The information you're questioning came straight out of the Star Trek Fact Files, which isn't allowed to make up information and which I thus consider quasi-canonically correct (though it seems that someone messed up the registry numbers in one source or another ). There was a lengthy discussion about this in one of the early threads if you want to track it down.
And Steve, let me preface this by saying that I, too, place you in the "freakin' genius" column, but I must respectfully disagree with you.
Unless two Akiras were off-screen during _Message in a Bottle_, which does not fit well with the rules of canon, then the vessels involved were *indeed* one Akira and two Defiant-class.
I have the screenshots to prove it, if you'd like to see them.
I'd like to know, too, if the fact-files list the names of the Defiant-class vessels in the episode.
Just to throw in another perspective of the sources. Fact Files has become very reknowned amoungst the starship info gang at Ex Astris, Scientia as a very shakey source. But don't take my word for it, head over to; http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/
To see the problems they encounter when tring to figure out how big certain ships are, etc...
(Forgive me if anyone has lready covered this one...)
Steve,
In the noteworthy Akira-Class vessels you list three as having participated in the recovery of the U.S.S. Prometheus. The Rabin, Spector,and Thunderchild.
In Message in a Bottle It was 1 Akira and 2 Defiant Class vessels. Is this a misprint?
Also, you have the NCC Registry belonging to the Thunderchild listed aas beloning to the Spector, and the Thunderchilds wrong. (according to the Encyclopedia)
I am about to play a back-story game of Message in a Bottle so I'd like to have my LUGtrek vs. canon facts straight.
The article in question was about Akira-class ships, not Defiant-class ships, so as far as I can recall it does not list the other ships involved in that incident.
I agree that Ex Astris Scientia is, in general, a great site. However, I don't entirely buy the logic behind their efforts to "solve" the ship size problem, or any of their other takes on any given ship issue as gospel. If I find a definite error in the STFF, or ST:TM, I'll gladly ignore it or point it out. But I'm not going to assume some part of it is erroneous simply because some people assert that the 'zines "frequently" make mistakes.