Tempest

The Tempest is approximately five miles from stem to stern with a black hull, approximately half the size of the Tamerlane. It is designed for planetary siege rather than troop transport. Fully one fifth of its nearly twelve-thousand-man complement are aquilarii -- pilots of small lightercraft -- housed in wing upon wing of lightercraft banks above launch tubes that flute the lower hull. The ship is designed to bombard shielded targets from orbit.

The Tempest has a massive hangar from which the Ascalon is launched. It carries the Ascalon in its hold. The bridge is described as mirror-black and gold, with the command center lying deep within the superstructure and using a screen rather than a direct window for the forward view. Lin occupies the captain's chair. The ship has a ready room just off the bridge containing a long conference table and a holography projector.

The ship carries tens of thousands of crew. It has a tramway system connecting different parts of the ship, a brig with cells described as cuboid with black walls, narrow vents, and bronze fittings, a commissary, and a freight tram platform separate from the standard tramway. The ship is large enough that an unused tram platform in a cleared corridor goes unnoticed. It has standard shuttle launch tubes, and cargo holds large enough for a makeshift court. The ship carries courier ships, fast interceptors, and small escape pods.

The Darklight cannon is mounted to the Tempest's outer hull and patched into the ship's simpleton computers.

The Tempest serves as Bassander Lin's flagship in the Centaurine Legion fleet assembled for the MINOS mission. The Ascalon is launched from the Tempest's massive hangar for a mission, and Hadrian orders the pilot to telegraph the Tempest about the enemy fleet in orbit.

Nearly three years after the Battle of Ganelon, Lin orders the Tempest to drop out of warp to receive a quantum telegraph drip from Captains Tenavian and Dayne. The ship sits at anchor for just under two weeks to receive the full report. It is bound for Siraganon by way of Fidchell.

The Tempest is identified as Lin's flagship in the fleet orbiting Perfugium. The Emperor installs himself in one of the cargo holds aboard the Tempest for a makeshift court, having the crates moved to either side to create a tiered gallery. During the Battle of Perfugium, Lin is seen strapped into the captain's chair, his face gray with the strain of battle and gravitation. The Tempest's scattered fleet manages to intercept and save six hundred and six of six hundred and twenty-three transports that reached orbit.

Following the battle, Hadrian Marlowe is imprisoned in the Tempest's brig after attacking the Emperor. The Dragonslayers use the manual clamp release on a shuttle pod rather than thrusters to float Hadrian's pod clear without triggering heat or thruster sensors, effecting his escape from the ship.

Lin takes the Tempest and his fleet aboard the Demiurge as part of the expedition to the Centaurus Arm. At Danu, Lin is present aboard the Tempest via holographic projection when the battle council takes place on the Demiurge's bridge.

The Tempest is the first of Lin's vessels to make it out of Gododdin. Lin oversees the start of repairs to the Tempest before debarking by shuttle to meet Hadrian at the rendezvous. A telegraph from Lin arrives at the Demiurge addressed from the Tempest.

At Tenba, the Tempest emerges from warp to find Alexander's armada waiting. Hadrian Marlowe and Selene occupied what had been Lin's own quarters during the voyage. After Hadrian's capture, Lin is stripped of command of the Tempest.

Tribune Bassander Lin commands the Tempest until he is stripped of command after Hadrian's capture at Tenba. Hadrian Marlowe and Selene occupy Lin's quarters during the voyage to Tenba.