Overview:      This fighter, imaginatively named the Na'Ctka Moquka - II by the Commonwealth engineers is the fighter spawned from the early experiments by the design team responsible for the Vrak'Tar fighter. Using the exact same structure and virtually identical components as the standard Fluttering Petal, the only difference lies in its weapon systems. Having removed the MDCs and one of the hardpoints, the Petal-II is armed exclusively with lasers, much as the prototype was, only these lasers are fitted with a "link system". Capabilities:      The "Link System" (more colourful in name under the Kesrith designation) is the complicated set of electronics that was being developed by the design team who ultimately worked on the Vrak'Tar. It consists of a series of concurrent targeting servos coupled to a sophisticated fuzzy-AI which work in conjunction in an attempt to focus the impact of the linked weapons at a single location. It is an obscenely complicated system, hungry in power and requiring much mass to house the targeting computers. It was these limitations that forced the design team to look elsewhere in their design of the Vrak'Tar--the systems were just getting far to large and complex to achieve the destructive power they wanted. However, while such a large system was prohibitive, they decided to adapt their research into producing a smaller scaled version, that would still significantly improve the damage potential of the linked weapons. For a test vehicle, they naturally turned to the best (in their opinion, anyway) fighter ever produced... the Na'Ctka Moquka in its original configuration.      The Petal-II is, as mentioned, armed almost exclusively in lasers, four large 7.5/5s and four smaller 5/4s. The 7.5/5s occupy their rightful position in the wingtips of the craft, with the downgraded linking system mounted in the extra space originally taken up by the larger MDC 8s. The turret of the standard model was altered slightly, reducing the 5/5s lasers to 5/4 models, and losing the hardpoint to accommodate the linkage controls. To make the craft more palatable to the Commonwealth forces (the designers remembering how the Na'Ctka Moquka was originally butchered) the design team found they could mount two more hardpoints without losing any performance. The new hardpoints tuck neatly under each wing right where it makes it's turn downward to support the lasers. The Petal-II keeps its original bow-mounted hardpoint as well. In the end, the new Na'Ctka Moquka weighs in two tons short of the original, and keeps the same thrust rating. Shielding, armour, controls, and everything else remain unchanged from the standard version, keeping overall complexity down with fewer number of replacement parts needed to be manufactured and little retooling needed to be done. Deployment:      In combat trials, the linkage system is proving to be a success. Tests show that multiple hits to the same area by a set of linked weapons is up 20% over a set of non-linked ones. Test pilots predict that in actual combat, the chance to quickly gain internal hits would certainly put the enemy pilot on edge, if not destroy vital systems quick enough to take the fighter out of commisson. While obviously not as effective as the spinal mount system, the bulky link controls seem to be living up to their worth.      There is, however, one major drawback to this fighter: its cost. At a whopping 5,051,500 credits per unit, the Petal-II is the most expensive fighter ever to be considered for production. The design team point to its virtues, with its many lasers (think of the strafing runs!) and the added chance of lining the lasers up to "reach in and tear the fighter up from inside", as well as its success in dogfights against the original model as proof of its destructive potential, and which they say shows why it is well worth the extra cost. As well, they note it's ease of integration, production and use of existing parts, which would reduce overall cost.      As of yet, the Commonwealth Forces have yet to make up their minds whether or not to accept the new Petal. The Renegades have shown their support, as have the KessRith element in the Commonwealth. For the moment, only one squadron of Petal-IIs is operating in the main combat theatre, on the KessRith Cruiser Iraak'Aar. The craft has performed superbly so far, making a mess of all TOG adversaries, and it is likely that the Petal-II will be given the go ahead for at least a limited production run.

Class: Heavy Fighter Mass: 243 tons Cost: 5,051,500 Rating Power Mass Cost Right Engine 800 800 8 800000 Cnter Engine 900 900 10 900000 Left Engine 800 800 8 800000 Links 2 2 2 400000 Thrust: 5 Shields Rating Front 70 48 2 35000 Right 60 24 2 30000 Left 60 24 2 30000 Stern 70 48 2 35000 Armour Points Front 100 0 10 500 Right 100 0 10 500 Left 100 0 10 500 Stern 100 0 10 500 Weapons Location 7.5/5 Left Wing 20 20 240000 7.5/5 Left Wing 20 20 240000 Link Left Wing 3 3 40000 Hard Point Left Wing 0 3 10000 7.5/5 Right Wing 20 20 240000 7.5/5 Right Wing 20 20 240000 Link Right Wing 3 3 40000 Hard Point Right Wing 0 3 10000 HardPoint Bow 0 3 10000 5/4 Turret 14 14 204000 5/4 Turret 14 14 204000 5/4 Turret 14 14 204000 5/4 Turret 14 14 204000 Link Turret 6 6 80000 Turret 1 1 4 40000 Crew and Cockpit Cockpit 1 1 1 10000 Crew 2 2 2 2000 Atmospheric Controls A-G Drives 1 12 3 1500 Power Mass Cost Totals: 310 243 $5,051,500 Excess Power: 2190------------------------

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