Daleem Shipyards

One Week After the Vatali Assault

Aurelis stepped into the dry-dock hangars at the shipyards,” I heard an interesting story from someone who had hijacked a Vatali communications post. Something about a ridiculous song being played on repeat called Fizzlepop?” Aure looked around the hangar curiously, “What did you bring me here for Jon?”

Jon was sitting in a lounge-like space set over by one of the viewing-ports; the plush chairs and bantha-hide leather were so at odds with the utilitarian interior of the rest of the dry-dock that Aurelis was positive he’d had it set up specifically for this meeting.

“Aure!” he called out. “Come, join me, have a seat, pour a drink. We’re celebrating! After all the gundark-shit we’ve had to wade through, Project Pathfinder is finally under way!”

“That is your accomplishment-why did you bring a couch in the mid- nevermind, I give up trying to figure out your motives.” She stepped up towards the couch, but she didn’t sit; she shifted her stance and crossed her arms across her chest. “ A dry-dock doesn’t seem like the best place to hold a celebratory drink.” she sighed.

“It does when you have a surprise in mind,” Jon said with an aggravating grin. Artemis -- the ever present astromech droid at the Quaestor’s side -- made a sound that echoed how Aurelis felt.

Aurelis motioned towards Artemis, “Tell me about it.” She sounded exasperated. “A surprise. You Jon are a surprise in and of yourself.”

“Thank you! But I didn’t bring you here just to flatter me.” He leaned forward. “Listen. When this fleet is finished, we’re going to be going into a lot of uncharted territory. Charting new hyperspace lanes. It’s anyone’s guess who or what we’re going to run into,” he gestured to the viewport and the void beyond. “Out there. I’m going to need more than science vessels and diplomatic ships, yeah?”

“ We still have stuff going on in this system that likely needs more attention than what’s going to happen in six months.”

Jon shrugged. “I like to think six years into the future. That’s beside the point. When this gets under way, I need someone I can trust to be the invisible eyes, ears and, when necessary, hands of the Pathfinder fleet. Someone not unaccustomed to getting their hands dirty if it's necessary. With or without the Consul’s… permission.”

Jon stood and walked over to the viewing port, beckoning Aurelis to follow him. Beyond it was nothing but black void and the stars; in fact, this might be the only dry-dock that wasn’t hard at work building a new vessel for the fleet.

“So, to that end I commissioned something… off the books from the Shipwrights.”

“So you need someone with my expertise who works around the law, so marginally what I was doing for Mihoshi, just less guard duty and more proactive information gathering.” she said as clarification, and stepped up next to him,” So just me, or a small team?”

Jon laughed again. “Not exactly. And not exactly what you were doing for Miho either.”

Jon clapped his hands twice, and that must’ve been some kind of signal. As soon as he did, the void retreated back, revealing the half-finished dagger shape of an Imperial corvette -- a Raider I, if she didn’t miss her mark. But Raiders didn’t come with cloaking technology, and as far as she knew, the Shipwright’s Guild didn’t have cloaking devices.

Or at least, they weren’t supposed to.

Her arms uncrossed,” Jooon… what the kark...” she couldn’t help the short bark of laughter. “This is….mine?”

“Well, I get the big one,” he said with a shrug. “And mine has a casino. But yes, Aurelis, you are the captain of this fine, presently nameless and currently incomplete vessel. Think up a name when you get the chance.”

“That is the strangest juxtaposition I’ve participated in….a casino on one and clandestine operations on the other.” she paused. “Where the kriff did you get a stealth drive?”

“He’s very good at finding things he isn’t supposed to have,” a voice said. “The Council lets him get away with it because he puts them to a good cause. Mostly.”

The pair turned to see Tisto Kingang approaching. When the Kriff had he entered the room? Weren’t the doors locked?

“I’ve been good,” Jon protested, raising his glass in greeting. “Besides, you aren’t one to talk. Or are the rumors about The Children of the Weeping Woman false?”

“No comment,” the Proconsul said dismissively. Instead he looked Aurelis up and down. “Aurelis. Good to see you again.”

“Proconsul,” she said with a nod.

He turned to Jon. “The project of yours is underway?”

“More than underway,” Jon said, waving an arm at the corvette being assembled outside. “Nearly finished. With House Ghalor’s credits, the Shipwright’s Guilds engineers, and House Sunrider’s… procurements… the Pathfinder fleet is finally nearing completion.”

The Proconsul hummed, crossing his arms as he took in the sight.

“And you have plans for this fleet of yours?”

Jon grinned. “My dear Tisto. I am so glad you asked.”

---

This is the moment you've been waiting for.

While the rest of Kiast fought, you looked to the stars.

When credits were few, you got them by whatever means were most prudent, legal or otherwise

Some of you forged alliances with House Ghalor for their patronage, while other forged our iconography, while others procured the needed funds in their own ways

When Empress Kaltani learned of our illegal alliance with the Shipwright's Guild of Daleem, you fought to protect what we were trying to build.

Now, at long last, after months of struggle, effort, and only the necessary amount of criminal activity, we've done it. The time has come. Daleem's Shipyards have been working to maximum capacity, and their engineers didn't slow even in the midst of the Vatali intervention. The very first vessels of the Pathfinder Fleet emerge from dry-dock, and a new age of exploration and freedom has begun for House Sunrider.

Ladies and Gentleman.

The Pathfinder Fleet

The Echo Of Eternity

• Our flagship, this one-of-a-kind Curator-Class cruiser has been tailor-made for deep space exploration without sacrificing comfort. With her, we'll travel into the deepest reaches of space and uncover mysteries untold.

The Sunrise Raven

• Equipped with an expiremental and unauthorized cloaking device, the Raven was comissioned off-the-books at Jon Silvon's request, and remains off of official records. Capable of vanishing from most sensors, this vessel was immediately placed under the command of Aedile Aurelis Phaelor, who, in Jon's words "can do the sneaky stuff."

The Three Grey Ladies

• A trio of surveillance and monitoring vessels, equipped with long-range communications relays that let them share and correlate data in real-time, these ladies will be deployed to the far edges of the expeditionary forces, monitoring the chaotic lanes of the Unknown Regions for unforeseen threats.

And more! Go take a look at the vessels listed in the Pathfinder Fleet section, because you will be able to use them in your own fictions starting soon!

We've worked long and hard for this people, and I am so, so excited to see it all come together!

Come and celebrate with us in the Christening RP on Discord, where we'll personally tour the Echo of Eternity, and admire our new fleet together!

---

Y'all have turned out this month. A lot of good work to show and recognize, some people who hadn't been around much starting to get their feet wet and some of you absolutely putting in work!

Reltud Silversun

• x1 Crescent with Sapphire Star
• x1 Crescent with Quartz Star
• 2 Cluster of Ice

Darth Strix:

• x2 Crescent with Diamond Star
• x4 Crescent with Ruby Star
• x3 Crescent with Emerald Star
• x3 Crescent with Amethyst Star
• x3 Crescent with Quartz Star
• x3 Crescent with Sapphire Star
• x11 Cluster of Fire
• x4 Cluster of Graphite
• x5 Cluster of Ice

Xantros

• x2 Crescent with Amethyst Star
• x4 Crescent with Emerald Star
• x3 Crescent with Topaz Star
• x2 Crescent with Quartz Star
• x5 Cluster of Ice
• x4 Cluster of Graphite

Tarvitz

• x4 Crescent with Topaz Star
• x3 Crescent with Emerald Star
• x2 Crescent with Quartz Star
• x27 Cluster of Ice
• x6 Cluster of Graphite
• x11 Cluster of Fire

Velira Morvane

• x1 Crescent with Diamond Star
• x1 Crescent with Sapphire Star
• x5 Crescent with Emerald Star
• x3 Crescent with Topaz Star
• x3 Crescent with Quartz Star
  
• x258 Cluster of Fire
• x25 Cluster of Ice
• x18 Cluster of Graphite
  

Vigo Zakirov

• x3 Crescent with Ruby Star
  
• x1 Crescent with Diamond Star
• x3 Crescent with Ruby Star
• x1 Crescent with Amethyst Star
• x3 Crescent with Emerald Star
• x5 Crescent with Quartz Star
• x7 Cluster of Fire
• x3 Cluster of Ice
• x9 Cluster of Graphite

####A'lora Kituri * x1 Crescent with Quartz Star

Asani Armis

• x8 Cluster of Fire

Aurelis Phaelor

• x5 Cluster of Ice

Lady Caprinet

• x1 Crescent with Emerald Star
• x3 Cluster of Ice
• x14 Cluster of Graphite

Onasha

• x5 Cluster of Graphite