Organic Tech & Ship Rules

I've decided to post rules here regarding races who use organic star ships rather than metallic ones, as I haven't seen anything like this on any other site.  Remember though, I'm no biology/genetics expert, and a lot of stuff posted here probably breaks several laws of science.  I know this, so don't mail me saying "that's scientifically impossible".  A) This is a science fiction rpg, and B) Never forget:  NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!!

So, with that out of the way, here are the rules!

PL0-4
Every species uses this basic technology to get started.  This is really low tech (ie. like say using wood to build tools and shelters).  This simply covers using what nature provides in the molecular form nature provides it in.

PL 5
This is where races generally choose whether they follow an organically based path or a metallic one.  A lot has to do with resources on the homeworld of the species.  Until this point, even a metal poor world can sustain a race with the growth rate of humans or slower.  However, with the Information Age, break-throughs in medical science usually cause population booms.  In addition, vast amounts of metals are needed for things such as buildings, transportation, and early space ships.  If a race has developed on a metal poor homeworld, this is a serious problem.  However, races manage to overcome this sometimes by the study of genetics.  At this PL, such basic organic technology as oversized plants used for food is developed, as well as prototype synthetic organic materials that can double as light steel.  Usually though, these races don't begin to explore space until more advanced materials become availiable, as these are generally frail, and cannot survive reentry.

PL6
Genetic engineering takes off in the Fusion Age.  Materials that are stronger than steel can be grown on specialized farms.  Synthetic organic material that can be used to carry power flows are developed, eliminating the need for metal wires.  Space ship hulls and lesser systems are totally organic at this point.  However,  their engines, power plants, certain weapons and central computers are still metallic.  The various strains of organic parts are grafted together at the molecular level, but still appear as if they didn't naturally belong together.  For this reason, the ships are nicknamed "Frankenstein vessels".  Also, the first organo-metallic power armor is introduced, using some of the same strains of material as space ship hulls.  The first organic "robots" are created.  These are barely-sentient creatures bred however their master wants them.  Much like metallic robots, they are created for sevitude.

PL7
The Gravity Age heralds the virtual end to all metallic components used by the species.  Structures built planetside by these races are breath-taking, as they seem so alien due to their organic nature.  Their vessels and space stations look alive, like something out of a dream (or nightmare).  Ships have no metallic components left, although they are not a single living creature; the hull is a single creature, but various parts are still grafted on (although they now blend nicely with the hull).  The first semi-sentient ships are built near the end of this age.  As for other technology, metals are virtually unused.  Instead, everything is organic.  The first organic AIs are built in this time period.  These are computer-like creatures, but with far more complex brains than most sentients ever naturally evolve.  Although these AIs are fully sentient, they do not possess psionics, as that is a still somewhat misunderstood part of the brain.  Organic "robots" are now more sentient, and in some societies, have rights equal to that of natural animals.

PL8
A single complex strand of amino acids can now be used to grow a ship in its entirety.  No more grafts or transplants, as ships of the Energy Age are single living creatures.  Fantastic breakthroughs are made, and many organic AIs have minor psionic powers.  Organic "robots" are fully sentient and in some societies become full-fledged members of the community (although they cannot reproduce).

PL9
The line between the creators and the created blurs in the Matter Age.  Ships are not only singular, fully sentient creatures, but some may actually be able to reproduce themselves asexually.  Cities seem to blend together, creating one giant living organism.  Organic "robots" become full-fledged  created races, and as their parent race begins to depart their galaxy, the created are left on various worlds to develop for themselves.  Organic ships and AIs are never left behind.

As for organic AIs, the picture I have in my mind for these is, again, difficult to explain.  Basically, they are metallic AIs, but using organic technology instead of metals.  Their inner workings work more like a humans brain than a metallic computer, but they have enhanced memory, logical, and calculational abilities.

Healing and Regeneration
Ships at this PL can heal themselves of damage.  This works only on stun and wound damage.  Stun damage disappears at the end of the current scene just like normal.  Wound damage can be healed by a ship with certain special systems installed (see below).  Like this, even a badly battered ship can eventually regenerate to full strength.  Without special systems, like the healing system, an organic ship heals damage just as an organic character would.  Note:  Mortal points can only be healed by medical attention (ie. surgery).   Note:  If the optional "Damage to Armor" rules are being used (from the Starships book), damaged armor can regrow in time (the GM should guess how long exactly).
Need for Food and Food Production
Every living thing needs to eat something, whether it be plants, rocks, meat, or even light.  Since these ships are alive, they need food.  Disgestive systems must be designed into the genetic make-up of these ships, and once in place, can never be removed (see below).  On the bright side, each of these systems comes with the organic equivalent of a recycler unit.
Disease
Although ship immune systems are excellent, there is always the possiblity that the ship could become infected with some type of viral agent.  These could simply be debilitating (+1 to +4 on all actions ship takes) or they could be deadly.
Ship Creation
Live ships must be designed extra carefully.  At PL7, systems and weapons can only be changed on a fully grown ship by major surgery (requiring double the installation time).  At PL8 and 9, once a ship begins to grow, it can never be changed.
General Notes
At the GMs descretion, organic ships can use the organic equivalent to all tech available to metallic ships.

Strong Skin (PL6):  One of the first armors ever made for organic ships, Strong-Skin is nothing more than dense layers of normal plant skin, only slightly enhanced genetically for strength.  It is cultivated on special farms where it is grown in sheets.  It looks disgusting, making the ship appear bloated and ugly, and offers substandard protection, and is quickly abandoned when better strains of armor become available.  After PL6, almost no ships are still being made with this armor.

Organite (PL7):  A fairly standard armor, many ships are grown with this as their protection.  First of all, it offers good protection, better than its predecessors.  Second, it looks beautiful, and can be grown in almost any color in the visible spectrum.   Organite is quite complex to make, hence the price, but almost anyone in the Gravity Age will recommend it over anything thats come before.

Archanite Exoskeleton (PL7):  A common armor used in military forces, the archanite exoskeleton is an excellent protector.  Resembling insectile exoskeletons, its extremely hard, yet shatter-proof material provides superb protection from all sorts of weapons.  The basic genetic codes for this armor were actually derived from various insects, then toughened.  Yet it is flexible enough to absorb incoming projectiles, unlike certain brittle materials in exoskeletons.

Digestive Systems (Organic, Lithovoric, and Photosynthetic): A living creature must eat, and therefore, living ships of PL7+ must have digestive systems.  The digestive system taken will determine what kinds of food a ship may eat.  Lithovores can eat things such as small meteors, or debris from metallic ships (a favorite!).  Photosynthetic ships feed off of sunlight.  Organic ships must eat living (or recently dead) organic materials.

A digestive system takes 1 durability for every 20 durability of hull space.  Also, a ship can have more than one digestive system, enabling it to eat 2 or more types of food.  Please note that a digestive system must be specified when a ship is first being grown.  It cannot ever be changed once the ship begins its life.

The good thing about a digestive system is that it comes with an organic version of a recycler unit which produces a food type the same as that the ship eats.  So a ship with a lithovoric digestive system will produce food that can sustain lithovores, and so on.

A ship must eat once per 2 weeks minimum.  This consists of about 3-5 hours of eating and digesting its favored materials.  The ship takes what it needs, then preserves the rest in its stomachs in case the crew needs it.

Ship Brain:  Ship brains are the organic equivalents of computer cores in metallic ships.  Same durability and power ratings (ie ordinary 1/1, good 2/2, etc).  Marginal quality ship brains produce a personality akin to that of an animal with regards to social interaction (although this is the default brain a ship possesses, very few at PL7 only have a marginal brain).  An ordinary brain allows conversation to take place, although the ship may be a bit dim at times.  Good brains are normal intellegence and have a few fundamental emotions, while amazing quality brains are fully equiped with all emotions and personality traits of the parent species.

Healing System:  A healing system is a series of enhancements to the ship's genetic structure that allows it to regrow damaged sections at an astonishing rate.  Although mortal damage is beyond the capabilities of the unit, a healing system can regenerate 1 stun point in each compartment of the ship every 10 rounds, and 1 wound point in each compartment every day.  While this may seem slow, remember that with this, as long as mortal damage isn't done to the ship, a damaged ship can regenerate to full power without ever visiting a shipyard.

Bioelectric Tendril (by Eric Nelson):  This is basically a bundle of long protein strands, sheathed in the ship's skin, with a complex neuro-synaptic network inside. In appearance, it resembles a squid's tentacle. It can be used as a weapon in a pinch, but it is designed for use against slow-moving or disabled craft. If it is used as a weapon, it has a range of 0/0/1 and a +2 accuracy. What it is really designed to do is augment a ship's own power system by absorbing electricity directly from an enemy ship. Once latched on with its sucker-like, paddle-shaped tip, the protein strands bore their way through the hull. Next, the neuron bundles are extended into the ship, seek out the nearest power line, and attach themselves to it. The tendril can then begin draining away power. It reduces the total power produced by the victim ship's reactor by 1 each phase. Every 2 points of power drained in this way  can be converted into 1 power factor for the draining ship.  If the victim ship's power output reaches 0, the reaction in the chamber has stopped and the ship powers down. It may take minutes or hours to restart the reactor and bring it back to full power. It takes an Amazing ship piloting check to break away; otherwise, the tendril must be destroyed. Note that a ship with several of these (6 or even 8) can drain even a large ship alarmingly fast.  Also note that the draining ship cannot maneuver away from the ship it is attached to.  If there are other ships present, this will make it a sitting duck.
 

CBDN (Chemcial Bond DeNaturing) Ray (PL7):  This weapon was developed by those races who rely on metallic technology to be used against organic vessels.  This weapons fires an energy beam which causes all organic chemical bonds within the ray to break down, causing general havoc.  The affected organic matter decays almost instantly.  This weapon has no effect on metallic ships.

Fungial Torpedo (PL7):  This torpedo carries a deadly genetically engineered simple fungus.  The fungus has been created to a) be omnivorus, and b) have a ravenous appetite.  When the torpedo makes contact with its target, it bursts, releasing the fungus.  Within seconds the spores eat through even the toughest of hull armor.  Unfortunately, a combination of the spores' high metabolism, and the fact that they cannot survive well in space, renders them dead in a minute or so.... just enough time to do some damage.

Spine Thrower (PL 6) by Eric Nelson:  This is a fairly primitive weapon, developed in PL6. Spinethrowers are, more or less, exactly what they sound like: they use a controlled chemical explosion to propel 1' long spines at an enemy ship. They do not do well against heavy armors. They are sometimes found on PL7 or even 8 craft, modified as a delivery system for genetically engineered viruses, small creatures, or other nasty surprises.

Acid Launcher (PL7) by Eric Nelson:  Acid launchers fire globules of molecular acid, encased in an ionic energy shell and magnetically propelled at high speed. The globules burst on impact, burning a large hole in the hull of the enemy before the supercold vacuum of space crystallizes the chemicals.

Bioelectric Arc Gun (PL7) by Eric Nelson:  These weapons consist of large antennae-like structures with a photoelectric battery cell hidden at the base. This battery holds 50 power units of energy specifically for this weapon's use (10 shots). Until this battery is exhausted, the gun requires 0 power from the main reactor. It generates a massive electrical charge which arcs towards the nearest enemy. Because electricity has a natural tendency to jump towards conductive materials in order to complete a circuit, it is a highly accurate weapon. However, if not firing at the nearest target or if there is a high degree of ionic interference, the accuracy becomes poor at best: +2.

Psi-Blaster (PL8) by Eric Nelson:  This weapon is only available in PL8 and can only be installed if a) the ship possesses some degree of psionic power, or b) the gunner is an accomplished mindwalker. Basically, it fires bolts of psionic energy at a target, which disrupts molecular bonds (in other words, it atomizes a small portion of the target).