Birthing Fleet

A Birthing Fleet, sometimes called an implantation fleet, is a group of Mycon Podships that usually escort a Deep Child to the planet where the Deep Child will implant itself.

A Birthing Fleet has only been observed once (during the events of Star Control II) by Alliance races when the entire Mycon Sphere of Influence moves toward Organon intending to implant a Deep Child beneath the crust of Organon I; however, the actual Birthing Fleet is less sizable (though still a significant fraction of the entire Mycon armada). In the other known instance of the shattering of a world, the shattering of Syra, a Birthing Fleet was not observed to accompany the Deep Child, perhaps because of the Syreen Space Patrol in orbit.

The birthing ceremony, as observed by Syreen forces during the ambush at Organon, requires the Podships to break combat formation and disperse around the planet, not leaving their positions even if attacked. Presumably, the next step is launching the Deep Child on its "birthing trip", though the sudden attack of the Syreen forces abruptly ends the ceremony at that point.