The Terragen Reliability Survey (designed to monitor
and update the Galactic Library's database and a primary sponsor of the Streaker Mission) suspects that there
are refugee populations on the fringes of Galactic Civilization (not only geographically but also culturally,
economically, politically--even biologically), and thus proposes to conduct a demographic survey of what
Galactics call "unpopulated space."
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Any cultures you encounter are exceedingly likely to have a highly evolved persecution complex coupled with a survivalist ideology. Contact will, for all practical purposes, be of the "first contact" variety, and encountered species are very probably extremely xenophobic. In fact, the prototype Traveler Class vessel --the Herodotus --seems to have been lost will all hands in just such a first contact disaster. (Note that Clan Terragen is well qualified for first contact operations, being the only set of species in the known galaxies who have had to make first contact with more than a handful of sapient species. For Clan Terragen each and every encounter with any sapient species has effectively been first contact. In contrast, other galactics have basically only had to make first contact with Clan Terragen.)
Unlike most Tg.Is.S. ships, Traveler class vessels have a relatively specialized design --oriented to remote passive sensing, stealth, and are even more heavily armored and much more heavily armed than normal multi-purpose vessels. First encounter doctrine calls for relatively defensive tactics, so Traveler class ships are equipped with considerable point-defense resources and care is taken to locate turrets housing major offensive weapons so that they can bear aft --enabling Traveler class ships to cover their own retreat. Traveler class vessels also devote considerable resources laboratory and science functions. They have relatively few accommodations for Galactic passengers, but those that they do have are multi-purpose and well appointed in order to facilitate diplomatic missions. Per current Tg.Is.S doctrine, all Terran crew quarters can accommodate Neo-Dolphin crew. Traveler ships are also capable of submarine operations to a depth of more that 10,000 meters under Earth-like conditions. (See Ibn BaTTutah GURPS design sheet.)
To insure maximal self-reliance, systems are of Terragen manufacture or have Terragen back-up systems where practical. Ships have substantial on-board shop and repair facilities. The design relies on centripetal force to provide on-board gravity. Being a mid-range design --that also needs to have atmospheric capability --Traveler class vessels have a discoidal shape. Habitation areas are located far out on the disk --that rotates in space to provide gravity, while low gravity areas are located centrally. In atmosphere, the ship points its aft to ground and bow to space. Its shape provides lift and it is spin stabilized. (The discoidal design pattern is variously referred to as the "flat-fish," "frisbee," or most facetiously as the "flying saucer" design concept. It becomes practical when a two-plus meter allowance for living quarters height no longer gives the vessel the shape of a tuna can. Below this volumetric constraint, "bullet" designs predominate in long-haul ships that must enter atmospheres.)
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