A/N: This is it, the second to last chapter. The last chapter will wrap everything up. Be sure to look out for the sequel which I've titled 'A Time For War'. Also look out for more Halo: Elite Force and Halo: Defection. I might also start a Halo-Star Wars crossover taking place during the New Republic Era but that might be a way's off. BTW I know all the Horizontal lines might be confusing but I'm trying to give a sense of 'it's happening all over the place' and the scene switching during space battles in both Star Trek and Star Wars.

Chapter 23

Battle of Geonosis

Allied Rendezvous point near Geonosis

Local space at the rendezvous point was filled with warships. Thousands of Federation and Klingon ships along with hundreds of Star Destroyers, Acclamators, Arquentis-class cruisers, Consular-class frigates and other ships. They were all ready for the final battle to end the Clone Wars. As soon as Captain Keller's ships had arrived from Mustafar they had formed up with the fleets already present. Damaged ships and wounded personnel were offloaded and sent to medical stations and shipyards for treatment and repairs. Additional Federation and Klingon ships had arrived via the wormhole and immediately jumped to the rendezvous, these ships brought the number of Allied ships to an even seven thousand, the largest fleet ever assembled. Thousands of MACOs and Clone Troopers checked their weapons and equipment.

Then the word was given.

Instantly, seven thousand ships disappeared. Then reappeared in the Geonosis system. Multiple volleys of torpedoes photon, proton, quantum and tricobalt flashed through space. Thousands of droid fighters vaporized. A few hundred enemy capital ships lost shields and exploded. Allied fighters quickly swarmed the remaining ships in the immediate area. The Allied fleet quickly cleared an area of space above Geonosis then landed troops on the ground. Hundreds of MACOs transported to the surface first, establishing a landing zone. Then hundreds of Federation Assault shuttles and Republic LAATs landed and deployed even more troops.

In orbit, the fleet split in two. Captain Picard and Captain Riker took their groups one way. While Captains Keller, Tallasa and T'Pon took their task forces another way. Generals Yoda, Secura and Windu followed Picard and Riker. Generals Kenobi and Skywalker went with Keller.

Captain Keller stood on the bridge of his ship. "All ships this is Captain Keller. Assume attack formation Gamma-5. Attack pattern Alpha-3. Engage at full impulse." he commanded.

Federation Peregrine and Republic ARC-170 fighters rushed ahead of the formation and engaged droid fighters. Federation frigates like the Miranda and Soyuz followed up with photon torpedoes and phaser spreads. Cruisers and destroyers followed them and swarmed enemy capital ships.

A group of twenty Mirandas were assigned to anti-fighter duty along with the Republic Consular-class frigates. That group swept through the battle losing tricobalt and phaser salvos, destroying hundreds of Vulture droids, droid bombers and Tri-fighters.

Federation cruisers like the Agamemnon, strafed the larger capital ships of the CIS. An Ambassador escorted by a pair of Excelsiors fired photon torpedoes at a Recusant. The torpedoes drained the shields, then phasers drilled into the hull. The Recusant attempted to roll and present new shields to the enemy ships but by the time it rolled the Federation ships were past it and hammered the unshielded hull with torpedoes from the aft launchers. These torpedoes vaporized large portions of the hull. One torpedo managed to penetrate deep enough to exploded near the reactor causing the Recusant to exploded.

Another group of Soyuzes, Mirandas and Centaurs swarmed a Trade Federation battleship. The battleship took several volleys of photon torpedoes before returning fire catching three Mirandas in a single salvo, vaporizing them completely. The other ships continued swarming it draining its shields at little at a time. Eventually a phaser blast struck the hull and destroyed a quad-turbolaser mount. A Centaur-class ship beamed a torpedo through the gap in the shields and it exploded in the middle of the sphere in the center of the vessel. That explosion ripped through the bridge, destroying the controls. The turbolaser fire stopped suddenly and the Federation ships loosed another larger salvo of torpedoes. This salvo broke through the shields in several areas along the outer rim of the ship. More torpedoes were beamed aboard. One near the reactor exploded causing the reactor to overload. The Trade Federation ship began to exploded from the inside and the group of Allied ships moved on to another target.

Anakin Skywalker stood on the bridge of his ship. "Target that Providence-class cruiser with all weapons. Fire at will." he said

The clones responded with professionalism and fired turbolasers with pinpoint accuracy. The Resolute and six other Star Destroyers opened up on a Providence-class cruiser. Blue turbolasers impacted heavy shields on both sides. The enemy cruiser responded with all weapons. Red turbolasers impacted Republic shields, breaking through in some areas and scoring the hull. However, a single Providence-class cruiser couldn't take on seven Venator-class Star Destroyers. It was quickly destroyed after a Federation fighter squadron hit the shield generators and a formation of Klingon cruisers strafed the ship to death.

Five Republic Dreadnaught-class heavy cruisers engaged a group of the same class employed by the CIS. However the Republic ships won out with the arrival of a group of Acclamator-class assault ships. Turbolasers flashed between the ships. Shields drained, then popped as more turbolaser fire ripped into ship's hulls.

On the ground a MACO turned to his comrades. He could see the droid army ahead. "Come on you apes! You want to live forever!" he yelled, then turned and fired his phaser at a droid in the distance. Hundreds more phasers and blasters joined his and the large droid army in front of him was quickly dismantled.

Captain Picard sat in his chair, holding on tight as the Enterprise took several hits from a Munificent-class frigate. "Mr. Worf, if you please." he said

Worf grinned savagely. "Yes sir." he replied. Then tapped out a series of commands on his console. The Enterprise came about and fired a salvo of torpedoes and phasers at the same time. The combined weapons punched through the shields and caused the enemy's reactor to overload and the ship exploded violently.

Worf's console blinked at him. "Sir, priority target ahead. Providence-class cruiser."

"Understood, have destroyer units six and seven, cruiser wings eighteen and nineteen and join us along with whatever Republic ships are available." Picard replied

Six Mirandas, along with three Excelsiors and three Ambassadors formed up with the Enterprise. A group of three Republic star destroyers turned in their direction as well. Sixteen ships opened up on a single Providence-class cruiser. Blue turbolasers, crimson phasers and photon torpedoes impacted the shields. The three destroyers came alongside and unleashed a fierce broadside salvo. Twelve turbolaser batteries fired and punched through the heavy shields of the Providence. A salvo of photons from the Federation ships that had come about punched into the hull as well, vaporized large portions of the hull even as Republic turbolasers continued to fire. The Republic ships ceased firing for a moment as the Federation ships strafed the enemy ships lengthwise. Thirteen phaser blasts impacted the hull. Scorching hull plating in some areas and drilling holes in others. One last salvo of turbolaser fire and a photon torpedo spread from the Enterprise's aft launchers caused the reactor to overload and explode.

A group of clone troopers engaged a larger group of droids. For a moment it looked like they would be overwhelmed. But help came in the form of a dozen Republic gunships. The gunships swept the area of armored vehicles like Spider droids and Hailfire droids. They also killed dozens of dwarf spider droids.

A Clone Commando unit crept through the tunnels of Geonosis seeking their target. A droid factory. "Anyone else having a sense of Deja Vu?" asked one.

"Very funny six-two." replied the other.

The clones quickly completed their mission and were extracted.

As their gunship flew away they were treated to the sight of a large portion of the ground caving in where the factory used to be.

After a full hour of intense fighting, the enemy fleet was reduced to a mere five hundred ships, clustered in orbit above the main CIS command center on the ground. Allied forces quickly rallied and assaulted the last ships of the Confederate navy. While on the ground, MACOs, Klingon warriors and Clone troopers of the 501st, assaulted the fortress containing the CIS command center.

In the command center Grievous growled and coughed. "All ships, fight to the death!" he commanded. While that may have been inspiring words to living crews, the droid crew took that order into account and fought to the last. The Confederate navy lasted another half-an-hour before the last ship exploded from photon torpedoes, turbolasers and phaser strikes.

The enemy command center was shielded from orbital attack so the Allies would have to destroy it the hard way. Since the Allies knew Grievous was there, every Jedi General and Padawan was routed to the battle.

A LAAT landed behind friendly lines and deposited Generals Windu, Yoda, Skywalker, Kenobi, Fisto, Mundi and Knight Ahsoka Tano. Seven Jedi lead hundreds of Allied troops in a frontal assault on the CIS command center. While the droids had the upper hand in terms of elevation the Allies ruled the skies. Federation Assault shuttles and Republic LAATs strafed the center repeatedly. A pair of LAATs launched two concussion missiles each, blowing a large hole in the command center. General Skywalker and Kenobi led dozens of troops through the breach. But before they could get to far, a pair of red lightsabers lit up. "Ventress." said Skywalker

"Skywalker, Kenobi..." Ventress growled. "You have caused me no end of grief. Your allies destroyed my personal ship!"

"Which one would that be? I've lost count." replied Skywalker.

Ventress screeched then lept into the air.

Skywalker and Kenobi jumped up as well. Lightsabers clashed for a good ten minutes before a phaser bolt hit Ventress in the back after she parried both blades. She fell without a sound.

"Nice shot Lt." said Skywalker

Lt. Larry Davis lowered his weapon. "Your welcome Skywalker. My computer specialist has hacked into the security net of the Command Center. Grievous is in the control room. There is a room directly below that we can use to plant explosives and destroy the control room from below. As long as Grievous doesn't leave, we should catch him in the explosion as well." he replied

"Agreed, let's go." said Kenobi.

The two Jedi Master led a dozen troops from each Ally down corridors and turbolifts. They eliminated what seemed like an endless supply of droids. Soon, Lt. Davis called for a halt.

"We're under the control room. Grievous is still in there. Quick, spacial charges, there, there and there." He said pointing to three spots on the ceiling. Klingon and Federation demolitionists quickly placed the charges and the group retreated around a corner and down a hallway. Davis pressed a button on his armor. The area below the control room flashed, then debris exploded down the corridor. The group moved back in to secure the area.

They found Grievous' remains. A phaser set on high vaporized the rest. Above them, more allied troops had breached the control room and had quickly taken the area. Kenobi and Skywalker lept up the hole while the troops below climbed via rope.

Skywalker quickly contacted General Yoda and Captain Picard. "Captain, Master Yoda, Grievous is dead and we've taken the control room." he said

"Excellent work General Skywalker. According to our information and Palpatine's private files there is a code that when input into any CIS main computer, will shut down all CIS droids across the galaxy. I'm transmitting that code now." Picard replied

"We've got it Captain, putting it in now." said Lt. Davis.

Ten minutes past.

"General Skywalker. Sensors and reports are coming in from all over Geonosis and the galaxy. CIS droids are shutting down. We've won." said Picard

With the demise of its primary leaders, CIS Senate surrendered and the planets rejoined the Republic. Several minor CIS military leaders were held for war crimes. Most of the major ones that would have been held for such crimes were already dead.

As one the Galaxy celebrated. The Allied fleet flew over Coruscant amid a sea of cheering citizens and fireworks. Then the process began of rebuilding the Galaxy. The Federation and Klingons began rebuilding their fleets. New technology spread throughout the Republic and Milky Way galaxies.

Watching these events from a distance far outside the Republic Galaxy was a new species...One that abhorred technology and intended to cleanse and claim both galaxies...