Mara D'Lessio Merrill
The Lesser D'Lessio
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Affiliation: The Kathol Outback
Manufacturer: Silk Holdings, modified by the Kathol Outback/the Underground
Model: Silk Holdings/Eshan Drive Yards MC-70 Ackbar-class Cruiser, heavily modified
Modularity: No
Production: Unique
Material: Matrix armor (engine housings, shield generators, primary bridge), durasteel (structure and main armor), glasteel (viewports)
Classification: Mobile institution of higher learning
Length: 950m
Width: 550m
Height: 250m
Armament: 8 (3 without the Great River emplacements)
- 2 Great River-type Tractor/Pressor Emplacements
- 4 Theed Hangar reconnaissance probe launchers
- A token amount of turbolasers, ion cannons, and quad laser cannons
- 14 point defense autoturrets (stock)
- Double-redundant military-grade deflector shield generators (stock)
- Matrix armor plating (stock)
Hangar:
- Accommodation capacity for several light freighters
- 12 MC15 Niathal-class Shuttles
- Adaptive docking capacity
- Escape pods (6-passenger and 24-passenger variants)
- Great River-type Tractor/Pressor Emplacements
- Naboo Reconnaissance and Surveillance Probe Launchers
- Comprehensive communications suite, including subspace and hypercomm capabilities
- Lecture halls with holoprojectors and CHX 5.0 Acoustic Theater systems
Maneuverability Rating: 16
Speed Rating: 16
Hyperdrive Class: 1, backup class 10
Strengths:
- Virtually unmatched tractor/pressor beam capabilities, with rescue and hyperspace tow functionality
- Very good shields and tough hull
- Probe launchers allow good situational awareness and survey operations
- Accepts transfer credit
- Very lightly armed
- Slow for its size
- Not exactly Ivy League
Description: Under various names, the Aegis of Dayark has served in the Underground for many years and in many roles. With funds provided by Mara Merrill and the government of the Kathol Republic (a regional power within the Kathol Outback), the aging cruiser was converted into a mobile facility of higher education: the Kathol Technical Academy.
KathTech, as it's known, teaches highly practical subjects, both in person aboard ship and by correspondence. Over seventy percent of its student body resides on Kathol worlds or is on deployment with the Underground. KathTech offers highly flexible correspondence options, both full- and part-time. The Aegis, which comprises the main KathTech campus, spends four months traveling a round trip from Pergitor to Exocron and back again on varying routes. Apart from Pergitor and Exocron, common stops include Underground-friendly ports on Karideph, Kal'Shebbol, Binaros, Aaris III, Dayark, and Uukaablis.
The original stock vessel could support 7,700 people for a year; due to the extreme navigational demands of the Kathol Outback, that consumables capacity has tripled. Other modifications include the removal of dropships, capital weapons, and battle bridge, as well as the addition of powerful tractor/pressor beams for rescue and defensive purposes. The bulk of the hull now contains classrooms, offices, hands-on instructional labs, and the comms and computer gear that allow the Aegis to offer correspondence education to an entire sector.
Engineering and sciences tend to dominate KathTech's offerings, and the vast majority of KathTech's courses are focused on practical disciplines and trades. Common areas of study include:
- Asteroid mining technologies
- Space salvage technologies
- Interstellar surveying and scouting
- Analytical xenobiology
- Computer security
- Multispecies pre-med
- Starship design and manufacturing
- Starship modification and repair
- Droid engineering
- Interstellar navigation
- Comparative linguistics and first contact protocols
- Sublight piloting
- Tactical and strategic studies
- Evacuation and disaster relief
It is important to note that, unlike virtually everything ever that contains the word 'Academy' in its name, KathTech is not a Force academy. It has no special classes or opportunities for Force-sensitives as opposed to its normal students. However, Force-sensitives who study at KathTech often find new ways to apply their special abilities to the skills and tasks of the real world, in ways that classical Force orders rarely or never prioritize. Note, too, that Force-sensitive members of the Underground tend to create small enclaves or training sites throughout the Kathol Outback, and shore leave often allows interested students to visit such locations on an unofficial basis.
Development Thread: None
Intent: A mobile Outer Rim-style starfleet academy.
Who Can Use This: Can be used as a setting by any member of the Kathol Outback/Underground.
Primary Source: MC70 Ackbar-class Star Cruiser
