Mass Effect Transcendence/Assets
Detailed here are the mission assets that Penumbra can bring to bear on an operation.
MSV Scalpel
The flagship and mobile command centre of Penumbra Securities is the frigate MSV Scalpel, registered as a private transport.
[image: ship]
History
The Scalpel has a checkered history that extends beyond Penumbra's relatively short period of ownership. Commissioned in 2155 as the Systems Alliance Space Vessel Salamanca, it was a wolfpack frigate designed to act in concert with it's companion ships to screen the lead cruiser of it's pack. State-of-the-art in it's time, the Salamanca was part of a patrol fleet dispatched in response to the turian attack that initiated the First Contact War in 2157. Holed during a skirmish with a turian fighter wing and left stricken without power, the order was given to abandon ship. The charges set to scuttle the vessel failed to go off, leaving it a drifting derelict, all but forgotten about after the war.
It was rediscovered almost quarter-century later by [Hector Ortiz who had been a bridge officer aboard the cruiser Kinshasa leading the flotilla at the time]. The vessel was still intact in spite of the battle damage and negotiations were entered into with the Alliance government to secure its salvage and decommissioning. The conditions agreed stipulated that the spinal mass accelerator would be removed (the work overseen by an Alliance engineer to verify), as would any proprietary military technology and any codes or ciphers in the VI core. Over the course of two years, the hull was repaired and interior refurbished. A brief decommissioning ceremony was held at Arcturus Station in 2181 to formally retire the SSV Salamanca from Alliance military service.
Ownership of the vessel was transferred to Penumbra Securities upon it's inception in 2183, where it was christened the MSV Scalpel.
Layout
The Scalpel retains the standard three-deck layout of Alliance frigates of it's class.
Top Deck - Additional Quarters
The removal of the main gun created a great deal of internal storage space on what was formerly the gun-deck, which was repurposed as additional living quarters and leisure facilities. The principals each have their own personal quarters, as does the Executive Officer and space is also reserved for visiting clients. In addition there is a gymnasium, fully-stocked bar and virtual firing range.
Middle Deck - Command and Quarters
The layout of the middle deck is broadly unchanged. To the fore is the cockpit and bridge/CIC, then communications/briefing room. To the aft are crew quarters, mess hall and medical bay. It is also where the escape pod hatches are located.
Bottom Deck - Engineering and Storage
Similarly, the layout of the bottom deck is unchanged. Engineering and the drive core housing utilise a proportion of the space, though less than is the case in the SSV Normandy, which has an outsized core and heat sinks. Towards the aft is the hangar, armoury and a modular storage area which can be configured for cargo or additional crew quarters.
Capabilities
The Scalpel has military-grade ablative armour, kinetic barriers, propulsion and sensors. These have been updated with the best commercially-available after-market packages.
While the spinal mass accelerator cannon was removed, it retains GARDIAN point-defense lasers and disruptor torpedo tubes. This means that while the Scalpel could no longer feature in a line of battle, it can still protect itself from fighters and torpedoes and engage other vessels at "knife fight" range. Removal of the main gun also reduces heat generation and power draw, allowing more energy to be directed to other systems in battle.
Vehicles
The Scalpel's hangar carries a number of vehicles which enhance the force projection and operational capability of Penumbra. These include:
- Two multi-role A-61 Mantis gunships able to provide air support, rapid extraction and orbital fighter cover.
- A UT-47 Kodiak Drop Shuttle for bulk transport. Armed with door gun.
- A [unspecified rover] for on-planet ground transport. Upgraded with kinetic barrier and mass accelerator machine gun.
Additional vehicles may be hired on as required.
