Starbase 6

Summary
Starbase 6 is a Federation outpost, operated by Starfleet, at the edge of the Narendra Sector, on the precipice of the Shackleton Expanse. Since its refit in 2371 the station has served as Task Force 11’s forward exploration bases and refuelling depot – alongside sister-station Starbase 152 - for the exploration of the area.

The station is an adaption of an earlier design, dating back to the 2260s, and has been heavily modified since, to reflect its changed mission parameters. Although by 2379, due to fast technological advances, brought on by the Borg attack and the Dominion War, the Anchorite Class starbase was already, once more, considered widely outdated.

2262 – 2365
For this time-frame please refer to the official Starfleet Database Entry.

2365 – 2371
Some time after the last visit of the USS Enterprise-D, Starbase 6 fell somewhat into disarray – due to it’s remote location and lack of a proper mission plan for the area – and by 2368 it was entirely abandoned, armed with an automatic defense grid and locked down to prevent occupation.

In the following years there were two registered boarding attempts by unidentified rogue parties and one gamma ray burst that partially damaged the station’s auxiliary energy grid. Due to being equipped with self-sustaining processing components, running a semi-AI program adaption of standard OS, to this day Starbase 6 retains a somewhat more autonomous computer system, even after Starfleet returned by 2374.

2371 – 2374
When Task Force 11 arrived back in the Narendra Sector, 6 years after the last visit by a Federation vessel, they initially constructed three new stations along the borders of Klingon and Romulan space, to keep their backs clear. This included their new forward operations station and headquarters: Starbase 364. The following year a group of ships would make their way far out to Starbase 6 and its refit and repairs started soon thereafter.

Stripping away most of its damaged outer hull components, down to the structural framework, the station has retained most of it’s original interior spaces, but has gotten a comparably different exterior look, with many elements remaining exposed to space. Interior hangars were deemed outdated and unnecessary for its mission profile, so the final structure had about 60% less volume than the original station, with docking purely external.

By the end of 2372 the station was fully operational and started service as a relay and refueling station for the intended exploration of the Shackleton Expanse. At one time housing a complement of almost two-thousand crew from four ships. Including its own skeleton crew that was greatly reduced to the station’s self-sustaining systems and maintenance.

Then came the Dominion war and all supply routes to the Narendra sector were cut as the Klingons closed their transit route.

2374 – 2379
As the supplies steadily dried up and it became clear that no quick resoution of their isolation was in sight, Starbase 6 was one of the bases that was able to deal best with the lack in resources and spare parts, as it had been overhauled to be self-sustaining. As a matter of fact, the crews on it probably had it the easiest of all Starfleet personnel stranded in the area, as they did not have to scramble for replacement parts and resources throughout. For comparison, the much larger Starbase 364 ran out of equipment and vital supplies within two months of being separated from Federation space.

That created somewhat of a disparity among the bases in the sector and by 2375 its commander had essential fortified their position, disconnecting him and his crew from the rest of the Task Force under Commodore Wells, who was growing increasingly desperate. There has been at least one skirmish between base defenses and ships from the rest of the sector fleet, which they withstood easily by the time resources for everyone else, and their ships, had already ran thin. That put them in a position to hold out until Starfleet would return.

2379 – XXXX
Thus, Starbase 6 was one of the first stations to welcome back the new Task Force 11 under Admiral Silva, offering their allegiance via subspace. And by the latter part of 2379 they had quickly been resupplied and once again began service as a relay and refueling post for the planned exploration of the expanse. Only this time it looked like it was actually going to happen.