All else being equal in technology, the larger the warship, the stronger its combat power.
The larger the warship, the more shipboard guns, missiles/torpedoes, and starfighters it can carry—so its offensive power is higher.
The larger the warship, the more deflector shielding it can project and the thicker its hull armor can be—so its defensive power is higher.
In the encounter that just ended, the Hutt battle line's heavy ships demonstrated an overwhelming advantage in both offense and defense when facing the Bespin–Corellia joint fleet's light cruisers and light corvettes.
If the Hutt fleet's supreme commander hadn't been so incompetent—and if the joint fleet's "cheat code" hadn't been so absurdly strong—the Hutts should have won easily.
But even with an insider on our side and an "overpowered" ace on theirs, the Hutt fleet still inflicted terrifying losses on the Bespin–Corellia joint fleet.
We have to have capital ships of our own. Max made up his mind.
The larger the warship, the higher the complexity—and the harder it is to build.
Bespin didn't have the ability to build capital ships yet. Time was not on their side; it was already too late to try to bootstrap a full heavy shipbuilding industry from scratch.
So: leverage someone else's capacity.
Max proposed inviting the Corellian Engineering Corporation to build a production base on Bespin—just like Kuat Drive Yards had done by setting up shop on Rothana.
"The Sky City platforms, and the surrounding space around Bespin—we can provide all of it to CEC free of lease fees. The battle we just fought should already have proven that the Mandalorian armed forces can defend Bespin. If CEC still has concerns, we can also invite the Corellian Defense Force Navy to station a fleet here."
"Admiral Vizsla!" Berethron could barely hide his delight.
Tibanna gas is essential for charging blaster weapons—from something as small as a hold-out pistol to something as large as a heavy turbolaser—and it's also the ideal coolant for starship hyperdrives.
Bespin is a resource world with massive Tibanna reserves. For Corellia, whose pillar industry is shipbuilding, Bespin had immense value.
In Berethron's view, Bespin inviting the Corellian Defense Force to garrison the system was effectively an invitation for the Corellian Republic to take de facto control of Bespin—an enormous windfall far beyond what he'd expected.
Support it. Absolutely support it.
So Berethron took Max Vizsla to Senator Leev Galambi. After discussion, the three of them reached a preliminary plan:
Bespin would use its Tibanna resources as collateral to apply for government-backed loans from the Corellian Republic, funding the Sky City project and the construction of large space stations. Once completed, the Sky City project and the large stations would grant priority usage to CEC's Bespin production base.
"Starting from Bespin, we will build a powerful Corellian fleet—to protect the nation and the people!"
Three hands clasped tightly together.
Galactic Standard Calendar Year 4, December 16: the Corellian Republic government submitted a sharply worded diplomatic note to the Hutt authorities, demanding an explanation for the Hutt fleet's attack on a Corellian Defense Force Navy warship the previous day, and it forwarded the relevant information to the Galactic Republic Ministry of Justice and the Senate.
December 17: Coruscant stated it was following the incident closely and would dispatch a task group to investigate thoroughly. In addition to expressing deep condolences and offering sincere sympathies to the families of the victims, Coruscant repeatedly warned both Corellia and Bespin to comply strictly with Galactic Republic law and to forbid any illegal military actions.
December 19: the Hutt Grand Council responded to Corellia's diplomatic note, claiming the entire incident was a misunderstanding. The Hutt battle line had allegedly been pursuing pirates at the time, and the damage inflicted on the Corellian fleet was described as accidental collateral.
The Hutt Grand Council expressed regret and was willing, on humanitarian grounds, to provide compensation to the victims' families—but refused to issue an apology.
Galactic Standard Calendar Year 4, December 30: a Corellian relief fleet arrived at Bespin, composed of twelve CR-12 Thranta-class corvettes (light cruisers) and twenty-four CR-70 corvettes.
After arrival, this relief fleet would be reorganized as the Corellian Republic Navy's Bespin Independent Squadron, placed under the command of Rear Admiral Max Vizsla, and tasked with the long-term defense of the Corellian Republic's Bespin Mandalorian Autonomous Territory.
On paper, that's what it looked like.
In reality, Max's orders required the countersignature of the squadron's commanding officer, Corellian Republic Navy Commodore Brannlo Solo, before they could be executed. Of course, Brannlo Solo also couldn't command the Bespin Mandalorian armed forces—not even nominally.
During this period, Bespin and the Corellian civil–military inspection delegation finalized the arrangements for Bespin's entry into the Corellian Republic.
Under the delegation's oversight, Bespin held a system-wide referendum on joining the Corellian Republic. It passed with an overwhelming majority. After the New Year, Bespin would enter the Corellian Republic as the Bespin Mandalorian Autonomous Territory.
The Bespin Mandalorian Autonomous Territory would retain its own government and military, maintaining a high degree of autonomy. Max Vizsla would remain Bespin's highest civil–military leader, and Billy Williams would serve as Prime Minister of the autonomous government.
Militarily, the Bespin Mandalorian Autonomous Territory would sign the Mutual Defense Treaty—enjoying the rights of collective defense, and bearing the obligations of collective defense.
Politically, the Bespin Mandalorian Autonomous Territory would enjoy equal status with Corellia, Drall, Selonia, Talus, and Tralus.
In the Corellian Republic Senate, the Bespin Mandalorian Autonomous Territory would receive five senatorial seats—nominally. In practice, aside from one seat retained by Lord Figr, the other four would be allocated outward.
Due to its smaller population, in the Corellian Republic House of Representatives, the Bespin Mandalorian Autonomous Territory would receive only the minimum two seats—one Human representative and one Ugnaught representative.
...
Economically, the Bespin Mandalorian Autonomous Territory would fully integrate with the Corellian Republic.
...
All that remained was the arrival of the New Year—to turn the page and begin a new chapter.
PS: This chapter borrows the Galactic Republic Navy's order-of-battle framework from the Clone Wars era: a fleet squadron consists of 3–4 fleet divisions, fields 12–36 major vessels, and is commanded by one Navy commodore and one Jedi general.
PPS: The successor upgraded model of the CR-70 corvette is the famous CR-90 corvette. In the later Galactic Civil War timeline, the CR-90 was one of the Rebel Alliance's most commonly used warships, also known as a blockade runner. In Star Wars: A New Hope, Princess Leia was captured by Darth Vader aboard the CR-90 Tantive IV.
PPPS: In Legends, "Solo" is a surname associated with Corellian royalty. In the new canon film Solo, Han Solo's surname was assigned on the spot by an Imperial clerk when the orphaned Han enlisted in an Imperial flight academy (Solo = alone).
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GAME OF THRONES: SECRETS BENEATH THE DREADFORT
🏰🩸 GAME OF THRONES: SECRETS BENEATH THE DREADFORT 🩸🏰
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📢 DARK SECRETS RISE IN THE NORTH! 📢
Game of Thrones: Secrets Beneath the Dreadfort has 30 chapters ahead available on Patreon! 🐺🩸
Beneath the Dreadfort, old horrors stir.
Power, bloodlines, betrayal, northern cruelty, and buried secrets wait beneath one of the most feared castles in Westeros.
❄️ The North remembers.🏰 The Dreadfort hides.🩸 And some secrets should have stayed buried.
Uncover what lies beneath before anyone else does.
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🛑 ALSO AVAILABLE ON PATREON:
🌃 Cyberpunk: Dogtown Legend🔥 Cyberpunk: The Relentless👩👦 Cyberpunk: Lucy Adopted Me and I Got a System🧠 My Cyberpunk 2077 Simulator🤖 My Girlfriend's a Cyberpsycho—Who Knew?🛡️ Star Wars: The Rise of Mandalore🌌 Star Wars: Relics of the Past⚡ The Rebirth of Harry Potter🌹 R18: Reincarnated in Her World
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