USS Malinche

"There are more things to be explored and conquered within the soul of man than on the surface of the earth"

—Herman Cortes - Ship's dedication quote

USS Malinche (NCC-38997) is an Excelsior II-class Federation starship currently assigned to Fourth Fleet's Task Force 72.

History

Launched Stardate 45965.30 (13 May 2399), the Malinche under Captain Kieran Thorne prior to Frontier Day before being reassigned.

The Malinche is an upgraded class Excelsior class from its predecessor and was christened after the starships predecessor served with distinction. The Malinche (Excelsior Refit) helped to intercept a Maquis raider commanded by Starfleet traitor Michael Eddington with the USS Defiant; unfortunately, Eddington managed to escape after disabling the Defiant with a planted cascade virus. Due to this, the Malinche towed the Defiant back to Deep Space 9.

Following the incident, Captain Sanders was given the duty of apprehending Eddington at Veloz Prime, despite great odds that they wouldn't reach the planet in time. However, Sanders would have no more luck at the task than Sisko did.

When the Malinche responded to a distress signal from a Cardassian freighter, it was discovered that the freighter was actually a booby trap left by the Maquis; a focused particle beam punched through the starship's gyro-shielding, and three Maquis raiders then attacked and disabled the ship, damaging the Malinche's navigational systems and warp core matrix compositor.

Stardate 80022.83 - 80052.97

The newly commissioned USS Malinche, NCC-38997, an Excelsior II-class starship, departs Starbase 72 for her comprehensive shakedown cruise under the command of Captain Sh’rra, a decorated Caitian officer known for her tactical expertise and diplomatic finesse. This crucial evaluation period will test the vessel’s enhanced systems following her extensive refit, including the upgraded Type XII phaser arrays, improved shield generators, and experimental warp field dynamics.

Captain Sh’rra and her diverse crew will conduct a series of diagnostic tests along the Cardassian border region before returning to Spacedock. The mission profile includes stress-testing the upgraded impulse engines at maximum velocity, evaluating the enhanced sensor suites during deep-space reconnaissance, and testing combat readiness through tactical simulations.

The shakedown will also assess crew integration following personnel realignment, with particular focus on bridge officer coordination during emergency protocols. Captain Sh’rra’s unique Caitian reflexes and strategic acuity make her ideally suited to push the Malinche to her limits while maintaining crew safety.

This Thirty-day evaluation will determine whether the USS Malinche is ready for her official assignment as a rapid response vessel in the volatile Alpha Quadrant.

Stardate 80214.61 - 80299.55

The USS Malinche, has been dispatched to the volatile region of the former Demilitarized Zone. Starfleet Command has assigned the vessel to investigate and de-escalate rising tensions between Federation colonies and Cardassian Union interests in the area.

Intelligence gathered from long-range sensors and limited field reports confirms the presence of two significant non-state actors operating in the region. The True Way, a known Cardassian extremist group dedicated to restoring the old militaristic order, has reportedly established several clandestine bases along the border. Simultaneously, a newly formed faction of the Maquis has emerged, apparently distinct from previous organizations but equally committed to defending Federation colonists through aggressive resistance.

Current Starfleet presence in the sector is critically insufficient, with resources stretched thin across multiple patrol zones.

Configuration

The Malinchean Excelsior II-class heavy cruiser was introduced in the mid-2380s as a modern retrofit of the long-serving Excelsior-class cruiser, which had just passed its tenth decade in continuous service. Unlike the similar-looking Obena-class emissary, which holds a specialized diplomatic and engineering role and was an entirely new design, the Excelsior II is a refit program for the original Excelsior class and is designed to fill precisely the same niche: a medium-sized all-rounder. After the destruction of Utopia Planitia in 2385, the decision was made to cancel the Obena program in favor of upgrading the existing Excelsior-class vessels, as this could be done more quickly to shore up the fleet. The Excelsior II thus is a blend of older and newer systems, a compromise that let them be built around existing hulls. A solid heavy cruiser design, the Excelsior II's upgrades focused on speed and armaments. The Excelsior II is a solid, well-rounded starships that shores up patrol lines and handles generalist duties within and near to Federation space. Originally intended as a stop-gap measure to shore up the fleet while the Inquiry-class exploratory cruisers were still being built, the refit to the Excelsior has been so successful that Starfleet anticipates their continued service for at least another fifty years, though there are no plans to build more vessels of this class.

Notable Crew

Commanding Officers

2401 - 2401 : Captain Kieran Thorne
2403 - Present : Captain Sh'rra