Ship Lore

[Thexare]

CTE 750AE "Starflier" Personal Shuttle
CTE-1270AV "Startracker" Sport Utility Shuttle (discontinued)
CTE 1440AV "Starblazer" High-Performance Shuttle

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History

Before the Hawk, the CTE line was known for its high-performance shuttlecraft. The 750AE "Starflier" was first produced in 748 AS, and marketed as the herald of the coming decade. Fast, durable, easy to fly, and with a spacious cargo hold (all for the standards of the civilian market of the time), it was an instant hit. Though initially marketed as a craft for enthusiasts, improvements to the manufacturing process caused the price to drop rapidly., By 770 AS, when Deep Space Engineering announced the expanded Startracker, it had secured its reputation as a workhorse for the working man, and the announcement met with great enthusiasm.

The CTE-1270AV "Startracker" boasted an expanded cargo bay, reinforced armor, and improved power system. While initially intended as the more rugged, but still civilian sibling to the Starflier, these improvements led to the Startracker being used as a corporate escort and an early ship for aspiring freelance pilots. Over the next several years, DSE enjoyed immense profit from the endeavor.

Unfortunately, manufacturing issues plagued the Startracker line, often resulting in an underpowered, unreliable ship. Continued attempts to improve the often woefully inadequate Startracker led to the development of the Starblazer.

The CTE 1440AV "Starblazer" has a dark secret, however - it was not a DSE development. The first Starblazers were, in fact, rolled out by the Xenos in 789 AS. At a time when they had precious little outside support, they found that with two Startrackers and a little ingenuity, they could create one shockingly effective craft. With only a slightly larger frame than the Startracker and more firepower than any civilian craft on the market at the time, these early improvised Starblazers were the terror of the lanes, only hindered by their poor durability.

It wasn't until 805 AS that DSE officially released their version of the Starblazer. With further improved plating and a dramatically improved thrust control system, the Starblazer immediately redeemed the line's public image. Things were looking up for DSE, with the Starblazer's popularity enduring even as competition increased in post-Nomad War Sirius.

It was not to last. In 813 AS, a terrible crash at an unsanctioned race in California led to the deaths of eight racers, five of which flew Starblazers and another one flew a Startracker. This resulted in new laws cracking down on racing, and an independent safety review that found the whole family woefully lacking in modern safety features. The entire series was immediately pulled from the market, only circulating in pirate hangars and second-hand sales.

Despite the problems, the series maintained a dedicated enthusiast community that continually petitioned for a return to market. After the Gallic War, when much of DSE's manufacturing capacity was freed up, these petitions finally bore fruit - the Starflier and Starblazer returned to the market with massive improvements over previous models.

Variations

The enthusiast market for this line has little interest in offshoots, and as such there are no official variations. The Xenos do have their own templates for conversion of other CTE series craft, and assembly from parts, creating a nasty little ship the Navy have taken to calling the Agitator. Despite variation in the parts used, Agitators have consistently proven exceptionally dangerous craft with reliable performance.

Maintenance and Reliability

Prior to the Starflier and Starblazer returning to the market, it was extremely difficult to find parts to maintain existing craft. Though reliable, once they were pulled from the market DSE strongly encouraged people to move up to Hawks and Falcons instead, even offering trade-in deals. Despite this, they were exceptionally reliable craft, and often needed little more than routine maintenance unless they suffered a collision.

With the supply situation resolved, these craft are incredibly easy to take care of... again, unless there's a collision. Due to their small frame compared to many other craft, which is dominated by the cockpit, collisions can result in extensive damage that requires specialized tools and highly-trained mechanics to fix.

Perception

Prior to being pulled from the market, Starfliers were perceived as "My First Spaceship", but in a good way. Many freelancers looked back fondly on their time flying a Starflier, and some continued to keep one for fun even after upgrading their 'work' ship. The Startracker was less well-regarded, which likely contributes to why it hasn't returned to the market.

Starblazers are near-universally known as a daredevil's ship. With scant plating between the pilot and the void beyond and nothing obstructing a near-panoramic view of the action, those who fly Starblazers in combat are seen as utterly fearless, and with good reason.

Special Notes

As mentioned above, there is very little "ship" between the pilot and vacuum. This can be unnerving, or outright terrifying, for people accustomed to more bulky craft. But that's exactly the feeling the ship's fans crave.