Bravo Fleet
Difference between pages "Ison Bale" and "USS Bellerophon"

Difference between pages "Ison Bale" and "USS Bellerophon"

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{{Character
{{Starship
| image = [[File:CommodoreBale.jpg]]
| name = Bellerophon
| name = Ison Bale
| prefix = USS
| fullname =  
| image = [[File:USSBellerophon.jpg]]
| placeoforigin = Betazed
| registry = NCC-74705
| species = Betazoid
| class = Intrepid
| gender = Male
| type = light explorer
| dateofbirth = 7 September, 2329
| affiliation = [[Starfleet]], [[United Federation of Planets]]
| dateofdeath =  
| status = Active
| age = 70
| commission = 2373
| height =  
| decommission =
| weight =  
| destroyed =
| hair =  
| unit = Fourth Fleet Operations
| eyes =  
| taskforce =
| affiliation = [[Starfleet]]
| taskgroup =  
| rank = [[File:A1-1.png|alt=Commodore|Commodore]]
| squadron = Odyssey Squadron
| posting = [[Starfleet Academy—Mellstoxx III]]
| mothership =  
| position = Commandant
| role = Deep Space Explorer
}}
| co = [[bfms_char:69120|Captain Horatio McCallister]]
'''Commodore Ison Bale''' is the current Superintendent of the [[Starfleet Academy—Mellstoxx III|Fourth Fleet Academy (aka Starfleet Academy--Mellstoxx III)]]. Bale has had a long and successful career as an engineer and starship captain and has been at the Fourth Fleet Academy since 2389. Widely respected for his intellect and the care he has for his charges, he is considered to be a fair and even-handed disciplinarian and has the highest possible academic standards for the academy that is tasked with training the future officers and captains of the Fourth Fleet.  
| xo = [[bfms_char:69165|Commander Lirissa Jaz]]
| dedication = [[File:Bellerophon-plaque.png]]
}}{{quote|Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.|'''Barack Obama - ''Ship's Dedication Quote'''''}}
The '''USS ''Bellerophon'' (NCC-74705''') is an [[Intrepid Class|''Intrepid''-class]] [[United Federation of Planets|Federation]] [[ma: starship|starship]] built in the early part of the 2370s and served with distinction during the [[ma:Dominion War|Dominion War]]. After thirty years of various missions within the [[Alpha Quadrant|Alpha]] and [[Beta Quadrant]], the ship was assigned to the [[Delta Quadrant]] to support the [[Fourth Fleet]]’s [[Odyssey Squadron]]. Sent to undertake a deep space exploration assignment, the ''Bellerophon'' was  refitted for this mission and to retrace the steps made famous by [[ma: USS Voyager|another]] ''Intrepid''-class that traversed the same region. The ship’s quote is from a speech shared by the 44th President of the United States of America from Earth’s 21st century, President Barack Obama. Command of the vessel was given to [[Captain]] Horatio McCallister in 2399.  


== History ==
== Design and Layout ==
Launched at the height of the Dominion War, the Bellerophon was equipped with the latest technologies to assist with the upcoming war effort. Due to her fast nature (being one of the quickest ships in the fleet at the time), Starfleet cancelled her original exploration mission. She was assigned to [[ma: Starbase 375|Starbase 375]] to serve as the flagship for [[Vice Admiral]] [[ma: William Ross|William Ross]] when he took command of all of Starfleet's forces near to the [[ma:Bajor sector|Bajor sector]]. Rarely was she used as a frontline ship, instead used to transport the admiral around the area (mainly between Starbase 375 and [[ma: Deep Space 9|Deep Space 9]]). For this, the engineers ensured her shields, weapons, and engines were the best they could be. On a few occasions when the ship did engage enemy vessels, she was victorious in every battle (thankfully, down to the fact the ship was always under the escort of at least two other vessels).


=== Early Life (2329-2347) ===
Post-war, the ship remained in active service, and it was in 2385 that the vessel received it first significant refit. During the overhaul, engineers installed an [[ma: Astrometrics|Astrometrics Lab]] based on the one created by ''Voyager''<nowiki/>'s crew, and holo-emitters were placed on every deck and every section of the ship. When it was decided that the vessel would be assigned to deep space exploration assignments, further enhancements were made. Further enhancements were made when Starfleet decided that the vessel would be assigned to deep space exploration assignments. This included a third holodeck (slightly smaller than the other two), and the ability for the ship to triple its replicator bounty (again based on alien technology learnt from ''Voyager''). Once upgrades were complete, the ship was almost like Voyager after its return home. The only difference was the captain's request to add a few facilities to allow for some of the crew to bring members of their families. A small classroom and childcare facilities replaced the aft lounge (under the shuttle bay). In addition, the ship was equipped with its own [[Runabouts#Delta-class runabout|''Delta-''class]] [[Runabouts|runabout]].
Ison Bale was the second son of a prominent Betazoid family, the scions of which had been diplomats, politicians, and academics for centuries. He was born in a time of peace and prosperity for the Federation, in the calm following the Khitomer Accords in the 2290s and the Treaty of Algernon in the 2310s before the Federation-Cardassian War. Like his older brother, he was expected to follow the family tradition and become a respected counselor of state, but he had a reflexive urge to do the exact opposite of what was asked of him in that regard. He found mathematics, science, and engineering to be much more interesting, but the relentless talking, debating and arguing that went into diplomacy to be a waste of time. This caused not a small amount of friction between him and his family, but once he was into his teen years he was dead set on attending Starfleet Academy and his family found that it was easier to just let him try rather than continue to fight him.
=== Academy & Early Career (2347-2360) ===
Bale was admitted to Starfleet Academy in 2347, and fulfilling his promise to his parents, and Bale decided to study Warp Field Mechanics. This was a field that many Betazoids avoided because their natural advantage in dealing with other organic beings was completely nullified there, but Bale relished that challenge.


The transition to Starfleet was more difficult than Bale had imagined, as his family name carried with it none of the cachet it would have in a more traditional educational setting on Betazed. The physical training requirements were intense, and it took him several semesters to feel like he fully ''got'' what it meant to be a Starfleet cadet, as his youthful rebellion alone was insufficient to give him the discipline needed to succeed in that regard.
=== Bridge, Deck One ===
[[File:Bell-bridge1.png|left|thumb|The bridge of the USS ''Bellerophon,'' c.2400]]
Like other Intrepid-class vessels, the Bellerophon's bridge layout was the same, except for one difference during the Dominion War. Instead of the standard two-seat command chair configuration, a third command chair was added during the war, allowing Admiral Ross to sit on the bridge, coordinating with others during fleet engagements. Starfleet later removed this configuration after the ship was reassigned to other duties.


By the time Bale was in his last year, however, he was well-respected by his peers and instructors alike. While he didn't have the makings of a bridge officer in him yet, he was well on track to being a valuable member of an engineering team. Upon graduation in 2351 as an ensign, Bale was assigned to the ''Constellation''-class starship ''Stargazer'' under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, where he served as one of the Warp Systems Engineers. The ship was old and underpowered, but proved to be a great challenge for a budding engineer to maintain; the unusual four-nacelle design required a lot of observation and maintenance to avoid ripping the ship apart. During the Federation-Cardassian War, Bale was injured during a skirmish where the Cardassians fired on an unshielded ''Stargazer'', but acquitted himself well under fire. In 2353, he was promoted to lieutenant junior grade and was aboard the ship during the legendary (in some circles) Battle of Maxia where Captain Picard first used the vaunted Picard Maneuver against what was later found to be a Ferengi vessel.
Along the aft wall of the bridge are the Mission Ops panels on either side of the long, wide Master System Display. Next to this, on the starboard side, is the entrance to the main lift, followed by the station assigned to security and tactical. A further door to the captain's ready room exists, following a few steps down. The last station on the starboard side is the engineering console. Next, in front of the command pit, is the helm station in front of the large viewscreen. Finally, the science station is on the port side of the bridge, by the forwardmost bulkheads. Behind this is the briefing room door, while the operations station has the identical setup opposite to the security and tactical station. Between operations and the mission ops area, a small corridor leads out to the rest of deck one, which includes another turbolift and access to the nearest escape pods.


After evacuating the ''Stargazer'' along with the rest of the crew, Bale was adrift for weeks in a shuttle before rescue. Because of his performance on the ''Stargazer'' (and following the inquiry into the ship's destruction), Bale was promoted to lieutenant and assigned as Assistant Chief Engineering Officer aboard the brand-new USS ''Normandy'', one of the last ''Cheyenne''-class starships off of the assembly lines. Like the ''Stargazer'', the ''Normandy'' was underpowered and difficult to maintain because of its engine configuration, but Bale had by then become an expert in managing such a system. Because of that, he served for five years there, developing several improvements to the engine control software that were deployed to the rest of that limited-production class of ship.
=== Ready Room, Deck One ===
[[File:Bell-rr1.png|thumb|The ''Bellerophon''<nowiki/>'s ready room, c.2400.]]
A home away from home, the ready room on the ''Bellerophon'' was initially used exclusively by the captain, while Admiral Ross would use the briefing room for most of his meetings. A large spacious area, the ready room on the ''Bellerophon'' has allowed for numerous private meetings for the captain and their senior staff or visiting guests. One unique feature is the golden models of previous ships named ''Bellerophon'' hanging behind the captain's desk''.'' This includes the [[ma: USS Bellerophon (NCC-62048)|USS ''Bellerophon'' (NCC-62048)]] and the HMS ''Bellerophon''. In addition, Admiral Ross gave the ship an antique grandfather clock that now sits beside the replicator as a parting gift.


=== USS ''Leyte Gulf'' (2360-2375) ===
=== Specific Technical Information ===
In 2360, Bale was promoted to lieutenant commander and took over the engine room aboard the [[Excelsior Class|''Excelsior''-class starship]] USS ''Leyte Gulf.'' Though older than the ''Normandy'', it was a much larger and much more prestigious assignment with much more powerful engines to deal with. As a department head, he found himself constantly dealing with personnel issues, something that his telepathy made easier, as in his experience most engineers were not great at communicating what they wanted and needed. He earned a commendation for efficiency during his time on the ''Leyte Gulf'' and was eventually selected by his captain to replace the Executive Officer after just four years in the engine room.


Though he'd imagined spending his entire career as an engineer, command was a new challenge for Bale. Admittedly, it's a role he found himself well-suited to, as he could balance technical acumen with an understanding of how people thought and what they needed. Several times, his abilities allowed him to give his captain a leg-up in negotiations, but where he excelled was optimizing crew assignments for cohesiveness. After four more years as a lieutenant commander, he was promoted to commander, and remained aboard the ''Leyte Gulf''.
==== Emergency Holographic Programs ====
Like many Intrepid-class ships in the fleet, the Bellerophon was initially installed with a [[ma: Emergency_Medical_Holographic_program#EMH_Mark_I|Mark I Emergency Medical Hologram]]. Starfleet engineers installed a [[ma: Emergency_Medical_Holographic_program#EMH_Mark_II|Mark II]] during the war, then updated to Mark III before a Mark IV. These updates have continued throughout the ship's active service. Finally, in mid-2380, the ship received an [[ma: Emergency_Command_Hologram|Emergency Command Hologram]] and an [[ma: Emergency_Engineering_Hologram|Emergency Engineering Hologram]].


When the Dominion War broke out, the ''Leyte Gulf'' was assigned to the First Fleet to defend the Sol system, and participated in the Battle of Sector 001 against the Borg. As one of the first ships to engage the cube at the edge of the system, the ''Leyte Gulf'' was quickly disabled and left for dead as the Borg remained on a direct heading for Earth. The majority of the crew managed to evacuate before the warp core went critical, leaving them to watch in horror as the cube got closer to the heart of the Federation, until Bale's former captain, Jean-Luc Picard, was able to destroy it.
=== Support Craft ===
With one shuttlebay, the ''Bellerophon'' comes with a standard compliment of shuttles and one runabout, along with its [[Aeroshuttle]] (called the ''Deliades'').


An ''Akira''-class heavy cruiser in the final stages of construction at Utopia Planitia was renamed ''Leyte Gulf'', and the surviving crew of the ''Excelsior''-class iteration of the ship was assigned to it in the weeks following the battle. Though still shaken from their experience, there was no time to rest as the Dominion were pressing on the Federation's borders. This modern, combat-capable vessel participated in the majority of the major engagements during the war, surviving where older ships could not because of its hardened systems.
* '''Personal Shuttles'''
** [[Personnel Shuttles#Type-8 Shuttle|Type 8]]:  ''Isander, Hippolochus, Laodamia''
** [[Personnel Shuttles#Type-12 Shuttle|Type 12:]] ''Philonoe, Asteria''
* '''Cargo Shuttles:'''
**[[Cargo Shuttles#Type-17 Cargo Shuttle|Type 17]]: ''Hydissos''
*'''Runabouts'''
**''[[Runabouts|Delta]]''-class: ''Chimera''


=== Command School (2375 - 2377) ===
==History==
Though Bale had developed significant command and combat experience during his time aboard the two starships ''Leyte Gulf'', he desired to further refine his theoretical knowledge of command, and so he enrolled in the Fourth Fleet Command Academy following the treaty of Bajor in 2375. Going back to his academy days was a little bit of a culture shock after having been in the field for close to twenty-five years, but he was able to study advanced techniques in detail, to formalize what he'd learned hands-on into a more cohesive knowledge base.
===2373-2377===
[[File:When in rome by jetfreak 7 .jpg|thumb|The USS ''Bellerophon'' in orbit of Romulus, c.2375]]
As the flagship of one the most prolific admirals in the fleet during the Dominion War, the Bellerophon's legacy was developed as one of the fastest ships that served so close to the frontlines. Usually, under escort with two other ships, the Bellerophon would ensure that the admiral could meet with field commanders and move around close to the border without any harm coming to him. Furthermore, the ship was instrumental in ferrying a large Federation delegation from Deep Space 9 to [[ma: Romulus|Romulus]] in 2375. It was the first Federation ship to visit the Romulan homeworld under a flag of truce and cooperation. Finally, the ship participated in the war's final battle and survived the onslaught the Dominion threw at the [[ma: Federation Alliance|Federation Alliance]]. After the war, the ''Bellerophon'' was assigned to post-war duties that included escorting relief efforts into the [[Cardassian Union]] as well as patrolling the border with the Union and [[Breen Confederacy]].


While in command school himself, he was also assigned as the Executive Officer of Cadet Squadron Bravo, leading cadets through drills and discipline-building exercises while not studying for his own program. This was his first taste of teaching, and he found it to be quite enjoyable, even if his near-term ambition was command.  
=== 2377-2385 ===
In 2377, Starfleet removed the ship from its work along the Federation-Cardassian border and assigned it to begin doing what it was initially built to do: explore! The vessel undertook an eight-year exploration effort beyond the [[Klingon Empire]] at the invitation of the High Council. The ship would spend at least half a year mapping elements of the Rotarran Maelstrom before returning to the Federation. After returning home to [[Earth]], the ship assisted with the rescue and response attempts after the [[ma: Attack on Mars|synth attack on Mars]]. Though the crew could only save under four hundred people from the surface, the attacking synth vessels damaged the ship, forcing it to flee to [[ma: Jupiter Station|Jupiter Station]]. Heavily damaged, Starfleet sent the ship to the [[ma: Beta Antares Ship Yards|Beta Antares Ship Yards]] for repairs and its first major refit. The process took at least nine months to complete. Her entire crew was reassigned to other duties across the fleet.


As Acting Captain of the training ship ''Exeter'', Bale received some of the highest-ever scores on the two training voyages he was assigned to lead, which was largely thanks to his extensive real-world experience. Though it was likely he could have gone on to command a ship directly after the war, his performance throughout Command School secured him a promotion to captain and command of the newly-launched ''Galaxy''-class starship ''Ulysses''.
=== 2385-2399 ===
Now it was under the commanded by Captain Laura McCallister, the ship was sent as part of Starfleet's response to the destruction of Romulus to provide aid. Being fast enough, the ship was able to help pull survivors from the wake of the devastation sent across the [[Romulan Star Empire]] and deposit them at refugee camps set up along the former [[Romulan Neutral Zone]]. The ship was placed on patrol and other duties along the Romulan border for the next five years.  


=== USS ''Ulysses'' (2377-2389) ===
In 2390, Starfleet sent the ship back to the Cardassian border to assist with threats from the [[True Way]]. The ship was able to support Federation colonies in the area in stopping raids and disrupting criminal networks. Over the next four years, the ship remained working on a range of missions in the Alpha Quadrant. In 2395, the ship was sent on a six month expeditionary mission to the [[Gamma Quadrant]]. The ''Bellerophon''<nowiki/>'s primary duty was to ensure that the area close to the mouth of the wormhole was secure and to update Starfleet with any developments linked to the Dominion. At the end of 2398, the ship returned to Earth for its next refit and for Captain McCallister to be succeeded by her brother-in-law.
Bale's move into the center seat came right about at his 30-year anniversary of enrolling in Starfleet Academy. Much of his career had been spent in conflict zones, so he was eager to take command of an explorer like the ''Ulysses'' which was sent on a ten-year odyssey of its own deep into the Alpha Quadrant, even as many of the fleet's assets were focused on rebuilding the Federation and her neighbors. Missions like Bale's were considered a symbol of the Federation's commitment to peaceful exploration, even in the aftermath of war.  


The ''Ulysses'' had been intended to join the Dominion War without most of its scientific systems installed, but it was still incomplete by the end of the war, and so was fitted out beyond the original specifications before its launch in 2377. Under Bale's command, the ship was able to demonstrate the full potential the class had for independent, unsupported exploratory endeavors in a way that none of her sisters had ever been allowed to, with conflict constantly pulling ships like the ''Enterprise'' and ''Venture'' away from their intended missions.
== Crew ==


Bale participated in several dozen first contact missions, and the ''Ulysses'' was considered a choice assignment under his command. As of the 2390s, Starfleet Science still has a backlog of data to go through from her missions beyond Breen space, and colonial surveys started during that initial expedition are just now bearing fruit. Luckily, the ''Ulysses'' was not pulled from her mission when the Romulan Evacuation began, nor was she recalled after the destruction of Mars in 2385, but following the natural end of her ten-year mission in 2387, the ship was recalled to Earth.
=== Command Staff ===


Ten years in deep space had given the ''Ulysses'' and her crew substantial experience in operating a large ship far from home, but making much-needed repairs and upgrades took nearly two years, as Starfleet went over every centimeter of the ship to make improvements to the new ''Century'' and ''Odyssey''-class ships now under production. During this time, Bale remained nominally in command of the ship but took extended shore leave time back on Betazed. When he found out that the ''Ulysses'' would not be returning to deep space but would be serving as a flagship for the Fifth Fleet's defensive mission along the Romulan border, Bale took a long time to consider if that's something he was willing to accept. In the end, it wasn't.
* '''Commanding Officer:'''
** Captain Brian Stuhlmacher ([[ma: Human|Human]] Male) <small>(2373-2385)</small>
** Captain Laura McCallister (Human Female) <small>(2385-2398)</small>
** Captain [[bfms_char:69120|Horatio McCallister]] (Human Male) <small>(2398+)</small>
* '''Executive Officer:'''
** Commander Jepella ([[ma: Benzite|Benzite]] Female) <small>(2373-2385)</small>
** Lieutenant Commander/Commander [[bfms_char:69165|Lirissa Jaz]] ([[ma: Trill|Trill]] Female) <small>(2385+)</small>
* '''Second Executive Officer:'''
** Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander Skal ([[ma: Vulcan|Vulcan]] Male) <small>(2373-2385)</small>
** Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander [[bfms_char:69169|Jirani Edeena]] ([[ma: Bajoran|Bajoran]] Female) <small>(2385+)</small>
* '''Third Executive Officer:'''
** Lieutenant Commander Jason Frame (Human Male) <small>(2373-2385)</small>
** Lieutenant Junior Grade / Lieutenant Bowd Zalin ([[ma: Bolian|Bolian]] Male) <small>(2385-2400)</small>
** Lieutenant Junior Grade [[bfms_char:69173|Rubon Jarata]] ([[ma: Risian|Risian]] Male) <small>(2400+)</small>


=== Fourth Fleet Academy (2389 to Present) ===
=== Senior Staff/Department Heads ===
Now with forty years of Starfleet service under his belt, Bale knew that it was time to allow a younger generation to have its chance out among the stars. He also knew that a return to defensive duties was not what he wanted for himself. He'd been there and done that, already. He applied instead to work as a professor at Starfleet Academy. The Fourth Fleet's academy jumped at the opportunity to have such an experienced starship captain on staff and offered him command of Cadet Squadron Bravo, which he already had experience with.


From 2389 to 2393, Bale led Junior and Senior cadets through the final two years of their program, getting to work with eight separate cohorts in that time. Teaching was a natural fit for him as much as it had been ten years prior, and he found it satisfying to balance the students' needs to be challenged and shaped with their need for empathy and understanding. He was immensely popular among his cadets, and the strong relationships he built there went on to forge excellent officers.
* '''Chief Flight Control Officer:'''
 
** Ensign / Lieutenant Junior Grade / Lieutenant Joseph Hickham (Human Male) <small>(2373-2385)</small>
In 2393, Bale became Dean of Cadets, overseeing Cadet Squadron Bravo and the Fourth Fleet Academy's other training squadrons, especially in terms of discipline and progress to graduation. Two years later, he was promoted to commodore and took over as Superintendent of the Fourth Fleet Academy, reporting to the Commandant and overseeing the academy and its undergraduate cadet programs.
** Ensign / Lieutenant Junior Grade Emze ([[ma: Saurian|Saurian]] Male) <small>(2385-2396)</small>
 
** Ensign / Lieutenant Junior Grade Rubon Jarata (Risian Male) <small>(2396+)</small>
== Service Record ==
* '''Chief Science Officer:'''
{| class="wikitable"
** Lieutenant Junior Grade / Lieutenant Palle Wivip ([[ma: Tellarite|Tellarite]] Female) <small>(2373-2385)</small>
|+
** Lieutenant Junior Grade / Lieutenant Bowd Zalin (Bolian Male) <small>(2385-2400)</small>
!Date
** Ensign [[bfms_char:69183|Jonarom]] (Ardanan Male) <small>(2400+)</small>
!Position
* '''Chief Medical Officer:'''
!Posting
** Lieutenant Commander Jason Frame (Human Male) <small>(2373-2385)</small>
!Rank
** Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander M'Turr ([[ma: Caitian|Caitian]] Female) <small>(2385-2397)</small>
|-
** Lieutenant Junior Grade [[bfms_char:69177|Sarella Corben]] ([[ma: Betazoid|Betazoid]] Female) <small>(2397+)</small>
|2347-2348
* '''Chief Counsellor:'''
|Warp Field Dynamics Cadet
** Lieutenant Junior Grade / Lieutenant Gaetar ([[ma: Rigelian|Rigelian]] Male) <small>(2373-2385)</small>
|Starfleet Academy—Mellstoxx III
** Lieutenant Threra Zh'rylrik ([[Andorian]] Female) <small>(2385-2398)</small>
|Cadet Fourth Class
** Lieutenant Junior Grade [[bfms_char:69187|Krizon Hilgan]] (Trill Male) <small>(2398+)</small>
|-
* '''Chief Engineer:'''
|2348-2349
** Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander Harold Smith (Human Male) <small>(2373-2385)</small>
|Warp Field Dynamics Cadet
** Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander Thyth Ch'vaaqos (Andorian Male) <small>(2385-2400)</small>
|Starfleet Academy—Mellstoxx III
** Lieutenant Junior Grade [[bfms_char:69181|T'Penni]] (Vulcan Female) <small>(2400+)</small>
|Cadet Third Class
* '''Chief Operations Officer / Chief of Operations:'''
|-
** Lieutenant Junior Grade / Lieutenant Cynthia Wheeler (Human Female) <small>(2373-2385)</small>
|2349-2350
** Ensign Nalli ([[ma: Orion|Orion]] Female) <small>(2385-2390)</small>
|Warp Field Dynamics Cadet
** Petty Officer 3rd Class / Chief Petty Officer [[bfms_char:69179|Bronden]] ([[ma: Zaldan|Zaldan]] Male) <small>(2390+)</small>
|Starfleet Academy—Mellstoxx III
* '''Chief Security & Tactical Officer:'''
|Cadet Second Class
** Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander Skal (Vulcan Male) <small>(2373-2385)</small>
|-
** Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander Jirani Edeena (Bajoran Female) <small>(2385+)</small>
|2350-2351
|Warp Field Dynamics Cadet
|Starfleet Academy—Mellstoxx III
|Cadet First Class
|-
|2351-2353
|Warp Systems Engineer
|USS ''Stargazer'' (NCC-2893)
|Ensign
|-
|2353-2355
|Warp Systems Engineer
|USS ''Stargazer'' (NCC-2893)
|Lieutenant Junior Grade
|-
|2355-2360
|Assistant Chief Engineering Officer
|USS ''Normandy'' (NCC-72852)
|Lieutenant
|-
|2360-2364
|Chief Engineering Officer
|USS Leyte Gulf (NCC-41508)
|Lieutenant Commander
|-
|2364-2368
|Executive Officer
|USS Leyte Gulf (NCC-41508)
|Lieutenant Commander
|-
|2368-2373
|Executive Officer
|USS Leyte Gulf (NCC-41508)
|Commander
|-
|2373-2375
|Executive Officer
|USS ''Leyte Gulf'' (NCC-71427)
|Commander
|-
|2375-2377
|Command School Student
|Fourth Fleet Command Academy
|Commander
|-
|2375-2377
|Executive Offficer, Cadet Squadron Bravo
|Fourth Fleet Academy
|Commander
|-
|2377-2389
|Commanding Officer
|USS ''Ulysses'' (NCC-78242)
|Captain
|-
|2389-2393
|Commanding Officer, Cadet Squadron Bravo
|Fourth Fleet Academy
|Captain
|-
|2393-2395
|Dean of Cadets
|Fourth Fleet Academy
|Captain
|-
|2395-Present
|Superintendent
|Fourth Fleet Academy
|Commodore
|}
 
== Personal Life ==
Commodore Bale has been married to Yolonda Bale (a Human female) since 2364, and during their 35-year marriage, they have had four children ranging from age 32 to age 22, three of whom now serve in Starfleet. His youngest child, Marar Bale, graduated from the Diplomatic Institute of Betazed in mid-2399. Except during the Dominion War, his wife and children lived aboard whichever starship he was serving on, and Yolonda has been a professor of literature and culture at the Fourth Fleet Academy since the commodore joined the faculty there in 2389.
 
== Commodore Bale In-Play ==
* Commodore Bale is a fleet-level NPC that you are allowed to use in your own fiction. Use the history presented here as a way of capturing his characterization, but you're free to use him for any interactions you'd like, as long as you don't kill him off or alter the character!
* Bale joined Starfleet in 2347 and is now 70, meaning that he's old enough to be many traditionally-aged cadets' grandparents. That's the affect he projects as well: empathetic and understanding, but also quite firm when he needs to be. He enjoys working with cadets and getting to know them, but he's also quick to apply disappointment as a disciplinary tool should a cadet end up in his office.
* Bale is not the type of man to stay in his office all day; he enjoys sitting in on classes, walking the campus, and even guest lecturing for introductory courses when he has the time. He wants to get to know the students that pass through his academy.
* Bale is quite proud of the fact that, though a Betazoid, he is an accomplished engineer, something that he considers to be even more of an accomplishment than success in a more person-driven field would be, he is also quite proud of his heritage and enjoys living in a Betazoid colony.
[[Category:Fleet NPCs]]

Revision as of 13:56, 1 April 2023

USSBellerophon.jpg
USS Bellerophon
General Information
Registry NCC-74705
Class & Type Intrepid-class light explorer
Affiliation Starfleet, United Federation of Planets
Status Active
Commissioned 2373
Assignment
Unit Fourth Fleet Operations
Squadron Odyssey Squadron
Role Deep Space Explorer
Key Personnel
Commanding Officer Captain Horatio McCallister
Executive Officer Commander Lirissa Jaz
Bellerophon-plaque.png
Template:Starship
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."
    —Barack Obama - Ship's Dedication Quote

The USS Bellerophon (NCC-74705) is an Intrepid-class Federation starship built in the early part of the 2370s and served with distinction during the Dominion War. After thirty years of various missions within the Alpha and Beta Quadrant, the ship was assigned to the Delta Quadrant to support the Fourth Fleet’s Odyssey Squadron. Sent to undertake a deep space exploration assignment, the Bellerophon was refitted for this mission and to retrace the steps made famous by another Intrepid-class that traversed the same region. The ship’s quote is from a speech shared by the 44th President of the United States of America from Earth’s 21st century, President Barack Obama. Command of the vessel was given to Captain Horatio McCallister in 2399.

Design and Layout

Launched at the height of the Dominion War, the Bellerophon was equipped with the latest technologies to assist with the upcoming war effort. Due to her fast nature (being one of the quickest ships in the fleet at the time), Starfleet cancelled her original exploration mission. She was assigned to Starbase 375 to serve as the flagship for Vice Admiral William Ross when he took command of all of Starfleet's forces near to the Bajor sector. Rarely was she used as a frontline ship, instead used to transport the admiral around the area (mainly between Starbase 375 and Deep Space 9). For this, the engineers ensured her shields, weapons, and engines were the best they could be. On a few occasions when the ship did engage enemy vessels, she was victorious in every battle (thankfully, down to the fact the ship was always under the escort of at least two other vessels).

Post-war, the ship remained in active service, and it was in 2385 that the vessel received it first significant refit. During the overhaul, engineers installed an Astrometrics Lab based on the one created by Voyager's crew, and holo-emitters were placed on every deck and every section of the ship. When it was decided that the vessel would be assigned to deep space exploration assignments, further enhancements were made. Further enhancements were made when Starfleet decided that the vessel would be assigned to deep space exploration assignments. This included a third holodeck (slightly smaller than the other two), and the ability for the ship to triple its replicator bounty (again based on alien technology learnt from Voyager). Once upgrades were complete, the ship was almost like Voyager after its return home. The only difference was the captain's request to add a few facilities to allow for some of the crew to bring members of their families. A small classroom and childcare facilities replaced the aft lounge (under the shuttle bay). In addition, the ship was equipped with its own Delta-class runabout.

Bridge, Deck One

The bridge of the USS Bellerophon, c.2400

Like other Intrepid-class vessels, the Bellerophon's bridge layout was the same, except for one difference during the Dominion War. Instead of the standard two-seat command chair configuration, a third command chair was added during the war, allowing Admiral Ross to sit on the bridge, coordinating with others during fleet engagements. Starfleet later removed this configuration after the ship was reassigned to other duties.

Along the aft wall of the bridge are the Mission Ops panels on either side of the long, wide Master System Display. Next to this, on the starboard side, is the entrance to the main lift, followed by the station assigned to security and tactical. A further door to the captain's ready room exists, following a few steps down. The last station on the starboard side is the engineering console. Next, in front of the command pit, is the helm station in front of the large viewscreen. Finally, the science station is on the port side of the bridge, by the forwardmost bulkheads. Behind this is the briefing room door, while the operations station has the identical setup opposite to the security and tactical station. Between operations and the mission ops area, a small corridor leads out to the rest of deck one, which includes another turbolift and access to the nearest escape pods.

Ready Room, Deck One

The Bellerophon's ready room, c.2400.

A home away from home, the ready room on the Bellerophon was initially used exclusively by the captain, while Admiral Ross would use the briefing room for most of his meetings. A large spacious area, the ready room on the Bellerophon has allowed for numerous private meetings for the captain and their senior staff or visiting guests. One unique feature is the golden models of previous ships named Bellerophon hanging behind the captain's desk. This includes the USS Bellerophon (NCC-62048) and the HMS Bellerophon. In addition, Admiral Ross gave the ship an antique grandfather clock that now sits beside the replicator as a parting gift.

Specific Technical Information

Emergency Holographic Programs

Like many Intrepid-class ships in the fleet, the Bellerophon was initially installed with a Mark I Emergency Medical Hologram. Starfleet engineers installed a Mark II during the war, then updated to Mark III before a Mark IV. These updates have continued throughout the ship's active service. Finally, in mid-2380, the ship received an Emergency Command Hologram and an Emergency Engineering Hologram.

Support Craft

With one shuttlebay, the Bellerophon comes with a standard compliment of shuttles and one runabout, along with its Aeroshuttle (called the Deliades).

  • Personal Shuttles
  • Cargo Shuttles:
  • Runabouts

History

2373-2377

The USS Bellerophon in orbit of Romulus, c.2375

As the flagship of one the most prolific admirals in the fleet during the Dominion War, the Bellerophon's legacy was developed as one of the fastest ships that served so close to the frontlines. Usually, under escort with two other ships, the Bellerophon would ensure that the admiral could meet with field commanders and move around close to the border without any harm coming to him. Furthermore, the ship was instrumental in ferrying a large Federation delegation from Deep Space 9 to Romulus in 2375. It was the first Federation ship to visit the Romulan homeworld under a flag of truce and cooperation. Finally, the ship participated in the war's final battle and survived the onslaught the Dominion threw at the Federation Alliance. After the war, the Bellerophon was assigned to post-war duties that included escorting relief efforts into the Cardassian Union as well as patrolling the border with the Union and Breen Confederacy.

2377-2385

In 2377, Starfleet removed the ship from its work along the Federation-Cardassian border and assigned it to begin doing what it was initially built to do: explore! The vessel undertook an eight-year exploration effort beyond the Klingon Empire at the invitation of the High Council. The ship would spend at least half a year mapping elements of the Rotarran Maelstrom before returning to the Federation. After returning home to Earth, the ship assisted with the rescue and response attempts after the synth attack on Mars. Though the crew could only save under four hundred people from the surface, the attacking synth vessels damaged the ship, forcing it to flee to Jupiter Station. Heavily damaged, Starfleet sent the ship to the Beta Antares Ship Yards for repairs and its first major refit. The process took at least nine months to complete. Her entire crew was reassigned to other duties across the fleet.

2385-2399

Now it was under the commanded by Captain Laura McCallister, the ship was sent as part of Starfleet's response to the destruction of Romulus to provide aid. Being fast enough, the ship was able to help pull survivors from the wake of the devastation sent across the Romulan Star Empire and deposit them at refugee camps set up along the former Romulan Neutral Zone. The ship was placed on patrol and other duties along the Romulan border for the next five years.

In 2390, Starfleet sent the ship back to the Cardassian border to assist with threats from the True Way. The ship was able to support Federation colonies in the area in stopping raids and disrupting criminal networks. Over the next four years, the ship remained working on a range of missions in the Alpha Quadrant. In 2395, the ship was sent on a six month expeditionary mission to the Gamma Quadrant. The Bellerophon's primary duty was to ensure that the area close to the mouth of the wormhole was secure and to update Starfleet with any developments linked to the Dominion. At the end of 2398, the ship returned to Earth for its next refit and for Captain McCallister to be succeeded by her brother-in-law.

Crew

Command Staff

  • Commanding Officer:
    • Captain Brian Stuhlmacher (Human Male) (2373-2385)
    • Captain Laura McCallister (Human Female) (2385-2398)
    • Captain Horatio McCallister (Human Male) (2398+)
  • Executive Officer:
  • Second Executive Officer:
    • Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander Skal (Vulcan Male) (2373-2385)
    • Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander Jirani Edeena (Bajoran Female) (2385+)
  • Third Executive Officer:
    • Lieutenant Commander Jason Frame (Human Male) (2373-2385)
    • Lieutenant Junior Grade / Lieutenant Bowd Zalin (Bolian Male) (2385-2400)
    • Lieutenant Junior Grade Rubon Jarata (Risian Male) (2400+)

Senior Staff/Department Heads

  • Chief Flight Control Officer:
    • Ensign / Lieutenant Junior Grade / Lieutenant Joseph Hickham (Human Male) (2373-2385)
    • Ensign / Lieutenant Junior Grade Emze (Saurian Male) (2385-2396)
    • Ensign / Lieutenant Junior Grade Rubon Jarata (Risian Male) (2396+)
  • Chief Science Officer:
    • Lieutenant Junior Grade / Lieutenant Palle Wivip (Tellarite Female) (2373-2385)
    • Lieutenant Junior Grade / Lieutenant Bowd Zalin (Bolian Male) (2385-2400)
    • Ensign Jonarom (Ardanan Male) (2400+)
  • Chief Medical Officer:
    • Lieutenant Commander Jason Frame (Human Male) (2373-2385)
    • Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander M'Turr (Caitian Female) (2385-2397)
    • Lieutenant Junior Grade Sarella Corben (Betazoid Female) (2397+)
  • Chief Counsellor:
    • Lieutenant Junior Grade / Lieutenant Gaetar (Rigelian Male) (2373-2385)
    • Lieutenant Threra Zh'rylrik (Andorian Female) (2385-2398)
    • Lieutenant Junior Grade Krizon Hilgan (Trill Male) (2398+)
  • Chief Engineer:
    • Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander Harold Smith (Human Male) (2373-2385)
    • Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander Thyth Ch'vaaqos (Andorian Male) (2385-2400)
    • Lieutenant Junior Grade T'Penni (Vulcan Female) (2400+)
  • Chief Operations Officer / Chief of Operations:
    • Lieutenant Junior Grade / Lieutenant Cynthia Wheeler (Human Female) (2373-2385)
    • Ensign Nalli (Orion Female) (2385-2390)
    • Petty Officer 3rd Class / Chief Petty Officer Bronden (Zaldan Male) (2390+)
  • Chief Security & Tactical Officer:
    • Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander Skal (Vulcan Male) (2373-2385)
    • Lieutenant / Lieutenant Commander Jirani Edeena (Bajoran Female) (2385+)
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