U.S.S. San Francisco
Galaxy Class, Exploratory Cruiser
Starship Registry NCC-74780
Commissioned in 2365, the San Francisco was amongst the first Galaxy class vessels to have been completed. Much of the San Francisco's early duty came in the form of light scientific duties or ferrying supplies to far flung Federation colonies. While much of the San Francisco's early service wasn't particularly noteworthy, she did receive a number of upgrades ahead of her sister ships, proving a reliable test bed for engine and system modifications, as well as using these advances to positive effect in defusing a skirmish between a number of Klingon vessels during the Klingon Civil War of this period.
DURING THE DOMINION WAR
During the Dominion War, the San Francisco fought with elements of the Fifth Fleet at Operation Return, the First Battle of Chin'toka and the Battle of Cardassia. During the Battle of Chin'toka, the San Francisco took direct fire from multiple orbital weapon platforms leading to severe damage to much of the ships structure, however the ship and her crew continued the assault valiantly, awarding the San Francisco her first Unit Citation and battle honours.
The San Francisco spent much of 2375 in Drydock undergoing repairs to her superstructure, while it was not able be fully completed by the time of the Battle of Cardassia. Despite Starfleet's reservations, the San Francisco once again entered battle proving an nearly unstoppable force against the Dominion, providing covering fire for much of her battle group, joining with the USS Sarek to provide support for the USS Magellan while herself sustaining only minor damage.
Following the battle, the San Francisco used her largely undamaged internal volume to house as many survivors from stricken ships, returning to Deep Space Nine to be awarded her second Unit Citation.
POST DOMINION WAR
In 2378, the San Francisco was attached to Starbase 12 under the direction of Vice Admiral Alice Liu, alongside the USS Venture to participate in combat drills. This quickly escalated to full combat operations during the Kessok incident where the San Francisco was called upon to assault the Cardassian Starbase Litvok Nor. The mission was a success and the San Francisco once again returned to a routine duty along the border of the Briar Patch. Captain Eina Zeiss continued to petition for an extended exploration mission, but it wasn't until two years later in 2380 that this wish would be granted.
FIVE YEAR EXPLORATION MISSION
The San Francisco's first five-year exploration mission was approved, following the effective collapse of the Romulan Star Empire, in the wake of Shinzon's rebellion in 2379, this opened new exploration avenues in the far Beta Quadrant. During this time, the San Francisco performed in-depth studies of almost fifty light years, expanding on Starfleet's astrogation and navigation databases, including the charting of fourteen G-Type Star systems and eleven M-Class Planets.
However, in the fourth year, 2384, the San Francisco was recalled to the Romulan Border to bolster Starfleet's forces in what looked like almost certain open war between the Romulan Star Empire and Imperial Romulan State. While this war ultimately did not come, the San Francisco remained stationed near the Romulan Border for the time being. More pressing developments did occur later in the year, and the San Francisco was relocated to the Triangle, an unclaimed area of space between the three major galactic powers of the time, in a peace keeping effort to diffuse the situation between the Romulans, Klingons and Gorn.
THE KHITOMER CRISIS
In 2385 the San Francisco assisted in the evacuation of Khitomer, and returned to Utopia Planitia for extensive refits, upgrading major internal and external systems. It was also in this year Captain Eina Zeiss stood down from her position, and her Executive Officer, Gavin Bucanan, took the role of Commanding Officer.
By late 2386 the San Francisco was launched once again, pressed into immediate service near the Klingon and Gorn border to assist in further peace keeping duties, however, with the destruction of Romulus a few months later, the San Francisco was joined by only a few other starships to reinforce the Federation border at Starbase 234 in fear of a possible retaliation from the Klingons, and remained on station for almost a year, before being recalled to Starbase 39.
While assigned to Starbase 39, the San Francisco began long range assessments of the effects of the Hobus Supanova and assisted in the distributions of provisions and medical supplies to Romulan colonies in the Sierra, Vendor, Dimorus and Lirss Sectors. This distribution of aid continued for a further four years, before the San Francisco returned to Mars once more to undergo an extensive refit in 2391, replacing many of her original isolinear computer systems with enhanced bio-neural gel packs and upgraded sensor, warp and shielding systems.
It had been planned that the San Francisco could be dispatched close to the Hobus system to begin shorter range and more in-depth scans were waylaid by reformation of a Romulan senate in 2392 and the San Francisco was instead directed towards the Bajor system, assisting with the final stages of Bajor's full acceptance into the Federation. This would also see Captain Bucanan's final mission as Commanding Officer of the San Francisco, a seven-year assignment that saw over 40 successful missions of mercy, three successful combative operations and even one successful first contact.
THE CARDASSIAN STRUGGLE
Following Captain Bucanan's transfer to the USS Sentinel, the San Francisco was assigned to Deep Space Nine under the Command of Captain Davis Stone, a career officer from Starfleet's Command School, Stone had seen extensive service through the Dominion War and was a hardened tactical officer. His duty aboard the San Francisco saw multiple patrols around Cardassian space, fending off attacks from mainly Nausicaan and unaffiliated Breen raiding parties aimed at outlying Cardassian settlements.
The San Francisco became well known to many colonies within the area and for one of the first times since the Dominion War, a Galaxy class vessel could make use of its large civilian facilities, and often housed multiple traders and assisted in the movement of large cargo between the Cardassian colonies. Life aboard the San Francisco however was not always easy for civilians, as the ship was under almost constant threat from Nausicaan raiders and would sometimes be called away from colonies, not able to return sometimes up to three months later. Regular shuttling services were established a year later, once adequate security improvements had taken place.
In early 2397, the Cardassian Detapa Council completed a three-year long audit of all post-war assets and found that no less than 75 Galor class vessels and countless supplies of weapons had been lost. The San Francisco was despatched to assist investigations of these reports however even with the upgraded sensors, the search was unfortunately futile. It was impossible to determine when in the past three years the ships had gone missing, and any trails would have since gone cold. However, acting on information obtained from Yridian traders, the San Francisco set course to the Orias system to locate the missing vessels. The system, however, was blockaded by Dominion vessels, identifying themselves as being private security for a mining facility, limited long range scans that were performed were inconclusive at best, and San Francisco had to return home.
Returning to Deep Space Nine, the San Francisco was violently ejected from warp midway between Cardassia and Bajor, the hull around the converted 'promenade' area experienced structural collapse, resulting in the sudden expelling of atmosphere. Miraculously the worst injuries were broken arms and legs as many civilians had already departed from the ship prior. No failings in the deflector grid had been detected, and the structural integrity field remained stable elsewhere. San Francisco continued to Bajor under low warp where engineers at DS9 patched up the hull as best possible however were unable to do much to the understructure of the hull with their limited facilities.
DOWN IN DRYDOCK
San Francisco returned to the Aldebaran shipyards for extended repair and system overhauls, Stone reported the ships findings back to Starfleet and was then reassigned to the USS Indiana to further investigate while the San Francisco was undergoing repair.
A thorough investigation into the cause of the structural failure was launched, and it wasn't long before large fissures in the actual superstructure of the starship were found, extending not only through the saucer, but also into the Engineering hull as well. Under normal circumstances the vessel would have been decommissioned, however upgrade projects were currently underway and in an unusual move, Starfleet approved a full retrofit of the vessel.
Over the next five years, most of the superstructure of the vessel was replaced as part of the Advanced Starship Design Bureau's Starship Modernization Project. The internal structures of the warp nacelles were replaced, which would be able to take advantage of new warp technologies and slipstream travel, able to surpass the current warp-10 barrier, without requiring a transwarp network. This retrofit also introduced an early prototype of Starfleet's new modular construction system, made easier by the Galaxy's design of easy saucer separation and nacelle replacement.
In an unusual move on Starfleet's part the focus of the upgrades were around tactical and defensive systems. This was seen as a requirement as it was then, due to deteriorating relations with the Klingon Empire and open skirmishes breaking out between the Gorn and Klingons, Starfleet was gearing for a potential conflict between all of the major powers. In 2404, the San Francisco was once again launched.
TENSIONS WITH THE KLINGONS
Following her relaunch in late 2404, the San Francisco proceeded to the Hromi cluster under command of Captain Victoria Calder both to assist building up the defence of Federation citizens, and also to offer rapid tactical response in the region.
It did not take long for this to be required, and soon the Klingon forces began their attacks on Federation colonies in early 2405. The San Francisco joined in with a small battlegroup near the Korvat system, providing covering fire and fleet support. Following the battle, she assisted in the towing of the USS Montgomery Scott back to Starbase K-7 following heavy damage to their warp systems. The retrofit of the San Francisco was a success, both as first combat action for the new defensive technology and of the new modular construction techniques allowing easy replacement of the San Francisco's port nacelle following combat damage. The San Francisco continued to participate in several combative actions over the next few years, holding the line against Klingon aggressors.
In 2409, Captain Calder resigned, and command of the San Francisco transferred to Captain Nylassa sh'Alundi, a capable, yet relatively inexperienced commander. The San Francisco was formally welcomed into the mobile Fifth Fleet under the command of Admiral James Thompson. During her time in the Fifth Fleet, the San Francisco was assigned to many duties, both combat and exploratory, however she was never far from the action.
During the battle of Vulcan, the San Francisco faced off Romulan aggressors and she was part of the fleet that assisted in the liberation of Deep Space Nine from Dominion Occupation in 2411.
This period was not all combat orientated, as the San Francisco continued building ties with displaced colonies and assisting with the establishment and security of new trade routes throughout previously contested Cardassian space.
With the San Francisco's proven record and now more capable commander, the San Francisco was transferred to the Beta Ursae Sector Taskforce had been used to deter True Way attacks, with Starfleet exercising the history of the San Francisco to great effect, garnering support from both civilians and Cardassian Defence Forces alike.
THE BREEN INVASION OF DEFERI SPACE
In late 2411, the San Franciso was diverted to the Deferi sector to respond to an invasion orchestrated by Breen aggressors. Her primary duties saw frequent patrol routes protecting the Deferi colonies established in the Kelvani Belt as well as assisting with the rebuilding of damaged or destroyed habitats within the belt.
With the discovery of the Preserver Archive on Lae'nas III, the San Francisco was tasked with defending the planet until a more permanent research post could be constructed. Whilst this duty started relatively quiet, tensions began to grow as a Klingon Battlecruiser, under the command of General Kuruk, son of Dal'bar, entered the system claiming a similar purpose. Both vessels sat a quiet distance apart, maintaining high alert and a tense stand off ensured.
Neither vessel opened fire on each other however, instead a full flight of Breen warships entered the system, the last of such attacks from Breen forces, using the standoff to their advantage. With both vessels distracted, the Breen began their assault. The San Francisco's defences were quickly overwhelmed however not before disabling four Breen vessels. As Breen ships continued to pour into the system, the order was given to abandon ship as significant portions of the outer hull had been destroyed, and major internal damage and decompression had occurred throughout the vessel.
As support arrived from both Starfleet and KDF forces, the Breen were forced to retreat and the San Francisco and her crew were recovered.
DOWN IN DRYDOCK ONCE MORE
Following the near loss of the San Francisco she was towed to Utopia Planitia, however there was some furious debate as to whether it would be worth repairing the vessel, retrofitting into a newer specification craft or decommissioning and scrapping the remaining spaceframe. Ultimately the decision was taken to repair the San Francisco to her former glory, helped in part by the recommendation of Admiral Davis Stone, then director of the outgoing Starship Modernisation Project.
Repairs to the San Francisco became a somewhat personal project led by the former Captain as well as some members of his original crew, whilst this was met with admiration from some, others saw it as a waste of time. The invasion of the Alpha and Beta quadrants by Undine forces didn't help his position, and many resources which had been reserved were reallocated to the rebuilding effort of Earth Space Dock.
Over the course of 2413, with the defusing of Undine tensions and exploration initiatives starting in the Delta Quadrant, reconstruction work was started and damaged major systems were replaced, in October the warp nacelles were replaced with upgraded units and by December work had begun replacing the impulse drives. By March 2414, work had begun replacing the shield and SIF systems and a new warp core was installed. With the invasion of Iconian and Herald forces, work was accelerated in order to return the San Francisco to combat readiness and in July work had begun to restore damaged sections of the hull, as well as new phaser arrays and torpedo systems. Finally in September, the deflector systems had been replaced.
Whilst she was unable to take part in the assault on the Herald Sphere she was hurried into action at high impulse to defend Jupiter station during the Iconian attack on Sol. Her tactical systems proved reliable in the battle, however her deflector and sensor systems had not been properly calibrated leaving the ship with little more than manual targeting. With the sudden cease fire, San Francisco returned to Utopia Planitia for final systems checks and an official rechristening. Admiral Stone took the vessel as his flagship and completed a brief shakedown before being ready once more for duty.
VICTORY TOUR
While the San Francisco had only seen limited action throughout the Iconian War, she was also one of Starfleet's few remaining fully functional vessels. She was assigned to the Starfleet Engineering Corps Mobile Division and was used as a supply and support cruiser, ferrying supplies along the 100-colonies 2-year victory tour throughout much of the Alpha and Beta Quadrants.
Upon her return, the San Franciso was given a refit and reassigned to another of her former commanding officers, Captain Nylassa Alundi.
FORMER COMMANDING OFFICERS
2414-2416 VICE ADMIRAL Stone, Davis | 2409-2412 CAPTAIN sh'Alundi, Nylassa | 2404-2409 CAPTAIN Calder, Victoria | 2392-2397 CAPTAIN Stone, Davis | 2385-2392 CAPTAIN Bucanan, Gavin | 2365-2385 CAPTAIN Zeiss, Eina |
