SS Scavenger DX-1017

Template:Infobox starship

The SS Scavenger DX-1017 is the namesake vessel of the *Scavenger Universe* series. Built by Captain Elan Drex and engineer Vek Tollin from derelict ship components above Prose, the Scavenger first appeared in *Story 1: The Phoenix from the Scrapyard*. Powered by a rebuilt **Meras-type High-Frequency Phase Drive**, she became both a symbol of renewal and a testbed for Prosian–Alliance cooperation after the Tonan War.

Origins and Construction

Elan Drex, was forced into retirement after saving a world but losing a ship. Elan Drex and Vek Tollin put all their retirement savings into building a ship from reclaimed abandoned hulls and systems from Prosian orbital yards. With a handful of veterans who had served under Drex, they **hand-assembled** the ship—combining Alliance structural frames with Prosian resonance-tuned hull plating.

The registry **DX-1017** follows the **Prosian Registry System**:

**D** – Cargo / Hauling class
**X** – Experimental designation (no factory code)
**1017** – Sequential Prosian Registry number

Initial Outfitting

The Scavenger included modular labs, salvage bays, and a medical wing capable of treating both Human and Prosian physiology. Her **Meras-type Phase Drive** demanded continual tuning to protect lifeforms within and the Phase Beings. Kessa Rin performed the first **Phase Life Protection calibration**, establishing standards later adopted across the fleet.

Role in “The Phoenix from the Scrapyard”

On her maiden voyage, the Scavenger discovered a trade corridor devastated by the Tonan Phase Weapon. The resonance pulses caused catastrophic neurological collapse in nearby populations. When conventional defenses failed, **Kessa Rin** and a team of rescued scientists built a **Counter-Phase Array** aboard the ship, producing an antiphase pulse that nullified the weapon’s field and ended the attack. The event defined the Scavenger as “the Phoenix that rose to heal.”

Overhaul by Dr. Meras

Prior to the Tonan Civil War, **Dr. Meras** personally refitted the Scavenger’s Phase Drive with **new crystalline field coils**. The overhaul increased phase-field stability and made the vessel **considerably faster**, allowing longer sustained travel through phase space. These coils became the prototype for the new generation of Phase Drives later manufactured at **Markasisa in Lerazan Province** on Prose.

Design and Specifications

**Length:** 610 ft
**Width:** ≈ 378 ft (1.61 ratio)
**Height:** 250 ft (to observation tower tip)
**Crew:** 84 officers and specialists
**Power:** Dual-core fusion / gravitic hybrid
**FTL System:** Meras-type High-Frequency Phase Drive (new-coil refit)
**Sub-light:** Quad plasma impulse engines
**Defensive Systems:** Resonance shields, Counter-Phase Emitter Array
**Special Systems:** Short-range Transit Window for personnel transfer

Internal Layout

The Scavenger follows a vertically stacked internal configuration, with three main tiers:

**Primary Decks (1–5)** – command, habitation, and operations.
**H Decks (H1–H6)** – cargo and salvage stack.
**LL Decks (LL-1 to LL-5)** – engineering, mechanical, and support systems.

Deck 0 – Observation Tower

Although, it's not really a deck but the elevator references it a Deck 0. When the force field is engaged and the atmospheric generators are running, you can actually walk outside on the radial catwalk in while in space. The location is used to check on cargo cars in tow and to take astronomical measurements.

Primary Decks (1–5)

Deck 1 – Command & Operations

Bridge/control center, navigation and helm stations, captain’s ready room, communications hub, and emergency system lift access.

Deck 2 – Crew Quarters & Mess

Officer and crew quarters, mess hall, galley, recreation lounge, and lift links between command above and storage/engineering below.

Deck 3 – Science & Medical

Medical bay and sickbay, scientific labs and analysis rooms, observation area (limited viewports), and access to environmental systems (connected to LL-3).

Deck 4 – Workshops & Storage

Repair and fabrication shops, tool and part storage, salvage-lift interface, same width as H-decks, and upper staging for cargo operations.

Deck 5 – Auxiliary Operations

Auxiliary control stations (backup helm and power systems), secondary storage and prep areas, and primary access points leading to the H-deck stack.

H Decks (Cargo & Salvage Stack)

H1 – Upper Hold Deck

Main cargo-operations deck; interfaces with salvage lift and upper access trunks. Normal gravity.

 → **Port Hold #4 = Refrigerated bay** for crew food and medical supplies.

H2 – Secondary Hold Deck

Overflow salvage staging, lighter gravity, connects vertically to lift shafts and power conduits.

H3 – Deep Hold Deck

First high-ceiling salvage bay for irregular salvage; reduced gravity.

H4 – Salvage Hold Deck

Bulk-salvage bay with gravity-beam stabilizers integrated with lift conduits.

H5 – Salvage Hold Deck

Extended deep-storage bay for oversized or layered salvage pieces, ladder hatches and conduits.

H6 – Lowest Salvage Hold

Deepest salvage bay; very light gravity for heavy salvage; contains lift terminus and power/conduit tie-ins.

LL Decks (Lower Levels – Engineering and Support)

LL-1

Forward section – storage rooms, water tanks, power regulators, environmental office, mechanical project area, and system control room.

 Aft section – elevated catwalks above cargo bay, gravity-beam stabilizers, salvage-lift machinery, tool lockers, and rapid-descent pole to LL-2.

LL-2

Cargo/maintenance deck below catwalk level; receiving area for salvage from H-decks.

 Rear Port Bay = Tinwing 1 storage & launch.  
 Rear Starboard Bay = Tinwing 2 storage & launch.  
 Tinwings launch via rear cargo door or secondary Iris Launch Port (ceiling hatch).

LL-3

Engineering hub for ship systems; life-support (air/water recycling), conduit pumps, filters, and technician access for environmental and mechanical maintenance.

LL-4

Crew-overflow bunks, auxiliary storage, and general equipment bay for long-haul operations or emergencies.

LL-5

Lowest accessible level; primary engineering access and thorium-reactor compartment.

 – Armored reactor vault with shock-mounting.  
 – Adjacent thorium/salt fuel-storage sub-compartment.  
 – Integrated shield regulators and primary power conduit along spine.  
 – Exterior underside plating functions as thermal radiator during re-entry.  
 – Redundant containment, coolant loops, SCRAM systems, fire suppression, and radiation alarms.  
 – Rarely crewed except for maintenance.

Appendices

Appendix A – Vertical Cross-Section

Simplified diagram showing Decks 1–5, H1–H6, and LL-1 through LL-5, with thorium reactor on LL-5, Tinwing bays on LL-2, and power conduit spine.

Appendix B – Deck H1 Layout

Port Hold #4 designated as **refrigerated bay** for food and medical supplies; matches separate PDF reference layout.

Crew

**Captain Elan Drex** – Commanding officer and principal builder.
**Vek Tollin** – Chief engineer and co-builder; specialist in Prosian gravitic architecture.
**Kessa Rin** – Phase field scientist; developed Counter-Phase Array.
**John Rin** – Engineer; field harmonic calibration.
**Brennen Gillings** – Third Engineer; adaptive systems technician.
**Terev Gillings** – Navigator; phase-lane analyst.

Symbolism

Its emblem, a silver phoenix rising from a spiral of light, symbolizes rebirth and responsibility: that knowledge must serve life. The ship’s motto *From wreckage, renewal* appears in Prosian glyphs and Alliance Standard beside the main airlock.

Later Missions

Following the Phoenix Incident, the Scavenger served in:

**Altair 3 Humanitarian Mission** (*Story 2: The Water World*)
**The Changeling Expedition** (*Story 3*)
**The Tonan Civil War** (*Story 6*) – field deployment with Meras coil refit.
**The Wanderer Encounters** (*Story 7*) – diplomatic operations.

Legacy

The Scavenger DX-1017 became the model for Alliance–Prosian cooperative vessels and the flagship of the future Scavenger Fleet. Its hybrid design and humanitarian record remain a touchstone of post-war unity. Centuries later, to “rise like the Scavenger” still means to rebuild hope from ruin.

Trivia

**Registry Meaning:** D = Cargo/Hauling; X = Experimental; 1017 = Prosian Registry sequence number.

For fans of old Earth media, 1017 playfully mirrors 1701 from *Star Trek*.

Dr. Meras’s signature is etched on the new coils: “May the Flow forgive our failures.”
The original scrapyard marker plate is mounted inside Engineering as a memorial to the ship’s rebirth.