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	The war behemoths of the Republic rested like slumbering whales, suspended within the void. There were near fifteen in total, and they made up a large proportion of the Third Republic Fleet assembling over the emerald green world of Kuat, halfway between the twin moons. They were a motley sort, so unlike the regimental ex imperial and First Order fleets where every ship was made and designed purpose built and symmetrical. Among the unregimented Republic forces Liberty Class Mon Cal ships drifted close to Nebulon-B frigates, intermingling with a pair of old Providence-class destroyers. Even a large, conspicuously out of place Victory-1 star destroyer hovered in close proximity to the centerpiece MC80 cruiser, from which Admiral Frimus Nantz flew his flag. In-between them all rested nearly thirty different support ships, corvettes and gunboats sticking close to their larger charges as a child would to a parent. There they waited patiently, just within Kuat’s gravity well for the remainder of the fleet to finish repairing and refitting in the great Kuati shipyards that ringed the ancient planet below.

	One such ship, a sturdy Bothan Assault Cruiser, christened the [i]Ralroost[/i] reclined against her mooring restraints as EV suited dock hands prepared the final touches for the ship’s release. She’d spent the last two months strapped down over Kuat, being refitted with shiny new guns, powerful shielding, and dedicated active and passive scanners. Meanwhile a full compliment of crew, nearly fifteen hundred in total had been arriving daily, filling the empty cabin space, and manning the necessary stations in preparation for lift off. Within [i]Ralroost’s[/i] forward bridge a flurry of activity was taking place as new officers took their positions, running system checks and numerous checklists. At the center of it all Captain Traest Kre’fey stood ramrod straight, his hands clasped neatly behind his back in the perfect position of parade rest. Only his tufted ears moved, twitching this way and that as he observed the goings on. Nothing escaped his sharp hearing, and judgmental gaze, and more than one young officer felt the hair on the back of their neck stand straight when the violet eyes fixed on them. The bridge, and the rest of the larger crew were made up of a roughly even mixture of bothans and humans, with several other races mixed into the larger whole. They worked steadily, and Traest found himself unable to find complaint in their competency.

	His veteran crew were largely dispersed after the [i]Ralroost[/i] was decommissioned, and were spread out amongst the four Republic fleets or outright retired. Instead of the expert crewmen that’d served under him before, Traest found himself commanding a majority green crew, with only a spattering of aged familiar faces amongst the sea of youth. Circumstances as they were it was unavoidable, Traest had no one to blame but himself. Still, watching them at work lifted some of the anxiety he’d been feeling over the past week as the academy fresh officers had streamed aboard.

	“Sir, the Yard is prepared to release tethers at your order.” A young bothan female, a junior grade lieutenant and his new communications officer swiveled in her chair to face Captain Kre’fey. One hand held ready on her headset to send the reply back to Yard Control.

	The bothan gave the woman a slight incline of his head to show he’d heard and said. “Excellent lieutenant, inform them to standby and await instructions. Helm, fire repulserlifts and prepare for launch, five degree climbing gradient, ten percent forward thrust. Conversion, route power to the engines, and raise soft impact shields, Navigation route a course to put us alongside [i]Starshield[/i] and [i]Voidtrotter[/i]. Commander Jaeger, if you would be so kind, inform the crew, we’ll be departing in two minutes.”

	“Yessir!” Came the chorus as the bridge made the last minute preparations.

	The [i]Ralroost[/i] roared to life, a tiny vibration could be felt underfoot as the engines provided life to the repulsers that would get them clear of the yard. At the command panel an older human male pressed a button, projecting his voice across the [i]Ralroost[/i] to all the waiting crew. “All hands this is Commander Jaeger, prepare for launch within two minutes and standby for further orders.” Leaving the console Commander Sarl Jaeger joined Traest on the raised dais running between the two crew pits, folding his arms and letting his gaze wander the busy bridge. “They aren’t doing half bad for a bunch of freshies, I was right when I said you were underestimating them. Seems like you owe me a drink.”

	The bothan Captain raised an eyebrow at his Executive Officer’s comment. The human was grinning, and although human expressions still mostly eluded Traest he knew a playful jab when he heard one. Sarl Jaeger was a longtime friend, and trusted right hand man, and perhaps the only being onboard the [i]Ralroost[/i] who felt comfortable teasing the ship’s captain. Sarl was one of the few veterans Traest had insisted upon returning to his command. It had taken a considerable amount of string pulling, but in the end he had succeeded in getting Sarl as his EO once again. Traest spoke, a hint of humor in his tone. “Aren’t you getting a little ahead of yourself Commander? I would hardly consider this adequate evidence; we haven’t even left the docks yet.”

	Sarl shrugged, noncommittedly. “Ah, perhaps sir. But I know a good bunch when I see them, they’ll prove me right in the end, just you watch. Isn’t that right Lieutenant Renwar?” The Commander’s gaze snap locked onto the Tactical Officer who’d been none to discreetly eavesdropping on his superior’s conversation.

	The young man flushed bright red, a telltale sign of human embarrassment among other emotions Traest knew. “Yes sir, I mean, uh, sorry sirs.” Renwar stammered, uncertain what he should do under the fierce gaze of his leaders.

	“Attend your station, lieutenant.” Traest’s tone carried a soft growl of warning, but little else. The kid was only just over two decades old, and unlike the rest of the bridge crew, tactical was the closest to the dais, with little to do other than watch and listen. Captain Kre’fey couldn’t really blame him for losing focus. Renwar stuttered a second apology and went back to monitoring his empty display screen.

	Traest returned his attention to the forward viewport, everything was ready, and the silent countdown in his head ticked down to zero. “Are you ready, Commander?” He asked of his EO, the human was very pointedly not looking at him, his face twisted in barely controlled mirth.

	It took an extra second for Sarl to recover but eventually he nodded. “At your command, Captain.”

	“Very well. Comm, have us released.” The bothan at the communications station relayed the order, and a brief moment later a metallic clunk could be heard as the magnetic clamps holding the [i]Ralroost[/i] in place released.

	“We are free floating sir.” The bothan helmsman supplied before pressing the forward throttle. “Underway!”

	Traest felt a small shift as the ship glided forward and the artificial gravity readjusted to their forward movement. At long last, after nearly four years he was back aboard his bridge. Surrounded by loyal men and women on a Republic warship, making course for the stars. The bothan inhaled the recycled air and released it with a grateful sigh. It had been far too long.