It was pretty clear between the two sides that the First Order had gotten the short end of the proverbial stick. Having only four ships at their disposal, the Mandator IV-class Siege Dreadnought Fullminatrix, and three Resurgent-class Star Destroyers; Fellfire, Finalizer and Fury. Despite the many TIE/FO and TIE/SF fighters, the little detachment was ill equipped for a threat like the Imperial Remnant. Especially when the opposite fleet had superior numbers, firepower and a Dark Lord of the Sith on their side.
Besides the massive Executor-class SSD, the rest of the fleet was made up of over thirty Imperial II class ISD's, twenty four Imperial I class ISD's, nearly eighty seven frigates and dreadnaughts and twelve Imperial Victory class ISD's. This was nearly all of the main fleet that made up the Remnant that Grand Admiral Thrawn had collected. Now under the command of Darth Vader, this fleet was now the new terror of the galaxy.
Darth Vader simply looked out the viewport of the SSD Imperator, a recently constructed Executor class SSD that Thrawn had updated with new weapons, armor and systems that made this titanic monster even more deadly. Out of the four First Order ships, the biggest threat was the Fullminatrix, with its twin kyber empowered cannons. But, the First Order had foolishly downgraded their turbolasers to arch type weapons, to gain more power due to the kyber crystals they had pillaged. The Imperial Remnant had stayed with the old turbolaser, making it much more deadly for long and short range combat situations.
Thrawn had been smart on keeping the design, only making it bigger for better long range assaults. The many banks of long ranged turrets, which had five barrels on each side of the weapon, were in position and ready to commence firing on the Siege Dreadnought. All they needed was a signal from Vader.
But Vader waited, watching.
"Sir?"
One of the many gunnery captains spoke up, his voice showing a bit of confusion but respect.
"We wait until the Siege Dreadnought has taken aim at us," Darth Vader said, his tone left no room for anyone to say otherwise.
"Yes Sir," The Captain nodded, turning and ordering one of the scanner officers, "Keep scanning that Siege Dreadnought."
Thrawn watched from the chair on the bridge of the ISD Chimera, as the crew worked tirelessly to prepare for the onslaught. Of course, the onslaught would result, as he had calculated from Lord Vaders' plan, in the losses of the Siege Dreadnought and two Resurgence Class Star Destroyers for the First Order.
But it still depends on how the First Order reacts to Lord Vaders' ultimatum.
Thrawn mused thoughtfully, his crimson colored eyes looking over the holographic display of the battlefield.
The First Order is pulling the Siege Dreadnought back behind the three Resurgence. Clever, for prolonging the inevitable. Unless…
Thrawn activated his comlink, directly to the Sith Lord.
"My Lord," Thrawn bowed his head, slightly and respectfully, "The First Order may be changing tactics, I would like to make a suggestion."
"Speak." Vader spoke.
Thrawn steepled his fingers, "I would like to suggest a fighter initiative, causing the First Order to focus more on the fighters, however, we keep the Tie Bombers back."
The Sith seemed to ponder over the hologram before nodding, "Keep the Bombers out of the fight until either the defenses are down or they have taken out the anti-fighter weaponry."
"Indeed, Lord Vader," The Chiss Grand Admiral replied, "once they are crippled, the long ranged turbolasers will finish the job."
"And the casualties?" The Dark Lord asked, his tone cold.
"Minimal casualties if everyone follows through with the plan." Thrawn said, his mind racing through many scenarios.
"Begin the plan, Grand Admiral," Vader said, a finger pointing at Thrawn, "General Leia is not as forgiving as I am."
Grand Admiral Thrawn bowed his head and the com switched off, the Chiss then began his fighter initiative plan.
The space between the two opposing sides started filling up with Imperial fighters, all beginning to form up, shrieking towards the First Order space craft. The assorted hordes of Imperial Tie Fighters, Defenders, and Interceptors waited until they were in point blank range of the anti-fighter defenses before they let loose, green stitched across the hulls of the Resurgence class's and Siege Dreadnought. The swarm of Imperial Remnant fighters were then facing TIE/FO and TIE/SF in small numbers, but were quickly starting to thin out from the near endless waves of Imperial fighters.
Even now, as TIE/SF pilots desperately tired to fight off the neverending onslaught, the First Order Star Destroyers were losing more and more weaponry. They started trying to escape the Interdictor Class Star Destroyers range but then the Tie Bombers began their runs.
The result was glorious.
The Resurgence Class SD's were left dead in the water as their engines were turned into slag, the Siege Dreadnought having made a great deal of progress in escaping before the Bombers struck its' engines. The Imperial fighters then broke off and returned to their side of the battlefield before over all the coms, Darth Vader gave the order.
Every Turbolaser battery, Ion cannon and every other weapon that could be brought to bear on the four stranded ships, fired. Green mixed with Ion blue tore into the hulls of the First Order Star Destroyers, while missiles from the Victory class ISD's hit home. Within moments, the Fellfire and Fury exploded, which caused so much collateral damage to their sister ship, the Finalizer, it faired just as badly as them. The Fullminatrix had floated far enough away from the three that it had minimal damage done to it besides the useless engines.
Darth Vader signaled once more, the gunners on the Imperator grinned as they locked on the stranded Siege Dreadnought. As the powerful turbolaser bolts rushed towards the First Order weapon, Captain Moden Canady let a sneer of defiance settle over his face. He had served his Supreme Leader with distinction, he would be avenged. One last thought flitted through his mind as green death filled the viewport of the Siege Dreadnought.
"General Hux better have died so I can strangle him on the other side!"
The ship then exploded, more turbolaser fire tearing through the hull and causing a chain reaction. The entire ship just collapsed in on itself before exploding with enough force to shake the Fury into its final destination, D'Qar. The rest of the "fleet" hung in space, as the Imperial fleet turned, adding the remaining Resistance fleet into their ranks before entering Hyperspace towards the Unknown Regions.
General Hux could only feel his body begin to accept he was alive after he had woken up enough to even realize he was alive. The Finalizer was barely operational from what his ringing ears could pick up, the bridge making odd noises before his senses decided to work properly. Hux tried to lift himself up, his arm didn't accept the weight, collapsing as he yowled in agony. Several of the surviving officers quickly helped him into a sitting position before a medical officer began working on him.
"Report." He snapped through gritted teeth.
"Finalizer and Fellfire are reporting major damages to all decks, Sir."
Hux winced as he heard the hologram, which somehow survived destruction, showed the face of Supreme Leader Snoke.
"General Hux…" Snoke said, looking at him with a cold, unhuman glare.
"Yes, Supreme Leader?" Hux barely stood up, before the medic forced him to sit down.
Snoke sneered before his face turned into a thoughtful one, one that spoke of a cold thought that would of frozen Mustafar over.
"It seems that the Imperial Remnant has banded together once more," Snoke intoned, his face slowly turning into his full body, "You have much to explain, General."
Hux looked at his leader and gritted out through the pain, "We were ambushed by an Interdictor ISD before we could formulate a strategy, then our communications were hijacked by someone that impersonated Darth Vader-"
Snoke cut him off with a snarl, "General Hux, you actually believe that anyone would impersonate Darth Vader, Lord of the Sith?! I felt him, his power is greater than you can even conceive!"
Hux had a few thoughts for that, but kept silent.
"I am beginning to see that you are incapable of commanding in battle when there is a powerful Force user on the battlefield. As of this moment, you are relieved of duty, until you can personally explain to my why I should even let you continue leading the First Order into battle!"
That struck hard, he, General Hux, demoted?! Impossible! Hux was about to speak up, anger taking over before Snoke spoke up once more.
"You will be on my ship, Hux, until then, I am placing another in your sted, someone that has been more useful to me in recent weeks."
"Who?" Hux ground out.
"Who indeed," Snoke smirked, twisting his already hideous face further, "My newest servant, Grand Admiral Talon Jade."
The hologram flickered then showed the from of a very beautiful and voluptuous Twi'lek, one covered in tattoos. Hux shuddered in revulsion, a Twi'lek LEAD his army?!
"Of course," Talon Jade smirked, "You would've liked to have me under you didn't you? Now look who's on top?"
Hux snarled before looking at Snoke, "Supreme Leader, I beg of you, one more chance."
"And why is that, Hux?" Snoke questioned coldly.
Hux couldn't help but triumphantly grin, "The First Order science division has found a way to track any ship going through hyperspace."