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Republic Cruiser
(Radiant VII)
| Craft: | Corellian Engineering Corporation's Space Cruiser |
| Type: | Diplomatic Transport |
| Length: | 115 Meters |
| Weapons: | None |
| Crew: | 1 Captain, 2
Co-pilots, 2 Communications Officers, and 3 Engineers |
| Top Speed: | Unknown |
| Troop Capacity: | Up to 16 |
| Cargo Capacity: | 550 Metric Tons |
| Passengers: | Up to 16 |
A starship intended to carry ambassadors on missions throughout the galaxy. A Republic Cruiser’s scarlet coloration identifies its diplomatic status. Because they are used only in the service of peace, Republic Cruisers lack weapons but boast powerful deflector shields. The starships also incorporate advanced salon pods, which can be modified to fulfill the particular needs of any given species and are often used for important meetings and negotiations.
The color of the Republic cruiser sends a message to all who see it. Scarlet declares the ship's diplomatic immunity and serves as a warning not to attack. Red is the color of ambassadorial relations and neutrality for spacecraft of the Galactic Republic, and has been for generations. This tradition would carry on even into the days of the Empire: Princess Leia Organa's consular vessel Tantive IV of Alderaan is striped in red to indicate its special diplomatic status. The extraordinary full-red color scheme of the Radiant VII signified that the ship came straight from the great capital world of Coruscant.
The direct predecessor to the well-armed Corellian Corvette, the peaceful Republic cruiser was assembled in the great orbital shipyards of Corellia, and serves as a testament to the quality and fame of Corellian spacecraft design.
The Radiant VII, the starship used by Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn on their mission to Naboo, is typical of Republic Cruisers. It possessed a communications suite designed to receive and transmit messages to almost any type of vehicle or installation in thousands of Republic languages. Its salon pods were armored, insulated, and protected against any type of surveillance device. The modular salon pods could also serve as escape pods in emergencies, as they had independent life-support system and sensors. Because of the versatility and safety of the salon pods, negotiations could easily be held directly aboard the starship itself.
The Radiant VII had served the Republic for thirty-four ears, often ferrying Jedi, ambassadors, and diplomats around the galaxy on missions of peace and diplomacy. Unfortunately, the venerable starship was destroyed by the Trade Federation after depositing Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan aboard the droid control ship.
Like the Radiant VII, nearly all Republic Cruisers maintain only minimal crew in order to ensure security and secrecy. Generally, a Republic Cruiser utilizes: two communications officers assigned to deciphering incoming transmissions; three engineers who monitor the starship’s vital function; two pilots trained to maneuver and navigate the craft; and a captain responsible for overseeing the entire crew. All other functions can be attended by a variety of utility droids. On especially sensitive or dangerous missions, the crew can be limited to a pilot and a captain, with droids stationed at all other posts.
