Shu Nidurninni - Lab Ship Tour

The Shi Nidurnni is a 15-year-old Lavalier Class Lab ship owned by Professor Victor Cosmosis. 

from Double Adventure Death Station / Argon Gambit

From the journal of Aurora Oaks:

Tora and Ivo were watching from behind the pilot's couch as the Shu's pinnace slowly slotted into the docking ring. As the lab ship was not rotating it was a simple maneuver, mostly automated. The loud clicks against the hull and the green light over the airlock indicated we were locked and air pressures synced up. Shutting down the pinnace controls, Johan slid out of the pilot's seat, saying "This is my last trip here - moving on to the Freebooter. The prof is looking for some new crew as most of our contracts are up." He cycles open the airlock and we get into the small lift vestibule. We were used to the zero-G here as ship's gravity was at a 90-degree angle from the pinnace's. I always thought this was a strange thing, and while both Ivo & Tora managed not to get space sick, I did the 1st time. It was embarrassing. Pressing button the lift doors opened. It had clear arrows pointing to what would be down, and copious handholds. Pulling our bags in, we all grabbed the handles and pressed the down button. The door slid closed and we jerked a bit up as the lift started moving. In a few seconds weight came back and our feet and bags landed on the floor. 

The lift opens up to the reception area, a pretty spacious area with some worn furniture and a ship's plaque on the wall. I always enjoyed reading the "Knowledge is the surest vector" part. And noted the hatch next to the lift that led to the ladder that climbed the spoke. Johan made sure to point that out on our first visit here. Grabbing our bags, we left the reception area and passed several staterooms until we got ours. Mine was adjacent to the iris valve that led to the crew quarters, and Tora was next to me, and Ivo next to her. There were 4 empty staterooms as this ship could handle a lot more people than just us. But Montca University was fully funding our research, so we had the primary lab to ourselves. Victor was using the aux lab for his own research, and we were looking forward to getting to the Xyman system for first-hand research in that most interesting belt.

While we were still in orbit, and had some time, we decided to walk the ring. Just like the spoke was an interesting design choice, a ring ship just seemed so quaint. But being able to spin for pseudo-gravity was important for some research where grav systems can interfere with some experiments. The access button next to the iris valve was green, and the doors slid into walls as we walked forward. The crew quarter section was quiet, and the emergency bridge doors were locked as we passed the 2nd drive pod. The carpet underfoot was worn, and other than the signs on some of the doors it was easy to just see this long corridor curving up as some sort of tunnel. But then we got into the aux lab, and there was a good bit more space. Victor's computers seemed to be running some sort of simulation, and we passed the various empty stations. I saw the emergency nooks where survival bubbles and emergency vacc suits were stashed, along with basic fire-fighting gear. Though I've been told that in case if a real emergency the atmosphere could be vented. Which is why there were emergency vacc suits and balls. I keep thinking maybe we should train a bit on that, just in case. 

The iris valve to our lab was open. I noticed the warning paint over the floor hatch. This is how some of our larger equipment got moved in a few weeks back. The floor here was also covered with a thin carpet of an odd orange color. We checked the lab equipment, and somehow Tora managed to scratch herself on something. I have no idea how she survived childhood - she is always having some patch on her from some scrape or cut. But she designed some of the equipment and knows her stuff. Most everything was on standby, though we would start up the main computer and some of the equipment to analyze some of the specimens we have. We just need to get to the Xyman system to get some in its natural state. Or unnatural as Victor keeps telling me.

MagMagMag from COTI somewhere in this thread

Continuing on past the 50+ meter lab we pass a closed iris valve to the cargo bay. A few crates are here, and various supplies. The next iris valve is also closed but opens on our touch, and we pass the other air/raft bay and drive pod 1. The bridge is dark as we are in orbit, and we all wonder who the next pilot will be - Joahn was nice enough but we barely knew him as he ferried us up here half a dozen times and helped with our equipment. Past the bridge were the crew staterooms, blandly anonymous. Another iris valve and we were at the galley. A little bit further and we had gone full circle, back to the reception area.

And no, no robots like that in MTU. And I asked AI for a dedication plaque and it was pretty interesting - it got W.H. Keith as the chief architect! While this lab ship was originally for the IIS, after almost 15 years of use Dr. Cosmosis became the owner of it. He may want to change out the plaque! I did a couple minor edits on it 

IMPERIAL INTERSTELLAR SCOUT SERVICE

LABORATORY VESSEL — TYPE L (LAB SHIP)

SHU NIDURNNIS  

“Knowledge is the surest vector.”

Commissioned: 1087

Registry: IISS-LS-7712

Class: Type-L Modular Research Vessel

Displacement: 400 tons

Primary Mission: Deep-space biological, chemical, and xenological research

Secondary Mission: Survey support, anomaly investigation, orbital laboratory operations

Constructed at: Gashidda Orbital Yards, Regina Subsector  

Chief Architect: W. M. Keith  

Lead Systems Engineer: Dr. Sula Hedin  

Hull Configuration: Ring-Habitat with Central Spindle

Drive Systems: Model/4 Jump Plant • Triple Redundant Maneuver Grid

Power: Fusion Pile Mk VII

Crew Complement: 12 (plus up to 20 research specialists)

Motto:  

“To seek the unknown, to map the unseen,

to carry the light of inquiry into the long night.”

Presented on behalf of the Imperial Interstellar Scout Service  

Regina Directorate — Spinward Marches