The smaller Miranda-class starships were the work horses of the Federation fleet. With their modular design, they could be outfitted to serve as science vessels, patrol ships, and supply vessels.
They had an assigned crew size of 26-35, with temporary assignments as needed depending on a given mission.
They performed a vital role in creating a living connection between the planets in their patrol area, and providing protection from space pirates or incursions by enemies of the Federation, such as Romulans or rogue Klingons.
They weren't as flashy as the larger ships such as the Constitution class and their smaller size and crew complement meant fewer amenities were available on board. Most fleet personnel viewed them as a stepping stone to assignment on a larger vessel, but some took pride in their job of looking after the planets and space stations in their patrol areas and were on board for the long haul. And those that served on these smaller ships in some of the more troublesome "hot spots" were a special breed of crazy...
John Reese had taken an unusual path to Captain of the USS Ernest Thornhill. He used to wear the red of Security. He had been proud to protect his fellow crew mates and to fight when necessary the enemies of the federation. But when things went FUBAR he found that he preferred to be the one making the decisions and taking responsibility for his men. During a previous posting he had taken command during a firefight, when few others remained alive on the bridge. He had been able to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with some brilliant but unorthodox tactics. When the battered ship had limped back to base he had been able to parlay his success into a promotion and a captaincy.
Other members of the permanent crew also had unusual histories. Lieutenant Shaw had traded the blue of Medical for the Gold of Command in the tactical position. But her medical training was invaluable for away missions.
Commander Finch wore the blue of Sciences and was the closest they had to a Science Officer, although he spent most of his time acting as Communications Officer. He was also the closest thing they had to a diplomat, being one of the few command crew with manners.
Lieutenant Commander Carter at the helm could be counted on to steer a steady course both on the bridge or on an away mission, where she always had the Captain's back. Her service in Starfleet guaranteed her son a full scholarship at the academy if he so chose and the length of her posting ensured a stipend was paid to her mother while Carter was deployed in space. Since she incurred no living expenses while on board, she could also send most of her pay home to her family.
Chief Engineer Fusco was a bit of a maverick, but most of the best engineers were a little odd. He had undergone a bitter divorce with little chance to see his son. He often complained that he had not only lost his shirt and his son but even the planet Earth to his Ex. He had fled to space to lick his wounds, and had gotten into a bit of trouble with alleged black market smuggling although no charges had ever been proven. Reese had decided the man's steady valor during some hairy situations and his talent in engineering were sufficient to earn him a second chance aboard the Ernest Thornhill.
Ensign Be'ar was a Canid and was the head of security. His appearance as something like a 7-foot tall wolfman with dreadlocks and an attitude was quite intimidating and useful for his role. The only drawback to his posting was that Canids were a mostly non-verbal race, communicating primarily through body language and a type of sign-language that could only be conveyed in rudimentary form by the universal translator. Reese had served with Canids before, and had admired their loyalty, dedication, and general badass-ness. He was therefore familiar with a number of the hand-signs used by the species. Finch had also made it a point to know the languages of all non-human members serving aboard ship if they were not already part of his extensive repertoire. So Be'ar was often assigned to duty on the bridge where he could converse in his own language. The other officers also began to learn some of the signs so that they could communicate with him better themselves. A side benefit of having the Canid serve aboard was that he kept the pest population under control. No one wanted to deal with a tribble infestation!
Their Chief Medical Officer was an Emergency Medical Hologram self identified as "Nathan." The EMH seemed to have been programmed with a genial good old boy personality to help put his patients at ease (at least the human ones).
The crew complement wasn't large enough to require assignment of a Counselor, but oddly enough Fusco started to fill that role. He had of course established the traditional unofficial still in Engineering, which became a natural gathering place off duty and drew those with problems or personal turmoil like a magnet. Lionel was always happy to chat while sharing some drinks and people often found themselves unburdening themselves after a round or two (the strength of the hooch might have also played a part in that).