IRW Haakona

IRW Haakona was a D'deridex class warbird of the Romulan Star Empire in service during the 2360s. The ship was commanded by Subcommander Taris, and was noted for her encounters with the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D).

In 2364, the USS Yamato rediscovered the location of the planet Iconia. When the Yamato entered the Neutral Zone the Haakona prusued the Yamato before losing track of the ship. Taris later discovered the Enterprise and Yamato meeting in the Neutral Zone, and witnessed the destruction of the Yamato. When Captain Jean-Luc Picard took the Enterprise to Iconia, Taris shadowed the Federation vessel. Arriving at Iconia, Taris attempted to claim the planet for the Empire, but was rebuffed by Commander William T. Riker. By then, her ship was malfunctioning due to an ancient Iconian program present in the Haakona's computers. When Picard used an Iconian gateway to board the Enterprise, the Haakona was locked on a self-destruct countdown which Taris was unable to deactivate. The Enterprise was able to locate and beam Picard off the Romulan ship. The Enterprise crew instructed the Romulan crew how to purge the Iconian program from the Haakona and save their lives. (TNG episode Contagion).

The Haakona served in the Romulan fleet for several more years. In 2368, when the Devil's Heart resurfaced, the Praetor sent the Haakona to recover the Heart for the Empire. Taris destroyed a smuggler's hideout and Starbase 193 while searching for the Heart. One of the crew who was a follower of Ambassador Spock then decided that the Empire should never have possession of the Heart again, and he sabotaged the Haakona. This sabotage casued a section of the Haakona's shields to drop during battle with the Enterprise. Lieutenant Worf was able to fire phasers through the hole created in the shields, destroying the Haakona, and killing her crew. (TNG novel The Devil's Heart).