Zeradias Mant
Democracy Dies in Darkness
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To bring life to an old plan
- Image Source: [x]
- Canon Link: N/A
- Restricted Missions: Into the Night
- Primary Source: N/A
- Manufacturer: Rothana Heavy Engineering (on behalf of the Galactic Republic)
- Model: Experimental SG-700 Missile Corvette
- Affiliation: [member="Lew Nailati"]
- Production: Unique
- Material:
Hull: Matrix Armor, AR-0B Damage Reduction Armor Component - Frame: Alusteel
- Misc: Glasteel Viewports, Turadium Blast Doors/Shutters, Agrinium Reactor Shielding
- Stealth System: Stygium
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Classification: Experimental Missile Corvette
- Length: 110 m
- Width: 45 m
- Height: 30 m
- Armament: Moderate (Air-to-Air), Extreme (Air-to-Surface)
[x02] Dual Turbolaser Turrets - [x06] Ion Cannons
- [x01] Concussion Missile Launcher
[x20] Concussion Missiles - [x10] Cluster Missiles
- [x10] Diamond Boron Missiles
[*][x02] Anti-Missile Octet
[*][x06] Magnafield Antimatter Missile Tubes
[*][x08] Seismic Charges
[*]Defenses: High
- Chaff
- Flares
- Hyperwave Interial Momentum Sustainer
- Missile Deactivation Transmitter
- Redundant Deflector Shields
- Shroud
[*]Hangar: Low
- [x02] BV-47A Drop Shuttles
[*]Maneuverability Rating: Average
[*]Speed Rating: High
[*]Hyperdrive Class: Fast (Class 1.0, Backup Class 4.0)
STANDARD FEATURES
- Antimatter Furnace
- Aural Sensor
- Artificial Gravity
- Comm Laser
- Com-scan
- Distress Beacon
- Environmental Converter
- Escape Pods
- Full-Spectrum Transceiver
- Inertial Dampener
- HoloNet Transceiver
- Hyperwave Signal Interceptor
- Hyperwave Transceiver
- Life Form Indicator
- Life Support Systems
- Long Range Sensor Array
- Medical Bay
- Navigation Computer
- Ranger Transceiver
- Wide Range Sensor System
- 4x-Phantom Short Range Sensor Jammer
- Anti-Ion Emisson Tracer
- Communication Wave Descrambler
- Crystal Gravfield Trap
- Encryption Module
- Frequency Jammer
- Gemcutter
- Mimic Sensor Decoy
- Perseus Stealth System
- Ray Shields
- Sensor Dampener
- Sensor Mask
- Targeting Laser
- Targeting Sensor
- Tri-Tracker
- VT-Hyperspace Capacitor
- One: There is only one vessel designed like this, its designs sealed by order of the highest echelons in the Galactic Republic Defense Ministry. Following the faction's collapse, the data on the experimental ship's design was lost forever. Unknown to the galaxy at large, the Starling boasts a number of features that enemies will simply not know prior to their use.
- Gung Ho: One of the key features of the vessel was it's ability to fit a lot of weapons into a small ship. With weapons capabilities capable of warding off most threats comparable in size, it also boasts a number of payload options for its missile launcher. The most notable feature though are the nuclear missile tubes, capable of devastating destructive potential, the missiles serve mostly as a deterrent against much more powerful adversaries.
- Mirage: Equipped with a myriad of equipment to keep it under the radar, the Starling is capable of travelling undetected to the untrained eye. Designed to be a hit and run ship, its equipment used in tandem with each other promotes a more unconventional means of both entry and exit, with the goal of avoiding conflict. The Stygium stealth system aboard takes things even further, evading the attention of even more experience personnel and their monitoring systems.
- Steady: Though agile in and of itself, its sensitive weapons effectively prohibit it from pulling edgy maneuvers or tight turns. The risk of involuntary self-destruction is a strong incentive not to rock the boat, and quite literally so.
- Opportunity Cost: The focus of the ship's design was efficiency, to make room for the sizable missile tubes and storage bay (hangar), certain luxuries and amenities were sacrificed. Though comfortable given the conditions, for the sake of the crew's morale and consequent efficiency, the Starling has to dock at least monthly, even if they have the supplies to stay spacebound for longer.
- Out of Reach: Though not without offensive capabilities, the ship's weapons are poorly optimized for long range combat. Due to the design of the ship, the concussion missile launcher is incapable of firing from the port quarter to the starboard quarter. Its external placement makes it particularly vulnerable to smaller attack craft. The Magnafield missiles, while dangerous, post a much smaller threat in space, subject to anti-missile defenses with little to no collateral damage from subsequent radiation.
- Power Drain: A number of special features require a powerful power source. Powered chiefly by an antimatter furnace, the Starling is capable of achieving that power, but not all at once. The Perseus Stealth System requires most features shut down, or at least operating passively, to function for prolonged periods of time. Features such as HIMS, special sensors, and redundant shielding can be used while cloaked, however, in doing so it would render the active cloak operable for a time too short to be functional and poses a tremendous risk of primary power failure.
The ship itself was designed with efficiency at the forefront of the design team's minds. By sacrificing nonessential amenities and more luxurious features, they were able to fit six Magnafield missiles aboard, as well as a generous cargo bay, which houses two IFT-T fighter tanks, a year's worth of consumables, and ample room for miscellaneous gear. Crew quarters are miniscule, with a small desk, two lockers, and two bunks per room. The captain's quarters, while afforded more luxuries than the crew's quarters, is still relatively small and the size of approximately three regular rooms. While other corvettes of comparable sizes might have optimal crews in excess of 100, the Erebus only required 32 well-trained troops, but had enough room to carry 40. Crew members are able to cover each others' roles to limited effect; if one key position falters, the whole ship feels it.
Though capable of self-defense against adversaries of similar sizes, it was by no means a hard-charging combat support ship. Under steady leadership and with a capable crew, the Erebus was one of the Republic's more potent weapons.
HISTORY
After his promotion to First Lieutenant and two years leading an intelligence section in the Grand Army of the Republic, Lew was tapped by his higher command to lead a clandestine surveillance mission at the One Sith/Republic border he'd previously monitored for years. From nothing, Lew now found himself as one of a handful of people in the 91st Mobile Reconnaissance Corps working as a member of Zerek Station, a task force comprised of government agencies with affiliations ranging from the Special Operations Brigade to Republic Intelligence. His records were subsequently sealed, and his public life became nonexistent. For all intents and purposes, he was a ghost.
Lew served as the Commanding Officer of the Erebus, a modestly-sized corvette armed with developmental stealth technology and experimental ordnance. His first mission turned out to be more than just surveillance - it was to recover a deep cover Republic Intelligence operative from One Sith-held Balmorra. Between the pilot's prowess in the cockpit and the ship's stealth capabilities, landing went as smooth as it could've. Much to his surprise, the entire mission was running far smoother than he could have anticipated. Making the excursion with a skeleton crew left no room for error. After recovering the operative, the Erebus was pegged to return to base with no casualties or other complications. En route to Cato Neimodia, as they started to approach Republic space, they were intercepted by a patrol craft, verifying their credentials and security codes. It was impossible to tell if they were a part of the Zerek Station or just a regular military vessel. After sending their verification codes, an Acclamator-class assault ship entered the system. The general feeling of unease was quickly replaced with a heart racing sense of urgency as they realized what was happening. Somehow, for reasons unbeknownst to them, they were no longer on the inside. They were enemies of the Republic.
A squadron of interceptors were dispatched from the Acclamator and were inbound for the Erebus. As they began spooling up the hyperdrive, the interceptors and Acclamator both began opening fire. Struck by the initial shot of a turbolaser battery, the possibilities of survival looked increasingly slim. By some stroke of luck, they'd managed to escape. The damage they'd sustained in the engagement had limited the distance they could safely travel. Republic held worlds were out of the question, but with a Republic ship, One Sith worlds were just as dangerous. They didn't really have a choice in the matter, though.
Landing on the now-shattered Corellia, the crew of the Erebus had scrubbed all physical traces of Republic affiliation from the ship. Neutralizing their IFF and physical markings, the Erebus was replaced by a nameless equivalent. That didn't fly though, not by the crew's standards nor the civilized galaxy's. They needed a new name, but arguably as important, they needed some drinks.
Visiting a local tavern, the trio went over what could have gone wrong. The mission had gone smoothly, albeit unexpectedly. Could there have been an underlying reason? The most likely explanation was a conspiracy, but at the moment, they were in no place to stage a decent investigation. What they did find though, was the new name of their ship: the Starling.
