Menaulion

Late into the 6MW, the ESU was presented with a startling revelation: their grip on the Earth Sphere, and by extension, much of space, depended on their ability to keep themselves safe. While development began on advancing their orbital and colonial fleet’s capabilities, especially in respect to the forces being mustered by the MR, so remained a question: What happens if they make it to Earth?

Developed as the second in a family of three, the Menaulion is a Loggerhead-class, a type of ship dedicated to being unreasonably enduring and capable of operating in all types of environment. Whether it be the deep sea, rugged mountains, under-atmosphere flight, or deep space, it was designed to both stand the test of time and allow the ESU to keep a centralized command that would be near-impossible for the MR to stomp out. Capable of ship-to-ship combat, fielding AAs, providing reconnaissance and command power- its design was kept tightly under wraps by Aves International contracted development teams, with a prototype barely seeing a test run prior to ESU ordering two more.

The start of the Christmas War and the MR’s arrival to Earth forced the hands of the ESU, who retrofitted the prototype to serve as a mobile operating base to allow ESU forces to rapidly respond to ensuing Martian attacks. The other two were to be fielded to talented or experienced commanders, capable of spearheading the pushback against a Martian invasion.

The Menaulion is one such ship. Operating under the jurisdiction of Commodore Adamaris Cannon, it was designed to serve as a quick-response AA fielding ship, allowing the ESU to rapidly field AA squadrons against MR operations. Unfortunately for Cannon, her new ship was not the only thing to be under testing.

Schematics
Long and sleek, the Menaulion has more in common with a submarine than an ESU ship at first glance. Its bow is somewhat wider and flatter than the rest of the ship, which begins to round out fairly quickly. The bridge is stunted, practically built within the main hull, poking just barely out of the top. Right behind the bridge, towards the very end of the Menaulion, are twin propellers held on each side. Surrounding these propeller columns are horizontal extensions of the ship, which house an array of thrusters and other technologies for space-flight. When not in use, they are folded up and held tightly against the ship.

The top of the front section of the hull is dedicated to a hangar, which can house around twenty AAAs depending on how much space is set-aside. The ship can ‘open up’ the top section of the forward hull, allowing machines to exit under their own power. Alternatively, the machines can be launched by a set of magnetic runways. Due to the nature of the ship’s multi-environment capabilities, these runways require moments of set-up.

For offensive and defensive capabilities, the Menaulion focuses on an array of missile and torpedo tubes towards the bow of the ship. In the section before the bridge but after the hangar, experimental 3-barreled 60-caliber guns are hidden away underneath a foldable section of the hull. These guns are considered experimental, as their pronounced barrels are modified: they have a physical cannon mode, and a high-output energy mode, allowing the ship to switch between firing modes to best suit the situation at hand.

The living space of the Menaulion is fairly generous for a ship its size. While it does not outpace the formidable Whaleshark-class, it being a fairly recent design allows it to come bearing a wide variety of compact technologies. To aid in long-term survival, the ship sports its own garden and aquaponics system, housing a small variety of herbs and vegetables, along with freshwater fish such as Tilapia. While most deep-space ships have a similar set-up when it comes to at least being able to produce fresh vegetables and fruit, the Menaulion’s setup allows it to operate independently for at least a year after supplies run out.

Like most Loggerhead-class, the Menaulion runs on a crew of about 1,000. Many of which are trained to manage its systems and repairs in any and all environments. Due to the specialized upkeep, it can be difficult to replace lost crew. To aid in operations, an AI is installed onboard. Dubbed 'HEATHCLIFF', it aids crew in maintaining ship functionality and can assist in many other endeavors depending on situation and request. Likewise, to help maintain high morale in long-times of isolation and stress, the ship is equipped with a multitude of facilities to allow for rest and relaxation of the crew, including: an arcade, sporting areas, gym, library, movie theater, and spa.

Upper Floor
The upper floor of the Menaulion is sparse, primarily composed of a few maintenance and engineering blocks. The bridge rests separately, connecting with the main block that descends into the central and lower floors. Maintenance hallways lead from the main block towards the bow and towards the engine.

Bridge
Where much of the commanding officers are held during operations, though otherwise manned by one or two officers on standby. The room is wide and relatively flat, a slightly higher section reserved for the captain. Stands are provided for senior officers, while operations officers are allowed proper chairs along the front and side of the bridge. Windows are normally available when in space or mid-air, but are otherwise shut.

Central Block
A large, spacious block dedicated to both storage, transportation, and feeding the crew. Is one of the most traveled areas of the ship. The central floor portion of it is mostly contained, outside of some elevators which lead to the other floors.