SS Vico

The SS Vico (NAR-18834) was an Oberth-class Federation science vessel that operated out of Starbase 514 during the mid-24th century. The Vico was not a Starfleet starship. In 2368, the Vico explored an astronomical formation known as the Black Cluster.

While exploring the Cluster's interior the Vico began to encounter severe gravitational wavefronts. In order to prevent themsleves from being damaged, the crew of the Vico increased shield strength. Unknown at the time, the Cluster contained a phenomenon that would reflect the ship's shield output, so the more the Vico increased its shield strength, the more the wavefronts were amplified. This continued to occur until the Vico essentially destroyed itself with its own shields.

Two days later, when the Vico was located by the USS Enterprise-D, only one survivor, Timothy, was discovered aboard. (TNG: "Hero Worship")


 * Named for Giambattista Vico or Giovanni Battista Vico (1668–1744), a Neapolitan philosopher, historian, and jurist.