USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A)


 * For the mirror universe counterpart, see ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A).

The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A), sometimes referred to as the Enterprise-A or NCC-1701-Alpha, was a Federation starship in service to Starfleet during the late 23rd century.

Overview and specifications
Nominally, ships of this class were heavy cruisers, but in particular, this vessel was outfitted as a tactical command cruiser. The second Federation starship to bear the name, the Enterprise-A was christened shortly after the destruction of her predecessor, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), in 2285. Captain James T. Kirk and his senior staff were reassigned to the Enterprise-A after they relinquished command of the captured HMS in San Francisco in 2286. Captain Kirk commanded the Enterprise-A for eight years, and the ship's final cruise was highlighted by the protection of the Khitomer conference as the Khitomer Accords were drafted. 

Despite the USS Excelsior (NX-2000) being more advanced and already in service, the Enterprise was designated as the Federation flagship, as such when she would be assigned to escort Klingon chancellor Gorkon to Earth for peace talks, when the chancellor was assassinated. 

Construction history
When construction began on the Enterprise-A in the early 2280s, the ship was named the USS Ti-Ho and assigned the registry number, NCC-1798. Though resembling a Constitution-Class rebuild, Ti-Ho was built new from the keel up. The Ti-Ho was to serve as a test-bed for transwarp drive which was also being tested on the USS Excelsior (NCC-2000).

Construction of the Ti-Ho was largely completed by 2285, but shortly afterwards transwarp drive was proved a failure and Starfleet Command decided to equip the Ti-Ho with conventional warp drive. 

A few weeks later, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) was destroyed in orbit of the Genesis Planet, and in 2286, Admiral James T. Kirk and the former crew of the Enterprise prevented the destruction of Earth by the Cetacean Probe. In honor of their achievements, Federation President Hiram Roth ordered that the Ti-Ho be renamed Enterprise and assigned the registry NCC-1701-A. Shortly after, command of the Enterprise was assigned to newly-demoted Captain James T. Kirk. 


 * In the, the ship redesignated as the Enterprise-A was a newly-built vessel that was to be named USS Atlantis. Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise lists the USS Yorktown (Constitution class) as a possible candidate for re-christening to Enterprise. The also gives the ship's original name as the Yorktown; the same game also says the ship's commissioning was in 2285.

2286

 * Stardate 8925.2: Shortly after leaving Spacedock following its initial shakedown cruise, the Enterprise-A is nearly destroyed by a dangerous religious fanatic. Fortunately, the attempt is thwarted by Captain Spock. (, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)
 * Stardate 8931.2: During a routine patrol, the Enterprise-A becomes trapped by an unknown force and is taken to a previously unexplored planet. Captain Spock attempts to lead a landing party to the surface, but instead of the team, Spock, Kirk, Dr. McCoy, and Captain Scott are transported to an amusement park planet which is ruled by Harry Mudd. Mudd claims to have arrived on the planet and only wishes to seek a way off the planet, which the Enterprise-A can provide. As the landing party investigates the planet, they discover that it is actually a nursery, and Spock is able to free the Enterprise-A by melding with the artifact which controls the planet.
 * Stardate 8950.4: The Enterprise-A receives a distress call from a merchant ship that is under attack by Orion pirates. When the Enterprise-A arrives they find the merchant vessel being towed by the Orion vessel and find that the merchant crew had been taken prisoner. However, the Enterprise crew frees the hostages and takes the pirates captive thanks to another engineering marvel by Captain Scott.
 * Stardate 8953.7: While under the night-shift command of Commander Codobach, the Enterprise-A encounters a meteor storm, and sustains damage when the deflectors fail to engage, allegedly due to substandard repair work by Captain Scott during the earlier Orion hostage crisis. Federation President Hiram Roth sends the ship back to Gamma Trianguli VI on a reconnaissance mission, where Kirk and crew will assess the state of the civilization encountered there twenty years before. During departure preparations, a further series of technological failures (including a near-fatal explosive decompression near Engineering) occur, causing Mr. Scott to ascribe the fault to "gremlins" within the ship. Coming up with a plan, Captain Scott convinces Mr. Codobach to shut down the Enterprise's engines for fifteen minutes. Luring a mischief-causing alien entity into an empty photon torpedo tube using an old-fashioned petroleum engine (from his personal collection), the torpedo is fired onto an unmanned navigational beacon. The entity receives a playground it can live in, without placing sentient life in jeopardy. Afterward, the ship arrives safely at Gamma Trianguli VI.
 * Stardate 8954.8: The Enterprise-A enters orbit around Gamma Trianguli VI, where a landing party led by Captain Kirk discovers a nearly-devastated world, brought about by the destruction of the Vaal computer-entity's environmental maintenance systems two decades earlier. Encountering a large number of natives, led by Makora (who has amassed a large number of wives and children), the group is soon drugged by their host at dinner, imprisoned, and marked for death. Challenging Ensign Konom to a duel for the "hand" of Nancy Bryce, Konom flees in cowardice, leading Makora to select Dr. McCoy as his substitute. However, Spock enables the group's escape from captivity, and they soon encounter Konom and Akuta, leading a force of disaffected Vaalites. A battle soon erupts in the nearby arena, with the Enterprise firing a stun-dispersion phaser pattern on the area, disabling the combatants. However, Captain Kirk quickly learns that the entire crew in orbit have been mysteriously rendered unconscious by means unknown.
 * Stardate 8958.6: Discovering that it is Akuta behind the Enterprise-A's disabling (having gained telekinetic abilities), the landing party under Captain Kirk is once again taken prisoner, Akuta blaming Kirk for the ruin of his world decades earlier, as well as his own accelerated aging. While Akuta uses his powers (augmented by those of other Vaalites) to drag the Enterprise down into the atmosphere in an attempt to burn it up, Spock escapes his bondage and convinces Akuta to release the ship from its plunge, and awakening the crew in orbit from their comatose state. Nerve-pinching Captain Kirk and feigning mutiny, Spock contacts the Enterprise and joins Akuta beneath the planet's surface. About to be burned alive at the stake, Kirk and his crew are rescued by a security force beamed down by Captain Scott, but the Vaalites drive them back to the ship. However, Kirk leads Sulu, Chekov, and other crew members down into the bowels of the planet, where they encounter Vaal's still-functioning defenses...and an immobilized Spock.
 * Stardate 8960.2: Attempting to free Captain Spock, who has been imprisoned within a machine-apparatus beneath Gamma Trianguli VI, the Vaal-entity uses Spock to trigger a series of violent groundquakes, entombing Captain Kirk and his landing party. On the surface, anti-Vaalites led by Makora attack the other natives, while Kirk discovers a portal opened by Vaal millennia earlier, through which the entity receives energy. In orbit, Captain Scott attempts to beam down a security force but the Enterprise-A is attacked by Spock's mental energies. Seeking to find a non-violent solution to the crisis, Kirk learns from Spock that the Vaalites were placed on the planet by Sargon's race millions of years earlier, who tasked Vaal with maintaining peace and tranquility there. Kirk volunteers himself as a sacrifice, with Spock loosening his hold upon the orbiting Enterprise, and Makora throwing himself into the energy vortex. Vaal reasserts its custodianship over the planet, returning the landing party to the Enterprise, promising great woe to Kirk and his crew, should they ever return.
 * Stardate 9212.8: The Enterprise-A arrives at Starbase 30, located planetside on Christofi IX, the former site of strife at the hands of several marauding warrior races, now a pristine resort-world. With most of the crew on shore leave, Captain Scott remains aboard with Captain Spock, seeking to perform maintenance upon the ship's frequently-malfunctioning systems. Captain Kirk unsuccessfully attempts to evade a Starfleet Internal Affairs official, who is to be the Enterprise's new onboard "watchdog." Hikaru Sulu, Dr. McCoy, Chekov, and Uhura go on a sand-skiiing trip, where the doctor is injured after a collision with a tree. Mr. Scott, deep in upgrade-work aboard the Enterprise, manages to beam the entire landing party up just in time to prevent the Internal Affairs official from boardings the ship. The Enterprise then departs Starbase 30.
 * Stardate 9214.7: Captain Kirk orders the Enterprise-A to Sector Nine of the Alpha Quadrant in response to an urgent message sent by cadet crewmen aboard the Miranda-class USS Cluster, whose captain and entire senior command staff had recently been killed by Romulan forces while on a planetary landing mission. Using Kirk's near-legendary command record as misguided inspiration, Cadet Ronald Penn (now in command of the Cluster) orders an attack upon a Romulan cruiser, but faces opposition by several members of his own crew, who covertly contact the Enterprise for assistance. Cadet Penn demands the surrender of the Romulan ship. The enemy captain, who personally killed Captain Fields earlier, attacks the Cluster, beaming over an assault party, who easily capture the bridge. However, a security force, beamed over from the Enterprise, immediately overwhelm the Romulan boarders, thought Cadet Penn attempts to kill the Romulan captain out of a misguided sense of vengeance and hero-worship of Captain Kirk. The Romulans agree to depart out of respect for Kirk's reputation, the Cluster is sent back to Starbase 30 for repairs, and the Enterprise-A heads outward to new, unexplored sectors.
 * Stardate 8983.7: Aboard the Enterprise-A, a bachelor party is thrown for Ensign Konom by the senior crew, with his fiancée Nancy Bryce masquerading as an Orion dancing girl. However, Dr. McCoy spikes the punch (in defiance of Captain Kirk's "no liquor" orders), resulting in a brawl where the worst racial prejudices of the crew are are brought to the surface, pitting humans against the fellow alien crewmates. Not long thereafter, the Enterprise receives word that a Klingon science outpost has been attacked...by a Federation starship.
 * Stardate 8987.7: Heading to the planet Miraud at warp six, the Enterprise-A responds to the distress signal transmitted by a Klingon scientific research outpost, only to discover a band of alien raiders planetside killing the survivors. High in orbit, a Miranda-class starship suddenly decloaks near the Enterprise and opens fire, catching Captain Spock offguard. Kirk's entire landing party is beamed aboard the other starship, where he recognizes the commander &mdash; Phil Burroughs. Burroughs forces Kirk's party outside, onto the outer saucer-hull of the starship, where the Enterprise cannot risk firing without hitting the Starfleet group. A Klingon battlecruiser arrives on the scene, beaming the spacebound landing party aboard the vessel. Captain Spock then orders a phaser barrage, attempting to pinpoint the location of the recently-cloaked renegade starship, and the captain of the Klingon battlecruiser allows Kirk to communicate with his own ship, where he is informed by Spock that the other starship has left the area. Commander Kron then instructs Kirk to take one of the rescued survivors back to the Enterprise, revealing that the survivor is, in fact, a mutated Klingon/Human half-breed.
 * Stardate 8994.6: Following the destruction of the Klingon battlecruiser Fury by the former Federation starship now known as Renegade (formerly the USS Zephyr), Captain Kirk hosts a diplomatic contingent aboard the Enterprise-A, led by Commander Kron, in order to attempt to defuse potential hostilities between the two powers. Federation President Hiram Roth and Klingon Emperor Kahless IV confer via joint viewscreen in a conference room, with Kirk's senior staff and the Klingon diplomatic party in attendance, but tensions only continue to mount. Captain Spock presents three planets to the assembled group as potential future targets for the Renegade, and President Roth agrees to dispatch as many Starfleet vessels as possible to protect the three worlds as proof of Federation non-complicity, until more Klingon ships can arrive to relieve them. The Enterprise is deployed to Triaminus IV, while Commander Kron's battlecruiser heads to Gamma Delta II, but the Endicor system is left unprotected, due to a lack of ships. Kirk sends a team to Omicron Ceti IV via shuttlecraft (Zephyr 's last known location before going rogue), led by Konom and William Bearclaw, where they come under fire from a group of androids. Given unexpected intelligence data from the rescued half-Klingon/half-human survivor from Miraud, Captain Kirk sets course for Endicor against orders, having learned of its status as Phil Burroughs' next target. Coming out of warp extremely close to the Renegade, the Enterprise-A nearly collides with the other vessel, and a security strike force is beamed into the engine room of the rogue starship, and the ship is recaptured. However, a shuttle launches from Renegade carrying the escaping Burroughs, setting course back to Omicron Ceti IV. Planetside, the last of the androids are destroyed, Kirk and a landing party encounter living survivors from Zephyr, leading to the horrifying discovery of the real Captain Burroughs' corpse in a freezer, dead some two weeks now. Back aboard the Enterprise, Captain Kirk performs a wedding ceremony for Ensign Konom and Nancy Bryce on the ship's recreation deck.
 * Stardate 9000.1: Following the neutralization of the USS Zephyr, the Enterprise-A rendezvouses with the Starfleet medical ship Weinstein, where it takes on a supply of desperately-needed serum for a plague ravaging the colony world Chapin One. However, a number of strange behaviors quickly begin manifesting aboard ship, including the neural destabilization of a Mentite crewmember, and Captain Kirk momentarily viewing the senior command staff as animals while in a conference room. Suddenly, a miles-long ship appears literally out of nowhere, directly in the Enterprise 's flight path, and opens fire on the Federation starship. Captain Kirk orders the Enterprise to return fire, and the alien craft abruptly vanishes. The number of mental-illusion incidents shipboard continues to escalate (including crewmember-sightings of a three-headed dog, to animated furniture), when Captain Scott and his entire Engineering crew are afflicted, believing that "monsters" are pouring out of the ship's engines and are headed for the reactor room. Storming Main Engineering, a security force opens fire, accidentally hitting Scotty and injuring him, while the artificial gravity fluctuates wildly. Realizing that Mentite crewmember Lt. Castille could be responsible for the outbreaks, Kirk orders his detention, but Castille (evidently in the grips of a medical condition) emits a mental "scream" while in the ship's botanical gardens, stunning the entire crew. Being on the bridge, and thus furthest away from the attack, Kirk and his senior staff are the least affected, but then find themselves dragged into an elaborate new mental illusion simulating Dante's Inferno. Captain Kirk and his bridge crew make their way downward through the bowels of the Enterprise-A, while Uhura and Lieutenant Commander Arex remain behind in command of the bridge itself. Passing through the various levels of Perdition (with other belowdecks crew members involuntarily participating in the illusion), Kirk and company encounter many different tests and battles, when they finally arrive in the Ninth Circle, where they behold a representation of Lt. Castille as Lucifer. Captain Spock initiates a mind-meld with Castille (afflicted with a rare disease known as Le Guin syndrome), subduing the man and ending the illusion. The Enterprise resumes course to the Chapin One colony, but while in his quarters, Kirk is suddenly stabbed in the chest by Ensign Bearclaw, and left for dead.
 * Stardate 9000.8: Captain Kirk, stabbed and bleeding out in his quarters, suffers from blood-loss hallucinations, on the point of death. Captain Spock, somehow sensing his commander's distress on the bridge, orders a medical team down to the captain's quarters, led by Dr. McCoy, where they discover that the doors have been sealed by Ensign Bearclaw. Spock manages to pry the doors open through sheer physical strength, and the captain is rushed to Sickbay. Kirk continues to experience hallucinations, including his now-deceased son David Marcus, while Dr. McCoy frantically attempts to operate on his patient. On the bridge, Commander Sulu (in charge of the ship) and Commander Uhura reminisce about the captain while he is in surgery, with Uhura recalling a time during the original five-year mission when Kirk talked her out of leaving Starfleet. Similarly, Chekov and Scotty also fondly reflect upon memorable experiences with the captain, while Kirk continues to visualize traumatic illusions, including his dead brother Sam and Captain Christopher Pike. Mind-melding with the unconscious captain on the operating table, Spock convinces Kirk to pull out of his state of mania, and Kirk resumes consciousness, at which point he names Bearclaw as his would-be killer.
 * Stardate 9001.3: A Starfleet Security internal investigations team led by Commander Sean Finnegan is dispatched from the Omicron Ceti IV massacre-site to supervise the internal inquiry into Ensign Bearclaw's attempted murder of Captain Kirk aboard the Enterprise-A (requested by Captain Spock, per regulations). Aboard the ship, the shuttlecraft containing the investigators docks, and Commander Finnegan is revealed to have been the same "Finnegan" whom tormented the then-Cadet Kirk decades earlier at Starfleet Academy. Back on Omicron Ceti IV, the Starfleet cleanup team discovers the corpse of Ensign Bloemker...the same Ensign Bloemker currently serving aboard the Enterprise-A. Bearclaw is questioned by Starfleet security agent Heather Van Horne (herself a lower-level telepath), who becomes convinced of Bearclaw's innocence in the crime, and shares her experiences with Captain Spock via a mind-meld. Realizing that the false Ensign Bloemker is, in fact, a shapeshifter who impersonated Bearclaw, Commander Finnegan attempts to arrest the killer in Bloemker's quarters, only to be overpowered and rendered unconscious by a phaser blast. Assuming the form of the incapacitated Finnegan, the killer then attempts to convince Captain Kirk of Bearclaw's "guilt," but is assaulted by an unexpected prank-device at the door of Finnegan's quarters, destabilizing the killer's ability to hold form. As a result, the killer reveals his true form – that of Garth of Izar. Garth is then rendered unconscious by Spock, and Finnegan later reveals that "Lord Garth" (believed rehabilitated by Starfleet) had disappeared around a year earlier, believing Captain Kirk to be responsible for his fall. Finding his way to Omicron Ceti IV, Garth murdered Captain Burroughs and most of the crew of the USS Zephyr, and began his campaign of death and destruction against the Klingons and Federation. Declaring Ensign Bearclaw cleared of the crime and fit for resumption of duty, Captain Kirk then challenges Commander Finnegan to an arm-wrestling match...which he wins.
 * Stardate Unknown: The Enterprise-A docks at Space Station K-12 for crew shore leave. While there, Captain Scott receives a package informing him of the death of his wife, Glynnis Campbell, whom he had married five years earlier. Scotty enters into a period of drinking and reflection upon his departed love.

2287

 * Stardate 8454.1: The Enterprise-A is ordered to Nimbus III to deal with a hostage situation, after the Federation, Klingon, and Romulan ambassadors are taken captive by Sybok, Captain Spock's half-brother. Despite a limited crew complement, and systems being in substandard operation, she is the only starship within range with experienced command personnel. The ship is hijacked by Sybok, and travels beyond the Great Barrier, into the very heart of the galaxy. While there, a Klingon Bird-of-Prey under the command of Captain Klaa attempts to destroy the Enterprise and James T. Kirk, but is foiled by Spock and the disgraced General Korrd. A malevolent imprisoned entity is discovered on a planet within the Barrier, and is destroyed by a photon torpedo strike fired by the Enterprise, with the ship departing the region in the company of the renegade Bird-of-Prey not long afterward.
 * Stardate 8470.3: Back in Spacedock following the Nimbus III incident, the Enterprise-A undergoes repairs and routine system maintenance. The ship is launched under the command of Captain Kirk on a mission to Casmus III, but a distress call is intercepted by the starship, from a single-person craft under attack by a Nasgulian vessel. Beaming the pilot onto the Enterprise moments before his ship's destruction, a plea for asylum is officially registered, but Captain Spock points out the sovereign non-Federation diplomatic status of the Nasgul, and that the refugee pilot might be a wanted criminal. However, the Nasgulian vessel opens fire on the Enterprise, but quickly proves to be little match for advanced Starfleet weaponry, and the captain of the enemy ship commits suicide by ramming his ship against the Enterprise 's shields. The refugee, also a Nasgul, reveals himself to be a dissident pitted against the repressive primary religion of his race. Another, much larger, Nasgulian ship arrives on the scene, and the vessel's commander murders the dissident during a bridge viewscreen-conversation via telekinesis. Meanwhile, back on Earth, Klingon Ambassador Kamarag declares a bounty on the head of James T. Kirk, in response to his pardoning following the resolution of the Whalesong crisis.
 * Stardate 8475.2: Facing down the Nasgulian warship commanded by the Salla, a fanatical religious prophet, Captain Kirk fails to die when subjected to the same telekinetic attack used to murder the refugee recently beamed aboard the starship. Having warped away from the enemy vessel, the Enterprise-A arrives at Starbase 42, in orbit around Casmus III, where Kirk is berated by Federation Ambassador Palmer for being one hour late, against the backdrop of a conflict on Chronian III, where the lives of millions hang in the balance. A plea for assistance from the leader of the Ziminda race is played for the captain by the ambassador, and Kirk is then informed by Federation President Hiram Roth of the Klingon price upon his head. The Enterprise ferrys Ambassador Palmer to Chronian III, while the Klingon Bird-of-Prey Okrona under the command of Captain Klaa begins preparations for an attack on the starship, in pursuit of the bounty. Beaming down to the planet, a landing party including the ambassador under the command of Captain Kirk are informed at gunpoint that, in fact, a peace treaty is not desired by the opposing Buice race.
 * Stardate 8481.7: While held at gunpoint, Ambassador Palmer manages to convince both warring parties on Chronian III to agree to a mediation, and dismisses the Enterprise-A crew back to the ship, despite Captain Kirk's objections. Not long afterward, the ambassador is assaulted while making an audio transmission, and the Klingon Bird-of-Prey under the command of Captain Klaa decloaks near the planet, opening fire on the Enterprise. Unable to beam the ambassador up to the starship while the deflector shields are engaged, Kirk comes up with the unorthodox plan to catch the Klingon torpedoes with a transporter beam, and teleport them behind the Bird-of-Prey, the laws of physics continuing to carry the torpedoes under their previous momentum into their new target. Damaged, the Bird-of-Prey enters warp in order to escape the battle, and Ambassador Palmer beamed up to the ship, but massively injured and requiring replacement of organic limbs with prosthetics. Transporter Chief Sara Tuchinsky, distraught over the attack upon the ambassador, agrees to a plan proposed by Kirk to end the conflict, as well as extract a measure of vengeance upon its perpetrators. Beaming down with a security force in the midst of a confrontation between the Buice and Ziminda leaders, Kirk pretends to "disintegrate" the Ziminda leader with his phaser (in actuality beamed to an isolated area of the planet by Tuchinsky), shocking both sides into returning to the bargaining-table. The Enterprise-A then departs the planet.
 * Stardate 8484.1: Having docked at Starbase 42 for repairs following the Chronian III battle, Captain Kirk briefs his crew on the Recreation deck concerning his status as a hunted man, as a result of the Klingon bounty placed on his head, and states that any transfer-requests after this point will be granted. Aboard the starbase, Admiral Galloway convenes a hearing concerning Kirk's alleged phaser-disintegration of the Buice head of state, but Kirk's story is supported by the recovering Ambassador Palmer within the starbase's medical facilities. However, Admiral Galloway informs Kirk that a protocol officer will henceforth be assigned to the Enterprise, in light of the political potential for a future Federation/Klingon alliance. On Earth, the religious leader of the Nasgul assaults Klingon Ambassador Kamarag on the floor of the Federation Council Chambers, with both men raising the bounty on Kirk's head to massive heights. As the Enterprise-A prepares to depart Starbase 42, the (attractive) new female protocol officer, R.J. Blaise, beams over to the starship.
 * Stardate 8485.3: With the Enterprise-A en route to a rendezvous with the hospital ship USS Nightingale (for medical relief supplies earmarked for New Brinden), Captain Kirk attempts to impress his new protocol officer via strenuous physical activities. Afterward, the starship makes its scheduled meeting with the Nightingale, obtaining the cure for the leprosy-like sickness currently devastating the New Brinden population. Heading for the planet at warp six, protocol officer Blaise attempts to elicit insight into Captain Kirk's behaviors from members of the senior command staff, but is rebuffed by many, including Spock. On Earth, the Federation President is visited by Vice Admiral Tomlinson, who suggests that Captain Kirk may eventually have to stand trial at the hands of the Klingons, despite whatever services he has rendered to the Federation, in the interests of furthering a potential future detente with the Klingon Empire. On New Brinden, the planetary prefect publicly demonstrates the ruling class's repression of the infected of the lower castes &mdash; however, Dr. McCoy injects the victim with the cure, leading to a visit to a concentration camp full of victims. Over one hundred are injected with the cure, and McCoy attempts to monitor the cure's progress from the orbiting starship. However, the prefect contacts the Enterprise with the news &mdash; all of the injected victims have suddenly died, and now the only recourse is to exterminate all of the infected on the entire planet.
 * Stardate 8487.1: Aboard the Enterprise-A, Dr. McCoy continues to seek a cure for the New Brinden plague, before the mass planetary executions are scheduled to commence, but is unable to do so with any sufficient speed. Contacted by the High Prefect, Captain Kirk is placed in a moral quandary when told that all executions will be suspended if the captain surrenders himself into custody, for collection on the Klingon/Nasgul bounty. Given twelve hours in which to decide, a conference involving the senior command staff and protocol officer Blaise results in a decision to have Dr. McCoy use the remaining available time to continue working on a cure. Stealing a vial containing a sample of the plague from Sickbay, a telepathic alien crew member covertly beams down to the planet and infects the Prefect, brainwiping Transporter Chief Sara Tuchinsky in the process. Meanwhile, back on Earth, Vice Admiral Tomlinson approaches the Klingon and Nasgulian ambassadors regarding a possible "deal" for Kirk's extradition...
 * Stardate 8488.3: The Enterprise-A is sent to Tau Gamma II in order to supervise the planetary evacuation of a Federation colony, before the world breaks apart due to unexpected internal stresses. During the journey there, Captain Kirk clashes with his Federation protocol officer, who attempts to make a pass at him when he suggests she transfer off-ship. On Earth, talks continue between the Federation President, Vice Admiral Tomlinson, the Klingon Ambassador, and The Salla, over extraditing Captain Kirk to face punishment for past actions. Arriving at the colony, Kirk hails the leader planetside, but is unexpectedly rebuffed &mdash; the Klingon bounty on the captain's head has turned the Enterprise into a magnet for hired assassins, and a different Starfleet evacuation vessel is requested, despite the planet's imminent destruction. A senior staff meeting is held in a conference room aboard the starship, with Ms. Blaise and Captain Spock both pointing out the colony's contractual right to refuse Starfleet assistance during a crisis. Beaming down to the planet, Kirk discusses the situation with Ms. Janice, the colony leader, but an evacuation order is still refused, despite Kirk's stated moral obligation. Suddenly, a fleet of ships emerges from high warp near the planet, surrounding the Enterprise-A and opening fire. The fleet, lead by notorious bounty hunter Sweeney, causes Commander Sulu to order an emergency warp-retreat, with the colonists panicking over the news of Sweeney's involvement. Fleeing the main colony city in a groundcar, Captain Kirk, Spock, and Ms. Blaise are attacked by a vessel under Sweeney's control, causing the groundcar to crash. The ship lands nearby, and Sweeney emerges &mdash; a dapper Human gentleman, wearing a weapons-visor. Sweeney "apologizes" to the captain, and then regretfully demands his immediate surrender.
 * Stardate Unknown: Attempting to escape capture at the hands of the bounty hunter Sweeney, Captain Kirk, Spock, and R.J. Blaise fight the man hand-to-hand, but even a Vulcan nerve pinch is unsuccessful in subduing the mercenary. Taking refuge in a stellar cluster, the Enterprise-A under the captaincy of Commander Sulu contacts Admiral Stephanoff regarding the situation at Tau Gamma II &mdash; Sweeney's fleet requires a serious response on Starfleet's part, and the admiral promises a large force, including the USS Exeter. Additionally, Uhura is ordered to send out a scrambled general distress signal by Commander Sulu. Captain Kirk and company are imprisoned aboard Sweeney's flagship, with Spock detained in a separate area from the captain and Ms. Blaise, and invited to participate in a chess game with Sweeney, which Spock wins. Captain Klaa, aboard the IKS Okrona, is assigned to take custody of Captain Kirk by the Klingon Ambassador, who instructs him to deliver Kirk to the Klingon Emperor "in one piece." Escaping from his cell with Ms. Blaise, the two suddenly find themselves growing closer romantically during their flight from captivity, and Spock finally overcomes Sweeney by physical force after his second chess checkmate. Arriving back at Tau Gamma II at the head of a Starfleet task force, the Enterprise-A is informed by Sweeney's second-in-command about the imminent arrival of Klingon and Nasgulian fleets, to bid on Captain Kirk. Starfleet is invited to join in, but Commander Sulu declares his readiness to attack if the captain is not immediately handed over. With the concurrence of Admiral Stephanoff, the Enterprise readies a half-strength photon torpedo strike on the enemy fleet. Fighting their way through Sweeney's flagship, Kirk, Spock, and Ms. Blaise (who is injured) split up, with Kirk heading for the bridge &mdash; but only right as Klingon and Nasgulian fleets (led by Klaa and Zarn, respectively) emerge from warp, and demand Kirk's head.
 * Stardate 8490.7: During the battle against multiple fleets at Tau Gamma II, the Enterprise-A (under the command of Hikaru Sulu) attempts to beam Captain Kirk, Captain Spock, and Federation protocol officer R.J. Blaise off of the flagship of the mercenary Sweeney, but is unable to do so, due to the flagship's deflector shields continued functionality. Storming the bridge of the flagship, Kirk attempts to shut down the shields, but is intercepted by Sweeney himself. Captain Klaa (in command of the Klingon force) gets into a shouting match with the Nasgulian captain, causing both sides to open fire upon one another. Disabling the flagship's shields, the Enterprise successfully beams Spock and Ms. Blaise down to the planet's surface (which is in danger of disintegration), and Sulu realizes that, in order to beam Kirk off the ship, the Enterprise will be forced to lower its own deflectors. Battling Sweeney hand-to-hand on the bridge, the captain discovers that his opponent is an android duplicate, with both combatants finally getting transported back to the Enterprise by Captain Scott...but not before the real Sweeney orders an explosive overload in his android-double. However, fact action by Scotty ensures the transport of the double into nearby space, and the resulting explosion nearly blinds several of the combatants, and scatters both of the hostile fleets, ending the conflict. Planetside, the colony's leaders realize that Kirk and the Enterprise are worthy of protecting them, and prepare for immediate evacuation after Spock contacts the starship. Literally avoiding the destruction of the planet by mere minutes, the Enterprise-A departs the star system with refugees aboard. Contacting Admiral Nogura at Starfleet Command, Captain Kirk announces his intention to surrender himself into Federation custody, with the Enterprise headed back to Earth immediately.
 * Stardate 8495.6: The Enterprise-A arrives back at Earth, where Captain Kirk intends to surrender to Federation custody in order to prevent further bloodshed, due to escalating tensions between the Nasgulians and the Klingon Empire. He beams down to Starfleet Headquarters alongside Dr. McCoy and Commander Chekov, only to discover a waiting contingent of Klingon and Nasgulian delegates, led by Ambassador Kamarag and The Salla, as well as President Hiram Roth. Exchanging fierce insults, each party adjourns; the Klingons, in order to notify Emperor Kahless IV of what has transpired. In orbit aboard the Enterprise, Commander Uhura forms a bond with Protocol Officer Blaise in the officer's lounge, and the pair decide to beam down together for shore leave. In the now-empty Federation Council Chambers, Ambassador Sarek attempts to meditate, but is interrupted by Spock, and the two have a conversation concerning the foreign concept of "friendship," from a Vulcan point of view. In addition, Sarek announces his intention to speak out in Captain Kirk's defense at the upcoming trial. Kirk and his group meet with their legal counsel &mdash; the legal team of "Cogley and Cogley" (i.e., the now-married Samuel T. Cogley and Areel Shaw-Cogley). Elsewhere on Earth, the various Enterprise-A senior crewmembers take their leave -- Uhura and Blaise swimming in East Africa; Captain Scott in Glasgow, Scotland, where he visits the graves of his now-deceased nephew Peter Preston and his wife. Back at Federation Headquarters, Kirk reviews the impending legal charges with Samuel Cogley &dash; the murder charges demanded by the Klingon Ambassador during the Whalesong crisis are being reinstated, as well as accusations of various Prime Directive violations. Steeling his will, Captain Kirk strides into the Federation Council Chambers to face his accusers...
 * Stardate Unknown: In orbit over Earth, Commander Sulu addresses the crew of the Enterprise-A via intership communications, and orders the trial proceedings planetside carried over ship's viewscreens for all to see. In the Federation Council Chambers, Captain Kirk's lawyer, Samuel T. Cogley, attempts to have the murder charges dropped, but is overruled by the Federation President. After hearing Cogley's opening statement, The Salla, religious ruler over the Nasgul, speaks against Kirk's Prime Directive violations, calling as his first witness Anan 7, planetary ruler of Eminiar VII, whose war with its neighbor was stopped by Kirk decades earlier. Anan 7 reveals that the tenuous "peace" enforced upon them by the captain only led to a much greater war a decade later, rendering much of both worlds highly radioactive. However, Samuel Cogley skillfully disarms the witness, bringing up the legitimacy of Kirk's intervention, having been declared "dead" by that world's computers, and having the right to defend his own life. Later, Cogley calls Leonard James Akaar to the stand, now a fully-grown man, who assaults the Klingon Ambassador with a near-deadly display of throwing prowess. Cogley elicits supporting testimony from Akaar, who speaks favorably of the captain's decision to interfere with his mother's impending suicide, thereby saving his own life. However, the next witness &mdash; Prefect Witten of New Brinden &mdash; accuses Captain Kirk of attempted murder, via injection of the plague ravaging his planet into himself. The captain protests his innocence, and President Roth adjourns the hearing until the next day, and Kirk is informed by Vice Admiral Tomlinson of Starfleet's intentions to mount a full investigation into the murder allegations. Back aboard the Enterprise, Kirk and his senior crew discuss the day's events over drinks, when they are interrupted by Ensign Fouton, who confesses to the poisoning of Prefect Witten. Meanwhile, a Klingon Bird-of-Prey is en route to Earth, bearing none other than Emperor Kahless himself...
 * Stardate 8498.1: Aboard the Enterprise-A, Captain Kirk, reeling from the revelation of Ensign Fouton's complicity in the murder-plot, orders him arrested and confined to quarters. Taking a shuttlecraft planetside, Kirk and his legal team visit Admiral Nogura before the court proceedings resume, where Nogura strips Fouton of his Starfleet rank, and orders him remanded into the custody of his own people, to be dealt with accordingly. Klingon Emperor Kahless IV arrives on Earth, discussing the case with Ambassador Kamarag, who gives him his family's crest to wear during the trial. Later, the Emperor addresses the court, denouncing Captain Kirk's bigotry against Klingons, and goading him into attempted violence with slander of Kirk's own dead son. However, steadying himself, Kirk skillfully rebuts the Emperor's accusations of prejudice and inferiority, with the Emperor then promising to "settle" business between himself and The Salla. Maltz, sole survivor of Commander Kruge's crew, then takes the stand, confirming Kirk's "mercy" in sparing his own life. President Roth then calls R.J. Blaise to the stand, where she is declared a hostile witness by Areel Shaw-Cogley, and is dismissed after a massive fight breaks out between Blaise and Kirk on the courtroom floor. Captain Kirk himself then takes the stand, issuing an eloquent defense statement, but notices the sudden absence of The Salla within the Federation Council Chambers. Ordering the Enterprise-A to scan the room, a detonator is discovered mere meters from the Klingon Emperor, concealed within Ambassador Kamarag's family crest. The crest and device are beamed out of the chambers by Captain Scott, where they detonate high in the air above Starfleet Headquarters. Ambassador Sarek points out Emperor Kahless's new life-debt to Kirk, and all murder charges are dropped. However, after the trial ends, Ambassador Kamarag orders the Empire's deep-cover operative to continue "making life miserable" for Captain Kirk &mdash; none other than Vice Admiral Tomlinson. Back aboard the Enterprise, having been restored to his command, Kirk and crew leave Earth orbit aboard the starship, outward bound on their next mission.
 * Stardate 8475.3: Upon the death of the Romulan Praetor, the Enterprise-A delivers a complement of Federation archaeologists and musicians to a peace conference on Temaris Four, located within the Neutral Zone &mdash; a summit soon subjected to sabotage and murder by hardline elements within the Romulan delegation. However, the Cetacean Probe suddenly reappears in local space, and destroys a Romulan colony world and a number of vessels. The Enterprise and a Romulan Bird-of-Prey are captured by the Probe and whisked to the far side of the galaxy, where they discover the Probe's homeworld (later revealed to have been destroyed by the Borg). Contact is made with the Probe by Spock, and meaningful communication finally established between the entity and the Federation.

2288

 * Stardate 8513.7: While preparing to test the top-secret Lamver unit for Starfleet Special Operations while under the guise of exploring a seemingly-uninhabited planet in the Claneian star system, a landing party from the Enterprise-A comes under attack by mechanized guardians of a prototype Karimean cryo-stasis vessel, some three centuries old. Chief Engineer Scott beams down from the Enterprise and jury-rigs an override of the primitive force-field surrounding the vessel, and the landing party (led by Captain Kirk) enters, where they encounter a large number of frozen humanoids known as "The Worthy." Their leader, Catalano, proves to be a well-known legend to the Enterprise crew, believed to have been explorers lost in space centuries earlier. Catalano is beamed back to the starship for medical examination, while the rest of the command crew speculates as to what this discovery truly signifies. Captain Kirk is berated by the newly-promoted Admiral Tomlinson (in reality an altered Klingon spy) over his sudden refusal to deploy the Lamver unit on Claneia One &mdash; Kirk argues that the device was only to be used on an uninhabited planet, and the discovery of The Worthy changes this. Tomlinson warns Kirk to watch his step, and signs off. During a diplomatic mixer in the Enterprise's main observation lounge, Catalano relates his people's history to the crew, where it is learned that the alien entity Apollo exiled his ship to Karimen, where The Worthy were forced into cryosleep after resource-exhaustion took hold. Suddenly, Dr. McCoy pages the party from Sickbay, with good news &mdash; the rest of Catalano's people have regained full consciousness. One hour later, the party reconvenes in the Enterprise-A's botanical gardens, where Liaison Office R.J. Blaise informs the crew that the civilization on Karimen stands on the brink of civil war, due to political degeneration and infighting. Heeding the ancient Karimean legend of The Worthy as being "saviors" of their race, Catalano reluctantly agrees to attempt a solution to the problem. However, discovering the true purpose of the Lamver device &mdash; the conversion of a planet into fuel for interdimensional exploration &mdash; Catalano tells Kirk that the device will be deployed on Claneia One "over my dead body."
 * Stardate 8514.9: Planetside on Claneia One, Captain Kirk and Captain Spock are shown the gravesite containing the mortal remains of Catalano's family, to whom the very notion of disturbance in order for exhumation/relocation (prior to deploying the Lamver device) is a mortal sin. Kirk agrees to not test the device, but suddenly the telepath Enaaj detects a disturbance aboard the Enterprise-A. Captain Kirk and the landing party beam aboard, where they discover Catalano's son, Arrit, has destroyed a key starship computer with his bare hands. Chief Engineer Scott is placed in charge of a team tasked with repairing the guardian robot from the planet, and is aided by the revived Worthy engineer Gim. Captain Kirk orders the Enterprise-A to Karimea at warp factor six, and dispatches a message to Starfleet Command, informing them of his decision to abort the Lamver Unit test on Claneia One. However, the message is intercepted by a Gorn vessek, who set an intercept course for the Enterprise. Down in Commander Chekov's quarters, Enaaj seduces the officer after being shown his private collection of Worthy research and memorabilia, and Catalano conducts an impromptu forum in the Officer's Lounge, regaling the crew with tales of past exploits. Elsewhere, Admiral Tomlinson contacts Captain Styles aboard the USS Exeter, and orders him to commandeer the Lamver device for testing back at the uninhabited planet. Styles agrees. Just as orders arrive for the Enterprise-A to return to Starbase 124 for handing over the Lamver device, the Gorn vessel appears and opens fire on the starship. Commander Raaskaa contacts the Enterprise and demands custody of the Lamver device, claiming trespass into Lath space. Captain Kirk refuses, and orders a mixed barrage of phasers and photon torpedoes fired, severely damaging the Gorn cruiser. Arriving suddenly on the bridge, Catalano speaks to the Gorn commander, invoking his people's assistance to the Lath centuries earlier. Raaskaa agrees to stand down, although it is deduced by Spock that such an act was merely a face-saving gesture, due to the Enterprise's damaging of their ship. The Enterprise-A approaches the planet Karimea, but it is too late &mdash; despite Commander Uhura's repeated hails, the planet exhibits massive radiation signs. No life signs are detected.


 * Stardate 8517.4: With the Enterprise-A in orbit around the planet Karimea, it is decided by Captain Kirk to send down a shielded shuttlecraft to survey the nuclear devastation below, with environmental suits deemed insufficient to guard against the enormous radiation levels detected. With "The Worthy" accompanying him, Kirk pilots the shuttle Copernicus down to the irradiated ruins, where a monument (including a perpetually-burning torch) to The Worthy is discovered. Filled with horror and disgust over the fate of their homeworld, the passengers request to be returned to the Enterprise. The starship leaves orbit, en route to Starbase 124, and the USS Exeter, under the command of Captain Lawrence Styles, sets a rendezvous course with the Enterprise in order to take custody of the top-secret Lamver device. Aboard the Enterprise-A, Captain Kirk convenes a shipboard memorial service for the now-extinct Karimean race, but the service abruptly concludes with the angry departure of Catalano from the recreation deck. Discovering the Worthy engineer Gim working on his cryoship's engines aboard in the shuttlebay, Captain Scott is suddenly berated by Gim, distraught over the loss of his world. Scotty finds Gim drowning his sorrow with alcohol in his own personal quarters, and consoles the engineer, who goes off in search of his love, Enaaj. However, he soon Enaaj and Chekov, and a fight erupts in the Enterprise corridors. Captain Kirk leads a security team to the deck, and orders the group to the botanical gardens for an explanation, but are interrupted by the arrival of the Exeter. On the Enterprise bridge, Captain Styles demands the handover of the Lamver unit for immediate testing on Claneia One, but is rebuffed by The Worthy, who grow angered over the Federation's non-intervention in the Karimean nuclear crisis, due to the Prime Directive. Seemingly moved, Styles agrees to recommend Claneia One be designated a memorial world. It is revealed that new inaccuracies in the Lamver unit equations have rendered the entire device faulty, and thus moribund. Later, The Worthy declare their intentions to remain a freelance band of intergalactic peacemakers, unbound by the Prime Directive, and depart in their ancient vessel for the troubled planet Rimbor. Captain Kirk orders Commander Sulu to follow The Worthy's vessel to the planet, at warp factor three.

2291

 * Stardate 9121.4: The Enterprise-A pursues a Torye ship, which attacked the Discovery Center and stole a subspace-compression weapon. When the Torye transfer the weapon aboard a Klingon mobile battle base, the Enterprise-A joins forces with Captain Kang, commanding the IKS K'tanco, to stop them.

2293

 * Stardate 9521.6: The Enterprise-A is to escort Klingon chancellor Gorkon to Earth for peace talks, but the chancellor is assassinated. The ship and crew later play a key role in uncovering a conspiracy and preventing the assassination of Federation President Ra-ghoratreii at Camp Khitomer.
 * Stardate 9523.1: The Enterprise-A is ordered to be decommissioned by Admiral Androvar Drake and is scheduled to be destroyed in a live fire exercise. However, the government of Chal requests that they be given the Enterprise to use in their system defense forces. When Chal's population takes control of the vessel, they retrofit the ship with disruptors. Retired Captain James T. Kirk is appointed commanding officer of the vessel, which is renamed Enterprise (without a registry or registry prefix) as it makes way for Chal. The Enterprise is then destroyed over planet Chal by Admiral Drake in an act of revenge against Kirk.

Senior staff

 * Commanding officer: Captain James T. Kirk (2286-2293)
 * First officer and science officer: Captain Spock (2286-2293)
 * First officer: Commander Hikaru Sulu (2286-2290)
 * Chief medical officer: Commander Leonard McCoy (2286-2293)
 * Chief engineer: Captain Montgomery Scott (2286-2293)
 * Helmsman:
 * Commander Hikaru Sulu (2286-2290)
 * Lieutenant Saavik (2290-2293)
 * Lieutenant Valeris (2293)
 * Navigator and security chief/tactical officer: Commander Pavel Chekov (2286-2293)
 * Communications officer: Commander Nyota Uhura (2286-2293)

Crew manifest

 * See USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A) personnel and USS Enterprise'' (NCC-1701-A) personnel roster