USS Laikan

USS Laikan
General Information
Registry	NCC-64903
Class & Type	Norway-class Light Cruiser
Affiliation	Starfleet
Status	Active
Commissioned	2372
Assignment
Task Force	Task Force 72
Home Port	Starbase 72
Role	Diplomatic Envoy Second Contact Operations Escort
Key Personnel
Commanding Officer	Captain Kubitok
Executive Officer	Commander Sarah Eaves
Template:Starship

The USS Laikan (NCC-64903) is a Norway-class light cruiser assigned to Task Force 72 under the command of the Benzite Captain Kubitok. A natural successor to the Challenger class, a Norway-class vessel like Laikan fulfills the same courier activities, but is more often tasked with the conduct of diplomatic envoy activities and second contact operations that are not routinely tasked to more capable vessels like the Ambassador and Obena-class emissaries. Laikan's missions take her just about anywhere in Federation space on in diplomatic duties and she is often deployed to support the furtherance of relations between the United Federation of Planets and its allies,

Design and Layout

Commissioned in 2372, Laikan is a mid-series Norway-class light cruiser that saw service with other Starfleet Numbered Fleets before redeployment to Fourth Fleet and has undergone several refits and minor upgrades to ensure that she remains viable and contemporary with her 25th-century stable-mates.

Resembling the interiors of other early-2370s starships, Laikan has sleek interiors dominated by shades of blue, silver, and grey. Her accommodations are comfortable but compact, as on the Intrepid, and she has a number of small holodecks for crew recreation.

Still using her original bridge module, Laikan’s command center has stations forward for helm and tactical. Six wall stations on the aft bulkhead are set aside for operations, engineering, science, mission operations, security, and communications. Somewhat unusually for a light cruiser, Laikan always has a dedicated communications officer on duty, given the high volume of diplomatic correspondence that the ship deals with. There is a single command chair, though guests are provided with benches next to it. The first officer normally occupies the mission operations station aft of the captain.

Mission Operations

Due to her rugged design and her utility as a diplomatic envoy, Laikan is often deployed to mediate between parties in volatile space when a less capable vessel may be deemed to be in danger. Adept at interceding between isolationist and volatile neighbors, Laikan is the logical choice of vessel to deploy to host multi-party conferences as a neutral location when the involved parties cannot or will not travel to a Federation Starbase.

As a more than capable generalist science vessel, Laikan and her crew are deployed to engage in or support second contact duties, following up on cultural and anthropological studies of recently contacted races, dedicating herself to cultural exchange, and furthering Federation diplomatic efforts.

Over the years, upgrades to Laikan have included the replacement of her isolinear architecture with more modern bioneural technology and the addition of an additional layer of ablative armor to compliment her aging graviton shields. While Laikan is not a dedicated combat ship, her additional survivability features mean that she can more than hold her own against contemporary aggressors of similar size and class, at least until the cavalry arrives or she can extricate herself from hostilities. Because of these capabilities, she is often deployed as an escort for other emissary-type vessels.

Auxiliary Vessels

Often engaged in hosting delegates from multiple races and worlds, although Laikan enjoys two spacious shuttlebay facilities, she typically much of her hanger space for VIPs and their craft. As such she only supports a small complement of her own smallcraft, named after archipelago islands of her class's Nordic namesake:

• 2 Type-6 personnel shuttles, Bouvet Island and Jan Mayen
• 2 Type-8 personnel shuttles, Oksenøya and Svalbard
• 1 Type-9 personnel shuttle, Tyssøy
• 1 Type-17 cargo shuttle, Lille Ekkerøya

History

Laikan, named after the capital city of Andoria, was launched in 2372 just as the Dominion War was brewing on the horizon. She was used throughout the war as a transport for diplomats and flag officers, providing an inconspicuous and combat-ready platform to move them safely through contested areas. Following the war, Laikan served dutifully in and around Cardassian space on diplomatic missions to help rebuild the relationship between the Cardassian Union and the United Federation of Planets. She also conducted significant outreach missions within the Former Demilitarized Zone meant to keep former Cardassian possessions on-side with their new status as Federation worlds.

During the 2380s and 2390s, Laikan continued on diplomatic and scientific assignments within Federation space. By 2399, she was assigned to the Fourth Fleet as a generalist vessel. In 2401, she was formally assigned to Task Force 72.

Crew of Laikan

Captain Kubitok

Both an accomplished diplomat in his own right and a veteran Starfleet Captain, Benzite Kubitok spent several years serving with the Starfleet Diplomatic Corps, before returning to command and assuming the captaincy of Laikan. Like many Benzites, Kubitok has a pervading fascination with discovering and learning aspects of different cultures, regulations, and behaviors—which makes him the perfect individual to command Laikan. Kubitok is a considered and thoughtful individual.

Commander Sarah Eaves

Commander Sarah Eaves served as a Strategic Operations officer aboard Starbase 72 for 5 years, before joining Laikan as her executive officer. As such the commander has a strong grasp on the polity and motivations of the various races that encompass the territories bordering the Federation space and is able to provide Captain Kubitok with sage insight from both a diplomatic and tactical perspective. A mature officer in her early 40’s, Sarah Eaves is a person who tends to consider all avenues before advising a course of action.

In-Play

• Laikan is a Task Force Asset, and any writer in Task Force 72 can feature it in their stories.
• Typically encountered in support of diplomatic efforts within the borders of Federation space, Laikan can be encountered just about anywhere and be used in your storytelling.
• Laikan can be cited as a vessel deployed to support your own command or can be deployed to another location to fulfill a function to support your mission.
• Laikan is a light cruiser, typically engaged in diplomatic efforts or second contact missions. Whilst not a tactical asset, Laikan is relatively well armored and able to survive a reasonable amount of punishment (from ships of up to a contemporary size and capability) before she is forced to flee the fight.