Freighter

Freighters are cargo vessels designed to transport goods, materials, and passengers between destinations. These vessels have been utilized by both Colonials and Cylons throughout the various conflicts in the Battlestar Galactica universe.

Original Series

Gemini is one of many freighters in the Fleet, and are surveyed immediately following their exodus ^{(TOS: "Saga of a Star Word")}.

Another freighter, the Yarborough, was mentioned in deleted scenes from "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I" as having sent a distress signal to Galactica while the fleet was navigating the magnetic void ^{(TOS: "Lost Planet of the Gods, Part I")}.

Tie-in Material Information

According to Encyclopedia Galactica (a non-canonical piece of merchandise published in 1979):

Freighters are sub-light vehicles, powered by a single solium energizer. Low thrust applied for quatrons in the vacuum of space eventually accelerate them to a cruising speed of .998 of the speed of light. As a freighter nears its destination, it must apply its thruster in reverse for several quatrons more in order to slow it down. Prior to the Final Destruction, space freighters accounted for over two-thirds of all intercolonial travel. They hauled heavy loads of minerals, manufactured goods and even food in times of need, among the Twelve Colonies and their distant provinces. The surviving freighters, now under the protection of the Battlestar Galactica, have been largely converted into living space for the refugees.

Re-imagined Series

In the Re-imagined Series, freighters and cargo vessels played crucial roles both before and after the Fall of the Twelve Colonies. Prior to the Cylon attack, these vessels formed the backbone of inter-colonial commerce, transporting goods and materials between the Twelve Colonies of Kobol.

The Civilian Fleet

Following the Cylon holocaust, surviving freighters and cargo ships became essential components of the civilian fleet that accompanied Galactica in the exodus from the Colonies ^{(TRS: "Miniseries")}. These vessels served multiple purposes:

• **Cargo Transport**: Hauling essential supplies, equipment, and materials needed for the Fleet's survival
• **Mobile Habitation**: Providing living quarters for refugees when converted from their original cargo functions
• **Resource Storage**: Storing tylium fuel, food, water, and other vital resources
• **Manufacturing**: Some were converted to serve as mobile factories and workshops

Colonial Movers

One of the most prominent civilian shipping companies operating freighters was Colonial Movers, which operated at least six container ships of identical design that survived the Cylon attack. These vessels proved versatile in their post-attack roles:

• One Colonial Movers ship was used as a decoy during the attack on a Cylon mining outpost, secretly carrying Captain Lee "Apollo" Adama's strike force of Vipers hidden within cargo containers ^{(TRS: "The Hand of God")}.
• At least two Colonial Movers vessels jumped with the Laura Roslin faction when the Fleet temporarily split over the Kobol expedition ^{(TRS: "The Farm" and "Home, Part I")}.
• Three Colonial Movers ships landed on New Caprica during the colonization effort and later escaped during the Battle of New Caprica ^{(TRS: "Precipice" and "Exodus, Part II")}.

Wartime Adaptations

During the First Cylon War, freighters and transport vessels were extensively used by the Colonial Fleet for military logistics. The Colonial Fleet transport was a heavy cargo and personnel transport that remained in service well into the decades following the war ^{(TRS: "Blood and Chrome")}.

These vessels featured:

• Dual civilian and military applications
• Capacity for both cargo and personnel transport
• Integration with Colonial Fleet logistics networks
• Modified designs derived from earlier civilian freighter models

Strategic Importance

Freighters proved strategically valuable in both conventional and unconventional warfare scenarios. Their innocuous appearance made them ideal for covert operations, while their cargo capacity allowed for the concealment of military assets. The civilian nature of these vessels also provided diplomatic and tactical advantages, as they were less likely to be immediately targeted as military threats.