Cutting the Cord

"Cutting the Cord" is a mission in Star Trek Online. It is the fifth mission of the "Cloaked Intentions" feature episode series, which was later incorporated into the Federation and Klingon Empire "Romulan Mystery" episode and the Romulan Republic "Freedom" episode.

This mission was remastered at the release of Legacy of Romulus to improve the cutscenes and voiceover work, and serves as the climax of the primary myth arc of the Romulan Republic storyline (the conflict between the Romulan player character and Colonel Hakeev of the Tal Shiar).

Federation
Starfleet Intelligence has completed its analysis of the data you recovered in the Nopada system. There is a 67.47 percent chance that the Iconians are using the Tal Shiar as a way to influence the Romulan Star Empire, and that their persecution of the Remans is directly related to this. Command is considering lending assistance to Obisek and his forces, but before we come into direct conflict with the Romulans we want to try a more ... discreet approach. The data you recovered indicates that Hakeev is operating out of the Brea system. Long-range sensor scans indicate that there may be a major Tal Shiar installation there. We want you to infiltrate this system, apprehend Hakeev and destroy the Tal Shiar's base. Hakeev must not escape. He may be the only person who knows how extensive the Iconian influence in Romulan space is.

Klingon Empire
Klingon Intelligence has completed its analysis of the data you recovered in the Nopada system.

The Iconians are using the Tal Shiar as a way to influence the Romulan Star Empire. Their persecution of the Remans is directly related to this. They will hound the Remans until they are broken, or until they are too suspicious and beaten to ever trust an ally again.

This is a coward's way to wage war. Are they too afraid to face us directly? We will stop these machinations now. Then we will see if these demons are brave enough to show their faces!

The data you recovered indicates that Hakeev is operating out of the Brea system. Long-range sensor scans suggest that there may be a major Tal Shiar installation there. We want you to infiltrate this system, apprehend Hakeev and destroy the Tal Shiar's base.

Hakeev must not escape. He may be the only person who knows how extensive the Iconian influence in Romulan space is.

Romulan Republic (Federation-aligned)
Starfleet Intelligence has completed its analysis of the data you recovered in the Nopada system. There is a 67.47 percent chance that the Iconians are using the Tal Shiar as a way to influence the Romulan Star Empire, and that their persecution of the Remans is directly related to this. Command is considering lending assistance to Obisek and his forces. As you have directly opposed the Tal Shiar in the past, your assistance has been requested. The data indicates that Hakeev is operating out of the Brea system. Long-range sensor scans indicate that there may be a major Tal Shiar installation there. You understand Hakeev better than any of our officers, which gives you an advantage in destroying his installation. Hakeev must not escape. He may be the only person who knows how extensive the Iconian influence in Romulan space is.

Summary
The player character's starship arrives in orbit of Brea III alongside Obisek's flagship Zdenia and engages and destroys the ships in orbit, then beams to the surface alongside allied away teams and attacks the base, seeking to gain entry to Hakeev's inner courtyard. Along the way they paint a number of targets for their orbiting starship to destroy with orbital strikes.

Upon gaining entry to the courtyard a cutscene plays where Hakeev insists to Empress Sela that they can still win. He says something about the Iconians before she cuts him off and says he's "done", then beams to her flagship.

The player and Obisek attack Hakeev's forces, wounding him and killing his men. He claims that "this isn't over", but either Obisek or the Romulan Republic player character inform him that "It's over for you," before shooting him in the head, execution-style. They then discover that the entire courtyard is a giant Iconian gateway, and order a photon torpedo bombardment of the plaza to destroy it.

By now Sela has called for reinforcements and the player and Obisek return to their ship to fight them off. Additional Reman Resistance ships help engage the enemy. Sela's warbird uses its cloaking device to mount hit-and-run attacks, attempting to destroy its opponents with its thalaron generator, but eventually suffers severe damage. At that point an Iconian starship emerges from an Iconian gateway embedded in a nearby asteroid, ensnares the Leahval in a tractor beam, and tows it back through the gateway. The player travels over to the asteroid and disables the gate before warping out to report in.

Characters

 * Hakeev • Obisek • Sela • T'nae • Temek

Locations

 * Brea III (Brea system)


 * Nopada system

Races and cultures

 * Klingon • Reman • Romulan • Vulcan


 * Iconian

Ranks and titles

 * admiral • centurion • colonel • Empress of the Romulan Star Empire • sublieutenant • uhlan

Starships and vehicles

 * warbird • Iconian probe •  •  warbird •  starship •  attack fighter •  warbird • Zdenia

States and organizations

 * Klingon Defense Force • Klingon Empire • Klingon Intelligence • Reman Resistance • Romulan Republic • Romulan Republican Force • Romulan Star Empire • Starfleet • Tal Shiar • United Federation of Planets


 * Starfleet Intelligence

Technology and weapons

 * gravitic lift • Iconian gateway • Iconian software weapon • photon torpedo • spatial charge • thalaron generator • tractor beam • weather controller

Continuity
Sela's kidnapping in this mission is referenced in the mission "Hidden Camera", part of a side mission chain attached to the New Romulus Reputation that leads into "Sphere of Influence" and the Solanae Dyson sphere story arc. It is said by Subcommander Khiana of the Tal Shiar that the empress' disappearance has created a power vacuum on Nova Roma, one which they attempt to get Proconsul D'Tan to fill. He is not interested.