You  begin  your career,  your ship equipped with a  single  forward-firing pulse laser,  3 homing missiles,  7 light years of fuel, and the sum of 100 Credits  (CR),  ready  to embark from a space station in orbit  around  the planet Lave.

The Cobra Mk III is the best of the medium-range,  medium capacity fighter- traders,  and  is  an ideal ship for new traders intent on  building  their fortunes, or new combateers who will constantly need to finance the cost of both armaments and non-combative equipment.

The  ship  is  highly maneuverable,  has a  good  C-holding  factor  during hyperspace transit,  can hold sufficient Quirium H-fuel for a  7-light-year single  jump  and  has  full Auto Trading Systems Link  for  use  at  space stations.   Further,  it  is  protected by Dual  Zieman  Energy  Deflection Shields,  powered by 4 energy banks,  and has a powerful,  rapid-fire pulse laser mounted on the forward hull segment.  Flight controls and elegant and simple, and ThruSpace GravDistort communications systems.  Its life support functions are varied and flexible to ensure maximum comfort during  trading or hunting operations.

Pilot  licences  are  issued only at the planet Lave,  and  it  is  likely, therefore,  that  you are now docked at a Coriolis station in orbit  around that particular world.  Lave is a rich, agricultural dictatorship, but is a reasonably  safe world at which to begin your endeavors.   GalCop  and  the Lave  Authorities  allow practice docking and departure runs to  all  their space  stations here,  and you would be advised to take advantage  of  this facility.

THE  CARGO  HOLD fills the bulk of the mid-space area,  and the  cargo  bay doors  open downwards.   The capacity in an unmodified Cobra is 20  1-tonne canisters.   Extra cargo space may be acquired by extending the cargo  bay, which  does  not  affect  maneuverability.   Tonne  canisters  (TC)  attach magnetically  to the cargo arms within the bay,  and 2 AutoShuttles  occupy the central space.

THE BRIDGE has seats for pilot and co-pilot,  a MedStim Center, entrance to the escape pod,  descent well to living quarters,  communications  console, special  suit  locker,  RemLock  supply  case,  attachment  facilities  for AutoDock  System and a hand-weapons locker.   The main wall is occupied  by the scanner screen, astrogation console and main systems monitors.

THE  DRIVE SECTOR houses the directional thrusts,  the System Space  Kruger "lightfast" motors,  and the Irrikon Thru-Space drives.   Also here are the rear laser housings,  the ECM capsule,  the Zieman shield  generators,  and energy  banks,  and the Witch-Space fuel condensors (Quirium).   There  are both internal and external access panels.  Radiation level is high.

THE  LIVING  AND  HYGIENE SECTION is below the  main  bridge,  and  reached through a descending gravity well.   Two bunks, food dispensing facilities, waste disposal (including high-tox copper exudate for Aonians), SynPleasure relaxapads, and videos.

THE EQUIPMENT LEVEL runs throughout the ship,  and houses all energy  banks for lasers, plus the missile rests, with dispatch shafts to the lower hull. The  communications  center is here,  and the escape pod (with  a  separate entrance from the bridge) life support systems,  cryogen tanks (two) and 40 cubic meters of FacsEnvironment for emergency use.

There are 4 possible "Conditions":   DOCKED means that you are docked in  a space station at the Present System; GREEN means that there is no immediate danger; YELLOW indicates enemy ships in the vicinity; Condition RED signals a high-risk on-going death-type combat situation.

"Legal Status" refers to your Galactic Police record.  If this is CLEAN you have nothing to worry about, but as an OFFENDER or, still worse, a FUGITIVE you are likely to be attacked by police ships.

The "Rating" is a dispassionate assessment of your performance in combat so far.

Current  cash  and  fuel are also displayed,  along with  a  list  of  ship fittings.

The status page is always retrievable by pressing F9.

Commander Jameson's rating is 'harmless' which is surprising when you consider the equipment and cash he has managed to amass. In fact as his status suggests this has been achieved with considerable business acumen

As  you sail through space between the stars,  and as you trade,  you  will live with your combat rating.   You will begin as HARMLESS.  If you survive your first skirmish you may be reclassified as MOSTLY HARMLESS.  But on the slow climb to a status level that reflects a growing talent for combat  you will have to engage many different ships,  in many different skirmishes, in the System Space of many different worlds.  You will be classified as POOR, then AVERAGE,  then ABOVE AVERAGE,  then COMPETENT.   Then you will  become DANGEROUS, then DEADLY.  An at last, a few will become ELITE.

Your kills are photographed and transmitted by TS ComDirect to the  nearest GalCop  Federal Law Center.   Your rating as a combateer will  increase  in direct proportion.

Fly your Cobra craft wisely and carefully.   Remember:  other pilots may be attempting to increase their own combat rating by attacking either innocent traders,  or police Vipers (the ships of the GalCop Police Force).   If you resort to such tactics (or if your adopt the fast-credit routine and  trade in illegal goods) then your combat rating may rise,  but your legal status: CLEAN -> OFFENDER -> FUGITIVE,  will make you Public Enemy Number One  with the Federation Crime Monitoring Authority and you will not be left alone.

KEY FUNCTION - STATUS
F9	Status page accessed by pressing F9

Navigational  strategy depends of course upon your aims in  life.   If  you think you have what it take sot become elite,  you will need to chart  your path through the galaxies with care and great precision.   You will wish to equip your ship as fully and as early as possible.   You  will,  therefore, need to study the trading section of this manual so that you can work out a profitable  trading  route in order to be able to afford the  weaponry  you will require.   You will wish to lead;  in general, the more risks you take (travelling  to  dangerous planets or trading  in  contraband  goods),  the faster  you may equip your ship but the quicker you will  be  killed.   You will  discover that life in the 8 galaxies is a question of  fine  balance. Although  it  may seem,  at first,  that indiscriminate carnage is  a  soft option  (kills  improve  your  rating,  after  all),  as  your  skills  and experience of living in space mature, you will quickly discover that piracy is a short-lived career.

Success in this context is a mosaic of talents:  combative,  certainly, buy thinking and decision-making talents too.

Here you are introduced to all the controls which will eventually be useful to you in developing a route through the 8 galaxies.

Use the joystick,  mouse or cursor keys to move the small cross over to one of the dots, and hit F7.

WORLDATA LINK. The Orbit Space Authority takes no responsibility for  the accuracy of the information registered here,  but the trader may gain  some idea  of  the  relative  wisdom of trading with the  world  whose  data  is displayed.   The  information shown is distance,  type of main  life  form, degree  of  agricultural or industrial  development,  with  industrial  and technological  level displayed on a scale of 1-12.   The  government  type, ranging from Corporate State to Anarchy, will be a strong indication of the danger of trading with the system.

Use F5 again to return to the chart and acquire information about some more planets.

The  larger  of the crosses on the chart shows where your ship is  and  the circle shows how far it can jump with its current hyperspace fuel.

Hit B key to return the small cross to the larger one.

LOCAL NAVIGATION CHART (F6).  This is a high power chart of all planets in the immediate vicinity of your docking world.   Since the Cobra ship has  a maximum  single  H-jump range of 7 light years,  the target world  must  be chosen carefully.  The target cursor, used in conjunction with the Worldata link, will indicate dangerous or likely worlds for trade. If the cross moves off the screen,  use the B key to bring it back.  Notice also that the D key will tell you how far away the system nearest the small cross is.

KEY FUNCTION - NAVIGATION
F5	Galactic chart
F6	Local chart
D	Distance to system
B	Retrieve cursor cross
F7	Data on system
Cursor keys	Cross-sight cursor for local and galactic systems

A new dodecahedral design (the so-called "Dodo" stations) is replacing  the Coriolis  design  in  the more advanced  systems.   Coriolis  stations  are hexagonal  in  approximate shape.   They spin along a single  axis  running vertically from the planet below.  One side of the station always faces the planet, and it is on this facet that the access tunnel is located.

Coriolis  stations  were designed at the GASEC  (Galactic  Astronautic  and Space Exploration Center) Laboratories on the planet Vetitice.   The  first station was in orbit around the world Lave in 2752.

Coriolis  stations have powerful defensive shields (against  pirate  attack and inept docking) and a large fleet of Viper fighters,  and several larger types of ship.   The inside of the station is free-space, and on each inner facet of the station there are berthing and refueling  facilities,  as well as cities, hospitals, farmlands and leisure-scapes.

Each  Coriolis station has a diameter of 1 standard  kilometer.   They  can berth  2000 ships,  and support a fair-sized colonial life  development  of humanoids.

Pitch and yaw maneuver requires bi-digital play on keyboard model (<,>,S,X)

Notice  the small dot moving around inside the large circle on  the  dials. This  is  your compass;  the dot corresponds to the position of  the  space station.  If the dot is small then the station is behind you.  When the dot is  large and in the center of the circle,  you should be able to  see  the space station directly in front of you.

Practice rotating the space station off the screen and using the compass to find it again.

You  might  see  some Cobra Class ships.   These  are  other  traders  like yourself,  and will not harm you unless you shoot at them.   If you do this they will either attack or,  alternatively,  run away.  Should you use them for combat practice, do not expect the space station to turn a blind eye to such unruly behavior.   Nothing will attack you while you are within  sight of the space station - unless you make a nuisance of yourself.

It is not possible to land on the planet,  and flying into planets or space stations  is  fatal.   The altimeter shows your height above  the  planet's surface, and you should not let it fall too low.

(If  you  are  a new pilot,  now is your best chance  to  practice  docking maneuvers with the space station at Lave.   The Lave Orbit Space  Authority permits an unlimited number of practice runs by newly appointed pilots, and does  not charge.   This facility is suspended during attack,  or when  the Coriolis station has no free docking space.

1. (FU)  Fuel level.
2. (CT)   Cabin temperature will increase and the console  register  this when your ship flies too close to a sun.
3. (AL)   Altimeter.   You altitude above your destination planet can  be crucial.  Flying too near its surface will be fatal. (flight grid scanner)
4. (x1 - upper left corner of scanner)  Radar Magnification.
5. (S)  S refers to the space station and indicates that you are on target for it and within its protective range.
6. Compass (upper right corner of scanner).   This instrument first picks up  a target planet while it remains out of range of the  main  flight-path scanner.  When the planet's space station nearest to you comes within range of  it,  the compass picks up that instead.   When the dot  is  small,  the object is behind you;  when large and in the center of the compass  circle, it should be visible through your front viewfinder.
7. Flight grid scanner.   This sophisticated instrument displays a three- dimensional view of space in the immediate vicinity of your ship, seen from a point behind and above it.   The precise position of any ship within  its range can be pinpointed. (bars to the right of the flight grid scanner)
8. (SP)   Forward velocity should be maintained at maximum  on  planetary approach.  Keep it low during space station approach, and minimal for final docking.
9. (RL and DC)  Gyro orient bar indicators show right/left roll and dive/ climb status.

During space flight only,  F1,  F2,  F3, and F4 provide access to views all around your ship.

Use F5 or F6 to display a chart (galactic or local, respectively), and move the smaller cross to choose a larger planet, press F1, then hit H.  After a short delay, the hyperjump motors will engage.

On arrival in a new planetary system,  after transit from  hyperspace,  you will find yourself at some distance from your target world.   This conforms with GC Flight Law.

Even  in the safest systems there can be unseen dangers,  and you  will  be well advised to approach orbit space,  and the safety of the space station, as  quickly as possible.   Increase forward velocity to maximum.   At  this point you can take full advantage of the space-skip facility  (J).   Inter- space jumping does not function (because of interference patterns) if there is another ship, a planet or a sun in the immediate vicinity.

Soon  your ship's computer will pick up the beacon signals of  the  nearest orbital space station and will re-engage the compass to track that  instead of  the target planet.   Once the Cobra is within scanning  and  protective range of the Coriolis station,  the flight-grid scanner will begin to track it.   Its  own defenses are now available for your  protection.   The  scan console will register the letter "S" as long as the space station is within range.

Locate the Coriolis station and approach it.   The entrance tunnels to  all these stations face the mother planet.  Fly near to the station and then on towards  the  planet (monitoring altitude carefully).   By turning  a  half circle you will now find your ship orientated towards the entrance.

Approach the final moments of docking at DEAD SLOW SPEED.   Failure to dock cleanly  can be fatal but may simply result in your scraping the  sides  of the  aperture,  with  consequent  loss of  defensive  shield(s)  and  quite possible your cargo.  Manually control the Cobra's roll motion to match the rotation  of  the  Coriolis station.   The entry port  must  be  as  nearly horizontal as possible.

If docking is successful;  the protective field across the station entrance is  penetrated,  and a break pattern appears on the  screen.   Berthing  is handled automatically.

Docking  protocol,  and  Orbit Space Regulations,  are  numerous,  and  are available  in the GC Orbit and System Space Code,  published by  Federation Planet Bureau.

KEY FUNCTION - FLYING
F1	Launch
SPACE	Increase velocity
J	Space skip
/ (SLASH	,Decrease velocity)
<	Counterclockwise roll
>	Clockwise roll
S	Dive
X	Climb
G then H	Inter-galactic hyperdrive
C	Docking computer toggle on/off

If the status screen, during flight, shows YELLOW or RED, prepare to engage in combat.

Laser  fire striking the defensive shields makes a light screeching  sound. Listen for laser fire striking the hull direct.  Through damaged screens it makes a low, screeching sound.  DANGER.

An  incoming  missile will be detected,  tracked,  and  a  warning  message flashed on main screen.

Some star pilots are braver than others and pirate ships may break off  and run  in  the face of stiff resistance.   Some appear to know no fear  -  in particular  Thargoid  vessels,  whose captains have had their  fear  glands surgically removed.

Lone-wolf traders - such as Cobra pilots - are constantly  at  risk  from other Spacefaring types.   An understanding of other  loners,  packhunters, and bounty killers is essential.

Bounty Hunters Unless you have achieved FUGITIVE status,  and especially if you are highly ranked as a combateer as well as being a criminal,  bounty hunters will not bother  a  ship as insignificant as a Cobra Mk 3.   In  fact,  many  bounty hunters  favor Cobra trade-ships as they make an excellent  disguise.   But the real killers star-ride in the sleek, and highly efficient, Fer-de-Lance Lightspeeder,  in which they live for months at a time.  Bounty hunters can always be found outside Orbit Space, especially around worlds classified as "dangerous".   They  are  invariably of combat  rating:  DEADLY  or  ELITE. Bounty hunters rarely identify themselves to passing ships, and if pestered too closely will usually kill.

Pirate Vessels There  are  several  ways  of identifying a  space-going  ship  as " pirate occupied ",  and this is essential since pirates and renegades will take any ship  for their purpose,  from a Worm to a massive Python.   Pirates  exist everywhere in the galaxy, but cluster mainly around unstable GalCop worlds, especially worlds run on a feudal or anarchic system.

Small ships hovering very distant from a planet are pirates.   Large  ships accompanied  by a mixture of small fighter types are pirates.   Ships  that refuse  to acknowledge identification signals are pirates.   Around  worlds run  by autocracies,  or clans,  pirates will very often have been paid  to leave trade ships alone.   Piracy is a huge, and complex, business, and any life-respecting trader will learn the tell-tale signs of pirate presence.

Police In  a Co-operative of Worlds as complex as the 2040 planets f  the  GalCop, the police can be as menacing as they can be helpful.   The typical  police vessel  is  a  Viper GH Class PulseShip,  which  is  very  fast,  and  very maneuverable.   They  are on constant standby on every Coriolis  and  Dodec space station,  and will attack - a pirate,  or a fugitive trader -  within seconds.   They  do not make arrests,  they destroy.   There are  different police   departments  serving  different  purposes  -   narcotics,   space- drunkenness, psychotic shooting, piracy, slave trading, etc. - but all have small fleets of these very fast Viper patrol craft.

Thargoid Invasion Ships and Thargons The Thargoids are humankind's deadly enemy,  and throughout the 8  galaxies there are at least 50 war zones between humanity and Thargoid.  This highly technologically advanced insectoid race is also at war with 17 other space- going life-forms.

All Thargoid combateers are ruthless in combat,  and some may be comparable with elite-status human combat pilots.

Though  most  of  the  Thargoid Space Fleet is  currently  engaged  by  the Galactic  Navy in InterGalactic Space,  a few of the smaller  battle  ships make  occasional  destructor-raids  into  human  space.   These  ships  are extremely  fast  for  their size and  invariably  have  anti-missile  (ECM) Systems.

Additionally,  most  Thargoid  battle ships carry  several  small,  remote- controlled "thargons", killer-craft each equipped with a single, but highly advanced,  pulse-laser.   The Galactic Navy are developing their own  deep- space  RemCraft,  and  pay a large bounty for any thargon  craft  that  are brought to them.

(N.B.  Bounty on Thargoid invasion craft destroyed is very high.   Thargoid battle-cruisers believed to be able to "hover" in Witch-Space  (hyperspace) and destroy through-coming craft).

Rock Hermits Pirates,  aging bounty hunters,  or planetary outcasts,  who create  living space out of asteroids.   They usually choose large asteroids,  and set  up signal beacons to warn off miners.   GalCop Law protects Rock Hermits,  but since most of the asteroid is hollowed-out, there is little advantage to be gained by "mining" them anyway.

Generation Ships Before  the  development of the WS Thru-Space drive,  in  all  its  various forms,  interstellar travel occurred in large,  self-sustaining environment ships  -  Generation Ships - most of which have now been logged  and  their progress monitored.   There are more than seventy thousand of these immense vessels  ploughing their way through the galaxy,  some of them  into  their 30th  generation.   The  penalty  for interference with such  a  vessel  is marooning.

Space Dredgers These immense factory ships are to be found wherever there has been a  war, or a Thargoid invasion,  or a natural catastrophe.   More than forty  miles long,  the dredgers are a life-form to themselves.   The Dredgers are  huge cities in space, feeding off debris and ruination.  Heavily armed, and with fleets of reconditioned fighter ships, they are to be avoided at all cost.

1. (FS & AS)  Defensive shields take power from two energy bank  sources, fore and aft.
2. (missile)  Missile status depicts the number of missiles on board  and whether  they are "targetted" (purple) or "untargetted" (green) or  " locked and ready to fire" (red).
3. (LT)   Laser  temperature will rise during continuous  firing  of  the ship's  laser(s).    As  the  central  housing  overheats,   a  laser  will temporarily cut out rather than destroy the system. (flight grid scanner)
4. The 3-dimensional scanner operates in such as way that you can pinpoint a  ship above and below yours,  as well as to the front,  behind or to  the sides.  The vertical bars show this clearly. (bars to the right of the scanner)
5. (1,2,3,4)   Energy banks will rapidly drain if defensive  shields  are taking excessive fire.  Using lasers or an ECM System will also drain their resources.   When  the fourth bank is tapped,  an ENERGY LOW  message  will flash onto the screen.  Eventually, in normal circumstances, the banks will be automatically replenished by surface radiation absorption.

The  Cobra  astrogation console accommodates a single laser-fire  key  (A). Pilots with joysticks use the fire button of course.   Even fully  equipped only one laser may be fired at a time.   If a laster overheats it will  not fire (observe the laser temperature bar).

Lasers are the principal armament of all space fighters.

Pulse  lasers will be offered for sale at planets of Tech level 3 or  above (see Trading).  Beam Lasers will be offered at Tech level 4 or above.  If a beam laser replaces a pulse laser the price of the pulse laser is  refunded after the beam one has been fitted.

 Pulse Laser Specification: Ingram  Model  1919A4 Pulse Laser is recommended for all  positional  laser mountings,   but   is  especially  effective  for   rear-shooting.    Fires intermittent laser "rods" 610mm in length,  with a cycle rate of 1500 RoPM. The  barrel is of high grade Allutium fiber,  lined with tempered  QuQorian Silica.   Power  provided directly from inverse energy banks  contained  in main  ship's drive.   Each rod is capable of piercing 267mm of  Flux-Locked metal.

Beam Laser Specification: Ingram Model M1928A2 is highly recommended for front shooting.  beam lasers fire continuous laser strands, up to 150 in parallel.  Barrel is Allutium + lined with tensioned plastiglass, and as with the 1919A4 Pulse laser, power is provided by main drive link.  Beam lasers are capable of slicing through 410mm FL metal.

Military  lasers are the very height of  sophistication.   Costing  fifteen times  the  price of a pulse laser and available only on  planets  at  Tech level 10, it is an extremely effective piece of hardware. (See also Mining lasers under Non-Combative Equipment)

 Military Laser Specification: Range  and penetration twice as effective as the Ingram Model M1928A2  beam laser.   This  is Lance & Ferman's entre into the laser  market.   Hitherto known for their highly effective and relatively cheap missile  systems,  in the  military laser they have in effect created a whole new  laser  market. The LF90 is the current computer-aided model and comes with x4SUSAT sights.

Before a missile can be fired it must be locked onto a target.  When fired, it  will  home  in  on  that target  and  destroy  it,  unless  your  enemy successfully  takes  on of the precautions described  above.   The  missile launch  mechanism is very reliable and hardly ever jams.   Missiles can  be locked onto targets in any view (F1, F2, F3 or F4).

The targeting sequence is engaged by hitting the T key.  The square missile status  indicator on the astrogation console will then turn  purple.   When any possible target enters the cross-hair region the missile will lock onto it,  the missile status block turning red.  A beep will sound to inform you of this.

Pressing  the I key switches on the ship ID computer.   This computer  will tell  you the class of the next enemy ship to pass in front of your  cross- hairs, and then it will automatically Lock a missile onto that ship.

The  M key will then fire the missile.   The U key (Unarm) will  abort  the sequence at any time before firing.

Missile Specification: Lance  &  Ferman Homing Missiles (4x4) are now recommended  for  all  small class  trade-combat  ships,  but can be fitted as part of  a  mixed  design weapon  rack.   LF  missiles have 2IL-135 guidance  systems,  and  optional manual  directional  control overrides.   Warhead packed  with  Terminal  9 explosive,  and the 4x4 is invulnerable to all known counteraction,  except ECM systems.  Capable of Megazon Destruct Force 7.  Prototype first used in 2987, during Ineran Wars.

Readily available and relatively cheap at 30 credits missiles are extremely effective weapons. T targets a missile when an enemy is in your sites (a bleep confirms this). F will fire it. U will unarm it. In the picture this ship's energy banks are about to be substantially reduced.

Energy Bomb Specification: Medusa Pandora Self Homing Energy Bomb (available at Tech Level 7 worlds or higher)  is a tactical weapon capable of Megazon Destruct  Force  13.   Has heat  radius of 900 km.   Developed by Klaus-Kline laboratories for  multi- role combat using "launch-and-leave" techniques.

The  ship's computer will keep you informed of any damage to your ship  and will also warn you when energy levels are dangerously low.

An  Extra Energy Unit may be fitted at planets of Tech level 8  or  higher, and  doubles the energy bank replenishment rate.   This is the energy  unit with the copper colored top.   No other unit looks like it,  or lasts  like it.

Defensive Shield Specification: The shields consist of hi-tense flux webs of Zieman-charged  sub-particles. They are weakest where the laser and missile tubes pass through the  ship's hull,  and along the central ship bank where the two shields  overlap,  and cause a stress zone.

Anti-missile (ECM) System Specification: Radiant-Magnetic  "wipe-out" using ion-saturation theory developed by  Bell and Braben on riedquat 359.  Electronic Counter Measures Systems use minute charged particles of InterSpac heavy Element dust,  releasing their radiant energy and setting up expanding nuclear flux chains.

However,  this  item comes with a widely recognized insurance  cover  which will guarantee you a new Cobra Class ship,  equipped in like  manner.   The contents of the cargo hold is exempt from this protection.

Since  the  unique  IR signature of a ship's hull is used  to  file  police records,   abandoning   your  ship  in  this  way  will  have  the   effect (unfortunately exploited as much by galactic brigands as trader victims) of clearing your police record.

You  may see an escape capsule leaving an enemy ship.   This will not  harm you unless you crash into it.

Escape Capsule Specification: Recommended model is the Xeesian FastJet LSC 7, which can support two human life-forms for seven weeks, in moderate Suspended An.state.

Since  fuel  scoops utilize powerful electro-magnetic fields to  guide  the solar  winds  into  their converters,  they may also be  used  to  pick  up miscellaneous  space  debris.   Almost all pirate vessels are  fitted  with these so that they can blast their prey apart and sift among the  wreckage, rather than attempt to dock with a hostile craft.

Once fuel scoops are installed, you can scoop up an object (such as a cargo canister)  by keeping it in the lower half of the screen view  areas  while flying right up to it.

Fuel Scoop Specification: Fuel scoops are considered an essential for Deep Space,  and dangerous zone trading.   They have a standard design,  and a standard fitment.   They use powerful  electromagnetic fields to guide solar wind or small space  debris into their ReQax convertors.

Cargo Bay Extension Specification: Standard model is the Mariner Freight Chamber.

Docking Computer Specification: The  SinCorn RemLock D&A System is a sophisticated and expensive  piece  of gadgetry.  It comes with MemnSomn pilot interaction to induce hi-cram sleep during the maneuvers.

IGH Specification: although  a  number of manufacturers have supported a whole  range  of  IGH motors,  it is recommended you remain loyal to Xexor/Hikan who provide  the standard hyperspace transit drives.

Mining Lasers Specification: Kruger Model ARM64 Sp.  Mining laser is highly recommended as both a  trade and combat addition.   Uses variable frequency laser rods of 200mm  length, fired  in  wide beam,  100 channels/beam.   Automatic  debris-pattern  lock ensures  no  fragments  of large size of target asteroid  impinge  on  ship space.  can be fitted with a fuel and matter scoop.

KEY FUNCTION - COMBAT
A	Fire laser
T	arget missile
I	Ship ID computer
M	Fire missile
U	Unarm missile
E	Operate ECM
TAB	Launch energy bomb
Q	Launch escape capsule
F4	Equipment acquisition

Most space stations have made the process of trading very simple,  in order to  facilitate  a  fast turnover in goods and  ships.   Import  and  export tariffs  -  which  are high on some worlds -  are  automatically  added  or deducted  and  this  is reflected in the  prices  shown.   The  auto-trader system,  employed  by the Cobra,  does not allow for more specific  trading deals to be performed.

A selection of the more valuable alien items that are tradeable is given in this manual, but the trader must deal with them in person.

Once docked you are linked directly with the CorCom Trade System.   At your request you can obtain a list of basic trade items available for purchase.

Slaves  are  measured by the tonne in galactic trading.   This may  seem  a little strange,  but it includes the cryogenic suspension system  necessary to  keep  them alive during space travel.   The slave  trade,  once  almost eliminated by the Galactic government is now returning, despite the efforts of the Galactic Police Force to suppress it.                                                          

ITEM		AVERAGE PRICE/CR
Food	(Simple organic products, see below)	4.4 tonne
Textiles	(Unprocessed fabrics)	6.4   "
Radioactives	(Ores and by-products)	21.2   "
* Slaves	(Usually humanoid)	8.0   "
Liquor/Wines	(Exotic spirits from unearthy flora)	25.2   "
Luxuries	(Perfumes, Spices, Coffee)	91.2   "
* Narcotics	(Tobacco, Arcturan Megaweed)	114.8   "
Computers	(Intelligent machinery)	84.0   "
Machinery	(Factory and farm equipment)	56.4   "
Alloys	(Industrial Metals)	32.8   "
* Firearms	(Small-scale artillery, sidearms, etc)	70.4   "
Furs	(Includes leathers, Millennium Wompom Pelts)	56.0   "
Minerals	(Unrefined rock containing trace elements)	8.0 kg
Gold		37.2 kg
Platinum		65.2 kg
Gem-stones	(Includes jewelry)	16.4 g
Alien Items	(Artifacts, Weapons, etc)	27.0 tonne
* These items are defined as illegal by the Galactic Government, so trading  in them is risky.

F8 activates a list of basic trade items at current market prices.

Shown on this list are the quantities of each item available (vertical  bar to  the right of the item),  and the current market price per  unit.   Most CorCom Trade Systems deal exclusively under blanket  categories,  including Food, Machinery, Minerals and Gemstones.

The prices shown at the time of trading represent an offer to you and  will be guaranteed while you are in Trading Mode.

F10 offers an inventory of cargo, fuel and cash. F3 puts you in purchase mode.

If you wish to buy,  numerically indicate the amount you wish to  purchase; autoSCAM  modules will immediately load your purchase into the  cargo  bay. your screen will indicate your remaining credit facility.

The Cobra trade ship must dock with a Coriolis space station before  buying or selling cargo.   It has no Free Space trade facility, apart from routine jettisoning of cannisters.

Once  docked,  the  selling  process is automated,  although  there  is  no requirement to sell.  F2 puts you in selling mode.

To make money as a trader is no easy task.  Unless you have backing capital you would be well advised to start with foodstuffs,  textiles, minerals and luxuries.

Demand  for goods varies widely and prices within  planets  fluctuate,  but galCop regulations prohibit planets from advertising their requirements  or announcing their market prices beyond their own System Space.   Any trader, therefore, approaches all transactions with a certain financial risk.

Trade  depends  upon demand,  and selling prices depend upon  the  level  f demand on the planet,  and its available money.   None of these factors can be assessed before docking.

Agricultural planets invariably have excess produce at reasonable  purchase prices,  and  such  food sells well at  industrialised,  middle-  to  high- technology worlds.   Raw materials, and ores, will sell well to middle-tech worlds,  which are usually able to refine them, and the refined product can fetch excellent prices at worlds of very high tech status.

The rules are complex, and anarchy and piracy has its effect on causing the rules to change.

In trading with a planet, consider its economic profile:

AGRICULTURAL  WORLDS need specialist food and raw  materials,  but  mostly basic machinery and spare parts.   If they are rich, they need luxuries and high  tech  industrial  machines.   They  produce  food  in  quantity,  raw materials and specialized "organic" items, like some textiles.

INDUSTRIAL WORLDS need agricultural produce;  raw materials (for refining); resource exploitation machinery;  (if rich) high tech goods.   They produce basic items of need for civilized worlds:  beds,  seals and gaskets,  power storage  units,  basic weapons,  mass produced  fertilizer,  mass  produced medicines, etc.

Think about a planet's needs. Think what might make the society function. Don't trade expensive trivia to a hungry world.

If the profit isn't worth it, trade it somewhere else.

BOUNTY HUNTING

Galactic banks,  which insure the larger trading convoys,  will pay a large bounty  for each pirate ship destroyed.   A ship's computer  will  transmit photographic evidence of any kill to the GalCop Bank Federation  Monitoring Authority.  The IR signature of the destroyed ship is then tallied with all known pirate vessels, and the bounty hunter pilot credited accordingly.

Bounty  hunters commonly have Cobra Class ships in order to  masquerade  as traders.   They simply hyperspace into a system (anarchic and feudal worlds especially)  and wait to be attacked,  ensuring that they  have  sufficient hyperspace fuel (Quirium) for a quick escape.

PIRACY

Piracy is widespread throughout the 8 galaxies,  and many pirates  are  not hardened criminals at all,  but failed traders who have turned to this  way of life in desperation.   To survive as a pirate, looting freighter convoys and  small ships,  requires a high degree of combat experience,  since  not just  Police  Vipers will pursue them,  but other pirate ships  and  Bounty Hunters, too, prey upon them.

But the rewards are high.  Provided the pirate ship is equipped with a fuel scoop,  the  jettisoned  tonne-cannisters of attacked cargo  ships  can  be scooped up and traded.

ASTEROID MINING

There  is money in rock,  but to make the most of it a Cobra ship  must  be fitted with a fuel scoop and a MinReduc 15 Mining Laser (or some equivalent type).   The  mining laser will blast very large asteroids into very  small fragments and the scoop can rapidly swallow this tradeable ore.

FREE SPACE CARGO

Trade  ships are often destroyed (by natural catastrophe or  enemy  action) and their cargo left ungathered.  Using a fuel scoop such "free bounty" can be collected.   The contents of the cannisters will be known until they are taken  aboard and examined,  and may be worthless or worth a  fortune.   It their  contents  are illegal goods,  they cannot be traded r  sold  without legal risk.

(NB:  Pressurized cargo canisters are the Universal means of storing  cargo for Interplanetary Space voyaging.  Made of HiFlux Chromon-alloy, they hold one Gal Tonne of goods, under variable pressure and temperature conditions. Tales have been told of such barrels being discovered after over 500  years on  barren  moons,  and  such  "Moon salvage" is  a  remarkable  source  of historical artifact material.)

ILLEGAL TRADING

It  is surprising how many planetary systems will allow the  purchasing  of illegal  trade  items,  notably firearms,  narcotics  (especially  Arcturan Megaweed) and slaves.  Slaves are supplied in cryosuspension in transporter coffins,  and  often  turn  out to be old and  sick  specimens  of  vaguely humanoid life forms.   Nonetheless,  few systems will allow the selling  of these items without taking recriminatory action.

KEY FUNCTION - TRADE
F8	Market prices
F10	Inventory
F3	Buying mode/trade goods
F2	Selling mode/trade goods

For the benefit of new traders,  a brief political summary is given  below, but reference should be made to Kroweki & Carr's PsychoHistory and Economic Theory in the GalFederation, 2845. Planetary  governments,  or federations, determine the relative  safety  of their  Solar  Space.   Ranked  in decreasing  order  of  safety,  the  2040 officially registered worlds of the Galactic Federation can be classified as

         Corporate States
•     Democracies
•     Confederacies
•     Communist States
•     Dictatorships
•     Multi-Governments
•     Feudal Worlds
•     Anarchies

CORPORATE STATES

Like ENGEMA and ZAATXE,  these are well-ordered worlds,  which have usually developed  from  settlers who practiced a free trade  form of  competition. Taxation  is high on such worlds,  but the living standards are high  also. Corporate planets with to protect their trade,  so goods are expensive, but luxuries are welcomed.  Import licences are often necessary.

Engema  is  an agricultural world,  run as a single  farming  co-operative. Farmers receive a fixed payment for their crops, whether or not the harvest is  good,  and  selling prices do not vary greatly.   It  is  a  dependable market,  and  customer relations are good.   Luxuries,  machinery  and  raw materials sell well here.

Zaatxe  is  an example of a rich,  industrial state (Tech  level  12).   It produces  luxury  goods,  elaborate and  innovative  machine  systems,  and specializes in Prototype design.  Prices fluctuate depending upon the level of  inter-state competition,  but it is always a safe bet to buy  recently- developed  machine  items  which have not yet spread very  far  across  the galaxy.

DICTATORSHIPS

Dictatorships such as the worlds Lave and Enzaer,  are only moderately safe to  trade with,  but are well worth the risk (provided the trader  is  well defended  and  combat trained).   Very often pirate attack will  not  occur because  of  an agreement between pirate fleets and the  world  itself.   A proportion of all incoming trade is "allowed" to be stolen by pirates,  who will then leave the world alone, and protect its shops from aliens or rogue traders.  It is an uneasy liaison, which often breaks down.

Lave  is  an agricultural world,  and Enzaer an industrial  planet,  but  a similar  principle  operates  on both  surfaces.   There  are  two  trading standards,  that of the People and that of the Aristocracy.   Standards  of living are artificially generated,  a veneer of progress, and luxury goods, machinery and textiles sell well - usually.   The great demand, however, is for basic commodities,  especially foodstuffs,  clothing and raw materials. These  will  sell  well when the voice of the People  has  been  raised  in protest.

ANARCHY PLANETS

A  trader  can  make  his biggest profits here  and  reach  his  grave  the quickest.   Worlds  like Onisou and Xeesenri have vast wreck-yards  in  far orbit,  the dead places of ships that came to trade honestly, and fell prey to trickery.

These are lawless places,  and have usually become so because the  original settlers  completed too hard when there was too little  resource  material. Those  worlds which survived holocaust did so because of uneasy and  bloody alliances  between clan families.   Pirates and mercenaries were hired  for protection and assassination purposes.   Anarchic worlds will trade readily in narcotics,  slaves,  firearms and exotica, and the price will be good... if  you  get  a price at all.   These worlds are  almost  always  supplying invisible Masters, usually elite trader/combateers who have turned to crime as the most profitable way of life.  Such form loose federations, and trade on the black market extensively throughout the galaxies.

These worlds pay highly for goods they cannot produce  themselves,  because they  know that traders avoid them.   Their own products need  specialized, illegal outlets:  weaponry,  narcotics,  eavesdropping devices...  if  it's covert,  then anarchic worlds are producing it.   Trade in these items  and you will get rich quick, or dead quick, or at least become a "Fugitive".

Of the 2040 officially registered planets in the GalCop, all but 45 support human colonies only, that is to say, human presence elsewhere is restricted to settlements in under-populated parts of the land surface.

Trading at such worlds depends,  for its success, very much upon the extant state of co-operation between human and alien.   Human control the Coriolis stations  in  orbit,  but the availability of items for  trade,  and  their relative expense, can be affected by the controlling life forms.

Most  alien life forms are either too primitive,  or too glad of  off-World trade,  to interfere.   Some,  such as the Reptiloid life form of Esanbe or the  Amphibioids of Anbeen,  can make a trader's life  very  difficult,  by haggling at the point of a laser.

The available planetary information on all worlds will indicate the  nature of the inhabiting life form.

BIRD-FORMS.  Dealing  in  alien artifacts on such  worlds  often  involves forming  a close liaison with Flight Elders,  or Nest Elders,  and this  is very  much  a job for the specialist.   Bird-forms are,  on  the  whole,  a delight to trade with,  and the highest form of honor (fairly  universally) that  an off-worlder can receive is an (invitation to " keep the  eggs  warm for a moment "

AMPHIBIOIDS are usually a lot sharper than their wet,  sluggish  appearance would  suggest.   They are usually keen to trade in  narcotics,  or  exotic foodstuffs.   Skin creams are always well received.   Technologically  they tend to be backward,  but will pay high prices for such middle-range  items as automated ponds, croak metres, spawn freezers and swamp purifiers.

FELINES  are dangerous in the extreme.   No matter what sort  of  political structures  the  world may have,  feline aliens are  pack  orientated,  and feudal,  and  very  unpredictable.   All traders are advised to  wear  body suits,  to  prevent secretions of sweat from triggering a feeding  response among these hostile and enigmatic life forms.

To win the confidence of a feline alien is almost invariably to be  invited to mate, so a certain aloofness is recommended.

INSECTOIDS.  The  most  dangerous insectoidal life form is  the  Thargoid, which is mentioned in the Combat section.   Insectoidals are usually highly intelligent,  often  existing  as  a  group  mind.   There  is  rarely  any individuality among insectoids,  and the trader must beware making deals in such a way.   One life form builds earth cities up to four miles high,  and over four million drones live in the middle levels.   According to  legend, any  trader  who voluntarily ascends the earth passageway  from  ground  to upper  surface  of  these immense mounds is honored  with  the  rare  title Ascender  of the Scent City.   And then consumed alive.   But trading  with insectoids  can be immensely profitable,  as there are so many of them  (to trade  in  wrist  watches,  for example,  means two  to  four  watches  per individual in a clone-group of perhaps ten thousand).

In dealing with any alien life-form,  for the purposes of trade,  there are three cardinal rules:

• Learn the body language of the alien race.
• Cover up your body scent.
• Beware of Carapace concealed weapons.

The brief guide given here is just an indication of the range of ship-types plying  the trade and space lanes.   The illustrations show top,  side  and front views of each craft.  Dimension data provide the scale.  For a fuller account  see Jane's Galactic Ships and Remote  Colonial  Construction,  5th Edition, 3205 pub. Trantor House.

ADDER
Manufactured by Outworld Workshops,  a rogue breakaway company from Spalder and Prime Inc. which operates without license from an unknown location, the Adder-class craft has dual atmospheric-spatial capability and is often used by  smugglers.   Pregg's " wingfolding " system permits landing on  planetary surfaces.  Carries one missile.
	Dimensions - 45/8/30 ft     Cargo Capacity - 2 TC (Tonne Canisters)     Armaments - Ingram 1928 AZ Beam laser; Geret Starseeker missile     Maximum Velocity - 0.24 LM (Light Mach)     Inservice Date - 2914 AD (Outworld Workshop)     Maneuverability - CF (Curve Factor) 4     Crew Number - 2     Drive Motors - AM 18 bi Thrust     Hull Stress Factor - T Ko 28     Hyperspace Capability - Yes
Picture Courtesy Hybrid
ANACONDA
The  largest  known  freighter with a cargo bay designed  by  Beerbaum  and ThruSpace  Inc.,  the  Anaconda is the only freighter fitted  with  Dizaner SpaceWares  swing-float  platforms.   These load-balance  metering  devices enable  the  loadmaster to rearrange the cargo within seconds  to  increase maneuverability of the great ship.  Equipped only with laser weaponry (the 500 Gigazap front-firing pulse),  and sometimes with missiles, the Anaconda range  of  craft usually have fighter escorts.   In  trader  parlance,  the Anaconda is built as strong as a rogue asteroid, and steers like one.
	Dimensions - 170/60/75 ft     Cargo Capacity - 750 TC     Armaments - Front-fire Hassoni HiRad Pulse laser; ColtMaster        Starlasers; Missiles (Geret Starseekers)     Maximum Velocity - 0.14 LM     Inservice Date - 2856 AD (RimLiner Galactic)     Maneuverability - CF (Curve Factor) 3     Crew Number - 40-72     Drive Motors - V&K 32.24 Ergmasters, with under-and-over firing tubes     Hull Stress Factor - T(ensmann) Ji57 C-Holding Z 22-28     Hyperspace Capability - Yes
Picture Courtesy Hybrid
ASP MK II
Galactic  Navy  vessel designed and manufactured in  government  workshops, incorporating  secret  self-destruct devices which are primed  to  activate when the astrogation controls are used by unfamiliar hands.  Integument has chameleon  properties enabling the ship to assume effective  camouflage  in any type of environment.   Intended for reconnaissance and the transport of high-ranking   military  personnel  from  combat  it  is  very   fast   and maneuverable.   Despite  its  hazardous  nature it makes  an  ideal  pirate vessel,  primarily   because of the speed,  camouflage and  high  intensity Hassoni-Kruger  Burst-lasers.   The  Asp II has room  for  powerful  shield generators, but only one missile port.
	Dimensions - 70/20/65 FT     Cargo Capacity - None     Armaments - Hassoni-Kruger Burst Laser; Geret Starseeker missile     Maximum Velocity - 0.40 LM     Inservice Date - 2878 AD (GalCop Workshops)     Maneuverability - CF 4     Crew Number - 2     Drive Motors - Voltaire Whiplash HZ Pulsedrive     Hull Stress Factor - TT 16     Hyperspace Capability - Yes
Picture Courtesy Simon Challands
BOA CLASS CRUISER
Although marginally smaller than the Python,  which it superseded,  the Boa has  a greater cargo capacity due to refinements in equipment design  (e.g. the  Renold  Astrogation  bloc  is  one fifth  the  size  of  the  previous Machanalian  Interspatial Wayfinder) and reduced number of necessary  crew. Largely  developed out of the recommendations left by  Commodore  Monty,  a Python Captain of 40 years experience.
	Dimensions - 115/60/65 ft     Cargo Capacity - 125 TC     Armaments - Ergon Laser system; Standard JK Pulse laser; IFS Seek &        Hunt missiles     Maximum Velocity - 0.24 LM     Inservice Date - 3017 AD (Gerege Federation Space Works)     Maneuverability - CF 4     Crew Number - 15-28     Drive Motors - 4 C40KV Ames Drive motors.  Seeklight Thrust Systems     Hull Stress Factor - T(ensmann) Yo20 C-Holding K21-31     Hyperspace Capability - Yes
Picture Courtesy Simon Challands
COBRA MK I
Combat-trader craft favored latterly by pirates,  the Mark I Cobra was  the first  trade ship designed and built for the one-man trader.   Its  special feature at the time of manufacture (by Paynou,  Prossett and Salem) was its Prossett  Drive,  which  incorporated afterburners  with  proton-tightened, interior shaft walls.   These are now a standard fitting for both  internal and external integuments of all PPS made craft.
	Dimensions - 55/15/70 ft     Cargo Capacity -10 TC     Armaments - Hassoni Variscan laser system and early Lance & Ferman         missile system     Maximum Velocity - 0.26     Inservice Date - 2855 (Paynou, Prossett and Salem)     Maneuverability - CF 3     Crew Number - 1     Drive Motors - Prossett Drive     Hull Stress Factor - T Ji 18     Hyperspace Capability - Yes
Picture Courtesy Simon Challands
COBRA MK III
Larger,  more  popular  version of the Cobra Mk I (the Mk  2  only  reached prototype stage and was abandoned due to a design fault in the hull).  This ship  is equipped with several special features,  including  Zieman  Energy Deflection  Shields,  fore  and aft,  and mountings for four  Ingram  Pulse lasers.  The Cobra is much favored by lone-wolf traders who wish to combine potential superior combat qualities with adequate cargo space.
	Dimensions - 65/30/130 ft     Cargo Capacity - 20 TC     Armaments - Ingram laser system; Lance & Ferman Seek & Kill missile         system     Maximum Velocity - 0.30     Inservice Date - 3100 AD (Cowell & MgRath Shipyard, Lave)     Maneuverability - CF 8     Crew Number - 1 or 2     Drive Motors - Kruger "lightfast" motors Irrikan ThruSpace     Hull Stress Factor - T Ji 18 C-Holding M18     Hyperspace Capability - Yes
Picture Courtesy Simon Challands
FER-DE-LANCE
A  Zorgon  Petterson Group (Zee Pee Gee) designed vessel favored  by  well- heeled   bounty   hunter  and  freewheeling   business   corporations.    A sophisticated craft,  capable of both limited trading,  combat, and leisure function.   The  spacious  hull  is  mainly  given  over  to  sophisticated weaponry,  defences  and  navigation  equipment at  the  expense  of  cargo capacity.   Cabin  accommodation  is  large and  luxurious  with  extensive Owndirt  Inc.  recycling facilities,  encouraging extended live-in  periods (useful  whilst  pursuing a quarry).   Fuel scoop is  a  standard  fitting, ensuring complete self-sufficiency.
	Dimensions - 85/20/45 ft     Cargo Capacity - 2 TC     Armaments - Ergan Laser System; IFS Seek & Hunt missiles     Maximum Velocity - 0.30     Inservice Date - 3100 AD (Zorgon Petterson)     Maneuverability - CF 5     Crew Number - 12     Drive Motors - Titronix Intersun Ionic for LT     Hull Stress Factor - T Ji 10     Hyperspace Capability - Yes
Picture Courtesy Simon Challands
GECKO
Patented by Robert Bream, but not manufactured until Ace and Faber improved upon  the original design specifications after the death of  the  inventor. Later the design was stolen and widely circulated to a number of "backyard" workshops  who  produced  the ship in vast  numbers  with  many  individual variances to protect companies against lawsuits.   Mainly used as a single- pilot combat craft, typically pirates.
	Dimensions - 12/40/65 ft     Cargo Capacity - 3 TC     Armaments - Ingram 1919 A4 laser; LM Homing missile     Maximum Velocity - 0.30     Inservice Date - 2852 AD (Ace & Faver HullWorks, Lerelace)     Maneuverability - CF 7     Crew Number - 1 or 2     Drive Motors - BreamPulse Light XL     Hull Stress Factor - T to 84-94 C-Holding JZ20     Hyperspace Capability - Not available
Picture Courtesy Simon Challands
KRAIT
Small,  reliable one-man fighter,  common until the standardized version of the  Mamba  became available on the open market.   Several of  these  early Faulcon  deLacy  designed  craft may still be found in  service  in  remote areas,  but spare parts are no longer available and the need to cannibalize has reduced numbers still further in recent years.
	Dimensions - 80/20/90 ft     Cargo Capacity - 10 TC     Armaments - Ergon laser system     Maximum Velocity - 0.30 Light Mach     Inservice Date - 3027 AD (deLacy ShipWorks, ININES)     Maneuverability - CF 8     Crew Number - 1     Drive Motors - deLacy Spinlonic ZX 14     Hull Stress Factor - C-Holding A20-B4     Hyperspace Capability - No
Picture Courtesy Simon Challands
MAMBA
Fighter  which  grew  out of custom-built  primarily  designed  for  racing purposes  but  adopted  and  armed by pirates due to  its  high  speed  and maneuverability.   Cargo  space was added later when Raddlett  and  Rayburn Shipyards   (based  at  Reorte)  standardized  the  variences   and   began manufacturing the craft in large numbers.
	Dimensions - 55/12/65 ft     Cargo Capacity - 10 TC     Armaments - Ergon laser     Maximum Velocity - 0.32     Inservice Date - 3110 AD (Reorte Ship Federation)     Maneuverability - CF 9     Crew Number -     Drive Motors - Seeklight HV Thrust     Hull Stress Factor - TKi 10 C-Holding B100+     Hyperspace Capability - No
Picture Courtesy Simon Challands
MORAY STAR BOAT
Developed initially as a submarine flyingboat,  Marine Trench Co.  soon say the  possibilities for extending their operations into space and the  Moray SFB became the "Star Boat" after its ingenious adaptations were  completed. Aquatic space-faring races are the main users of this multi-purpose vessel, whose  hull  is  able to withstand the pressures of depths of  up  to  5500 fathoms.   Standard fittings include: highpower seal locks, 2 torpedo tube/ single missile pods and flood-lock cabins for subaquatic life-forms.
	Dimensions - 65/25/60 ft     Cargo Capacity - 7 TC     Armaments - Geret Starseeker missile system     Maximum Velocity - 0.25     Inservice Date - 3028 AD     Maneuverability - CF 4     Crew Number - 6     Drive Motors - Turbulen Quark Re-charger Mode 1287     Hull Stress Factor - T Ko T24     Hyperspace Capability - Yes
Picture Courtesy Simon Challands
PYTHON
One  of  the larger trading vessels manufactured in Inera  Orbit  Space  by Whatt  and  Pritney  ShipConstruct.   Cabin accommodation  is  cramped  and spartan  in  contrast  to  facilities for  cargo  and  "alien  environment" transport.   Though slow and ponderous,  the craft has powerful CC-Voltaire shields and  Volt-Variscan Pulse lasers,  earning it the  nickname  of  the "space porcupine".   Not commonly attacked by pirate ships,  but a  popular craft for freebooters, usually used as a way-station and storage hulk.
	Dimensions - 130/40/80 ft     Cargo Capacity - 100 TC     Armaments - Volt-Variscan Pulse lasers     Maximum Velocity - 0.20     Inservice Date - 2700 AD (Whatt and Pritney ShipConstruct)     Maneuverability - CF 3     Crew Number - 20-30     Drive Motors - 4 C40K V Ames Drive Exlon 76NN Model     Hull Stress Factor - T(ensman) YO 20 C-Holding K21-31     Hyperspace Capability - Yes
Picture Courtesy Simon Challands
ORBIT SHUTTLES
These  unarmed  and often unmanned craft are built under license  in  every planetary   system.    Based  on  a  prototype  developed  by   Saud-Kruger AstroDesign,  they  are  used for cargo ferrying between planet  and  space station,  but  can  be modified to hospital  ships,  or  orbiting  prisons. Favorite targets for small-time criminals,  because of their  instantaneous release  of  cargo canisters,  they are often followed  by  single  fighter patrol ships.
	Dimensions - 35/20/20 ft     Cargo Capacity - 60 TC     Armaments - None     Maximum Velocity - 0.08     Inservice Date - 2856 AD (Saud-Kruger AstroDesign)     Maneuverability - CF 4     Crew Number - 6     Drive Motors - V & K 20.20 StarMat drive     Hull Stress Factor - T Ko 28     Hyperspace Capability - No
Picture Courtesy Simon Challands
SIDEWINDER SCOUT SHIP
Designed  by  Faulcon deLacy and built in the Onrira Orbital  Shipyards  by Spalder  and Starblaze Inc.  to Galactic Navy specifications for  a  multi- purpose  support craft.   Mainly used for atmosphere and planetary  surface scouting,   but  extensively  too  for  city-strafing,  reconnaissance  and infantry air support (and by pirates who favor speed and  elusiveness,  its primary  advantage).   Has  some interspatial  capability    not  including hyperspace, and must be carried through hyperspace by jump-capable vessels. Hull  is too small for the installation of fuel scoops,  or more  than  one missile pod.
	Dimensions - 35/15/65 ft     Cargo Capacity - None     Armaments - Dual 22-18 lasers; Seeker missiles     Maximum Velocity - 0.37     Inservice Date - 2982 AD (Onrira Orbital/Spalder & Starblaze)     Maneuverability - CF 9     Crew Number - 1     Drive Motors - deLacy Spin Ionic MV     Hull Stress Factor - Not available; C-Holding C50     Hyperspace Capability - No
Picture Courtesy Hybrid
THARGOID INVASION SHIPS
Though  most  of  the  Thargoid Space Fleet is  currently  engaged  by  the Galactic  Navy in Intergalactic Space,  a few of the smaller  battle  ships make occasional sorties into Human Space.   These ships are extremely  fast for  their  size  and invariably have ECM Systems (this  was  originally  a Thargoid  invention to counter Navy missiles,  subsequently copied  by  the Navy from captured Thargoid ships).     Additionally,  most  Thargoid battle ships carry a few  small  remote- controlled ships,  each equipped with a single pulse laser.   It is rumored that  the Galactic Navy are designing their own remote-controlled  fighter, and will pay well for Thargoid ones to study.
	Dimensions - 180/40/180 ft     Cargo Capacity -     Armaments - Widely varying.  Mountings available for most systems.     Maximum Velocity - 0.20 LM     Inservice Date - Uncertain     Maneuverability - CF 6     Crew Number - 150     Drive Motors - Thargoid invention     Hull Stress Factor - Uncertain     Hyperspace Capability - Yes
Picture Courtesy Simon Challands
TRANSPORTER
The  Lakon  Spaceways  MC15  QuikTransport Shuttle  is  the  most  commonly encountered  intermediate range shuttle,  with a range of 0.1LY and a  full HiGrav  Loading facility.   It can carry up to 100 passengers,  and  has  a cargo capacity of 10 tonnes undefined bulk.   Can land on asteroids,  space stations,  and can skim atmosphere, and touch down on land surfaces and all liquid surfaces except acid.
	Dimensions - 35/10/30     Inservice Date - Unknown, but probably pre-2500 AD.  Known prototype         built on spaceLink Shipyards, Mars orbit (Old Earth).
Picture Courtesy Hybrid
VIPER (POLICE SHIP)
Small,  highly  maneuverable  short range "hunter-killer",  the  Viper  was specifically  designed  for  GalCop  Space  Policing  purposes  by  Faulcon Manspace and are built under licence on all Medium Tech worlds.   The Viper is a single pilot craft,  but can carry up to ten humanoid  passengers.  It has no cargo space, but has a "tug" capability, and can tow a ship of up to 140,000  MTS mass (including the Cobra Mk 3).   This popular ship  is  also carried by large freighter convoys, for defensive purposes.
	Dimensions - 55/80/50 ft     Cargo Capacity - Zero     Armaments - Ingram MegaBlast Pulse Laser; Seeker missiles     Maximum Velocity - 0.32 LM     Inservice Date - 2762 AD (Faulcon Manspace, Reorte)     Maneuverability - High (CF 7.4)     Crew Number - 1 (up to 10)     Drive Motors - deLacy Super Thrust VC10     Hull Stress Factor - Varies     Hyperspace Capability - No
Picture Courtesy Simon Challands
WORM CLASS LANDING CRAFT
A  small  landing  craft  carried on larger ships,  for  use  as  either  a lifeboat, or for landing parties.  Lightly armed, the Worm is occassionally employed  as  an  attack  and/or  decoy  craft  during  combat  conditions. Manufactured to specific requirements dependent upon the Mother  Ship,  the Worm is highly adaptable.
	Dimensions - 35/12/35 ft     Cargo Capacity - None     Armaments - Ingram Pulse laser     Maximum Velocity - 0.23     Inservice Date - 3101 AD     Maneuverability - CF 6     Crew Number - 2     Drive Motors - Seeklight HV Thrust     Hull Stress Factor - T Ki 10     Hyperspace Capability - No
Picture Courtesy Hybrid