Chapter Four
Dylan hadn't really taken the time to look at the planet Coruscant before. Travelling down to the planet in the Maru he could see the devastation reeked by the Yuuzhan Vong. The capital world of the Galactic Alliance he was told was once home to billions of sentient beings, a world covered in a city so ancient that it seemed to defy history itself.
Truth be told much of that city remained, though ruined beyond all comprehension except for the small pockets of life eked out by the last survivors of the former population and the few enclaves carved out of the ruination by the former Republic's massive construction droids.
Beka piloted the Maru in silence as they approached the new government centre of the Alliance, a vast structure at the very heart of the Imperial City Enclave. The Government Buildings, Luke had told them were built on the site of the Senate building which had served the Old Republic, the Empire and the New Republic for over a thousand generations and that much of the old building had been rebuilt as part of the new complex.
"The building itself is almost completed," Luke had told them, "though the Senate has elected to remain on Mon Calamari for the time being."
"We're being cleared for landing pad three-two-seven," Rommie announced.
As Beka approached the pad Dylan thought he could see several figures waiting for them near the safety barrier.
Waiting on the landing pad were Leia Organa Solo and her husband Han. The droids See-Threepio and Artoo-Detoo were there with them.
Han had his arm around Leia's waist, holding her close to himself, as if protecting her. Both of them looked very tired, the years of endless warfare had taken there toll on the couple.
"From this vantage point one can see that the reconstruction of the city is going very well," Threepio was saying to Artoo, "Why at this rate the city will be entirely rebuild in less than Two hundred years."
The faithful droid continued chattering about the rebuilding efforts to his counterpart as the Maru landed.
"Do you think they'll have good news," Han asked.
"I doubt it," Leia responded.
Luke exited the large cargo vessel first and behind him a striking figure, well built with intelligence and determination in his eyes followed. This must be the Captian Dylan Hunt that Cal Omas had told her about.
Breaking free of her husbands protective hold Leia raced over to her brother embracing him. It had been several long months since they had last seen each other. Luke often remained on Mon Calamari leading the Jedi Council or at the Jedi Academy deep in the Maw, while Han and Leia had taken a long needed vacation near the fringes of the Corporate Sector just arriving on the planet a few hours ago.
Releasing her brother she allowed him to cross over to Han and the two men shook hands tightly, staring hard at each other, a moment of intense friendship displayed in a deep bond between them that Leia only vaguely understood.
"Han, Leia, this is Captian Dylan Hunt, his first officer Beka Valentine and Andromeda's Artificial Intelligence Avatar, Rommie," Luke introduced.
"I am Leia Solo and this is my husband Han," Leia replied, "You already know Artoo and this is his counterpart See-Threepio."
"It is a pleasure to meet all of you."
"The military council is meeting right now," Han told them, "They're just waiting for to arrive."
The group began to move into the building heading for War Room.
"The military high command is talking about moving the fleet from Corellia to attack the Magog at Saccoria," Leia told them, "The plans are all but in motion, but the final decision hasn't been made."
"They want to here my opinion," Dylan said knowingly.
"Cal does, and so do some of the military brass," Leia replied, "Most are only going along with it because they figure you won't be able to influence the outcome."
"We'll see," Dylan told her, "We'll see."
Entering into the War Room was like entering into another world. Alliance Generals, Admirals and politicians were arguing like school children over what to do about the Magog. Dominating the wall of the far side of the Room a large holoprojector displayed a incredibly precise rendering of the galaxy.
Dylan had been briefed about the current position of the Alliance fleets prior to arriving on the planet and he could see that all seven worlds currently basing the largest portions of the fleet were marked out in bright yellow, with an eighth world, Coruscant marked in red. Khomm and Saccoria were marked in black.
"The fleet at Corellia is ready to fight now," a very alien senator who Luke identified as Durg of Geonosis said through a translation droid.
"We could end this threat in a day," the bug-like senator continued, "Let us not make the same mistake we made with the Yuuzhan Vong."
"We have no intention of making the same mistakes senator," Cal Omas replied coolly, "But let us not make any new ones either."
"Perhaps Captian Hunt can enlighten these proceedings," Admiral Meduk said for her position at the far end of the table.
"Well Captain," Omas asked, "Do you have any suggestions?"
"Well first I'd like to say that using the Corellian Fleet is probably a bad idea," Dylan told them which got the attention of all gathered, "I would suggest moving your fleet in from Lok."
Each member of the council turned to look at the galactic map. Lok was a world not far from Geonosis. That region of space had seen the flight of much of the Yuuzhan Vong fleet and two other fleets were located nearby at Naboo and Tatooine.
"Why Lok," the Alliance Supreme Commander Sien Sovv asked
"The first Commonwealth world to fall to the Magog was Brandenberg Tor, a world of three billion sentients. The nearest High Guard battle group was at a world called Abihsot. When the High Guard arrived to fight the Magog at Brandenberg, Abihsot, a world of half a billion people was attacked. While did not do to Abihsot what the did to Brandenberg, the lose of life was still considerable."
"Lok, according to the data I was given, has a very small native population," Dylan elaborated, "The planet would not be a meaningful target for the Magog."
"Admiral," Omas asked, "how long would it take to get the fleet from Lok to Saccoria."
"Not long," Sovv responded, "Lok is right of the Corellian Run. It would be a matter of only a day or two to get them there ready to fight."
"The Corellian's are ready now," Kelosk 72, the Khomman Senator replied with anger uncharacteristic for his species, "We must strike back quickly before more worlds meet the fate of Saccoria and Khomm."
"Corellia is a ripe target for the Magog," Dylan tried to explain, "Leave it undefended and the Magog will strike there. Beside all that, the Magog fleet uses slipstream drive, they can literally travel anywhere in this galaxy faster then you can move ships to fight them."
"How do we fight them then Captian," the senator asked.
"Be mobile," Dylan replied, "Keep your forces moving. You have a great advantage in faster then light communications. Use it."
"Detach your fleets into smaller units, keep them roving. You can't protect every world at all times, but you can make them feel protected by visiting every world you can with task force or battle group."
"So when the Magog attack they can reinforce each other by running to the rescue," Sovv reasoned.
"Precisely Admiral," Dylan told him.
"Your plan is sound Captian," Sovv told him, "We will implement it after we strike back at Saccoria."
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The main drydock facility for the Imperial Shipyards at Yaga Minor burned uncontrollably. Early reports indicated that the primary reactor core had failed, a major cataclysm for the two thousand Imperial soldiers and workmen working on the station.
Grand Admiral Gillad Pellaeon watched with some resignation as the facility began to break apart. It had been the first large scale attempt to get the Yaga Minor Shipyards back to full working order since the end of the Vong war.
Yaga had been the target of the fleeing Yuuzhan Vong fleet as it swept through Imperial space retreating from the Republic onslaught. Pellaeon found comfort in that thought, the New Republic after losing Coruscant to the Vong had formed the Galactic Alliance, the Empire having been attacked by the Vong, joined the Alliance and added their strength to the former Republic's forces.
It was fortunate too, for the Vong fleet that had so damaged Yaga Minor was crushed between the vice of Republic and Imperial forces. But the war had taken its toll.
Bastion had been destroyed, the Yaga Shipyards heavily damaged and Muunilinst left in ruins. The once formidable Imperial fleet had been decimated by the fleeing Vong forces.
"Admiral," a duty officer spoke softly from behind Pellaeon's left shoulder, "We have received a communiqué from Coruscant. It is marked Alpha Zero Priority."
Pellaeon turned away from the still burning wreckage of the drydock and acknowledged the officer with a nod. Crossing the bridge to a semi-private comm. terminal he opened the message from Coruscant. Reading it very carefully, very slowly, Pellaeon digested the information.
Walking back over to the bridge viewport, Pellaeon looked out again at the fading fires marking the wreckage of the drydock and came to a decision.
"Have the Leviathan and the Right to Rule form up with us," Pellaeon ordered, "We're going to Coruscant."
A few moments later the three Imperial Star Destroyers made the jump to Hyperspace.
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The power of the Magog was growing, one worlds in the Deep Core millions of the hungry harbingers lay waiting the command of their master. The Worldship was nearly completed as two massive hollowed out worlds now loomed over an artificial star.
Soon the conquest of this galaxy, and the destruction of its inhabitants would begin in earnest.
More then twenty years ago the Dark Jedi, a Sith Lord named Darth Krell had taken hostage several High Guard engineers. Over the years many of those engineers had died or been murdered by Lord Krell or the form he had now taken, an undefined spirit full of Dark energy.
It had not been long since Krell was a human being, flesh and blood, now his power grew. The one weakness that Krell now had was that he tired quickly in his new state, though as he grew stronger those moments of weakness grew shorter.
Yu Wang had been one of those High Guard engineers, he had helped build the equipment that had created the Spirit of the Abyss and he was the last one left. The years of fear and pain had broken him, as it had all the others, he became a mindless servant doing only what his master required and not thinking too much about what he was doing.
A useful skill when applied correctly when in the service of a Dark Lord.
The attacks on Saccoria and Khomm had awakened something deep inside of him. He was responsible for those attacks, he had helped build the machines that had slaughtered millions. Now he would do everything in his power to stop it.
Wang knew when the Dark Lord was resting, everyone did, it was when the pressure on your mind eased. Using this opportunity he slipped into the cavernous launch bay and onto an unmanned Swarmship. He had lead the team that had designed them and knew how to fly them.
Cycling through the ships computer he found what he was looking for, the route to Coruscant, the capital of this galaxy. The computer programed two jumps, one to Corellia and a longer route from Corellia to Coruscant.
Activating the ship, Wang lifted from the deck and shot out into space. Dozens of Swarmships patroled local space, but wang managed to evade all of them. Fear drove him one and gave him a clumsy kind of skill.
Activating the Slipstream Drive, Wang left his masters behind.