In the late 48,400s, the Ivesceel GACIAF administration found itself facing a massive galactic crisis. The Ecalstaliss Shadow Fleet left devastation across the Ecalstaliss, Tilanex, and Osphet'isae Sectors, with an eventual estimated death toll of some 2.58 sextillion citizens, and depleted four entire GACIAF sector fleets. The near-total destruction of a significant portion of GACIAF's naval forces in Ivesceel, along with the loss of numerous GACIAF-controlled systems and the resources, facilities, and populations of those bases, left TAUFOG's central military power scrambling to recover. Even more concerning to leadership was confirmation that the first Shadow Fleet attack was not an isolated event, and that attacks of similar or even greater scale could occur in the future. Large portions of GACIAF's annual budget were directed towards the Department of Research and Department of Industry, with recovered technology from Shadow Fleet warships confiscated under Article 62 of the TASEOL directive and transported to the organization's most secure research facilities for analysis. Almost immediately scientists and engineers were able to derive many improvements to existing technologies, as well as new insights into complex physics related to darkspace, subspace, and other natural phenomena. To begin leveraging these advancements for the next generation of GACIAF combat vessels, certain TAUFOG companies with a history of cooperation with GACIAF technology and shipbuilding company Syvatii Unlimited were contracted by the GACIAF administration to assist with designing testbeds for the highly experimental systems that Syvatii was developing. Zenlian Drives, as a longstanding Syvatii Unlimited partner on the Xexon line of GACIAF high-performance strike craft, was given high-level access to many advancements intended for use in future Xexon interceptors and other strike craft. The Zephoa C95 would be one of the first prototype strike craft designed by Zenlian Drives, with the intent to test new repulsorlift, inertial control, and propulsion technologies.

As primarily a testbed for next-generation maneuvering and propulsion systems, the Zephoa C95 lacked the typical characteristics of a modern strike craft, especially a product developed by Zenlian Drives. The fighter was significantly more bulky than the average starfighter, with a similarly unusual lack of weapons or other combat systems. In fact, the Zephoa's two STC Caeq laser cannons and twin missile launchers were only integrated with the intent of testing typical energy and ordnance weapon performance during sublight maneuvering using the advanced propulsion of the fighter. Additionally, the Zephoa lacked a FTL drive and had limited range, due to the fact that the strike craft would never be produced for actual use in GACIAF's navy. Instead, the large frame of the Zephoa contained multiple powerful repulsorlifts, inertial dampeners, inertial compensators, and other related technologies. Wide multi-layered wings provided the ship with an extensive heat management system, with supplementary cooling units attached at the back edge of the wings that would be replaced after reaching 500 minutes of cumulative testing due to critical components deteriorating from thermal fatigue. Although not particularly effective in combat due to the lack of weapons, light shielding, and large profile, the Zephoa could outmaneuver any strike craft it was paired against in flight tests, even the extremely capable Xexon Esar interceptor. The outstanding performance of the Zephoa C95 in these simulated combat tests gave Syvatii Unlimited and other GACIAF organizations and departments a significant quantity of data on the results of Syvatii's advanced mission systems division's new technologies, and the systems in the Zephoa would be continually updated with new variants as technologies were continually developed. Even before the Zephoa project was shut down by GACIAF, technical data and the experience of the engineers on the project was utilized in the initial development of the Xexon Teha-class interceptor, the next in the Xexon line and a strike craft design so advanced it would serve as GACIAF's primary space superiority fighter and a cornerstone of their fleet structure for almost 250 years.