The Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier, also known as the Quasar Fire-class bulk cruiser, or simply the Quasar-class carrier or the Imperial light carrier, was a starship line built by the SoroSuub Corporation. It saw service in the Galactic Empire's Imperial Navy, both as a starfighter carrier and a mobile base of operations.
A Quasar Fire I-class Cruiser-Carrier firing its weapons
The Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier was built by the SoroSuub Corporation, a Sullust-based shipwright corporation. Its triangular structure made it similar to other dagger-shaped Imperial spacecraft, including Star Destroyers. Unlike Star Destroyers, however the bridge was located at the frontal point and the hangars at the base. The structural integrity of the Quasar Fire spaceframe was questionable, being subject to micro-fractures while reverting from hyperspace to realspace. This much was alleged by a report issued by .
The Quasar Fire-class was 340 meters in length. The four hangar bays had space to accommodate up to 96 starfighters, however, some Imperial light carriers operated with as few as ten TIE/sa bombers and four TIE/ln space superiority starfighters. The Empire used such carriers in orbit of occupied planets, allowing for easy dispatch of fighters whenever necessary. The Empire deployed two different variants of the Quasar Fire: the Quasar Fire I-class and the Quasar Fire II-class.
One Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier designated Imperial Cruiser 07200823 was used at the Carida Academy. During Han Solo's time as a cadet in the Academy, he and several other cadets were assigned to pilot the cruiser, transporting TIE fighter pilots for a training run.
A Quasar Fire II-class Cruiser-Carrier with TIE/D and TIE/IN escorts
In the year 3 BBY, the Spectres, alongside Cham Syndulla of the Free Ryloth Movement, stole a Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier in orbit of Ryloth for the rebellion.
The stolen ship became the flagship of Phoenix Cell of the early rebellion, rechristened the Phoenix Nest, housing their RZ-1 A-wing interceptors, and even being repainted to show its new affiliation. After coming under attack by Imperial forces, the starship fled with the rest of the rebel fleet to the planet Atollon. After the formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, it became part of the Alliance Fleet, with Colonel Anj Zavor recommending to Mon Mothma the procurement of more escort carriers from the Empire. However, the Phoenix Nest was destroyed at the Battle of Atollon, sacrificed by its commander, Jun Sato as it rammed on Admiral Konstantine's Interdictor-class Star Destroyer to let Ezra Bridger in the Kom'rk-class fighter/transport Nightbrother to escape the Grand Admiral Thrawn's blockade and get reinforcements. During the early rebellion, one Quasar Fire-class was destroyed by a pair of Sphyrna-class Hammerhead corvettes around the orbit of a celestial terrestrial body.
The Squall comes under attack from a squadron of A-wing interceptors.
At least one Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier was present at the Rebel Alliance's Mako-Ta Space Docks. After the surviving ships escaped the Empire's attack on the base, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa used the cruiser-carrier to rescue Han Solo and R2-D2, who were trapped in a damaged X-wing. Once Solo was aboard, the cruiser-carrier escaped to the moon Corosi 7, but was too damaged to make more than one hyperspace jump, so the rebels used it to land on Nar Shaddaa and find passage aboard the Volt Cobra, the ship of Sana Starros.
At some point in the Galactic Civil War, the Imperial Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier Squall came under attack by a squadron of Rebel RZ-1 A-wing interceptors. It was defended by a squadron of TIE/sa bombers. Also at some point during the reign of the Empire, the Pursuant and the Stronghold were in service in the Imperial Navy.
After the Battle of Endor, one Quasar Fire-class is orbiting on the planet of Mon Cala to hit-and-fade strikes by Admiral Rae Sloane to lure the New Republic Defense Fleet away from the Nadiri Dockyards to attack Project Starhawk.
A year later, Shadow Wing used the Quasar Fire-class Aerie during their campaign against the New Republic.
During the New Republic's siege of the Kuat Drive Yards, Blade Squadron attacked and destroyed a light carrier during the final stages of the battle.
First appearing in the Star Wars Rebels episode "Homecoming," the Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier was first officially named in the StarWars.com Databank. The ship originated in the Star Wars Legends novel The Truce at Bakura, published in 1994, as the Quasar Fire-class bulk cruiser/escort carrier and was first depicted visually in the Legends video game Star Wars: Rebellion.
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