| U.S.S. HOKUTOSEI Galaxy Class Exploratory Cruiser Starfleet Registry NCC-71108 |  |
Spoiler: Dedication PlaqueShow
The USS Hokutosei was one of the first Galaxy-class ships built, in the words of former Utopia Planitia designer Rina Lesniewski, "in the shards of the dream." The class entered service in the Federation's mid-24th century golden age, when the status quo was secure enough that vessels like the Enterprise, the San Francisco, and the Yamato could pursue far-flung exploratory, diplomatic, or developmental missions even as the Federation fought the Cardassians. The Borg attack of 2366 changed Starfleet's thinking, and the loss of USS Odyssey in 2370 and USS Enterprise in 2371 hardened its resolve. The six additional Galaxy spaceframes that had been dispersed across the Federation were completed, and multiple contracts were made for a third block of new-build Galaxy-class vessels, incorporating lessons learned with cutting-edge technology and intended to serve, if necessary, as the keystones of future Federation battle fleets. Laid down in 2367, USS Hokutosei was the first of three Galaxy-class ships that would be built by Yoyodyne at the 40 Eridani A yards. Even that was nearly too late.
THE DOMINION WAR
Despite the destruction of USS Odyssey by a single Jem'Hadar attack ship, Starfleet Command was well aware that Galaxy-class ships would be invaluable in the conflict that was widely considered to be inevitable. The beginning of hostilities saw Hokutosei structurally complete and conducting non-propulsive warp power trials. Launched on stardate 51059.7, when the war was already months old and Starfleet was losing ships at an unprecedented rate, only the bare minimum of tests were conducted. In the weeks and months that followed, every timetable that could be shortened was compressed, and every step that was unnecessary was jettisoned. When Hokutosei departed 40 Eridani to join the task force being assembled to retake Deep Space 9, yard technicians were still on board, and the ship's name and registry had not been applied to the hull. Following the successful recapture of DS9, the Hokutosei was assigned to the Second Fleet. She participated in all three counterattacks against Dominion-occupied Betazed, gaining a reputation as one of the Second Fleet's "punch-drunk boxers" and sustaining enough damage that she avoided the First and Second Battles of Chin'toka. Essential repairs were completed in time for Hokutosei to join the final drive against Cardassia Prime, and took such heavy damage that both warp nacelles had to be jettisoned.
AFTER THE WAR
Immediately following the cessation of hostilities, Hokutosei was towed to Utopia Planitia for a thorough repair and refit program, completing the construction work that had been deferred due to the war. Hokutosei was declared fit for service in 2378 and departed on a long-duration exploratory mission in the Beta Quadrant. Over the next seven years, Hokutosei encountered nine pre-warp civilizations and made first contact with two warp-capable societies.
Upon Hokutosei's return to Federation space in 2385, it was selected as the testbed for a new Starfleet outreach program. After the loss of three Galaxy-class vessels in peacetime within ten years of entering service, the onboard civilian initiative of the 2360s was no longer as popular as it had been. The lack of families aboard Hokutosei meant that a considerable fraction of its habitable volume was left empty. The solution was to turn Hokutosei into a spacefaring university -- not a Starfleet Academy annex, but an opportunity for civilian students to have unrivalled study opportunities. After the completion of reconditioning at Starbase 118 in 2386, Hokutosei departed on a two-year mission with 117 students aboard. This "Hokutosei University" program continued until 2405, when the ship was recalled for service in the Federation-Klingon War.
2405 AND AFTER
INFORMATION CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE, FILE DIAGNOSTIC IN PROGRESS
COMMANDING OFFICER CAPTAIN Phoebe Fairfax | EXECUTIVE OFFICER COMMANDER Ryufasa Peziskre | ENGINEERING COMMANDER Widosi Kobaan | OPERATIONS LIEUTENANT COMMANDER Roryl Eshydi | SCIENCE LIEUTENANT COMMANDER Ejbee of Rangahorn |
MEDICAL LIEUTENANT COMMANDER Vaalelut | TACTICAL LIEUTENANT Sidra Lopez | FLIGHT CONTROL LIEUTENANT Duncan Keyworth | SECURITY LIEUTENANT Enec Tuge Nirranek | COUNSELLING LIEUTENANT Nutda Iminge |
TRANSPORTER OPERATIONS LIEUTENANT Valkrath tai-Zhoka | ENGINEERING - HARDWARE LIEUTENANT Anja Inoue | ENGINEERING - SOFTWARE LIEUTENANT Vladimir Xu | ENGINEERING - ENVIRONMENTAL LIEUTENANT Bitaro File | TEMPORAL INVESTIGATIONS LIAISON AGENT Sonetu Teej |
My thanks to Nylassa sh'Alundi. The UBB code for the U.S.S. San Francisco thread was used as a base for this dossier.