Editing R'ea'kuk-pattern command shuttle

{{Title|''R'ea'kuk''-pattern command shuttle}}
{{Status|Canon}}
{{Vehicle infobox
|name=''R'ea'kuk''-pattern command shuttle
|image=[[File:H2 CommandShuttle Render 1.jpg|300px]]<br>An overview of the command shuttle, from the rear angle.
|manufacturer=
|line=
|model=
|cost=
<!--Dimensions were provided by Ken via Discord but that can't be sourced publicly so this is the next best thing.-->
|length={{Convert|244|ft|m|disp=flip|sp=us}}{{Ref/Generic|Id=Ortho|Based on the orthographic view [[:File:H2 CommandShuttle Render 4.jpg|here]]}}
|width={{Convert|208.9|ft|m|disp=flip|sp=us}}{{Ref/Reuse|Ortho}}
|height={{Convert|72.5|ft|m|disp=flip|sp=us}}{{Ref/Reuse|Ortho}}
|mass=
|max speed=
|engine=
|hull=
|armament=
|crew=
|complement=
|consumables=
|othersystems=
*[[Capital ship]]-scale [[proselytization network]]{{Ref/Reuse|CFLore}}
*Defensive [[augur array]]s{{Ref/Reuse|CFLore}}
|firstuse=
|service=
|role=Command-level [[dropship]]{{Ref/Reuse|CFLore}}
|affiliation=[[Covenant]]{{Ref/Reuse|CFLore}}
}}
The '''''R'ea'kuk''-pattern command shuttle''' is a large command-scale [[dropship]] employed by the [[Covenant]].{{Ref/Site|Id=CFLore|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/canon-fodder-cutting-room-lore|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Cutting Room Lore|D=26|M=7|Y=2022}}

==Overview==
===Design details===
The ''R'ea'kuk'' displays many outward similarities to the [[Spirit]] family of troop carriers; in particular the {{Pattern|Dextro Xur|Spirit|}}. It shares a number of features with the ''Dextro Xur'' such as the twin pronged hulls, though is equipped with additional [[capital ship]]-scale [[proselytization network]] relays and defensive [[augur array]]s.{{Ref/Reuse|CFLore}}

===Usage===
Befitting its name, the command shuttle served in a role comparable to the larger transport shuttles employed by the [[United Nations Space Command]] (UNSC) or various [[human]] megacorporations, working to ferry high-value [[Covenant military]] officers or political figures (such as [[Hierarchs]], [[Minor Prophet]]s, [[Minister (title)|Ministers]], [[San'Shyuum High Councilor|San'Shyuum]] and [[Sangheili High Councilor]]s etc) on their deployments outside of [[High Charity]]. In this role, they had many features such as capital scale proselytization network relays and specialty defensive augur arrays.{{Ref/Reuse|CFLore}}

Due to this usage, the ''R'ea'kuk'' was rarely deployed on the front lines during the [[Human-Covenant War]], and the rare occasions in which it did make contact with human forces saw the UNSC devote considerable effort to target analysis and tracking of the individual shuttles encountered.{{Ref/Reuse|CFLore}}

==Production notes==
The command shuttle is one of [[Cut Halo 2 vehicles|many vehicles]] cut during the [[Development of Halo 2|production]] of ''[[Halo 2]]''. In the original storyboards, the command shuttle had a very different visual look, and was intended to be used to deploy the [[Thel 'Vadam|Arbiter]] and his [[Special Operations Sangheili]] during the level [[The Arbiter]]. It was later to be used at the end of [[deltatemple]] as the personal transport of the [[Prophet of Regret]], before finally being seen in the final epilogue cutscenes.

The model for the command shuttle was unearthed by the [[Digsite]] project, and officially canonised in an issue of [[Canon Fodder]]{{Ref/Reuse|CFLore}} The dropship reuses the textures of the original ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' [[Spirit]] in a similar fashion to the {{Pattern|Brhi Xur|Leech}} boarding craft, though was developed extremely early during the development cycle of ''Halo 2'' - during the era in which the game was still mostly the ''Combat Evolved'' engine.

During the original [[Development of Halo: Combat Evolved|production]] of ''Combat Evolved'', the Spirit dropship was originally intended by concept artist [[Shi Kai Wang]] to fly with the cockpit section facing forward, and the troop bay twin hulls following in the back. While an animation miscommunication caused the ship's direction to be reversed into the form now-familiar today,{{Ref/Twitter|shiekthegeek|1362153222559866883|Shi Kai Wang|Quote=So I'll state this upfront; the Spirit was always concepted with the tuning forks as the back. A miscommunication on direction for animation and 3D made it so the tuning fork faced forward.  Ultimately we all agreed that felt more aggressive so we left it :)|D=09|M=01|Y=2023}} the command shuttle as-developed for ''Halo 2'' was originally designed to retain this original intent. As such, the craft's bow is the armoured middle pod, while the aft sections are the troop bay housing.

==Gallery==
{{Linkbox|gallery=yes}}
===Early design===
<gallery>
File:H2_TheArbiter_V2_Storyboard_Intro_1.jpg|Storyboards of a command shuttle inserting the Arbiter's team into the gas mine.
File:H2_TheArbiter_V2_Storyboard_Intro_3.jpg|Storyboards of a command shuttle inserting the Arbiter's team into the gas mine.
File:H2_TheArbiter_V2_Storyboard_Intro_6.jpg|Storyboards of a command shuttle inserting the Arbiter's team into the gas mine.
File:H2_TheArbiter_V2_Storyboard_Intro_7.jpg|Storyboards of a command shuttle inserting the Arbiter's team into the gas mine.
File:H2_Epilogue_Storyboard_2.jpg|A command shuttle can be seen in storyboards for the game's [[Earth Ark|original ending]].
File:H2 CommandShuttle Concept.jpg|Concept art for the command shuttle.
File:H2 CommandShuttle Blockout.png|A blockout of the storyboard command shuttle design produced in ''Halo 2'' development, that went unfinished.
</gallery>

===Screenshots===
<gallery>
File:H2 CommandShuttle Render 2.jpg|View of the shuttle's front.
File:H2 CommandShuttle Render 3.jpg|A three-quarters angle on the shuttle's front.
File:H2 CommandShuttle Render 4.jpg|A side orthogonal view of the shuttle.
File:H2 CommandShuttle Render 5.jpg|The ventral surfaces of the shuttle.
</gallery>

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

{{Covenant Atmospheric/Exoatmospheric Vehicles}}