Ashin Varanin
Professional Enabler
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: An advanced science ship.
- Image Source: Oberth-class science vessel, Star Trek
- Canon Link: N/A
- Restricted Missions: N/A
- Primary Source: A heavily modified version of the Laureate-class science vessel.
- Manufacturer: Theed Palace Space Vessel Engineering Corps, modified by Varundana shipwrights in cooperation with the Wretched Hive.
- Model: Shambhala-class science vessel
- Affiliation: New Habat University, closed market
- Production: Semi-Unique
- Material: Durasteel hull
- Classification: Non-Combat Frigate
- Length: 220m
- Width: 70m
- Height: 40m
- Armament: Low (Very Low without tractor/pressor beams and probe launchers)
2 Heavy Tractor/Pressor Beams (1 fore, 1 aft) - 2 Dual Turbolaser Turrets (1 top, 1 bottom)
- 2 Dual Ion Cannon Turrets (1 top, 1 bottom)
- 2 Ion Cannon Turrets (1 port, 1 starboard)
- 5 Reconnaissance and Survey Probe Launchers (loaded with civilian-grade versions of the EXPARC, SIARC, and SUREC probes)
- 20 Autoturrets (anti-fighter/anti-missile)
- 20 Antimissile Octets
[*]Defenses: Moderate
- Modified shields
- Civilian-grade armored hull
- High resilience to system strain
- Self-repair capability
[*]Hangar:
- 0 Squadrons
- 2 Samara-class shuttles
[*]Maneuverability Rating: Moderate
[*]Speed Rating: High
[*]Hyperdrive Class: 2
SPECIAL FEATURES
- Modular science suites
- Advanced and specialized sensor instrumentation
- Holocomm research database uplink
- Extensive computer processing and storage capabilities
- Advanced medical and diagnostic facilities
- Advanced astromech-based self-repair protocols
Strengths:
- Fast
- A wide variety of scientific instrumentation and comprehensive research functionality, customizable for various mission profiles and priorities
- Moderate self-repair capability
- Extremely light armament
- Generally sails with a largely civilian crew
Description: The Shambhala-class is a dedicated science vessel of light frigate scale, suitable for government or private sector research missions. It is a heavily modified and reconfigured version of the Theed Hangar Laureate-class. Purchasing or leasing a Laureate can fit easily within the budget of many galactic-tier universities and non-governmental organizations. The research departments of major corporations may also find it a useful investment. New Habat University is one such corporation.
After the NHU research vessel S.S. Shamballa barely survived an attack by a Galactic Alliance cruiser in neutral space, NHU contracted Varundana shipwrights and the modification experts on the Wretched Hive. They radically reconfigured several of NHU’s Laureates, improving shields and engines to keep science teams safer. They incorporated advanced Santhe starship components to increase the ships’ resistance to system strain, such as overclocking and ion fire. The resulting vessel type is known as the Shambhala-class.
The ship's basic functions (life support, navigation, defensive weapons/systems and so forth) are designed to be as automated and simple to operate as possible, as any given scientific mission will usually have only a few professional starship crew involved. As the Shambhala is quite a small ship, modular scientific instrumentation and associated functions take up much of the hull. Notable locations include the following
UPPER HULL
- Social Lounge: Seats a significant fraction of the crew at any given time. Contains recreational and entertainment equipment, along with holographic worktables for those late-night brainstorming sessions. Inspiration, after all, can strike anywhere.
- Medical Suite: Advanced and thorough. Capable of handling the medical needs of the entire crew, as well as any passengers. Can be expanded using the modular science bays to let the Shambhala serve as a dedicated medical/relief/rescue ship.
- Repair Nexus: A secondary engineering suite focused on assessing damage and tasking astromechs and personnel with repairs and maintenance.
LOWER HULL
- Databases and Uplink: A secondary, separate computer system which is optimized for scientific databases and analyses. Contains a dedicated HoloNet uplink, allowing receipt of new information from selected databases, as well as backup and information-sharing functions. The uplink comes with robust native encryption measures, but is designed to accept proprietary encryption easily (such as the existing security protocols of a corporation or university).
- Modular Science Bays: Six bays, ranging from 75m2 to 150 m2 in floor space (comparable to an average classroom or academic science laboratory), contain numerous modular attachment points. Various configurations and pieces of equipment can be mixed and matched to tailor the bays for scientific missions across the fields of physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. These bays can link with additional modular attachment points on the ship's exterior, suitable for mission-specific instrumentation.
