Mothership



Mothership Zeta is a large alien ship dedicated to studying species and is generally located in space. It houses an entire crew and is commanded by a captain. The overall shape of the ship resembles a colossal saucer with another small disc-shaped section attached to the bottom.

Storyline and Background
Many years before the Industrial Revolution, a mothership named "Zeta" was sent to or came across Earth, and began to observe the planet and abduct Earth's species for experimentation. In 2277, after over 1,600 years, Zeta is still hovering above Earth, continuing it's study of the Earth species. At one point, an alien recon craft crashed in the Capital Wasteland, resulting in the Mothership needing to "beam it up", along with anything surrounding the vessel.

In 2278, the Lone Wanderer came across the craft as it's retrieval process was commencing and was accidentally brought up with it. He/She became the subject of alien experimentation. But before undergoing more experimentation, he/she escaped from the cells with Somah, saved and joined forces with an atypical group of survivors, and took control of the ship. After the killing of Zeta's captain and the capture of the Zeta's bridge by the group, the lower section of the ship broke off began began an attack on the larger, human-controlled portion, in an attempt to rid the universe of the threat to their species. After an exchange of shots with their respective death rays, the alien-controlled portion was destroyed, ending the threat of invasion of Earth... For now.

Layout and technology
Traversing in the Mothership is possible through teleportation matrices on the observation deck and bridge in the upper portion which connect to counterparts in the lower part's engineering core. There is also a number of healing archways on the ship that will heal anyone that walks through them.

A mothership possesses both offensive and defensive capabilities. It is protected by shield technology and its main weapon is a powerful laser cannon, connected to the lower section which can be used for both orbital strikes on a planet and combat.

A mothership also contains various laboratories for experimentation on living beings and technology. There is also a vast number of storage facilities in which items retrieved from the planet below are stockpiled. Abducted animals are kept alive or are frozen. Brahmin and other Earth fauna are evidently used as targets for testing weapons.

Aside from living quarters for the crew and the bridge, the remainder of the vessel is dedicated to the ship's basic functions. The engineering core in the lower part of the ship provides access to most of the maintenance sections like the maintenance level, engine room or waste disposal. In the robot assembly, the various alien drones are produced and repaired. Death ray control and the death ray hub are dedicated to the controlling the motherships main weapon. A mothership also features its own hangar in which smaller alien craft can be stored and maintained.

Appearances
Mothership Zeta appears in the Fallout 3 add-on Mothership Zeta.