The Hoshikaze 2250 universe is a space-opera setting with cyber and hard-science inside. This history of the future is developped by the Association of the same name. We maintain a wiki encyclopedia on our site, edit a yearly short stories book and have a Role-Playing-Game in the making for 2013. Shown in another pic of the same gallery, the original T'Kalt was initially a patrol craft of the K'Rinn Council. Dating from the beginning of k'rinn hyperspace expansion, it evolved slowly, given the lack of any external threat. When K'Rinns encountered the Rithai, they became embroiled in what became known as the "First Fringe War" : a conflict between two powerful rithai clans, Irilia and Arythem, for the mastery of major space lines in the Rith Sphere. The T'Kalt fared well in the conflict and, along with a few other ships, earned great respect. Some T'Kalt became integrated into Irilia squadrons and there were even variants replacing the two-k'rinn cockpit by a one-rith station, Rithai being much larger than K'Rinns. However, after a brief time now commonly described as the "Uneasy Peace", the "Second Fringe War" erupted. This time, the Arythem were prepared and knew well their opponents. The T'Kalt, that formed the mainstay of k'rinn forces, were no match for the new generation of Arythem ships. As no replacement was available, they had to fight against impossible odds. The first blow landed hard on the k'rinn borders and severed their logistical lines to Irilia space. As the front approached Ek'in, the k'rinn cradlesystem, all resources were thrown into the battle and the advance of Arythem fleets slowed down. The Council's situation stayed desperate during a full year of war. The turn of the conflict was the encounter of Arythem and K'Rinn ships with a new species : the Humans. A Planetarist Alliance armed exploration ship came in the middle of a squadron-size battle. Attacked by the Arythem squadron that mistook them for a new kind of k'rinn ships, they entered the battle and quickly dispatched the rithai ships. Quick negociations were conducted and the Planetarists accepted to enter the conflict on the k'rinn side, while the K'Rinn Council gave them the technologies of "slingshot stations", that could create "shortcuts" through the normal hyperspace jump tunnels network. Human reinforcements helped stalling Arythem advance and human ships were quickly converted to be k'rinned, which was easy, given the diminutive size of K'Rinns compared to Humans. As human ships began to flow on the front lines, T'Kalts were retired to support duty. Many were converted to transports, of which k'rinn forces desperately lacked, given the destruction of several planetside and orbital compounds to Arythem hands. These ships were hastily built and were no easy duty for pilots, but they were the reliable, fast and heavy loaders the logistical units badly needed. They helped to force open the blockade conducted by Arythem navy between k'rinn and Irilia spaces. With Irilia support back on line and the scattered remnants of K'Rinn Council space-navy complemented by superior human ships, the Arythem began to stall, then slowly retreated to their own space. Previously only a token front, the k'rinnside battle line became an open wound in Arythem space, allowing the Irilia to launch several successful offensives. Finally, negociations were conducted to end the war. With the return to peace and the founding of the Commonwealth of Spacegoing Species, commerce flowed once more among the stars and the once-military cargo T'Kalt were, as many ships in this time, quickly converted to civilian duty. Compagnies were created and ships crossed the interstellar jump network, shifting cargoes from world to world. The T'Kalt were in good place among this new generation of ships, along with the first Caravelle and the predecessors of the Shire. For larger loads, they were superseded by the Lin'T'Tir-class hauler, but remained a common sight in the core K'Rinn, Rith and Human Spheres.