Colonel Arabi

Colonel Arabi was a Haven-built Brilliance-class light cruiser owned by the Melungeon Navy.

History

Colonel Arabi was one of thirty Brillance-class vessels sold by the People's Republic of Haven to its allies. (JIR2)

In 1905 PD she was sent to the Solarian League's peripheral areas by Melungeon authorities to sever one of the six Alphane Crystal Pylons and return it to the Duke's Museum on the Melungeon capital planet of Tellico.

During his tour of the Solarian League, Lord Hakon Nessler, Earl of Greatgap, managed to "borrow" Colonel Arabi from her commanding officer, Lord Orloff, named her HMS Ajax and pursue the Havenite heavy cruiser PNS Rienzi, which was picketing the Air System. (HHA1.2: AGT)

Technical specifications

Armed with defective L/72 laser cannons (JIR2)

Downgrades in the Melungeon service

• all but two missiles removed
• one 72 cm forward laser cannon removed
• 56 anti-missiles of 408 stock, including 16 unbroken and 13 possible to build after cannibalizing parts from the 40 junkers
• no decoys
• over-aged, under-maintained Melungeon sidewall generators
• ship construction weakened
  • in the forward missile magazine - due to large cargo purposes - works made by Melungeon shipyard
  • blast-proof walls perforated by a makeshift circuitry
• a software for main optical display on the bridge misinstalled
• intercom system didn't work
• the environmental system was damaged
• powered system of cutter's hatch didn't work
• one operable cutter present only
• all countergrav rings removed

Manticoran improvements

• a broken-down cutter re-engined to look like a missile
• the last two disarmed missiles converted into decoys
• main optical display on the bridge fixed
• intercom system fixed
• general clean-up on the ship
• Melungeon cutter changed for a pinnace from HMS L'Imperieuse

Crew

Melungeon commissioned

• Captain Maxwell, Lord Orloff - Commanding Officer
• officer Kotzwinkle - responsible for technical matters
• 1 unnamed female officer
• 9 unnamed male officers visiting the ship together with Lord Nessler

It is not certain, if any commissioned officers were left on board, when the vessel was orbiting Hope. According to Havenite specifications Brillance-class vessel should carry 45 commissioned officers.

Melungeon enlisted

There was no crew list on Colonel Arabi. The entire enlisted complement deserted to the Manticorans. The only known specific Melungeon enlisted were:

• Petty Officer Royston - left in charge of a cutter on Hope, bridge crew on HMS Ajax
• Ms Lewis - in charge with point defence Battery Four or damage control
• two anonymous crews assisting Harpe and Royston on the bridge during travel to Air

Manticorans - HMS Ajax

• Ensign (Reserve) Earl of Greatgap - Commanding Officer,
• dr Edith Mincio - pretended to be Commander and Executive Officer during her mission to Solarian authorities in the Air System,
• Beresford - skipper's personal servant, acted as personnel officer for Melungeon Navy's enlisted crew,
• survived personnel form HMS L'Imperieuse:
  • Boatswain's Mate Leona Harpe:
    • senior officer present after her skipper's death,
    • bridge crew during travel to the Air System,
    • in charge with the Auxiliary Control/Combat Information Center during the battle with PNS Rienzi,
  • Petty Officer Kapp - bridge crew, in charge with Edith Mincio's escort on Air,
  • Petty Officer Bowen - in charge with sensor watch,
  • Yeoman Dismore and 33 other enlisted.

Lack of marine complement

In the People's Navy Brillance-class units carried platoon of 25 marines. There were no marine complement on Colonel Arabi as well as probably no armoury supplied with hand weapons. Because of it, during her mission to the Solarian authorities on Air, Dr. Mincio was escorted by spacers armed with hunting weapons belonged to Melungeon officers. (JIR2, AGT)

Chain of command on HMS Ajax

The chain of command during the Earl of Greatgap's venture was as provisoric one, as was the employed personnel. Being the commanding officer, Lord Nessler was the only commissioned officer there (his commission was inactive in fact). 37 surviving enlisted crewmebers from HMS L'Imperieuse, including only three mentioned petty officers, served on commissioned officers' positions. Differently, than during usual naval service, enlisted personnel took part in the chain of command. There was also no real Executive Officer:

• the real second in command was Boatswain's Mate Leona Harpe, in charge of Auxiliary Control during the battle against PNS Rienzi, which was the XO's duty,
• honorary Executive Officer, acting as XO for representation purposes also, was Dr. Edith Mincio,
• Beresford acted as personnel officer for the Melungeon Navy enlisted crew - but with no naval rank he was rather Nessler's proxy in terms of contract with the Melungeons.