USS Leningrad

The USS Leningrad
^{Image © Paramount}

The USS Leningrad was a 24^th century Federation Constellation class starship operated by Starfleet. The Leningrad was a sub-class of the Constellation-class of explorers and was involved in one of the very first battles of the Federation's war with the Cardassian Empire during the 2340's, 2350's and 2360's.

Marcus Alexander Slayton served aboard the Leningrad from 2355 until 2364 in the Tactical department under Lieutenant Commander Chu'lak. He not only spent his cadet cruise aboard, he was promoted to ensign and lieutenant (junior grade). Under the keen eye of Lieutenant Commander Chu'lak, Marcus quickly became a full fledged e Ensign and Chu'lak's right hand in the Leningrad’s Tactical Information Center or “TIC” aboard the ship and helped to save his ship time and time again, eventually by the time of the infamous Setlick III Massacare, Marcus was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade and was Chu'lak's Assistant Chief. Marcus was enjoying his time as an officer aboard the ship as he was a regular sight at the ship's “Texas Hold'em Night” and was involved in several “Dances” (unsanctioned boxing matches overseen by Captain Henry Gloval, the Leningrad’s commanding officer) and he was seeing an attractive young flight control officer by the name of Amy Chase when word came down that a Cardassian task force was heading to the Gamma Perseus sector to try and take it again for the Union and the Leningrad was one of fourteen ships assigned to keep that from happening.

The Second Battle for Asgard was a long and hard fought conflict which saw the deaths of Captain Gloval and Commander Redmon as well as Amy who was manning the helm when it blew up in her face. She was able to hold on long enough to die in sickbay with Marcus by her side during a lull in the battle, this event would shake Marcus to his core as he had seen people die around him but never someone as close to him as Amy had become.

Marcus soon found out that Cardassian troops had laid siege to his homeland and while his mother and the majority of his siblings got out alive, his sister Helena was missing and considered to be a prisoner of war which tore at Marcus. His father read him the riot act as his own command-the USS Exeter-had arrived only a couple of days behind the Leningrad and the Patriarch of the Slayton family laid the disappearance of his favorite daughter solely onto his eldest son.

For his actions during the war thus far, Marcus was promoted yet again-this time to full Lieutenant and was personally chosen by the newly minted Commander Chu'lak to follow him to his new command.

(It has not currently been revealed if the Leningrad was still serving in 2381.)