Derelict Ship

[Lt Cmdr Matt]

I am planning a mission that has a derelict ship in it. I was wondering what type of ship and why you think that would be the best ship fo rthe Job. Thanks for the time! (I want Federation ships though circa 2375 after the DW)

[PGoodman13]

It kind of depends on what you have planned, and what you mean by "derelict." Do you mean just a ship that's been missing since the Dominion War, or an old vessel that's long been out of service? How big should it be? What part does it play in your story? What should it be able to do?

[Lt Cmdr Matt]

The point of the ship is a mystery on why it is been missing since the beginning of the war. Or it has been missing since the sometime in the middle of the war. It is something for the crew to figure out exaclty what happened to. A new race that had it's ship almost destroyed killed everyone onboard the "ship" by beaming them out to space while cloaked. That is how it is derelict. The new race that is onboard the ship has had a problem with the warp core and has had to eject it. Thus it has no power except the bare minimums of life support. They have not attempted to move the ship. They just want to live in the ship as is.

[Dan Stack]

I know you like deckplans (like me ) so I'll run off a few with plans available and my reasoning.

For something of reasonable size, I'd suggest the Miranda. Pretty well know vessel, lots of them around, etc. You can purchase deckplans for them (paper ones, not available for download) at http://members.aol.com/~fh1860 - worth the money in my opinion, though it depends on your financial situation. Tons of these were used in the Dominion War.

If you want something smaller, the Oberth is an option, though it may be a little bit too small. Owen Oulton has deckplans of these at his site.

Defiant might work well if you are looking for a claustrophobic atmosphere. A good chance to play up the creepiness factor, with those narrow hallways and tight compartments - hard to run from things that go bump in the night. The Deep Space Nine technical manual has deckplans for this, as does www.maximumdefiant.com

[AslanC]

What size are you looking for?

Why not use those excellent deckplans for the NOVA?

Or Owen E's Oberth?

[Owen E Oulton]

Using a ship that's only been missing for a few years probably makes it too easy for the PCs. After all, the individuals currently on the ship are the ones responsible for killing the crew. Beam 'em all into the brig or a locked cargo bay and take 'em to the nearest Starbase for a hearing. Like I say, too easy.

Make it a little more nebulous, ethically speaking. Make it a ship from 100 years or more ago, like a Constitution (pre- or post-refit), or the afore-mentioned Miranda or Oberth. All the leaders actually responsible for killing the Fed crew are now dead, and the current inhabitants have never lived anywhere else. Only a few (possibly a priesthood or technologist caste) have any technological skills, running the life support and hydroponics, or "calling down the wrath of the Gods" (i.e. firing phasers). They've nearly gutted the non-structural bulkheads and built a rat-warren of tiny cubbyholes and tunnel-like corridors. The players have the original deckplans, sure, but they're of surprisingly little use . . .

Now you've got a situation which is a little more dubious. Under Federation law, which is in turn based on guarantees from Earth's New United Nations, individuals cannot be held criminally responsible for the deeds of their ancestors. Further, a degradation of the fusion reactor's magnetic bottles has resulted in an intermitent fluctuation in the power supply. This is not in and of itself dangerous, but the antimatter containment system has become a bit touchy. The antimatter storage containers are still nearly full, since no antimatter has been required without a warp core. The power fluctuation will eventually (within weeks or months, but possibly within mere hours) cause the containment fields surrounding the
antimatter to drop, resulting in what Marvin the Martian termed "an Earth-shattering KA-BOOM!" They can't be ejected (the hatch mechanisms are vacuum-welded) and can't be beamed out (antimatter is tricky stuff to beam and requires an properly functioning containment field). The priests and/or technological caste refuse to allow the PCs to access any of the controls and refuse to believe the imminent danger exists.

[Perrryyy]

"an Earth-shattering KA-BOOM!"

Took me a minute to place it. Stealing from Marvin the Martian, eh Owen?

[Owen E Oulton]

Stealing? Quoting - with attribution!

[Lt Cmdr Matt]

What about a ship like the USS Enterprise, NX-01, maybe launched a few years later and never heard from again.

[Silverthorne]

could always be a derelict ship from a different race.. a ship just floating in space, no crew or the remains of crew aboard. what happened to it. where did it come from. when was it left derelict.. many many question will arise..

[Lt Cmdr Matt]

Maybe an alien vessel with a Danube Class Runabout size alien vessel that might work it's way into the shuttle compliment.

Comments?

[Lt.Khrys Antos]

How about the old Constellation-Class ships? Or maybe a Federation ship which was thought to be destroyed during the DW is found again?

Just some thoughts...

[Capt.Hunter]

Or, instead of having the ship's crew deliberately killed by the aliens, it was an accident (perhaps the aliens exhale toxic gas - like Homer Simpson after a night at Moe's...). Therein lies your moral dilemma.