MXR HELLBENDER
The MXR "Saucer" class Hellbender is an ambitious, multi-functional and versatile multicraft; primarily a spacecraft, but also capable of less common sci-fi actions such as time-travel, inter-dimensional travel, teleportation, intercausality navigation, withstanding extreme conditions, and extraordinarily long distances on intergalactic level. The ship is primarily used for reconnaissance, exploration, and once in a while as an ambassador craft or a priority express courier craft. The ship is not equipped with any weapons; some of its functions can be used as defense arrays, but the ship is not explicitly intended for combat; rather, it is more easily capable of evading aggressive assailants.
Some notes on the build itself: There's not a named brick present anywhere in the ship - it was all done with relays. Even the control that manages the skids and the other that manages the side-faring jet covers are linked by sequences of hull-embedded relays. Also, I have Xalos to thank for his sphere-making script, and making the perfect oblate spheroid shape this ship is. I just had to structurize the existing hull and optimize some areas for decks.
- 1 - The ship's class name "Saucer" is, of course, a misnomer. So is the classic term "Flying Saucer" from which I got that pseudonym, which might describe any alien or secret human-built ship vaguely shaped like a saucer.
- 2 - Here is the ship seen from the other side, as well as with its landing skids deployed and its utility vents and pilot and copilots' hyperspace covers retracted, revealing the windshields underneath. The ball-thing seen between the windows is visible even when fully retracted.
- 3 - A closer look at the tripod arrangement of skids. Each skid has a light at where it meets the hull, and each light is a different color; if in minimal visibility environments, it is helpful to know which skid you're at, and thus which way a given airlock or external component is.
- 4 - Here's that ball thing seen in Picture 2; the Pinball, which is its own similarly versatile craft. This pinball has its own range of capabilities, a collapsible airlock, two bunks, a bathroom, and a computer system - among a bunch of other complex equipment. Its skids also have colored lights, for the same reason Hellbender itself does.
- 1 - Now we come to the ship's interior, starting with B-deck, or the middle deck. Here is the entry lock. The actual airlock is the small dark area seen at the end, and doesn't include the seats. It can double as a landing port, and all airlocks in the ship have a lockdown mode, effectively turning the lock into more wall. The outside is flush with the ship, making it both hidden and secure.
- 2 - A lot had to be crammed into the ship, so there was little room for hallways. This little saucer packs three whole decks and has to have room for a bunch of impressively and cleverly compacted drives, so needless to say the corridors are exceptionally cramped. Seen here is a through-way with a combination person's status board (other side of the middle island wall), computer console, and bathroom entrance.
- 3 - A slightly more spacious corridor - in this case, the Pinball Hangar's entry hub. Here, people can mill around while the pilots aboard Pinball prepare for launch. Yet to be added here are seats, mainly because I'm still working out how the hell to cram six seats into that tiny space. To help reduce claustrophobia for guests, there are windows looking into the larger classroom and stairwells.
- 4 - The Pinball itself. This versatile craft, small enough to fit into a large bedroom, manages to have two bunks, pilot and copilots' seats and controls, a drive access in the floor, a computer bank in the ceiling, and even a bathroom. The bathroom even has a shower mode (though the cramped space makes that a bit hard to get used to). The Pinball has its own flush-hulled door and extendable airlock system; what you see in the picture is Hellbender's pinball docking tube.
- 1 - The Pinball craft is difficult to fly, primarily because it is as much hyperspace and interdimensional travel capable as Hellbender itself. Seen here is the training room; both for Pinball pilot training and Hellbender pilot training.
- 2 - The classroom, or lecture hall, can be used as a briefing or debriefing room, group meeting room, classroom, or even a secure conference room for people from off-ship while Hellbender is landed. Here, ship boarders can learn about Hellbender's many functions, hyperspace travel, Pinball control mechanics, and anything else one might use a classroom for.
- 3 - The ship has three windows. Two of them are on the bridge and are sealed while in hyperspace to prevent brain vegetation while in hyperspace. The third is on the bottom deck, looking into the pinball hangar, and is only opened if the Pinball is docked, which blocks its view of the void beyond, or the ship is in normal space. This, in conjunction with prolonged action, can make problems for morale and mental well being. Seen in Picture 3 is Psychomedical, where therapy can be sought for those in need, and medication in extreme cases.
- 4 - One of the nine crew cabins, each with double bunks. The bunks have their own soundproof curtains, TVs and temperature controls, so one can enjoy solitude and peaceful sleep - an essential component in the journey. The stateroom does not have its own bathroom, but does have ample storage; the crew section does has three bathrooms, each shower equipped.
- 1 - Now we take a look at the top deck, or A-Deck. This deck is accessible straight ahead from and directly adjacent to the docking room, seen on the first interior picture.
- 2 - The Computer core is an essential component to hyperspace navigation, in addition to more conventional functions such as autopilot. Seen here is the access component for maintenance and manual operation, but the computer can be accessed from any panel in the ship for regular use.
- 3 - The Communications and Navigations room, for assistance in traveling through dimensional rifts, wormholes, time, and hyperspace when you can't safely open your window. With the comm software, you can talk directly to other ships even when you or the other ship are in hyperspace.
- 4 - The bridge deck. The captain will spend most of his or her time here in the seat seen. Not seen, but to the left, are the two pilots' seats. The ship's maneuvering, governing, and the captain's communications take place here, and the captain's quarters, B-deck staircase, and comm room are all directly adjacent. The Pinball's hangar actually cut into the upper and lower decks, as seen to the left, so this area was not easy to build.
- 1 - A direct view from the pilot's seat. Here's where you fly the ship, and where the window is opaque wall when shut. Not seen here is the holoprojected screen for hyperspace travel. Seen here are the screens to the side, also used for hyperspace travel.
- 2 - The captain's quarters. Built to my own specifications, and I like bright stuff.
- 3 - The guest quarters. Built to more accommodating and friendlier standards, and with its own bathroom and isolated library seen to the left - more luxurious than the captain's quarters!
- 4 - The conference room. The classroom a deck below can also be used for this, but this conference room ensures that private discussions can be held that the bridge personnel don't want the rest of the ship to know ("Hey, we're flying into a black hole, should we tell everyone?"). Similarly, a heated argument can occur safely in here without it effecting the morale downstairs.
- 1 - Now we've seen A-Deck and B-Deck, it's time to take a look at the ship's bottom deck, C-Deck. This is the only deck where nobody sleeps during down-time, and is a work-shift exclusive deck. The screen seen in this stairwell shows shift schedules; you look at it on the way down to see where you're wanted for that day - though sometimes the bridge guys haven't decided, in which case you mill around near your usual area of work.
- 2 - The Pinball Control Room, where Pinball expeditions can be monitored remotely. This room also serves as a mill-about room for those not currently busy but stationed near their post. The window seen above the controls can only be opened when the Hellbender is not in hyperspace or similar, or when the Pinball is docked.
- 3 - The Lab is so important it has its own airlock. This area doubles as the ship's engineering access room. Seen to the left are drive mod controls and readouts pipe access junctions, and the entrance to the ship's equivalent of a jefferies tube leading between all three decks. Seen to the right is a storage set, desk, microscopes, transparent box, and computer screen.
- 4 - The airlock to the lab. Seen just behind the table to the left is a cryostasis pod, which can double as a medical pod. Not seen is the normal hospital bed because it's tucked inside the same chamber as the cryopod, and the other pipe junction which I didn't get a shot at.
- 1 - If you take a look back at the exterior shots, you'll find one of them, in addition to the ball-thing that we now know is Pinball, there are two smaller protrusions near the bottom - we are now inside one of them, the EVA pod. It's a one-person pod with the ability to stay together and keep the occupant alive in alternate dimensions, extreme environments, and hyperspace, but doesn't have the ability to shift between such states - if you're in hyperspace, the pod will stay in hyperspace. Therefore, it is best used with caution for short jaunts anywhere but normal space.
- 2 - The EVA prep room is another mill-around place in slower times, equipped with sim-booths - basically, closet-sized holodecks.
- 3 - Now we come to the gem of this deck - the EVA room itself. This room has the most safety protocols, and is made out of the strongest, most entropy-proof materials apart from the ship's hull. Not seen directly, but behind the half-wall to the right, there is a platform that can be lowered to ground level outside, with a built in ladder system. This EVA room can function at the bottom of deep oceans, in the most toxic atmospheres known, in total vacuum, in near-absolute zero temperatures, and even in Venusian environments that trash many other otherwise versatile and capable ships and probes. The EVA suits used with this room are known as Hellsuits, and for good and obvious reasons.
- 4 - The actual ladder component. The mesh platform allows easier exit of the ladder, but can be retracted.
And finally, here's a cutaway illustration to get a good idea of the ship's interior-to-exterior layout and proportions. Note, the seats in the EVA room are absent because I added them after this cutaway was taken.
And that's all, hope you enjoyed looking at this! Lemme know what you think.
