Blue Sakura

Blue Sakura is an Overland-class transport ship, captained by the Independent ace Saburo Sakai. Its current whereabouts are unknown, but is believed to operate somewhere in the Rim, based on Alliance reports.

Design

Early Service (2504-2506)

The Overland transport was originally named the ''Southerland. ''Launched two years before the outbreak of the Unification War, it ferried passengers between Londinium and the Border Planets. Fighting broke out between the Independents and Alliance as the Southerland finished unloading a group of emigrants onto Shadow. While there, the Southerland was contracted to stay on-world, shipping goods and services between the various communities. Amazingly, it narrowly avoided the Alliance's secret weapon, launched at Shadow to make it uninhabitable and shock the Independents into submission.

The Southerland left Shadow days before the attack. for repairs at its home port on Londinium. While there, it would make its last civilian run, transporting Independent volunteers to Aphrodite. After landing on the border planet, it was commandeered by the Independent Fleet. Cannons were attached to it, extra plating was added, and it was used as a troop transport. Unification War (2506-2511)

The Southerland would narrowly escape death again, when it skirted the infamous Battle of Sturges, the largest and bloodiest space battle of the war. Not suited to front line fighting, and with no opportunity to safely board enemy ships, the Southerland sat on the side, taking reconnaissance of the battle. When it was clear the battle would be lost, every Independence ship was recalled to the nearest safe area.

The Southerland was reassigned to Angel, to assist beleaguered Independents in the Khalisda theater. It would make a long arduous trip from the Border planets to the Rim, dodging Alliance interceptors, trading fire with pirates, resisting being boarded by Alliance marines and surviving the Black, with little to no outside the support. Against the odds, it successfully landed at an Independence star port on Angel.

While there, the transport would participate the Salisbury Air Lift. The planet Salisbury was being contested over by Alliance and Independence forces. Alliance troops encircled Angel's capital, cutting it off from all outside contact and supplies. The Southerland and a fleet of other vessels bravely faced enemy ground and air fire, flying over the siege to drop much needed provisions. Though it did little to break the siege, it was an important morale booster for Salisbury's defenders.

As the war drew to a close, the Southerland was transferred to Newhall, where it would evacuate high ranking Independent officers before they could be captured by the Alliance. Its last destination before the war ended was a supply depot on Delynn.

 Reconstruction Era  (2511-2516) After the war, the Southerland was mothballed in an Alliance owned hangar, where it would stay inactive for several years. In order to help fund reconstruction efforts, the transport was put on the open market in a military surplus program. The armor plating and weapons were removed, and the Overland was billed as a bargain priced multi-purpose transport ship. Better, newer ships were available, and the Overland was overlooked until 2516, when a trio of Unification War veterans saw the ship. The dealer, an Independent sympathizer, came down on the price a bit, but still took Sakai and his friends' last credits.

The ship was renamed the Blue Sakura and registered to the planet Miyazaki, Sakai's home world.

 As the Blue Sakura  (2516-Present) 

Currently, the Overland-transport serves as Sakai's base of operations. In addition, it has been used to harbor and aid the notorious Dust Devils group. It is currently wanted for questioning by Alliance authorities, and is considered an accessory to Dust Devil crimes. So far, through luck, determination or other means, the Sakura has managed to evade the Alliance's grasp, or deny any involvement with the Dust Devils. It is illegally retrofitted with contraband pulse cannons and advanced armor plates. These are often covered up in ports, or unmounted before they can be seen and confiscated. The craft should be considered armed and dangerous. undefined