Marc Class VIII/IX Passenger Liner

design by John A. Theisen

NOTES:
The Marc class was designed as much for comfort as for performance. In fact, they are still considered to be among the most luxurious passenger starships in the UFP.

Ships of the Marc class are named after famous Terran artists, and each ship has its own gallery and unique interior furnishings that reflect the Terran era in which each artist lived. Some starships, most notably the SS Currier & Ives and SS Rembrandt van Rijn, even carry authentic furnishings from several centuries past. Whenever possible, original pieces of art or detailed holograms by the vessel’s namesake are displayed in the starship’s fully equipped gallery for the passengers’ enjoyment. Many of the passengers· staterooms have also been decorated with painstaking detail, providing much in the way of comfort and artistic opulence.

When first designed, the Marc was to be equipped with FWE-1 warp engines, but the introduction of the FWE-2 predated the first hull completion by only a few months. Engineers and architects made hasty, but successful, control circuit modifications as they chose to use the newer propulsion unit.

The Mk II, introduced in 2271, has slightly smaller passenger staterooms, but this minor inconvenience is made up by extensive computer terminal facilities available for every shipboard guest. The increased computer demand was compensated for by upgrading to the M-3 computer, an improvement in data capacity made solely for the passengers benefits.

The use of the FWE-2 warp engines in the new hull configuration also improved the ship’s overall performance and maneuverability, making the Marc Mk II one of the fastest passenger liners in the UFP. Other shipboard systems were also enhanced, with the new FIF-2 impulse engine and the more powerful and efficient FSF shield generator. The former increased available power by 40 percent, while the binary transducer provided extra defensive protection.

Powerful shields have proven to be important because ships of the Marc class are frequent visitors to the Triangle. During two separate visits to the region, the SS de Viaminck and the SS Archipenko have been threatened by commerce raiding vessels. In both cases, the attackers opened fire, but the liners were able to get away without damage. Only the ship’s ample shielding and high warp speed resulted in unsuccessful piracy attempts.

The shuttle bay regularly carries two standard S-3 shuttlecraft, one S-4 aqua shuttle (capacity: one crew and five passengers), and two S-6 passenger shuttlecraft (capacity: two crew and 21 passengers). There is also enough room in the bay for approximately that many more shuttles. The aqua shuttle and passenger shuttles are often used for special tours or for transferring passengers to orbiting space stations (a more breathtaking voyage when seen through a shuttle viewport than via transporter).

Though luxurious in furnishings, the Marc is also known for its rugged superstructure design and overall reliability. Even the once-new FWE-2 rarely causes problems for the ship’s engineering staff. Also, the unusually high warp speed for a liner allows for quick itineraries, thus permitting the ship’s owners to transport more passengers (and bring in more credits) during a specific period of time.

The Marc class was constructed at the Sol III shipyard on an irregular schedule, but at an average of one per year. A total of 14 MK I and 5 Mk II liners are currently in commercial service, and six additional Mk IIs are under construction. As soon as these six are completed (by Stardate 2/2412), production is expected to cease. Also, due to the elaborate gallery facilities and hull structure, it is impossible to refit the Mk I liner to Mk II capabilities. Nevertheless, both are expected to see service within the Federation and neighboring areas for at least two more decades.