The Jackrabbit II is the primary workhorse of Red Raven Towing & Salvage, an outfit based out of Titan Garden. The Jackrabbit is a sturdy Mercurian service vessel designed for rescuing stranded ships or salvaging wrecks and debris; it is essentially a big truck. Its helm is split into an upper and lower deck- the bridge on top and a gunnery deck below- with both decks connected by a hatch and ladder. Crew quarters are "cozy", the galley is well-stocked and the common area allows crewmembers a comfortable place to eat and rest on long voyages. Being a service vehicle, the Jackrabbit II has a large interior cargo space large enough to comfortably hold small personal craft, salvaged goods and a suite of tools for the ship's workspace.
One of the primary features of the Jackrabbit II is its flat upper deck. Medium-sized craft can be secured to the upper deck for safe transport and large-to-very-large craft can be towed using the Jackrabbit's four electromagnets and tow cables; by affixing itself to the bottom of a stranded craft it can use its oversized engines to pull these ships to stardock for repair or teardown. Two small cameras at either end of the upper deck, set between two pairs of floodlights, allow the ship to be easily positioned beneath its load from the comfort of the bridge, which itself features a reinforced upper deck plating to mitigate bumps during times when its not so easy to line up right.
The exterior features of the Jackrabbit II include a number of useful tools to help Red Raven Towing & Salvage earn their bread. A set of four pivoting microthrusters allow for precise rotational alignment of the craft, while smaller swiveling flood lights allow the crew to see what they're doing outside the ship. A pair of large railguns provide the Jackrabbit a way to break up asteroid debris ahead of it, and retracting ball turret plasma cutters allow the ship to cut through derelict bulkheads when recovering valuables from a wreck. Two banks of twelve launching bays allow the ship to fire flares for greater illumination, and a set of blue forcefield emitters prevent small debris from damaging the ship when it is traveling at transit speeds. The Jackrabbit's captain has modified most of these features to toggle into self-defense mode to ensure the safety of its crewmembers should their cargo bring unwanted attention.
With an angled hull and its outer winches acting as pontoons, the Jackrabbit II is equipped for landing on both solid and liquid sites when traveling planetside. Retractable landing gears allow it to rest on solid ground, while its design enables it to float pleasantly on water, its upper deck becoming a flat little island. The crew can set up tents to camp out, go fishing off the side or take personal craft in and out of the topside cargo bay.
Wherever the job takes it, the Jackrabbit II is designed to pull its weight and endure the rigors of life bouncing around the Sol system. If you're ever in trouble, this rugged red ship may be the one to tow you back to safety.