The Ark (TOS-RH)

This article has a separate continuity. This article is in the Richard Hatch Novelizations separate continuity, which is related to the Original Series. Be sure that your contributions to this article reflect the characters and events specific to this continuity only.

The Ark (also known as the space ark) is a massive ancient vessel belonging to the Thirteenth Tribe, discovered in the Paradis system following the destruction of the planet Paradis. The ship's arrival saves the eight hundred Colonial survivors remaining in the system from certain death, providing life support and advanced technology that gives them a second chance at survival. (RH: Paradis, Destiny)

Discovery and Origin

The Ark's existence was first detected on Paradis itself, where it generated extraordinarily high energy readings at the building site of New Caprica City. These readings confounded Colonial instruments and suggested technology far more advanced than anything in the Colonial fleet.

When Paradis was destroyed during Baltar's sacrifice in the battle against the evolved Cylons, the Ark somehow freed itself from the planet. Commander Apollo believes the Gamon—the native inhabitants of Paradis—had something to do with the vessel's miraculous escape, though the exact mechanism remains unexplained.

The ship appears at a critical moment when the survivors in the Paradis system face imminent death from oxygen deprivation following the destruction of their life support systems in Baltar's massive explosion. The Ark deploys silver oxygen canisters from a portal on its side, providing the breathable atmosphere necessary for survival.

Connection to Earlier Discovery

During the exploration of Paradis, a team including Troy, Dalton, Trays, and Rhaya discovered a crashed space ark deep within underground caverns. The vessel's hull remained largely intact despite its ancient crash landing, and it contained thousands of preservation pods with human remains—evidence of the Thirteenth Tribe's journey from Kobol.

This crashed ark contained a still-functioning computer log that detailed the Thirteenth Tribe's history on Paradis. The log revealed the colonists had stayed for two thousand yahren, bringing advanced technology to the Gamon before departing due to the star's impending evolution into a white dwarf. Tragically, the Gamon sabotaged several arks to prevent the Thirteenth Tribe's departure, leading to the deaths of those aboard the crashed vessel.

Sheba initially believes the newly appeared Ark is the same heavily damaged vessel they explored on Paradis, but Apollo theorizes there was another ark generating the high energy readings at the New Caprica City building site. This second ark somehow escaped Paradis's destruction.

Design and Technology

Exterior

The Ark is described as having "huge dimensions," dwarfing even the Cylon fighters and other vessels in the debris field following the battle. Its scale is immense, large enough to serve as a city-sized transport vessel for the Thirteenth Tribe's interstellar colonization efforts.

Interior

The interior of the Ark overwhelms even experienced Colonial warriors with its advanced design and otherworldly beauty. The sight is described as "more than breathtaking and spectacular," filling viewers with a sense of wonder and leaving "an ache that such had never been felt before."

The ship features transparent walls and floors throughout, creating the impression of "a gigantic canyon made of spun sugar and thick yet clear glass." This transparency allows the full immensity of the vessel to be visible from any vantage point within. Light suffuses everywhere without any discernible source, and a low humming sound suggests "almost incalculable power that might conceivably never run out."

Automated Systems

Small metallic servo-bots can be seen darting around at the extremity of the ship, maintaining its systems. Apollo observes these are unlike Cylon automatons, noting "I have a feeling they aren't about to rebel against humans." The servo-bots appear to function as maintenance and support systems for the vast vessel.

Teardrop Shuttles

The Ark houses teardrop-shaped craft large enough to hold twenty people. These scout ships prove more advanced than Colonial Vipers, with superior range and capabilities. The vessels feature complicated consoles of color-coded buttons with myriad functions, though the controls prove surprisingly intuitive once mastered.

The teardrop shuttles are difficult to master in limited time, requiring both experienced technicians and scientists to work together to unlock their capabilities. Kornberg, a young technician, impresses Apollo with how swiftly he masters the intricacies of the Ark's systems, demonstrating an intuitive understanding of the advanced machines.

Apollo personally pilots one of these craft during the reconnaissance mission to investigate a damaged Cylon basestar. The primary challenge proves to be keeping the shuttle's speed down so the accompanying Vipers can maintain formation, demonstrating the superior performance capabilities of the Ark's technology.

Advanced Sensor Systems

The Ark possesses sophisticated sensor arrays far beyond Colonial technology. Sheba notes that with more time to understand the vessel's systems, they might not have needed to personally investigate the Cylon basestar—the Ark's sensors could potentially have gathered the necessary intelligence remotely.

The complexity of the Ark's systems means the Colonials cannot immediately access their full potential. Apollo acknowledges they "may never find out" how to make complete use of everything aboard the vessel, given the urgent tactical situation requiring immediate action.

Operational Status

Following its arrival in the Paradis system, Apollo and Sheba organize exploratory groups to investigate the space ark. Apollo carefully selects individuals "who were not quick on the trigger" for the initial exploration, uncomfortable about entering the ship armed despite military necessity. The vessel that saved their lives deserves cautious respect.

The Ark proves to be more advanced than anything in the Colonial fleet, with initial assessments suggesting it has sustained no significant damage despite its mysterious escape from Paradis. The ship becomes fully operational for Colonial use, with Sheba providing educated assessments of its systems and capabilities.

The vessel includes a functioning sick bay—a significant asset given the limited medical facilities the survivors salvaged from the main fleet before its departure.

Strategic Significance

Life Support

The Ark's most immediate contribution is providing breathable atmosphere to the eight hundred survivors facing imminent death. The deployment of oxygen canisters at the critical moment transforms certain doom into renewed hope for survival.

The ship maintains a breathable atmosphere throughout its interior, as confirmed by Sheba's tests before the first exploratory team boards. This capability proves essential for the survivors' continued existence in the Paradis system.

Technology Repository

Apollo recognizes the Ark as "a treasure house dumped in our lap," though he acknowledges it "may not be enough" on its own. The vessel provides access to technology millennia more advanced than Colonial systems, potentially offering solutions to the survivors' desperate situation.

The ship's advanced computers survive largely intact, unlike many Colonial systems that were "fried by the electromagnetic pulse from Baltar's explosion." This makes the Ark's operational technology even more valuable to the survivors' efforts.

Military Applications

The compact fighting ships housed within the Ark provide crucial military capability. When the main fleet departed for a new solar system, they took most of the Vipers with them, though Tigh and Athena refused to leave Apollo completely defenseless. The Ark's teardrop shuttles supplement the remaining Vipers, giving the survivors better equipment than "the junk we took from our own fleet, for what was basically a deathwatch."

Apollo orders the use of these craft for reconnaissance missions to investigate remnants of the Cylon fleet in the system. He recognizes that exploring the new Cylon technology—developed during their civil war—is essential for survival. The Ark provides the means to conduct these dangerous but necessary missions.

Intelligence Gathering

The Ark's sensor capabilities and shuttle craft enable Apollo to conduct reconnaissance of Cylon debris in the Paradis system. Sheba identifies a partially damaged Cylon basestar within range of the scout ships, and Apollo immediately recognizes its potential importance. He orders three scout ships for the mission, demonstrating the Ark's role in gathering intelligence about evolved Cylon capabilities.

Connection to Thirteenth Tribe

The Ark represents physical proof of the Thirteenth Tribe's existence and technological sophistication. The vessel is one of the city-sized space arks rumored to have been used for transport, though many cynical historians had dismissed such accounts as legend or myth. The discovery of the crashed ark on Paradis—and the subsequent appearance of the operational ark—transforms ancient stories into undeniable reality.

The computer log from the crashed ark reveals that the Thirteenth Tribe possessed technology capable of traversing the universe long before the Twelve Colonies ever reached deep space. This advanced technology allowed them to settle distant worlds and maintain civilization for thousands of yahren.

The Ark's preservation pods and systems suggest the Thirteenth Tribe developed sophisticated methods for long-duration space travel and colonization. The thousands of remains found in the crashed vessel indicate these arks could transport entire populations across interstellar distances.

Thirteenth Tribe Message

Following the main fleet's departure, Gar'Tokk completes his translation of tablets found within the space ark. The message provides crucial information about where the Colonial fleet should head next, offering guidance for their continued journey.

The revelation of this message—and Gar'Tokk's unique ability to translate it—elevates the Borellian Noman to celebrity status among the Colonials. The Ark thus provides not only physical salvation and technological resources, but also navigational guidance for the survivors' future.

Role in Survival

The Ark's timely arrival transforms the situation in the Paradis system from hopeless to sustainable. Apollo reflects that even if death had come, he "could have faced it gladly after Baltar's heroic sacrifice," but the Ark's gift of life proves far better. The vessel enables the eight hundred survivors to rebuild, salvage resources from the Cylon debris, and potentially continue their journey toward Earth.

The ship provides everything necessary for survival: breathable atmosphere, advanced technology, military capability, medical facilities, and guidance for the future. This comprehensive support system gives the survivors "a second lease on life" and makes possible what seemed impossible after the main fleet's departure.

Notes

• The exact mechanism by which the Ark escaped Paradis's destruction remains unexplained, though Apollo believes the Gamon were involved. This suggests the native inhabitants possessed abilities or knowledge beyond Colonial understanding.

• Sheba's confusion about which ark appeared—believing it was the damaged vessel they explored—indicates there were at least two arks on or near Paradis. The operational ark may have been hidden beneath the surface at the New Caprica City building site.

• The Ark's technology being "in actuality very old" yet more advanced than Colonial systems demonstrates how the Thirteenth Tribe's civilization had reached higher technological achievement than the Twelve Colonies, despite both originating from Kobol.

• The transparent walls and floors of the Ark's interior suggest a technological or artistic philosophy emphasizing openness and visibility, contrasting sharply with the enclosed corridors of Colonial battlestars.