TRV Solaris XV-001

TRV Solaris in Trident space, original appearance circa GY 2415.

The **TRV *Solaris*** (registry number **XV-001**) is a *Solaris*-class Explorer, the first of her class, built by Vergesso Driveyards and operated by the Trident Foundries on behalf of the Trident people, on a mission of peaceful exploration.

The *Solaris* was credited with the discovery of 23 new civilisations, including the RedEagle Confederacy, and over 100 habitable planets in their arm of the Orion Galaxy.

The vessel was disabled by RedEagle ships and completely rebuilt between GY 2422 and 2423, with modernised systems while carefully maintaining the original look; while finally being damaged to the point of unsalvageability in GY 2426 and declared destroyed.

## Description

The 392-metre long TRV *Solaris* is a dedicated explorer, powered by a new generation of linear fusion reactor and propelled through space by a Phase drive based on Zero-Point energy, unlike the common fusion- or rarer Tetryon-based Phase drive (or equivalent) of other civilisations.

### Sub-systems

#### Hull

The *Solaris*' hull was built from tough duranium alloy, able to withstand the impact of a 500 metre asteroid collision with very little damage, and had a thermal limit of 20,000 degrees Celsius to allow it to get closer to stars and other heat sources than any other Trident craft before it.

The duranium was reinforced with even tougher tritanium outer plates, developed primarily to resist energy weapons and kinetic impacts.

#### Power systems

The *Solaris* was equipped with a fairly standard, though large, linear fusion reactor that fed power into every system and subsystem on the ship. In the event of damage to the reactor, a smaller backup reactor, situated close to the main thruster assembly, kicked in to provide emergency power until the main reactor could be repaired.

The *Solaris* was also equipped with a Phase drive that was state-of-the-art in 2380, that feeds off Zero-Point energy, as opposed to tapping the fusion or Tetryon energy of the reactor like many other species' Phase systems. Trident engineers of the time hoped that the new engine would set a new standard for high speed exploration for Trident vessels. The very large, high-density Phase coils, which held and emitted the energy from the Phase drive, folded out of the forward prongs of the vessel, and four navigational antennae deployed from the centre gap, when the ship was preparing its Phase drive. The coils were designed to extend and retract from the ship to ease maintenance and repairs on them, as otherwise there was no internal access to them.

The vessel's Phase drive was refitted to a second generation model during the rebuild, resulting in speeds far in excess of modern warships, much like the original drive was compared to vessels in 2380.

#### Sensors

The *Solaris* was equipped with state-of-the-art scientific sensor pallets, strategically placed around the craft, in addition to the forward primary sensor array between the forward prongs. These allowed the *Solaris* to analyse a phenomena from several million kilometers away, away from any potential detrimental effects. There were visual sensors on the forward starboard side, just aft of the main prongs. The equivalent portside section held EM wave emitters and receivers for measurement of phenomena.

#### Defensive systems

To defend herself, the *Solaris* was equipped with seven first-generation plasma cannon turrets, all remote-controlled and slaved to the bridge; however each turret was equipped with a manual override system for crew to take control in the event of damage to the communication lines. The plasma was generated in the main core and fed to the turrets via seven high-pressure conduits.

The *Solaris* was also equipped with an array of fusion missile batteries firing the then-current "Sidewinder" missiles, with four missile ports per side. Considered primitive in comparison to the galactic standard of explosive weapons, they nevertheless had a high effective range, and could be fired faster than most other contemporary explosives. These missile ports were covered with a sliding tritanium cover when not in use. The *Solaris* typically carried 128 standard yield missiles, 16 high-yield missiles and 32 gravitic missiles designed to pull other ships out of jump space. There was a workshop on board for onboard fabrication of additional missiles, although gravitic missiles could not be built in the field unless specific supplies could be located.

The launchers were replaced during the rebuild, with launchers able to load and fire the newer "Meteor" missiles with enhanced tracking and payloads.

To resist enemy attacks, the *Solaris* was equipped with a basic conformal shield generator, creating a powerful energetic field that blocks attacks and vapourises kinetic rounds, but loses strength with each successive attack or impact and must be recharged. These shields were somewhat more primitive than the shields of other species of the time, however.

### GY 2418

In mid-2418, the *Solaris* made contact with a warrior-like alliance called the RedEagle Confederacy; informal first contact quickly started. Captain June Rider increasingly grew attached to one of the captains there.

The *Solaris* was attacked by RedEagle forces and was stuck in combat too far to call for assistance. 3 RedEagle iMSAD-class ships tried to disable and destroy the *Solaris*. Captain Rider evacuated her crew and prepared to self destruct the *Solaris* in a tightly packed asteroid field in an attempt to destroy the 3 attackers. The plan succeeded, the three enemy vessels were disabled and June escaped in a shuttle before the blast, but was disabled by the explosion and colliding debris. It was later revealed that the vessel's reactors actually failed to detonate, and the "explosion" was simply a massive EM pulse from the reactors.

The data core of the *Solaris* was recovered by RedEagle vessels, and was ferried back to Vergesso alongside Rider and her crew when diplomatic relations were initiated.

### Rebuild

In late 2422, the hull of the *Solaris* was recovered from RedEagle space. Between GY 2422 and 2423, the hull underwent a complete rebuild back into a functional vessel, complete with newer, more modern systems, while maintaining the original exterior. The vessel also received a new complement of the updated *Krunkel II*-class shuttles, new escape pods, and updated plasma turrets.

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### GY 2425

In late December, the *Solaris* was asked to shadow a RedEagle expeditionary force into a somewhat unexplored system, considered “taboo” by ancient RedEagle myths and legends. The *Solaris* crew accepted with permission from Trident leadership.

### GY 2426

The *Solaris* and the expeditionary force was attacked as they arrived at the system in early January, GY 2426, on discovery of a massive ship and fleet of unknown design orbiting the star; the Trident/RedEagle fleet was destroyed and the *Solaris* critically damaged and left for dead. During the chaos, June Rider sealed away her young daughter Kelley, and set a narrow-band distress call to Plaz, before sacrificing herself to prevent the total destruction of the *Solaris*.

Task Force Arkis responded to the distress call, arriving at the battle zone and the system 4 days later; strangely there was no star system at the coordinates provided, and only the charred remains of the *Solaris* and a few RedEagle ship fragments remained. The *Solaris* was bordered by Plaz, Jake Lancia, and Plaz' commando team and searched for survivors; to their disappointment June Rider was discovered dead, and the discovery of her unconscious daughter by Plaz baffled the team. Kelley was brought back to Plaz’s ship, the TRV *Justicar*, and they headed back to Vergesso at maximum speed.

### Legacy

The *Solaris*' critically damaged hull was dragged back from the unknown system by salvage tugs a few months later, and after careful consideration, the vessel was scrapped, as it was deemed too uneconomical to repair and put back into service.

In early GY 2432, the second ship of the Type-30 *Spectre*-class was named the TRV *Solaris* and given the registry of CV-01-A to honour the original ship, and to carry the name forward into the future.

## Notable Personnel

### Captains

* Unknown (2380-2410)
* June Rider (2410-mid 2418, 2423-2426)

## Embarked Craft

The *Solaris*' full complement of craft included four *Krunkel*-class shuttlecraft. These medium-sized shuttles could seat 9 crew and were used for exploration of planets, as well as for transferring personnel to and from visiting starships if they did not have a docking port. There were provisions for two additional, smaller shuttlecraft, but these were typically left empty and used for visiting shuttles.

The *Solaris* was capable of launching two very large unmanned probes, Exo 1 and Exo 2, that had advanced planetary and generic sensors.

In the event of catastrophic damage to the ship, there were four escape pods situated at the extreme aft end of the ship, hidden behind breakaway hull plates, that allowed the ships' crew to evacuate in tandem with the shuttlecraft. These were used during the initial evacuation in GY 2418 and were proven to be effective.

### Named Shuttles

* Shuttlepod 01 - *Alek Lancia*
* Shuttlepod 02 - *Mount* *Arai*
* Shuttlepod 03 - *Viarai City* (armed)
* Shuttlepod 04 - *Tenacious* (armed)

## Behind the Scenes

### 2018

The TRV *Solaris* was initially built by Plaz and Jake\_Lancia in early September, using a WIP hull of a battlecruiser (the center section of the *Solaris*, just after the forward prongs) as a starting point. From there, Plaz added two forward prongs reminiscent of the smaller *Eris*-class Destroyer, and a massive new bridge module which was accidentally top-bottom symmetry copied. The lower "bridge" was turned into the main Science Lab and made to look very different in every way from the actual bridge module. The aft section was then quickly finished and MeRobo was conscripted to build the engines.

Plaz ensured the vessel looked far less military by restricting the number of weapons ports, as well as minimising the use of "threatening"/military colours like red (used only for the Fusion Missile ports and heat vents) and dark greens.

The Hangar was the first bit of interior completed, in early October.