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The D'Kora-class Marauder was a type of advanced starship utilized by the Ferengi Alliance during the 24th century. (TNG: "Force of Nature"; VOY: "Inside Man")

This class of vessel was referred to by the Federation as a "warship", and in the same instance, as an "attack vessel" by the Ferengi themselves. (TNG: "Peak Performance") This class was also later identified as a "trader" or "transport ship]". (TNG: "Force of Nature")

Technical data

During the early 2360s, Starfleet had no specific data on the design of the vessel, and at the time of first contact, possessed the general knowledge that Ferengi technology was estimated to be generally equal, but not identical, to Federation technology. Upon first view of this class vessel in 2364, Jean-Luc Picard described it as a "very impressive design." (TNG: "The Last Outpost")

The D'Kora-class was described by Geordi La Forge as being "almost as fast" as a Galaxy-class Federation starship. (TNG: "Ménage à Troi")

Overall, the class was shorter in length than a Galaxy-class. (TNG: "The Last Outpost")

Tactical systems

The D'Kora-class Marauder was equipped with a variety of directed energy weapons, possessing placements for weapon ports at the "claws", positioned on the port and starboard sides, and a torpedo launcher located at the peak of the ship's primary hull. (TNG: "The Last Outpost", "Peak Performance", "Force of Nature") This class of vessel was also equipped with a forward missile launcher. (TNG: "The Price")


D'Kora class, electromagnetic pulse

Firing an electromagnetic pulse

In addition, the D'Kora-class was equipped with a form of energy weapon emitted from the aft of the ship, detectable by a marked power surge prior to discharge. The resulting electromagnetic pulse was capable of weakening the deflector shield power of a Galaxy-class starship, as well as the capability of depleting the fusion generator and batteries by as much as thirty percent in a single discharge. (TNG: "The Last Outpost")

The script described the weapon as a "crackling pulse attack", explaining the effects of this unnamed weapon-type as "an electric-wave arc [that] ripples out and back from the trailing sides. It is something like a space-borne stingray." Aside from the script, the only other clues describing this weapon include a notation in the Star Trek Encyclopedia, which described it as a "powerful plasma energy burst," and the various Star Trek writer's guides, which state a similar description, describing "a very powerful energy/wave weapon."
D'Kora class, surrender posture

With extended "neck", revealing weapon ports

In cases where a D'Kora's DaiMon was forced to surrender, the ship would extend its "neck", and open the ship's weapon ports to expose the ship's sensitive areas. This posture was also sometimes viewed as a preparation to attack. (TNG: "The Last Outpost")

The script described this process of the ship going into this posture as, "the snake head-like prow's pushing out from the ship body," and "the Ferengi ship now extends gun-like arms from either side of the prow." This posture was only shown in "The Last Outpost" during the Ferengi surrender.

Auxiliary vessels

D'Kora class, shuttle

Integrated shuttle

At least one D'Kora-class vessel was equipped with an embedded auxiliary vessel, the capabilities of which are unknown. (TNG: "The Last Outpost")

As in the cases of the AeroWing or the Calypso, both in concept and practice, an unseen element in the D'Kora-class design was an integrated auxiliary craft designed to drop down from the bottom of the ship's neck. The outline of the shuttle appearing on the belly of the Marauder, which can be seen (shown right) as having a swept-forward wing, was the farthest that this design was taken by the production team. [1]

Ships commissioned

Named
Unnamed

Appendices

Appearances

Background information

D'Kora class, LCARS-IM

Display graphic depicting both designations

The term "D'Kora-class" was first associated with this Ferengi starship class in "Force of Nature", and again in display graphics appearing in the two above referenced Voyager episodes. With exception to Nog's reference to Marauder-class attack cruisers in "Little Green Men", the only reference to this design being referred to as a "Marauder" (outside of the Star Trek Encyclopedia (4th ed., vol. 1, p. 266)) was in a display graphic appearing in "Inside Man" (shown right).

Studio model

See: D'Kora-class model

Apocrypha

The D'Kora-class has made appearances in several video games including Star Trek: The Next Generation - Echoes from the Past, Star Trek: The Next Generation - Birth of the Federation, Star Trek: Armada, Star Trek: Armada II, Star Trek: Bridge Commander, and Star Trek Online.

External link

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