Providence

The Providence-class super-dreadnought is one of the largest Terran space vessel in the Koprulu Sector.

History

Conception

Post-Brood War, Terran government and military officials from all three major factions agreed to pool as much information available on the Protoss and Zerg to develop countermeasures for future invasions. Some of the most daunting intel came from images of Protoss Motherships and Zerg Leviathans dwarfing Battlecruisers while taking huge amounts artillery with little damage. All officials agreed that their most advanced ships were inadequate to taking these threats head on. As a way to alleviate this problem, the three major powers commissioned the construction of the first Providence-class vessel.

Development

After three months of brainstorming, the head engineers of the project decided to recycle schematics from old Supercarriers and combine them with newer technologies. The first few designs did not pass priliminary simulations due to the antiquated Terran technology being too flawed to accept alien devices. It was not until someone aquired partial data on an unknown alien craft of tremendous scale did the project gain any headway.

Based off reverse engineered Protoss starship technology, the Providence-class boasted one of the most advanced FTL drives in any Terran armada. Salvaged UED power generators substituted the Khaydarin crystal energy required for most primary systems. Though incapable of producing more than 60% of the estimated maximum efficiency, the generators were the only things capable of powering the drive.

As the Providence-class was made dwarf a moon-sized Zerg strain, its construction required resources equal to three space platforms. Twice the number of drydocks was necessary to construct individual segments before being hauled by several smaller ships to be combined. The end phase resulted in a ship resembling a cross between a Battlecruiser and Diamondback tank with the firepower of an entire armada (Starcraft II Unused: Hurricane; Mass Effect: Destiny Ascension).

Shakedown

In its first run, the Providence was given a skeleton crew and instructions to test out all capabilities in an uninhabited sector. To protect their investment from any rogue factions, the ship was escorted by a fleet of thirty Battlecruisers, ten from each major faction. While testing its primary armaments on an asteroid field, a stray low-powered shot glanced off the target and made a 200km hole in the nearest moon. Once the systems were calibrated to satisfaction, the Providence was sent to reclaim the infested Reok System on the edge of Umojan territory.

After arriving in the system, the Providence rammed through a Leviathan before tearing through the first wave of Zerg flyers without losing momentum nor shield shield (Halo 4: UNSC Infinity). The escort fleet hid behind a moon while sending sensor drones to observe the battle. In the first hour of combat, approximately 20% of the outer planets were sterilized of creep. Swarms of Scourges sent wave after wave to wear down the ship's shields, but no dent could be made.

When the Providence reached the inner planets it began to receive much strudier resistance. The Zerg began using Corruptors and Mutalisks in more strategic formations. Unlike the usual rush tactics normally seen, the new wave of enemy forces used hit and run ambushes in random areas. Confident this was a sign of the enemy weakening, the Providence's captain ordered half the escort fleet back to report preliminary results. 

Ten days into the battle, the Reok system was approximately 95% free of infestation. Everything seemed fine until a science officer noticed an anomalous mass of heat being generated by a distant moon. By looking over recordings, it was believed that the Zerg were drawing the Providence away from the main hive. Wanting to bring a swift end to the Zerg, the captain ordered the ship to begin the final confrontation. Though warned of a possible trap, the Providence continued course toward the moon.

Before weapons gained target lock, a sudden surge of heat from the moon scrabbled the sensors. Then the entire moon exploded sending mountains of rock flying everywhere. The shields were finally overwhelmed by the barrage of debris. Shakened by the blast, the Providence was still functional a set course to rendezvous with the remains of the escort fleet. It was then a huge swarm of Zerg jumped out of warp space to destroy the fleet.

To give time for the fleet to escape and keep secrets for falling into enemy clutches, the Providence's remaining crew activated the self-destruct and turned back to face the swarm (Stargate - Atlantis: Aurora). Once they reported in, unmanned probes scouted the system for any Zerg presence. What they found was that over 60% of the system destroyed from the blast with everything else charred beyond recovery.

Aftermath

Going over the Data Logs, Experts theorize the exploding moon was caused by Zerg explosive strains clustering themselves into a large mass while other strains hollowed out the core. As this was happening, non-essential space borne strains destracted the Providence. Due to the lost of personnel, technology, and resources, the project was deamed a failure. All three Terran Factions went to recover what was left for salvage. Because of the risk of lossing another ship, Project Providence was officially cancelled.

Interior

Providence-class superdreadnoughts have a standard interior design similar to a Battlecruiser and Space Platform. Depending on the needs of the crew, many segments of the ship can be customized for either combat, deep space exploration, colonization, research, or a combination of each.

The corridors are wide enough to move ships, vehicles, and personnel with minimum effort. Due to the ship's size, a type of monorail system connects to all segments of the ship for fast and efficient transport (Dead Space: Tram System).

Should any enemy force find its way inside, they would have to contend with multiple blast doors, force fields, automated traps, warbots, and armored security personnel.

Armory

To supply military personnel, one main armory is responsible for coordinating the distribution to multiple smaller storage areas. The smaller armories are responsible for researching, maintaining, and constructing new or existing technology.

Bridge

The bridge of a Providence-class vessel consists of three parts: command, communications, and tactical. Command is where navigation, starcharting, and ship status are reported. Communications relay information to where needed. Tactical is responsible for security of the interior and exterior of the ship.

An adjutant is always ready to provide additional assistance when required.

Crew Compartments

Providence vessels can house up to several thousand personnel. Each compartment can be customized to suit a person's needs. Most come with an emergency oxygen mask, first-aid kit and fire extinguisher as standard equipment.

Cargo Bay

There are numerous cargo bays across the ship. Some of the larger ones are used as factories, weapons test sites, and even emergency repair bays. The smaller ones are used as storage or emergency quarters for non-essential crew members. A fully stocked cargo bay can supply an entire Battlecrusier or twelve squadrons of smaller aerospace crafts.

Some cargo bays are modified for live stock storage to suppliment hydrophonics.

Hydrophonics

Hydrophonics can maintain a crew of one million Terrans for two years before needing resupply. This is mainly due to genetically modified produce and advanced cryo-storage.

Laboratory

As new strains of Zerg and alien technologies seem to be emerging, Providence vessels can provide the same amount of research capablities as the most advanced science facility.

Stasis cells and decontamination chambers are installed all around to prevent any foreign substance or creature from escaping. As an emergency percaution, sections of each laboratory can be locked down and jettisoned if all other fail-safes prove ineffective.

Sick Ward

This is where sick and injured crew members are treated. Comparable to a large hospital, the sick ward can service several hundred people at once. Depending on the condition of patients, each room can be modified to suit their needs.

Emergency stasis cells are also available should combat situations push sick ward beyond capacity. Each cell doubles as an escape pod in the event enemy forces breaching security.

Statistics

Dimensions

• Length: 10,000m
• Width: 2000m

Power

• Class 3 Zero-Point
• 4 Class 12 Fusion

Armaments

• 4 Heavy Ion Cannons
• 400 FT12 Ship-to-Ship Missile Launchers
• 250 Crew-Served Batteries (all Yamato Guns)
• 2500 Point Defense Systems
• Air Wing: Variable (standard 3000 fighters, 1000 Medivac Dropships, 500 Frigates, 20 Battlecruisers, 500 auxillary support crafts, and 250,000 escape pods)
• Ground Ordnance: Variable

Auxillary Defenses

• Shield: Active for Warp and Orbital Insertion
• Hull: 200 ft of Neosteel Armor and 50 ft of Ablative Armor

Crew

• Total: 250,000
• Naval: 130,000
• Marine: 100,000
• Science & Engineering: 25,000
• Intelligence: 2500
• Psychic: 500
• Civilian: 2000

Range

• Variable; Standard Equip: Koprulu Sector

In-System Speed

• 5 AU per Cycle

Ships of the line

Despite cancelling joint efforts in constructing any more Providence-class ships, all three factions have built their own variants with what they could salvage. Each of which have their own unique abilities along with the standard equipment in order to pass off as anything but a warship officially.

Providence

• Affiliantion: Terran Dominion, Kel-Morian Combine, and Umojan Protectorate
• Classification: Superdreadnought
• Purpose: Prototype warship
• Special abilities: N/A
• Status: Destroyed

Typhon

• Affiliation: Dominion
• Classification: Mobile Starbase/Counter Terrorism
• Purpose: Construction, Maintenance and Repair of starships/Counter intellegences and riot supression
• Special abilities:

1. APOCALYPSE STRIKE - clears an area for settlement with a missile strike from high orbit dealing 5000 damage
2. FIRETEAM PANDORA - deploys three lobotomized Hybrid Reavers to target area

• Status: Active

Ymir

• Affiliation: Kel-Morian Combine
• Classification: Mining ship
• Purpose: Asteroid/Planetary/Deep Space mining and resource processing
• Special abilities:

1. PLANET CRACKER - fires a laser drill powerful enough to break off part of an asteroid or planet's surface (Dead Space: Planet Crack)
2. TRACTOR BEAM - uses a reverse-engineered Protoss Graviton Beam to harvest or salvage nearby resources

• Status: Active

Ziz

• Affiliation: Umojan Protectorate
• Classification: Deep Space Explorer/Sleeper
• Puropse: Scientific Research/Colonization
• Special abilities:

1. NANOVIRUS - deploys nanotech bombs to disintegrate all living organisms on a planet's surface and deep underground (Warhammer 40k: Virus Bombs; 20th Century Fox: The Day the Earth Stood Still; Star Trek - Voyager: Scorpion)
2. PERFECT CLOAK - ship becomes invisible to all enemies and detectors despite power and size (Star Trek - Nemesis: Scimitar; Mass Effect 3: Salarian First Fleet)

• Status: Active

Notes

• All three active superdreadnoughts are named after mythological beings of tremendous size
• The Ziz completes the Land, Sea, Sky Trio as the Leviathan and Behemoth are already taken