F-107 Lance

F-107 Lance
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Type	Heavy Fighter
Manufacturer	Black Lance
Primary User	Black Lance
Introduction	2670s
Length	40 meters
Mass	26 metric tonnes
Max Velocity	500 KPS
Max Afterburner Velocity	1200 KPS
Acceleration	225 k/s^2
Max Afterburner Acceleration	900 k/s^2
Max Y/P/R	60/75/60 deg/s
Guns	Plasma Gun (2), Tachyon Cannon (2), Fission Gun (2)
Missiles	2 x 3 Light, 2x2 Medium Hardpoints, HS (4), FF (6)
Armor	300 cm fore/aft 300 cm port/starboard
Shields	500 cm
Decoys	24
Cloak	Yes
Jump Drive	Yes
Crew	1 (Pilot)

The F-107 Lance, often referred to as the Dragon, was a heavy fighter and the primary starfighter of the Black Lance, an illegal faction of the Terran Confederation.

History

The F-107 Lance was developed in the immediate aftermath of the Terran-Kilrathi War by the Black Lance, an elite special forces organization created by Admiral Geoffrey Tolwyn. It was designed as an all-purpose heavy fighter to be used exclusively by the Black Lance for its intended usage in defending humanity in future conflicts. It was funded by the Black Lance's many elusive backers and like all Black Lance projects, was designed and tested in the utmost secrecy. Ultimately though, the Lance was an illegally-produced spacecraft that had been fielded without the approval of the legitimate Confederation authorities.

The Lance was a heavily-armed starfighter equipped with some of the most advanced equipment to emerge in the 2670s. It was considered the most advanced starfighter since the F-106 Excalibur, boasting both jump capabilities and the latest in Terran cloaking capabilities. The starfighter, while large, had great speed and acceleration combined with its large weapons payload, perfect for deep-space raids, as well as atmospheric combat. Its payload could be adjusted to carry a variety of weapons, including the Flash-Pak and later, the Gen-Select Bioweapon.

The Lance was unique in that its state-of-the-art powerplant ran on a matter/antimatter format, much like that of a starship. The Lance's afterburner supply came directly from the powerplant, allowing the craft to conduct quick bursts of super speed, at the cost of energy drainage in the guns and shields. However, this unique ability allowed the craft to outrun its pursuers with ease.

The Lance saw widespread usage in 2673 during the Border Worlds Conflict. In an effort to re-militarize humanity, Admiral Tolwyn conspired to instigate war between the Confederation and the Union of Border Worlds. To do this, the Lance was deployed in numbers to launch raids against Confederation and Union vessels, be they military or civilian in origin. The Lance was entirely unmarked in these attacks, and thus easily deceived one side into thinking they were being flown by the opposite party, making the Confederation and the Union see each other as enemies. The Lance was responsible for many of the raids launched against civilian vessels from the two warring bodies, most of which left no survivors.

The Lance became the personal favorite of Seether, the Black Lance Wing Commander and by far its most lethal pilot. Seether personally led many of the aforementioned raids in a Lance.

During the conflict, the Border Worlds were successful in capturing an enemy transport carrying a full load of Lances under the leadership of Terran Colonel Christopher Blair, who had defected to the Union. The pilots of the BWS Intrepid commandeered them for their own usage in the fight against the Black Lance. They proved their worth in combat and the Border Worlders killed many Black Lance pilots in Lance squadrons.

One of the Lance's most infamous acts was the genocide at Telamon, where the Black Lance deployed the Gen-Select Bioweapon and massacred 90% of the population.

After Colonel Blair discovered the Black Lance's existence and its intent, he pursued Admiral Tolwyn to Sol where he flew a Lance against the TCS Vesuvius, which he promptly destroyed. He also faced off against Seether in a duel that saw Seether perish when his Lance was shot down. Blair sped to Earth and exposed the conspiracy to the Confederation Senate, effectively ending the conflict.

(To be continued)