Terry Mixon
Emperor Mongoose
Because I literally can't help myself (is there a twelve-step program for ship design?), I decided the 300,000-ton Emperor Hiroshi wasn't ambitious enough for the Solomani Party. So, I decided to double its size and rename her Hiroshi the Uncrowned! Enjoy and happy treasure hunting!
A Mongoose 2e design. Hiroshi the Uncrowned was a singular ship rather than a class of vessels because only someone insanely wealthy and arrogant would have ever built even one. The ship was designed and constructed at the yards on Luna in the Sol system and was one of the first ships made there to TL15 specifications.
She was the largest, most luxurious ship serving the Solomani Party leadership and would definitely have continued excelling in that role had she not been lost fleeing the Imperial Navy at Terra where she was evacuating the cream of the Party leadership and numerous artistic and cultural relics brought there from across the Imperium and the Solomani Sphere before the system fell to the Imperium in the Rim War. She jumped far too close to Terra with a full load of rich and powerful passengers, as well as innumerable cultural artifacts, and was never seen again.
Made to exacting standards with the very best workmanship and materials, every system and amenity cost an additional 375% above the base cost, making her ridiculously expensive to build (TCr1.148 total) and maintain (MCr94.744 per maintenance period). The superior materials and construction make the ship stronger than she would otherwise be (x1.5 hull points, 660,000), faster (x1.5, thrust 3), and powerful (x1.5 power generation, 183,257). All shipboard rolls earn a DM+2 due to the quality of the equipment and working environment.
Her amenities could not possibly have been understated. She was made to fit the Solomani Party's idea of what the vessel serving their elite required and deserved. The luxury passenger common areas were expanded by 50% even over the already spacious allotment, giving them plenty of elbow room consisting of elegant sitting rooms, salons for gathering for drinks, trendy or stately bars, and innumerable other niches that only the wealthy seem to understand or need. Even above the opulent furnishings and exquisite commons, she came of a vast configurable common area that could be a ballroom, sports venue, or whatever else was desired. She came with an elegant and roomy casino suitable for 300 players who could afford the high-stakes games held there.
She also came with an extensive commercial area with 200 luxury boutiques taking up variable tonnage from the 4,000 dtons allocated (average 20 dtons) meant to provide for the passengers' every whim and desire. These boutiques were leased for MCr10 a month with the expectation that they would generate three times that in sales.
Additionally, some staff members were typically amenable to off-the-books services to discerning passengers, though with remote oversight via neural jack to ensure the safety of the staff and a way to summon security if needed, as well as a biometer to make certain that no health emergency was missed. All the crew had those implants for tracking, safety, and communication. Skills to assist in any shipboard or support capacity were available wirelessly or via wafer. She also came with 140 medical bays so as to provide advanced medical procedures in comfort and privacy for the passengers, in addition to overseeing any medical issues that cropped up with the most advanced technology available.
Though many functions could have been filled by robots, no mechanicals were allowed aboard, even for cleaning and maintenance roles. Only sophont crew were acceptable to the elite. She came with 10 crew shuttles and 12 luxury passenger shuttles to ferry the passengers and crew as needed, as well as two oversized modular cargo cutters to handle freight and speculative cargo.
She was built with a reinforced hull, was heavily armed with many pulse lasers, sandcasters, fusion barbettes, advanced sensors, and, even though not needed, she had a command bridge for the prestige of her passengers. Never advertised, she also came with a dozen large missile bays, a dozen large meson bays, and a black globe generator for the ultimate in protection of her precious passengers.
She also had 16 Skeeter Heavy-Class 200-Ton Heavy Fighters as in-system escorts. She carried 3 advanced missile reloads for herself and the Skeeters. Additionally, she had 2 Prospectus-Class 500-ton J6 passenger and cargo acquisition vessels designed to run ahead of the ship to prepare everything for her arrival. The ship came with staterooms for their crews during jump for complete integration. Her fuel tanks were made of metal hydride and meant to protect her ability to jump at need. Even so, because she wasn't prepared for the early arrival of the Imperial Navy, she jumped too deep in Terra's gravity well to avoid capture and was lost with three thousand luxury passengers and eight thousand crew aboard.
In addition to the 2,500 dtons of official cargo space, she could carry 400 dtons more in the two oversized modular cargo cutters, for a total of 2,900 dtons of official cargo space at need. She also had heavily armored vaults that could hold another 1,500 dtons for the most valuable items. Under normal circumstances, each stateroom had the option of reserving up to one dton in vault space for a fee. Those 4,400 dtons (and more) were filled as Terra was stripped of her treasures.
That means that the ship has spawned many search expeditions and fantastic rumors about her, but no sign of the magnificent vessel and her priceless cargo has ever been found. None of her passengers or crew turned up later to tell any tales, so the public at large was left to speculate about what happened to her over the century since her loss. Ghost sightings of her have been reported from across the Imperium and Confederation, though none are credible.
If she were ever to be found, it is certain that the Confederation would clamor for her return, though the Imperium claims the vessel as a war prize and would take possession if she were found in Imperial space. Even the ownership of the art and cultural artifacts is hotly contested. Still, even a basic salvage percentage from either claimant for the ship alone would make the discoverers wealthy beyond their wildest dreams of avarice. Add in the art and other precious items, and the payday would be incalculable.
Good hunting, Travellers!
A Mongoose 2e design. Hiroshi the Uncrowned was a singular ship rather than a class of vessels because only someone insanely wealthy and arrogant would have ever built even one. The ship was designed and constructed at the yards on Luna in the Sol system and was one of the first ships made there to TL15 specifications.
She was the largest, most luxurious ship serving the Solomani Party leadership and would definitely have continued excelling in that role had she not been lost fleeing the Imperial Navy at Terra where she was evacuating the cream of the Party leadership and numerous artistic and cultural relics brought there from across the Imperium and the Solomani Sphere before the system fell to the Imperium in the Rim War. She jumped far too close to Terra with a full load of rich and powerful passengers, as well as innumerable cultural artifacts, and was never seen again.
Made to exacting standards with the very best workmanship and materials, every system and amenity cost an additional 375% above the base cost, making her ridiculously expensive to build (TCr1.148 total) and maintain (MCr94.744 per maintenance period). The superior materials and construction make the ship stronger than she would otherwise be (x1.5 hull points, 660,000), faster (x1.5, thrust 3), and powerful (x1.5 power generation, 183,257). All shipboard rolls earn a DM+2 due to the quality of the equipment and working environment.
Her amenities could not possibly have been understated. She was made to fit the Solomani Party's idea of what the vessel serving their elite required and deserved. The luxury passenger common areas were expanded by 50% even over the already spacious allotment, giving them plenty of elbow room consisting of elegant sitting rooms, salons for gathering for drinks, trendy or stately bars, and innumerable other niches that only the wealthy seem to understand or need. Even above the opulent furnishings and exquisite commons, she came of a vast configurable common area that could be a ballroom, sports venue, or whatever else was desired. She came with an elegant and roomy casino suitable for 300 players who could afford the high-stakes games held there.
She also came with an extensive commercial area with 200 luxury boutiques taking up variable tonnage from the 4,000 dtons allocated (average 20 dtons) meant to provide for the passengers' every whim and desire. These boutiques were leased for MCr10 a month with the expectation that they would generate three times that in sales.
Additionally, some staff members were typically amenable to off-the-books services to discerning passengers, though with remote oversight via neural jack to ensure the safety of the staff and a way to summon security if needed, as well as a biometer to make certain that no health emergency was missed. All the crew had those implants for tracking, safety, and communication. Skills to assist in any shipboard or support capacity were available wirelessly or via wafer. She also came with 140 medical bays so as to provide advanced medical procedures in comfort and privacy for the passengers, in addition to overseeing any medical issues that cropped up with the most advanced technology available.
Though many functions could have been filled by robots, no mechanicals were allowed aboard, even for cleaning and maintenance roles. Only sophont crew were acceptable to the elite. She came with 10 crew shuttles and 12 luxury passenger shuttles to ferry the passengers and crew as needed, as well as two oversized modular cargo cutters to handle freight and speculative cargo.
She was built with a reinforced hull, was heavily armed with many pulse lasers, sandcasters, fusion barbettes, advanced sensors, and, even though not needed, she had a command bridge for the prestige of her passengers. Never advertised, she also came with a dozen large missile bays, a dozen large meson bays, and a black globe generator for the ultimate in protection of her precious passengers.
She also had 16 Skeeter Heavy-Class 200-Ton Heavy Fighters as in-system escorts. She carried 3 advanced missile reloads for herself and the Skeeters. Additionally, she had 2 Prospectus-Class 500-ton J6 passenger and cargo acquisition vessels designed to run ahead of the ship to prepare everything for her arrival. The ship came with staterooms for their crews during jump for complete integration. Her fuel tanks were made of metal hydride and meant to protect her ability to jump at need. Even so, because she wasn't prepared for the early arrival of the Imperial Navy, she jumped too deep in Terra's gravity well to avoid capture and was lost with three thousand luxury passengers and eight thousand crew aboard.
In addition to the 2,500 dtons of official cargo space, she could carry 400 dtons more in the two oversized modular cargo cutters, for a total of 2,900 dtons of official cargo space at need. She also had heavily armored vaults that could hold another 1,500 dtons for the most valuable items. Under normal circumstances, each stateroom had the option of reserving up to one dton in vault space for a fee. Those 4,400 dtons (and more) were filled as Terra was stripped of her treasures.
That means that the ship has spawned many search expeditions and fantastic rumors about her, but no sign of the magnificent vessel and her priceless cargo has ever been found. None of her passengers or crew turned up later to tell any tales, so the public at large was left to speculate about what happened to her over the century since her loss. Ghost sightings of her have been reported from across the Imperium and Confederation, though none are credible.
If she were ever to be found, it is certain that the Confederation would clamor for her return, though the Imperium claims the vessel as a war prize and would take possession if she were found in Imperial space. Even the ownership of the art and cultural artifacts is hotly contested. Still, even a basic salvage percentage from either claimant for the ship alone would make the discoverers wealthy beyond their wildest dreams of avarice. Add in the art and other precious items, and the payday would be incalculable.
Good hunting, Travellers!
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