An ancient model of stealth probe once used by the I'ee family Oo'tut to explore interstellar space and observe alien civilisations and planets in complete secrecy. While an immensely effective tool for exploration and spying, much of the Cammeras' origins remain unknown.

The Cammera is a sophisticated stealth craft and functions with no living crew, instead being controlled by some form of artificial intelligence. Out of fear of damaging the limited number of craft possessed, the Oo'tut family has avoided dismantling and studying the ships in detail. While methods of communicating with, and thus cooperating with the AI controlling the vessels was attained, the Oo'tut's control over the Cammeras is imperfect.

• Stealth
• Observation
• Exploration

A far cry from true I'ee vessels' usual profiles, the Cammera is a wholly alien design. Its most distinguishing feature is the high-power optical instrument at the front of the craft, the lens of which glows a dim orange when in operation. The craft has a set of streamlined, fin-like covers on the dorsal and underside of the hull. On the sides of the main optic shaft mentioned earlier are two pairs of antennae. A circular, hollow component at the rear of the craft houses the power source: A rotating, circular device which is held in place via non-physical means. Finally, at the aft section of the probe is its engines.

As soon as the I'ee took to the stars, the sheer amount of debris littering the Ee'ee system was both a source of danger and opportunity. At first, micro-debris shredded any craft that ventured too far from home, but when the Ithee family managed to puzzle out old technology for plasma shielding, most of the danger was eliminated. Soon, many inquisitive expeditions of I'ee began to explore the graveyards in search of usable pieces of technology.

Decades passed by. Most of the debris in the graveyards were mere junk, but here and there useful discoveries spurred on technological developments. Some expeditions never returned, and so-called 'dead zones' were declared where no ships dared venture in the graveyards for one reason or another.

By chance, the Oo'tut family, during their exploration of the outer system, bumped into a Cammera; quite literally. Being the first intact piece of 'junk' found by the I'ee, the ship was taken home by the excited I'ee and studied. After years of study, the Cammera was the pride of the Oo'tut family: Puzzling out how to operate it, they were able to discover five more of the craft lurking in the Ee'ee system.

Soon, with a small fleet of powerful, stealth craft at their disposal, kept jealously secret from the other families, Oo'tut began to explore the Ee'ee system and soon interstellar space. While many great discoveries where made from the information returned by the probes, among them being the discovery of alien life, Oo'tut soon discovered discrepancies in the data-banks of the probes.

Great holes in the memory of the automated craft were discovered with each returned probe, with further information simply being kept from the Oo'tut, apparently of the Cammeras' own volition. As the years passed and the scope of the I'ee's spying operations extended, more information was found to be missing upon return. When finally, three of the Cammeras simply did not return from their missions, Oo'tut had the remaining three locked deep within her vault. With their power sources removed, the remaining probes were inert, but there was no telling what the three lost in space were doing.

• Class: N/A
• Type: Probe
• Designers: Unknown
• Manufacturer: Unknown
• Fielded by: Oo'tut(formerly)

Crew: Zero. Unmanned craft.

• Length: 40 meters (131.2feet)
• Width: 20 meters (65.6 feet)
• Height: 35 meters (114.8 feet)

• FTL Drive: 60xc.
• Sublight Engines: 4000 km/h at full speed.
• Range: N/A
• Lifespan: N/A.
• Refit Cycle: N/A.

• Hull: 15 SP
• Shields: N/A

N/A

1. Unknown Alloy

• Unknown Propulsion System

• N/A

Littlewasp created this article on 2016/11/19 01:23.