Ship Data Sheet - Adder

DIMENSIONS	CARGO CAPACITY	ARMAMENTS	MAXIMUM VELOCITY	INSERVICE DATE
45/8/32ft	2 tonne cannisters	Ingram 1928 AZ Beam laser (2 mounts) Geret Starseeker Missile (1)	0.24 LM	2914 AD (Outworld Workshops)

MANOEUVRABILITY	CREW NUMBER	DRIVE MOTORS	HULL STRESS FACTOR	HYPERSPACE CAPABILITY
CF 6 (Curve Factor)	2	AM 18bi Thrust	T(ensmann) Ko 28 C-Holding K8-10	Yes (AM 18bi ThrustH module)

History

Outworld Workshops was created when it emerged that several of Spalder and Prime Inc.'s personnel were accused and found guilty of corruption. They escaped justice with the aid of certain smuggling and pirate cartels whose pay they had been in (they had been incorporating illegal devices in ships that were ultimately purchased by fronts to these organisations). In 2895 these groups formed Outworld Workshops.

Initially they concentrated on modifying vessels to their own requirements, but in 2912 they completed the design of their own craft, the Adder. It went in to production two years later when their various illicit activities had raised sufficient cash to construct basic shipyard facilities.

GalCop spent a great deal of effort in trying to locate the base of operations but could never work their way to the bottom of the web of shady dealers and small-time criminals whose hands the Adder often ended up in.

Because of their clandestine nature the ship's spaceframe had never been approved by the GalCop's Aeronautics Committee, and for many years was banned from the stricter systems. As time went by and the ship became more common it became increasingly accepted. By the early 3000s it could be seen throughout the galaxy, and the authorities eventually decided that they would tolerate the sale of the ship on the open market. The same was true for several other ships designed by Outworld.

In 3208 the Outworld laboratories were discovered when a GalCop patrol persuing an infamous pirate clan in the Anarchy world of Eddi stumbled across them. Rather than face large bodies of police descending on the system, when they had usually avoided it in their past (which is why Outworld had remained undiscovered for three hundred years) they paid the fines and gained a legitimate front. It has been suggested in some quarters that since Outworld appear to control most of the industry in the system it should re-classified as a Corporate State. The Galactic Co-Operative seems understandably reluctant to do so whilst Outworld are under suspicion of still being heavily involved with piracy and smuggling.

It should not be expected that Outworld are a major force in the shipbuilding industry, despite their dominant position in Eddi's industry. They have provided a little stability to a chaotic world, but its economy is still largely based on agriculture, where it has managed to be be surprisingly successful considering its anarchic history.

Description

The Adder is not designed specifically as a smuggler's craft, although it is often used as one, and is well suited for smuggling. Its cargo space is extremely limited for genuine trading, and its combat performance is too limited for it to be considered a fighter. Its cheap price has meant that it has frequently been used as such, though, especially by pirates (who will fly anything).

It has atmospheric capability in the form of Pregg's 'Wingfolding' system, an Outworld Workshops' in-house solution to the problem of operating engines designed for space in an atmosphere. The wings allow the ship to stay aloft with the engines operating on minimum power (any higher and they would shut down in most significant planetary atmospheres). VTOL can be achieved by running the engine at increased power for short periods. This relatively low-tech solution speaks of Outworld's lowly beginnings with little access to more complicated but more functional technology, such as used on the Moray Starboat. The wings disrupt the hyperspace geometry and are therefore folded away for space travel.

Considering the simplistic nature of the landing systems it is something of a mystery where the ingenious drive systems come from, although it is often suspected that the inspiration came from an experimental Irrikan unit that was lost to pirates in 2904. Incorporating both hyper and normal space drives in a single engine was the only way that such a small vessel could have independent hyperspace capability. Whatever the truth of the matter Outworld have a very compact and surprisingly simple engine system available to them.

The down side to this is that it has a short range and low speed, and interfaces badly with standard components. It also has a reputation for being unreliable, requiring a second crewmember to keep the ship running for any length of time. The AM DirCon j7 is small and simple in order to fit into the drive, and the Adder has quite poor manoeuvrability as a result.

Despite being fitted with an Ingram 1928 AZ beam laser as standard the Adder's offensive capabilities are not impressive. The laser produces far less than optimum power due to being linked to the unusual engine design, and is further down-powered to avoid overheating in the barely adequately cooled mounts. The Geret Starseeker missile system is identical to that of other ships with the same missile system, and is capable if not as impressive as Lance and Ferman's. Protection is provided by a single Arramax Deflector Shield.

The Maessote Intelligent Systems computer in the nose of the vessel manages all flight and engine functions and contains built-in comms equipment.

The life support systems surrounding the cargo bay are of unusual design, requiring more power than should be needed for a two-man crew. They also just happen to shield it from all but very close range scans.

A two-man crew on a small ship results in cramped living quarters, and the crew often work in shifts if the ship is running smoothly. On long flights there is often little rest for either.