Tech Report: Falcon

Falcon

Model: Xaela'tegæ mk7

Manufacturer: Shorsanga Exports

Construction: 2402

Configuration: Enhanced lifting body

Length: 204'

Height: 51'

Width (Fuselage): 58'

Wingspan: 157' at full extension

Wing Sweep: 45°

Decks: 2

Takeoff: Horizontal

Landing: Horizontal

Gravity: Internal field (active graviton stabilizer)

Range Classification: Standard interstellar

Engines: Chaskœl'dar Aerospike Advanced (3)

Directional Thrusters: None (engine integrated)

Mirrorlock Drive: Shorsanga Sacred Gift

Backup Power: Xoel Standard Fusion Core

Shield Generator: Eival'a Mistweaver

Armaments:

4 Talzhara Divine Gleam phaser turrets (point defense)

4 Talzhara Breath of Blades flakburst turrets (point defense)

11 Talzhara Divine Gleam pulse lasers (point defense)

Model Overview:

The name Xaela ("Ambassador") may refer to any of three Bataxi-built merchant shuttles: the small and nimble Xaela'rik ("Swift Ambassador"), the workhorse Xaela'tegæ ("Holy Ambassador"), or the hulking Xaela'muor ("Grand Ambassador"). This report will discuss the Xaela'tegæ; the other variants are simply scaled down and scaled up versions of this base model. 

Considered a spaceplane under Alliance classifications, the Xaela's most striking feature to those familiar with such vessels is its lack of resemblance to a typical spaceplane. This is mostly due to its retractable wings, typically only extended while actively launching or landing. The vessel's lifting body design in fact allows it to take off with its wings retracted, though this only allows low altitude flight. While retracted the Xaela resembles a fairly conventional deep space shuttle.

The Xaela's equipment is unremarkable, befitting a commonly exported design. Most notable is its export-class mirrorlock drive. Mirrorlock, the native FTL method of the Bataxi, functions by isolating and capturing photons and creating a quantum tunnel to their source. In practice this leads to a navigation system using stars as endpoints. Export drives come with extra safety features to counteract the obvious inherent dangers in this system. If one is careful to avoid crashing into a star, mirrorlock navigation is somewhat slower but much simpler than the unpredictability of hyperspace. 

As with any Bataxi export, the Xaela's combat capabilities are strictly defensive. It carries plasma-diffraction shielding, which is highly effective against energy weapons but offers minimal protection from projectiles. A versatile point defense suite includes microwave phasers to scramble guided missiles, as well as flak cannons and pulse lasers for other threats. Though their effective range is extremely short, these lasers are very capable of cutting through even the fuselage of most conventional fighter craft if they get too close.

One notable quirk of the Xaela is the location of the bridge. Early Bataxi ships, in the days before they began building their grand temple-spaceports, were designed as mobile temples. All ship functions were kept to the aft section while the temple structures were in the front; this led to a tradition of placing the bridge immediately forward of the engine bay, even on vessels without temple sections. Though this has no impact in deep space, pilots should be aware that in gravity, a Xaela's handling will feel slightly different than a bridge-forward craft.

Xaela are most often seen among independent races with no native form of spaceflight—specifically those with a Bataxi temple-spaceport on their planet. But Shorsanga is happy to sell the vessels to any interested buyer. Even among the Alliance, some prefer to trade the speed of hyperspace travel for the ease of mirrorlock navigation. Many small trading operations in the Drule Seventh Kingdom also employ the Xaela, given the limitations of piercer drives outside their own territory. Like most of their exports, Bataxi themselves almost never use the Xaela, preferring their proprietary designs.

Falcon (Xaela'tegæ mk7), lower deck

Falcon (Xaela'tegæ mk7), upper deck