Ship Name: Valley Forge
Description: Essentially a flying brick with a few antenna and a lot of docking bays, the Valley Forge could be considered the industrial heart of the fleet. Possessing no weapons or any substantial security force to speak of, its sole focus is to provide the industry necessary to kickstart the colonial effort into high gear. As what is essentially an enormous carrier with tons of foundries and other processing plants stuck onto it, the Forge carries about a hundred Cracker-class mining vessels crewed by at most four people, though quite a few people could be shoved into the cargo bay if necessary. Crackers aren't designed for atmospheric reentry however, merely to be used as asteroid miners or for landing on bodies with low gravity. For reentry, the Forge is equiped with an additional twenty Nereid-class landing vessels.
The core of the ship is not so much its function as a carrier as it is a mobile foundry, factory, and fuel depot. Much of the Forge consists of the equipment and infrastructure necessary to synthesize and construct other starships, colonial equipment, weaponry, vehicles, really anything needed by the colony. Most of these functions are automated in one way or another as is custom for current fabrication technology, with engineers inputting orders and the machines outputting what is wanted. The Forge ensures it continues running by collecting and storing or synthesizing antimatter and other fuel reserves as well, helping to make sure the fleet reaches its destination.
Obviously, with its industrial might and possibly sole ability to fabricate new starships, the Forge is widely considered to be crucial to the fleet's efforts.
Population: 19,652
18966 Other Civilians
323 Engineers
198 Medical Personnel
92 Security Personnel
73 Scientists
Description: All of the original settlers come from the United States of America, the Forge itself being commissioned by the public, non-military government. In some ways, it is a monument to what America once was, the industrial leader of the world, and its people are a testament to American ingenuity and innovation. The people of the Forge are crammed into the ship almost like sardines as they've reproduced quite a bit since the launch from Earth, with a very sizable percentage of the ship's crew having spent the vast majority or all of their entire lives on the ship, with some recent babies having been born from parents who were born on the ship.
The people of the Forge believe fiercely in self-sufficiency, independence, and strength. They run their ship democratically, electing a new Captain every year, as well as a new Triumvirate every two years and Assembly members every three years. Major, non-emergency decisions require the Captain and Triumvirate to take a vote from the entire crew so that they see what everyone wants. Obviously, while the democracy can have its issues, the vast majority of those on the Forge believe it to be superior to the military-like commands of some of the other ships, as well as responsive to the needs of the crew.
Captain Name: Captain-Elect Lilith Sawyer
Description: A flame-haired, ice-eyed twenty-six year old, Lilith was only three years old when the Forge shipped out from Earth. A true believer in the American and Forge ideology, she rose to prominence as the leader of the Spacer Movement, a coalition of the youths on the ship who knew little to nothing of terrestrial life who wanted to obtain a voice in the Assembly. They ended up winning the Captain-Elect through sheer numbers and with a few charismatic speeches on the part of Lilith to sway many of the older crewmembers.
She is generally viewed as an incredibly strong-willed, no-nonsense woman who seeks to further the interests of the Forge and its crew. Some outside the Forge see her as controversial, however, as she has routinely and openly placed ship before fleet. Lilith is often sometimes seen as being too inexperienced or assumed to be naive, though she has demonstrated cunning when it comes to negotiating with other members of the fleet who want products the Forge produces.
Other Notable Individuals:
John Xander: A sixty-year old white-haired gentleman who has been a Triumvir since the launch of the Forge, Xander typically represents the desires of the older segment of the crew. An extremely friendly and amiable man, he is almost like a grandfather to many of the youths of the Forge, and loved by almost everyone.
Megan Starborn: A hardcore Spacer who went so far as to have her last name changed on the crew manifest, Megan is a dark, raven-haired woman who stands taller than most men and can be quite intimidating at times. She believes fully in the phrase Ship Before Fleet, and pursues her goals as such. She was ran against Lilith for a time to become Captain-Elect, though gave up in order to consolidate votes to win the election, settling for becoming a Triumvir.
Sylvester Gold: A rat-like, pale man who intentionally wears enormous glasses. He stereotypes himself as the quintessential representative of the more intellectual among the Forgites, though he has only sat as a Triumvir as long as Megan and Lilith have occupied their positions. A thirty-five year old with balding hair, he isn't much to look at, but he is admittedly pretty damn intelligent. The man prefers to handle the more economical and scientific efforts of the Forge's government.
Commander Rufus Bailey: The head of what could be thought of as the military/security branch of the Forge 'government', Commander Bailey has performed his duties since launch, acting as the unyielding pillar of stone and insight in a sea of democracy. As Captain-Elects come and go, Bailey advises them and instructs them how the ship works beyond what they learned prior to launch or before taking the Captain's Chair. In some ways, this forty-five year old, grey-eyed stoneface could be seen as the one who truly runs the ship while the civilians prattle on about their democracy and issues. Of course, Bailey sees that as how things normally go in many governments anyway. The talking heads take all the credit while their subordinates do all the work.