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Dynamic-class freighter

< Dynamic-class freighter
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"Ah, there she is—the Ebon Hawk. My pride and joy; the fastest ship in the Outer Rim!"
―Davik Kang gloats about his modified Dynamic-class freighter[6]

The Dynamic-class freighter was a light freighter built by a subsidiary of Core Galaxy Systems on the remote Republic world of Transel around the period of the Mandalorian Wars. A stock Dynamic-class freighter was only modestly armed and shielded; however, the ship was designed to accept modifications without compromising existing systems and most ships were therefore heavily customized by their owners. Though prized for its ability to be modified with ease—a trait advertised by the class's name—Dynamic-class starships were rare throughout the galaxy as only one ship was produced at a time. Dynamic-class freighters had relatively less area onboard to hold cargo than other light freighters but possessed ample space for passengers, allowing the class to operate as a transport. Some of the class's distinct elements such as the cockpit and saucer-shaped hull designs, would appear in later craft; starshipwright Corellian Engineering Corporation drew inspiration from the freighter when designing some of their own ships, including the YT-series freighters released several millennia after the Dynamic-class starship began production.

One of the most notable Dynamic-class freighters, the Ebon Hawk, played a key role in both the Jedi Civil War and later Dark Wars. The ship, so heavily modified that it was difficult to ascertain the ship's builder or origins, was originally owned by various members of the Exchange and Tarisian crime lord Davik Kang before Revan, an amnesic Republic soldier and unknowingly the former Dark Lord of the Sith, stole the ship to escape the Sith fleet's bombardment of Taris during the Jedi Civil War. Shortly thereafter, Revan—as a Jedi Knight and aware of his former position—used the Ebon Hawk in his quest to locate the Sith superweapon known as the Star Forge, and later on a journey through the galaxy's Unknown Regions before his capture. The Ebon Hawk would eventually resurface under the command of Jedi exile Meetra Surik, who used it on her quest to locate several Jedi Masters in hiding after the First Jedi Purge and, later, the elimination of the Sith Triumvirate. Surik would take the ship back into the Unknown Regions to locate the captured Revan, but her death and Revan's continued imprisonment left the Ebon Hawk stranded with no owner.

Characteristics[]

"It's got a temperamental hyperdrive, and the turrets can be sluggish and unresponsive against fast moving fighters."
―Ratrin Vhek, speaking of a heavily modified Dynamic-class freighter[7]

Designed and produced some time before 3963 BBY one at a time on the planet Transel,[4] the Dynamic-class freighter cost 80,000 credits for a new starship, while used ships sold for 30,000 credits. The light freighter was designed and built with modification in mind; as a stock Dynamic-class ship possessed only modest weaponry and shielding, most buyers often took advantage of this adaptive engineering to customize their freighters with more powerful systems. Though not recognized for their speed or toughness, Dynamic-class freighters were regarded as sturdy builds; coupled with the ease of modification, the ship was prized amongst smugglers and traders alike. A class 3 hyperdrive and navigation computer allowed the vessel to move through hyperspace to destinations throughout the galaxy. Landing gear allowed the freighter to berth planetside and aboard larger vessels and space stations.[1]

Dynamic-class

Deck plans for a stock Dynamic-class freighter

The ship could be crewed by two pilots and supported six passengers, allowing it to comfortably function as a transport. An onboard medical bay, located near the central main hold, could provide limited triage options for injured beings. In case of emergency, such as a hull breach, every room aboard the ship was equipped with airlocks which could seal shut, containing the compromised sections and retaining the atmosphere in unaffected areas. The ship carried two standard months worth of consumables, allowing the crew to make extended trips.[1]

Three prongs formed a trident-shaped hull fore of the freighter's midpoint, with the central protrusion extending the farthest. The prongs were asymmetrical; a hull section, containing a landing ramp, was located between the central and starboard prongs. The boxy central section of the ship, with a viewport located at its fore, held the ship's cockpit and communications station. These two rooms were connected via a long hallway to the ship's main hold, located at the ship's center. The flanking port and starboard prongs were mirrored images of each other and contained crew bunks and amenities. A lateral break in the ship's hull plating marked the freighter's midpoint. For armament, a pair of large laser cannons were mounted port and starboard, and dorsal and ventral turrets could be installed just behind the central prong. A ladder, located just behind the main hold, allowed access to these turrets.[1]

The freighter's hull aft of midpoint formed a half-saucer with the fore of the ship. This distinctive design allowed the ship to fit the same area for cargo and systems as a larger, more angular hull; other shipbuilders would later mimic this design even millennia later. Two cargo areas, flanking the engine room in the central aft of the ship, could store 60 tons of cargo. The starboard cargo area was large enough to function as a garage,[1] with ample space to store a swoop bike and workstation,[6] and connected directly to the landing ramp. Two large, circular engines were mounted to the very back of the ship and provided the thrust necessary for the ship to move through realspace at 800 km/h. Dynamic-class freighters often had a predominately grey hull with reddish-orange accents adorning the ship's fore prongs, engine cowlings, and a radial band on the aft saucer section of the hull.[1]

History[]

Sometime before 3963 BBY,[4] starshipwright Core Galaxy Systems purchased an independent company with a single manufacturing plant on the remote Republic[1] Colonies world of Transel in the Transel system[8] in a wave of expansion. Following a corporate reorganization, the Transel-based subsidiary was granted ongoing funding but a lack of oversight which allowed the continued production of a single Dynamic-class freighter at a time. The company relied on the tendency for starship owners to modify their vessels when they designing the Dynamic-class freighter and built their ship to easily adapt to any customization. Even the line's name was chosen to reflect this philosophy. As a result, most freighters in operation were heavily modified.[1]

The class was utilized in a number of scenarios during Mandalorian Wars, the galaxy-spanning series of conflicts between Mandalorian warriors and the Galactic Republic.[9] A Dynamic-class starship was part of the Republic fleet over the Ralltiir system in 3963 BBY;[5] the freighter also appeared above Taris during the Mandalorian invasion of Taris.[10] Shortly after, around 3951 BBY, a crash-landed Dynamic-class freighter located within the hidden base of smuggling group Wavelength Gale on the planet Volik was the rumored resting spot of the mask of Sith Lord Darth Nihilus.[11]

The Ebon Hawk[]

Leviathan Ebon Hawk

The Ebon Hawk, a modified Dynamic-class freighter, evades blaster fire

Perhaps the most notorious starship of the class was the heavily modified Ebon Hawk, owned by a number of notorious criminal groups, including the Exchange, and engineered to perform well beyond its stock specifications.[2] The Ebon Hawk played a pivotal role during the Jedi Civil War fought between Republic and Sith forces in 3956 BBY[9] when Revan,[6] an amnesiac Republic soldier[12] who was also unknowningly the former Dark Lord of the Sith and commander of the Sith, stole the heavily-modified freighter from Tarisian crime lord Davik Kang and used it to escape the bombardment of Taris by the Sith fleet at the command of Revan's former student, Darth Malak. Revan continued to use the ship in his campaign to locate the Star Forge, an ancient superweapon and factory used by the Sith. After the station's destruction and death of Malak,[6] Revan continued to use the ship while exploring the Unknown Regions until his capture, at which point his utility droid T3-M4 took command.[13]

The Ebon Hawk later returned to known space[7] in 3951 BBY during the Dark Wars,[9] which saw the destruction of the Jedi Order and the resurgence of Sith forces, where the ship came under attack and was critically disabled. Once repaired, the Ebon Hawk again played a role against the Sith after Jedi exile Meetra Surik acquired and used the freighter while locating a number of Jedi Masters in hiding after the First Jedi Purge. During Surik's travels, Onderonian general Vaklu falsely portrayed the Ebon Hawk—which had been involved in a small-scale conflict with Onderanian forces—to be a capital ship in order to spark civil war on his home planet. Surik's efforts eventually culminated with the elimination of the Sith Triumvirate and the destruction of fractured planet Malachor V, though her Dynamic-class freighter was heavily damaged during landing. Still, the ship managed to escape the planet's destruction[7] and Surik used the ship to return to the Unknown Regions in an effort to find Revan, though she lost her own life in her search. Her death, Revan's continued imprisonment, and T3-M4's destruction left the Ebon Hawk stranded with no owner.[13]

Legacy[]

Certain design elements of the Dynamic-class freighter persisted throughout galactic history. Sometime during the Great Galactic War fought between the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire, shipbuilder Corellian Engineering Corporation borrowed certain Dynamic-class traits, including the half-saucer and cockpit, to produce the XS stock light freighter.[14] CEC even compared the Dynamic-class freighter to their new ship, showcasing their advancements in freighter design.[15] Millennia later, Corellian Engineering Corporation again drew on features from the Dynamic-class freighter via their own ancient XS stock ships when designing a new line of freighters. The inspiration provided by the ancient ships eventually led to the creation of the YT-series, CEC's most popular line of freighters bearing some of their most recognizable starships, including the YT-1300 light freighter.[14]

Behind the scenes[]

The Dynamic-class freighter first appeared in the video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic,[6] released in 2003,[16] as the Ebon Hawk.[6] Supplemental material to the game, including the ship's Databank entry on StarWars.com, hinted that the origins of the ship were a mystery thanks to its extensive modification.[2] The class would appear in various other material, including the 2004[17] video game sequel to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic,[7] but wouldn't receive a name until the Star Wars Roleplaying Game sourcebook Starships of the Galaxy[1] published in 2007.[18]

In the Dynamic-class freighter's most featured role as the Ebon Hawk in the Knights of the Old Republic series, the ship was used in-game as a "hub", allowing players to travel from world to world and use onboard systems to upgrade equipment. BioWare, the game's designers, intended to evoke the feeling of the Millennium Falcon,[2] Han Solo's YT-1300 freighter prominently featured in the original trilogy of the Star Wars Saga,[9] in both role and functionality. As a result, the Dynamic-class freighter shares several similarities to the YT-1300 light freighter, including the turrets, raised tubular hull sections, and dish-like shape. As many of the systems of the Ebon Hawk were so heavily modified that it was hard determine even its manufacturer or place of origin, some, if not all, of the individual ship's specifications and abilities may have differed from the stock class,[2] though the figures and features shown in Starships of the Galaxy, including deckplans, are specifically designated as belonging to a stock Dynamic-class freighter.[1]

Appearances[]

Sources[]

Notes and references[]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 Starships of the Galaxy, Saga Edition
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Databank title Ebon Hawk in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Calculated directly from Starships of the Galaxy, Saga Edition deckplans using given scale and dimensions.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Dating info
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Knights of the Old Republic 13
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
  8. ↑ The Essential Atlas
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 The New Essential Chronology
  10. ↑ Knights of the Old Republic 23
  11. ↑ WizardsoftheCoast "The Mask of Darth Nihilus" — The Unknown Regions
  12. ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic Encyclopedia
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 The Old Republic: Revan
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Millennium Falcon Owner's Workshop Manual
  15. ↑ SWTOR icon XS Freighter on The Old Republic Holonet (backup link) (content now obsolete; original version)
  16. ↑ IMDb favicon Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic at the Internet Movie Database
  17. ↑ IMDb favicon Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords at the Internet Movie Database
  18. ↑ Amazon-Favicon Starships of the Galaxy (Star Wars Roleplaying Game) on Amazon.com (backup link)
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