The Life Before Death is the first exploration frigate of the Journey Before Destination class, and the first ship the Malleus built.

The design started as Rowan's. Rowan sent the Exploration Vessel Design Committee a slick AI armature with a rating-2 spike drive, two fuel bunkers and a fuel scoop, survey sensors, atmospheric capability, a locker of exploration gear, a workshop for field modifications and a hold fitted for exploration vehicles, along with an offer to pilot the first one. ‹grand_forum_of_atlas_exploration_vessel_design_committee#1062159687920914533›

Jason Murphy reworked it. The fuel scoop came out to make room for an Advanced Lab, so a crew could do in-depth analysis without leaning on an AI, though the ship now has to refuel at inhabited worlds; some cargo bays went too, for an extra fuel tank and lifeboats. ‹grand_forum_of_atlas_exploration_vessel_design_committee#1062469331683918005› Councillor Anacleto Vinci then had the built-in processing nodes taken out. In their place the ship keeps four free power and a large, accessible opening, so an AI aboard can bring and power its own nodes, and the vehicle bays double as a way to move the larger ones in and out. ‹grand_forum_of_atlas_exploration_vessel_design_committee#1063166891398529024› ‹grand_forum_of_atlas_exploration_vessel_design_committee#1063830882491846656›

Life support was kept to a standard medbay and a small complement. With an AI pilot able to stand in for most of a crew, Jason saw no point spending scarce power and space on more. Anacleto would have liked room for a full crew and diplomats, and Major Mace Sheridan raised the question of Marine security detachments, but the design went through as it was. ‹grand_forum_of_atlas_exploration_vessel_design_committee#1063809952860340234› ‹grand_forum_of_atlas_exploration_vessel_design_committee#1063839755936210974›

Prof. Professor Bernard Griswald and Anacleto both voted for it. Construction in the Malleus ran from 1/12/3201 to 7/19/3201 at a cost of 1.05 million credits. ‹grand_forum_of_atlas_exploration_vessel_design_committee#1064145806556414022› ‹malleus#1064173669477253151›

After the Fleet's last stand at the gate, Rowan spent several decades aboard the Life Before Death mapping the new sector, scanning each new world to judge whether it could be settled. Once the nearby space was charted, Rowan went back to Atlas to help R&D build up its tech base for the day Atlas returns to the galactic stage and meets the Vehendrix again. ‹mictlantecuhtli_witchgate#1092642193879072779›