[3 BBY]
[Star Destroyer YX(S)-22, Confederate Navy 1st (Droid) Grand Fleet, docked Fondor Orbital Yards, Fondor System, Tapani Sector, Colonies Region, Confederacy of Independent Systems (Droid)]
Unit-984/B/Command's, or Qi'ra of Corellia occasionally to herself, muscles burned as she jogged along the exercise machine, sweat covering her fleshy form. Exercise was an evil in her mind, but an unfortunately necessary one, and once again coming to an end for that part of her schedule thank the Force. Orders were orders in that regards, and, loath as she was to admit it, it kept her feeling good outside of performing it, as well as being kept in excellent physical condition. That was important with the growing workload, and the exercise did, somewhat, help clear the mind for these sessions.
Thankfully it ended, Unit-984/B/Command, Qi'ra, pumping legs and arms starting to slow, then to a walk, and then finally stepping off the running threads when it stopped. Her body readings came up on the displays in her head implants, flashing to her eyes only, and showing that she'd done better than usual by all metrics. Not the best, but close enough as she hurriedly drank down water and emitted a grunt of relief as muscles ached, striding towards the fresher. It was a relief to get in, opting for cold cleaning, but activating her systems with a press to her waterproofed implant at her temple. Data flowed fully again, shifting to updates on production numbers and various projections as she hissed as the icy freshening came, but enduring till it became a pleasant relief, eyes on numbers and any updated orders.
Those she read through as she cleaned herself, then dried off and exited the stall and began to walk down the corridor towards the command deck after a finger press confirming return prior to her daily 'maintenance' cycle as sleep was called these days. Stepping through the 'marking' stall, she raised her arms, legs out, quick spray coming and marking her with her crude ident 'paint' as a droid, an actual droid, followed behind her to have his updated. Meaningless hangovers really, as she was identified by the combination of body tattoos and her few implants more than the more colourful painted bars and circles. Unit-984/B/Command, Qi'ra, emitted a sigh as she walked, adjusting her hair into place, then standing at attention a security checkpointed as the beams side over her body, tattoos scanned, then marching through passed the security droids. She thought she was starting to think like a droid at times of late.
Matters were, quite simply, growing more worrisome with each passing day of late. The collapse of the Mothma Regime had brought into power what she'd called the feared result, though her commanders would call it a concerning analysis. Because the actions of the New Republic had led to expected results: the Imperials and 'Rebel' Confederates had mobilised, then concentrated, powerful fleets on their borders…borders that were near the Tapani Sector controlled by the 'True' Confederacy. All of which was causing a defensive reorientation and increased sense of urgency in protocols; just as refugees were starting to appear. Something that would only grow worse in coming cycles she knew, far better than her commanders, amongst those species judged non-Core allied.
Unit-984/B/Command was tired, but clear minded and focused as she passed through the final security point, then stepping into Kalani's, the Super-Tactical Droid who was her superior, ready room. It still bore some of the old traces of an organic admiral, though this vessel had never had one, but it was mostly filled with holo-emitters and command circuits around those traces, such as the tables and chairs than weren't quite needed anymore. She waited patiently after entering, a 'wait' command to her as her master, admiral, whatever analsyed some data in-depth. Unit-984/B/Command wasn't particularly bothered by that, standing at attention, hands behind her back, looking out at the orbital shipyards on the screens. It was like standing in space, thinking of her daughter down there, missing her, but glad of not having it consume her life either. She could admit she'd be a bad mother to herself as her eyes moved over the quasi-ring developing. Defensive monitors being strung together with the orbital yards in an imitation of Kuat's great…
{At Ease Unit-984/B/Command} General Kalani stated, through her cybernetics rather than speaking verbally, clearly coming off a comm and not bothering to waste energy. At ease really wasn't any more than being slightly looser in stance with legs wider for better balance than straight together, though it was more comfortable than standing straight and poised all the time {Unit condition green?}
"Affirmative Sir" she answered, being cut off from more by the droid speaking audibly.
"Good, input will be requested and optimal performance is required" Kalani said simply, moving to stand in front of her, or beside her as he turned to face the display screens she was facing, motioning "Maintenance cycles are to be within expanded tolerances. Confirm?"
"Yes Sir, as commanded" being sent to bed by her droids was always a bit weird, even now, as he sent her the allotted time for this meeting and then her 'maintenance' relaxing and bedtime "Deviations in recent cycles are due to unexpected developments"
"Correct Unit-984/B/Command, deviations within acceptable parameters" the super-tactical acknowledge, doing a hand gesture at her, as if a parent with a misbehaving child "But requirements will grow. I require high-level performance, ensure miniatous cycles are optimally scheduled and cycled"
"Yes Sir. Doc…maintenance medical scheduling is sufficient" she answered, waiting a motion before querying on the current issue at hand "Data updates indicate projected traffic increases are beginning to occur"
"That is correct" Kalani said back, now mirroring her stance, hands behind back "Increased data is being received as projected. You will be assigned to collation and analysis of org-int from the Core regions of enemy forces"
Intelligence on foes was one of the biggest weaknesses of the Droid Army of Fondor/Tapani, or 'True Confederacy', as it had no fully fleshed out external intelligence service as the various successor states possessed. Oh, their data-intercepts were excellent, as well as data-analysis, but they had almost no spies as the girl who'd been Qi'ra would have called it. They even had a few droids, here and there, compromised within neighbouring systems…but creating a spy network wasn't something the developing droid run remnant had even prioritised, let alone developed. An unfortunate oversight now she realised, as their information from the New Republic had been through public channels and through the corruption in the systems. Now the corruption was purged, while the official New Republic were becoming even more propagandistic.
'All that's left is the news, public, from Alskan, Corellia and Kuat' in that regards, but she voiced the other, unexpected issue "Understood Sir. The droid impressment is unexpected by the New Republic"
"Current Analysis: New Republic military to employ quantity-based strategies in current conflicts, supplement by limited available higher performance, large capacity, combat systems. Example: Deployment Super Destroyer, Shili"
That had been a shock to hear of. Both by the deployment of the vessels outside the Core, with all the logistical and political issues it must have caused but of what was indicated to be an absolutely insanity being implement there according to external parties. Refugees were starting to appear, Twi'leks and Sullustans for example amongst 'imperial aligned' species, bolting for the safety of the Empire…through Fondor, though she suspected, feared, that it would be many other species soon enough. Or, well, non-Core species rather than just non-near humans as the new regime seemed as hard on 'non-culturally Core human' states as others; it was just easier to see specific species.
But the New Republic Navy was shaking itself out of its decade-long slumber by all indications that were coming to her desk. For that decade it had largely sat around, created from the ruins of the Grand Army of the Republic, getting thrown veritable mountains of equipment from the three systems that dominated the New Republic. How modern that equipment was… Unit-984/B/Command wasn't entirely sure, because as Qi'ra she'd seen how crooked that machine of the Republic could be. The parameters had been what the Core's industrial machine was selling, rather than what their military wanted; so as best she understood, outside various special projects, the New Republic had veritable hordes of equipment not out of place in the Clone War Phase of the Fall of the Republic.
"Mass conversation and deployment of droids in combat roles Sir?"
"Affirmative. Estimate alongside mass deployment of lower quality organic combat platforms in starfighter and ground combat roles" Kalani brought up displays showing….well, very disturbing numbers relative to what they possessed "Tactics Estimate: Early Phase Droid Army Tactics"
'Save using organics as well as droids. No clone super soldiers spearheading established PD forces' she thought, with almost a wince. That would not be pretty, but it was also a problem "Mygeeto will, through analysis, be the estimated target before Fondor. Understanding how such strategies interact will be made clear, should that eventuality arise. I would warn Sir; lack of organic models amongst Mygeeto Command structures, whether command or deployment level, will distort comparative analysis"
Through great difficulty the Droid Army pockets at Fondor and Mygeeto, and to a much lesser extent in the Corporate Sector, were in contact. Just in different command loops. Thankfully in Unit-984/B/Command's mind, as when Qi'ra had fled her it had meant a new role in life, while fleeing to the other pockets probably would have meant rather indifference in slums or under criminal overlords somewhere else once she'd moved on. There was an opportunity here too of course, in picking up new, skilled, recruits from amongst the refugees that she expected to start arriving from non-Imperial species. Quality, in all sectors, was needed, as the Fondor yards were already at peak, expanding, production for both military and civilian sectors.
"Understood Unit-984/B/Command" was the immediate answer "Prior submitted analysis recommendations status: Approved – Quality increase in force perform required alongside combat forces expansion"
She gave a nod "There should be some capacity to expand organic droid complement, spaceborne forces, repair & maintenance forces, amongst previously listed species and/or non-listed species with views, ah, software systems in deviation to New Republic and/or Three Core Worlds approved political systems. Recommend submit recruitment and training criteria"
In part to avoid infiltrators, but also partly to ensure a bunch of skill, but also young, scared, but now hired people weren't placed naked bar barcodes and paint together with the opposite biological gender. For that way led to accidently pregnancies. Romance was not a problem, usually, but with things as they were, and a war on the horizon, the last thing Unit-984/B/Command wanted was someone screwing up the working systems because someones got busy in a maintenance bay or something similar. Even with the heavy production of droids and warships thanks to resource convoys, let alone orders from the Imperials…she herself could see the gaps not having organics left in Fondor's forces at times. Not many, but they needed an edge, somewhat in mirror, but opposite, of the Imperials and Trade Federation tactics of droid supplement organic combat forces.
"Affirmative. Proposal approved. Recruitment to begin with immediate effect. Training tolerances set to High as requested. Production priority will be determined shortly. Will propose shift to Quality Level Delta Minimum, Beta Preferred. Unit-984/B/Command will attend as aide and proposer of system, and will present analysis of next work cycles"
"As you command Sir" she answered, engaging in several questions as her timer clicked down. Kalani covering the topics and clarifying orders, before the inevitable.
"Meeting completed. Unit-984/B/Command return for maintenance cycle" being the simple command, followed by her adjusted daily schedule for the next weekly cycle now "Return upon completion"
She saluted, then turned on her heel to march out after the "Yes Sir"