The U.S.S. Dauntless is one of a few Starfleet vessels that can boast an unusual origin. Unlike many other ships carefully designed by Federation professionals, the Dauntless was reverse-engineered from a facsimile of a prototype created by Arcturis - a Delta Quadrant inhabitant who wished to trap and punish the crew of the Voyager for allegedly dooming his people. Luckily, Starfleet officers were cautious enough to avoid danger and curious enough to explore the new ship. Their research proved fruitful - Arcturis had upgraded the Dauntless facsimile with an early prototype quantum slipstream drive, which was added to Starfleet’s revised iteration, the U.S.S. Dauntless, making it one of the fastest vessels in Starfleet. In addition to the quantum slipstream drive, the U.S.S. Dauntless is equipped with an automated system that allows it to target and destroy hostiles within its vicinity. This system turns the Dauntless into a self-sufficient unit capable of exploring the far depths of the Universe and providing military support in dire situations.