Spirit of Endurance

"'In all of the damned ships throughout the fleet, this ship, she's survived, prevailed, and endured hardships beyond all vessels. She hasn't just protected us, she's nurtured us, guided us. Can't you feel it? She's alive, every ship is.' ""- Admiral Hoshino (2552)"UEGA Spirit of Endurance - N7242C was a Endurance Class Heavy Destroyer in the '''Interstellar Navy Core. 'It was informally referred to as Endurance, ''it's abbreviated SoE. It's motto was "Firepower for Freedom" and was nicknamed "Black Dragon" two inspirations taken from the USS New Jersey a derelict Battleship from World War II. The ship had a design that many would often criticize, jokingly calling it a "battlestar rippoff".

The Spirit of Endurance had eight sister ships within the class, including the Spirit of Autumn, Intrepid, Excalibur, Galahad, Lancelot, and '''Lionel. '''However, by the end of her military carrier, she was the last Endurance Class vessel still in active combat, with her sister ships either being adopted into civilian roles, decommissioned, destroyed, or as military training vessels.

She had the nickname Black Dragon and "Ugly Duckling" later in her carrier.

Construction
N7242C was ordered on March 22, 2260 after the United Earth Military recognized the need for a professional military operated navy, which formed the '''Interstellar Naval Core. The highest bid went in to Azod Ship Builders who designed several crafts, they laid down her keel at Scorpion Fleet Ship Yard '''in orbit of Earth in 2261. It would take two years to complete her, while her sister ship the Resolve would be delayed for six months.

During her construction they used a mix of rivits, and welding to create a secure hull, while using a mixture of struts to give her double hull a honey comb-like design, allowing her to withstand an unusual amount of damage compared to other civilian crafts.

Her original Mark III FTL Drive was installed in November of 2263 and static fired on March 22, 2263.

The ship would get the clear for launch after rigorous inspections on April 1, 2263 where she would undergo several weeks of space-trials and a shake-down.

On May 15, 2263 she was commissioned and christened the Spirit of Endurance in honor of her name-sake, and given her first commander, and assignment: to squash the Red Faction in the Delphi System.

Early Carrier
The Spirit of Endurance would with her sister ship would attack the rebel-fleet in November of 2263, where together they would make serious damage to the enemy fleet. However, her sister ship the Resolve would suffer a catastrophic super-structure failure due to an FTL misfire during battle, with her crew being forced to evacuate to the '''Endurance. '''

During this time, she would stand her own, against a swarm of enemy ships, with severe damage being done to her primary hull, but would survive, with minimal damage to her secondary hull. However, her heat-dissipate paint would be lost, giving way to her black exterior, where those who saw the battle would give her the name the "black dragon" due to the explosions around her.

Following the battle she would be awarded a Gold Battle Star and a Merrit of Commendation award for her service during the first war ever fought in space. Informally she would keep the name "Black Dragon" even though formally her call name would be "Castle".

Over the next years she would serve keeping the peace until her first decommissioning in 2372.

Outer Colony Aggressions
The Spirit of Endurance would only be decommissioned for a year, before she was called to serve again, however because she was decommissioned during the middle of an overhaul it was easy to restore her to working condition.

During the Aggression's she would see heavy action on the outer-colonies, and would continue to remain in service for decades to come.

Second Decommissioning and Recommissioning
The Spirit of Endurance would again be decommissioned and recommissioned due to unique circumstances, and would continue to see heavy action throughout some of the heaviest fighting during the '''Second Frontier War. '''

The Long Haul
In 2490 the Spirit of Endurance would be decommissioned for what was presumed the last time after she blew out her "back" and was left to rot in orbit of Eridanus II, her last major battle. However, she saw use as a civilian defense battery for several decades.

During this time she successfully defended Eridanus II without moving, and continued to reign superior in combat. However, she was abandoned in 2532 after loss of atmosphere, with the ship being remotely moved back into orbit over the years.

It would be until 2550 that she would remain in orbit of Eridanus II, a rotting shell of it's former self. However, after the UEG was loosing the war against the ESU Admiral Hoshino would oversee her restoration, and recommissioning over two years. They would repaint her using her traditional "black dragon custom" and would restore her weapons to her original standings as well, but would salvage her "back" from her sister ship the Lionel which never left dry-dock after the class was cancelled.

However, the most difficult part would be finding a Type IV drive, as the Type V drives were already in mass-use. They would take a Type IV from the Savannah which donated it for the cause due to her own severe damage.

Final Years
In 2552 twenty seven years after being decommissioned and spending many years as a derelict station, she was launched, and recommissioned, and assigned a young commander, and her final mission. Together, she would join the 13th Fleet in orbit of Drexicon IX a refueling planet, which had been under constant risk of attack.

During the Battle of Drexicon IX she would become the lone survivor of the 13th Fleet due to a computer virus which had been sent out to all of the ships within the fleet, the only reason she survived was due to her antiquated systems, being non-networked. Soon, she was left behind enemy lines, being hunted for two years.

For two years she would suffer casualties and losses, but during her final battle the ship would sacrifice her own FTL drive in a last-ditch effort to destroy the enemy fleet. However, her mini-drive would only allow her to jump five light-years in a random direction, leaving her stranded after her "back" blew.

Adrift
For the next 14 years the ship would be a drift in space, and would be declared formally lost in 2556, but because no major wreckage wasn't found, she would not be struck from the registry. The crew would remain in statis until said recovery.

Recover and Decommission
In 2568 the crew would be recovered as well as the ship, she would be towed and repaired before being formally decommissioned a 50 foot section of her armor would be given to a war museum holding the name's of all the military losses. However, a 10 x 10 section would also be donated, holding the names of the crew who served her in the end.

She would be donated to a museum joining the Resolute as a ship dedicated to military travel. In that same year, she would be struck from the registry.

Legacy
The Spirit of Endurance would become a famous human ship, with several ships bearing her name. the Spirit of Endurance would go on to become the progenitor of the Spirit Class in the 2570's which would include her "daughter" ship the Spirit of Endurance - A in memory of her.