- For other uses, see Georgiou.
The USS Georgiou (NCC-21300) was a Federation starship, the Georgiou-class fast battlecruiser prototype in Starfleet service in the 23rd century. It was named after Starfleet captain Philippa Georgiou. (STO - Mirror of Discovery short story: "Jayce's Interstellar: Around the Galaxy")
History
Conceived as the lead ship of a class of experimental battlecruisers, the Georgiou was developed during a time of escalating tensions with the Klingon Empire during the pre-Khitomer I era as an alternative to the Excelsior-class design proposal. Whereas the Excelsior was envisioned as a further evolution of the Constitution-class multi-mission explorer cruiser, the Georgiou was designed along much more narrow parameters. Intended primarily to match the Empire's K'tinga-class one on one. the Georgiou class packed a considerable amount of firepower into a design roughly three-quarters of the Excelsior's size, and a small number of Georgiou-class ships were built prior to the signing of the Khitomer Accords of 2293.
Following the implementation of fleet composition limitations by both the Federation and the Empire in the Khitomer Accords, further Georgiou construction was suspended by Starfleet Command as the Excelsior class became the primary backbone of the fleet. Refitted and reclassified as light exploration cruisers, the class's heavy weapon systems were gutted, although the experimental engines were retained. Once the refit was complete, the class remained a platform for both rapid response and long-range exploration until their retirement in the early 24th century.
The records of USS Georgiou's final mission, which occured in 2293, remained classified into 2410. During the mission, the Georgiou was presumed destroyed.
Following the end of the Tzenkethi Crusade in 2410, the IKS Amar towed the Georgiou to Drozana Station as a gift to representatives of the Advanced Starship Design Bureau aboard the USS Scott. The long-lost vessel was turned over to the Scott, which towed it back home.
This recovery was reported a week later, on stardate 87831.2, by Jayce's Interstellar. (STO - Mirror of Discovery short story: "Jayce's Interstellar: Around the Galaxy")