The main
thing with this ship was getting everything to fit. It is one of the rare
one is that as far as can be determined the stated size matches up perfectly
with the image. Unfortunately putting the rest of the required features
into the hull meant taking some drastic measures. The bulkheads are much
thinner than on normal couriers. Note that this is the internal bulkheads
only, the out hull is actually stronger than most. This would tend to
mean that the walls would wobble a tad.
It is also INSANELY cramped. The access way is so small that the chubbier
members of the galaxy would have difficulties getting in even if they
tried to do so sideways. The living area of the ship is by necessity made
out of alterable furniture. The upper two bunks fold up allowing the lower
two to be used as improvised couches. The table with a holopod generator
retracts onto the floor when needed. Access to the cockpit is via two
rail mounted chairs. The crew sit in these, the pilots chair swings out,
and then down to the command consoles, then the navigator / weapons operators
swings out and ends up behind the pilot, with a control board hinging
down behind the pilot chair. Each chair features 'active restrictive measures',
meaning it will force your body into a position where you'll fit into
the small space available.* It is therefore more or less impossible for
the pilot to leave their position if the navigator / weapons guy is in
place. This becomes really exciting when the engines get blown off and
the ship is barrelling into an asteroid field at flank while the navigator
sits stone dead in the back. Prudent Helix operators would be fitting
additional controls to the forward position to control the rear seat.
Below is the exterior, THEN as a special treat another interior with added cool functions when you hover the mouse over it, followed by followed by the usual interior, which you can save.
* Incidentally this is one way in which Russian ejector
seat design far exceeds the West's best efforts; part of the ejection
process is having your body clamped into place, and your arms, legs and
head are similarly clamped into a position that will both provide the
best resistance to ejection stress and ensure that no part of the body
will hit any part of the airframe. The seat then fires a two stage rocket
which features a mechanical initiator that propels the seat first away
from the aircraft at very high speed, and then further increases altitude
on a slower burning rocket. That means it can fire quite happily at zero
altitude and zero speed. It does all this is less time than it takes for
the zero zero to fire.