Rancor Slam

Part 5

Tarest and Zii rode over with Cas and the others traveling on the Shameless to the Tenacity.

The Tenacity is an ImpStar Deuce. A larger, more powerful Imperial Star Destroyer model, whose biggest flaw is that its exhaust system is like that on the Death Star. Meaning a torpedo in the hole and boom. Bye, bye, big ship.

But, instead of scrapping the whole line of ImpStar-II, the Empire created Lancer-Class Frigates to protect the 'trench'. The Tenacity had two such Frigates, the Animality and the Defense.

"There will be reorganization of the Fleet for this attack." Cas told the Bothan Admiral. "Our Techs are already coming with yours, arranging schedules and things. They are going to remove any identifying markings and are working altering your drive emissions to hide the identity of this ship. We will also be re-dubbing the ship and all Squadrons."

"We will be called the Strength Fleet, Lead by the Tenacity here, commanded be General Jan Ash'Rik."

"You will be Captain Mun Cut'loq, commander of the Resolution." Traest raised a helpless eyebrow at his new name.

"Wedge is Captain Twy Sve'nel, commander of the Exertion."

The Bothan tried to hide a smile. Twy? Like a bird? Twy? Part of him half scolded himself, Zii was being a bad influence.

"And Booster has agreed to play the part of Captain Kyt Mih'hik, of our ship the Severity."

"I will be the commander of the Ground Forces. Captain Mia Eri'lum. Until I reveal myself, should I so choose."

"Now, all these are real Jedi force-commanders. So you may be asked to use their crews or act, physically as they do when they command. So they are here to teach," She looked at him, giving him a cryptic smile. "And to learn."

They exited the Shameless. There the Bothan saw a huge honor guard of Stormtroopers, filling the hangar floor in front of him.

Just like what the Bothan had always imagined there was for the Emperor when he boarded the Death Star, his first and only time.

But there was something odd about their uniforms.

Their helmets instead of the small grate in front of the mouth of the goggle-like eyes there was a small reflective 't', leaving the face strangely featureless.

Traest had to keep from doing a double take. If he didn't know better he'd think they were wearing Clones Trooper Armor. But that wasn't right, only the Clone Army from the Clones Wars had wore that. Did that mean they were Clones? Nah, couldn't be.

He saw Zii and Cas exchange a smile behind his back.

Cas woke early on her 28th day aboard the Tenacity. No one, but Cas, knew the exact day they would launch on Dathomir.

It had taken twelve days for all of the Republic's personnel to get on station. It took ten more days for the Jedi forces and supplements to come in fully. Because all Jedi, even the Republic's Jedi, would be using Jedi Star Fighters.

There would be no less than four Squadrons of All Jedi Star Fighters and the Republic's Squadrons would be supplemented, filled out, with Jedi Forces.

And because everyone was waiting for Cas's signal to start moving, they were all pensive, easy to annoy.

Everyone was on full alert. So everyone was trying to avoid everyone else's toes. That meant lots of practice drills and pilots flying spy runs on 'probable targets'. All kinds of things.

Really, it was what ever the Squad Commanders could think of, and get approved, to keep their people busy, out of each others way.

Cas sat with Kir, well, leaned against him at the breakfast table in her suite. Syn and Nii sat across from them. Zat and Nyc sat to Cas's Right, and Quwil was to her left.

Xyr and the younger ones wouldn't participate in the fight so they were not forced to go along with the ship's schedule.

Dec came and took their orders for breakfast. He left to send their orders down to the galley but brought Cas the Comm-link she asked for before her food.

She programmed in Wedge's code. Cas sighed as she put the comm-link to her mouth and spoke three words.

"Commence: Rancor Slam."