The Tranquility is a vessel designed not for war, but for diplomacy. It has no stock weaponry, and is designed to be worthy of carrying VIPs for long periods of time, of various races.
This vessel is designed for the niche of negotiating with other races as well as first contact scenarios. To eliminate the risk of weapons being used in First Contact scenarios, the offensive power of the military ships was not included. As such, this vessel relies heavily on its military-grade Shields, Hull, and speed.
It lacks stock weaponry, though it has hardpoints to affix some to if some level of threat is determined. It also has high speed, heavy armor and shielding, and VIP rooms for delegates and guests.
This vessel is used in First Contact scenarios as well as dealing with other governments. Dignitaries and Diplomats are generally transported by these vessels.
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In YE 30, with the new dedication to diplomacy by Empress Ketsurui Himiko and the need to establish relations with other governments and races, this civilian vessel was immediately created by Kage Yaichiro to fill that need. Its design was personally requested by Ketsurui Yui.
Class: Ke-Y1 Type: Civilian VIP Diplomacy Vessel Designers: Kage Yaichiro Manufacturer: Ketsurui Fleet Yards Production: Made as Needed Fielded by: Yamatai Star Empire, United Outer Colonies, perhaps others
Crew: 30 operators are recommended, but only one is required.
VIP Passengers: 70 Passengers is the official capacity.
Maximum Capacity: There are accommodations for 100 people. About 175 people can fit aboard in an emergency, but the ship would be extremely cramped.
Length: 210 meters (689 feet) Width: 190 meters (623 feet) Height: 32 meters (105 feet) Decks: 9 (3.5 meters each, save for one 3 meter tall deck (Sensor Pod 1)
The Tranquility is an exceptionally fast vessel (category 4 equivalent).
This bridge has two levels. The lower level is the “Command Pit, where the Captain and senior officers are stationed, as well as the pilot and navigator. The Upper level contains lesser stations, as well as keeps difficult VIPs from reaching the Captain should they insist on interfering with her duties, by having the VIPs on a separate floor from the CO. Personnel at the top level are generally ordered to keep the VIPs from reaching the CO. If it is truly critical, they act as a liaison between the VIP nd the CO.
Connected to the bridge are the Captain’s Suite, as well as a Crew Restroom for the use of the bridge crew, to expedite their return when ‘nature calls’.
Sleeping one or two (three if VERY friendly), this room is just like the VIP rooms, even having its own bathroom. It has a widened bed, a viewscreen (by default, set to view the space outside via a sensor on the hull, a terminal to do work, a communications line only accessible by the Captain, a desk, two comfortable chairs, a closet, a dresser, and a shelf for possessions. There is also a standard power and data outlet.
Located above Engineering, this room stores the main computer and associated circuitry. It is sealed in a Yamataium room with meter-thick walls, and can only be accessed by Captain, Chief Engineer, or persons to whom the Captain allocates permission.
Sleeping two to four people each, these crew quarters contain two beds, two desks, four chairs, a viewscreen, two terminals, a shared communications line, a dresser, a closet, a shelf, and standard power/data connections.
Uniforms still need to be kept crisp and fresh, but this vessel lacks any form of nodal system. As such, a restroom has been integrated with a laundry system. Before the crewman bathes, she drops her clothing down a slot, where the automated system takes over. By the time she is done, her uniform is clean, dried, and pressed.
Each toilet and bath is fully enclosed by a soundproof booth, with excellent ventilation.
This room is an ornate room with crystal chandeliers, navy blue carpeting, and impressive woodwork. It has long dining tables and comfortable chairs, a large viewscreen which tends to have something relaxing on at all times except when a specific request is received, and it is connected directly to the galley. VIP and Crew alike can dine here.
Engineering is simple, but is focused on redundancy. It has two floors, and actually has two sets of power systems, dual Aether Reactors for the ship. Dual Antimatter Reactors are also available in reserve.
These areas also house the 70% of the FTL power (as based on the Sakura design) as well as the fold system.
Each galley contains areas for hot, cold, and vacuum storage; as well as cooking, dishes, and preparation. Each has its own Vice Chef, operating under the Head Chef of the ship.
There are locks everywhere, to prevent the theft of food. This is especially important should rationing ever be needed.
Since the Stargazer Lounge is used for the VIPs, this lounge is mostly for the crew alone to have a place to rest and relax. The Lounge typically has a mini fridge, a place for non-alcoholic drinks, two large couches, two large reclining chairs (can hold two if the pair is friendly), and a large viewscreen.
Atypical Lounges exist, as ultimately what goes in the lounge is determined by the CO and XO, who sometimes follow requests from the soldiers. One such prototype is known to have been fitted with an old-style Nepleslian pinball and arcade area complete with a gambling area, its CO being of Nepleslian descent. The gambling area was quickly turned into a small prize-competition area, upon the request of the tranquility’s development team.
Sometimes the Lounge and neighboring Recreation area can be temporarily be merged into one room by removing the wall separating them, though this is uncommon unless special events are being conducted.
Not much to say about these maintenance conduits, save that they permeate the vessel and are only wide enough to carry one person and the tubes which normally flow through them. These contain tracking systems and blast shutters as well, in case one attempts to use these conduits to gain illegal access.
Though lacking HSCS, Soul Transfer Technology, or other restricted technologies, this is an advanced lab which can care for many different races. Even cybernetic VIPs and crew can be treated here if needed, and the tables are quite large to accommodate those of greater size. Like many Star Army Ships, there is a brig/laboratory area, but it is sealed off from the main medical area by forcefields, blast shutters, and Yamataium walls. This is to prevent escape of unrulies, and to prevent said unrulies from getting their hands on an easy incapacitated VIP hostage.
Passageways are more ornate than most, but obviously meant to be well-trafficked. As such there is a greater use of synthetics than in other luxury vessels. The floors are a multicolored blue carpet with white lines along where they meet the walls. Ornate paintings line the walls, and are often changed depending on what kind of VIPs are being carried by the vessel. These paintings are actually on textured viewscreens, which can be used for other means in emergencies, but one would not know merely by looking.
The gravity in the passageways is normally zero, though this can be altered by commands to the system. This is a measure to confuse and inhibit boarders by changing the gravity to make their progress more difficult, or to make them sick. This is ineffective against most Power Armor or Pods, unfortunately, as many have gravitic shielding.
Every 50 feet, there is a locker in the ceiling with 2 medical kits, five environmental/space suits, a special gel which can be used to seal cracks or air leaks, a flashlight, a data port for a computer, and a phone for intra-ship communications.
Recreation is an area which has an Olympic-sized pool, an arcade and shallow pool for the children, a multi purpose sports court, and a virtual sky which can show pretty much anything.
A joke by one of the early technicians, which is called the “Rec Room Easter Egg”, is an animation of a cute Chibi Yui in a bathing suit running toward escaping waves while hissing, then running way mewing as they charged back toward the shore. Chibi Hanako can be seen watching from a floating inner tube, perfectly at home in the water. This is viewed on the ceiling or any wall by issuing a very specific verbal command.
Sometimes the Recreation Area and neighboring Lounge can be temporarily be merged into one room by removing the wall separating them, though this is uncommon unless special events are being conducted.
The ship has three large sensor pods, which give it a superior detection system. There is one low on the fore of the ship, one on the aft, and a fuax bridge sensor on the dorsal side of the vessel. Sensor strips are visible, though altered to look like normal windows on the Faux Bridge.
These sensors are equal the power of even military grade sensors, intended to spot possible hostiles at a great distance, and give the speedy vessel a running head start. As she conventionally lacks weapons, this is absolutely necessary. These can also act as powerful STL or FTL transmission amplifiers to send messages great distances, or to defeat jamming efforts.
It should be noted that if these pods are destroyed, another layer of Armor is below them, as they are expected to be the first parts of the ship to be attacked. Passage to these areas is sealed unless maintenance is necessary.
The very bottom deck is for storage which is kept away from VIPs, possibly consisting of crew items, mission specific systems, or simply things that are staying on the ship and need to stay out of the way of the cargo trucks, lifts, and cranes.
At the rear of the ship, below the Aft Sensor Pod, the cargo bay door can be seen. It opens into a combined shuttle/cargo bay, where one can find shuttles, trucks (for planetary loading), antigravity lifts, and jointed cranes which hang from tracks in the ceiling.
This ornate two-deck location is where the Crew and VIPs can both elect to meet, eat, or just relax. Formal attire and proper manners are required if VIPs are present, however.
It has a full view of space on three of its walls, fed by sensors outside the ship’s hull, and each seat is cushioned, with adjustable back, armrests, and height.
The room is customizable by the CO's or organization's tastes. The first ship of the line, for example, used multi colored blue and white carpeting, with the tables and chairs on raised platforms. A stage was placed at the rear of both areas, so that musical groups or speakers could play on each level. The room was very finely tuned acoustically for this purpose, and had speakers hidden in strategic locations across the room, as well as the ability to isolate the sounds of one room from the other, and vice versa. Eight crystalline chandeliers roughly 3 meters in diameter each grace the combined two floors of the Stargazer Lounge. Any walls in the room were actually color changeable upon request, to suit the needs of the occasion. Examples include white for weddings, platinum for coronations or formal meetings of state, black for funerals of state or other purpose of mourning, and sky blue or maroon for most other uses.
This airlock is designed to extend out from the ship, once the hatch is open, and affix to almost any shape and size airlock. It is multi-walled, and quite flexible. Should a Main Gun be needed for a mission, this also doubles as a Main Gun hardpoint. However, using a Main Gun on this model in general is discouraged, due to the ship’s original purpose.
With many viewscreens along the walls, a large table with comfortable and adjustable chairs, and a constant flow of snacks or even meals if necessary, these Meeting Rooms are meant for the long meetings which result in galactic history and policy.
Four of these rooms are connected to two galleys, so there is never a need to step out for a drink of water or a bite to eat.
These also have a full communications suite; allowing teleconferencing and communications with another meeting room in the Tranquility, another ship, or even another government. It is possible to even speak with multiple entities at once.
Sleeping one or two (three if VERY friendly), these rooms are just like the Captain’s room, even having their own bathroom. Each has a widened bed, a viewscreen (by default, set to view the space outside via a sensor on the hull, a terminal to do work, a communications line only accessible by the occupant and the Captain, a desk, two comfortable chairs, a closet, a dresser, and a shelf for possessions. There is also a standard power and data outlet.
It should be noted that if the occupant is aquatic in nature, the restroom can be sealed and completely flooded, or partially flooded, and only having the top half of the door open to the suite. As such, the restroom can be converted into the marine VIP’s living area.
Since each VIP room has its own bathroom, these rooms are dedicated solely to laundry. This room exists due to the lack of the nodal system to make your clothing crisp, folded, and warm like fresh cookies.
These safes are used by the VIPS for their more important items or personal effects, and are each made of 5 cm-thick walls of Yamataium. Inside are Yamataium lockers which are 30cm x 30cm x 30cm in dimension, assigned to VIPs, though the Captain can also use them.
Only the IES or a member of the crew must open the main safe door to the lockers, and each individual locker has a full biometric scanner, a thumbprint reader, a retinal scanner, and a voice analyzer. The person assigned that particular safe is given the option of what level of security they wish for, especially since not all of these forms will be applicable to all alien species.
The Hull and Frame are both Yamataium. Hull is DR 8, Frame is DR 8. Sections of hull are as follows:
Due to the high compartmentalization of the hull and a complex and stable frame, the vessel is more survivable than most using the same frame materials.
The Tranquility uses a Civilian Quantum Computer System similar to those used in the civilian war vessels of the Star Army Privateer Program. This computer is designed with a modular interface system to communicate with multiple computer architectures, such as –IES, if needed.
Should the computer need shut down, FTL maneuvers in such a situation are calculated by a second civilian quantum computer system of considerably less power and of a more restrictive nature regarding access.
In a situation where the main computer is compromised, it can be shut down from Main Engineering or the Bridge, and the Computer room completely sealed off. In this situation, the ship can be flown manually. FTL maneuvers in such a situation are calculated by a second civilian quantum computer system of considerably less power and of a more restrictive nature regarding access.
This ship houses 24 Ke-S3-X2900 Escape Pod Escape Pods, each holding five. This is four more pods than necessary to evacuate the entire anticipated maximum occupancy of 100.
This ship has blast shutters in various parts of the ship, made of 25 cm thick solid Yamataium.
At strategic locations throughout the ship, damage control stations are kept ready to serve repair crews. These stations contain power cables, portable aether generators (2), hull patch kits, toolkits, welding and cutting equipment, and Environmental Suits. The stations are kept locked behind sliding panels, which can be unlocked by the captain.
Life support is very finely controlled. Humidity, temperature, gas levels, air pressure, all are very finely regulated, and can be altered from room to room to make the VIPs and crew more comfortable. This is because different races have different environmental needs. The water has similar regulation.
Waste control systems are quite efficient, using a mixture of bacteria and matter-to-energy conversion technologies.
Lastly, each VIP and Crew Quarters has rations and water stored in air/water/vacuum-tight packaging in the closet, should it be needed.
Also installed is the Psionic Signal Controller, which protects the crew and VIPs from Psionic attack.
Due to the lack of weaponry and the high importance of the vessel, this vessel has DR 8 shielding, affording it added protection over even some military vessels. Shield power can be uniform, or focused at specific points around the vessel to boost strength in that spot. The ship lacks WARMS, so the latter is usually only used when trying to protect a part of the ship that has already taken significant damage.
While having no weapons of its own, the ship has five hardpoints for the mounting of four turret-style weapons and a ‘main gun’. When not in use, the Main Gun connection is used as a universal airlock.
Art by Toshiro
