As the Abh are a species who live in space, its Space Navy (seikaigun, Laburec) carries a fundamental importance in their society. It is not only a military force but also a political and administrative organization during peace time. Another fact that testify to its importance is that it is compulsory for the royalty (kouzoku, fasanzœrh) and the peerage (kizoku, simh) to serve in it for at least 13 years, including three years in Navy schools (shuugikan, cénruc).

Rank

The ranks in Laburec look like this;

Lodaïrh (shoushi) of cheüas or higher ranks are called fsœtdoriac (chokunin-shoushi, Personal Flyer) who, judging from the kanji, are personally appointed by the Emperor. They are allowed to wear almfac matbrar (souyoku-toukan, double-winged tiara) as well as items which indicates their family.

Not surprisingly the names of the ranks have some historic meanings. In the early days of the Abh's history, their main force consisted of small flying machines with one to three soldiers in each. Its leader (and controller at the same time) was called lodaïrh (Flyer). Four such machines formed the smallest combat unit, in which the commander flew at the top followed by the sub-commander. The two other machines guarded both sides. They were thus called "Front Flyer", "Rear Flyer" and "Wing Flyer". Then two such units were combined under the control of an upper rank officer. As the officer had his own assistant, this larger unit consisted of 10 machines (4+4+1+1). So the commander was called "Deca-Commander". When the Abh's territory was the spaceship Ablïarsec alone, they had roughly 100-200 machines. So the commander of the entire force was called "Hecto-Commander".

As the Space Navy grew bigger, an even higher rank was needed and called "Kilo-Commander" although by this time the number "1000" was merely symbolic.

After the establishment of the Empire, the Abh began to use carriers and the rank of "Admiral" was created to be the leader of a carrier unit. Further growth of the Space Navy lead to the formation of fleets which lead to the creation of the even higher ranks, "Admiral of the Fleet" and "Chief Admiral" (gensui, Spainec). Around this time, a new problem occurred. The Empire had to rule an ever-growing number of planets but this duty did not suit the Space Navy. The Army was created for this purpose and an Army Admiral took its overall command. The original now became "Space Navy Admiral" and to supervise both the Space Navy and Army, the rank "Imperial Admiral" was created.

But the period of the two forces was short lived. Because of its nature, the Army was almost solely made of grounders. Although they were treated as Abh, it didn't satisfy them. Eventually a coup d'état happened. It was the biggest civil war in the history of the Empire and was named "Rebellion of Ghimrÿar (Robuchoth Ghimrÿar)" after its leader. The Empire suppressed it eventually but at an enormous cost. The Army was immediately disbanded but the two ranks "Space Navy Admiral" and "Imperial Admiral" remained.

Organisation

There are as many as 15 Sections in Laburec.

Among them garéc (hishou-ka, The Flying Section) is the most important by far. In fact, as one can imagine, it was the Laburec itself in early days and the other sections (called Special Sections) were created later as Laburec became bigger and more complicated. Although both the royalty (fasanzœrh) and the peerage (simh) must serve in the Space Navy as mentioned above, the former must join the Flying Section, which is directly involved in combat. This is why Lamhirh is in the Flying Section while Ghintec can be in the Administration Section (shukei-ka, sazoïc). Yet Ablïarsec tend to think it is their right, not duty, to be in the most dangerous part of the battlefield.

Fleet

Just like a contemporary navy, the Space Navy uses a variety of ship types. There are ten distinct ship types in use in their fleets.

• Cruisers (junsatsukan, Résic)

  These are the main force of the Space Navy. They are middle-sized and have electromagnetic cannons (denji-toushahou, irgymh), which discharge nuclear-fusion bombs (kakuyuugou-dan, spytec) at very high speed. These are particularly powerful because all military ships can create defensive magnetic fields (bougyo-jiba, snésaivec) which can repel, at least partially, beam weapons like anti-proton or laser cannons.

  Fleets that solely consist of cruisers are called reconnaissance fleets (teisatsu bunkantai, ïadbyrec usaimr). This is because their high fire-power and good speed are needed for aggressive reconnaissance of hostile areas.

• Destroyers (totsugekikan, gairh)

  These are small offensive ships whose main weapon is an anti-proton cannon (han'youshihou, lunygh). Their smaller size means that they are faster than cruisers in the planar universe but considerably weaker in the ordinary universe (that is, within a space-time bubble). Thus they usually team up to attack cruisers.

• Guard Ships (goeikan, laitec)

  These are small ships equipped with a number of laser cannons. Their main role is to protect their fleet from homing mines.

• Line-of-Battle Ships (senretsukan, alaicec)

  These large ships are similar to carriers in the modern navy and are vulnerable by themselves. Their main role is long-range battles in the planar universe where their large payload of homing mines (hocsath) are extremely powerful.

• Transport Ships (yusoukan, issazec)

  These are huge, unarmed ships for carrying personnel and goods.

• Assault Transport Ships (kyoushuu-yusoukan, lussomiac)

  Unlike ordinary transport ships, this type of ship carries personnel and material between the space and ground. The name "assault" probably came from the fact that the ground they are landing on is often hostile. As the Space Navy and the Empire are not particularly interested in governing the surface of planets, their involvement would immediately suggest that things are going pretty badly on the planet.

• Communication Ship (renrakukan, longiac)

  These are light-weight ships designed to move very quickly in the planar universe. Communication boats (renrakutei, pairriac), similar to the one which Ghintec and Lamhirh took from Gauthloth to Sfagnaumh, may be used for the same purpose but longiac are equipped with better accommodation and are suitable for carrying VIPs as well as information.

• Hospital Ship (chiryoukan, ghasiac)

• Engineering Ship (kousakukan, gusiac)

• Training Ship (renshuukan, craiïagac)

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