Starbase 657 is located on the outskirts of Federation territory, approximately 6
light years from the Hydran/Federation Neutral Zone. It is considered the Central
Headquarters of Starfleet Special Forces, though other field headquarters are scattered
throughout the quadrant, second most important being the one in San Fransisco at Starfleet
Headquarters. The Starbase 657 facility houses all of the Starships employed under SFSF's
command, with full provisions for repair and restocking of up to three vessels at a time.
These facilities also can be utilized to fit experimental technology (to a certain extent)
into starships, and test them in the deep space conditions surrounding the station, as
well as field tests within solar systems, in the nearby (approx. 1.4 light years away)
Beta Coridanii testing range.
Although Starbase 657 appears very much like a normal starbase, it has far less traffic
and is usually not open to commercial or merchant traffic. Resupply and Transport convoys
are rigidly scheduled, and go through a routine inspection process. These vessels are
usually Starfleet Logistical transports, with the materials contained within either of
Starfleet origin, or independant manufacture (such as certain forms of foodstuffs,
commercial goods, clothing), shipped aboard Starfleet cargo vessels. Such things make
family life aboard SB 657 unattractive, if not unbearable, which is why a very small
number of civillians can be found onboard the station as permanent residents. Often times
when security measures are heightened, all civilians are shipped away from the station as
policy, which adds to a unpreferred life aboard the station.
These are adapted designs for Starbase 657 taken from the former SFSF page of Captain Charles Drake, former Commander of Special Forces.