USS Pioneer (NCC-723912)

The USS Pioneer (NCC-723912) was an Independence-class Federation battleship, launched in 2597.

Beginnings
The Pioneer began construction in 2595 at the Archer IV shipyards, where it became the fourth Independence-class starship to be created. The Pioneer was launched and commissioned officially in 2597, and it was used for a number of scientific experiments.

Saer'nar Conflict
All this changed however in March 2598, when the Saer'nar attacked Earth. The Pioneer was one of the Federation ships present, and it ferried over 50,000 survivors to safety. During the trip however, it developed engine problems due to an experimental warp propulsion catalyst, which caused the ship to stop dead in space. Fortunately, the ship was towed all the way to Archer IV, where repairs were made.

In May 2598, the captaincy fell to Edward Mantree, who was as surprised as anyone to have gained the rank. (PIO: "On a Knife Edge")