When plans were being drawn up for the grand expedition core-ward, Fleet Intelligence put in a request for a corvette-sized vessel capable of capturing and analyzing any damaged alien vessels that might be encountered--possibly under combat conditions. The answer from Fleet Command was a plan to convert the Klaar class fleet tugs, used in constructing the scaffolding and Mothership, into heavily armored, combat-capable vessels that would be able to survive long enough in a firefight to gather important information from enemy wreckage. This revised corvette design was called the Tiirshak, and advanced computers embodying AI-driven decryption and virus routines were also installed to give these vessels the ability to subvert and over-ride another ship's command systems. While these subversion routines will probably only work on badly damaged ships, it should give a Tiirshak the ability to tow in enemy ships to be studied and retro-fitted for Taiidani use.
The ship is named for Tiirshak Sjet, the famous Taiidani scholar who turned his back not only on his Kith but on his entire race, in order to wander the deserts in search of insight. The Salvage corvette is meant to operate in much the same way, alone and undefended in places where the situation is not fully known. In most cases, a heavy fighter escort would draw too much attention to the salvage corvette's mission, and so they usually operate alone, or with one or two Fiirkan scout fighters. Salvage crews face an dangerous and unglamorous job and in many Taiidani fleets, a tour of duty aboard a Tiirshak is considered disciplinary action.
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