posted
Since the two kind of go together, here is Wells class to go along with the Aeon. Again, this was done by yours truly, so if you've got questions about the article, I'll see if my rusty brain can answer them for you.
WELLS CLASS
A. Conjecture
I. History
One of the later collaborations between Starfleet and the Federation Bureau of Temporal Investigations, the Wells class timeship is the antithesis of the failed Aeon class ships.
When Starfleet and the FBTI began accepting proposals for timeship designs, the Wells class was not one of those chosen. The idea of a mobile base for temporal investigations was deemed impractical, and smaller ships such as the Aeon were given priority. The small amount of resources needed for each such small vessel meant they could be produced quickly and in great numbers. Unfortunately, Starfleet had no idea what kind of a mess the Aeon class would create.
When many of the captains of Aeon class vessels began to overstep their bounds due to the fact they were often out of touch with Starfleet, and in worse cases, develop temporal psychoses, Starfleet realized that they would have to come up with a new approach to policing the timeline.
The failure of the Aeon was not the only reason Starfleet changed its mind about the Wells. Starfleet Research and Development had finally managed to wed transporter technology with time travel technology, creating the "temporal transporter." The original Wells proposal called for it to function as a carrier for smaller time travel vessels like the Aeon. The advent of the temporal transporter allowed the Wells to be reduced in size considerably. Although repeated use of the temporal transporter within a short period of time could result in sensory aphasia or even death, Starfleet deemed it safer than repeated use of temporal rifts due to the fact that crew members would only be allowed to use the transporter a limited amount of time.
The USS Wells was completed several years later, with several others right behind it. Many of the former Aeon captains were reassigned to Wells class ships, although some (such as the infamous Captain Braxton) had recurrances of their temporal psychoses anyway. Starfleet found the Wells class to be a big success in keeping temporal problems under control.
As one might expect from the idea that the Wells class would function as mobile temporal bases, several of its areas are more like starbases than starships. The bridge resembles a station's Ops center rather than a typical bridge. From there, the entire timeline can be observed. A temporal transporter assures that Starfleet personnel can react quickly in a temporal crisis. The ship itself can still travel through time via temporal rifts, but this is only done when deemed absolutely necessary.
II. Notable Ships of the Class
USS Wells NX-486170004 Status: Active in Current Timeline. USS Relativity NCV-474439-G Status: Active in Current Timeline. USS Dulmer NCV-486178022 Status: Destroyed in Current Timeline. USS Burns NCV-486180343 Status: Active in Current Timeline. USS Allen NCV-486180344 Status: Active in Current Timeline. USS Annorax NCV-486180883 Status: Decommissioned in Current Timeline.
B. Canonical Appearances and Information
The only canon Wells class timeship, the USS Relativity, was seen in the fifth season Voyager episode "Relativity." Although the Relativity's registry number is NCV-474439-G, it's dedication plaque incorrectly identifies it as the seventh ship to bear the name. There is, presumably, also a USS Wells, the prototype for the class.
-------------------- "Kirito? I killed a thing and now it says I have XPs! Is that bad? Am I dying?"
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Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
So, when are you going to post the article on the Relativity class?
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quote: Originally posted by Krenim: Although the Relativity's registry number is NCV-474439-G, it's dedication plaque incorrectly identifies it as the seventh ship to bear the name.
Um... why assume there's a mistake with the registry number? It's just as easy to assume that NCV registry numbers end with an A for every initial holder of a name (wouldn't make any less sense than the current scheme does, after all).
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posted
Mabye it's the seventh time-ship to bear the name?
There could be a science ship in Kirk's day with that name for all we know.
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WizArtist II
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posted
Or the G could have nothing to do with lineage. Pre WW2 aircraft had an identifier letter assigned to each manufacturer. you could have an F4F and an F4U. The first "F" was for "Fighter" and the second "F" was for Grumman while the "U" was for Vought.
Though this is archaic, it could be something similar to what they are using here.
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quote:Originally posted by Woodside Kid: Um... why assume there's a mistake with the registry number?
Well, in real life it probably was a mistake. Whoever made the dedication plaque forgot the R-nil when counting. Of course, as Trek fans, it's our job to rationalize every inconsistancy.
And it is just me, or is every registry number with a suffix (besides those of the Enterprise line) somehow or other screwed up? Yamato, Dauntless, and Relativity all come to mind.
-------------------- "Kirito? I killed a thing and now it says I have XPs! Is that bad? Am I dying?"
-Asuna, Episode 2, Sword Art Online Abridged
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posted
They're timeships... do you really think that "G" would have necessarily come chronologically after "F" and before "H"?
Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Krenim: And it is just me, or is every registry number with a suffix (besides those of the Enterprise line) somehow or other screwed up? Yamato, Dauntless, and Relativity all come to mind.
Well technically, the Dauntless wasn't a mistake until ENT came along...
My rationalization is that in the original Trek timeline, the first warp 5-capable starship was named Dauntless, and this was the supposed namesake of the ship that Voyager encountered. Then, when the Borg went back in time in First Contact, Zefram Cochrane met the crew of the Enterprise-E, and before he disappeared, he left orders that the first warp 5-capable ship be named Enterprise.
Isn't it fun when you can blame anything on time travel?
-------------------- “Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.” — Isaac Asimov Star Trek Minutiae | Memory Alpha
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posted
Actually, it's not even a mistake yet. The first Federation Starship, could be named U.S.S. Dauntless and given a prototype registry of NX-01, in honor of the Earth vessel that so recently met its destruction to help found the Federation. In fact, that could be how the whole prototype registry system comes about. When the Dauntless is pressed into active service, she gets the number NCC-01.
posted
UP3....another great idea gone by the way of other great ideas, like Mark Nyguen's Ultimate Starship Bridge site....sigh.
-------------------- I've come a long way for the power of Genesis, and what do I find? A Square Pegs reject, another actress playing Saavik, and Leonard Nimoy's stand-in.
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