Many thanks to those who reviewed the previous chapter, it is much appreciated, even those who are merely wanting the war to end ASAP. It is coming, patience my friends... Enjoy the ride as it comes in the meantime. ~F
Chapter Fifty Four
Closing in on the Core
The new command for his unit had gone out, and soon enough Kelrek found himself, along with Jenah and Srilis, making for the southern front of the long campaign to push into the Core worlds. It was by far the largest of the points that the war had currently entered, with a fleet that was truly proportional to the systems that they had to conquer.
True, it lacked that fanfare that the Armada had gathered with the onset of the Dauntless or the constant threat from the main Republic counter offensive, but the battles were still just as bloody and ruthless as anything in the central push.
Kelrek had overheard their superiors as they ordered Jennah's fleet to systematically attack the area that housed three close knit systems together, and one of these being a prized gem of the Republic, the Kuat Drive Yards. Together with the systems of Balmorra and Pure Neimoidia, this part of the campaign could indeed prove to be one of the more devastating to their enemies in the entire sector, and it was a great honor, and acknowledgement of their many successes that placed their team, along with their entire battle group, center stage for this offensive.
The issue was what they were likely to be put up against. The enemy command, some diminutive by the name of Flitwick, seemed to be a master of subtlety and complex troop management, achieving astounding victories with the bare minimum of resources. He was one of those strange Mage-born as well, which complicated matters even further. Kelrek was sure that none of them had faced off against the strange beings, which wielded energy that was similar yet vastly different from the Force, and he personally wasn't willingly to walk into an unknown situation so readily. Nevertheless, orders were orders, and they would be killed for failure to obey.
Still, as the smaller fraction of the Sith fleet pulled out of Hyperspace at a region equidistant to the three systems, and beheld the far greater unified forces arrayed against them of the Kuat Drive defense fleet, along with the Balmorran and Neimoidian reinforcements, Kelrek knew that they were up against a daunting task to break their formations and crush the three different, and powerful, systems.
If they had had the entire battle group behind them it wouldn't have been an issue, but as there were three other avenues that had to be attacked from this same front, they had had to divide their forces, and the short end of the stick just had to be theirs.
Nevertheless, even from where he stood on the bridge, observing as Jennah interacted with the Admiral, he knew that the Marauder would command them to attack this force head on, as she was wont to do.
Srilis had already departed, going for her own interceptor fighter, to assist with some coordinated strikes on the larger ships of their enemies, while Kelrek stayed behind and awaited them to either launch shuttles or have to repel boarders of their own.
It wasn't a matter of if in his mind, but when, with them outnumbered three to one ship, even if they did out gun their enemies. Something could slip past them, with every intent to dismantle the Sith command structure from within, and the Sorcerer wasn't about to let that happen.
"All ships full thrusters ahead, shields at maximum, I want every ordinance locked on target and ready to fire once we are in range…" the Admiral was striding about, giving orders to his underlings as he went, for all the good that it would do.
Even from where Kelrek and the others stood in the Imperial hierarchy, they could tell that this entire subset of the campaign was designed to draw troops from the main two fronts, where the Emperor himself and his apprentice, Darth Diábolis, would spearhead the strikes into the Republic's capital worlds. For them, it wasn't a war to attain any more glory, but merely to survive so that they could see the Galaxy that their Emperor would create.
Laser fire eclipsed the blackness outside of the viewports, and the battle was engaged. The initial strike of their forces was a resounding blow to the enemy, but with their numbers, they would be hard pressed to keep from being quick surrounded. Already several of the small, hammerhead cruisers that the Republic fielded quite often were rushing toward their command ship, missiles and other explosives firing in quick succession to try and pierce their heavily reinforce shields.
The Republic had learned quite well from their initial forays in combat with the Empire, and knew better than to try and duke it out with them in small laser fire or other weaker methods of disabling a ship.
Fighters swarmed from all ships, bombers and their escorts flooding over to the other cruisers to try and unleash their payloads. And even as the Republic ones drew near, Kelrek caught a sight of Srilis' personal fighter tearing a path through the empty vacuum of space, eliminating every opponent that tried to out maneuver her skill and expertise in the Dark Side.
Even as they were locked in heavy engagement with these forces, one of the officers stated to shout out a warning, and on their sensors, from the opposite side of the battlefield, other ships started to enter from Hyperspace.
"It's the Pursuit of Justice, Admiral!" the officer exclaimed, and Kelrek turned slightly to look out of a different port, just in time to see the sleek craft emerge into real space. The ship was battered, and clearly had seen many battles in short span of time, as well as an equal number of quick repairs, but the ship was still armed to the teeth with a multitude of weapons that the other, older, Republic ships would only dream of carrying.
"Turn about, I want all shields ready to prevent that ship from hitting us with any of its little surprises!" the Admiral commanded.
Even as the officers rushed to obey, Kelrek sensed through the Force as something… unnatural shifted in the spaces around the approaching Republic reinforcements, and suddenly alarms were sounding. "We've been hit!" another officer cried, even as the ship violently lurched to the side. Kelrek leaped to a control station, wanting to see how it was even possible for them to have already come under fire when the ship they were fighting had only just entered the battle.
"Shuttles have been launched from the enemy ship," an officer announced, just as Kelrek discovered the frightful truth of how their foes had launched such a surprise attack. they had fired their weapons while still in Hyperspace, moments before exiting, allowing the missiles to collide with the Sith fleet at faster-than-light speeds, which added to the reasons that the weaponry so easily punched through their shields.
"Damage report!" Kelrek demanded, and soon the information was pushed through to his console. Two of the smaller ships had been critically damaged, and were effectively out of this fight, sitting dead in space, while the main target, their own ship, had several weapon ports destroyed and part of the engines. Still functional, but only just, and with shuttles incoming, it would prove difficult to prevent them from being boarded.
"All forces to their stations to repel boarders," Jennah commanded, her instructions being funneled through the entire ship by the communications officers, "recall fighters to help scatter and destroy those shuttles before they can land."
Kelrek remained where he was, not only for the fact that he would defend the bridge, but because he knew that Jennah would want him close by as one who seamlessly worked with her combat talents if the fight came to the point where they would have to engage themselves. Thus far however, it was not proving to be the best of beginnings for their newest campaign against the Republic
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Hours after the massive confrontation with Mand'alor, Zhar was pleased to see Euka reappear, the weapon of her fallen foe in hand as she briskly walked to her master, knelt and presented the token of leadership over the entire planet to.
Accepting the lightsaber handle from her, Zhar activate the black blade, admiring its handiwork, and recalling what he had seen of the apprentice's battle with the Mando leader. It had been a vicious duel, and as a battle of honor the others of the man's army had not been allowed to interfere.
All the better for her, it had been, as from what Zhar recalled Euka strove well in single battles, especially against opponents who underestimated her, which were many, and that had been her capitalizing strategy throughout the duel. Even when the leader of the planet had attempted to use his gadgets and other items in combat, the Dark Adept had kept her cool, resorting to force aided acrobatics and other deadly arts to neutralize and eliminate every advantage that the man had attempted to use against her, until at last, he lay defeated at her feet.
Only when the weapon had been in her hand had she finally killed the fool of a Mandalorian, severing his head from the rest of his body in full view of the army, laying bare their folly for confronting the Empire, and causing them to surrender on the spot, for the sake of their vaunted honor and foolish codes.
Thusly had the planet fallen to the Empire, and with it the last holdouts that were in the region of imperial space. Zhar had been more than pleased when he had notified the Emperor of their swift and deciding victory, and had been notified already of their next instructions.
"You've done well, my apprentice," Zhar stated, even as he placed the saber of Mand'alor upon his own belt, for safekeeping and so that the people of this planet knew to whom they owed their allegiance. "If it was not for our new orders, we would remain and capitalize upon this victory that you've earned us…" he commented, and the woman looked up in surprise.
"New orders?" she asked, and Zhar nodded, beckoning her to rise and join him at a technical readout of the Galaxy, which was not signifying Mandalore in the Imperial red. "Yes," he answered, gesturing to the front lines of the upper push toward the Republic core, "We have been summoned to join his majesty as he turns our collective gaze at long last toward wiping the Republic from the Galaxy. The war will end very soon my apprentice, and if we manage to survive it, we will be rewarded most handsomely for our valued service to the Empire."
The young female smirked, "Whatever the Emperor commands of us then, my Lord." She acknowledged humbly.
"Good answer," Zhar replied, even as he led the way from their command post to the landing pad, where a private shuttle awaited to take them back to the fleet in orbit.
Orders had been sent ahead of them already, and Admiral Setis had been busy preparing the fleet to depart as soon as Zhar joined them, as the Emperor was already en route to the rendezvous point from Nal Hutta, so soon after crushing the last resistance that could potentially distract them from destroying the Republic. if they timed their departure just right, they could arrive within hours of the Emperor, well ahead of the rest of the fleets that were to converge upon their glorious leader and take part in this deadly charge to the center of Republic space.
It was with a small twinge of regret that they departed however, as Zhar knew that had they remained a bit longer, they could have easily convinced many of the Mandalorians to fight for the cause of the Empire, as their rightful leader by conquest Euka could do much in swaying them, but that was lost as they so soon departed the planet. Mandalore may have been conquered for the time being, but due to these circumstances, Zhar wondered how long until the people started to fight back in protest.
The Emperor surely knew of these concerns, as zhar had mentioned them in his victorious communication, but from what the man had said, it was clear to Zhar that he less than cared about the end results of this or that planet, so long as their goal of an undeterred route to Coruscant was realized.
Just what the man was foreseeing as true problems for his Empire was cause for great concern then, Zhar wondered, if the rebellion of one or many planets was deemed to be of no consequence in the grand scheme.
Nevertheless, they were to obey and not question the wisdom of the Emperor, and soon enough they were withdrawing from Hyperspace to the awaiting form of the Apex as it orbited the last, most recently acquired world along the Hydian Way.
"Open a channel to the Emperor's flagship," Zhar ordered, turning to the hologram projector once it activated, "The Basilisk reporting to serve his Majesty," he announced to the officer that answered their communication.
"And he shall reward all those for their diligence," the man replied, acknowledging the coded signal for a victorious arrival. No further was needed to pass between the ships, as there were many hours yet to await the rest of the ships that were to accompany the Emperor's glorious entry into the Core. One of the first was something of a surprise to Zhar, as the remnants of the fleet once commanded by a traitor appeared.
The Krayt Dragon Fleet, once commanded by one Bellatrix, who was reported to have attempted regicide upon the Emperor, and thusly slain was as much as any in the Empire knew regarding the fate of the fleet, but clearly it was still in operation as a military unit, lacking their commander at the least.
Still, the opportunity to make up for the dishonor of their former leader was something of a mercy, one that Zhar knew that few would have granted. In addition to the Basilisk and the Krayt Dragon came several others, all seemingly pulled straight from the defense of less channels into Imperial Space, now rendered secure due to the fall of key planets, one of which had indeed been Mandalore, which then brought understanding to Zhar as to the reason the Emperor had waited so long for such a move.
There had been many a rumor that the Emperor had something to fear within the Republic, to have postponed a final confrontation such as this, but it was clear that, as more ships continued to arrive from all corners of the Empire, that Lord Veneficus had made sure that every available ship of the current generation was available for use.
Certain, as Zhar was a member of the Dark Council, he was more than aware of the existence of Star Forge, even if he personally wasn't permitted any more information regarding the mysterious Dark Side factory, he did know that it was busy creating new ships that the Republic had never before seen, slowly filtering them into the gaps that the current generations of ships were vacating, allowing them to only use those ships that wielded technology that the Republic was aware of to be fielded against them.
Many would argue that this was unnecessary, and it would be far easier to just crush the Republic completely with their full technological might, but the Emperor was thinking farther ahead than those fools who's minds were only limited to victory in the war, and not the Galactic Imperium that was to follow.
Finally, after several hours of waiting for ships to appear at the call of the Emperor, the last fleet arrived in orbit over the planet. A literal sea of metal and destructive firepower gathered like chicks around the mother hen that was the Apex, all awaiting the signal from his Majesty to move out toward the next worlds. The systems in their way to the Core were small and poorly defended until one reached the region known as the Colonies.
"This is Emperor Veneficus to all Imperial forces. Prepare for departure. Our targets are the systems of Drearia and Champala before we press on to the Colonies. Our primary objective is to reach Brentaal before the Republic can adequately retreat from the main attack fronts to block us." The voice of the Sith Master came over all channels, even as the Apex turned toward open space and went through its pre-Hyperspace jump procedures.
"My Lord, we are prepared for the command," Admiral Setis reported, which Zhar was already aware of, but nodded regardless.
Coordinates were sent throughout the new armada, and the word to proceed was sent, even as the Apex led the jump to the new system. Zhar gave the word to follow, wondering if there would be a point for the rest of the collected ships when the Emperor would clearly leap into battle the moment he arrived ahead of the others…
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Master Coven felt a subtle change in the Force.
She wasn't sure what it meant this time, but by now the Grandmaster had learned to accept that these premonitions from the Force never meant anything good. The Dark Side had to be rising once more, which in a state of nearly constant war meant it was something major.
The Senate was pleased that a world had been reclaimed for the Republic, bolstering their failing spirits that they could indeed win this ever draining war. But still the Jedi were not as optimistic. Fae personally knew that so long as the Sith remained, even down to a single Dark Adept servant of theirs and the Dark Side would return over and over to challenge them.
A Padawan entered the chamber that Fae was relaxing in, and from the agitated aura around the child that something was wrong.
"Communication from Phoenix Fleet," the Padawan reported, "new ship are advancing toward Drearia, including another super-class capital ship. Reports indicate that it is likely the Apex."
Fae nodded, starting to understand her premonition as well as the meaning of the sudden attack from the Emperor directly. The Padawan departed, which was good because the child did not need to be around to sense the Grandmaster's worry and concern for the state of their defensive fleet.
Ms. Granger was already focusing on refitting and expanding the ships that they had on the northern and southern fronts, after the grand success of the Hope's Radiance with the main push from the Empire, but Fae wasn't sure if it would be enough now.
Still, it wasn't an option to stand by and do nothing as the Sith rampaged across the stars, and Fae immediately went to the nearest console, requesting a call to be sent through to the offices of Director Granger immediately, to see what ships they had available that could be mobilized immediately.
"Grandmaster," Ms. Granger greeted, sounding completely unsurprised that Fae was contacting her.
"I suspect that you too have been informed of the next wave of attacks that are coming," Fae said, already feeling the course that the conversation would travel.
"I have," the Director replied, "How many ships do you need to try and slow them down?"
"As many as you can spare, the Emperor himself is with them," the Grandmaster replied. The two powerful women paused for a moment, realizing the effect that this single moment would steer for the Galaxy. "You're mounting another attempt to kill him, then." Granger said after the pause, sounding very tired and worn out. Not surprising for someone who had effectively been at work for several months on end without rest.
"There is no other option, its kill him or we will fall once Master Lovegood's forces are caught within the pincer that is forming around them." Fae acknowledged.
"I understand," the Director replied, "send all the Jedi you have for the mission within a day, I will have the droids prepare our ships for battle and immediate departure."
"Thank you," Fae said, knowing that the words alone meant little compared to what the entire Galaxy owed this one woman, "we will arrive as quickly as we can."
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Leon watched approvingly from the bridge of the command ship Apex, as the Emperor directed his forces over the newly dominated world of Paqualis. It had been a frightfully simple task for the main ship, before even the most agile of the armada fleets had arrived, to subdue and establish a garrison on the planet.
Leon had never before guessed how much that the Emperor had been holding back, not only his personal power in being present on the battlefield, but in strategy that they had used to completely obliterate the planet's defenses within an hour of their arrival. The man had turned a smirking glance at him when it had happened, clearly sensing the former Jedi's shock at the speed of destruction, and commented boldly that he had wanted such a prolonged conflict to occur, drawing out those most loyal to the Republic for him to crush, while those who would willingly bow to his rule cowered in their homes and places of refuge, waiting for the storm of his wrath to sweep over them.
Devastating, efficient, and ruthless; exactly as Leon had identified the man so long ago, during the trials that had convinced him of the error of the ways of the Jedi, and endeared the young Seer to his new Master and Lord.
"Now you will broadcast our victory to all though fools who are retreating to their precious havens further toward the Core," Veneficus commanded, even as the rest of the Armada form up around the Apex. Leon was confused, why would the Emperor want him specifically to declare the new order of the Galaxy to these fleeing fools… unless…
And then he smirked, nodded his consent and approached a consol that had an open channel to the sector. "Attention, cowards and fools of the Republic. Behold the workings of your new Lord and Master, Emperor Veneficus the Eternal. Those who continue to resist his glorious campaign to free all from oppression will be likewise destroyed as the dogs that they are. Long live the Emperor, long live the Empire!"
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Luna watched, horrified as her old Padawan, now clad in the black robes of a Dark Adept, sang the praises of the Monster that had snatched him from Luna's side, even as a world burned in the background.
Paqualis hadn't been merely conquered, it had been destroyed, from all accounts the entire planet had been violently scorched so that there were vast wastes where nothing would grow ever again, and the atmosphere quickly gave out afterward, reducing the planet to a dead rock in space. And the boy still had the audacity to call it freedom from oppression?
As much as she wished to change course and attack the Emperor head on, Luna could not abandon the fight she was already giving to the man's apprentice. Slowly, dragging her eyes away from the console to the battle in front of her, Luna stared down the hulking shape of the Dauntless, even as the craft and its surrounding fleets stood defiantly against her and the forces of the Republic, each dishing out whatsoever means they had to try and eliminate each other.
Whatever sorcery that the madman had espoused into his devaronian apprentice, clearly Veneficus had done the same, or similar, to her Padawan, and Luna felt the agony rip anew through her soul.
Another wave of Imperial fighters approached, their pointed wings firing as they tried to skim around the edges of the projection fields, but Hope's Radiance had more than enough tricks in its gun ports to take care of such snub fighters.
A hailstorm of lasers few from the emplacements, obliterating dozens of bombers and their fighter escorts, the shields of the ship, separate from the projection walls, absorbing the rest of the payloads that were mercifully knocked off course from the sudden counterattack.
Feeling a swelling of righteous indignation within her, Luna turn to the droid commanders of the massive command ship, "I want that ship destroyed as soon as possible, as we will need to fall back and defend against the advance of the Emperor. Press forward and engage the Dauntless directly!"
The droid acknowledged passionlessly, and Luna stiffened herself as the thrusters jetted to full power, catching several Imperial fighters off guard as the massive ship suddenly leapt forward, and they veered sharply out of the way or were smashed upon the hull of the hulking cruiser.
Smaller ships formed up around the Hope's Radiance, even as it barreled out of the formation directly for the enemy, arc lances leading the way as they sought out targets. The Imperial forces started to lumber out of the way, trying to avoid collision once again with the massive battering ram of a ship. Luna knew that using the same hasty tactic was most un-Jedi-like but she was not in a time or position to care about the etiquette of war. They had to win swiftly to aid their allies in distant battles.
Ramming the front lines of smaller ships, Luna could feel more than hear the dull screech of shields rubbing against shields, hulls creaking in their attempt to make the other ship yield, although still effortlessly pushing them aside through sheer mass alone. "Open fire at point blank; get these obstacles out of our way!" Luna commanded, and the many weapon placements switched, proton torpedoes being loaded and fired at an alarming rate in all directions.
What was once a solid battering ram of metal and energy now exploded with a torrent of deadly explosives, hasting the Imperial fleet's desire to get away as quickly as possible, even to the point of crashing into each other in their fleeing.
Even still, there were waves after that of more cruisers, and even more after that before they could reach the Dauntless, and Luna could sense that they were slowing even with the continued push into enemy lines. Dozens of cruisers all around them were taking heavy damage from the sudden barrage and rush into their lines, but even Luna could see that this tactic was becoming something of an ineffective tool.
"Withdraw to formation, fire rail cannons toward the Dauntless," she decided upon, and suddenly all their engines reversed, grinding their momentum to a halt and pulling them away just as swiftly, even as the powerful explosive canisters were flung out in their wake, easily sniped by the observant Republic ships around them.
The damage was catastrophic; the remaining ships that hadn't escaped in time, or was foolish enough to try and fill the gap to pursue being caught in the chain explosions, tearing apart already heavily damaged ships.
Luna could count at least a dozen that were completely destroyed, with many more sporting massive hull damage and listing off to the sides of the battlefield in a vain attempt to escape the newly pushed Republic lines. Their bombers swooped in for those ships while the other capital ships pushed onward into the void left by the Hope's Radiance.
Even still, Luna watched at the Dauntless just stayed where it was, almost uninterested in the destruction happening to its frontline ships. It was a sound victory of attrition, but the battle had only just begun here.
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Diábolis grunted angrily as the massive sledgehammer of a ship smashed through the central part of the frontlines, causing untold damage to the ships there and opening a hold in their formation for the smaller Republic forces to take advantage of.
If it weren't for the Emperor's newest orders, sent at the very commencement of the announcement of his personal attack on the northern campaign, which had stated that Diábolis was to keep the Hope's Radiance occupied for as long as possible, and only to recommence their invasion once it deserted the battle which kept him from lashing back at the Republic.
He had already sent off half on his forces to take out the remaining worlds surrounding their battlefield, and a small amount more back toward Sith space to keep in reserve, and still they vastly outnumbered the Republic. However, he had partially underestimated the sheer amount of damage that the once Jedi and her overwhelmingly powerful ship could do.
Still, he was having a time making sure that the ship seemed to have the upper hand while in actuality the entire force of Republic ships were being drawn into a massive trap. As soon as the flanking forces of Gor-lak and Fury finished their destruction of the surrounding systems, they were already instructed to return and flank the Republic fleet, which would greatly devastate them even with their previous shield barrier technology.
Until that time however, conceptions had to be kept up. "Reform the formation, press the cowardly dogs away from the planet," Diábolis ordered, and the officers in the bridge hastened to relay his instructions to the surrounding fleets.
Another word of command and the rear line of bombardment cruisers opened fire, their massive laser cannons powering up to strike at the fools that had hurried up in the wake of the retreating Hope's Radiance. A wave of deadly green energy washed out, overwhelming fighters in its path toward the targets, and rupturing them even through their shields.
The scrap metal was starting to fill the void area in the middle of the front line more so than actual ships, and Diábolis wondered momentarily if they ought to take advantage of the now created barrier and send fighters and bombers through it to strike back at the Republic lines, but from the last attempt where the Republic ships had torn their fighters to pieces he reconsidered it.
"Let the damaged ships move behind the layer of debris, all other ships form up and press forward, we need to stop the Republic from thinking that they can charge our line again like some ancient cavalry unit." Diábolis instructed, and watched as his ships obeyed, waiting for the response from the Republic lines.
It came swiftly. The small advance was instantly countered by the Republic ships darting forward as well, and soon the battle was well and fully joined, Imperial and Republic ships intermixed between each other rather than spaced out and covering their own with added layers of defense.
Diábolis watched the ensuing slaughter on both sides with icy indifference. So long as his master indeed knew what he was doing, the apprentice would obey, even if it cost them the majority of the forces that fought in this battle. Delaying such a large ship from engaging the strategically closer advance was all well and good, but Diábolis still did not understand what the Jedi meant to his master. Lovegood was still a sore spot with the Dark Lord of the Sith, and while the man had escaped his bouts of madness when he learned anything of the now Jedi Master, there was still a deep swelling of hatred that encompassed the human when she was mentioned.
Diábolis understood that the pair was both from the same homeworld, but little else past that. the boy who was once the Jedi's Padawan learner might know more, as Diábolis was privy to an ounce of what contained the circumstances that had finally broken his unfailing resolve in the Light Side of the Force, and the child was far closer to the Sith Master because of it, but otherwise the Devaronian had little clue as to her importance.
Nevertheless, he would delay her, and kill her if he had the opportunity, just as his orders stood, but he seriously doubted that the second would happen, with the woman now heavily entrenched on the battleship behind a legion of powerful war droids, as well as layers of magically charged hulls and shields that protected the ship itself from most harm.
Diábolis would just have to settle for slaughtering all of her allies and forcing her to retreat alone, and hoped that Lord Veneficus would find it satisfactory as well.
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Everything was drawing together at last…
Darth Veneficus watched the ebb and flow of the Force with extreme scrutiny at this point. With the Cartel castrated from assisting the republic at the last moment, many of the futures he had foreseen were now closed, paving the way for a subtle slip of the knife deep into the Republics already bleeding heart, but there were still points of potential upset to beware.
The first, and indeed foremost of these, was in regard to the Jedi and their mounting counter offensive. Many of those Jedi knew that they would likely die in the attempt to slay him, just as they had the first time, but they were desperate now, and desperation made ravenous beasts out of even the noblest warrior.
Gripping the Scepter of Ragnaros tightly in his hand, Veneficus knew that his power would be secured from this threat, already foreseen and avoided through the powerful weapon he had created, that would drain the very life energy from the Force users, and unleashing it as a weapon upon the others. Granted, he had to get close for that to work, so there was still risk involved.
Secondly, and far more importantly, was Lovegood. Still the irritating little gnat eluded his nets, as though the Force itself guided her path away from him, dangling the threat of her unraveling everything he had created before the Sith Lord like the footsteps of doom.
He had tried, even from the very beginning, to eliminate this threat, and it seemed that like prophecy, the more he tried to avoid it, the more it came to pass. The woman was a thorn and a danger to him, but now with her Padawan at his side, new prophecy was given, and he would use the boy to destroy her utterly. Perhaps he wouldn't even have to kill her afterward…
Granger and her war machines were of no threat to him. It was almost amusing to watch her struggle to get her precious Republic back on its feet in the midst of this war, just for him to come and crush it regardless.
But there had been merit in her advances of technology, which he would ideally appropriate for himself. It was only a true loss that the spell over her mind had been broken, again by Lovegood, which had forced him to let the girl go from her prison, a necessary loss, even when factoring in that the planet itself was his again.
The remaining wizards, even Anguis, were of little threat to him, as they would be busy with their own infighting by the time he arrived to sweep away the pieces, and soon all memory of him before the ascension of the Sith would be gone at last…
'Well, almost…' the Eternal Emperor thought, a few of his servants coming to mind that still had usefulness to bear before being cast aside.
"Your Majesty," one of the officers said humbly, approaching him on the bridge. "We are almost to Drearia, and we detect a sizeable force waiting for us there…"
Veneficus smirked. "That would be the old bat, McGonagall," he stated, blinking slowly to return to the present and give his commands. "Engage her fleet immediately upon entry to the system, and prepare my shuttle. I shall deal with her personally…"
"As you command, your Highness…" the man said, bowing deeply and backing away. Veneficus returned to gazing at the future written in the lines of the Force, seeing the grand conflict about to unfold in orbit over the nearby planet.
McGonagall wouldn't go down without a fight, and it was one that he would indeed relish, as the woman had all the skill of Albus Dumbledore, but none of the man's weakness or feeble minded sentimentality that had brought him down so quickly against Veneficus.
Truly, when he took her wand in victory, it would hold a special place of honor among all the other trophies he had taken of those victims that had had the honor of falling to his blades.
The future grew frigid, and Veneficus sensed as the ship around him started to slow drastically, indicating their exiting from Hyperspace. He had already foreseen that they would be just short of range for the fleet that they would engage, and therefore there would be no reason as of yet to depart for his shuttle, which would carry him part of the way to McGonagall's flagship. He would leave anything useful behind, as the shuttle would take catastrophic damage and rupture before arriving, however, and he would need to apparate across the vacuum of space the rest of the way to board her ship.
He smirked at the idea of such a bloody run through the ship all on his own. He would greatly enjoy such a rush. "My Lord, we are almost in range of the fleet," an officer reported, and the Emperor stood, preparing to depart for the shuttle. Leon, Lovegood's Padawan, as several Arcanamach attempted to follow, but he waved them off.
"I will do this on my own, remain here and watch the progress of the battle." he commanded, and his guards hesitated before obeying, knowing that the Emperor was more than capable of defending himself even without their support. Leon was harder to convince, as he lacked the powerful Force-based foresight that was quite strong in Veneficus, but only a small amount of reassurance was needed to convince him at last.
Only when he arrived at the hangar did Veneficus even consider whether he ought to bring a nameless pilot or not. On the one hand, it would seem odd for the Emperor himself to be piloting a shuttle across a battlefield, although none would question his authority to do as he pleased, but at the same time he would prefer a sensor scan of the ship from the republic to indicate that there was more than one person in the shuttle.
"You," he said, indicating one of the many pilots, "with me, were going to go pay a visit to those who would defy my Empire…"
Veneficus could sense the pride that swelled in the selected man, and jealousy in those others that were passed over. Little did they realize that the selected man was now walking to his death, but that was now completely irrelevant. Veneficus settled into the throne-like chair of his shuttle for the last time that it would fly, already gathering the magical energy to apparate to the cruiser when the time came, and listened blandly to the pilot triple run through the flight checklist.
Finally they lifted off, flying directly for the Republic cruiser amid the torrent of laser fire from the Apex, the pilot steering rather recklessly, as though the presence of the Emperor made him safe. It was not an unwarranted concept however, as wings of fighters flew out after them, driving away whatever Republic ships dared to get too close.
Granted, Veneficus saw the moment looming every closer, and watched mutely as the gun ports of the ship they were approaching turn to point directly at them. But they were not close enough yet, "All shields double front," he ordered, and the pilot obeyed, just in time for the barrage to slam into them, knocking the shuttle around and sending their fighter escort into a frenzy.
The fastest of the ships darted for McGonagall's cruiser to try and knock out the gun emplacements, but Veneficus felt the very moment that they slipped into his maximum safe range to apparate, and foresaw the room deep in the bowels of the ship that he needed to teleport to.
The young pilot screamed as another barrage came straight at them, along with a multitude of torpedoes that they had little hope of countering, as their shields would be occupied intercepting the lasers.
Time once more came to a standstill, even as Veneficus rose from his seat and gathered the energy to leap to the Republic ship. Still, there was the question, need he just let one of his loyal followers die just because? Taking the initiative, he darted forward, even as the shields started to fail. The pilot screamed when the Emperor appeared right beside him, grabbing the man roughly by his flight suit and apparating, dragging the pair of them through the vacuum of space to the Republic ship.