Starships
This is the story of the Federation starship USS Tennessee. Hope you enjoy.
USS Tennessee
Archon Class Intel Assault Cruiser
Service History:
Officially, USS Tennessee is an Archon class intel assault cruiser, but her design has been modified to focus more on the assault aspect of that title. Captain Robert Maynard, having recently been promoted, was selected to command this new vessel. He stepped down from his post as the XO of the USS Hornet and traveled back to Earth to oversee Tennessee's completion before taking command.
Captain Maynard made some modifications to the ship's layout deviating from the standard Archon configuration towards a more combat focused design. Internally, she is an Archon, but she looks much different externally. The standard saucer and hull of the Sovereign class was paired with the armored nacelles from the Majestic class and the armored "neck" of the Imperial class. Only one thing remained to make her complete. The new vessel was to be named in honor of the battleship Tennessee from Earth's 20th century, so Captain Maynard traveled to the Earth Naval Museum to request an artifact from the old battleship to place onboard. The museum curator gifted Captain Maynard a replica of the battleship's bell which he placed on a display in the officer's mess hall.
With the work complete, Tennessee was ready to receive her commission. Officials from Starfleet command, the Federation council, and United Earth government representatives from the United States were all in attendance. After the commissioning ceremony, Captain Maynard assumed command with Commander Takeera Sh'tylless as his 1st officer. Robert and Takeera attended Starfleet Academy together and had been friends ever since the Vega incident that landed Robert in command of the USS Fletcher.
Tennessee soon received her first assignment. She was to join alliance forces in the Solanae Dyson Sphere to help combat the Voth. Shortly before Tennessee left space dock, Captain Maynard made a ship wide announcement to the crew.
"All hands, this is the Captain. If you have found yourself assigned to this ship, know that it is because I requested you to be here. I have personally reviewed the files of each and every crew member here, and you all offered something that I found would be a benefit to this ship and your fellow crew mates. I am telling you this to prepare you for what I'm going to say next. Tennessee is being assigned to the task force in the Solanae Dyson Sphere to defend our positions from the Voth. Back in Earth's 20th century, the captain of a US Navy destroyer had the following words for his crew before they left port,"This is going to be a fighting ship. I intend to go in harm's way, and anyone who doesn't want to go along had better get off right now." We depart space dock in 48 hours. You have until that time to make your decision on whether you want to depart with us or stay here. If you decide to stay, know that I am overjoyed to have you here alongside me fighting the good fight, but there will be no ill feelings towards you if you decide to leave the ship. Departure time is 1300 hours two days from now. That is all."
Two days later, at 1300 hours, USS Tennessee departed Earth Space Dock to join the Solanae task force without a single crew member failing to report to his or her station. Upon arriving in the Solane Dyson Sphere, Tennessee wasted no time taking the fight to the Voth. She distinguished herself in several fleet actions and developed a reputation among the alliance as a dependable ship with a well trained and professional crew.
After alliance forces had secured their positions against the Voth, Tennessee was reassigned to Task Force Delta. She soon found herself in contact with hostile forces of the Vaadwaur, and she quickly proved herself a force to be reckoned with. Captain Maynard recognized the Vaadwaur's reliance on heavy artillery vessels in fleet actions, so he developed tactics to neutralize that advantage. Tennessee would open on those ships with a full spread of quantum torpedoes and then fly to within point blank range where the enemy vessels could not target her and fire broadsides until the enemy vessels were either disabled or destroyed. The name Tennessee became feared by Vaadwaur artillery captains, and many of them would refuse to join any fleet actions where her presence was known.
Upon the conclusion of the Vaadwaur campaign, Tennessee rejoined the fleet to defend the Alpha and Beta Quadrants against the Undine and Iconian threats. She fought several skirmishes in the Temporal Cold War, helped to defeat J'mpok in the Klingon Civil War, and played a key role in defending the Federation against the Terran Empire's invasion. She also participated fight against the mirror universe Borg, the Aetherians, and the Chimerans.
The fight against the Chimerans at the Midas Array, however, pushed Tennessee to her limits, and while she emerged victorious, she was also heavily damaged and forced to return to space dock for extensive repairs. Starfleet engineers had been working on designs for a new battlecruiser variant of the Sovereign class now known as the Noble class, and Tennessee was chosen as one of the first vessels to undergo refit to this standard. Upon arrival to Earth Space Dock, Tennessee's crew left the ship and the Starfleet Corps of Engineers took possession to begin her conversion.
USS Tennessee (Refit)
Noble Class Battlecruiser
Service History:
Having survived the battle against the Chimerans at the Midas Array, USS Tennessee put in for some much needed repairs. Upon arrival at Earth Space Dock, the Starfleet Corps of Engineers took possession of the ship and began repairs and her conversion to the newest Sovereign variant, the Noble Class Battlecruiser. Tennessee already had a reputation as a fighting ship, so she was a natural choice to be one of the first vessels to undergo the conversion to a true battlecruiser.
Her saucer section and hull were modified to give her better firing arcs, the Imperial neck armor was removed in favor of an up-armored hull and saucer, and additional pylons were added which allowed the installation of an independent modular weapon package that can be tailored to specific mission requirements. This work took several months, which allowed Tennessee's crew some much needed R&R. Even Captain Maynard had someone waiting for him when he disembarked.
Once the work was completed, Tennessee took on a much leaner and more predatory profile. In addition to upgraded phaser banks and torpedo launchers, she was also equipped with dual heavy phaser cannons located just behind the bridge module. Once work was completed, Tennessee was officially reclassified as a Noble Class Battlecruiser and began her shakedown cruise. As Starfleet Command considers the request from the Borg Collective for a temporary alliance against the Aetherians and Chimerans, Tennessee is sure to be called on again, and this time, she is more than ready.