The Ayame Layer is a refitted version of the now obsolete Ayame-class Cruiser; dedicated to logistics, ship transport, and the transport and placement of the Type 30 City Block. It is also an effort to reuse obsolete vessels in a non-combat capacity.

The original Ayame is a KFY-built command cruiser which has a docking ring (more of an elliptical shape) designed for lift-based docking with four Yui-class Scouts and four Ketsueki-class Escorts. This allows for an entire standard-size fleet group to travel together and share resources, as well as eliminating the need for future escort frigates to carry a Transuniversal Teleportation Drive.

When the Ayame entered obsolescence in a combat capacity in YE 30, Shosa Kage Yaichiro decided to design a refit to use them in a logistics capacity. The number of ships which could be hauled was upgraded to 18, the ship was given the ability to carry a large amount of cargo, and its weapons and propulsion were redesigned and simplified.

A main use, however, was to transport and lay individual city blocks under a new civic construction program.

Other than being able to carry a massive amount of items, this ship can tow up to 18 vessels attached to it, and even carry a Type 30 City Block. Some of the more complex systems have been traded down to more plentiful and easier to produce systems to reflect its non-front line system.

This ship is often used to transport and lay Type 30 City Blocks, tow large numbers of ships, and transport for logistics.

This new type of ship use and cargo have required a new method to be developed to place these city blocks with the Layer. After much consideration, it was decided that the following method would be used:

The city blocks, empty of furniture or living things, would be transferred from the Anri they were built on to the Ayame Layer by way of the Ayame Layer's graviton beam projectors. The top of the building would be situated toward the front of the ship, and held in place with more gravitational control systems as the Ayame Layer entered the new planet's atmosphere.

Upon nearing the surface of the planet, the Ayame Layer would rotate in mid air until the rear of the ship was pointed directly at the ground. This resulted in the ship hovering perpendicular to the ground. The Ayame Layer would then use its Ground Cutter laser system to cut into the ground and rock below, and use its very fine control graviton beam projectors to pull soil and rock from the worksite, while also preventing more soil from falling in. The excess soil is carried to a nearby alternate site, a temporary soil quarry point, for later reuse. Often this is so close, that the ship need not even move from its position the entire time.

After the work site is cleared; the Ayame Layer would rotate the building around its vertical axis while still inside the ship until it was properly aligned, and use its gravity control systems to lower it into the hole. Once complete, the city block would be stabilized by being buried in the used soil up to the third sublevel, and more city blocks would be laid.

Once the city blocks of a city are in place and the water table is varified as being in expected parameters, they are activated and the connections between them on the second sublevel are made. At that point, the city's sublevels are buried the rest of the way and packed down into stable ground. After a final check; the city is now ready for furniture to be put inside, plant life to be grown, and inhabitants to be brought in.

Through the PANTHEON system, all Ayame ISFC were upgraded to the 1b specifications in YE 25, soon after the discovery of the Tami System System by Taisho Alexis Jaren and her Third Expeditionary Fleet. The 1b added a large mecha complement, weaponry, and internal security systems to the cruiser. In late YE 25, the class was named Ayame after newly-promoted Taisho Ketsurui Ayame of the Third Expeditionary Fleet.

The most famous example of the Ayame class is the the YSS Celia, commanded by Kai Ashigari (where he was assassinated), and later by Taisho Henry Chen.

In YE 30, the Ayame was rendered obsolete and the Ayame Layer was designed, to utilize the old parts and ships for a new civic works program.

In YE 37, the Star Army of Yamatai determined this ship was no longer worth updating and have begun to phase them out of service.

• Class: Ki-C1-1D
• Type: Logistics Ship (City Block Layer, Ship Tower, Cargo Ship)
• Designers: Ketsurui Yui (Original Ayame), Kage Yaichiro (Layer refit)
• Manufacturers: Ketsurui Fleet Yards at Albini, Midori No Umi, Iori Star Fortresses (KFY)
• Fielded by: Star Army of Yamatai, Yamatai Star Empire

• Crew: 120
• Maximum Capacity: 800 (many more if using layer bay)

• Length: 2000 feet (609.6 meters)
• Width: 800 feet (243.84 meters)
• Height: 400 feet (121.92 meters)
• Decks: 33

See: Star Army of Yamatai Starship Speeds

• Speed (Atmospheric): Mach 1
• Landings: Water only. VTOL. Can hover indefinitely. Can land or hover parallel or perpendicular to ground.
• Maximum Range: Effectively Unlimited.
• Lifespan: Estimated 20 years
• Refit Cycle: Every five years, with frequent automatic minor upgrades though the PANTHEON system.

*This large reduction is due to the expansion of the CFS to contain ships being towed by the Ayame Layer.

• Hull: 30
• Shields: 30 (Threshold 3)

The interior of the Ayame-class is based on that of the original Yui-class Scout, and has become somewhat vintage. Onboard, accommodations are small, but comfortable, with the crew living communally in soft pits called nests. Furniture is sleek and ergonomic, designed to fit Nekovalkyrja. This has been retained in the Ayame Layer.

The Ayame has 33 decks, plus a massive Layer Bay in the rear.

See: Standard Star Army Armory

As the control center of the ship, the bridge has all the necessary stations in it: Tactical, Defensive Systems, Navigation, Science, Communications, and Operations (the Captain's). Indented into the floor are the pilots' pits, totally immersive control environments. Pilots fly the ships using an advanced neural interface. The cockpits are usually reserved for combat situations, as the ship's computer handles most flight ops. The basic layout of the bridge stations can be seen below (with the top of the chart representing the front of the bridge/ship). Given the nature of the displays, the control stations can be used for alternate functions if necessary. The bridge chairs, as well as the larger recliners in the briefing room, provide footrests.

The Ayame's standard quarters are small and simple, filled by Traditional Nekovalkyrja Nests.

The Ayame features a large, self-service mess hall, with long benches, automatic beverage dispensers, and buffet-style tables carrying large, communal dishes. There is a large, fully equipped kitchen adjoining the mess hall. The dishes offered vary wildly in style and cultural influences, and are meant to please as many palettes as possible.

Meals are served during regular meal times. Made-to-order dishes could be requested during off-peak hours, if there is still a cook on duty. Even when no one is on duty in the kitchen, plenty of snacks and beverages are available. One would expect to find at least a few off duty crewmen inside the mess hall during all hours of the day.

The Ayame contains a well-equipped medical bay includes all the typical resources available to typical Yamataian vessels, such as nodal support for the creation of medicines and tools, hemosynthetics tanks which are used to create new bodies and organs, and ST/SS machines which provide crucial storage of “soul data”. The unusual commodities of this medbay include far more extensive tools geared toward implanting of various cybernetic and electronic equipment. Between each of these features is a collapsible wall which provides privacy and when properly sealed, prevention of contamination.

There are many hallways, which run from from the front to the rear of the ship, connected by occasional passageways across and by a system of elevators. Control panels in the halls can give the crew status-updated maps should they need them. The other way of moving from place to place on board the ship is to use the network of access shafts and crawlways which run the length of the ship. Technicians often hang out in these tubes.

Contains a large heated swimming pool, a gym, and a sparring room.

Unlike most Star Army ships, the Ayame class has been granted a seperate research bay which is equiped in much the same manner as a typical medbay, but is complemented with far more advanced sensor equipment and sample storage.

The key substance that makes up the hull armor of the ship is Zesuaium. The frame of the ship is Zesuaium, and the armor plates are made of Zesuaium coated Titanium Boron Carbide]]. By using only thin layers of Zesuaium armor to fortify lightweight metal ceramics, weight is kept low. Windows are made out of a special transparent Zesuaium which does not block visible light. Zesuaium's main vulnerability is to antimatter weapons.

In addition to their Zesuaium-reinforced hull plating, Integrated Strike Force Cruisers have to ability to deploy 50cm of heavy armor over the entire hull of the ship, including areas normally exposed such as the CDD, thrusters, and sensors. When the armor takes damage, it flakes away in a controlled manner (ablation), absorbing the destructive force. The armor can then be repaired using hemosynthesis, making the armor self-regenerative. A combined Photonic/Gravitonic field further protects the armor.

Lift The lift provides quick access from the main deck to the subdeck. The lift can also be used to travel to other ships when vessels link together (most Star Army ships have standard gauges of lift systems, allowing lift cars to move from ship to ship). The lift system of the ISFC is somewhat unique in that the lift cars also travel sideways through the docking ring to the eight lift connection points.

Unlike the main Ayame, the appended module which replaces the Docking Ring is made of Yamataium. Able to contain a large volume, and over doubling the length of the Ayame when refitted into the Ayame Layer, the Layer Bay Extension has several roles.

Layer Bay

The Layer Bay is massive cargo bay with internal gravity and atmosphere control. When carrying a city block, there is no gravity, but all sides have gravity when it is used for general cargo. This allows all walls of the Layer Bay to be utilized as storage space.

Docking Cylinder

The Docking Cylinder can carry up to 18 ships, allowing the Ayame Layer to act as a tow-ship for many other vessels. Its CFS is capable of extending over these other ships, though at a considerable cost of FTL speed.

See: MEGAMI Integrated Electronics System

See: KFY Graviton Beam Projector

Ten heavy-duty Graviton Beam Projectors, in addition to the normal two on the Ayame, are used for various purposes. They can be used to position the ship perpendicular to ground, lower/raise/rotate city blocks, or secure ships while they dock onto the Docking Ring.

See: Psionic Signal Controller

30 KFY Type KiS-2408es Escape Pod escape pods, each able to hold up to four people, are located on board.

See Hemosynthetic Conduit System

The ship has a very thorough recycling system, tied into HSCS-2, which breaks down anything classified into “waste” into its atomic components. The air recycling system (which is segmented and highly monitored for security reasons) can support up to 800 NH-29 personnel up to twenty years (the KFY recommendation, however, is to replenish it at least every six months). Water can be recycled for twenty years as well.

See: Combined Field System

The individual shielding and stealth systems have been removed and replaced with a general CFS for cost effectiveness, as well as to maximize the parts available. The bells and whistles of a cruiser are not necessary on a logistics ship. With the emmitters and the computing power existing on the ship, this conversion needs no more hardware, and frees up space within the ship.

A quick way to get from point A to point B. The Pizza delivery guy used it to get to the party in less than a minute. Unfortunately, the molten cheese burned some dude's chin pretty bad because it was still hot. The fold drive is capable of moving the ship through hyperspace at speeds up to 5 light-years a minute. Time, however, does not move the same for those on the ship as for those in “real” space, which can make a seemingly short trip take a long time.

See: Hydrogen Collection Matrix

The MCS allows the ship to collect hydrogen molecules as it travels through space, which can be used to provide fuel or converted into higher elements for use in the HSCS. The MCS units can be shielded in combat with cover plates.

Although the Ayame lacks a dedicated self destruct system (primary for space efficiency reasons), the ship can be destroyed from the monitor room by deliberately overloading the generator and capacitor system. The process takes only a few seconds and results in an aether energy explosion powerful enough to totally destroy the ship (and anything within 2500 km).

See: Combined Field System

• heavy_energy_cannon: 2, DR 4
• Anti-Neutron Turrets: 8, DR 3
• Star Army Weapons Pods: 720, DR 1
• KFY Ground Cutter: 8, DR 1

• Ke-T2 (3) Aeroshuttle
• Ke-T1 (4) Short Range Shuttle
• Ke-M1-1c (100) Space Mecha for NH-12
• Ke-M1-2b (400) Low-cost Space Mecha for NH-12