The Aleph-class starfighter, frequently referred to as the Aleph or Twee, was initially given the moniker Pondskipper. This robust, dual-pilot starfighter was conceived by Sienar Fleet Systems for the Galactic Alliance Navy. During the Second Galactic Civil War and in subsequent years, the Alliance forces deployed this fighter.
The name "Twee" was quite fitting, as the Aleph's design bore a resemblance to the head of a Twi'lek. It featured two elongated, narrowing engine nacelles that stretched out from a spherical cockpit pod, which had a size that was somewhat larger than the TIE/LN starfighter's. Enhancing the fighter's peculiar aesthetic, the cockpit was equipped with a quad laser turret on either side, jokingly called "earmuffs" by some. The operation of these turrets was often problematic, suffering from delayed responses or complete malfunctions. Inside the shared cockpit, the pilot and gunner were seated next to each other, facing forward through two round viewports. The gunner occupied the right seat, while the pilot sat on the left. An R-series astromech droid was positioned centrally in a socket behind their seats. The Aleph's sizable frame was exceptionally durable, incorporating an armored chassis that housed powerful generators to power its formidable deflector shields. Its primary armament consisted of the aforementioned quad laser cannons, which offered broad firing arcs and the option to decouple the cannons for an erratic spread pattern, a feature inherited from the Aleph's original purpose. Furthermore, the fighter included forward-firing proton torpedo and concussion missile launchers. The fighter also possessed a notable maximum velocity, comparable to the Kuat Drive Yards Eta-5 interceptor, and demonstrated agility in atmospheric conditions. However, its acceleration was significantly lower than that of an X-wing. Its primary shortcoming was its limited maneuverability. To address this, numerous thruster ports were strategically placed along the top and bottom surfaces, as well as the sides of the hull. This allowed the fighter to execute lateral movements or vertical ascents and descents during flight. Nevertheless, many pilots considered this system an inadequate substitute for the natural agility of a smaller snubfighter. Aleph-class starfighters also depended on a transport ship like a Mon Calamari heavy carrier for deployment and retrieval from combat zones.
Near the end of the Yuuzhan Vong War in 29 ABY, Sienar Fleet Systems proposed plans to develop a specialized fighter designed to engage the Yuuzhan Vong Yorik-et, or "coralskipper," on an individual basis, which led to the "Pondskipper" nickname. However, the design did not see action before the Galactic Alliance secured victory in the war. It took more than a decade for the Aleph to enter limited production for the Galactic Alliance Navy, around 40 ABY. At that time, six Alephs formed an experimental squadron based on the Mon Calamari heavy carrier Blue Diver within the Corellian system. Syal Antilles piloted an Aleph-class starfighter, although she would have preferred the greater speed of an Eta-5 interceptor. Her gunner, Zueb Zan, frequently voiced his complaints about the unreliable turrets and the vehicle's overall lack of maneuverability, sentiments that Antilles shared. Despite these issues, Antilles felt that her family name warranted some prestige, so she resolved to push the Aleph to its limits. Stationed at Tralus as tensions with Corellia escalated, their vessel participated in the battle that marked the beginning of the Second Galactic Civil War. During the battle, a close encounter with Corellian sympathizers Han Solo, and Syal's own father Wedge Antilles, resulted in damage to the craft. Antilles narrowly avoided destruction and managed to return to the Blue Diver despite the fighter's wounds. The two continued to serve throughout the war, and it was in battle with the Aleph-class design that Antilles earned the rank of captain after she and Zan defended Galactic Alliance Chief of State and Sith Lord Jacen Solo from a Jedi StealthX squadron led by Luke Skywalker following a failed Corellian assassination attempt. The destruction of the Blue Diver by Centerpoint Station left the Galactic Alliance fleet in disarray.
Alephs also conducted patrols around Coruscant's orbit by 43 ABY. As Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo traveled there to mend the divide between the Jedi Order and the Galactic Alliance, two of these ships directed the Millennium Falcon toward the Senate Building. At least one Aleph was part of the Starfighter Command contingent stationed on Rimsaw Station, which orbited the Wild Space planet of Kuratooine, in 44 ABY. Displaying the gray markings of Starfighter Command, this Aleph was deployed to the planet to assist Colonel Kadana Sorrel in her investigation of rogue General Stavin Thaal during Wraith Squadron's campaign to apprehend him.
The Aleph-class starfighter first appeared in Legacy of the Force: Betrayal by Aaron Allston, which was the opening novel of the Star Wars: Legacy of the Force series. Subsequently, the fighter has also been featured in three additional novels by Allston: Legacy of the Force: Fury, the Fate of the Jedi novel Fate of the Jedi: Backlash, and X-Wing: Mercy Kill.
In The Written Word Hyperspace article, Hebrew letters are linked to the Sith language, and it is mentioned that the Aleph fighter resembles the Myke letter Aleph. The name "Twee" originated partly from Aaron Allston's preferred faux "Darth" title for Jacen Solo, "Darth Twee."