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Description

Rathtar Two was one of six experimental prototype ‘Medium Freighters’ developed during a short-lived venture between Sienar Fleet Systems and Corellian Engineering Corporation during the last years of the Clone War.   The venture was to test the viability of a Freighter midway in size between the popular Corellian Light Freighters and bulky Heavy Freighters with the possibility of a product that would include a military variant used by the Republic Navy.


    The result was production of six prototypes; YTS-2521X, each of which was leased to merchants for six years for long term testing.   The end of the Clone Wars and rise of the Empire ended the venture abruptly and all prototypes were recalled.   Two of the six were returned to Sienar and were recycled, three were allegedly ‘hijacked by pirates’ from the merchants testing them and one was surrendered to Corellian Engineering Corporation, which claimed to have destroyed it, though rumors persist that it was purchased by wealthy members of the Rebel Resistance.



    Rathtar Two is one of the four surviving YTS-2521X prototypes, though it is uncertain which of the six it originally was, as it was modified several times over the years, erasing much of the original electronics and identifying information.



    The 2521X prototypes featured extremely thick armor and rounded sections of the hull, designed to give superior protection and resistance to attack.   This added weight was off-set by powerful and efficient engines that made the 2521X surprisingly fast, though not as maneuverable as the YT-1300, YT-2400, VCX-100 or VCX-150 Light Freighters.



    To off-set this, the 2521X was heavily armed with multiple canons and laser turrets.    These weapons were operated by an on-board weapons computer that could coordinate and seamlessly track an enemy ship’s movement between the range of the various turrets’ guns.    This experimental weapons computer system worked very well when tracking four or less starfighter craft, but five or more attacking ships overwhelmed the tracking ability, greatly lessening the accuracy.



    Rathtar Two, sometime after the Clone War had its weapons computer system modified so that the pilot could override control of any turret.   Later, the ship was further modified with a holographic targeting system that utilized the original weapon system so that a dedicated ‘gunner’ seated in a separated section of the bridge, could target enemy craft by plotting their movement while wearing a targeting helmet.   The helmet projected a holographic 360 degree view as if the gunner was the ship himself.   By simply looking directly at an attacking starfighter and firing with a handheld joystick, the gunner could defend the ship (though obviously he could only look at one attacking ship at a time).   This eliminated the need for multiple manned turrets.



     Yet the weapons and electronics needed to run everything only added weight to the ship.   As a result, the 2521X was fuel-hungry, especially inside the atmospheres of planets, where its bulk was most noticeable.   It could be reasonably agile when maneuvering in the weightlessness of space, but gravity was not its friend.    Unlike Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon or Hera Syndulla’s Ghost, the Rathtar Two was far less agile.   It had the power, just too much bulk, so inside planetary atmospheres it would be more likely to shoot its way out in an aerial dogfight.



    The armor, weaponry and electronics also made the interior of the ship much smaller than its outer size would seem to indicate, but careful positioning of the interior made it comfortable.    The cargo hold was only 24’ x 20’.    The bridge is in the center of the ship on the second level, reached by two sets of stairs.    A generous captain’s cabin and first officer’s cabin are also on that level complete with refreshers.



    On the lower level, next to the cargo hold is a humble common area/kitchen for crew meals and two crew rooms, originally holding six bunks in each room.   Both crew rooms have their own refresher and a small common area for the six bunking in each room.   There are no secret compartments like most Corellian freighters. There are two smaller storage rooms that double as access points to the electronics of the ship.



    Four escape pods holding four people are attached to the ship, two on each side and aside from the main cargo bay ramp, there are three access hatches; one on each ceiling of the crew quarters and the last one leading to the roof from the bridge.   These are accessed by ladders.   There are no shuttles or space worthy craft on board, though the cargo bay could hold a small land speeder or several speeder bikes for use on a planet surface.

    It is equipped with a Class 1 Hyperdrive and a backup Class 12.   Its atmospheric maximum speed is 975 kph (606 mph), slightly slower than the Falcon or Ghost.



    The ship’s armor and shielding are top of the line and it has an incredible 23 sets of laser canons or ion canons of varying sizes that protect the ship from most angles.



    It is 64 meters (210 feet) long and 37 meters (120 feet) wide, about 20 meters longer than the Millennium Falcon and Ghost. It is about 15 meters from the bottom of the landing gear to the highest part of the domed cockpit.



    The original crew size was fourteen, but only one person is needed to pilot the ship, though in combat, a gunner would be needed to effectively man the weapons as the modified holographic set-up does not allow the original computer to operate the weaponry without a person controlling the firing of the weapon.

Description

Rathtar Two was one of six experimental prototype ‘Medium Freighters’ developed during a short-lived venture between Sienar Fleet Systems and Corellian Engineering Corporation during the last years of the Clone War.   The venture was to test the viability of a Freighter midway in size between the popular Corellian Light Freighters and bulky Heavy Freighters with the possibility of a product that would include a military variant used by the Republic Navy.


    The result was production of six prototypes; YTS-2521X, each of which was leased to merchants for six years for long term testing.   The end of the Clone Wars and rise of the Empire ended the venture abruptly and all prototypes were recalled.   Two of the six were returned to Sienar and were recycled, three were allegedly ‘hijacked by pirates’ from the merchants testing them and one was surrendered to Corellian Engineering Corporation, which claimed to have destroyed it, though rumors persist that it was purchased by wealthy members of the Rebel Resistance.



    Rathtar Two is one of the four surviving YTS-2521X prototypes, though it is uncertain which of the six it originally was, as it was modified several times over the years, erasing much of the original electronics and identifying information.



    The 2521X prototypes featured extremely thick armor and rounded sections of the hull, designed to give superior protection and resistance to attack.   This added weight was off-set by powerful and efficient engines that made the 2521X surprisingly fast, though not as maneuverable as the YT-1300, YT-2400, VCX-100 or VCX-150 Light Freighters.



    To off-set this, the 2521X was heavily armed with multiple canons and laser turrets.    These weapons were operated by an on-board weapons computer that could coordinate and seamlessly track an enemy ship’s movement between the range of the various turrets’ guns.    This experimental weapons computer system worked very well when tracking four or less starfighter craft, but five or more attacking ships overwhelmed the tracking ability, greatly lessening the accuracy.



    Rathtar Two, sometime after the Clone War had its weapons computer system modified so that the pilot could override control of any turret.   Later, the ship was further modified with a holographic targeting system that utilized the original weapon system so that a dedicated ‘gunner’ seated in a separated section of the bridge, could target enemy craft by plotting their movement while wearing a targeting helmet.   The helmet projected a holographic 360 degree view as if the gunner was the ship himself.   By simply looking directly at an attacking starfighter and firing with a handheld joystick, the gunner could defend the ship (though obviously he could only look at one attacking ship at a time).   This eliminated the need for multiple manned turrets.



     Yet the weapons and electronics needed to run everything only added weight to the ship.   As a result, the 2521X was fuel-hungry, especially inside the atmospheres of planets, where its bulk was most noticeable.   It could be reasonably agile when maneuvering in the weightlessness of space, but gravity was not its friend.    Unlike Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon or Hera Syndulla’s Ghost, the Rathtar Two was far less agile.   It had the power, just too much bulk, so inside planetary atmospheres it would be more likely to shoot its way out in an aerial dogfight.



    The armor, weaponry and electronics also made the interior of the ship much smaller than its outer size would seem to indicate, but careful positioning of the interior made it comfortable.    The cargo hold was only 24’ x 20’.    The bridge is in the center of the ship on the second level, reached by two sets of stairs.    A generous captain’s cabin and first officer’s cabin are also on that level complete with refreshers.



    On the lower level, next to the cargo hold is a humble common area/kitchen for crew meals and two crew rooms, originally holding six bunks in each room.   Both crew rooms have their own refresher and a small common area for the six bunking in each room.   There are no secret compartments like most Corellian freighters. There are two smaller storage rooms that double as access points to the electronics of the ship.



    Four escape pods holding four people are attached to the ship, two on each side and aside from the main cargo bay ramp, there are three access hatches; one on each ceiling of the crew quarters and the last one leading to the roof from the bridge.   These are accessed by ladders.   There are no shuttles or space worthy craft on board, though the cargo bay could hold a small land speeder or several speeder bikes for use on a planet surface.

    It is equipped with a Class 1 Hyperdrive and a backup Class 12.   Its atmospheric maximum speed is 975 kph (606 mph), slightly slower than the Falcon or Ghost.



    The ship’s armor and shielding are top of the line and it has an incredible 23 sets of laser canons or ion canons of varying sizes that protect the ship from most angles.



    It is 64 meters (210 feet) long and 37 meters (120 feet) wide, about 20 meters longer than the Millennium Falcon and Ghost. It is about 15 meters from the bottom of the landing gear to the highest part of the domed cockpit.



    The original crew size was fourteen, but only one person is needed to pilot the ship, though in combat, a gunner would be needed to effectively man the weapons as the modified holographic set-up does not allow the original computer to operate the weaponry without a person controlling the firing of the weapon.