Poll of the Week: Cloaking Device Sold Separately

[Laria Herren]

The ships created by the major powers of the galaxy each have their own unique characteristics and design schemes that identify who they belong to. The Romulans, Cardassians, Klingons, and Ferengi all have very distinct styles of ship design. However, most ships share the same essential elements. There is almost always a bridge, some form of energy and projectile weapons, both warp and sublight engines, and basic living spaces for the ship’s crew. All of these features come standard for starships all over the galaxy.

Beyond unique design styles, most factions also have their own special technologies that are seen as trademarks of their fleets. Both the Romulans and Klingons equipped their ships with their own versions of cloaking devices. The Breen were feared for their unique energy dampening weapon that turned the Second Battle of Chin’toka into a decisive defeat for the Federation, Klingons, and Romulans. There were also non-standard features that were unique to certain classes of ship. The USS Prometheus had a revolutionary new multi-vector assault mode that could turn one ship into three built on older saucer separation technology.

If you were designing a starship, you would have to include all of the standard features in the design. But no ship has room for all of the optional extra technologies that are seen on starships across the galaxy. A ship that was transwarp-capable, cloaked, multi-vector assault mode equipped, and armed with special weapons would likely never hold together. Ships like the USS Defiant show that an over-specialized ship stuffed with advanced technology was an engineering nightmare to keep running. If you were designing a starship, which non-standard feature would be at the top of your list? Let us know what your first choice would be below!

[Jona ch'Ranni]

I chose the luxuries available on Federation ships (i.e. personal replicators, holodecks, lounges). These comforts make a ship feel more like a home which is important for the social and psychological well-being of most species. I would not want to skimp on these details if it is a ship designed for any sort of long-term mission (more than a few weeks at a time). I believe the Defiant was able to get away with this because it didn't seem like there were very many long-term missions that it was sent on. But the day-to-day grind will soon get to a crew if they are sitting on top of one another without any outlet for stress relief.

[+ Trellis Vondaryan]

I went with cloaking device. Other species in the Trek verse have their own versions of replicators, so that technology seems relatively common. I was tempted with transwarp options, though decided that there are still too many limitations on it for it to be completely effective. Not be a particularly aggressive person, I didn't go with ablative armor, weird weapons or assault modes. In the end I thought cloaking would be the most useful for long-term use.

[Ben Garcia]

Tough choices! I can see the real appeal of cloaking technology, and I would also want the latest in Starfleet luxuries. 

One thing that I'd want is a safer bridge design. Something that still looks 'Federation', but with, you know, less sofas, less people standing up and zero sharp edges to smack your head off. Which got me thinking, maybe some technology to limit the effects of the console blow outs.  

From the list though, I'd probably go with cloaking.