[21 BBY]

[Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, Republic 14th Sector Army, In Hyperspace, Lipsec Route, Outer Rim]

"You're driving the crew rather hard General..." my new Executive Officer, and Captain of the new Stormcrow, Gardan Yetrel told me calmly as I sat with the immediate command staff of the large ship as we moved through hyperspace towards Solem with the supply convoy "...so I'm afraid efficiency hasn't been ideal, especially with such green crews"

I sighed, nodding in agreement as I sat at the head of the table for an actual physical meeting of department heads "I understand, and it's why I'm pressing such hours and training;- we've got a cadre of trained crew, but we need to work up to combat status fast, and better mistakes be made now than in battle. They'll have downtime when we arrive in Solem for a few days, but till then and after its drills, drills, and more drills till we get it right"

Even basic things like know where everything was on the ship took time to learn as the Stormcrow was, literally, a mobile city inside all those layers of armour. Taking crews from our existing ships as officers had solved some problems, but overall we were throwing troopers and recruits fresh out of training into the workstations on the lower levels. Often combat veteran recruits as they transferred in, and were promoted from, the ground forces; but trained Troopers did not become Trained Ship Personnel overnight unfortunately, and even then ships needed time to work up as the Republic and Confederacy were both finding by all reports.

Droids helped of course, but they were not something I wished to become overly dependent on as the collapse of the Separatist positions in the Galactic South opposite us had shown. So far my ships efficiency was far below what was desired, but there was a steady improvement with each combat drill and we'd be as ready as we could be in the next few weeks...hopefully. Our non-combat elements at least were doing better than I'd expected with our medical wing being top of the line for the Mid-Rim, or maybe Colonies, compared to the Outer Rim, and our manufacturing facilities was already producing replacement parts where needed. I was even glad to see our hydroponics section starting to produce foodstuffs for the various canteens aboard the ship.

Gardan nodded "Understood General, not that I disagree, but the downtime will be needed as well or we'll risk burn out amongst the newer ranks"

Braika, leading the ground troops currently aboard being transported home waved her hand lazily "Eh, has to be done, if they can't take this then they can't take the real fighting"

I shrugged "Rest is important as well Braika, but yeah, anyone who can't take it we can transfer back and forth with trained crews from the combat freighters. Though I want both physical and psych monitoring of everyone as well. Doctor?"

The Twi'lek woman, Doctor Wee'bako nodded. She was loyal and qualified, and formerly a slave of our super-duper best friends the Hutts for a short time thanks to the Confederates; at least till we'd bought her back as part of the various trades with the 'legitimate businessmen' that the crime lords pretended to be "Of course General, I've already begun regular checkups as ordered, and I can assure you we have sufficient staff to achieve what is demanded of us..." the young, scar faced, woman smiled "...and the steady stream of lightly injured has certainly helped with training, if proving a drain on medical supplies"

Braika snorted "Can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs"

"Don't I know it..." I muttered remember the gruelling course the mad Mandolarion had had me run a few years back when we'd first set up, without anything more than my most basic physical enhancement powers "...but I expect we'll need to up the planned levels of supplies to deal with the training regime?"

Doctor, technically Colonel-Doctor, Wee'bako nodded "I'm afraid so General, though we are still in the process of working out the amended estimates"

I sighed "Understood, but have them ready by the time we are settled in Solem, especially for anything we can, or have too, source in the Lipsec sector. Same for anything we might need for the expansion of the hydroponics bays, or just for the Troopers in general"

Braika gave an amused snort "Missing home cooking are we?"

"Eh, some do, but I quite like having skilled chefs and happy crews..." I replied honestly "...especially since some of them aren't normally the combat oriented sort"

The Stormcrow had top of the line computers, along with 'dumb' droid brains to assist with intelligence gathering operations, so when putting that with the heavy investment in sensors made attracting trained personnel, and keeping them loyal, a hard fought goal. Especially with Magic Mountain attracting the better ones loyal to the Republic, and our secret base 'Graveyard' at Hoth, employing the best mercenary minded ones for ESS. My ship then was part training ship and screening system, and used a lot of Outer Rim, primarily Lipsec Sector, folk since we used Outer Rim sensor in quantity to balance out its lesser quality versus Core ones.

"Well, I'll fix that in no time..." she replied and I merely nodded my acquiescence to her general outline of ensuring some degree of arms training and drills for the whole crew in time "...but we'll do for a time I suppose won't we? Not like we're the only ones having trouble?"

"It's improving, but the two Dreadnaughts are more manpower intensive for their size for instance, and we and the others are all trying to crew dozens of captured ships even as we strip them of their command cores. Between that and the GAR finally losing Malastare, Bestine, and Chardaan is it any wonder our offensive operations have stalled out?" I replied with a tired sigh before taking a sip from my mug of kaff "...problems of success I guess?"

ESS, and therefore Aegis Guard, finally had a number of heavy capital ships; from our delivered purchases from the Core, to the captured Confederate Lucrehulks and Providences, and finally a few trades for those ships from system defence fleets. One of the two Dreadnaught-class heavy cruisers with our convoy for instance was a former Pantoran Defence Forces capital exchanged for a Lucrehulk and three captured tradeships...largely due to the trained crew that came with the deal. Victory had brought new recruits, and we divided up that crew between the other two Dreadnaught-class as a training cadre...and ensure loyalty with Solemites and Twi'leks working in numbers with them.

The Ailon Nova Guard, Kota Rahm's Milita, and the ORSF were seemingly having similar problems as we absorbed the captured ships, losses from the offensive, and deliveries from the Core before the continuing disaster that was Kuat. We'd already been semi-dependent on scrounging supplies from the Mid and Outer Rim here in the Galactic South, and now, after Kuat, it was getting so much worse as Republic efforts at supply-lines to us largely collapsed. Same as the other Outer Rim regions really as they refocused on the Core, but it was forcing me as Quartermaster to range further afield for basic supplies from Tibana Gas, all the way through to local producers of armour. Shield tech too; the Gungans liked a great deal after the massive order of those 'riot shield' energy shields they built, even if Naboo as a whole was less than helpful with war material.

"Bad news?"

I nodded back in reply to Braika's questioning tone "Aye, just got word before the meeting there's a full on financial and insurance meltdown going on in the Core. Ship prices are skyrocketing, and we're not being even let do military refits in the yards of a dozen worlds now. Even ensuring financing the war-effort is falling back on what we can...tax and requisition..." meaning threaten and steal from in some people's eyes "...from our various sectors. So, if you need something, try ensure it's sourced locally, or we can get an Outer or Mid Rim equivalent"

The Twi'lek produced Chir'dakis, captured droid-fighter factories, and our own small shipyards over Solem hopefully, were useful in supplying some of our needs. And we'd paid a pretty penny for the TIE production licence just to maintain our higher performance squadrons, but we were cut off from more standard Republic supplies of starfighters, and even replacements for capital ships such as the Venators and Acclamators. It'd be months, at the very least, before we'd even be considered for further resupply according to both General Geen and my meetings with, now Moff, Tarkin.

'A positive in some ways I suppose, but damn if its squeezing us badly right now' I mused as the discussion moved unto the logistics of returning veterans to the training yards on Solem, and taking onboard of four fresh Legions to return to the fighting. I didn't remember anything like Kuat happening in my...memories...but it could have I supposed. Still, the Core was in chaos by all accounts and the Chancellor and Senate in a political and financial crisis that should hopefully distract from our efforts to build up here. Something that was needed as once the Confederate's current large offensives towards the Core petered out, and they adjust to the sudden collapse of their forces here, they'd reorient and strike back at us.

One big benefit though was the increased powers being devolved to the Grand Army of the Republic, and therefore to the likes of me and the increasing Mercenary Generals, that allowed us to essentially tax and raise our own funds from operations. A terrible decision for long term Republic stability, but it was letting me ramshackle ad-hoc associations and deals with the less savoury elements such the Hutts and Spice Dealers as well as legitimate system governments. Largely to loophole abuse them into avoid actual, and ridiculous, Republic regulations and taxes that the Core and Colonies had put through the Senate over the years to give them a monopoly on certain things.

Sad for them then that the 'war effort' demanded many sacrifices...that meant lower taxes and tariffs in reality due to military needs for troops, supplies, and the like. The whiny idiocy being sent by individual Senators in the Core, representing Trans-galactic corporate interests, had required polite half-truths in response alongside requests for support for said war-effort. Honestly if I had my way a lot of those interests and businesses would find that all the silk and finery of the pen and contract that they used to bully others would prove ineffective in the face of naked military force.

I'd never be able to defeat Palapatine in that arena, nor could the Jedi...especially with my allies thinking as they were at the moment...so change the battlefield where such doesn't suit. Killing Dooku, which was damn near impossible at the moment, and his inner circle would break the CIS free, hopefully, and then work towards tearing down the Republic itself so that all the gears of power the Sith had within were rendered worthless. From a game of smoke and mirrors to the brutally simple chaos of true war, where something better could rise from the ashes...

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