Part XVIII

~ current day~ Planet: Rhen Var Outer Rim Thanium Sector Day 20 of Initial Landing Commander Myklos, field report, 332nd Stryker (Combined Arms Combat) Battalion, 3rd Imperial Legion "I hope this is transmitting. Hard to tell through these ice storms. This is Field Report twenty-Aurek. Right now, the Sanguine Empire is bogged down in sieges across nine worlds. There is audacity, then there is stupidity. But who dares question Empress Sanguine without fear of punishment? No one. I hear she is planning a move against Kuat next...this is insanity. Eriadu, Turkana, Rhen Var, now Kuat? She is going to lose everything in this mad power grab of hers. The Sith Empire outnumbers us nearly ten to one. The Republic, nearly fifteen to one. We do not have the numbers. She gets more aggressive each day. I admit I admire her ideals...it is why so many of us defected to her cause. And more join her each day I hear. But it isn't enough. I am expected to take this iceball with my Legion alone..I face two Sith Legions led by a battle hardened SITH LORD. Ava'kra has tried to take Rhen Var before. She wants the manufacturing facilities here. I can't say I blame her. But this plan is madness! The eight-eleventh Legion is already pounding our drop-zones with airstrikes. We CANNOT hold our location much less the planet!" Ava sat in her high-backed command chair in her improvised throne aboard the Endurance, her flagship and dreadnaught. She reviewed the field report sent to Sanguine High Command and forwarded by Rex. She glared at the datapad in her hands. "There's always a way to pull out the traitors. A shame that the three-thirty-second has to perish in order for one disgraced traitor to learn his lesson. But war is hell. And I am not in a merciful mood. The three-thirty-second will be remembered as martyrs and used to galvanize the forces under your command, Apprentice."

She looked to the cloaked figure at her feet, "You will take three Legions, in force, plus appropriate naval support. Lay waste to the planet. Leave the manufacturing facilities intact...kill all who oppose you. Wait for the traitor battalion to be eliminated before ferrying your forces in-system. Rhen Var is yours to conquer. For the Sanguine Empire. Rise, and kill those in your path." She turned away in her command chair, once more gazing out the large transparisteel window. Ava looked not out the window, but at the datapad, she flipped through pages of information until she found she one she was most interested in. "The head of the snake..." She murmured, looking over the Sith dossier on the leadership of the 811th Legion of the Sith Empire. "Darth Bactris." She spoke softly to herself, "You've done well for yourself, my old friend. I wonder, would you bend the knee? You were never one for absolute loyalty. But you did worship the old ways...and the decrepit dying Empire you serve. No, you would rather perish in battle. Yes, I know, she would would prefer this...no, no, I would not deny her a warrior's death. Should I see to it myself? Hmm...That is an idea. I am certain my apprentice can handle it. Besides, I have bigger mynoks to fry." She walked over to the strategic table and pulled up a 3D holo-map of the known galaxy, a pulsing red dot in the Mid-Rim standing out from the blue hue of the map. "Kuat." She breathed. It would be the largest military operation of her war. Seizing Kuat, and the vital Kuat Drive Yards from the Sith Empire would be monumental. There would be no turning back at that point. She would be truly committed. Not that she wasn't already. However, until this point there was always a chance to stop, to withdraw, to conceal. Once she committed to Kuat, it was too big an operation to turn back. It was the point of no return. And Ava was committed. Eriadu would be taken soon, and once Turkana and Rhen Var were hers, sufficient forces would be freed up to stage an all-out assault on Kuat and their attendant drive yards. All fifteen Legions of ground troops and thirty-two flotillas of warships. She would likely hold sizable portions in reserve. But she would not need as many as most warlords. She was a Sith Lord and she would be personally leading this battle. She relished the thought. Savored it. Dare to say, it made her excited. In orbit above Eriadu, a Harrower-class battle cruiser slid into position and from its forward launch bays, began to disgorge its deadly cargo of bombers, ground-attack strike fighters, and dropships escorted by interceptors. It was the final strike to conquer Eriadu. The dropships unloaded assault droids and new Mk. VII battle tanks, state of the art designs ripped from Sith Intelligence, as well as Research and Development spheres. In orbit, the battle cruiser, the Resolute, opened fire on the few remaining warships of the Republic and Sith naval reserves. The few frigates in-system tried to form a stiff defense but could not match the firepower of the Harrower plus its starfighter compliment. Half the strike-fighter contingent escorted the dropships to Eriadu's surface, most of the fighters came back to protect their mothership, Resolute.