The Sons and Daughters of Freedom, alternatively called Freedom's Sons, functioned as an autonomous army dedicated to the protection of the Galactic Republic. They viewed the Confederacy of Independent Systems as a grave danger to the peace and liberty of the galaxy. This group was established before the Clone Wars began by Zozridor Slayke, an officer within the Judicial Department.
Zozridor Slayke, a respected member of the Galactic Republic's Judicial Forces, recognized the true nature of the Separatist movement and decided that if the Republic wouldn't act, he would. Consequently, he and the crew of his ship, the Scarlet Thranta, abandoned the Republic they had sworn to serve and defend.
The Scarlet Thranta was soon joined by numerous other vessels, soldiers, mercenaries, and even ordinary citizens who shared Slayke's concerns. Slayke, a compelling leader, convinced thousands to join his cause. He named his force the Sons and Daughters of Freedom, symbolizing their connection to the Republic and their commitment to safeguarding its freedom.
Regrettably for Slayke, the Republic perceived them as a threat and dispatched Jedi Master Nejaa Halcyon to apprehend him. Slayke and his followers soon found themselves pursued by the very Republic they sought to protect. Halcyon, secretly sympathetic to the splinter group, found it morally difficult to arrest them and allowed them to escape by deliberately prolonging a battle between himself and one of Slayke's champions.
Later, during the Clone Wars, the Sons and Daughters of Freedom answered an urgent distress signal from Praesitlyn. They fought bravely but suffered heavy losses, with thousands of soldiers killed. Anakin Skywalker and Nejaa Halcyon then led a Republic task force to assist Slayke. Slayke and Halcyon became allies and successfully drove back the Separatists. The Sons and Daughters of Freedom were subsequently granted amnesty and fought with distinction throughout the remainder of the Clone Wars, providing support to the Jedi Order whenever possible.
The Sons and Daughters of Freedom comprised 50,000 ground troops, in addition to ship crews and officers. Recruits came from all corners of the galaxy, and Slayke made an effort to organize them into units composed of their own species. These units included a squad of Gungan engineers and a company of Bothan observers. By the end of the battle, the Sons and Daughters of Freedom's numbers had dwindled to fewer than two thousand.
The Sons and Daughters of Freedom's fleet consisted of roughly 94 ships. The majority of these were lost in combat.
- CloakShape fighters
- Gun tugs
- S40K Phoenix Hawk-class light pinnaces
- Plooriod Bodkin
- Dreadnaught-class heavy cruisers
- CR90 corvettes Scarlet Thranta
- Gunships
- Storm IV Twin-Pod cloud cars
- Armored ground vehicles
- Two batteries of SPHA mortars