Star wars episode IX: The Force In Balance
Hope runs through the people of the galaxy. With the alliance between the Republic and the First Order, the tide of war finally turns closer to the favor of the galaxy. But despite the efforts of the coalition, the Greartok continue to push back their counterattacks and hold an iron grip on the galaxy's core.
With the newly founded Jed'aii order consolidating their strength, the Republic and First Order fights a desperate battle to defeat the Greartok and save the people of the galaxy from annihilation. With casualties mounting, the coalition holds onto their victories , relying on hope to continue the fight for their survival.
Chapter 1: State of the galaxy (xxx) play march of the first order soundtrack starting at 38 seconds in.
A Greartok carrier exited hyperspace before a large planet covered in lights.
In orbit above the planet were dozens of Greartok carriers as well as a colossal wing shaped ship that dwarfed the carriers.
The new carrier moved past the blockade and closer to the planet. A single craft flew down over the massive Greartok structures built over massive cities that covered the entire planet.
The craft making its way towards a massive palace that loomed over the city. The palace was black with spiked towers, the metal seeming smooth and shiny like chrome. The craft landed on a platform before a massive Greartok came out. The Greartok saw a four Greartok warriors approach him.
"Warmaster, the great Omni is expecting you."
"Lead on."
The Greartok was lead inside and to a large throne room with ten of the red Greartok guards standing around a throne with Snoke sitting down. A strange looking Greartok standing before him. The Greartok was thinner than the others and wore shiny chrome armor.
This Greartok turning and leaving as the Greartok knelt.
"Warmaster Yok-Vor. Welcome to our new capital." Snoke said as he looked around.
"I remember this world before it was called Coruscant, before the old republic claimed it as their own. It was beautiful, so very beautiful. Until the republic build their capital here, and turned the world into a city. Now their cities are covered by ours. Fitting almost." Snoke said with a smile on his face.
"Great Omni, with all due respect. Why have you brought me here. I must lead our forces to victory."
"No need, with this planet, our final victory is near. Their fleets, armies, and force users will be nothing soon. But this world must stay safe, you are the finest commander I have left, therefore you will stay here and protect Coruscant."
"They intend to attack?"
Snoke gave a serious face.
"I can't take any chances."
"…..But great Omni, I must, I am-"
Snoke stood up.
"Warmaster! Don't think I don't know what you really want. This obsession with Skywalker's daughter. I will not allow it to stop me when we're so close. You will stay here and defend my capital. She will die like all the others, and you will put aside your petty vengeance. It does me no good. Am I clear Warmaster!?"
Yok-vor tightened his grip.
"Yes, great Omni."
Snoke put his hand on Yok-Vor's shoulder.
"Calm yourself Yok-Vor, our people's salvation is near, and our enemies damnation even closer. This world is the rock to which our future will be built upon. We are so close , and the rewards for you, and all our people, will be beyond your imagination."
"Yes, great Omni."
(xxx)
The streets of Gallix Prime were willed with thousands of First Order citizens who cheered and shouted in excitement. Between them a large triumphant parade marched by. Thousands of mainline stormtroopers marched in formation. They were joined by stormtroopers of the FN corps.
Between formations of stormtroopers were light walkers and heavy AT-M6s.
Captain Phasma marched in front of a battalion of FN corps stormtroopers. A mobile platform in between them with general Hux standing tall. The red haired man smiling proudly as he looked at the cheering crowd. Standing on the platform with him were two stormtrooper generals, one being FN-0001.
The stormtrooper geneal looking around at the crowd of cheering First Order citizens.
Behind them was another formation of stormtroopers as well as four Mark III dark troopers, many of the stormtroopers holding energy restraints as they and their heavy droid escorted a Greartok warrior. His armor dirty and his hands bound with Doonium shackles on.
Many in the crowd sneered and shouted angrily at the alien who tried to shout back. However, the alien was met with projectiles, rotten food and other foul smelling objects crashing into him.
FN-0001 also saw small cargo carriers carrying gold, silver and other treasures collected their campaigns. The stormtroopers on the carriers tossed out handfuls of the treasures into the crowd.
More than one military band marched in the parade, playing the anthem of the First Order.
FN-0001 turned back to Hux who's smile only got bigger as he waved out to the crowd.
"Hux! Hux! Hux!"
"Palpatine was a fool, why would you want to be feared when you can be loved." Hux said.
Inside the capital building , the young Chiss/human hybrid Mitth'raw'nuruodo Vanto watched the parade with a watchful eye. His shadow guard close beside him.
Nearby , Supreme Leader Thrawn stood with Grand Admiral Ar'alani, Executor Vanto, as well as two fleet admirals. The five standing around a hologram projector of the galaxy. Joining them were the holograms of Boba Fett, Han Solo, Poe, Fleet admiral Antilles, Commander Yultz, Lando Calrissian, Leia, and Ashoka.
"We did everything we could, but if we had stayed it would have been suicide." Poe said.
"Forgive me Supreme Leader, we had never encountered a weapon like that before." Yultz said sounding ashamed.
Thrawn slowly stroked his chin.
"Even in defeat there is victory commander, if one looks hard enough. Your actions have shown us how to defeat such weapons should we encounter them again. You should be proud of that." Thrawn said.
"Regardless, that was our last base in hidden in the core." Wedge said.
"Our strategy was effective, bog down their fleets in the core so we can stop their invasions in the outer and mid rim." One of the First Order admirals said.
"But now all of our raiding bases are gone. Setting up new ones will be even more difficult." Wedge said.
"What is our navy's current strength with these losses?" Thrawn asked.
"Thankfully the war hasn't reached our shipyards and mining worlds yet. Even with these losses our fleet is still at ninety percent-strength sir." The other admiral said.
"What of the republic and the alliance?" Eli Vanto asked.
"Well since we formed the coalition, our numbers have recovered. We're at about fifty-percent strength."
"Coalition fleet is at about forty-five percent strength." Lando said.
"Still even with our losses, the Greartok have sustained many losses as well, and if our intelligence is correct, they can't replenish their losses. Meaning the forces they have is all they have." Ar'alani said.
"Meaning, If we continue to drain their numbers, it could turn the war in our favor." Han said.
"Perhaps, but if we have learned anything about the Greartok, is that they're survivors. They will do anything to survive, making them even less predictable then they already are." Thrawn said.
Boba Fett turned to Ashoka.
"What about you Jed'aii, you've had a year, how much longer until your people join the fight again?" Boba said impatiently.
"We're getting closer. Once our knights have mastered the force in balance, we can fight the Greartok on even terms, perhaps even greater than that." Ashoka said.
"Well time is running out." Ar'alani said.
"They're be ready when they're ready." Leia said.
"In any case, we will need to formulate a new strategy. One with good people working on it, commander Yultz's you're here by promoted to rear admiral." Thrawn said.
"I, I am? Sir I, I'm honored, privileged."
"See to it he get's a task force worth of ships." Thrawn said as one of the two admirals nodded.
"Our business is concluded for now, we'll convene again at a later time." Thrawn said as the holograms vanished.
The two admirals saluted thrawn before leaving.
"Ashamed that we lost the base. That strategy was working so well." Ar'alani said.
"We lost the base, but gained an admiral." Eli said.
"Precisely. As our enemy's strategies adjust, so must ours. The Greartok fleets have proven vulnerable to ambushes thus far. Perhaps new forms of ambushes could be employed." Thrawn said.
"If they're attacking the mid rim, we could use interdictors along hyperspace lanes to pull smaller fleets out of light speed and destroy them before reinforcements could arrive." Eli said.
"An possible approach." Thrawn said.
"Perhaps it's time we launched a more direct attack at the core, bog down a large portion of their fleet with a series of small battles, draw their attention to multiple areas where they shouldn't be." Ar'alani said.
"Another possible approach. But you're both missing the larger picture."
"…We haven't seen everything yet." Eli said.
"Exactly, any strategy we come up with will only be countered by them as it has been so far. Until we know what they want, we cannot effectively stop them from acquiring it." Thrawn said.
"Aside from claiming the galaxy, what else could they want?" Eli asked.
"In many system's they've taken, they have only terraformed a single planet. They have also not put any non-military personal or civilians on these worlds. They're doing something else with them."
Thrawn saw his grandson staring out the window.
"Commander, I'd like to hear your input as well."
Mitth'raw'nuruodo turned and slowly approached.
"Forgive me Supreme Leader. I was, distracted."
"By Grand General Hux's triumphant."
"Sir, I don't trust that man."
"You don't trust him, why?"
"His position, secured by his father-"
"I don't think you're in any position to speak of nepotism commander." Thrawn said smiling as Mitth'raw'nuruodo saw his parents join him.
"I earned my position."
"Yes, as did Hux. I made him Grand General for a reason. He is efficient and effective, everything a good general should be. He is everything his father was, and more."
"His intentions, I can see them. He is a man who desires power, and even his current position isn't enough for him….He seeks to supplant you." Thrawn put his fingers together.
"I am aware of this."
"You, you are?"
"A man with no ambition is not nearly as effective as a man with ambition. How they achieve that ambition is what interests me. Thus far, Hux has worked towards his ambition by being the best general he can be, and thus his actions to achieve his ambitions have only been beneficial to the First Order. It is only when those ambitions turn counterproductive to the First Order will I be concerned."
"Even if he wants to supplant you?"
"I am no emperor Mitth'raw'nuruodo. My dream has always been to create a unified military government strong enough to govern the galaxy. If the day comes when there is one who can lead the First Order better than I can, then I will consider myself supplanted."
Elsewhere, Leia stood beside Han, Chewie, Wedge, and Lando.
"So much for our rebel strategy." Han said.
"It was a good plan Han, just one that would have worked better against the Empire." Wedge said.
"Who are on our side now." Lando said.
"First Order , please only refer to them as the First Order." Leia said holding her head in stress.
"I have a hard enough time working with them, the last thing I need to to think of them as the Empire."
"Right sorry Leia." Lando said as Chewie growled.
"You said it Chewie, as much as I hate to say it, Boba Fett had a point. We've been waiting a long time for them on Tython. They're help could have saved a lot of people Leia." Han said.
"Han they're our best chance, if they say they're not ready, then we have to trust them."
"Leia." Her head turned to Han's.
"Do you trust Ben?"
Han was silent.
Leia looked like she was ready to tear up.
"It's what Luke would have wanted."
Han came over and hugged Leia as she endured the pain. The others giving equally sad looks as they thought about Luke's passing.
"First Senator, commanders." They heard before seeing 3PO enter the chamber with Poe Dameron and BB-8 beside him.
"Commander Dameron has arrived."
"Did I just interrupt something?"
Leia pulled herself together.
"Commander, are you ok?"
"I could be better, I lost almost a third of rogue squadron in this last month." Wedge put his hand on Poe's shoulder.
"Their death's won't be in vain."
"Come on." Han said, the five leaving the room as they came out to a landing pad where Wolik was waiting. Wolik wearing a republic navy officer's uniform.
"Commander." Wedge said.
"Sir, the council is waiting for all of you."
"Well we'd hate to keep them waiting." Han said sounding pessimistic.
"You don't have to go." Leia said.
"I don't." Han said sounding excited.
"I need you and Chewie to go to Lothal. Gather some recruits and any kyber crystals they can spare."
"And miss a council meeting, I love you." Han said before giving Leia short kiss before he and Chewie left.
"I guess that means we go." Wedge said as Poe rolled his eyes. A transport craft reaching the platform before they boarded.
"How are you doing commander?" Leia asked.
"Good, it's nice to finally be home." Wolik said as they looked over the vast ocean of Mon Calimari.