Diodorus Class Deep Space Explorer

Shown with a Hippias Class Frigate and Belisarius Class Gunboat in profile at left for scale comparison.

UEG Navy Diodorus Class Deep Space Exploration Ship
Length: 442 meters (~1450 feet)
Crew: 27 Standard / 6 Skeleton(severely reduced performance, no repair crews, no marines, automated gunnery stations only) / 40 Max Occupancy
Fortified Primary Directed Shield Emitter
Secondary Shielded Hull
Tertiary Shielded Bulkheads
Medical Bay
Stellar Cartography Module
Advanced Sensor Package
Sensor Analysis Lab
Physical Research Lab
Light Manufacturing Module
Light Mining/Processing Module
Hydroponics Deck
Recreation Module
Stasis Pod Bay(Capacity 40)
Class 2-P Crew Quarters(large single occupant chambers, personalization allowed)


Even the best telescopes have their limitations. The Diodorus was built using the latest technology of the time for long-term, deep space missions. It has redundant systems and the capacity to both mine raw materials and turn those resources into any components it might need. Even with all of sectors claimed by the Earth Union, relatively few star systems had actually been explored when they were commissioned. With colonists and corporations eager to lay claim and exploit the vast riches to be found and the scientific division salivating over the prospects of alien ruins/wrecks, the Union decided to build thousands of these ships and send them on decade-long survey missions in every direction. Periodic burst transmissions would send their discoveries back for detailed analysis.

In case of capture, the locations of Sol and other vital systems were never entered into shipboard computers. Instead, all references would be to uninhabited systems that would form an "X" when viewed from a particular angle(technically the opposite angle would as well, but it would lead only out of the galaxy) that would show the course to Sirius, the most heavily defended and inhospitable junction of the Castrum Gateway Network.

The conventional engines of the Diodorus are extremely high-powered for a ship of its size, granting the vessel unparalleled non-FTL speed among human ships. The FTL drives themselves are designed for long-term use and the sensor package was made to be capable of making general readings even while in FTL. This allows the Diodorus to survey most star systems for anything of value from a safe distance. If danger is encountered, she still has the teeth to put up a good fight but her best defense is to run at the first sign of trouble and send all data back to the Union for threat assessment.

It was a Diodorus that was welcomed by the inhabitants of the Procrustean System(named for Procrustes), only to be betrayed and slaughtered. Someone on the ship managed to send a final transmission, warning of the trap set by the seemingly hospitable and friendly aliens. The Earth Union took this action as a particular affront. It was one thing for an alien species to be overtly hostile, quite another for them to abuse the host-guest relationship as a means of stealing technology. When the human fleets descended on their system, the Procrusteans attempted every manner of deception they possessed but the result was determined the moment they decided to kill the crew of that Diodorus. Unlike other species that may still be determined to be of use to the Union after a valiant struggle, the Procrusteans were completely annihilated and used as an example to other minor civilizations within the sectors controlled by the Union.

It takes a special kind of person to want to be part of the crew on one of these ships. The length and isolation of their missions coupled with the danger and discovery attract only those with the fearless call that inhabits the heart of explorers. Warship crews often write them off as insane but the older veterans secretly understand that it is a courage much like their own that drives these people, the will to look into the abyss and face the unknown willingly.

Armaments:
4x Frigate class Rail Cannon on trainable mounting
2x Corvette class Pulse Cannon(6-shot burst, 3 second recharge)
2x Light Pulse Cannon(12-shot burst, 2 second recharge)
2x Point Defense Anti-Missile lasers
4x Multi-Hangar(1 fighter, 1 shuttle, 1 repair drone, 1 mining drone, 10 probes)