No-C1-1b - Mersina General Cruiser

NovaCorp Shipyards No-C1-1b Mersina General Cruiser

The Mersina Starship was originally designed to fill the demand made by the PNUgen Corporation for a new fleet of starships for general-purpose usage in the YSE and beyond. However NovaCorp made several alterations for its own variant, and made it its own general-purpose vessel.

The Mersina is a relatively small starship and is not intended for a large crew. It is made for maximum versatility across many different fields, as so to be truly general-purpose, but does not follow the PNUgen Corporations example of not splashing out on needless technology and expenses. When NovaCorp makes a ship of its own accord it likes to make them nice.

The original Mersina was designed, as one of NovaCorp’s first major projects, to be a useful ship for PNUgen, and the Mersina (PNUgen variant) saw good use by that corporation. However given that the Mersina had been designed largely to be finished off by PNUgen, NovaCorp was left with only a Skeleton for its own ship. This was not seen to be fulfilling the potential of the design sufficiently and as such the NovaCorp development team overseen by the sporadic presence of Ephesus but otherwise headed by Ithaca. After this redesign it was implemented as a general purpose ship that NovaCorp was desperately in need of.

Organizations Using This Vessel: NovaCorp Type: General-Purpose Cruiser Class: No-C-1b Designer: NovaCorp Vehicles Division, Ephesus, Ithaca Production: As needed.

Crew: A minimum of one operator. Standard crew is 9, one captain and four crew for each of two shifts. Pilots: 2 Maximum Capacity: 325 (5 officers (including captain), 320 crew) Appearance: The Mersina Cruiser is a ship of flowing design, lacking in hard lines but consisting of many gentle curves. It is very streamline and what would be considered aero-dynamic, and is considerably wider than it is tall.

Length: 300 meters Width: 100 meters Height: 50 meters Decks: Four decks.

Speed (STL): 0.350 light speed using gravitic drive. Speed (CDD): .20 to 15,000c using combined distortion system. Speed (Hyperspace Fold): 0.65 LY/min Speed (Aerial): Mach 13 in atmosphere (Without shields). Mach 15 with friction shielding. The ship has landing gear and full VTOL capability. Speed (Water): Can travel with some speed underwater, around 3,000 knots.

Range (Distance): Limited only by the lifespan of the vessel. Crew can survive for twenty years without supplies, longer if stasis systems are activated. Range (Support): The ships waste recycling systems means it only needs restock every twenty years. Lifespan: The vessel is estimated to operate for at least 50 years of constant use. Refit Cycle: As with many NovaCorp vessels, newer designs and modifications come out haphazardly, and when they do happen they will either be made when the vessel is next being repaired, or a general recall will be activated.

Passageways: The passageways in the cruiser are fairly non-descript, not rectangular but hexagonal, with a thin carpet for friction and a dark blue wallpaper covering the ceiling as well as the walls. Lighting is supplied by erratically placed round LED lights which can come from any surface, each around an inch in diameter. NovaCorp has replaced the consoles built in to the walls with a Volumetric Display system which can project and image anywhere in the corridor, which not only can create any image in perfect detail, but also allow for the manipulation of a volumetric replication of a console. Each deck contains on central passageway two metres wide running down the center of the ship, with two subsidiary passageways either side of this, one on the starboard, the other on portside. The central passage is three metres wide, the subsidiary are two metres.

Armouries: There are multiple armouries space around the Mersina, rooms built in to the corridors at strategic points. Each of the armouries is protected by a carbon-ring door or three inches, combined with an independent shielding system. The armouries are three metre by three metre rooms filled with all variety of weapons that NovaCorp sells, with an abundance of ammunition.

Laboratory: This is the generic science room of the Mersina Cruiser, a large room five metres deep by ten metres long. The machinery in this laboratory isn’t particularly specific, but contains a large amount of equipment of chemistry, physics, and various high complexity sensors. There is also a goodly amount of equipment that can be used to design equipment, or modify pre-existing technology: effectively a toy-shop for an inventor.

Power Armour bay: The Power Armour bays are where the power armours are planned to be stored. This is not a large room, given that NovaCorp has very limited access to Power Armour, and does use them for its general soldier. In fact all told the Power Armour Bay only has place to contain 15 Power Armours. These are housed in alcoves in the walls, behind sliding glass panels, and held in place using a containment field. The rear of the Power Armour Bay is a door which opens up in to space, although the same variety of shield that is in the shuttle bay is in place here. The power armour bay lies at the extreme bow end of the second deck.

Bridge: The Mersina's small bridge sits in the center of the ship, taking advantage of the fact that view screens and sensors means that it doesn’t need to be next to the hull. It is surrounded by and additional layer of Xentronium armour, and has independent oxygen recycling system, as well as being fully insulated. This means it can survive the destruction of the ship and last in the void of space for some time. It includes a large viewscreen at the front of the ship, with smaller windows opening up into smaller windows in the viewscreen as needed. Volumetric displays can be projected anywhere within the Bridge, and can be manipulated manually, effectively creating a console in midair. Lying in the center of the bridge is the Captains chair, the effective command center of the ship. This large chair with very comfortable padding contains a bio-neural interface but is also fitted with a complex SQUID device which allows for non-invasive interface with a fair degree of accuracy. Around the bridge are three alcoves, each containing a console and a large chair, fitted with a bio-neural interface and SQUID device if required. These consoles are Mission Operations (including navigation and research), Communications and Weapons systems. Other consoles can be created through volumetric displays if required, and the role of the alcoves can change. At the front of the bridge is the pilot’s chair. This chair is almost fully reclined, and has a plush interior much like the interior of a Sleeping Bag, and although can use a purely manual control, for best performance it is recommended that the extremely high complexity SQUID be used, or the bio-neural interface. This allows for increased manoeuvrability and agility, moving towards the ideal of the ship being an extension of the pilot. The bridge is illuminated by a horseshoe shaped LED light on the ceiling. Given that Ephesus was the designer for both the original and the modified Cruiser variant, there is a Coffee machine built in to the back wall which not only is capable of supplying a superb cup of Coffee, it is also capable of mixing in to this energising substances and hormones in order to give it an additional kick, and to main physical and mental energy. The bridge is at the bow end of the third deck.

Captain's Quarters: The captain is the commander of the vessel, and so it is natural that of all the quarters the Captain’s quarters are the most luxurious and extravagant. It is both larger and significantly more comfortable than the quarters of the normal crew or the officers. The floor is dark marble with patterns of gold, the walls are panelled mahogany with paintings on the walls. The ceiling is in its basic form an attractive set of plaster, but is set with a volumetric display most of time, often showing a night sky. Central to the room is an Emperor sized four poster bed, with down mattress, and down and silk duvet and pillows. Other furniture consists of a magnificent mahogany writing desk, carved with an very high level of detail, leaves and figures covering the surfaces not used for writing. The chair next to it appears to be an antique arm-chair but contains a bio-neural interface and a powerful SQUID device. There are two separate chests of draws and a mahogany wardrobe. There is an en suite bathroom, along with a bath (the only one on the ship) most made of marble. The captain’s quarters are on the third floor.

Wardroom: The Wardroom, the room in which the Captain and officers dine, is a large an elaborate affair, with a magnificent mahogany dining table, and silver dining wear is in the sideboards, along with fine quality china plate wear. Above the table is a crystal chandelier, and around the walls are gently glowing orbs. The room is significantly larger than it needs to be for eating, and usually hides this with Volumetric images, because this room is also designed to be a tactical center for the officers. The food is delivered by a significantly more complicated food replication device in one of the walls which often actually improves upon food to make it more pleasing to the senses. The wardroom is nine metres deep by five metres wide.

Crew Quarters: The Mersina’s rooms are compact, but are now somewhat more ornate than their originals counterpart. The rooms are no larger, and still consists of two bunk beds, and still sleep four people in the rooms, but they are softer beds, and of a more pleasing design. Each bunk bed has a light above it, and also a volumetric projector which can create a console, or simply a simulacrum of a book. There are two sets of chest of draws, one on each side of the door, with the chest of draws being divided between two occupants. There are also two wardrobes, one on each side of the room. Both wardrobes and chest of drawers are kept closed by a magnetic seal, and are attached to the floor, as are the beds. Each Crew Quarters are four metres deep by three metres wide. There are 80 crew quarters on the Mersina class General Cruiser. All 80 of the crew quarters lie on the same deck, that deck being the fourth one.

Medical Bay: In its position as a ship that must be able to cope in a wide circumstance of positions, both as a warship and as one that may be used for exploration, the Medical Bay is not only a place of healing, but a place for science. The medical bay is a large room of fifteen metres by ten metres, and contains many medical beds which contain both a number of sensors and medical equipment, and also a powerful containment field. Medical Bay’s can therefore be used as a brig if needed. Around the walls are numerous regen-pods, which fill with a nutrient rich medium which replicates the subjects stem-cells and quickly heals whoever is placed inside. The medium’s color is of a light blue, with a constituency like gel. The medium appears to be lightly radiant due to lights put in for aesthetic reasons. The ship lacks ST technology given that NovaCorp lacks access to it.

Officers Quarters: For the officers of the Mersina they are granted something mid-way between the quality of the crew and that of the captain. Unlike the crews quarters they do not need to share their room with others, but have a room to their selves. The room is dominated by a king size four poster bed with a soft mattress, and down duvet and pillows. The walls have wood panelling, the floor is a thick carpet and furniture in the room consists of an ornate wooden desk with a comfortable armchair, a chest of drawers and a wardrobe. To the side there is a bookshelf with the books held in place by glass door held in place by a magnetic seal. There is an en suite bathroom, consisting of a shower, a basin a medical cupboard and a mirror. The floor and walls are tiled. The room is four metres deep by three metres wide. There are 4 Officers Quarters in the Mersina.

Shower block: Since the relocation of the Quarters of the Crew and the Officers on the same deck, the shower blocks are placed in a rather different variety. Instead there is a shower facility after every fifth crew quarters. These shower facilities consist of a single four metre deep by six metre wide room, with cubicles lining the walls and several more standing in the center of the room, bringing the total up to fifteen cubicles. These are little more than a nozzle which projects water and a shampoo/soap dispenser. In addition to this a basin can be drawn out of the wall by pressing a button, and there is a mirror on the wall above this. For the cubicles standing in the center of the room the basins are not strictly ‘drawn out’ the wall, but inflated, consisting largely of rubber. These are highly damage resistant however. The cubicles have a roof and a LED light, and so can not be seen into from the outside once the door is closed. Towels can be found in a cubicle to the side of the door. NovaCorp decided not to have sex separated showers, deciding it was inefficient and that given that there were cubicles no-one should be offended

Toilet Room: On the fourth deck, the residential deck, there are numerous toilet facilities. These are arranged in much the same way as the showers, and in fact each facility lies directly opposite the showers. The toilet room consists of a four metre deep by six metre wide room, with eight toilet cubicles. Along the wall with the door are eight basins complete with soap dispenser and mirror. Again there is no division for sex.

Gym: Given that NovaCorp is not an enormous employer of Nekovalkyrja, and instead require those who actually require exercise, a gym was regarded as a must have. The gym lies at the stern of the fourth deck, consisting of a large room taking up the space between the central and starboard corridors, a nine metre by nine metre room containing much weightlifting equipment, as well as a small arena set aside for martial combat training. In addition to this there are four two metre by two metre rooms at the bow wall which project an amazingly complicated volumetric display combined with field projectors which can replicate almost any environment for training of exercise.

Mess Hall: The Mess Hall is where all the crew eat. It is a large room filled with Spartan tables, with alcoves around the walls containing food dispensers. Keeping a dedicated culinary staff for the ship was seen as a waste of resources, and so an advanced food preparation system was designed which can synthesise almost any food whose basic molecular structure has been loaded in to it. It doesn’t taste exactly right, but it’s regarded as close enough. Each table can seat eight people, and there are ten of them, allowing for eighty people to eat at one time. This is rarely a problem because of erratic mealtimes. There are twenty alcoves, and the rooms dimensions are nine metres by twelve metres. The mess hall is at the bowside end of the Fourth deck, on the starboard side of the central corridor. It has two entrances, the second one being from the starboard corridor.

Lounge (3): The lounges, lying at the bow end of the fourth deck corridors (around the same area as the mess hall) are comfortable places, with thick sofas lining the walls, televisions screens connected to the opposite wall or ceiling. Volumetric displays can be used instead of these. There are recreational games stocked in a cupboard. Each lounge has the seating capacity for thirty-six people sitting on the sofas, or more milling about playing games on the floor. This is not equivalent to the crew of the ship, simply because compromising too much space for a lounge was regarded as excessive, and Ephesus wanted to encourage such activities as reading and improving yourself that could take place in the bedroom.

Laundry Room: This is the room where the Crew take their laundry and have it cleaned. All the machines are automatic, and very quick. There are around ten machines in the room, but their short cycle time means that there isn’t much of a queue. The four laundry rooms lie at the sternside of the fourth deck corridors.

Shuttle bay: At the back and rear of the Mersina Cruiser is the shuttle bay, which takes up the largest part of Deck Five, and contains eight Jilanth shuttles. Given it is significantly taller than any other room in the ship, a short staircase must be taken from the passage way to the floor of the bay. The bay is 50 metres long, 40 wide and 8 high, with the eight Jilanth shuttles lying in two layers, four a breast, pointing towards the bay doors which are habitually shut. Even when open the bay is protected by a complex array of shields which allow for the shuttles to pass through but not the atmosphere inside the bay.

Armoured Hull: The hull of the Mersina cruiser is three foot thick perfect iron with twelve inch thick carbon-ring plating over this. As a staple of NovaCorp hull design space-time stabilisation devices are built in to the hull which greatly limit the ability of distortion based weaponry to effect the hull or the area around this. In addition to this conformal shield generators are built into the hull, which a class 5 shield. This is completely independent to the primary shields.

Shielding systems: The Mersina’s shielding systems have gone through a complete revamp, replacing the Bubble Shields of the earlier design with a far more powerful tri-layer distortion shield. The first one is a conformal shield which is projected a metre away from the hull, and which is completely separate from the hull-generated shield. This shield is class 7.

The other two shields are the primary defense, and serve as two oval shield systems, one slightly inside the other. When one is damaged it retreats within the defensive shell of the other in order to regenerate. Each of these shields is class 6. In addition to this there are reinforcement shield devices, which are capable of supplying an additional shield level of damage production to an area which needs it, and the computer where the damage will be most damage. All of the shields are modulated by the ships AI

Friction shielding: This shield is meant not for defensive purposes but to reduce the amount of friction acting upon the ship and thus allowing it to travel faster in atmosphere and water without as much power.

Total Internal Compartmentalization: The ship is sectioned off so that ruptures and fires in one section will not affect other sections. Airtight internal doors and emergency blast shutters further enable the ship to maintain air pressure in the event of small through large-scale decompression. The doors are non-automatic. These systems also make excellent anti-boarding defences.

Graviton Beam Projector (15): This device creates a stream of gravitons which can be used to tow other spacecraft or shuttles. The projector is ineffective against ships using gravitonic shielding.

Rapid Launch Exits: The ship's exterior is equipped with two large rapid-launch doors, which are connected to the Power Armour launch, armament, equipment and maintenance rooms. The doors are forcefield-contained openings in the hull, behind large sliding blast doors. The bays make it possible for power armours to leap out into space and into combat at their convenience.

Combined Field System: The Mersina Starship has an excellent combined field system. In effect, the CFS sustains a small “pocket universe” around the vessel by nesting electrogravitic and electrostatic fields. Gravity and time outside the shield bubble do not affect the objects inside, and objects inside the bubble are protected from both solid and beam weaponry, because the projectiles or beams pass through the curved space and around the ship. The combined field serves a number of purposes, including propulsion, defense, weaponry, and stealth; for this reason, it is almost always on.

AI: Replacing the somewhat feeble ‘Backup Computer’ of the base model the Mersina General Cruiser has a fully functioning NovaCorp AI capable of running the ship and conducting all the duties that a general ship would be able to do – meaning that it contains knowledge that lends itself towards helping out in nearly any situation. It utilises quantum-computing as well as sub-atomic memory in combination with the hyper-dense configuration coupled with sending signals through hyper-space in order to achieve an astounding level of computational ability. The AI is not designed to control many objects other than itself, but its computational power means that it can control ten other vessels competently and a good two and a half thousand lesser devices. The personality of the AI tends to be that of a highly obedient bookish old fellow, who slips into archaic armour and military temperament when there is danger.

Propulsion: The ship propels itself at speeds many times the speed of light by generating continuum distortions in the CFS and nesting them to create asymmetric peristaltic fields. The normal CDD speeds are augmented by working with the forward deflector (located on the underside of the ship). This allows the ship to travel thousands of times the speed of light. This gives Star Army ships the advantage of attacking at FTL speeds. The Mersina Starship uses a combined distortion drive capable of generating small wormholes, navigating the quantum slipstream, creating hyperspace fold points, and acting as sublight propulsion. Distortion-based systems allow the ship to stop or move nearly instantly because the ship has not moved.

Life Support System: The ship has a very thorough recycling system, which means it only needs replenishing once every ten years.

The Mersina Starship currently boasts a very limited communications array as an more advanced one is planned to be installed by another organisation once the sale has bee agreed.

Laser: For close-range transmissions, it is more difficult for the enemy to intercept, because they have to be in the area of the beam. Also limited to light-speed.

Radio: Full spectrum, Dual-Modulation, range theoretically unlimited except by interference. Practical range is short, since the waves only travel at light-speed. A Type 27 Nekovalkyrja Scout Ship can also jam the spectrum with white noise and intelligent false radio traffic (such as fake missile guidance commands and IFF traffic).

Subspace: Allows faster-than-light transmission. A standard means of communication.

The main weapons of the Mersina Cruisers are twin powerful Type 1 Photon Lances.

Damage: 4 SDR

The Mersina Cruisers are equipped with twenty Type 3 High Energy Xaser (HEX)Weapon.

Damage: Tier 11, Medium Anti-Starship

Location: Turrets spaced evenly around the hull.

At the bottom of the Mersina Cruiser are two sliding armored plate and an extendable firing system fitted equipped with Type 1 Hyper Spatial Torpedo. It is often directed by the Mersina’s AI, or by its own systems.

Payload 100 Missiles in each launcher

Damage: 4 SDR

The Mersina comes with eight Jilanth T2 Military Shuttle, stored in the shuttle bay.

This article was created by Zakalwe. It was approved by Wes on September 16, 2006: Approval Thread