Predominant

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The Predominant is a Nebula-Class Star Destroyer in the Ascendant Fleet of House Plagueis. Originally commissioned at Ord Pardron during the Vong War, it was kept from a major combat role by that war's end and instead became the flagship of the 108th Expeditionary Scout Fleet.

During one of its expeditions in the Outer Rim, the ship - then named Civility - was ambushed alongside its understaffed fellow ships by the NSD Ascendancy. Overrun by the newly-trained Ravagers and taken over by the Subjugates of Plagueis, the ship's crew nevertheless held out impressively before finally being overrun. Today, it serves as a powerful part of the Plagueian war effort.

History

Built in 28 ABY, the ‘’Nebula’’-class Star Destroyer Civility was originally intended to serve as the flagship for the 243rd Assault Fleet - a fleet that was never finished. Manufactured at several galactic factories and ultimately assembled over Ord Pardron, this vessel joined several others as it waited for years to see duty. Ultimately, though, the Vong War would end before the ships could see any action.

Due to debates and budget cuts in the Senate, and largely because of peacetime, voting saw the 243rd commission overturned in 31 ABY Rather than pay to disassemble perfectly good ships, the vessels already built were organized into the 108th Expeditionary Scout Fleet, and were sent to patrol and explore systems in the Outer and Mid Rim. This allowed the Alliance to make up for scout ships lost against the Vong.

The 108th rarely saw more than minor confrontations with pirates, brigands, and scavengers during the following five years of service, largely due to the presence of both a Republic-class vessel and an Acclamator-class, the Prosperity. However, as tensions rose due to the Swarm War, the 108th found itself tasked more and more toward actual combat, and began training for proper confrontations. The ship’s crew served with distinction and, despite their outdated equipment, managed to earn several honors.

In 36 ABY, the ship fell victim to the surprise attack of House Plagueis aboard the NSD Ascendancy. The ship had been docked for minor repair and refit while its crew took shore leave, leaving the ship unprepared and undermanned when Plagueis struck. The only man with any true warning - a Jedi Knight named Kysar Thenn - only sensed their coming seconds before the Dark Siders struck. By then, it was too late, and Thenn could do nothing but try futilely to reach the fleet.

Attacking with lethal coordination, the Sith of Plagueis and their Ravagers boarded the ship and slaughtered its unprepared crew while their Subjugates and BX-Series droids quickly took the vessel's systems and weaponry over. Before the other vessels in the group could coordinate and respond, they faced their own flagship and its fighter complement. The forces of the Ascendant House, having cramped their own vessel far beyond resource capacity, spread through the ships of the 108th like a plague. With nothing standing between them but Thenn’s Padawan, a Nautolan by the name of Beelo Grom, the Dark Jedi of the House struck without mercy and took what was now theirs. Before three hours had passed, the 108th had been taken and had departed to Vaiken Spacedock, with the Civility being renamed as the Predominant by the Quaestor.

The new Ascendant Fleet had been claimed.

Characteristics

The Nebula-class marks a significant advancement in design for Star Destroyers. Despite only being about sixty-five percent of the size of an Imperial-class, it was designed to handle an Imperial-II. The vessel is a match for another Star Destroyer, two heavy cruisers, or an entire line of smaller ships as a stock model.

Like other members of the New Class program, the Nebula-class was built around a framework similar to other vessels. Standard vessels of this class held forty turbolaser batteries, forty dual turbolaser cannons, twenty ion cannon batteries, and eight tractor beam projectors. This, combined with the ship's already robust design and a hyperdrive that could match its Imperial counterpart, make the ship into a lethal weapon and a formidable factor in any space engagement. Crewed by Subjugates, who have come to forget their old lives and worship their Masters as dark gods, the vessel is now a violent tool for the Ascension of Plagueis.

The ship's underside is far different from a typical Nebula-class vessel, bearing the round orbs of four gravity well generators. These are utilized to keep ships at the field of battle, much like an interdictor vessel, and are used to keep raiding targets from reaching hyperspace until they are meant to, or altogether. They are also used to set up ambushes, with cargo ships and trade frigates prematurely pulled from hyperspace and attacked unawares.

Role

While the Ascendancy remains the flagship of Plagueis and the main symbol of Ascendant might, the ‘’Predominant’’ plays the role of an enforcer for the fleet; its high armament and efficient design has it taking on larger ships and installations. Between its already formidable stock weaponry and its long range turbolasers, this vessel is built to take down the backbone of an enemy force before they can hope to resist. Its gravity well generators, a recent addition, ensure that targets do not escape unless they are meant to.

In addition, the Predominant often launches fighters, bombers, and raiding dropships. While the guns onboard the vessel neutralize resistance and rip apart enemy lines, these hangars pour vessels bearing Ravagers and other slaves to board enemy ships and murder or enslave their crews. As opposed to the ‘’Ascendancy’’, which plays the role of a nexus and point of control and goes wherever it can best exert control, the ‘’Predominant’’ has been nicknamed the “attack dog” of the Ascendant Fleet - it prowls the site of an engagement, ripping apart anything it can sink its teeth into.