USS Aephas

*“The pursuit of understanding…will lead to a greater well-being of both ourselves and our people.”* – Kulei Aephas
The **USS *Aephas*** **(NCC-74751**, later **NCC-89884)**, named for the renowned Alpha Centauran medical researcher and politician Kulei Aephas, was an *Intrepid*-class scale 4 frigate that entered Starfleet service in the late 24th century. It was the fourth vessel to bear the name. The *Aephas* was refit into a *Bellerophon*-class and recommissioned in 2396.

## Service history

Construction began on what would become the USS *Aephas* at the New Aberdeen Shipyards in February 2372. The spaceframe's name was chosen after the representative from Centauri VII successfully petitioned to have a new starship named after the planet's most famous leader. The last vessel to bear the name *Aephas* was a *Springfield*-class starship that had been destroyed sixteen years prior in the Federation-Cardassian War.

The *Aephas* was commissioned in September of that year and assigned an exploration mission in the Alpha Quadrant. It was the last *Intrepid*-class vessel commissioned before the outbreak of the Dominion War.

After USS *Berkeley* was crippled during the Maelstrom Conflict, the *Aephas* was assigned to the region to replace it until a dedicated science vessel could be dispatched.

The refit was completed in mid 2396 and the *Aephas* was recommissioned with a new registry. It was then assigned to a core-ward survey mission using its new quantum slipstream drive. The starship was recalled with the collapse of the Khitomer Accords in 2399 and was assigned to the reformed Task Force 202 of Ktarn Fleet in preparation for conflict with the Klingon Empire.

After the Iconian War, the *Aephas* was assigned patrol duties while it awaited an empty berth at the Proxima Maintenance Yards. The frigate finally entered drydock in October and reentered service after three weeks of repairs and upgrades. In early 2411, after the outbreak of the Third Klingon Civil War, the *Aephas* was assigned to Tactical Squadron 514 to assist in patrolling sectors near the Klingon border.

## Crew

### Senior staff

The following served as senior staff aboard the *Aephas*.

## Ship culture

During preparations for a small celebration for the starship's fifteenth anniversary, the records officer at the time discovered that the species of the first several commanding and executive officers began with the first letter of the Federation Standard alphabet. This led to the crew becoming known as the "A-Team."

## Appendices

### Connections

**Assets:** Starbase 247-Vershina • Jatha Dilithium Mine • Noonian Soong Spire • Delta Foundry • Starbase 234-Beskerm • Starbase 39-Sierra

**Components:** Romulan Theater Command • Task Force 200 • Task Force 201 • Task Force 202 • Task Force 203 • Task Force 204

**Leadership:** Commander-in-chief • Joint Chiefs • Chief of Starfleet External Affairs • Chief of Starfleet Operations • Chief of Starfleet Research and Exploration • Chief of Starfleet Tactical

**Agencies:** Operations (Engineering • Judicial • Materiel Supply • Mission Operations • Personnel Management • Records Service • Shipyards Operations • Starbase Operations) • Research & Exploration (Science • Medical) • External Affairs • Tactical (Intelligence • Security • MACO)

**Notable units:** Ktarn Fleet • Task Force 77

**Facilities:** Deep Space K-7 • Deep Space K-13 • Deep Space 9 • Masamichi Array • Starbase 45-Keepsake • Starbase 82-Maat • Starbase 234-Beskerm • Starbase 247-Vershina

**Agencies:** Starfleet • Diplomatic Corps • Department of Temporal Investigations • Federation Security Agency

**Facilities:** 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards • Antares Ship Yards • Beta Antares Ship Yards • Copernicus Ship Yards • Laikan Starfleet Shipyards • McKinley Station • Memory Project • New Aberdeen Shipyards • Proxima Maintenance Yards • Salazaar Shipyards • San Francisco Fleet Yards • TL-9139 Starfleet Maintenance Yards • Tranquility Base • Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards