The Star Trek Online team has posted a new ship description on the game's official Web site, but this one's a little different than usual. While past ship updates have provided specifics about their capabilities, this one for the Type VII Commercial Laboratory vessel leaves out the specs since it's been "copied and modified by so many different races."

The Type VII is often used for scientific purposes, but captains can add additional weapons at the cost of limiting power for sensors and laboratories. The defenses are not designed to sustain attacks, but as with the weapons, shield emitters could be added if deemed necessary.

According to the post, the ship's strengths are scientific research and commercial use. "Many have astrometrics laboratories, and some have been outfitted with specialized pods for zero-G research or the use and storage of hazardous materials." This post demonstrates that not all ships are focused on combat. You can read the full description after the jump.

It is believed that this class of ship was originally designed by a private Cardassian corporation. The Cardassians frequently contract with the Ferengi to handle sales and distribution of their raw materials and technology, an arrangement that allows the Cardassians to realize a profit on their efforts quickly. However, Ferengi salesmen are more than willing to covertly provide technical specifications or design schematics to anyone, for the right price.

Because this class of space vessel has been copied and modified by so many different races, it is impossible for Starfleet to provide specifics about the capabilities of any particular Type VII vessel.

The Type VII is most often used for scientific purposes, rather than transport or defense. It is equipped with limited weaponry, and upgrading the offensive capabilities of a Type VII ship come at the cost of limiting power for sensors and laboratories. However, that has not stopped some captains from adding additional weapons. Captains are warned not to assume that a Type VII will be ill-equipped for battle.

Defenses on the Type VII are not designed to withstand a sustained attack. Because the Type VII is primarily used for civilian or commercial purposes, captains of the Type VII are more likely to run or send out a distress signal rather than fight an opponent alone. However, a handful of Type VII ships have been successfully retrofitted with multiphasic, paratrinic or metaphasic shield emitters. On Stardate 84072.55, the U.S.S Trieste recorded an incident where the S.S. Trialas, a Type VII vessel registered out of Galador II, successfully evaded a group of Nausicaan raiders by hiding in the corona of a star.

The strength of the Type VII class is in scientific research and commercial use. The standard sensor package on a Type VII is equivalent to a Nebula class starship, and most Type VII vessels have been further modified by their crews to specialize in a specific area of research. Many have astrometrics laboratories, and some have been outfitted with specialized pods for zero-G research or the use and storage of hazardous materials.

In addition, the Type VII has an advanced deflector array that can be configured to amplify subspace frequencies, emit tachyon pulses or fire gravitron and subnucleonic beams. Some crews will have made additional modifications to their deflector arrays.

The modules of the Type VII can be changed or expanded at many commercial shipyards, allowing captains of the Type VII to configure their ships depending on what type of research they are conducting at any given time. Some captains have outfitted Type VII vessels with multiple industrial replicators, converting them into "mobile factories." Others have converted their ships into stasis units or hazardous waste transport vessels. And Starfleet has had a report of at least one Type VII vessel that has been equipped with holoemitters and is used as a home for photonic lifeforms.

Starfleet's recommendation to captains who encounter a Type VII Commercial Laboratory is to perform a standard sensor sweep of the vessel and attempt to discern its capacities and use. A standard exterior does not indicate a standard interior.