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Chapter 3: The Lesson
Coquer peered over his shoulder, staring at the sealed hatch his dad exited through. He closed his eyes for a moment, hoping his dad would reappear before him and declare how much of a fool he was then take him back to their home planet so they could be a family again. The young boy's eyes opened, seeing only empty space and broken dreams.
It was a childish wish. One that still carried the naivety of someone his age. Still though, he yearned for that wish to be granted one day. His dad was all he has left now.
"Boy, come," the Harch commanded, "it is time to start your first lesson in warfare."
"Yes, Captain."
Coquer steer his gaze forward, placing his woes behind and try to view the brighter side of his situation. Perhaps this time around his dad would return earlier than seven years and actually took him home. He took a step forward, trudging through the doubts that screamed in his mind. His second step was a lot easier to commit to.
The young boy walked and stood to the Harch's left, both gazing at the darkness of space with the only objects occupying the empty vacuum were the twinkling distance stars and the ships of the captain's fleet. He felt the bridge rumble ever so slightly with a soft, almost hypnotic hum in the distance. One by one, the neighboring space vessels flashed forward, becoming another star in space. A shade of baby blue enveloped the bridge's view port as the twinkling white stars became streaks on a black canvas.
The ship suddenly lurched forward, entering lightspeed velocity. Coquer's stomach churned once the action was completed. He doesn't know if it was his lack of travel that made him so easily queasy when entering hyper lanes, or that he always had a weak stomach and he just never knew it. He knew one thing though, and that it sucks.
"Coquer, what has Dooku taught you about the conduction of warfare?"
Coquer swallowed down the lunch that was dangerously creeping its way back up. "My Master left my education to droids."
He wanted to give credit where credit was due. He felt his droid caretakers were an extended family of sorts. They taught him plenty of important things, especially L-379. It taught him how to cook. One would think that a machine specifically programmed to create a wide range of cuisines would be delicious, not blander than water and crackers.
"That being said, they had only taught me the history of major conflicts of the past, not the tactics of victor nor the flaws of the defeated."
"I see." Trench commented. "Tell me, in your opinion, based on what you have learned, what is the most important trait that a military leader needs to possess to be efficient on the battlefield?"
Coquer was young and a bit on the naïve side, but he was far from being an idiot. Trench was already testing him. Probably has been since he arrived on the bridge with his dad. He knew he lost some points from his lack of knowledge on conducting warfare. No one wanted to teach a complete novice after all. Too much work to properly mold the brain to think a certain way before getting into the nit and gritty of the actual training.
The question that was asked of him was a simple one that has more answers then he could possibly state. Trench no doubt knew this as well as him probably not reaching the same answer as he. Which meant there was another question underlined the one being asked. One he believed what was really being asked as well as the answer the captain may seek.
"Cunning." Coquer finally answered. "I wished to be an military leader that outsmarts my foes with usage of feints, deception, misdirection."
Trench's mandible moved animatedly as he let out a boisterous laugh. The crew joined in with their captain's laughter causing the young boy to blush and hung his head in embarrassment. Perhaps Coquer was over thinking the question.
The laughter soon dwindled down but the embarrassed red cheeks of Coquer did not. The Harch captain stood from his seat, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. Coquer looked up at his instructor, noticing a twinkle in his many red eyes.
"I can see why Dooku had chosen me to teach you the delicate art of war."
Trench guided the boy closer to the view port. "Before I'll teach you the ways of combat, I'll let you have a taste of what war is."
As those words were spoken, they exited out of hyperspace. Coquer saw a heavy blockade, consisting of a mix match of cruisers and frigates, protecting the planet behind them.
"Captain," one of the crewmembers called out, "they outnumbered us two to one."
A low, almost sinister in nature, chuckle left the Harch's lips. "Excellent."
A Xan female leaned forward in the large space gray chair, resting her elbows on her thighs, interlacing her slender fingers together. She could see a small fleet of ships, two cruisers and three frigates, all bearing the insignia of the infamous Harch, Trench. She thought he had perish a long time ago but she guessed those rumors were false.
She doesn't know if she should be fearful that the Corporate Alliance sent the man known to have lived through a thousand battles or flattered that her small time insurrection deserved such attention. Either way, she was thankful they were able to scrounge up a few more parts to turn ships battle ready. She would definitely need it.
"Ma'am, they're heading in our direction."
"Have our frigates move in to intercept. I want all cruisers to stay in their defensive line and pepper the enemy from a far." She ordered calmly despite the cold sweat that rolled down her neck. "This is what we all trained for these past ten rotations. We'll show those corporations that we're more than just assets for them to exploit."
Her crew cheered but for only a moment. They have a battle to win and any deter of focus means death. They relayed the orders their Xan leader put out, with the designated vessels moving to follow them.
Her frigates fired upon Trench's fleet, landing multiple hits on his vessels. From what little time she served in the Republic Military Academy before her dropping out taught her anything, was that striking the first blood was a must. It showed flaws in the enemy's defenses, allowed one to dictate the flow of battle, and create opportunities down the road.
Her ship rocked violently having taken a stray laser to the forward portside. It seemed to merely graze them since the shields of the vessel barely take a dent. The Xan placed a hand on her rapidly breathing chest. She could feel the loud pumping of her heart in her ears. Her own hands felt clammy to touch.
She swallowed the lump that was stuck in her throat. Though trained and learned in the academy, she never had to apply her knowledge in a real life scenario. And why would she? The galaxy has not seen any major conflicts since the Hyperspace War, and that was centuries ago.
The Xan took a quick breath in an attempt to pacify the fear and nerves that were creeping on her. She focused on the battlefield, examining how the fight was faring. Her fleet was doing well, having already destroyed one of Trench's frigates while he only incapacitated two of her's. The battle was going better than she had expected it to be. Maybe too well.
No, she berated herself, can't doubt myself. Once I do, he wins.
"Press the assault. I want all cruisers to assist with the frigates."
"Yes, ma'am."
Her cruisers moved speedily to join the fray. They continue rain lasers upon Trench's forces, decimating them with their onslaught. Her crew cheered seeing another one of the Corporate Alliance's ships burst into flames, having a steady descent to one of the Gan Moradir's large moons. It crashed against the gigantic mass of rock and stone, showering the Xan's fleet with the beauty of a firework show.
Her shaking clammy hands finally ceased. Her breathing rate was normal once more. The crippling fear and nerves that wrecked her body disappeared without a trace. In its stead was confidence and a sense of accomplishment.
She'd done it. She won.
"Order all ships to cease fire. Open up channels with the Harch. It's time for him to surrender."
Her crew followed her command having sent a transmission to the lead ship of Trench's fleet. A screen popped up in front of her, showering the notorious Harch alongside a young human boy. She didn't picture him to be the kid friendly type based on the stories they taught in the academy.
"This is Rem Neemo, commanding officer of the Gan Moradir fleet." She introduced herself. "I am offering you a chance to surrender. You will have my word that you and your men will be properly fed and well taken care of."
"Surrender?" Trench questioned with a light chuckle. "There will be no surrender. No retreat."
Rem narrowed her dark eyes at the Harch. "You are surrounded and outnumbered. This is your final chance."
A loud beeping intruded in the conversation. Her crew scrambled to figure out the situation.
"Report!" Rem shouted.
"We're receiving multiple signatures coming out of hyperspace!"
As if on cue, multiple ships—models she had never seen before—came to Trench's rescue. Her eyes widened at the sight of them. They were immensely large, easily shadowing three of her cruisers with its size.
Rem could make out large cannons on their sides and armor that looked like they could withstand nothing short of a fusion accelerator cannon could pierce it. Those vessels were designed for combat. To wage war against others. Her fleet stood no chance against them.
Trench's chuckling brought her eyes back to the screen. The sadistic pleased look of the Harch pissed her off to no end.
"No surrender. No retreat." He reminded her. "You will be nothing but dust in the solar wind once this is over." The channel closed after that.
Damn you, Trench, she thought with a growl and a scowl.
She still has a way to turn this battle around. If she could take out Trench, the rest of his forces should be clueless without his direction.
"All ships fire—"
A ship mysteriously appeared out of thin air, dangerously close to her ship's bridge. Its cannons poised in her direction.
He had cloaked ships?!
Time slowed for the Xan. She knew what was about to happen. What will become of her. She saw each painstakingly second as the bringer of her demise launched photon torpedoes. She leaped out of her chair, rushing to the exit but it was all for naught. The ordnance struck true and completely destroyed the bridge, killing all occupants and turning them all into specks of dust in the solar wind.
Just as Trench promised.
Trench watched with a demented gleam in his many eyes as his reinforcements obliterate the opposing forces. The battle was easier than what he originally thought it would be. Still though, this conflict should helped instill an important lesson for his student. They were a lot contributing factors to his merciless victory. All of it stemmed back to his now deceased adversary.
He knew a green horn when he saw one. His foe never waged battle, having used a textbook space warfare strategy. It was easy to exploit the flaws and lure the enemy in a false sense of security.
"Commodore, inform the Trade Federation their new ships and fighters worked well past expectations." He noticed what little of the enemy forces were left were in full retreat. "Order the fighters to intercept and destroy the rest of the fleet. We can't have survivors spill the news of the Trade Federation's new toys."
"Aye aye, sir."
He watched as the sleek droid fighters zoomed past his cruiser. Though he preferred the adaptability of flesh and bones under his command than the single mindedness of nuts and bolts, he could not deny the results the droids produced. Another crippling factor that led to the true downfall of his enemy; the procurement of fighter pilots. A single fighter could tip the scale towards delicious victory or bitter defeat. His opponent should've elected to invest in the maneuverability of a starfighter instead of the firepower of combat ships. A dastardly flaw his student has noticed.
"You have a keen eye, Coquer." He complimented. "Most would pay no heed to their lack of using starfighters."
"Thank you, Captain…"
Trench glanced down at the boy, seeing the vigor he had when the battle began gone. He saw as Coquer winced seeing the last of the enemy forces in ruins, plummeting to the planet that they were desperately trying to protect.
Ah, so that was it.
"I remember my first slaying my enemy." The boy gazed up at him with lost eyes. "It was centuries ago but I still recall it as if it was yesterday. I was like you, scared, confused, wondering if I could handle the situation differently so the casualties on both sides could be lessen."
He roughly grabbed hold of the boy's head, forcing him to stare at the smoldering remains of the enemy, digging his claws into his scalp.
"Rid yourself of those seeds of guilt before it takes root in your soul. No one needs a military leader concerning themselves of the dead or what could've been. Dooku has no need of one." Trench leaned his head down low, his grip on Coquer's head tight. He could see the tensed expression of the human, trying not to shed a tear from the discomfort. "You only need to worry about the next conquest. Am I understood, boy?"
Coquer visibly strained as he turned his head to face the Harch. The tawny shade eyes had taken a darker tone, promising him a bloody murder. Trench grinned at the defiant display. The boy has more fight than what he was led to believe. A good trait for a future military commander.
"I understand, Captain."
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the first of the many naval combat scenes in this fic. One of the hardest thing to write for this rework is the battle scenes, especially the naval. Different ball game than those with boots on the ground. So, I'm expecting my first kid next month, because of that I'll be on hiatus for around 3-4 months tp spend time with my wife and newborn. During the time frame, no new chapters will be uploaded. However, I am planning on releasing one more chapter before the hiatus starts so you all can see the relationship between Trench and Coquer. And maybe a following one depending on the feedback if it ended on a cliffhanger.
Till Next time