The Ashoka was a Kiith Gaalsien floating Carrier destroyed during the Desert Wars.
Operational History[]
The Ashoka, under the command of captain Khagaan, was in the Great Banded Desert, south of the Coalition of the Northern Kiithid in 1110 KDS, when they launched Operation Khadiim. It was a de facto invasion of Gaalsien territory, but ironically forced by the Gaalsien's invasion of the Coalition territories.
After the Coalition Carrier Kapisi of Operation Khadiim found the crashed Kalash wreck, they looted the downed ship, destroying it partially. The Gaalsiens saw it as a profanation of a holy place, and the Ashoka, leading a powerful force, attacked it. The arrival of other Coalition's carrier, the Sakala, doomed most of Ashoka's fleet, and Khagaan was forced to retreat her Carrier south to save it. But both Coalition's carriers pursued her.
The Ashoka went to a region of resources, to rebuild their forces, but the Sakala attracted her from far away. This allowed the Kapisi to destroy her forces, who were looting the area. Khagaan launched a counteratack against the Kapisi, but her forces were destroyed, and the carrier was left with very few units. Despite the use of a secret EMP device, the Ashoka suffered massive damage. Khagaan refused to surrender, and both congratulated and cursed the Kapisi forces before her carrier suffered catasrophic damage.
After its destruction, the Kapisi's crew looted the remains of the Ashoka's wreckage, managing to recover advanced technology which allowed them to make big improvements to their own carrier, even duplicating their EMP weapons for use on Rachel S'jet's Baserunner