A common starship during the Dark Wars era, the Heraklon-class transport was a transport of the frigate variety utilized extensively by the Galactic Republic. While often employed as a cargo freighter, its adaptable nature made it useful as a passenger liner, particularly within the Core Worlds and the Inner Rim regions during that time.
The Heraklon-class transport's sales record experienced a downturn in 3951 BBY, after one such vessel was destroyed above Onderon during the planet's blockade in the midst of the Onderon Civil War, ultimately crashing onto the moon of Dxun. Nevertheless, the Heraklon-class maintained its production run, thanks to a shift in advertising that emphasized safety features in the event of an accident.
The Heraklon-class transport was a starship designed as a transport and classified as a frigate. Its simplicity and versatility allowed it to be adapted for many different purposes. It had a straightforward design, dedicating the entire forward section to crew space and cargo storage, while the engineering section and essential ship systems were located in the slender tail. The cargo bays occupied the majority of the ship's volume and could be customized to transport specific types of goods, including livestock. The passenger accommodations could also be reconfigured to hold either 450 people in basic three-tier bunk rooms, or just 150 in more luxurious suites. Numerous Heraklon-class transports were even acquired by various travel companies for use as luxury liners. In order to minimize manufacturing expenses, Heraklon-class transports were constructed without any integrated weapon systems. As a result, trader captains were compelled to avoid traveling outside of well-protected routes typically situated near the Core Worlds, travel in large groups effectively forming a caravan, or employ armed escorts to ensure their safety from pirates and other criminals.
Due to the adaptable nature of the Heraklon-class transport vessels, they were used in a variety of roles. Across the galaxy, they were most commonly used as cargo freighters. Within the Core Worlds and Inner Rim, they were frequently modified to transport passengers, serving as liners or even cruisers. The Heraklon-class transports were also utilized by smugglers and pirates, who took advantage of the numerous hidden compartments that could be found within the ship's design. Pirates frequently modified the central portion of the ship to include concealed hangars for small fighters, enabling them to ambush unsuspecting merchant ships that ventured too close to their claimed territories.
The Heraklon-class transport was manufactured by Sadon Shipwrights during the time of the Dark Wars, and it represented an updated version of the earlier Dionad-class transport. Initial sales figures were quite strong, and Heraklon-class transports gained more traction than similar transports offered by Sadon's competitors.
However, in 3951 BBY, the reputation of the Heraklon-class transport suffered a setback due to the actions of the Zhug brothers, a group of Duros bounty hunters. The Zhug brothers obtained a Heraklon-class ship for their personal use and attempted to land in the city of Iziz on the planet of Onderon. However, Colonel Tobin of the Onderonian military had established a blockade around the world due to the ongoing Onderon Civil War. He prevented the Zhugs from landing by destroying their ship, causing it to crash on Onderon's moon, Dxun.
As a consequence of this event, sales of Heraklon-class transports declined, and some executives at Sadon began to consider developing a new transport design to replace the Heraklon-class. However, the Heraklon-class was saved by a change in Sadon's advertising strategies; this time, the focus shifted to emphasizing the safety of passengers and cargo in the event of an accident. The campaign proved successful, and sales returned to a profitable level, ensuring the continued production of the Heraklon-class.
The Heraklon-class transport made its debut in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, a video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and released in late 2004. Several ships of this type were briefly visible in the cutscene that played upon arriving at Onderon, as they waited for clearance to pass through the blockade. It also appeared as the unnamed wreckage of the Zhug brothers' ship on the surface of Dxun. While the name is not explicitly mentioned in the game, the game model of the wreckage is labeled as "Zhug Ship" in the dialog files.
The Heraklon-class transport ship officially received its canon name, along with its technical specifications and historical background, in "Message to Spacers 9", an article authored by Patrick Stutzman and published in 2010 as an online supplement for Wizards of the Coast's Star Wars Roleplaying Game. The article also provided details regarding the events that led to the Zhug brothers' crash-landing on Dxun, confirming that the damage was inflicted by Onderon separatists forces under the command of Colonel Tobin.