The Trout is positively venerable, part of a series of compact vessels released by Nova Galactic. Like all its brethren it is small, light & throughly basic in design.
Trouts & their sister ships once littered the Settled Systems. Their capabilities, although modest, were enough to fulfill their purpose which was, & still is: the transporting of people & goods from one world to the next.
The fuel capacity of the Trout is limited, so whether it is shuttling passengers or carrying freight, it usually confines its range of travel to within systems. That said, both it & its sister models can be found traveling between local systems, usually on a fixed route.
It bears repeating that the Trout is ancient & it is limited. It is not a formidable fighter, it is lightly armed & lightly shielded. It cannot travel for a long time lest the small fuel tank run dry & it cannot venture far due to the grav drive's limited jump range. Also, good luck getting the reactor to power all systems at once or at full potency.
All of the Trout's hardware & software is woefully obsolete, its capabilities have long since been superseded - there are much bigger & better cargo haulers & passenger transports out there.
Yet somehow, even to this day, one can still find the trusty Trout trundling about the Settled Systems. Vendors of ships still stock them on occasion & they continue to stock them, which means they are still being built.
One might wonder: How have they survived?
Despite its age, the Trout has some redeeming features that keep people buying it to this day.
First of all - it's cheap. Popular with aspiring explorers & settlers on a budget.
Secondly - it's reliable. Nova Galactic ships are thoroughly well-built.
Thirdly - it's upgradable. The uncomplicated modular design allows buyers to retrofit the craft with newer components at their own pace. Modern day Trouts far exceed their original specs as a result.
Finally - it's FAST. The light weight & compact profile of the Trout grants it high speed & mobility. Skilled pilots report being able to outrun pursuers & jump to safety within seconds by splitting all available reactor power between engines, shields & the grav drive, leaving weapons unpowered.
So the old Trout has still got clout. Consider giving it a chance & trying it out.
