Minimal Crew Requirements: Pilot/Captain, Astrogator, Engineer, 2 Gunnery officers 

     The Akyna is a versatile freight hauler that many a ship owner has cast a lustful eye upon. And for good reason, the ship is small enough for most able crews to operate in a wide variety of situations, fairly well armed and armored boasting the lighter grade hull armor along with a pair of laser turrets, and a readily expandable mainframe computer (with additional space allotted for the hardware makes future upgrades quick and easy to install). 

     The hull is streamlined, and all bridge and engineering deck stations are situated on rotating deck gimbals allowing them to pivot to a "main axis parallel" stance for atmospheric use. The 3-unit cargo space doesn't allow for large profits, but crews can charge a little extra for promptness in delivery along with the insurance via two laser turrets that the load will get there. 

     There are drawbacks to the basic design. With no workpods, any external work will have to be performed via spacesuits, specifically with the drives and wing mounted aft maneuver jet banks. As such, most populated worlds do not permit atomic drive overhaul procedures to occur in their breathable atmospheres. The craft may land and lift off at the local starport, and even perform routine maintenance...but once the reactor is exposed to the air, crews can expect a prompt visit from Star law and a resulting stiff fine and impound/quarantine fees to boot. More experienced crews are required for the ship as well, crews that may feel better suited for larger craft such as full-sized freighters and the like. Four drives to maintain & overhaul can be taxing to smaller crews, not to mention the additional fuel costs. Most owners are happy to absorb that to compensate for the additional defenses on the basic design. 

     The twin cargo holds are another anomaly. They are tiered for ease in loading, but are situated for space duty. This means any ground-based cargo acquisitions will take extra time to load (figure double the usual time). Note the partial decks on each level may also be folded up against the main hull to accommodate larger items. The ventral turret must also be positioned correctly for any landing (space station or starport), as the ground clearance is minimal with the landing gear. That said, atmospheric landings in rough or uneven terrain can cause damage to the ventral guns. 

     Also note the lack of emergency vehicles. No lifeboat, escape pods, or workpods means any attempt of escape would have to be executed in a launch, meaning launching oneself from an airlock. The two crew decks do not offer much privacy, so being friendly is a must. And despite new technology in the drives and other systems, the main artery between decks is a standard ladder well with airtight hatches on each deck. The upside to this is during atmospheric groundings, characters may easily walk between decks. All hatches are designed to open towards the ventral side so there is no hampering on opening hatches, although it may take a little extra effort to close them once opened. 

     Finally, the aft outer hull hatch is not easily defended when it comes to boarders. Crew members can find solace within the hold airlock hatchways for hard cover, and heavy weapon mounts on either side of said hatches are common upgrades. Additional crew may find cover behind any crates and such stored here, assuming such loads are present. Incoming baddies will also benefit from hard cover until they fully emerge from the side hatches as well. Lobbing grenades is the best bet for repelling intruders here. Most owners station a few robots here to meet additional security needs. 

     Customizing is an immediate option most owners perform. A Universal Docking Collar is easily affixed to the aft airlock, thus allowing one additional level of security measure for would be boarders that opt for standard entry. Up-gunning an additional 20 cubic meters worth of weaponry can be performed as well at a -1 ADF or MR penalty, either by adding a forward firing laser pod system or upgrading to full-fledged laser batteries. The computer maintenance shaft running between the bridge and recreation decks is a common hidey-hole used by smugglers, and oftentimes has been expanded to port for more space to indulge in such “small package trading”.