Cruising Outerspace in Style; Book Your Passage

synkr0nized · 01-06-2010, 05:46 PM

I basically just wanted to say, "Hey, which of these would you rather book travel on" and make a poll, but then I started typing...

Were you to travel the great black ocean of space, on what vessel would you find yourself? Would you opt for speed? Comfort? A lively crew? Armaments?

Gathered before you are some craft worthy of cruising around the galaxies in, and each at least moderately famous for it. While this is not an all-encompassing list of craft by any means, I went for a decent smattering of well-known craft with equally or more well-known crews. Inside which hull might we find you, out among the stars?
- capital ships / clearly military ships were excluded
- the TARDIS does not quite fit as a ship
- I am not even trying to compare the speed of one ship to that of another; if it's the fastest ship in its canon, then that's all that I've taken into account
- for some reason I chose not to mention the name of characters; not sure why I've done that; I also am ignoring the fact that some of them are dead.

Bebop

As mankind reaches out beyond Earth, commercial yachts and personal shuttles mingle in with military and police forces aided by gates creating highways in a space-faring version of the roadways of old. Be it going from Ganymede to Mars, you might find yourself booking passage with the crew of the Bebop. The ship itself may seem spartan, but it has room enough for quarters, a common area, what passes as a kitchen, room to exercise, a sizable hanger for smaller, one-man craft, and of course a few secrets (don't go opening old refrigerators) thanks to the efforts of the crew and their hobbies. The ship itself has little to no armaments, though the smaller craft are certainly capable of defending her.

Traveling on the Bebop may require some resourcefulness, as the crew is comprised of bounty hunters always on the lookout for money and possibly dodging the syndicate. You'll get to hang out with a former officer-turned-cowboy with a zen-like calm [not that he often gets to show it], a man who is merely living a dream, and a woman from the past trying to carve out her presence in the future. Oh, there's also an energetic little hacker and his friend Radical Edward.

Discovery One

Not all space travel is quick or exciting. Man first launched machines and then small-craft rockets and shuttles into orbit around Earth and then to the moon. Perhaps your interests lay in these kinds of pioneering explorations, drifting through the vacuum to explore and chart. Discovery One hosts what you'll need - food, water, air, living and work space, and some space suits - but surely won't be as exciting as some of the other offerings. The ship's computer might have other ideas, however...

Being an exploration vessel and an aging relic compared to the others, weaponry and speed are non-existent aboard.

Elsa von Brabant

A Lohengrin-class cruiser, the Elsa von Brabant appears to be quite the luxury liner for cruising the U.M.N. across deep beyond. However, like most of these craft, the crew's occupation has led to various modifications and after-market additions to the ship. Notably, the Elsa's Logic Drive system is allegedly the best there is, leading to the ship's reputation for speed. You can enjoy lush quarters fit for VIPs, a full kitchen and bar, and various service robots for things like your mechs and that pesky need to save. The Elsa also has the ability to defend itself with a small compliment of weapons and a crane in its main bay under the belly.

While the crew of the Bebop may go looking for trouble, Elsa's seems to have it come to them. Flying in this sleek vessel will likely net you a whole torrent of adventures, ranging from fleeing Gnosis and U-TIC battleships to infiltrating secret space stations and other... extraordinary events. Onboard, you'll be hanging out with the owner of the best hat ever, a cocky, womanizing pilot, a secretive android, a few scientists, enigmatic religious references, well, look, there's a lot of odd types here.

Millenium Falcon

The now-[in]famous YT-1300 freighter the Millenium Falcon is probably best known for its role in the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. As with most Correllian ships, the Falcon is heavily modified for smuggling, perhaps only truly understood by its pilot and copilot. While she looks like a piece of junk, she is assuredly one of the fastest things in the galaxy (so fast, in fact, that her speed is often quoted to people in units of distance...). Inside, she boasts crew and passenger quarters, though not as nice as most, a common area with a small table for chess or eating and a remote drone to practice using a light sabre, smuggling compartments handy for hiding from patrols and inspections, and enough random wiring and cables to make most people give up on trying to understand it. The freighter also has two laser turrets for defense.

Riding in the Falcon will give you the pleasure of trying to learn the Wookie language, a seemingly endless display of bravado and cockiness from her captain, and run-ins with the galaxy's most famous Jedi. The downside? You'll probably have to listen to Threepio.

Outlaw Star (XGP15A-II)

Built in secret by a guild of pirates working with the space forces, the XGP is the allegedly the fastest and most advanced ship in its galaxy. Built with the intention to find and navigate the Galatic Leyline, the Outlaw Star fins itself in the hands of a crew of bounty hunters on the run from pirates and trying to unlock the secrets of space. The ship boasts powerful grappler arms, the superior form of combat and manipulation, various point defense, and Gilliam II, the shipboard AI and, in many ways, the personality of the ship itself. Crew and passenger quarters are sparse here, as that is not its purpose.

On board, you'll meet a bio-android designed specifically to interface with the ship and act as navigator, ctarl-ctarl royalty, a devastating assassin, and a relative space cherry-turned-captain with, as seems to be a trend among pilots and captains, loads of bravado and confidence. You'd better be ready to pay to travel with them.

Serenity

Far away from the Earth That Was, humanity has carved out its presence into many planets and systems, pioneering into the frontiers while also consolidating and flourishing in the core. In the wake of the war, many turned to odd jobs and businesses to make due. In light of this, Serenity is a Firefly-class ship that'll get you wherever you need to go, no questions asked (in fact, annoying the Alliance might make the captain even more eager to take you in). This ship has small but ample passenger quarters, a main dining and common area, a large cargo hold, and, of course, many nooks and crannies for smuggling and storage. She has no armaments and isn't exceptionally fast. She boasts two shuttlecraft from short-range flights and travel.

However, the crew tend to make up for these shortcomings, if they are at all shortcomings. Seated at the controls is potentially the best pilot in the 'verse, backed by a genius of a mechanic, capable of pulling the ship through many situations its base specs might indicate otherwise impossible. Her captain, while no fan of the government and perhaps rough around the edges, is a man of good spirits and morals. As an added benefit, the presence of a registered companion aboard Serenity grants the ship some respectability, letting it slip about easier. Of course, it also makes for a much more interesting journey. Just watch out for the mercenary; he's a bit crude. And, uh, well, don't mind the girl, she's... She's different.

SSV Normandy

I really wanted to include the Normandy, since it is pretty sweet, but it is clearly larger and too over-powered. But here's a picture of it anyway.

Other

There are plenty of other cruisers and yachts out there. Maybe you're aboard one of those! I thought this might be kind of silly-fun to make a poll and pick some terrific crafts/crew pairings, but perhaps you have other ideas that you think are much better than the ones I have selected.

Azisien · 01-06-2010, 05:56 PM

SSV Normandy for the win.

Secondary: Any Project Orion ship.

Bard The 5th LW · 01-06-2010, 06:00 PM

Millennium Falcon all the way. Playing chess with Chewbaka would be awesome until he rips my arms off.

Preturbed · 01-06-2010, 06:02 PM

Going Bebop on this one. It was either that or Serenity and, well, they're virtually the same thing so I went with the awesomer design.

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk · 01-06-2010, 06:13 PM

Well, normally if I had the chance I'd go with the most powerful starships available to humans in fiction; the Deadalus class battlecruisers of the Tau'ri, but since we're not allowed military vessels then I'd have to say Serenity. I don't care if it's a piece of crap, I love that ship.

Possibly would also go with Moya or her son Talyn, with their abilites to jump clean across space instantly, and Talyn has the added bonus of being a warship that's not actually under military control.

Flarecobra · 01-06-2010, 06:23 PM

The Eban Hawk? Depending on when you're on... you could travel with either a reformed Sith Lord, Mandalore, And no matter when you go...you got a badass assassin droid to talk with.

Though I dunno if this counts...but the Red Dwarf? You got one of the last men in the universe, an overly polite droid who is a great cook, a snobbish hologram, and a humanoid cat with quite the fashion sense. Yeah, it's not the fastest, nor the smallest ship out there..But it's the journey that counts, right?

synkr0nized · 01-06-2010, 06:23 PM

Oh, darn, I totally forgot about Farscape. Oh well.

Red Dwarf is an excellent addition, as well.

Ravashak · 01-06-2010, 06:28 PM

I live in Brabant, so I feel obliged to vote for the Elsa von Brabant (silly german von, though xP)

Nikose Tyris · 01-06-2010, 06:32 PM

I tossed my hat in with the millenium falcon, as I'm a star wars Fanboy- However! I'm a much greater fan of the YT-2000 series, and it's superior size. Fully upgraded, you could comfortably fit 20 people with near-luxury level quarters, roughly 20 tons of cargo space and only need a crew compliment of 4 - Of course, including full sheilds, armaments and a full backup engine that is quite seriously FASTER then your primary engine. [because if you're engine blows, and you pull out the backup engine, all you should be doing is running the fuck away.]

The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk · 01-06-2010, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Red Dwarf

Seriously? A gigantic red trashcan with no brakes and 3 million years on the clock?? Not to mention all the spacial anomalies and mutated germs/forgotten life forms hidden away in the bowels of the cargo bays.

View Poll Results: Onboard which craft would you be traveling?
Bebop	6	15.00%
Discovery One	0	0%
Elsa von Brabant	3	7.50%
Millenium Falcon	6	15.00%
Outlaw Star	7	17.50%
Serenity	9	22.50%
Other	9	22.50%
Voters: 40. You may not vote on this poll

01-06-2010, 05:46 PM	#1
synkr0nized synk-ism Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: throughout the Wired Posts: 6,857	Cruising Outerspace in Style; Book Your Passage I basically just wanted to say, "Hey, which of these would you rather book travel on" and make a poll, but then I started typing... Were you to travel the great black ocean of space, on what vessel would you find yourself? Would you opt for speed? Comfort? A lively crew? Armaments? Gathered before you are some craft worthy of cruising around the galaxies in, and each at least moderately famous for it. While this is not an all-encompassing list of craft by any means, I went for a decent smattering of well-known craft with equally or more well-known crews. Inside which hull might we find you, out among the stars? - capital ships / clearly military ships were excluded - the TARDIS does not quite fit as a ship - I am not even trying to compare the speed of one ship to that of another; if it's the fastest ship in its canon, then that's all that I've taken into account - for some reason I chose not to mention the name of characters; not sure why I've done that; I also am ignoring the fact that some of them are dead. *Bebop* As mankind reaches out beyond Earth, commercial yachts and personal shuttles mingle in with military and police forces aided by gates creating highways in a space-faring version of the roadways of old. Be it going from Ganymede to Mars, you might find yourself booking passage with the crew of the Bebop. The ship itself may seem spartan, but it has room enough for quarters, a common area, what passes as a kitchen, room to exercise, a sizable hanger for smaller, one-man craft, and of course a few secrets (don't go opening old refrigerators) thanks to the efforts of the crew and their hobbies. The ship itself has little to no armaments, though the smaller craft are certainly capable of defending her. Traveling on the Bebop may require some resourcefulness, as the crew is comprised of bounty hunters always on the lookout for money and possibly dodging the syndicate. You'll get to hang out with a former officer-turned-cowboy with a zen-like calm [not that he often gets to show it], a man who is merely living a dream, and a woman from the past trying to carve out her presence in the future. Oh, there's also an energetic little hacker and his friend Radical Edward. *Discovery One* Not all space travel is quick or exciting. Man first launched machines and then small-craft rockets and shuttles into orbit around Earth and then to the moon. Perhaps your interests lay in these kinds of pioneering explorations, drifting through the vacuum to explore and chart. Discovery One hosts what you'll need - food, water, air, living and work space, and some space suits - but surely won't be as exciting as some of the other offerings. The ship's computer might have other ideas, however... Being an exploration vessel and an aging relic compared to the others, weaponry and speed are non-existent aboard. *Elsa von Brabant* A Lohengrin-class cruiser, the Elsa von Brabant appears to be quite the luxury liner for cruising the U.M.N. across deep beyond. However, like most of these craft, the crew's occupation has led to various modifications and after-market additions to the ship. Notably, the Elsa's Logic Drive system is allegedly the best there is, leading to the ship's reputation for speed. You can enjoy lush quarters fit for VIPs, a full kitchen and bar, and various service robots for things like your mechs and that pesky need to save. The Elsa also has the ability to defend itself with a small compliment of weapons and a crane in its main bay under the belly. While the crew of the Bebop may go looking for trouble, Elsa's seems to have it come to them. Flying in this sleek vessel will likely net you a whole torrent of adventures, ranging from fleeing Gnosis and U-TIC battleships to infiltrating secret space stations and other... extraordinary events. Onboard, you'll be hanging out with the owner of the best hat ever, a cocky, womanizing pilot, a secretive android, a few scientists, enigmatic religious references, well, look, there's a lot of odd types here. *Millenium Falcon* The now-[in]famous YT-1300 freighter the Millenium Falcon is probably best known for its role in the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. As with most Correllian ships, the Falcon is heavily modified for smuggling, perhaps only truly understood by its pilot and copilot. While she looks like a piece of junk, she is assuredly one of the fastest things in the galaxy (so fast, in fact, that her speed is often quoted to people in units of distance...). Inside, she boasts crew and passenger quarters, though not as nice as most, a common area with a small table for chess or eating and a remote drone to practice using a light sabre, smuggling compartments handy for hiding from patrols and inspections, and enough random wiring and cables to make most people give up on trying to understand it. The freighter also has two laser turrets for defense. Riding in the Falcon will give you the pleasure of trying to learn the Wookie language, a seemingly endless display of bravado and cockiness from her captain, and run-ins with the galaxy's most famous Jedi. The downside? You'll probably have to listen to Threepio. *Outlaw Star* (XGP15A-II) Built in secret by a guild of pirates working with the space forces, the XGP is the allegedly the fastest and most advanced ship in its galaxy. Built with the intention to find and navigate the Galatic Leyline, the Outlaw Star fins itself in the hands of a crew of bounty hunters on the run from pirates and trying to unlock the secrets of space. The ship boasts powerful grappler arms, the superior form of combat and manipulation, various point defense, and Gilliam II, the shipboard AI and, in many ways, the personality of the ship itself. Crew and passenger quarters are sparse here, as that is not its purpose. On board, you'll meet a bio-android designed specifically to interface with the ship and act as navigator, ctarl-ctarl royalty, a devastating assassin, and a relative space cherry-turned-captain with, as seems to be a trend among pilots and captains, loads of bravado and confidence. You'd better be ready to pay to travel with them. *Serenity* Far away from the Earth That Was, humanity has carved out its presence into many planets and systems, pioneering into the frontiers while also consolidating and flourishing in the core. In the wake of the war, many turned to odd jobs and businesses to make due. In light of this, Serenity is a Firefly-class ship that'll get you wherever you need to go, no questions asked (in fact, annoying the Alliance might make the captain even more eager to take you in). This ship has small but ample passenger quarters, a main dining and common area, a large cargo hold, and, of course, many nooks and crannies for smuggling and storage. She has no armaments and isn't exceptionally fast. She boasts two shuttlecraft from short-range flights and travel. However, the crew tend to make up for these shortcomings, if they are at all shortcomings. Seated at the controls is potentially the best pilot in the 'verse, backed by a genius of a mechanic, capable of pulling the ship through many situations its base specs might indicate otherwise impossible. Her captain, while no fan of the government and perhaps rough around the edges, is a man of good spirits and morals. As an added benefit, the presence of a registered companion aboard Serenity grants the ship some respectability, letting it slip about easier. Of course, it also makes for a much more interesting journey. Just watch out for the mercenary; he's a bit crude. And, uh, well, don't mind the girl, she's... She's different. *SSV Normandy* I really wanted to include the Normandy, since it is pretty sweet, but it is clearly larger and too over-powered. But here's a picture of it anyway. *Other* There are plenty of other cruisers and yachts out there. Maybe you're aboard one of those! I thought this might be kind of silly-fun to make a poll and pick some terrific crafts/crew pairings, but perhaps you have other ideas that you think are much better than the ones I have selected. __________________ Find love.

01-06-2010, 06:02 PM	#4
Preturbed betrayal! Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,092	Going Bebop on this one. It was either that or Serenity and, well, they're virtually the same thing so I went with the awesomer design. __________________ sudden but inevitable

01-06-2010, 06:23 PM	#6
Flarecobra Burn. Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Classified Posts: 11,017	The Eban Hawk? Depending on when you're on... you could travel with either a reformed Sith Lord, Mandalore, And no matter when you go...you got a badass assassin droid to talk with. Though I dunno if this counts...but the Red Dwarf? You got one of the last men in the universe, an overly polite droid who is a great cook, a snobbish hologram, and a humanoid cat with quite the fashion sense. Yeah, it's not the fastest, nor the smallest ship out there..But it's the journey that counts, right? __________________ "Only the fool wishes to go into battle to beat someone for the satisfaction of beating someone." -A Thousand Sons Rules. Read them, know them, love them.

01-06-2010, 06:23 PM	#7
synkr0nized synk-ism Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: throughout the Wired Posts: 6,857	Nice other choice. Oh, darn, I totally forgot about Farscape. Oh well. Red Dwarf is an excellent addition, as well. __________________ Find love.

01-06-2010, 05:56 PM	#2
Azisien wat Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,177	SSV Normandy for the win. Secondary: Any Project Orion ship.

01-06-2010, 06:00 PM	#3
Bard The 5th LW Feelin' Super! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 4,191	Millennium Falcon all the way. Playing chess with Chewbaka would be awesome until he rips my arms off.

01-06-2010, 06:28 PM	#8
Ravashak hm? Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: South of the Sewer Posts: 286	I live in Brabant, so I feel obliged to vote for the Elsa von Brabant (silly german von, though xP)