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The USS Lakota (NCC-42768) was a 24th century Federation Excelsior-class starship operated by Starfleet.

History[]

In 2372, the Lakota ferried Captain Benjamin Sisko, Jake Sisko, and Odo from Deep Space 9 to Earth following the bombing of the Antwerp Conference.

USS Lakota fired on by the Defiant

USS Defiant attacks the Lakota

As part of Admiral Leyton's attempted coup d'état, the Lakota served to coordinate and deploy Starfleet Security forces on Earth during the period of martial law and received a refit that included upgraded phasers and a supply of quantum torpedoes. (DS9: "Homefront") The ship also was used to provide equipment to the Red Squad team to carry out the disruption of Earth's power relay network and transported them to the Division of Planetary Operations. (DS9: "Paradise Lost")

During the climax of the coup, the Lakota, under the command of the newly transferred Captain Benteen, intercepted the USS Defiant to prevent the strengthening of anti-coup elements under Sisko. The resulting engagement was indecisive with both vessels reluctant to do more than attempt to disable the other.

When Leyton revised his orders and commanded the Lakota to destroy the Defiant, with quantum torpedoes, if necessary, Benteen refused and instead stood down her ship and escorted the Defiant to Earth. (DS9: "Paradise Lost")

Personnel[]

Appendices[]

Background information[]

Named for the Native American tribe and an impressive peak in South Dakota near the city of Hermosa, the Lakota was a re-use of the adapted USS Excelsior studio model of the USS Enterprise-B from Star Trek Generations. (Star Trek Encyclopedia (4th ed., vol. 1, p. 452); (AOL chat, 1998)) Its appearance as the Lakota marked the last of many uses of the model. For more information on the model see here.

Benteen's captaincy of the Lakota was an in-joke by Ira Steven Behr; there was a Frederick Benteen who was in command of a 7th Cavalry battalion under the command of Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer when Custer and his battalion of men were decimated by Lakota Sioux at the Battle of the Little Big Horn. (AOL chat, 1998)

The original Excelsior model was still marked with the Lakota's name and registry number when it was sold as Lot #998 at Christie's 40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection auction on 7 October 2006 for US$132,000 including the buyer's premium (the winning bid was US$110,000).

The model is now part of ScienceFictionArchives.com collections. [1]

Apocrypha[]

The Lakota was depicted as still being in service in 2409 in Star Trek Online. She is one of several starships seen in orbit near the Spacedock One. She appeared in two missions, "Under the Cover of Night" and "War Games", but both missions have since been removed from the game.

In the short story "Gods, Fate, and Fractals" from the anthology book Strange New Worlds II, Wesley Crusher created an alternate timeline in which the Maquis never existed. Because of this, Chakotay did not resign his Starfleet commission and would end up serving as the first officer of the Lakota in 2373.

External links[]

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