- For other uses, see Khi'eth.
The KSF Khi'eth (registry number 971014) was a 31st century Federation starship, a Kelpien research vessel in Kelpien and Ba'ul Alliance service in the 3060s decade. Its commanding officer was Doctor Issa. (DSC episode: "Terra Firma, Part 1")
The final mission of this ship inadvertently caused the Burn, a galaxywide cataclysm. (DSC episode: "Su'Kal")
Service history and disposition[]
Final mission and crash[]
The Khi'eth was active in the 3060s decade. (DSC episode: "Terra Firma, Part 1")
At the time, sources for dilithium across the galaxy continued had to run out since 2958. (DSC episode: "People of Earth")
In the year 3064, Doctor Issa was in command of the Khi'eth during its mission to investigate a suspected "dilithium nursery" in the Verubin Nebula. Unfortunately, the Kelpien research vessel crashed on the Class Y planet Theta Zeta inside the nebula. The Kelpien crew issued a Federation distress call, which was picked up by the Starfleet vessel USS Hiraga Gennai. The Gennai advised it would take them two weeks at maximum warp to arrive and effect a rescue.
Following the last communication, Doctor Issa considered the Gennai lost, destroyed in the attempt to traverse the nebula's intense[1] radiation storms.
In 3064, the Khi'eth was on a mission to investigate a "dilithium nursery" in the Verubin Nebula. During the mission, the ship crashed on an astronomical body at the center of the nebula. The Khi'eth's distress signal was picked up by the Federation starship USS Hiraga Gennai, which communicated that it would take two weeks at maximum warp to reach their position and offer rescue. Having heard nothing from the Hiraga Gennai, the Khi'eth presumed it was destroyed attempting to penetrate the nebula's radiation storms.
Six months later, in 3064 or 3065, Issa recorded a new distress signal for broadcast on all channels. Her crew remained alive and hopeful for rescue. (DSC episode: "Terra Firma, Part 1")
At the time, she was pregnant, and pregnancy marks adorned her face. These were visible in the recording. (DSC episodes: "Terra Prime, Part 1", "Su'Kal")
Issa gave birth to Su'Kal. The ship's interior was fitted with an elaborate holographic environment, including holographic educators, to help raise Su'Kal and prepare him for an eventual rescue. The nebula's radiation levels had mutated Su'Kal in utero. (DSC episode: "Su'Kal")
In 3069, the young Su'Kal's emotional state, amplified by the physical nature of Theta Zeta and the Verubin Nebula, led to dilithium and shipboard dilithium crystals to become inert, causing galaxywide explosions that cost millions of lives. This cataclysm became known as the Burn, and its cause remained unknown to the wider galaxy. (DSC episode: "Su'Kal")
Rediscovery[]
125 years later, in 3189, a team aboard the USS Discovery triangulated the source of the Burn using data from starship black boxes, the Ni'Var experimental program SB-19 and an analysis of the melody, and decoded Issa's distress signal. (DSC episodes: "The Sanctuary", "Terra Firma, Part 1")
Discovery determined that the Khi'eth, in its wrecked state, remained structurally intact and had active systems. The Starfleet crew was able to use the prefix code to access the research vessel's systems remotely.
With the broadcast of the distress signal in a loop, it was surmised that the ship had some structural integrity and that its systems were operational. Saru ordered the engineering team, who had the prefix codes to the onboard sensors, to get back door access to those systems, so they could see what was happening aboard the ship. (DSC episode: "Terra Firma, Parts 1 and 2")
When a lifesign was discovered through the ship's sensors, Captain Saru of the Discovery ordered to undertake a rescue mission. The captain, science officer Michael Burnham and chief medical officer Hugh Culber transported to the Khi'eth and became temporarily trapped in the elaborate holographic environment. After tracking Su'Kal down with help from the holographic educators, Culber deduced Su'Kal's mutation, and identified him as cause of the Burn during an emotional outbreak that nearly destroyed the Discovery and the nearby Emerald Chain flagship Viridian. Adira Tal replaced Commander Burnham in the away team when Saru and Doctor Culber decided to remain with Su'Kal. (DSC episode: "Su'Kal")
Following the rescue of Su'Kal by the Discovery away team, the risk of another Burn was banned. The Khi'eth disintegrated during the operation. In the aftermath, Starfleet began mining Theta Zeta's dilithium reserves and supply Federation and non-Federation worlds. Saru took a leave of absence from his Starfleet duties to introduce Su'Kal to society on their homeworld Kaminar. (DSC episode: "That Hope Is You, Part 2")
Personnel[]
- commanding officer:
- Doctor Issa
- scientists:
- unnamed Kelpiens
- civilians:
- holographic educators:
- Smiling Starfleet Lieutenant Holo
- Kelpien Elder Holo
- Kaminar induction ceremony holos
Appendices[]
Connections[]
Appearances and references[]
Appearances[]
References[]
External link[]
- KSF Khi'eth article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.