Any ideas for a new ship name?

[Bry_Sinclair]

Hardly. I have several projects open so I can pick and choose which to work on at any given time, each with their own challenges.

This is just an idea that I've been thinking through for a while now, and just decided to push a little further to see where it went. It may never get past the development stage, or maybe the "pilot".

 

[ambessalion]

coolness dude

you know i kid overmuch

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I know ambessalion. Its a very friendly bunch here.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Just got the men of civvie ship finished, so here they are:

Master-at-Arms Rotheron "Roth" H'Vahrr (Caitian)
Chief Engineer Tarv ganash Moq (Tellarite)
Navigator Sokell (Vulcan)
Helmsman Leon Asher (Human)
Boatswain Ky-Ven (Orion)

 

[T'Girl]

So are all the women on your ship bowlegged?

 

[Gibraltar]

So are all the women on your ship bowlegged?

Hey, they're just like a US Senator at an airport urinal... wide stances!

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

So are all the women on your ship bowlegged?

I hadn't actually noticed that. They're made using a template I found and liked. I have seen some newer Micros being made where the legs on both sexes are closed together but it just doesn't look right to me.

I prefer the wider, more heroic pose stance.

 

[T'Girl]

i'm popeye the sailor man
I'z lives in a garage can
I'z likes to go swimming, with bowlegged women
i'm popeye the sailor man

 

[The Castellan]

After I submitted my entry for the January challenge, another idea began forming in my mind, which I have looked at every now and then to see what might have been, to the point where I'm thinking I might give it a little go when I have a free moment.

The idea is based in the 23rd century, beginning in 2263 and is set in the civilian world, onboard an old cargo transport, since modified to give it a little wider operational remit (the more jobs they can accomplish, the more they can be offered). I'm not envisioning it as Star Trek Firefly, they will still be law abiding citizens, but just operate independently.

What I'm really needing now is a name for the ship. Something that inspires ideas of independence and a free-spiritedness, but can't really settle on anything that feels right. If anyone has any possible names, please feel free to suggest them. The ideas I've had so far are:
- Horizon
- Walkabout
- Wanderer
- Wayfarer

As for the motley crew of the [ENTER NAME HERE], I have all but one of them pretty much set:
Captain Rachel Keller - Human, Female, 33
Once a bright and promising officer, her career came to an end when she was Second Officer onboard the Kane, due to an act of conscience that went against her superiors orders.
First Mate Devanisari "Sari" zh'Tharr - Andorian, Zhen, 30
Keller's former shipmate, she resigned from Starfleet in protest over her friends unjust dismissal.
Master-at-Arms Rotheron H'Vahrr - Caitian, Male, 43
A fromer non-com who also served with Keller onboard the Kane, like Sari he was outraged at her dishonourable discharge and quit.
Chief Engineer Tarv ganash Moq - Tellarite, Male, 55
A good all round Mr Fix-it, he is pretty laid back (for a Tellarite), and has a knack from making things work with little time or supplies.
Navigator Sokell - Vulcan, Male, 25
Very intelligent, composed and logical, he is all you would expect from a Vulcan, but in reality he is running away from his obligations back home.
Helmsman Leon Asher - Human, Male, 24
Impetuous and brash, his abilties as a pilot are unquestionable, but his attitude leaves a lot to be desired--which is why he was kicked out of the Academy.
Boatswain Ky-Ven - Orion, Male, 29
A rugged and ballsy man, he is a jack-of-all-trades who sells his services as he searches for his missing twin sister.
Engineer's Mate Megumi Hashimoto - Human, Female, 19
Smart and a quick-study, she has only ever wanted to get into space, but without the strict rules of Starfleet. She is talented but still has a lot to learn.
Sister Inaya - Deltan, Female, Doesn't Say
A member of the Sisters of Arisi, a spiritual community on Delta IV, she has headed out on a pilgrimage to help those that need it, so she offers her services as healer and apothecary.

The only one who needs to be rethought is the ships cook/purser/steward, I have an idea in mind but had to rethink the species, name, etc.

Call the ship either "Grievance" or "Repugnance". I think it might work as a name chosen by the crew as to how most of them feel about the discharge.


Ummm, got a picture of the ship as well?

 

[Sandoval]

​

They all have Rickets - there is clearly a lack of vitamin D aboard the freighter.

Call it the SS Rickets.

 

[Sandoval]

Ummm, got a picture of the ship as well?

I'd go with the Akira since it has matching legs.

​

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I was thinking of borrowing the same sort of configuration of the Consular-Class Republic Cruiser, though Trekified, as I haven't found any good 23rd century civilian ship or freighter designs that sit well with me.

Sacrilege I know, but it has the kind of rugged and well-used look that I had in mind when I conceived the ship.

Working out the specs and deck listing and will post that once I have them finished.

 

[NickInABox]

For a cargo ship?

USS Karaboudjan comes to mind (thank you Hergé).

 

[Captain Nebula]

I think it all depends on what kind of cargo ship your crew is on. If it's an old beatup ship, it might earn the nickname of Garbage Scow. Also helps to know which era the stories will be in. Seeing the races of your crew, I'd guess at the Original Series movie era (Star Trek I - VI).

Thought I'd add some scenery here for you, then. This is the ship from the beginning of Star Trek III: the Search for Spock. Known as a merchantman or a cargo freighter, it's been seen in several Star Trek movies and TV shows.

http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/articles/merchantman.htm

If you mixed this design with the Republic Consular Cruiser, it could look sweet. But, the Consular Cruiser wouldn't have a large cargo hold unless the passenger section is stripped. Probably not much of a cargo bay even then. So the ship would probably have to deliver low-mass, extremely high payment exotic shipments and rarities, like tainted mud paintings from the famous Andorian artist Burak'ak or 278 year old Deltan Peakwine (spelled Peaequine by connoisseurs, it's extremely hard to come by and illegal on several worlds) - or just resort to outright smuggling. And your Captain then becomes Han Solo of the Star Trek galaxy with the Caitian acting as Chewbacca. It's also a very big crew. A lot of mouths to feed and pay. So the name of Not-A-Lot-Of-Profit might be what ship would end up being called.

Here's a few more names for you:

Lucrative Sunrise
Fortunate Star

or Lucrative Star and Fortunate Sunrise. Take your pick.

Just don't call it the Kobayashi Maru.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

The externals are similar to the Consular-Class though with a few notable differences:
- The two outer engines would be longer, nacelle-looking, with a Bussard collector at the front of each (the deuterium tanks are located in the 'wings')
- The middle engine is the impulse drive
- The big dish on top is gone, as is the one on the port side of the nose section. Instead there is a small deflector dish situated right at the front
- There is a small forward-facing hanger deck on the bottom deck
- More windows, especially for crew and passenger cabins
- Two phaser turrents, one dorsal midship, the other ventral forward, both of which can be operated manually and rotate to provide as wide a firing arch as possible

As for the internals, the ship has been pretty much gutted, with all available interior space being opened up. The Consular's forward 'escape module' doesn't exist, so that increases the internal volume. The ship is just over 115 meters long and has four decks. I found interior plans someone drew up for the Consular-Class and have been butchering them to fit in with the Trek universe, and it actually seems deceptively spacious.

Deck 1 - Bridge (Captain, Helm, Navigation, Auxiliary Controls), Head, Captain's Office, Communications Suite, Map Room, Upper Lounge (primarily for crew use)

Deck 2 - Deflector Dish, Senor Arrays, Computer Core, Monitoring Room (for all three previouslt mentioned systems), Crew Quarters (18 rooms all of which can be double bunked if necessary, excludes Captain and First Mate's rooms), Gym, Phaser Power Cell, Turret Access, Escape Pods (4 eight-person lifeboats), Emergency Batteries, Shield Generators, Environmental/Life Support Systems [There are a few small nooks and crannies I've yet to fill on the deck, possibly SIF or stablisers, or something like that]

Deck 3 - Engine Room, Medical Bay, Passenger Cabins (not sure how many yet), Mess Hall, Galley, Meeting Room, Laboratory, Transporter Room, Forward Lounge (primarily for passenger use), Airlocks [This deck is still unfinished and needs more work done on it, so more features may appear in due time]

Deck 4 - Antimatter Containment Pods & Generator, Waste Management, Head, Escape Pods (4 four-person lifeboats), Landing Struts, Cargo Holds (2 known as fore and aft), Cargo Loading Platform, Entry Ramp, Turret Access, Hanger Control Room, Hanger Deck (there is just enough space to squeeze in two small shuttles, nothing longer than 5 meters or wider than 4)

I want the ship to be able to handle a wider assortment of jobs rather than just shipping cargo and ferrying passengers, though that will be their bread-and-butter. With Keller's science background (as well as Sokell holding advanced degrees in stellar cartographer and astrogeology, and Inaya having a doctorates in xenobiology and botany), she will want to run the occassional scouting/survey job, maybe do a little prospecting for mining companies. As well as just about any other legal work that comes along.

It may be a large crew for a glorified freighter, but each has their own task and hopefully a compelling story for why they are out there. Though I was thinking that seeing as how they are essentially employed by the Pa'a Freehold, they might cover a lot of the costs of the ship. Not sure yet, its kinda weird having to think about a Trek crew getting paid!

As the TSFS merchantman, I did think about her for a little while but ultimately discounted it. It's really not an attractive ship, I was wanting something longer and a little sleeker.

 

[Captain Nebula]

Nice setup.

Don't forget an armory and/or ship's locker for equipment and weapons. And a ship's safe in the Captain's Office or Quarters.

 

[Sandoval]

I do like the merchantman design.

Anyway there seems to be a great bit of groundwork here for a fanfic series, looking forward to seeing what develops.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

I'm trying to think up the first installment.

My original idea was just to do an "origins" piece, with little tales put together as to how they all came to be onboard. But I have decided I would like to include those pieces inside a larger story, so that it would go from 'Now' to 'Then' and back again.

Trying to think up non-Starfleet plots (that aren't just parodies of Firefly is proving difficult to wrap my head round).

 

[Sandoval]

I think that ultimately it comes down to execution - any series set on a civilian cargoship will inevitably draw comparisons to Firefly.

I'd say the 'origins' story is an overused concept in Trek-based fanfic - everyone coming from different places to crew this ship and set off on their first mission.

Sometimes it can be more feasible just to begin things a few months down the line where everyone already has a relationship with each other and has their defined roles.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

That was one of the things I really liked about Firefly, which is part of the reason that I thought about having a main storyline with the characters first encounters being included to make a point about who they are and why they were there.

Though I could make it that Inaya coming onboard is part of the main storyline (in my head she was always the last one to join the crew).

Will need to have a ponder.