RE-Deployment

By starman, in Star Wars: Imperial Assault

"• When an initial or reserved group is defeated, except for

unique figures, the Deployment card is returned to the
Imperial player’s hand and can be optionally deployed during
the Status Phase."
The first time an initial or reserved group is deployed it does not cost any threat. When it is deployed after being defeated is it still free to deploy?

No. The Imperial player would have to pay the Deployment cost in order to bring it back into play.