Star Tide

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MC80 Liberty-class Cruiser modified from an interstellar science and exploration vessel to an armed cruiser in the Rebel Alliance Navy. The Star Tide was the command ship of the 13th Roving Line commanded by Line Admiral Ieheeloonea Gaivee.

Description

"It was disconcerting to discover that the Tide was bigger than any city I had ever lived in. It had entire districts devoted to different operations necessary to support such a massive amount of people. I was truly a Quarren out of water."

— Rhenn "Chiff" Chiffero

Like other Mon Calamari Star Cruisers, the Star Tide was unique. Originally constructed as a pleasure craft, it had been converted to an interstellar science vessel shortly before the Galactic Civil War and was again converted into a warship when the Mon Calamari agreed to help the Alliance to Restore the Republic. The handcrafted ship's outer shell was formed of layers of flattened ribbon-like structural beams, with no right-angles to be found. The elongated hemispheres on the hull took on an organic appearance from a distance. A series of airlocks and hangars were located around the ship, but the main docking bay was located in the forward ventral surface. This docking bay was larger than most found on MC80s and was vaguely reminiscent of Imperial Star Destroyers. It was large enough to berth a single Gallofree GR-75 transport. The vessel also featured a row of high powered turbolasers and ion cannons along each flank, another similarity between it and an Imperial Star Destroyer. The Tide saw its share of combat and this took a toll on the vessel, leaving streaks of blackened scorch marks on the hull.

Long well-lit corridors ran throughout the ship, with main corridors wide enough to accommodate five people, lined by iris-like doors and sometimes intersected by smaller, tributary hallways. Hallways, like the design of the hull were not straight but curved left and right along their length. In addition to the "dry" corridors, the entire vessel was criss-crossed with water-filled transit tubes. These conduits featured strong currents that transported Quarren, Mon Cal and other aquatic species at faster speeds than the turbolifts.

The ship was split into four quadrants, each containing various zones and support services; the aft quadrant, for example, was dominated by engineering and command centers. Several large concourses around the ship were devoted to supporting the crew. The central quadrant contained Ocean's 11, originally a ballroom which, by the Galactic Civil War, served as a meeting place for many of the crew in the nearby engineering and administrative departments.

The lower decks contained the [Quarren] section which had lower lighting levels than the upper decks, suiting the Quarren inhabitants who were used to the dark depths of the Mon Calamari seas. It also featured more submerged conduits and quarters than the rest of the ship. Dry crew quarters here were often simple small rooms with a desk, chair, a multi-species toilet, and a cot which came out of the wall at the touch of a button - much more spartan than the converted luxury liner quarters in the upper regions of the ships. Not surprisingly, the Quarren section was home to mostly low-ranking crew members.

The ship's starfighter pilots, choosing to be as close to their ships as possible, inhabited the bow section which was dominated by the large ventral docking bay. The facilities in this section included a simulation room for training purposes and several briefing rooms for mission planning. The pilots spent so much time in their ready room that they converted it into a lounge. The large room was fitted with holo decks, tables and food dispensers. When the pilots wanted something more elaborate than the snacks provided by the machines, they were able to get food sent over by the kitchen staff rather than going to the mess hall. A makeshift bar had been set up in the corner of the lounge which the senior officers overlooked. The pilots also had access to a holo film room where they could review flight recorder footage from previous missions.

Although primarily used as a warship, the Star Tide had a variety of facilities to assist with the administration of the Rebellion. Admiral Ackbar had a little-used office on board and there were several lecture halls located on the ship.

In addition to the mess halls used by the crew, there was also an executive dining room for senior personnel, which had the appearance of something planet-side with fabric-covered tables and fine crockery. The food, too, was above the level enjoyed by most of the crew, with meals prepared individually rather than in large vats.

The Star Tide also had a Med Deck where doctors and medical droids would treat any injuries sustained by the crew, often with the use of one of the ship's bacta tanks. Some of the ship's medical droids were capable of conducting psychological evaluations to assess if crew members were fit for duty.

Typically the vessel carried three squadrons of fighters. For most of its operational life these squadrons were Shadow Squadron, Crimson Dawn Squadron, and Lancer Squadron