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"…a three hour tour, a three hour tour."
Ship's motto, 22519.5 ("Night Terrors")

The USS Brattain (NCC-21166) was a 24th century Federation Miranda-class starship operated by Starfleet.

On stardate 22519.5, the Brattain, which had been constructed by the Yoyodyne Division, was commissioned at the 40 Eridani A Starfleet Construction Yards.

During the mid-2360s, this science vessel had a crew complement of thirty-five, among which included Captain Chantal Zaheva, her first officer Commander Brink, and Betazoid scientific advisor Andrus Hagan.

In mid-2367, the Brattain was trapped in a Tyken's Rift near an uncharted binary star system, when it sent a distress call. Its effects rendered the engines inoperative and its power levels slowly dropped. In the next few weeks, the crew became unable to operate the ship and eventually died under circumstances of violent suicides and homicides, determined to be caused by severe REM deprivation. This left the ship adrift.

USS Brattain MSD

Master systems display.

The ship was re-discovered by the USS Enterprise-D, on stardate 44631.2, following Starfleet's receipt of its call and subsequent silence. The Enterprise crew boarded and found the engines inoperative. Wary of what had occurred, they removed the bodies of the crew, which would later factor into the vivid hallucinations of the Enterprise's doctor, Beverly Crusher. Other personnel experienced similar symptoms, and eventually deduced the fate of the Brittain's ill-fated complement.

Attempting to tow the ship, the Enterprise crew found itself trapped by the same mechanism of the Rift. However, they learned of an alien ship that was trapped alongside them and, through cryptic psychic communications with the Enterprise's counselor, Deanna Troi, the two crews managed to collaborate and free themselves from the rift.

When last seen, the Brattain was still trapped within the Rift. (TNG: "Night Terrors")

Personnel[]

Appendices[]

Background information[]

USS Brittain, studio model

Studio model of the Brattain

Zaheva's log entries

Captain Zaheva's log entries

The Brattain was named after physicist Walter Houser Brattain, one of the inventors of the transistor. [1] The name was mistakenly spelled "Brittain" on the studio model. (Star Trek Encyclopedia, 4th ed., vol. 1, p. 101) The correct spelling, "Brattain", was legible on several display graphics seen in the episode. It was also the spelling used in the script. [2]

The Brattain was a re-use of the USS Reliant studio model from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, with minor modifications. (Star Trek Encyclopedia, 4th ed., vol. 1, p. 101).

The commissioning data and motto were derived from the ship's dedication plaque; the motto was an in-joke reference to the opening lyrics of the 1960s TV show Gilligan's Island.

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