USS Rhode Island

The USS Rhode Island (NCC-72701) is the lead vessel in the Rhode Island refit line of the Nova class and is commanded by Captain Harry Kim, the former operations officer onboard the USS Voyager during it's journey across the Delta Quadrent. In 2410, the Rhode Island would be called to join Operation Delta Rising, acting as one of the task force's spearheads. As Captain Kim was one of the few officers in the fleet to have direct experience with the region of space, he was deemed invalueable for the operation's success and was eager to join to expedition. Upon arriving to the Delta Quadrent, the Rhode Island discovered that among the races the re-emegered Vauudwaar were attacking included the Kobali, a species that Voyager had previously encountered that has a unique if unsettling method of reproduction whereby they collect dead members of other races and through advanced medical technology only they posess, transform and revive them as Kobali. One of Voyager's original crewmembers from it's earlier seven journey across the quadrent, Ensign Lyndsay Ballard, had perished in 2374 from an alien attack and was buried in space had been revived by the Kobali and attempted to return to Voyager in 2376, but due to difficulties re-integratting with her former identity and increasing tensions with the Kobali who wished to see her return and were prepared to take her by force from Voyager, Ballard choose to leave her former ship and return to the Kobali. As Ballard had been a close friend of Kim's on Voyager and for his familarity with the Kobali species, Starfleet Command believed that Kim was the best choice to open a formal dialogue, hoping to contact Ballard speciifcally in the belief that she could serve as a bridge to build relations with. As such, the Rhode Island was sent to the Kobali's capital world, Kobali Prime, to assess the situation regarding opening diplomatic ties and the assault the Vauudwaar were enacting against them. Upon arriving, while the Rhode Island's found Kobali Prime under intense assault. Kim attempted to mediate between the Kobali and the Vaaudwaur but could persuade the lattar to end their attack, with the Vaaudwar even attempting to destroy the Rhode Island. As it was becoming clear that the Vaaudwaur were waging war against the entire quadrent and had no intention of stopping, Starfleet Command felt that aiding those they victim