Drunkard's Walk Forums

SS Fram
Base Hull:   
        double hulled icebreaker research vessel
Length:
        154.91 m
Beam:
        35.07 m
Mass:
        22,400 tons
Drive Type:   
        5x WPT Hawk MKII ArcJet Ion Thrusters
        2x 4 blade propellers
Drive Rating:  
        0.015c with Ion Thrusters
        15 knots on sea with propellers
Armament:   
        None
Primary Manufacturer:
        Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, Kiel
        Whistler Services
Owner:      
        Tycho Brahe Institute for Interstellar Research
Flag of Record:   
        Norway
Faction:
        'Danelaw (private)
        honorably Pulpers
Launched:   
        October 10th, 2014
Purpose:   
        Scientific Vessel
Primary Crew:   
        Fridtjof Nansen (AI)
        20 crew members
        65 scientists
Axillary Vehicles:
        2x Orbital Sled
        1x Westland Sea King (waved)
The SS Fram is one of the most interesting vessels in Fenspace and a signs that there is astronomical and planetary research done by others than the Trekkies, Artemis or the Soviets, any one of the few vessels operating under 'danelaw.
Owned by the Tycho Brahe Institute for Interstellar Research, a Scandinavian Institute backed by the governments of Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark and founded in 2009, the SS Fram is a purpose build hull largely based on the German icebreaker research vessel RV Polarstern, adapted to a space environment, but very well capable of operating on sea, especially in polar regions.
She is well equipped with a variety of sensors and research compartments, especially a pair of 2.5 meter reflector telescopes and a phased radar array designed for planetary surveys.
However only the barest minimum of Handwavium was utilized by the construction, mostly in the energy and propulsion systems as well as in the life support systems. However some Handwavium came into contact with the ships modern computer system during the 'waving of the life support, leading to the development of the AI Fridfjof Nansen, based on the builder of the original Fram.
During the first research mission to Jupiter and the discovery of non-Earth life in the sub-Europa ocean (simple microbiotic life) she was attacked by a small band Twilik pirates, but was able to defend against them, resulting in the crew being termed 'Space Vikings' and honorably adopted by the Puplers.
In the wake of the attack they got a gift of several Battle steel viking weapons from Hephaestus.
Other notable missions lead to Titan, Triton and the Oort Cloud before leaving the Solar System to visit Wolf 359 in late 2016.
Known Vehicle Quirks:
'Hall of the Mountain King': The ship works best if the PA systems plays music from Scandinavian countries of all kinds. However all systems, whether waved or not, actually decrease in effectiveness if ABBA is played.
'Lo, There do I see my father': If the ship is under attack all crew members or scientists of Scandinavian descent become, well, effectively Vikings. It is said that the Chief Mechanist, Thor Leifson (build like Thor out of the comics) managed to defeat a power armored Twilik during the attack near Europa.
'This is not cold...': The ship is very effective in any surface cryogenic environment it may be exposed to, leading to more discoveries then normally expected.

Warringer Wrote:The SS Fram is one of the most interesting vessels in Fenspace and a signs that there is research in space done by others than the Trekkies, Artemis or the Soviets

Hmm... Prometheus Forge? Jenga? *grml*

I mean astronomical and planetary research. Not technological research. :p
- Stealth edit. :p

The ship was launched half a year before the maiden flight of the Thor Heyerdahl... I wonder if it could test some basic equipment for ESA in its first months?

I think it may be the case, if ESA asks the Tycho Brahe Institute nicely. :p

I can see them working with the HARDES now and then. They tend to bring boom sticks with them.

I like the idea of non-Artemis, non-Soviet, non-Trekkie explorers out there.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

Thought that the Fram could need a few named crewmembers. Oh, and since Whistler was involved in building the Fram, some Kerbals were left behind, trying to get away from Jeb. And they are handy as mechanics... :p

Astrid Blomquist

Born

        July 3rd, 1978

        Stockholm, Sweden

Nationality

        Sweden

Citizenship

        Swedish

Ethnicity

        catgirl/furry

Residence

        Port Lowell, Mars (until December 2015)

        SS Fram (since December 2015)

Education

        Geologist

Alma mater

        Stockholm University

Employer

        Mars Terraforming Project (until December 2015)

        Tycho Brahe Institute for Interstellar Research (since December 2015)

Astrid Blomquist describes herself as being fendane and that she only moved into Fenspace because of the professional curiosity of being a geologist on Mars. That it got herself into a rather crushy and well payed job was a nice sideffect.

First working for the Mars Society before it became the Mars Terraforming Project she did a good job, but eventually, during the Boskone War, discovered that something was lacking. She kept her job, but as soon as the SS Fram came to Mars, looking for a geologist with experience in extraterrestric geology, she jumped at the job, becoming the assistent of the leading geologist on the Fram.

Her job is only marginally difficult as she is the only catgirl in the crew, a result of a Guacamole incident in a Bar of Port Lowell in 2011. Needless to say that the originator of that prank, ended up in hospital.

Astrid also differs from most catgirls in that she kept her somewhat overweight stature, not that she had any problems with it anyway. She prefers to describe herself as snuggly and comfortable. Another difference to most catgirls is that she was turned into a lynx pattern furry catgirl.

Notable Mundane Attributes:

'Perfect 10': She's certainly not an anorexic chick, but slightly overweight. However she does not have any problems with it and possesses a healthy self esteem.

'Geo Leo': She's a professional geologist and knows her way around rocks.

Handwavium Abilities:

'It is cold?': Due to her biomod she is quite comfortable wearing t-shirt and slacks even at -30 degrees Celsius. With a sweater she can take down to -50 degrees. Anything lower and she needs slowly increasing protection. She's perhaps the only on on the Fram who can walk about in a 200 Kelvin environment without showing any discomfort.

Mundane Quirks:

'Longstockings': She's a fan of Astrid Lidgren and possesses a nice collection of books she doesn't leave behind.

'Sass Monster': She is quite sassy.

Quirks:

'Lazy Cat': If she is in a 20+ degrees Celsius Environment for longer then an hour she becomes extremely lazy and rather catlike in her search for a place to laze around.

'Kinda Want': She's kinda sexy for males and females alike.

I like Astrid as a character, she is a nice addition to the SS Fram and Fenspace.

I hope one day she and Cathy can exchange experiences about comfortable warm places...