Buckler Drive

[Blue]

Buckler Drive Stealth Drive and Deflector Shield Combo Name • SD/DS Integrated Defence System v2.012, more widely known as the Buckler Drive Classification • Starship component Origin • Designed by Soulsea Shipworks, blueprints stolen and briefly produced by Tare Shipwrights (company no longer exists) Specifications Size • The Buckler Drive systems are hardwired into the entirety of the ship it is obtained for and as such the size of the component is typically custom measured for the vessel it is installed upon. - Height: - Width: - Length: Appearance • Unless you know exactly what it is you are looking for, the main component of the Buckler Drive appears to be like just another starship component. Most of the vital systems it is utilising is within the walls of the ship itself, neatly tucked away between the internal and external walls of the vessel. Function Initially conceptualised and designed by Soulsea Shipworks (a subsidiary of Vorpal Armaments), the SD/DS Integrated Defence System was an attempt to create a two pronged form of both covert and overt starship defence while maintaining cutting edge energy efficiency. The concept cornered on a stealth drive, which utilised refrigeration of the exterior hull, and radiation and heat sinks to "store" the bleed off of these elements that would be picked up by unfriendly sensors. This energy could be stored for upwards of several hours, after which it would need to be vented to prevent burning out the storage components. Due to the extensive hull work to provide such extensive stealth coverage, cost projections dictated to the manufacturer that only vessels able to equip this were the size of light freighters or smaller. Alternatively, the buildup of this energy could be funneled into the second part of the SD/DS Integrated Defence System: the reinforced deflector shield. The excess energy could be used to overcharge the shield which, at peak power during testing, proved able to withstand several glancing hits from turbolasers designed for capital ships without instantly blowing out. The major downside to this powerful shield was the power output; even with the stored energy from the stealth drive, it could only maintain it's strength for approximately ten minutes before it completely failed. In an attempt to compensate for this, direct absorption sinks were installed on the test ships sublight engines so that the shield could draw the bleed directly from there as well. While this successfully balanced the power input/output to acceptable levels, it was discovered that to maintain the shield's power integrity the operator would have to maintain consistently high speeds safely while in high pressure situations, which the average starship pilot simply could not do. [To reflect this, in order to use the deflector shield at maximum efficiency, the user must have a minimum of 4 points in the Piloting skill, as well as having the vessel using it as one of their Specialties. Otherwise, the shielding can only be maintained for approximately ten minutes, and can be far more easily overloaded.] After extensive testing, the manufacturing cost projections overshadowed the potential profit estimates. As a result, the SD/DS Integrated Defence System was judged too inefficient for profitable distribution and Soulsea Shipworks shut down and archived the project. But due to some corporate espionage, another less scrupulous company called Tare Shipwrights stole the blueprints and began manufacturing them, rebranding the component the "Buckler Drive". A few months after production began, the CEO of Tare Shipwrights was involved in a number of scandals and removed from his position. The company was then bought (and subsequently liquidated) by Novacial Mechanicals (a subsidiary of Vorpal Armaments). Though the Buckler Drive is no longer mass produced, there are still many vessels out there with it installed and not all of the blueprints were confiscated or destroyed, making this a favoured piece of engineering for cautious and daredevil pilots alike.

[Neology]