by Ron Swearingen
NOTES:
In 2284 when their Ambassador
to Earth informed the Klingon High Command that the Federation was working
on a transwarp project, the Klingons knew they were falling even farther
behind their enemies technologically. They had yet to catch up even to
the Enterprise Class and contemporaries of that vessel type. The L-20
and L-24 Battleships were a start, but they knew that they would never
be able to build those in numbers sufficient to keep up. If they could
not keep up with the Federation in technology, then perhaps they could
overwhelm them with numbers.
Plans
were underway to convert the G-8 transport to a warship. Relieved of her
cargo pod, the design was small and maneuverable. They were limited to
a Class VIII vessel in order to have their most efficient engines put
on it. The other limitation was the size of computer that could be deployed
on such a vehicle, the ZD-6.
Klingon
engineers took the wings from the G-8 and swept them back for maneuverability
and protection. The new configuration meant that the engines would not
have to pull the ship along. The wing supports were reinforced and the
engines moved slightly closer to the vessel. The powerful and fast KWC-3
engines were added along with the most powerful impulse engines in the
Klingon inventory, the KIF-2.
When
the D-25 was first deployed they were used as bait along the Romulan border
to draw in unsuspecting enemies that thought they were facing unescorted
G-8 transports. The Klingons even went as far as to attach detractible
pods to make it look like they were carrying goods. In all instances the
unwary attackers were dispatched before they could raise the alarm. The
ruse worked until a Romulan admiral in his V-30 Cruiser sent in his destroyer
escort ahead to disable the transports. He watched aghast as his escorts
were quickly and efficiently destroyed. The admiral was able to cloak
and escape. One of the continued benefits after the confrontation was
that existing G-8s could travel unescorted for a time along the Romulan
border.
The
class is named Swift Victor, translated from the Klingon Kl'val.
They are being constructed at a rate of approximately 35 per year with
a run of 300 expected.
