USS Canopus (NCC-77214)

The USS Canopus (NCC-77214) is a Heavy Battleship / Type 1 Warship that was commissioned into Starfleet service in 2378. Completed as SCB 690.3 variant USS Pearl Harbor under contract to Saint Petersburg Shipbuilding, she was renamed Canopus and is currently assigned to Third Starfleet, serving with the Joint Allied Task Force. It is the fourth vessel in Starfleet service named for, succeeding the destroyed USS Canopus (NCC-69237). Its Commanding Officer is Captain Benjamin Maxwell.

Funding and construction
Pearl Harbor was funded in FY2375 alongside Carlton MacDowitt as part of a wartime supplemental, replacing the lost Deep Space Battlecruisers Constitution and Madison. Both ships were contracted to SPS as supplemental to Mk III as Lot 4. First steel for Pearl Harbor was cut on 3rd of March 2375, the ship being unnamed at the time (although being referred to as Madison) and carrying no registration, at the construction department of,. Her keel was laid on April 27th at the construction dock No. 4 with the registry NZ-77214, but still unnamed. She was listed as USS Madison on April 30th with the status “Under Construction”, but was eventually named Pearl Harbor in June 2375. Pearl Harbor was launched on October 12th, 2377 as NCX-77214 with the status “Undergoing Trials” and included with CONSCOM’s TESTRON 21. The ship was declared deep-space qualified on October 31st and relisted as “Commission Pending” on December 22nd.

Commission
Commanded by Captain Susan DeVorcha, the project commander during construction, during shakedown, Pearl Harbor had not yet an acting CO assigned. The officer corps was still in a bad shape and qualified officers were difficult to come by. Initially it was planned to have Captain DeVorcha act as CO with Pearl Harbor being assigned to First Starfleet, the vacant slot at Fifth Starfleet instead being filled by Bragg. (STC: “One Up”)

When both the Heavy Battleship Lionheart and the Nebula II Class Heavy Exploration Cruiser Canopus were destroyed by a Mjjrni vessel in January 2378 Fourth Starfleet suddenly was short one Sovereign vessel. Given the rising tensions with the Klingon Empire and the Gorn Confederacy and increasing probing by the ISC this was deemed unacceptable. Instead of diverting Bragg to Fourth Starfleet it was decided to supplement Pearl Harbor’s already assigned crew with survivors from Canopus and dispatch the ship to Fourth Starfleet. (STC: “One Up”)

Commanded by Captain Benjamin Maxwell, Pearl Harbor entered her final trials, including a SHAETEX against Starfleet and KDF units. At that time she was already listed as Canopus, although still carrying Pearl Harbor markings. (STC: “Eagerness”)

Service with Fourth Starfleet
Canopus was commissioned on February 19th, 2378 and assigned to Fourth Starfleet’s TACTRON 406, directly replacing the lost Lionheart. (STC: “Supernova”). She was part of TG 43.2 during the Liason Talks on Tholia (STC: “Tholia”).

Being used as deterrent Canopus saw some battle action during the first few weeks of service (STC: “The Constant Officer”), eventually capturing the ISC Company Type Cruiser CNC Eagle's Wrath while leading TU 45.1.4 escorting a SF convoy. (STC: “The Prize of War”)

With the Sovereign design still being troubled by propulsion problems (variously attributed to the deuterium nozzles, pre-burners, magnetic constrictors or the crystal controls) Canopus’ engineering crew began with field modifications and testing of modified equipment. (STC: “Improvements”)

With the shifted importance to defense operations with RIMCOM, Canopus was slated to receive modifications originally devised for Sovereign herself based upon technological breakthroughs achieved by Voyager and her crew. Only a limited number of projects were eventually completed though. (STC: “The Spots of the Leopard”).

Canopus was assigned to TF 42.2 (Sentinel BG) for planned raids on ISC patrols, the first of which proved it to be a poorly thought out and executed concept eventually leading to the loss of several ships, including Sentinel herself. (STC: “For the Sake of It”)

Canopus then joined the ranks of the most illustrious group of Starfleet vessel, being visited by the omnipotent being known as Q. Although the ship was damaged during the visit (damage inflicted by Q’s “simulations”) it was eventually restored to status quo. (STC: “Q-Cordium”)

Along with Enterprise and Avenger Canopus took part in the diplomatic effort to restore relations with the Klingon Empire and the subsequent investigation into abductions of high-ranking Klingon politicians. (STC: “Khitomore, or less”, “Entente Cordiale, Part I” and “Entente Cordiale, Part II”)

Service with Third Starfleet / Joint Allied Task Force
After ratification of the Second Cestus Accords Canopus was assigned to Third Starfleet in 2379, Starfleets contribution to the Joint Allied Task Force. Based at Deep Space 15 in Klingon Space Canopus operated with the KDF and the Confederated Navy, taking part in reinstituted officer exchange programs with the Gorn. (STC: “Here Be Dragons”).

Canopus was sent along with Sutherland to Starbase 407 (the former Deep Space 9, redesignated after Bajor became a member of the UFP) to help investigate readings around the Badlands and the Idran end of the wormhole that were suspected to originate from ISC ships. (STC: “Intrusions, Part I”) Both ships, as well as Defiant, were attached to TG 63.2 in pursuit of a K-cloaked ISC battle group which eventually proved to be a ruse opening a gap in Starfleet defenses that allowed a battle group of cardassian ships to cross into the Gamma Quadrant. (STC: “Intrusions, Part II”)

Canopus transported sensor and intel data collected by Governor to Starbase 14 while overcoming the omnipresent ISC sabotage attempts as well as several direct ISC attacks. (STC: “Running the Gauntlet”)

Canopus and Sutherland played a major role in the investigation into the disappearance of Pegasus (along with her escorts Jurassic and Jeopardy) and successful attempts to establish communications with the stranded vessels. (STC: “Further Installments” and “Far Cry”)

A group of insurgents from Zulon, disguising themselves as diplomats, tried to seize and capture Canopus. They were swiftly dispatched by her crew. (STC: “Nothing Lasts Forever”)

In late 2379 Canopus was docked at the Gorn shipyards at Regal III for maintenance and overhaul. (STC: “Terra Firma”)

Canopus and Sutherland were once again paired, this time for mediations on Zulon in spring of 2380. (STC: “Perestroika”)

A PTC tap blew up aboard Canopus, killing seven crewmembers. An investigation by the JAG and SIS came to the conclusion that this was due to sabotage by the ISC, rather than waiving of security measures by the Engineering department. (STC: “Taking the Heat”)

Evaluations for embarkation of a shipboard SFMC-company aboard Canopus were held in April 2380, though these plans were abandoned later. (STC: “Marines”)

Two years after capturing the ISC cruiser CNC Eagle’s Wrath Canopus was able to claim another war prize, this time the CNC Raahn the Protector. The ISC ship broadcast a distress call to which Canopus responded. The ISC crew was taken prisoner-of-war. (STC: “The Son of the King”)

As the earlier devised field modifications to the warp core proved unsuccessful, Canopus was scheduled to receive an upgraded MARA, again from Amata. A thorough review of its engineering parameters lead the Canopus’ engineering crew to the conclusion that the new design was deliberately engineering to malfunction like its predecessors. When similar design “flaws” are discovered in all variants since the launch of Sovereign a major fraud and bribery scandal (The Amata Scandal) is uncovered. (STC: “The Warp-Conspiracy”)

Canopus took part in the Second JATFEX in January 2381 near the Auva system. (STC: “Misfired”)

On Federation Day 2381 Canopus was part of the fleet parade near Deep Space 15 when several ships were damaged when Humason was blown up by ISC sabotage. (STC: “Federation Day”)

Canopus was part of TF 42.0 (Wasteland BG), the combined JATF attack group that destroyed the ISC HW generator in the Adhara system. (STC: “Adhara”)

Canopus was planned to undergo HECOR modification at the New Aberdeen Fleetyards in late 2381. When the ship was docked and readied for work she was stolen by a group of insurgents. (STC: "The Hunt for U.S.S. Canopus, Part I") She was damaged by Repetition after she destroyed the Geminga trade station. RIMCOM ordered her destruction by force, to be executed by TF 52.1 (Apparition CVBG). (STC: "The Hunt for U.S.S. Canopus, Part III") She was eventually engaged though by TG 55.2 (Van Kargen ARG) and recaptured by elements of the 6th MEU. (STC: “The Hunt for U.S.S. Canopus, Part IV”)

Canopus was modified to HECOR specifications and also fitted with a Have Dog reflector, being only the second ship after Khitomer receiving the experimental device. (STC: “The Brassiere”)

In 2382 Canopus engaged Zee Magnees and her cruiser escorts Battleaxe and John Monterey. She damaged and disabled the three ships that were en route to Tholia. Ambassador Verak was abducted from Zee Magnees and put into custody of the DSS. (STC: “Thorn Within, Part I” and “Thorn Within, Part II”)