Freighter
From Wookieepedia, the Star Wars wiki.
Freighter (or barge) was the term given to any spacecraft that was used to transport freight or cargo (such as parts and supplies). Both legitimate businesspersons and smugglers could be found captaining such transports. Freighters were needed from the time space travel began because of the need for supplies to all reaches of the galaxy. Freighters usually traveled with hyperdrives because people would often pay more for quick delivery.
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[edit] Trade
For obvious reasons, freighters were used mainly for trade. Although very few fought in great battles, many freighters did see action. Smugglers and legitimate traders alike had some tangles now and then, but freighters were often armed and shielded so that they could resist attempts on their cargo.
[edit] Smuggling
Often, smugglers would be chased by authorities or even dissatisfied customers. Sometimes, as in Han Solo's case, their employers would get angry at them for one reason or another, and put a bounty on their heads-and their ships.
Smugglers often added upgrades to their ships for maximum performance. Some freighters were so cross wired and non traditional that no mechanic could work on them effectively. The smugglers themselves would have to fix them when something went wrong. Most smugglers preferred it that way. They didn't trust anyone tampering with their prized possessions.
To a smuggler, their freighter was everything. Their job, their home, their lives. Many smugglers lived in the ships they bought or built. Most smugglers hired a copilot, such as Chewbacca on the Millennium Falcon.
The smugglers freighters usually had numerous secret compartments to hide their goods to get past security checks and such. One of the main goods smugglers carried was spice, which was controlled by the government and hard to find for some.
[edit] Appearances
- Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (First appearance)
- Practically every Star Wars movie, book, comic, and video game.
