CHAPTER THREE
PURE SITH COMMAND SHIP VA’KAL
ORBITING GAND
There were thirty-three senior officers sitting at the massive table in the officer’s lounge of the Sith Interdictor Class dreadnought Va’Kal. Admiral Seelok sat next to Natal at the head of the table as they listened to the briefing officer.
“…as you can see from the display, their forces are stretched exceedingly thin. Admiral Onasi has overall command of one Republic Combined Fleet Corp as well as three additional Fleet Attack Groups, one Mandalorian, one Bothan and the other a mishmash of reformed units from conquered worlds. It appears he is following the intelligence reports we have developed on him. He is using Telos, his home world, as a pivot point of sorts. He will not leave Telos undefended.
“There are between three and five Republic Fleet Groups operating within the Tion Sector and the Auril sector. We lack sufficient intelligence on these units to put together a detailed profile, but from scattered reports, we estimate no more than five complete fleets consisting of older Republic warships. Our agents are currently trying to find out more in regards to this force. We also have unconfirmed reports that there is a Republic Division on Rhen Var acting as forward observers. The next major concentration of ships is here in the Kastolar sector, near Ruusan. Reports indicate that the traitor’s son is in command here.”
Natal leaned forward at this. “Can you provide more detail?”
The officer shook his head. “We are working on that now Lord Natal. It seems the son has had his forces jumping in and out of the system on a regular schedule, and we are unable to get an accurate count of ships and personnel. We believe at least two Fleet Groups, with possibly one division of ground troops, we estimate a light Combined Corp at the very most.”
“What is his purpose in having his ships jumping to hyperspace and back?”
“We believe to mask his true numbers, which are far fewer than we are supposed to believe.”
“What is his purpose there?”
“Refugees were pouring from Hutt space after our bombardment of Nal Hutta. His forces have been in a position to intercept many of the patrols we have sent out to destroy these refugees. Though the numbers have dwindled significantly over the last two weeks my Lord, occasionally a ship does break out.”
“And how are they escaping?”
“They are using the Maw, my Lord. The gravitational forces within that sector are incredible, and it allows the smaller smuggler ships to out maneuver our pursuing frigates and destroyers. Many of the refugee pilots have run this corridor for years my lord; our forces do not have the experience in such maneuvers to keep up.”
“Begin training all new pilots on using this Maw to our advantage.” Seelok broke in. “And I want all attacks on unarmed freighters stopped. The master cares not that a few hundred may escape the blockade. We are here to strengthen our positions and begin the next phase of the attack.”
The officer nodded his head. “I will relay the message Admiral.”
“Where is the traitor located?” Seelok asked.
“If reports are accurate Admiral, he is located here near Moonus Mandel on the outskirts of Bothan space. Initial reports indicate he has the largest concentration of forces, with nearly two Republic Combined Fleet Corps and other smaller fleet ships.” The officer spoke confidently.
“The Mandalorian Canderous Ordo and the Jedi General Dacen Vorsut are spread along the Corellian Trade Spine and the Rimma Trade Route. Between the two of them, they have the next largest and possibly the most experienced Republic Forces currently deployed.”
Seelok nodded. “Vorsut is the one who sprang the trap on us as we were taking Gand. Many good ships and officers were lost that day.” Seelok sat forward in his chair as well now.
“Continue Colonel.”
“Intelligence on the Jedi has become very hard to come by. There has been regular movement to and from their docks, but our agents on the ground are unable to actually penetrate the Temple anymore. There are essentially three layers of security now surrounding the Jedi Temple and the Republic Chancellor. The outer layer consists of Republic soldiers and intelligence agents, the middle layer consists of Mandalorian and Wookiee guards, and the innermost layer consists of Senate Security Service agents and Jedi. Actions against either of these two targets, while not impossible, would be extremely difficult right now.”
“And how many Jedi are they able to field?” Natal asked.
“Our intelligence indicate roughly five hundred my Lord. The Jedi Order has been rebuilding, but slowly. The previous conflicts ravaged their numbers. Our own intelligence sources on Coruscant are limited. After the assault on Onderon, the Chancellor ordered a purge of the Republic Security services and many of our agents were forced to go deep. Some were discovered and executed, but many still remain. We need to exercise care in how they are used.”
“They did not expect us to strike so deep into their space.” Seelok spoke again. “And now, Admiral Lo’kar is behind enemy lines and cut off. Taking Onderon and destroying Dxun was a symbol only. We thought to provoke them into something rash with the destruction and death of their youngest children and the slaughter of their friends, but they did not accept. We must remember their senior commanders are very experienced, and they will not act rashly.”
“Admiral Lo’kar knew the risks going in.” Natal spoke looking at Seelok. “They would have to attack with a significant force to dislodge him from Onderon, and Dxun is a wasteland. They are stretched far too line to mount any such attack. And it would be pointless to attempt it.”
“Do not be so sure.” Seelok said, holding up a red clawed finger. “I have studied the traitor and Vorsut, as well as this human Onasi and the Mandalorian Ordo. All of them have the experience to mount such an attack, but the most important thing; all of them have the spirit to conduct such a bold attack.” Seelok got to his feet and moved around the table to the star chart. “Our intelligence indicates that the traitor’s son is the weakest. Defeat him, and we have an open corridor directly to Kashyyyk and a corridor to reinforce Lo’kar.”
“What do you suggest Admiral?” Natal asked.
“We hit him from two sides. Send our forward Attack Groups from Hutt space straight at him, and our forward Attack Groups from Kessel can hit his flank. What is the break down of his fleets at the full estimate?”
“Two Fleet Groups at most Admiral. A hundred capital ships total, with perhaps five hundred corvettes, frigates, and medium cruisers. Most of his capital ships appear to be of the older Republic Hammerhead class. His flagship has changed several times in the last few months, but right now it is the only Interdictor Class dreadnaught in the sector.” The briefing officer spoke.
“Against nearly three hundred capital ships in our forward Attack Groups alone.” Seelok
said. “That doesn’t include the additional cruisers and others assault ships. Yes, I would say he will be quite overmatched. We can proceed with the encirclement of Naboo by taking Haruun Kal. They have already begun evacuating the populous, so why not take the planet. Once Tatooine is secure, our forces in that sector can jump to Druckenwell. Our Attack Groups in the Centrality have the lowest number of forces, so they can proceed and take Nespis VIII at their leisure. Once we blow through this corridor held by the traitor’s son, our forces can split in several different directions and drive right for the core worlds.”
The assembled officers nodded their approval at the plan, and Seelok turned to Natal. “My Lord?” He asked.
Natal nodded. “I find your plan ambitious Admiral.” He replied. “But I like it. I will inform our Master, but I’m sure he will agree to it. Begin to prepare your forces.”
Seelok nodded. “Yes, My Lord.”
DXUN
The three dark Jedi and eleven Sith troopers turned quickly as the small astromech droid burst through the underbrush, beeping uncontrollably, all the compartments on his chassis open, small bursts of electric shooting from his top cylinder. They jumped back as the droid rattled into the small clearing they had been calling their base camp.
“Where did the droid come from?”
“It’s short circuiting!”
“Shoot the damn thing!”
The men were laughing as they poked at the spinning droid with their weapons. Their duty here was boring, and they would use anything to distract them.
“We swept the settlement. There were no active droids there.” One of the dark Jedi spoke.
“It didn’t come from the direction of the settlement.” Another dark Jedi spoke.
“So where did it come from?”
Statement: Your worst nightmare Sith meatbag!
Heads whipped around to see the massive red combat droid behind them, holding the Mandalorian Assault rifle.
Gleeful Statement: Shall we dance meatbags?
HK-47 pulled the trigger on his rifle from point blank range, the bright red bolts burning through the chests of one of the dark Jedi and two of the Sith troopers before they could have a conscious thought.
The second dark Jedi spun around his red lightsaber igniting as his eyes came to rest on T-3. He lifted his hand and sent a burst of lightning at the small droid, but T-3 had already erected a powerful multiphase shield that simply absorbed the lightning. The dark Jedi could only watch fascinated as one of the former ‘broken’ compartments snapped open and the arm extended. His eyes grew wide and his screams filled the air as T-3 cut loose with a burst from the molten cannon. The superheated rock showered the man’s entire body and cooked the dark Jedi nearly instantaneously, leaving nothing but a cooling mound of black rock. T-3 spun in a circle beeping excitedly and then extended his Carbonite Projector and fired at the nearest Sith troopers to him.
HK lifted his cortosis protected arm as the last Jedi slashed at him with his light saber. The Sith troopers were firing their weapons at him, mindless of their dark Jedi’s safety. HK’s red eyes burned into the wide eyed face of the Jedi as he realized his light saber hadn’t cut HK’s arm off. HK’s other arm held the rifle which was out of position facing the ground.
Amused Statement: For a dark Jedi meatbag, you are ridiculously ignorant not to have detected my cortosis enhanced armor. Happily, you will now suffer for this lack of insight.
The dark Jedi watched as the casing on the side of HK’s armor opened and the small extension came out. It sputtered once… as if it was only a computer port. The dark Jedi looked up, directly into the barrel of the rifle, realizing he had just been distracted and duped by a droid.
Profound Statement: Bye Bye meatbag!
HK pulled the trigger and sent the burning bolt of energy sizzling through the dark Jedi’s head. He turned at T-3’s excited beep and his red eyes almost seemed to grow brighter, as he lifted his rifle again to defend his smaller companion, who was firing his carbonite projector and twin heavy blasters as quickly as he could.
T-3 rolled into the carbonite coated soldier as fast as his motorservos would propel him, shattering the frozen form into a thousand pieces. T-3 beeped mournfully for a moment, before turning his twin blasters on the remaining six Sith troopers. He and HK stood next to one another, both with shields now active and laying down a withering field of fire on the pinned down Sith troopers. T-3’s sensors detected the incoming friendly forces and continued to direct his blaster fire accurately onto the soldiers. He and HK watched as their directed fire finally was rewarded as an additional two Sith soldiers were thrown back with smoking holes in their chests.
The Sith soldiers never saw the fourteen Dxun Jedi and Mandalorian troops come up from behind them and end their lives without them evening seeing what had killed them. It was over quickly as lightsabers and vibroswords sang a violent dance of death in the small clearing.
Piotr stepped out into the opening, motioning to his men to secure the Sith equipment
as he watched the two droids begin to argue.
Corrective Statement: You executed your part in the plan three point two seconds late. Sloppy T-3. Sloppy.
The small droid beeped almost proudly.
Bemused Statement: I hardly think freezing them in place and running them over is considered an efficient assassination technique T-3.
T-3 beeped forcefully.
Statement: Yes T-3, a dead meatbag is a dead meatbag. A very good point if I do say so myself.
HK turned as Piotr stepped up to them.
Statement: You will take us to the meatbag known as Brianna Vorsut.
“What? You…”
T-3 beeped almost cheerfully.
Amused Statement: Yes T-3, I do think we have caused him undue stress. After all, how often do human meatbags witness the superb assassination skills of two superior droids?
T-3 whistled happily and moved around the stunned Jedi.
Fond Statement: My circuits are rubbing off on him.
HK stepped around Piotr and followed his smaller companion. Piotr stood in the small clearing staring at the remains of nine Sith troopers, including three dark Jedi. Nine highly trained soldiers and Jedi who had just been chewed up and spit out by two droids.
Piotr shook his head. “May the Force protect us.” He said.
CORUSCANT
The fire and smoke filled the corridor on the ship. Explosions could be heard and felt through the bulkheads, causing men and women to stagger from their force. Revan Junior clutched his lightsaber in his right hand, Corna’s limp form partly supported in the grasp of Rev’s left arm. Corna was badly wounded, and blood seeped down the side of Rev’s face and shoulder. He staggered under the force of another explosion within the ship, bouncing off the bulkhead. As he dragged Corna into the intersection, a massive explosion shook the ship, part of the wall erupting outward in hundreds of lethal shards of metal. Revan Junior and Corna caught the full force of the explosion, the metal shards ripping into their bodies, killing them instantly.