TRV Solaris XV-001

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 civilizations, including the RedEagle Confederacy, and over 100 habitable planets in their arm of the Orion Galaxy.

The vessel was disabled by RedEagle vessels and completely rebuilt between GY 2422 and 2423, with modernised systems while carefully maintaining the original look.

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 civilizations.

Hull
The Solaris ' hull is built from tough duranium alloy, able to withstand the impact of a 500 metre asteroid collision with very little damage, and has 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.

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

Power systems
The Solaris is equipped with a fairly standard, though large, linear fusion reactor that feeds 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, kicks in to provide emergency power until the main reactor can be repaired.

The Solaris is 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 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 hold and emit the energy from the Phase Drive, fold out of the forward prongs of the vessel, and four navigational antennae deploy from the centre gap, when the ship is preparing for Phase speed.

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

Sensors
The Solaris is 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 allow the Solaris to analyse a phenomena from several million kilometers away, away from any potential detrimental effects. There are visual sensors on the forward starboard side, just aft of the main prongs. The equivalent portside section holds EM wave emitters for measurement of phenomena.

Defensive systems
To defend herself, the Solaris is equipped with seven first-generation Plasma cannon turrets, all remote-controlled and slaved to the Bridge; however each turret is equipped with a manual override system for crew to take control in the event of damage to the communication lines. The plasma is 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 have a high effective range, and can be fired faster than most other contemporary explosives. These missile ports are covered with a sliding tritanium cover when not in use. The Solaris typically carries 128 standard yield missiles, 16 high-yield missiles and 32 gravitic missiles designed to pull other ships out of jump space. There is a workshop on board for onboard fabrication of additional missiles, although gravitic missiles cannot 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 is 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 are somewhat more primitive than the shields of other species, however.

History
E

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.

E

Captains

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

First Officers

 * E

Chief Engineers

 * E

Helm Officers

 * E

Science Officers

 * E

Artificial Intelligence

 * P.L.A.Z. Mk1

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

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

In the event of catastrophic damage to the ship, there are four escape pods situated at the extreme aft end of the ship, hidden behind breakaway hull plates, that allow the ships' crew to evacuate in tandem with the shuttlecraft. These were used during the initial evacuation in 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)

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.