Predator class

Predator class

Kazon carrier vessels were a type of 24th century starship originally designed by the Trabe, that was later commandeered by the Kazon and used as a massive warship. This class of vessel is much clumsier in battle at lower speeds than at warp, and can be easily out maneuvered by agile craft. (VOY: "Initiations")

Two Kazon sects known to possess this class during the 2370s, the Kazon-Ogla and Kazon-Nistrim. Although the Kazon had seized a large majority of the Trabe fleet, a small number of these ships remained under Trabe control as part of the Trabe convoy. (VOY: "Alliances")

In 2371, an Ogla carrier attacked the USS Voyager, and Val Jean, while the two vessels attempted to protect the Caretaker's array. This ship was destroyed by Chakotay when he rammed the Val Jean into the larger carrier, which in turn caused the larger carrier to crash into the array. (VOY: "Caretaker") Tom Paris would later recall that the vessel was "armed to the teeth." (VOY: "The Voyager Conspiracy")

In early 2372, a second Ogla carrier captured a Federation shuttlecraft and later destroyed it. (VOY: "Initiations")

In late 2372, First Maje Culluh of the Kazon-Nistrim gathered a fleet of eight carriers to mount an attack against the Voyager. Their attack formation was in a classic Cardassian echelon.

Voyager was able to divert four of the vessels from the fleet, leaving them to face four ships on their own. They were able to destroy one of the carriers with three photon torpedoes, however, this was not enough of a deterrent, and the combined weapons' fire of the three remaining carriers managed to overwhelm the severely damaged Voyager's shields and allow Nistrim troops to board and capture the Starfleet vessel. (VOY: "Basics, Part I")

A vessel of this class later appeared in the TCARS display aboard the USS Relativity during the 29th century. (VOY: "Relativity")

Appendices

Appearances

• VOY:
  • "Caretaker"
  • "Initiations"
  • "Alliances"
  • "Basics, Part I"
  • "Unity" (flashback sequence)
  • "Relativity" (flashback sequence/Star Trek Encyclopedia variation display graphics)

Background

Star Trek Encyclopedia variation. (center)

This class of vessel is often believed to be the Predator-class, however, this has not been confirmed on screen. The most recent edition of the Star Trek Encyclopedia featured an inaccurate representation of this class vessel, which it described as the aforementioned Predator-class. Although this image was inaccurate and technically non-canon at the time of publication, it would later be "made canon" in the TCARS display in "Relativity

Studio model

Design by Dan Curry as originally conceived.

The model at auction.

The Kazon carrier vessel was a design by Dan Curry. At the time, the production team of Star Trek was spread thin as several productions were in various stages of development (Star Trek Generations, TNG: "All Good Things...", DS9: "The Jem'Hadar" and VOY: "Caretaker" as well as the documentary Journey's End: The Saga of Star Trek: The Next Generation). The regular design team for Voyager had their hands full hammering out the details for the USS Voyager and the Caretaker's array as was related in the book A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager. To ease the workload, Curry, whose regular function was that of Effects Supervisor, pitched in by tackling the Kazon ships, wanting to imbue the ships with that culture's "rough, low-tech retro" look. (Star Trek: Communicator, Issue 105, p.59) For the same reason the build of the models, once the design was approved, was sub-contracted out to an outside vendor, WonderWorks Inc., who delivered the models as per specification.[1]. Unlike with its contemporary companion fighter design, no need was ever perceived to modify the carrier vessel model.

Bauers' enlarged forward section.

A relatively small model, when delivered, it was not up to the task of the close-up of Chakotay's suicide run with the Val Jean in the next to last act of VOY: "Caretaker", so a larger partial model was needed. As Dan Curry remembered, "Joe built the big foreground (kamikaze) miniature of the Kazon ship; David just did endless hours supervising motion control...and everybody really did a magnificent job." (Star Trek: Communicator, issue 105, p.59) Joe was Joe Bauer, who actually built the enlarged forward section and David was David Stipes, who had to composite all the footage shot. The whole sequence was discussed by Curry in the VOY Season 1 DVD ( Red Alert: Visual Effects Season One special, disc 7).

As the role of the Kazon as main antagonists was played out early on in the series, no CGI version of the design was ever produced, the two later appearances being either stock footage or a LCAR display.

The physical model, with the cockpit module and measuring 31"×8", known as Lot#352 and estimated at $2,000 – $3,000 was sold on 6 October 2006 in the 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection auction, with a winning bid of US$3,500 (US$4,200 including buyer's premium).

External link

• Star Trek Ships: Expanded - Kazon at The STArchive