A/N: Closing in on the end of the story. My continued thanks for the reviews and for not flaming me. I hope you don't start because I included Wesley Crusher. Anyway enjoy this chapter and review!
Chapter 20
Battle of Felucia
Wesley Crusher beamed aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise to be greeted by first officer Commander Data. He dropped off his belongings in his personal quarters then went to sickbay to see his mother. After a brief conversation there he proceeded to engineering to greet Geordi.
"Wes!" he said, shaking the officer's hand hard. "It's good to be back Geordi." Then he noticed another officer working a console behind him. Her back was turned but he knew who it was. "Robin?" Wesley asked
Robin Lefler turned around and saw Wes, smiled broadly and grabbed him in a big hug. "It's good to see you again Wesley. I'm glad I could see you before the last battle."
Wesley held her tight for a little while then let her go. "I'd love to chat more with you but I have to report to the bridge."
"Alright but hey, while you're up there, remember law 91."
"Always watch your back." they said together. Wesley kissed her on the cheek then left for the bridge.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard sat in the Captain's chair of the U.S.S. Enterprise. The fleet was nearly in position when Worf reported that the last of the new crewmembers had been beamed aboard. "Very well. I'll be in my ready room." he replied and stood to go to his ready room. Before he took a step however the turbolift door opened.
Lieutenant Wesley Crusher stepped out and approached Picard with a wide smile. "Lieutenant Crusher reporting for duty sir."
Picard smiled broadly and shook his hand. "Welcome aboard Lieutenant. I'm glad you could join us."
"So am I sir." Wesley replied
"Congratulations on your promotion." said Picard
"Thank you sir."
Wesley had earned his new rank after piloting a Miranda-class ship in a series of dazzling evasive maneuvers against a Munificent-class frigate. His maneuvers allowed the ship to avoid several turbolaser salvos that would have otherwise disabled or destroyed the ship. For his skill he had been awarded the Federation Flying Cross, usually given to helmsmen with extraordinary skill.
"Take your station, Lieutenant." said Picard
"Sir the fleet is in position for the jump to hyperspace." reported Worf.
"Mr. Crusher, lay in a course for Felucia." said Picard
"Aye sir." Crusher replied
"Captain, message from General Yoda." said Worf
"In position the fleet is, ready to jump to hyperspace we are."
"Very well General standby." replied Picard who nodded to Crusher.
Wesley tapped some controls then ran two fingers up on the console. On the viewscreen the stars stretched and then became the solid blue of hyperspace. "Jump complete sir, ETA to Felucia...six hours." he said
"Very well. I'll be in my ready room." Picard said as he walked to his ready room. He sat down behind his desk and tapped the computer. On it was the list of ships and personnel assigned to his and Yoda's fleet.
The Enterprise and Yoda's flagship, the Republic, were joined by five hundred Federation cruisers most of which were Excelsiors and Ambassadors. Another two hundred were smaller ships, Miranda, Centaur, Soyuz classes. Also joining the fleet were the first ships of the new Defiant and Akira-classes. These were part of the combat modernization program begun by Starfleet Command in response to the Borg threat. Other classes included the Steamrunner and Norway-classes all of which were more combat-oriented that previous classes. There was even talk of reactivating the Constitution-class. But instead of upgrading existing ships, Starfleet decided to build new ships based on the older design. It was called the Excalibur project. The goal was to produce a standardized cruiser with multi-role capability in addition to the newer combat-oriented ship classes. However, none of those ships were available yet. The Republic had assigned fifty Venator-class star destroyers and an equal amount of Acclamator assault ships along with nearly three hundred Consular-cruisers.
The Consular-class cruisers were fast becoming the standard anti-starfighter capital ship used by the Republic. They had been retrofitted and three of the six normal turbolasers had been removed and twelve computer-fire-control linked quad lasers. Some of the more recently built ones included a phaser array specifically configured for point defense. Some of the Acclamator-class ships had also been retrofitted with large hangar decks for starfighter squadrons instead of large numbers of troops, they also had increased point defense capability. The Providence-class cruiser captured early in the war had been studied and refitted in time for this battle. It had been renamed the U.S.S. Providence. Likewise the Subjugator-class that had been stolen from the CIS shipyards at Fondor had also been refitted and renamed. It was now the U.S.S. Liberator. That ship had been assigned to Skywalker, Kenobi and Keller's fleet.
Picard looked at the intelligence data concerning Felucia. There was a major base there along with a recently built factory. The most recent data suggest that more than five million droids had been deployed to the surface. Vast swaths of forest and jungle had been cut down to make room for the expanding base. In orbit were hundreds of ships. Again the most recent intelligence indicates at least three hundred Munificent-class frigates, four hundred Recusant-class destroyers, one hundred Trade Federation battleships and fifty Providence-class cruisers. He looked up the stats on Geonosis, the enemy fleet in orbit there numbered at nearly five thousand ships and nearly one billion droids on the planet's surface. So we're nearly even for ships at Felucia. But I think we actually outgun them. The majority of their firepower comes from the Recusants and Munificents, if we can destroy those quickly the other enemy ships can be swarmed. Picard thought to himself. Geonosis is another question. That battle will depend on events at Felucia, Ryloth and Mustafar.
Six hours later the fleet dropped out of hyperspace at the edge of the Felucia system. Several shuttles were dispatched to the inner system as scout ships to confirm the presence and number of enemy ships. A few hours later they returned. Picard sat in his ready room and was speaking with Yoda over a secure channel.
"Our scouts have confirmed the number of enemy ships in orbit. They appear to be evenly distributed across the planet. We will face roughly seventy-five Munificent frigates, one hundred Recusant destroyers, twenty-five Trade Federation battleships and a dozen Providence-class cruisers no matter where we come out of hyperspace. However, enemy fighter strength seems to have been increased." Picard said
"Heavy casualties they will take. Use tricobalt weapons we must, to thin out enemy fighters." Yoda replied
"I agree, all my ships have already loaded tricobalt torpedoes and they are ready to fire. A few ships even have the new quantum torpedoes. They're designed to be more effective than standard photon torpedoes. Starfleet is looking at replacing photon torpedoes completely in the next few years."
"Seen the specifications I have. Impressive weapons they are. Look forward I do, to seeing them in action. Ready your forces are?"
"Yes we're ready."
"Then commence the attack we will." replied Yoda and the channel closed.
The plan of attack agreed upon by Captain Picard and General Yoda called for the entire fleet to drop out of hyperspace after a short micro-jump in the northwest hemisphere of the planet. The entire fleet would hopefully quickly overwhelm the ships in that area and then split into two groups. General Yoda would take half the Republic and Federation ships and go 'east' while Picard's group would go 'west'. If all went according to plan the two allied fleets would meet over the northeast hemisphere and destroy the entire enemy fleet in orbit before sending down troops to destroy the enemy base and factory.
Picard strood onto the bridge. "Lieutenant Crusher are the calculations for the micro-jump complete?" he asked
Crusher tapped the console. "Yes sir, the fleet is in position for the micro-jump."
"Then make it so Mr. Crusher."
The entire fleet jumped to hyperspace and no a second later dropped back out in orbit of Felucia. "Report, Mr. Worf." Picard said
"Enemy fighters launching. Enemy capital ships are approaching." said Worf
"Order the fleet to target a volley of tricobalt torpedoes ahead of us. Fire when ready."
As one the leading fifty ships launched tricobalt torpedoes. Ahead of the enemy fleet the droid fighters dispersed as to not lose as many fighters at one time. Picard noticed this and ordered a second volley. "Mr. Worf, order the next volley to be more spread out." then in a comment to Data he said "It seems, Commander Data that the CIS have finally gotten a little smarter when it comes to fighters."
"It would appear so sir." he replied.
"Sir, the fleet in entering optimal firing range." said Data
"Picard to all ships, launch fighters, when possible set phasers to point defense. Assume Attack Formation Epsilon-3, Attack Pattern Delta. Full impulse, fire at will." he said.
The entire fleet surged forward. A little over seven hundred ships attacked first. The two hundred enemy ships in that sector were quickly overwhelmed and the Federation fleet held it's position while the Republic ships caught up with them. Then the fleet split in half, Yoda's fleet proceeded one way, while Picard's forces went another. Phasers, torpedoes, turbolasers flashing through space, impacting energy shields and hull armor.
A Venator was cut off and surrounded by Munificent frigates. Federation ships rushed to help but it was too late as the Star Destroyer exploded taking three enemy frigates with it. Two Defiants made strafing runs along Providence cruisers, while fifteen Excelsiors attack a group of Recusant destroyers. Twelve Cheyenne-class heavy cruisers ganged up on a Trade Federation ship. They swarmed it, avoiding the majority of it's turbolaser fire, eventually they punched through the shields and the hull, hitting the main reactor with a torpedo barrage. One ship even fired a tricobalt torpedoe directly into the port-side hangar of the Trade Federation ship.
Picard's forces were doing well, having destroyed an additional hundred enemy ships in the next sector. Then Wesley had an idea. "Captain, I have an idea. Right now we have to batter down the shields and try to punch through the hull. It's taking too much time. We should just beat down the shields and beam photon torpedoes over to the enemy ship." he said
Picard looked at Data. "Your opinion Mr. Data?"
"It's possible sir, and it would save time and munitions and possibly ships and lives."
"Very well, Mr. Worf, our current target?"
"A Recusant-class destroyer sir."
"Status of target?"
"Shields are down, significant damage to outer hull. Weapon emplacements nearly destroyed. Engines are still online however." Worf reported.
"Beam a photon torpedo over, set for five-second delay."
"Aye sir...transport complete."
Then the Recusant destroyer exploded from the inside. Debris went everywhere, but the ship was destroyed.
"Well done, Mr. Crusher. Move us to our next target. Mr. Worf, inform the fleet and send a message to General Yoda and his ships detailing the tactic."
At once, enemy ships began exploding from the inside. No longer concerned with beating down the shields and punching through the hull, the Allied ships began moving much faster to secure the orbit of Felucia. While it still took two hours to secure the orbit after destroying every capital ship, there were still a number of enemy droid fighters in the attack. Squadrons of Republic and Federation fighters were dispatched to sectors especially filled with droid fighters. While the fighters cleaned up, the Acclamators and Venators launched their gunships, filled to the brim with clone troopers. However, before they landed, several battalions of Starfleet MACOs beamed down and secured landing sites from droid attacks.
Once everyone was on the ground a brutal but brief ground campaign liberated the world of Felucia. A day later Picard and Yoda's fleet arrived at the rendezvous coordinates outside the Geonosis system and waited for the other two fleets. Two days after that General Secura and General Kang's fleet arrived and took up positions around Picard and Yoda's fleet. They all waited for Anakin and Obi-wan's fleet to show up so the final battle could commence..