Spacecraft AI

"You're making a model space ship?"
"Yeah!" She beamed at his observation. "It's the same kind as my Mom!"
"Your Mom flies one of these?" Daoff asked conversationally as he sank to his knees to filter through the available pieces.
"No, Silly!" Her laughter was infectious. "She is a space ship." Recognizing his confusion she patiently explained. "Mom died before her new clone was ready, so right now she's a ship! Lots of people pick to stay that way because it's easier to move the ship if you are the ship. But she likes hugs, and I can't hug a space ship, so they're making her another body."

— Blood and Water

Many spacecraft are built with the expectation an Afterlife Intelligence or several will be bound to the ship to control specific functions. This is especially true of the Sparnell Confederation and Mordena, although it is not unheard of in The Freeholds. On larger ships this AI will often lead a departmental team, while smaller ships expect the AI to handle their responsibilities solo.

Composition

Structure

While subordinate to the Ship Captain, Executive Officer, and Officer of the Deck, the Afterlife Intelligences of a spacecraft otherwise take full responsibility for their ship and even direct their departmental officers on the Bridge Crew. AI are automatically the leader of their respective departments, as they are typically the most experienced, and certainly the most available.

Departmental Roles

Common AI

Navigations: If the spacecraft travels by Hyperjump, then it likely employs Navigations AI. While living Void Necromancers are perfectly capable of jumping a ship, the complicated spell is cheaper and simpler to cast as an AI bound within the ship instead.
Weapons: Present on military and well-defended civilian craft, Weapons controls the offensive and defensive armaments of the spacecraft.
Maneuvering: Also called Helm, Maneuvering controls the movement and directionally of a spacecraft within the mortal plane, as well as gravity on board the ship. If the spacecraft travels by portal drive, Maneuvering manages the drives as well. Once again, it is easier to coordinate these tasks as an AI bound within a ship.
Communications: Because the dead don't need sleep, a bound Telepath makes for effective and secure communication shipwide.
Shielding: As with Navigations, it costs less Imperium to maintain Shielding Magic on a ship if the caster is actually part of that ship.
Telemetry: Responsible for tracking the ship's surroundings, a Telemetry AI can be mentally tied to the ship's entire sensor array, directly providing accurate and instantaneous information.

Uncommon AI

Hydroponics: While an AI can function to manage the equipment and help plants grow with Agrokinesis, most plant care requires physical interaction with the plants or related supplies.
Maintenance: The very nature of Maintenance precludes the use of an Afterlife Intelligence for most responsibilities. When an AI is present they most typically serve in an administrative capacity.
Medical: Studies have shown people prefer to interact with a living person rather than a machine. If present, Medical AI are unlikely to lead their department but instead will serve administrative roles and operate any large and complicated diagnostic or treatment machines.

Training

Most Afterlife Intelligences learn the tasks and roles of their department while still alive, instead returning to work as a soulbound within their spacecraft upon their death. For some this return was an agreement made in exchange for training, while others willingly select to do so rather than resurrecting or remaining in the Afterlife.
Regardless of the reason why an individual is serving as an Afterlife Intelligence, it is in the best interest of the ship and their employer to meet the needs of their spacecraft's AI. A disgruntled shipbound expert can cause a lot of problems, after all, given the wrong motivation.

Daoff wasn't sure how to answer that. "Do you miss your Mom?"
"I miss her hugs." The girl frowned for a moment, before breaking out into a grin. "But she tells me bedtime stories every night! She's not supposed to Call so often, but she says they can't stop her because nobody wants to fight with their own space ship." She smiled shyly at Daoff. "You won't tell anyone, will you?"

— Blood and Water

Type

Mechanized

Overall training Level

Professional

Assumed Veterancy

Veteran

Used by

• Mordena
• Sparnell Confederation

Further Reading