Narada

The Narada was a Romulan mining ship in service of the Romulan Mining Guild, and commanded by Captain, in the 2380s. In 2387, following the destruction of Romulus in the Hobus supernova the Narada was refitted with advanced Borg-originated technology. Driven by hatred and grief Nero, who blamed the Federation, and Ambassador Spock in particular, for the loss of Romulus, commanded the Narada in devastating attacks against Federation and Klingon targets. When the Narada confronted Spock as he attempted to stop the Hobus supernova inflicting any further damage both the Narada and Spock's ship were pulled into a black hole Spock had created. The Narada emerged from the black hole in the year 2233, triggering the start of a new. In the 23rd century Nero used the Narada to continue his vendetta against the Federation, until the Narada was finally destroyed by the crew of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (alternate reality) in 2258. (TOS/; )

Hobus
In 2387, the Narada was drilling on a planet in the Hobus system. The crew discovered trace amounts of iridium, deuterium and, most notably, large deposits of decalithium. Glad at the valuable find, Nero immediately ordered the start of mining operations, but was forced to cancel his plans when the Hobus star's activity increased dangerously, sending a large solar flare towards the planet. The star's activity also caused interference, preventing the Narada's transporters from looking onto the crew on the drilling platform below. Nero ordered the ship's evac shuttle to launch and warp to the platform, retrieve the crew and return to the Narada. With the crew aboard, the Narada went to warp without even having time to retract the drill into the ship as the solar flare destroyed the entire planet.

Nero took the Narada to Romulus, where he attended a Senate debate on the Hobus star. Ambassador Spock proposed that Hobus would soon go supernova, and due to its unusual properties would threaten the entire Romulan Star Empire. Spock also offered a solution: use decalitium to create red matter and in turn generate a black hole to stop the supernova. However, despite Nero's testimony on the Hobus situation, the Senate rejected Spock's proposal.

After the hearing, Nero offered to assist Spock by taking him to the Kimben system to mine the required decalithium. After persuading his crew of the necessity of the mission, Nero gave a final farewell to his wife and left for Kimben. (TOS/) At Kimben the Narada began mining, but was attacked by three Reman warbirds who boarded the ship and declared it their property. Fortunately, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) had been tracking Spock's identification beacon and arrived in time to intervene. However, the Narada had already taken damage to its communications systems and a plasma power conduit, the latter disabling the Narada's mining capabilities. They had only collected seventy-eight percent of the required decalithium. Fortunately, Captain Data of the Enterprise continued to be a valuable ally and sourced the rest of the decalithium from contraband the Enterprise had detected in the Remans' holds and subsequently confiscated. (TOS/)

After assisting in repairs to the Narada, the Enterprise escorted her to, while Nero was welcomed aboard as a guest, and took the opportunity to study Starfleet history on the computer in his guest quarters. Once they arrived at Vulcan, the Narada was initially ordered to leave the area. However, Ambassador Jean-Luc Picard intervened to get permission for the Narada to stay, and Spock and Nero went before the Vulcan Science Council to request the creation of red matter to go ahead with the plan. The Council refused, unwilling to share top-secret Vulcan science with the Romulans. Nero transferred the Narada's decalitihum to the Enterprise, hoping they would manage to complete the plan, and decided to return to Romulus.

As the Narada re-entered Romulan space she witnessed the shockwave from the Hobus supernova destroy Romulus. (TOS/) Shortly after Romulus' destruction, a convoy of Federation medical frigates arrived, too late to provide assistance in the evacuation. Nero perceived their timing as conspiracy, turning up to claim Romulan space. He ordered his crew to beam mining explosives aboard the ships.

Near the remnants of Romulus, the Narada also encountered the Ruling Council, who had escaped Romulus in a Senate shuttle. Nero had the Romulan elite beamed aboard and then killed them, in revenge for their poor decisions that lead to the destruction of Romulus. (TOS/)

Enhanced systems
Before killing all the Senate survivors Nero had them tell him where they planned to go; The Vault, a top secret facility, and the rendezvous point for whatever remained of the Romulan fleet, the Empire's last chance. The Vault's commander, D'Spal sensed Nero's hunger for vengeance and offered to fit the Narada with the Vault's prototype hybrid Romulan-Borg technology. The system gave the Narada enhanced cloaking and sensor capabilities, and a self-repairing nanotechnology that could anticipate threats and adapt, growing the ship to face the challenge. Nero launched the newly formed Narada, read to take his revenge on Vulcan. En route they tested the new systems, destroying Starfleet and Klingon targets. Before the Narada reached Vulcan they were intercepted by a fleet of Klingon Birds-of-Prey commanded by General Worf. (TOS/)

The Klingons proved no match for the Narada's new systems and after a punishing attack on the fleet Nero ordered Worf to board a shuttle to come to the Narada and surrender. Worf complied, in a fashion, taking a shuttle, but stopping short of the Narada and launching his warriors in space suits to cut their way into the Narada and continue the battle from within.

Worf went ahead of his men to find Nero on the bridge. But Nero was ready, it had read about Worf's warrior prowess while on the Enterprise, and knew he could only beat him is he used the element of surprise; he had the Narada's new systems generate a tendril, which stabbed Worf through his torso.

When the Enterprise arrived Nero offered to return the barely alive Worf. Data took the bet, both ships would need to lower their shields to allow the transport, giving a mutual opportunity to attack. The Narada delivered a punishing blow the Enterprise, and then left the ship, to chase after Spock. Despite his concerns about not having enough red matter to accomplish the task, Spock launched the Jellyfish to try and stop the Hobus supernova from doing any further damage. At Spock's red matter created black hole Nero voiced his fury at Spock's having saved Vulcan, at what Nero considered to be Romulus's expense. But before he could take his revenge any further the Narada was pulled into the black hole. As the Narada disappeared Nero promised he would have his revenge. (TOS/)

23rd century
The Narada emerged from the black hole in 2233, near the Federation-Klingon border, its appearance bringing the attention of the USS Kelvin (NCC-0514). The Kelvin crew initially didn't know what to make of the massive alien design, but soon became familiar with the Narada's aggressive persona when it attacked the vessel, causing significant damage. Once the ship was effectively neutralised Nero had his first officer, Ayel, contact the Kelvin and order its captain, Richard Robau board a shuttle to come to the Narada.

Robau complied, and was bought before Nero where Ayel questioned him, seeking the location of Spock and the Jellyfish. When it was clear Robau knew nothing about either he was asked the date, and upon informing Nero the Narada had traveled through time the very angry Romulan killed the Starfleet captain. The Narada then resumed its attack on the Kelvin, and with the Starfleet vessel's destruction imminent the new commander, George Kirk, ordered the ship evacuated. As Kirk's son was born on one of the escaping shuttles he piloted the ship on a collision course with the Narada, arming the ship's self destruct and at the last minute moment managing to reinitiate the warp drive, generating a warp field at the moment of impact. Kirk's last ditch efforts caused crippling damage to the Narada, disabling all its major systems and allowing the convoy of fleeing shuttlecraft to escape. As the Narada began to heal herself Nero gathered his crew and announced his intention, they had been given a second chance to save Romulus, but first Nero felt it necessary to destroy the Federation, and only after that could Romulus be safe. Many of the crew questioned this, including Ayel, however he agreed to follow his commander. A few of the crew led by Baratt objected stronger and Nero granted them use of a shuttle to return to Romulus, only to shoot it down as it departed. 

Klingon captivity
Sitting crippled near Klingon space the Narada soon attracted the attention of the Klingons. A fleet led by Captain of the  attacked. The Narada's crew did their best to repel the Klingons, but despite killing many could not hold back the stronger Klingon force. The Narada's crew was detained on Rura Penthe, while the Narada was put in orbit above, secured behind a forcefield generated by four devices placed around the ship. Over the next quarter of a century Klingon engineers did their best to understand the Narada, but made little progress; despite their best efforts the ship remained offline, and when they tried to take it apart it would repair itself. 

On Rura Penthe the Naradas crew worked in the mines, tripling the operation's output, but never helping the Klingons learn the Naradas secrets - and making fifty-seven escape attempts! In these years Nero also developed his innate telepathic abilities, allowing him to communicate with Ayel even when they were separated. 

Finally in 2258 Nero succeeded in killing his guards, and his crew made their escape on a Klingon shuttlecraft. They took with them a Human scientist, Clavell, who had been helping them figure out when Spock would arrive. Simultaneously the Narada spontaneously reactivated; killing Klingon engineers onboard, destroying the containment devices placed around it, and started to fire on Rura Penthe. The Narada crew boarded her to find all systems online, but the helm locked. Ignoring Nero's override the Narada piloted herself away from Rura Penthe. 

V'Ger
The Narada took herself to the edge of the Delta Quadrant, to meet with V'Ger. From his telepathic link with the Narada, and threw that V'Ger, Nero grew to understand as they drew closer; V'Ger had sensed the Narada as soon as she'd arrived in the 23rd century, and set course, travelling across the galaxy to connect with it's kindred spirit; both descendants of an ancient civilization that connected the Narada's Borg technology with the living machines that made V'Ger. V'ger had called out the Narada, and she had responded, travelling to close the final gap.

Once the Narada had arrived Nero had her travel inside V'Ger. V'Ger probed the Narada, killing Clavell (the only of its Human creators aboard) and communicating with Nero, the probe then connected with Nero and transported him to its center. From within V'Ger Nero used his telepathic link with Ayel to instruct him to bring the Narada into the core of V'Ger too. Once there Ayel and another subordinate beamed down to find Nero communing with V'Ger; using the massive machine intelligence to finally calculate exactly when and where Spock would arrive. V'Ger then tried to join with Nero, but found itself unable to overcome Nero's intense hatred and the connection was severed. Even while drained from the link Nero used his connection with the Narada to set her back on course for where Spock would arrive. 

Vulcan
The Narada was waiting when Spock and the Jellyfish arrived, and captured the Vulcan as soon as he completed his journey through time. Nero then set course for where he planned to maroon Spock before he took the Narada to Vulcan, where armed with the red matter Nero planned to destroy the planet. En route the Narada was intercepted by a fleet of forty-seven Klingon warbirds, sent to stop Nero after his escape from Rura Penthe. However with the Narada fully operational once more the fleet was quickly dispatched. 

A Starfleet task force sent to investigate the "lightning storm in space" and unusual tectonic activity on Vulcan found themselves face to face with the Narada which quickly destroyed the ships while maintaining its position above Vulcan where it was using its plasma drill to bore a hole into the core of the planet.

The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (alternate reality) arrived late at the battle and was spared destruction as Nero recognized the ship as an early assignment of Spock's and relished in the opportunity to make another Spock suffer when he destroyed Vulcan. Nero demanded Captain Pike, of the Enterprise, take a shuttlecraft to come aboard the Narada for "negotiations". Despite the obvious risk of sharing Captain Robau's fate following the same demand twenty-five years earlier, Pike boarded the shuttle, taking with him a team equipped to space jump from the shuttle as he flew between ships, so that they could land on the drilling platform and disable it.

After a fight on the drill Pike's team succeeded in disabling the drill, but not before it had already reached the required depth; Nero had a red matter device launched into Vulcan, creating a black hole which destroyed the entire planet. The Narada then departed the system, headed for its next target, Earth. 

Earth
The Narada arrived at Earth and deployed its drill over San Francisco Bay to begin drilling the hole to destroy Earth as they had Vulcan. However, the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (alternate reality) followed, entering the Sol system near Saturn to avoid detection. Using transwarp beaming the and  of that timeline were able to get aboard the Narada; there Spock stole the Jellyfish while Kirk rescued Pike.

Once out of the Narada the young Spock used the Jellyfish to shoot down the drilling platform, saving Earth, before jumping to warp. The Narada gave chase. Once out of warp Nero ordered the Jellyfish and Spock destroyed, while in response Spock brought the ship around on a collision course with the Narada. The Enterprise also arrived at the confrontation, in time to provide cover fire for the Jellyfish, picking off the Narada's missiles as the ship made its final run into the Narada. Moments before impact, Spock was beamed off the Jellyfish. At the same time, Kirk and Pike were beamed from the Narada back to safety on the Enterprise. The impact of the Jellyfish ignited the red matter it contained, generating a black hole which began to tear the Narada apart and suck her in. Kirk made an offer to help the Narada's crew, but Nero stubbornly refused any help. Kirk instead had the Enterprise fire on the Narada, tearing her to pieces as she was crushed into the black hole. 

Personnel

 * Commanding officer: Captain (?-2387, 2233-2258, killed with the destruction of the Narada)
 * First officer: Ayel (?-2387, 2233-2258, killed by )
 * Baratt (?-2387, 2233, killed by Nero)
 * (?-2387, killed by Worf)
 * Xandr (?-2387, 2233-2258)
 * Clavell (2258, killed by V'Ger)
 * Unnamed Narada personnel

Specification
In her original configuration the Narada was fully equipped as a mining ship; featuring a plasma drill which could be lowered in the atmosphere of a planet and used to drill to the required depth to extract the desired materials. Also used for mining were a variety of explosive devises. (TOS/

Enhanced systems
Following the Hobus supernova the Narada was retrofitted at The Vault. Her enhanced systems featured a hybrid technology developed at The Vault utilizing the best of Romulan innovation combined with Borg technology. The Narada became the prototype for this design which immediately gave her sensor and warp capabilities far in advance of any contemporary Federation designs, and an advanced cloaking device which could remain active while firing weapons. The Narada's weapons systems were amongst the upgrades, now featuring powerful cluster-warhead missiles which delivered punishing blows to any opponent. (TOS/; ) The highlight of the upgraded systems was the nanotechnology, which allowed the ship to self-repair, but could also anticipate threats and modify systems accordingly to adapt the ships to face any threat. Through this system the ship never stopped growing, adding new capabilities and areas to the ship. (TOS/; )

The ship included at least two distinct internal security systems: Capable of generating snaking tendrils to attack intruders. Or electrocuting intruders via its internal circuitry. (TOS/; )

The Narada's new systems also gave her some degree of self-awareness. When she arrived in 2233 her presence was detected by V'Ger who signalled to meet with its kindred spirit; the Narada answered this call by setting her own course and travelling too V'Ger. The Narada was similarly connected with Nero, who during in his years in Klingon captivity developed telepathic abilities that allowed him to commune with and control the Narada. 

Auxiliary craft
The Narada's support craft included at least on evac shuttle and one Romulan shuttle. (TOS/; )

Legacy
In the 24th century Nero's attacks from the Narada resulted in heavy losses to the Federation and Klingon Empire, as well as the presumed death of Ambassador Spock. Following the attack there were calls from some in the Klingon High Council accusing Worf's leadership of the fleet that faced the Narada (and was subsequently destroyed) as being part of a Federation plot to weaken the Empire. 

Following the battle Klingon Intelligence traced the Narada's movements to extrapolate the location of what they referred to as the, the facility where the Narada was upgraded. The choS Battle Group was dispatched to investigate, in the process confirming the long held suspicion that such a facility existed. The Klingons found the facility had been abandoned, and after expanding their search out from the Forge also encountered a Romulan ship, apparently utilising the same advanced technology as the Narada, which swiftly destroyed the battle group. 

The political ramifications in the 24th century however are insignificant compared to the Naradas impact on the 23rd century: The Naradas mere appearance in 2233 began a distinct new. The Narada's opening attack on the USS Kelvin (NCC-0514) resulted in the death of George Samuel Kirk, Sr., and the premature birth of his son. This had knock on effects, ranging from a dramatic shift in Starfleet's design ethos, to James Kirk becoming a rebel. Yet despite entering Starfleet Academy later than he did originally Kirk ultimately rose to captain the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) (alternate reality) years earlier than he did in the original timeline, thanks once more to Nero and Narada, which Kirk heroically defeated, earning him his early promotion. 

Before defeat by Kirk and his crew, the Narada continued to have a significant effect on the era; inflicting massive losses on the Klingons following Nero and crew's escape from Rura Penthe; making contact with V'Ger to unknown consequences; the loss of the Starfleet task force sent to Vulcan; and most significantly the loss of planet itself, and most the Vulcan population with it. 

Appearences and references

 * In publication order


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