The Maquis use a variety of vessels, including small Peregrine-class interceptors; larger vessels such as Chakotay's fighter have a crew of more than 30. The Maquis also use a smaller ship which appears very similar to Chakotay's fighter from the outside, but only has a crew of two. Both these models have an upturned nose and sweptback wings. On the aft wing, closest to the ship's hull, is a blue light, and the ship's rear thrusters are distinguished by their orange colour. There are no other markings on the ship, neither Federation nor Maquis. During a battle, the Maquis distinguish each vessel by an alphanumeric callsign, such as 'Alpha One'. The smaller version of the fighter is larger than a Federation shuttle but considerably smaller then a starship; the control consoles are recognizably of a Federation design, and the layout of the cockpit is very similar to that of a Starfleet Runabout. The wall panels of this part of the ship have a hexagonal pattern; the rear compartment is a step up from the pilot's cabin. This area can carry supplies and is equipped with a transporter. Maquis fighters are normally equipped with protective shields, phasers, and photon torpedoes. The Maquis fighter can direct phaser fire from the top Of the main cabin, and torpedoes are fired from an area between the rear thrusters. The Maquis commonly use type VIII phasers. These are surface-mounted weapons and are not commonly part of the ship's original components. When fired, these phasers produce an orange beam. The shields are strong enough to take a 6 percent drop in strength per shot. In a battle with a Gaoler-class warship, the larger Maquis fighter's shield strength will still be in the region of 60 percent after it has taken as many as six hits. It is possible to quickly divert all weapon power to the engines in an emergency.

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by Mario Guatteri