USS Kaskaskia

USS Kaskaskia NCC-73372 Career (Starfleet) Ordered: March 10, 2373 Laid down: April 7, 2373 Launched: August 5, 2373 Commissioned: January 18, 2374 Decommissioned: N/A Status: On extended detached duty in Norman-Makuhari Nebula General Characteristics Mass: As built: metric tons light metric tons full load with Science Module installed: metric tons light metric tons full load in Emergency Configuration: metric tons full load Length Overall: 23.1 meters Beam Overall 13.7 meters Height Overall 5.4 meters Propulsion: Toenjes KT4 light MARA Warp Drive Columbia 206 Impulse Drive RSRCT-5 Reaction Control Thruster System Flank Speed: Warp 5.15 Maximum Crusing Speed: Warp 4 Range: kilomters at Flank Speed kilomters at Maximum Cruise Complement: 2 Flight Crew 2-10 nominal Mission Crew up to 40 passengers (Std. Configuration) up to 100 passengers (Emg. Configuration) Armament: As built: 1 × TypeIX phaser emitters (fore) 2 × Micro Photon Torpedo Launchers (fore/aft) As modifed on USS Khai Tam: 2 × TypeIX phaser emitters (fore/aft) 2 × Micro Torpedo Launchers (fore/aft) 1 × Antimatter Charge Launchers (fore) Armor: SDS-05 Deflector Shield SND-03 Navigational Deflector Nickname: Lost In Space Honors and awards: Starfleet Unit Citation The fictional USS Kaskaskia was one of two runabouts detached to the USS Khai Tam when she set out on her maiden voyage. The other was the USS Santa Ana. The Danube-class runabouts gave extra reach to the Khai Tam's sphere of influence. It is the Starfleet tradition to name ships of the class for Rivers, in this case the Kaskaskia River in Illinois on Earth. Origin A coal loading station on the Kaskaskia River The Kaskaskia River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, which runs through central and southern Illinois where Colin Toenjes grew up. When developing ideas for the Technical Manual, Colin and author Kevin McNulty decided to name each of the two runabouts after a river by where they grew up. Although some doubt was initailly expressed, Colin's pick of the Kaskaskia was a well thought out choice. Usage It became common after that to start referring to Kevin's car as the Santa Ana and Colin's as the Kaskaskia, especially on away missions when both would be in caravan. When Colin left, he said that he was taking the Kaskaskia with him literally and figuratively. From that day, the ficticious Khai Tam never again embarked the Kaskaskia. The replacement runabout turned out to be the Ichetuknee, though no one's sure if Kevin actually told anyone that.