SHIP CLASS: -- Commship
SERVICE: -- Federation Commship Command
LENGTH: -- 14.64 m
BEAM: -- 3.26 m
HEIGHT: -- 4.5 m
DECKS: -- 1
CREW: -- 2-3
PASSENGERS: -- 1 = (if absolutely necessary)
WARP: -- 9
LANDING: -- Yes
Because of the laws of physics, data cannot travel faster than the speed of light. This is a constant of the universe that cannot be broken. Communication, therefore, cannot travel faster than warp 1. So, in order for messages and digital data to be sent across the Federation, a fleet of small vessels, known as “commships”, are required to transport messages from planet to planet (or ship to planet). These runabout-sized vessels are powered by warp-9 engines, and are maintained by a service branch known as the “Federation Commship Command”.
Starfleet does maintain a few of these vessels for their own special operations, however, like the rest of the Federation, they depend upon the Federation Commship Command to transport daily messages, reports, and, occasionally, a person or small package, between Earth, distant outposts, and every Starfleet ship.
Since commships are essential to maintaining communication, they are designed to fit within the primary shuttlebay of most Starfleet ships. The Enterprise-D is designed to host two commships at any given time, although, they come and go on a daily basis. Messages from the Enterprise are downloaded into the computer core of a commship, taken to their destination, and then distributed to their recipients upon arrival.
As a result of the long distances between planets and starships, there is always a delay between a message’s send-point, and the arrival at its intended destination. Below is a short list of commship transit times before a message is able to reach its destination:
1 light year = 6 hours
5 light years = 1 day
10 light years = 2.5 days
20 light years = 5 days
Instantaneous message delivery is impossible, unless a ship is in orbit and communicating with a facility on a planet’s surface, or a message is transmitted between two ships in close proximity. Sensor reach is also restricted by these data transmission limits, thereby limiting sensors to close range, and requiring science vessels to conduct in-system survey missions.
Commship engines are impractical for runabouts and shuttlecraft, due to the increased machinery necessary to operate scaled-down warp-9 engines. Any remaining space in a commship is devoted to spartan crew facilities and a small cargo room.
-Lieutenant Sam Archer
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March 12, 2363 -- (Original Devron Timeline // Devron Timeline w/ Temporal War Reset)
(Devron Timeline 3.0 // Devron Prime Timeline)