Okay, this probably isn't the update you were all expecting but I have a feeling it will generate some interest regardless.
A while back, Darren Sexton, the originator of this project, asked me to do up some illustrations of some Avalon class sister ships for various Grandeur related literary projects he has going. These were to be variants of the Grandeur design with standard Starfleet commissions and various individual backstories.
The first of these was the U.S.S. Merlin, an Avalon class upgrade that was stolen out of drydock three days before its refit was completed and presumed lost. Years later it was discovered that Section 31 absconded with the Merlin and rechristened it the U.S.S. LaFay, NCC-90666. They heavily modified it with advanced technology, some of unknown alien origin, such as signal dampening fields, Borg-like cutting beams, a cloaking device, and a crew consisting almost entirely of holograms.
This is the first of three Avalon variants that I'll be posting over the next few days, and I should be back to some Grandeur updates around the first of the month.
if it was stolen and operating independantly as part of section 31 why does it have a starfleet registration? name change i can understand (though merlin would be a good name for a ship operating under section 31) but they would hardly give it an official registration
The name and registry were done that way purposefully as a mocking element in the upcoming Starship Grandeur story called, "Lo The Giant Has Fallen". In the plot of the story, the USS LeFay captain previously served as a Starfleet officer who was a Maquis informer for years. When a Starfleet task force, including the USS Avalon, put a grisly end to that uprising, it infuriated her and she vowed to get revenge one way or the other, eventually joining Section-31 to do that. LeFayCO_sm.jpg
Remembering the USS Avalon who killed many of her Maquis friends, and knowing the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, which the Avalon Class Starship Design Project was named for, she insisted that the name of her hijacked USS Merlin be changed to the USS LeFay. Morgan LeFay is the female relative in the old tale that is responsible for tricking Merlin (a reason she hijacked the Merlin) and eventually brought down Arthur Pendragon. In the story she initially ambushed the USS King Arthur and it just so happened that Grandeur and crew were in conference with the Arthur's captain at the time and unexpectantly got involved. The registry ending in 666 is just an additive by her to enhance the mystery and possible fear element that she wanted everyone she killed to die remembering.
On to the second Avalon class variant, the U.S.S. Guinevere, adorned with the teal livery of the Science and Exploration division. Based on the same spaceframe as the Grandeur but with a different main deflector assembly and bussard collectors, no Wyvern cannons on the bow, and numerous other differences.
why would section 31 take in someone in who wants to destroy the federation? section 31 is rather focused on defending the federation frankly from people like her? the only reason section 31 would sanction the destruction of a starfleet ship was if it had a greater purpose and caused the downfall of some alien threat not jsut as part of some random revenge agenda
section 31 is the tal shiar or obsidion order of the federation they are just better than both
And now we come to the last of the Avalon class variants, the U.S.S. King Arthur, bearing the blue and gold livery of the Scout/Reconnaissance division.
Posts
Or if you wanted a number, I'll guess 5 million.
Not bad at all given how much detail there is. Granted there are still details to add like windows, but it's so smooth and sexy.
A while back, Darren Sexton, the originator of this project, asked me to do up some illustrations of some Avalon class sister ships for various Grandeur related literary projects he has going. These were to be variants of the Grandeur design with standard Starfleet commissions and various individual backstories.
The first of these was the U.S.S. Merlin, an Avalon class upgrade that was stolen out of drydock three days before its refit was completed and presumed lost. Years later it was discovered that Section 31 absconded with the Merlin and rechristened it the U.S.S. LaFay, NCC-90666. They heavily modified it with advanced technology, some of unknown alien origin, such as signal dampening fields, Borg-like cutting beams, a cloaking device, and a crew consisting almost entirely of holograms.
This is the first of three Avalon variants that I'll be posting over the next few days, and I should be back to some Grandeur updates around the first of the month.
LeFayCO_sm.jpg
Remembering the USS Avalon who killed many of her Maquis friends, and knowing the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, which the Avalon Class Starship Design Project was named for, she insisted that the name of her hijacked USS Merlin be changed to the USS LeFay. Morgan LeFay is the female relative in the old tale that is responsible for tricking Merlin (a reason she hijacked the Merlin) and eventually brought down Arthur Pendragon. In the story she initially ambushed the USS King Arthur and it just so happened that Grandeur and crew were in conference with the Arthur's captain at the time and unexpectantly got involved. The registry ending in 666 is just an additive by her to enhance the mystery and possible fear element that she wanted everyone she killed to die remembering.
section 31 is the tal shiar or obsidion order of the federation they are just better than both