The Story of Talon Chapter 7
Geonosis Conquest Part 2
"Master, can I ask a question"? Jade asked.
She fixed her light blue hair with a comb.
"Sure", Talon looked over her shoulder.
She looked on a schematic datapad containing information over when the next batch of clones would be expected to join the ranks of the GAR. She also looked over what the Separatist defenses of Geonosis would be. Unfortunately there were little to no intelligence on that matter. Basically they were going in blind.
"Have you ever met Master Krell"? Jade asked.
She looked at her padawan.
A few clones had recently entered the locker room from the training room. Captain Gecko were one of the clones who had showered and he were half dressed in his armor. He found the conversation interesting and gazed at the jedi.
"I've only met him a few times", Talon replied. "We fought to subjugate a Confederacy planet in the Outer Rim in the opening month of the war".
"How was he"? Jade asked curious. She had heard stories of master Krell in the temple. She had actually met him ones.
"We… had different opinions on tactics and… he overruled me", Talon said.
"I've heard a lot about him", Slime said.
"Yeah, you've seen the guy's casualty lists"? Edge asked.
"What about them"? Jade asked as the comb got stuck in her hair.
She pulled with a little more force to get it out.
"Master Krell's tactics aside", Talon raised her voice. "He is a good jedi and have won many victories against the droid army". She didn't like where the conversation seemed to be going. It went towards a more disrespectful discussion. "What about it, Jade"?
"Oh, um… I just wondered. Seeing as he was going to be there and I met him ones. I kinda… pumped into him when I was a youngling", Jade confessed blushing.
Talon turned around and smirked.
"Oh? I'm sure he like that", she said.
"He kinda stared me down", Jade said. "It was really creepy".
The clones looked rather amused when Jade turned around. She noticed her master smirked at her and she had to smile at herself.
Meanwhile on the Restored Touch
Ventress frowned as the Republic fleet kept their distance. They approached them slowly as if waiting for reinforcements. She were sitting in her command chair. She were commanding from the Lucrehulk Core ship Restored Touch.
"Incoming transmission from the planet, mistress", a droid informed her.
She gave a affirm nod and two holograms appeared. Two Geonosian's stared back at her. One of them, the smaller were Poggle the Lesser. The other were General Boggle the Great. Boggle were a stronger looking Geonosian and he were the one who organized the Geonosian military. He established defenses around the different landing sites around the planet's surface. Basically Boggle were, apart from Poggle in charge of the entire planetary Geonosian forces.
The smacking, yelping sound of the Geonosian language struck Ventress ears.
"Do not worry, General", Ventress said. "The Republic won't land on Geonosis, if I have something to say about it".
Poggle the Lesser pointed at her and snapped in an upset tone.
He told her that as long as she would holdup the clones and jedi until the factories were finished, then if the clones landed the battle droids would overpower them.
Ventress nodded.
"I have ten Cruisers standing by to intervene if the Republic start to break through", Ventress said, shinning over her brilliance. "If the jedi do break the blockade, I will flank them and crush them". She clenched her hand, as if crushing something in front of her.
Boggle gave a court nod while Poggle smiled approvingly. He had complete trust in her abilities.
The two holograms disappeared.
"Mistress", a droid turned to her.
"A fleet is entering the system".
"Republic reinforcements"? She asked.
"No, mistress. It is Separatist ships. The Spirit of Vengeance our in the lead".
Grievous, about time you got here, Ventress sneered.
But she watched still, as the impressive Battleship join her blockade.
With Grievous fleet Ventress had 141 ships to face a Republic navy of 142 ships.
She tapped her fingers against the chair, waiting for something to happen.
"Mistress", the droid turned to her again. "The Republic fleet is moving. They'll be in weapons range soon".
It appeared the staring down part of the battle were over.
"Order the fleet to open fire when they're in range", Ventress commanded. "But tell the Sicyon Battlecruisers to hold their fire until they get closer".
"Roger, roger".
It had been a long time sense Ventress herself witnessed a battle between two fleets of this size. A lot of battles across the galaxy were fought between small or medium sized fleets. When navies of this size met, the battles would often have heavy ramifications long after the battles were over. While Ventress for a moment pondered on past battles the first batteries opened up. First to engage were Republic bombers with fighter protection approaching specifically targeted Confederacy vessels.
The first Squadrons of droid fighters were launched to counter that action while the Republic and CIS navy's began exchanging battery fire.
"Order the fighters to focus on destroying the fighters", Ventress said.
"Roger, roger".
"Um, uh. Mistress? Shouldn't we focus on the larger Republic Cruisers and Battleships"? One of the droids asked confused.
Ventress shot a glare at the droid and it shivered in fear.
"We're going to bleed them out", Ventress said, deciding not to scowl the droid. "This isn't going to be an easy or short battle".
Ventress noticed on the holographic map of the battle how a few Republic Corvettes focused on the Battleship Galacticus. Galacticus were one of two ships in her navy that weren't controlled by droids. It were controlled fully by different men and women who had volunteered to serve in the CIS Navy. It would appear to Ventress that the jedi were trying to make Galacticus chase them and abandon their position.
As a Squadron of bombers released their loads on a Destroyer beside Galacticus, it broke and chased down the bombers and Corvettes baptizing them with fire. The Battleship quickly approached the Corvettes that had already started pulling back. The three Corvettes took heavy fire but were pulling back in relative good speed.
Ventress leaned forward and narrowed her eyes.
"Contact that ship"! She barked.
The frightened droids did as she said immediately.
The hologram of Galacticus commander, Captain Soren Bauer appeared.
"Captain Bauer, pull back your ship and return to your position", Ventress ordered.
"Negative, ma'am", Bauer replied courtly. "I got those bastards. Two of those Corvettes are almost gone for it. A little more fire and"…
"Idiot"! Ventress snapped. "Their tricking you out of position to disable your ship"!
"The Galacticus is a CIS Battleship. Nothing can take it down when I'm on the bridge", Bauer said overconfidently. "We're taking it to the Republican scum".
He ended the transmission.
"He, eh… ended the transmission himself", the communications droid said fearfully.
Galacticus were being swirled around by several squadrons of clone fighters and bombers. The three Corvettes, though two being rather badly damaged took cover behind a Republic Cruiser.
The Resolute and Cruiser Alderaan Light came at Galacticus from starboard and the portside. They were coming in dangerously close. They laid themselves only a hundred meters away and opened up a broadside. The two Cruisers guns, along with bombers, fighters and sniping from a Battlecruiser and a few Frigates broke down the shields and explosions were seen far away through the viewport of the Restored Touch to Ventress frustration.
The space battles first ship casualty were a Battleship. Ventress cursed heavily, scaring the battle droids.
She turned her attention to the Spirit of Vengeance, Grievous's flagship. He were holding position, sort of. He had moved closer to the enemy but with his whole flank. Right know his Battleships batteries were kissing a Republic Destroyer's side as they turned. With two Cruisers on Grievous's flank targeted their full firepower on it. In turn the Destroyer were blown in half.
Ventress pondered if rather the Jedi were wandering why the new Heavy Battleships were just sitting back, watching. Ventress wanted the Republic heavy ships closer before she used her first ace in her sleeve.
She were relatively surprised when a heavily damaged Republic Battlecruiser set a course straight towards the midst of her fleet.
What are you doing? She pondered.
"Mistress, an enemy ship is heading straight towards us"! A droid exclaimed alarmed.
Setting all power to forward shields and engines the Battlecruiser were heading towards her at their highest speed.
"What should we do"?
The droid bridge crew were worried.
"Fire at it"! Ventress sneered.
Several ships opened up with all batteries, however, the Battlecruiser were too big and too fast. It were closing the distance quickly. For sure this were a decision by the ships commander to make one last attempt to crush the CIS command. If Ventress Lucrehulk Core ship were damaged or even destroyed, it wouldn't be the greatest loss for the Confederacy. Off course, her death might very well cost them the war but Grievous would surly step up and continue to lead the battle in her place. He did after all know the plan to defeat the Republic fleet.
Funny thing, then I calculated the size of the Republic and CIS Navies I had quite a while ago written up how many ships of each either fleet had, and I counted the fleet number of ships up during writing the next chapter. I had never any idea when I almost randomly decided how many ships of each type both navies had that it would only differ by one single ship.