Eta-2 Mini-class space combat pod

The Eta-2 Mini-class space combat pod was a variant of the Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor that was specially designed by Kuat Systems Engineering for Jedi Grand Master Yoda and Master Even Piell.

Description
It was much smaller than the Actis, being even shorter than a tri-droid starfighter. It was equipped with two light blaster cannons that, while effective against Separatist droid fighters, did little against larger vessels such as bombers and gunships. It also had much less room for ammunition, and thus could only fire up to 100 blaster bolts from each barrel before a refill was necessary. Despite its small frame, the combat pod did carry a small, though slow, hyperdrive as well as a life support system, secondary electrical systems, navigations system (plus a slot for an R2-series astromech droid), and even a small shield generator. These combat pods used a very rare and effective fuel that allowed its engines to run continuously for more than three standard days at low power settings; it also had small solar panels that collected energy at a slow rate.

History
Prior to his combat pod, Master Yoda owned another modified Eta-2, but it was identical to the Actis save for the cockpit and control panels. This older starfighter had power cells that could generate an EMP blast that temporarily disabled droid starfighters in the vicinity. It was eventually shot down and destroyed after being attacked by pirates while Yoda was on a diplomatic mission to a world that was controlled by a pirate confederation. Blaming his defeat on his inability to get used to the Eta-2's large frame compared to his small stature, Yoda requested a combat-capable starfighter that was more fitting to his dimensions but still energy efficient. To his luck, there existed a prototype that fitted Yoda's requestly perfectly that was previously owned by the late Even Piell, though it was destroyed in an engagement with Separatists more than a year earlier; they did, however, still have the plans to the prototype and were willing to make a replica for a small price. In late 20 BBY, the Mini was finished and tested by Yoda himself, who took a liking to the prototype and made it his own. He rarely used the pod for combat missions, instead using it when helping train members of the Jedi Starfighter Corps and when traveling between meetings and diplomatic missions - he also used this pod for his "spiritual" journey to the mystical Wellspring of the Force.

Having impressed Grand Master Yoda, Kuat Systems Engineering decided that this new model would market well to shorter species, and thus began producing more and advertising them to planetary security forces of planets where these smaller species were dominant. The Lannik War Fleet purchased hundreds of these pods, and it became the fleet's standard-issue starfighter. Besides this transaction, this model was not otherwise successful and was subsequently taken off the market.

The last few dozen unpurchased combat pods were being transported to a facility to be dismantled into spare parts before it was ambushed by pirate gunships, who managed to make off with the pods. These pirates turned the pods over to their employers - a scavenger cartel on some backwater mining colony - who managed to use salvaged battle droid equipment from the Clone Wars to effectively repurpose these combat pods as droid starfighters. They sold some of these droid in the black market, and often used them to enforce their control over this mining colony. During the Galactic Civil War, this scavenger cartel lended many of its mercenaries and "droid combat pods" to fight in the Rebel Alliance against the Imperials.