Changes: USS Melbourne

Revision as of 15:58, 11 September 2008

The USS Melbourne (NCC-62043) was an Template:ShipClass Federation starship that was in service during the mid-24th century.

The Melbourne was one of three ships docked at Starbase 74 during the USS Enterprise-D's upgrade there in 2364. When the Enterprise was hijacked by a group of Bynars, the Melbourne was unable to pursue due to her repair status. The station's CO, Orfil Quinteros, initiated a rush repair schedule to get the vessel ready for pursuit, but the situation was resolved before the Melbourne was flight-ready. (TNG: "11001001")

In late 2366, William Riker was offered the command of the Melbourne. While Jean-Luc Picard described her as "a fine ship," Riker decided not to pursue the commission at that time, choosing instead to remain aboard the Enterprise-D. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds")

Borg cube destroys the Melbourne — *Melbourne* destroyed by the Borg cube.

Soon after, the Melbourne formed part of the forty-strong Federation task force that stood against an invading Borg cube at the Battle of Wolf 359, and was destroyed in the battle. Lieutenant Gregory Bergan was among the Melbourne's crew at that time. (DS9: "Emissary"; VOY: "Unity", "Infinite Regress")

When the Enterprise-D arrived in the system a few hours later, the wreck of the Melbourne was one of the vessels recognized by Commander Shelby. (TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II")

Appendices

Background

According to the Star Trek Encyclopedia, the Melbourne was named after "the Australian city."

While on-screen evidence provides us with a full-on glimpse of the Excelsior-class Melbourne in action, the Star Trek Encyclopedia later revealed that "there were actually two Starships Melbourne [...] the first was a Template:ShipClass model, barely glimpsed as a wrecked hulk in the spaceship graveyard from "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II" (TNG). When the scene was redone three years later in "Emissary" (DS9), a decision was made to instead use the more detailed USS Excelsior model originally built for Star Trek III. Both models were given the same Starfleet registry number but since the Excelsior version was seen fairly clearly on screen, and the Nebula version was not seen well, we now assume that the Melbourne "really" was an Excelsior-class ship."

In a later interview, Michael Okuda revealed that "Ed [Miarecki] made us two nearly-identical Melbourne models. I destroyed one of them to create a battle-damaged ship for BOBW2. Rick Sternbach helped with the battle damage, too. And Greg Jein contributed quite a bit of wreckage as well. The other Nebula model ended up on one of the side tables in Sisko's office in DS9. I think it was labeled "Melbourne", too." [1]

Appearances of the inital model were featured as the wreckage that appeared at Wolf 359 in "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II", at the Surplus Depot Z15 in "Unification II", and again in Wolf 359 in "Emissary". The second Nebula-class model was seen as a desktop display in "Future Imperfect" and "The Wounded". It later appeared as a desktop display in several Deep Space 9 episodes, most prominently in "The Way of the Warrior" and "'Til Death Do Us Part".

The registry of NCC-62043 is the highest seen to date on an Excelsior-class starship.

External links

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{sidebar starship|
-The '''USS ''Melbourne'' (NCC-62043)''' was a [[Federation]] [[starship]] in service during the mid-[[24th century]].
+         Image= Ussmelbourne.jpg
+|         Name= USS ''Melbourne''
+|        Class= {{ShipClass|Excelsior}}
+|        Affiliation= [[United Federation of Planets|Federation]]/[[Starfleet]]
+|        Status= Destroyed
+|        Datestatus= 2367
+}}
+The '''USS ''Melbourne'' (NCC-62043)''' was an {{ShipClass|Excelsior}} [[Federation]] [[starship]] that was in service during the mid-[[24th century]].
 The ''Melbourne'' was one of three ships docked at [[Starbase 74]] during the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}}'s [[refit|upgrade]] there in [[2364]]. When the ''Enterprise'' was hijacked by a group of [[Bynar]]s, the ''Melbourne'' was unable to pursue due to her repair status. The station's [[CO]], [[Orfil Quinteros]], initiated a rush repair schedule to get the vessel ready for pursuit, but the situation was resolved before the ''Melbourne'' was flight-ready. ({{TNG|11001001}})
@@ Line 5: / Line 14: @@
 In late [[2366]], [[William T. Riker|William Riker]] was offered the command of the ''Melbourne''. While [[Jean-Luc Picard]] described her as "a fine ship," Riker decided not to pursue the commission at that time, choosing instead to remain aboard the ''Enterprise''-D. ({{TNG|The Best of Both Worlds}})
+[[Image:Borg cube destroys the Melbourne.jpg|thumb|''Melbourne'' destroyed by the [[Borg cube]].]]
-Soon after, the ''Melbourne'' formed part of the forty-strong Federation [[task force]] that stood against an invading [[Borg cube]] at the [[Battle of Wolf 359]], and was destroyed in the battle. [[Lieutenant]] [[Gregory Bergan]] was among the ''Melbourne's'' crew at that time.  ({{DS9|Emissary}}; {{VOY|Infinite Regress}})
+Soon after, the ''Melbourne'' formed part of the forty-strong Federation [[task force]] that stood against an invading [[Borg cube]] at the [[Battle of Wolf 359]], and was destroyed in the battle. [[Lieutenant]] [[Gregory Bergan]] was among the ''Melbourne's'' crew at that time.  ({{DS9|Emissary}}; {{VOY|Unity|Infinite Regress}})
 When the ''Enterprise''-D arrived in the system a few hours later, the wreck of the  ''Melbourne'' was one of the vessels recognized by [[Commander]] [[Shelby]]. ({{TNG|The Best of Both Worlds, Part II}})
@@ Line 11: / Line 21: @@
 == Appendices ==
 === Background ===
-This starship may have been named after the city of {{w|Melbourne|Melbourne}}, [[Australia]] (which in turn was named after {{w|William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne|Lord Melbourne}}).
+According to the ''[[Star Trek Encyclopedia]]'', the ''Melbourne'' was named after "the {{w|Melbourne|Australian city}}."
+While on-screen evidence provides us with a full-on glimpse of the ''Excelsior''-class ''Melbourne'' in action, the ''Star Trek Encyclopedia'' later revealed that "''there were actually two Starships ''Melbourne'' [...] the first was a {{ShipClass|Nebula}} model, barely glimpsed as a wrecked hulk in the spaceship graveyard from "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II" (TNG). When the scene was redone three years later in "Emissary" (DS9), a decision was made to instead use the more detailed {{USS|Excelsior}} [[studio model|model]] originally built for ''[[Star Trek III: The Search for Spock|Star Trek III]]''. Both models were given the same Starfleet registry number but since the ''Excelsior'' version was seen fairly clearly on screen, and the ''Nebula'' version was not seen well, we now assume that the ''Melbourne'' "really" was an ''Excelsior''-class ship.''"
-The ''Melbourne'' originally appeared onscreen amidst the [[Wolf 359]] debris field in {{e|The Best of Both Worlds, Part II}} as a [[prototype]] {{ShipClass|Nebula}} model built by [[Ed Miarecki]]. Scenes featuring the wreckage were reused and adapted to serve as [[Surplus Depot Z15]] in {{e|Unification II}}. A second ''Nebula''-class model built by Miarecki, with the name and registry of the ''Melbourne'', was seen in {{e|Future Imperfect}} and {{e|The Wounded}}. The same model was seen on display in Sisko's office aboard Deep Space 9 on several occasions, most prominently in {{e|The Way of the Warrior}} and {{e|'Til Death Do Us Part}}.
+<gallery>
-When the battle scene was revisited in {{e|Emissary}}, the ''Melbourne'' was slated to be destroyed on camera. There was also a further verbal reference of the ''Melbourne'' in the script of "Emissary" that was cut from the final airing of the episode. The producers chose the more detailed {{ShipClass|Excelsior}} model to portray the ''Melbourne'' for that scene, and labeled it with the registry number used previously on the ''Nebula'' model. Its appearance in that episode was the only instance of the registry and name being clearly visible on-screen. As a result, the ''[[Star Trek Encyclopedia]]'' assumes the ''Melbourne'' was only ever an ''Excelsior''-class ship. Interestingly, the ''Nebula'' model also made an appearance in "Emissary", as part of the general battle debris.
-This is not the first time that two vessels with the same name and registry have been seen on screen, and it is unclear whether both vessels were serving at the same time with some speculative explanation as to their registries and/or status prior to Wolf 359. The previous time something similar was seen was the two {{ShipType|Antares}} grain ships seen in {{TAS|More Tribbles, More Troubles}}, which both carried an identical registry number of [[NCC-G1465]].  This shows that the situation where two vessels with the same name and registry are active at the same time is highly unusual, but not without precedent.
-The registry of NCC-62043 is the highest seen to date on an ''Excelsior''-class starship. Footage of the destruction of the ''Excelsior''-class ''Melbourne'' was reused in the "flashback" memory sequence in {{VOY|Unity}}.
-<gallery perrow=3 caption="The Two ''Melbourne''s">
-Image:USS Melbourne-dedication model.jpg|The ''Nebula''-class ''Melbourne'' dedication model in "Future Imperfect"
 Image:Ussmelbournewreakagebobw1.jpg|The first view of the ''Nebula''-class ''Melbourne'' in "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II"
 Image:Ussmelbournewreakagebobw.jpg|The second view of the ''Nebula''-class ''Melbourne'' in "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II"
 Image:Ussmelbournewreakageemissary.jpg|The ''Nebula''-class ''Melbourne'' in "Emissary"
-Image:Ussmelbourne.jpg|The ''Excelsior''-class ''Melbourne'' in "Emissary"
-Image:Borg cube destroys the Melbourne.jpg|Another view of ''Excelsior''-class ''Melbourne'' in "Emissary"
 </gallery>
+In a later interview, [[Michael Okuda]] revealed that "''[[Ed Miarecki|Ed [Miarecki]]] made us two nearly-identical Melbourne models. I destroyed one of them to create a battle-damaged ship for BOBW2. [[Rick Sternbach]] helped with the battle damage, too. And [[Greg Jein]] contributed quite a bit of wreckage as well. The other ''Nebula'' model ended up on one of the side tables in Sisko's office in DS9. I think it was labeled "Melbourne", too.''" [http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/articles/okuda359.htm]
+{| style="float:right;"
+|<gallery>
+Image:USS Melbourne-dedication model.jpg|Study model, {{e|Future Imperfect}}
+Image:Nebula class model DS9.jpg|Study model, ''[[Deep Space Nine]]''
+</gallery>
+|}
+Appearances of the inital model were featured as the wreckage that appeared at Wolf 359 in "The Best of Both Worlds, Part II", at the [[Surplus Depot Z15]] in {{e|Unification II}}, and again in Wolf 359 in "Emissary". The second ''Nebula''-class model was seen as a desktop display in {{e|Future Imperfect}} and {{e|The Wounded}}. It later appeared as a desktop display in several Deep Space 9 episodes, most prominently in {{e|The Way of the Warrior}} and {{e|'Til Death Do Us Part}}.
+The registry of NCC-62043 is the highest seen to date on an ''Excelsior''-class starship.
 === External links ===