Rising Star (TOS-RH)
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- For for the canonical depiction of this vessel, see: Rising Star (TOS).
Rising Star is a luxury liner serving as part of the Fleet, functioning primarily as an entertainment and recreation vessel.[1] Over the course of the fleet's journey, the ship transitions from a center of leisure to a severely overcrowded refugee vessel struggling with resource shortages and civil unrest.[2]
Description
editRising Star is classified as a luxury liner, one of several vessels in the fleet designated for cultural and entertainment purposes rather than military or industrial functions.[1] The ship features a triad court with a balcony overlooking the playing area, where spectator seating accommodates large crowds.[1] The facility includes holo-cameras that capture events and transmit them throughout the fleet.[1]
The ship also houses a casino, which becomes a focal point during the rebellion crisis.[3] Originally appointed with rich wall coverings and maintained systems, the vessel represents one of the fleet's more comfortable living spaces during peacetime.[4]
History
editPeacetime Recreation
editDuring the period known as "the peacetime"—six yahren when the Colonials encountered no Cylons—Rising Star serves as one of the most popular tourist ships in the fleet.[5] The vessel provides entertainment and recreational facilities for fleet citizens seeking respite from their cramped living conditions on other ships.[1]
The triad court hosts major sporting events that draw large crowds. Following Commander Adama's first cardiac seizure, a triad match is held in his memory.[1] Troy and Sheba attend this event, sitting in the balcony while the spectator seating below overflows with people, many of whom have "obviously had more than a few drinks before arriving for the match."[1] The event helps fleet citizens relieve tension during the political crisis following Adama's illness.[1]
Crisis and Overcrowding
editWhen the fleet becomes trapped in a mysterious cloud and faces severe resource shortages, Rising Star becomes a primary destination for refugees from failing ships. Flight Officer Omega's brother and his family from a light cruiser—just four families with zero fuel remaining—are relocated to Rising Star when their vessel can no longer sustain them.[6]
The situation worsens when Hestia, carrying over two hundred people, suffers catastrophic hull breaches in three locations.[7] Commander Athena orders the evacuation of Hestia's passengers to Rising Star, despite the luxury liner already being severely overcrowded.[2] The evacuees desperately do not want to leave the only home they have known for twenty years, and nobody on Rising Star welcomes another two hundred homeless refugees.[2]
Commander Apollo orders that Rising Star be stocked with sufficient food rations to accommodate the influx of refugees.[8] Protea, a talented teacher who operates an education program aboard Hestia, hopes there will be more food available on Rising Star than her ship had.[8] However, she fears she may never see Athena again, suggesting she understands the dire nature of their situation.[8]
Descent into Chaos
editThe overcrowding and resource shortages transform Rising Star from a luxury vessel into a nightmare of deprivation. The ship's once-pristine condition deteriorates rapidly as the environmental systems struggle under the strain of hundreds of additional refugees.[4] The air becomes poorly scrubbed and filled with the stench of fire, sweat, and human waste.[4] The rich wall coverings are torn apart, apparently cannibalized by desperate inhabitants.[4]
Bodies lie unclaimed in public spaces. When Athena arrives aboard the ship with a warrior squadron from Daedalus, she encounters a dead middle-aged man slumped in the docking bay, wearing the short jacket of an agriculturalist.[4] The body has remained there for an indeterminate time, its stench overwhelming.[4] The man's hand clutches a torn and blackened soft toy daggit—a child's toy—suggesting he died trying to retrieve it or was carrying it when killed.[4] The fate of his child remains unknown.[4]
Rebellion
editThe deteriorating conditions spark organized rebellion aboard Rising Star. Rebels, led by a figure named Jinkrat, seize control of the casino and take six security guards prisoner, threatening to execute them unless a secton's worth of food is released.[3] The rebels claim that real food exists aboard Galactica and refuse to believe they are limited to pellets.[3]
The rebellion is widespread and well-organized, with raiders operating throughout the ship.[3] The head of the security team reports they can hold their position but are clearly overwhelmed by the scale of the uprising.[3] Laser fire exchanges occur throughout the vessel, with casualties on both sides.[4] The dead man in the docking bay may have been killed during the initial fighting when the guards were captured.[9]
When Athena's team arrives, they immediately come under attack while still in the docking bay.[9] Cassiopeia, who accompanies the mission as a medical officer, must take cover while the warriors lay down suppressing fire.[9] Athena instinctively protects Cassiopeia with her own body during the firefight.[9] The warriors, despite exhaustion and depleted resources, spread out and return fire without needing orders, testament to their training and experience.[9]
The security situation aboard Rising Star represents a critical threat to fleet cohesion, forcing military intervention at a time when resources and personnel are already stretched to their limits.[3]
Condition and Infrastructure
editDuring its luxury liner phase, Rising Star maintains sophisticated entertainment infrastructure, including:
- A triad court with balcony seating and overflow spectator areas[1]
- Holo-camera systems for fleet-wide broadcasting[1]
- A casino complex[3]
- Recreational facilities throughout the vessel[5]
The ship's environmental systems, designed for a specific passenger capacity, prove inadequate when forced to accommodate hundreds of additional refugees.[4] The air scrubbing systems fail to keep pace with demand, resulting in foul, barely breathable atmosphere.[4] Infrastructure throughout the ship shows signs of cannibalization and desperate improvisation as inhabitants strip materials for survival needs.[4]
The docking bay becomes a scene of horror rather than an orderly embarkation point, with unclaimed bodies and evidence of violence.[4] The casino, once an entertainment venue, transforms into a fortified rebel stronghold.[3]
References
edit- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1997). Armageddon. Byron Preiss, p. 46.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Hatch, Richard; Rodgers, Alan (2001). Rebellion. iBooks, p. 29.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Hatch, Richard; Rodgers, Alan (2001). Rebellion. iBooks, p. 47.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 Hatch, Richard; Rodgers, Alan (2001). Rebellion. iBooks, p. 50.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Hatch, Richard; Golden, Christopher (1998). Warhawk. Byron Preiss, p. 21.
- ↑ Hatch, Richard; Rodgers, Alan (2001). Rebellion. iBooks, p. 30.
- ↑ Hatch, Richard; Rodgers, Alan (2001). Rebellion. iBooks, p. 28.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Hatch, Richard; Rodgers, Alan (2001). Rebellion. iBooks, p. 31.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Hatch, Richard; Rodgers, Alan (2001). Rebellion. iBooks, p. 51.