USS Discovery (NCC-71021)

The USS Discovery (NCC-71021) was a 24th century Federation starship operated by Starfleet. The vessel became famous after completing a seven year (2370-2377) mission in the Gamma Quadrant, the first successful exploration of that quadrant by the Federation. Discovery was destroyed during the Battle of Altamid IV in 2378.

Construction and launch
Discovery was built at Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards orbiting Mars in the Sol System. The construction was a massive undertaking, involving thousands of people across disciplines. Construction was supervised by Commander Mark Callaghan. Dr. Leah Brahams was responsible for much of Discovery's warp propulsion system design.

The ship's port nacelle tube was the site of a multiple murder while she was still under construction at Utopia Planitia. A member of the construction team, became jealous when he discovered his lover was having an affair. He killed the two officers, Marsha and Adam, then hid Marsha's body in a bulkhead and disposed of Adam's in the plasma stream, leaving a telepathic imprint on the same bulkhead that was not discovered until 2377.

On Stardate 43758.5, in the year 2366, Discovery was launched from Mars. On Stardate 44027.5, Discovery was commissioned.

Final systems completion and shakedown was conducted at Earth Station McKinley. Captain Kathleen Jemison took command of the ship on Stardate 44148 at the order of Vice Admiral Wallace.

Early years
In 2367, at Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards, Captain Jemison boarded Discovery for the first time while in drydock. Vice Admiral Wallace greeted Jemison as she came aboard. After a tour of the ship, Discovery departed drydock for a trial run. However, Discovery was the only ship in range capable of responding to a distress call from two Cardassian ships. The ships had been trapped in an energy distortion. Discovery was only able to rescue 57 Cardassian crewmembers before both ships were destroyed. The medical staff treated the surviving Cardassians, including Sahara, future Cardassian spy.

Discovery itself became ensnared in the distortion when she maneuvered into transported range. One crewman devised a plan to fire a photon torpedo in order to simulate a antimatter explosion and free Discovery. Jemison went to the torpedo bay to make necessary modifications as Discovery 's engineering hull was struck by an energy trendrill. Discovery escaped with minor casualties and a hull breach on along sections 30 through 38 on decks 23 through 25.The event delayed Discovery 's commissioning by a few weeks while repairs were made.

In 2368, Discovery was assigned to patrol the Romulan Neutral Zone when a Romulan warbird penetrated the zone and attacked a nearby Federation starbase. Discovery pursued the Romulan ship back to Neutral Zone. There Discovery engaged the Romulan vessel in battle. Discovery was eventually victorious against the Romulan warbird.

The Gamma Mission
In 2370, after undergoing a refit, Discovery arrived at Deep Space 9 for new crewmembers. While at DS9, Captain Jemison received orders to track down the Maquis ship, Redoubt. Jemison relayed to her ship and Discovery departed the station. Discovery encountered the Redoubt and began to pursue the vessel. To avoid capture, the Redoubt traveled through the Bajoran wormhole into the Gamma Quadrant. Discovery followed the Redoubt into the Gamma Quadrant. Shortly after entering the Quadrant, both the Redoubt and Discovery came under attack from three Jem'Hadar ships. ​

As Discovery and Redoubt battled the three ships, they soon learned their weapons and defenses were ineffective against the Jem'Hadar. Discovery suffered sever damage from the attack. Several crewmembers were killed in the attack including the first officer, helmsmen, and chief engineer. The Redoubt was unable to withstand the Jem'Hadar's attack. The Maquis crew managed to beam over to Discovery before the Redoubt exploded. As the crew began to make repairs, Jemison and Bridger agreed to put aside their differences in order to get home.

Discovery headed to a nearby Class M planet, Arkayna. While enroute, Discovery encountered a disabled freighter manned by Cosmo and his partner Tess. While on Arkayna, the Discovery crew learned about the Jem'Hadar and the Dominion, the galactic power in the Gamma Quadrant.

After departing Arkayna, Discovery once again came under attack from the Jem'Hadar. Jemison ordered a saucer separation, taking command of the stardrive section from the battle bridge. After an intense battle, Jemison was able to fend off the Jem'Hadar and reconnect with the saucer section. After realizing the threat of the Dominion, Jemison decided to stay and explore the Gamma Quadrant. With the destruction of the Redoubt, its crew remained on Discovery. Several key positions, left vacant by casualties, were by the new Maquis crewmembers.

​Beginnings in the Gamma Quadrant
​After the Redoubt was destroyed in the battle against the Jem'Hadar, its entire crew chose to stay aboard Discovery rather than be imprisoned. Several key positions on the vessel, left vacant by heavy casualties, were filled by the new Maquis crew. Bridger became the Discovery's first officer, K'Denna became the new chief engineer after lieutenant John Gregory's death. Cosmo remained on board and served as the ship's guide. He also became the ship's morale officer and eventually, ambassador. His friend, Tess, joined him and began medical training in sickbay to become a nurse and field medic.

​Conflict with the Jem'Hadar
Being in the Gamma Quadrant put the Discovery in direct conflct with the Jem'Hadar, the military arm of the Dominion. To make matters worse, several former Maquis such as Sahara didn't agree with following Starfleet principles and directives, believing them to be not worth an enemy out of the Jem'Hadar and thus endangering their mission.

In an elaborate deception that involve secretly providing information to the Dominion, Sahara defected to the Jem'Hadar. Much to the surprise of her former Maquis crew-mates, Doctor Chandler discovered that she was in fact a Cardassian spy, surgically altered.

After fleeing the ship and joining the Jem'Hadar, Sahara immediately began to reassert her Cardassian physiology and began supplying the Dominion with information on the Alpha Quadrant. Sahara even helped the Dominion forge an alliance with the Cardassian Union.

In 2372, While on an away mission, Bridger and Terol are captured by the Dominion and taken to Internment camp 371. Terol was able to modify a life support system to contact their runabout and escape.

When the Dominion War began in 2373, Discovery was officially at war with the Jem'Hadar. Discovery became cutoff from the Alpha Quadrant when the wormhole became inpassable, trapping Discovery and its crew in the Gamma Quadrant.

In the first months of the war, Discovery was able to stop a Dominion fleet from invading the Alpha Quadrant by firing a sonic pulse from the deflector dish that disabled the Dominion ships.

Throughout the war, Discovery faced numerous attacks by the Jem'Hadar, at one point, Discovery was attacked four times in two weeks.

Following the end of the war, Discovery continued its mission of exploration. However, attacks by the Jem'Hadar stop on Odo's orders. Discovery could now explore the Gamma Quaduant with interference from the Jem'Hadar.

​Journey of Discovery
Discovery made first official contact with a number of species in the Gamma Quadrant.

In 2371, Discovery visited the planet Argratha to conduct a bio-survey. While on the planet crewmember K'Denna was convicted of a crime by the Argrathan Authorities and sentenced to have her mind imprinted with fabricated memories. Fortunently, the crew managed to proved her inocence and she was released.

In 2372, Discovery received a distress call from Deep Space 9, which was under attack from a massive Klingon assault. Discovery rushed through the Bajoran wormhole in time to assist DS9 and other Starfleet reinforcements with repelling the Klingon attack.

In 2372, Discovery learned that Doran sisters L'torra and Kolanna were plotting to seize the mines on Quantum III in the Gamma Quaduant and sell its billitruim to terrorists. Discovery headed to the Quantum system only to discover the sisters' Bird-of-Prey, Konoth, nearby and the sisters were brought aboard Discovery. Discovery's crew recovers the billitruim and returned it to the planet. The sisters returned to the Alpha Quaduant.

Later, Discovery arrived at the planet, Nyron which was under threat from the Dominion. While visiting the planet, crewmembers suddenly began to disappear one by one, only to be replaced by the planet's inhabitants. Before the crew could act, the Nyronians had taken over the ship, transporting the crew to a compound on the planet. They learned the Nyronians planned to use Discovery to defend their planet from the Dominion. While in the compound, the crew discovered a portal that lead to the control room. In the control room, Jemison and the crew discovered there were more prisoners whose ships the Nyronians had stolen. Jemison and Dax managed to locate the translocator the Nyronians used to switch places with the Discovery crew. After Jemison threatened to expose them to the Dominion, the Nyronians relinquished Discovery to Jemison. In 2373, Discovery detected a strange reading, an area of total darkness, devoid of space, matter, and energy. Like a hole in space. Jemison ordered a probe be launched into the void. However as soon as it entered the void, it disappeared. Jemison ordered another probe be launched. The second probe also vanishes, more quickly than the last. Ensign Thacker tells Jemison that he can determine the boundaries of the anomaly based on where the two probes disappeared and suggest he can bring the ship closer. Jemison agrees and orders Thacker to bring the ship closer using thrusters only. Suddenly, the blackness expands and envelopes the Discovery. Dax tries to scan the surrounding area, but there is absolutely nothing to see. Jemison orders Thacker to set a course out of the void, back the way they came. However, no matter how fast or how far they go, they cannot leave. Suddenly, a Jem'Hadar battlecruiser approaches and attacks them. Discovery returns fire with a single torpedo, destroying the attacking ship. Jemison laments that the battle was too easy and Dax can detect no debris. Another ship approaches sensor. This time it is the destroyed USS Enterprise-D, much to the crew's surprise.

They hail the vessel, but no response. Sensors also detect no life signs. Jemison agrees to send a minimal away team to investigate. Bridger and Terol beam over only to find corridor after corridor. They find the ship makes no structural sense. When they finally find the bridge, it is two decks lower than where it should be. When the walk through a door, they find themselves right back where they started. Bridger and Terol beam back to the ship. After several attempts, they finally manage to break free of the void. In late 2375, following the end of the Dominion War, Discovery learned the Borg had moved into the Gamma Quadrant when Discovery responds to a distress call from the Solarian observatory. On the damaged station, the away team discovers a surviving scientist. They discover the remains of two Borg drones. Suddenly, the remaining Borg attack the team and a fire fight ensues. The Borg then teleport off the station and leave in their ship.

​Time travel
In 2371, Jemison and crew traveled back in time to 1944 during World War II in an attempt to stop Darvin Decker from foiling the Allies' Normandy invasion and changing the course of the war and history. During which a German spy learned the crew's true origin and tried to steal their technology. The crew managed to stop both the spy and Decker before any notable damage was made.

In 2374, Discovery traveled in time to 2268 through a time rift, in an attempt to stop a changeling agent from destroying the USS Enterprise and changing the timeline. Jemison worked with James T. Kirk to stop the changeling without any notable damage. Commander Dax found a way to recreate the time rift and return Discovery and its crew their own time.

​The Dominion
The Dominion was the major interstellar state in the Gamma Quaduant. Discovery learned of the Dominion after entering the Gamma Quaduant. The Dominion did not tollerate the Discovery violating it's so called territory and sent the Jem'Hadar and Vorta to destroy the ship and its crew. Despite the Dominion's threats, McNair continued her exploration of the Gamma Quaduant.

In 2370, the Dominion placed a changeling onboard Discovery to infiltrate the crew, in an attempt to destabilize the ship and personnel. The changeling was eventually discovered by the crew and explelled from the ship. This incident did cause a lower in trust aboard the ship.

In 2373, Discovery officially became at war with the Dominion when the Dominion War began. Cut off from Starfleet, Discovery was forced to fight the Dominion in the Gamma Quaduant alone. During the war, Discovery faced numerous attacks by the Dominion and its allies. At one point, Discovery was attacked by the Dominion four times in two weeks. To combat the Dominion, the Discovery crew managed to attain Jem'Hadar weapons, even capturing a Jem'Hadar ship. After studying the Jem'Hadar technology, the Discovery crew were eventually able to adapt their weapons and shields to combat the Dominion.

​The Borg
In 2375, following the end of the Dominion War, the Discovery learned the Borg had moved into the Gamma Quaduant. Discovery's first encounter with the Borg was when the ship encountered a Borg cube in System R-24. During the encounter the ship suffered major damage and eight crewmembers were killed.

In 2376, the Discovery crew learned the Borg were after the Dominion. The Discovery headed for the Founder's homeworld. With the help of Odo, McNair was able to convince the Founders to work with the them to fight the Borg.

Later that year, Discovery discovered a damaged Borg cube where all of the adult drones are dead. The crew did manage to find four injured adolescent drones and brought them aboard the ship. The crew at first plan to use these drones to destroy their people. However, the plans were halted when the drones become individuals after bonding with the crew. The drones decide to remain with Discovery instead of returning to the collective.

​Missions
Discovery's first contact with Starfleet following its entry into the Gamma Quaduant came when the crew responded to distress signal from the runabout following the capture of Commander Sisko. Discovery arrived to find the USS Odyssey and two runabouts, McNair briefed Odyssey's captain on the Jem'Hadar. Just than, three Jem'Hadar attack ships intercepted the Federation vessels. After retrieving Sisko, Starfleet attempted to with withdraw. During the battle, the Odyssey was destroyed when a Jem'Hadar ship rammed it's main deflector. While the rest of the Starfleet ships withdrew back through the wormhole, Discovery remained in the Gamma Quaduant.

Discovery was later contacted the USS Defiant when it entered the Gamma Quaduant. Discovery was assigned to escort the Defiant to the Founder's homeworld in the Omarion Nebula. After establishing contact with the Karemma, both ships were ambushed by a Jem'Hadar squadron. Discovery was badly damaged and the Defiant was captured and its crew held prisoner on the Founder's homeworld. The Discovery crew's attempts to rescue the Defiant crew failed. The Defiant crew were eventually released with the help of Odo.

​Project Relay
​With the threat of the Dominion, Starfleet felt it was best to have direct contact with Discovery. In 2372, Starfleet began Project Relay, a division of Starfleet with the goal of establishing contact with Discovery through the wormhole. The team was lead by Commander Tom Larson and overseen by Admiral Mark Ross. The project to place at Deep Space 9, first contact with Discovery was established in 2374 and regular contact was maintained throughout the remainder of the year.

When the Dominion War began, all contact between Starfleet and Discovery was lost. Starfleet even believed Discovery had been destroyed. It wasn't until 2376, that contact was re-established maintained for the duration of the vessel's journey. Starfleet was able establish monthly transmissions and eventually two-way live visual communication with Discovery, if only for a short time.

The Exeter
In 2373, Discovery​ responded to a Federation distress call from the starship USS Exeter, commanded by Captain Ralph Emmson. The vessel was on a survey mission in the Gamma Quadrant when the war began. The Exeter was severely damaged from attacks by the Jem'Hadar and most of its crew were either dead or injured. The Discovery crew provided medical aid to the crew and assisted in repairs. As repairs were underway when a Jem'Hadar sqaudron attacked. The Discovery tried to provide cover for the damaged Exeter, but to no avail. Captain Emmson managed to beam a few surviving crewmembers to Discovery​, but the first officer and a few others were killed. After the crew were evacuated, the Exeter was destroyed killing Emmson.

With the Exeter destroyed, the surviving crewmembers now served as crewmen aboard Discovery.

​The return home
In 2377, Discovery encountered a Borg sphere near the Arella nebula. During the battle with the sphere, Discovery had suffered heavy damage. Deck 36 had been decompressed after a cutting beam damaged the engineering hull. The saucer sustained damage to its impulse drive, and decks 18 through 20 were sliced open. Due to the extent of the damage, McNair decided to return to the Alpha Quaduant for repairs.

Discovery made it through the wormhole, coming out, McNair is contacted by Admiral Ross and Commander Larson who welcomes them back. Discovery docked at Deep Space 9 where the crew received a joyful welcome. McNair gave her report to Starfleet Command via subspace and briefed Captain Sisko on her voyage. Discovery had spent a total of seven years in the Gamma Quaduant before returning to Federation space.

A fleet of Starfleet vessels escorted the damaged Discovery to Earth. On Earth, the Discovery crew received a celebratory welcome from Starfleet Command. Commander Hudson and the other Maquis crewmembers were allowed to remain in Starfleet. The Discovery underwent a full refit at Earth Station McKinley, which lasted from five to six weeks. Several systems were upgraded, including the ship's phasers and warp core.

​Destruction
​In 2378, the crew had learned that Sahara was working with the Doran sisters to recreate the Genesis device. The Discovery crew had tracked Sahara and the sisters to Altamid IV in the Altamid system and intercepted the Bird-of-Prey. Sahara, desguised as a crew member snuck aboard the Discovery and managed to find the ship's shield modulation. Sending the shield modulations back to the Klingon ship, Sahara ordered the sisters to destroy the Discovery.

Just as Sahara was discovered by the crew, the sisters began their attack. Sahara beamed down to the planet below as the Bird-of-Prey fired a couple of consecutively deployed torpedoes at the Discovery. The projectiles easily penetrated the Starfleet vessel's shields, impacting the secondary hull. As the Discovery began to rotate, the ship returned fire, but the impact had no effect as the Klingon ship's shields held.

The Klingon ship retaliated by firing a disrupter blast at the Discovery. This caused an explosion at one of the port stations on the Discovery's bridge, which sent an officer who had been manning the station flying to the deck. McNair ordered the Discovery out of orbit, but the ship was suffering a hull breach on decks 30 through 34.

As the Discovery fled orbit, the Klingon vessel pursued. Two more disrupter shots fired from the Bird-of-Prey struck the Discovery's hull, a third shot struck the ship's port warp nacelle. Amid the fracas, K'Denna informed McNair the magnetic interlocks had been ruptured, leading to a coolant leak. The Discovery was just 10 minutes away from a warp core breach and there was nothing that could be done to stop it.

Faced with this scenario, McNair ordered the evacuation of the crew from the secondary hull to the saucer section. K'Denna and Thacker oversaw the evacuations of their respective departments with a minute to spare. The saucer's impulse engines were engaged as soon as it was clear of the secondary hull, but the saucer was unable to get to a safe distance before the core breached. The explosion produced a shock wave that propelled the Klingon ship into space and disabled controls of the saucer propelling it into a degrading orbit of Altamid IV, forcing the saucer section into the planet's atmosphere.

With the saucer section hurtling towards the surface of the planet, Wong managed to reroute the auxiliary systems to the lateral thrusters and thereby restore thruster control, which, in place of the disabled impulse engines, she could use to level out their descent. McNair called for all hands to brace for impact and, moments later, the saucer crash-landed on the planet's surface, leaving a trail of destruction many kilometers long in its wake. Owing to the relatively safe landing, the Discovery's casualties were minimal. Unfortunately, the severe damage sustained by the primary hull in the battle and the crash landing rendered the ship unsalvageable. After Sahara's defeat, the crew was rescued by a ship, an  ship, and a  ship. (Star Trek Genesis)

"Captain's log, stardate 55048.2. Three Starfleet vessels have arrived in orbit and have started beaming up the Discovery survivors. Fortunately, our casualties were light. Unfortunately, the Discovery could not be salvaged."

​Command crew

 * Commanding officer
 * Captain Kathleen Jemison (2367-2378)
 * First officer
 * Commander Hudson (2367-2370)
 * Commander Cyrus Bridger (2370-2378)
 * Second officer/operations manager
 * Lieutenant Commander Terra Dax (2367-2378)
 * Tactical officer/Science officer
 * Lieutenant Commander Terol (2367-2378)
 * Chief engineer
 * Lieutenant Commander McGregor (2367-2370)
 * Lieutenant John Gregory (2370)
 * Lieutenant K'Denna (2370-2378)
 * Tactical officer and security chief
 * Lieutenant Stara (2367-2378)
 * Chief medical officer
 * Doctor Sara Thacker (2367-2370)
 * Doctor Carol Chandler (2370-2378)
 * Counselor
 * Commander Shanna Price (2367-2378)
 * Flight controller (conn)
 * Lieutenant Reese (2367-2370)
 * Ensign Alex Thacker (2370-2378)
 * Transporter chief
 * Chief Mark Decker (2367-2378)

Main ​bridge
Discovery's bridge was located on Deck 1 of the saucer section. The bridge was design included a raised platform for the Captain, first officer, and Counselor's chairs in the center. Chair at tactical, additional science stations along the port and starboard walls and increased engineering section along the aft wall provided the engineering crew greater access for emergencies. Each of these stations included consoles for shipboard systems access.

​Observation lounge
​The observation lounge was located directly aft of the main bridge. The room was usually used for conferences by the senior staff. It featured a large, aft-facing windows that offered a spectacular view of the back of the starship and beyond. A conference table with seating for ten people was the main feature of the room, with LCARS screens on the port and starboard walls for information displays and retrieval. Holographic emitters embedded within the table could also be used for presenting data.

​Main engineering
​Engineering is located on Deck 36, and was and open facility, directly accessible from the corridor. Engineering systems spanned twelve decks of the engineering section. Consisting of two levels, it provided direct access to the warp core and primary engineering support systems. The corridor bulkhead housed the Master Situation Monitor. Inside the main section, the master system display was the operational focus of the room.

Beyond this, heading towards the warp core, the chief engineer's office was located on the left, and the assistant chief engineer's console was located on the right. These formed part of the bulkhead protecting the main part of engineering from the warp core.

Access to the upper level, a circular area surrounding the warp core, was provided by a ladder to the left of the warp core or an elevator on the right. The upper level had access to other warp core maintenance systems.

​Medical facilities
Discovery has at least three sickbay wards aboard with at least one in the saucer section and another in the stardrive section. The main sickbay was on Deck 12. There were four recovery biobeds on the periphery of the room with a main surgical biobed opposite them, covered by a large overhead sensor cluster and capable of hookup to a surgical support frame. Equipment storage and various control panels were located throughout the sickbay. The chief medical officer's office was small space just off the main sickbay, with a desk and workspace for the CMO. A small terminal connected the office to the sickbay.

Discovery also had at least four medical laboratories of varying sizes. Surgical suites for surgeries to complicated to be conducted in the sickbay. There was a room near the main sickbay where patients with severe burns could be treated in the Emergency bio-support unit.

​Ten Forward
Located at the forward-most section of the saucer module on deck 10, Ten Forward served as the social center of the ship. It had battery of recreational games including three-dimensional chess as well as a fully stocked bar which carried syntheholic beverages. The replicators were also able to produce other food and drinks for the crew to enjoy in a social setting. Its large, panoramic windows permitted a staggering view of the ship's passage through space.

​Holodeck
Discovery carried sixteen holodecks, which are located on Decks 9, 10, and 11.  

​Cargo bays
There are numerous multi-level cargo bays located throughout the ship. Most of these bays contained sufficient room for storage, cargo transporters, and and anti-grav units for the transportation of cargo. Cargo bay four was the only cargo bay with direct access to the exterior hull. One of the cargo bays was converted into an airponics bay to grow and contain plants for the science lab.