---

CLASS: "Xyston"-class Dreadnought
CREW: 1,900 Total; 1,500 Maltese, 400 Robotic
ARMAMENT: CLASSIFIED
HOME PORT: Venice Shipyard, Omicron Tau system
COMMANDER: Ordinator Diego "Nox" Abasto



Dreadnought JOSE CUERVO is the dream child of Don Jose Cuervo, of whom the ship was posthumously named. An avid drinker and head of the small but notable Church of the Helm of Life For Xxarxos and His Followers, Don Cuervo founded the Church to see his self-appointed religious beliefs reach the masses of Sirius, and with his charisma recruited many followers among both small sects of the citizens on Malta as well as several cliques of slaves from the homeworld as well. While a small religious group, the followers of Xxarxos' Light as came to be known were dedicated, and though many of their beliefs were aligned with many of those the Maltese were known for, the group preferred a more 'fanatical' view of Cardamine and slavery, indulging in their rites and gatherings in much the same way obsessive cults do.

After reaching the ripe age of 147, Don Cuervo passed on his villa in the north of Malta, his body buried at the heart of his fields, of which all were set afire to mark the loss of the Church's head and founder. To further cement the legacy of Don Cuervo, a modified Ransuer hull was to be fashioned to elevate Xxarxos' Light into the stars. To be classed a "Xyston"-type Dreadnought, after the Don's favorite dueling weapon, the ship began construction in 822 A.S., and finished production five years later. Launching on her maiden voyage on an atmospheric glide over the Don's villa on Malta, the ship returned to Venice for proper outfitting, and promptly entered service with the Maltese Navy to begin her mission in earnest.



JOSE CUERVO operates like many other "Ransuer"-type Dreadnoughts, favoring outright carnage and performance over style. Foregoing the use of hangars, the "Xyston"-type modifications instead transformed the hangar bays into a micro church, capable of housing over 800 people to attend services for the Church of the Helm of Light for Xxarxos and His Followers. Within is even said to be housed the 'Helm of Light', an artifact from the earlier days of Malta, and of which the Church bears its name. Beyond this, the ship's systems remain very similar to "Ransuer"-type warships, with the exception of many inlaid engravings throughout the ship, as well as further structural reinforcements and inertia-dampeners around the hangar areas to allow for services even in the midst of travel or light combat.



The ship is commanded by a large contingent of the Arm of the Church of Xxarxos' Light, the force-devoted end of the Church, and is overseen by Ordinator Diego Abasto the "Nox Goblin", a tie to his devoted hatred of the Unione Corse and their 'vile' Nox drug, and his tendency to outright kill anyone who wields it, regardless of origin. Beneath him lie the secondary staff of the ship, lead by the Light Guard, a group of Maltese Naval Marines assigned to the ship by the Church to act as command staff in the event of the primary being disabled.

The ship runs off a very straight-forward motto:
Tall, kill all. Short, ignore.