USS Gawain
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- " Dyfal donc a dyr y garreg"
- — 'Tapping persistently breaks the stone' - Ship's Dedication Quote
USS Gawain (NCC-80827) is an Intrepid-class Federation starship currently assigned to Fourth Fleet's Fourth Fleet Operations. She is currently under the command of Captain Jaikan. As part of the Typhon Wayfinding Squadron's pathfinding efforts, she operates primarily in the Shackleton Expanse, undertaking planetary surveying and 'boots on the ground' exploration efforts.
Service History
Commissioning and Early Service
Launched in 2388, as part of a wave of Intrepid-class vessels intended to bolster Starfleet following the events of the Attack on Mars, Gawain was initially assigned to the coreward border to independently prospect lightly charted systems for raw resources whilst simultaneously monitoring border security. Over the course of five years, the ship and crew managed to identify dozens of mineral-rich locations for mining efforts, which had been ramped up to fill Starfleet's quickly emptying coffers.
In 2392, Gawain was recalled to the Avalon Fleet Yards for a standard resupply cycle before being assigned to the newly contentious Klingon Border, using her powerful deep space sensors to monitor the Empire's activities following the supposed dismantling of the Sovereignty of Kahless.
2395 Onwards
In 2395, Gawain once again found itself leading cartography efforts in aid of the Federation's rebuilding efforts. This time, however, rather than operating independently, she instead led a small contingent of vessels from the Starfleet Auxiliary alongside a frigate escort. She would spend the next five years criss-crossing the spinward region of Federation space, towards the Tholian and Tamarian borders, lending her impressive sensor and scientific facilities to the prospecting contingent as it evaluated the largely uninhabited region for valuable materials. This second deployment was significantly busier than her first as, alongside her two Saber class escorts, she regularly had to engage pirates and privateers seeking to claim the group's hard-won assets.
In 2402, with the opening of the Shackleton Expanse to the Federation, Gawain was transferred to the region, providing vital early deep space reconnaissance during the construction efforts of Framheim Station. When the station was finally commissioned and received its defensive assets, Gawain found itself assigned as part of the Typhon Wayfinding Squadron due to the ship's familiarity with the region. She now operates throughout the expanse, undertaking cartographic and exploratory missions to inform Starfleet's next wave of pathfinding & diplomatic efforts.
Configuration
The Cwtch
Though the deck two mess hall is the everyday social hub of Gawain's cohort, the aft-facing lounge set under the shuttle bay, known aboard as The Cwtch, has quickly become the focal point for entertainment and relaxation during the crew's downtime. Set against the impressive aft-facing windows, with their unobstructed view into space, the lounge features a small stage that looks out upon a hodgepodge set of couches, armchairs and even one chaise lounge. Most nights, some sort of entertainment can be found upon its small stage, and this warm and welcoming lounge has played host to everything, from poetry readings to full-fledged jazz nights. Aboard Gawain the Cwtch is the place to be any night of the week.
Auxiliary Craft
Embarked Auxiliary Contingent
With the planned deployment alongside USS Typhon & USS Daedalus, Starfleet deployed Gawain with a number of modifications to its shuttle bay and embarked auxiliary craft. Engineers at Framheim Station foresaw the ship requiring hardier and more robust auxiliary craft than the standard Type-6 & Type-9 shuttlecraft, able to undertake extended research and surveying operations from the mothership whilst they charted a solar system. As a result, Gawain's single shuttle bay plays host to 2 Delta-class runabouts instead of its standard shuttle complement, Morgan and Guinevere. Whilst this has necessitated the removal of some of the ship's aft cargo and fabrication facilities, its near-constant deployment alongside USS Typhon has largely mitigated any long-term supply concerns.
Coupled with the integrated Gryngolet and USS Daedalus's Waverider shuttle, Icarus, the division is able to field a sizeable group of very capable small craft to undertake a variety of advanced scientific profiles simultaneously.
Aeroshuttle - 'Gryngolet'
Named for the fabled horse of the Arthurian literary tradition, Gryngolet serves as Gawain's primary auxiliary craft as it traverses into the unknown. As part of the mothership's assignment to the Shackleton Expanse, Gryngolet has received a number of upgrades to its already impressive sensor capabilities to prepare for the wide variety of planetary settings it might encounter. It has also sacrificed some of its limited internal cargo space for field-deployable laboratory equipment and supplies, allowing the small craft to become a hub for low-threat, planetside research.