Starship Review Canto's Belle (Custom ZH-40 Tribune Light Freighter)

[Mykel Dawson]

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: A personal smuggling freighter for Kinley Pryse
• Image Source: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/ZH-40_Tribune-class_light_freighter
• Canon Link:
• Permissions: N/A
• Primary Source: Tribune Class Light Freighter

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

• Manufacturer: Starfeld Industries (Original Manufacture), Kinley Pryse and Darth Skaran (Modifications)
• Affiliation: Kinley Pryse
• Market Status: Closed-Market
• Model: ZH-40
• Production: Unique
• Material: Standard Ship Materials, Laminanium, Kyber Crystals, Alchemized components

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Classification: Freighter
• Length: 45 meters
• Width: 35 meters
• Height: 12 meters
• Armament: Very High (Average in Low Powered Mode)
  • 1x Incendiary Plasma Energy Torpedo Launcher (Recessed), Turreted, Ventral-Mounted
  • 1x Rail Cannon (Recessed), Turreted, Ventral Mounted
  • 2x Rapid Fire Light Turbo Laser Gunner Pods (Manned or Remote Operated), Dorsal and Ventral Mounted. (Become laser cannons in Low powered mode)
  • 2x Fixed Ion Cannons, Nose Mounted.
• Defenses: Very High (Average in Low Powered Mode)
  • Strong Deflector Shield Array
  • Kinetic Defense (Armor, Anti-Concussion Field)
  • EMP/Ion Defense (Cap Drains, Redundant Wiring)
  • Electronic Countermeasures (DERP, GAM, Mimic Sensor Decoy x 2, Flares, Signal Interceptor, Tractor Beam Shroud)
  • Cyber Defense (Socketguards, Military-Grade Pyrowalls with Adaptive Polymorphic Encryption for comms and operating systems)
• Squadron Count: Very Low (1)
• Maneuverability Rating: Very High (Low in Low Powered Mode)
• Speed Rating: Extreme (High In Low Powered Mode)
• Hyperdrive Class: 0.2

STANDARD FEATURES

• Long Range Advanced Communications Array
• Heavy Deflector Shield Generator
• Advanced Hyperdrive
• Tuned Ion Engines
• Standard Life Support Systems
• Advanced Navigational Systems
• Standard Repulsorlift Engines
• Advanced Sensor Array
• Advanced Targeting Systems
• Docking Rings x 2
• Large Cargo Bay
• Hardpoints for Externally Mounting Shipping Containers
• Can Enter Atmosphere and Land
• Molecular Converters
• Cabins (4x + Captain's Quarters)
• Lounge w/ extra fold out seating.
• Galley
• Medbay
• Kitchen
• Shower
• Workbench
• Other Standard Ship Things

ADVANCED SYSTEMS

Avionics

• Force Attuned Crystal Grav Trap: Created by the Sith Alchemist Darth Skaran for Pryse as payment for the delivery of rare kyber crystals. He replaced the synthetic crystal in a CGT with a Force- attuned kyber crystal for enhanced effects. Detection distance and sensitivity of mass shadows and other objects (including stealthed vessels) are greatly enhanced, and the CGT can interface with the nav computer to allow real time astrogation akin to instinctive- astrogation. In the current era of constantly shifting and collapsing hyperlanes, it's a crucial tool for safe transit. It also allows for rapid skip jumps away from immediate danger without the need for determining coordinates before hand.
• Transponder Spoofer: The Belle is capable of transmitting different transponder signals from an onboard BoSS database. In addition, it can snag authentic transponder signals from other vessels to impersonate.

Smuggling Configurations

• Honeycomb Superstructure: Darth Skaran largely replaced the original solid alloy superstructure with a new honeycomb layout of composites which is relatively lightweight but just as strong as the original frame. More relevant to smugglers, the porous nature of the superstructure allows for dozens of hidden compartments that are much harder to detect than standard fare, sandwiched deep between other layers of the freighter without the need to alter the internal layout. The new frame is lined with baffleweave to defeat sensors, and enveloped with a layer of self repairing membrane of laminanium alloy that hermetically seals the hidden compartments and helps them blend in with the rest of the ship and makes the superstructure appear solid.
• Gravitic Amplitude Modulator: This GAM is specially modified to be able to defeat mass detectors, registering the Belle's mass in line with official manifests.
• Power Regulator: To help hides its true power and abilities, the Belle can toggle between a low powered and standard mode. In low powered mode, it operates in line with a typical light freighter of its class. However, in low powered mode, its powerful shields are stunted and its anti-concussion field is disabled. Additionally its weapons are also rendered inoperable and fixed in a recessed position save for its fixed ion cannons and turbo-laser pods (depowered to function like normal laser turrets). It takes a few minutes to cycle between modes,
• Alchemized Distortion: Invisible runes inscribed into the ship's hull carry spells that can interfere with conventional sensors and electronics to spoof scans during inspections. The runes can also work against organic methods like dogs. The runes (and the special CGT) themselves are protected by spells of Force Concealment to avoid detection by means of the Force, though sufficiently skilled Force Users can still find the runes.
• External Hardpoints: retrofitted to allow carrying of external payloads, which can be quickly jettisoned in a pinch and then later recovered when the heat dies down.

STRENGTHS

• The modifications make Canto's Belle vastly superior to its baseline counterpart and most starships in its class.
• External hardpoints allow the Belle to carry additional cargo containers.
• Its unique navigation system allows rare real time astrogation.
• Runic spells allow the ship to spoof conventional scanning technology and animals typically used by inspectors.

WEAKNESSES

• As it pertains to smuggling, said modifications also make Canto's Belle stand out even while appearing like a normal freighter at casual glance.
• The use of the hardpoints for external cargo can reduce its speed and maneuverability ratings by 1-2 grades depending on the mass of the cargo.
• Active use of the advanced features of the enhanced CGT can reveal the ship in the Force.
• Runes effectiveness can be degraded by the use of Force Suppression methods and tech.

DESCRIPTION

Canto's Belle started life as simple cargo freighter operated by a legitimate shipping company out of the Corporate Sector, but the original owner had a crippling gambling addiction, profits going to fueling said addiction instead of maintaining the business. The smuggler Kinley Pryse, at the time in the market for a second hand ship with an established clean record, was more than happy to take the failing business and ship off the owner's hand in exchange for a lump sum almost certainly doomed to be burned away in the glittering casinos of Cantonica.

Not her problem. Since then, Pryse has continuously upgraded the Belle to keep up with her growing smuggling operations. On the surface, the Belle still appears to be a bog standard ZH-40, but with everything going on under the hood, it's one of the meanest and fastest freighters in the galaxy.

Further modifications by way of her associate Darth Skaran allow the Belle to contend with the latest challenges to hypertransit brought about by the Planeshift, now being one of the few vessels in the galaxy inherently capable of real time astrogation and perhaps even navigating the the gaps in the formidable Sith Blackwall with some trial and error. This particular advantage gives the Belle and Pryse a leg up on her competitors.

 

[MANIAC]

Mykel Dawson

Nicely made. You can't use Kinley Pryse in the manufacturer without the user's permission, because it is not your character. I'd like to ask you to link Darth Skaran's profile/bio/NPC sub to the manufacturer, if it isn't your character, you can't use it without a permission. But if Skaran is only a fluff element, link the simple Sith/Sith Lord article from the Wookieepedia to his name.

 

[Mykel Dawson]

Mykel Dawson

Nicely made. You can't use Kinley Pryse in the manufacturer without the user's permission, because it is not your character. I'd like to ask you to link Darth Skaran's profile/bio/NPC sub to the manufacturer, if it isn't your character, you can't use it without a permission. But if Skaran is only a fluff element, link the simple Sith/Sith Lord article from the Wookieepedia to his name.

I added a link to the Sith Lords for Darth Skaran. As for Kinley, I was commissioned by the writer to make this ship. If it's still an issue then I can remove her name.