USS Helios
- "The test of any man is in action."
- —Pindar
USS Helios (NCC-63284) is an Akira-class Federation star ship currently assigned to Fourth Fleet's Task Force 47. She is currently under the command of Captain Tanek.
Service History
Commissioning and Early Service
Shards of Obsidian
Following the events of Frontier day and losses associated with the resurgence of the Borg activity, Starfleet's assets capable of deploying to the frontier with little support was severely reduced. As part of 'Operation Ploughshares' Helios was one of several ships originally designed with a combat focus that found themselves refitted to take on diplomatically sensitive missions with little direct support.
Heliades Squadron
Notable Locations
The Agora
The Agora is a state of the art diplomatic and conference centre located in the refitted 'battle module' of Helios, an attempt at Starfleet Command to highlight the peaceful intentions of the new age of exploration. At the cost of some of its torpedo capabilities the module has seen the addition of a large complex of diplomatic suites, each modelled after famous diplomats, a number of multi-function conference and meeting places in addition to a cadre of talented officers from the Federation Diplomatic corps. Throughout the complex holographic generators and advanced environmental systems are able to adapt the suites to cater for a wide variety of needs, allowing diplomatic meetings, conferences and summits to take place aboard the vessel, surrounded by glorious views of the cosmos at every turn.
At the centre of the complex is the main offices of the Diplomatic detachment and the high capacity transporter that connects the module with the rest of the vessel. Travel to and from the module is generally free to all crew-members of any rank, as the suites & multi-function rooms are often used as practice rooms and bookable spaces for the wide variety of shipboard activates.
Hypatia Suite
Situated at the rear of the module, the Aspasia suite's focal point is a set of expansive windows fitted with hand crafted glass from Tellar Prime; the home of many of Starfleet's greatest diplomats, providing an inspiring, unobstructed vista of the galaxy. Named in honour of the pioneering ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician of Earth, the Hypatia suite seeks to inspire whilst presenting a sobering reminder of how small we are in the grand scheme of the universe.
Kor Suite
Inspired by the vaulted ceilings and dramatic statement architecture of the Klingon Hill Council chambers the Kor suite is perfect for channelling the particular spirit of Klingon Diplomacy. Named after the famed Dahar Master and diplomat who served the Empire for over a century, the Kor suite is a grand function room designed for diplomatic functions that require a certain level of dramatic flair. Attached to the main conference room is a small amphitheatre, with specialist acoustics designed by the renowned Ferengi composer Jeere Goold; a perfect stage for entertaining and facilitating more private discussions.
In keeping with Captain Tanek's insistence that all facilities are multi-use outside of mission operations, the various music and live performance groups of Helios have made the Kor suite their home away from home, making use of it's particularly beneficial acoustic design. The additional musical underscore has become a permanent feature of the Agora, much to the pleasure of the Diplomatic Corps.
Soval Suite
Named after the famed Vulcan diplomat and Ambassador to the burgeoning United Earth in the 22nd Century, the Soval suite models itself after the open meeting places of Vulcan where philosophers, scientists and ley persons met to discuss the topics of the day. In this suite the holographic capabilities of The Agora are used to full effect with the warm dry environment seeming to disappear into the distance, instilling the peace and calm of the Vulcan homeworld into all discussions.
When not in use for Mission Operations this suite also hosts the twice-weekly meeting of the vessel's hot yoga and meditation group, as well as being the venue for the monthly stargazing club whose bring and share BBQ has become a staple in the ship's calendar.