Announcing new DTI novella and Rise of the Federation 3 & 4!

[Mage]

Christopher, is there any change we'll see the first starbases being established soon? I was browsing through my Star Trek Encyclopedia, and noticed how the USS Essex was lost in 2167, operating out of Starbase 12. I can't remember any mentioning of Starbase in RotF sofar.

 

[Christopher]

There are references to starbases in Uncertain Logic. A number of them have already been established by this point. Recall that Starfleet was considering setting up starbases as early as "Bound."

 

[Mage]

There are references to starbases in Uncertain Logic. A number of them have already been established by this point. Recall that Starfleet was considering setting up starbases as early as "Bound."

I remember Bound, that's why I was wondering if any had already been set up. I haven't read the Romulan War series, so I wasn't sure if they were mentioned in those.

 

[Christopher]

^The establishment (and Romulan occupation) of Starbase 1 on Berengaria VII is a plot point in Beneath the Raptor's Wing. The loss of that starbase may explain why there's a different Starbase 1 in Invasion: Time's Enemy. Although that one conflicts with the use of "Starbase 1" to refer to Earth Spacedock in "Eleven Hours Out" and elsewhere.

 

[Mage]

Ah, see. I didn't know that. About Beneath The Raptor's Wing. Part of me wants to read the Romulan War series, but I'm really not a big fan of Michael Martin. He's butchered so much in Titan already, that I'd rather just read what happened in those novels on Memory Beta and pick up some details from RotF, then suffer through more of his work.

 

[Tirius]

The loss of that starbase may explain why there's a different Starbase 1 in Invasion: Time's Enemy. Although that one conflicts with the use of "Starbase 1" to refer to Earth Spacedock in "Eleven Hours Out" and elsewhere.

I suppose it might be possible that the starbases were renumbered at some point. If the dates on Memory Beta are correct, Beneath the Raptor's Wing predates the founding of the Federation, which might be a good candidate for a point where existing starbases from all of the founding races were integrated into a single numbering system; this could have then included facilities in their home systems which might not previously have been designated starbases. That still doesn't explain why Invasion's is different, though.

 

[Enterprise1701]

The oldest definitely continuously operated starbase that I can think of is Deep Space Station K-7. It's in operation by 2263 in VAN - Harbinger and still in operation in 2343 in TLE - The Art of the Impossible.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

The oldest definitely continuously operated starbase that I can think of is Deep Space Station K-7. It's in operation by 2263 in VAN - Harbinger and still in operation in 2343 in TLE - The Art of the Impossible.

Still going as of 2376 in Gateways: Doors Into Chaos.

As for changing starbase numbers, we've already had Starbase 47, which applied to first Vanguard and later a station near Cardassian space.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^But is Cyrano Jones still cleaning up Tribbles by that time?

--Sran

 

[Enterprise1701]

There is also Starbase 10, active in 2267 (TOS - "Operation - Annihilate", "The Deadly Years") and in 2380 (Articles of the Federation). "The Deadly Years" and Articles of the Federation mention its proximity to the Federation-Romulan border, indicating the latter work references the exact same base. Neither goes into much detail about Starbase 10, though, so Starbase 10 could easily have been replaced during that timespan.

Then there's Jupiter Station, seen in VOY and referenced in ENT. It could be that the Jupiter Station referenced is one and the same. I think it unlikely, though, because the 24th century starbase is massive, and mid-22nd century humans probably did not yet have the experience to build such orbital installations.

 

[Christopher]

Then there's Jupiter Station, seen in VOY and referenced in ENT. It could be that the Jupiter Station referenced is one and the same. I think it unlikely, though, because the 24th century starbase is massive, and mid-22nd century humans probably did not yet have the experience to build such orbital installations.

Yeah, but the thing about space stations is, they can be expanded. It's not like they're gonna run out of space. Jupiter Station in the 24th century consists of two identical structures, each of which consists of three stacked domes and a lower "stem" with other modules attached to it. Maybe the 22nd-century station consisted of just one of those domes, say.

 

[Deranged Nasat]

Then there's Jupiter Station, seen in VOY and referenced in ENT. It could be that the Jupiter Station referenced is one and the same. I think it unlikely, though, because the 24th century starbase is massive, and mid-22nd century humans probably did not yet have the experience to build such orbital installations.

Yeah, but the thing about space stations is, they can be expanded. It's not like they're gonna run out of space. Jupiter Station in the 24th century consists of two identical structures, each of which consists of three stacked domes and a lower "stem" with other modules attached to it. Maybe the 22nd-century station consisted of just one of those domes, say.

Hmmm. Have you any plans to visit Jupiter Station in Rise of the Federation? After all, you're by far the best placed to give a definitive answer to this.

 

[Sci]

The oldest definitely continuously operated starbase that I can think of is Deep Space Station K-7. It's in operation by 2263 in VAN - Harbinger and still in operation in 2343 in TLE - The Art of the Impossible.

Side-note: Given that Deep Space Station K-7 had a "station manager" who wasn't wearing a Starfleet uniform, I always interpreted K-7 as being a civilian station rather than a starbase (i.e., Starfleet installation). K-7 seems to be a government station, yes, but it seems to be run by civilians from the Federation bureaucracy rather than Starfleet.

 

[Markonian]

Side-note: Given that Deep Space Station K-7 had a "station manager" who wasn't wearing a Starfleet uniform, I always interpreted K-7 as being a civilian station rather than a starbase (i.e., Starfleet installation). K-7 seems to be a government station, yes, but it seems to be run by civilians from the Federation bureaucracy rather than Starfleet.

By the way, K-7 is still in service in 2410 in Star Trek Online, and is definitely a Starfleet installation by then, under the command of Commander Naomi Wildman.

***

So, with book three of the Rise of the Federation series upcoming...
I like the idea how the constituent fleets have different purposes. I wonder whether the Rigelian Defense Force will remain a system defense force, like the Bajoran Militia two centuries later, or will take another role in Starfleet.

Also, did we ever get a proper name for the "Warp Delta" ship class? It could be the Neptune-class survey ship but there's been no hint to confirm that hypothesis. In Age of the Empress, the fleet at Earth includes two "Terran destroyers" but it's unclear whether they are Warp Deltas (from the "In A Mirror, Darkly intro) or mirror Intrepids. Too bad the ship didn't put in an appearance in The Romulan War series.

Another technical question which I've been pondering for a while now - What does the deflector of Endeavour look like?

I know, it's a minor issue, but I keep wondering. Here's why:
When Columbia launched, it's deflector dish was bigger than Enterprise's, and square. I assume this reflected a technical advancement due to greater knowledge of deep-space travel. After all, 23rd century dishes were even larger still.

So far, so good. However, the NX-class battleships of the mirror universe, Avenger and Enterprise, sported Enterprise's smaller dish, despite the Terran Empire's technological edge to United Earth. In addition, the SS Enterprise from the SOTL calendars retained the small dish as well. Furthermore, no other NX-class starship except Columbia has ever been depicted with the big dish, including novel covers (To Brave the Storm) and additional SOTL images (see Atlantis (NX-05) on Memory Beta).

Cool, I think I've answered my own question - Columbia was an intermediate step, and the bigger dish didn't get adopted. Because of that, I assume that Endeavour has a small (saucer section) dish. (We only see the back of the ship on the jaw-droppingly awesome cover of Tower of Babel).

I love the 22nd century. The ships look so awesome.

 

[Christopher]

Also, did we ever get a proper name for the "Warp Delta" ship class?

Not yet. Stay alert.

So far, so good. However, the NX-class battleships of the mirror universe, Avenger and Enterprise, sported Enterprise's smaller dish, despite the Terran Empire's technological edge to United Earth. In addition, the SS Enterprise from the SOTL calendars retained the small dish as well. Furthermore, no other NX-class starship except Columbia has ever been depicted with the big dish, including novel covers (To Brave the Storm) and additional SOTL images (see Atlantis (NX-05) on Memory Beta).

Cool, I think I've answered my own question - Columbia was an intermediate step, and the bigger dish didn't get adopted. Because of that, I assume that Endeavour has a small (saucer section) dish.

Sounds reasonable.

 

[Enterprise1701]

Without getting into any story ideas, Christopher, are you aware that in TNG - #55 Double Helix: Double or Nothing, Riker is on his way to Earth for the bicentennial ceremony of "the Resolution of Non-Interference", a "Bill of Rights" for the Federation, an influence on the Prime Directive, and one of whose main architects was Thaddeus Riker?

Note: yes, it's "Thaddeus" and not "Thaddius" as in Riker's American Civil War ancestor in VOY - "Q2".

 

[Christopher]

^I'm aware of the Resolution of Non-Interference from my initial research into the 22nd century. However, it dates from around 2175, which is a decade beyond where I currently am in the series.

 

[Kertrats47]

Hey Christopher - any news on the fourth Rise of the Federation novel yet? I'm closing in on the end of Uncertain Logic (and loving it!), and I remembered that you had said you were contracted for a fourth book.

 

[Christopher]

^I'm in the process of writing Book 4 now.

 

[Kertrats47]

^I'm in the process of writing Book 4 now.

Excellent... /Mr. Burns' voice