Whisper-ships were jumpships developed by the Foundation. Capable of folding space, they did not require a Spacer to navigate through a jump.[1] The vessel is equipped with a jumpdrive that is guided by an organic computing device[3] known as a neuro-drive[1] which is mounted at the rear of the ship. The neuro-drives were made of brain tissue that registered as a second life form to sensors on Imperial starships.[2] The crew utilised sleep patches to sedate themselves during fold-space travel.[1] Whisper-ships also carried a number of armaments to be used during combat missions.[2] The Spirit Rising was a whisper-ship in service to the Church of the Galactic Spirit[1] alongside at least twelve other ships of the class that participated in the Battle of Terminus.[2]
The whisper-ship's advanced jumpdrive technology allows it to execute fold-space jumps within small, confined spaces without causing damage to the surrounding area. Whisper-ships are also capable of jumping inside a planet's gravity well. Hober Mallow jumped the Spirit Rising in the confines of the Home-Swarm's hangar bay when he was escaping from Imperial custody.[4] Hober Mallow was also able to jump into the atmosphere of Trantor in order to attempt to rescue the envoys of the Foundation from execution at the Imperial Palace. The resulting gravitational pulse caused immediate damage to the royal gallery, including to Emperor Cleon XVII's personal aura. However, the damage caused by the arrival of the Spirit Rising was not substantive, as a result Hober Mallow was only able to rescue Brother Constant in the confusion and forced to leave behind both Beki and Poly Verisof. [5]
During the Battle of Terminus, the force of whisper-ships controlled by the Foundation, known as the whisper-fleet, were deployed alongside the Invictus against the Shining Destiny. All of the whisper-ships were destroyed during the battle, many of them victims of Imperial switchbacks.[2]
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