USS Yorktown
- "Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man's desire to understand."
- —Neil Armstrong - Ship's Dedication Quote
The USS Yorktown is a Century-class starship that serves as the flagship of the Fourth Fleet attached to Task Force 17. The Yorktown is the fourth ship to bear the name and follows a legacy of proven ships of exploration. The name Yorktown has often found its name into the halls of Starfleet Command as a proven name of science, and a stalwart ship in times of defense of the Federation. The name "Yorktown" goes back as far as the founding of the Federation and, in fact, Earth Starfleet.
History
Technical Data
Physical Arrangement
Bridge
Primary operational control for the Yorktown is provided from the Main Bridge, located on deck one, which is the command center of the ship. The sunken central area of the main bridge provides seating and information displays for the captain and first officer. The two command seats are equipped with fully programmable consoles for a variety of uses. Directly fore of the command area was the conn officer, who faced the main viewer. At the very front of the bridge is a large viewscreen. Aft of the command center is the tactical arch that wraps around the two command chairs. To the right of the tactical officer is science, and to the left is operations. Against the walls of the main bridge are mission and situationally programmable consoles that are programmable for a multitude of functions such as engineering and communications. Located against the aft wall of the bridge was a large master systems display monitor, similar to the one in Main Engineering. All relevant ship information (such as damage, power distribution, etc.) is displayed on the cutaway image of the vessel. This monitor can also be used to direct ship operations and could be configured for limited flight control if necessary. There are two turbolifts on the bridge that handle normal transit around the ship. There are also two doors, at the aft of the bridge, that leads to the observation lounge, directly aft of the main bridge, with another door leading to the captain's ready room.
Sickbay
Main sickbay, a very large medical facility located on deck 7, serves as the primary care facility on Century-class starships. Equipped with seven standard and three advanced bio-beds, Sickbay is also home to the chief medical officer's office, a modest lab used for routine analysis of patients, and a temporary morgue. The room itself is considered to be general-purpose, often the location of regular crew physicals, appointments, and various medical emergencies, it can effectively handle the majority of situations that a starship crew will face. Surrounding sickbays are more specialized areas, including two intensive-care wards, various medical laboratories, a nursery, three surgical suites, a null-grav therapy ward, a morgue, a biohazard isolation unit, and a dental care office. Also pursuant to Century-class standards, the Yorktown is equipped with ship-wide holographic emitters allowing a wide berth and usage of the Emergency Medical Holograph System.
Main Engineering
Located on Deck 16, Main Engineering is the 'heart' of the ship, comparable to the bridge as the 'brain'. Due to the shared nature of their warp drives, the Century-class derives its Main Engineering layout from the efficent layout of the Intrepid-class It has access to virtually every system aboard and manages repairs, power flow, and general maintenance. Thanks to upgrades in computer technology, the staff needed to monitor and upkeep the major systems of a Century-class starship are proportionately smaller than other vessels of its size with many functions being highly automated. Entrance to the primary engineering spaces is provided by large double doors with a pair of each deck on decks 15 and 16 that can be sealed as blast doors for internal or external security reasons as well as in case of emergencies. Just inside of that is an observation area where technicians monitor various systems of the ship. Farther in from the observation area is the warp core and main control systems. The bright blue warp core, a class 9 warp drive with a tricyclic input manifold, fills the room with its hue. A red guardrail circles the warp core.
Off to the port side of Main Engineering is the Chief Engineer’s Office, which is equipped with a diagnostics table, assembly and repair equipment, a small replicator, and a personal use console with a built-in private viewscreen. On Starboard, there is an open work area for projects, long-term assignments, and situational analysis.
A small single-person elevator, as well as a ladder on the opposite end, provides access from the main level to the second level, essentially an overlooking catwalk over the main level, of Main Engineering. Access to the Jefferies Tubes is provided in various places on both the First and Second Tier of Main Engineering. Main Engineering can also serve as a command and control center in a situation where the bridge is either destroyed or inaccessible. All command codes and functions can be rerouted to Main Engineering for the captain of the ship to take command, and auxiliary control stations can be reconfigured to serve as the various bridge stations.