Operation Odysseus was a Havenite covert operation to take over the Basilisk Terminus of the Manticore Wormhole Junction. It was carried out by elements of Special Operations and was planned with the cooperation of Naval Intelligence.
In 1900 PD, the Q-ship PMSS Sirius was sent to watch over the operation in the Basilisk System; it faked a Warshawski sail tuner failure to justify staying there for months.
A new grade of the drug mekoha was introduced to the native Medusans through a modern drug lab set up in the Mossyback region. Havenite operatives incited insurrection against the outworlders, among which the Star Kingdom of Manticore was the most prominent, and supplied the Medusan nomads with high quality flintlock weapons adapted to the Medusan anatomy. The plan was for the Medusans to cause a bloodbath and have Sirius "run for help" to a waiting People's Navy fleet to help put down the murderous natives and take over the star system at the same time.
The plan was thwarted when the crew of the Manticoran light cruiser HMS Fearless discovered the drug lab. The shaman leading the Medusan nomads soon after launched an attack that was put down by the Manticoran Marine Corps, while Fearless went after the fleeing Sirius and destroyed her in what became known as the First Battle of Basilisk. (HH1)