USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E) (Vanguard)

The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E) was a Federation starship, launched in 2372. It was the sixth Federation starship to bear the name and was under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

History
The Enterprise-E was launched in early 2372, but Jean-Luc Picard wasn't offered the command as expected, since commanding the predecessor, USS Enterprise-D. Instead, command of the Enterprise went to Captain Morgan Bateson. While Lieutenant Commander Worf chose to be the exception, Picard's entire senior staff and many junior officers made the transfer. Will Riker strenuously objected when Starfleet gave command of the Enterprise to Captain Bateson, but did his duty as assigned.

However, Bateson soon stepped aside in favor of Picard, after losing command of the ship to a group of Klingons, led by his old nemesis Kozara, who attempted to use the ship to invade Cardassia. Picard was able to re-take the ship from them and was subsequently installed as Commanding Officer.

The Borg
After a one-year shakedown cruise, Picard was ordered away from repelling a second Borg attack for fear of giving unwitting aid to the enemy, but after reconsidering he led a deflection of the main assault. The Enterprise was nearly lost when the senior staff decided to sacrifice the ship in order to save Earth's future by preventing the Borg on board from changing history. Fortunately, the crew was able to repel the Borg attempt without having to destroy the Enterprise.

Ba'ku Insurrection
In 2375, Picard ordered the Enterprise to the Ba'ku homeworld in the Briar Patch when it appeared that his Operations Officer, Lieutenant Commander Data, had malfunctioned and assaulted members of the research team there. Picard was able to capture Data and uncovered a plot by Vice Admiral Matthew Dougherty and some in the Federation Council to relocate the Ba'ku against their will. Picard rebelled against Dougherty, bringing word of his actions to the public.

The Scimitar
Picard continued to command the Enterprise through 2379, when the ship was sent to Romulus after the coup by Praetor Shinzon. Shinzon used a thalaron radiation weapon to eradicate the Romulan Senate and had planned to do the same to Earth. He needed Picard in order to repair faults in his own genetic makeup.

In a pitched battle between the Enterprise and Shinzon's flagship, the Scimitar, at an area of space called the Bassen Rift, Picard was eventually able to board the ship and eliminate Shinzon. Data saved Picard's life by transporting the captain back to the Enterprise before sacrificing his own life by firing on the thalaron weapon with a hand phaser, destroying the Scimitar, thereby saving the Enterprise and its crew.

Task Force Enterprise
In 2382, Picard was promoted to the rank of Commodore and placed in command of a permanently assembled task force of ten starships, with the Enterprise as permanent flagship.

Vanguard Command
In 2385, Picard was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral and was made Commanding Officer of the Fleet Carrier-Command Battleship USS Invincible, which was designated as the flagship of the Vanguard Fleet. The Enterprise was placed under the command of Commodore Tryla Scott, but retained its status as exploration flagship of Vanguard Command and Starfleet, as well as flagship of an enlarged Task Force Enterprise.