Expansion Fleet South

Expansion Fleet South was the name given to a fleet commissioned by Rin Sakaros, Queen of the Golden Empire, to expand the Empire's control south of the Romasi sector, its traditional border since the Empire's birth in 87 ABY. The fleet was entrusted to the command of Sir Tarse Medrego, a Vorsyt admiral who had led the Empire's forces in the Vagaari War and the Nightmare War.

History
Though formed around the Tempest, erstwhile flagship of the Romasi sector defense force, the fleet did not otherwise draw from the Romasi sector; until Medrego established stable control over what amounted to a new sector, the Romasi sector remained the Empire's southern border, and Rin was unwilling to leave it undefended. Instead, Rin and Prime Legate Sorrik drew from better-protected sectors of the Empire and unassigned squadrons to fill the fleet's ranks.

Initial reconnaissance missions launched from Klesk revealed a number of habitable or inhabited worlds nearby, and the fleet's first missions were primarily related to colonization and diplomacy. When fighting did occur, it usually pitted the overwhelming force of the Royal Army against comparatively primitive societies, which often surrendered with little bloodshed. As the fleet spread the Empire's control, however, it encountered numerous pirates, as well as small outposts of the.

Composition
The fleet was commanded from the Tempest. Admiral Medrego was given approximately 200 capital ships for his command, ranging from patrol corvettes and frigates all the way up to other Imperial Star Destroyers. As in the Royal Navy in general, Firebird cruisers made up the bulk of the fleet's fighting force, with Keltrayu-class cruisers and s serving as the main fleet heavies.

In addition to each ship's normal complement of Royal Marines, the fleet was staffed with Royal Army troops for ground assault and the establishment of garrisons. The fleet also featured numerous Charon-class escort carriers to provide a strong contingent of Royal Starfighter Corps craft and personnel. Given their duty to enforce military law, thousands of Royal Gendarmes were assigned to the fleet.

Beyond its Armada personnel, the fleet also had hundreds of personnel from the Ministries of Diplomacy and Internal Affairs and Integration, with representatives of several other ministries as well. Prefect Aria Nikina assigned a handful of Centurions from the Order of Keltrayu to Medrego's fleet to handle sudden and extreme crises or deal with Force-sensitive threats.

Command structure
Medrego exercised ultimate command over every ship in the fleet, as well as every planet colonized, absorbed, or conquered by the fleet until it was turned over to a Consul. He was the ranking officer and the fleet's only vice admiral; Rin declined suggestions from both her brother Tariun and Sorrik to promote Medrego to admiral. Medrego was assisted in daily operations by his executive officer and his chief of staff, both of whom were counter admirals.

Sections of the fleet were led by commodores. The largest ships had full OF-6 captains as their commanding officers, while smaller vessels had commanders or even lieutenant commanders as captains. The Army and RSC had their own command structures, but their senior officers were ultimately subordinate to Medrego or the commanding officer of a detached portion of the fleet.

As was the Order of Keltrayu's longstanding policy, Centurions took orders from no one but other Centurions, Royal Executors, and the Queen. However, Aria Nikina assigned a Praetor to the fleet to have command over all other Centurions, with the clear understanding that Medrego's directions should be followed absent an enormously serious reason to defy them.