The Invictus is an ancient, legendary Imperial Altair-Class war ship. The pride of Emperor Taurelian's fleet, the Invictus was lost around 11,002 Era Imperial. The discovery of the Invictus in the Anthor Belt in 12,202 Era Imperial became central to Phara Keaen's plans of vengeance against the Galactic Empire in response to their orbital bombardment of her homeworld.
Characteristics[]
Invictus was an Altair-Class war ship measuring eight kilometers in diameter and[2] comprised of three concentric rings around a central void armed with powerful weapons systems. By 12,102 Era Imperial, the age of the Invictus meant that it had several technological differences from contemporary jumpships. Its propulsion systems included an older model jumpdrive that necessitated being maintained by the liquid coolant[1] known as gelatinous ferinium.[2]
The Invictus mid-jump.
Invictus was crewed by 300,000 personnel,[2] and its navigation systems were built before the existence of Spacers. This meant that an augmented navigator, in conjunction with a sophisticated onboard artificial intelligence, was necessary to navigate through the jump. The crew also had to use jump cradles to be sedated for the jump, with an automated countdown warning how long the crew had to reach the cradle before the jump itself.[5] The Invictus possessed external railguns[1] along the back of the vessel[2] that could hit targets over the size of two meters.[1] The blasts from the railgun turrets were electric, so that when they fired the weapons did not damage the hull of the Invictus.[2] The ship also possessed an internal defense system which consisted of turreted weapons and internal energy fields that disintegrated non-authorized personnel.[1]
History[]
Service to the Galactic Empire[]
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The Invictus.
The Invictus was launched around 11,002 Era Imperial,[2] and was considered to be the "crown jewel of Emperor Taurelian's fleet". It was said to be the most powerful Imperial weapons platform of the era. During the vessel's service to the Galactic Empire, the crew somehow lost control of the ship's propulsion systems, leading the ship to sporadically jump at random. Since the ship could reach limitless distances instantaneously, the ship and the crew ended far beyond communications range with Imperial forces. As the supplies on board the Invictus ran out, the crew became desperate, turning on each other. After the crew killed themselves off, the ship continued its random jumps to random places, giving rise to the legend of the Invictus becoming a "ghost ship."[1]
Rediscovery[]
The Invictus in the Anthor Belt.
The ship was discovered adrift by the Anacreons in the Anthor Belt in 12,102 Era Imperial. The Anacreons, led by Grand Huntress Phara Keaen, wished to salvage the ship to launch a strike on Trantor and "bring the Galactic Empire to its knees", gaining revenge for the neutron bomb bombardment of their homeworld by using the ship to wreak a similar fate upon the throne-world. Attempts to board and salvage the ship failed due to the Invictus still having active defense systems which destroyed two Anacreon corvettes.[1]
The Invictus jumping.
Quickly formulating a new strategy, Phara Keaen led her Anacreon forces and took over the Foundation's colony on Terminus for the sole purpose of gaining the expertise from the Foundation's scientists. The Anacreon people lacked the knowledge to recover and refurbish the ship, so Phara Keaen assembled a group of experts from among the populace consisting of astronautic specialist and Foundation director Lewis Pirenne, propulsion expert Akiva Lee, and chief environmental engineer Jacenta Rov. Salvor Hardin and Hugo Crast were brought along to fly the Beggar's Lament to the Invictus. As part of their plan to salvage the ship, the Anacreons also lured a contemporary Imperial jumpship, the Aegis, to Terminus in an effort to capture a senior Imperial officer. The Aegis was destroyed by a ground-based flak cannon and Commander Kray Dorwin was taken prisoner in order to gain access to the nanobots within his body which would in turn allow the Anacreons access to any Imperial ship, including the Invictus.[1]
Later Service and Legacy[]
The Invictus in orbit of the planet Terminus.
After the acquisition of the Invictus, the Foundation began to study its systems and planned to create new ships using their discoveries. Hugo Crast was appointed as the first Foundation commander of the Invictus.[3] The warship remained in orbit of Terminus.[6]
The reverse-engineering of the Invictus's technology allowed the Foundation to create whisper-ships which contained a new type of jumpdrive technology that did not require the assistance of Spacers but instead utilized an organic computing device[7] known as a neuro-drive.[8] The Foundation managed to build a fleet of whisper-ships, which were deployed alongside the Invictus during the Battle of Terminus. During the battle, the Invictus was disabled by a squadron of Imperial switchbacks commanded by Glawen Curr. With the vessel disabled, Emperor Cleon XVII ordered General Bel Riose to use the Shining Destiny's weapon systems to force the wreck into Terminus where its singularity consumed the planet.[4]
Known Crew[]
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Salvor Hardin aboard the bridge of the Invictus.
Boarding party:
- Akiva Lee (deceased)
- Hugo Crast (presumed deceased, actually alive)
- Jacenta Rov (deceased)
- Lewis Pirenne (wounded, status unknown, later confirmed deceased)
- Salvor Hardin
- Phara Keaen (deceased)
- Rowan
- Other unnamed Anacreon personnel (deceased)
Foundation Crew[]
- Hugo Crast, commanding officer (12,102 Era Imperial)
- Brigadier Manlio, commanding officer (Timeline|12,240 Era Imperial]])
Gallery[]
Concept Art[]
Appearances[]
- Season One
- "Death and the Maiden" (First mentioned)
- "Mysteries and Martyrs"
- "The Missing Piece"
- Season Two
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 "Mysteries and Martyrs"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 "Foundation: The Art and Making of Seasons 1 & 2"
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "The Leap"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Long Ago, Not Far Away"
- ↑ "The Missing Piece"
- ↑ "In Seldon's Shadow"
- ↑ "Where the Stars Are Scattered Thinly"
- ↑ "A Glimpse of Darkness"