The Yridian starship was a starship type used by the Yridians during the late 24th century as a destroyer and a freighter.
In 2369, a destroyer intercepted Professor Galen's shuttlecraft and placed it in their tractor beam. The Yridians were interested in obtaining Galen's research regarding an ancient software program hidden within the DNA of several species, which they wished to sell to the Cardassian Union. The Yridians boarded the shuttle and stole several bits of information from his computer. The USS Enterprise-D intervened and ordered the destroyer to stand down. In response, the Yridians fired at the Enterprise, and was inadvertently destroyed when hit by a single phaser blast from the Enterprise. (TNG: "The Chase")
In a deleted scene, Data explains that the destroyer was overloading its power generators which, along with the phaser beam, caused the ship’s destruction. [1]
In 2370, a freighter commanded by Yog rendezvoused with a Klingon Bird-of-Prey controlled by the Duras sisters. The Klingons sold the Yridians several thousand kilograms of magnesite ore stolen from a Pakled mine in the Kalla system. The Enterprise-D, searching for the Duras, arrived in the middle of the transaction. Commander William T. Riker offered one-half gram of Anjoran bio-mimetic gel in exchange for the ore, which he then transported in front of the cloaked vessel and then detonated with the ship's phasers. The magnesite reflected off the Bird-of-Prey, allowing the Enterprise to lock onto the ship with a tractor beam. (TNG: "Firstborn")
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This unique studio model first appeared as a destroyer and was later used as a freighter. Unlike most other "alien of the week" studio models, this model would not be modified or re-used to represent starships from other species.
The Yridian destroyer was designed by Rick Sternbach, who recalled that it was constructed from "pretty much original pieces 'n' parts" and was not "kit-bashed" together from pre-existing model kits. He added, "I think one of my ILM pals did this one. My design objective was slightly dragonfly-ish." [2]
In the script from "The Chase", the "Yridian attack ship" was described as being "much smaller than the Enterprise-D, but wasp-like and deadly-looking." [3]
In addition to the information and descriptions above, the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, 2nd ed., p. 243 noted that this model was "build by John Goodson, moonlighting from his ILM job."