Because of the uncertainties that faced the Odyssey Project in undertaking a re-exploration of the galaxy, it was decided the best solution would be a small fleet of very large, multi-generational ships, equipped with the capability for indefinite self-sustainment.
The resulting design was 4,200 meters long, with a maximum of 231 total decks from the tip of the Primary Command Tower to the lowest reaches of the UnderDecks.
Key Structural Areas
Command Tower
The Command Tower rises above the Primary Hull and contains the ship's operational areas, including the Primary Command Deck, Tactical Command Areas, Telemetry Laboratories, and Flight Operations. A smaller secondary tower rises next to it, containing auxiliary operational areas for the Technical Core, Environmental Controls, and Crew Functions.
Primary Command
Also known as the 'Main Bridge,' or 'PC-1,' is located on Deck 100, and is the location for all of the ship's command functions.
BrainCore
The Central Artificial Intelligence Repositiory is called the BrainCore, a semi-circular array of intelligence engines extending through three decks. The intelligence itself is contained within a bio-electronic nexus created out of material cloned from the Caliph probe.
Propulsion Systems
A Pathfinder Ship contains four gravity engines, which provide for the ship's propulsion in normal space. The combined effect of these engines is capable of propellng the ship at a velocity of 0.9c. However, their primary use is to accelerate the ship to .55c, at which velocity, the Transition Engines can carry the ship into HyperSpace. Within Hyperspace, the ship is propelled by a system of five-dimensional energy sails, which channel the raw energu currents of hyperspace into a stream capable of propelling the ship at multiples of the speed of light.
Hangar Bays
Four Hangar Bays located in the ships aft sections house and provide the maintenance and support environment for the four Flight Groups of Aves each ship carries. Aves are maintained in the Hangars, and their crews embark on them at the docks contained within. They are launched on a system of electro-magnetic railguns from the front of the ship. However, if rapid acceleration is not necessary, they can also be launch under their own power through the rear of the ship.
Amenities Nexus
On Deck 23, between the Habitation Zones and the Command Towers is a three-tiered space of recreational facilities that form the informal "Town Square" of the ship. A variety of eating establishments, taverns, and other shops are located in the Amenities Nexus, along with aporting and gaming facilities.
Habitation Zones
Residential Space for the Pathfinder Crew is provided beneath the clear dome that extends from the base of the Command Towers forward toward the Missile Hatcheries in the Ship's Forward Section. The residences were designed in blocks arranges around walkways lined with trees, grass, and flowers, to maximize crew comfort on long voyages. The average space allotment per crew member is 440 square meters, with additional space for families. Forward of the Residential decks are garden parks and athletic fields that provide recreation for the crew and support the ship's air purification systems.
Missile Hatcheries
On the forward part of the ship, the ship's primary offensive and defensive weaponry is contained in an arrangement of missile hatches connected to the Nemesis and Hammerhead missiles stored forward. The hatcheries can move them to Launch-Ready in tenths of a second.
UnderDecks
The UnderDecks are located below the Primary Tri-Keel, and comprises nearly 60 per cent of the ship's volumes. Vast cargo facilities contain provisions sufficient to support a crew of ten thousand for thirty years without replenishment. Raw materials are stored in cargo bins and fed to "artifactories," which are flexible fabrication units capable of creating food, clothing, medicine, tools, weapons, and whatever else the crew may need from templates stored in the braincore. Additionally, the UnderDecks contain water refineries, fuel storage, quantum power and fusion generators, air purification systems, environmental systems, and most of the ship's other utilities.
Crew Structure
Command Core – The Officers charged with Primary Command Responsibilities for the Pathfinder Ship Pegasus and the Odyssey Mission, including Captain William Keeler, Executive Commander Goneril Lear, Tactical Commander Philip Miller, and Lieutenant Navigator Eliza Jane Change. Secondary Command Core includes the Chief Officers of each of the ship’s respective functional cores. Tertiary command core includes secondary officers of the rank of lieutenant or higher in each of the functional cores designated as tertiary command officers by the chief officer of each functional core.
Operational Core – Operational core is charged with logistical functions and coordinating activities among the other functional cores of the ship. It is something of a catch-all, incorporating a wide array of ship’s functions, and its officers are multi-disciplinary in their expertise. Chief Operational Officer is Lt. Commander Shea Boxer of Sapphire. Primary Command Officer in Charge of Operational Core is Executive Commander Goneril Lear.
Tactical Core – Tactical Core is charged with all aspects of ship’s defensive systems, including shields, integrated defenses (guns), missiles, and Aves and Shrieks when used defensively. Primary Command Officer in Charge of Tactical Core is Tactical Commander Phil Miller. Secondary Tactical Officers are Marine Lt. Commander Adrian Honeywell of Republic and Tactical Lieutenant Commander Jojo Tailgunner of Sapphire.
Flight Core – Flight Core includes all operational and support functions related to the operations of Aves and Shrieks. It is divided into Flight Core, which covers the pilots, and Flight Operations Core, which covers spacecraft support and flight control. Flight Core is divided into four flight groups:
- Flight Group Alpha (a.k.a. ‘The Burning Skies’) under Flight Captain Halo Jordan of Sapphire
- Flight Group Beta (a.k.a. “The Hell-Blazers”) under Flight Captain PonyBoy James of Sapphire
- Flight Group Gamma, (a.k.a. ‘The Quicksilver Angels,” under Flight Captain Stephen Hicksville of Sapphire
- Flight Group Delta, (a.k.a. ‘The Doom Patrol”), under Flight Captain Novartis Wang of Republic.
Chief Officer of Flight Core is Flight Commander
Rocky Collins of Sapphire. The Chief Flight Operations officer (under
Collins) is Lieutenant Commander Darian Kaled of Republic. Primary Command
Officer in Charge of Flight Core is Tactical Commander Phil
Redfire.
Navigational Core – Navigational Core is a small, but critical core of men and women charged with navigating the ship through normal and hyperspace. Chief Navigational Officer on Pegasus is Lieutenant Navigator Eliza Jane Change, who is also considered a Primary Command Officer.
Engineering Core – Engineering is charged with the ship’s Macro-systems, including Main Propulsion, Main Power, Artificial Intelligence (BrainCore), Environmental Macrosystems, and Applied Technology. Chief Engineering Officer is Lt. Engineering Commander Cuahtemoc Ojala of Sapphire. Primary Command Officer in Charge of Engineering Core is Executive Commander Goneril Lear.
Technical Core – Technical Core supports Engineering Core through maintenance of Microsystems and Systems Infrastructure and Mission Support. Technical Specialists are generalists, assigned to support missions and ship’s functions in any capacity in which they are needed. Chief Technical Officer is Technical Lieutenant Agamemnon Fairchild of Republic. Primary Command Officer in Charge of Technical Core is Executive Commander Goneril Lear.
Science Core – Science Core is charged with carrying out the scientific missions of the pathfinder ship Pegasus. It is divided into Astrophysical Survey, Geophysical Survey, Biological Survey, Anthropological Survey, Historical and Archaelogical Survey, and Zoological Survey, who are charged with scientific study of planets and other phenomena encountered by Pegasus. Chief Science Officer is Lieutenant Scientist Magnus Morgan of Republic. Primary Command Officer in Charge of Science Core is Executive Commander Goneril Lear.
Life Services Core – Life Services is charged with non-mission-related services to the ship’s crew, including amenities, education, recreation and sport, and internal commerce. Chief Life Services Officer is Service Lieutenant Prairie Wintergreen of Sapphire. Primary Command Officer in Charge of Life Services Core is Executive Commander Goneril Lear.
Medical Core – Medical Core is charged with maintaining the health and well-being of Pegasus Crew. Chief Medical Officer is Physician Daisy Reagan of Sapphire. Primary Command Officer in Charge of Life Services Core is Executive Commander Goneril Lear.
Diplomatic Core – Diplomatic Core is charged with opening diplomatic relations with colonies encountered by Pegasus and includes not just the diplomatic core, but also Linguistic and Hermeneutic Surveys, Trade Specialists, and Cultural Anthropology/Sociology Survey. Primary Diplomatic Officer is Toyoda Braithewaite of Republic. Primary Command Officer in Charge of Operational Core is Executive Commander Goneril Lear.
Internal Safety and Security Core – Internal
Safety and Security is charged with maintaining the safety and security of
the ship’s personnel and covers firefighters and the ship’s watch. Since
these functions are rarely needed, most personnel are volunteers whose
primary duties are with other sections. Chief Inspector Felix Churchill of
Republic is the officer in charge of Internal Safety and Security. Primary
Command Officer in Charge of Internal Safety and Security Core is
Executive Commander Goneril Lear.