Stinger

Like all Surronian spacecraft, the vessel known as the Stinger was a unique creation. While it was classified as a Conqueror-class assault ship, its design reflected the preferences of the hive craft guild responsible for its construction, and it incorporated several distinctive features that differentiated it from similar vessels. However, upon acquiring the ship, the Human replica droid Guri found its performance lacking and initiated a comprehensive overhaul of its systems, extensively modifying it to meet her rigorous standards. The end result was a ship that was both exceptionally fast and resilient, and utterly unique. Although it was not commercially available, its estimated worth was 150,000 standard credits.

The spacecraft measured approximately twenty-eight meters in length and featured a sleek, curved hull that appeared almost sculpted. It consisted of forward and aft sections connected by a narrow "neck." The forward section housed the cockpit, while the main cargo hold, reactor core, and engines were situated in the larger aft section behind the neck. Retractable landing skids were positioned on the underside of the ship, beneath both the forward and aft sections. A retractable entry ramp located under the neck provided access to the interior, while a separate hatch granted access to the cargo hold. An additional hatch on the ship's upper surface allowed access to the main reactor core, and the core's exhaust valves were located at the rear of the vessel.

The Stinger derived its power from a set of eight Surronian ion engines arranged around the rear section—two dorsal and two ventral A2-grade ion engines, along with two port and two starboard A2.50-grade ion engines. Collectively, these engines generated a sublight speed exceeding that of the T-65 X-wing starfighter and only marginally lower than that of the TIE Interceptor, which was then the fastest starfighter in the Imperial fleet. In atmospheric conditions, the Stinger could achieve speeds of up to 1,150 kilometers per hour.

While Guri considered the sublight engines adequate and largely left them untouched during her refit, the droid replaced the original Class 1 Corellian Engineering Corporation H1.5 hyperdrive with a modified Class 1 CRC H2-1 hyperdrive to enable even faster hyperspace travel. Complementing the new hyperdrive was a Class 10 backup hyperdrive to serve as a contingency in case the primary drive malfunctioned. A nav computer in the cockpit allowed the pilot to input destination coordinates before initiating the hyperdrive. When fully fueled, the ship possessed sufficient range to travel from the Outer Rim Territories all the way to the Core Worlds.

The ship was already maneuverable, but Guri installed new systems to exploit its capacity to adjust the engine exhaust nozzles. By enabling the pilot to individually control the nozzles using the onboard computer system, Guri eliminated the necessity for maneuvering jets and further enhanced the ship's agility. Guri also incorporated a set of four emergency braking jets at the front of the rear section to give the ship an advantage in combat scenarios. Guri employed the braking thrusters in various combat maneuvers, such as causing the ship to come to an abrupt halt while being pursued, often causing the pursuing ship to overshoot its target, leaving it vulnerable to the Stinger's weapon systems.

The ship's weaponry was also upgraded during Guri's modifications. Its most conspicuous weapons were a pair of linked ion cannons and a double laser cannon turret. The ion cannons, which were part of the ship's original armament, were mounted on either side of the cockpit and could be used to disable targets for capture. The laser turret was mounted on top of the rear section and allowed the pilot to use lethal force when required. While the ion cannons fired directly forward, the turret offered a wider arc of fire and could be operated from a dedicated gunnery station or, via a backup fire-control link, from the cockpit, albeit with reduced accuracy. Although it might not have appeared formidable at first glance, this was merely a deception, as the turret's power output was comparable to that of a double heavy-laser cannon. In an atmosphere, the ion cannons had a maximum range of 3.6 kilometers, while the laser turret had a range of 2.5 kilometers.

However, the ship's most potent weapon was less apparent. The Stinger carried a substantial supply of proton torpedoes, which could be fired rearward at unsuspecting pursuing ships. Furthermore, the torpedoes could be deployed in a spread pattern to maximize the likelihood of hitting the target. The ship's shield generators were also enhanced to improve their effectiveness.

During its service as a transport within the Republic Navy, the ship provided a comfortable environment for extended flights. It was outfitted with an autodoc featuring an integrated axial image resonator, which provided simple instructions for personnel with minimal medical training to diagnose and treat injuries. In the event of a hull breach, a series of pressure doors along the main corridor would automatically seal compartments to maintain structural integrity. It was also equipped with multiple airlocks. To secure the ship, the Republic Navy required the correct security codes to be entered to gain access and operate it.

Upon taking ownership of the Stinger, Guri determined that the crew quarters and cargo area occupied an excessive amount of space. She had the crew quarters removed entirely, and much of the cargo hold was filled with new systems and controls, extending from the engineering crawl space located behind it, including shield generator capacitors, reactor core control systems, and reserve drive modules. The remaining cargo space was limited to twenty-five metric tons—a small amount by light freighter standards—and the ship could carry consumables for no more than a month. Although the ship was occasionally modified to provide basic accommodation for up to two passengers, there was little room for comfort, with only a small refresher unit and limited food supplies. The forward compartment contained the cockpit, which had sufficient seating for any passengers in addition to the pilot. A small emergency escape pod located at the rear of the cockpit, however, had room for only the pilot to vacate the vessel in the event of its destruction.

Many of Guri's modifications were not externally visible. Her droid reflexes enabled her to operate the ship without a crew, but she utilized an advanced MicroThrust Processors computer system to automatically monitor internal systems, redirecting power or activating reserve systems in the event of a major overload. This allowed her to focus on piloting and combat duties. The ship's computer could also be set to autopilot, enabling it to automatically adjust its vector to follow an incoming descent course for docking, and could be at least partially controlled using a remote control device. Already equipped with voice and video communications equipment, Guri added an upgraded communications package to better monitor comm channels. Other modifications included an efficient sensor cluster, located in the fore section, to provide the pilot with data on the ship's surroundings. Guri also fitted security mechanisms, such as linking an auto-destruct system from the cockpit to the power core, which would be triggered in the event that somebody attempted to steal the vessel.

Surronian ships were typically reserved for young Surronians as they prepared to join one of their world's craft guilds; only in exceptional cases were they given to non-Surronians. Prince Xizor, who would later lead the Black Sun criminal organization, was one of the few non-Surronians to own a Surronian ship, having been awarded it by a hive craft guild in recognition of a favor the Dark Prince had performed.

Sometime before 20 BBY, the ship was being used in some form of pirate activity when it was seized by Galactic Republic forces. News of the ship's capture reached Republic Admiral Tarnese Bleyd, who negotiated to have it assigned as his personal transport. Given the call sign A-one, the ship was docked in a private hangar aboard the MedStar-class frigate MedStar Nineteen, a medical ship that served as the admiral's command ship.

During 20 BBY, MedStar Nineteen was stationed in orbit around the planet Drongar in the Outer Rim, where Republic forces were fighting the Confederacy of Independent Systems as part of the Clone Wars. Bleyd used his personal transport whenever he left his command ship, heading to one of the Republic Mobile Surgical Units on the surface, finding it faster than other available transports. The conflict on Drongar centered on control of the planet's primary export, the valuable medicinal plant bota. Bleyd and the Hutt Filba secretly made a deal with Black Sun to supply the syndicate with bota for the black market. When Bleyd attempted to betray Black Sun, he was murdered by their operative, the Nediji assassin Kaird.

Bleyd was succeeded by Armial Erel Kersos, who also used A-one. Three pilots, including Biggs Bogan and Sebairns, were assigned to fly the admiral's ship in rotation, with one of the three on standby at all times in case they were needed by the admiral. Plant life on Drongar was constantly mutating, and Kaird learned that bota was undergoing a mutation that would soon render it useless as a medical treatment. Knowing that the news would likely intensify the fighting as both sides attempted to gain control of the last useful bota supply, Kaird decided to act quickly to steal as much of the plant for Black Sun as he could before it lost its efficacy. He recruited the criminals Thula and Squa Tront to steal the bota, while Kaird secured a ship on which to escape Drongar. Due to its range and speed, he decided to steal the admiral's ship.

Kaird learned that Bogan was in a relationship with Ord Vorra, a Twi'lek stationed on Drongar. Kaird poisoned Sebairns, ensuring that Bogan would be on standby when Kaird planned to steal the ship, and befriended Vorra, arranging to meet privately with her and Bogan, ostensibly to watch a Strag match. Kaird drugged the pair with the muscle relaxant myocaine and threatened to kill Vorra unless Bogan provided him with all the security codes needed to steal the admiral's ship. The assassin infiltrated the MedStar and made his way to the admiral's private hangar, using the codes he'd obtained from Bogan to power up the vessel. When contacted by Flight Control, he was able to impersonate Bogan and convince them that he was taking the vessel out for a practice flight with the admiral's permission. Only after clearing the Republic picket ships did Kaird expect his cargo, using the vessel's autodoc to examine the carbonite-encased contents. Thula and Tront had betrayed him and the container held an explosive device rather than the promised bota. Kaird quickly ejected the cargo from the nearest airlock, just minutes before it exploded.

Upon returning to Black Sun's headquarters on Coruscant, Kaird retained the stolen vessel as his personal transport. By 19 BBY, it had acquired the name Stinger. Shortly after the Declaration of a New Order saw the Republic reborn as the Galactic Empire, Kaird became involved in a contest with Xizor for a vacant position as one of Black Sun's vigos. Seeing Xizor as a potential threat, Underlord Dal Perhi preferred Kaird for the position and instructed him to follow Xizor on a mission to Coruscant's Yaam Sector, where he was to assassinate the Dark Prince. Kaird took the Stinger to the Eastport landing field and set out to locate Xizor. However, when he finally attacked Xizor, his rival emerged victorious, taking the Nediji assassin captive. Xizor decided to take Kaird to his facility in Coruscant's Factory District to have him brainwashed to kill Perhi. However, with the unexpected arrival of a group led by Jedi Knight Jax Pavan, Xizor was forced to flee the facility aboard the Stinger.

Xizor kept the ship stored in his hangar for several years until he acquired the assassin droid Guri to serve as his lieutenant and bodyguard. Deciding that a unique droid required a unique ship, Xizor gave Guri the Surronian vessel to serve as her personal transport. Guri, however, felt that the ship wasted space on amenities designed for an organic crew, along with unnecessary storage space. Xizor granted the droid permission to redesign it to suit her needs and Guri, aided by Black Sun's skilled outlaw techs, began upgrading the vessel to improve its performance.

The redesigned ship's lack of comforts, coupled with its deadly firepower, made it an ideal choice for the Human replica droid. Guri used the vessel whenever she was off Coruscant, with it serving as both a transport and her mobile base of operations, from which she could command Black Sun's forces around the galaxy. She was also known to use the ship to smuggle precious cargo for the Falleen crime lord. Over time the ship came to be feared by criminals from Coruscant to the Outer Rim worlds.

Guri used the Stinger while performing many missions for the Dark Prince, including journeying to Gelgelar to kill the Ubese bounty hunter Boushh after he attempted to charge Black Sun more than specified on a contract. She would later keep the bounty hunter's armor stored in a locker aboard the ship. In 3 ABY, Guri took the Stinger to Rodia to rendezvous with Leia Organa, who was seeking Black Sun's assistance in uncovering who was responsible for a recent attempt on Luke Skywalker's life. Guri hid the ship in a small clearing in the rain forest, before proceeding to the Next Chance casino for the meeting. She later used the ship to return to Coruscant, taking Organa and her Wookiee companion Chewbacca there to meet with her master.

Shortly afterwards, Xizor was killed and his palace destroyed after he was revealed to be the threat to Skywalker. However, both Guri and the Stinger survived. By 4 ABY, Guri had decided to locate her creator, Massad Thrumble, in an effort to purge her assassination programming. To this end, she took the Stinger to Hurd's Moon, the last known location of the reclusive scientist. En route, the Stinger was confronted by an Imperial-class Star Destroyer and Guri was ordered to shut down the ship's engines. Guri, however, decided to flee and, when the Star Destroyer pursued, launched a spray of proton torpedoes from her rear launchers. The unsuspecting Imperials were surprised by the sudden show of firepower from the civilian vessel and the Star Destroyer was destroyed.

Guri eventually arrived at Hurd's Moon, where Thrumble agreed to help if she retrieved his droid Doc, who had been stolen by the scientist Spinda Caveel. Guri proceeded in the Stinger to Caveel's base on Murninkam. As she entered orbit, Guri came under attack from three droid-controlled picket starfighters. The Stinger's firepower allowed her to eliminate the threat, but the ship was damaged in the fight and crashed into the Kajiin Swamp on the world below. Though the Stinger sank into the swamp, Guri was able to get out and proceed with her mission. She eventually returned after freeing Doc and utilized her remote control to raise the ship from the swamp. However, as Guri and Doc prepared to leave, the bounty hunter Kar Yang, who had followed Guri in an attempt to take her back to Xizor's niece, Savan, was able to place a homing beacon aboard the ship. Yang followed the Stinger back to Hurd's Moon, but was eventually killed by Guri, who was successfully reprogrammed by Thrumble.

Tarnese Bleyd was a Sakiyan male whose clan was ruined after his pride-father Tarnese Lyanne was double-crossed in a deal with the Black Sun vigo Shiltu the Hutt. He left Sakiya to find employment with the Galactic Republic and eventually became an admiral in the Republic Navy, commanding the medical ship MedStar. Bleyd considered his assignment a waste of his talents and decided to make a profit out of his position by working with the Hutt Filba to supply bota to Black Sun. When the Black Sun agent Mathal informed Bleyd that Black Sun wanted a larger supply, Bleyd murdered him, only to be subsequently killed by Kaird, another Black Sun operative. Bleyd acquired the Stinger after specifically requesting it as his personal transport, following its seizure by Republic forces. Though it was an unusual ship for a Republic admiral, Bleyd found its speed advantageous and was pleased to have a ship that looked as good as it performed.

Erel Kersos was a Corellian male who was born into an Ensterite clan who did not permit marriage outside of one's own planetary system. When Kersos married Feleema, a non-Corellian woman, he was ostracized from his family and left Corellia. Following his wife's death, he dedicated himself to a military career and rose to the rank of admiral by the Clone Wars. Kersos inherrited the Stinger when he succeeded Bleyd as commander of MedStar Nineteen. Rather than fly the ship himself, Kersos had three pilots, including Biggs Bogan and Sebairns, who rotated shifts so that one was always on standby to fly the admiral if required.

Kaird was a Nediji who joined Black Sun after being banished from his flock and leaving his homeworld of Nedij. Kaird originally worked as an assassin for the crime syndicate but, after his assassination of Tarnese Bleyd, became a candidate for vigo in just over a year. However, Kaird simply wanted to retire to his homeworld. Knowing that nobody could simply leave Black Sun, Kaird hoped that, by becoming a vigo, he could make enough powerful allies within the organization to be allowed to leave. This brought him into conflict with Prince Xizor, who also sought the only vacant vigo position. The two sparred for some time before Xizor managed to capture him. Xizor planned to brainwash Kaird and turn him against Underlord Dal Perhi, but Kaird was freed by the intervention of a group led by Jax Pavan. Rather than return to Black Sun, Kaird decided to finally go back to Nedij. Kaird stole the Stinger from Kersos in order to escape Drongar with what he believed to be a cargo of stolen bota. The ship was one of his most prized possessions and he hated relinquishing control, even for automated docking. He lost the ship to Xizor, after the Dark Prince captured him. Kaird considered the loss of the ship to be among the worst indignities he suffered at Xizor's hands.

The Falleen known as Xizor was the sole offspring of King Haxim. He was raised to take his father's place as a regional leader on their planet of origin. Instead of this destiny, Xizor chose to depart his world and traverse the galaxy, founding Xizor Transport Systems and becoming a member of Black Sun. Xizor rapidly ascended the ranks of the organization, solidifying his position as its unchallenged head by 7 BBY. However, the demise of the majority of his family at the hands of Darth Vader, during an attempt to control an uncontrollable biological weapon, ignited within him a deep-seated loathing for the Sith's Dark Lord. Upon discovering that Luke Skywalker was Vader's offspring, Xizor resolved to eliminate the young Rebel. Xizor's scheme failed, resulting in the Rebels' destruction of his palace on Coruscant, and Xizor's own death soon after when Vader discovered his betrayal. Xizor received the Stinger as payment for aiding a Surronian hive craft guild and appreciated its sculpted form. The ship remained stored in his hangar for many years, largely forgotten, until he gifted it to Guri. Following Guri's modifications, Xizor named the ship the Stinger.

Guri was a Human replica droid, created by the researchers Simonelle and Massad Thrumble, designed to function as an assassin droid. After being sold to Prince Xizor, she acted as his second-in-command and primary enforcer until his death, which prompted her to embark on a personal mission to find Thrumble and have him remove her assassin programming so she could begin a new life. However, Xizor's niece, Savan, attempted to thwart her and ensure the droid's continued service to Black Sun. Guri eventually overcame Savan and was successfully reprogrammed. Throughout her existence, Guri utilized the Stinger as her personal spacecraft. Guri oversaw a significant upgrade of the vessel, tailoring it to her specific requirements. Nevertheless, Guri never formed an emotional connection to the ship, viewing it solely as a tool.

The Stinger was conceived as part of the 1996 Shadows of the Empire transmedia project and initially appeared in Steve Perry's Shadows of the Empire novel, quickly followed by the comic book adaptation. Perry reused the ship in the Shadows of the Empire: Evolution comic series. Kilian Plunkett created early concept art of the Stinger for Shadows of the Empire, illustrating its size relative to a T-65 X-wing starfighter. Sue Rostoni also produced an informational packet containing drawings and descriptions for all new ships in the project, including the Stinger. This packet stated that the Stinger's size was comparable to that of the Millennium Falcon.

The Official Star Wars Fact File 139 erroneously claims that the Stinger was destroyed alongside Xizor's Palace in Shadows of the Empire, despite including images of the ship from Shadows of the Empire: Evolution, which takes place after the palace's destruction.

The Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook established that the Stinger was given to Xizor as compensation for a service rendered to its creators, a fact that was later reiterated by the Rebellion Era Sourcebook. Perry and Michael Reaves featured a Conqueror-class assault ship in the Clone Wars novel MedStar I: Battle Surgeons, and, although unnamed in the book, Reaves confirmed on the Jedi Council Forums that it was the same ship seen in Shadows of the Empire. MedStar depicts the ship in the possession of Tarnese Bleyd, having been seized from a pirate. Given that it was known to have been created for Xizor, this article posits that the pirate was affiliated with Black Sun, and that the ship eventually returned to Xizor's ownership after Bleyd's death.

The specifics of how Xizor ultimately acquired the ship were revealed in Reaves's 2008 novel, Coruscant Nights I: Jedi Twilight. While The Official Star Wars Fact File 137 stated that Xizor only named the ship Stinger after Guri's redesign, Jedi Twilight refers to it by that name while still in the possession of Kaird. As the most recent source, this version of events is used in this article.