Hydroponics

"This is all wrong!" Jeb didn't seem to hear Shane, wandering instead to inspect the rows of metallic tables housing countless plants in various stages of growth. "They should be using a vertical setup, to make the most use of this space! And the growth substrate is a terrible choice. Roots need room to breathe..."
"Finally! Someone who knows what they're talking about!" An unfamiliar voice radiated from the wall speakers, joy apparent at the sound of a kindred spirit. "I keep telling them that, but noooooo. Nobody wants to listen to me!"
"And who in Void's name are you?" Shane growled, jumping at the unexpected noise.
"Hydroponics!" she answered, voice bubbling. "You must be the boarding party!"

— Mordena Dawn, Book 1: In Spite of the Inevitable

Hydroponics refers to both a spacecraft's hydroponics bay and the crew member currently responsible for leading the biologists caring for the plants. While Hydroponics may be an Afterlife Intelligence the remainder of their team is not due to the requirement of living hands for many team tasks, a trait shared only with Maintenance. Another similarity with Maintenance, on military craft the individual behind Hydroponics is typically an enlisted rather than an officer.
The hydroponics bay of a spacecraft is critical, with even the Space Defense Legion including space for plants on their larger ships to harness their air filtration capabilities to help augment their ships' scrubbers in renewing the on board air. Those relying upon Curative Magic and other nature-based magics also require the plants to augment the required magical fields.
In addition to supplying a small amount of medicinal and culinary herbs, ripe fruit, and fresh vegetables to the crew, when Agrokinesis is available Hydroponics will also assist in conjunction with Shielding and Maintenance in cases of a hull breach. A controlled burst of the magic will stimulate rapid growth of the plants in the bay, helping take some of the load off life support's scrubbers until repairs can be made. Hydroponics is expected to quickly weigh the health impact on the plants against the crew's immediate needs when deciding the size of the response. High applications of Agrokinesis will stress the plants subjected to it, in some cases fatally, thereby trading Medical's long term access to enhanced Curative Magics for a short term burst of oxygen.

Type

Professional

Form of Address

Hydroponics

Further Reading