The Flagship

Colonists watch as the Flagship is assembled on Unzervalt.

The Flagship refers to the Precursor vessel flown by The Captain in Star Control II. It is also known as the Vindicator, the default name on the 3DO version of Star Control II, though the name can be changed during the game. The name SIS (an abbreviation for Super Integrated Starship) is also sometimes used; it is how the ship is referred to internally in the code, but never in the actual game or manuals.

Despite its immense size by both Alliance and Hierarchy standards, The Flagship is actually a Precursor tugboat designed as a multi-purpose "workhorse".¹ The ship proper is a framework created by the automated Precursor base on Unzervalt. Separate modules can be attached to this framework. The modules have varying effects from increasing the ship's maneuverability and speed to storing crew and other supplies. The ship can also be fitted with a host of weapons and energy systems as well as having docking space for up to 12 other smaller ships. The Flagship can also carry up to ten Planet Landers, which are useful for collecting resources (minerals and biological data) and artifacts. Planet Lander missions are generally preceded by a thorough scan for minerals (using low-power deep-radar),² large organisms (by detecting the substances they absorb and/or excrete)³ and energy sources, which usually indicate the presence of alien artifacts.

This ship becomes the flagship of the New Alliance of Free Stars and is integral in that group's completion of its ultimate objective. Sadly, it has to be sacrificed to destroy the Sa-Matra and thereby end the Ur-Quan threat, by delivering and providing additional power to the Chmmr-improved Utwig Bomb.

See also: Mark II

Trivia

In the PC version The Flagship's engine was green unlike in 3DO/UQM version, where it is red. In Ur-Quan Masters the only screen where the engine is still green is the outfit screen.

Notes and references

¹From the 1998 IRC chat with Toys for Bob (Fwiffo is both Fred Ford and Paul Reiche III here):

<_Stilgar> Fwiffo- what WAS the Mark II?

<Fwiffo> The Mark II was a precursor cruiser as opposed to a precursor tug which is what you guys flew.

²Star Control II manual, p. 39 (PC).

³Star Control II manual, p. 40 (PC) or pg. 15 (3DO).