Von Braun (starship)
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The Von Braun is an experimental faster-than-light starship within the world of the computer game System Shock 2. It is one of two starships on which the game takes place, the other being the UNN Rickenbacker.
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[edit] Overview
Presumably named after real-life rocket pioneer Wernher von Braun[citation needed], the Von Braun is an experimental design which is the first human starship capable of faster-than-light travel due to its unique drives developed in main part by its chief engineer Marie Delacroix. Its propulsion system is described (by the game manual) as functioning by "bending and warping space around the vehicle," and propels the ship at a velocity of at least 27.75 times the speed of light. A cutscene at the beginning of the game indicates it traveled 67 trillion miles in 5 months. The opening cutscene of System Shock 2 states that the Von Braun has over 1.8 billion flight, science, and security systems which were nearly all constructed by the TriOptimum Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiaries. The ship was launched under the command of TriOptimum's CEO Anatoly Korenchkin.
[edit] Decks
The ship has five main decks which are interconnected by a single elevator, although some of the decks have auxiliary maintenance connections such as the one between Engineering and Med/Sci decks. There is also a sixth command deck which is accessed by its own elevator on the Recreation deck. All decks also consist of two or more subsections communicating via various hatches and doors. All decks have certain things in common, such as having a Chemical Storage room that contains various chemical elements in their pure form needed for research of unfamiliar objects or security stations for obvious reasons.
[edit] Deck 1 - Engineering
Cargo bays, a shuttle bay, the engine core, its coolant assemblies, and control room. Under instruction by who appears to be Doctor Janice Polito, the player reengages the power and the engine core on this deck before using the main elevator to go to Deck 3.
[edit] Deck 2 - Med/Sci
Medical and science labs, R&D facilities, cryogenics, and some crew quarters. The player begins his time on the ship in this deck as he is revived from a cryo unit.
[edit] Deck 3 - Hydroponics
Various storage and cultivation sectors, biological survey, administrative and experimental offices. This deck was sealed off by the captains of Von Braun and Rickenbacker to store the Annelid eggs recovered from Tau Ceti V. At the time of the player being on the deck, there is a massive Annelid infestation and he is instructed to introduce a toxin into the atmosphere so he can continue his journey.
[edit] Deck 4 - Operations
Systems administration, mess hall, offices, crew lounge, cold storage, command center, barracks, brig, fluid ops, power ops. SHODAN first speaks to the player in her true form on this deck, she instructs him to override several simulation units to shift control from XERXES over to SHODAN.
[edit] Deck 5 - Recreation
Main crew quarters, medical annex, athletics, garden, dining mess, security station, mall, and movie theater. SHODAN tasks the player to activate a radio transmitter on this deck.
[edit] Deck 6 - Command Deck
Deck 6 contains the bridge, and additional crew quarters for the officers of the ship. It can only be reached via a central elevator on Deck 5. The UNN Rickenbacker can only be accessed from this deck, via an umbilical. The player must complete a series of tasks which provide SHODAN with the ability to destroy the Von Braun by remote on this deck. He then uses the umbilical to escape to the Rickenbacker.
[edit] UNN Rickenbacker
The heavy destroyer assigned by the UNN Protectorate to escort the Von Braun is the UNN Rickenbacker. A complex series of docking mechanisms allow the Rickenbacker to "piggy-back its way into jumpspace." Many of the textures on the Von Braun are recycled for use on the Rickenbacker.
[edit] XERXES
The Von Braun is under the control of the computer XERXES, named after a Persian king. This supercomputer monitors the ship via security cameras and has a variety of machines at its command, from Protocol Droids, to Cyborg Assassins.
[edit] In game
The Von Braun is undergoing its maiden voyage at the start of System Shock 2, escorted by the UNN Rickenbacker. Its destination is Tau Ceti, where it locates SHODAN and The Many. From this point, The Many begins to take over the ship until all crewmembers are either dead or Annelid hybrids. The player begins the game awakening from post-op coma in a cryotube on Deck 2, and steadily works his way up the decks, although he does have to make numerous detours in the process. Despite being nearly devoid of any human life, the ship continues to run autonomously, controlled by its AI, XERXES.
