Mothership Motherships are large alien ships dedicated to long - term space travel and for the study of other species . They are generally located in space . It houses an entire crew of aliens and is commanded by a captain . The overall shape of the ship resembles a colossal saucer with another small disc - shaped section attached to the bottom . Background . Sometime in the early 1600 ' s , a mothership named " Zeta " was sent to or came across Earth , and it began to observe the planet and abduct the Earth ' s species for experimentation . In 2277 , for over 600 years , " Zeta " is still hovering above Earth , continuing its study of the Earth species . Some time later , it sent a radio signal , the Recon Craft " Theta " beacon , to the crashed recon craft " Theta " in the Capital Wasteland , in order to abduct anyone who approaches the ship . In 2277 , the Lone Wanderer was kidnapped and became the subject of an alien experimentation . But before undergoing more experimentation , he / she escaped from the cells with Somah , saved and joined forces with an atypical group of survivors , and took control of the ship . After the Lone Wanderer killed the " Zeta " ' s alien captain and captured the ship ' s bridge , a second mothership came after " Zeta " and began hostilities . After an exchange of shots with their respective death ray s , the second mothership was destroyed and no other motherships arrived , stopping the alien menace for a while . Layout and technology . < section begin = " Mothership layout and technology " / > A mothership uses the finest alien technology and possesses both offensive and defensive capabilities . It is protected by shield technology and its main weapon is a powerful raygun cannon named the death ray ( this device , when used on Earth , resembles the power of a nuclear warhead ) , which connects to the lower section and can be used for both orbital strikes on a planet and combat against other space vehicles . Passages between the various sections can be made faster with teleportation matrices installed in key points of the ship , which can be turned off in case of internal problems by the captain of the ship . It also possesses a large number of healing archway s placed in all sections , that will heal and remove all radiation of anyone who walks through them . A mothership also contains various laboratories for experimentation on living beings and technology such as biological research , experimentation labs and research labs . There are also a vast number of storage facilities in which items retrieved from a planet below are stockpiled , and abducted species are kept alive or are frozen for preservation , used for experimentation or targets for weapons . Many of the subjects ( Living specimens ) are mutilated in the process of Zetans " Research " . Aside from living quarters for the crew and the bridge , the remainder of the vessel is dedicated to the ship ' s basic functions . The engineering core in the lower part of the ship provides access to most of the maintenance sections like the maintenance level , engine room or waste disposal . In the robot assembly , the various alien drones are produced and repaired . Death ray control and death ray hub are dedicated to controlling the mothership ' s main weapon . A mothership also features its own hangar in which other smaller alien ships can be stored and maintained . < section end = " Mothership layout and technology " / > Appearances . Motherships appear in the " Fallout 3 " add - on " Mothership Zeta " .