Virgillian Free Alignment/Legends

The Virgillian Free Alignment was a resistance group that fought against the ruling government of the Virgillia system, the Aristocracy, in the Virgillian Civil War from 25 BBY. When the Aristocracy aligned itself with the Galactic Empire, the Virgillian Free Alignment fought alongside the Rebel Alliance, who fought the Empire's reign throughout the galaxy. While the Aristocracy held control of all blaster technology in the system, the Free Alignment relied on comparatively primitive weapons including flintlocks and clubs until the Alliance provided blasters and starships, including the Quasar Fire-class bulk cruiser Flurry.
As the Galactic Civil War progressed, the Empire deemed the Virgillia system to be of sufficiently low value as to remove withdraw their forces, leaving the Aristocracy exposed. This would result in the Free Alignment achieve victory in the system shortly before the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, where they provided twenty-two warships in support of their Alliance compatriots.
==Description==
At some point before 25 BBY, the Virgillian Free Alignment was formed as a resistance group against the autocratic government of the Virgillia system, the Aristocracy. As well as being anti-Aristocracy, once the Aristocracy aligned itself with the Galactic Empire, they also fought against Imperials. It was confined to the colony worlds of the system; Virgillia 7, in particular, was a hotbed of Free Alignment activity from the beginning of the Virgillian Civil War.
For much of the war, the Aristocracy controlled all blaster technology in the system, and as a result, the Free Alignment frequently fought using flintlocks, clubs and even their bare hands. After the beginning of the Galactic Civil War, the Rebel Alliance supplied them with weaponry and starships, supplementing the tiny and antiquated Virgillian Free Alignment Starfleet. At the end of the war, the Free Alignment had Z-95 Headhunters, Zebra starfighters, C-73 Tracker starfighters, at least twenty capital ships, and eight Quasar Fire-class bulk cruisers. The cruisers were donated by the Alliance in the last weeks of the war, and they were instrumental in the Free Alignment victory. By capturing Imperial ships, the Free Alignment was able to upgrade their ships considerably: four of their cruiser-carriers were upgraded with sensors, shields, weapons and computers; and their flagship, the Flurry, received even more upgrades, including a slow-to-connect HoloNet transceiver which was able to access the Imperial HoloNet.The Truce at Bakura
Despite the limitations imposed by the Aristocracy, the Free Alignment had several members who were particularly skilled. Tessa Manchisco was a talented pilot and navigator who had an inborn insight into capital ship engagements, and was a commander of the Free Alignment Starfleet. Rannd Delckis, who defected from the Imperial Navy late in the war, was trained at an Imperial Academy as a communications officer and used those skills to great effect as the communications officer aboard the Flurry. He was an expert at using and confusing Imperial sensors and the HoloNet. Monnda Tebbo was a Rebel Alliance member who became a Free Alignment fighter when he was sent by the Alliance as an expert in operating the Flurry. He was a master of astrogation and piloting, and had extensive experience in both Rebel and Imperial ships. He passed his expertise in space combat onto the Virgillians, and was so important in securing victory that he was given honorary Virgillian citizenship.
==History==
In 25 BBY, the Virgillian Civil War broke out between the Free Alignment and the Aristocracy. In 23 BBY, a Jedi envoy was sent to negotiate peace, but their ship was destroyed upon arrival. After the Galactic Republic fell in 19 BBY,The Essential Guide to Warfare the Aristocracy aligned itself with the Galactic Empire. After this, the Free Alignment was hunted by the Imperial Navy, which patrolled the system, and fought against stormtroopers. Despite their lack of blasters, they successfully used unorthodox tactics to win engagements.
In Tessa Manchisco's youth, her parents were leaders of the Free Alignment on Virgillia 7 until their execution by stormtroopers during a raid on their home. Manchisco went on to be one of the first pilots in the Virgillian Free Alignment Starfleet and quickly became a commanding officer. She assisted in the transformation of the Free Alignment from a guerrilla group into a military force.
The Rebel Alliance began to send ships and blasters to the Free Alignment after the start of the Galactic Civil War. They also offered to send troops, although the Free Alignment declined, preferring to use only Virgillians. Shortly before the Battle of Endor and weeks before Monnda Tebbo joined the Alignment, Rannd Delckis entered the Imperial Navy as an ensign. His parents were Aristocracy, but his first mission, in which he witnessed a massacre of refugees by stormtroopers, led to his defection to the Free Alignment. While the group was initially sceptical, as this was the first time one of their enemies had defected, Delckis earned their trust and became a valued part of the group. His training at the Imperial Academy meant that he was able to confuse Imperial communications systems, and he received two commendations for his work.
Weeks before the end of the Virgillian Civil War, the Rebel Alliance delivered eight Quasar Fire-class bulk cruisers to the Free Alignment. Despite the Virgillians' prior refusal of troops, the Rebel navigator Monnda Tebbo accompanied the ships, as the ships were so unusual that the Rebel Alliance considered it necessary to send an advisor. As well as teaching the Virgillians how to operate the cruisers, Tebbo taught them advanced navigation and space combat.
As the Galactic Civil War escalated, the Empire withdrew from the system; due to its remoteness, it was no longer a priority. They only left the Aristocracy their outdated ships, and using Tebbo's techniques, the Free Alignment captured all the Imperial vessels in the system. They improved their cruisers with captured Imperial technology, and the combination of the Imperial retreat, the cruisers and Tebbo's education led to the Free Alignment winning the war shortly before the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY.The Truce at Bakura Sourcebook states that the Free Alignment won the war a short time before the Battle of Endor, which The New Essential Chronology dates to 4 ABY.
After their victory, the Virgillian Free Alignment, in gratitude for the Alliance's assistance during the Virgillian Civil War, sent what forces it could spare to the Alliance Military massing near the planet Sullust, including twenty-two warships, for the Battle of Endor.
==Members==
Members of the Free Alignment included Tessa Manchisco's parents, Tessa Manchisco, Rannd Delckis, Monnda Tebbo, and the pilot Valtis. They also had at least twenty-three pilots, including Valtis.
==Behind the scenes==
Several members of the Free Alignment first appeared in The Truce at Bakura, a novel by Kathy Tyers which was published by Bantam Spectra in 1993. The group was first identified by name in The Truce at Bakura Sourcebook, a roleplaying guide published in 1996 by West End Games for Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game. The book was written by Kathy Tyers and Eric S. Trautmann.
==Appearances==
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*The Truce at Bakura 
*The Truce at Bakura abridged audiobook
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==Sources==
*The Truce at Bakura Sourcebook 
*The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
*Star Wars Encyclopedia
*The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
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==Notes and references==
Category:Resistance groups