The Talon-class light fighter was initially developed a century before the First Tevarin War as an escort craft for Tevarin mercantile interests. These early Talons were about 1.5 times the size of the war-era models and served as technology demonstrators and flagship vessels. They underwent regular updates and advancements in weapons, engines, stealth systems, and shield generators.[4]
At the beginning of First Tevarin War, Talons primarily served as escort ships for freighters and ground forces. However, Tevarin leadership recognized their effectiveness as attack fighters against vulnerable human supply lines. This led to the development of the Talon Shrike, which was classified as a missile boat by human intelligence. Roughly one-third of the existing Talon force was equipped with Shrike upgrade kits, forming mixed units of escort fighters and strike craft.
The Shrikes, with their superior shielding, stealth capabilities, and the ability to operate in coordinated attacks with escort fighters, achieved a series of successful anti-shipping missions. The destruction of the merchantman Kentlands marked the beginning of a chain of victories for the Tevarin forces. The iconic appearance of the Talon, with its sharp wings and beak-like nose, became a symbol of enemy aggression among human civilians.
Human pilots engaging the Talons found their lack of traditional windscreen peculiar. The absence of a natural view outward, coupled with the sightless appearance of the fighters, added an uncanny element to dogfights. As a result, the human pilots nicknamed the Talons "blinders" and "specters" due to the sensation they evoked.[4]During Second Tevarin War, human tactics and technological advancements quickly adapted to counter the Tevarin spacecraft. The introduction of the Gladius light fighter proved to be a strong match against the Talon. Human sensor technology advanced significantly, negating the Talon's stealth advantage and allowing long-range human fighters to engage them from a distance. Tevarin pilot training also declined, resulting in the loss of numerous Talons.
By the end of the Second Tevarin War, only a small number of functional Talons survived. These remaining ships were fully scrapped within a few years, as their valuable hull alloys were harvested.[4]
In 2946, Esperia CEO Charlotte Hussion introduced a mass-produced Tevarin replica spacecraft called the Prowler. This modified and modernized version gained popularity in the civilian and militia markets, expanding Esperia's presence in the personal spacecraft sales industry. It was expected that Esperia would follow up with a recreation of the infamous Talon spacecraft, but no announcement came.
Unbeknownst to analysts, Esperia lacked a functional Talon spacecraft to base their design on. Although three partial hulls were recovered from Kabal III, they were incomplete as they lacked forward control modules. The United Empire of Earth Navy declassified these hulls, allowing Esperia to proceed with the Talon replica project. However, the recreation team realized that historical references and translated blueprints were insufficient to recreate the Talon cockpit accurately.
Jeremy McHale, a junior engineer and aerospace historian, proposed a last-ditch effort to locate and recover a war-era Talon cockpit from a former battlefield. McHale reached out to Project Home, a charity organization dedicated to grave registration and the recovery of war remains. After extensive research, they identified four possible dogfight sites where a stranded or crashed Talon cockpit might be found. Funded expeditions to these sites led to inconclusive results except for the fourth site, where a perfectly intact Talon cockpit was discovered.
Esperia's engineers, like with the Prowler, focused on balancing the recreation of the original design with adaptations for Human physiology and competitiveness with modern spacecraft. The digital cockpit of the Talon, which had zero measurable input lag, posed a challenge. Test flights revealed that human pilots were disconcerted by the lack of a window but appreciated the advantage of not having an "eye spot" during dogfights. Ultimately, Esperia decided to keep the digital cockpit to enhance pilot protection and provide an authentic Tevarin experience.
The completed Talon, along with a modernized version of the Talon Shrike variant, premiered at the 2950 Intergalactic Aerospace Expo. The Talon Shrike was produced in limited numbers, while the Talon aimed to compete with contemporary spacecraft like the Aegis Gladius, with which it had a history of being hunted.
Esperia's efforts to locate a functional Talon cockpit not only allowed them to create an accurate replica but also resulted in the recovery of human pilot remains, providing positive publicity for the company.[4]
