by the master then he wasn't the right person for the task.

I wouldn't be surpriced that even senators in the Galactic Republic would sensor jammers or other anti-assasination devices as standard.

[FaxModem1]

First things first, find Lt. Commander Remmick and have him scanned without his awareness. If he doesn't have the parasite yet, wait a few months, and then do so again. That is one problem we do not want while we're planning for the UFP to be ready, and I could see Palpatine using these creatures in one way or another to dominate the Alpha Quadrant.

After that, have S31 push for peaceful relations with the Republic, make friends, etc. Do what we can to keep Valorum in power, as well as having Starfleet brass made aware that the Romulans are wanting to come back on the galactic scene, the Duras family is plotting with them, and that there's something called the Borg out there. Also see if we can find a way to obtain hyperdrive technology.

The Cardassian border wars are going on right now, correct? If we can push forward and focus the relative quiet year of 2366 with having ourselves, if not the Klingon Empire push on them. Heck, they might ease a lot of Klingon tension if they get to fight a war against the Cardassians as opposed to themselves.

After the UFP potentially gets some hyperdrives, or transport access to the Star Wars galaxy, have Section 31 buy Anakin and Shmi, as well as several other slaves from Tattooine. Free them and offer them the UFP world of their choice. If Anakin is raised somewhere as wonderful as the UFP, he'll probably have a loyalty to it rather than the Republic, or more importantly, the Sith.

As others have said, make a rather high bounty for Palpatine, or have S31 kill him in his sleep. The sooner he's dead, the better both galaxies are. I might want to wait until he kills his master, though. Maul is a known quantity.

Also, have Starfleet work on something like the MIDAS array. We know its possible, let's see if they can make it a decade or so early. If nothing else, it greatly enhances Starfleet's observation capability.

[The Romulan Republic]

First things first, find Lt. Commander Remmick and have him scanned without his awareness. If he doesn't have the parasite yet, wait a few months, and then do so again. That is one problem we do not want while we're planning for the UFP to be ready, and I could see Palpatine using these creatures in one way or another to dominate the Alpha Quadrant.

Good point. I forgot about those little buggers.

After that, have S31 push for peaceful relations with the Republic, make friends, etc. Do what we can to keep Valorum in power, as well as having Starfleet brass made aware that the Romulans are wanting to come back on the galactic scene, the Duras family is plotting with them, and that there's something called the Borg out there. Also see if we can find a way to obtain hyperdrive technology.

Close ties with the Republic is a double-edged sword, but probably the lesser evil.

On the one hand, their are probably individual systems in the Republic that could overwhelm the Federation, and their economy will completely dominate ours' the moment trade begins.

On the other hand, those things are going to happen anyway, and at least if we ally with the Republic, we can ask for Jedi intervention if anything really bad happens.

Indeed, while Section 31 might not go for it, their's an argument to be made for joining the Republic as a member state down the line.

See this thread for more on that topic: https://bbs.stardestroyer.net/viewtopic ... 2&t=164026

The other points here are all fairly straightforward, though seeming too omniscient could raise suspicion, and revealing you have knowledge of the future outside of Section 31 might raise Temporal Prime Directive issues. Also, I'm skeptical that the Feds can exert enough influence to keep Valorum in office unless the butterfly effect prevents the invasion of Naboo.

And as to hyperdrive... well, they're ubiquitous enough in Star Wars that even the Federation would probably be able to trade something sufficiently valuable to buy some basic hyperdrives, and hire techs. to teach us how to use and maintain them. But I don't know if Federation technology would be compatible. You might have to build new ships from the ground up.

The Cardassian border wars are going on right now, correct? If we can push forward and focus the relative quiet year of 2366 with having ourselves, if not the Klingon Empire push on them. Heck, they might ease a lot of Klingon tension if they get to fight a war against the Cardassians as opposed to themselves.

The Cardassians are a fairly minor problem compared to what's coming through that wormhole, but getting them off the Federation's back couldn't hurt, if it didn't cost the Federation too heavily to accomplish it. Pitting them and the Klingons against each other might kill two birds with one stone, yes.

On the other hand, the Klingons might easily steamroller the Cardassians and then be left in a stronger position.

You also have to factor in the Prophets- they are non-linear beings, correct? They've probably already worked things so that the Sisko is destined to come to Bajor, and having the Klingons conquer it would interfere with that.

After the UFP potentially gets some hyperdrives, or transport access to the Star Wars galaxy, have Section 31 buy Anakin and Shmi, as well as several other slaves from Tattooine. Free them and offer them the UFP world of their choice. If Anakin is raised somewhere as wonderful as the UFP, he'll probably have a loyalty to it rather than the Republic, or more importantly, the Sith.

A good plan, though it will draw Sith attention, perhaps.

We also have to consider that much as with the Prophets, the "will of the Force" may affect what we can and cannot accomplish.

As others have said, make a rather high bounty for Palpatine, or have S31 kill him in his sleep. The sooner he's dead, the better both galaxies are. I might want to wait until he kills his master, though. Maul is a known quantity.

No bounty hunter is going to off Palpatine.

Pity ysalamiri aren't canon any more. That would make an assassination attempt much, much easier.

I wonder when Red Matter was discovered? Or if the Feds could get a trilithium weapon off the Romulans or Dominion? If you could catch Palpatine in a system without a lot of civilians, I'd be tempted to just destroy the system (or at least the planet that he's on) rather than try to kill him up close and personal. But that might still give him time to escape.

This is presuming, of course, that he's protected from transporters by sensor jammers or something. Otherwise, beaming him into something non-surviveable, or just scattering his atoms in space, seems ideal as an assassination tactic.

Also, have Starfleet work on something like the MIDAS array. We know its possible, let's see if they can make it a decade or so early. If nothing else, it greatly enhances Starfleet's observation capability.

Not a terrible idea, but if I was going to push for one tech. breakthrough, it would be transwarp (unless I can get widespread access to hyperdrives on Federation ships, anyway- see above).

The single biggest edge Star Wars has against the Federation is probably the logistical/strategic mobility advantage of hyperdrive over warp. Even weapons parity is a minor concern compared to the fact that, among other things, their are vast regions of the enemy's territory we physically cannot reach with our usual propulsion systems (which means that they can in essence fight a purely offensive war, while we must fight a largely defensive one, if it comes to that).

[FaxModem1]

Question, just how aware of the Alpha Quadrant powers is the Republic? Or of the wormhole itself? This might change my response.

[The Romulan Republic]

I would assume that this big an event (intervention by Q, a big change to the "fated" timeline, a connection to another galaxy) would be picked up by any powerful Force sensitive. In all likelihood, both the Jedi Council and Sideous would send agents to investigate, and eventually locate the wormhole.

At that point, I would expect the Republic to send a scout ship or diplomatic vessel through, or just watch their end until you go through and then make contact (what they do, and how quickly they do it, probably depends on how much value the NR places on exploration, and how familiar they are with wormholes).

[Solauren]

Wait until after Naboo is liberated before giving the kill order on Palpatine. (10 years to watch him and learn the limits of his abilities). Also, eliminate Dooku at the same time.

Yes, at that point, he's the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. BUT, at that point, there is only one Sith. Him. Even by the old EU, Plagieus and Maul are both dead, and Dooku is not yet a Sith lord.

Without Sidious around to play with the court, Gunroy will crack, and the mystery of the Sith will be pierced.

[The Romulan Republic]

That has two serious problems:

1. Butterfly effect. Their is no guarantee that after such a major change to the time line, events ten years later will play out in anything like the same way. So past a certain point, planning is more about a broader strategic mindset and goals rather than a list of "Do this in response to this event."

2. Waiting that long, as you've noted, entails murdering the Head of State of a Galactic power that can crush the Federation like I bug if it really wants to, enough to devote its resources to that end.

But yes, getting a sense of what Palpatine is capable of before moving on him is a very good idea. Just remember that he'll probably be watching you back (Force precognition plus hired spies).