Chapter 4: New Development/Fall of Ryloth

Third Person POV

Meanwhile at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Jedi Master Ima-Gun Di reported to the war room where other Jedi Masters and Knights, gather to discuss new war plans and developments.

Ima-Gun Di's POV

"Master Windu, Master Kenobi...A new development has happened on Ryloth. The Separatists has invaded Ryloth and are making massive gains despite heavy defences". Both Jedi Masters Windu and Kenobi looked at each other in surprise. Master Windu said "How? That should be impossible because we have a garrison and heavy armour on Ryloth." I responded back "Apparently, the Separatist have gained an effective and new general, from what my intelligence has reported, he has taken the heavily defended spaceport city of Nabat and sources tells me, he has attacked and taken the air base I had installed 3 months ago." Master Kenobi said "Do we have any knowledge on this new general?" I responded "I have gotten a holograph of him." I showed him the holograph of the general. Masters Windu and Kenobi look at the holograph of the general.

Master Windu looks at me and said "Hold out as long as you can, we will be sending a relief force under the command of Admiral Dao". "Understood Master, may the force be with you".

Obi Wan Kenobi POV

As I study this new separatist general, all I know for certain is, this general is dangerous and a major threat to the Republic. If he is able to cross an entire planet in under two days, I fear the war might be lost. I looked to Master Windu and said "I will look into the Republic Archives to see if we have any recognition of this new threat to the Republic". Master Windu replied "You go do that, I must talk about this new threat with others from the council".

I left the war room and worked my way to the Republic Archives. The Republic Archives have information about all people who are and were part of the Republic. However, the archives aren't perfect because of the war and some were lost. Unfortunately, this is the best shot I have to find the new threat. I walked in and I was greeted by a librarian droid. I showed the droid the picture of the new Separatist general. The droid responded by saying there is only one file of this man, however he is presumed dead. I asked to see the file. After a few minutes of waiting the droid came back with one data pad. I started reading the file. Name:Mason Rommel/Prisoner 4859; Place of birth: unknown; Date of birth: unknown; occupation: unknown; information: Little is known about Prisoner 4859. He has led a prison revolt with all prisoners, in which he was the only one that escaped. Presumed dead due to unhabitability of the planet. He is extremely charismatic and he is considered a sly and a tactical genius however, that has yet to be seen.

I smiled at the thought I finally found our unknown general. I decided to ask for prisoner information of Mason Rommel. However, the droid said there are none. I went to the criminal archives for Mason Rommel. The librarian there said that there was no such a prisoner named Mason Rommel nor any Prisoner 4859 that looked like him. This troubles me greatly because there is only one article of Mason Rommel with little known of his past, and the criminal records have no record of him. He must of deleted it before the war. Now, I must take this up with the Jedi council and we must stop him from spreading Separatist tyranny.

Rommel's POV

I had the armoured division reorganize in order for me to calculated the losses and the fighting capability of my force. During the battle to take the Republic base, I found that I have loss two tanks in the battle. One of the tanks have been loss to the new enemy weapon. It is a spherical device with a blue horizontal strip stretching all around it. This weapon was found in the tank canopy and the occupants inside had a short circuit. The drivers were shot. The second tank, the droids inside accidentally shot the tank in front of them destroying the entire tank. All that remains is parts of the driver's cockpit and the hover repulsor. I would of had them shot, but I repurposed them into regular battle droids to fight on the front lines. I also lost 15 droids. Many of them due to the new weapon. The others were shot. None of the MTTs were destroyed nor were the PACs. In total, I have 2 PACs, 4 MTTs, and 48 AATs left. I now have 4,985 battle droids left.

I ordered the droids to prepare to move forward to Lessu. As the droids loaded themselves on to the MTTs, PACs, and AATs I looked to my holo watch to see what time it is. It is currently 2000 hours. I still have a lot of time to drive even deeper into enemy lines and capture Lessu.

At exactly 2020 hours, I ordered the charge for Lessu and nothing is going to stop me.

After two hours of driving and resting, I finally reached the outskirts of Lessu. I ordered 18 tanks to slowly follow me to attack the city and I ordered the troops to unload. I saw one of the battle droids walking by and I told it "Call up the troops at Nabat, I need that gunship here now". "Roger, Roger" said back in a cold monotone. I slowly led the force towards the city, passing the bridge. Sweat was dripping down my face as the anxiety of a surprise attack is present in my head. I slowly crept to the man made bridge and entered the city. To my surprise, the Twi'lek governor and his delegation are outside with their hands raised in the universal sign of surrender.

From then on, I have completely taken on impossible odds, and succeeded. Mission Accomplished. First, I need to contact War Tambor to let him know of the development.

Wat Tambor's POV

I stood on the bridge to hear of any new developments on the planet. Resistance is stiff, however my commander, who is suppose contact me, has gone missing from my screen. Every time it try to contact him or his troops, I always get some kind of interference. I assumed it was the Republic jamming the signal. However, at approximately 2020 hours I received a holo call from the new commander. "Hello, Emir Wat Tambor, I have captured Lessu and I am requesting immediate reinforcements on my locations". I looked at him with both astonishment and anger "You have captured Lessu and you have gone off my screen. Can you explain how you captured Lessu in a day of the campaign and gone completely invisible". Rommel looks at me before replying "Sir, with all due respect, I can not afford high command to disturb my operations so I disabled communications. I also went behind enemy lines destroying as much military hardware as I can. The operation was a complete success and you can now start bringing in reinforcements". I looked at the commander hard however he would not falter nor do his eyes show any signs of nervousness. I sighed "Very well, I will begin sending reinforcements and I will report to Count Dooku that Ryloth will be taken within another day". The commander nodded back and saluted back. I cut transmissions with the commander and turned on communications with Count Dooku. I said " Count Dooku, I am pleased to tell you that Ryloth will be taken within another day". Count Dooku looks at me skeptically "Emir, are you lying to me"? I replied back "No sir, the new commander you had sent had done an adequate job..." Count Dooku looks back at me, one of his eyebrows raised, and said "Adequate"?

I told him about how the commander purposefully cut off communications with me and how he overran the Ryloth countryside and taken all objectives within a day. Count Dooku looks back at me thinking before saying "I want to have a talk with this commander, otherwise I want you to take control of the planet and establish a government under your control". I bowed before turning off communications. I ordered the droids to send the reinforcements to Lessu and to prepare my shuttle. I am going to the surface.

Rommel's POV

"I want those pieces of junk out of the landing platform NOW"! I yelled at the droids. I had ordered the droids to guard the Twi'lek government officials in the main hall until further notice. Until then, I was setting up my new forward operations base. I had ordered all available droids to start unpacking communication equipment and weaponry for the next assault. I went over to the holo coms to get Roger and his strike team to load onto the gunships and head back to Lessu. I was getting drowsy because I can barely keep my eyes open and my movements were sluggish. I was just about to take a nap until I heard the sound of a Republic gunship. I quickly reached for my E-5 blaster rifle I keep at the side of my pants and I aimed at the oncoming vehicle. I first tensed up as the doors open only to be relieved and surprised that it was just Roger and the strike team. I ordered them to unpack and prepare defences while I head back to the communications room to sleep.

I was just about to finally let my body rest until I had spotlights shining on the entire platform. I sighed at the thought of pulling myself up so I just pulled myself up. However, I almost tripped over my two feet because of how exhausted I was. It was like being in a drunken stupor. I squinted my already tired eyes relieved of the sight of reinforcements pouring onto the platform. I then saw another craft. It appears to be a Sheathipede-class Transport shuttle. It slowly landed on the surface, turning its body around with its door towards me, while the landing feet were in position. The doors opened and I saw a commander droid walk towards me. "Sir, Count Dooku wishes to speak with you". I replied back tiredly "if the Count wants to speak with me, then he should of came to me, or when I'm not exhausted". The droid was persistent I'll give it that "Sir, he wants you now". I sighed, mainly from the exhaustion "Fine, off we go to see the Count, but first let me bring my droid". The droid commander didn't say anything for a second before replying "That should be alright sir".

"Roger, get over here" as I tried my best to holler out his name. Suddenly, I felt a cold metallic finger touch me from behind. "Sir, you called for me". "Yes I did, I want you to collect my personal items and meet at the courtyard as soon as possible, we have a meeting with Count Dooku." Roger replied back with his usual response "Roger, Roger" and left.