Amid a large crowd of dignitaries and onlookers, the United Federation of Planet’s most advanced presidential transport craft launched from Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards earlier today. Designated Starfleet 1, the craft made a brief round-trip voyage, starting at Mars in the Sol System, swinging by Vulcan in the 40 Eridani A System, and returning to Sol III to formally embark the president and her staff.
“This vessel carries with it the peaceful purpose and powerful solidarity with which the Federation works toward the bright future that we have proven is not only possible but all around us,” said the president during the opening ceremony.
The transport, a heavily modified Sovereign-class starship, underwent retrofitting specifically with the safety and security of the president, her staff and any foreign dignitaries in mind. The limited release of schematics make determinations of exact specifications difficult, but the precedent shows Starfleet 1 is nothing short of a space-going fortress. Its predecessor, designated as the USS Federation before being rechristened for use as the president’s personal transport, was itself a well-armed, well-defended starship, an accommodation expected of all presidential vehicles since the attempted assassination of President Ra-ghoratreii in 2293.
The president, since the founding of the Federation, has traditionally travelled on Starfleet vessels pulled from regular service, with the vessel being checked and then retrofitted with any technologies needed to ensure the president’s safety. These retrofits include the removal of science experiments to make room for the installation of quaternary backup modules for essential systems, increased security installation in the presidential guest room for secure communication, and deck reconfiguration to make room for the president’s staff.
When asked for a comment, Palais de Chaillot press secretary Dejir responded, “USS Federation is the culmination of years of time, effort, and labor of skilled Federation citizens. We hope the newest iteration of Starfleet 1 will serve as an example of our hospitality, strength, and diplomacy.”
The launch of this new craft is not without controversy. The Sovereign-class, a relatively new model of starship created in the final days of the Dominion War, is a veritable powerhouse of offensive capabilities. This has caused some consternation among the diplomats of the federal government, with many arguing that the vessel charged with ferrying the Federation’s most senior diplomat should not possess such firepower.
“I just don’t think it’s a good idea to have the leader of the Federation putter about in an engine of war that could pound the representatives of other powers into oblivion,” Senator Gav quoted.
Palais de Chaillot released an official response, “The new executive liner is only for interstellar transport. The vast majority of the cultures we maintain diplomatic contact with have planetary defenses and accustomed to military vessels in orbit. In situations where the offensive capability of Starfleet 1 may appear as an aggressive overture, the executive runabouts will be utilized instead.”
President Narala is expected to travel to Betazed in two days’ time to attend a commemoration of the lives lost during the occupation of Betazed, which fell to Jem’Hadar forces during the Dominion War.
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