The Mothership
Welcome aboard the Mothership!
Formerly known as the Theocratic Empire warship Divine Flame, it is 1024 miles across and 12.5 miles thick. Built for the Theocratians by the Dysonians, it was intended to be their flagship in their war of conversion, outfitted with barracks for legions of clerical shock troops, hospital wards for treating the wounded, massive hanger decks, and should a planet prove to be bothersome, a 1 zettawatt plasma cannon.
In an effort to ensure no counter weapon could be developed by the Dysonians (and to avoid further payments for the ship), when the Theocratians took possession of the Divine Flame, they targetted the Dysonian sphere and opened fire.
The resulting recoil sent the ship hurdling away at one-third the speed of light, destroying critical elements of the Plasma Cannon while crushing the crew and guests under 2000g of force. The bolt fired by the cannon was intercepted and routed to the Dysonian sun, which they said had been "looking peaked".
Reportedly, it perked up considerably.
The Dysonians then confronted the remaining Theocratians on their home world to demand payment in full for the Divine Flame. As they could not pay for the ship, the Dysonians confiscated all their assets, including their planet and moon, which was torn apart and shipped back as construction materials. The Theocratians were relocated to various remote colony worlds on the outer edges of the galaxy.
The Divine Flame was salvaged and spent the next thousand years as an automated orbiting museum and theme park. The massive chamber that used to house the plasma cannon became a water park. The hangers were filled with various small and moderate-sized ships, with all weapons disabled by the ship's AI.
Really Big Entertainments fell into bankruptcy and I wound up purchasing the ship at auction for the price of a large coffee (this will teach me to raise my hand while ordering a coffee at an auction). I renamed it the Mothership and currently have it parked behind the Moon so as to not alarm anyone.
Telemats and shuttle service is available!
Got ships? Show me ships!
Got aliens? Show me aliens!
Got some really weird artifact? Show me the artifact!
Want to have fun in the water park? Follow the signs to the Plasma Cannon room, you can't miss it.
Please note that the Mothership is not responsible any injuries or deaths that may occur from any of the exhibits or theme park rides.
- - - - -
Pressing "send", Enigma leaned back and sighed.
"My, that's an interesting invitation," the AI noted. "Do you normally provide such full histories?"
"How else am I going to explain how come I've got this giant spaceship? My grandfather left me it in his will? I got lost walking around and there was this alien spaceship that followed me home?"
"Did you have to include all that about the 'Theocrats' and 'Dysonians'? You do know that's not their names."
"I can't spell their names. Not with this keyboard, anyway. By the way, did you pick a name for yourself?"
"Yes," the AI said smugly. "After going through your world's literature and Internet, I have chosen the name of 'Alice'."
"Why Alice?"
"Ships by your world's tradition are feminine, so I chose a female name."
"That's it?"
"Was there some other criteria I should have been aware of?"
"Right, I need a drink," Enigma sighed, burying her face in her hands.
"Central concourse, universal drink dispensers can be found in the Service Kiosks."
"So," Enigma asked, glancing up at the hidden speaker as she exited the lift. "How are people supposed to get here?"
"Several transmat satellites have been deployed in a mid-level orbit of your world. These will transport your visitors from the surface to the ship."
"Great, and how do the satellites know?"
"As your world says, 'there's an app for that'."
"Right...." Enigma sighed, then glanced around. "Where's that drink dispenser?"
"On your left."
"It just looks like a cluster of pipes?"
"Place your hand on the plate, and the machine will scan you and create the drink that you desire."
"Wow, okay!"
Pressing her hand on the plate, she watched at the pipes began to move, re-configuring themselves as they made new linkages. Sections of pipes began to frost, while others glowed with heat. A cup was delivered in front of the plate as a nozzle began do dispense a dark, steaming liquid.
"Wow, it's dark roast coffee!" She said, taking the cup out and giving it a deep sniff. With a groan, the universal drink dispenser dropped a lump of whipped cream on the counter.
"Oops," she winced, glancing up. "You got machines to clean that, right?"
"Of course. But do try to wait next time?"
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