As the Separatist Command ship hyperspaced out of the system while her escort banking clan frigates smoldered and burst apart, their droid crews dismantled. Jokoren sheathed his ligthsaber after disengaging it. He sighed with frustration because there was nothing he could do. Salori thought she could do better and would refuse if he did otherwise. Well, her plan failed and Jokoren was left with the feeling of "I told you so". However he wouldn't allow himself to say it. Salori already knew and didn't want to admit it to him.
Clones milled about waiting for their LAAT to come and take them back to the Venator class Warship. Jokoren looked up as the corvettes began descending on the planet's surface and Militia troopers formed up to board. Though the militia troopers were more experienced fighters, the clones were far more organized and grouped up into formation while the Militia troopers milled about and boarded in clumps. Jokoren shook his head and commander Fletch walked over to him while Caedar supervised the boarding.
"Long fight. Too bad we didn't win." Fletch noted solemnly.
"Well they sure lost. We secured the system didn't we?" Jokoren said optimistically. Fletch shrugged.
"It's not the same." Fletch resigned.
"Don't worry. We'll be winning plenty when we start our outer-rim campaign."
"Outer-rim sir?" Fletch asked surprised.
"Of course. There are republic systems under oppression. They need our help and we have the size and positioning to assist them." Jokoren replied earnestly. Fletch chuckled and shook his head.
"You've got some nerve sir. What do you think the council will say?" He asked.
"They're republic systems. The sooner we drive the Separatists out, the better." Jokoren shrugged.
"Won't we leave the republic exposed if we move out?"
"Actually, I have already commissioned for a republic fleet to reinforce this system. The plan is to set this system up for defense while we take a small force to conduct surgical strikes on weaker Separatist positions. And by weaker I mean Republically loyal, not easy."
"What did you have in mind?" Fletch asked. Salori was coming up the street and came up behind him when he said it.
"Ryloth." Jokoren replied and Salori gaped.
"Master Amidale, are... are you serious?" Salori asked hopefully. Jokoren turned surprised.
"Of course I am. Ryloth is critical to the republic as the homeworld of the Twi'leks." Jokoren said taking his eyes off of Salori's garb. She wore her traditional Twi'lek garb of a skirt with two three inch bands of cloth over either shoulder between her legs and back. However no tunic underneath. Plenty of her orange skin was apparent, particularly her sides. Fletch raised an eyebrow, but Jokoren remained mostly unphased. After clearing his throat he continued."That isn't a problem is it?"
"Master Amidale, I don't know what to say..." Salori began failing for words of gratitude. Fletch huffed bemusedly. It was the first time Salori had actually agreed with Jokoren so Jokoren didn't want to put her off of her good mood by saying anything.
"I think I'll leave these love birds to roost..." Fletch mumbled and put on his turquoise patterned helmet before walking away, rifle in both hands. Jokoren tried to object but Fletch's Command Sash and kama vanished before he could get out a word.
"Don't worry, he's just pulling your leg." Salori reassured him trotting to one of the Corvettes, it's boarding ramp down and taking on militia troopers.
"And how are you so sure of that?" Jokoren objected following her.
"If he wasn't, he'll have quite the time among the others talking about it." Salori called back grinning and Jokoren rolled his eyes deciding not to object. He was finally on her good side somehow and he didn't want to lose what he had just earned.
They walked into the bridge, clones fully armored busy checking monitors and instruments as the fleet prepared to hyperspace. Fletch looked up, helmet under his shoulder and smiled mischievously while Caedar and Amadus nodded simply, obviously unaware of the circulating rumor. Then again, maybe Jokoren was being superstitious. After checking their emotions with the force, he realized he was being superstitious. Salori leaned over the Holo-table as an image of a city on Ryloth appeared.
"Master Amidale, I heard you wanted to start the campaign over Ryloth." Captain Amadus noted. Jokoren nodded.
"I take it this is where the Separatist's are holed up." Jokoren said folding his arms and gesturing at the city and Caedar nodded with a grin while running a hand through his blonde hair.
"This is where the Seps are dispatching their influence from, yes. However, they are also currently running a slave trading operation in an out post twelve clicks north of this city." Caedar replied having the image zoom out to have a full view.
"As you can see, the city is surrounded by mountainous terrain. The outpost is located in a less rocky position, however it is at least four clicks west. The whole sha-bang is connected together by a long narrow path." Fletch noted.
"So we free the slaves and hit the city?" Salori asked eagerly.
"No. We'll have to hit the city in order to free the slaves. We'll move in with commando teams on the palace in the center of the city, neutralize the enemy defenses, and free the slaves once we've caused enough damage to force them into surrender. If the droids are running the operation, the whole system for containing the slaves will be automated from the city via that control tower. We'll secure the throne room and control tower here and begin landing ground troops in mass quantity over the out post to free the slaves being held there. The droids won't have any reinforcements to call upon. Hopefully we'll cause enough commotion in the palace courtyard to force reinforcements to abandon the outpost allowing our bulk units to free the slaves with less resistance." Jokoren objected and began pointing out the different points in his plan.
"But they'll hold the slaves hostage." Salori objected."If they start taking hostages, we wont be able to do anything."
"I have a plan for that. They'd be relying on our desire to preserve life. The idea is to play right into their hand. I'll turn myself in while Salori returns above to prepare a move in with the fleet of RMF reinforcement vessels. Amadus, upon my alleged capture, take the fleet back to Taris to cover Salori's approach. Salori will land on the far side of the planet and begin landing ground troops to break myself and the other captives out." Jokoren ordered and Amadus nodded while Fletch looked on surprised.
"Sir, what if the plan falls through?"
"Then Salori is in command. Salori, this mission is paramount." Jokoren replied turning to Salori."Whatever happens, liberate Ryloth." Salori looked at him as if it were a "no duh" sort of action but Jokoren glared and she finally nodded.
"...Yes,Master."
"What if they don't think of holding hostages?" Fletch asked.
"Then we move on the mountain two clicks north of there." Jokoren replied sliding the image of the map across the holo-table so that it changed to another part of the map. A large mountain, towering over it's neighbors, swirled in the center of the table.
"And what is so significant about this mountain?" Caedar asked confused.
"The composition of it consists mainly of Duranium. It would make a perfect mining location for manufacturing battle droid armor. I wouldn't be surprised if they had a droid factory as big as the one on Geonosis down there." Jokoren noted. Amadus took a deep breathe and shook his head.
"Sounds extensive." Caedar admitted.
"It's a plan though." Fletch shrugged.
"Then we head for Ryloth." Amadus said resolutely and looked down the ship through the bridge window as the fleet hyperspaced out of Taris heading for the system of Ryloth.