The Enterprise completed its exploration of Surata IV over the weekend, and has moved on to a nearby region of space. We are currently at all-stop -- operating in base mode -- as our runabouts are out gathering sensor data, and our shuttles and fighters are on routine maneuvers.
Earlier today, I was provided with some photos from these activities, and I thought I’d share one with you. This image shows one of our two runabouts, the USS Liberty, departing the Enterprise, and heading out into deep space. A temporary sensor pod has been attached to her dorsal hull to increase her scanning capabilities. If all goes well, when the Liberty returns to the Enterprise later this week, she could carry cartographic data that might provide us with additional targets to study and explore.
In fact, that’s one of the neat things about the Enterprise – and Galaxy-class starships in general. We have the ability to operate as a stationary base of operations, from which our various auxiliary vessels can launch. We park in deep space, and our science, combat, and exploratory vessels come and go as needed. The Enterprise scans the immediate region, and our runabouts probe beyond sensor range, giving us a wider scope of the area.
As a result, the Enterprise is just as much a platform ship, as it is a deep space explorer. We have the ability to manage many different kinds of missions – and in ways other Starfleet ships cannot. We are versatile, well-staffed, well-armed, and ready for just about anything. We are the pinnacle of Starfleet innovation, and a valuable asset that will likely remain in service until 2443.
-Lieutenant Sam Archer
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April 28, 2365 -- (Original Devron Timeline)