Ship Name: Daughter of Gaia

Description: The Daughter of Gaia is the flagship and command vessel of the settler fleet. Commissioned in 2259, it is the fourth of the Kennedy-Class large colony ships. She measures nearly three kilometers long and three-quarters of a kilometer wide. Prior to her current assignment, she was utilized in the colonization of the Epsilon Eridani system. After nearly twenty years of operation in the system, the Daughter of Gaia returned to Sol for full refit. This update completely overhauled all internal systems of the ship. Her communications and computer systems are particularly advanced, easing the coordination of fleet resources.

The Daughter of Gaia bears several weapons systems. Defense lasers protect much of the hull from conventional projectile attack. Although little of its space is devoted to military use, the sheer size of the vessel allows for a large number of missile systems. Experimental high-energy attack lasers supplement attack capabilities, but are low in number to avoid overdrawing the three onboard fusion reactors.

Due to the large mass and length of the ship, the Daughter of Gaia has difficulty landing. Fifty-two Nereid-Class landing vessels are instead utilized in surface landings. Capable of carrying over 400 people each (albeit in a high-density layout), the Nereids can collectively perform a total evacuation of the Daughter of Gaia in one run. While not designed for combat use, the Nereids are incredibly rugged utility vehicles, featuring VTOL capabilities, configurable support for water landings, and atmospheric entry capabilities.

As flagship, the Daughter of Gaia bests any other ship in the fleet in size and technology.

Population: 22,000
Description: The settlers aboard the flagship are mainly Americans of Earth. However, significant parts of the crew were recruited during its refit at the Cerean shipyards (Ceres being a key American possession in the Sol System). These workers often brought family with them, lending the Daughter of Gaia a significant space-born population. The 800 soldiers aboard originate from the Jovian moons. This detachment, while not the largest in the fleet, exceeds the basic deployment. This is largely due to the presence of the command staff and the involved security needs.

Captain Name: Admiral Mark Perin
Description: A distinguished but aging naval officer, Admiral Mark Perin accepted the mission to Delta Pavonis with the intent of retiring in the system. Born in the Centauri system, he initially served in the navy there. Early in his career, Perin moved to Earth in search of professional oppurtunities. The transition was successful, as he was soon climbing the ladder of command. The Admiral has a full head of silver hair, blue eyes, and deeply set wrinkles. He is moderately tall and retains much of the athleticism of his younger days.

Other Notable Individuals:
Lieutenant John Baran: Although technically a captain by rank, protocol demands that, aboard a vessel, only its commander is addressed as captain. This is perhaps the most obvious sign of how deeply John Baran is hidden in the Admiral’s shadow. With military-cut dark hair, brown eyes, and a medium build, the Lieutenant does not stand out. He is a competent officer, but lacks the long experience of the admiral. Leads the coup aboard the Daughter of Gaia, triggering the crisis. Directly commands the soldiers of the Gaia and serves as first mate.

Notes: Yeah, I broke the population limit I set, and made the ship pretty powerful. It’s the flagship, and these things are there to help me keep a plot moving forward if need be.