- For other uses, see Excelsior.
The USS Excelsior (NX-2000, later NCC-2000) was a Federation Excelsior-class explorer in service to Starfleet for nearly ninety years from her commission in 2284. When newly commissioned, the Excelsior was the prototype for a new class of explorers. She was the test-bed for a failed transwarp drive in the 2280s, and protected the Khitomer conference which drafted the Khitomer Accords in 2293. Her most famous commander was Hikaru Sulu who commanded the Excelsior from 2290 to at least 2320. Other commanders included Rear Admiral James T. Kirk and Captain Styles. The Excelsior had a long and illustrious service career. (TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptations: The Search for Spock, The Undiscovered Country; Decipher RPG modules: Starfleet Operations Manual, Starships; WizKids module: Tactics)
Service history
Undergoing trials
In the late 2270s, Starfleet was working towards the development of transwarp drive, and had a starship designed that would act as a test-bed for the new technology, which resulted in the prototype USS Excelsior (NX-2000). The construction was overseen by Captain Styles, who would later go on to command the ship.
By 2285, the Excelsior was ready to undergo performance trials for the transwarp drive, but some minor details needed to be worked out. To achieve this end, Styles was able to obtain Captain Montgomery Scott from the USS Enterprise as chief engineer. However, this proved to be Styles' undoing as Scott sabotaged the Excelsior's systems so that they couldn't pursue the Enterprise when Admiral James T. Kirk stole her to return to the Genesis Planet. (TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptation: The Search for Spock)
The mirror universe
A few weeks later the damage was repaired to the Excelsior, and Captain Styles was ordered to proceed to the Regula 1 Space Laboratory to collect Admiral Kirk and his command staff and bring them back to Earth to face a court martial. Unfortunately, en route back to Earth, they were intercepted by the ISS Enterprise from a version of the mirror universe. A brief battle ensued, but the Enterprise crew were able to board the Excelsior and take control.
However, Kirk had Styles leave in an escape pod and raise the alarm, while he and his staff engineered their way out. After confusing their mirror universe guards, Kirk and his crew beamed aboard the ISS Enterprise and took over. A battle ensued between the Enterprise and the Excelsior which resulted in the destruction of the Enterprise's drive section . But Kirk was able to use the tantalus field to remove key components aboard the Excelsior and was able to regain control of the ship.
After regaining the Excelsior, Kirk learned that this was all part of an invasion plan by the mirror universe, and he was ordered to take Excelsior into the mirror universe and stall the Terran Empire until Starfleet could amass a fleet. Following the battle between Starfleet and Terran forces, Captain Kirk was granted command of the Excelsior and the bulk of his command crew transferred with him, while Captain Styles was assigned command of the Christopher Pike. (TOS - The Mirror Universe Saga comic: "Homecoming...")
Service under Admiral Kirk
A lonely expanse, mostly devoid of populated star systems, between the main Sagittarius Arm and the Orion Arm, was the patrol route of Excelsior in 2285, a few weeks into Kirk's command. Excelsior was intercepted by an Ajir warship of the Ajir Empire, and they demanded Kirk's surrender. Learning that the Ajir warship had no shields and primitive weapons, Kirk decided to surrender in order to learn about the Ajir. The Ajir portrayed themselves as a powerful race who dominate the region, but the crew soon learned that they had very little knowledge about starship systems.
However, as their façade began to collapse, the Excelsior was approached by a Grond warship, of the Grond Protectorate, who also demanded that Kirk surrender to them. (TOS - Double Blind comic: "Double Blind, Part One")
Kirk agreed to surrender to the Grond and they also boarded the Excelsior, also proclaiming to be a fearsome species. However, when the Ajir and the Grond meet they are fearful of each other having heard stories about each other's ruthlessness. Captain Kirk got the two sides to establish friendly relations with each other, and agree to release the Excelsior in return for Federation aid. (TOS - Double Blind comic: "Double Blind, Part II")
A few months later, the Excelsior received a distress call from the USS Surak, an Oberth-class science vessel commanded by Captain Spock. Upon reaching the Surak, they discover that all the crew with the exception of Spock was dead. After studying the Surak's logs they discovered that the crew were killed by a plague brought aboard by an Andorian. They discover that the Andorian had escaped via shuttlecraft and entered the Romulan Neutral Zone. Despite increasing tensions with the Romulan Star Empire, Kirk ordered a pursuit course.
The Excelsior was quickly surrounded by Romulan warships, but Kirk managed to convince the Romulan Commander that the Andorian plague carrier threatened the Empire. When Romulans begin dying of the plague, one of the Romulan ships accompanied the Excelsior to Romulus. En route to Romulus, Captain Scott managed to remove the plague from a host's body by using the transporter. While the cure is effective on Captain Spock's body, his mind is in tatters. Using a Klingon bird-of-prey, Kirk and his crew head to Vulcan. Meanwhile, the Excelsior returns to Federation space, once again under the command of Captain Styles. (TOS - The Doomsday Bug! comics: "Death Ship!", "Stand-Off!", "The Apocalypse Scenario!")
Service under Captain Sulu
The bridge of the Excelsior in 2293.
In 2290, Captain Hikaru Sulu became master of the vessel Excelsior. He and Excelsior crew spent the next three years cataloging various, planetary gaseous anomalies in the Reydovan sector and Beta Quadrant abroad. (ST novel: Excelsior: Forged in Fire)
It was Sulu and the Excelsior crew that first learned of the destruction of Praxis in 2293. The Excelsior attempted an unauthorized rescue of Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy from Rura Penthe, but they were stopped by Klingon Captain Kang. The Excelsior did play a role, along with the USS Enterprise-A, in saving the Khitomer Conference. (TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptation: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country; VOY episode & novelization: Flashback)
Unknown to the crew of the Excelsior during her aborted rescue attempt, Starfleet was proposing an operation code-named Operation Retrieve wherein James T. Kirk and Leonard McCoy would have been saved from Rura Penthe. If the operation had been approved, the Excelsior would have covered the USS Potemkin's starboard flank as she made the rescue attempt. (TOS movie: The Undiscovered Country)
Later in 2293, the Excelsior transported Ambassador Spock and other former Enterprise officers to planet Mestiko, to negotiate that world's possible admission into the Federation. (TOS - Mere Anarchy eBook: Its Hour Come Round)
Also in 2293, the Excelsior traveled to Askalon V to rescue Ensign Demora Sulu. (TOS novel: The Captain's Daughter)
In 2294, eleven of her crew, including Captain Hikaru Sulu, were kidnapped by Beta Prometheans. (TOS novel: The Fearful Summons)
In 2308 the Excelsior, under the command of Captain Crajjik, completed a survey of the Delta Campara system. (STA novel: Enigma)
Captain Sulu remained in command of the Excelsior until at least 2320. (TOS novel: Burning Dreams)
- The difference in commanding officers between Enigma and Burning Dreams might suggest Crajjik's assignment as Excelsior CO was temporary.
Later years
In 2369 the Excelsior was operating in the area of space near the planet Riat. (TNG comic: "Light of Day")
In 2370, the Excelsior was in service along the Federation's border with the Cardassian Union. In that year, it was assigned to help search for the missing USS Hera. (TNG episode: "Interface")
In 2409, the Excelsior, over a 100 years old, was still operating along with her successor of the same class, USS Excelsior . (STO video game: Star Trek Online)
USS Excelsior personnel
- See also USS Excelsior (NCC-2000) personnel.
Commanding officer
- Captain Lawrence Styles (2285)
- Rear Admiral James T. Kirk (2285)
- Captain Lawrence Styles (2285-2289)
- Lieutenant Commander Meredith Cutler (early 2290)
- Captain Hikaru Sulu (2290-2320s)
- Captain Crajjik (circa 2308)
First officer
- Commander Henried
- Commander Hikaru Sulu (2285)
- Commander Miguel Darby (until 2289)
- Commander Hikaru Sulu (2289)
- Commander Pavel Chekov
- Lieutenant Commander Meredith Cutler (2290)
- Lieutenant Commander Janice Rand (early 2290)
- Commander Anik (2293)
- Lieutenant Commander Dmitri Valtane (until 2293)
- Commander Sencus (2294)
- Commander Pavel Chekov (circa 2295)
Science officer
- Lieutenant Saavik (2285)
- Lieutenant Commander Dmitri Valtane (until 2293)
- Commander Sencus (2294)
Communications officer
- Lieutenant Commander Janice Rand (from 2288)
- Lieutenant Russel Roose (2294)
Chief engineer
- Captain Montgomery Scott
- Lieutenant Commander Martin Lukas (2280s)
- Lieutenant Commander Lahra (2289)
- Lieutenant Commander Tim Henry (2290)
- Norquist Svenson (2294)
Chief medical officer
Security chief
- Lieutenant Commander Meredith Cutler (2289)
- Commander Peter Gavin (2294)
- Leonard James Akaar (2298)
Helm
- Ensign Violet Bays (2294)
- Lieutenant Heather Keith, helmsman (2289)
- Lojur, helmsman (2290s)
Transporter chief
Appendices
Connections
External link
- USS Excelsior (NCC-2000) article at Memory Alpha, the wiki for canon Star Trek.
- USS Excelsior (NCC-2000) at Star Trek Online Wiki