TR-RL3 Terrapin-class bulk tanker
The TR-RL3 Terrapin-class bulk tanker, alternatively known as the Goji-DF or the Turtle Tanker, represented a practical starship design. Constructed by the Corellia Mining Corporation, it saw widespread use throughout the galaxy during the era of the Clone Wars. Its design incorporated spacious cargo bays that could be reconfigured to allow for the simultaneous transportation of diverse goods. A unique feature of the Turtle Tanker was its set of all-terrain legs, which aided in landings on planets lacking proper docking infrastructure; the engines were integrated into the feet of these legs. The vessel's compact cockpit could also function as an escape pod, and a backup command module within the main body of the tanker enabled operation even if the primary cockpit was unavailable.
Description
These TR-RL3 Terrapin-class bulk tankers, products of the Corellia Mining Corporation, served as versatile transport ships that could also operate as a walker. Characterized by their large cargo capacity and detachable cargo pods, they were frequently employed as cargo carriers. Their aesthetic resemblance to a turtle earned them the popular moniker of Turtle Tankers.
These tankers measured 38.2 meters in length and stood 26.1 meters in height. They were capable of achieving speeds of up to 750 kilometers per hour. The cost of a Turtle Tanker was 350,000 credits.
Role
Throughout the galaxy, the Turtle Tankers were assigned to important, if unglamorous, tasks. These included the transport of bulk supplies to colonists in remote locations, as well as the removal of waste from industrial worlds to distant disposal sites.
History
During the Clone Wars, a Turtle Tanker stationed on Stobar was seized by Savage Opress, a former Nightbrother who sought to reunite with his brother, the former Sith known previously as Darth Maul. The Sakiyan owner of the Tanker was in the process of exporting cargo from the junkyard planet Lotho Minor, an action that triggered a reaction from the Talisman of Finding that had been given to Opress by Mother Talzin. Convinced that Maul's location was tied to the planet, the Nightbrother forced the owner to return to Lotho Minor to search for his sibling.
However, after Opress arrived and conducted a brief search of the junkyard planet, the talisman ceased functioning, leaving Opress without a lead. Enraged, Opress hurled the Sakiyan pilot into an airlock, ejecting him onto the planet below, and took control of the Turtle Tanker. Despite this setback, Opress successfully landed the Tanker and located his brother.
Subsequently, Opress transported Maul back to their homeworld of Dathomir aboard the ship, where they were met by Mother Talzin. After Talzin used her magic to restore Maul's memories, legs, and former physique, Maul and Savage embarked once again to seek revenge on Maul's old nemesis, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had defeated him during the Battle of Naboo more than a decade prior. The pair set a course for the planet Raydonia, reportedly one of the planets serviced by the Turtle Tanker. Upon landing, Maul and Opress took hostages and massacred several inhabitants of the Raydonian settlement, with Maul using the Turtle Tanker to issue a challenge to the Jedi, thereby drawing Kenobi into a confrontation.
Upon Kenobi's arrival, Maul and Opress engaged him, quickly overpowering him and bringing him aboard the ship. After assisting his brother in torturing the Jedi Master, Opress returned to the cockpit to pilot the Tanker into orbit. As the Tanker ascended, it was secretly infiltrated by Opress' former master and Nightsister, Asajj Ventress, who intended to collect a bounty on Opress (and exact her own revenge). She assisted Kenobi in recovering, leading to a four-way duel within the cargo hold. Kenobi and Ventress, having formed an alliance against the brothers, managed to escape in the ship's cockpit before Maul and Savage could reach them, leaving the pair stranded in the remaining section of the ship. Fortunately, the ship was equipped with a secondary control panel, enabling Maul and Opress to pilot the Turtle Tanker away from the area.
Later in the war, a sales advertisement in Pons Ora, a settlement on the planet Abafar, promoted the sale of a Turtle Tanker for 350,000 credits, touting it as "a great place to hide your bounty."
Behind the scenes
The design and name of the Turtle Tanker were inspired by Dave Filoni's pet turtle, Goji.