USS Adelphi

The USS Adelphi.
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The USS Adelphi was a 24^th century Ambassador-class starship owned by the United Federation of Planetsand operated by Starfleet.

At some point between 2357 and 2366, while under the command of Captain Darson, the Adelphi was assigned to a first contact mission to the planet Ghorusda. The mission was centered around civilian specialist Tam Elbrun, an unusually talented Betazoid telepath, who joined the mission to facilitate contact with the culturally complex Ghorusdans. The situation was considered extremely delicate and volatile, and due to a misunderstanding, a conflict broke out.

In the incident, later known as the Ghorusda Disaster, forty-seven Adelphi crewmembers were killed, including Captain Darson. Later, a Starfleet Board of inquiry blamed Darson for "carelessness" concerning Ghorusdan cultural taboos. (TNG: "Tin Man")

In 2371 the Adelphi began a four-year, deep-space exploration mission into the far reaches of the Beta Quadrant. Given the time it launched, the Adelphi and her crewed missed the majority of Dominion War despite the desire of many members of her crew to return and help. Nevertheless, Starfleet ordered the Adelphi to continue on its mission. When the Adelphi returned to Earth in 2375, the war was in its final year and the Adelphi was placed in dry dock for a much needed retrofit after her long journey. While the Adelphi was in dry dock, most of the crew was assigned to different ships.

Ensign T'Less of Vulcan was assigned to the Adelphi as an astrophysicist in the ship’s Science Department. During her term aboard the Adelphi she was promoted twice, and had attained the rank of lieutenant by the time she left the Adelphi in 2375.

(The Adelphi was classified as an Ambassador-class heavy cruiser with the registry NCC-26849 in an internal list of starships, dated September 26, 1990. (1) This information about the ship would later appear in the Star Trek Encyclopedia (4th ed., vol. 1, p. 10).

The Adelphi was also listed as an Ambassador-class vessel in the Decipher role-playing game supplement Starships.)