The Ark Royal was built to Mk III specifications and entered service around reference stardate 2/1001. (TOS reference: Federation Ship Recognition Manual) The Ark Royal was under the command of Captain Lance Cartwright in 2270. Responding to a distress signal sent by Ambassador Sepel from Nidrus Gamma, Cartwright was able to rescue Valeris and her parents by chasing off K'dang's bird of prey. In his later years, Cartwright kept a model of the ship in his office. (TOS novel: Cast No Shadow)