An RPG setting using the ruleset found in the Star Wars: Saga Edition core book

Delivered to you by ATH and several Annons

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people tomake it worth the effort.

Herm Albright

There is no Earth. Humanity is a drifting race, wandering from system to system massivefabrication ships with shoals of mining barges that slam themselves into ore filled rocks markedby their heralds the mining scouts. All this infrastructure supports a massive fleet of ships filled

with the humans that maintain that same infrastructure. They are locked in a cycle, they can’t gatherenough resources, or even stay in one place long enough to found a colony world. This is because of theGrouud, a brutal race that hates humans with a passion, so much so that the only thing that unites them ishumans attempting to stay in one place too long.

The galaxy is not a safe place, radiation storms, super novae, the dark world stars and the gravityeddies that cris-cross the void between stars. Among them are the races of the Galactic Concordant, thesupreme ruling body that governs the interplay between the various Nations, Empires, Federations,Alliances and Monarchies. This alliance has been around for more than ten-thousand years and operatedwith only the odd hiccup; the first attacks of the Grouud and the Killix Wars were the only thing that evencaused a disruption in session. Until the humans came along; a frenzy of back room deals, negotiations,change was happening and happening quickly, and that was bad for the status quo. It was all because thehumans didn’t fit a profile, they weren’t all about military, they didn’t totally rely on negotiation their shipdesigns weren’t all the best; they did a little of everything, one never knew what they were getting whendealing with a human.

Then there was the event. Know one knows, all recording equipment, not a single transmission; justsuddenly there was no Earth. The blackened crust is still there, scorched clean of oceans with a few dustyspires of the once vast megacities giving a slight whistle to the five-hundred kph winds. Even the moon isbroken, half of it smashed into a set fo rings that orbit its parent world. The blast caused a wave thatblacked out the transmitters on Mars, caused disruptions on Titan and was registered on gravimetricsensors half a galaxy away.

The Galactic Concordant

The first races appeared near the core, in the younger worlds that formed there from theprimordial suns spawned from the solar nursery at the galaxy center. Early there was theLegue form by a few of the first races, then as the younger worlds struck forth into the void

something more than the loose forum for exchanging ideas. There many founding races, not the least ofwhich was the oldest, a race that been old with the League was formed almost a hundred thousand yearsbefore, the Aiahsio. They had never been active before in galactic level politics, but for whatever reasonthey were involved in the early formation of the Concordant. In fact it was the only time the mysteriousleadership of the Aiahsio was ever seen outside the rigorously controlled Aiahsio cluster when theagreement that would govern all sentient races was first enacted.

As a ruling body the Concordant is cumbersome, it was built that way, it was not real authority butthat of a massive body of deals, treaties, back room agreements and a meager police force, all with amodicum of backing. To get into the details would take a lifetime of even the longer lived races, and manyrarely bother. Instead its is interlocking and covenant place to conduct business on the galactic level. Andmore importantly it is a static organization in a galaxy that is constantly growing new races and strangedisasters. What has formed over the years is a complex interplay; the Concordant is a symbiotic creature,it needs the thousands of syndicates, upstarts and disruptive beings that exist, it needed bad-guys, but not so bad, or disinterested in changing the status quo.

Syndicates

There is a whole unspoken policy about the criminal underbelly of the galaxy, they are anecessary evil, sometimes you needed to cut through the crap, one thing on one world mightbe illegal, while on ten others it was a daily use item and rather than attempt to form some

silly all-encompassing unifying code of regulations, or powerful government, the movers and shakerswisely had a don’t-ask don’t-tell policy. The syndicates were ‘hunted’ and put out of business all the time,but every time a real effort to get them all cropped up on some world it rapidly cooled as people found outhow many things they enjoyed were handled through backdoor methods or how much worse thereplacement groups were. So the syndicates played bad guys, they looted, they pillaged, they stole, givingpeople on the fringe jobs and bumping off the really bad ones while keeping hundreds galactic policeforces working. It was all very zen when one thought about it, someone needed to be the bad guy to keepeverything running and so long as it was the syndicates it wasn’t Humans, or Neirts or any of the otherhalf-dozen races that had offended the galaxy at large.

When you expect the unexpected it will still not be what you expected, even though youwere expecting something like it.

Groucho Marx

CHARACTER CREATION

Character RulesMax starting HP/Max HP at every levelMax starting cashRacial Conditional Feats are now granted regardless of prerequisites.Starting equipment license fees are considered paid. Starting weapons have one extra clip equivalentAll characters start with a Basic Interface (fancy I-pad thing)All characters have Initiative as an available trained skill. Scouts start as trained in the Endurance skillCrime Lords may replace lost minions by having the following talent from Scum and Villainy: Wealth of AlliesAttacking with ranged weapons is done with Dexterity, Melee is done with Strength or Dexterity.

Stat array:181816141412

Place however you wish. Up to six points may be taken from any stat(s) and placed with any other(s) in anycombination so long as no stat exceeds 20 before adding any racial adjustment.

“Zeroith Level” Choose:1) Bonus Feat, +2 on two defenses, +2 trained skills2) Bonus Feat, +2 on two defenses, +1 Base attack bonus3) Bonus Feat, +2 on one defense, Alien

*** Table does NOT include class related gains ***

Level Feats Talent Attribute Level Feats Talent Attribute1 1,2 1,2 16 7,8 2 17 13,14 3 3 3 18 9,10 4 1,2 19 15 5 4,5 20 9,10 6 4 21 11 16,17 7 6 22 8 3,4 23 18 9 5,6 7,8 24 12 11,12 10 25 19,20 11 9 26 12 7 5,6 27 13,14 21 13 10,11 28 13,14 14 29 22,23 15 8 12 30 15

Feats/Talents

Feat: Weapon Finesse now adds +1 accuracy and Damage to a chosen weapon type. (Advanced Melee,Heavy Pistols, Rifles, Simple)

Feat: Copperhead (Human Only), +2 pilot check with any ship with a nurojack and double the Initiativeof any fighter equipped with Copperhead Flight Controls.

Feat: Starship Tactics First time taking this feat, may select Wisdom Modifier (minimum of 1) number ofStarship Maneuvers, and gains a "power pool" equal to 1 + Wisdom Modifier.

Each time after the first, may select 2 more Starship Maneuvers and increases "power pool" by 1 + WisdomModifier.

A power may be used in 2 ways: Spontaneous or Focused. Spontaneous expends an undedicated slot touse a Starship Maneuver as normal. Focused allows for the allocation of dedicated slots. When using a dedicatedslot, gain a +2 bonus to the Pilot check.

Any increase in the Wisdom Modifier will be retroactively applied to all instances of this feat.

Feat: Starship DesignerImprove Sublight Engines: Improve the ships's speed by 1 square.Space Efficiency: Reduces the Emplacement Point cost by 25%. The base DR for the Mechanics check

increases to 30. The initial cost increases to 10,000 credits. Cumulative +5 to DR for each additional application. Cumulative 20,000 credit cost increase for each additional application. Maximum of 3 applications.

Talent: Clone Wars Followers Hit Points: Noble Base 9, Noble Per Level 3; Scout Base 12, Scout Per Level 4; Soldier Base 15, Soldier PerLevel 5Ability Scores: A Followers ability scores start at 12Ability Score Increase: May increase one stat by one point every fourth levelFeats: Gains one feat every third level.All other Follower traits are per the Clone Wars BookFollowers cannot multiclass

WeaponsAtlatl & Cesta:

Now takes an energy clip.Spending a charge from the clip creates an energy ball that lasts for one round. This ball may be thrown or

used as part of a melee attack. This energy ball behaves in the same manner as a standard Energy Ball.

Personal Energy Shields:You get their SR rating added to your pile of defense stats. Whatever the form they take.

Acceleration Weapons:Gauss Weapons Have both a power pack and an ammunition magazine. Power pack is good for one day in

field with out recharging. Enhancements such as the improved ammo capacity may increase this with the samepercentages as listed.

Gauss Tag: Acceleration weapons ignore Shield Ratings, unless otherwise noted.

Plasma Weapons:+2 Dice of damage at Zero Range (>2 squares), uses the Pistol range table out to a max of medium range

where it loses a die of damage.

Volley Fire Missile type; POD launchers:Each POD is basically a micro-nuke with a short-duration high-manoeuverability thruster pack on it which is

guided into position by a targeting unit mounted on the launching craft. They’re usually flung out of a launch tubeby some type of magnetic rail to give them a head start. Each POD deals 1D10 x2 and explodes inside a targetedShip scale square hitting everything in that square for full damage and each adjacent square for half damage.Generally multiple PODs are used for harder targets and more than one can be launched from a launcher with anyone attack up to the rating of the launcher (use standard concussion missile dice as the cap: light launcher 7D10;medium 9D10; Heavy launchers use larger pods and change the multiplier to x5). Some launchers are set to autofire, basically saturating an area with nuclear fire, using the Autofire and Area rules at this point.

Capital rated missiles:Light missiles simply use the Proton Torpedo stats. They can be mounted by some lightcraft.Heavy missiles use a x5 damage code and can only be fired by Colossal (Frigate) ships or bigger (And then onlyjust).

Plasma Hammer:Kenisium is incredibly difficult to refine and shape but highly valued as a material in certain functions because it isextremely hard to damage and kinetically locked, meaning that impact has no discernable effect on it. It was usedheavily by the Galactic Survey Core in their sampling impact drills, ore extractors, and mass hammers. Looking like nothing more than a simple weight on the end of a handle of some sort, a thin sheet of kenisiumcovering the weighted end combined with what amounts to micro plasma torch allow for incredible force to beapplied to a very small area by an unaugmented wielder.

Simple Weapons: (Plasma Hammers ignore most forms of damage reduction) Damage Wgt. Type

Medium Hammer (Craftsman, Stanley) 2D6 1.5 Bludge/EnergyLarge Hammer (Benchmade, Black & Decker) 2D8 2.5 Bludge/EnergyHuge Mining Hammer* (Case, Detroit Diesel, GE) 2D10 50.5 Bludge/Energy_____________________________________ ______ _____Caterpillar Shockwave Ore Extraction Frame** 1D10x5 .5tons*Mining hammer useable with power assist only**technically a vehicle

Kracarian Pulse Weapons:The verison of energy weapon favored by the Kracarians is more like most races version of a mining or constructionlaser. Rather than just focused energy they use a particle beam to eject slightly magnetic material at near-lightspeeds. This beam itself is very damaging but when they discharge massive amounts of magnetic plasma along oneend of the beam it travels the distance causing massive damage on the other end.

Pulse Weapon (Template)Ranged weapons onlyCritical Threat on 18-20, reduce range by half, Ion Damage+20% cost if not Kracarian

Other Items

NuralJack:A relatively common item to species who maintain their own military power. It takes the form of metal nodes on atleast three of the subjects main neural nodes, wherever they happen to be. On of them always has the main jackpoint, where the cables leading to the device can be inserted.

Interface:A common device with data storage and transmission. Basic interfaces can transmit out to a kilometer store andtake images, including videos. More advance versions can do far more, including preform advanced heuristicfunctions. The smallest can be worn as oversized wristbands, the larger, and some of the most capable ones, aremuch bigger and often built into a piece of clothing.

Dirty deeds are done by people who look clean; keep watch on a man who washescompulsively or is always exquisitely dressed.

unknown former operative

New Races

NeirtsNeirts on average (which they rarely deviate from) are just a hair under three feet tall, hairless, and covered

in grey skin which produces a sort of oil that smothers all their normal scents, which was not normally a problem,except a good third of the sentient species out there use sent as a secondary sense and Neirt oil tends to have oddeffects on such races. Two, their skin is a natural photoinhibitor, basically meaning that they’re hard to see,especially in the ultraviolet and thermal spectrums. And third, they were one of the few things that actually breedfaster than humans. By a wide margin. Then lastly, all this is combined with a mentality that was as inquisitive as itwas uncaring, mostly in that according to Neirt thinking if it was accessible to theft than it must not have been thattruly important as well as the fact that they are a gestalt race. Every pack shares a mentality, they can literally actas one. Most packs were a good twenty strong when they came out of the breeding den, and over the years theyloose members and absorb others, meaning they eat each other until only a few are left. Then they, um,reproduced. Each Neirt left when they underwent the reproduction cycle could produce a hundred offspring. Mindyou that was rare, the average is about sixty, sixty-five but it was impressive when a pack exploded with offspring.Literally. Explodes.

Racial Adjustments; Neirts tend to activate some level of revulsion mechanism in most species, but aretolerated because of their capabilities with mechanics and electronics.Attributes: -2, Strength, -2 Charisma, +2 Intelligence, +2 Dexterity Skill Bonus: +2 Use Computer & Mechanical; +2 Stealth, (attempting to track Neirts with the Sent ability gains +5)Small size: as small creature, +1 size bonus on Reflex defense, +5 Stealth checks. Lifting and carrying capacity is3/4 that of normal. Speed is 4 squares.

Racial Feats; Rapport (+2 all aid another bonuses) Swarm fighting; (small size only) for each attackerwith Swarm Fighting (max Six) attacking the same target, add +1 to the attack roll.

Gestalt Race; PC’s can easily play a Neirt pack, generally a small one is recommended, 8-3 membersdepending how close to the explosion day you want to let them be. But as such a race they share one set of classes,the benefit comes in the fact that one PC can flank with himself. Every Neirt from the same pack involved in a taskinitiated by a Neirt (the Neirt player is the one rolling the check) automatically adds +2 to that roll as if they allmade the DC10 Corporation roll. However, if the tasks they are performing are too differing, such as stabbing atarget and trying to perform delicate repair work, the opposite is now true, each differing task adds a -2 to skillcheck or -1 attack. This bonus does not stack with any other Cooperation bonuses, including +2 gained from the Rapport feat.

KracarianA highly militant, lizard-like race divided among numerous family and clan lines.Physically Kracarians vary in height, weight and skin coloration and pattern, depending on which family line

one hails from. Families share a skin pattern and females have less natural armor on their bodies and much longerclaws and tail. The females are strangely attractive to human males, likely the hips and digitigrade legs havingsomething to do with it.

Racial Adjustment; While the females are out going and ‘fun-loving’ if a little materially inclined, males areslightly larger, covered in armored plates and have no sense of humor.Attributes: Females +2 Strength, +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom; Males +2 Strength, +4 Constitution, -4 CharismaRacial Feat; Improved Damage Threshold Medium Size; speed 6 squaresTough; Males Natural Armor DR 2/-; Females (Feat) Toughness Combat Breeding; Gain Weapons Proficiency (rifles) Armor Proficiency (light) and are Trained in Endurance

MantrinIf its was just their gangly four-jointed legs that made them stand out, they’d probably have an easier time

interacting with other races, but as a whole Mantrins seem like they’re in a foul mood which tends to keep them inpositions that allow for such.

Racial Adjustment; Strong, Tough and grumpy; wait till you meet an old one. Attributes: +2 Constitution, +2 Strength, -2 CharismaLarge Size; -1 penalty to Reflex defense, -5 Stealth checks, +5 damage threshold, double lifting and carrying.Speed, 8 squaresRage: Once per day the Mantrin gains +2 Rage bonus on Melee attack and damage rolls. This lasts a number ofround equal to 5+Constitution modifier.

Racial Feat; Mighty SwingTrained Skills; Craft (Mechanical), Skill Bonus: +2 on Repair skill checksBash It Away; Mantrins tend to give up and some point and just start hitting things with whatever is at

hand. Any weapon the Mantrin is proficient can be used as a bludgeoning weapon; Small 1D6, Medium 1D8, Large1D10, Huge 2D6. This counts as an unarmed attack.

NihiraleNihirale appear as a 1.8 meter tall humanoid species with exaggerate limbs and a thin neck and svelte facial

features. Due to heavy use of biogenic and cybernetic augmentation though, their appearance can change betweenindividuals.

Racial Adjustment; Highly intelligent and charismatic, they come from a low gravity world and are notphysically inclined. Attributes: +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma, -4 Strength, +2 DexterityMedium Size; no changes due to size.Speed, 5 squares

Trained Skills; Biotic, Treat Injury, Know (politics); Skill Bonus:+2 Treat Injury, +2 Deception

CrystalaxNormally immobile, these highly intelligent they use robotic bodies to interact with the rest of the galaxy at

large. In their natural state they are 1.5 meter tall reddish-brown crystal formations.Racial Adjustment; Normally immobile they do not have Physical stats except for Constitution.

Attributes (supplants roboticly gained): +8 intelligence, +0 Wisdom, +0 Charisma (+10 Constitution naturalform only)

Trained Skills; Use Computer, Skill Bonus: Use Computer +5, Per

JurianMedium cephalopodan creatures with rather soft bodies that can fit into armor and weapons designed for

other races, which is useful as the Juarians tend to prefer to buy heavy equipment rather than design or constructsuch things themselves.

Racial Adjustment; punctilious and adept at understanding and legaleze, they are very dry and tend tocom off as uncaring and selfish. Which they usually are. Their cartilage-like skeleton is extremely durable and hardy,though a little flimsy when attempting to carry weight. Attributes: +2 Intelligence, +2 Constitution, -2 Strength Medium Size; no changes do to sizeSpeed, 5 squares

Well, I follow a different philosophy; survival of the sarcastic.Captain Dylan Hunt

Fluffstuff

1 Biology/Sociology

1.1 NeirtsUntil the annoyingly unpredictable humans arrived on the galactic scene, it was

the Nierts who were the do-not-know-if-want race who the other races weren’t to keenon. On an average which they rarely deviate from Nierts are just a hair under a meter tall,hairless, and covered in a thick grey skin which produces a sort of oil that tends tosmother all their normal scents, which was not normally a problem, except a good third ofthe sentient species out there use sent as a secondary sense and Neirt oil tends to haveodd effects on such races.

Secondly, their skin is a natural photoinhibitor, basically meaning that they’re hardto see, especially in the ultraviolet and thermal spectrums. Third, they are one of the fewthings that actually breed faster than the Grouud. By a wide margin. Then lastly, all this iscombined with a mentality that is as inquisitive as it is uncaring, mostly in that accordingto Neirt thinking if it was accessible to theft than it must not have been that trulyimportant in the first place, as well as the fact that they are a gestalt race. Every packshares a mentality, they can literally act as one thanks to a form of radiopathiccommunication.

Most packs were a good twenty strong when they came out of the breeding denand over the years they loose members and absorb others, meaning they eat each otheruntil only a few are left. Then they, um, reproduce. Each Neirt left when they undergo thereproduction cycle can produce two-hundred offspring. Mind you that is rare, the averageis about sixty to eighty per Neirt but it is always impressive when a pack explodes withoffspring. Literally. Explodes.

1.1.1 Philosophy & OutlookAs a society where multiple individuals make up a single member they tend to have unique views on

everything from ownership to governing systems. Basically communal in both cases.

1.2 Aiahsio Appearing many times even in even the oldest histories of space faring races for such an old species

there is very little known about the Aiahsio. What is known is that they controlled a dense cluster near therim of the galaxy just on the tip of an arm. They patrolled this region of space vigorously and used a typeof automated defense grid that, every time it has been tested nothing was ever heard from thoseattempting the breach. Only a few times in recorded history have the Aiahsio responded with military force,and each time their targets were utterly overwhelmed using no more than three ships.

Physically, the average Aiahsio stands 1.80 meters tall and there is rarely more than a four centimeterdivergence in this. Their weight on average 80 kilograms and again, there is very little divergence from this; only afew kilos either way. They possess a basic humanoid configuration and can be mistaken for humans but for severalthings; they have narrow ears, a subtle crest at the base of the neck near the sternum and uniformly possess whitehair and pale skin due to an almost total lack of any melanin in their biological make up. Their irisless eyes are theonly part that do posses natural any color, a very pale blue . Aiahsio possess the capability to control their own bio-electric field and it is believed that this ability affords them a extra magnetic sense and a secondary method ofinteracting with their technology.

Aiahsio reproduction on a genetic level is near-perfect cellular replication and their offspring nearly alwayscome in pairs with each twin sharing many traits with their parents.

Because of their extremely dense genetic code bio-modifications are extremely rare, as are cyberneticaugmentations. The one exception to this is a specialized neural implant all Aiahsio receive just as they are birthed.This allows them to more readily interface with all the more advanced Aiahsio technology.

1.2.1 Philosophy & OutlookThe Aiahsio have no religion, per say, but they have an almost mystical belief in pairs, even their

language even follows their idea of duality as every word they have has two meanings. This takes the formof an almost Zen meditative quality. Some Aiahsio dedicate their lives to achieving ‘the balance’, which thesee as total harmony between their physical and mental sides. A group of what the Aiahsio call Seekers ofthe Balance, a monastic order that wandered the galaxy exploring and seeking new vision as well as furthermastering the control over their bodies.

1.2.1.1 Order of Balance SeekersThe most commonly seen Aiahsio ships were

the space going monastery/explorers of the Orderwhich are also the largest Aiahsio vessels. Inexceedingly rare demonstrations of their skills themonks of the order have shown that they can sensemagnetic and electric fields, including the onesgenerated by living organisms. They have also shownan ability to orient their own bio-fields to eitherattract or repel. The Adepts of the order can use thisability to gain an ability that seems almost likeprecognition. The senior Adepts can use this ability inconjunction with martial techniques so they areliterally drawn to counter their opponent’s moves.

As they drift around the galaxy they seek out new sights and locations to meditate in it has been known forthe more ambitious raiders and pirate types to attempt to take these ships. None have ever been known to succeed.

Balance Seeker Monastery/Explorer

1.3 HumansHumans should be an endangered species.

After the destruction of their homeworld and capital,an unprecedented alliance of Grouud attacked thefringes of human space overwhelming the enureKathixs sector in less than a month. This, along withthe destruction of the central command hub at Earth,the fact that the Terran economy was stretched thinat the time, delayed the response necessary tocounter the Grouud. In the face of the Grouud andtheir allies. As their enemies swept in, killingeveryone, a desperate plan was hatched by theremaining Terran high Command, they would load asmany people as they could in earth’s massivetransports and run. The six remaining fleets then

fought an extensive holding action against their enemy.In the present era most humans live as a nomadic culture, drifting on several dozen so-called gypsy

fleets. They survive by mining ores and occasionally by selling their militant power. Humans should be noted for several unique biological characteristics, first, they are capable of producing

offspring with large percent of known species. This fact, once learned by the galaxy at large caused some reactionsas diverging as possible, from the Krakarians who actively seek out human mates to improve their genetic pool, tothe Sirakan, who consider it a blasphemy for any race to mingle their bloodlines.

The next thing is also related to the human’s comparatively ‘open’ genetic structure; humans taken readily togenetic and cybernetic modifications. It was this that allowed humans to spread so quickly in their local cluster; andit also helped that humans are hard headed and persistent enough to change themselves while they changed theworlds they found to suit them.

Most notable among these technologies is the Copperhead systems used inpowered armor and fightercraft. Unlike normal neural links which just allow a small,normally one-way flow of information the copperhead system is a full-immersion systemthat vertualy removes all processing speed lags from whatever device it is fitted to. Thelimitations are that not everyone is able to use the system to it fullest extent. This isbecause most people are not able to adjust to having their perceptions adapted to theneeds of a space fighter; the multitude of sensors and systems overwhelm most pilots andso they are limited to the basic neural jacks. Armor systems on the other hand tend not tocause this sensory overload and so the Copperhead system is used heavily in power armorand surface vehicles.

1.3.1 The Diaspora The decision to leave their territories was no made lightly, but it took time, as the entire government and all

primary control nodes were located in the Sol System. A group of military leaders gathered in Earth orbit anddecided the fate of an entire species. Those involved at the top of that decision process are as follows:

Wing Admiral Soshiro Tanagi CO of the First Wing of the First Fleet. The first wing had been dispatchedfrom the Sol system on a classified mission and only returned just after the event.

The commander of Second Fleet Grand Marshal Vincent Eltarro Sector General Jericho Hawthorne, highest ranking Terran Confederate Marine, CO all Sol Sector Marine

Divisions. The Second in command of Third Fleet, Admiral Sayyid Sala Al-A'araji, representing the Ill’shadune

Sector. Admiral Sala was second after Admiral Constance Jackson, who ordered her dying flagship, the Palmer, todetonate its reactors after ramming a Grouud Battleship.

The commander of Fourth Fleet, Admiral Camille Adrian Hammond, representing the Renegade Sector.It should be noted that Admiral Hammond was severely when wounded and undergoing bionic replacement duringthe Terra meetings. The commander of Fifth Fleet Raumgroßadmiral (Grand Admiral of the Spacefleet) Heinrich Von Krouse, of

the Berlin Sector. The commander of Seventh Fleet Brendon H. Maxwell

Unknown Human and infant on a tramp freighter

Copperhead hardstation

1.3.2 Command Carriers & Assault Carriers Among the most massive ships in space are the human bulk carriers, the ungainly craft are little more

than an overpowered Palmer Drive housed in a massive cylinder two kilometers long with a cargo matrix,little more than locking and power connections for various cargo containers that stretches out the aft of themain drive unit anywhere from four to six kilometers. By employing basic grapple projectors and universalpower shunts human cargo ships were able to move most of the already existing container types, as well astow smaller ships, asteroids and worked parts with them. The shear bulk they could carry more than madeup for the inaccuracy of the human drive. When a human bulk carrier warped in it was preceded by a hordeof parasite craft, either those who had just tagged along and the carrier’s own drop ships and shuttles. Thismade human ships more like mobile stations than what was considered a real freighter.

1.4 KracariansThe Krakarians are an extremely ordered and clan structured race

evolved from a lizard/amphibian ancestor. Biologically, they are a sexuallydimorphic species; males are on average 2.1 meters tall, posses a longcrocodilian snout, a meter-long tail and are covered in thick scales that have ametallic content high enough to reduce the effects of energy weaponsdirected against them. Females on the other hand have patches of soft, fish-like scales, cantilevered legs, much longer claws on both hands and feet, amuch more lizard -like snout and a thin whip-like tail which is tipped in arazor-sharp barb. This divergent evolution allowed the female to focus onspeed and once used ambush hunting tactics while the males evolved to fighteach other and the massive predators native to their incredibly warm homeworld.

Krakarian social structure is relatively simple, females control theeconomics and most political matters. Males spend much of their timenegotiating for contracts to sell their services to the less violently inclinedraces and then fighting their wars. This is not to say that males do all thefighting and females all the politics, there are many points of overlap; malesalso peruse many of the more direct engineering careers as well as the arts ofcooking, flying overpowered atmospheric craft and competing in variousviolent sports, all of which are traditionally thought of as male pursuits.Females often enter the ‘soft’ sciences, act as ship pilots, make up the bulk ofspecial forces units and are generally more artistic.

Biologically speaking female births make up 4/5 of all live births whichis another reason then tend to be matriarchal. Though all Krakarians share acommon ancestry they have been practicing eugenics long enough that thereare now countless diverging clan lines. Depending on what breeding partnersthey had access to, what traits they desired and what world they adapted tothe physical norms may vary greatly. One noted clan that lives entirely inspace has evolved a much more sensitive tail without the normal armorplating and natural weapons instead opting for a ‘third arm’. Skin and scalecoloring varies widely between family lines but it does remain a reliable way ofdetermining which family and clan a Krakarian is from.

1.4.1 Philosophy & OutlookKrakarians have no religion as such but follow a rigorous code of honor, clan and family are

everything to a Krakarian. Krakarian will fight Krakarian in the line of fulfilling their contracts, even groupsfrom their own clan. But when the job is over they go back to their clan with no issues.

The Krakarians honor their elders and age is considered synonymous with wisdom. Old also generallymeans powerful, wealthy and well-connected, the oldest clans are known as Arch-Clans and are economicand political powers the equal of any other races government. Most clans are ruled by a council of theireldest members, male and female alike. The practice of counting coupe and taking trophies is common andthey often use small tokens and coins as markers and symbols to represent families, clans and in some casesan especially well-known, popular, or legendary leaders and warriors. It should be noted that then Maj.General Jericho Hawthorne of the Terran Confederate Marine Corps was issued a small coin was forgedin his honor and given to the Krakarian troops that had fought against his forces at the battle of Kromass.This is one of only a few times a specific enemy commander was singled out and honored in such a method.After the campaign a courier was sent with the original hand-crafted coin and given to the general.

Nearly all young Krakarians have a fighting urge and wanderlust, normally they work through it bysigning on with a fleet command or minor merc house, which ninety-plus percent do. But then once in awhilethere is an individual who thrives on the life of battle. They are known as Ssallsharra, which possess nodirect translation, ‘warrior spirited one’ is often close enough. Basically it is someone for whom the battle lustdidn’t fade after two or three campaigns, one for whom combat was an art not a profession.

Krakarian Male

1.4.2 The Startalons As one of the oldest mercenary clans they have

almost given up any actual combat contracts and took theiraccrued wealth and bought a whole planetary system in apopulated star cluster, had it’s biosphere adjusted to suittheir tastes and renamed it Vosskier. They now enjoy astatus as an Arch-Clan and acts as a broker for a multitudeof sub-clans. Legally, and under their honor code, whenone used a Startallon broker you were really were hiringthe Startallons, its just they by default usually deemed oneof the smaller merc clans they employed as more capableof handling the situation. This means that if the clan theychose defaulted on the contract, of if they got out of hand,or even if they just embarrass the Arch-Clan the Startallonsare responsible for cleaning up the mess. All this is not tosay that they are without militant power, but their militarystrength is such that it is only contracted out as long-termprotection for entire alliances, not individual wars or singleworlds. Nowadays the only ones who can present aStartalons Token is either a commander of an entire battlefleet, a mercenary broker, or an independent operator.

The Startalons should be noted in that they have sought human breeding partners and for the last fiftygenerations which has shown up in their physical appearance as being slightly shorter than average and havinglighter scaling as well as some other human characteristics. What they are after is the human capability to morereadily accept neural cybernetic augmentations, most notable the copperhead full immersion systems. As part of thisthere is actually quite a large population of humans living on Vosskier.

1.4.3 Ravagers and War DestroyersBeing able to draw upon a long history of constantly

fighting someone-else's war the Kraks try to end such thingsas quickly and efficiently as possible. Their ship designdiverges in that they mount their reactors mid-ship and afarmore powerfull than needed. This allows them to mountextremely heavy plasma based weapons on their forwardsuperstructure in banks. These plasma based beams areeasily modifiable so they can be adjusted to face whateverdefensive system the are up against on the fly.

War Destroyers are cruiser weight ships that mountlighter weapons, massive engines and are made specificallyto be able to run form anything that can kill them andannihilate everything else.

Ravagers are much larger, closer to what most wouldconsider a battleship, but have massive amounts of armorplating and the largest beam weapons ever deployed.Primarily they had a single centrally mounted weapon calledwhich had been known to vaporize ships at close range.

The draw back to Krajarian weapons is that they had a very short range and so they often employquantities of missiles to soften up a target while their ships slug their way to the fight.

Krakarian female showing signs of human ancestors

Skorn type Ravager

1.5 GrouudGrouud are a bipedal race who’s ancestry is amphibious,

somewhat visibly akin to a terran frog. But unlike a terran frog theGrouud have evolved millimeter thick armor plating, continuouslygrowing fangs and talons, eyes that can see several spectrums, theability to survive in vacuum for short durations, and produce anatural toxin. All this would be bad enough, but the Grouud alsobreed at a prestigious rate, a single female can spawn severalhundred offspring in one lay. All this is due to the original Grouudhomeworld being one of the most dangerous planets aver recorded.The corporation survey team that found the murky world brave anatmosphere with high concentrations of methane and chlorine. Thewildlife they found was some of the most deadly ever encountered.However, the team was ambushed and tortured into showing themhow their technology worked. And that is how the Grouud went fromsimple electronics to warp-capable in less than a hundred years.

They took to pace travel quickly and started immediatelyraiding in attempts to acquire more advance technology. They did soby raiding backwater worlds and but the time the rest of the galaxyknew what was happening it was to late: the Grouud had acquiredseveral jump capable ships and reverse-engineered them. Theylaunched themselves across half the galaxy, scattering to almostevery inhabited section. attempts to eradicate them ended after thefirst couple thousand years and they were simply thought of as aforce of nature by the rest of the galaxy.

1.5.1 Philosophy & OutlookGrouud have no real philosophy, which some philosophers have naturally philosophized about. On the

other limb however, the Grouud are quite intelligent despite their crude nature especially at reverseengineering, mechanical engineering and tactics. They approach all things in a simple and brutal fashion andare ruled by local lord and clan masters who fight with each other as often as other races.

Grouud on unknown world

1.6 NihiraleNihirale appear as a 1.8 meter tall humanoid species with exaggerate limbs

and a thin neck and svelt facial features. Due to heavy use of biogenic and cyberneticaugmentation though, their appearance can change. Originating on a low-gravityworld, the life on their home planet was subject to the radiation of a harsh sun due toa lack of an extensive over-lapping planetary magnetic field. As a result, life-formswere often subject to terrible mutations. It was as if the natural evolutionary processwas suddenly kicked into overdrive, where branches of organic life-forms mutated tothe point of requiring a completely different classification in as little as 400 standardEarth years.

Eventually, a cataclysmic event occurred and a meteor rich in heavy metalstore into the planet, causing a planet-wide extinction of nearly all exposed life-forms.However, a surprising side-effect occurred. The resultant "pollutants" created apowerful ferromagnetic shield that helped to shield the inhabitants from the lethallevels of radiation, though not wholly. Thus, the rise of the Nihirale began.

Their progenitors were one of the few races to survive, as they were deep-seadwellers and eventually they rose to the surface in a process not dissimilar to humanevolution. The radiation was not completely shielded, however, the ancestors of theNihirale were still prone to mutation, though not as horribly as pre-cataclysm. Whilestill early in the electronic era the Nihirale started a mad dash for more advancedtechnology, in order to resist the dangers of their own planet and within a couple ofgenerations it became possible to replace body parts. Eventually such replacementsbecame commonplace, traditional even.

Even while this mad dash to cyberaugmentation was under way the Nihiraledelved into DNA manipulation, and eventually found a way to alter their genetics tolimit mutation. Their efforts at completely stopping radiation caused mutation hadnever quite succeeded, but with some advance techniques they were able to controlwhere their mutations took them; they controlled their own evolution. Thus, theybecame unique among galactic species that their current appearance andmanifestation was somewhat of their own choosing.

1.6.1 Philosophy & OutlookWith their propensity and curiosity for genetic and mechanical augmentation

the Nihirale have a nearly unparalleled reputation among other races for workinvolving cybernetic organic interfacing. However, as the uses for such tech are oftenprimarily military their activities, while in high demand, are often considered somewhatshady.

As a people, the Nihirale have an interesting blend of personalities--they areoverbearingly cynical and yet often absurdly humorous at the same time. They oftenseek out the worst in a situation and somehow spin it to be attractive. Following thismentality, the Nihirale have an almost obsessive interest in delving into something,finding out how it works, and tweaking it to their interests. Thus, they make greatengineers and politicians, though their cynical nature tends to render them somewhatunpopular when dealing with ethical issues. They also take great stockin outward appearance. You will find them altering their skin tones, hair colors, andmany other bodily features purely for the sake of convenience or attraction. Theirpragmatic, no-nonsense nature allows them to get along quite well with the nomadichumans, and you'll often find individuals among the two races to make very strong

friendships and even partnerships.

Nihirale Field Doctor

1.7 JurianOfficious and stuffy, or that’s what everyone thinks. They’re

quite right. Evolved from cephalopods on world where the oceans tried intomassive world-covering swamps as such the Jurians enjoy worlds with highmoisture and spoor content. They are a little more than a meter tall andhave no bones, instead a fibrous weave of a cartilage like substance, theirlimbs end in a pair of extremely dexterous tentacles.

Their homeworld is firmly located within the heat of the originalGalactic League worlds, the organization that preceded the GalacticConcordant. As one of the original founders they are found everywhere theConcordant has power usually working as aids or advisors, though many ofthe long lived tentacle-faces have connived their way to powerful positions.

1.7.1 Philosophy & OutlookJurians are noted as being some of the best legal wranglersa and

business peoples in the galaxy, Jurian legal code is some of the most bindingand absolute.

1.8 Crystalax Field Report 11210 When planet now designated Crystalax was first discovered

it was thought that primary intelligent life was a small marsupial creature that showedsigns of an iron age capability. Two types of marsupial were observed, a wild version andthe tool using ones. It was noted that the tool using ones all had crystalline growths ontheir bodies .

When attempting to determine source of crystalize growth team found identicalformations growing in clusters in many regions of planet. These crystal formations onaverage one meter wide, one and a half meters high and about three-hundred kilograms. The first half meter or so of their height is a dense porous grey rock from which juts areddish colored semi-translucent crystal with five or six sides. This tapers off after thenext half meter. They are totally immobile in their natural state and as stated in previousreports it was thought they were a geological formation.

We were first contacted on the 103rd day when one of the marsupials with thegrowths suddenly darted in our camp and fell dead as the crystal on its back shot into oneof our computers. That workstation then displayed messages from this planets realmasters.

Theses creatures have no real name for themselves due to their strange syntax, or lack there-of as itwere. They communicate through extremely informative burst transmissions using a form of electromagneticradiopathy. The comm speed lag for this ability is nonexistent anywhere on the planet, abut begins to slowat an exponential rate about a million kilometers from the surface of the planet.

The Crystalax, as they have chosen to define themselves, are able to control their own growth, andsize is directly related to how much memory they can store unaided. Larger formations of Crystalax, foundonly in well protected regions like caves and desert areas are memory providers for their entire race whichhas perfect recall of all memories stored thusly. Crystalax possess a collective will, but retain individual traitsand personalities and is has been known for individuals to separate themselves from the gestaltconsciousness.

In order to become mobile the Crystalax use a process whereby they grow a ‘shardjet’, a smallerversion of their primary formation. The intentionally harness amount s of hydrogen in the atmosphere andover the course of months compress it while forming a small secondary growth. They then fire thissecondary growth into a passing animal where the crystal grows into the host nervous system taking it over.When separated from the original these new growths form their own diverging personalities, which is alsohow the Crystalax reproduce.

It was discovered that the Crystalax have the natural ability to tap into electronic data streams andstorage devices. The only delay they seem to have in accessing such devices are in deciphering the codelanguage. But even here they are incredibly adept, it took only a few weeks to go from not knowing anythingabout our species at all to learning our language and all computer coding systems and then offering toimprove those systems for more information about off-world life.

It has been determined that the CPU can be removed from our small drones anda small shard of Crystalax can be set in its place there by offering the Crystalax mobility. Theyreport that the control they have over the drone body is far more precise than that theyachieved with the biologics. After this was discovered the Crystalax contacted our parentcorporation and offered to use their programming abilities and share their thoughts on thehigher mathematics and physics in exchange for a series of robot bodies and transportation offworld.

Addendum to Field Report 11210After having seen a sample of the offered information, the team leader and company

rep have agreed to recommend the trade, and in fact offer to build a robotics factory onCrystalax, pro bono as the data could set us forward three generations ahead of anycompetitors in terms of research.

It should be noted that the Crystalax have already motioned for and received full legalownership of their solar system as recognized under Galactic Law, and they have a legal right to have us removed.

Android believed to be

piloted by Crystalax

1.9 Darksiders (Jexix) They evolved on a planet with a barren surface though underground

there are massive interconnected caves and a entire ecosystem, culminating inthe Jexix. Standing 1.1 meters tall, humanoid shaped with a slender frame anda thick leathery exodermis which is a uniform dark blue. Thicker areas ofchitinous plates cover areas of their body, protecting joints arms, neck, legsand tail. They have a wide lipless mouth, that is nearly invisible, even airtightwhen closed. Four lidless eyes, two located frontally and two smaller onesangled higher and away with which they can see a spectrum high into theinfrared.

For the first years that the rest of the galaxy knew of the Darksiders,they knew them as Gruood slaves especially with relation to electronics andadvanced starship mechanics. Early in their history the Grouud had come,taking what they wanted with violence, storming into their subterranean homeswhere they had lived peaceably. The Darksiders didn’t even have a word for‘pillage’ before the Grroud. The Darksiders had lost much of their innocence induring five generations of Grroud rule but it had given their kind access totechnology. Before the Grouud they’d possessed simple, machines, eveninternal combustion using various natural fuels. But the Grroud made themwok on electronics, and later even plasmatic ship components to which theyhad taken to with a passion. Their slender hands with two apposable digits hadbeen very helpful in elevating then to the Grroud’s favorite slave race whichgave them even more access, which they loved. Generations of slavery had notslaked that love. Though they loved their world more, with its vast caves andlabyrinthine tunnels that cut through most of its crust but they were notfighters, indeed the very act of killing purposely had been mostly foreign totheir society at large.

It had been the Terrans in their first war with the Grroud who liberateda unit of Jexix fixers from a Grroud station. Upon finding out that they servedthe Grroud unwillingly they sent the fixers back to the home world with a gifted

Terran ship and a message, ‘we’ll be there in three months.’ The Terrans had then descended like a cleansingtornado on the home world forcing the Grroud off and back into the depths from which they came. ‘Here, yourworld is returned, do with it what you will.’ was all the humans said after liberating them.

1.6.1 Philosophy & OutlookThe Jexix took to space with a passion and to this day they constantly launch new prototypes and are

among the best known custom ship builders and some of the most powerful people in the galaxy now usecustom built Darksider craft. The Jexix remain curious and very adapt with explorations throughout theirlocal cluster which they have seeded with sensor buoys and communication arrays.

1.10 Haiangru Parasites It’s hard not to be disgusted at the thought of parasitic battle armour. The

mere thought of those fleshy six-legged things eyelessly crawling their way up tothe small of your back is enough to make anyone’s skin crawl. However, thesecreatures do not need living tissue, almost any biological frame will do so long asenough flesh and bone is left for them to manipulate.

The immature Haiangru spores are found in a bundle and constantlyexcrete an extremely viscous and sticky substance that on their homeworld wasonce eaten by various creatures. Once they infiltrate they quickly startmultiplying and burrowing into the creatures nervous system where they take itover. In sentient creatures this is most often quite painful in the later stages.Once this is finished though the next stage is not as painful as thick fibreswriggle their way out from a pinkish lump on your back and slowly spread overyour body. Eventually smaller strands squirm free like fronds splitting off from afern until your entire body is enmeshed in a living, faintly pulsing yellow weave.At this point the creature begins to perspire a secondary mucus that slowlyhardens into a tough yet flexible carapace.

While the physical process is really quite remarkable the mental one ismore so if the creature was still alive. At first the sensation is most oftendescribed as ‘losing ones mind’. The parasite slowly enacts its own graduallyemerging personality. The resulting creature is an amalgam of the host DNA andthe additions made by the parasite but the parasite is in full control of theresulting being. For the host the only relief is the fact their brain is totallyreplaced with a new clump of neural bundle. In some very few cases the mentaltake over is somehow incomplete, resulting in a creature that remembers its lifebefore transformation and, if accepting of its new circumstances, may move onto become a new creature.

and the term perspire belies the uniqueness of it all. It does very accuratelydescribe how disgusted you’re going to be when the thing actually starts doingits thing though. The symbiont begins to excrete a thick, glue-like liquid that

clogs up in the small recesses and gaps of the weave. This liquid reacts to forces in a manner not unlike acorn starch and water mixture, solidifying when force is applied.

The armour you’ll be wearing is flexible and responsive in a way only a living being can be, withgreat resistance to both stabbing attacks and solid projectiles. Against the increasingly ubiquitous heatbased weaponry we’re seeing the liquid demonstrates an ablative affect. The ray burns through slowlyenough for you to find cover before you get a hole burned in you. The armour’s screeching should alertyou if you’re being burnt from a distance, so don’t worry overmuch about snipers.

Infected human female

Lightspeed is nothing, I want to see them break the rumor barrier.Unknown

Technology

2.1 Inter-Planetary Engine Systems

2.1.2 Jump Drives The three things that govern the use of a jump drive are its efficiency, how energy intensive it is

measured in what percentage of ones onboard power is used to move the ship one light year. Next is massshadow, how big is the volume of space the drive takes with it, which effects the last factor, the accuracyof the targeting system that can be used with the drive, no system is perfectly accurate, but the emergencelocation deviation of the different types of drive is a major factor. The majority of known drive targeters fallbetween 1/8 and 3/4 of a light year. This factor determines how much of a safety margin the arriving shipneeds to set, if the targeter you are using can warp your ship in any where in a radius of half a lightyear ofwhere you want to go, you take a dangerous chance if you attempt to warp in inside of a star system, asyou can end up too close to, or even inside a planetary body. Arriving too close to a mass shadow can causeanything from feedback that kills electrical systems, to Drive Burn, where the energy bleed from an arrivingship actually ignites in one of the most destructive events known to the galaxy and vaporizes everythingaround the ship and most times the ship itself. The Warp War fought among the Harrood and the Killix usedthis factor as a weapon against each other but they quickly found that the unpredictable timing andmagnitude of the effect made for very ineffective warfare. But by this time both sides had nearly annihilatedeach other and a flotilla of allied races moved in and eliminated the remains of both species rather than letsuch idiocy extend outside the local cluster.

Human ships are quite large as the drive method they use is unique to them, it still uses the basicprinciple of ripping a hole in space and slipping through to the destination, but the human drive is powerintensive making it one of the less efficient drives out there. Its accuracy is outside the median re-enteringerror with a 1.5 lightyear margin of error. The advantage of human drives and what has made their place onthe galactic scale is the their mass shadow; they can extend it to cover a sphere more than twentykilometers wide, the largest by a huge margin of any other known drive. Human transports can movemassive amounts, and even small moons and asteroids, making their mining operations more efficient asthey can move the entire processing center to the ore. This makes human style mining startup costsmassive, but the operations cost a fraction of everyone else’s.

On the other end of the spectrum is the Aiahsio Drive which is capable of being fitted in ships assmall as a hundred meters and are thought to be accurate to within a few kilometers. Almost nothing isknown about Aiahsio drives, at least nothing about how they are able to precisely jump with such a slighterror. Their ships tend to be small, almost organic looking and are always unique, there are no two Aishsioships that look totally alike. Different designers tend to have a theme, like one that produced ships thatmimic shapes most often seen in water dwelling creatures. Then another one who tended toward darts anddelta shapes. No mater what though most of their ships are small, only a hundred meters or so, though afew battlecruiser weight ships coming in at half a kilometer have been seen when the Aiahsio wanted tomake a military point.

2.1.3 Particle Engines (sub-light)The engine use by most of the galaxy, a ‘particle engine’ is any engine whereby whatever quantum

particle your race prefers to use is generated, excited at the sub-atomic level and forced through a reflector(also of whatever type your race prefers) and ‘blasted’ out, providing thrust. It is reliable, capable of beingpowered by any number of sources and has a nigh infinite fuel source. The sheer number of races who usethis drive type makes any real list impracticable.

2.1.4 Fusion Cascade (sub-light [Human])The humans, starting from a relatively barren section of the galaxy were on their own long enough to

develop their own methods, many of which are based on technology that most other races considered eitherto inefficient or too primitive for further use. One of these systems is the Plasma Spike Drive. Raw plasma is

used commonly for welding and on cheap short range missiles, the humans spent a good hundred years ontheir own before encountering another race and had not developed a Warp or Particle Drive capable of aquick acceleration rate or of redirecting thrust quickly, making their original Warp Shunt solely a capital shipsystem. Thinking it was impossible to make a Shunt on a small enough scale to make mounting it on shuttlesand light craft feasible, they instead pushed plasma drives to a point no other race had, making some of themost efficient and powerful drives for their weight to thrust ratio. When humans did meat the Aiahsio andtraded for new polymers and switched from electronics to plasmatics they did not entirely switch over toparticle engines or warp shunts, as the other races thought they would, instead they applied the fusionplants used to power the mass drive to their plasma spike technology. What they got surprised even them asthe resulting drive had an acceleration curve that put to shame any known mass drive, including the Aiahsioon any craft with a mass of less than 10.2 kilotons, basically any corvette, courier or lightcraft. Humans hadalmost overnight made light craft, thought for centuries to be incapable of surviving combat with heaverplatforms now able to accelerate and maneuver faster than any then known turreted or seeking weaponssystem. Two factors interfered with their application of the drive, one, a pilot could not survive the crushing56+ gravities of maneuvering capability and the drive was limited to what fuel the ship could carry, whichwas not much considering how energy intensive the system was.

For may years the system was limited in thrust power, so to not kill the pilots, and only used to itsfullest with missile systems. The first breakthrough came when research on smaller fusion plants was able toconfine the fusion process into a high density spherical core, in effect a micro sun, at first it was thought thatthis was just a fascinating effect, little more than an expensive light show. Rogue propulsion specialistHaruka Kanukai, an eccentric genius who acquired several PhD’s in Astro Mechanics, Spacial Dynamics andWarp Theory to name a few who had already made name for herself with the HaruKano Type, a modifiedWarp Shunt which uses a wildly differing projector to project a drive field completely around the ship,allowing it to operate more efficiently and achieve a better reaction time. Taking the resources gained fromthat project she retreated to a private moon in the Omega System where most thought she had merely givenin to her intense compulsive disorder. Instead she surprised everyone when after ten years she returned tothe Sol System with new drive; the Fusion Cascade. By attaching a series of hyper-dense fusion cores to alarger central reactor and then syphoning off a small amount of plasma from the main reactor and dumpingit into the secondary ones she created pressurized high-energy plasma which could then be focused into aconventual plasma spike; albeit one of massive proportions. The energy cost, being spread among severalreactors which fed each other was only a fraction of all previous fusion drives and even more importantly,the hyper-dense cores had more than enough power left to generate a gravity shunt; negating most of theG-forces created in high acceleration maneuvering. The first craft to use her new drive was a sixty metercraft she named Raiden, after the ancient god of lighting and in her demonstration flight she accelerated to105 gravities in less than thirty seconds, smashing all galactic records by an incredible margin. Sadly, hergravity shunt became misaligned, resulting in a crash that left her paralyzed from the waist down and shereturned to her moon never to be seen in public again.

Her drive on the other hand, the schematics which she publicized and opened to public domain wasimmediately fitted to a class of new inter-system transports and the first real starfighter the galaxy had seen, the F-202 Raiden named in honor of the prototype. Over the next thirty years humans wasted no time inrefining the design and commissioning carriers to hold entire wings of swarming fighters in a multitude ofvarious designs and functions.

2.1.5 Warp Shunt (FTL)The Warp Shunt is the primary means of local propulsion, as in over a few dozen lightyears. There

are many types, used by many races, but whatever your flavor of power source the shunt is basically amassive graviton emitter which forces the space immediately around the ship to ‘expand’ in a precisemanner. This ‘warping’ of space causes a bubble of compressed space to form which, due again to its shape,‘squeezes’ the ship in whatever direction you want to go, as long as it’s forward. Which is the drawback ofthis particular drive, forming and manipulating the ‘bubble’ takes care and precision meaning direction can’tbe altered easily once the engine is engaged. But considering the faster-than light speeds the Shunt iscapable of, maneuvers aren’t really a wise choice anyway. The sheer weight, mass and power requirementsmean that many ‘interstellar’ craft mount only this engine and some fusion thrusters to point them in theright direction.

2.1.6 Mass Drive (sub-light & FTL)The Second most used FTL drive, and the only one the Aiahsio use in heavy ships, generates a

precisely calibrated negative gravity mass within into which normal space in constantly trying to reinsertitself. By allowing normal space to do so from a single direction generates moment with little visible effect.Only mass detectors and extremely sensitive graviton scopes can even get a hint the drive is in operation, letalone pick up any vector changes until they happen. Having less moving parts and exposed surfaces than allthe other drive types, this one also operates on a similar principle to the Jumpdrive and with only a slightmodification a sufficiency massive Jumpdrive can incorporate the extra parts needed to operate as a MassDrive.

The Aiahsio version of the drive is capable of (comparatively) fast maneuvering at sublight, and ismuch smaller. They use this drive type to the exclusion of any other except of course, Jumpdrives and theirships are known to mount two or even three of these drives, which is what gives Aiahsio vessels theirlegendary manoeuverability. All attempts to mimic this mounting of multiple Mass Drives has led to disasteras spacial flux tears apart the test ship.

You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.Al Capone

2.2 Weapon Systems

2.2.1 Plasma Storm Weapons (Aiahsio)Also known as Aiahsio Helix Type Pulse-cannons. Unlike human style plasma weaponry, which

require electronic ignition, heavy shielding and massive plasma bottles the Aiahsio used a mechanicalmethod of plasma weaponry. On their ships large ‘emblems’ looking like nothing more than designsor small patches of armor plate are really nano-carbon reflex-metal; when deployed, three sections ofthe weapon spring forward almost instantly forming the helix shape they are named for. Whenextended nano scale carbon hardened tubes align and allow a shunt buried deep under the weaponpast the armor that is connected to one of the thousands of plasma feeds that provide power to theship systems. When triggered the shunt allows a small amount of plasma into the nano tubes whichcauses them to fill, which because of the precise alignment of the tubes then causes the wholeweapon to start to contract, which reduces the storage space available, while still more plasma isbeing dumped into the weapon. In the end the plasma is so compressed that it is forced to align intoa more focused form, lightning basically, which by now, because the weapon has compressed downpartly bringing in line a route for the energy to escape along the tips of the three helix prongs. Thiswhole process takes only milliseconds the effect being that the weapon seems to deploy and instantlybegin to fire, or if the plasma feed is kept open, go immediately into rapid fire.

It is this method of defense, combined with the accuracy of the Aiahsio drive targeting systemand the light nimble nature of their ships making any attack by them a close range knife fight.

2.2.2 Railguns - Mass Drivers & Gauss Cannons (Human)Another of the human throwback systems they hardheadedly refused to ditch. While the rest

of the galaxy deemed any projectile weapon except missile systems to be unfeasible in a modernfleet engagement human capital ships continued to mount was little more than really huge rifles.Properly speaking there are two types of this weapon system all listed under the classification ofRailgun, first are Gauss Cannons and their light counterpart the Gauss Rifle. Gauss weapons usemagnetic coils to propel ferrous slugs to extreme speeds. The smallest of these weapons is manportable and used as a heavy sniper weapon. Medium sized ones find use as vehicle weapons fromthe 6mm repeating cannon on the Badger scout car to the 210mm assault cannon on the M76A MainBattle Tank. In space many of the human fighters used Gauss weapons, most notably on the MiG-343Foxhound II with its eight barreled 85mm Devastator Assault Cannon. However, there is a notablecapability falloff with magnetic weapons, anything much larger than 550-600mm and the powerrequirements are no longer worth the trouble. Enter the Mass Diver.

In almost direct opposition to the Gauss weapons the mass driver is downright inefficient touse in anything smaller than 800mm. However most mass drivers rate in with at least 1800mm. Themost notable mass driver though is the most powerful projectile weapon ever devised, the EarthWracker, a monster cannon which is not measured in the traditional millimeters scale because of itsmassive size and is only mounted on the largest of capital ships; the 8m wide projectiles of theweapon are preferably made of tungsten and tipped in massive artificial diamond. Being forced out ofthe quarter kilometer barrel of the weapon at ten percent Lightspeed causes the round to plasmatise,leaving an impressive wake behind, which when first fired in anger it caused the opposing race’sforces to think it was just a huge laser or plasma cannon, then the rounds struck the fleets’ almostnon-existent kinetic armor punching through multiple ships before losing velocity. It was in thatmoment the galaxy learned never to try take human ships head-on, or at least to invest in kineticarmor.

2.2.3 Beam Lances (Aiahiso)The Aiahiso mastery of the minutiae of gravity control once produced some of the most

powerful weapons the galaxy has ever seen. Called simply ‘Lance/Destroyer’ in their bisyntaxlanguage. Located on large emitters the weapons focus gravity to the point where it rips apart spaceitself in its wake, and areas where several have been fired have been know to spawn-off ion stormsand grav-eddies.

What is not known about these weapons far out masses what is; three main type are knownto exist though; the smallest are seen on what the Aiahiso use as long-range shuttles or personaltrasnports and are believe to be used for simple asteroid clearing and defense. The next type is seenmost often on the Aiahiso Monastery-Explorers and have been known to be able to slice though mostknown form s of shielding with only a few short bursts. The final type have only been see a few timesin galactic history; the heaviest are mounted in Aiahiso warships on their cruiser and destroyervariants. These weapons are massive in comparison, the destroyer type only mounting one immobilehard point in their center between the upper and lower sections of the ship. The cruiser mounts foursmaller version as well as the main weapon that can fire in several directions. In one conflict with theKillix, one of their battle fleets attempted to hide in a dense asteroid field, the three apposing Aiahisocruisers simply cut through the field, destroying the field, including two planetoids more than twomillion kilometers in diameter, without pause.

2.3.4 Particle Pulse Weapons (Krakarians)Krakarians, as well as small hand-full of other rases employ a variation of plasma weapons

that is much more powerful. The drawback being that heavy shielding interferes with their operation.The Kraks have dealt with this by only mounting them facing front and simply not projecting a shieldon the front of their ships.

When fired a steady shield disrupting isomagnetic guide beam lances out followed by pulsesof extremely dense plasma. The pulse rate of these blasts can vary from the largest with a pulseevery half second, and small vehicle mounted ones that pulse so quickly it appears like a steadybeam.

2.3.5 Laser Weapons

2.3.6 Plasma

2.3.7 Missiles When the vast majority of species speaks of projectiles, they mean self guided, fusion projectiles with

some form of warhead. The smallest are mounted in external racks and used to thicken more regular andaccurate, laser and plasma weapons. This is because for the longest time in order to make missiles with aworthwhile damage capability weapon has to be so large that it can be picked off by light point defenseweapons which are commonly emplaced on warships.

Most races use plasma or anti-matter warheads. Humans prefer a simpler approach; the Dakkar IVcapital ship missile used by humans, smaller and more easily produced than a plasma or anti-matterequipped weapons, is fitted with a pair of three-hundred megaton thermonuclear warheads. An alternateverison has a single eight kilogram container of anti-matter.

2.3.7.1 Volley Fire Missiles/VFM (human style multi-launch devices) Humans with their annoying or endearing anachronisms depending on your point of view use

fusion engines even after ‘better’ alternatives were available. This did however, let them develop thefusion cascade allowing for much better acceleration curves, maneuvering and eventual a smallerpackage. They also increased the yield by simply adding a thermonuclear warhead. Nicknamed PODfor the acronym in the Russian language their original developer spoke the smallest ones can have a3 kiloton blast and are used in planetary attacks. The ones used by starfighters though are usuallyequipped with at least ten megatons the standard being closer to thirty/thirty-five.

Violence; naked force has settled more issues in history than has any other factor.Robert A. Heinlein

2.3 Ship Types

2.3.1 Fighters are nearly unique to humans, though several companies have put out comparable ships. Starting

at around thirty meters (98ft) some fifty and sixty meters craft have gained the designation ‘fighter’. That term isnormaly applied to any ship capable of independent operation for at least a week with less than three crew andmounts a hyperdrive. Heavy use of such craft in warfare is limited almost only to humans, who can have theCopperhead Nural jack needed to keep up with the sudden vector changes these craft are capable of.

2.3.2Gunboats are much larger than fighters, starting at only forty meters (131ft), but generally much more

massive. They often have crews of three to six and mount far more hardpoints than fighters. Due to their mass,they generally have far less of an acceleration curve than fighters, but mount far heaver armor to compensate.

2.3.2.1Bombers bridge the gap between the Fighter and Gunship, being designed to keep up with fighters

without slowing them down to much. They are about the same length as fighters, but generally wider andmount at least four heavy hardpoints. Several bomber designs were used in Spec.Ops, having space forreconnaissance equipment or space for a special forces team.

2.3.3Corvettes are the lightest of the ‘real’ warships. Very common throughout the galaxy as system defense

ships they are generally too small to mount a Jumpdrive though the most of the few warships the Ahaisio havedeployed have technically been in this weigh class, though their capabilities put them firmly in the Frigate if notDestroyer classes.

2.3.4Frigates are the most common weight-class of ships in the galaxy. Everybody as one, from tin dictators to

wanabe pirate lords. The weapons they mount largely depend on the tactics you prefer, but they never mountactual capital ship weapons. With the noted exception of the Ahaiso Sen Vosha type, they only actual ‘class’ of shipthat reclusive race has ever seemed to produce. It mounts a Gravity Lance that has been known to tear throughbattleship grade armor when it gets close enough. Mounting few heavy weapons, frigates in fleet defense rolls areused to fend off missiles and other small craft.

2.3.5Destroyers, the mainstay, the over-used, always in short supply most common fleet support vessel and

generally the smallest warships to mount a jump drive, usually not a very good one. They are nearly alwaysdesigned to fill a specific role and their weapon systems reflect this, most often a huge bank of fast firing energyweapons.

2.3.5.1The War Destroyer is a classification of a ship who’s mass places it in the Destroyer category, but

mounts far heaver weapons. Older frigates and destroyers that have been retrofitted with heaver weaponsare also often bumped to this class, though they generally cant keep up with a real dedicated War Destroyer.The bulk of the purpose built ones can be found serving with the Kracarian fleets where they are used topatrol smallish medium areas and aid capital ships in fleet engagements

2.3.6Cruisers are where capital ships really start to shine, a cruiser can absorb multiple hits from heavy weapons

and remain in the fight. They are however still small enough that packing more than one type of weapon systemlessens their firepower.

2.3.6.1Battlecruisers on the other hand is a ship designed to be able to out-run anything that can kill them

easily and overpower everything smaller than them; they are dedicate cruiser/destroyer/frigate hunters. Mostships of this type are Grouud in origin, but Krakarians, Terrans and even the Nihirale prduch a few shipsthat fall into this category. In fact, for most of the non-militant races this is the largest warship produced.

2.3.7Dreadnaught was a term introduced to the rest of the galaxy by humans and so far are the only ones who

field such ships. Massive armor plated and non-jump capable ships were thought wasteful, until a single squadron ofsix Overlord dreadnaughts (with half a dozen escort cruisers) took out an entire fleet by simply unloading theirentire magazine in the general direction of the twenty Grouud ships. The humans than deemed the Overlord ‘notquite good enough’ inside of a single generation and launched the much feared Juggernaught Class to replace them.Part of what made dreadnaughts so effective is they don’t mount more than three heavy weapon systems, a missilebattery, a broadside of acceleration cannons and a couple of turreted plasma weapons for defense against lighterships.

2.3.8Battleship is a general term for the most powerful ship usually designed as a dedicated warship, especially

by non-human fleets. The strength in battleships is their overlapping defense grids, multiple weapon systems todeal with any target and very heavy energy shields. Humans only deployed one real type of battleship that,comparatively speaking was not near as capable as any other rases, mostly because of the mass of humanjumpdrives. The Deity class was more of an extremely long-range battlecruiser than what the rest of the galaxythinks of as a battleship.

2.3.8.1Another human term the Pocket Battleship was an amusing concept to the rest of the galaxy until

they figured out that it was basically a jumpdrive equipped Dreadnaught. Then they didn’t think it was veryamusing anymore. Only one class was ever produced; the Åsgurd class mounted armor who’s thickness wasonly beaten by the Seventh Circle Assault Carrier, several dozen Mass Drivers and a pair of Maser Lances.

2.3.9Assault Carriers are built to be forward operators and two designs were constructed, the Nova class which

was mostly retired by the Diaspora, and the much feared Titan class, which was designed specifically to mount andoperate in tandem with the Juggernaught Class Dreadnaught which was also in the works at the same time. TheTitan class physically mounts four Juggernaughts on its forward hull, making sure that when it jumps in to a systemit has direct support on hand. The back half is taken up by the jumpdrive itself, smallcraft bays, and a massiveweapons section able to provide long-range missile support while smaller ships ventured in system. A single Titanwith a full compliment of Juggernaughts could lay waste to a whole system by-itself.

2.3.10Command Carriers on the other hand

are fleet tenders, dangerous because of theirincredible C3 systems and the shoals of smallerships that accompany them; from Battlecruisersto frigates and Fighters an Assault Carrier isnever alone. The Massive class was the longreigning king of human military forces and wasonly near the end of the Confederacy beingslowly replaced by the new Seventh Circle class.

Massives were mostly taken up by theirforward docking bays which could physically docka flotilla of smaller ships, usually Destroyers but afew Admirals kept the bay loaded with half adozen Battlecruisers instead.

Massive Class Command Carrier

Legends are simply reality’s attempt to keep up with imagination.Dr. Who

3 Legend & Lore

3.1 Human ‘tall-tales’

3.1.1 DRD-001 The Juggernaught“It t’was during the exodus th’a it happened. My grandfather was ther’ an’ saw everything. The

Juggernaught herself was gettin’ kinda old but she was still a kilometer o’ death, and her crew were all hardveterans. She was dropped off with a flotilla of destroyers to protect the Hadrian’s Crossing colony in theChandra cluster on the edge of human space. It was two days waiting ‘till the enemy showed themselves.But when they did the Juggernaught commanded its support ships to stay in far orbit of the planet andprotect the transports being loading below while it headed out to meet the enemy. They played game ‘ovectors and acceleration with ‘em, most of the enemy being cruiser weight and not wanting to close with aDreadnaught. All around the outer system they it went back and forth until the third day, when a messagewas received from Captain Maxwell of the Juggernaught; ‘Enemy engaged, don’t worry, keep loading.’

Sensor records show the next two days clearly as the Juggy smashed through the enemy, wave afterwave of more and more incensed Grouud threw themselves at her with more and more reckless abandononly to break on battle steel and gauss rounds. It was like they’d forgotten what their true target was, onlythe insolent Juggy and her crew who stood there, waving their dicks like nothin’ else. Toward the end of tha’second day though, the battle, freshly joined by a pack of Grouud battlecruisers moved to the opposite sideof the system where the shadow of the sun blocked readings, not tha’ the destroyers cared by then as theyhad ther hands full with the light ships that snuck in system.

Days later as the last transport was bing loaded a scout was sent to the far side to see what hadhappened to the Juggy and they was surprised to find what they did, no Juggy, nothing. Only a pile ofenemy ships twice the mass of a dreadnaught, a whole bunch ‘o mangled battle steel, not even no markers,escape pods or buoys.

To this day no one knows whet happened to the Juggernaught, only that she took twice her weightwith her before she went, good numbers every dreadnaught crew wants to match one day.”

3.1.2 ACAR-0101 Seventh Circle, last of the First WingThe Circle was the first of the newest Assault carrier class, she was bigger and deadlier looking as

well as actually having more smallcraft support capability. But anyway, she was stationed in Home Fleet, buthad been sent out system with a heavy flotilla before earth fell. By the time she made it back earth was ascorched ruin and she stood her ground as it was decided what to do. Anyway, it was a half a year beforethe real effects started, and the Grouud attacks became more than just a nuisance when they actuallyattacked and took Kathixus taking the bulk of sixth fleet with it. As reports filtered in the humans remainingin Sol decided that the system wasn’t defendable, not with the terra defense grid gone. Three carriers weretasked with rear guard, the decidedly ancient command carrier Terra which was little more that a floatingmuseum but still had a working jump drive and the mass shadow to match, the Seventh Circle and the Atlas,a Seventh feet assault carrier who’d lost her wing mates. These three ships and their support were the lastmajor human presence in the Sol system; with the Seventh Circle being the actual last one because hercommander delayed for seventy-two hours before catching up to the rear guard ships. This rear guard, sixjumps behind the main refugee fleet held their own for several jumps until the Atlas took an engineeringcasualty and could no longer maneuver sublight. Wing Admiral Soshiro Tanagi of the Seventh Circle, thesenior military commander, commanded the rest of the fleet to warp away and jump as soon as possiblesaying that the Circle would stay behind and cover the fleet’s warp track by detonating the drive of a cruiser,the Flight of Winter. At last report the Circle and Flight were facing, to quote the Admiral and legendarymaster of understatement “-an unmanageable number of enemy ships, proceed to rendevous.” the lastknown command issued by Admiral Tanagi to the scout ships left in sensor range.

All that is known after that point is what returning GSC scouts found, the signs of a battle and theindications of a Warp Breach but no discernable debris from human construction. The Grouud claim theCircle jumped out followed by their fleet where it was destroyed when they emerged into realspace. Theyeven produced several smashed fighter hulls and sections of battle armor as trophies, but close inspection ofthe recorded imagery has yielded that while the markings on the fighter hulls do match the Circle’s fighterwing, the battle plate does not appear to be of the type used on Cruisers or Carriers but instead a section ofreactor housing from a fleet collier.

As the last human capital ship to leave the Sol system, legends on what she might have been loadedwith, and why she delayed those 72 hours abound; from advanced prototypes from the research bases onLuna, to a complete store of genetic samples take from every species native to earth and everything in-between. In any case the official manifest of the Circle does include an entire cargo bay of ‘data storagedevices’, a commonly used euphemism for things with a high security rating.

3.2 General Legends

3.2.1 The Shivalis, ghost ship of the galaxyIt comes without warning, with out mercy, and as sudden as a Jump. We were but a bulk hauler, a

weight of refined armor plating was in our hold loaded from our commercial base to a distant shipyard, Iwas second after the Shipmaster and so the sleep-watch was mine to command. It was quiet, a watch of noremark until near the time fro the rest of the crew to rise an d they were upon us; four ship, battered andbent a group of rogue militants who decided to steal their ships and turn pirate.

Our light weaponry was nothing to such ships and so the shipmaster was alerted and ordered us todrop our cargo and allow them to board. It was as we watched their shuttles approach that it happened; Itwas perfect stillness for moment, then there was a sudden mark on the scanners, a new ship we thoughtwas more pirates, but the position was all wrong and it did not answer when the shipmaster hailed.

It was shielded and its form hidden behind the intense glow, and suddenly it kicked a massiveexhaust behind it like a rail of blue fire and it screamed down onto the pirates. It was among them like aTerror Bird from the home world it maneuvered like it had no mass, as if the laws of motion were ignoringits presence. It fired weapons that did not burn and crackle over the comm speakers like plasma, and thearmor of the enemy ships did not burn off like a laser; but like the finger of a deity it ignored the shields ofthe pirates and simply removed sections of their hulls. We could see the bodies and debris poor from thesmooth rents in the hulls. And it glowed, it glowed so bright my second eyes lost their vision and so I usedmy first eyes to watch as the shape became wreathed in fire, consuming the flotsam and every missilelaunched toward it with a cursed blue flame.

It was then that I finally focused my eyes down to the sensors and saw them display Shivalis Alshiar;over and over again on all visual displays was that same message; Shivalis Alshiar.

The glow increased in intensity and consumed the last of the broken ships. Then suddenly the ourwhole ship groaned with sudden gravitational sheer as the Shivalis lowered its shields with a wave ofplasma. That was when I commanded the bridge viewer to focus; it was small, made bigger only by the trickof space, for there no more than six heckts away there was no mistaking that massive armored prow, theplates of blackened battle steel hanging heavily like a jaw ready to open at any second-like a predatoryavian. Behind that wicked shape was the of the rest of the ship, curved menacingly back and up inspiringfurther the form of a bird of prey with black shining beak. It turned and point its beak as us then, theglowing orbs of its weapon emiters flickering and building power to remove the last targt it could see; us.

The shipmaster then knew what was now the only other ship near us was no of this world and eventhat hardened soul knew fear and he ordered the engines to full power and we streaked away from thatcursed spot, praying to the deities that the blood thirst of the Shivalis was sated.

And that, young ones, is the day I saw this ship you say doesn’t exist. It does exist, for things sentfrom the darkness to test us on our way exist and that demon ship, that is the test for those who dare thevoid realm of the gods.

Take my love, take my land, take me where I cannot stand; I don’t care, I’m still free;

you can’t take the sky from me.The Ballad of Serenity

Ship Listings

All ships are intended for PC use unless noted and are stated WITHOUT crew bonuses. Simply addyour Pilot (or other skill) to the following numbers. Use the rules found in Starships of the Galaxy ______________________________________________________________________________________

New Stock Ship; Medium FreighterSize Strength Dexterity Intelligence Speed HP DR ArmorColossal 60 12 12 10/2 200 15 +12

50,000 tons of cargo, 5 empty emplacement points, 8 crew, 30+ passengers_____________________________________________________________________________Terran Jumpship (Template)Colossal (station) onlyStrength +60, Dexterity -20, Int +10; Armor +20+100,000 tons cargo; +200 emplacement points_____________________________________________________________________________Terran Starfighter (Template)Gargantuan onlyInt +4Maneuvering Jets (+2)_____________________________________________________________________________Copperhead Ship (Template)Gargantuan or Colossal onlyInt +8Combat ThrustersManeuvering Jets (+6)_____________________________________________________________________________

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Su-357 Fulcrum (Copperhead strike-fighter)Gargantuan (huge -2) Init +7; Senses Sensors +5_____________________________________________________________________________Defense: Ref 24 +7 Armor (FF15), Fort 26;hp 120; DR 10; SR 15; Threshold: 46_____________________________________________________________________________Speed: 16 squares (1000 km/h); fly 5 squares (starship scale)Fighting Space: 1 (starship scale); Cover: totalBase Atk +5 [+BAB]; Grp +27 [+BAB]Attack Options:

Vindicator Cannon; Autofire only, uses ammunition 20 bursts in standard loadAegis Point defense; may attack targets down to large without negative

_____________________________________________________________________________Abilities: Str 42(+16); Dex 28(+9); Int 20 (+5)Skills; Initiative +9; Mechanics +5, Perception +5, Pilot +5, Use Computer +5_____________________________________________________________________________Crew 1; Passengers [2]Cargo .05tons; Consumables 2 weeks; Carried Craft NONEHyperdrive yes Basic Navicomputer Availability Licenced; Value Hull cost:_____________________________________________________________________________

Special Systems:Combat Thrusters size category lowered by one for combatManouvering Jets +6 Reflex ScoreSLAM MkI, when active +5 on pilot checks to increase speed On-board AI May act as any crew member, 2 swift act to change roles, uses ship attributesCopperhead Neural Jack +1die damage_____________________________________________________________________________

Weapons:85mm Vindicator Rotary Gauss Cannon (Double Light Blast Cannons, Quadlinked)

—7D10 x2, ignores SR, Forward arc only, uses ammunition 20 bursts in standard loadAegis Point-defense Particle Blasters (point defense upgrade)

–4D10 x2, no negatives on any target down to Medium Size2 heavy hard points

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F/A-750 Zenith (Copperhead Multirole-fighter)Gargantuan (huge -2) Init +7; Senses Sensors +5_____________________________________________________________________________Defense: Ref 24 +7 Armor (FF15), Fort 28;hp 150; DR 10; SR 15; Threshold: 46_____________________________________________________________________________Speed: 20 squares (1400 km/h); fly 4 squares (starship scale)Fighting Space: 1 (starship scale); Cover: totalBase Atk +5 [+BAB]; Grp +29 [+BAB]Attack Options:

Plasma Cannons; +2 dice damage at point blank, no long range, Regular fire onlyPulse Maser; laser cannon ranges, optional fire link, point defense

_____________________________________________________________________________Abilities: Str 46(+18); Dex 24(+7); Int 20 (+5)

Skills; Initiative +7; Mechanics +5, Perception +5, Pilot +5, Use Computer +5

_____________________________________________________________________________Crew 2; Passengers [12 with mission pod]Cargo 2 tons; Consumables 2½ weeks; Carried Craft NONEHyperdrive yes Basic Navicomputer Availability Licenced; Value Hull cost:_____________________________________________________________________________

Special Systems:Combat Thrusters size category lowered by one for combatManouvering Jets +6 Reflex ScoreAtmo thrusters MkII, when active +5 on pilot checks to increases speed On-board AI May act as any crew member, 2 swift act to change roles, uses ship attributesCopperhead Neural Jack +1die damage_____________________________________________________________________________

Weapons:Kalishnikov PPK121 Plasma Cannons (light ion cannons, double linked )

—4D10 x2, +2d10 at 0 squares, no long range, Regular fire only2 Kalishnikov MPK2 Pulse Maser (optional fire link, point defense)

–4D10 x2, laser cannon ranges, optional fire link2 heavy hard points1 speciality hard point (mission modules: Insertion Pod, EW, Stealth, Missile Support and Sensor)

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MiG-343 Foxhound (Copperhead Assault fighter)Gargantuan (huge -2) Init +7; Senses Sensors +5_____________________________________________________________________________Defense: Ref 24 +5 Armor (FF15), Fort 29;hp 170; DR 20; SR 15; Threshold: 46_____________________________________________________________________________Speed: 14 squares (900 km/h); fly 4 squares (starship scale)Fighting Space: 1 (starship scale); Cover: totalBase Atk +5 [+BAB]; Grp +27 [+BAB]Attack Options:

Devastator Assault Cannon; Autofire only, uses ammunition 10 bursts in standard loadAegis Point defense; may attack targets down to large without negative

_____________________________________________________________________________Abilities: Str 48(+19); Dex 24(+6); Int 20 (+5)Skills; Initiative +7; Mechanics +5, Perception +5, Pilot +5, Use Computer +5_____________________________________________________________________________Crew 1; Passengers [2]Cargo .08tons; Consumables 3 weeks; Carried Craft escape module Hyperdrive yes Basic Navicomputer Availability Licenced; Value Hull cost:_____________________________________________________________________________

Special Systems:Combat Thrusters size category lowered by one for combatManouvering Jets +6 Reflex ScoreSLAM MkI, when active +5 on pilot checks to increase speed On-board AI May act as any crew member, 2 swift act to change roles, uses ship attributesCopperhead Neural Jack +1die damage_____________________________________________________________________________

Weapons:210mm Devastator Rotary Gauss Cannon (Triple Meidum Laser Cannons, Quadlinked)

—10D10 x2, ignores SR, Forward arc only, uses ammunition 10 bursts in standard load4 heavy hard points (can mount light capital rated missiles)

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F-802 Raiden II (copperhead space superiority fighter[prototype])Gargantuan (huge -2) Init +7; Senses Sensors +5______________________________________________Defense: Ref 24 +7 Armor (FF15), Fort 26;hp 120; DR 15; SR 20; Threshold: 40______________________________________________Speed: 20 squares (1400 km/h); fly 5 squares (starshipscale)Fighting Space: 1 (starship scale); Cover: totalBase Atk +6 [+BAB]; Grp +27 [+BAB]Attack Options: ______________________________________________Abilities: Str 42(+16); Dex 30(+10); Int 22 (+6)Skills; Initiative +9; Mechanics +5, Perception +5, Pilot+5, Use Computer +5______________________________________________Crew 2; Passengers [-]Cargo .05 tons; Consumables 2½ weeks; CarriedCraft NONEHyperdrive yes Basic Navicomputer Availability Licenced; Value Hull cost:______________________________________________

Special Systems:Combat Thrusters size category lowered by one

for combatManouvering Jets +6 Reflex ScoreAtmo thrusters MkII, when active +5 on pilot

checks to increases speed On-board AI May act as any crew member,

2 swift act to change roles,uses ship attributes

Copperhead Neural Jack [full immersion] +1 die damage, +20 reflexes_____________________________________________________________________________

Weapons:x4 Maser Cannon (double light laser cannons quad-linked)

–6D10x2 (fire can be split between 2 targets dealing 3D10 x2)x2 VFM POD launcher (fire linked)

–Each missile does 1D10 x2, to a max of 4 missiles being launched per launcher

Named for the first fighter developed only a few prototypes have bee deployed the 802 uses all the latestweapons and engines. It uses a new lense on its fusion cascade for extra boost, improved versions of the gravpanels used on other fighters for centuries. Instead of a normal cockpit, the pilot is ensconced in an armoredcapsule that can detach as a survival pod equipped with a third generation copperhead hardstation which allows fornear total immersion. He problem is the jack interface, it totally overrides the pilots senses; they see in spectrums;feel in gravametrics; hear lidar & radar. This has proven to be an extreme stress on the human nervous system.

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Krakarian Vengeance type (Warpfighter)Gargantuan (huge -2) Init +7; Senses Sensors +5________________________________________Defense: Ref 24 +7 Armor (FF15), Fort 28;hp 180; DR 20; SR 10; Threshold: 46________________________________________Speed: 20 squares (1400 km/h); fly 4 squares(starship scale)Fighting Space: 1 (starship scale); Cover: totalBase Atk +5 [+BAB]; Grp +29 [+BAB]Attack Options:

Pulse CannonsMissile Launcher

________________________________________Abilities: Str 46(+18); Dex 24(+7); Int 20 (+5)Skills; Initiative +7; Mechanics +5, Perception+5, Pilot +5, Use Computer +5________________________________________Crew 1; Passengers [3]Cargo 2 tons; Consumables 2½ weeks;

Carried Craft NONEHyperdrive yes Basic Navicomputer Availability Licenced; Value Hull cost:_____________________________________________________________________________

Special Systems:Combat Thrusters size category lowered by one for combatManouvering Jets +6 Reflex ScoreOn-board AI May act as any crew member, 2 swift act to change roles, uses ship attributes_____________________________________________________________________________

Weapons:Froussh Pulse-beam Cannons (medium ion cannons, double linked, uses laser cannon ranges)

—7D10 x2Ultralight Missile Launcher (light concussion missile launcher, linked)

–8D10 x2, optional fire link [24 missiles]

The Vengence Type is a resent addition to some Krakiaran fleets. They take the normal Krak ideal of heavyfrontal armor and weapons and reduce it to a mere fifty-five meters. They used plans sold to them by a human fleetand incorporate a massive Fusion Cascade engine as well as one of the smallest warp shunts ever built by theKrakairans.

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Waning Dawn (Template ship; medium freighter)Colossal space transport (Gargantuan [-5] for combat purposesInt -4; Senses Perception +7_____________________________________________________________________________Defense: Ref 17 (FF16), Fort 35;+12 Armorhp 200; DR 15; SR50; Threshold 25_______________________________________________Speed: fly 10 (400 km/h); fly 2 squares (starship scale)Fighting Space: 1 (starship scale); Cover: totalBase Atk +2; Grp +38Attack Options: Autofire (quad laser cannons)_____________________________________________________________________________Abilities: Str 60; Dex 12; Int 14Skills; Initiative +0; Mechanics +5, Perception +5, Pilot +0, Use Computer +5_____________________________________________________________________________Crew 8; Passengers 30Cargo 20,000 tons; Consumables 3 months; Carried Craft up to four fighters, 12 small craftHyperdrive x2 type 1 (backup x10 type 10), Basic Navicomputer Availability Licenced; Value Hull cost: 200,000_____________________________________________________________________________

Medium Laser Cannons quad linked 6d10x2 (pilot/copilot)— autofire capable-optional

Light Concussion Missile Launcher twin linked 8D10x2 (systems operator/gunner)— up to 48 missiles-though usually no more than four per tube to save costs

Quad Cannon in rear turret quad linked 5d10x2 (gunner)— autofire only

Docking gun-Repeating Heavy Blaster 3D10 (copilot/systems operator/Gunner)— autofire only

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This ship is presented to demonstrate the upper limits of ship possibilities and is not intended for use.

Shivalis Alshiar [AKA Last/Revenge Orchid/Terran] (phantom-ghost avenger ship)Colossal (frigate)Init +5; Senses Perception _____________________________________________________________________________Defense: Ref 19 (FF14), Fort 60;[+14 Armor]hp 800; DR 45; SR 45; Threshold:160_____________________________________________________________________________Speed: 14 (800 km/h); fly 2 squares (starship scale)Ranged:

Fighting Space: 1 (starship scale); Cover: totalBase Atk +15; Grp +165Attack Options:

‘Shiva’ Mass Drivers, fire-linked, ignores energy shields, auto fire capableAiahsio Plasma Storm Grid, point defense, defensive system, can’t be aimed.Arclight Lance Projectors, multitarget

– Single: 4D10 x5, Pair 5D10 x5, Four 6D10 x5, Six 8D10 x5_____________________________________________________________________________Abilities: Str 110 [+50]; Dex 20 [+5]; Int 30 [10] Skills; Mechanics +8, Perception +10, Pilot +10, Use Computer +10_____________________________________________________________________________Crew 120 (Expert +8); Passengers 80Cargo 5000tons; Consumables 6months; Carried Craft:12 Raiden FightersHyperdrive Basic/Aiahsio Jump Drive Navicomputer Availability not; Value immense_____________________________________________________________________________

Special Systems:Jamming Array +6, 4, 2 on Use Computer checks within 6 squaresPlasma Storm Array when active causes shield rating to work against ballistic and kinetic weapons/anything in

adjacent square takes 2D10 plasma damageAiahsio Jump Drive Tactical Translocation, DC15 Pilot check to teleport to new location. +1 for every jump past

the first within same battleManeuvering Jets +6 ReflexesAdaptive AI Core Ship computer counts as Ace Quality Droid_____________________________________________________________________________

Weapons:6m Shiva Cannons (Earth Wraker MkII) Mass Drivers (x6, fire-linked, autofire capable)

– Single: 7D10x5, Broadside: 10D10 x5, ignores energy shieldsAhaiso Plasma Storm Grid (point defense)

– defensive system, can’t be aimed. Everything adjacent takes 2D10 damage.Arclight Lance Projector Battery (tactical fire: 2 squares, -1 Rflx DEF & Attack rolls)

– Single: 4D10 x5, Pair 5D10 x5, Four 6D10 x5, Six 8D10 x5Medium Pod Launcher Arrays (Quad Fire, Quad linked Medium Launchers, Autofire optional)

– 1D10 x2–15D10 x2

The Shivalis has six Raiden II fighters embarked but mounted with the following weapons:x4 Lance Projectors (double heavy laser cannons quad-linked)

–9D10x2 (usually used to engage multiple targets [1 Lance does 6D10 x2])x2 Swarm POD launcher (fire linked)

–Each missile does 1D10 x2, to a max of 7 missiles being launched per launcher

`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`-`A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to

make it worth the effort.Herm Albright

When you expect the unexpected it will still not be what you expected, even though youwere expecting something like it.

Groucho Marx

Well, I follow a different philosophy; survival of the sarcastic.Captain Dylan Hunt

Legends are simply reality’s attempt to keep up with imagination.Dr. Who

Who is more foolish; the fool, or the fool who follows?Obi-Wan Kenobi

Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end. Unknown

Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now andmake a brand new ending.

Anonymous

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies withinus.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lightspeed is nothing, I want to see them break the rumor barrier.Unknown

I was never there, and I have the scars to prove it.Unknown Special Forces Operator

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made. Groucho Marx

You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.Al Capone

Dirty deeds are done by people who look clean; keep watch on a man who washescompulsively or is always exquisitely dressed.

unknown former operative

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end ofthe beginning.Winston Churchill

By and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth.George Carlin

Not only do I not know what's going on, I wouldn't know what to do about it if I did.George Carlin

The universe is indeed comic, but the joke is on mankind.H. P. Lovecraft

All warfare is deception; thus, what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy'sstrategy, not the enemy itself.

Sun Tzu

Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster;if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.

Friedrich Nietzsche

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