Genesis Ark

The Genesis Arks were said to be designed and built specifically for the Genesis Project, however the first design of an Ark is older than the project itself, with the initial designs being for a new form of deep space colony ship. These ships were built with the best technology humanity had to offer, to take humanity to a better future. For more information on the history and background of the Arks please see the respective page. All these Arks were constructed at a massive shipyard in Africa.

Crew & Passengers
The Arks are crewed by the best Humanity has to offer, from both military and scientific personnel. The typical Genesis Ark has a 'crew' of 3,000 personnel. This includes civilian personnel whose duties are required for the Ark to function and receive regular maintenance to ensure it is in the best condition possible no matter the conditions that it is being put through.

The Ark also has 12,000 waking passengers who also perform vital duties aboard the Ark but do not directly control or take care of the Ark (i.e. Security, Medical Personnel, Scientists, Fighter wing Pilots). These individuals are typically housed near the hub (see locations) however if they perform what is classed as a necessity duty they are given quarters closer to their place of work.

Though arguably one of the most important locations of the Ark is the Cryogenic vault. It hosts 500,000 people suspended in cryogenic stasis. These people are tested to ensure they are healthy and capable of helping humanity thrive on whatever planet they land on, while each crew member gets the opportunity to pick two family members to enter the vault (if they're viable) the rest of the spots are filled with people who have valuable skills or alternatively were just some of the lucky chosen.

Weapon Systems
For this section a "face" is around the centre. Top, right side(s), bottom and left side(s). The Ark being designed to carry the last of humanity to a new home is naturally equipped with the best weapon systems that humanity has to offer.

Main Battery
The Ark has a total of 42 (7 on each side) Martian X-27 Plasma weapon systems, each emplacement boasting four cannons that can fire in sequence, stutter fire or fire in one salvo. The X-27 is the most advanced long range weapon system to date, shooting plasma at high velocity. This weapon system was specially designed for the Genesis Arks and only exists on them and two other vessels. Their maximum range is unknown though it is assumed with the right calculations they'd be able to hit something thousands of miles away.

This coupled with the weapons high yield, them easily able to tear through human hull plating with relative ease, makes them a formidable weapon.

Missile Systems
The Genesis Arks have two types of missile systems. The smaller TR-59 Missile Launchers are placed strategically around the hull, with a total of 126 being placed around the hull. These missile launchers are capable of either launching the anti-capital ship trebuchet missiles or alternatively the smaller anti-fighter serpent missiles. This gives the Ark the freedom to choose which of it's offensive systems it wishes to augment. The second type of missile system is a total of 30 (6 rows of five) launch tubes on the top of the ship capable of firing larger anti-capital ship missiles known as the Viper Missile. The latest in the long line of devastating nuclear weapons designed by the Roslin Federation. The viper missile comes in four parts, the propulsion system lies in the tail with two main body sections both holding 16 individual explosive canisters capable of a two hundred megaton yield. Each individual unit has it's own maneuvering and targeting systems so that when deployed they can continue on to their target.

The UEC felt that these weapons may be necessary to hit a large target, due to the devastating effect just one missile can cause each Ark only carries a total of thirty.

Point Defense Systems.
The Nagasaki Conglomerate YU-99 rapid fire system has some of the most sophisticated tracking software available for a turret. These weapons are computer controlled, rather than having a gunner like the larger X-27, due to the speed with which the turret needs to operate. Specifically designed to taking down fighters and missiles there is a total of 4,200 of these on the ship. 700 on each face to ensure that fighters and missiles can't get through the defensive screen. The TN-73 All Purpose Cannon was designed by the Roslin Federation as a weapon system that could be put onto any ship of any caliber with ease to perform a number of different combat duties. Typically use to launch flak shells for a defensive barrier it is also capable of loading armor piercing rounds at a high rate of fire in a bid to try and take out smaller capital ships, such as cruisers and corvettes. There are 2,100 spread throughout the ship and are typically held in reserve to determine what the best type of ammunition is for the fight.

Defensive Systems
The Genesis Arks have the best hull plating possible, it thick but also designed with special supports to take the strain in the case of kinetic attacks. Equipped with PDS weapons as mentioned above and a standard Electronic Countermeasure (ECM) suite.

Most prominently the Genesis Arks have state of the art shielding. While shielding existed before the Three Day War they proved largely ineffective against projectile and plasma attacks. Since this time their development was marked as a priority. Shields are highly complicated systems, using a number of relays to project an electromagnetic field around the ship. This dampens and neglects the effect of energy weapons (in theory) and the magnetic field is specially tuned to repel most projectile weapons. However sustained fire on such an energy taxing system can cause relays to short out and fail which would then cause the entire shield to fail.

Propulsion
The Genesis Arks are capable of going incredibly fast for their size. That is due to the pure size of the Plasma Engines that propel it through space. With four sections of a massive engine, each section is broken up into one hundred individual units. This is so that if one unit fails significant thrust isn't lost. While it houses these main engines on the rear it is covered in thousands of maneuvering thrusters to keep it's bulk in check and control it's movement as effectively as possible. This includes one hundred larger forward facing thrusters in times where rapid deceleration as well as suitable engines to lift the Ark off the ground or to lower it slowly.

FTL Capabilities
Like most human ships the Genesis Arks are only capable of utilizing what is called a Jump Drive (plainly speaking). Once charged a jump drive allows a ship to disappear from one location and re-appear almost instantly in another. The issue with these drives is that unlike Hyperspace Engines which require a constant amount of power Jump Drives require more power the longer the distance, and cause considerable strain on the hull of a ship.

More importantly the Jump Drive takes time to charge, again the longer the jump the longer the charge time. There is also the side effect that once a Jump Drive is charging a jump must be made or you risk the drive exploding destroying the entire ship, alternatively if you wait too long to jump the jump calculations can be inaccurate and there is no telling where a ship could end up.

Compliment
The Genesis Arks have several hangars, the first is a larger hangar on the bottom towards the stern of the Ark that contains one Reaper-Class Cruiser, the exploration cruiser. The second is a drone hangar, that contains various types of drones from Mining and Repair to Combat drones in racks upon racks. Then there are docks along the port and starboard sides of the ships where six Odin-Class frigates attach, with a total of twelve docks for them. When docked the frigates become part of the Ark, contributing to it's defensive and offensive systems with their own weapons. There are also four hangars for Fighters, Bombers and Gunships.

Ship Locations
The ship 'locations' are built as modules that can be detached and launched from the Ark once it reaches a habitable planet, this allows an Ark to colonise a planet while leaving a shipyard and defense platform in orbit in the form of the Arks outer shell, while command systems, agricultural facilities and living quarters are deployed planetside to form a fully functional city.

Bridge
While named the 'bridge' after ships of old, the Command Center is actually in the heart of the Genesis Arks, hidden away so that it cannot be targeted by enemy ships. Different stations control different areas of the Arks, and interface with other rooms with staff devoted to specific tasks (i.e. the weapon control console relays information to the gun control crews). Large hologram emitters are the main focus of the commander, who can have anything the sensors can detect brought up from live battlefeeds to planet sensor sweeps, giving him and his crew a birds eye view.

The Command Center is staffed by some of the most important people on the the Arks. Chain of command is highly respected here, though all assigned to the sector were placed there for a reason.The bridge is off-limits to civilian personal, unless they have been specifically cleared to enter it.

Hangar
The Hangar is the single biggest room on the Arks, situated around the midship it has a door on the starboard and port section of the ship. Each blast door is as thick as the outer hull, as these doors are slightly slower there are also two lighter hangar doors that can close rapidly if need be. Launch tubes seal themselves off so the hangar does not lose air pressure. These hangars are designed solely for the smaller craft and not the Reaper-Class, the craft are stored below the actual hangar deck and are brought up on elevators when needed.

During battle the hangar is filled with activity, fighters rising upon elevators as pilots enter them. Sirens and noises of all kinds fill the room as concentrated chaos takes over. Outside of combat is a much more relaxed environment, repairs are done on ships and a near silence is in the hangar.

The Cryogenic Vault
The Cryogenic vault is one of the most important parts of the Arks, with 500,000 souls frozen. Security is high in this sector, the future of humanity depends upon these time sealed people's survival. Every chamber is meticulously watched and monitored for any change in vitals. While the pods themselves demand a large amount of power they can be removed for a short period of time from the hub without the occupant waking up if necessary however this is avoided as much as possible.

Each pod has a camera monitoring it, which allows family members to view their loved ones who are in stasis.

The Cryogenic Vault is towards the bow of the Arks, so that in the event of a catastrophic failure in the engines at the stern the cryogenic vault can seal itself and act as a disaster bunker.

The Hub
The Hub is the civilian/recreational area of the Arks. It has everything from bars, nightclubs, cafes, diners, restaurants, bowling alleys, movie theaters, gaming arenas and shopping centers, all places where crewmen can spend their hard earned credits. Some of the most well known and frequented attractions include the Paramount, a fancy, five star restaurant, the Vibe, a massive nightclub, the Factory a darker, alternative nightclub and the Ark's only casino, the Gilded Arch. Lower tier facilities have automated systems of dispension, middle tier have robot workers and upper tier have droid workers.

It acts as distribution for the goods produced on the ships and the ones in storage that were brought aboard for the journey, that said certain goods (Such as name brand alcohols, fresh meats etc.) are heavily rationed with a cap on how much a person can buy during any one week. Crew quarters for all non-essential personnel are situated around the hub, all essential personnel are situated near their place of work.

It is perhaps the most 'normal' area of the Arks, designed to replicate social areas of Earth. The tone of the Hub is much more carefree and joyful than anywhere else on the Arks. The entire sector is filled with music and noise, thumping bass can be heard as one walks near the nightclubs, shopkeepers call out to customers to sample their wares. A playlist of nostalgic pop music is played in the sector, old songs that bring back positive memories.

Eden
In direct contrast with the Hub, Eden is filled with silence and peacefulness. Eden is situated at the very center of the Hub, a simulated outdoor environment with real plants, a day/night cycle, wind and even simulated weather. While there are seed vaults and hydroponic labs elsewhere in the ship this garden is meant for everyone to have access.

It has a radius of 1km, and very strict laws on how people treat the garden to ensure that it lasts the journey. The area has its own staff which keeps a careful watch of Eden. A variety of plants fill Eden, trees brought from all around Earth. People are limited to a maximum of three hours in the garden, unless they have written permission from a doctor for therapy reasons.

The Archive
The Archive has a data core, and data storage hosting all of humanities knowledge. From theoretical physics to children's books, music and movies the Archive has it all. While some files are restricted for safety purposes a large portion of information, such as human history and entertainment material, can be accessed from any terminal in the Arks. However physical copies of books are handled with extreme care, and are not allowed to be removed from the Archives.

The Archives are placed directly above the Hub.

Crew Quarters
Designed to be comfortable, every person on board has their own toilet facilities and room to store their own things. A comfortable bed sits in the back near a large window. Each room has (rudimentary) mainframe access that allows them to access the archives, and with special permissions view the stasis cameras on any of their loved ones. The window unit can be programmed for a variety of images, from outside of the Arks (unless blocked by command authorization) to different views of Mars, Earth or our home solar system.

Transit System
While the Arks have plenty of walkways, elevators and ladders they also have a large transit system, where automated electronically powered 'buses' transport people to their destinations. It is the fast method of getting around the Arks. This transit system also allows engineers in an emergency, medical personnel, security or anyone else who has authorization to use their own vehicles to reach an area of the Arks they desperately need to in a hurry.

Security Stations
Security on the Arks have several of these stations situated all over the vessels, sharing them with the investigator branch of things. The central security station is situated in the Hub with the theory being that if any offenses are committed that is where. Citizens of the Arks are freely able to enter these stations and report any crimes or suspicious doings. Those of high ranking (such as the Head of Security) are able to access all stations from one terminal, as well as cameras all over the ship

There are four main security stations in total. Each responsible for a Sector with the two beside the hub also responsible for Hub security. For more information on the security systems in place aboard the Arks please visit Ark Security.

Medical Bay
There are numerous medbays throughout the Arks, each with their own operating theater, pharmacy and offices for medical staff. However rather than wards where disease can spread rapidly patients each have their own small room, with their own toilet facilities and a bed that when sealed can release numerous drugs through the form of a gas, it also monitors vitals reliably and can perform X-Ray and MRI scans without having to move the patient.

Water
The water recycling system aboard the Arks are nearly 80% effective, meaning that their current stores can last for years without needing to be replenished. These stores vary, the current drainage tanks are full of liquid water, however the reserves are all frozen to conserve as much space as possible and prevent any possible spoiling. The recycled water fills a new tank, which when full is frozen into ice.

The Arks also boasts mining drones that can be used to mine ice from out in space, which passes through a special refinery straight into storage. This area is under heavy supervision. Civilians that do not work in the sector require proper clearance.

Hydroponics
Unlike Eden the Hydroponic facilities exist solely to produce food. They don't imitate a day/night cycle instead constantly giving plants the heat, warmth and radiation that they need to grow to be as big and healthy as possible. The Arks are possible of sustaining their own population with the food they grows without needing to go into rationing or into the food that is in storage.

While the Arks are capable of producing every kind of vegetable known to man, not everyone is fond of going vegetarian. As such there is a substantial population of animals also aboard. Cows, Sheep, Pigs and Chickens all raised for maximum yield are used for resources such as meat, milk and eggs. The hides, wool and feather can also be bought in order to make products. There is also a fish farm which caters to seafood, all types such as salmon, tuna, scallops, crabs, clams to shrimp.

The farms and Hydroponics as well as all the processing facilities to make food are maintained by the same people that sell the goods or work in the establishments in the hub, that being their main reason for being aboard.

These gardens, due to the nature of them being a vital asset are also under heavy supervision to prevent any kind of tampering or damage.

Fabrication
The fabrication facility is where much of the Arks' essential items are created. From simple everyday items to firearms, armor and even star-fighters, engineers work tirelessly here to create the best quality goods. Robotics are also manufactured here, under special supervision.

Storage
Storage is of course essential to the survival of the Arks. Most of it's bulk is devoted to storage of various goods, most of them being various foods and drinks that will go extinct with the loss of Sol however the stores of the Vitae hold more than that, they also hold genetic samples of both animal and plant species from Earth while also containing resources and materials needed to both keep the Arks spaceworthy for years to come but also to ensure that making a colony will go as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Sector 21
Sector 21 is situated near the Hub. It is a sealed section of the Arks, the only way in is through an airlock. This is to allow no bacteria, dust or any other substances to enter the vault. Inside this vault (Which can also act as a disaster bunker) are more crew quarters, however these quarters are designed in blocks of two with a small kitchen connecting the two rooms. Sector 21 is a section of the Arks that is designed around the concept of family living, that in the case of a long voyage in space and people start having families family specific needs can be catered too.

This section also comes equipped with fully functional education suites.

Security Centre Complex
Located on the outskirts of the Hub, and one of the largest multi-level/multi-use facilities therein, is Ark Security's primary base of operations and parent to smaller security "sub-stations" throughout each quadrant of the Ark. Official use access points are scattered throughout the Ark via sub-level tunnels. Public access -limited to the 1st Floor only- is gained through the ground floor lobby entrance which faces the Hub's main thoroughfare The Security Centre Complex currently has four above ground levels and one sub-level. See Ark Security page for more information.

Disaster Bunkers
Disaster bunkers are areas of the Arks that are specially reinforced, with their own power generation and life support systems. They are designed to be able to survive for hours in space as a life boat. They following areas are disaster Bunkers:
 * The Archives
 * Cryogenic Bay
 * Eden
 * Sector 21
 * Sector 75
 * Hub Medical Bay