The Andromedan COmmonwealth Reseach Vessel (ACRV) New Dawn is a prototype deep-space research vessel designed to explore the depths of Andromeda's unknown regions. it is currently exploring the mysterious Segmentum Exterioris of the Andromeda Galaxy and is under the command of Captain Arnas Volkamen of the Draconid Imperium.
History[]
Plans for the New Dawn were first drawn up by a joint-effort by the Draconid Imperium and The Divinarium by the endo f the Andromeda War, construction of the prototype Dawn-class vessel was almost complete when it was announced to the Andromedan Light in February 2789. Every member put forward their reccomedations for the ship's crew and by April 2789 the ship was ready to launch. With a fresh compliment of 200 crewmemebrs it began its voyage into Segmentum Exterioris where it would conduct a long-term exploration mission to map the mysterious segmentum.
Operation[]
The ship's primary mission is to gather scientific data on the several billion stars within Segmentum Exterioris. This data includes astrography, star composition, star type frequency, planetary composition and charting of any lifeforms and societies found during the mission, which would be relayed to the various universities and institutes back ni the AGC. The New Dawn would also be on the look out for any anomolies and exotic occurences that may be occuring in the galaxy's outer-rim.
Inspired by the concept of a generation ship, the New Dawn had been designed to spend several years without the need to refuel or resupply fro mthe Commonwealth and relies on quantum replicators, solar collectors and a hypermatter siphon to compensate for an external supply of energy and materials. It is possible the New Dawn could conduct its operations almost indefinitely without the need to return.
To avoid or resolve psychological cases such as homesickness, social isolation and cabin fever, the Andromedan Light agreed to have the New Dawn set up a subspace relay beacon to allow for periodic communication with the Commonwealth and every month crew members would be able to contact friends, family and loved ones and learn of new events happening in the First Gigaquadrant.
Layout[]
The ship is divided into 16 decks each of which span five metres in height and are arranged laterally.
- Decks 1-3A are at the back of the ship and underneath the sail
- Decks 1 and 2B reside in the arc behind the main bridge and serve as the senior officers' quarters
- Decks 4-10 runs right through the ship containing most of the systems
- Decks 11-13A and 14-16 are within the main hull
- Decks 11-13B are in the saucer section.
The ship is further divided into several segments - the hull, the thorax, the saucer and the sails.
- The rear hull contains engineering labs, some of the crew quarters, engineering labs and the primary hypermatter and warp cores.
- The forward hull contains the mess hall, most of the crew qaurters, shuttle bay, the armoury, main science labs and recreational facilities
- The Thorax contains guest quarters as well as hydroponics houses.
- The saucer contains the bridge, observation deck, officers' quarters, a lounge, captain's quarters and a navigation room
Facilities[]
During contruction the ship was fitted with a variety of advanced facilities to keep the crew comfortable during its voyage into deep space. Standard crewmembers are assaigned a modest apartment unit with a bed, shower, dining area, lounge and a personal replicator. Officers have more spacious accomodation which includes the standard accomodation only larger along with en-suite studies.
The ship holds science labs catering for several scientific disciplines including astrophysics (which is also used to map the segmentum) geology, xenobiology, engineering and xenosociology. The ship's primary datacore is kept near the back of the ship near to the engine bay. The ship itself is powered by a mix of energy collector panels attached to the sails designed to use energy from the solar wind for power. The primary power core is a hypermatter siphon and energy converter.
Two holodeck suites and several hydroponics chambers are used for relaxation and providing organically-grown food respectively, cargo holds with space are used by crewmmbers for other activites that might not need a holodeck or the former units are otherwise occupied.
The ship is fitted to defend itself if need be and includes a small armoury and several turbolaser and plasma batteries. The armoury holds a variety of small-arms, enough to arm around 150 crewmembers with special replicators in an adjacant cargohold to requisitino anything larger.
The saucer section is where most of the senior crew reside. Sitting prominently on the saucer section is an observation deck with a reinforced viewscreen designed to process any blueshifted light, the observation deck uses low energy projector film to simulate a window and several cameras within the forward ablative armour are connected to it to create a panoramic view withotu compromising structural integrity. The officer's lounge is one of the forwardmost points on the ship and includes a bandstand, adjacant captain's table and a bar. In the heart of the saucer section is the navigation room with a central holographic projector, navigational charts and can serve as another conference room.
A hanger bay in the lower levels of the forward hull accomadates three resident modified AO-8C dropships and one diplomatic shuttle with facilities to accomodate a visiting fifth shuttle. Adjacant is a droid bay containing 30 personnel-sized droids and three heavy lifting droids controlled from a security room inside the droid bay. The droids come standard with lifting protocols, internal reinforcement and recognize regsitered crewmembers. Each droid is programmed not to seriously harm any registered crewmember it detects along with override codes to protect them.
The ship's onboard replicators can create food, luxuries and home comforts while the medical bay and science lab replicators can produce a variety of compounds but require the authorisation of an attending senior officer - such as a medbay attendant - to requisition.
Crew[]
The ship carries a standard compliment of 200 crewmembers picked from a large variety of species. Wary of the risk of compromised security, each member of the crew is thoroughly background-checked and examined for signs of exemplary service since the Andromedan Light believed only the best and brightest would be suitable for the remote and very dangerous expedition.
Department Heads[]
- Officers
- Race - Draconis
- Position: Captain
- Gender - Female
Were it not for first contact with the New Wental she may have just faded into obscurity as just one among millions of captains in the Draconid imperium's Imperial Talon Navy. That and an eternal dispute of whether or not her family are descendants of famed Draconis commodore Selua Akranvir. Her career is one of fighting pirates, terrorists and aiding colonists and as much as she wanted to, did not serve in the navies fighting the Mecha-Wasps. A veteren of lesser conflicts in the Andromeda and 2nd Borealis wars, her dedication to her duty was what had her hand-picked to command 'The New Dawn.
Her reputation is not helped by her personality. Although a competent commander she is known to break character around superiors, quickly changing from boastful to downright nervous despite gaining the personal attention of lord-admiral Vontarion. She is comfortable aboard the New Dawn, being one of the highest-ranking authorities aboard ship although whether or not she outranks officials fro mthe GUardians of Light such as Quendor is in dispute.
- Race - Radeon
- Position: First officer
- Gender - Male
Quendor takes pride in his family and his heritage. His father is, after all, Jahric Telnhao, one of the most famous Andromeda War heroes and the current War Predictor of Dei'Ar. His mother wasn't just a regular Radeon either, for she, Geroniel Vaenai, was one of the most brilliant minds of the Divinarium and Jahric's chief science officer. It was her demise by Artharon hands during the Second War of Twilight that made Quendor what he is now; he's fierce, determined and merciless. While his obsession with violence and justice was frowned at in his own homeland, the Divinarium, it also made him a valuable asset to the Commonwealth.
After the end of Andromeda War, Quendor was invited to join the Guardians of Light, a new military force meant to protect the young Commonwealth and the galaxy as whole. His first was mission was to act as the protector of an AGC expeditionary vessel sent to Andromeda's wild space, the New Dawn, currently acting as its first officer. During the ship's maiden voyage, Quendor became interested in strange messages which were found by the New Dawn's crew. Messages that might in fact signify that his mother is still alive...
- Race - Artharon
- Position: Chief tactical officer
- Gender - Male
The very fact that an Artharon was accepted to become a member of the New Dawn's crew was met with much controversy, especially from the Divinarium; after all, the Coalition was still distrusted by the rest of the Commonwealth, its soldiers' war crimes of Andromeda War remembered by many. As such, Baka'niju remains somewhat separated from his peers, usually staying quiet and remaining in his own room on the ship. Slow by nature and exceptionally strong, even by Artharon standards, he once served as a bodyguard for Fela'thoran during Andromeda War, being trained from birth to protect his emperor and the Coalition - and crush anyone who opposed them, without pity and remorse. The aftermath of the war left him confused and even, deep within his heart, scared. Those who were sworn enemies are now allies, and those whom he protected for years are now traitors to the Coalition... who can he trust now?
Baka'niju treated the new events as Artharon warrior code commands him - with silent stoicism. Even while he and his species might still be mistrusted by others - especially by Quendor, who is the most suspicious of the Artharon newcomer - Baka'niju rarely shows any concern over that, even if he is worried inside. All the Commonwealth needs from him is his strength and courage, and he has it in plenty.
- Race - Zazane
- Position: Chief security officer
- Gender - Male
- Others
- Race - Draconis
- Position: Chief scientist
- Gender - Male
A member of the Draconid Imperium's distinguished House Senvinus, Tarsus was already an accomplished scientist and engineer when he gaimed acclaim on the galactic stage, becoming famous as one of the foremost professionals in artifacts and technology left by The Four - the precursors of Andromeda who dominated the galaxy many millions of years before any of the galacy's modern races ever rose to power. Despite geing i na remote and largely-unexplored partof the galaxy, Tarsus is known to have retained contact with many of his relatives and scientific peers within the Commonwealth.
As a scientist, Tarsus's primary field is in history, archaeology and technology, the latter of which he has a burning passion for. He quickly gaimed a reputation among the New Dawn's crew in general for his disdain over the way his crewmates sometimes treated the ship's machinery. It is well-known he likes to see them as items that should be treated with care and has been known to snap if anyone gets even slightly heavy-handed with machinery in his vicinity. Even when his schedule calls to be off-duty he has been seen tinkering with new gadgets or strange relics in the New Dawn's engineering bays.
- Race - Kroogvon
- Position: Chief engineer
- Gender - Male
One of several Kroogvon in the New Dawn's engineering detail. Geelum was a graduate of ValleTech Engineering College and a former designer for Valle Astroengineering who had been chosen by the Imperium to represent them in the New Dawn's construction. In the months during the ship's development, Geelum became a proficient engineer in the Diviarium's technology, as well as offering his own insights from the Imperium. When he was picked ot be chief engineer, he quickly grew accustomed to frequent visits to the engineering bay by Tarsus Senvinus, however they did not always get along well.
Young and cheerful Geelum is at home tinkering with the ship's engines and power systems, firmly believing the best way to perfect the New Dawn's systems and design was to field-test what had been developed within the Divinarium. He hides a deep passion to be a singer and often sings Kroogvon work chants while he is tinkering.
- Race - Terratrix
- Position: Head doctor
- Gender -
- Race - Ryketian
- Position: Counselor
- Gender - Female
One of the few crew members from the Solonese Union, Aral'Thirva was a trained psychologist and therapist who had been privy to several high-profile members of the government of the Ryketian Star Empire. Like most of her kind she is an empathic individual known for her calm and friendly demeanor. She is one of a select few Ryketians who harbour emergent psionic potential. Aware of the stigma that comes with this ability she has done her best to keep this part of her life relatively secret. Upon learning that other psychics existed on board such as the Radeons she has grown more open to letting it slip of her abilities.
WHen on board ship she is known to be sociable and happy to help with problems any of the crew have. Other times she is known to spend extended periods in her room on her own.
- Race - Val'kar
- Position: Chief of Operations
- Gender -
- Race - Imperix
- Position: Ambassador
- Gender - Female
Unofficial Crewmembers[]
- Race - Cheurith
- Position - Soldier
- Gender - Male
The unnamed Cheurith nicknamed Tiny by the crew of the New Dawn is an odd case in the ship. Never aligned to the Andromedan Galactic Commonwealth, he is instead a former cloned slave of the Stratocracy of Karnagtah, part of a group who managed to free themselves from the Gros' mind control thanks to a mysterious artifact. This group, including Tiny, would be rescued by the New Dawn when they were found by them. Through extensive brain surgery, the mind-control helmet implanted on Tiny was removed and he became a soldier for the ship, eager to help his new friends on their mission.
While he is a rather clumsy and absent-minded individual, Tiny has shown to be an excellent asset to the New Dawn team thanks to his monstrous physical strength, been shown pulverizing boulders and tearing open metallic walls by only using his bare fists. Additionally, Tiny has been enhanced by Morphis. Outside of battle, Tiny is actually quite gentle and considers the crew of the New Dawn as his family, having a notably close relationship with chief tactical officer Beltharon. Being cloned, Tiny has little actual knowledge about the world around him, and is still struggling to learn.
Quotes[]
Trivia[]
- The concept of the New Dawn was first announced to admins of the Andromeda War in its early stages.
- The Model was designed by Imeprios while the interior layout was designed by Monet47
- The intention was that the ship would fill a double-role of creating a non-war fiction and revealing more about Andromeda.
