Three Ark Royals: A Mikeyverse proposal.

[Bernard Woolley]

Three Ark Royals:

A Mikeyverse proposal.

With it being revealed that in 2402 there was a SOVEREIGN class starship named USS ARK ROYAL (NCC-75922), I thought I might sketch out the history of three other starships to bear that name that might have existed in the MIKEYVERSE. I’m not quite as knowledgeable about Star Trek history and lore, or of the MIKEYVERSE, so there will be gaps that may need to be filled. For example, registry numbers for the first two proposed vessels may need to be updated. I have taken some inspiration from the excellent Memory Alpha, Edge of Midnight and We have Engaged the Borg. [NOTE 1]

*

USS ARK ROYAL (NCC-1714)
Class: 'Improved’ CONSTITUTION class (aka Batch 2, or Flight II). Later CONSTITUTION II.
In service: 2263 – 2294
Nickname: ‘The ARK’
Official motto: ‘Zeal Does Not Rest’
Unofficial motto: ‘We fix what ENTERPRISE breaks.’

With the long, honourable history of the name ARK ROYAL, many thought it a little strange that no member of the ‘First Twelve’ CONSTITUTION class cruisers bore the name. There have been strong suggestions that the name was included in the group of ships planned but cancelled after the end of the Klingon War. When those ships were cancelled, quite a great deal of materials had been gathered at several shipyards. Including warp cores. It was fortunate that the material had not been disposed of when the Acamar Crisis (May 2262 – January 2263 approx.) looked like it might lead to a renewal of hostilities with the Klingon Empire. Starfleet Command hurriedly reinstated the order for a second batch of twelve CONSTIUTION class vessels. Being built in a hurry and for a potential war fighting role, the vessels sacrificed some of their scientific capabilities to carry additional weapons. The most obvious visual example of that were the ‘fore and aft’ torpedo tubes for Photon Torpedoes, mines and probes. They would also have accommodation for a company of marines from the Starfleet Marine Corps. With the resolution of the Acamar Crisis, the Federation Council cancelled those vessels that had not started construction. The remaining ships of the class would be nicknamed the ‘Acamar Six’. Perhaps, ironically, with the possibility of war receding, the ‘Acamar Six’ would find themselves being assigned to the standard exploratory and diplomatic missions. Although, they were preferred for patrols along both Neutral Zones.
As the first vessel of the class ARK ROYAL would be used to work out a lot of the teething problems with the new systems. For example, it took just over six months to get the ‘fore and aft’ torpedo tubes to work reliable. Once the teething troubles were worked out ARK ROYAL began her first five-year mission, earning an enviable record with regards to first contacts, diplomatic missions etc. While some records are still classified, it is believed that she saved the Federation and possibly the Milky Way Galaxy on at least two occasions.
In the early 2270s, ARK ROYAL would join her CONSTITUTION class sisters in being put through what Starfleet Command dubbed the ‘Total Modernisation Programme’ (TMP). Which was more of a reconstruction than modernisation. Indeed, many observers commented that what happened was that the ships’ names were effectively jacked up and a new starship slid in underneath. The ‘Acamar Six’ would be modernised to the same standard as their older sisters but retained the ‘fore and aft’ torpedo tubes, which marked them out.
During the V’ger Crisis, ARK ROYAL was in an orbital drydock, finishing up the TMP process and was, therefore, unable to assist ENTERPRISE.
In 2285 ARK ROYAL would be dispatched to Ceti Alpa V to retrieve the stranded crew of the ill-fated USS RELIANT (NCC-18640). Starting a tradition (according to crews of the ARK) of cleaning up after messes created by USS ENTERPRISE (NCC-1701). After EXCELSIOR (then NX-2000) had suffered a serious engineering failure on departure from Space Dock, Starfleet Command ordered the ARK to intercept the stolen ENTERPRISE before she reached the Genesis Planet. Unfortunately, shortly after receiving these ordered ARK ROYAL suffered a power coupling ‘failure’ which reduced her speed to Warp 2. Meaning that an intercept before ENTERPRISE reached Genesis was impossible. SFC would be suspicious of that explanation, given that the captain of the ARK was Captain Andrew Stiles, who had previously served as navigator on ENTERPRISE under the command of James T Kirk. That the life of Stiles had once been saved by Captain Spock caused further eyebrows to be raised. As did the fact that her Chief Engineer at the time, Commander Moira Preston, was the sister of Captain Montgomery Scott and had recently lost one of her sons aboard ENTERPRISE. [NOTE 2] SFC briefly considered relieving Stiles, but without definitive proof of the power coupling failure being fake, they chose not to. However, Stiles would progress no higher in Starfleet and ARK ROYAL would be his last active command.
2286 found ARK ROYAL in Spacedock One undergoing a much-needed refit after a busy period of exploration and patrol work. She was therefore trapped and disabled when the unknown probe (aka the ‘Whale Probe’) entered the ‘Sol System’. When the crisis was resolved, the ARK would be urgently dispatched to assist USS SARATOGA (NCC-1887) and USS YORKTOWN (NCC-1717). Towing the latter back to Spacedock One when it was discovered that her crew had tragically perished.
ARK ROYAL would play a peripheral role in the Nimbus III crisis of 2287. When contact was lost with ENTERPRISE (NCC-1701A) shortly after she reached the ‘Planet of Galactic’ Peace’, ARK ROYAL, which was in the neighbouring quadrant, cataloguing gaseous anomalies, was urgently dispatched to investigate. She would land a platoon of marines to restore order in Paradise City, before pursuing ENTERPRISE towards the Galactic Barrier. ARK would rendezvous with her younger sister on her return, taking aboard the late Sybok’s followers to return them to Nimbus III.
2293 found the ARK on a deep space scientific mission, observing a culture on the verge of discovering warp propulsion. Her report would be influential in the Federation’s eventual decision to contact the planet in the second decade of the 24th Century. ARK ROYAL would be one of a number of starships recalled to Earth, so that her captain, Captain M’Ress, could be briefed on the Praxis Crisis. The ARK would be assigned to patrol the Romulan Neutral Zone, after being briefly assigned to the proposed Operation Retrieve. On the way to her patrol station, ARK ROYAL intercepted communications between ENTERPRISE and EXCELSIOR (NCC-2000), regarding the peace conference at Camp Khitomer and the threat of the rogue Klingon Bird of Prey. Despite being some distance from Khitomer, Captain M’Ress ordered, against that the ARK set course for the planet at maximum warp. ARK ROYAL would always come to the assistance of her sister ship if she could. The ship would arrive at Khitomer two hours after the battle between ENTERPRISE, EXCELSIOR and the Bird of Prey had ended with the Klingon ship’s destruction. Security personnel from ARK ROYAL would beam down to the planet to supplement security and the disgraced Fleet Admiral Cartwright and Lieutenant Valeris were beamed aboard for transport to Earth for courts-martial. Starfleet’s C-in-C, Fleet Admiral William Smillie would commend M’Ress for her initiative, telling her: “Well done, Captain, But don’t do it again” (yet again, ARK was cleaning up after ENTERPRISE, but without the fanfare, M’Ress would later recall).
On return to Spacedock One, it was discovered that the high warp journey to Khitomer had over-stressed parts of the ship’s hull and had damaged the warp engines. Significant repairs would be necessary to make her space-worthy again. As ARK ROYAL was now thirty-one years old and the CONSTITUTION II class was now being replaced by EXCELSIOR vessels, it was not considered worthwhile repairing her. ARK ROYAL would spend another eighteen months in Earth orbit, attached to Starfleet Academy, serving as a semi-static training vessel. She would take many a cadet on the first voyage aboard a starship, on her occasional sub-light voyages between Earth and Mars. In September 2294 ARK ROYAL would be decommissioned and was towed away to be scrapped. A small piece of her hull being retained so that it could be incorporated into the next starship to carry the name.



USS ARK ROYAL (NCC-2033)
Class: Modified EXCELSIOR or ENTERPRISE variant sub-class.
In service: 2294 - 2375
Nickname: ‘The ARK’
Official motto: ‘Zeal Does Not Rest’

Ordered as part of the same batch as ENTERPRISE-B, ARK ROYAL (NCC-2033), was launched in April of 2294. Learning from mistakes made in the maiden voyage of ENTERPRISE, the ARK was fully operational, including her tractor beam, when she departed on her shakedown cruise. There was some criticism of the choice of registry. Did the new ARK not deserve to be NCC-1714-A, or -B? No official comment was ever made on the matter by Starfleet.
The first few years of ARK ROYAL’s career were relatively quiet. The era of major crises and war seemed to have ended in the first quarter of the 24th Century. However, ARK ROYAL would take part in several skirmishes and major engagements during the Federation-Cardassian Wars (2347 – 2366). Both as an individual ship and as part of Battle Groups. The ARK would also serve with honour during both attempts by the Borg to assimilate Earth. ARK ROYAL would fortunately miss the Battle of Wolf 359 (2367, Stardate 44002.3). However, she was part of a hastily assembled Battle Group formed of what starships had not been able to join Admiral J.P Hansen, along with some Klingon warships (known informally as Battle Group Forlorn Hope). The group reached Sector 001 the day after the Borg Cube had been destroyed. ARK ROYAL would lead several vessels to Wolf 359 to search for survivors. Finding a number sheltering aboard the wreckage of destroyed starships and in escape pods. ARK would begin the work that would lead to the dedication of a memorial at the system. She would later take part in the Battle of Sector 001 (2373).
ARK ROYAL would serve with distinction in the Dominion War (2373 – 2375) and associated conflicts. For example, she would take part in Operation Return (2374), the recapture of Deep Space 9, and Battle of Cardassia (2375). However, while returning to DS9, ARK ROYAL struck two Gravatic mines, causing severe damage. Tragically, it was later determined that both mines had been laid by Starfleet to close off the Bajoran Wormhole. They had drifted into deeper space after successful minesweeping efforts by Dominion forces. While casualties were, thankfully, low, ARK ROYAL was declared a Constructive Total Loss. Her crew were taken off at Deep Space 9 and her hulk towed away for disposal. Once again, a proportion of her hull, including the piece from NCC-1714, were recovered before she was scrapped.



USS ARK ROYAL (NCC-75922)
Class: SOVEREIGN
In service: 2379; in commission as of 2402
Nickname: ‘The ARK’
Official motto: ‘Zeal Does Not Rest’

The name ARK ROYAL was not long to be absent from Starfleet service, it being rapidly assigned to an under construction, but yet un-named SOVEREIGN class hull. Once again, former members of her crew and relatives of those who had served aboard NCC-1714, pushed for a historic registry to be used. However, the registry NCC-75922 had already been assigned to the hull and for whatever reason, Starfleet Command declined to change it.
While on her shakedown cruise, ARK ROYAL was diverted to join Battle Group Omega. [NOTE 3] However, to the frustration of her crew, the crisis had been resolved by the time she joined the fleet. The ARK would shortly see her first action during the Federation-Pakled conflict of 2380 – 2381, destroying two Pakled clumpships. During the conflict, ARK ROYAL would be stationed at Starbase 25, alongside USS TITAN (NCC-80102).
ARK ROYAL would be present for the Battle of Frontier Day (2401). She would be partially assimilated by the Borg, before ENTERPRISE-D, resolved the situation by destroying the Borg Cube hiding in the atmosphere of Jupiter. By 2402, the ARK ROYAL was back in service, one of a number of ships at Sol Station when Admirals Piccard and Crusher arrived for the dedication ceremony for USS ENTERPRISE (NCC-1701-G). With most of her senior command crew killed during the battle, by 2402, ARK ROYAL was placed under the command of Captain Beckett Mariner, who got permission from Starfleet Command to pick her senior staff. [NOTE 4]

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1) See: Memory Alpha, Edge of Midnight and We Have Engaged The Borg.

2) The character of Peter Preston in STII: TWOK was the nephew of Scott. Although, it was not explicitly stated on screen.

3) See: Battle Group Omega

4) I’m sure readers will probably guess that those senior staff previously served aboard USS CERITOS (NCC-75567).

[Bernard Woolley]

Accompanying Pictures

[Johnnie Lyle]

I like it!

The LOWER DECKS crew do seem to have been put in command roles of RN-associated starships. Per the Wolf 359 entry on HOOD, CAPT Bradeard Boimler was her last CO prior to docking as a museum at the Wolf 359 Memorial Station.

[Bernard Woolley]

Thank you. I’ve long felt ARK ROYAL was missing from Star Trek. In part that has been rectified due to the work of Dave Blass. He’s confirmed that the SOVEREIGN seen off Sol Station in the last episode of Picard Season 3 was the ARK. I decided that if there had been previous starships with the name, they would have been an CONSTITUTION and EXCELSIOR class.

I liked the idea that ARK ROYAL would have one of the best records of any ship in Starfleet, but would time and time again be overshadowed by the various ships called ENTERPRISE. I also liked the idea that the ARK would often end up cleaning up the ‘mess’ left by the actions of ENTERPRISE. E.g. rescuing the crew of RELIANT, takin Sybok’s followers back to Nimbus III, & taking the traitors back to Earth for trial.

Having NCC-1714 damage herself on the way to Khitomer is inspired by an idea I had in my own head-cannon. Why did ENTERPRISE-A leave service so soon after the Battle of Khitomer? There was, after all not much time between that and the commissioning of ENTERPRISE-B. My thought was that SFC decided that it wasn’t worth repairing the damage, as she was now of an obsolescent class, being replaced. A would have been given a cosmetic restoration and sent to the Fleet Museum.

Despite being regularly overshadowed, there are close relationship between the ARK and BIG E. Partially because the former has often been a destination for officers from the latter on promotion.

Btw, Mariner would have like Brad Boimler as her Number One, but after commanding HOOD, he would have another ship under his command. She did manage to get Tendi, Rutherford (Chief Engineer) and T’Lyn assigned to the third ARK.

[Johnnie Lyle]

Having NCC-1714 damage herself on the way to Khitomer is inspired by an idea I had in my own head-cannon. Why did ENTERPRISE-A leave service so soon after the Battle of Khitomer? There was, after all not much time between that and the commissioning of ENTERPRISE-B. My thought was that SFC decided that it wasn’t worth repairing the damage, as she was now of an obsolescent class, being replaced. A would have been given a cosmetic restoration and sent to the Fleet Museum.

It’s now canon that ENTERPRISE was retired to the Fleet Museum, which is frankly reasonable given

• the major damage suffered, including a penetrating hit that punched through the entire primary hull
• EXCELSIOR offers a MASSIVE increase in overall capabilities that can eliminate pretty replace the entire swath of heavy cruisers and battlecruisers

So yeah, give her enough to patch her up as a museum and order a newer, better ship for fleet service.

[Bernard Woolley]

I figured that’s why the only Connie seen in TNG is the wrecked one at the Battle of Wolf 359. IIRC, she was a training ship.

Btw, I have it in my head that by 2402, Captain Boimler commands USS WARSPITE (NCC-74922).