Ship Name: Galaxy Express 999
Created by Griever
Registry Number: HUD-H-001
Base Hull: Victorian Railways H Class Steam Locomotive
Drive Type: Speed (depends on number of cars and mass - anywhere from 0.1c with just the locomotive and tender to 0.02c when hauling heavy. Runs on alcohol).
Owner of Record: Hermes Universal Delivery
Purpose: Passenger and cargo transport
Launched: Oct 18, 2008
Crew:
* Maetel (Capt.)
Supplementary Crew:
* The Conductors (quasi-AI constructs)
Known Vehicle Quirks:
* Symbiosis - the well-being of the captain is directly proportionate to the well-being of the ship, and vice versa.
* Marty Who? - the Express, when hauling loads that are worth over half its maximum capacity, needs to accelerate to at least 88mph.
* Mascot Drive - the Drive has developed a fondness of Eucalyptus leaves, and a deep hatred for Foster's beer. So much that bringing the latter aboard is something that's strictly forbidden.
Known Crew Quirks:
* Symbiosis - see above.
* 'Induce Manners': whether it's a 'wave effect or just the sort of person she is, Maetel's presence makes people believe they are 'polite society' and nudges them to act accordingly. Unless they are actively hostile or otherwise preoccupied.
* Lookalike: is she just constantly cosplaying, or is it something more? Nobody really knows, but she manages it so well that the fact alone would have gotten her a BNF ranking if the fact that she's the Captain of the express hadn't.
Faction: Non-aligned (Hermes is less a faction and more a loose collection of individuals organized for mutual profit, despite being a corporate entity)
Home Port: Kingsford Smith International Spaceport, Sydney, Australia.
Current Location: Port Phobos, Phobos
Status: ACTIVE
Trivia:
* after an event when the Dread Pirate Hairlock attempted to liberate the 'fair Maetel' from this unseemly line of work, cargo and passenger stops at hardliner Matsumoto-jin ports are taken care of by worker-bees unless overseen by an SSX officer.
* featured in the Australian TV-documentary - To Fen, Perchance to Dream.
* like all 'retaining' HUD employees, the Captain and Crew are also shareholders. Or, in this case, the Captain is a shareholder.
-Griever
When tact is required, use brute force. When force is required, use greater force.
When the greatest force is required, use your head. Surprise is everything. - The Book of Cataclysm