Freighter (or barge) was the term given to any spacecraft that
was used to transport freight or cargo (such as parts and
supplies). Both legitimate businesspersons and smugglers could
be found captaining such transports. Freighters were needed from
the time space travel began because of the need for supplies to
all reaches of the galaxy. Freighters usually traveled with
hyperdrives because people would often pay more for quick
delivery. For obvious reasons, freighters were used mainly for
trade. Although very few fought in great battles, many
freighters did see action. Smugglers and legitimate traders
alike had some tangles now and then, but freighters were often
armed and shielded so that they could resist attempts on their
cargo. Smuggling was a very prominent criminal fringe activity
in the galaxy that involved the transportation of contraband
between planets. To do this, a freighter generally of small size
such as the Millennium Falcon, was required to transport the
contraband past planetary security forc