- For other uses, see Planck.
The USS Planck was a Federation starship, a Merian-class vessel in Starfleet service in the late 24th century. Launched in 2377, the Planck had a crew of 70. The ship's dedication plaque quotation was from Helen Keller: "No pessimist discovered the secrets of the stars or sailed to an uncharted land or opened a new heaven to the human spirit". (VOY novel: Children of the Storm)
Shakedown[]
Before Project Full Circle, the Planck conducted a shakedown cruise and, during this cruise, the starship orbited an unnamed planet. (ST calendar: Ships of the Line 2012)
Project Full Circle[]
Planck was commanded by Captain Hosc T'Mar. The Planck was refit with a quantum slipstream drive and assigned to Project Full Circle: a Starfleet expeditionary force into the Delta Quadrant. (VOY novel: Full Circle)
The Children of the Storm[]
Along with the USS Quirinal and USS Demeter, the Planck was tasked to initiate contact with the dangerous and reclusive Children of the Storm. In late May 2381 the three ships traveled together in slipstream to the designated coordinates. Upon arrival all of Planck's telepathic and empathic crewmembers were transported to the Quirinal and put in stasis to protect them from the influences of the Children of the Storm. While Demeter was to stand-by in a safe distance, Planck and Quirinal moved closer to the enigmatic aliens' home system, around 21 days before stardate 58450.2.
Subspace variations picked up by the scanners indicated the presence of transwarp conduits long ago.
Sixteen days before stardate 58450.2, the two ships scanned the system from a distance of two light-years outside the ring of Borg ship debris. The replicators were malfunctioning (due to a system integration error) and required a complete overhaul by the USS Achilles as Chief Engineer Shurl Beldon was unable to solve the problem. In the meantime, Planck's relied on emergency rations and vitamin supplements for five days, affecting morale. First Officer Daniel Tregart requested calling in Demeter, which Captain T'Mar consented. He and Quirinal's captain, Regina Farkas, agreed that the Demeter was to travel at impulse speed only. The Demeter complied with their request, however, Lieutenant Commander Atlee Fife considered traveling at sub-light unnecessarily risky. Thus the ship made a short warp jump and arrived the following day, thereby drawing the attention of the Children of the Storm. Organic foodstuff, enough to last ten days, was transported into Planck's cargo bay. Four crewmen were to serve as chefs for the course of this mission. This plan was cut short when 347 Children of the Storm vessels approached and encroached Quirinal, Demeter, and Planck. Captain T'Mar ordered evasive maneuvers but the ship was soon completely surrounded. Desperately, the Planck fired her phasers to no effect. As a last resort, T'Mar ordered warp engines engaged, hoping the warp field would disrupt the energy field enveloping the ship. The moment the warp engines powered up, the Planck disintegrated.
Rescue operation[]
On stardate 58450.2 the Voyager fleet was to rendezvous, however, Quirinal, Planck and Demeter did not arrive. Fleet Commander Afsarah Eden orderd Captain Chakotay to apprise her of their return. (VOY novel: Children of the Storm)
With Quirinal, Planck, and Demeter 24 hours overdue, the captains of the remaining ships devised a rescue operation. USS Voyager was to travel to their last known position, accompanied by Fleet Commander Eden. (Stardate 58452.9)
Crew manifest[]
- commanding officer:
- executive officer:
- Lieutenant Daniel Tregart (2381)
- tactical officer:
- Lieutenant Anthony DeCarlo (2381)
- chief engineer:
- Lieutenant Shurl Beldon (2381)
- operations manager:
- Ensign Solonor Evet (2381)
- flight controller:
- Ensign Danan Grim (2381)
Appendices[]
Connections[]
Merian-class starships | |||
---|---|---|---|
scientific explorers | Bohr • Curie • Hawking • Merian • Planck • unnamed | ||
dreadnoughts | Curie-J • Locherer • Merian-E • Mitchell • unnamed |
Ships assigned to Project Full Circle | ||
---|---|---|
Achilles • Curie • Demeter • Esquiline • Galen • Hawking • Planck • Quirinal • Vesta • Voyager |
Ships named Planck | ||
---|---|---|
starships: USS Planck (NCC-81894, Merian-class) • USS Planck (NCC-95208, Hermes-class) |
Background[]
The USS Planck was likely named after Max Planck, a German physicist and founder of the quantum theory.