USS Spartan

USS Spartan NCC-69211 is a Saber-class Federation starship currently assigned to the Fourth Fleet Expeditionary Group. Small and fast, with a crew of less than a hundred officers, it was built prior to the Dominion War and has seen long service assigned to patrol and escort duties, largely in Federation space.

The Spartan was never meant to be the star of great discoveries, but she often arrives first. Stellar nurseries and volatile skies - this is where the Spartan endures, slipping through danger with the ease of something small but unbreakable. Diplomacy brushes past her only briefly. She’s not a stage for grand negotiations, only a carriage for envoys moving from one place to the next.

History

The Spartan was commissioned during the Dominion War, and hasn’t seen a quiet day since. In 2401, she was dispatched to the Deneb Sector after the discovery of The Lost Fleet, where her main objective was scouting enemy movements and patrolling the borders.

After heavy losses during Frontier Day, the Spartan - in need of repairs - received several upgrades, and was eventually assigned to the Fourth Fleet Expeditionary Group.

Design

Inside, the Spartan feels like a ship straight out of the 2360s or early 2370s, much in the vein of the Intrepid-class design. Corridors are narrow but functional, while the bridge is compact, efficient, and designed for reliability and speed over luxury and spectacle.

Shipboard life

Life aboard is modest but comfortable. Quarters are shared outside of senior staff but are more comfortable than the spartan bunks of vessels with similar size. Two holosuites bring distraction, while a gym and counseling suite offer balance.

The real highlight, however, is Deck Eight. Hidden in the ship’s underbelly, it is flipped upside down from the rest of the vessel, accessible only by a turbolift junction that rotates as its car descends. Large observation windows offer a panoramic view of the galaxy while the hall itself is divided into several lounges and a conservatory.

4th Planet Java

4th Planet Java is the lounge located on deck eight, and usually alive with activity. The walls are lined with shelves lined in rows of canisters labeled with coffee beans from across the Federation. Some real, some synthetic, all of them with their own loyal following.

Seating is simple but comfortable - high stools clustered around the bar, and low tables arranged near the windows. It’s the place officers visit between shifts to socialize or sit in companionable silence.

Auxiliary Vessels

The Spartan boasts four shuttles housed in its single shuttlebay, such as the Gorgo and the Eurotas.

The USS Spartan In-Play

The Spartan is an ideal vehicle for stories about tactical challenges and scouting operations. Its size and capabilities mean it may be suitable for stories about a crew out of their depth, faced with a bigger challenge than they have the tools to easily resolve. It is not a high-profile or luxurious posting, but can be used to set a tone of a pragmatic, tight-knit crew.