U.S.S. Ark Royal, Ranger class carrier:

U.S.S. Ark Royal, NCC 2202, was launched back in 2290, from Utopia Planitia Orbital Fleet Yards. The current commanding officer of the Ark Royal is Commodore Marcus Walker.

Stardate 11397.5, U.S.S. Ark Royal, location: Beta Quadrant, near the Neutral Zone.

Captain's log U.S.S. Ark Royal. We are currently patrolling for Orion or rogue Klingon activity. We are currently in the company of starships Javelin, Merlin, Argyll, Valiant, Unicorn and the Ark's half-sister, U.S.S. Bennington, Space Control Ship NCC 2251. This small squadron of starships has been assigned by Starfleet to keep the peace in this corner of the quadrant. I am pleased to report that the locals have been smart enough to take the hint. Flying the Flag may not be the most exciting mission, but it all depends on whether the pirates are sneaky enough to avoid the myriad of sensor nets that are deployed to find them. Gamma Flight managed to find themselves an Orion Light Cruiser which they managed to keep distracted just long enough for the rest of the fleet to arrive. The cuiser self-destructed before they could face the humiliation of being taken alive. I understand that the Orion Syndicates look darkly on those who fail and live to experience this failure.

The Ark Royal is the second of six starships originally ordered by Starfleet to take on the increasing Klingon threat in the 2280s. The ships lay half-completed until the early 2290s when they were named and launched in quick succession in order to take part in the Tabula Rasa campaign. Each carrier contains four fighter squadron - Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta - which can be utilised in many roles, most commonly to patrol a designated area looking for a specified item or phenomenon. Since the advent of the Khitomer Accords, the Ranger class carriers have been deployed to seek out the rising threat from the Orion Pirate fleet and the rogue Klingon elements intent on attacking Federation assets in order to wreck any chance of peace.

The Ranger class carriers:

NCC 2201 U.S.S. Ranger

NCC 2202 U.S.S. Ark Royal

NCC 2203 U.S.S. Illustrious

NCC 2204 U.S.S. Boxer

NCC 2205 U.S.S. Victorious

NCC 2206 U.S.S. Ticonderoga

Author's Notes:

U.S.S. Ark Royal is named for what is, arguably, the most famous of all Royal Navy ships. The most famous of the Ark's is a contest between Ark III of World War 2, which chased after the Bismarck before being torpedoed off Gibraltar - and the other famous Ark Royal, number 4 of the 5 so far. Ark Royal IV was made famous on BBC-TV in the 1976 series 'Sailor'. The current Ark Royal [Invincible class] has just finished an extensive refit and is ready for business once more.

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