Standard Federation Container Pods.

These are Pods that can be attached to "Transport Tug" and other types of ships and carried to distant locations.
They have standard measurements (40x200 meters) and connectors to external ship systems. In theory any ship equipped to dock a standard pod can dock to and carry any standard pod.
These pods are built in a bewildering variety of types. By far most pods are just boxes to put stuff in.
Interesting variations have life support and other starship systems built in and are intended to extend the capabilities of transport tugs to rival other types of ship.
The first Standard Pods appeared some time before 2245. By 2405 they are still in wide spread use.
The Standard Pods have been adopted by the Klingons and Orions , with varying levels of official sanction. The Ferengi will build and use them when profitable to do so. They litter space and are very common.
==Common Types of Pod Variations==
===The Escort Pod===
Developed to carry and tend a short ranged escort ship like a Defiant class. They can be fitted to different small ships. There were first seen on the Starbase 224 to Starbase 600 run under the Klingon Empire.
This are vital for the long range large container ships on dangerous routes as most of them can't get out of thier own way.
===The Standard Cargo Pod===
Ubiquitous throughout the Federation. This 40x200 meter cargo transport pods have been standard since the mind 23rd Century.
Pod interiors vary from open bulk cargo, to decked out for pallet cargo, or even tankers. 
Standard pods will have a small fusion generator for internal life support. Standard pods are not rated for passenger use.
===The Starliner Pod===
This variant is used almost exclusively within Starfleet. A means to turning a tug into a transport ship.
Starliners are complete impulse only ships. They have everything you expect of find on a transport ship except a warp drive. The Number of people a Starliner pod can carry varries, but has been going down over time as opinions about necessary usable space per person have changed
Variants have included:
*Hospital pods -- a mobile hospital obviously.
*lab pods -- To expand a ship's lab space or to add specialized labs.
*Colony rescue pods -- heavy in the replicators and fusion generators. These are usually one way and land.
*lander pods -- For instant ground bases. As above by with air and ground transpiration as well.
*Survey pods support scientists and explorers while they do a long term investigation of a new world.
*Troop Transport Pods - With austere fittings, these can hold up to 2000 people, or more for brief periods.  Although intended to carry troops, these are most often used in large scale evacuations.
Many of the special purpose pods are equipped to disengage from their transport tug at their destination and operate independently.
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===The Weapon Pod===
Originally built in the 2260s, weaponized pods were an attempt to give a transport the fire power of a cruiser. These were marginally effective.  Thier best use was as fire support ships reducing enemy bases and cities.  Since this was rare outside of the odd Pirate base or brushfire conflict, most weapons pods languished at Starbase and some can be found there, still. 
This gave rise to a pod specialized for fire support.  It mounts multiple torpedo tubes and heavier, but less moble phasers.  On the three occasions they were used, they were very successful.
Another type was a more lightly weaponed pod, to make a transport "self escorting".  These packed the fire power of a light or mediem escort (Frigate or Destroyer in old useage).  These were very popular among transports in dangerous areas and are still used to this day.
The most recent version was first used on the Behemoth for the Starbase 224 to Starbase 600 run under the Klingon Empire. A route fraught with pirates and other hazards. This pod made the Behemoth a "Heavily Self Escorted" machine, and was popular for the purpose.  
It is equipped with class 10 phasers and two optocops turrets with a load of 800 torpedoes.
They continue see use through out the Far Sector often with better phasers.
==Other variants==
===Temporary Bases===
Temporary starbases are built into Standard pods, so they can be carried to their destination and then assembled on site.
Various connectors have been used to assemble the pods in a variety of ways.
Such bases have been used as tenders for patrol cutters, ground rescue with high powered transporters, communications stations, Subspace telescope tenders and more.
===Carrier Pods:===
These are pods with life support, equipped to support a large number of small craft, such as fighters or assauit landing shuttles. These specialized machines were originally built in the 2260s for the anticipated general war against the Klingons.  These were never used much, but occasionally find use fighting pirates or in large scale relief or evacuation missions.
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==Quick Freighters==
*Small freighters - which are a single pod with a small starship built into the ends - the pod becomes it's own ship.
*large freighter Is two standard pods side by side.
These ships have been hacked into carriers and transports of other types. In general they are slow and cheap. Analogous to the Liberty ships of Earth history. No one that can afford a better ship wants one.
==Other Images==
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