Deep Space Station K-7
From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference
Deep Space Station K-7 (NCC-K7) was a Starfleet built and civilian-run space station in service during the 2260s. Located within Federation space, K-7 sat near the border of the Klingon Empire, just 3.2 light years from the nearest Klingon outpost, and was at least two hundred light years from the Cardassian Union. The station was under the care of Mr. Lurry during the mid-2260s. (TOS: "The Trouble with Tribbles"; DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")
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[edit] History
In the year 2268, Jones introduced a litter of tribbles to K-7, which quickly grew into an infestation. (DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")
The infestation coincided with the arrival of Federation undersecretary Nilz Baris, who transported several tons of the grain quadrotriticale to K-7, intended for cultivation on Sherman's Planet. Unbeknownst to Federation officials, the grain had been poisoned by Klingon spy Arne Darvin, in collusion with the visiting crew of the IKS Gr'oth. It was not until hundreds of tribbles were found dead, gorged on the poisoned grain, that the contamination was revealed. (TOS: "The Trouble with Tribbles"; TAS: "More Tribbles, More Troubles")
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In the year 2373, an elderly Arne Darvin, traveled back to K-7 of the past, where he planted a tricobalt bomb, intended to kill Starfleet Captain James T. Kirk and prevent his own "dishonor". Darvin was ultimately caught by Captain Benjamin Sisko and the crew of the USS Defiant and returned to the 24th century. This incident caused some minor changes in the timeline to take place. In one instance, Miles O'Brien and Julian Bashir, disguised as members of Kirk's crew, became involved in a bar brawl between Klingons and Enterprise crewmembers. After the fight, Kirk lined up his officers for questioning. Prior to the temporal change, Freeman was questioned by Kirk, but the temporal incursion caused O'Brien to take his place.
[edit] Design
K-7 mainly consisted of storage areas and industrial fabrication facilities. Among the recreational areas available on the station, however, was a bar frequented by intergalactic trader Cyrano Jones.
During the late 2260s, the Class F shuttlecraft NCC-K7 and the Spacematic, Cyrano Jones' vessel, were stationed in K-7's shuttlebay. (DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations")
[edit] Station personnel
[edit] Background
There is no official class or type name for this type of station. The line from DS9: "Trials and Tribble-ations" "She was orbiting one of the old deep space stations..." could be interpreted that the station was of a Deep Space-type or -class. This space station design is the only one ever used in original version of The Original Series.
The space station was later seen in the original version of "The Ultimate Computer" as reused footage, presumably intended to be another space station. In the 2008 remastering of that episode, that station was retconned with an entirely new design and labeled as Starbase 6. It is therefore impossible to determine if the K-7 type of stations was also used in the mid-23rd century as the more general starbases referred to in the dialogue of several episodes.
The dimensions, crew complement and other facts about this type of space station are disputed. It would appear to be roughly the same size as, or slightly bigger, than a Constitution-class starship. It also appears to have docking bays, although it is unknown what the largest vessel is that it could accommodate.
[edit] Studio model
The K-7 was based on a model for a real-life space station/moon base proposed by Douglas Aircraft as early as 1960. Intended to be housed in the top stage of the Saturn 1B or Saturn V rocket, it was designed to deploy like an inflatable balloon and can be seen here and here.
In 1967 Gene Roddenberry acquired the Douglas Aircraft model. The Howard Anderson Company called Richard C. Datin, Jr. in to do modifications on the model for it to become K-7. As Datin recalls:"('...)I don't believe the revisions were based on any drawings, just following instructions given to me, I think by Jefferies. In other words, I had a more or less free hand in revising the model as long as it would stand up to the rigors of filming, be credible, and make any last alterations/additions to suit their needs. I haven't the remotest idea that any drawings existed...possibly a couple of hand-drawn sketches furnished by Matt may have been it."
On constructing the model:"I vaguely recall it was either an off-white, dull of course, or very similar to the light gray/green Enterprise color. The model was composed of a material very unfamiliar to me. In perspective, more distinct than other substances from those days, it was a strange material. It was soft, yet resilient, but a rubbery substance, more foam-like but dense enough to hold its shape an be worked satisfactorily by machines. Each of the components, or satellite sections, were cast in this material and the alterations consisted of replacing the existing rods that held them together with Plexiglas tubing to allow electrical wiring to pass through to each other. Looking at the parts purchased for the alteration job, it looks as though I added some dome-like Plexiglas pieces to the satellites-most likely to alter their appearance sufficiently from the original Douglas design." (Star Trek: Communicator, No.133, 2001, pages 49-50).
On operating the model (when mounted on a pipe from the bottom, serving as a center support and hiding the electrical wiring) on 1 and 5 september 1967:"(...)At Howard Anderson's, during filming, I sat under it and rotated it and turned lights on and off. Then I was matted out of the shot(...)"(Cinefantastique, Vol.27, No.11/12'page 68)
Datin modified the model from 19 to 29 august 1967 at a total cost of $688 (including fee for operating the model) and was proven to be his last involvement with Star Trek.
The markings on the model read "United Federation of Planets" on the main section, "K-A","K-B" and "K-C" on the cones of the three circular pods and "K-7" on the central cone.
The studio model built for The Original Series has been missing for decades, either lost or destroyed.
 Revised K-7, from DS9 |
 CGI K-7, from 2006 TOS |
In 1996, a new model was built by Greg Jein for use in DS9's tribute episode, "Trials and Tribble-ations". Built not from original blueprints, but from detail gleaned from watching the original show and by studying the few existing production photos and blow-ups from stills from the original episode, Jein recreated the station down to details that were never visible in that episode, like a cone-shaped structure on the back, a strobe light on the bottom, rotating pods and the block letters that read K-7. As effects supervisor Gary Hutzel recalls:"The model came over and it had these big block letters K-7 on top. It looked so goofy. It didn't look anything like the original. We powered it up, turned on the lights, and it looked exactly like the original. The big K-7 went away, because the windows hid it" (Cinefantastique, Vol.29, No.6/7, page 70). The model featured new elements, including the spacecraft in a detailed shuttlebay [1].
Yet another version of K-7, this time rendered digitally, was created for the 2006 "remastered" version of TOS: "The Trouble with Tribbles" at CBS Digital, supervised by Dave Rossi and Niel Wray.
[edit] Apocrypha
According to The Art of the Impossible by Keith R.A. DeCandido, the K-7 had fallen into disrepair by the 2340s and hadn't been upgraded or refitted in decades.
The K-7 station itself appeared in the video game Star Trek: Elite Force II set in the late 24th century. The station was also run down and owned by a Klingon named Lurok. Yet another K-7 type station appeared in a skirmish map on the video game Star Trek: Legacy, where it was simply labeled as a trading Station.
[edit] External Link
- Deep Space Station K-7 at Memory Beta, the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
