The Harbinger was designed by Kakutama Heavy Industries it is so named for the cargo it caries, being either soldiers, or supplies. The Drop Pod is intended for orbital drops, and for quick insertion of troops or or supplies on the ground making for rapid deployment and to form initial presence planet side. As such, it is a type of drop pod made specifically for being dropped into hostile or near hostile environments and the ever fun, surgical strikes.

The Harbinger is intended for use within the United Outer Colonies Peacekeeping Forces and Lorath Matriarchy to supplement deployment. It can fill a multitude of roles from simple personnel drops, to special strike teams and re-supply drops.

• Organizations: Lorath Matriarchy,United Outer Colonies Peacekeeping Forces
• Type: Drop Pod
• Class: Kh-O1-1a Tactical or Supply Drop Pod,
• Designer:Kakutama Heavy Industries
• Manufacturer: Kakutama Heavy Industries
• Production: Mass Production
• Maximum Capacity: 8 Soldiers fully equipped for combat. Alternatively it can house a substantial amount of supplies ranging from food, medical, clothing, and even military grade equipment depending on size.

• 6m in Length and Width
• 3m in Height

The frame of the Harbinger is made of Durandium Alloy rods and struts arranged in ways to ensure maximum survivability upon decent and landing. Each pod section that houses one occupant is secured in a reinforced durandium frame and plating. The central 'core' of the pod is also constructed of durandium, with insulation, and additional reinforcement so as to ensure the systems are not damaged. The bottom of the pod has a paper thin coating of Nerimium to help cope with the re-entry into the atmosphere, and atmospheric friction. A layer of heat treated Zanarium has also been applied to the pod to cut down on its sensor profile.

Damage Rating:6 Top and sides, DR 7 for bottom.

In mass produced Harbinger units, the ARIA Ship Control System which is usually found as a humanoid unit is instead 'dumbed down' to a non-synthetic-intelligence version of the ARIA system. The Non-SI ARIA lacks sentience but delivers the same processing power and calculating function as it's standard counterpart. The Non-SI application of ARIA is contained within a neural gel container and is interfaced with the majority of the Harbinger's systems.

The main power source of the Harbinger is a power armor size fusion reactor. This reactor is small, clean, safe and a efficient power source for the main systems.

The main life support power source of the Harbinger is a 'Heart' Sized QNC. This power source is ideal as it is cheaper to produce and can still power the Harbinger's life support systems admirably.

The Harbinger utilizes Lorath Shield System Technology.

Included barriers:

• Magnetic Shielding - Kept off-line until needed.
• Plasma Shielding - Kept off-line until needed.
• Gravitational Shielding - Activates upon departure from the ship.

Overall Damage Rating: DR 4

In the event of an emergency and should the Harbinger be placed under heavy fire, or become compromised, each individual section or “Pod section” of the Drop pod that houses the occupants will eject from the main housing via blast locks. A small scale standard computing system will run basic sub-routines, and use telemetry garnered from the ARIA Ship Control System just prior to release in order to calculate the best trajectory for a safe landing. Included on the bottom, sides, and top of the individual pod slots are equipped with micro-thrusters normally used in addition to the main thruster assembly to help with course, and trajectory corrections. With the reduced weight, these micro-thrusters are capable of helping land the individual compartment safely relying on the compartment's structural integrity for the rest.

Inside of the Harbinger are eight “compartments” each big enough to house a full grown Fyunnen if necessary. Weapons brought into the pod can be placed inside of a Durandium Alloy 'locker' beside the person so as to not let them rattle around inside of the compartment during re-entry. Each individual compartment also is padded to ensure the occupant will have a decreased chance of injury, and straps are also included to secure them. Behind the wall panel of where the occupant typically is located during drop is a small first aid kit, three days of rations, survival kit, and a small communications device. This is all intended for in case during Compartment Release the occupant becomes stranded from their comrades. Also the last of the built in features, while dangerous if operating behind enemy lines is a subspace 'beacon' or marker that will activate should compartment release occur unless the occupant chooses not to, to not give away their position.

Alternatively supplies such as food, water, medical, clothing, and military equipment can take the place of troops.

The Harbinger uses a series of Plasma Thrusters for the main braking system. The main series of this system is located in sheltered compartments on the bottom of the pod, hidden behind the Durandium Alloy an Nermium plating on the bottom of the craft. In the event of use, armored plates slide away to allow use.

Along the top, sides and bottom are an additional series of micro-thruster assemblies used to help in course and trajectory corrections. In the event of compartment release, these are used for each individual compartment of the Harbinger as each has its own set of micro-thruster assemblies.

There is a set of procedures that a marine must adhere to during drop, here is a small list.

• 1: Place any weaponry you're carrying into the Durandium locker in your compartment if it isn't strapped to you and secure.

• 2: Strap yourself in.

• 3: Close compartment door, and make sure it is secured.

• 4: If motion sickness is commonplace with you, take something for it before drop, or go see the doc to check if you're fit enough to drop.

Typically the pod can be launched in a variety of ways.

• 1: A drop pod rack is installed into the launch bay of the ship, it is a simple enough procedure. Once the pods are properly loaded they will be attached to the rack, and the rack will extend out of the bay. Once this is done the locks holding the pods with release, and allow the pod to commence decent under its own power.

• 2: Use a mag rail assist to “fire” the pods out of the bay. Micro-thruster corrections will commence to re-orient the pod.

• 3: External mounting can also be used via the same method as the pod rack. Fit the pod in place near an airlock, and attach. One person steps inside, the pod rotates and the procedure is commenced again until a full compliment is aboard. Once done the locks release and allow for decent for the pod under its own power.

• 4: One that has been called crazy, but by far one of the more fun ways to go. The drop pods are loaded with their compliment of troops, and then placed into the torpedo tubes. Let your imagination take it from there…

When the pod is launched the Zanarium coating activates. When the pod begins the decent into the atmosphere the ARIA Ship Control System begins the re-entry procedure. Micro-thrusters and the main systems are used to orient the pod bottom down to let the Nermium be both heat shield and shield against hostile fire should the on-board shield systems fail. Typically when the pods are used in number, they will be launched and re-enter the atmosphere in a close enough pattern to either appear as debris, a meteorite or small scale asteroid . The Zanarium coating handle the rest. Note: This is a dangerous procedure and your on-board ARIA must be coordinating with those of the other pods.

When not, the pattern is spread out either randomly over a selected LZ or in a strategic pattern to ensure maximum dispersal of troops over a selected area.

Once the pod nears the ground the Plasma Thrusters and Micro-Thrusters fire more to slow the rapid decent. A “hard” impact can be done at a safe distance and within the stress tolerances of the frame and hull however, the occupants may find it a little disconcerting.

A soft impact can also be done, main thruster firing is more rapid or steady and the pod will gently land to the ground. This is more time consuming then the hard impact, but generally safer.

Once the pod has successfully landed, the occupant unlocks their restraints, grabs their weaponry, and opens the individual compartment doors.

Reports from the live subjects who volunteered were reported to have listened to Aethersperm during decent of the first live tests. They were reported to have said, “It makes the drop all the more fuckin' bad ass when you're screamin' through the atmosphere like a bat outta hell.”

This page was originally made by Soresu.

It was approved by Wes on 5/12/2008 in this thread.