Inspired by Omega's small ship write up the other day and a past write-up of a courier (Lancer's write up of the Tultrak-class Courier)
http://forum.trek-rpg.net/showthread...-Class-Courier
I have been thinking about blisteringly fast, small ships, and so I looked up Space Dock and saw the proposed Mercury-class Courier. Here is my version of a small, incredibly fast courier type vessel.
The Mercury-class (SC) Fast Courier was fielded to replace the Loki-class Couriers lost during the Dominion war as well as update the aging Peregrine-class Courier. The Mercury-class fulfills the design parameters of the courier class admirably and is the fastest Federation vessel ever to be fielded as of 2376. As a courier the Mercury-class was designed to transport important messages and personnel quickly. These vessels can sustain warp 9.975 for extended periods.
These vessels are specifically designed to be small enough to fit in large vessels shuttle bays (only vessels such as the Akira and other dedicated carrier-type vessels can accommodate these ships in their oversized shuttle bays/flight decks, and then, only after special modification). These vessels take up the space of 12 StarFleet Fighters in a flightdeck.
These vessels are spartan for the most part, with several concessions made so as to make the vessel as fast as possible, though they are designed to ferry a small complement of special guests/dignitaries/VIP's and so are equipped with some luxurious appointments (luxury quarters, a fully equipped medical bay with an EMH and a single holosuite.) The spartan mess hall has been expanded by the integration of a small lounge. The mess hall/small lounge is used for all meetings, briefings etc onboard.
To increase the security and the stealthiness of the class Starfleet decided to install an Energy sheath on the Mercury-class, which makes the ship difficult to track with long range sensors and to scan internally. This was done so as to insure the integrity/privacy of the vessel's cargos.
The Mercury-class is a sleek, arrowing teardrop design, with an integrated saucer and engineering hull and two massive (relative to the vessel's overall size) variable geometry nacelles.
Mercury-class Fast Courier
Launch date of the prototype NX-Mercury 2376
Size 3
L 99.1m
B 59.4m
H 20.2m
Decks 5
Mass 5000mt
Su 1000
SU 997
Hull (inner/outer) <24>
Resistance (inner/outer) 6/6 <12>
*atmo, planet fall capability <6>
*energy sheath hull <9>
as this sheath does not obscure visual scans and is not technically a cloaking device it does not violate the Treaty of Algeron.
SIF class 4 70/110 <24>
SIF B'up 35 <12>
Sif B'up 35 <12>
Crew/pass/evac 30/12/150
officers 18 enlisted 12
*40% passenger complement, which is twice that it should be. This vessel carries a large crew complement for a small ship.
Quarters
Spartan 20 (2 berth) <1>
Basic 10 (1-2 berth) <1>
Luxury 10 (1 berth) <10>
Unusual 2 (1 berth) <2>
*all quarters, ergonomically adaptable, replicator terminal, computer console, sonic shower.
*Spartan 2 bunk beds per quarters
*Basic suitable for one or two crew as standard.
*Luxury/unusual full environmental control. Lux/Unusual quarters reserved for VIP passengers.
Basic LS (caters for 250) <12>
Reserve LS <6>
Emergency LS (8 emergency shelters) <6>
Gravity <3>
Consumables 1 year worth <3>
Replicators (food) network of small terminals <3>
Replicators (industrial) network of small terminals <3>
1 large pad <3>
Medical facilities (8) +2 emk 3 <40>
a fully staffed Med bay which includes an EMH, this is so the vessel can act as an emergency, rapid response, medical first responder if the need arises.
CMO 4/5, per 3/4
EMH MkI <5>
Recreation facilities (2) <16>
1 holosuite, spartan mess hall with integrated small lounge
Jefferies tubes, turbolift network <9>
Fire suppression system <3>
Cargo bay 33,000m cubed <1>
various small holds throughout ship
Escape pods (40) 6 berth <3>
Warp systems
Nacelles (2) Type 4C6 <48>
warp cruise/sustain/emergency 4.0/9.975/9.982
variable geometry nacelles <5>
PIS type H (12 hours) <16>
warp uprating sustain pk4x4 and pk3x1, max pk4 <48>
*Much of what was learned during the development of the Intrepid-class was applied to the Mercury-class, just on a smaller scale, including a warp core with a tricyclic input manifold and variable geometry nacelles. This warp drive allows the ship a sustainable cruise velocity of warp factor 9.975.
Impulse engine (1) class V .7c/.9c [40pwr] <25>
(1 engine, split into 2 sections aft port and starboard of the saucer section)
RCS <3>
Power core M/AM reactor class 6/k [349pwr] <75>
EPS (isomagnetic) +200pwr <27>
Auxiliary pwr (2) [10pwr] <6>
Emergency pwr type A [25pwr]<25>
Available power 389pwr