Centuries of starship design tradition from races across the Milky Way galaxy have allowed certain aspects of their construction to be matters that are designed by-rote, and rarely questioned or re-examined. Deflector dishes and emitters are mounted in the front, while impulse engines belong in the back, as an example. However, once in a while a group of ship designers decides to be courageous and inventive enough to buck trends, and explore new possibilities. The Courage-class is the culmination of similar exploration, as a starship designed to treat directional bias as a matter of purpose and forethought, rather than an afterthought.
This unique vessel is supported by a series of subsystems that allow the ship to transform its capabilities by reversing its direction. In its default configuration, a large secondary deflector and specialized set of sensors and emitters fuel the ship's scientific pursuits. However, by reversing its orientation, the ship's systems are redirected into a bulwark of defensive tactical capabilities that would not be out of place on its battlecruiser peers.
This ship's default configuration features a Lt. Commander Tactical / Command Bridge Officer Seat, and a Commander Science / Command Bridge Officer Seat. While transformed into Tactical Mode, these seats swap into a Commander Tactical / Command Bridge Officer Seat, and a Lt. Commander Science / Command Bridge Officer Seat.
