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The Peeper is the primary spacefaring vessel used by CSEIA, and is effectively a basic, but mobile laboratory. The interior is relatively Spartan, containing nothing more than living quarters, a bridge, laboratory rooms and cargo bays. The Peeper boasts advanced sensor, communications, and computer systems. Its advanced sensor arrays make it well suited for studying anomalies and performing tests deemed too dangerous or too large to be performed at the Center itself. Its powerful communication array allows the Center’s supercomputer and AI network (also known as the “Savant's Guild”) to operate these vessels remotely, but all ships are equipped with manual overrides in the event of signal jamming or hijacking. It has been found that this powerful communications array is also quite useful as an ECM system when in a pinch.

The Peeper evolved in response to CSEIA’s increasingly dangerous experiments, and the need to perform certain experiments a safe distance away from the main station. Originally nothing more than a salvaged frigate with sensor equipment, the Center’s scientists and engineers naturally couldn’t help but tinker with the substandard ship to improve and enhance it, until it became such an effective ship that CSEIA opted to begin production of several copies.

As part of their pact with local marauders to defend the station, pirates will strike any vessel save for any CSEIA-made ships, making them the one of the only safe choices for CSEIA staff moving around the Lonely Expanse.

Organizations Using This Vessel: CSEIA Type: Science Vessel (Sensor Frigate) Class: Peeper v2.4 Designer: Collaborative CSEIA project Manufacturer: CSEIA Production: Fifteen copies produced to date, no future plans for production other than replacing lost ships.

Crew: Teleoperated and thus requires no crew, but usually carries a number of scientist passengers. Maximum Capacity: Maximum capacity is 20, but most often the true number is less than half that value due to the fact scientists commonly convert crew quarters into labs and storage facilities. Appearance: [See Attached Images]

Length: 70m Width: 25m Height: 20m Decks: One Mass: 250,000 kg

Speed (STL): 0.8c Speed (FTL): 5 LY/min Speed (Aerial): Mach 7

Range (Distance): Maximum effective teleoperation range is 20 lightyears, but with pilot the range is unrestricted. Range (Support): Theoretically unlimited with teleoperation, two months until resupply needed with a complement of 10 humanoids Lifespan: 30 years Refit Cycle: The sensitive scanning and communication equipment aboard usually requires calibration at least bi-monthly when in active use.

• Frame: DR 6
• Hull: DR 4
• Armor Plating: DR 6

SRP 2.0 Calculation: 1430 SRPs

Bridge: Since the Peeper is usually teleoperated, the bridge was an afterthought in the designing of this vessel. This room is instead used primarily as the ship’s computer, sensor, and communications room, making it the ideal location to observe and record off-ship phenomena.

Private Quarters: The ship contains ten spartan rooms, each with nothing more than a desk, chair, and bunk bed. Each of these can be folded up and easily removed, as these quarters are used more often for storage and makeshift labs than they are actual living quarters. There is a small closet in each room, as well as a computer console located next to it.

Common Room: A simple room, with a large table in the center with several chairs, consoles in the four corners of the room with a database of CSEIA’s literature and reference books. This was originally intended as a leisure room for the crew, but more often than not scientists end up using it for late night discussions and little else. As such this room is commonly cluttered by research notes, datapads, snack food wrappings, and empty cans of soft drinks.

Research Modules (3): These modules may be detached and replaced with different variants depending on the specific assignment. These may include:

• Laboratory Module: Basic laboratory facilities
• Storage Module: Empty module used for extra passengers or cargo
• Long Range Travel Module: Secondary reactors to increase Hyperspace Fold range, advanced air scrubbers and waste processors, extra water and food rations.
• Hardpoint Module: Used for mounting starship technologies in the field testing phase of development.

Hull: This ship utilizes Energized Tungsten Armor as a backup to it’s shield systems. The internal supports of the ship itself are relatively weak, greatly reducing the defensive capability of this system against higher caliber weapons.

Shields: This ship’s shielding system is not a true defensive shield array, but merely a high powered radiation shield. Still, it is strong enough to block small to medium sized starship attacks, making it a viable means of defense against marauding pirates.

“Heart of Silver” Fission-Fusion Thorium Reactor: Like most CSEIA’s technology, the Heart of Silver is thorium-based in order to take advantage of the plentiful reserves of the substance near the station. Utilizing an advanced Fission-Fusion-Fission design, the Heart of Silver produces the necessary energy needed for research purposes at a relatively low cost and low maintenance. While not as high output other types of starship reactors, its a much more cost-effective alternative since the Peeper has little in the way of high drain systems other than it's Hyperspace Fold System and electronics suite. If advanced lab equipment or other systems demand more power, secondary reactors may be installed via Research Module.

Capacitor Banks: The Peeper utilizes a bank of capacitors for both high energy physics research and performing long range FTL jumps. Relied upon to operate the ship's energized armor. In emergencies the Capacitor Bank can also be used to overcharge the ship's shield systems for a short time.

“Savant” Computer Core: The ship contains no onboard AI, instead relying on teleoperation by the Savant's Guild. The ship does, however, contain a powerful processor core generally used to encrypt and decrypt command signals. It may also be converted for tasks such as analyzing sensor data or running computer simulations, but the uplink with the Savant's Guild provides a much more powerful tool for such tasks.

“Screamer” Communications Array: Directly tied in with the computer core and sensor array, the Screamer is the pride of the Peeper. Thanks to this piece of technology the vessel can be operated remotely via the Center’s supercomputers, or when in a tight spot, be converted into a makeshift ECM and hacking array. This array allows effective teleoperation at ranges up to 20 light years. In conjunction with the sensor array and computer core the Screamer can effectively communicate on nearly all bands of the electromagnetic spectrum, but also supports subspace and transuniversal communications.

Sensor Array: This vessel utilizes a full electromagnetic spectrum scanner array as its primary unit, used for recording scientific data. The ship also contains subspace mass sensors and scalar field sensors used primarily to detect incoming ships.

Hyperspace Fold: This ship mounts a Hyperspace Fold system. But due to the reactor's limited output and the ship's capacitor, the ship is forced to travel in 'jumps' of up to 25 light years at a time before its capacitor reserves are depleted. This is rarely a hindrance to CSEIA science vessels since they rarely travel outside the Great Expanse other than the occasional supply run or student retrieval mission. Recharge time between jumps is usually 10 minutes.

Booster Ion Drives: The Peeper mounts what is effectively a high powered ion drive. Since the ship's primary roles have it mainly relying on Hyperspace Fold, these ion drives are only used in short bursts for maneuvering. In function and ability, they more closely resemble afterburners more than true engines.

“DIRS” Disaster Instant Response System: The DIRS is a replica of the custom damage control system originally used in CSEIA “Hot Labs.” Contained within the bulkheads and superstructure is a self-sealing liner inside to prevent leaks, as well as a special composite fibers that help contain explosions. Each section of the ship is protected by a double blast door system with hazard sensors monitored directly by the Savant's Guild. This constant sensor feed allows the instantaneous alerting of rescue teams, ensuring a rescue team arrives within a matter of minutes.

Environmental Systems: Designed mostly for short-term, short-range missions, the Peeper contains only basic waste and air scrubber. Due to the constant datalink with the Savant's Guild, the Center is constantly updated of the Peeper's current air, food, and water levels and can dispatch supplies to arrive within minutes via probe or another Peeper. May be supplemented with a Long Range Travel Module.

This article was created by Strangelove. It was approved by Wes on January 5, 2007: Approval Thread