TA3

==Chapter 3 - The Armada==
Khan's Office
Alpheratz Star System, Alpheratz 
Raven Alliance
3167 CE
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"It wasn't until they really started working on Operation:Rescue that.....we saw just how large the Lyran Navy actually is, my Khan."
Khan Lucas McKenna of Clan Snow Raven goggled at the figures from the Watch.  "I knew it was large...savashri."
Surveillance teams operating at the site of "Coast Guard Sound" in the Idrmach system sent beautiful hologram images of departing ships.
Hundreds of departing ships.
Daily.
Not just the Cutter classes.  Those were beginning to tally into the thousands as Star League Coast Guard units, rooted in the Kowloonese model but now incorporating recruits from across the Inner Sphere, Periphery powers, and even his own Clan sent older Solahma and high-scoring test-downs that would otherwise be disruptive.
Thousands of cutters, hundreds of Landmark Class destroyers, and dozens of Marsden II class cruisers were just the tip of a massive fleet of contracted and volunteer civilian jumpships.  Mixed into that, were League III class Destroyers from the Free Worlds League,  along with the massive super-transports built off their chief carrier class, and this did not include the dozen Fox Class with their flanking escort of Kentares light carriers, Combine built Kaga class carriers, (Shinano II, Kaga, Mitsu, Koga, and Musashi).
The Armada leaving the Inner Sphere on a mission of mercy was many times larger than the original SLDF that left the Inner Sphere under General Aleksandr Kerensky, and they were intent on coming home.
"They can not afford to lose that." He mused aloud.
"My Khan, they are building more ships."  his Watch commander revealed imagery.  The multiple shipyards in the Commonwealth were cranking out MORE hulls, new ones to replace losses.
Transport ships were also being laid down and rolling through the Free Worlds League's yards, the Draconis Combine had three MORE shipyards up and running, pushing out more of their supercarriers, but mixing in smaller cruiser, destroyer, and even Cutter designs.
"We need to boost our numbers.  Not just in hulls, but crew, officers...size." He said quietly, "When this is over, there will be thousands of idled warships and mankind does so love going to war."
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