The USS Sherman is an Nebula-class heavy cruiser assigned to explore the area past the Federation/Cardassian border. The Sherman was refitted during the war to be the testbed for the 'Stalingrad' specifications. The Sherman has a quantum reactor, plasma driver cannons, pulse cannons, and a full compliment of the Stormbird runabout-fighter. It has passive stealth systems, advanced sensors, and the ability to go more than a year without resupply. It has several industrial replicators which allow it to replicate fighters and quantum torpedoes as needed.

The Sherman will pass through a temporal anomality during the first mission and end up in 2583. The twenty-sixth century is a bleak one; the Federation has fallen and the quadrant is ruled by petty tyrranies and loose coalitions. The Klingon and Romulan Empires are broken up into several warring factions, the Bajoran Wormhole is closed, and the Cardassians are expanding. With the fall of empires, knowledge was lost, shipyards broke down, starships abandoned for want of parts. The general technology of the quadrant, with the occasional exception, is fifty years behind the USS Sherman.

Dark Future is a play-by-email game. Players subscribe to a mailing list and post two or more times a week. Players can be Starfleet officers, citizens of the 26th century, or leaders of enemy ships and empires. The game is rated PG-13 and is open to all ages. A writing sample will be needed for non-Starfleet players as well as Starfleet players who are full Lieutenants or above.

The game is on hold for the forseeable future.