USS Endeavour
- "The arching sky is calling"
- —Robert Heinlein - Ship's Dedication Quote
The USS Endeavour (NCC-91895) is a Constitution III-class starship assigned to the Fourth Fleet and Sirius Squadron under the command of Captain Karana Valance. Commissioned in early 2400, Endeavour was built from the parts of her decommissioned predecessor, a Manticore-class, and reformed into something new: a symbol of Starfleet’s spirit of cooperation and exploration. She serves in the command unit of Sirius Squadron as the exploration and response ship, her versatile platform making her well-suited to venturing into the unknown, whether in uncharted territory or emergent situations.
Since early 2401, she has been assigned to the Midgard Sector, basing her missions out of Gateway Station. A border region adjacent to the old territories of the Romulan Star Empire and Neutral Zone, Endeavour now seeks to reach out to those abandoned by the collapse of the empire, forge new friendships, and explore this newly-independent expanse. Refugees need Starfleet aid, worlds no longer under the rule of Rator or Romulus need welcoming to the galactic family, and vast stretches of the unknown must be explored. But the region is still volatile and dangerous, a breeding ground for criminals and warlords. Not everyone will look fondly on the Federation’s arrival, and many will have a right to be left alone. Walking the line between reaching out and interfering, between exploring and trespassing, between helping and imposing, is a tall challenge for Endeavour in this new era of Starfleet’s efforts to reach back out to the galaxy.
Since her commissioning, Endeavour has performed key duties in some of the most notable incidents of the dawn of the 25th century, from responses to the Century Storm, to the stabilisation of the Velorum Sector during the fall of the Romulan Star Empire, to the Blood Dilithium crisis of the Gradin Belt and the Lost Fleet's invasion of the Deneb Sector. She played a key role in the Federation establishing a new foothold in the Midgard Sector, and her routine operations see her venturing into the territory of the former Star Empire for exploration and outreach into this chaotic and mysterious expanse.
Design and Layout
See: USS Endeavour Deck Listing
When the Manticore-class USS Endeavour was decommissioned, Starfleet ordered the hulk to be used to construct her successor. Like many ships of her class, the Constitution III-class Endeavour is thus built using much of the hull, internal systems, and computer of her predecessor. This has engendered a strong sense of continuity, especially with many of the crew carrying over service across both ships.
The Constitution III emerged as Starfleet's era of designing for comfort and luxury was waning, but Endeavour is still expected to act as a beacon of the hope the Federation can bring to a fraught region of space. Her interior matches the more utilitarian feel of many of her class, with more polished metals, uncarpeted decks, and cooler colours on the fixtures. She is by no means cold or unwelcoming in design, however, and is built with the expectation the crew may live aboard for months at a time.
With most quarters consisting of only one room, Endeavour relies on communal facilities for the crew to mingle and enjoy time off; most decks offer at least a small observation lounge for relaxing and socialising, and the ship has multiple mess halls of varying sizes. Most of these are somewhat utilitarian, with only the main lounge expected to field visitors. The mess hall near Main Engineering, for example, is one of the more stark and 'rough and ready' break spaces aboard.
Bridge
The Constitution III-class's aesthetics intentionally harken back to Starfleet's golden age of exploration, and Endeavour is no different, blending traditions with modern innovation. The bridge is designed to be visually impressive for crew, visitors, and those communicating by viewscreen. As with much of the ship, the decks are polished steel and the fixtures cool metals.
Endeavour's bridge has three central chairs, rather than one command chair. The chair to the CO's right is reserved for the executive officer, while the left is a space for guests or mission advisors. Facing the captain's chair from the viewscreen, the helm officer is seated at the front-left with the operations officer at the front-right, while the science station is in the alcove on the far left with tactical in the alcove on the far right. The communications officer's post is at the rear right, between the door to the conference room and the turbolift, while the opposite station on the left is often used by mission advisors or to monitor secondary operations such as away teams or auxiliary craft.
Strategic Operations Centre
At Captain Rourke's behest, facilities akin to the Combat Information Centre aboard Endeavour's predecessor were installed aboard. Designated as the Strategic Operations Centre, the SOC on Deck 6 can provide an information and analysis hub supporting mission objectives beyond merely military, and including economic and political. From the SOC, staff have an overview of a region on the holographic interface and can monitor changes and plan operations. This positions Endeavour for data gathering and analysis operations across multiple systems and locations, be they focused on strategy, intelligence, or science.
With the multi-mission nature of the ship, the SOC sees extensive use as a mission planning centre during diplomatic operations with multiple local concerns, such as security or humanitarian support. With Endeavour's regular long-term operations in a single area, the SOC facilitates the Chief Intelligence Officer's work to maintain records and build up actionable knowledge to support missions. It also often sees use by the civilian and Starfleet diplomatic staff when liaising.
If the squadron is deploying away from Gateway Station, the SOC acts as a command centre for the squadron leader and their staff. This provides operational space away from the bridge and allows the command team to conduct strategic analysis and issue orders to the squadron at large.
The Safe House
There are several messes and lounges aboard Endeavour, offering space for the crew to socialise, relax, eat and drink. Most are built in the same standard design as the rest of the ship. An exception is the Safe House on Deck 10. The main lounge and bar aboard Endeavour, it acts not just as a leisure space for the crew but hosts gatherings with guests that could include diplomats and dignitaries. It has been designed for comfort, with gentle lighting and coloured upholstery to soften the utilitarian feel of much of the ship. Seating is a mixture of comfortable booths that can provide limited privacy or even intimacy, and tables on the main floor that are cleared away when more space is needed.
The Safe House can swing between an atmosphere of a bustling party to a more intimate buzz, but the nature of the Starfleet life and crew shift patterns means it always feels like a place to catch up over bar snacks and a drink, or at least a coffee.
The Round Table
The officers' mess on Deck 8 has been named the Round Table. Reserved for the exclusive use of senior staff, other ranking officers, and their guests, it has been designed for a close, intimate feel for small gatherings or one-on-one meetings. It is furnished in blacks, golds, and greens in an art deco style. Seating is at the bar or one of the narrow booths, and refreshments are provided by the bar staff. This includes replicated fare, but several of Endeavour's officers have stocked the bar with drinks from their personal supplies with varying levels of generosity. It is a preferred place for officers seeking a quiet drink, a private conversation, or a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the ship. On occasion, it is reserved by the captain for gatherings exclusively for the senior staff or his guests.
Auxiliary Craft
Some of the auxiliary craft from the previous Endeavour were recovered, and Rourke retained and expanded the naming conventions of before, shuttles and runabouts named after the mythical court of Camelot instituted originally by Captain Leonidas MacCallister. Rather than retain the full complement of shuttles for a Constitution III, a quartet of fighters have been installed, deployed for ceremonial escort duties as much as patrol and scouting missions.
Type-12 Shuttles
Agravain, Bors, Ector, Gawain, Percival, Tristan
Six of the auxiliary craft aboard are Type-12 shuttles, the standard for most Starfleet ships. With only a flight crew of one or two officers, they struggle to fit even an additional four personnel aboard. Despite this, they are capable of reasonably long-distance missions. With other, larger auxiliary craft aboard, the Type-12s are usually reserved for simple ferrying or survey duties.
Type-14 Shuttles
Bedivere, Dagonet, Galahad, Kay, Lancelot, Sagramore,
Endeavour carries six Type-14 shuttles, the more modern personnel shuttle design. Larger than the Type-12s, they are mission-configurable, making them considerably more versatile, and are considerably more suitable for long-distance journeys. Their size makes them particularly useful for mass deployment of smallcraft, or for short-term away missions.
Orion-class runabouts
Merlin, Uther Pendragon
The two Orion-class runabouts are the 'mid-weight' auxiliary craft for Endeavour. With a flight crew of only three, they are reserved either for long-range missions for only two to four crew where their bunk space and facilities will be needed, or significant survey or away operations close to home making use of the resources without relying on Endeavour herself.
New Atlantic-class runabouts
Guinevere, King Arthur
Endeavour's two New Atlantic-class runabouts are the vessels of choice for large away team operations, and are often used by the Hazard Team when transporters are inadequate. The different modules make them highly flexible in their deployments, though both runabouts have the scouting modules installed as default. The King Arthur, in particular, has a long history with Endeavour's crew, recovered from the ship's predecessor and playing a major role in many missions. If a ship is required for diplomatic operations, ferrying delegates or the captain in comfort and offering space for hosting meetings or dinners, the Guinevere is usually refit for this purpose.
Waverider-class
Under Captain Valance, the integrated captain's yacht was removed to be replaced with a Waverider-class auxiliary craft named the Outrider. Although less comfortable for diplomatic missions, it is a fast and versatile multi-mission ship highly suitable for away missions requiring more than two officers, facilities of any significance, or of some duration. The Outrider is excellent at operating independently and is particularly useful at providing a lower profile when Endeavour is visiting frontier locations where a starship of her calibre might draw undue attention or prompt an unwanted reaction from locals.
Valkyrie-class starfighters
Several of the shuttles included in a standard Constitution III complement were removed to make space for a flight of four Valkyrie-class starfighters. While they are tactical vessels, Captain Rourke brought them aboard to also serve a ceremonial role in diplomatic affairs, and for their high speeds and sophisticated sensor arrays rendering them suitable for initial, simple reconnaissance in potentially fraught regions. The 'Black Knights,' as the flight are called, consist of four permanently assigned pilots, all of whom also fulfil departmental roles as relief flight control officers or shuttle crew. If the full flight is deployed beyond a single shift, such as in cases of emergencies or in the rare occasions when a Combat Air Patrol needs maintaining, other flight control officers trained to pilot a Valkyrie are seconded.
Because of the ceremonial role of the Valkyries, where they often fly escort for diplomatic craft in a role that sometimes includes providing security, the craft themselves are kept in peak visual condition while the pilots train regularly for complex formation flying.
History
2399-2400
- Late 2399: The Manticore-class USS Endeavour is sabotaged by the Romulan Rebirth Movement and decommissioned. At the order of Alexander Admiral Beckett, the construction order for the Constitution III-class USS Constellation, nearing completion, is amended. Components of the Manticore class are integrated in the final stages of post-shakedown modifications.
- January 2400: The Constitution III-class USS Endeavour is launched under the command of Captain Matthew Rourke, crewed by officers of her predecessor.
- Endeavour proceeds to the Romulan Neutral Zone to begin relief missions in collaboration with the Romulan Star Empire and Romulan Republic. Unprecedented access to the RNZ leads to new discoveries, such as Endeavour's A&A Team discovering the wreck and data libraries of the Koderex, a Romulan archive ship lost during the exodus from Vulcan.[1]
- February-March 2400: Endeavour forms part of the response to the Century Storm, entering the Paulson Nebula to shield the Betazed colony of Whixby and prepare it to receive local refugees. There, Endeavour conducts a rescue mission of the USS Odysseus, trapped in a nearby subspace rift. The ship is lost but most of the crew rescued, at the cost of Odysseus's commanding officer Commander Aquila, remaining aboard to allow her crew to escape the collapsing subspace rift. Whixby is successfully shielded from the storm, saving tens of thousands of lives, and local government convinced to take in thousands of local refugees.[2]
- May 2400: Upon the outbreak of civil war in the Romulan Star Empire of Rator, Endeavour is sent to the Agarath System, an industrial hub of the Reman-dominated Velorum Sector seeking independence. Diplomatic measures begin to build bridges between the Romulan civilians and Reman former slaves and labourers to establish a new government.
- June 2400: Efforts to subjugate Agarath by Rator's military are interrupted in a sneak attack by renegade Klingons. Starfleet and all Romulan forces form an impromptu alliance against the more bloodthirsty threat. Once the Klingons are repelled, Star Navy Commander Lotharn signals the withdrawal, leaving Agarath to self-governance.
- August 2400: Endeavour encounters forces from an alternate universe, a ship and crew of an alternative starship Endeavour trapped in this reality for some years. Though the alternate Endeavour is dispatched, either returned to its own reality or destroyed in the process, resolution comes with a price: the discovery that one of their own, Lieutenant Dathan, had long been an agent from this alternate universe. With even Vice Admiral Beckett implicated as possibly negligent, Captain Rourke's standing was dealt a heavy blow.[3]
- November 2400: The outbreak of Blood Dilithium dispatches Endeavour to the Gradin Belt. Studying the effects of this mineral led Endeavour to discover the existence of ancient Vaadwaur technology that could harness it to cause untold damage to telepathic populations, technology the Devore Imperium were hunting. Endeavour successfully interceded, destroying the technology and saving the lives of a Brenari colony under attack.[4]
- December 2400: Upon returning to the Alpha Quadrant, Endeavour is reassigned to a squadron under the command of Fleet Captain Jericho. Under Captain Jericho's command, Endeavour and her sister ships were ordered to prioritise security, protecting Federation citizens from threats among renegade Romulan and Klingon elements such as the Romulan Rebirth Movement and the House of Mo'Kai.[5]
2401
- March 2401: The Dominion Lost Fleet invades the Deneb Sector. Endeavour and her squadron rally to liberate Izar, whose billions of people have fallen under Dominion occupation.
- Upon receiving intelligence of a Breen ambush on Cardassian allies, Fleet Captain Jericho orders the squadron to not assist and instead prioritise squadron cohesion and information security during the march on Izar. Captain Rourke disobeys orders and Endeavour breaks ranks to rescue the Cardassian strike force.
- Rourke is relieved of duty by Fleet Captain Jericho. Lieutenant Commander Malhotra of the USS Triumph is given command.
- March 25th: The Battle of Izar. Initial intelligence proves critically incorrect, with enemy forces stronger than expected. Fearing the battle lost, Fleet Captain Jericho orders Triumph on a direct assault and for Endeavour to salvage essential combat data, retrieve survivors from the disabled USS Nighthawk, and leave. A panicked Commander Malhotra attempts to immediately flee, and is relieved of command by squadron Strategic Operations Officer Commander Harrian Cal.
- On the USS Independence, holding position outside the Izar System, an attempt is made on the life of Captain Rourke, detained aboard. Rourke and the crew discover the presence of Changeling infiltrators, including one impersonating Independence's CO, Commander Vornar. Rourke assumes command and rallies reinforcements from the USS Pathfinder and Cardassian forces. Their timely arrival salvages the battle, and Izar is liberated.
- Fleet Captain Jericho upholds the arrest of Captain Rourke and arrests Commander Harrian for mutiny. Endeavour is dispatched to Farpoint Station when word is received of the Lost Fleet's final push against local Starfleet headquarters, under the command of Endeavour's former XO and current Pathfinder CO, Commander Karana Valance. At Farpoint, Endeavour conducts herself with distinction, receiving several unit commendations.[6]
- April 2401: Fourth Fleet Command order an inquiry into the squadron's breakdown of command. Commander Valance is offered permanent command of Endeavour and a promotion to captain. Endeavour is dispatched to the Midgard Sector, to assist Gateway Station in upholding stability on both sides of the border and conducting new exploratory missions into former Romulan territory.[7]
- April 14th: Endeavour is affected by the Borg's Jupiter Signal on Frontier Day. Many of her young crew are assimilated, and the ship sustains heavy losses before it ends.
- June 2401: Increased Borg activities post-Frontier Day triggers the fleet's activation of Directive Four. A Borg Cube is destroyed in transwarp, scattering its wreckage across the Midgard Sector. Endeavour joins the squadron to secure volatile technology and ascertain the Cube's mission. A trail through a transwarp conduit to the far side of former Star Empire territory is followed, where the crew discover a near-disabled Borg Diamond and the dead Borg Queen aboard, whose recovery the destroyed Cube had been charged with. The Diamond is safely destroyed, and Endeavour embarks on a journey back to Federation space lasting several months.[8]
- August 2401: Klingon Chancellor Martok disappears and Endeavour is dispatched to Qo'noS to support the investigation. Captain Valance's inquiries are cut short by attacks from hostile Klingon houses and the ascension of Chancellor Toral, son of Duras, and his declared antagonism to the Federation. Nevertheless, Endeavour's presence secures the Federation's friendship of several Klingon Houses suspicious of their new chancellor, and eager to not let the Khitomer Accords collapse.[9]
- September 2401: Underspace tunnels open across the galaxy. Endeavour is believed lost in an aperture, and the crew survive a dangerous encounter with the Hirogen in unknown reaches of the Delta Quadrant. With Captain Valance stranded in the Beta Quadrant, separated from her ship, XO Lieutenant Commander Kharth commands Endeavour through the crisis. In the aftermath, she is promoted to commander.[10]
- October-December 2401: Endeavour conducts a months-long, deep space exploratory mission into former territories of the Romulan Star Empire, making first contact with several former Romulan vassal species and re-establishing communication with several isolated Romulan colonies.
Notable Crew
Commanding Officers
- January 2400 - April 2401: Captain Matthew Rourke
- April 2401 - Present: Captain Karana Valance
References
- ↑ https://bravofleet.com/mission/43276
- ↑ https://bravofleet.com/mission/47527
- ↑ https://bravofleet.com/mission/58751
- ↑ https://bravofleet.com/mission/64628
- ↑ https://bravofleet.com/mission/74098
- ↑ https://bravofleet.com/mission/76845
- ↑ https://bravofleet.com/mission/83575
- ↑ https://bravofleet.com/mission/91313
- ↑ https://bravofleet.com/mission/101995
- ↑ https://bravofleet.com/stories?_mission=122015