Archangel
| Archangel | |
| |
| Class | Frigate |
| Type | Quasar Fire-class bulk cruiser |
| Modifications | |
| Type | Complement
Customized blue and white exterior |
| History | |
| Date of Manufacture | Year 12 Day 193 |
| Affiliation | Mecrosa |
| Events | Ambush on an Unknown Krath Planet |
- "Welcome aboard the Archangel. We hope you enjoy your stay."
- — Dacen Tibanna
The Archangel is a converted Quasar Fire-class bulk cruiser that currently serves as the primary starfighter carrier in Dacen Tibanna's personal fleet. It saw combat during an ambush on an unknown Krath planet, where it engaged and destroyed a renegade ground-based turbolaser battery that was firing on freighters lured to the planet by a distress signal.
History
Commercial Origins
The Archangel began life in the vast shipyards of Candoria. Built by Mecrosa to serve as a mercantile transport for small to mid-sized vessels, the carrier was known merely by a numerical designation. For the first few months of its existence, the ship performed its duties diligently and with little incident, ferrying various starfighters, gunboats, and light freighters to and from their destinations.
New Beginnings
- "Everyone aboard this ship, myself included, has our fair share of 'skeletons in the closet.'"
- — Dacen Tibanna
Near the end of Year 12, the Archangel was awarded to Corellian Dacen Tibanna, a member of Mecrosa, as a gift for his hard work and dedication to the organization. This marked a major shift in the history of the carrier, as it assumed a more martial role in Dacen's personal fleet. He immediately rechristened the vessel with its new name, Archangel, and commissioned the renowned artist and Krath Lord Ellias Aubec to design a new look for the ship. He assigned to the carrier a complement of two R-41 Starchaser squadrons and a Nu-class attack shuttle, all with the same blue and white design as the Archangel. This left enough room in the docking bay for the cruiser to take aboard multiple light freighters as necessary, which proved very useful in later years.
All of these changes set the stage for Dacen to make an even more radical change; he took a completely unconventional approach to hiring a crew for the carrier. Instead of making the usual calls to a recruitment firm, he searched the slums and red light districts of several planets, including his native Corellia and the world where he grew up, Bespin. In a seemingly disastrous move, he hired a motley collection of drunks, homeless vagrants, disgraced ex-officers, and Ryll addicts, offering each one of them a chance at redemption and a new lease on life. These sentients were so used to being looked down on with hatred and contempt by those around them that they were absolutely shocked by such an offer. To a man, they were so touched by being given a second chance when all seemed lost for them that they pledged their utmost loyalty to Dacen. It became a point of pride for them to change their flawed ways, and each of them dreaded letting down the man who had shown them kindness when no one else would.
Despite the rag tag origins of the crew, they displayed a surprising level of discipline and professionalism. Perhaps in an effort to display their dedication, they quickly adapted to Dacen's military-style management system. While it appeared that their selection was random, Dacen chose each new member of the crew because he had observed an assortment of valuable qualities under their unfortunate circumstances, and the crew proved the importance of these qualities. After a few months of organization, the crew became a well-oiled machine, and the fighter pilots were especially exemplary. What made Dacen decide to take such an approach to recruitment is anyone's guess, but it certainly paid off for him.
Following these extensive modifications, the Archangel took on its current role as a carrier in Dacen's private fleet. Its primary objective became to serve as an anti-pirate deterrence, guarding his personal shipyard and patrolling on regular sublight cruises. It served over a year in this capacity without facing a single threat, as most small-time criminals made the wise decision that the well-armed carrier was not to be trifled with.
Ambush
- "All hands to battle stations. Pilots, prepare your ships. Emergency personnel report to the docking bay. This is not a drill."
- — Captain Gela Fremlin
During a routine sublight cruise, the Archangel received a distress call from a Krath X-wing pilot on a nearby planet who was under fire from an unknown source. Immediately, the Archangel took position in the upper atmosphere over the crash site and deployed its Nu-class, the Guardian, with Dacen and a collection of droid bodyguards. The shuttle was escorted by two of the Archangel's Seraph squadron, one flown by Nimbanel Lieutenant Tanda Bela-Trepada.
