Palpatinian Syhith Order.	ISP-6 Imperial Shuttle Pod.		Palpatinian Syhith Order.
The ISP-6 "Imperial Shuttle Pod" is a small air/space vehicle used by the Imperial forces. A single-seat vehicle with a tri-wing configuration reminiscent of the latter and much larger Lambda-Class Shuttle, the ISP-6 is a fast, compact ISP-6 One-Man Shuttle Pod. Production Information: Manufacturer: Various. Product Line: Shuttle Pod. Model: ISP-6 Shuttle Pod. Class: Shuttle Pod. Technical Specifications: Cost: 25,000credit each. Length: 8 ft. Wingspan: Wings Up: 4 ft; Wings Down: 6 ft. Height: Wings Up: 6 ft; Wings Down: 10 ft. Mass: 1.5 tons. Maximum Atmospheric Speed: 200 miles per hour. Engine Units/Powerplant: KYD-21. Hyperdrive: Installed. Shielding: Equipped. Hull: Steel alloy. Sensor/Targeting/ Navigation/Avionics Systems: KYD-08 General Purpose Sensor Suite. Main Computer: None. Countermeasures: None. Armament: Twin blaster cannons. Crew: Pilot (1). Passengers: None. Cargo Capacity: Pilots supplies only. Cargo Handling Systems: None. Consumables: Only a few days worth. Life Support: 2 days worth. Communication Systems: Short holocams and viewscreen. Other systems: Ejector seat. Usage: Availability: Common, especially after the fall of the Palpatinian Order. Roles: Personal Shuttle; Courier. Eras: Rise of the Empire Era; Rebellion Era; New Republic Era; UGC Era. Affiliation: Galactic Empire; New Republic; New Geh 'Dia Order Private Militry Contractors; Courier/Messenger Services; UGC (Limited). transport, designed for intra-planetary transport and to be deployed from larger shuttles, and is armed with two defensive blaster cannons for operations in combat zones. Characteristics At 25,000credit each, the 8 ft by 2/3 ft by 3/4 ft, 1.5 tons ISP-6 cruises along at a very sedate 200 miles per hour, powered by a single KYD-21. Though strictly intended as a civilian transport, the ISP-6 is equipped Another view of the ISP-6. with shields and twin medium blasters (technically making it more heavily armed than the INT-4), and with only a KYD-08 General Purpose Sensor Suite for pretty much all sensory applications; There is no main computer nor countermeasures. The one-man craft can not carry passengers, and only a few days worth of pilots supplies, food, and life support. Because they were really intended for diplomats and other higher-level functionaries, an advanced communication suite of short range holocams and viewscreens was included; These can be replaced with basic audio-only comms systems if the pilot so chooses, though why they would is another matter. The ISP-6 also has an advanced ejector seat/rocket pack system. An unusual feature is the fixed-position skids, rather than the more traditional retractable skids or more common retractable triangular landing struts. This was to save weight and therefore cost. This element was repeated, though in a retractable form, in another craft, the Lambda-Class Shuttle, from which its creators borrowed the folding and tri-wing designs. A drawback to the size of the vehicle is that it leaves very little room for other systems, including the cockpit. Even basic creature comforts are limited; Pilots have to pee in a bottle if they are going to go at all. The cramped cockpit contains nothing more than a yoke controlling both flight and weapons, and the most utilitarian of Heads Up Displays (HUD). As such the firing of the weapons rely primarily on a pilot's skill rather than technologies such as sensors or targeting systems. Weapons Systems The ships are armed and shielded, but are not nearly substantial enough to serve as combat craft; Only a fool would try. The shields and weapons are only intended to protect the shuttle if ambushed or, on rare occasion, if a VIP 'must' enter a combat zone. Although not expressly required under the warranty, the user's manual does strongly recommend pilots and would be pilots wear full space suits when operating the ISP-6 outside of an atmosphere. Employment The IPS-6 is barely powerful enough to escape a planet on its own; In fact, they're barely able to make sustainable orbit on their own. They are most often used as intra-planetary transport (from one city to another), or as ship-to-surface/surface-to-ship transport when the larger ship can't (or really shouldn't) make landfall. However, they can be equipped with a rudimentry hyperdrive system, with up to three jumps programmed in- Externally. Upgrading the powerplant is common enough (and doesn't effect re-sale value). The same skids that make the ship easier to maintain also make it suitable for use as a snow transport, and at very high speeds "has" been used as a jet ski, though these are expressly contrary to the users manual. History The ISP-6 was developed as part of the research and development process for what would eventually become the Lambda-Class Shuttlecraft. Developers needed to know what kind of configurations would work, and the ISP-6 gave them much-needed technical data in this regard, in terms of mechanical, flight, and control systems, and in terms of creature comforts. However, a strange selection of the 'prototyping' platform as a personal shuttlecraft by the Syhith Lord Darth V'Hader, despite his ownership of the EXECUTOR and several TIE Advanced x1 (TIE/x1) and TIE/in's for diplomatic purposes (ie, when he wasn't there just to scare the Hell out of people, such as when he visited the Emperor). This lead to far-ranging interest in the craft, and within a standard year over a million units had been sold, and has sold nearly that many every year since. Influence Galactically, the ISP-6 has had an unusual influence- The ISP-6 has done more for peace than most other platforms combined. In fact, the ISP-6 is said to be the ambassador's shuttle, even though millions more have been sold for other functions. They are even used for light-duty law enforcement purposes. The appearance of an ISP in a region in contest has often been the sign that diplomacy has started in earnest; When the Syhith Palpatinian Qek visited the Geh 'Dia on the verge of the UGC's unveiling, she rode an ISP to signal her intentions (despite being escorted by dozens of TIE/IN's). The reputation of the ISP is so significant that the UGC has bought a large quantity (over 2 million total in the past 100 years since annexing the Rakatan galaxy) for use by the Council, and these are now recognized pretty much everywhere as a good omen (though its reputation as "the" ambassador's shuttle is mainly ingrained in the psyche of the Rakatans). Even the Fremen of Arraksis, upon seeing one for the first time, gathered around (the Fremen are normally very standoff to new outsiders, but this drew them in, as if expected, which it most certainly was not). Despite the ISP-6's originals as a Palpatinian craft, it's well-regarded; Most of the New Geh 'Dia Order own one, and those that don't can readily barrow one from the Order on the Order's business. The Founders of the New Order (the Skywalker and Solo factions) even personally owned such craft, with registration papers to prove it. (It was in fact these registration papers that made the UGC understand the "Skywalker" and the "Solo" were in fact real people, not titles or faction names.) Other uses included bonded courier services (wherein a person hand-walks a package to another person or place), light law enforcement (though never in the white colors), and even crop dusting (though that was only one example, of a broken down unit). Open top units are often seen as planetry-bound personal transports, due to their excellent fuel economy. Flight Dynamics The ISP-6 is unusually simple to fly and highly forgiving. The fly-by wire system means it can respond quickly, but is artificially slowed making it more forgiving. However, the avionics suite is fairly rudimentary, and in fact would be classified as "sub standard" in any commuter craft. The ISP-6 is exempt because it is the ISP-6, and therefore everyone is willing to forgive the underwhelming nature of the system. It's also often used as a starter shuttle by first-time buyers, to whom the simplicity is actually a bonus. It is not unknown for owners to upgrade the systems over time, though this adversely effects resale value. Critical Analysis For the purposes of a private shuttlecraft, the ISP-6 is exceptional. For militry purposes, it's beyond sub-par, and in fact the warranty clearly states "...this craft is not intended for combat purposes, and all such uses will void warranty outright, regardless the nature or cause of damage." The operator's manual has a chapter dedicated to combat operations: It reads: "In case of attack, raise shields. Turn around and run away as fast as the craft will go. Call for help. Hide. Pray." It took six pages to cover these 5 sentences because they wrote one sentence per page, in very large font, with a couple of pictures to underscore the point. (There is a chapter on weapons systems immediately after, but it's only a few pages longer, and re-iterates the point that this isn't a combat platform.) Even the sales pitch reminds buyers that the ISP-6 isn't for combat; Amongst other taglines are "Not Everyone Needs A TIE" and "Not Everyone Needs An X-Wing." In many ways it's an FTL capable version of the Justice fighter, though slower and not as comfortable, and far less well armed and armored. (The Justice "could" be equipped with the same type of hyperdrive as the ISP-6, but that would be an expensive modification that would be difficult to install under the best of circumstances.) The ISP-6 has no strategic implications, except in manufacturing; The same factories producing knock off IS-6's "could" be producing black market fighters or components thereof, and the GIB strongly suspects this is probably the case.