The Heart Garden

The Heart Garden lives today as the living, breathing heart of the Comet.
At the center of the Comet is the last remaining glory from her days as a luxury cruiser. Originally just a space to grow fresh produce and flowers, and an aeroponics garden to promote oxygen; the Heart Garden was allowed to expand into other areas of the ship as they were stripped of their more sellable aspects. Once confined to a single bay, the Heart Garden now sprawls over an entire deck, wild and free.
The central garden, with its aeroponics bay and neatly cultivated greenhouses for growing flowers, remains the tamest and most organised parts of the gardens. Though there isn't as much call for rare varietals once grown for fine palates, the garden grows common food staples enough to feed the crew and supplement meals for the passengers, either in their primary form or meat replacements.
Near the aeroponics bay are the bays that have been converted to pleasure gardens, now overgrown with centuries old trees and flowers that grow wildly. Some of these gardens are well maintained and safe, and more nature oriented passengers can spend the night safely in the tended areas of the garden. These are common areas for romantic trysts or even just a quiet picnic as a reminder that not everything is steel and stars.
At one point during her operation, a water line burst and the Comet lacked the resources to repair it. Instead, the line was opened and rerouted to make a water feature that runs through the park like area, providing fresh water to the plants. Over the centuries the water has shifted naturally through the gardens, creating streams along old corridors and ponds in unused storage rooms.
An enterprising early captain paid for several different types of livestock, hoping to attract a meat-eating crowd. Another tried hosting an exotic zoo to attract customers. But over time, and with each downgrade, these animals were allowed to roam freely through the heart garden, creating its own natural habitat. There are places where it's unsafe for people to travel, so many of the farther, wilder reaches of the Heart Garden are unexplored.

Geography

The Heart Garden takes up the entire central deck of the Comet. Once full of cargo bays and storage rooms, nature has reclaimed the deck and filled it with the flora and fauna collected and abandoned by centuries worth of guests and crews. A broken waterline has created streams and rivers flowing through the corridors and pooling in the storage room. A large bay that once held a zoo is now home to most of the dangerous animals - the rest having fled for quieter, safer havens in the rest of the garden.

Fauna & Flora

About a quarter of the Heart Garden is devoted to domestic crops and livestock, and the tended gardens. Food and flowers from all over the galaxy is grown, and many have developed their own varietals absent cultivation in the unique biome of the Heart Garden.
Creatures from all over the galaxy, both exotic and domestic, have their homes. Some of them are tame and enjoy the company of the guests and crew. Others are wild and mischievous, taking advantage of the unsuspecting visitors and begging for food. Still others roam freely through the wilder reaches of the Heart Garden, preying on the unwary.

Natural Resources

Though the Heart Garden is an entirely artificial creation, it has evolved into it's own natural ecosystem that helps to filter the air and provide sustenance for the ship.

Alternative Name(s)

The Garden Deck