Ball Valve

A ball valve aboard the Daban Urnud is a captive sphere with a wide cylindrical bore drilled through it, seated in a matching spherical socket bridging two pressurized spaces. By rotating the sphere, crews can either align the bore to allow free passage, or turn it crosswise to form a sealed barrier. These are used wherever the ship’s architects needed to connect major compartments while retaining the ability to isolate them quickly.

Description and Function

• Gigantic assemblies, sized for bulk traffic: the aperture can admit multiple suited people at once when aligned.
• When closing, the view through the bore narrows gradually, much like an eye drifting shut; once cross‑wise, the sphere forms an airtight wall.
• Around the perimeter, smaller one‑person airlocks are installed so individuals can still pass when the main valve is closed.
• Some bores have integral rungs to aid transit when the valve is open.

Placement on the Ship

• Bearing chambers: A ball valve separates each bearing chamber from the Core. One such valve at the forward bearing chamber was observed closing as responders converged on activity near the World Burner complex; two infiltrators used fire‑extinguisher thrust to slip through before it sealed, entering the Core.
• Orb access shafts: At the end of each shaft leading from the Core to an inhabited sphere of the Orbstack, a ball valve controls access. These are normally closed and can be opened to admit traffic into the orb.

Controls and Operations

• Valves can be commanded locally; a keypad-mounted control at the rim was seen to accept a short numeric code to rotate the sphere into the open position.
• Even when the main passage is closed, the surrounding personal airlocks permit limited, controlled movement between spaces.

Role and Use

• Primary purposes are bulk transfer and rapid compartmentalization for safety, security, and damage control.
• Their distribution at key junctions—bearing chambers and orb entrances—suggests they are part of standard procedures for isolating sections during emergencies and directing traffic during high‑tempo operations.

Status

Based on recent onboard observations, these valves are in active use throughout the ship and are operated by personnel during heightened activity phases. Further details about automated control or command authority have not been disclosed by shipboard sources.