U.S.S. Cooper NCC-4791 (FASA)
Named for Marshall Anaximander Cooper, a Federation secretary who served during the Romulan War, the Cooper was a Baker class destroyer commissioned on Reference Stardate 2/20 (2220) and commanded by Commodore William P. Masefield.[1]
On RSD 2/2106 (June 2221), the Cooper received a call for aid from Rho Markessis VI. The ship's landing party beamed down, only to find themselves in the middle of a civil war. Bound by the Prime Directive not to interfere, but unable to beam them back due to a malfunction caused by a recent encounter with an ion storm, a shuttlecraft was sent to retrieve the landing party. Tragically, weapons fire from hostile natives damaged the shuttle, resulting in the loss of atmospheric integrity and the lives of all aboard.[1]
The Cooper put in at Starbase 23, to provide shore leave for the crew and repairs for the damaged shuttle. Ten days later, on RSD 2/2106.30 (30 June 2221), the Cooper received orders to proceed to Archanis,[2] to transport a Federation scientist, Kraftzmann Mikil Hartewicce, to Axanar. Hartewicce believed that the Klingon Empire had once again set up a base on Axanar, to use as a beachhead for an invasion of the Federation. The Cooper, arriving on RSD 2/2202.14 (14 February 2222), discovered that, during the initial invasion of Axanar nearly three decades earlier, Klingon genetic scientist Arjtugh, under orders from a senior Klingon administrator, began to establish a secret genetics facility, but construction came to a halt in the wake of the Klingons' defeat at Axanar by Captain Garth of the Marklin class U.S.S. Xenophon. Arjtugh evaded capture for more than twenty years, until his accidental death by exposure on RSD 2/14 (2214).[1]
The Cooper was soon lured away by a false distress call, and Axanar came under attack. When the Cooper returned, the landing party had all been killed by the crew of an escaping Klingon K-22B D'Gavama (Bird of Prey) class vessel, the I.K.V. K'ti'suka. Commodore Jarv Gouthar, an old rival of Commodore Masefield and commandant of Starbase 14, dismissed Masefield's report, and ordered the Cooper to the starbase. When Masefield continued his pursuit of the Klingon ship, Gouthar dispatched the U.S.S. Rasalgethi NCC-1557, U.S.S. Bosch NCC-21035, U.S.S. Silverion NCC-4752, U.S.S. Dubhe NCC-5038, and U.S.S. Sadr NCC-5196 to intercept the Cooper and take Masefield into custody. They arrived in time to help the Cooper engage a waiting Klingon fleet, which included the D-10 Riskadh class I.K.V. Varg'cel, the D-7M K't'inga class I.K.S. Teniwa and I.K.V. Tebitvu, and the D-18B Lara'atan (Gull) class I.K.V. Kaxfiw, I.K.V. Ky'jecum, and the I.K.V. Ganh Wusav. The Federation ships then called to the U.S.S. Mirfak NCC-4823 and U.S.S. Pollux NCC-5157 for reinforcements.[1]
Commodore Tesko Lieu of the Rasalgethi took Masefield into custody, and on RSD 2/2205.20 (20 May 2222), Masefield was tried in a court martial at Starbase 14 for negligence and disobeying Gouthar's orders. Masefield was suddenly and unexpectedly acquitted when Commodore Antonia Niccomachi of Star Fleet Intelligence arrived with classified evidence, including copies of the orders she'd given to Masefield at Starbase 23 on RSD 2/2106.3 (3 June 2221).[1]
The crew of the Cooper in 2222 included Commander Arnold C. "Bucky" Buchwalter, first officer; Commander Gregori Antonov Markov,[3] chief engineer; Commander Patrick S. "Paddy" Wilkins, chief navigator; Commander Baxter E.D. Fitzmartin, chief helmsman; Lieutenant Commander U Shinavva Longfellow, chief communications/damage control officer; Lieutenant Commander Sevill F. Marquart, chief science officer; Lieutenant Harry Chu, M.D., chief medical officer; Lieutenant Armand M. Hall, chief security officer; Lieutenant Starren Lucas, assistant science officer; Lieutenant Marica O. "Lucky" Hadley, assistant medical officer; Lieutenant Jacob E. Sikay, assistant chief security officer; Lieutenant Ixan, physician; Lieutenant Elijah X. Coe, security officer; Lieutenant, j.g. Rebecca Winters, assistant helmsman; Lieutenant, j.g. Anthony Robor-Wheeler, assistant navigator; Lieutenant, j.g. Ricky Eleven, assistant communications/damage control officer; Lieutenant, j.g. Henry R. Tolan, assistant engineer; Lieutenant, j.g. John Q. "Squirrel" Smythe, chief supply officer; Lieutenant, j.g. Angus P. MacDougall, engineer; Lieutenant, j.g. Shrev Hall'th, geophysicist; Lieutenant, j.g. George Yalkovich, astrophysicist; Lieutenant, j.g. Gerald Lawrence, security officer; Ensign T'loris, transporter chief; and Ensigns Thomas B. Michaels & Shar Thaan, security officers.[1]
Baker class vessels
FASA Timeline
U.S.S. Baker NCC-4701 • U.S.S. Cooper NCC-4791 • U.S.S. Knutson • U.S.S. Mirfak NCC-4823 • U.S.S. Peterson NCC-4703 • U.S.S. Richardson • U.S.S. Silverion NCC-4752 • U.S.S. Stafford NCC-4702 • U.S.S. Taylor
Notes and References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Theisen, John A. (Author). Return to Axanar. Star Trek: The Role Playing Game. FASA Book 2218. Based on a concept by L. Ross Babcock III. Cover art by David R. Deitrick. Illustrations by Todd F. Marsh and Jane Bigos. FASA Corporation. 1986.
- ↑ FASA materials largely spelled the system as "Arcanis," but this was adjusted to "Archanis," as it was spelled on screen.
- ↑ While the character name was listed as Markova, this is the feminine variation of the Slavic name Markov; the name was adjusted to match the character being, in fact, a Lithuanian man
