| |
| Type: | Heavy penetrator |
| Length: | 100 meters (approximate) |
| Beam: | 30 meters (approximate) |
| Draft: | 15 meters (approximate) |
| Mass: | Unknown |
| Crew: | None |
| Speed: | Warp 9 |
| Armaments: | 1,000 kilogram antimatter warhead; 6+ disruptors; plasma spread; quantum torpedoes |
| Defenses: | Deflector shields |
Dreadnought, also known as missile ATR-4107, was an automated Cardassian weapon capable of unleashing massive destruction. Although officially referred to as a missile, it can also be considered a completely autonomous warship in its own right. It was a warp-capable vessel carrying 1,000 kilograms of matter and 1,000 kilograms of antimatter — enough to destroy a small moon. The missile also carried a large cache of conventional weaponry, including disruptors, prototype quantum torpedoes, and a plasma spread. On board was a sophisticated computer system that could predict and counter hostile actions.
In late 2370, the Cardassians deployed the missile to destroy a Maquis munitions base on the asteroid Alpha 441 in the Demilitarized Zone. Although the Maquis threw every weapon available at the missile, it proved unstoppable due to the combined benefits of its strong defenses and its advanced computer. However, the missile failed to detonate upon reaching its target — the Cardassians had used an old-fashioned kinetic detonator in the design, which malfunctioned; the missile simply drifted into orbit around the planetoid instead of destroying it.
There, Maquis member B'Elanna Torres managed to board the weapon, and spent nearly a month reprogramming its computer and upgrading its systems. She completely reprogrammed the computer to work for the Maquis, and changed its vocal subroutines so that the computer sounded like her.
- She claimed that she had gotten sick of listening to the "ugly" male Cardassian computer voice.
Once she was completed with refitting and upgrading Dreadnought , Torres' nickname for the missile, she sent it,without authorization from Chakotay, her leader, to attack the Cardassian fuel station on Aschelan V. However, the missile's evasive attack route took it through the Badlands, and it inexplicably disappeared.
It was not realized until nearly two years later that Dreadnought had been abducted by the Caretaker and whisked away to the Delta Quadrant by the advanced entity. The missile drifted on a rough course back towards the Alpha Quadrant, but it had suffered some sort of damage to its computer and sensor systems that altered the way it perceived potential targets. It attacked and destroyed an unarmed transport before locking on to the nearby planet of Rakosa V, an inhabited world.
Lt. B'Elanna Torres onboard the Dreadnought, in 2372
Fortunately, the USS Voyager was nearby, having also been abducted by the Caretaker the year before, and B'Elanna Torres was on board. She used her familiarity with the missile's systems to board the weapon and instruct it to deactivate. Torres then returned to Voyager, and the crew made plans to dismantle the weapon and salvage its parts.
However, Dreadnought's computer had other plans. Back in the Alpha Quadrant, Torres had programmed the computer with 37 different possible security breaches, including the possibility that Torres herself was coerced into cooperating with either the Cardassians or the Federation and attempting to stop the missile from attacking its target. The computer accused Torres of collaborating with the Cardassians.
- On Voyager's bridge, Tom Paris commented: "When a bomb starts talking about itself in the third person, I get worried."
Dreadnought attacks the Rakosan defensive fleet.
As the missile approached Rakosa V, it was confronted by a small fleet of fifteen defensive fighters; even with the Rakosans receiving support from Voyager, they were vastly outgunned and quickly forced to withdraw. However, Torres used the diversion to activate the latent Cardassian computer programming, which attempted to retake control of the missile. Torres' Maquis program initiated countermeasures, attempting to wipe out the attacking "virus". Torres then took the opportunity to work her way into the missile's warp core, where she used her phaser to burn her way through the reactor core's shielding. Torres herself was beamed out at the last second, as the missile exploded in orbit of Rakosa. (VOY: "Dreadnought")
- The Dreadnought missile model was designed by Rick Sternbach.
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