Rings model hooks are among the oldest still in use. Some declare them outrageously and unnecessarily complex. Whatever the truth of that, they are undisputedly steady and solid performers.
This basic form accommodates several power sources. Such efficiency facilitiates power conservation and upgrades.
When you open it, this is what you find:
It also contains the program receiver and navigation nodes, of course.
Here you see the central section stripped of the 2 hooks which store, protect and display the dataload. The central section seats the power source and distribution manager.
In models using electromagnetic fields, the rings serve as field generating coils. Their cores are tightly wrapped processions of conductors which spin at high speed.
Models utilizing subatomic particle exchange stacks are centered in the 4 colored bars where the stacks are contained.
Units powered by acid-base flux reversals add a subunit containing clustered chemical concentrates inside the main box.
Colonies with documented lineages provide cheap and steady fuel flow and never corrode or in other ways foul the power complex.
Usually the subelement arrives from the colony properly populated and fully assembled and requires only to be set into the power chain.
Here's a schematic of a portion of the numerous feeding stalls. Mazelike stalls cover platforms which are stacked inside a containment subelement.
Archaic models powered by compression and combustion of vapors utilized sliding rings as pistons and mixed fuels in the colored bars.
Both these power sources frequently use bacteria as a fuel production source.
Fuel producing colonies specialize in consumption of different substances. Most common are minerals though some fungi are accepted.
Bacteria key :
Bacteria excrete ions which enter the power flow.
And a note on survival:
Units bearing controversial or in other ways sensitive, supervaluable dataloads are created with an unusual range of colors and texturing. Any use of this defensive patterning requires a highly skilled assembler. The best occult and camouflage assemblers specialize in this. The complexities of patterning and fluctuation must be instantly responsive to velocity and trajectory and to the full range of all internal and external cameras and sensors.
A particle exchange segment with attachment prongs at each end, schematic view.
Joined together with the prongs many segments form an exchange level. 5-6 levels are stacked inside each bar.
Schematic showing ion pathways as they move between anode and cathode supplying energy to the comm unit as they move.
When the food allotment has been consumed the subelements are removed and returned to the colony where the residents are rotated into different environments. This prevents boredom and increases appetite.
Propulsion systems have been known to fascinate and obsess assemblers.
As anyone with any sense knows: it's easy to succumb.

schematics:

standard preassembled segment

cutaway side view

Segments can be joined into a number of modular configurations. Platforms, tiers, and alternating ranks are favorites.
schematic illustrating thruster nozzle subunits' ability to alter orientation on multiple axes.
This movement is in addition to the refinements provided by the terminus of each jet in the ring.
Each blue jet terminates in an iris valve which fine tunes emission flow, velocity, and direction.
= primary thruster nozzles
= secondary thruster nozzles
= secure flex collars
= comm unit surface
= fuel supply conduits
= communications conduits
= conduits linking secondary to primary nozzles.
Primary nozzles hold rings emitting powerful jets. Secondary nozzles continually assess their primaries and alter their performance to perfectly match the Program Receiver's commands.
Flex collars maintain segment integrity while permitting nozzles orientation freedom.
An occult unit crossing Tower Sector obeys a command to drop camouflage. Images recorded via an internal camera.