Eden Avatars

Gods made flesh

"Viritine?" I say aloud. The translator struggles but the meaning pops into my mind like recalling a fond memory. It's a name but also a title, "The Goddess of Stellar Waters."
She's beautiful. I've never seen an eden ship this close before. It's more rounded than eden ships tend to be. A faint aura of countless colors radiates from the hull, reflected starlight interacting with the Prism used in its construction. The hull itself is white, a pure shimmering white accented with gold.
It doesn't just look regal. It feels regal. The ship is covered in embellishments. I see gold filigree and other useless adornments on its frame. It bleeds decadence and flaunts eden superiority. It's a shameless display of their power, but also their grace.
I would jump at the chance but something holds me back. I can't scrap it, I'd be killed on sight if caught. I can't leave it here either. Maybe the eden pay those who return what's rightfully theirs? I wonder if it'll still sail. Then again, maybe I'm just curious. Humans rarely get a chance to venture aboard an avatar.
Entering the ship takes little effort and I'm not sure if that's good or bad. The doors fly open as if welcoming me inside. The air is fine but most systems are offline, including the higgstech. I activate the magnetic seals to keep me down. I step lightly, careful not to touch anything that looks valuable. That's easier said than done. Everything about this ship is valuable. I can't help but feel like every step is a desecration.
Despite having no power, the inside is made bright just with the headlamp on my suit. Every surface seems to reflect the light. The walls are white and gold, much like the outside. I look up and realize how open the ship is. Most ships are compact, the corridors long and cramped. The ceiling here must be over 50 meters up.
It makes me uneasy. I'm used to being cramped. This is too open. It feels like being planetside. Am I Kenophobic now?
It isn't just an open space, it's blatantly designed in a way that would seem irrational. I stand at the bow, but I can see the stern easily through a series of massive golden rings that separate sections of the vessel.
From bow to stern, each ring is a massive opening that prevents sealing off hull breaches. The eden aren't giants. Why would the rings be there? It was one thing to blend function and beauty, but this seems out of character.
I take a few cautious steps and suddenly hear the sounds of water splashing. The magnetic seals on my boots keep me on the ground, but a wave of water rises from the floor and into the air. The entire ship is flooded, not with standard water but a thickened solution using water as a base.
Scans reveal large amounts of copper, silica, and other conductive materials. I hear a scratching, tapping sound, a warning from the Geiger counter in my suit. The whole area is heavily irradiated. I kick myself up from the floor, the magnetic seals deactivating. I float quickly to the roof above, where the radiation sits within acceptable levels. The suit would probably be fine, but I don't want to take any chances. I guess The rings may prove useful after all. I can move through them to reach the bridge.
A feminine voice, bubbly and bright calls from all around me, "Ravye, illr taeuh."

What's an Avatar, I hear you ask? The eden have a navy much like everyone else in the void. They regularly produce these ships, but some ships are older, aged like wine. The older an eden vessel gets, the more it learns; the more it knows. Eventually, it may get a chance to become more.
The eden are the oldest species in the galaxy. They see their ships as priceless works of art, and the oldest vessels are even more significant. The eden believe avatars to be the will and physical manifestation of their gods. They claim their gods walk among them in the halls of these ships, surrounded by their saints and soldiers. I don't believe it either.
The eden are notorious for their contradictions. They claim to be in the company of gods yet also claim to be atheists. Something isn't right. It could be a linguistic error, or perhaps we just don't understand what a god truly is. Either way, if you meet an avatar in the void don't shoot at it.

Myth and legend

Space combat is a game of rock, paper, scissors. You want to have what it takes to win while countering what your opponent can use to even the odds. Avatars fight dirty. They can throw rock, paper, and scissors at the same time. They always win. They break the rules.
They can do things other ships can't, regardless of size and limitations. They can keep up with most corvettes, pierce through any defense, and have a range of defensive capabilities themselves.
The eden are at the top of the totem pole for a reason. While few, the avatars are a major factor in why. They are cutting edge, despite being thousands of years old. People tell stories about these ships, a vast mythology steeped in truth. This fame spreads to the ship's crew as well. They're treated like celebrities.

Skeleton Crew

Avatars are supposedly operated by the god they're named after. They need far less in the way of engineers and officers. Everything is automated. The few who make up the crew are chosen by this entity, who will be their patron for the rest of their long lives.
There are less than 50 eden crewmen on an avatar, including those kept in cryo. Avatars are usually the size of a cruiser. eden cruisers require twice or even three times as many to operate. Those who make up the crew are more specialized as well.
Avatar crewmen tend to be saints and elite soldiers. They're there to repel boarders and nothing more. There are usually one or two mechanics as well in case something goes wrong that can't be fixed by the ship itself.