After our stunning victory at Duro, our fleets managed to proceed without much resistance from the Galactic Alliance for several weeks. However, we noticed that as time passed, Galactic Alliance responses to our attacks became far more aggressive and far quicker. We were unsure of what caused this sudden spike in activity until one of our scout probes discovered an anomalous vessel hiding in Slipspace. It was a kind of sensor station, though obviously not of our design. It appeared that the Galactic Alliance had somehow acquired a Slipspace drive and figured out our method of transportation. We could now no longer operate with impunity in Slipspace as the enemy would be able to detect us.
However, this did not affect our plans for the planet known as Corellia. Through more covert talks, the current ruler of the planet, Thrackan Solo, agreed to surrender the planet to us and help us conquer it in exchange for several conditions. They were the basic and predictable desires of a power-hungry individual: guarantees of immunity, total dominance over the planet, etc. However, the one condition we did not allow was his possession of the space over his planet, which included all of the planetary space stations and satellites. This Thrackan could keep his miserable planet, but the Covenant were the rulers of the stars.
Of course, the Alliance was aware of our plans to attack Corellia, as the planet was as important to them as it was to us. Through Solo, we managed to estimate that a fleet of over seven hundred ships surrounded Corellia in a defensive net. Not only that, but Solo revealed that the Alliance was already trying to develop countermeasures to our tactics and superior technology. One of their advances was the revival of the "Shieldship", a massive vessel that was once used to protect ships from the harmful effects of suns. It was now modified and enhanced to be able to resist multiple hits from our plasma torpedoes, which would give the Alliance fleet much better protection against our punishing volleys.
Fortunately, that is what insiders are for. As part of the negotiations, Thrackan agreed to aid us in destroying the fleet. Solo had managed to convince the Alliance to allow his own personal fleet to assist in the defense of the Corellia, and insisted on being able to fully control the deployment of his fleet. As a result, Solo's ships were now posted in the areas were they could deal the most damage to the collective fleet.
However, I would be a fool to place the crux of the entire invasion plan on the shoulders of a traitorous individual such as this Solo, so I devised my own strategy to guarantee success in this battle. I knew that the Alliance would not be prepared for this special tactic because it was beyond their technical expertise and experience. Yes, this would be a glorious battle for the Covenant.
Meanwhile, a deep space probe noticed large amounts of activity around a certain space station in orbit around Corellia, dubbed "Centerpoint Station" by the Alliance. I was unsure of the significance of the station, but knew there had to be a great deal of it for the enemy to focus so much attention on it. I would not put it past Solo to "forget" to mention this station to me. I factored the station into my overall attack strategy and began preparations for my fleet.
The hours before our invasion were extremely tense. We knew that the moment we entered Slipspace, the Alliance would be aware of our presence and would have ample time to prepare a defense. Of course, the battle lines were drawn, but they were not in a place the Alliance would expect.
Contrary to previous battles, I had my fleet stop at the edge of the system, out of range of the Alliance guns but just in range for a visual lock. I knew that the Alliance would be keeping an eye on my formation, waiting for any signs of attack. Unfortunately, that would be their greatest mistake. What they didn't know was the ability for our Slipspace drives to perform microjumps: Slipspace jumps that traveled a distance less than a light year. With customary efficiency, our fleet managed to jump from edge of the system to the space between Corellia and the Alliance fleet, which effectively put us on their rear.
Of course, such feats of elegance and precision meant that there would be a few mishaps. Three ships either suffered from miscalculation or bad luck and ended up far too close to the planet. They were sucked into Corellia's gravity well and destroyed by violent atmospheric reentry.
Meanwhile, the Alliance fleet was still unaware of our maneuver. Because Slipspace travel required faster than light speeds, we actually traveled faster than the light coming from our ships, which meant that the Alliance were looking at a phantom fleet that was no longer where it was supposed to be.
The opening volley proved to be the single most destructive in the entire war. The Alliance lost nearly a quarter of their fleet in the initial assault. It was at this moment that Thrackan's fleet began to turn to our side, attacking many Alliance ships from the rear and destroying countless more enemy craft. His own personal security forces and agents also managed to sabotage or take control of all of Corellia's space stations, rending them inoperable for the Alliance.
However, what disturbed me the most was the inordinate amount of security surrounding Centerpoint Station. Not trusting to let Solo take it, I decided to send my own troops to board it and plunder its secrets.
Meanwhile, the battle was horrendously lopsided, but did not stop the Alliance from fighting back. Over a score of our ships were lost under concentrated fire and many more were lost to the Jedi's accursed Shadow Bombs. I ordered my fleet to target the largest Alliance ships first, since their picket ships lacked the firepower to pierce our shields. Within minutes, dozens of cruisers and Star Destroyers were reduced to burned out hulks.
On Centerpoint, however, fighting was close and vicious. It was fortunate that one of our Sangheli was carrying a mounted recording device to show us what the battle looked like in the station.
Video Log 6546k from Melan Kanalee(Scene opens up on the inside of a Covenant transport ship. The transport is holding a dozen Unggoy and four Sangheli, including Kanalee.)
Pilot: We are approaching the target. All passengers prepare for rapid deployment.
Kanalee: The moment is upon us. Show no mercy and cleanse this accursed station with our holy rage! Live well!
Rest: And die fighting!
(The dropship hatch suddenly opens. Laser fire immediately peppers the interior of the transport killing multiple Unggoy. The rest pile out and are cut down by precision fire. The Sangheli absorb the shots with their energy shields and charge the enemy: several humans and an assortment of aliens.)
Kanalee: Get in close! They are no match for our divine strength! (draws plasma sword and cleaves two enemies in half.)
(The three other Elites follow suit and begin hacking away at the defenders with their swords until reinforcements arrive. Two more squads of Unggoy, a squad of Kig-Yar, a squad of Sangheli, and a Lekgolo pair arrive to assist.)
Kanalee: Leave none alive!
(Multiple cheers and rallying cries from the assorted troops. They charge deeper into the station, slaughtering numerous defenders until they reach the control room, where they find a group of the Jedi witches.)
Kanalee: Stand your ground! We will slay these heretics!
(The witches begin to speak as well, and their conversation is picked up by Kanalee's audio recorder. Several of the figures have later been identified.)
Luke Skywalker: Han! Leia! Get these people out of here! We'll hold them off!
(Han, Leia, and the rest of the station's crew escape through another passage. Two Elites attempt to give chase but are cut down by Skywalker and his mate, Mara Jade. Two other unidentified Jedi stand with them.)
Skywalker: We have to hold them off long enough for Han and Leia to get the Falcon out of here!
Kanalee: Umanee! Take an Unggoy squad and the Yig-Kar to pursue the cowards! The rest of you, burn the heretics!
(Plasma fire erupts, but the Jedi move so fast that Kanalee's recorder can barely keep track of them. It is clearly seen that some of the plasma fire is deflected and some of the ricochets strike unwitting Covenant. A Lekgolo fires his fuel rod. One of the unidentified Jedi attempts to deflect it, but the fuel rod explodes on contact with his energy saber and incinerates the heretic. His death causes the other three Jedi to hesitate. Kanalee takes the chance and lunges forward at the other unidentified Jedi. The Jedi, surprised, manages to bat Kanalee's sword away, but Kanalee recovers quickly, spinning around and lopping the Jedi's head off.)
Kanalee: (holding up the slain Jedi's head) Behold! These witches use false magic and trickery in order to scare us, but they are still mere mortals, no more divine than you or I!
(Suddenly, Skywalker raises a hand and Kanalee's camera tumbles and shifts out of focus for a few seconds. It appears that Kanalee and the rest of his unit are knocked down to the ground by some unseen force. Kanalee gets up and quickly scans the room, but the Jedi are gone.)
Kanalee: The station is ours! Rejoice for the Forerunner have decided to bless us with victory!
(Cheers emanate from the rest of the unit.)
End Feed
Once word of Centerpoint's capture reached the Alliance, their entire fleet turned and attempted to retake the station, or destroy it. Fortunately, A squadron of cruisers and destroyers managed to form a protective screen around the station, shielding it from harm. Being attacked from all sides, the Alliance forces had no choice but to retreat. However, they were unaware of the trump card I had. Just before the battle began, the Huragok managed to decipher the secrets of the Alliance's hyperspace drives and developed a countermeasure device which produces a powerful artificial gravity field, similar to that of a large planet. Unfortunately, the device was still in prototype stages and it failed after five minutes of continued use, but the damage was done. Dozens more Alliance ships, unable to flee to the safety of their vaunted hyperspace, were cut down mercilessly.
The final tally of losses was calculated at nearly thirty Covenant and six Allied ships lost. The Alliance, however, suffered grievous casualties with nearly half their fleet of five hundred destroyed or heavily damaged. The enemy fleet was sent reeling and Corellia was firmly in our control. Our fleet continued to chase down the Alliance until every single planet in the Corellian system was under our complete control. Of course, Thrackan Solo presented several problems, but they were easily rectified after several "demonstrations" we performed on a few of Corellia's orbital stations.
Fortune was smiling upon us, and it seemed nothing would halt our unstoppable might. Meanwhile, the other fleets were advancing, and all were converging on a single planet where the ultimate fate of this galaxy was to be decided…
Coruscant.