It was not long before the fleet was ready to move out and administer their righteous justice on the traitorous individuals in this galaxy. To move more efficiently, I had my armada split up into four fleets and had them fan out to the different quadrants of the galaxy, cleansing any inhabited worlds they came across.
Meanwhile, the Huragok teams were diligently researching the technology and ships we had managed to capture. It took several weeks for us to decode the foul language embedded in the systems, but we were able to glean useful information. The most important system was the navigation computers in the ships we had captured. They kept detailed records and positions of every known (and unknown, in the case of the smuggler ships) space route and inhabited planet in the galaxy, save for a blank pocket deemed as the "Unknown Regions".
Our second most valuable piece of intelligence was the acquisition of the heretics' faster-than-light technology. According to analysis of the engines and interrogation of prisoners, these heretics travel utilizing an alternate dimension called "hyperspace": their term for Slipspace. We have discovered these drives work in a fundamentally different way than our drives. First of all, the hyperdrives can travel faster and just as accurately as our Slipspace drives, but for some reason, are not able to work properly when near a gravity well, such as a star or planet. Already, I have grasped upon the tactical possibilities of this weakness, and have tasked a team of Huragok to work on it.
Additional analysis revealed that these heretics also possess energy weaponry and shielding, and though they are far less advanced than our technology, they should not be taken lightly.
Meanwhile, the advancement of our fleet was going very well. As I had stated before, I had split my armada into four separate fleets, each independently controlled by a single fleetmaster. Using the maps we were able to glean from the enemy systems, I deployed my fleets in a manner that would be the most advantageous. The Fleet of Eternal Vigilance, commanded by Mal Sassamee, would advance along the border between the Outer and Middle Rim, sweeping through the large cluster of planets located there. The Fleet of True Knowledge, commanded by Bera Yamanee advance along the opposite flank, seeking to cleans the worlds along the Perlemian Trade Route and Hydian Way. The Fleet of Absolving Anger, commanded by Zeula Kalaree, would advance deep into the inner galaxy, bypass the core, and assault the worlds on the opposite end of the galaxy. Finally, my own fleet, the Fleet of Divine Fury, would drive straight into the Core Worlds, the jewel of the heretic civilization.
Our first major confrontation was when the Fleet of True Knowledge reached Bothan Space. The heretics there obviously had capable intelligence resources, as they were aware of and prepared for the arrival of our fleet. Our scout ships immediately detected the presence of a large fleet of ships in orbit around the main planet, Bothawui. While at first there were fears that the Galactic Alliance had already managed to regroup. However, those fears were quickly allayed when further surveillance revealed that the fleet was merely a ragtag combination of ships consisting of various size and shape, implying that most of them were merely armed civilian or antique military ships.
Yamanee committed sixty ships to the attack, and the details of the battle are recorded in his personal logs.
From the personal logs of Fleetmaster Bera Yamanee
Like I have always stressed throughout my life, prudence and knowledge of every possible scenario is key in winning battles. Though my colleagues have ridiculed me for this slow-paced approach, I had never felt more vindicated than during the battle of Bothawui.
Advance elements of my fleet scouted out other nearby planets such as Kothlis and Kamino and had them cleansed in an effort to probe and provoke enemy defenses. However, opposition was minimal at best which led me to believe that the heretics had pulled back their existing forces to bolster the defenses of the apparently more important world of Bothawui.
Reviewing the scans of the defense fleet around the planet, however, revealed something disturbing. The size of the orbiting fleet did not seem consistent with the total size of any possible reinforcements from the abandoned worlds we purged, which meant they were hidden in an attempt to flank my forces if I were to commit my full strength.
Tracking the movement of the planetary bodies and taking into account the knowledge of how the heretics' hyperdrives worked. I was able to determine the moment at which the overlapping gravity wells of the system would limit the avenues of approach the most, reducing the chances of us being surprised by an ambush. Also, the heretics were unaware at how accurately we could calculate our Slipspace jumps. My spearhead unit of six ships managed to jump right amongst the defending fleet, much to the defenders' surprise. Countless enemy ships were massacred before the spearhead initiated an emergency Slipspace jump and made their escape.
Meanwhile, the main body of the assault force, consisting of fifteen ships, quickly followed up with a frontal attack. Though the heretics were far more numerous, with almost twenty five capital ships in orbit, they lacked the shields and stopping power to pose a major threat to our own ships. As expected, enemy reinforcements hiding at the outer edge of the system attempted to ambush us. However, they jumped in one of the expected approach vectors and straight into an ambush of our own consisting of a squadron of five warships.
The battle was over in a matter of minutes. By the time we were able to drive the defending fleet from planetary orbit, over thirty enemy ships were left destroyed or derelict, with no losses to our ships save for varying levels of damage.
However, we quickly discovered that the entire battle was merely a ploy to distract us from the heretics' true objectives. As our ships moved to secure positions in preparation for the cleansing, sensors detected a huge flotilla of ships attempting to flee the planet. Apparently, the defense forces were merely trying to distract us to cover a mass civilian evacuation. Analysis of intercepted communications revealed that an Admiral Kre'fey was leading the futile effort.
Immediately, a squadron of four ships led by the cruiser Adamant Barrage closed in to intercept. Unfortunately, the heretics put up a vicious defense. The Adamant Barrage's three escorting destroyers were forced to fall back due to heavy damage, leaving the cruiser to face off against five enemy capital ships, including the flagship. The four escort ships were easily destroyed as the Adamant Barrage released a simultaneous spread of plasma torpedoes. Then, since the plasma batteries were still recharging, the Adamant Barrage's captain decided to ram the flagship, classified by the heretics as a "Star Destroyer". The resulting damage crippled both ships, but the Adamant Barrage struck the Star Destroyer in a way that would send it plummeting through Bothawui's atmosphere and burn up. There is much evidence to suggest that Kre'fey was aboard the Star Destroyer and perished as it was burnt to a cinder. Without their leader, the remaining defenders quickly broke and ran.
Though the Adamant Barrage and its squadron were now effectively out of the battle, their brave charge opened the way for our Seraph wings to advance and intercept the remaining transports. Even though three quarters of the civilian fleet managed to escape, the Seraphs still managed to down scores of transports and freighters attempting to flee. Many didn't even clear the upper atmosphere.
Though the planetary shields required several days of constant bombardment to disable, the planetary cleansing proceeded as planned. Nothing was left alive on the surface. Once casualties and damage were assessed and dealt with, the fleet prepared to move on to the next target.
Righteousness is our shield, Faith our armour and Hatred our weapon.
The battle for Bothawui was a complete and total success. The world was fully cleansed and its inhabitants eliminated. There were some heretic survivors captured after the battle but none were of any value and were quickly disposed of.
Meanwhile, Mal Sassamee's Fleet of Eternal Vigilance met with similar success, cleansing several minor worlds in quick succession until he reached the planet dubbed Naboo. The planet had almost no defenses to speak of, and its inhabitants did not put up much of a fight. However, Sassamee decided not to cleanse the planet. When I inquired him as to why, Sassamee responded that the planet was too beautiful and pure to corrupt with our weapons of destruction. He described the planet as "Paradise", and what he imagined the Great Journey would lead us to. Observing some reconaissance images sent back convinced me to support Sassamee's decision not to burn the planet. However, the same mercy would not extend to the planet's native inhabitants.
Sassamee landed over five hundred thousand troops onto the planet. Fortunately, Naboo was sparsely populated, with only a few major cities scattered around the planet. It took only a few short weeks to round up and exterminate the majority of the heretic population. In their capital city of Theed, Elite Special Operations Forces infiltrated the Royal Palace and assassinated their planetary ruler, leaving her headless body dangling from the highest tower to show the heretics that their days were numbered.
The heretics living in the planet's underwater cities proved to be somwhat more problematic. Our troops were not properly equipped to deal with an underwater assault, and suffered heavy casualties assaulting the stuborn defenders. However, the strange amphibian creatures could not match our might and were quickly defeated.
Meanwhile, my own fleet drove deep towards the core of the galaxy along the Corellian Run trade route. We cleansed six worlds along the way, including Rodia and Falleen. Finally, I decided to stop our advance at the planet Duro, on the edge of the Core. I was anticipating a large enemy counterattack to take place soon. I had also pushed ahead faster than the trailing elements of my fleet could catch up, leaving the flanks of my advance vulnerable to ambush. I would be stuck at this planet until the rest of the Crusade armada could link up for an massive push on one of our primary objectives, Corellia.
Meanwhile, Zeula Kalaree's forces were still in Slipspace transit. It would take several weeks for them to reach their destination on the other side of the galaxy. Because of the dangerous nature of his mission, I had allotted less ships to Kalaree's fleet than his fellow Fleetmasters. However, Kalaree was exceptionally skilled at intrusion missions, and was well known for turning the tables on his opponents, even at a numberical disadvantage.
Now all we could do was wait and hold the line.
Do not suffer the heretic to live.