- "We are heading for a rendezvous with, and I quote verbatim, 'The gallant and eternally vigilant patrol destroyer Tobay of the Grand Imperial Navy of the Constitutional Protectorate of Prakith."
- ―Taisden
The Grand Imperial Navy, colloquially known simply as the Prakith navy, was the naval branch of the Constitutional Protectorate of Prakith that defended the fortress world of Prakith after Moff Foga Brill established himself as an independent Warlord.
Hierarchy and loyalties[]
Prakith remained nominally loyal to Grand Moff Gann of Sector 5, and the vessels of the Prakith navy continued to display the Grand Moff's seal, but the insignia of the planet's Moff was far more prominent, and all ships displayed the distinctive colors of Prakith.
Moff Brill controlled his navy by controlling the assignments of its officers, and also instituted a system whereby commissions were essentially purchased from the Governor. Captaincies were given as rewards to members of leading families in return for their support, being particularly prized because ships' commanders received their pay in bullion and goods, rather than the state-controlled currency. Conscription into the navy was considered a relatively desirable career path, and the families of non-commissioned personnel lived in security, guarded by the paramilitaries of the Red Police.
Commissioned ranks in the Prakith navy included a ship's Captain (sometimes addressed as "Lord Captain") and Lieutenant—for instance, Lieutenant Sojis was a watch officer aboard the frigate Bloodprice. The head of each specialist section in the crew was referred to by a distinctive term that may have been unique to Prakith, including navigation master, communications master, gunnery master, and aboard Imperial Patrol Frigates, the towmaster in charge of the towed sensor net. It is unclear whether these were commissioned officers or senior non-commissioned officers, but it is known that their deputies was known by the title of second master. Although ships' crews appear to have been predominantly male, female yeomans are also recorded, such as Yeoman Cligot aboard the frigate Bloodprice.
Ships and squadron organization[]
The navy was organized in three layers of defense around Prakith, the outermost of which was the Deep patrol, consisting primarily of Imperial Patrol Frigates such as the Bloodprice commanded by Captain Ors Dogot. These were equipped with powerful sensor equipment to enable them to track ships in hyperspace and provide advance warning of any attack on Prakith, but they were also expected to locate, attack and capture any New Republic warships or enemy freighters that strayed into Prakith territory. Prizes bought the captain and crew rewards in both money and status, and particularly notable captures had been known to earn personal favor from the Governor.
The organization of the two further layers of defense around Prakith is less clear, however. Available sources make mention of Patrol command and the Inner fleet, but it cannot be said for sure that these correspond to the two inner layers, or even if they indicated distinct levels of hierarchy. Patrol command dispatched ships in support of the deep patrol frigates, such as the light cruiser Gorath under Captain Voba Dokrett and the Adz-class patrol destroyer Tobay, commanded by Captain Gegak, but it is unclear whether these formed part of the second line of defense, or if they were themselves another element of the deep patrol.
Ships based further in towards Prakith may have included Star Destroyers and at least one Star Dreadnought, and while it seems that procedures for refitting and repairing ships were somewhat disorganized, the Prakith navy did seem to have access to new ships and up-to-date technology, at least as far as smaller capital ships like frigates and light cruisers were concerned. Gorath was considered a significantly newer ship even by the crew of the relatively modern and advanced Tobay, and she may have been a new design produced at Prakith itself.
Appearances[]
Sources[]
"Byss and the Deep Core Part 3: Prakith" (original article link) on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link)