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Notes - circa 2286:

     The many year that the Orions have spread throughout the galaxy, plying their trade and pirating from those who they could, rarely has the home world produced a purely military vessel in answer to it’s neighbors. While transports, raiders and freighters abounded within the Orion controlled spaces, fewer than ten designs could honestly be called a military vessel. Traditionally, the Orions had always purchased larger combat craft from others, or simple done without. But the scars of the Four-Years were deep and fresh on the minds of the Orions. While these was no real government in the Orion colonies, those who played at politician and the billions they represented had become outraged at the restrictions the war had created. With only a light token combat force, the Orions had no real way to prevent a similar set of circumstances in the future. By war’s end, the Orions had designed what would arguably be one of their most successful military designs.
     The Guardian was designed from the outset to engage a wide range of enemy vessels, including destroyer and cruisers from both the Klingon Empire and the Federation. The A-1 model was built with the venerable and well-loved OWA-1 drive system, coupled with the OIA-4 impulse drive. While Orion shipwrights were producing newer engine designs, the older OWA system gave the light craft superb speed and handling characteristics. Repairs could be made at any of the worlds now part of the Orion colony worlds. The A-1 was also well armed with it’s medium disruptors. In non-typical fashion, the new destroyer mounted it’s weapon primarily forward, similar to the many Federation and Klingon ships that had fought within Orion space during the war. But the most telling weapon system aboard the Guardian was the newly created OP-1.
     The torpedo was in fact a copy of the Federation’s FP-1. More efficient than known Klingon torpedo designs, the OP-1 was quickly in high demand. But many realized that priority had to be given to the ever expanding Guardian project, and for the years of 2256, 2257 and 2258, nearly every OP-1 torpedo system build, and 98% of all torpedo casings were diverted to the project. Only a hand full of other hulls received OP-1’s. Some influential corporate owners insisted that the OP-2, also a newly fielded torpedo design, was equal to the OP-1 and were threatening to pull their funding, but cooler heads prevailed, and the A-1 continued construction with the OP-1 as its primary weapon. The weapon gave the Guardian significant punch in combat, and would remain the primary weapon system for over 30 years.
     The Guardian was first scanned by Federation scouts monitoring the Klingon border near Orion space. The effect was immediate and many upper echelon commanders began to wonder if the Orions were being supplemented by the Klingons in a bid to destablize the region. The sheer firepower of the Guardian stunned fleet planners and Star Fleet began transferring some of their beleaguered forces to the Orion boarder. But it would be the Klingons who would first taste the sheer ferocity of the Guardian in battle when a squadron of D-16s crossed into Orion space in the hopes of capturing much needed supplies. The Klingon destroyers met the only two Guardians currently completed. The Orions devastated the Klingon raiding party. One D-16 was destroyed and a second was so badly damaged it was abandoned and later captured by the Orions. The third destroyer picked up what survivors it could and raced for home. While some felt the Klingons would retaliate, the audacity of the Orions in fact impressed Klingon policy makers who chose to grudgingly trade with the Orions rather than try to capture what was needed by the Empire.
     The Guardian’s power was impressive, but eventually overshadowed by Federation and Klingon designs alike. Fearing that either government would try and impose restrictive trade policies, the Orions fielded the A-2 Guardian. The A-2 mounted a larger impulse engine and heavier disruptors. To ensure that the weapons systems didn’t overload the main computer, the more powerful Mark IV was installed.
     In 2272, the Orions launched the larger and even more powerful B-1 model. The B-1 was a true warship of significant capabilities and could easily take on cruiser and destroyer from the major powers.