Chronicles of Talon Chapter 20 Reputation
Vor system, Vorrina high orbit, Providence class Dreadnought Auden
The beautiful Lahgan-Waleghi woman rubbed her forehead while standing in front of the holographic table. Jaeriel was hesitant to answer the call waiting for her. Dooku was one of the last people she wanted to speak to right now. After her failure she expected a big fat, I told you so, from Grievous, and disappointing the Count was the last thing on her mind. Her best hope was if Dooku was madder with the Sith apprentice then her. The-presently-one handed Sith was in the medical bay. She was getting a robotic replacement hand.
After arriving in the Vorrish home system she had transferred back to her own flagship. She preferred it over the Lucrehulk Coreship. She had spent all her time working with the Vorrish high ranking officers to build up a space and ground defense in preparations for the expected Republic assault. Both starships and numerous droids had been arriving in system since.
She sighed heavily and activated the holo transmitter.
Count Dooku's hologram appeared in front of her and she bowed.
"Count Dooku."
He had a frown on his face and his arms crossed.
She obviously couldn't see his face but she could imagine.
"Jaeriel," his voice boomed. "You have been avoiding me for days now."
She swallowed.
"N-not at all my lord!" She tried assuring him.
He didn't buy what she was selling though.
"Do you think me a fool?"
"N-no! I just…I have been busy planning the defense of Vorrina," she pleaded. "Please."
"I do not want to hear excuses! You're invasion failed at the cost of a large amount of ships. The Vorrish aren't happy about losing so many of their Frigates. Since they don't have too many of them."
He didn't mention that almost three-hundred thousand droids had been lost in space and ground operations. Even though it was an extreme number they were easily replaced.
"It wasn't all bad," Jaeriel attempted to convince him. "Although I failed, it worked into a strategy I am using."
He arched his right eyebrow slowly.
"Is that so?" He asked coldly.
She nodded briefly and rose to face the hologram.
"Our battle droids are easily replaced, whilst the Republic's clones are not. No matter how many droids we lose we can replenish them at an extremely high rate. Meanwhile every dead close in one less trooper. It takes ten years to grow one single clone." She raised her hands slightly and tucked a strain of hair behind her long left ear. "I believe that the easiest way to beat the Republic at this point, is through attrition."
Dooku smiled slightly. This wasn't new to him and had certainly crossed his mind but she still hoped he'd be impressed of her change of tactics in defeat.
"Winning every battle won't matter, killing as many clones as possible will gain us victory. You'll be pleased to know that when we retreated from Kamino I left the droid Divisions planetside behind to inflict as many casualties as possibly."
That caused a smile to rise on his face.
"Excellent." He almost sounded proud.
"If the Senate feels threatened they'll order more clones grown and that will devastate their economy and the war will end before those clones will even be half grown. Also, if the war turns for the worse for them, we can return to Kamino and throw unlimited Divisions of droids at them."
"Mhm. What can you tell me about the Vorrish conviction to the CIS?" Dooku changed the subject.
"They are perfectly willing. They are preparing to defend their home and also send out reinforcements to their offworld forces."
"The Republic won't waste men and equipment on taking back the planets occupied by their forces," the older Sith said sternly. "They will head directly to Vorrina and attempt to force them to surrender."
She put her hand on her chest. "I won't let that happen. The Republic will never be able to conquer Vorrina. The terrain is extremely hostile. One of my armored Battalions ran down in the swamp terrain and broke down. They became completely un-maneuverable and useless. Trust me my lord. The Republic walkers will be utterly useless. The heavy constant fog isn't improving matters. The droids don't need to see and the Vorrish have evolved to overcome the terrain."
"I've never been to Vorrina," Dooku noted.
Jaeriel found herself starting to smile slightly.
"It isn't much," she assured him. "You haven't missed anything."
He cracked a smirk. Which was very unusual for him.
"Tell me," he spoke. "How is Seyani coping with her…" he thought about a good word to use. "…loss."
Jae cringed.
"Ah…she is, coping. She is attaching her cybernetic replacement now I believe. She, eh…she isn't a happy camper. She's been screaming bloody murder practically."
Jae's saber toothed tiger strolled into the command center and nuzzled against her. She petted Mira affectionately while keeping her blind eyes directed in Dooku's direction. A nuzzling was exactly what she needed. Although Mira's timing was a bit off.
"Tell Seyani to contact me when she as soon as possible," Dooku finished. Jae nodded obediently.
"How is the good General doing on Geonosis by the way?" She asked.
"Grievous is building a defense the Republic will never break," the Count said confidently. Although the confidence was probably placed by Grievous own confidence in his abilities.
Jae knew the moral hit the Republic took when the fall of Geonosis became public. It represented-to many-the Jedi and clone army's inept ability to defeat the CIS and protect the Republic. Include staggering rates of casualties of civilians and clones and an economic disaster and the Galactic Republic would fall.
"You must excuse me, but there is another matter I must attend to," Dooku finished.
His projection flickered out of existence.
Jae kneeled and hugged Mira lovingly.
"Hi girl," she whispered. "Just the kitty I wanted to see."
Raxus, CIS Parliament building
The team of bounty hunters had reached the capital world of the Separatists from Nal Hutta three days ago. They had started immediately to put their plan into action. The plan had been put into action four hours ago. Tssill Naekta had no idea how everything went so wrong so fast. They had barely been able to plant the explosives inside the building before. The infiltration team was assaulted by a Squad of commando droids. The Gamorrean had been the first to die. His preference for close-combat wasn't helpful against the agile and skilled commando droids.
The human and Weequay had both been able to escape the senate but the human. Haran. He was shot by battle droids outside. The droids had reacted extremely fast. Too fast. Kyree-the Weequay male was missing. Tssill didn't know if he was dead, escaped or was arrested. But he didn't have time to think about that. He was busy trying to escape himself.
The Mandalorian was dead, as was the Mirilian. Their speeder had been hit by a rocket. They most likely didn't notice a thing. That left only him left. Everyone else dead. Not counting Kyree. News about the attempted terrorist bombing of the parliament was already circulating the news and spread like a wildfire through Separatist space. It wouldn't take long for the whole galaxy to find out about it. The Trandoshan bounty hunters only explanation was that they had been setup by someone. It went to crap way too fast for it to be a mess-up in the carrying out of the operation. He was starting to question if it was really the Republic that hired them. Soon the whole galaxy would hear about a bounty hunter group being hired by the Republic to assassinate the entire CIS governing body through an act of terrorism.
Since it took so long to get new chapter out I decided to give you two this lovely friday night.
Have a great weekend folk!