Talon Weapons Systems
What to know
Talon Weapons Systems is a human weapons and munitions manufacturer based on Angeli in the Croshaw system. Founded in the early 27th century by Taisei Jessop, it produces weapons designed to be mounted aboard civilian spacecraft. Talon's munitions were first produced to provide protection against guerrilla Tevarin forces during the Second Tevarin War (2603 to 2610). After the war, the company faced multiple legal challenges over its production of civilian weaponry, and its victory in the courts set the precedent for how civilian spacecraft are armed. Today, Talon produces a variety of missiles, torpedoes, ordnance racks, and grenades.
Talon Weapons Systems is a human weapons and munitions manufacturer based on Angeli in the Croshaw system. Founded in the early 27th century by Taisei Jessop, it produces weapons designed to be mounted aboard civilian spacecraft. Talon's munitions were first produced to provide protection against guerrilla Tevarin forces during the Second Tevarin War (2603 to 2610). After the war, the company faced multiple legal challenges over its production of civilian weaponry, and its victory in the courts set the precedent for how civilian spacecraft are armed. Today, Talon produces a variety of missiles, torpedoes, ordnance racks, and grenades. The company's motto is "If it exists, there's a Talon that can blow it up."
Item details
History
Before the Second Tevarin War, many civilian ships traveled without weapons, preferring to use the space for extra water, food, oxygen, and components. Fitting weapons to private ships was legal but required a rigorous permitting process, and ship weapons were considered a niche industry geared mainly toward the military and security forces. Some civilian spacecraft did not even come with weapon mounts. During the seven-year conflict, Tevarin warlord Corath'Thal scattered heavily armed and shielded ships to create a more nimble and agile fleet, capable of attacking Humanity on every front and disappearing before authorities could organize armed resistance. With the military and local militias stretched thin, civilians needed to arm their ships for personal protection, but the era's standard civilian weapons were no match for the Tevarin's powerful phalanx shields. Taisei 'Talon' Jessop had a plan and the means to better arm the public.
Born in 2535, Jessop belonged to a family with deep roots in the Croshaw system. Over the previous century, the Jessops had accrued a vast fortune through shipping, mining, and construction, from landing zone hangars to rest stops and refueling stations. By the time Taisei Jessop came of age, a combination of bad business investments and extravagant spending had squandered most of the family fortune, and Croshaw's elite joked that the most valuable thing the family still possessed was its well-respected name. Determined to reverse his family's fate, Jessop ascended to the CEO position of the company in 2579 after orchestrating a boardroom coup that unseated his cousin Polima. His controlling managerial style stifled innovation, but he quickly earned a reputation for being intense and intelligent, which gained him the nickname "Talon" for the way he tenaciously tackled a task. His leadership proved a moderate success, enough to keep him in power but not enough to return the family to its previous glory.
In 2603, the Second Tevarin War erupted, and the Empire's normal commerce ground to a halt, forcing Jessop to look for investments outside of Croshaw. During one such trip, his convoy came under attack by Tevarin forces, and Jessop barely survived after his ship's ballistic cannons overheated. A well-placed missile fired by his security team saved him. Upon returning home, Jessop ensured that his family, friends, and confidants had proper armaments on their ships, and the cost and complication of doing so revealed an opportunity. While most companies clamored for government contracts related to the war effort, Jessop focused on providing the public a means of protection. After declaring that "guns are too damn complicated," he decided to produce missiles and torpedoes, and named the company Talon as a nod to his nickname.
Arming civilians with ordnance proved popular during the war. Jessop emptied the family coffers and exploited his business connections to secure funding, facilities, and a steady stream of supplies during a time of strict rationing. In one successful marketing campaign, missile racks were given away and installed for free if purchased with enough munitions to fill them. Talon distributors flouted the UEE permitting process and told customers to contact the company if a government representative raised concerns about an installation. Members of the board feared this tactic could lead to a confrontation with the UEE government, which was exactly what Jessop wanted.
The UEE did not turn its attention to Talon until after it had won the Second Tevarin War, when a well-armed populace held considerably less appeal than it had during the conflict. When the government opened an investigation into Talon, Jessop deployed a team of lawyers and a well-prepared public relations campaign that emphasized the perception that Talon had saved countless civilian lives during the war. The case sparked a vigorous debate about the role of the UEE in personal security, with Talon's name at the center, and Jessop later claimed that the free advertising was the best thing to ever happen to the brand. Eventually, the UEE loosened its regulations and allowed each system to set its own standards. A deregulation race followed as systems realized that stricter laws scared away commercial traffic and required personnel to enforce, and before long ships armed with heavy ordnance became the standard across the Empire.
Today, few pilots are unfamiliar with Talon's line of missiles, torpedoes, ordnance racks, and grenades, and the company's reputation for making dependable military-grade munitions for the public remains intact. Jessop's role in the creation of the company still divides opinion. Some historians consider him a heroic freedom fighter, while others describe his legacy as that of a greedy war profiteer.
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