Chapter Fifty
A Change of Roles
Anguis frowned as the repulsorpod carrying the Jedi floated to the middle of the Rotunda, and one of the representatives for the Order started to speak to the entirety of the Senate. "Chancellor, Senators, representatives of those worlds still loyal to the Republic, thank you for taking the time to hear us in these busy hours," the Jedi said respectfully. "I come before you with news from the High Council of the Jedi Order. Effective immediately, the Jedi are changing the direction in which we, as guardians of peace in the Republic, will be handling this state of war which we find ourselves involved in."
Anguis could already hear the angry mutterings from the many Senators around the grand Rotunda, and the Vice Chancellor called for order loudly, allowing the Jedi representative to continue. "Instead of acting as your generals and those fully responsibly for running the state of this war, the Council had renegotiated terms that you will find equally suited to the needs of the Republic, and also more in line with what the Order stands for. We are not soldiers, and were never meant to operate as such. It is better therefore for the running of your armies for those who are not devoted to peace to be leading them, and while we will do all in our power to aid those who ask for our advice and assistance, our prerogative has been, and ought to be, defeating the servants of the Dark Side of the Force, which rule over the advancing forces of the Empire."
Anguis leaned forward, suddenly very surprised and eager to learn more of what the Jedi had to say. He had expected some sort of attempt to withdraw completely from the war, but if they were planning to remain in, at least in part, then this was unexpected, and still something that could easily work in his favor.
"We are already in the process of informing each of the Jedi Generals and their commanders, that the Jedi Knights and Masters in their fleets will remain in their positions, but operate specifically to eliminate the Forces of Dark Adepts and Sith Lords that run the opposition, which will go much farther in ending this war and returning peace to the Galaxy than fighting the innocent foot soldiers that have been twisted by the manipulations of the Dark Side. We, the Jedi Order, remain at your call for assistance in promoting peace through your systems, and in defending that which is good and right, even in these darkest hours. Thank you…"
The Jedi bowed to the collective of the Senate, and their pod returned to its location, amid the polite applause of the Senators. Anguis wasn't completely sure what to make of this move by the Jedi. On the one hand, they wanted nothing to do with the petty fighting of systems and soldiers, but on the other they were still willing to go after the servants of the Dark Side and eliminate those Force sensitive generals and leaders that ran the armies of the Emperor. So they had changed their roles from frontline generals to assassins? Clearly not in their minds, but in the eyes of the Republic this was the same.
Anguis could use this to his advantage, but later, only when the Empire was pushed away from the Core worlds once more, and hopefully this move, plus the addition of Hermione new armies would be the move they needed to succeed.
Petitions were sent to the Chancellor's podium for the next to speak, but Anguis had already selected whom would be next, and he nodded to his Vice Chancellor, who announced it to the entire Senate. "The chair recognizes the Senator from the system of New Terra!"
Longbottom's clone sent their repulsorpod forward, gripping the sides of the controls to better speak into the system that projected his voice for all to hear. "May I thank the Jedi Order for their tireless work to protecting our Galaxy and the Republic from this menace, and say that the factories of New Terra, both here and on our world, once freed from the tyranny of the Empire, will gladly construct whatsoever the Jedi need for keeping the peace of our glorious Democracy."
A light smattering of applause for the generosity of the Mage born, before Senator Longbottom continued, "on the same vein of thought, I bring with me Director Hermione Granger, leader and chief of Magi-tech industries, who has brought us good news regarding the developments for the war effort, who speaks on our behalf."
More polite applause, primarily from those worlds that directly benefitted from the advancements that the New Terran industries had produced, more so those what were none war related, but still, Anguis noted that there were many faces looking with eagerness at what Hermione had to say, as though her words actually held clout over what even the Jedi had said previously. Fools, the lot of them.
"Senators, Representatives, Friends…" Hermione started, reminding Anguis that she herself had had the ability quite easily to be the representative of her people in the Senate as well, if her true calling had not been picked for her by the Dark Lord of the Sith himself. "I come before you to show the future of the armies of the Republic, and a weapon by which we may indeed push back the threat of the Sith Empire."
She gestured for one of the two droids that she had brought with her into the pod, and Anguis paused. She hadn't dared to bring a full war droid into the Senate itself. But there it was, bold as brass, but mercifully it remained as it was, looking no more threatening than a protocol droid, even as she ran off the full diagnostic of its abilities, in brief for those who were less than technologically savvy, and the general ideas she had for their implementation in the armies of the Republic.
"Due to lack of space within this pod, I will not show what it looks like in full combat mode, as I prefer to not fall over the side," she added, earning a mild bit of humorous chuckles across the Senate floor, "but suffice to say, it is fully armed and quite dangerous to the enemies of the Republic. I therefore implore the Senate, do not give up the fight so easily to the Empire. We can beat them if we work together, Senate and Chancellor, Jedi and Trooper, everyone doing their part toward the end goal of victory, and peace."
More applause and Anguis added his own in favor of Hermione's words, as they benefitted him completely. He could already see several of the more swing voiced systems speaking among themselves, deciding where their loyalties lay, to the Republic and the seat of the Chancellor, or their own affairs.
Only time would tell whether Hermione's words were enough to sway the full power of the Senate to continuing the fight to the end, but for now they were able to press on in the present, and that allowed Lord Anguis to step closer toward his own victory.
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Fae Coven felt a rush of relief when the ambassador to the Senate returned with the news that they had presented their change of stance and that none of the Senators or the office of the Chancellor had any complaints or arguments to keep them as war leaders and generals that weren't soothed by a simple explanation.
"They won't be happy about it once they realize what it means for them however," Master Antross said pessimistically.
"They'll have to deal with the changes that they allowed at that point however," Lord Berethon commented. The three Jedi Masters were in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, after a long session of relaying the instructions to their various Knights and Masters spread throughout the Republic military.
As she had expected, some of them had been difficult to convince to give up their leadership roles, Luna especially, but in the end they had all seen the logic of it, and agreed to the change of role, some more enthusiastically than others.
They efforts to make contact with the Teepo Paladins were going cautiously slow, as the Jedi Lord was receptive to his fellow Berethon, but still highly distrustful of the rest of the High Council. Berethon had said that he was still confident that he could convince his fellow Lord to put aside old grudges and accept that they needed to band together for the safety of the Galaxy.
A comlink pinged near then, and Fae realized that it was her own. Pulling it out and activating it, she spoke, "Master Coven here,"
"Ah, Jedi Master, I was hoping to be able to speak with you," said a voice that the Genet Jedi recalled quite well, "Ah, Director Granger, how can the Jedi be of use to you?"
"More like I wish to be of use to you and your Order," the woman replied, "If you have time, and the manpower to send forth more Jedi to reinforce the front lines, I have ships that are waiting for warriors to fill them. I understand that your representatives did not see the explanation of the Republics newest technological advance for the war, and I wanted to give the High Council a personal presentation if possible."
"I can bring a few of the members of the Council with me, but we will have to see what Knights and Masters are left that we can spare." Fae said cautiously. The woman meant well, but her devotion to the war was something dangerous for the Jedi to too closely associate with.
Still, it was a kindly invitation, and both Master Antross and Lord Berethon were amiable to the idea, so they made all the arrangements to visit the expanded Magi-tech industries and see just what it was that the woman was so excited about.
Granted, the destructive power of an army of heartless droids wasn't something that was of true interest to the peaceful order of the Jedi, but all three Council members were at least appreciative that the woman's heart was in the right place in her inventions. After showcasing their ability and a small guided tour of the labs in which they were created through their unique abilities, Mrs. Granger led them to a large balcony that overlooked a large plaza between all the buildings that she owned.
Being blind, Fae couldn't see what it was in the plaza that they were looking at, but the sounds of thousands of metallic footfalls was enough to give her the image of an entire army preparing to board the newer cruisers that were still in orbit. "This is why I need some of your Jedi prepared to go straight to the front lines. I am sure that we can now break the advance of the Sith Empire with this new army."
"By the Force…" Lord Berethon muttered, low enough that only the Grandmaster could hear.
"We will see who are willing to join such a force on an expedition to the front," Master Antross said neutrally, but to that end we will need to return to the Temple, we shall be in contact with you soon."
"Of course Master Jedi," Granger said, "I gladly await your communication."
"My chance," Fae spoke up as they started to leave, "what Republic commander is going to take command of this fleet?"
"I am not leaning on the Republic military for this, I will be heading this fleet myself, until I can find a commander that can handle the power behind my army." Hermione replied confidently.
"I see," the Grandmaster said, turning away as the need to leave swelled once more.
Only once they returned to the Jedi shuttle, they felt safe to confess their true feelings of the metallic army, "I don't feel that this is the best move for the Republic…" Master Antross said as they soared over the edges of the Works back toward the central area of Coruscant.
"It's downright horrific, an army of cold, metallic horrors that answer to only a few. The lust for power is palpable to anyone who will take command. I cannot see us trusting any Jedi to be part of such as force…"
"Except for one duo…" Fae Coven stated, knowing that each of the other high ranking Jedi would understand her reasoning. "Both Luna and Yoda, together, would have the willpower to not abuse such a charge, to take command of a perfect army of vengeance and fight for justice against the Empire."
"But that would countermand the withdrawing of the Jedi from the war…" Lord Berethon stated, pointing out the one flaw in the plan.
"We all knew going into this that Luna, along with several others, wouldn't go along with it," Fae countered, "Giving them an exception rather than a reason to rebel is probably far better in the long run for their own welfare than anything else. And there are few Jedi I would trust to keep the Director safe if she chooses to continue fighting on the front lines even after such a transition of her fleet is made."
"This is true, and while I have several of my vassals already protecting her, they would not be able to fulfill the full duties of a Jedi in wartime because of that mandate," Berethon admitted, "the question then is whom do we send to act as a go between until this new fleet meets up with those on the front lines?"
"I suggest a Council Member, one with experience in battle and would be able to weight in rank wise with the Director if she chooses a course of action that is most unwise…" Master Antross suggested, and Fae didn't need her eyes to know that Lord Berethon was nodding his agreement.
"I will speak to Master Isshaartu then, and see if he is agreeable to such a mission," she said, knowing whom they had in mind. The strength and wisdom of the Wookiee Jedi Master was usually enough to settle most disputes, and when needed there were few Jedi that could match him in combat. Fae hoped that it didn't come to such a need, but just in case, they would send the best.
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Luna was greatly pleased with how long they had managed thus far to delay the Imperial Forces over the system of Yabol Opa. The University planet was almost completely evacuated, but due to the great success, and destruction of many Sith warships, the Republic and allied forces had remained, hoping to cause as much damage to the enemy fleet as possible before withdrawing.
Even their mightiest ship had finally arrived, the Dauntless, and had barely affected their ability to fight; so many Republic fleets were amassed with the powerful defensive projectors to overlap. When several started to become overheated, the ships were able to effectively fall back and be replaced, all firing their Arc Lances between volleys of missiles and other ordinances toward the enemy. Losses were light for now, but they had been unable to make headway toward pushing the Sith from the system, there were simply too many.
If something didn't change to turn the tide of battle even further, they would have no choice but to hope for more aid at the next system, which was all the way into the Core Systems. This was the last stand in the Colonies, and therefore the hardest fight that the Republic soldiers under her command had decided to put up, knowing that their families and indeed all the families of those in their Democracy were depending on their actions this day.
Luna stood at the holographic display, watching in muted silence as the battle was carried out, knowing that her impute, while unneeded, was going to soon be diminished even more due to the mandate of the Council. They did not understand that in this sort of pitched battle, there was no time or ability for her to get close enough to challenge any of the Dark Adepts in single combat. The Sith here were only keyed toward one objective, destroy their ships and push them back toward Coruscant.
To be honest, she had wished such a mandate was in place at the beginning of the war, so they she had excuse to capture many of the Dark Adepts she had been forced to kill previously, so that she could learn of her Padawan's location all the sooner, but it was already too late for such a thing.
The next wave of Sith cruisers were approaching, all cannons firing onto their tightly rung out shields, and Luna was almost ready to call for the retreat, when officer called out that more ships were arriving out of Hyperspace from the Core.
She was about to call for opening communications, when the call from the new fleets came in, along with the thunderous roaring that only accompanied a Wookiee in speech. "Master Isshaartu?" Luna declared, turning to see the aged Jedi Master staring through the monitor at her knowingly, alongside Director Hermione Granger, clearly on the bridge of a ship.
Isshaartu roared in greeting, and Hermione nodded her head, clearly able to understand the difficult language of Shyriiwook, "Yes, we have come at last to turn the tide in this war. Make room, we're coming through, and form up behind us to attack!" she declared.
"General, the readout on the new ship is off the charts, this thing is more massive than any ship we've documented aside from those super-class destroyers such as the Dauntless and the Apex," the engineer in charge of sensors declared, "it won't fit unless we shift the defensive line!"
"All craft split into flanks, move aside for the new ships to enter the battle, and form up all around it, we're going on the counter offensive! For the Republic!" Luna declared, amid the cheers of her soldiers. Quickly their smaller craft made room, just in time for a monster of a ship to take their place. Smooth and almost cylindrical in nature, the ship had no visible ports or bays for anything, until Luna realized that the landing craft and other docked ships were literally built into the hull of the great monster, like a reef shark with little fish attached under its fins.
Hermione's voice sounded over the communications, "All Republic craft, form up around Hope's Radiance, we're going in!"
"You heard the lady, boys, all craft attack!" Meteor commanded, and the legendary ships of Havoc Squad were the first to obey the command. Luna had had limited time to converse with the supposed war heroes of the ancient days of the Republic, but she had seen their courage and skill in battle, and would count them as allies any day, so following their lead into battle, while a new thing for her to do these days, was not unpleasant.
The Sith ships had little idea what to do before the Hope's Radiance was upon them, many hundreds of arc lances firing in all directions as the massive ship barreled into their lines. Any ships that were unfortunate enough to be in the way were forcefully collided into, sending the much smaller vessels flying away, many in pieces as the massive craft tore through their ranks.
"Follow in the wake of the Hope's Radiance, pick of whatever targets avoid collisions, and get us close to the command ship." Luna ordered. "Prismatic Barriers set to Port and Starboard sides; protect the flanks as we move through."
The fleet moved like a hot knife in the wake of the Hope's Radiance, tearing through ships that had once been a mighty obstacle to them. Closer and closer they bore to the massive Sith Flagship, and hopefully the end of their campaign toward the Core.
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Diábolis was more than a bit surprised when the mammoth ship appeared in the midst of the Republic formation, rivaling the Dauntless in size and firepower, barreling straight for them with all cannon blazing and shrugging aside even the most concentrated of attacks.
"My Lord, there is nothing we can do to block that massive craft before it reaches the Dauntless," one of the officers meekly stated, approaching with trepidation to the Side apprentice. Standing from his seat observing the battle before him, the Devaronian knew that they had lost this battle, and must withdraw, even as much as it angered him.
"Pull the armada back, withdraw to Castell, and prepare for a more suitable engagement. They caught us by surprise with this move, and we will be ready for them next time." he ordered, watching as the massive knife-shaped ship started to turn and retreat, even as the many smaller ships launched into Hyperspace behind them.
If the Republic was now strong enough to counterattack, then he needed to widen their attack front. Consulting the Galactic map on the nearby systems, he clearly picked out several systems to strike at the same time, allowing them to maximize their devastation to the region, and hopefully split up the Republic's forces enough to allow them to destroy the monstrous ship and press back into the Core.
"Did we retrieve any specifications regarding that ship?" he asked the nearest officer as the Dauntless launched into Hyperspace.
"Very few, my Lord," one of them responded, turning to look up at him from the subsection of the bridge below the main walkway.
"Send it back to Dromund Kaas, priority one-five-seven, directly to the Emperor himself." Diábolis commanded, knowing that he would need his master's insight to defeat this beast of the Republics. "meanwhile, form the main fleet around Castell, while other sub fleets spread out to the nearby systems. Attack Arkania, Carida, Hok and Belnar. We will give the Republic something to think about if they wish to engage us properly." He commanded.
"As you command my Lord." Several of the officers in charge of relaying orders responded, going about their new tasks.
"Divide and conquer, then," Lord Fury asked, approaching the holograph display, his cape snapping about him with every stride.
"We will twist the knife they seek to remove from their dying corpse before plunging it the rest of the way into their heart," Diábolis responded, knowing that the Marauder wanted to be given a command to attack one of the systems, "You and Gor-lak will be part of fleets sent out to conquer. If that massive ship removed from its course of pursuit and follows you, lead it back to me, otherwise destroy everything you encounter."
"As you command, my Lord," Fury said, slamming his flesh hand to his chest in salute, and turning to march away, presumable to find his personal admiral and depart for their fleet once they exited hyperspace.
Pulling up a more detailed selection of the Castell system and its surrounding orbital satellites, Diábolis started to plan. There would be excellent points of defense somewhere to be found, asteroids or nebulas that he could easily exploit to force the ships into a simple formation that could be attack from multiple angles.
Although even as he thought this, there was a nagging in the back of his mind that told him to not underestimate his new enemy, as the Jedi and their Mage-born allies wouldn't be so simple to defeat if they pulled this new ship out of their hat without so much as a warning from their spies.
Caution was needed, and he would attack carefully, not overextending and not risking anything of worth immediately. There was always the option of forcing a land battle, or pulling further back to even Vurdon Ka, not that the Emperor would be pleased to find them withdrawing in their moment of triumph, but such was war, especially one that had just seemed to turn the tables upon them at the last moment before the Republic's final defeat.
"Order the generals to take large detachments down to the surface of Castell, once we arrive," he ordered, "I want a might force occupying the planet if the republic think to liberate it from our control, take the Dauntless and a portion of our more powerful ships on to Vurdon Ka afterward, and leave the more damaged ships and their escorts here to defend orbit. We will bait out the Republic into the long battles that they thought would slow us down."
"Yes, my Lord," communication officers replied, already relaying his commands to the other fleets for their arrival in the system.
"When do more reinforcements arrive from the Imperial Core?" Diábolis questioned.
"Five standard days, my Lord, it ought to be at least five fleets worth, and several battalions of ground troops." The keeper of records replied, making several notes on his terminal.
"Good, then we will strike back at them in five days time, either here or over Vurdon Ka, depending on the flow of battle on the planet."
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Hermione smirked from her position on the bridge as the Sith Armada withdrew from the battle. Alongside her, the Wookiee Jedi Master Isshaartu rumbled a question, which one of the droid pilots responded to. "Enemy estimated to be returning to Castell System, Director, do we prepare for jump to pursue?"
"Not just yet, open channel to Republic vessel Vindication," Hermione directed, and the droid obeyed. The majority of the ship was populated with her war droids, all perfectly replicated in mass by her fabricators, who were among the only biological life forms on board, and they worked in perfect synchronization, raising the communication the instant she requested for it.
"This is Klergere, Admiral of the Vindication, whom might I have the pleasure of addressing?" a female Iradonian said upon coming on screen, and Hermione smiled at seeing another woman in a position of power. it was refreshing to see such forward thinking on the part of the Republic in comparison to the old world that she had left so long ago.
"This is Director Hermione Granger, currently in charge of the Hope's Radiance, I wish to speak with Jedi Master Luna Lovegood. I had it on good authority that she would be just the Jedi I need to take command of this Flagship, to lead the fleets in countering the Sith armada."
"I see, I will summon her." The admiral said, turning to the side to speak with someone off screen, likely an officer of some sort that was being sent to fetch the Jedi Master from whenever she was.
Hermione found it odd that Luna was not on the bridge already, but it hardly could be something that she could affect, therefore irrelevant in the end. "I want all available data on the battle, and the ships we scanned available for review in my shuttle. I will likely be departing back for the Capital after our transfer of power."
"Yes, Director," one of the officer droids acknowledged her obediently, tapping away at the console before it. Technically this ship was supposed to be manned by a living crew, but it had been taking so long to get all the necessary volunteers that Hermione took matters into her own hands and crewed it with her droids, repurposing a great number for logistics and leadership, so that it was nearly automated now.
"Jedi Master Luna Lovegood here, ah Hermione, what can I do for you?" The blonde woman said as she appeared on screen.
Hermione smiled, pleased to see her once more. "Luna, I wanted to ask you if you'd be willing to lead this fleet once more, serving aboard the Hope's Radiance as you Flagship."
Luna looked sorely tempted, but shook her head, "I'm afraid that the Jedi Council has overruled the need for Jedi Generals to be in charge of military affairs. I'm flattered that you would think of me solely, but…"
Master Isshaartu stepped into view of the communication screen, and rumbled a response, to the effect of notifying Luna of the Councils exception in her case, and Hermione couldn't help but smile at the look of surprise that crossed the younger woman's face.
"I see…" she said after a moment of regaining her composure, "I was not aware of the special circumstances that the Council had put in place for select Jedi, but I am honored that you would have recommended me for this task, alongside Master Yoda. We will be shuttling ourselves as well as some of our command staff over within the hour."
The Wookiee Jedi Master growled out an appreciative noise, and Hermione nodded in agreement, "Do what is needed, but I suggest haste, as we have an armada to pursue before they entrench themselves in the next system."
"Understood Master, Director, this is Vindication out," Luna replied, just before cutting the feed to the other ship. Hermione looked happily across the deck of the Hope's Radiance, taking in the scene for her to remember before she prepared fully to depart back for Coruscant. As much as she had enjoyed her one battle at the head of the biggest gun on the field, it was not truly her place in this war. Her anger and emotion was better served in creating new methods to stop the Sith from taking their worlds, and improving the day-to-day lives of the Republic citizens.
Granted, now that she was here on the front lines, she could see some other needed upgrades that her provisions for the Republic soldiers sorely needed, for comfort and other human needs that would be well appreciated by both officers and the common soldiers alike. That line of thought carried her away as she started to walk around the bridge, casually looking over what her droids were up to, even while Isshaartu followed silently in her wake. Her mind already had spun into several different lines of nonmilitary items that would make life in the Republic much easier when one of the droids spoke again.
"Shuttles from Vindication and Terran's Fury en route to our main hangar bays," it reported, and Hermione nodded in response.
Turning to the Jedi Master, she commented, "I suppose we ought to go and welcome them." Isshaartu rumbled a good-natured reply in the affirmative, and Hermione nodded. "As soon as they are aboard, prepare for the jump to lightspeed. On the new commanders' mark, after I am away."
"Yes, Director." The droids replied in unison, even as Hermione and the Wookiee departed the bridge.
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Veneficus glanced casually over the schematics and other data that his apprentice had obtained regarding the newest weapon of war in the Republic's arsenal. It was truly a formidable ship, but the explanation of his tactics on how to weaken or defeat the ship were equally sound. Spreading the destruction to nearby systems to forcefully divert and limit the number of Republic ships that could face them was a tactic that the Emperor himself would have used, and it pleased him that his Apprentice was just as resourceful as his training had instructed him to be.
Still, it was concerning to him that the Republic was still struggling on so long after he had declared the end of playing games with them, and sensed not only the hands of Lord Anguis in the mix of preventing the final victory from falling to him, but also the combined efforts of Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, and several others from his homeworld that had long persisted past their recommended expirations dates.
Alas, so many of his servants were preoccupied with other aspects of the war, and Veneficus himself was already embroiled in another front that he had purposefully left to deal with personally, that there were few commanders available that he trusted to actually accomplish such a mission as assassinating a few of his old acquaintances, and that would allow them to prove to be quite irritating thorns in the side of his Empire.
Truly a pity, but as the Apex was currently in transit via Hyperspace to what would embroil a fresh front of the war, bearing down at long last upon the region known by the Republic as Hutt Space, aimed directly at the system of Sakiya, which was in line toward the capital of the Hutts, Nal Hutta.
It was far past time that the giant slugs learned that you couldn't play both sides of a war that involved the Sith, as once you aided their enemies, you too were their enemy. The Emperor of the Sith would squash their petty fortresses and take their ill gotten good for his own war machine, and with them his Empire would be all the strong.
Only after Nal Hutta was crushed and the rest of the Hutt Cartel was in disarray could he return his attention to the Republic, and once more set himself toward eliminating his old teachers and associates from the face of the Galaxy.
The Apex and its escort fleet withdrew from Hyperspace silently, like a dagger slowly unsheathed from its holster, right over the world of Sakiya, its green jewel-like beauty subtly hiding the precious technology that had kept this world protected from the grime of industry that the Hutts generally commanded on every world in their boundaries.
The human-like Sakiyans had specifically developed a mobile repulsorlift system that allowed them to effectively pack up all their people and provisions and flee across the surface of their world to escape any ground assault, only to turn around and conduct hit-and-run tactics on them as they fled, eventually tiring out any attempted conquest.
A simply enough challenge for a Sith Master. But before he could deal with the planet, there was the Hutt space station and their pathetic excuse for a fleet to take care of first, so that the Apex was in the best position in orbit over the planet.
"Your Majesty, the Hutts are attempting to raise communications with us," Commander Jhetc informed him through private intercom to his personal chambers on the massive flagship.
"Allow them through to plead their case before me." Veneficus commanded, "I will give them a single chance to dissuade my wrath from their worlds, and join with my Empire willingly."
"As you command, your Majesty," the Fleet Commander acknowledged, before the bulbous face of one of the giant slugs appeared on Veneficus' private viewing screen, bleating in its cacophonous tongue that the creatures used to try and appear intimidating. "Silence…" Veneficus hissed, with the added weight, not of a Force-based persuasion, but the sheer presence of the Dark Side that even the mind trick immune creature was sure to feel.
Once the slug had lost its place in its horrid monologue regarding the grandness of the Hutt Cartel and the great infraction that it would be toward their business if the Empire was to attack them, the future Emperor of the Galaxy spoke at last. "The Hutt Cartel has played both sides of this war since the beginning," he accused, "toying with the greatest possible danger to your race, and your entire operations. The Sith Empire will not work with double dealing scum. You have one last chance. Side with us, fully and unconditionally, or face my wrath."
The look on the hideous face was almost worth a scoffing laugh, but Veneficus was far removed from things of humor after this long war, and remained impassive as the creature, clearly only a spokesman for the actual ruling families, or what was left of them, and was glancing off-screen to where the true power lay, waiting for orders of how to respond to such a blatant ultimatum.
Slowly, it began to jabber again, unconvincingly, about how the Hutt Cartel was not to be threatened by the likes of anyone, and that the Empire were now enemies of the Hutts, and would be hunted by every known bounty hunter in the Galaxy, when the Hutt speaking suddenly gasped, pudgy arms flailing as it tried in vain to reach for its throat.
"You dare to threaten an Emperor of the Sith…" Veneficus hissed, eyes narrowing as he grasped the slimy creature by the throat through the Force. Such disrespect and audacity he had already expected from these disgusting creatures, so now everything was just for show before his actual campaign began upon their worlds. "You have sealed you fate then… We will speak again leading families," Veneficus spoke, knowing that these Hutts that ruled the Cartel could easily see him, even if the holocamera was facing away from them, "and we shall see if you sing the same tune when I stand in your palaces amid the ruin of you… glorious… Cartel."
Veneficus ended the transmission immediately once the Hutt spokesman died, leaving them the corpse to handle even as he turned his mind back to present matters. Pressing a button to reconnect with Commander Jhetc, Veneficus spoke, "Begin the invasion, commander."
"As you wish, my Lord." The man responded, and all along the ship, except for immediately within the Emperor's personal chambers, alarms flared to life as the ship's crew were ordered into battle formations.
Fighters and bombers were expelled in great numbers, soaring toward the Hutt space station, entangling with their pathetic excuses for ship while the larger vessels approached with deadly precision, cutting off any potential escape if shuttles were to attempt to flee from the station as they dismantled it.
Veneficus watched from his personal viewports, several additional holoprojectors flaring to life and giving a larger scope of the progression of the pitifully short skirmish. These pirates and drug runners lacked any sufficient firepower to actually threaten the might of the Apex or her crew, and it was almost laughable for them to even try.
One blast from the massive canon located in the belly of the Apex shattered the station, making the asteroid it was built into fracture into many pieces, even as the ship established primary orbit around the planet, and shuttles were sent down to claim the world below. The ground invasion might prove somewhat more difficult, if the natives stuck to their typical strategies in fighting off invaders, but perhaps their dependency on the Hutts would have weakened them as a whole, making it far easier for them to accept the rule of a strong government like the Empire.
If not… well, there were other ways for breaking the spirit of a world, up to and including orbital bombardment if it proved necessary. For these fringe worlds that held no true value other than to clear away yet another powerful enemy of the Sith, Veneficus did not care in the least what was to be done, so long as the job was finished.
Soon enough, when Coruscant was the Empire's and the Galaxy fell into the palm of his hand, Veneficus would withdraw from direct conflict, and work on consolidating his Empire into a mighty circuit toward furthering his power by extension, as well as many other projects that the furthering of this war with the Republic had prevent him from commencing, things that would ensure that his legacy endured forever.
He would be Eternal, and he had many years yet to make certain that it was done. No mortal being, no government power, and certainly no Jedi would stand in his way from this magnificent end.
Pulling away from those glorious thoughts of the endgame of his campaigns, Veneficus turned to the readouts that came on display of the Empire's initial drop site, and the battalions of standing war machines that had been deployed. Yet another wonderful invention concept taken from Hermione Granger, and modified by Imperial Engineering to be a great destructive tool. These mechanical suits which housed humanoid or even Force Adept pilots operated very similarly to one man fighters, able to cover large distances on the ground with great ease.
They ought to be more than a match for the Sakiyans if they still housed their old ways of dealing with outsiders and invaders. And their firepower was such that, even the mighty Cartel Fortresses that dotted the planet would be no match for them, crumbling under the concussive missiles and the rest of the deadly arsenal that Imperial Research and Development had deemed necessary for the overall destructive capabilities that these mechanical terrors deserved.
It would prove very entertaining to watch the entire planet fall to a single Imperial battalion.