Systems and Theories of Rhetoric is a three-part mission chain in which the Doctor’s cadets, who call themselves the Burners, visit the original Starfleet Academy on an exchange, only for the pirate Deidamia to turn the trip into a propaganda fight. All three parts are recommended for level 61. The chain starts in Sol, and Part 1 needs warp 900 to complete, far more than the warp 40 and 47 of the later parts. Across the chain you earn Genesis Lythe and Caleb Mir shards, Σ-resources and 6★ materials. It is short, with three named fights and one choice.
Systems and Theories of Rhetoric at a glance
| Part | Recommended level | Warp to complete | Key reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Systems and Theories of Rhetoric Part 1 | 61 | 900 | 2 Genesis Lythe shards, 29,000 6★ Broken Survey Parts |
| Systems and Theories of Rhetoric Part 2 | 61 | 40 | 6,000 Σ-Tritanium, 3 12 Hr Peace Shield |
| Systems and Theories of Rhetoric Part 3 | 61 | 47 | 2 Caleb Mir shards, 54,000 6★ Raw Gas |
Every part starts at warp 1, and completing one part opens the next.
Systems and Theories of Rhetoric Part 1
The cadets visit the original Starfleet Academy after the Academy agrees to host them. The welcome is polite, but the local cadets are cool toward the Burners, and one of them is overheard saying they should never have been invited.
- Proceed to Sol, in Sol.
- Attend the mixer, in Sol.
- Begin the team-building exercise, in Trias.
- Defeat 10 hostiles of level 61 or higher.
The team-building exercise pits the cadets against the Academy’s training drones, which is the ten-hostile objective. The objective lists no system. Warp to complete: 900.
Rewards: 2,900 Σ-Parsteel, 29,000 6★ Broken Survey Parts, 2 Genesis Lythe shards.
Systems and Theories of Rhetoric Part 2
A familiar face interrupts proceedings. While the other teams show off for the Chancellor, a pirate ship ambushes the Burners in Trias, and back at the Academy nobody else seems to have seen the attack. During the Doctor’s presentation, Deidamia hijacks the feed with a transmission blaming Starfleet for the Burn, and you have to decide how to answer her.
- Defeat the pirate ship, in Trias (enemy strength ~2,643,533,500).
- Return to the Academy, in Sol.
- Attend the presentation, in Sol.
- Choice: what should we do?
All three answers end with the same 400 Σ-Dilithium donation to jam the transmission. They differ only in what you say and in the type of refined resource you receive.
Speak up for Starfleet
- Speak up for Starfleet, in Sol.
- Donate 400 Σ-Dilithium to cut off the transmission.
Rewards: 6,000 Σ-Tritanium, 800 6★ Common Refined Ore, 3 12 Hr Peace Shield.
Speak out against Starfleet
- Speak out against Starfleet, in Sol.
- Donate 400 Σ-Dilithium to cut off the transmission.
Rewards: 6,000 Σ-Tritanium, 800 6★ Common Refined Gas, 3 12 Hr Peace Shield.
Say nothing
- Observe without intervening, in Sol.
- Donate 400 Σ-Dilithium to cut off the transmission.
Rewards: 6,000 Σ-Tritanium, 800 6★ Common Refined Crystal, 3 12 Hr Peace Shield.
Warp to complete: 40.
Systems and Theories of Rhetoric Part 3
Caleb bites off more than he can chew. He takes a shuttle after Deidamia alone, and you have to reach him before she does. You find his shuttle empty near her ship, and Caleb turns out to be her captive.
- Follow Caleb, in Memory Alpha.
- Open a line of communication, in Memory Alpha.
- Disable the shields, in Memory Alpha (enemy strength ~2,632,999,787).
- Finish the job, in Memory Alpha (enemy strength ~2,632,999,787).
- Return to the Academy, in Sol.
- Return to your Station.
Both fights are against Deidamia’s ship. The first drops its shields so you can beam Caleb back, and the second finishes it, although she warps out at the last second. The chain ends with a sharp word for the Academy’s Chancellor about the cadets who worked against the Burners. Warp to complete: 47.
Rewards: 500 Σ-Dilithium, 54,000 6★ Raw Gas, 2 Caleb Mir shards.
Tips for completing Systems and Theories of Rhetoric
Part 1 is the travel spike. Warp 900 to complete is a very long trip, so check your ship’s range before you commit; Parts 2 and 3 come back down to warp 40 and 47.
The three named fights are all in the 2.6 billion strength range: the pirate ship in Part 2 at about 2.64 billion and two rounds against Deidamia in Part 3 at about 2.63 billion each. The Part 3 fights come back to back, so repair before you follow Caleb.
Keep 400 Σ-Dilithium ready for Part 2. Every answer at the choice costs the same, so pick the path by the refined resource you need most: Ore, Gas or Crystal.
Are the Systems and Theories of Rhetoric rewards worth it?
Yes, if you want the cadet officers. The chain gives 2 Genesis Lythe shards and 2 Caleb Mir shards, along with 29,000 6★ Broken Survey Parts, 54,000 6★ Raw Gas and a mix of Σ-resources. The Part 1 trip is the main cost, and the fights are manageable for a level 61 commander. For more missions at this level, see the STFC mission guide.