POC ships start out as a 'seed' roughly 3 meters in diameter on the back of another POC. Feeding typically takes place in an asteroid field located sufficently close to a sun. At this early stage of the POC lifecycle, photosynthesis is the primary means of nutrition. Those grooming the young proto-vessel must supply it with sources of carbon, water, and various ferrous and nonferrous metals. (Pulverized asteroids are the most common base material.) Once the vessel has grown large enough, the organic component is part of the symbiotic life support mechanisms (which are generally composed of other genetically altered species of plant origin).

Although all POC ships share certain superficial similiarites such as the large data trunks which run through the center of the ovoid vessels, the shapes of individual chambers are ammenable to guidance by the life-shapers of the former Disc Triarchy. Cues are generally chemical, rather than force based. Doorways on some vessels are metalo-muscular sphincters, while others mount wholy synthetic portals into voids (normal doors).

It is unknown how the first POC ship seed was created, but it is believed that certain genetically modified hurricane oaks which made use of naturally occuring ores in their soil were the 'naturally' occuring anscestor of the POCs.

An examination of the subsystems of a POC is reflective of the strengths and weaknesses of Disc Triarchy techological development. The Triarchy didn't have advanced particle shielding technology, so shields mounted on their vehicles are usually a mixture of charged hull platings to protect against energetic weapons as well as mass weapons. While not mounted with Blasters, armed POCs frequently make use of particle beam weapons and lasers. While effective in a vacuum, these weapons systems are generally considered to be underpowered and they are not useful in an atmosphere. While the broadcast powers of Triarch sensors are not anything special, their vessels make use of very sophisticated receivers which make use of additional organic technology as a part of their signal processing. Power generation is very efficent, but Triarch vessels are considered under powered by Republic standards. Life support on Triarch vessels is theoretically infinite, as long as supplies of power are available. Non-Uzed can't live forever on Triarch emergency ration intra-veinous support, so this limits the maximum range for human use. Although typically not encorporating Bio-metallic Alloy components, Triarch hyperdrives are as efficient as those of the Republic on average. The Triarchy doesn't have sophisticated anti-gravity technology, but currently makes use of low-powered systems to help cancel inertial effects.

Uzed POCs are not atmosphere-capable, but some of their fighter/shuttle scale bio-organic vessels are. Typically, they are powered by ion engines.

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