Rhea

The Rhea is a military frigate described as a vast scarab, mirror black, large enough to have a dorsal hull with antennae, dorsal guns, and a missile launch bay with a revolving carousel that stores eight torpedoes. She has an armory deck above the hold and engineering deck, a bridge with a holography well, consoles, and armored windows overlooking the landing field, and a rear ramp. The ship has quarters for Friedrich Oberlin during his planetside stay, a rear hold with a sealed ramp, gun turrets, and a quantum telegraph. The ship houses the Perseus (NEM) antimatter weapon system in her missile carousel.

The Rhea is stationed at Sabratha as part of Operation Gnomon, grounded at the Phanamhara landing field to serve as the operational headquarters on the surface. The NEM weapon is brought down aboard the Rhea and is to be deployed on the edge of the Phanamhara camp. Neema uses the hardline to wire the Rhea when contacting Vedi.

During the Cielcin assault on the landing field, the Rhea's gun turrets fire on approaching Cielcin. The painted man remotely accesses the captain's console and opens all ramps and hatches on the Rhea, allowing Cielcin to flood into the ship. Hadrian and Cassandra are captured aboard the Rhea during the assault.

After the assault, the Rhea's hold is used as an abattoir by Cielcin scavengers. Her communications hardlines have been cut, and her interior has been extensively looted. The NEM antimatter weapon stored in the missile carousel is dismantled by Cielcin mnunatari, who remove the warhead and microfusion cell separately. Hadrian reaches the Rhea's bridge and attempts to contact the Ascalon via hardline and radio without success. Hadrian's goal throughout this period is to return to the Rhea and arm the Perseus weapon to destroy Ushara.

Commander Vedi commands the Rhea. Friedrich Oberlin is quartered aboard during his planetside stay.