USS Nellie Bly
USS Nellie Bly is a Federation Challenger-class scout/courier assigned to the Fourth Fleet. Commissioned in 2357, the Bly, as she is often referred to by her crew, is an aging but capable vessel, now so finely tuned after decades of refits and optimizations that she can run circles around her newer stablemates. Most recently, she was a support vessel assigned to Olympia Station.
History
Construction on USS Nellie Bly began in 2355 and she was commissioned in 2357. She was pressed into service into conflicts with both the Talarians and the Cardassians throughout the late 2350s and into the 2360s, serving both as a scout and a high speed transport for flag officers. While not a combat vessel, she nonetheless participated in several fleet actions and minor skirmishes on both borders.
From the 2360s onwards, the Nellie Bly was based out of Avalon Fleet Yards in the Grazer sector. She did not have a direct role in the Dominion War, as she was part of a token force left behind the main theater of operations to maintain the security of the Federation's other borders. Over the decades, she received regular rounds of upgrades and refits to keep her up to modern standards, allowing her to perform well above her original design specifications.
In 2401, the Nellie Bly changed her homeport to Olympia Station in the remote Olympia sector, where she is used for exploratory scouting missions to systems near to the station and as a transport for the station's senior staff when their presence is necessary on an away mission.
During the Borg crisis of 2401, the Bly was damaged by a Borg sphere, which forcibly removed her warp core. The Bly was towed to Olympia Station and repaired.[1]
Namesake
The USS Nellie Bly is named after Elizabeth Jane Cochrane (1864 - 1922) an American journalist and novelist who used the pen name Nellie Bly. She is considered to be a pioneer in investigative journalism for her undercover work to expose deplorable conditions in the New York City mental asylum at the end of the 19th century. She is also known for emulating the journey in Jules Verne's novel Around the World in 80 Days in 1889.[2]
Notable Crew
Commanding Officers
- 2401: Commander Adir Goodman