TWIN POD CLOUD CAR

The famous cloud cars of Bespin are upper-atmosphere craft that are in common use across the galaxy. Cloud cars are a step up from traditional airspeeders, with top speeds of around 1,500 kilometers per hour and a flight ceiling that almost reaches low orbit. They are often used for patrol and reconnaissance duty, but civilians enjoy using them as pleasure craft for sight-seeing and travel.

Cloud cars are closer to starships than they are too airspeeders: ion engines provide their main propulsion, while repulsorlift drives merely enhance maneuvering. Cloud cars also have handling jets, flaps, control vanes, and rudders for intricate maneuvers. These vehicles require no life support system, altough the pods are pressurized for high-altitude flight.

There are many models of cloud cars, ranging from small one- and two-passenger vehicles to immense pleasure craft and cargo barges. They can be used as personal transport, air taxis, or military patrol ships. They are ideal for planetary defense forces because of they are tough enough to enter combat, but they are much cheaper than starfighters. While civilian models are a little on the fragile side, military cloud cars aree quite sturdy. Many local police forces use cloud cars for patrols of starports and dense urban areas.

The largest cloud car manufacturer is Bespin Motors, which is based in the heart of Cloud City. Cloud City's Wing Guard pilots use Storm IV twin-pod cloud cars for patrol duty around the majestic floating city. The vehicles allow them to reach any exterior portion of the city quickly. The pilot sits in the port pod while the gunner handles the starboard pod. These cloud cars have been fitted with a blaster cannon on the outside of each pod. The single scaled-down Quadex Kyromaster ion engine, mounted on a connecting boom, is located midway between the two pods and is open to the air for cooling purposes.

The Wing Guard handles customs and entry clearances for Cloud City, ensuring that smugglers, Imperial informants, and other undesirables are turned away before they can cause trouble. For a modest "deal-making" fee, cloud car pilots can quietly arrange black market Tibanna gas deals, but only with the approval of the Baron Administrator.

The Storm IV is also particularly popular for military duty, both because it is sturdy and because modifications are a snap. The hull has several clearly indicated fixture points for extra armor plating, while the computer system is specifiacally designed to accept new weapons. The only drawback is the small Incom Corporation Tx-2 power generator, which has trouble powering the light laser cannons, let alone anything with some punch. Fortunately, the sensor suites in the foward section of each pod are bulky. If they are replaced with miniturized Fabritech units, there is more than enough room for an additional power generator to supply each weapon.