The Bioship
Female
Male
[SIZE=9pt]OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Intent:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] Create a ship app for the Startreaders[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Image Source:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] Farscape, [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]https://farscape.fandom.com/wiki/Moya[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt], [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]https://farscape.fandom.com/wiki/Elack[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt], [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]https://giphy.com/gifs/10Q0hWTIZjAV0I[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Canon Link:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] N/A[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Primary Source:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] Farscape, [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]https://farscape.fandom.com/wiki/Moya[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt], [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]https://farscape.fandom.com/wiki/Leviathan[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Manufacturer:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] Born, not built, but originally created by[/SIZE] RMIA.
[SIZE=9pt]Affiliation:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] Startreaders[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Model:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] Biomechanical, sentient starships[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Production[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Minor[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Material: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Biotechnical components[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Classification[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: Transport/Cargo[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Length[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: 900-1000 m[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Width[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: 225-250 m[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Height[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: 190-210 m (males), 180-200 m (females)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Armament[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]None[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Defenses[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Extreme[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] (Biohull, Heavy layered shielding)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Hangar Space[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]None[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: 2[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Hangar Allocations:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Starfighters: [/SIZE]1 squadron
[SIZE=9pt]Support Craft: [/SIZE]1 squadron
[*]
[SIZE=9pt]Maneuverability Rating[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]:[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] [/SIZE]Moderate
[*]
[SIZE=9pt]Speed Rating[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: [/SIZE]High
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[SIZE=9pt]Hyperdrive Class[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Very Fast[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]: 0.5[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]STANDARD FEATURES[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Life support[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Heavy layered shielding[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Standard starship comms system[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Dock systems (standard and heavy)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]4x Heavy tractor beams[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Birth canal (female)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]ADVANCED SYSTEMS[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Gravity Flux Drive: [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]The Startreader’s Gravity Flux Drive is a highly unique drive type that is exclusive to the Startreaders themselves. While its inner workings are unknown, the basic way that the drive functions is by distorting the gravity around the being, pushing and pulling it along with gravity. This drive does not affect nearby vessels however, which makes it even more mysterious, and RMIA did not put much research into them. The Gravity Flux Dive[/SIZE] is also a class 0.5 hyperdrive. While slow to initially charge (shown below) the fast hyperdrive has been used to both run from threats, and deliver people and goods.
[SIZE=9pt]The hull of the Startreaders is unique in its raw strength, and ability to take physical impacts as well as plasma damage. The hull is able to heal over time when damaged, and grows with the ship.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Strengths[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Powerful defensive systems.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Fast in sublight and hyperspace.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Massive size.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]No weapons.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Little in the way of interior defenses.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Massive size.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]The Startreaders have ended up served many individuals since their escape. From [/SIZE]politicians[SIZE=9pt] and ambassadors, to cargo and transport pilots. When willing, it has often resulted into unique experiences that would be passed down to their offspring. The large beings are know to be difficult to catch, thanks in part to their biohull and 0.5 hyperdrive, but that has kept some people from trying. The only tactic that has worked is holding a young Startreader captive, their small size making tractor beam capture and holding easy, and their hulls being weaker, and force their mother, or both parents, to work for the young ship's safety. Generally though, Startreaders have no fear of being captured, being able to run away from, or ram, those attempting to enslave them.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]These biomechanical ships are normally neutrals in a chaotic galaxy, and have served many diplomats and traders of their own will, letting their powerful hulls and speed keep them safe. It's not a common sight, but some may at least know what they are.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Startreaders are known to be as varied as humans in behaviour, but do follow some general trends. Startreaders are often [/SIZE]adventuress, and willing the travel almost anywhere to see something new. Some have suggested it's a response to their initial lack of being able to travel, thanks to being RMIA experiments, but also hearing and learn of the various regions of the galaxy. [SIZE=9pt]Most also seem to have an innate want to have a crew, though it’s not a strong want.[/SIZE]
They are also known to mate for life, calling each other “Hui Dor," but mates will often go years without seeing one another. This is mostly do to the lifestyle of the living ships, and their tendency to offer their services to various individuals parsecs away from one another. Many Hui Dor choose to operate as a two ship fleet to avoid this, but separation generally doesn't bother them, as they can speak through the comms system that are naturally a part of them.
Startreaders tend to stay out of greater galactic politics, but would often offer to serve as diplomatic transports. The love of this particular job in the species is sometimes seen as odd for a species that loves exploring, but is actually seen as a way to exploring the world to them. Along with this, the living ships value peace, and some will do it simply to be with friends. While Startreaders usually stayed neutral, it did not keep some from picking sides, and there are some cases of Startreaders making it clear that they dislike a side.
Startreaders will often pass down their stories to their offspring. While the main goal is to teach younger ships, the stories are usually told in a more entertaining way, and even important lessons and stories are told in a more entertaining manner. What the offspring do with this is up to them, and parents can only hope they take the lessons with them.
[SIZE=9pt]Startreaders are roughly cruiser sized. All possess a “squashed teardrop” shaped hull with three tails that they call Druez Lal, while RMIA called them "drive tails.” The two outer tails will move outwards when a Startreader engages hyperdrive, and a blue glow makes it highly visible. The Startreaders have a hanger positioned between the tails, and their bow is reinforced, allowing them to ram. Females possess a birth canal that goes beneath the hangers, and males have a taller, ridged hull that distinguishes them for the females. Inside, there are some areas that are off limits, like the “heart” and the drive tails, but the entire interior possesses a type I atmosphere and has multiple types of droids built by and on board system, and performing basic maintenance and repairs while the ships biological components can heal themselves.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]It should be noted that many systems are almost fully organic, like the sensors, heart, which is more like a reactor, and it is theorized that the gravity flux drive and hyperdrive are also primarily biological. Even the tractor beam systems seem to be biological in nature. Little is really understood about how they work thanks to RMIA deeming them failures, and not putting too much research in them. [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]These living ships have basically every room a normal transport would have. Single/couple/family crew cabins, galley, medical bay, brig, bridge (which is often used by crews during rest cycles), and cargo space. They also have docking ports, one standard, and one “heavy” hidden under their hulls.
To move, the Startreaders have a “gravity flux drive” for sublight and hyperspace travel The drives distort gravity to push the Startreader, and functions as a class .5 hyperdrive, allowing them to run from most true threats. While it would be expected that that they would be housed in the drive tails, oddly enough they are housed in the rear hull. Due to the companies lack of study, they assumed that the rear tails housed the drive systems. Instead, Startreaders believe that the tails act more like thrust vector rings, adding an additional level of control, and energy storage systems.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]One notable thing lacking on Startreaders is weapon systems, but their biomechanical systems are impervious to ion/emp weapons. They also possess four heavy tractor beams: 1 bow, 1 aft, 1 port, and 1 starboard. The aft tractor beam is mainly used for towing and guiding vessels between the drive tails and into the hanger, while the rest are for navigational clearing, like moving space debris. The living ships also have one of the strongest hulls in the galaxy, which was overlooked by RMIA at the time. This tough hull allows the Startreader to tank fire from ships that are much larger than themselves, and allows the ships to ram without fear. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Startreaders are known to mate for life, and the process involves a male and female Startreader docking with one another. They will remain docked for 1-3 months, operating as a single vessel during this time. After this, it will take two years for a baby to fully form, and they are born at roughly 45-50 m in length. Growth takes thirty years, at which point many will look for a mate or strike out on their own. They are often found around [/SIZE]nebulae[SIZE=9pt], as Startreaders feed of the gasses and dust there.[/SIZE]
