Yastobaal

Yastobaal
Production information
Manufacturer:	Gallofree Yards, Inc.
Model:	GR-75 medium transport
Class:	Medium transport
Cost:	150,000
Possession Item:	ID 52142
Technical specifications
Length:	90 meters
Max acceleration:	900 G
Max speed (space):	20 LY
Max speed (atmosphere):	650 km/h
Hyperdrive rating:	Class 4.0
Power output:	c
Shielding:	Rated 240 SBD
Hull:	Rated 160 RU
Armament:	Twin fire-linked laser cannon turrets (4)
Modified systems:	Enhanced security measures
Crew:	Essik Lyccane Nikora Rhan Sirra Werd'la Multiple droids
Passengers:	40 passengers
Cargo capacity:	19,000 metric tons of cargo
Consumables:	6 months
Usage
Role(s):	Mobile operations base. Transport. Freighter. Landing ship.
Era(s):	Republic era Imperial era Rise of the Brotherhood era Exodus era New Order era
Affiliation:	Clan Odan-Urr
Known owner(s):	Essik Lyccane
Current Status:	Active
Commissioned:	20 BBY
[ Source ]

"'Slow, old, seemingly defunct, and practically unkillable? Just like its captain."

―Nikora Rhan

The Yastobaal was a GR-75 medium transport that served throughout the Galactic Empire's dominion, initially as a freighter for a private company and then later on as an asset to the Alliance to Restore the Republic across a number of battlefields. The ship was utilised until the retaking of Coruscant as a supplies vessel, before being mothballed as a wider number of transport ships became gradually more available. Although it served in minor roles during the following conflicts between the New Republic and the resurgent Empire, it would only be restored to full service under the command of its original captain, Essik Lyccane. Hidden as a possible backup site should the groups be allied with be driven from their homes, it became a mobile base of operations following the loss of The Fang and an HQ to the Kiast Free Droid Enclave.

Description

Average in speed and manoeuvrability, but with only light plating and shielding as protection from pirates, the ninety-meter long medium transport required a crew of only three to pilot effectively, with little need for substantial maintenance or modifications. The raised position of the command bridge far above its primary engines assisted to somewhat offset the vessel's bulk, offering improved ease of handling while landing the ship.

The GR-75's primary strength lay in the vast cargo capacity of its clamshell design, which could ferry up to nineteen thousand metric tons of cargo containers housed within its superstructure. Held in place by a combination of magnetic clamps and physical anchors, the modular components made it easy to rapidly load and retrieve pods as required. This was accomplished in part thanks to an internal loading arm-mounted beneath the prow, limiting the neccessity for port infrastructure to support loading actions. The clamshell design of its outer frame also made it highly resistant to Imperial sensors. Along with its ability to comfortably transport up to forty individuals with easy room of movement, many of these qualities made it a popular choice with Rebel cells.

Although equipped with four dual laser turrets in its basic design, the Yastobaal was nevertheless extremely heavily reliant upon supporting fighters during encounters with hostile warships. During its time in the Rebellion, the Yastobaal was frequently modified and reworked to carry out a variety of roles, from operating as a Q-Ship thanks to a number of combat modifications under Essik Lyccane, to a communications vessel, evacuation craft, and even a light carrier. Following its initial retirement, the ship was stripped of these upgrades and returned to its stock configuration.

During the resettlement period, the vessel's interior design was somewhat modified, hard-welding several passenger-cargo containers to its outer shell and stripping out those in place for crew transportation. This ultimately did nothing to alter the vessel's cargo tonnage capacity, passenger capacity, or even its overall performance, but made the vessel more suited as a long-term home for its owners.

Internal Layout

The Yastobaal's internal layout was refitted and modified for the long-term habitation by its crewmen. The ship itself remained unchanged in terms of performance or basic statistics, but a portion of its design was modified for better use as a base of operations. The main captain's quarters and engineering level went unmodified, allowing for crew to operate the ship while in flight along with a small number of cabins for rests between shifts. By contrast, the areas beyond it were internally rebuilt from whatever was on hand, turning the passenger section into a multitude of sleeping quarters for its overall crew. The cargo modules beyond this were fitted to serve as a mix of roles, notably a communal area with a kitchen. Further portions were divided off for sanitation, a sparring chamber and armory, and the internal library. Others linked to the droid quarters and reconstruction area, allowing for droids and equipment to be repaired or built from scratch. Near to the vessel's prow was a dedicated sensor bridge. Elevators about the area connect either to the several defensive turrets and command pod, or the cargo access spine situated below. This allowed for either control of the loading crane for the ship's cargo, or the cargo modules linked to a series of airlock access points. These were primarily used to either hold the additional equipment of the crew, or cargo which required frequent checks by the crew.

The somewhat haphazard nature of the refit meant that much of it was redone with whatever was available at the time, typically prioritizing effectiveness and safety over aesthetic taste. This made for odd quirks such as multiple airlock door variants, slightly altered walls and odd door placements. Much of the furniture was retrieved directly from the Fang, resulting in a very strange mix of designs and aesthetics between chairs, tables, and other elements. Much was done to try and retain the Fang's facilities despite being forced into a far smaller structure, with the droid's quarters housing four broad sabacc tables, and several quarters being steadily decorated with personal designs. The nature of the vessel and the hybrid build of various components has resulted in more frequent repairs and maintenance by its droid contingent. Because of these potential dangers and the Yastobaal's typical adventures, a large pillar was been fitted into the communal area with news updates both on both shipboard and galactic events.

Command Pod

Raised about the main engines, the command pod served as the bridge for the entire ship. Elevated in order to allow for ease of manoeuvring the vessel into a landing position, it was accessed through a point in the engineering section. The bridge was large enough to hold five individuals, but could be operated by as few as one when required. Typical of most such bridge designs, it housed a single helm console with additional positions for navigation, sensors, and communications. Sparsely designed as one would expect of the GR-75, it had nevertheless been built with practicality in mind. The controls are easily divided between each section, with a control interface intended to allow for an easy learning curve. These could be slaved to a single control system if required, or even distributed to other areas of the ship if needed. The rear doors could be completely sealed off from the vessel should the bridge be breached or the ship taken by hostile forces.

Captain's Quarters

One of the few luxuries of the original design, the Captain's quarters were a relatively small room intended to serve as both an office and living area for the ranking crewman. Fitted with a desk, bed, private fresher, and a few storage points, it served purely as a means to offer some limited privacy to its Captain. After reclaiming the ship for a second time, Essik Lyccane modified the room with some personal touches, but it remained largely spartan. The desk, originally taken from a casino on Dandoran, was bolted to the deck along with a modest wardrobe. A small recharge port was been fitted into one corner, planned in the event where a droid might take command and control of the vessel.

Engineering

A final point left of the original design, Engineering saw some reworking after being utilised as a home base by Essik. The area served both as a secondary bridge in the event of the command pod's destruction and a means to monitor the power core. This was accomplished via a mixture of control interface systems and direct access hatches, individually monitoring a different vital point of the ship. A series of lockers held vital equipment and engineering packs to assist with in-flight repairs, along with vacc-suits, and sensor equipment. While the Yastobaal retained the former points, it was lacking in the latter, and remained a sign of the ship's more resource staved status.

Part of the engineering deck was reconfigured, leaving open space that has yet to be filled for further control mechanisms. A series of small cabins occupied one area of this section, originally intended to help easily have crewmen ready to switch between in shifts. Like the Captain's Quarters, recharging stations were installed in one corner, making it better suited to a large number of droids that made up the ship's crew.

Crew Quarters

Originally a dedicated transportation section, the Crew Quarters were an area intended to allow easy living and some degree of privacy for the crew and its passengers. Smaller than the Caprtain's Quarters, each of these allowed only for modest improvements and little room to move. Each offered enough space for a single bed, wardrobe, and a chair. Although spartan in nature due to their rapid construction, much like the student halls of the Fang, this was an intentional choice to allow for customisation. Many walls could easily be fitted with shelving units or desks, with the more intrusive mechanical components hidden behind the panelling. This led to several members reworking the interior to best suit their needs or just for personal comfort, from decoration to practicality. There were a number of exceptions early on into the ship's use, such as weapons being stored in concealed areas and private cabinets. This was only tolerated thanks to the long association of each crewman and the trust developed between them.

Common Area

Easily the largest room of the vessel, the common area was originally the passenger component of the ship. Built from several passenger transportation compartments, it stretched the full width of the ship while also anchoring a number of secondary facilities into place. Openly spaced in its design, it offered a number of essentials that many other areas lacked: A well-stocked kitchen area, broad seating and desk arrangements for communal meetings, and a small washroom for clothing adjacent to the sanitation area. Although originally conceived as a mixture of far smaller areas, it was swiftly redesigned to offer some much needed interior space for the occupants. This action was intended to offset the heavy claustrophobia of long flights and the limited space of each cabin, along with offering a position for full gatherings of the entire crew. Like most other facilities, seats and portable components were bolted into place, preventing the risk of damage or flying debris during turbulent flights.

Sparring Room & Armory

While a notable step down over the extensive facilities of the Fang, the joint sparring room and armory was a small area large enough for practice duels of one to two people at a time. Largely featureless save for an impact mat fitted to the deck plating, it was a large open area constructed primarily with the intent of testing individuals in melee range. A wide variety of weapons were locked into holding racks fixed to the room's walls, ready for use either in practice efforts or in defense of the vessel. Understandably, ranged weapons were usually more securely held away from those kept for sparring. Due to both the ship's limited armouring and the lack of a firing range, testing and training of these items were reserved purely for planetside activities.

Sanitation

A line of twenty refresher rooms, the sanitation area was added in order to best support the crew in long-term flights. Each was constructed with a uniform design, featuring a sonic shower, bath, toilet, faucet and sink. The area was isolated with independent plumbing that can be vented from the ship's side and refilled while landed, ideally in a spaceport but it could be handled independently by the crew.

Library and Vault

Taken from the Fang's archives, the Library was a more condensed design of what was housed within the castle. Multiple texts were held on display among armoured shelves, and the overall organisation ultimately remains unchanged. This was intended to allow for easy starting should the Yastobaal ultimately take the place of the Fang in training students. Failing this, it was meant for the same structure to be implemented in a new location. The contents of the library were both numerous and varied, with examples of documents from across the galaxy covering a wide variety of subjects. first of these detailed historical eras and cultural documents that were seen as important to the Jensaarai. These covered philosophical examinations of the original Jedi Order, the Jensaarai, the Sith Empire, the Brotherhood, and Luke Skywalker's reformed Jedi. The books covering these organizations were varied, detailed, and come from the minds of many authors.

There were many which were as critical of the groups as were are praiseworthy, citing various shortcomings or oversights which led to their downfall despite their strengths. Such works were gathered so that those seeking the knowledge that the Jensaarai guard are not blinded by propaganda or rose-tinted depictions. To permit such a limited viewpoint to take hold of students or scholars would be to repeat the very mistakes that Tarvitz and Rhan both sought to rectify. Most of these were datadiscs recovered from New Republic libraries prior to the propaganda-driven purges of information. These cover a multitude of eras leading from the Great Galactic War through to the most devastating of the unsung wars, with many minor conflicts between them. A few ancient scrolls were kept among them, held in stasis fields to preserve their fragile works.

Many more were various items and archives that Rhan was able to rescue from the Jensaarai during their own purges of knowledge. These were typically more practical in nature, covering mechanical engineering studies and forgemaking techniques. Some delved into the art of Sith Alchemy, others also held an examination of minor splinter-groups and Krath cults from across the centuries, but most were intended for teaching students. It was for this reason that the archives retained a number of documents based upon lightsaber combat techniques.

Items seen as too dangerous or valuable for access even to students are held in a hidden vault. These were stored in a vault that was molecularly bonded to one corner of the room. To remove or alter it in any way would require cutting through military-grade reinforced armour plating on every side, along with the vault's own considerable defences. Gene-locked, code-locked, and guarded by a series of shifting questions based on Jensaarai philosophy, it was intended to be almost impregnable. Hidden away within a section of a connecting room and shielded from sensors, the vault was almost impossible to find save for those that knew of its existence. It was just as secure from efforts to breach it within as it is outside, and with good reason. A number of items were simply of cultural or even personal value, such as a seven-string hallikset and an Alderaanian moss painting, or relics from prior Great Jedi Wars. Alchemically treated weapons such as sapphire blades and The Ruin of Kings were kept to one side while the subjects of ongoing research, such as Collective cybernetic implants, were held in shielded sub-vaults.

Yet the vast majority of the vault's contents consisted of ancient scrolls, texts, and books tens of thousands of years old. These works consisted of documents thought lost to the ages or commonly dismissed as mere legends, penned by figures such as Arca Jeth, Naga Sadow, and Nikkos Tyris. Most covered philosophy relating to the Sith and Jedi Order, while a few others documented techniques exclusive to one Order or the other. Tomes detailing all knowledge of the Old Ones and their associated spirits, life extension techniques, and surviving copies of the Dark Side Compendium, were but a few of the other documents held there. Perhaps the greatest prize of the archives was a group of recovered holocrons leading back to the era just prior to the Great Galactic War, retaining the memories of Jolee Bindo and Darth Vectivus respectively. The third was badly damaged, and efforts to repair its systems did not meet with any degree of real success. While the holocron is clearly Jedi in origin, the identity of its creator remained unknown. In the wake of the The Myrkr Crusade this was later joined by a holocron that supposedly held the teachings of Darth Marr, but this was disputed given that it was seemingly recorded at a date following his death. These were all warded as much by sorcery as technology, dimming their presence in the Force and working to hide them via a number of techniques that mask their presence to the wider universe.

The most frequently accessed section of the archives was the area on training documents kept for students. Rather than covering subjects directly relating to the Force, culture, or history, the documents found here detail more directly practical subjects of knowledge. Close-quarters combat tactics, means of infiltration and sabotage, resisting interrogation, escaping captivity, guerrilla warfare, wilderness survival, and resource acquisition, were but a few of those found there. Others detailed secondary means such as negotiation, avoiding direct combat, and squad-based tactics. These worked to teach students as much about survival among the universe as direct combat, covering areas that are usually utilised by soldiers rather than Force users.

Droid Quarters

While smaller than the section intended for organics, the area built for the recharging and privacy of droids was fitted with their needs in mind. The most prominent area consisted of five recharging and maintenance alcoves. Similar in design to those utilised by certain models of Imperial Dark Troopers, these were intended largely as a means to rapidly recharge a broad variety of droid types while also leaving them ready for basic maintenance. If required, a droid could be put into a state of stasis, leaving their minds active within the ship's computer core but not occupying their body during a period of extensive examination. This was a late addition installed by Rhan following their losses in defence of the Fang, allowing for heavily damaged minds to be removed from their bodies, should a physical form be rendered irreparable. Part of this was accomplished by refining the accident that cloned the astromech droid Clanker from his older variant, Ratchet, and it was noted that the core has a very limited capacity to hold complex sentient minds. Much of this was taken up by models currently being revived and restored following the battle of the Fang, leaving little room for other models.

While concepts such as privacy and common niceties were largely ignored by the droids, a storage area was set aside for any personal effects. What's more, following Essik encouraging them to learn the game, a number of Sabacc tables were placed for weekly sessions among their number.

Repair & Construction Chamber

Housed next to the droid quarters, the repair and construction chamber existed as the onboard workshop of the Yastobaal. A number of mechanical workbenches occupied a large portion of the area, built with a mixture of integrated tools and draws to assist with any project. These were been built with maintenance and reconstruction in mind, allowing for it to operate in a similar manner to the clinic, but with an emphasis on their droid crewmembers. However, it could just as easily operate as places for the construction and modification of equipment, particularly weapons of various designs. Of all the Yastobaal's areas, this was the one in a state of near-constant activity, either in forming replacement parts for the ship or upgrading components. For this reason, the room was soundproofed and remains in heavy operation by several droids, with some learning to take Rhan's place in working when she was not present. Due to the sheer number of pit droids present, a variety of engineering backpacks were locked away in containers about the area. This gave them a degree of greater freedom in both making up for a lack of in-built tools and also recharging from the portable generator installed within its design.

Sensor Bridge

The sensor bridge was an extension of the engineering area, with some facilities pushed forward to the foremost point of the ship. Although this did not boost or bolster the facilities in any way, it worked to offset potential interference from the increased electrical activity from the ship's internal restructuring. The consoles present were previously fitted directly into Engineering, and saw no design alterations despite their reinstallation. The sensors were unenhanced and typical of any civilian model craft. Capable of tracking targets, picking out energy signatures and performing broad sweeps on everything from lifeforms to metal deposits, it nevertheless lacked the precision or strength of military-grade equipment. Equally, ships with enhanced modules featured significant advantages over the Yastobaal, making them largely useful only for scans within a few hundred kilometres or manoeuvring within civilian traffic lanes.

Cargo Spine

The cargo spine was a means to more easily access and examine cargo modules within the Yastobaal's hold. Effectively a single long corridor with a multitude of airlock hatches, it was present to allow passengers held within cargo pods some freedom of movement, and to check on more fragile items being ferried through space. Although a part of the original design, additional airlocks were installed into its framework to try and make some better use of it, and the ship's considerable tonnage hauling capacity, without needing to land and unload each individual crate.

Clinic

A small and late addition to the design, the clinic was the only substantial source of medial support on the ship. Offering two surgery beds and barely enough space for equipment cabinets, it was constructed for short term and essential use. Both of the droids operating the facility saw this as a substantial downgrade over the more extensive eras in which they had worked, but nevertheless made full use of what was on hand. The addition of medical backpacks and field equipment was added to try and substitute for more specialised surgery tools. Although this made it a well-stocked clinic capable of treating blaster damage and minor operations, it nevertheless fell short of offering the support of a military vessel.

Loading Crane Controls

Established on the lower deck for easier observation and control of loading crates, the control system was a means to directly operate the multi-jointed loading crane housed in the vessel's nose. A mixture of sensor read-outs, cameras, and observation ports allowed for the complete repositioning of all cargo pods situated within the vessel's clamshell hull. The twin-seat arrangement was intended for easy predictable movements and precise organisation, although it could be operated by a single individual if required. Following a number of jokes that the Yastobaal would be an infinitely more deadly ship if a giant lightsaber was built for the crane to hold, the arm was decorated in various challenging markings and Jedi visuals.

News Board

The news board was the informal name of a large pillar installed in the Common Area of the ship. Circular in design and fitted with a mixture of salvaged monitor screens and update boards. Each of these was a means by which the crew can keep one another updated on current events, plans, and schedules, along with pulling the most important impending news from the Holonet for daily updates. Although certainly a stop-gap measure without the benefit of a more formalized command and control hub, it nevertheless offered a means for the crew to coordinate their actions.

History

Service to the Rebellion

Laid down in the shipyards of Corellia in 20 BBY, the Yastobaal was a typical example of its class from its inception. Named after the infamous explorer from ages past, the transport was intended initially to operate as an inner rim livestock trader, but a string of poor fortune saw it instead purchased by a small shipping corporation operating out of Chandrila after its original commissioner defaulted on multiple payments. Along with several other transports of its class, the vessel instead flew as a mass delivery vessel for a multitude of worlds across the galaxy, but would soon find a new role under the command of Essik Lyccane.

A veteran of the Clone Wars, Lyccane's growing concern at the new order's choices swayed him into covertly utilising the vessel as a support ship for resistance groups. Initially focusing on making low-level supply runs to smaller cells, the Gand privately sought out essential supplies from surplus sources and criminal enterprises alike, often funding them with his personal fortune. Utilising a small network of drop-off and collection points, Lyccane would collect and then drop the supplies during his journeys. Lyccane gradually replaced its crew with other disillusioned figures who had fought in the Clone Wars, thus allowing him to make larger long-range drops and even entire runs in secret to major Rebel groups. While often requiring them to completely wipe segments of the navigation logs and even disguising their losses by faking pirate attacks, they were able to readily strengthen several groups when supplies were desperately needed.

Risking discovery multiple times, Lyccane was able to avoid being arrested on charges by framing his pro-Imperial employer as a sympathiser to the resistance groups. When the company was forced to scrap a number of its GR-75 Transports, they made sure that they would fall into Rebel hands. Upon having several of its assets seized by order of the Empire, every effort was made to create blind spots and vulnerabilities for the Rebels to raid and capture facilities and ships alike. However, it was clear that these minor acts would only work for a time. Lyccane knew that one suspicious act too many would eventually draw infiltrators or more likely a direct raid by Imperial Intelligence, and began preparing to cut and run at a moment's notice.

Moving the vast majority of essential assets onto the freighters in dummy cargo containers, they began moving them as far from the Core worlds as possible on a series of long-range supply runs to defunct contacts. When the Imperials were able to begin moving against them following unusual flight patterns which might have suggested meeting with Rebel ships, Lyccane tied them up in red tape long enough to broadcast a warning signal to every vessel within the company before quietly departing himself. All eighteen freighters owned by the company defected en masse, using a series of false IFF signals and sensor scramblers to disappear into the Outer Rim territories.

While several of the transports were lost in the evacuation, the Yastobaal was fortunate enough to escape and regroup with the survivors at Polis Massa, where Lyccane announced his plan to openly defect to the Rebellion. Most had been open to the idea, and those who had been wavering on the act of open support were eventually swayed into agreeing with the move. Only two ships and a handful of crewmen objected to this, and instead departed for regions unknown further toward the Outer Rim. After utilising old contacts to communicate with the more prominent Rebel cells, the Yastobaal became part of the Support Services, Lyccane served for over a year in this capacity while occasionally lending his assistance to Ordnance and Supply in gathering Clone Wars era equipment.

After a number of dangerous encounters with Imperial anti-piracy patrols and abrupt searches, the Yastobaal was reconfigured to better defend itself against enemy aggressors. Heavily inspired by the means in which the Mon Calamari had reworked their own warships, Lyccane was able to acquire and then install the prow heavy turbolaser cannons of a Munificent-class star frigate along with two sets of torpedo launchers. Hidden behind a multitude of fake cargo pods and sensor jamming equipment, the ship's upgraded firepower earned it a multitude of kills across its career, culminating in a fleeting battle that saw the destruction of a Guardian-class light cruiser and two escorting Imperial Customs Frigates. This gained some attention from his superiors, and Essik was pressed back to a frontline role, but insisted upon remaining in command of the vessel.

Taking the ship with him after he was dispatched to support the aligned Atrivis Sector Force, it would soon become a command carrier in support of his activities. Granted the military rank of Captain to support his efforts, Essik devised a plan to draw attention away from their territories by initiating a strike on twin Deepdock facilities in the Noonian sector, indicating a stronger rebel presence there. While intended as a false flag operation and denied the resources needed to directly stage such an ambitious strike, Essik was nevertheless able to successfully destroy their target. This had the unintended impact of sparking a number of genuine uprisings against the Imperial administration. Guilt and the weight of his actions made Essik go rogue, with the bulk of the strike team joining him as he pushed to support and organise the varied cells.

For the next several months, the Yastobaal would be used to support a small number of Y-Wings and ambushes on various patrol groups. It would be also used in multiple acts to evacuate troops and make supply drops, reinforcing and improving the status of various resistance cells, until those in the sector fully allied as a single unit and were accepted into the rebellion as another branch. This victory couldn't have been accomplished without Essik's actions, but it was nevertheless bittersweet. Having departed and ignored orders to return, Essik was demoted and stripped of his command, with only his successes blocking an outright court-martial. Dispatched to a more remote position, the transport would fall under the command of a Gotal officer, Johsas Vashon.

With Vashon's command, the ship focused far more upon its role as a supply and deployment ship. With its upgrades stripped and instead gifted to more combat-capable vessels, Vashon's tenure proved to be successful if unremarkable. Avoiding combat and otherwise acting in smuggling and supply duties, the Yastobaal would be among those used to rapidly evacuate Echo Base during the fall of Hoth. Escaping early on into the battle with a cargo full of replacement components for starfighters, it would later regroup with the main Rebel fleet. Absent from the closing Battle of Endor, it would only arrive in the wake of the battle to help repair a number of severely damaged cruisers.

Vashon would continue to command the ship until its supposedly final mission, acting as a troop deployment vessel for a multitude of assault troops during the Liberation of Coruscant. With age and damage wearing down on its frame, it was to be mothballed and stripped of parts, but the later Thrawn Campaign and Operation Shadow Hand would see it pressed back into service under other captains due to a lack of ships. The Yastobaal would be officially retired in 14 ABY to serve as a museum piece, only to be returned once more during the final evacuation of Coruscant during the later wars of the New Republic. Used to bring several hundred civilians free of the world, the ship's fate would go unrecorded in the chaotic years that followed, with it seemingly disappearing after jumping into hyperspace.

The ship would be found years later, abandoned on an unnamed Mid-Rim planet, and left in a semi-operational state. Brought back to full service by one of several groups attempting to revive the New Republic, the ship was gifted again to Essik Lyccane as a means to cement their alliance, and to prove their ability to make full use of their resources. Lyccane took command of the transport once more and, after some examinations to confirm its state, before hiding the ship on one of Kiast's outlying asteroids. As the first of several planned fall-back bases, it was carefully hidden from sight but kept in an operational status. Although Essik only planned to retrieve it in the worst of circumstances, they would soon be forced to utilise the vessel as the Fang's ancient defences reactivated, and its true nature was revealed to all those present.

With both of their transports, the Bug and the Stargazer, gifted to another allied group that had accepted their contingent of students, the Yastobaal would quickly become their primary base of operations. Although most of their equipment had been salvaged, heavy losses among their droid contingent and no immediate facilities would leave the ship largely grounded on Solyiat while its internal structure was refitted to suit their needs.

Modifications

Limited largely by modest funds and an ageing superstructure, the Yastobaal saw no upgrades to its speed, defences, or firepower. Instead, its most prominent upgrade lay with extensive measures to limit potential security hazards. The exterior of the ship featured a large number of false security panels and access points to distract potential intruders, many of which were rigged to deliver electrical discharges if heavily tampered with. The access hatches themselves also saw considerable reinforcement, allowing them to resist anything short of a thermal detonator and military-grade encryption codes to counter slicing attempts against its systems. Finally, the ship's mag-locks were improved, making efforts to prize the ship free of its chosen landing platform an extremely difficult venture without expending considerable time and resources on the attempt.

A further, relatively minor, modification stemmed from some alterations to its interior, stripping away some of the previously established passenger compartments and utilising pods intended for humanoid transportation as modular additions. This ultimately did nothing to affect the ship's overall flight worthiness, or its ability to carry passengers or cargo, but made the vessel more suitable for long-term use as a home by its owners.