Ship Lore

[Thexare]

IDC K-LF-337 "Stargazer" Personal Shuttle
IDC K-VI-18 "Sunrider" Heavy Fighter
IDC K-FR-2303 "Sunburst" Light Freighter

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History

As the Starflier's popularity soared, Inwood Design Company saw their own fortunes fading. The Starflier was capable of limited atmospheric maneuvers, adequate for most civilian uses, and as such threatened IDC's airship industry. They needed a solution, fast.

The J-39-AF Cloudrunner was their best hope - an atmospheric courier capable of short-duration space travel with some upgrades. Once fitted with a light hazard shield and modified engines, Cloudrunners were capable of shuttling goods from Trenton to Manhattan and back quicker than the dedicated spaceborne freighters of the time. Though these converted Cloudrunners were limited in both spaceborne performance and cargo capacity, the conversions were inexpensive and Cloudrunners were not in short supply. As such, they brought in enough money for Inwood to design a proper dedicated spacecraft to compete with the Starflier. In 784, the first purpose-built IDC spacecraft was released - the J-SH-32 Stargazer Model A.

It was a moderate success. Though more expensive than the Starflier, it had the advantage of existing familiarity, with similar craft still commonly seen in the skies of Manhattan. The controls were familiar to atmospheric pilots as well, with only a few additions needed for space travel. In a way, that was the problem - the controls were fundamentally designed for atmospheric flight, leaving experienced spacefarers somewhat in the dark as to how to operate the thing. It wasn't until the Model K in 804 that all the lingering relics of dedicated atmospheric design were finally phased out, forming the foundation of IDC's new K Series.

The Model K was a resounding success, and is believed to have been the final blow to the Startracker. Safer, more comfortable, better-defended, and more reliable, many customers considered the increased price a bargain. IDC used this new income to construct a new factory on Planet Erie dedicated to spacecraft, and quickly rolled out the K-FR-2302 "Sunburst". The lessons learned in the development of the Stargazer line contributed to making the Sunburst a reliable, efficient freighter at budget prices. The Sunburst proved exceptionally popular with both corporate and freelance clientele. despite its very utilitarian, no-frills design.

Unfortunately, this was affecting IDC's reputation. Though the Stargazer was originally a relatively upmarket craft, more recent models were at the same budget prices as the Sunburst. While they were considered very capable craft for their price, IDC used to also be known for its respected high-performance aircraft, not just common models. Company leadership wanted to reclaim that reputation, and ordered their brightest engineers to get to work on a new fighter.

Early prototypes were not inspiring. For several years, IDC's offerings were limited to the Stargazer and Sunburst, with some optional extras to fancy them up. Finally in 818 AS, they revealed the K-VI-18 "Sunrider". Though larger than many competing fighters, much of that space was dedicated to an expansive cabin capable of comfortably housing a copilot for long-range operation. With its exceptional agility and long operational range, the vessel drew immediate interest from bounty hunters, freelancers, and Zoners, and its performance and comfort quickly restored IDC's reputation for both budget and high-end craft.

Variations

IDC's shipbuilding facilities are still somewhat limited, and as such they don't produce any real variants. There are a number of optional extras available, primarily dedicated to creature comforts. Zoners in the Omegas have devised standardized upgrade packages for the Sunburst and Sunrider to make the craft better able to handle hazardous regions of space.

Maintenance and Reliability

While IDC vessels are built for reliability, all ships need maintenance. Most of the parts used in maintaining IDC craft are readily available, but some specialized components are difficult to source outside of Liberty and Bretonia. Interspace bases usually have them in stock, as well as Freeport 1.

Perception

IDC craft are consistently considered very good values for their price. Comfortable, reliable, and engineered for safety, they're among the best craft on the civilian market. The Sunrider has drawn particular attention from freelancers, who often live out of their ship. Corporations rarely make significant use of Stargazers or Sunriders, but the economical Sunburst is commonly seen.

Special Notes

Despite their chunky frames, IDC craft have proven surprisingly popular in the border worlds. Their agility allows them to swiftly traverse even the densest asteroid fields, and their redundant safety features are a valuable safety net should one misjudge their trajectory.