The Steltek are an ancient race in the Wing Commander universe. They appear in Wing Commander: Privateer.
History
The Steltek were once the rulers of a powerful empire that existed 2.4 billion years before the evolution of humanity. They were by far more technologically advanced than any race that evolved after their time in the galaxy.
The Steltek were once a prosperous race until they lost control over their own technology. During the final years of their great empire's existence, a civil war is assumed to have been raged among the Steltek. They used their advanced technologies to fight each other, only to bring themselves to near-extinction when they found that their weapons were far too powerful to control. Following their disastrous downfall, the Steltek abandoned their empire and fled deep into the galaxy. They have made it their personal duty to destroy any technology they might have left behind, and often send conventional vessels to annihilate these weapons. The Steltek hope to spare any other race from the destruction they caused to themselves, but some technologies remain hidden where nobody can find them.
During the year 2669, the final year of the Kilrathi War, a young privateer named Grayson Burrows accidentally activated a Steltek Drone after a skirmish with some pirates. This single drone destroyed the entire Sixth Confederation Fleet from the Terran Confederation, and destroyed many other vessels all across the Gemini Sector. Burrows made it his personal goal to destroy the device, but did not have the weapons to do it. Fortunately, the Steltek arrived and provided him assistance in procuring a Steltek gun from one of their fighters on an abandoned carrier. Burrows tracked down the drone and destroyed it with his new gun.
The Steltek then retreated back to their own territories to await for their chance to destroy more of their lost technology.
Steltek Vessels
- Steltek Carrier: This large, bulbous vessel has served with the Steltek for billions of years. They primarily serve as flagships for their fleets. The derelict of one carrier exists in the Gemini Sector.
- Steltek Fighter: Another ancient Steltek vessel that served them in both offensive and defensive missions ever since the existence of their empire. Little else is known of these craft.
- Steltek Scout: Small strike craft that often travel in groups to destroy enemy targets. They possess jump capability, a powerful tractor beam, and are manned by a single pilot.
- Steltek Drone: This small, automated craft may appear unassuming at first, but a single one of these menaces can wreak havoc on just about any ship it encounters. Grayson Burrows activated a drone in the Troy System when he accidentally fired on it, causing it to destroy dozens of Terran vessels. With the help of the Steltek, Burrows destroyed the drone just as a Confed Fleet came to destroy it.