USS West Covina

USS West Covina
General Information
Registry	NCC-75587
Class & Type	California-class utility cruiser
Affiliation	Starfleet
Status	Active
Commissioned	2371
Assignment
Task Force	Task Force 86
Role	Medical Support
Template:Starship

USS West Covina NCC-75587 is a California-class Federation starship currently assigned to Fourth Fleet's Task Force 86.

It is commanded by Commander Chehrush Dvap, a former Chief Medical Officer. Its First Officer is Doctor Thomas Hkanka, a Lieutenant Commander who also serves as the ship’s Chief Medical Officer. The USS West Covina is focused on medical emergencies responding to outbreaks of disease or disasters on worlds on the Federation’s border. Both the ship, and its crew are not suitable for tactical missions, and it will often either avoid placing itself in danger or call for support if a situation is escalating.

Design and Layout

Like all California-class vessels the USS West Covina has a round primary hull with many windows, along with long phaser arrays on the ventral and dorsal surface. The twelve-deck saucer section contains the bulk of the ship’s systems, as well as crew quarters, and cargo facilities. Below the saucer are the warp nacelles and secondary hull. It is painted with blue accents, highlighting its role as a medical support ship.

The secondary hull is a nine-desk structure that contains the main deflector, as well as main engineering, with the warp core running the height of the hull. Turbolifts and Jefferies tubes are used to access this hull. The warp engines are larger than what may standard for a ship of the California-class’s size to allow for towing of other ships.

The West Covina’s small craft support is run out of three shuttle bays: two on the aft corners of the primary hull, and a third in the secondary hull. These craft are used primarily for evacuations, or to shuttle patients up to the more advanced medical bay on the ship. They are also often used to deploying field hospitals in the event of disaster relief missions. As such, they have been converted to ambulance duty, with more space for patients, medical equipment, and life support with the removal of weapons systems.

As with all California-class ships, the West Covina has powerful tractor beams and can tow ships with relative ease. This is often used when taking an infected ship to larger and more modern facilities at a Starbase.

Mission Operations

The USS West Covina seeks to assist local governments by providing medical support and offering second contact follow-up where advanced Federation medical technology could be of use. From improving life on a planet through working to raise the water quality, and thus health outcomes, to preventing disease outbreaks, or responding to attacks from hostile powers.

The West Covina is not a tactical ship and often requires an escort when responding to disasters in non-Federation or hostile space. It will also respond to shipboard medical situations, and has often assisted ships in distress through Federation space.

History

Commissioned in 2371, the USS West Covina was created as part of the by then successful rash of California-class ships meant to support Starfleet operations throughout the Federation. It was immediately tasked with medical support, and has been assisting new colonies, as well as non-Federation worlds with medical situations since. It was involved with the 2381 defence of the USS Cerritos against the renegade AI-commanded Texas-class ships, one of the few tactical engagements the ship has been involved in. None of the crew who were aboard for that incident still serve on the West Covina.

In 2401, during the events of Frontier Day the support staff of the West Covina, including most security officers, engineering staff, and even command staff, were changed into Borg drones. Due to the higher degree of education required for doctors, the large medical component was largely unaffected, and could release a gas to incapacitate the Borg drones and retake the ship. Since then, a new command staff has taken charge of the ship.

Crew of the West Covina

Commander Chehrush Dvap: Commanding Officer

Commander Chehrush Dvap is the Commanding officer of the USS West Covina. Tellarite is a medical researcher with doctorates in xenobiology and medical science. He stopped going by the title doctor after changing from a medical path to command and became the first officer of the USS Lantern, a ship he’d been chief medical officer on previously. Though he no longer practises medicine regularly, he is knowledgeable in the field, and has a good sense of how to best deploy the resources of the West Covina.

Doctor Thomas Hkanka: First Officer and Chief Medical Officer

A half Kesprytt and half human officer, Doctor Thomas Hkanka serves both as the ship’s first officer and also as its Chief Medical Officer. Hkanka oversees the largest department on the West Covina, and the ship’s mission largely depends on his doctors. Though he is a lieutenant commander, he insists on having his title of doctor acknowledged above his rank, and believes that his combination of education and experience makes him more important than the average starship captain. While empathetic with patients, he can be short-tempered and easily frustrated with Starfleet and its officers, including captains of other ships.

In Play

• The USS West Covina is a Task Force asset and any writer in Task Force 86 may include it in their story.
• She is useful for providing a ‘hook’ for a mission, either by stumbling on a situation that your ship later needs to handle, or by doing the initial surveying of a situation.
• This is an acceptable ship to rescue or put in peril that your command needs to rescue. However, do not kill off any named characters (listed above) or destroy the ship.
• Let the Task Force CO or XO know of any significant usage of the ship, both so they can approve it and chronicle it.
• The West Covina can be called on for support with medical missions, or disaster relief missions. It may also be performing one of those missions when calling for backup from another ship.
• The West Covina can provide tow support if needed.
• The West Covina is unlikely to respond to tactical situations unless it is the only ship available. There are numerous other Task Force assets that would be a better choice.
• Commander Chehrush Dvap is easy to get along with, notably so for a Tellerite, and smart. He is unlikely to make a medical mistake, and is a perfect tool if you need a medical assistant with an extensive background in research and hands-on medicine.
• Doctor Thomas Hkanka is likely to be contemptuous of non-medical Starfleet Officers, and if you need to deal with him, sending your Chief Medical Officer might be a better strategy. If you need an antagonistic Starfleet character from another ship, he’s a good candidate.