Ascension

Hey look, assorted drawings of The Ascension, the ship Farrell and his crew inhabit.. It's altered a bit over time, as you can tell. The "head" of the ship houses the bridge, the "neck" can extend in space, and the "wings" unfold. The full extension is only used in space, as the components would be neither aerodynamic nor really functional in an atmosphere or a dock. It's set up like that for FTL flight, because nobody wants to read a story about a spaceship that does not defy the laws of physics.

There are four major engines in the rear. The big two, stacked horizontally, provide basic thrust, and the smaller two on either side give direction. The wings can be adjusted to further direct the ship, and have particle collection devices attached as an emergency fuel source. (These can also be set to collect other things, such as nebula material, for the creation of "stardust.")

In the newer drawings, the fin on the back of the ship, which is totally useless, is no longer included. You can see this in the lower left hand image. It's also become more squat in the body, so the large image is somewhat inaccurate.

About half of the ship is dedicated to cargo space, although it's not all together. The ship is compartmentalized into terrestrial and aqueous sections, although most people refer to them as "dry" and "wet." It allows for aquatic crewmembers, such as dolphins or merma, to work aboard a ship without being trapped in a tiny tank.

The Ascension is a mid-sized ship, with a small, tightly knit crew on board. It can be run, not terribly well, by a single person, or more efficiently by two. It is a Cruise and Cargo ship, labeling its function quite well. It does not have the propulsion or supplies for exploration missions, nor does it have the defenses for being a ship of war, although optional weaponry can be purchased and installed. (Farrell probably won't do this, as there wouldn't be any point in his mind.)

When I first had the idea for this comic, I had been reading this amazing graphic novel where all the ships were based on sea creatures. I really wish I could remember what it was, because I remember the whole thing was really good and I could probably learn something from it if I went back. But the point of me mentioning it was to point out that my ships originally were supposed to resemble sea creatures too. The Ascension is a dolphin. Looking at it now, it also looks a lot like a Romulan Bird of Prey.

If you have questions or comments, let me know. I know a lot of the design is hazy in my mind, so if something doesn't make sense, it may not actually have been worked out in my head yet.

P.S. In the lower right panel, there's a pirate ship attached to the Ascension, which was based on a manta ray. That's not really important right now.