The Galactic Exodus Chronicles Part 2 :The Galactic Civil War

by Lord Exar Kun

Now with the rebels dealt a mighty blow, and the renegade Moffs about to strike, the galaxy finds itself moving closer and closer to full blown war! The Galactic Civil War is about to be unleashed upon an unsuspecting galaxy, and this is not the war you remember in the least. Follow Exar Kun, Darth Vader, Leia, the Emperor, and everyone else through this next chapter of the GEC.

67. Chapter 67

Chapter 67

(Kuat Sector, Kuat System, Kuat, Current Time)

"Production levels are at an all time high, sir. The Empire and the Emperor have spared no expenditure. Your family by the end of this war will be undoubtedly the richest in the system. Maybe the whole sector." An aide by the name of Garon blabbered on in awed praise. No doubt his vision was clouded in delusions of grandeur and money.

"The Empire is desperate indeed. They have my drive yards and the shipyards across the Core Worlds churning out hundreds of ships. I think they're worried about the URM and they're endless supply." The man robed in fine cloth and standing rigid and tall declared. He was Kuat of Kuat. Leader of the Kuat family and CEO of the Kuat drive yards. Wealthiest and most powerful in all the system. He was a younger seeming man. His features bore the mark of Kuati royalty. Rigid but lean and pointed to the chin. Some among the court and the courts beyond the world claimed intermarriage among the family kept them looking as they did. However, none whom weren't native Kuati truly understood the strict breeding policies of the royals of Kuat. He looked that way because he was destined too.

"I'd like to think when the history books are written I'll be hailed as a hero that saved the old man from drowning. Him and his pet ack dog, Vader. Those two have slithered about the galaxy and destabilized it to the point we find ourselves. Then they come to cultured well off and ancient families and dynasties like my own expecting us to sort out their mess. Honestly, it's sad more than anything else." The man in all the pompous attitude expected spoke and turned his slender tall form toward a large viewport that looked out into the vastness of space. Where near to them lay the massive drive yard rings floating around the fair jewel that was Kuat.

"Of course, my lord. The Empire would sooner fall without your aid and your shipyards. It's a wonder they've lasted as long as they have."

"Were it not for their pockets being the deepest I would have long thrown them aside and turned these ships over to Moff or rebel usage." Kuat sighed with a distinct sense of boredom flooding from him.

"As it is the Moffs are busy planting their wives in some cave. Too busy looking for their next mistress to waste a quarter of their budgets upon. What ships they have remaining I suspect will be gone in the year. Who's even building ships for them anymore? The Moffs are like Hutts only slimier if that were even possible." He chuckled.

"Hmm, it would be cheaper to make Providence, Munificent, or Recusant class ships really. The materials could be more spread out and production increased. Ah," He waved his hand. "But, those damn Geonosians, the Sluissi, and Neimoidians work too quickly. They outpace our production when combined. Stars only know where their shipyards even are. Geonosis maybe, surely over Sluis Van, but there has to be others." Kuat mused and trailed off.

"If only we knew, my lord. Then we could put them out of production."

"Imagine the profits and protection reaped from doing so? Forcing those droid loving fools to come to us. Offer unimaginable profits, protection, and to top it off be at our mercy! That would be glorious I think." Kuat chuckled, and sighed whimsically.

"Now that would be-" His office desk began to ring. The built in holoterminal signaling a call.

"Allow me, my lord." Garon begged and Kuat smiled and nodded before retuning to watching the yards at work. Sparks in the distance as ships, hulls of ships, and skeletal frames were put together.

"This is Garon Torvul speaking on behalf of his eminence Kuat of Kuat. With whom am I speaking with?" Garon spoke and the small image of an imperial attache officer appeared.

"This is Colonel Cimm of the Kuat Security Imperial naval detachment. I am contacting his eminence on behalf of Admiral Borgul Hyun. The matter at hand is urgent and the Admiral would prefer I speak with him directly."

"Well sir I must-"

"It's fine Garon." Kuat from the viewport declared. He marched over towards the desk and relieved his aide who backed away in silence. Kuat looked down onto the small holographic form of the imperial man and smiled a politically sound smile. The Colonel showed no sign of playing niceties besides bowing his head in recognition.

"Your eminence, Admiral Hyun wishes for me to relay an important request on his part. It is of dire security for not only the sector, but your very system and planet. It may well be for the Empire as a whole." Kuat furrowed his brow, but nodded.

"Very well. Of course I'm always willing to help when I can, Colonel. Certainly I would hope the Admiral understands that." The Colonel said nothing but again nodded subtly.

"Admiral Hyun has requested that you and your forces proceed into a full lock down stance in and on all orbital stations. Furthermore, it is recommended that a full system sweep be committed by local security forces over Kuat, or the interplanetary security checkpoints. Thirdly, all military and security assets both on and over Kuat should be put into full readiness stances immediately." Kuat felt his heart race and breath catch in his throat. The fear was palpable and he could hear Garon behind him shuffling uncomfortably.

To...to what point may I ask? Normal security sweeps have shown nothing I assure you Colonel. Before I strike terror into the hearts of my men and all my people I would like an explanation for why exactly!" The Colonel shuffled his feet. Then he turned to his left and silently nodded. Kuat figured someone was giving him the okay to speak.

"Approximately ten standard moments ago com-scan detected a massive anomaly entering the sector. The anomaly, however, could not be intercepted or further analyzed before disappearing. However, based on readings taken by a nearby orbital scanner we believe the anomaly to be consistent with a large fleet." Kuat cleared his throat and motioned for Garon to come close. He pulled out from his desk a datapad for authorization of lock down protocols across the system and began entering in his access command security keys.

"I will assume then the Admiral does not think it to be one of our own?" His voice became rushed. The adrenaline pounding through him seeming to suck the air out from his lungs as his breaths became labored. He was near to a panic attack as he continued keying in the access codes to the lock down procedures authorization.

"There are no scheduled naval activities in the vicinity of the anomaly's entry into the sector from beyond the border. Anaxes reports no military assets being moved into the sector either. Orders are to take a 'wait and see,' approach to the anomaly." Kuat nodded and frantically began entering the final key code needed in what was a four coded datapad.

"Once I have this blasted thing open Garon I need you to-" The station erupted into light and blaring sound. The emergency lights all came to life and the internal bulb spun a red ominous glow. The imperial mandated naval alarm sound began blaring over and over. The sound like that of a dying whale or other monstrous creature rung in Kuat's ears, and he felt his heart sink.

"What's happening over there?!" The Colonel demanded over the blaring sound. Kuat was about to answer when his office's emergency observational command monitors and sensors came to life as well. All of them rapidly showing scan readouts and signaling their own warnings. The comm channels began coming in then and they were nothing but sheer chaos.

"I uh...I believe you need to send reinforcements Colonel! Report to the Admiral we have a situation!" Kuat managed to gasp out and left the holoterminal. The Colonel still calling to him he ran over to a nearby monitor showing short range interceptor starfighter units and their camera feeds. Kuat snapped on a direct connection link to the pilot's comm channels.

"This is Kuat, what's going on out there?!"

"We've got dozens of droid warships out here! Swarms, whole waves of enemy fighters and bombers have exited their ships! Request immediate assistance! I've lost two of my squad already!" Kuat nodded but dumbly didn't know how to respond. Panic overtook him and he felt his chest tighten.

"Ca...calm down...everyone just needs to calm down!" Kuat exploded and clasped his forehead. He waved his hand towards a shaking Garon to motion him to listen.

"Activate the damn datapad and instate lock down protocols. Activate all orbital defense stations and the cannons! Recall system patrol fleets and get them back here now!" He threw himself back to the monitor and went across wide-band channels across the system.

"All fighter patrols pull back to the drive yards now! Protect them at all costs!" He received a hail of shaky acknowledgments. Turning back around he slammed his fingers into the datapad and keyed in the final security pass and gave Garon authority on his behalf to input the lock down procedures. Kuat ran back to his desk as Garon ran out the room and immediately passed four security guards rushing in to protect Kuat of Kuat.

"Colonel! We have a massive fleet of URM warships in our orbit! We need our defense fleets in action, and ready to fight now!"

"Support is already en route! Admiral Hyun will be arriving with multiple capitol ships and the situation has been relayed to Anaxes. Maintain the drive yards security, and keep those warships from destroying docked ships in the repair yards! All ships with semi-capable weapons are authorized to do what they can."

Kuat nodded in understanding as his station began to shake. Looking outside his viewport he saw a Munificent class frigate firing heavily on his position. While a fleet of indeed dozens of warships surrounded by dots of fighters and bombers move towards the drive yards and firing rapidly in their direction.

"We have to vacate this station sir!" A guard declared and grasped his robed shoulder. All political niceties and decorum lost as they dragged a man immensely higher than their station away from his desk. The transmission cut and the Colonel was gone anyways so Kuat allowed himself to be dragged from the office room of his. The halls were littered with fire suppression droids and astromechs dispatched to repair points in the station already under strain from the bombardment in vain.

As they wound through halls the loudspeakers on the station began reading the lock down protocol off and was undoubtedly being spread across the shipyards and drive yards down to the population on Kuat herself. They were near the hanger when a loud thud hit the exterior walls of the station hall they were in. Followed by three more down the hall. The guards stopped and Kuat huddled low behind one of them.

Suddenly thick pieces of metal, like one giant claw smashed into and through the wall. The prong snapped open and revealed an entry or exit hatch. That hatch exploded and the other claws followed suit as they pounded through the walls. Then came the droids. Out of all three rolled droidekas that swerved on Kuat and his guards immediately and began to unfurl.

"Fire!" The Captain and his men opened a barrage of blue blaster bolt fire. One droideka was torn into as it barely managed to stand and exploded back in a broken heap. The other two took hits but activated their shields and opened fire in bursts. Three guards were shredded. Pieces of their burnt flesh were torn from them and they flew back from the impact of the red bolts fired from the droids.

The Captain threw Kuat to the left behind a bend in the wall where a door was. He took up position behind it as cover and continued firing as more guards from the docking bays came from the opposite direction. But, from the droid transports came a squad of B1 battle droids each. They turned and fired on the reinforcements, and pinned them in the hall.

"Plasma grenade!" The Captain hollered and pulled the weapon from his belt tossing it around his cover. His arm took a bolt hit though after he tossed it which burned through the armor he had on from his wrist down to his skin. The smell made Kuat need to vomit...which he did.

The Captain didn't seem to notice or care. He hugged the wall and waited. The plasma grenade went off and lit the hall in a brilliant flash. Pieces of droid, metal chunks and shards flew across the hall. The clang of those pieces echoing out as they slammed into the walls or floor. The Captain looked around the corner and nursed his burnt left wrist. The droids were in scattered pieces, and luckily for them so were both droideka's.

"Their shields must have been weakened enough to burn through...good. Follow me." He turned the corner and signaled to the guards on the opposite side of the hall. He motioned for them over as the station shook incredibly once more. The Captain and Kuat turned as they heard blaster fire erupt.

More guards evacuating the station ran from another corner to the far end of the hall where they had come from. Following after them came a line of heavily stomping B2 super battle droids with what looked like a flood of buzz droids skittering all around the B2's towards the running guards firing at them.

The Captain again grabbed Kuat towards the docking bay. The CEO had enough time to watch, however, as the buzz droids warbled and buzzed in their own little language. They leapt onto the retreating men shooting at them and began to drill and slice and cut into their flesh and armor. Their screams rung out and the Captain ordered the bay shut with the blast doors and ray shields facing the interior of the bay itself.

The bay was filled with guards and station office or corporate staff. They were being hustled onto transports. Kuat was dragged over to a personal escape shuttle where more guards were waiting for him. He caught out the corner of his eye in his peripherals the chaos outside of the ray-shield leading to the void of space.

The drive yards in the distance were firing rapid large sums of cannon fire towards the station. They barely missed the ray-shield and flew over. Kuat figured them to be headed for an unseen enemy vessel. Nonetheless, the Captain got him onto the transport but stayed behind to secure the rest of those needing evacuation off station. Kuat began hyperventilating as he sat in his seat on his transport which was far more luxurious than all the others.

The shuttle took off and bolted out of the station. There was, however, two viewports, one on either side of the ship for Kuat to look out of. His men remained stiff and ready to protect him, but Kuat turned around in his seat and stared out the viewport. The shuttle banked right and allowed him to look back at the station. It was covered in burns and pieces were floating off into the void as explosions rippled across the rest of the body.

Over the station there were indeed three Munificent frigates bombarding the nearest shipyard where a ship design designated as Bellator was under construction. A swarm of Vulture droids suddenly zipped passed the shuttle and Kuat threw himself back in fear and surprise. A series of TIE fighters followed after firing a barrage of green cannon fire, and Kuat watched one of those TIE units explode right next to the viewport.

"Hold tight back there!" The pilot called and suddenly dipped the shuttle downwards. Kuat felt himself growing sick again as this happened, but he could not cease his morbid curiosity. He looked once again out of the viewport. His heart pounded into his chest as he saw the rebel droid fleet's main force come into view.

It was at a higher 'elevation,' than the drive yards but further out from them, and attacking distant shipyards and docking stations. Several stations meant for temporary visitors were engulfed in flames and losing their orbit. One had decayed and crashed into a shipyard beneath it causing a massive ball of fire and light to blind the whole system for a moment.

"Incoming Imperial units!" The pilot warned, and Kuat turned to view over the drive yards. Exploding into existence came dozens of Imperial class ships. Several Stardestroyers of both one and two classes. Many frigates and cruisers. They all opened fire upon the distant enemy droid fleet which returned fire in kind, and the brilliant light display began. Swarms of fighters and interceptors came from both sides and collided in the center like two great waves colliding and crashing in a massive ocean.

"We'll take you to the surface sir. There we-"

"No! Take me to the drive yards at once!" Kuat commanded. The men looked at him oddly for a moment, but said nothing as the pilot acknowledged and entered in the coordinates of the nearby massive ring of metal. The shuttle dipped and barely missed three Hyena-class bombers zooming by under them as they flew in formation and released a payload of torpedoes on a shipyard further down. A cascade of explosions rippled up and jets of fire exploded out from several bays of that station as the defense cannons fired a rapid spray against the bombers and lit all three in balls of consuming fire.

Kuat could from where he sat make out horrendous and garbled transmissions and screams coming through the pilots headset. The Imperial fleet was joined by another returning patrol fleet of five additional ships including a single massive Praetor-class battlecruiser. They jumped in right over the shuttle and the booms of their cannons opening fire could almost be felt in the walls of his ship. Or, so Kuat thought. Perhaps he was just imagining things, but with every explosion and cannon fire he thought he could feel the pulses travel through his body.

The Praetor was joined by two Gladiator-classes, and two Victory-II class warships and all of them unleashed a barrage of fire upon a nearby Munificent as it crawled away from the main fleet. The ship returned fire in kind but the Praetor angled enough to deliver a heavy starboard side volley of fire. Kuat couldn't help but feel a glow of satisfaction ripple from his core as the Munificent erupted in explosions across its top. Its bridge erupting and exploding out violently before it waned under pressure and exploded into two large jagged burning pieces.

Several droid ships, three Providence, and four Recusant class ships banked along their port side and began firing forward towards the Praetor and its accompanying ships as the rest of the fleet continued to engage the main Imperial fleet. The shuttle continued to push towards the drive yards from under the Praetor. Several more ships kept jumping in from hyperspace as the Empire went into full alert.

The shuttle finally neared the drive yards. The automated defense cannons fired endlessly and the massive bolts flew with immense speeds slamming into fighters, bombers, and enemy ships in the distance. The Imperial fleet loomed overhead and fired into that fleet holding that at bay. Even then there were hundreds of fighters and other smaller vessels such as gunboats and anti-fighter small pocket defenders engaging around the drive yards all the way to both fleets.

But moments prior all had been peaceful, and now Kuat was the vision of the war in space. The shuttle landed in a secure dock. In the bay were several others ships, including a shuttle that had crashed inside and set a small fire droids and crew were putting out. Dozens of separate shipyard or station workers were piled on the floor in heaps of pain or were knocked out. Many with fire and blaster wounds. Medical staff and droids were tending to the people there as drive yard security moved about the bay.

"Shut down all none essential bay access! Get everyone inside who needs to be inside and lock us down!" Kuat gasped out as he moved deeper into the drive yard facilities. He was led by another chief security officer to a local command room. In there were many technicians, drive yard personnel, and monitors covering the walls and holoterminals lining the floors. The chief officer pointed him to the central holoterminal where awaited for him stood a rigid Imperial Admiral.

Kuat approached the terminal and noted the Admiral's look and demeanor. An older man with his white-gray hair slicked back. A healthy and well kempt beard lining his mouth and hanging down only a few inches. His eyes though Kuat could not tell their color were piercing and his brow furrowed deeply.

"Kuat, I am Admiral Hyun. Colonel Cimm has given me a full report on the situation. Maintain your current position. I am officially taking over command of all security forces and operations on and above Kuat. Barring any conflicts of interest you may maintain your leadership capacity."

"Uh...yes Admiral Hyun. May I inquire what the situation at hand is?" The facility shook. Outside a large viewport facing the battle outside Kuat saw defense cannons on either side of the viewport outside firing towards a Diamond-class cruiser. The ship soon erupted and large metal fragments began descending into the atmosphere of Kuat.

"I am in direct command of the battle from my flagship, the Recompense.You may have seen my Praetor enter the system." Kuat nodded and recalled the engineering marvel's power. "System patrols are en route back to Kuat to shore up our defenses. However, I cannot pull any further defense or patrol fleets from the sector. We do not yet know the URM's goals in attacking. We do not yet know if this is but the first feint into the Core for some grand campaign. I have sent a request for support to Anaxes. They will relay the request and send reinforcements when they can. We have, however, a larger problem."

"Being Admiral?"

"A large sum of droid troop transports slipped passed our defenses and are landing droids onto the surface as we speak. I've gone through the liberty of activating all security forces planet side. Further troop deployments are underway from the fleet, however, with the mass of enemy starfighter units in orbit we are losing at least fifteen percent before they ever land.

'The situation is dire, but we have only just begun. Maintain vigilance and secure the drive yards. We are willing to sacrifice the shipyards and space-docks, but the Empire will not accept the loss of the drive yards. Or, I'm sure someone will be blamed, and I certainly don't need to inform you who would be the first target on such a list." The Admiral stated. It wasn't a threat. It was a reminder. One that sent a chill up the moments prior, pompous nobleman.

"Of course Admiral. I will maintain contact and do as you say." He bowed his head and Hyun nodded as the transmission cut.

An explosion in the far distance rocked the room shortly thereafter and Kuat steadied himself against the terminal.

"What was that?!"

"Enemy landing ships and entry pods have hit the drive yards across multiple sectors! Dispatching security teams now, your eminence!" Analysts mounting security monitors and desks reported. Kuat dumbly nodded as some monitors showed his security personnel engaging a large droid contingent of B1 and B2 heavy support near an entrance to a repair dock for a Stardestroyer sized ship. He steadied himself and felt his stomach tie into a knot. As his facility and his world fell into the grip of the war.

(Gladiator-class Stardestroyer Domitor, Orbiting Sarrish)

Viathan sighed in frustration. Placing the datapad down he rubbed his forehead and blinked rapidly. The creep of weariness and the need for sleep was calling to him. He released that weariness into the Force, and allowed a refreshing refueled sensation to flow through him.

He'd been studying the contents of the knowledge put into his datapad by the Rakata device on Lehon. All manner of rituals and writings on knowledge and powers. Some of them were familiar such as lightning coming from their fingertips. To the Rakata it was an amazing feat. To Viathan it was far too common.

What was really different and strange were the ritualistic arts of the ancient alien race. The use of archaic symbols and blood to do fantastical things. As the Rakata saw it symbols truly didn't hold power save for that power you the person gave it. The blood, the essence of the being using the alchemy was the potent battery source. The spark that gave power to the symbol that the user gave power to through unspoken and usually meaningless thoughts.

But, Viathan thought he'd never given any power to those random Rakatan symbols he learned. Then as he thought about it more he realized he had. For when he researched their powers they dictated he use, those particular symbols and only those symbols he subconsciously had given them meaning and importance. Thus they had purpose and only required his blood to be the source of power. It all still gave him a headache, nonetheless.

"Symbols? Symbols are little more than ideas put to form, boy. Symbols and ideas are the only true indestructible things of the universe. The men who make them? They on the other hand are quite easily destroyed." There Viathan sighed again.

His nameless, specter had returned after a lovely reprieve from its droning. The thing refused to give its name, its purpose and its reasons for bothering him for days upon days upon more days since Epica. The only thing that seemed to give Viathan more reprieve was to ignore it even if it seemed capable of picking up on some of his thoughts. Be they directed towards it or not.

So, Viathan did just that and ignored his specter. He sat alone in his room aboard the Domitor. He was once again on the floor with his back to the bed. In front of him to his right lay Ruin's holocron. It was inactive as the datapad of the Rakata was directly on the ground before him with a small bit of light emanating from it.

With his head still hurting some he began to test the Rakata interpretation of symbols and their powers. He began to formulate a symbol. Nothing special, but he chose a symbol of the old Sith Empire. Naga Sadow's flaming star or eye symbol as he remembered it. He pulled from beside him on the floor a small knife. A dagger was more appropriate for it. It shone in the light of the room and sent a feeling of anticipation flooding through him. He produced his right hand and opened the palm where awaited him was mostly unscathed human flesh.

He steeled himself and brought the knife to his hand. His face contorted in pain and his breath became ragged as he began to carve the star symbol into his hand. If it didn't work he knew he'd be cursing himself for the next few weeks at least, and probably have to use his metallic hand exclusively as well. Nonetheless he made a circle in the palm of is hand, and then around it he formed what appeared to be crude flames or jutting spikes. Blood seeped out and fell down his hand. Luckily he had placed a mat below to capture any blood. He'd done so if he found himself stupid enough to try this and here he was.

When he was finished he released a large ragged breath and tried calming himself with a few intakes and outtakes of air. It took a moment as he felt his hand throb in pain and feel as though it was alight with fire. Trickling blood fell from him and he dared not try and touch his hand with his other or put it upon anything else. Still, the pain he could use as he flushed it into the dark side, and let it empower his connection to the Force.

He took hold of that symbol within his mind. He imagined the symbol of Naga Sadow and the ancient Sith and made it fire. It seemed of fire it was of fire. It spoke of and bred fire in his mind, and so he willed the power of fire into it. He made that symbol fire, and he gave his blood to it. The Force whirled about him and seemed to crawl into the gashes made into his hand, and he felt the blood pumping in his body out onto his hand boil like a river of lava upon Sullust.

"Fire." Was all he muttered and he closed that hand. He balled it into a fist and felt the Force rush and the symbol in his mind exploded into a raging inferno. The fire in his mind flowed around his hand and then into it. He closed his eyes and let that sink in for a bit, and felt his hand grow hotter and hotter still. Until he opened his eyes and slowly uncurled his hand.

First the index finger, and then the middle and thumb followed. He felt his breath catch and release shakily. For there in his hand he caressed a small ball of fire. It glowed hot and whipped in his hand and as he loosely unfurled his last two fingers, but still kept the ball enclosed about the fingers he could see passed the flames that the wound upon his hand had been seemingly healed. Though a faint almost fading like scar had been left in place. One he was sure would fade in no time at all. The blood was also gone, save for the traces along the mat below him.

The fire whipped as if a normal campfire in a dense forest. It whipped and fluctuated in his enclosed hand. He felt his heart pounding and the Force being siphoned slowly and nearly unnoticeable were he not attuned to his own presence so acutely at the moment. So, he ventured further and unwrapped his fingers and pointed his open palm upwards to the roof. The flame remained just above his flesh and he felt its warmth descend onto him and the Force flow into it.

Curling one finger pushed the flame. Curling another pushed the flame as well. Crushing the fingers into a fist killed the flame, and willing it back into being while the Force still flowed out from him and after he extended his fingers brought it back to life. So, there he now bore a flame created by and sustained by the Force. Through no mere act of science and heat made by friction or fuel. Rather it was by the blood, his blood that it came to be.

So, he stood from where he had been upon the floor and carefully wrapped the flam in his fingers and let the heat dance over his flesh but cause no burn or harm upon him. His eyes were transfixed on it as it danced before him. Viathan flushed more of his essence and the Force into that flame and there he watched it bloat and expand out from its core. The flames growing and glowing hotter as if stoked by a mighty wind.

The Force whirled about him and he felt such purity rise within him. Purity of thought and power. The flame a pure manifestation of his own rage and wrath buried deep within. It tended to the flames and flared them hotter with that darkness that lay within him. He expanded the flame and commanded it to fly freely before him. He did so in trepidation, and both hands were outstretched before himself as if to plead with the flame to remain calm before him. It floated before his face and remained in the air.

Viathan idly noted the scars on his hand that birthed the flame into being now glowed with some internal power. As if the mere existence of the flame relied on that wound and the blood behind the tissue. It didn't matter to him. This exploration into the fathomless depths of alchemy was exhilarating! The deeper he dug the more rich power he found untapped, and the more he would have to become the greatest agent in the galaxy. In time he knew it would make him the most awesome agent of his masters will, and the greatest to have ever been or be!

The flame remained before him and Viathan's eyes unknown to him burned bright and glowed crimson, as the dark side flooded into and out of him like a well that drunk in the depths of a dark sea to release it into a new fathomless depth to writhe! His pulse pounded and heart raced as he felt such immense exhilaration that he could hardly contain his breathing or shaking nerves.

Finally he commanded the flame to move around his body. He imagined a serpent of fire circling a trapped prey in the center, and he gave thought form. The flame darted left of his vision with a tail of fire following the main orb as it flew around him and out of sight. His hand began to grow hot and almost burn from the inside out, as the flame then circled in from his right and spin around him again.

He closed his eyes and a serene smile overtook his face. The flame spun faster and faster around him. The tail following in tow of the flame heart now hardly dissipating before the flame whirled around again and renewed it. Until at last it spun so fast and so hot that it seemed he had a grand halo of fire whirled around his head down his abdomen to his feet and then back up over and over.

Viathan opened his eyes to see what almost appeared to be an unfinished wall of fire encircling him. His hand burned hot and the scar of the star symbol he had carved now glowed white as the flame did his bidding. The Force flowed out from his hand, and it felt almost like an endless rope was being pulled and funneled to that flame. He felt oddly calm even as he swore his vision became obstructed and blackened for seconds. One second his vision dimmed along the edges of his peripherals and then return and then his whole vision would disappear. Like shadows of frightening beasts and creatures would flash before him and in a second thereafter be gone from his sight.

Before he could investigate his new power any further there came a buzzing of his room intercom. He was snapped and shaken from his enraptured state, and just like that the flame simply blew out of existence. His hand ceases burning and the scars dimmed and even seemed to fade more before him. He felt his heart and pulse calm though he still needed a few breaths to fully control himself again. He realized now just how much sweat beaded along his brow and how shaky his nerves were.

The intercom sounded again followed by a small knock of his metal door.

"Yes?!" he called at last hoping whoever was on the other side could hear him.

"It's Leia!" He heard her call back though she was greatly muffled. Viathan rubbed the back of his neck and hurriedly gathered up the datapad and holocron, as well as the mat and bloodied knife. He stuffed them under his bed far back, and idly as well as nervously wiped his hands onto his cloak though there was no reason to do so.

"Coming!" He called and made his way to the door controls. Taking a final deep calming breath he released the door lock and opened it. It flew open and there stood the Alderaanian princess. Arms crossed over her chest, looking well kempt, exquisitely clean and groomed. Her face bore a questioning expression as she looked him up and down. Viathan for his part nervously crossed his arms and bowed his head.

"Greetings, milady." She wrinkled her nose.

"Leia, and yeah greetings to you too." She corrected. A silence followed and Viathan found himself barely stopping his feet from jumping from one to another in place. He cleared his throat and nervously looked back in his room then back to her.

"Want to come in?"

"Gladly." She immediately replied and smiled moving passed him as he motioned for her to enter gentlemanly. He closed his quarters door behind him and followed after her. She looked around his rather large quarters and silently judged it.

"Pretty nice. 'Though I hadn't thought you one to have so lavish a room. You always put off a...'minimalist' vibe." Viathan shrugged in agreement.

"I was given the quarters almost by command of my master. Being in service to Kun and having the grace of my lord the Emperor it almost goes without saying that these quarters be mine." Viathan silently pointed to his ears and then the walls. Leia nodded and motioned that she understood. Viathan didn't tell her that he wasn't sure about bugging, but he had swept the room several times and found three devices and destroyed them. The possibility of more was always there.

"Is it better to talk this way?" Viathan jumped a little and felt his breath catch as he 'heard,' Leia speak to him over their blasted bond.

"I always forget we have this. I don't know why or when it began but it is...unnerving."

"Admit it, you love it!" She grinned and Viathan feigned a smile before returning to his normal passive look.

"No it may not be. If the Emperor is listening in or recording too long an awkward silence would give away that we know we're being listened to. Best to just carry on and not divulge anything worth keeping hidden from him." Leia nodded, and both cut their mental connection to one another. Viathan reminding himself to strengthen his mental shields at some point against her.

"So...mind telling me what you were doing?" She asked innocently enough. She plopped herself down onto the foot of his bed and folded her hands over her lap. She took on a political look, and Viathan immediately became defensive. Not to mention her blasted brown eyes were borrowing into his soul.

So, he crossed his arms and again coughed nervously.

"Nothing of great importance. Some meditations and contemplation on the matters of the dark side. It's important for we Sith to feed on our deepest emotion. Fear, hate, pain and all the baser instinctual emotions."

"Ah, I see." She nodded, but Viathan knew she didn't quite believe him. Despite what he said being the truth. In a manner of speaking. "Well that must have been some heck of a meditation. It only went on for over an hour, and was louder than the hyperdrive." Viathan furrowed his brow. He glanced to the chrono near to his bed, and noted that an hour and more had passed since he cut his hand and began his fire display.

"How did..." He trailed off. His mind flashed back to when he closed his eyes and let the fire dance around him again and again over and over and nearly encase him in a circular wall around him. He sensed that was the moment he gave himself so wholly over to the Force that he fell into a sleep like trance. It made him cringe and grab his forehead. A slight groan escaping him.

"I hadn't realized it milady. I...apologize." He looked nervous and flustered again. "I must have fallen into a deep trance rather than simple meditation. I did not expect nor intend to do so. How 'loud,' exactly was my presence?"

"Oh it was loud enough to shake me and Shira from our own meditations. Shira went back to the Exactor to catch some sleep. I wanted to know what the big deal was." Viathan sighed and his eyes trailed over the walls again. A look of exhaustion overcame him.

"Damn it all." he lifted his right hand and a spark of lightning there turned into a gathering of tendrils wrapping around his hand. He motioned Leia to stay seated and with quick motion of his hand the lightning exploded out from him as a bubble through the whole of his quarters. All electronics not connected to the ship's power generator were shut down. The lights in his room shut down for a moment but were forced back on.

"Well that didn't last long. Must really want to talk openly." She smirked.

"I grow weary of watching for the Emperor's spies. I wish to speak openly and the room in which I rest should allow for that. If anything if I did destroy some more devices whoever put them there in the first place will put replacements in somehow." Leia shrugged and understood his position.

Viathan sighed and came to sit by Leia on the bed. He was quiet for a while before he showed his right hand to her. She grabbed it into her soft and slightly cooler hands and examined the scar. Her brow furrowed and she looked up to Viathan.

"I was testing some new powers. Alchemy, and especially Sith alchemy requires a sacrifice be made. What I was delving into was not Sith in origin but undoubtedly alchemy. Perhaps even an inspiration to the ancient Sith."

"So you cut your hand into a symbol, and what? Sacrificed your blood to the aether?" Her tone and expression alone showed her shocked and maybe even sick feeling at the thought of such an act. Viathan for his part let it roll off his shoulders.

"If you had seen what I could do with a sacrifice of blood then I think you wouldn't find it so abhorrent. I felt not only powerful, but calm as well. I could command fire itself made and born of my blood and fueled by the Force flowing off of me! I need only find a way to harness the power of alchemy without needing to gash my body every time." Viathan added at the end as if that would placate the haughty princess. Indeed she snorted.

"Yeah that would be good. You just took your cast off, against my and your physicians advice, and you go and cut into your hand?!"

"What I do with my own flesh is my business, respectfully Leia." Viathan intoned. She quieted and noted the far away look in his eyes as he spoke monotonously. His crimson eyes then seemed to jump back to the present as he lightly shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck with his prosthetic hand.

"Just...just don't go too far. Can you at least promise to do that?" Viathan was about to ask why she cared, but his earlier conversation with her after the victory down on the surface of Sarrish came to mind, and he shut his mouth. He bowed his head towards her.

"I promise." She smiled and nodded thankfully. Though he sensed an air of victory about her. That caused him to smirk slightly in kind.

"You're just as pushy as I'd imagine my mother would've been. Should I start addressing you as such?" Leia scoffed and rolled her eyes before retaking her political stiff position where she sat. Though Viathan could sense she was blatantly overdoing it.

"You will address me as 'Her Majesty, Queen of the Stars, and Heir to the Glorious Empire, Mistress of the Vader Dynasty, and Most beautiful in all the Galaxy!' Certainly never as your mother, sir!" Viathan gawked at her. Especially as her expression became unbelievably rigid and serious. She dipped her chin up and snootily looked down upon him. Until her face cracked and a wide grin appeared. Viathan found a wide smirk coming across his face and both of them began laughing at the same time. A rare thing for Viathan, and he brought it under control quickly, but snickered lightly for a time thereafter.

"I can assure you, mistress was it? I can accommodate all those titles easily."

"Oh? That's good to hear. I would hate to have to put you in your place." She again took a feigned snooty look, but this time it cracked far quicker than before. Viathan bowed his head.

"Of course, my lady." She laughed some more, and Viathan was content to relegate himself to a smile and a few dry chuckles before they became silent. Awkwardly so at that. The room becoming quiet with both of them sitting at the foot of the one bed. Only their breathing audible to the other. Any movement the other made attracting the benign attention of the other.

Viathan more than Leia felt awkward and didn't know what to do or say. She now knew why she felt his power in the Force explode so strongly. She hadn't anymore reason to be there, but she didn't move or make any motion to leave. Sure he didn't either, but these were his quarters. Though he didn't want to kick her out. He didn't even really want her to leave...no he wanted her to leave, but not in an impolite way. Then again as he thought more about it he didn't know what he wanted of her.

"Well I guess I should be-" Leia was cut off, and Viathan felt his stomach twist as the sound of his room's comm terminal cut her off from likely saying goodbye without his prompting to do so! Viathan jumped up from where he sat and dove towards the comm. Or, he thought he did anyways based on how quick he was from the bed to the comm console near the door.

"Commander Viathan, what is it?" Viathan announced, as he mutely sensed Leia stand up and round up behind him. The terminal had a live screen attached to it, and the full face of none other than his master appeared. He smirked and gave Viathan a sideways inquisitive look. Viathan was quick to bow as he saw Exar.

"How very abrupt a greetings, my friend." Kun greeted with a deep chuckle erupting from his chest. The Dark Lord stood with his back facing what appeared to be a blank metal gray wall. His robes and armor clean, spotless, and impeccable as he stood with arms crossed over his chest. He saw his master's eyes dance towards Leia behind him.

"Young Lady Vader. It's been too long." Kun bowed his head towards her. She seemed caught off guard and slightly flustered by his greeting. She in turn dipped herself into a bow at her abdomen towards Kun.

"Not since Coruscant have our paths crossed again. Until now, my Lord Kun. A pleasure." She replied graciously. Exar smiled and nodded almost approvingly. Viathan noted the look in his master's inquisitive face as he continued to chuckle and smirk. A shock of rage and understanding shot through him and he barely repressed a growl from escaping his throat.

"How may I serve you, my Lord Kun?" The Dark Lord's expression normalized finally and took thereafter a more serious look to it.

"I'm afraid we have more work in need of doing." He darkly intoned. "It would appear your favorite mad Jedi has made another big move. If I didn't know any better I would think she does these things to solidify her place in the history books!" Viathan felt his expression darken and eyes narrow. The image of Nelrain's arrogant victorious face came into his mind, and his blood boiled.

"What has Kellia done now?"

"Nothing less than a sheer act of madness, or genius depending on who you listen to on the holonet." Kun chuckled. "It is no secret by now that the woman intends on decimating the Mandalorians if they do not subject themselves totally to her will. Of that the Empire has declared little worth where we're concerned. However, it seems she wishes to goad us into some form of action, or pull us off from our engagements with her in the Allied-Tion Cluster perhaps.

'Either way, her actions cannot be left unanswered. Indeed the Emperor himself has commanded me to handle the situation. With you by my side no less." Viathan felt his eyes widen some and he instinctively bowed his head again.

"Command me, master. What is it the Jedi witch has done?"

"A massive URM droid fleet supported recently by Mon Calamari cruisers and other assorted ships commanded by none droid rebel forces entered deep into imperial space via hyperspace. The fleet and its support entered Imperial territory over Kuat, and have begun a full fledged assault and campaign across the strategically important world."

Viathan turned to share a look with Leia. She shared his shock and wide eyes. Such a thing seemed impossible. Then again they both remembered they thought so of Coruscant as well. Viathan felt his brow furrow and a frown cross his lips as he turned back to his master.

"What of the orbital shipyards and drive yards themselves?"

"Orbital defenses have maintained the overall structural integrity of the drive yard facilities around the world. However, most shipyards beyond the drive yards have been decimated or destroyed. Dozens of warships have been destroyed, but we have inflicted severe losses on enemy vessels as well.

'Droid ships have been especially decimated with supporting organic rebel forces joining the fray several hours after initial contact. Dropships and transports breached orbital defenses and ground based anti-aircraft weapons. Landing tens of thousands of URM rebel forces to the planet's surface. Imperial reinforcements have been called in and have stemmed the tide, but they need additional command and support aid. That's where we come into play apprentice." Viathan nodded, feeling a renewed rush of anticipation pound through him.

"I'm ready and at your full command, master."

"As am I and what forces I have to offer." Leia jumped in. Both fellow Sith turned to look at her. She remained passive in stance and expression. Though her words were sensed to be sincere and welcomed.

"Very well, my lady. I welcome whatever aid you have to offer." She bowed her head slightly in simple reply. "You are authorized to leave what forces are necessary over Sarrish to maintain defenses and local security. What's left afterwards is to come with you to Kuat. All forces available are needed to defend the world. I think it goes without need of saying, but Kuat is of top priority in the galaxy." Viathan nodded. He understood perfectly the implications of losing Kuat either temporarily or permanently. Or, allowing the enemy to exploit its drive yards and gathered engineers and brilliant minds now stranded on world.

"I shall prep the fleet for hyperspace jump to the Kuat system at once, my master. We should be there in a matter of a day or two at the most."

"Very good. I eagerly await our reunion. Until then I shall endeavor to send all relevant details and intelligence your way while you're in transit. Be warned, orbital combat has been underway for hours now and shows no sign of relent. Your vessels are better off entering Kuat orbit further from the planet, and prepare for engagement. Regional command falls under myself, but otherwise lands in the lap of Admiral Hyun." Viathan bowed his head. Exar gave a final glance towards Leia, dipped his head and smirked before the transmission cut out.

"No rest for the wicked I suppose." Leia intoned. Viathan turned and nodded.

"It would appear so. Kuat of all places should have been secured from such an assault. When the URM attacked Coruscant I had figured the Core would be under total lock down. Now I see we've been caught unprepared yet again by the enemy. It doesn't bode well." Viathan darkly retorted.

"Ah, we'll beat them. We always do! Besides you, me, your master, and all the misfits he calls apprentices put together I think have more than a good chance of beating the droids and whatever else the URM brings against Kuat."

"You're confidence is assuring, milady." Viathan smirked.

"Well between you and me someone has to be positive!" She laughed and Viathan chuckled lightly. "I'm personally less concerned with the droids, and more with the Kuati royalty. Trust me when I say the royal lines of the Core worlds are brooding, self-absorbed, and immensely self-important toadies!"

"I sense some resentment perhaps?" Leia shrugged though her eyes held a twinkle of amusement.

"Maybe. I don't know, but if you had to ask who's more slimy between a Sith Lord or a Core world royal I would have to take a long time to contemplate and choose really. I myself have the misfortune of being both." Leia scoffed to herself.

"Well we're not all bad. Sith I mean. Besides you're hardly slimy milady. You're the furthest from in fact." Viathan offered. She gave him a sideways look, and he felt his own words suddenly echo in his head. He wanted to slap himself as he heard what he said repeated now. The awkwardness from before coming back twice as strongly as well.

"I mean...for a royal you could have had worse than House Organa. You could have come from one of those other less noteworthy or savory Houses on Alderaan. Worse still you could have been part of some other royal line from the Core. Such as Kuat, or Empress Teta, or worse still!" She smirked. "You are hardly bad Leia. Sure you're related to Darth Vader, but of all the Imperials in the galaxy despite his faults and the things you may dislike him for he is one of the most direct and efficient men in the galaxy. Ambition, and designs of his own perhaps he has those. He has caused death surely, but there are worse in the galaxy and in history than him. There are truly few in the galaxy who can claim that they have a father who loves them, and that I believe is something you have that should not be taken for granted.

'You have shown your merit and skill plenty of times. I am most grateful to know you as you are, and work alongside you. I may even call you an ally if nothing else. That is nothing short of lucky and welcome on my part."

"Alright, alright!" She laughed, and it almost sounded a giggle.

"Thanks for the pep talk. It's always a bit refreshing to hear someone other than yourself give you perspective on your situation I guess. You know you're not half bad yourself Vale. You just happen to like thinking otherwise. Despite the fact there's people in the galaxy who give a damn about your well being." Viathan felt his face flush again and he felt incredibly awkward. So, he cleared his throat of imaginary blockage again before speaking.

"Yes well. I best call to the fleet and get things in order. You should do the same and make ready for Kuat."

"Kicking me off your ship, oh mighty commander Viathan?!" She feigned insult.

"N...no, no! I mean not unless you wish. I simply thought you should return to your fleet and command them yourself to head for Kuat is all." She laughed again.

"Relax I was only joking. No I think I can call from here and tell Shira and Piett to get my Death Squadron detachment to follow your fleet back to Kuat. After all you owe me a sparring match before we get thrown to death's doorstep again." She grinned and Viathan felt some of that awkwardness fade if only slightly.

"Of course milady."

"Leia." She simply corrected and again put some of his nerves at ease. Viathan would then contact his fleet commanders and order them to ready for Kuat. All of them knowing of the battle raging there now. While Leia called to Shira and Piett as well and ordered them to do much the same. A small portion of Viathan's fleet being left behind to defend conquered Sarrish.

The two of them remaining within his quarters to share their understanding and knowledge of the Force and the Dark Side. Leia remaining in his quarters for quite some time, and luckily for him none knowing about it. Save for his master, Shira, Piett, and according to Leia her two Noghri guards. Of course, Viathan knew people would talk if such a thing got widely out into the Empire. Neither of them would have wanted that. Especially not as the coming battle was fast approaching.

(Chommell Sector Space, Imperial-II Class Stardestroyer Lamentor)

"Grand Moff Kaine." Ardus turned towards his Admiral by the name of Amise Griff.

"Speak freely. Admiral Griff."

"Thank you sir. The holonet is buzzing with reports on rebel attacks in two sectors." Griff reported.

"I'm aware of the situation at Mandalore, Admiral. I have neither the time nor the care for operations in that sector. Defense of the Mandalorians falls under the command of Moff Debin Seylas If he cannot hold onto the sector as unimportant as it may be, then that is his failing." Admiral Griff simply bowed his head in understanding.

"Of course, sir. Then the news of the URM attack at Kuat would be more pressing." Ardus glanced towards him again with a look of interest now replacing the dull disinterest he held before.

"Really? Have they attacked yet another Core world of such importance? Then this truly does prove the failing structure of the Imperial military. Their failing structure and competence." He hummed a throaty chuckle and shook his head. The Moff's eyes distant as if imagining a crumbling Imperial military before his feet.

"Yes, sir. The major URM forces are droid units of the CIS classification. They are supported by several Mon Calamari converted cruisers, as well as organic rebel forces from across their Outer-Rim conquests. Most of them former slaves turned rebel patriots. They have drawn away many Imperial resources from the Core and we have unverified reports that Exar Kun and his forces have left their new conquest at Calipsa for Kuat."

"Then we are in the greatest of positions I would say Admiral. The Imperial forces are in disarray. The URM are concerned with meaningless systems and tying down the loyalists elsewhere. I think now is the opportune time for our attack to commence." Ardus offered. Admiral Griff stood rigid and ready for command but said nothing as Ardus turned fully towards him.

"The Imperials are tied down. Lord Vader has been sent to Naboo for nothing less than the protection of the Emperor's pride. Undoubtedly he thinks that can stop our plans alone. Dozens of systems in the sector have already fallen to us. Now is the time to make our great push against Naboo itself. Ready the fleet and make for the Naboo system at once."

"Right away, sir!" Ardus made his way out from the command bridge of the Stardestroyer, and left Admiral Griff to ready the fleet for battle. Dozens upon dozens of Imperial class warships ranging from the mighty Stardestroyer to the Tartan cruiser and others were ready and waiting for their moment to strike against Naboo.

With the Empire busy with Kuat and the rebels concerned elsewhere truly there was no better time. So the fleet exploded into the swirling pool of hyperspace one ship after the other. The ground forces readied their armor and themselves. Calming their nerves and anxieties. Their tanks and walkers were prepped and armed as their fighters and bombers were lined up and made ready to mount and fight.

(Mandalore Sector, Concord Dawn System, Providence-Class Destroyer Dreaded)

The large docking bay of the URM battleship was full of loud thudding and metallic noises. Whirring and warbling accompanied by thudding, clanking, and gyros sounding filled the air as the ray shields leading out into the void of space showed the many massive warships in the distance. The hangars had been emptied of fighters and bombers as the swarms now patrolled between the ships and like firaxan sharks circled the globe that was Concord Dawn below.

Thousands of droids of all classifications were marching into their transports or were already loaded into their MTT transports loading up into C-9979 landing craft or other landing vessels. Large columns of Geonosian warriors marched through the hangar chirping and clicking as they went. They were in thousands and wearing new sets of URM produced armor compliments of their own designers on Geonosis commissioned by Kellia herself. Metal plain plates lined their thin shoulders and their legs from the thigh to the first knee joint. Breastplates of the same plain metal on their chests and their backs with open ports for their wings to be placed through upon snapping the plates onto the warrior. Their heads were covered in a new helmet that accented to their heads and allowed for their eyes alone to be seen. The helmet at the tip had a ring of small ports that allowed for extra oxygen intake and amplification of their spoken words to one another with a new robotic echo following their clicking and chirping.

All of the warriors had been equipped with the latest sonic blaster with new pinpoint modifications that allowed for sharp powerful bursts of sonic waves capable of sheering metal parts of the design. The warriors numbered into the thousands and were compliments of Vikkal and his unquestioningly loyal people to the URM in their fight against the Mandalorians. They held no love and no care for the Mandalorians and of course for the clones. They were willing to do all that was necessary to defeat them.

And, Kellia was expecting nothing less.

The Fallen Jedi stood in the hangar with her arms crossed over her chest and her fine dark blue robes flowing about her slender form with her hood over her head. Her head was tilted downwards and eyes closed. Her breath was cool and calm, slow and almost sleep like as Kellia was delved deeply into the Force and centered herself. The Dark Side finally had been purged from her for the moment and her thoughts were clear.

She could reach out and sense the throb and pulse of the lives around her and below on the planet. The clicking and gyro turning whirs of the droids were clear and loud within her mind. As she melded with the Force and listened to the vast wave of energy that was everywhere in all the universe. Distant ripples of war and battle, of death and loss reached her even from afar. The passing of the minute was like a ticking that turned to a boom in her mind. The chrono was nearing the moment in which the Mandalorians would forfeit their right to surrender. The moment she knew would come forth. For, even outside of the grip of the Dark Side and its whispering malice in her mind she felt her body shake in memory and wrath at the thought of the clones and their betrayal. Memories of her apprenticeship, of her master Adi Gallia.

The stinking swamp and filth of Jabiim. Her boots melting into the ground and her stomach churning with bile as the smells of dead clones and Jabiim civilians and separatists lingered and rose. Droids barely operating on the ground but slaughtering as they went. Nimbus Commandos attacking the Jedi apprentices and knights barely holding ground. Miserable troopers dying left and right, and she left with...him to undertake a mission of 'great importance,' for the Chancellor. To find one lone miserable little Confederate scientist, and save him!

"Mistress." Her eyes swung open and she exited from the endless depths of the Force. Her hate and anger returned with double the intensity and the light fled from her as the darkness swelled and pooled within every fiber of her being. Her eyes burned a sickly yellow, and she turned towards the droid calling to her.

She twisted her body left where she found Fourzee the hulking B3 ultra battle droid standing. The towering droid dipped in a clumsy bow in greeting.

"Speak Fourzee."

"Yes mistress." It responded in its usual baritone. "The ship has received a transmission from out of system. The transmission originated from the Mandalore sector. The Mandalorian clans have requested further time to debate amongst themselves what to do concerning the clones and your demands. Their time for submission to your demands is nearing the final fifteen standard minutes. What are your commands?" Kellia felt her lips curl in disgust and her nostrils flare.

"Ignore the request. I've never known Mandalorians to commit to diplomacy. It's likely a trick. We shall continue preparations. Sound the alarm for the fleet and send the commands to the rest of the armada. They had their chance." The droid acknowledged and moved away from his mistress as the hangar seemed to become louder with activity and the preparation alarms began sounding throughout the ship.

Soldiers, many hundreds of them flowed from deeper within the ship wearing a more streamlined rebel set of armor and clothing and began mounting ships alongside their droid counterparts. Most if not all of them former Hutt slaves and destitute peoples from the Outer-Rim raised up by Kellia to fight for her and for a common cause.

She silently watched them run to their ships and climb the landing ramps up into the ships. She watched medical droids stationed at each ship inject them with a benign radioactive signature, and mark them as friendlies for the droid armies of the URM. She looked to her left and noted Kast and his Mavericks mounting their personalized Rouge-class starfighters. Kast himself was about to place his Mandalorian helmet on when he noticed Kellia. From afar he gave her a single wave and Kellia inclined her head andhe silently recognized that the time had come to act.

She turned from him and made her way across the hangar as Geonosians, men and droids moved back and forth near and around her. A shuttle awaited her, a simple Sheathipede-class transport shuttle. On either side of the ramp stood a Magnaguard at full stiff attention. She silently boarded the shuttle and felt her anticipation rising and shooting through her. The droid guards followed her in and stood silently as she sat as the droid pilot finished the usual preflight tests.

Kellia could feel the vibrations of the many dozens of ships outside of her shuttle begin to roar and come to life. The initial phases of the campaign had begun against the Mandalorians. She closed her eyes and returned to a calm state and centered herself gingerly into the Force. The explosions of ships leaving the hangar and the distant whir of life as dozens more left the hangars of other ships reached her from afar. The ramp leading up into the shuttle closed and it was her shuttle's turn to come to life with a roar.

The ship rose up and exited the hangar joining the swarm of other ships now waiting for the last precious moments of the Mandalorian's time for surrender to pass. When the last minute came it passed, and when the last second came it passed. And then the ships fell to the world. Ready to wage total war.

(Imperial II-Class Stardestroyer Magnificence)

"This must be our thing."

"What do you mean, 'our thing?'" Mara with a terse and annoyed tone snapped back to Kira's benign statement.

"Oh you know us sitting or standing around in some random dank overcrowded shuttle waiting for the ship to jump out of hyperspace. Then the shuttle lifts off along with all the other ships in the hangar zooms out and we begin the fall to the world below. So it seems like our thing to me!" Kira giggled and Mara despite herself shrugged her head to the side in a form of agreement.

"Ha! You may have a point there Kira. Yet, in war sometimes deployments may become the most familiar and monotonous thing in your life. Besides if there are any among us who enjoy being dropped through a planet's atmosphere under constant threat of antiaircraft fire only to then find themselves shoved out of the shuttle into brutal one on one combat it's you my dear." Their master Kun spoke from where he stood. A smile plastered along his face. Kira in kind laughed and grinned widely.

"You have a point master! You know what, you're right! I can't wait to drop down and break me some droids! I haven't had the chance to destroy the metal-men of the rebels since Coruscant."

"I haven't had to fight them since then as well. You don't see me getting all excited over it though." Mara retorted. She too stood away from Kira with her arms crossed over her chest and leaned her back into the wall of the shuttle. Sitting just some ways down and opposite of Kira was the armored Raydonn. His arms were lazily resting down between his legs and his head was hung slightly low.

"Hmm, preparing for the battle, my friend?" Kun questioned towards Raydonn. Neither girl answered so Exar knew the man could figure out he was addressing him. He didn't respond and Exar cocked his head sideways.

"You can't possibly be..." Exar scoffed and rolled his eyes. Extending his right hand and balling it into a fist the Dark Lord slammed it into the side of the shuttle hard. The rumble and loud noise sounded out like a crack and Raydonn jumped up and back with a slight cry escaping from him.

His breathing became rapid and hands raised up in defensive posture. He looked around the shuttle and both Kira and Mara were giving him confused looks while he saw Exar looking at him with a bemused expression. Raydonn sighed which turned to a long sigh and leaned back against the shuttle wall sinking back into his seat as he rubbed both hands over his face rapidly.

"For all things that are holy in the galaxy and universe Kun! Was it necessary to do that?!" The ex inquisitor demanded and Exar merely chuckled even as the two girls still looked confusedly between them.

"For one whose profession desires great vigilance you seem to fall asleep quite easily. On a shuttle bound for a warzone nonetheless." Kira and Mara both showed signs that they finally got what happened but only Kira giggled while Mara returned to her own quiet thoughts.

"I am vigilant. I happened to have thought I was in a safe place, and allowed myself to, you know, center myself into the Force. Get a bit of mental and physical refreshment before running head first into a hail of blaster fire and artillery rounds! What I don't need is the guy who is supposedly supposed to be my master who barely teaches jack to bang his damn fist against the wall and jolt my nerves raw before I'm even in battle!" Raydonn retorted with a pointed look of annoyance mixed with adrenaline fueled by surprise. Exar for his part smirked.

"You done?" Raydonn sighed in exasperation and leaned back again. Folding both hands which quickly fell back down to his knees.

"Yeah sure. I'm done. But so help me, if you do that again next time I'll jump up and take a limb!"

"Noted Raydonn. And, for the record I have a slew of apprentices in need of teaching. When we find ourselves not about to possibly die, as you so expertly noted I'll be more than happy to teach all of you a few things on the matters of the dark side. Think of the war as a natural state of constant saber form refining. It's always better when enemy combatants use lightsabers as well, but alas, we'll have to make do." Exar explained.

"Good so all we have to do to get some actual teaching given is win a war. Sounds real simple to me." Raydonn retorted with a smirk and clasped his hands together behind his head and leaned back against the shuttle wall fully. Exar chuckled.

"Very cute Raydonn. No you needn't win a war to gain some of my training. You do, however, need to prove resourceful and worthy. Aspects you've luckily already proven to me. However, note there's a fine line between irritation and whining. We're at war, and we, you included are Sith! We're warriors, the name implies war is a key factor to our being! I suggest you become highly acquainted with it my friend." Raydonn sighed once more. This time seeming more accepting than irritated, and nodded his head once silently.

"Now that we're all awake and on the same datapage so to speak we can be assured we're each of us ready to handle the mission at hand. Kuat, as you each know has come under attack by a massive URM assault fleet with reinforcements streaming in hourly to relieve battered units. Both droid and Mon-Calamari warships have attacked orbital defenses over the world. We, however, will focus our efforts on the planet surface." Exar began reiterating.

"We're aware, master. You've told us this four...or was it five time already? Either way we get it." Mara replied.

"Fair enough Jade. However, I feel it necessary to give one last quick one over before we land. Last thing I need are either of you three forgetting your objectives once planet side. Now if you three would indulge me the speech tell me what your objectives are and we'll see just how attentive you all are." He looked expectantly to Raydonn first among the three.

"I believe I'm going behind enemy lines...again. To find whomever is leading ground enemy operations and to eliminate he, or she quickly. If memory serves me." Exar nodded and turned to Mara.

"I'm lucky enough to be given the title of Forward Commander again. I'm to advance along the general front when we arrive after taking command of the give unit you grace me with, and commit to a renewed offensive against the droids attempting to assault the capital city. I am ample distraction to the masses of droids wanting any Imperial heads for our new friend here." Mara gave Raydonn a lingering and obviously suspicious look and the ex inquisitor smiled her way.

"Good, now you Kira." Exar went on.

"Well most dearest master I have the very special mission of also acting as a front line commander! Only I get to lead the Massassi into the battle! Oh the wonders we will do together. Too bad it's with droids and not living men. That would be fun." She sighed and held a dreamy far away look in her eyes that were blue and not marred with the corruption of the dark side as of yet. Raydonn shook his head and Mara lightly scratched her forehead awkwardly.

"Ah very good. I'm pleased to see you three can listen when prompted to. Good, we should be entering the system shortly. Remember, Kuat is integral to our overall war effort against both the Moffs and the URM. If we lose the planet we may well lose the war itself. So, please all of you attempt to grasp the true full gravity of the situation at hand.

Destroy every rebel you come across! Be they living or of metal show them no mercy. Teach them the foolishness of attacking such a world so that even the droids know what it means to feel fear. Show them your own special brand of Sithly greetings." Exar smirked and both girls nodded. Kira beamed a wide grin. Raydonn simply nodded though Kun could sense his approval to the Dark Lord's words.

"Attention! This is admiral Refflet speaking. We are two minutes out from reentry into the Kuati system. Hear this, all pilots board your vessels, and all men man your battle stations! We are ninety seconds out!" They heard the voice of the Admiral blare over the ship wide comm system. The boot falls outside rumbled as pilots flooded to their ships and swiftly boarded them. The dropships all began whirring to life in preparation for exit from out of the stardestroyer.

Raydonn silently shook his head and loosed a small breath of air as he mentally prepared himself. Kira in giddiness strapped herself down to the shuttle and folded her hands in her lap like a parody of a well pampered lady. Mara stood herself against the wall and Kun caught her idly rubbing her right temple in mild pain. He furrowed his brow, but did not question her. After all, he figured she must just have a headache. The Dark Lord himself turned towards the shuttle ramp as the locks engaged.

(Kuat System, Kuat Orbit)

The battle of Kuat raged on. The drive yards, the great metal ring of Kuat itself fired all of its orbital defense cannons loosing a vast stream of lights that flew out towards the endless abyss of space. A line of blockading URM warships of all make and kind had formed and fired broadside against the drive yards, and the Imperial line of ships forward facing them or meeting them broadside as both fleets took up their positions against the other.

Swarms of TIE fighters and Vulture droids collided with one another across the entire orbit of Kuat. Metal shards now littered the vacuum large chunks of ships falling onto the planet and burning up on entry. Creating a vast show of raining fire and burning metal across the skies of Kuat as those below endured their own battles and light show.

The Mon-Calamari MC80 'Liberty' type Star Cruiser, Infinity, passed into the gap between the two fleets followed by four Munificent-class frigates, and four Sabaoth destroyers. The Imperial fleet retaliated and the Imperial-II class stardestroyer Sword of Humbarine, followed by three Victory-I class stardestroyers moved to meet the pocket of enemy warships.

The Munificents opened fire immediately upon the approaching Imperial warships. The Victory-I's unleashed a burst wave of their quad-turbolaser cannons. The beams of light smashed against the shields of the droid warships and punctured quickly before sending fireballs and ripped metal spewing out into space. The Imperial and MC80 met and began firing broadside against the other with laser fire and concussion missiles ramming into the other. The Mon-Cal warship fired its bottom side turbolasers and ripped into the upper decks of one of the Victory-I's. The ships exploded with fire across multiple sectors until it began to bank downwards and float in free fall as explosions rippled and sent massive pieces of the once mighty ship flying apart from one another.

Two more MC80's began approaching from the URM line and the Imperials responded with another Imperial-II and three Imperial-II class stardestroyers. They all began firing rapidly against the other as support fire from their respective fleets joined the fray. Those ships meeting in the middle became entrenched in a killing field as stray fire rammed into them from all sides. Vast swarms of Imperial and droid fighters careened into one another and unleashed a new torrential wave of cannon fire and dogfighting.

A wave of droid warships were then directed into the kill zone in two separate lines. Recusant and Providence class warships following nose to the back end of the preceding ship moved forward on either side of the battling Mon-Cal and Imperial ships in the center. The recent Imperial classes to join the fray banked both left and right to engage the lines, but the ships began full broadside bombardment from multiple ships as the lines began to converge and form a rectangle enclosing the Imperials off from their main battle lines which themselves fired rapidly on the rebel encircling maneuver.

Those rebel Mon-Cal and droid ships in the center of the initial fray began banking down and up and removing themselves from the line of fire from their allies now enclosing around them. As rebel ships barely cleared the field of fire with the Imperials giving chase the droid ships now on all four sides of them opened fire in full bombardment of turbolaser cannons and missile batteries with several rail-guns applied as well. All Imperial ships began to be torn apart from the fire coming at them from all sides, and a succession of space shattering explosions rippled as multiple Imperial stardestroyers began exploding in great bursts of fire. Save for all the initial Munificents and one MC80 that exploded before the bombardment all rebels ships escaped and all Imperial ships in the kill zone were destroyed.

---

With an almost inaudible sigh Admiral Ackbar leaned back into his command seat. The Mon-Calamari watched from multiple screens as the Imperial sub-fleet that had engaged his forces began to wither away under the relentless fire of the droid and Mon-Calamari warships.

"Admiral sir, a new set of Imperial ships have just entered Kuat orbit!"

"Bring them up on screen." Ackbar without a hesitation commanded. His seat circled him right and a new screen appeared before him that showed what was the fifth fleet of Imperial reinforcements arriving.

"Scanners indicate thirtystardestroyers of either Imperial class along with fifty cruisers, frigates, destroyers, and battleships! As well as smaller stardestroyer variants sir!"

"Marked! Get me readouts and scan for hyperspace entries. The Empire is likely sending in these fresh forces to relieve embattled and drained forces." Ackbar figured and began relaying new tactical commands to the ships still in the center between the fleets. They were now under immense heavy fire from the Imperial lines, and he'd lost two Recusants as they collided into one another from one losing its bridge and engine controls.

"Confirmed Admiral sir! There are at least two dozen Imperial warships moving out of firing range. No hyperspace reentries."

"So, they're keeping them in reserve and in orbit." Ackbar said rather than asked. "Very well, pull back units from the center and advance the blockade nearer to the Imperial lines. Do not begin a full frontal engagement. Keep them pinned, and maneuver the fifth detachment to engage the new fleet. Do not get caught in their wedge formations, and commit to breaking through."

"Aye aye, Admiral!" His men shouted back. His ship rumbled ever so slightly, but a quick snap of his large eyes to the shielding readouts on his ship showed they hadn't even lost a fraction of their overall power.

"Make sure to keep our pilots to the rear of all fighter engagements and move all droids to the front. We have them here for a reason. Let's not waste them." They confirmed again and Ackbar swung his chair left and began looking over ground transport reports flooding over the monitor before him. He faintly heard a small beeping go off behind him on a separate console, but paid it little mind.

"Admiral Ackbar, sir. You have an incoming transmission. It's the Supreme Commander, she wishes to speak with you." Ackbar shot his officer a quick look before nodding and snapping his chair to circle around to the other console. He keyed in the activation codes and in a moment a decently sized hologram of Kellia appeared.

She was standing fully robed and with hood over her head and arms crossed. She did bow to Ackbar upon his answer, however, and he tipped his head back her way in kind. The Admiral noted the distinct sounds of troop and armor movements around her but out of his sights before speaking.

"Madam Nelrain, it's good to see you in good health."

"Likewise, Admiral. I wanted to ensure the operation is going smoothly." Ackbar nodded.

"It is thus far. The Imperials have so far sent in five countering fleets and counting. The fifth has just arrived, and already I am undertaking countermeasures to hold them off. A sizable force has landed planet side, and we've secured an area with a fifty mile radius around. The Empire is, however, meeting us with heavy resistance." Kellia nodded.

"As is to be expected, Admiral. Undoubtedly that fifth fleet that just arrived contains that meddlesome vermin Exar Kun and his miserable lot of Sith misfits."

"The only way we'll be sure is if we receive reports planet side." Kellia smirked and chuckled lightly.

"Trust me Gial, Kun and his are in that fleet."

"How can you be so sure?" His large eyes narrowed questioningly.

"I have my sources Gial. Needn't you worry about it. Our General will deal with them." Ackbar's eyes widened as if remembering something and he sighed while nodding.

"Right. I must voice again that I object to the use of...'his' services. The droid armies are one thing, but 'him?' I think that thing will do worse for our image than anything done thus far Kellia. I've kept my mouth shut over many things, many reports that reach me, but this I cannot remain silent on."

"Nor would I expect you to, Admiral." Kellia intoned. "Know that your objection is noted, Gial. I think he's exactly what we need right now. But, either way I'm more concerned about seeing the mission completed. Undoubtedly your attack against Kuat will drive all attention away from my operations."

"I have no doubt. I still consider this attack to be far more worthy than yours Madam Commander. If you'll allow me to be blunt."

"Feel free to Admiral." Kellia nodded and showed little emotion.

"If we can knock out the Imperial capacity to make ships and utilize the workforce and technical expertise of the Kuati and the drive yards we'll set back their ship production by at least a quarter according to our analyst's me, but I do not see how incurring the wrath of the Mandalorians can be a good thing. The Clones, however, I could see the argument made against them and the need to bring them to justice, but perhaps at a later time after the war." Kellia again nodded.

"Of course you must know I already considered such a course of action, Gial. Considering the history of both Mandalorians and the clones it's safe to assume they would have been brought into Imperial service one way or another. Be it sooner or later. They are barbarians and like rabid ack dogs must be put down at the first sign of trouble. If we liquidate the threat here and now then we needn't worry about it in the future, Admiral.

'With the Empire dealing with Kuat, the Tapani sector, our advances in the Allied-Tion cluster, and the Moff advance into Chommell; not even mentioning their general front along the Expansion-Region, they have enough on their plates. The Mandalorians will find themselves with no sympathies from within the Empire. Considering also their multitude of rebellions against Imperial control." Ackbar sighed and again nodded.

"That's true, but you find yourself in Moff, not Imperial territory."

"I'm aware, Admiral. However, the Moffs are running scared across the galaxy. The Empire is bearing down on them in the Tapani sector, and Grand Moff Kaine's strategy of defending every useless piece of rock on top of the strategically important worlds is backfiring and draining the Alliance of all manpower reserves.

'Their attention is split between Tapani supporting the Hutts of all people in Hutt space.'" She spat in disgust. "And this ill conceived invasion of Chommell to top it all off. Though I suspect they won't like the outcome of that invasion." She intoned rather darkly and Ackbar could only nod in silent understanding and agreement.

"Of course, but I still contend that we could win this battle and take Kuat for ourselves here and now. Gaining not only a foothold in the Core Worlds, but also control of the drive yards. If I could only secure from your reserves several dozen more ships Kellia I swear to you I can win this system!" Gial declared with absolute certainty.

His voice was heard by his crewmen who turned and silently observed their commanding officer; whom they respected deeply, before they went back to their duties with double the resolve. The Mon-Calamari Admiral looked unwavering in his conviction and looked Kellia directly in the eyes. Kellia idly looked to her right at something Ackbar couldn't see before turning back to him.

"If more ships is what you want then take all you need Gial. If you feel you can take Kuat before I am done with the Mandalore Sector then you have my full support."

"Thank you ma'am." Ackbar dipped his head appreciatively.

"Think nothing of it. If things turn around you have total jurisdiction over all URM forces in the system. Be sure to maintain whatever resources our newest General needs, and accommodate him as best you can. There may be one or two hiccups but he will be under full control I assure you." Ackbar barely held back a cringe and simply nodded.

"Understood ma'am."

"Good. Now keep me up to date, and report in intervals. I must go now. The preparations are complete here, and I am taking command myself. I will be comm silent for several hours standard time at least. Watch yourself Gial." She bid with more emotion than usual for her, and Ackbar dipped his head in kind.

"You as well ma'am. Admiral Ackbar out." They signed off, and the Admiral silently sighed once more. Despite obvious flaws about the woman, and a distinct feeling he'd one day have to help remove her from her position, he mused sadly that he did like her. She had heart even if it was in the wrong place and misdirected.

Nonetheless he shook himself from his contemplations and spun his chair in a circle back around to his forward command and observation terminals.

"Contact reserve fleet thirteen in the Sluis Van system, and order them to enter the system under my command by granted authorization from Nelrain herself! Bring me up to speed on all tactical movements by the Imperial fleet. And, stay strong and steady men! We can; no we will win Kuat, for the freedom of all sentient beings in the galaxy we will!" The officers and technicians on the bridge hailed and acknowledged him with a shout and went about their work as his monitors sprung to renewed life. And, the battle above Kuat carried on.

(Kuat Surface)

The shuttle the four Sith had been upon had burst out from the belly of the Stardestroyer as they entered the Kuat system and Kuat proper orbit. The warships all began to open fire almost immediately and their bolts and missiles flew through space towards the mass of metal that was the URM allied fleet.

Then the swarms of TIE interceptors and fighters flew forth and zoomed through the void with clear purpose as they made for an equally massive swarm of Vulture and Tri droids heading their way backed up by manned rebel fighters at the rear. Then the bombers flew out and broke into two massive groups. One heading towards the rebel fleet now shielded by a vast field of debris from where the two fleets met in the middle over the course of the battle and left their defeated and beaten allies. The second group fell to the world below and dived into the atmosphere to fully support the ground forces contending with endless tides of URM droids and organic rebel fighters back by their own bombers and interceptors.

The shuttle followed and was escorted by a large TIE interceptor escort. Dozens of wings of the ships careened down and screeched through the void into the world's atmosphere. Vultures zipped upwards and met them heads on and a hail of red blaster cannon fire was passed by zooming green cannon fire. And the skies were set alight in fire and explosions. Vultures and debris came from thick black smoke as metal shards fell back to the dirt and cities below.

TIE interceptors met the same fate, but they were far fewer in number as they dived and split apart the enemy numbers as they went. The shuttles remained mostly safe, but the URM had set down antiaircraft pieces. Large new walker based on the Crab droid design. The 'AIAA-air support walker,' had five large metal legs taken from the Crab droid design. Atop the body stood massive cannons that could fire several dozen heavy cannon bolts in a few moments and hundreds of weaker sorties in just seconds.

Their bodies were oval shaped like the Crab droid but far more massive with the cannon protruding out of their backs and aimed in a slant upwards and easily swiveled up or around. Two giant red photoreceptors were to the front of the body, with two small arms under the body of the walker, large by comparison to a man on the ground, and on them were massive anti-troop cannons. Making this new engine of droid warfare a true terror to Imperial forces.

These AIAA droids fired thousands of bolts into the skies and they exploded all around them. Many missing but some making their marks. Trooper transports holding a hundred and fifty men or more exploded in the air and began screeching as its smoking charred carcass fell to the soil and rolled or jumped back up to fall again over and over until coming to its final resting place.

The AIAA walkers fired relentlessly, but Imperial TIE bombers fell down upon them. Many of them banking into nose dives down and sending a terrifying scream through the skies. They unleashed their proton bombs and hundreds of mines dropped from the air. These mines fell across the vast waves of droid units marching through an open valley towards an Imperial city and sent ripples of fire exploding up. But, the droids were undeterred and kept on moving forward with relentless fire of their own.

The trooper transports all swerved away from the chaos of the bombing runs and the AIAA return fire and made for the city outskirts. The shuttles and transports snapped to a halt in midair and lowered down to unleash their payloads of men and armored units. The pieces of war machinery or men flooded out quickly and allowed their transports to escape and make for another run of reinforcements.

From afar droid tank and armored units, Hailfire-class droid tanks, and large OG-9 Homing Spider droids began opening fire against the transports. Missiles from the Hailfires flew out and slammed into retreating shuttles or even a few landing their men. Explosions ripped through them and killed dozens around as the spider droids followed their example, but most concentrated on supporting advancing droids and fired into the new lines being formed by Imperial forces.

This scene was being played across the planet in four key sectors, but this one was before the capital city of Kuat itself. The city of Kuatac held several dozens of massive spires but contained mostly reasonable size buildings and luxury homes for the Kuati nobility. The city outskirts like all cities upon Kuat opened up to the open plains, forests, or vast canyons of Kuat's natural landscape.

Yet both valley and soil burned with fire and the rot of death, as the spires of Kuatac loosed massive plumes of smoke out from their high floors and into the skies. None had yet collapsed but several were on the verge. And, it was about and among this chaos that one shuttle containing the four Sith landed with relative ease and unloaded them before bursting back up into the skies above and space beyond.

Exar covered his face with his left arm as his cloak whipped under the immense power of the overhead transports flowing back and forth. The fire from nearby armored units also sent dirt and heat flying up across his body and already he felt his brow bead with sweat as he walked briskly towards the forward command post. Raydonn, Mara, and a giddily enraptured Kira followed after him. The Sith Lord jumped up the ramp to the mobile command pod standing on four legs and enjoyed the glass covering bulging over the whole top of the pod. It blocked out a great deal of noise; though it would be impossible to block all of it, and it blocked a lot of the dirt flying around.

The mobile command center was a small circular walker like vehicle with several dozen monitors, screens, and terminals with as many if not more officers lining all of them. Receiving and returning out orders and reports across the whole battle sector. Towards the very front where a small opening in the glass was fitted with macrobinoculars stood the ground General in command.

"General Veers." Kun called. Veers turned and quickly saluted Exar stiffly and properly.

"My lord, it's an honor to serve you once again." Veers bowed his head.

"It's always a pleasure to have you work alongside me Veers. You're quite the Commander."

"You honor me, my Lord." The man bowed again as Kun pushed passed him and looked forwards out of the command window. The droid army numbered undoubtedly into the hundreds of thousands just in front of them and took up the entire open valley and wrapped around the city perhaps attempting to fully encircle it.

"Rebel forces have been landing along this wide arch around the city for hours now. They have not made any real attempt to move against the city, but intelligence shows that the arrival of their ground General on planet has seen new orders come down. They're planning on a full assault within the next half hour at the most." Veers informed and Kun nodded as he swept his eyes across the masses of metal soldiers and their metal beasts of war.

"Right. Well we best take them by surprise."

"Sir?" The General's brow furrowed and several of the other officers gave him sideways glances.

"The rebels have a massive numerical superiority over us. That cannot be doubted, but we have the better force, and the better air power. I say we press the attack and begin our own offensive along the general center here. We pierce the center and drive a wedge and break the rebel army into two more manageable sectors.

'I myself will take the forward command, and I have two Commanders at the ready to help us commit to the attack. Commander Viathan and Princess Vader along with detachments of their fleets will be arriving in a day or two at the most, hours if we're lucky. Their added power will make this assault foolproof." Veers looked unconvinced and cleared his throat, but Kun raised a silencing hand.

"I am not above your input General, however, humor me a moment." Veers silenced himself and nodded. Exar could also sense some tension in the man alleviate at the Dark Lord's assurances.

"We begin our assault with a minimal risk bombing assault from our air units." Kun walked over and motioned for everyone to follow towards a central holomap of the valley between the two armies as the rebels inched closer and closer to the city despite the relentless Imperial fire. The blue hologram zoomed out and Kun ran his fingers across the very front of the droid army.

"The bombers will commit to carpet bombing the very front of the army, and then a quarter down the mass and create a swath of droid units essentially shaved off from the main force. We continue to pressure those back end forces with an endless barrage of artillery fire to hold them back. From there I and our ground Commanders will advance and decimate the now, partially cut off enemy frontline.

'As I said three sectors of the attack. Me down center, Mara," He turned to the redhead who jumped to full awareness. "You would take my left flank, and Kira you and the Massassi would go right."

"Easy enough." Kira smirked a toothy rabid grin, and Kun nodded with a bemused smile along his own face.

"We sweep through with armored units, both tanks and walkers to our front and back protecting advancing troops. Maintain the artillery barrage following the initial bombing runs and hold off the vast majority of the enemy army, and I think we can begin to segment and wipe out all opposition that comes our way." Veers silently leaned over the table and clasped both hands on the edges of it. He mulled it over, and Kun gave him the time to do so.

"I think we can pull it off, my Lord. However, I believe I have an idea on how to keep the bulk of the army off of you while you deal with the forward segment." Exar swept his hand across the table. As a silent cue for Veers to continue speaking.

"Along with artillery barrage following the bomber sweep we have several dozen MAAT support ships. Their beam cannons and rockets along with quick sweeping maneuvers could keep the enemy held back for the time needed to sweep through and eliminate the forward sector.

'However, there is a problem. These blasted new AIAA anti-air units are ripping our air unit apart. Their topside armor is nothing short of capital ship hull class metal." Kun nodded as he brought one hand to his chin in thought.

"I say we call in an orbital bombardment! Get a stardestroyer to pound their whole artillery zone into ruble! The rebel fleet is nowhere close to being able to stop such an assault!" Kira offered with a near guttural but no less giddy tone about her.

"The planetary shield is still in effect. High Command on Anaxes fears dropping the shield would allow for far orbit bombardment from rebel forces, milady."

"Nonetheless, she has a point." Kun interrupted. "An orbital strike could be just what we need on those walkers. Make a call to one of the sixty-ninths Victory-I's and have it commit to an orbital bombardment of their artillery sector. We cannot afford to have him commit to leveling the whole sector. What with the dirt it would throw up and possibility of stray fire. Either way make the call General."

"Right away, my Lord." Veers bowed and moved to a comm terminal. Exar turned to his three apprentices.

"I assume you two understand your orders?"

"I got it. Best remind Jade though. Wouldn't want her to cause the whole operation to come crashing down."

"Kark yourself Offee! I heard and I got it down. I'll go out and make myself known to the troops as their prestigious new CO." Mara shot Offee another dirty look and made her way out from the command pod towards a large gathering of stormtroopers. Above that large gather stood three AT-AT's moving up and firing rapidly and wildly into the distant army to presumptuously hold them at bay.

"Looks like Mattizz and Kalgrath are waiting for you Kira. Best get in line and form up along the flank." Exar pointed out and Kira giggled before snatching up her curved hilt and all but pranced out of the pod. The Massassi gathered around and greeted Kira and per Kun's orders accepted her command immediately.

"Er...what's going on with me now?" Exar turned as Raydonn gave him a troubled and slightly irritated look.

"After all, I thought my task was to kill their ground CO. Or destroy it..whatever ends up being the case. How do you expect me to get to their command center if you're about to level their artillery lines?! That's where the Commander most likely is."

"Negative, sir." Veers approached and interrupted. "Pardon my interruption, my lord, but I overhead the concern from your...apprentice." Exar nodded and motioned for him to continue.

"Well, needn't you worry about the Commander being killed in the attack on their artillery lines, sir. Army intelligence several hours ago intercepted a holo-transmission of a woman ordering a large group of rebel forces into the valley to take command of the droid forces. The men in question are human, but she herself appears to be a young woman."

"How young?" Raydonn asked with a groan causing Exar to chuckle. The Dark Lord imagining the ex-inquisitor's growing irritation with being around teenage girls.

"Perhaps nineteen to twenty-two in standard years sir." Raydonn seemed slightly relieved, but Kun could still sense some agitation welling up inside of him.

"Go on, General."

"Of course, my lord. The woman is not human. Based on her physical attributes she appears almost human but she is in fact Noorian."

"Noorian?" This time it was Exar who questioned the General.

"Humanoid bipedal species. Honey toned skin, golden brown hair, and golden-green eyes. Their most obvious feature being their striped eyes rather than the normal iris. As in they have a central strip almost reptile like, with several small ones on either side in both eyes." It was Raydonn who answered in a matter-of-fact tone as if he were listing it off of a datapad. Veers nodded approvingly.

"Never heard of that one. Then again I have been out of the loop of sentient species in the galaxy." The Sith Lord laughed, and motioned for Veers to continue yet again.

"Of course, my lord. The Noorian goes by the name of Tahja, but we received no Intel on her last name. If she even has one. She has the rank of 'Ground Commander,' so we cannot be sure as to her full importance or actual position inside of the URM hierarchy. Nonetheless, we know that she's taken up position at a small town fifteen miles east of our position. You can see it's the town just over there." He pointed to his left and there were indeed buildings in the distance.

"The town's civilians attempted to evacuate and most got out. The rest we're not sure of. But, we can have a transport take you in close and then you may make your way into the town and eliminate her. If of course that is your goal, sir."

"It is indeed his goal!" Kun delightedly remarked causing Raydonn to roll his eyes in exasperation at the Sith Lord's never seeming to end optimism.

"Excellent! Now we all know what we need to do, and how. General get Raydonn here onto a transport. Then send out the commands to the forces to ready for battle, and send word to both the bombers, and warship for bombardment orders."

"Already have my lord. The troops and armor at this moment are nearly ready to march." Exar looked out and saw thousands of stormtroopers and tanks along with walkers moved forward from the city and into positions as the tanks, artillery and walkers fired into the vast droid swarm along with the forward troopers on mobile defense platforms and mounting turrets.

"Very good let's-" Suddenly a loud explosion sounded, but from afar and in the sky. It, however, shook the command platform and everyone inside. While Kun sensed the mass of Imperial forces outside feel a rush of fear and shock as they too felt and heard the explosion though it was muted and far off.

"What was that?!" The Dark Lord demanded in more a harsh a tone than usual. But, before Veers could answer suddenly the officers manning the terminals began frantically trying to listen in as screams and hollering on all comm channels sounded off frantically.

"My Lord, General Veers! It's the fleet!" One officer yelled just as the mobile platform began to shake. Exar caught a glint of a distant image in the sky and ran out from under the glass roof of the platform and looked up as did many men. As there to the north and beyond the URM rebel lines appeared the Victory-I class warship they called in.

Only its engines were fully in flames and puffing massive bouts of smoke into the air They exploded again successively as the mighty engine cores began to meltdown. The ship exploded once more and a tremendous explosion ripped through the skies and the ship lit up blinding all who looked upon it.

When they could look upon it again they saw two massive halves of the stardestroyer falling to the world in the far distance, and then nothing as both pieces faded from sight. The only evidence of its massive collisions coming in rumbles and subtle shockwaves rippling through the ground beneath them.

Exar with a look of confusion about him, and looking completely at a loss turned to Veers who had also been watching and was breathing slightly faster as he too felt awe and fear grip at him.

"What just happened?!"

(Moments Ago, Procopia, Procopia System, Tapani Sector)

"Alright so we lost Calipsa, but I think we'll be getting a momentary break at the least. The URM going all out against just about everybody and now Kuat I think will drive Imperial attention off of us." Han noted and sighed rubbing his eyes. He stood overlooking a vast galaxy map with accurate borders of all three factions of the war.

"I have little doubt the Empire will maintain control of Kuat. The rebels are kidding themselves to think they could take the world. A more likely victory for them will be in the Allied-Tion cluster as Admiral Thrawn has just lost another system to that Feeorin madman in Nelrain's back pocket. That or the Mandalorians will pay the price." Morlin noted from where he sat.

Han noted the General, and how tired he seemed. Even more than him and more than usual. The Corellian sighed and nodded.

"Ya'know the Ghost division grunts took a beating on Calipsa, and we lost a lot of good men, but those that survived have got some real chops now. I was thinking of taking them along with our new ship prototype on a run. Nothing big, but maybe a depot world or some Imp station in the middle of nowhere space. What do you think, General?" Morlin was silent, and his eyes seemed distant before he spoke.

"Sounds good to me Commander. You do good work with those men. They believe in you and your mission. They believe in the division. So, you keep it alive." Han felt a pang of worry come over him as the General spoke oddly.

"They believe in us, and our mission sir. You feeling okay?" Han inquired, but before Morlin could respond Han's personal comlink buzzed. The man lifted himself off from leaning into the table and snatched the device up.

"Hmm, priority call. But, I don't recognize the...key." He intoned. Morlin picked himself up from his seat and looked expectantly to Han to answer the call. So with a shrug he did. A small image materialized of a man that Han recognized and he felt his eyes widen.

"Vanom?! You're alive?!"

"Course' I am boss. Karking Imps couldn't kill me if I stood still and put the blaster in their hands for 'em." The fellow Corellian smirked but it quickly disappeared.

"Well where the heck are ya? I can send someone to get you ASAP!"

"Not necessary sir I procured my own transport courtesy of the Empire. Oh, and, General." Danek stood and saluted Morlin who reciprocated swiftly with a tip of his chin.

"Good to see you alive son. Your Commander here gave you posthumous praises in what was believed to be your death notice."

"Yeah my apologies about that, sirs. I managed to escape that...bloodbath on Calipsa those karking Massassi carried out. Then I tracked the two Sith infiltrators to General Ioyashi and watched him commit...well you know." Han nodded grimly and Morlin merely sighed.

"I meant to link up with you and report the death of my whole squad, but then I noticed the quick Imperial exit from Calipsa. Turns out I knew what I assume everyone else knows now, but I knew it earlier than anyone, so I enlisted into the Imperial navy...kind of." He smirked wickedly but Han could see some lingering anger in the man's eyes, but said nothing.

"How do you mean exactly, soldier?" Morlin, now seeming more invested asked with a furrowed brow.

"The Imperial fleet from Calipsa to Kuat made several stops along the way for refueling and checkups. I smuggled myself onto the Imperial stardestroyer, Scorcher and made myself look like I was supposed to be there. I joined the waste disposal unit of the fleet. So I was shipped between the fleet to manage all sorts of garbage these Imps throw out.

'In the process I was put on cleaning duty and well I got around to most every stardestroyer in the sixty-ninth on its way to Kuat. Firstly let me say that I can assure both of you sirs, that the Empire pulled out more units from Tapani than they're letting on. A counterattack against Calipsa along with one or two others would shake their defenses and I believe cost them to give one up. Giving us a net gain as they take a net loss from the droids and us biting into the Imp pie as it were at the same time." The man went on.

"Noted Commander, but that still doesn't answer my question."

"Right, sorry sir." Vanom adjusted himself wherever he was and Han noticed a small device in his right hand. He didn't recognize it at first but then...he saw clearly that it was a detonator.

"You see the Imps are taking a nasty beating over Kuat because they're not dealing with some hand me down Moff trying to play Admiral, or some droid, but rather the mind of Admiral Gial Ackbar. Right up there with some of the best Admirals in galactic history he is.

'Kuns fleet really helped relieve a lot of pressure on the Imperials who've been here fighting for hours. However, they didn't account for one thing. They didn't account for one pissed off commando whose squad they butchered. They didn't account for him going to almost every stardestroyer in their little fleet detachment, and being on cleaning duty with the dregs of their naval staff and droids. They didn't account for me having full access to their munitions, and that I would be allowed entry to every engine deck.

'They didn't account for me placing charges on every ship I was put on, and they didn't expect for me to have the long range detonator here in my hand while they just got a glimmer of hope in them that they could defend from the droid onslaught."

Both Morlin and Han were stunned. They turned to look at one another before back to the image of Vanom who held the detonator more openly towards them both.

"This detonator right here in fact. Now sit back and watch the fireworks, sirs." Vanom pressed a key where he was and transmitted to them came a monitoring code. Han rushed over to the nearest transmission monitor and inputted the signal key. The monitor came to life as what appeared to be an immense space battle came into view. From what was likely the lens of a high definition probe droid with hyperspace transmission capabilities.

Directly before the probe in the distance moved through space dozens of Imperial warship variants. They fired out along with a second far larger line of Imperial ships guarding Kuat against an out of sight enemy. Obviously being the URM armada.

From within his ship Danek twirled the detonator between his fingers and waited a few more moments until he was sure the two of his Commanders were intently watching a screen back at the Procopia base. Indeed Morlin walked up to the monitor after Han and with a furrowed brow he watched the battle of gargantuan proportions unfold in the distance. Then Vanom smirked silently to himself and looked out the viewport of his 'procured,' Imperial freighter.

"Give em' hell Ackbar. Boom..." He intoned and then his thumb slammed down onto the trigger.

---

As the three Moff men watched from afar the Captains and Admirals stood aboard their ships of the sixty-ninth imperial fleet detachment under command of Admiral Refflet. They relieved a great deal of pressure off of the main defense forces of Admiral Borgul Hyun before Kuat against the URM fleet keeping its distance and losing several ships over the course of moments already.

Ground General Veers by order of Exar Kun himself called for a Victory-I class ship to enter the planet's atmosphere for a bombardment run as the battle carried on. Then without warning twenty-five of the thirty Imperial class warships were rocked by massive explosions. As the engines of all these mighty vessels exploded with immense force sending some of them lurching through space with no ability to control themselves.

Men aboard all of these ships were thrown and tossed throughout the ships. Some slammed against walls other ejected out from their manned cannon stations and some in the bridge were slammed into and out of the front viewports that shattered and cracked as the ships were shaken to their very cores.

The Victory heading down to the atmosphere of Kuat exploded upon entry and was shattered into two pieces of immense metal scrap burning across all sectors with pillars of smoke rising up and filling the air with pungent smells of burning metal and fuel. Slamming into the world below it exploded into several successive blasts killing hundreds as thousands more died in orbit over Kuat.

The Imperial stardestroyer Scorcher the original flagship of Exar Kun himself saw all engines erupt one after the other after going critical sheering off a fourth of the entire stardestroyer to its rear. The ship began to free fall through the void of space. As ship after ship within the sixty-ninth detachment saw their engines ripped apart and take swathes of the ship with them.

From within the bridges of the Mon-Calamari ships all aboard paused and watched in awe as this occurred, and Ackbar himself watched on his monitors and his eyes narrowed in total confusion. All remaining ships unaffected by the sabotage of the sixty-ninth desperately moved in front of their devastated capital vessels and began taking the brunt of droid fire slamming into them as Admiral Hyun ordered his own Praetor flagship, the Recompense to break ranks with the defensive line of warships and defend the sixty-ninth.

And, with the push of a one button an entire Imperial fleet was brought to its knees. Several of the smaller stardestroyer variants fell into the process of exploding and falling into the distant atmosphere of Kuat. Some falling into others and causing new explosions that ripped the ships apart and killed tens of thousands. Leaving the original defense forces of Kuat as tired and battered as they were to once more become the main and only line of defense against Admiral Ackbar and his relentless droids and rebel volunteers.

---

"I think they'll have a tough time defending their planet now, sirs. Dirty job, but someone had to do it. I will rendezvous on Procopia in a day or two, Commander, General." Danek tipped his head to both men via holocomm. Han nodded and Morlin continued to watch the monitor as Vanom saluted and signed out. The call and monitor ceased leaving the two dumbfounded men in silence.

"Well...I think I just found my second in command."

"Yes, but I would watch him if I were you Han. He seems capable, but dangerous."

"You're telling me..." Han trailed off as they returned to stunned mutual silence between them.

(Kuat Surface, Current Time)

"I don't care what's going on with his ship! Get Admiral Refflet on the comm ASAP lieutenant!" Kun demanded and again seemed wholly out of his usual cool and collected character to all his apprentices. Not only that, but the booms and traded explosions of the two armies forced him to yell over the sounds ringing in all their ears.

"I'm sorry, my Lord, but the Scorcher is in free-orbit, and given no immediate solution to their situation the whole ship's gonna crash down to Kuat!" The lieutenant called back as politely as he could over the men around him calling and running about in a brisk and anxiety riddled manner.

"The priority of the remainder of the battle-ready units in your fleet and that of Admiral Hyun's is to protect the stardestroyers to allow for anyone still on board any of those ships to escape. The rebels have begun to press the fleet and close the gap between themselves and our defensive lines!" Kun cursed under his breath and lowered the comlink and silently brought his free left hand up to his forehead and rubbed it in clear aggravation.

"Alright then," He snatched the comlink up to his face once more. "Contact Admiral Hyun and inform him he's in full command of the armada once more. Reinforcements under Commander Viathan and Princess Vader and death Squadron will be arriving in a matter of hours. Hold the line and we will succeed no matter what sabotage occurred lieutenant!"

"Yes, right away, my Lord!" The man agreed in a rushed tone and the comm channel was cut by Kun. The Dark Lord swung around to see all three apprentices and General Veers silently looking at him. He grimaced before speaking again.

"Our plan remains, the bombers will have to do their best to avoid the AIAA walkers and cut the army off from the first chunk of the enemy force we're after. If we have any hope of getting off Kuat we win the ground war even if we lose the battle in space! Understand me?!" The Dark Lord in a what could best be described as a half snarl and growl declared. Kira smiled and decided she liked this side of her master, and nodded vigorously. Mara simply nodded dumbly as she caught a glimmer of the Sith Lord she knew was truly hiding beneath the Dark Lord's gentlemanly facade. Raydonn shrugged and half nodded as he mulled over his task.

"General Veers, send out the order! You three to your stations, and Raydonn," He stopped the man as he turned to leave. "Be quick about it! If we can deal the enemy a devastating blow by ways of gutting their command we can take back this world in no time at all." Raydonn idly rubbed the back of his neck, causing his armor to glint and glimmer as the star above shone down on his arm plates. He nonetheless, nodded and turned breaking into a jog towards the dropship Veers had informed him of.

Veers took off and began sounding the commands to all ground units to get ready for counterattack and offensive measures as Kun motioned for Kira and Mara to take their places on either of his flanks. As a line of Saber tanks and Centurion classes moved ahead of the main ground army and a line of AT-ST's moved behind them. With AT-AT's continuing to ward off the enemy with seemingly endless heavy fire support above them.

The Dark Lord noted the Massassi all bowing their heads in his direction as they lined up with heavy cannon wielding brutes to the front and sword wielders behind them and spears behind those. All of them armed with Sith lanvaroks to act as personal shields. Exar picked up an ear comm unit and gingerly snapped it into his right ear and took up a place in front of the Imperial center units. He could sense all the fear and anxiety emanating from the troopers. Clad in their armor and on the ground. Only his Massassi and apprentices felt no fear, or at least he couldn't sense any.

Snapping his ear unit he had Veers patch him onto all Imperial comm channels.

"This is Lord Exar Kun. Many of you have not served under me or my apprentices. Well we're the ones holding the glowing swords. Some of you more historically fluent may recognize them for what they are. Lightsabers!" He snatched up his saber hilt and activated one side of the brilliant blue beam and hoisted it above his head towards the sky. Both Mara and Kira followed by activating their sabers though they kept them low and at the ready.

"The rebels have us outnumbered, and yes even outgunned. And, some of you may have figured this out by what just happened moments ago. But, yes the fleet has suffered an act of sabotage that's crippled dozens of stardestroyer variants from the sixty-ninth. However I will not let all these facts determine our fate and the fate of this battle, or the fate of Kuat before we've shown the URM why their vast army of droids will never succeed against the guile and wit of a single man in the Imperial Armed Forces!" The men silently and unknown to Kun who did not turn to them began nodding in agreement. Some felt their spirits rise and blood begin to pound.

"As we speak as we watch and as we know the droids march against us across the galaxy. We stand and we fight them and they keep coming, for this is what we must do if we ever hope to return the galaxy to the peace and security it held before the dawning of this war! Already once before these very same droids were defeated by your predecessors, and now I expect the same and more from you! This time we will not only defeat the droid, but we will destroy the droid! We will annihilate them and teach these walking hunks of scrap what it means to know fear!" His men became more riled and some brave ones shouted in agreement among the thousands causing more to follow until a disjointed howl of men crying sounded out.

"Death awaits many of us, but remember that in the end death awaits all of us! What we must determine in our lives is in what way shall we meet with death?! Shall we be begging and broken pleading with a machine for our lives as we watch them burn our cities and slaughter our people?! Or, shall we die standing, fighting, and defending all that which we know to be true, and right?! Shall we die together and fight as one so that the galaxy itself remains to fight another day?!" The army shouted and the officers among them could not believe their eyes or ears. For to these pampered prudish men this seemed wholly unprofessional and barbaric. But to Kun it was a show of power, and a matter of invigoration. And, he had their spirits heightened, and their minds cleared. And even some amongst those same officers felt their resolve strengthen against these mindless and emotionless things called droids.

"Then come with me men! Fight with me and my apprentices! Listen to your orders, follow your instincts defend one another and stomp on forward! Not for the continued glory of a one throne, or a one Empire, but for the sake of all things within this galaxy, and for all that which we must defend! For the galaxy we fight, and for this galaxy we die!" The men again shouted across the vast lines of troopers and even those whom sat upon defense posts and fired into the armies of droids heading towards them found their spirits raised and blood boiling as their mind became focused on defeating the mechanical threat and their rebel allies! For their Lord was with them, their allies and friends, their fellow troopers were with them! Their galaxy and their Empire was with them.

"Then follow me men into the fray! Leave not one rebel standing, not one droid remaining, and not one speck of this good Kuati dirt, this Imperial soil in their hands! For when we secure Kuat we will then secure the galaxy!" The army roared with life and all men everywhere across Kuat whom heard Kun's voice either shouted with their Lord or nodded and felt their bodies shake with adrenaline and renewed vigor. The Massassi howled and roared like wild beasts of war and Kira grinned wildly as Mara allowed herself to smirk.

"Armor, forward!" Exar commanded loudly into his comm unit. And, with that the vast line of Saber and Centurion tanks rolled forward and fired into the droid masses whom still were closing the distance. The walkers followed behind them and fired into the further back rows and columns of the droids from their tank counterparts. And then, the first wave of the Imperial army marched forward and followed both their commanding officers and the three Sith ahead of them. With more walkers following in after them, as the Empire made to meet the URM in the field of battle and close the distance at last.

The cracks of thunder as tank and walker fire shredded into the nearest lines of droids. Which numbered undoubtedly far into the hundreds of thousands just in front of them. Enemy AAT's and Hailfire tanks fired back, and the wheeled Hailfire rolled speedily forward firing untold number of rockets that trailed with thick nauseating smoke. These rockets slammed into a nearby AT-ST and the walker was flung backwards in fire and smoke.

AAT fire strayed and made to hit trooper columns. Most ran out of the way but many were still yet unlucky and sent hurling up with all manner of limbs taken from them. Their screams filled the air, but their brethren pressed on as medical teams ran to the sides of those still among the living.

Kun stopped moving forward and his men followed suit after a moment. The tanks and walkers formed a wall of metal in front of them and fired endlessly against the closing droid ground forces. Exar turned over his right shoulder and waited. Over the peak of the spires of Kuatac then came whirling into sight dozens of TIE bombers from the fleet. Kun snapped his ear comm again.

"Hold and wait for my mark. Forward battalions get ready and stay low!" The nearest to the front men of his first wave crouched where they stood and so did the Massassi along with Kira and Mara further down the lines on either of his flanks.

The bombers swept in low and broke into two large packs. One whipped right and the other left directly as they passed overhead of him. The far AIAA droid walkers lowered their AA cannons lower on their backs and a sound of endless rumbling thunder cracked through the air as they unleashed torrents of cannon fire that burned into the air above them and around the bombers.

The bombers then flew out to the far sides of both armies and swerved back around to begin making a carpet bomb run. The AIAA cannon fire ripped into several bombers and their metal carcasses fell to the ground in explosive fire and smoke. But, many dozens of the bombers made it through and as they edged the vast droid army lines they unleashed their payloads of proton bombs and air mines.

The explosions fell and exploded in lightning succession in a straight line across Kun's vision from the far right to the far left as the bombers bombed a gash into the immense droid swarm. The bombers met in the middle where they carried on alongside the other teams and bombed over what the other team had bombed scorching and blackening the soil below as well as sending waves of droid part and bits flying up into the air or disintegrating altogether.

"Artillery units, fire sorties!" Veers commanded back at the mobile command center, and behind the lines of stormtroopers not yet called into battle long and medium ranged walkers with artillery guns along their backs angled their barrels up and unleashed successive blasts of green plasma into the air.

As the bombers broke off and rose high into the air to safer skies the barrage of artillery fire slammed directly in and around the bombing lines sending more dirt flying up and throwing battered droids about.

"Battalions, forward!" Exar commanded and dove forward himself cloak and armor whipping in the churning winds. The walkers advanced once more and fired into the droid lines as the droids aimed all their blasters and fired into the trooper lines. The stormtroopers ran forwards and slammed themselves against stationary tanks and walkers and fired from that cover while braver and more foolish men ran into open fields and opened a blitz of fire into the droid lines.

Dozens of B1's fell and sparked as they were hit and those behind them were hit along with them. Equally troopers were shot down in a hail of smoldering blaster bolts that burned through their armor and snapped their heads back or riddled their bodies with bone burning bolt wounds.

Commanders began screaming orders to their men and troopers ran into positions. Kneeling or going prone to the ground and taking down dozens of droids that would not stop coming. The AT-ST's advanced over them and fired burst rounds of cannon fire into the main droid lines and utterly destroyed entire lines. Then rockets from the droid lines would fly and slam into the heads of the AT-ST's. The heads would become impacted and the walker would fall over as a smoldering metal husk.

Red painted assault droids with their rockets took up lines protected by multiple B2 super battle droids, and they relentlessly loosed rocket after rocket into the crowd of troopers or their armored cover. Then from the low outskirts of Kuatac a line of MAAT Imperial dropships zoomed in low. Their laser cannons lining either side of the vehicle would explode and rip into these assault groups as over two dozen of the MAAT's came in and unleashed jets and torrents of fire onto the droids.

Several assault droids aimed up and fired rockets into the air. Some colliding with MAAT's and sending them crashing down into more droids. These MAAT's would strafe along the massive army sector of droids only to move onto to the scorched line in the dirt caused by the bombers and artillery to unleash more random missile fire and laser fire to hold back the bulk of the droid forces.

Dozens of missiles would fly from some of the bombed out line and slam into several of the gunships. As the far back Hailfire tanks sought to relieve the troops being battered from the bombers, artillery, and now the gunships. The droids cut off from the main body of the army continued on, however, showing no relent and no fear. The B1's mass ripped into trooper lines and cut down dozens of men as the troopers returned the favor in kind taking down a hundred droids with two hundred taking their place right after.

Exar moved forward in front of his men and walker directly before him and raised his left hand outwards. An immense wave of energy exploded out that seemed to form almost a beam spawning from his palm. The energy wave slammed into line after line of droids and disintegrated literally dozens of them and threw dozens more in all directions.

Then without relent Kun curled his finger back into a fist and snapped them back out as a mass of lightning tendrils exploded out and hit the nearest droids. Then bounced from one to the next causing the machines to shake and go rigid all at once. Many began to litter the ground burnt and stinking high into the they would explode one by one.

A dozen B2 super battle droids marched in and fired on Kun. The Sith Lord dove left and out of the way of their fire. His troops ran in after him and unleashed a hail of bolt fire back at the B2's. Some of the droids were hit and flung back only to catch themselves and stomp their metal feet into the ground and unleash a burst of blaster fire from their wrists. Several would eventually fall, but only after taking at least five troopers with them and having been riddled with scores of bolts.

Kun whirled passed his men and launched himself into the air. He fell and slammed his saber flatly along the ground towards the droids. A pulse of power ejected itself from his blue blade outwards and sent the droids and more falling to the ground. He slashed left cleaving one droid in half and slashed back right cutting another down and ran towards the fallen over droids where he slashed his saber along the soil and tore them apart where they lay.

He flung back around as droids passed him by on either side firing dumbly against his armies and ignoring him. With a smirk lining his face he activated the second end of his saber and extended the blade lengths as far as they could go using one of the switches along his custom saber. He flung the saber carefully over his left shoulder and sent the Force into his arms. With a cry escaping him he threw it out left. The spinning hum of the weapon flew into and cut down droid after droid along his left before whirling right and into the droids on that side of him. It went behind and around him and he heard rather than saw more droids fall.

He spun back around slammed his boots to the dirt below and threw both hands outwards to the droids in front of him and unleashed yet another violent torrent of Force energy into the droids advancing. It sent hundreds falling over and onto one another as his saber came back to him like a loyal ack dog to its master. Kun reveled in the rush of battle once more. As he rarely threw himself into the thick of warzones. But the smells and sensations rippled through him. The visceral adrenaline pounding and Force shaking he felt sent him into overdrive as he felt the Force howl around and through him as the Dark Side fed on his raw emotion, his unspoken fear and hate of the droids His wrath and anger for what had happened to his fleet. It all fed into him and made him more powerful.

And, with a laugh he threw himself forward again against another line of B1 battles droids.

---

Kira laughed wildly and swung down left across right back slashing left and stabbing right and towards her back. Each swing every swipe and all actions tearing down droid after droid. Torrents of their blaster fire all the while heading towards her and being swiped away by the graceful swings of her curved saber.

Around her the Massassi roared in similar delight as cannon wielding hulks unleashed round after round of plasma into the droids. Sword wielding or lanvarok spear carrying warrior standing as best they could in front of their cannon wielding brethren and using their shields to protect them from the hail of relentless fire coming towards them.

Stormtroopers ran forward into the fray and skirted into kneels near to her and her Massassi. They fired and tore down dozens of droids but then they'd take a bolt to the head or three to the chest and fall around her. It made Kira laugh as she became bottled in by corpses of both metal and flesh.

On her left a Centurion tank rolled over droids and fired into further ones ahead as four rockets then flew from the droid crowds hitting the Imperial armor and causing a powerful and devastating wave to fly outwards. All she needed to do was raise her free left hand and the Force canceled out the explosion against her. Though many of her troopers were knocked over.

On her right the roar of the terrible Kalgrath shook her body and that of her men and Massassi. The sickly green beast all but impervious to blaster fire barreled into untold lines of droids throwing them like a rabid nerf stampeding through a crowd. Occasionally throwing himself up and onto a larger B2 super battle droid and bringing the machine down before his terrible weight crushed the droid.

Kalgrath would then roar again and claw ferociously at all the B1's moving around him and his latest 'kill.' A few of his Massassi kindred were near and found use of a blaster distasteful. Only would they wield one if their Lord commanded it and he had not. So they took to the sword and lanvarok spear.

With Sith lanvarok strapped to their left arms, and weapon in right hand they charged the droids, and with great power tore into them with those swords or spears. Hails of bolt fire hitting their shields and occasionally hitting and scorching their crimson flesh. They'd roar in rage and only kill that much more wildly until they were finally brought down in a swarm of droid blaster fire. Only to have their living kin roar in terrible unison and rampage through and among those droids that remained.

All the while AT-ST's passed by them crushing droids under foot and firing into them with rockets and grenades to contend with. Troopers lined up behind Kira and her Massassi and returned the grenades in kind. All of them forming a line and tossing frag or ion grenades into the swarm.

Kira moved forward and allowed the explosions of friendly and enemy grenades to whip the winds around her. She swung left and right violently and wildly tearing droid after droid down as she went and loving every moment. She extended her left hand out towards a mass of droids and curled her fingers inwards and pointed her hand then upwards to the sky. Dozens if not a hundred or more B1 battle droids then began squirming and calling out in robotic confusion as they were lifted into the air.

A flick of all five of her fingers out from their curled position and all the droids were ejected into the air to fall meters back from where they had stood moments prior. She swiped her hand left and more droids were thrown as she swung her saber up right and cleaved another down and then swung it back over her figure blocking bolts heading for her chest. As from her left she caught a glimpse of two Crab droids followed by two Dwarf Spider droids and a single Tri-droid came forward all of them clawing and firing at troopers advancing down that line. The Tri-droid stopped and began firing its heavy shell rounds. Dozens of screaming men were thrown up into the air, and the crab droids marched over their bodies be they dead or alive and went for a nearby TIE Mauler advancing to aid the assault. The Spider droids fired together into another nearby AT-ST from the back. The shots slammed into its head and it fell forward atop a pile of more droids.

Kira laughed and dove toward the Tri-droid. It fired three more shells each time spinning its head. Kira grasped one quickly with the Force as she ran and threw it back into the Tri-droid's head. It had begun to fire again when hit and two explosions ripped it apart and threw it to the ground in a smoking heap.

Kira swerved towards the Spider droids then as she numbly noted the MAAT's flying overhead again with the artillery silencing only for a few moments likely needing to reload. The girl dove herself head first under the first Spider droid in her sights. She fell into a roll but stopped in a kneel under the droid walker. She twisted her now inactive saber hilt up and placed the emitter against the belly of the walker and then activated the weapon. The beam of light stabbed up and the droid began making odd almost painful noises as it tried to move away from whatever was causing it damage. Its quick movements only served to force the saber into different places, and Kira giggled wildly as it thrashed about stupidly.

The other Spider droid turned to observe the cause of its partner's distress. Kira then rolled out from under the damaged walker. The second turned its barrel to fire on her. Kira laughed and used a powerful Force push to throw herself back under the first Spider droid. The second fired too recklessly and fired two heavy blasts into the body of its companion. Which fell over as shards and debris of that walker flew and embedded itself into the second Spider walker.

Through the smoke Kira flew through and onto the top of the second walker and cleaved her saber through the barrel of the walker and jumped off and spun around slashing into one of its legs. She then broke into a sprint powered by the Force. The Spider walker turned its barrel to fire on her and took a step towards her. As it did the damaged leg gave way and it fell forward just as it fired. The blast came early with the damaged barrel and the Spider walker exploded and fell down beside its companion.

Kira spun back around slashing outwards and downing a super battle droid and two B1's as she did and flung herself towards the Crab droids. The walkers were now crawling like skittering bugs over the remains of that TIE Mauler and were moving towards and firing against a Saber tank.

The girl slammed one boot into the ground and launched up into the air once again. With saber active in hand, she fell down onto the first Crab droid. But, not before sending a massive wave of Force energy down slamming its belly into the dirt and forcing some metal gears to twist and damage. She fell atop it and her saber impaled the crab through. Kira forced it forward as she stomped off the crab droid and heard it whirr and cease moving. The second Crab droid turned and fired at her, but she dove right behind the TIE Mauler body. The droid walker ran towards the fallen Imperial machinery and climbed on top of it once again.

Kira dove around to the back of the Crab droid and sent another large wave of power out from her hand towards it. The Crab droid flew off of the Mauler and fell on its back into the dirt. Kira ran around and was quick to slash all of its legs off and then stab downwards with tremendous force. The droid like its companion before let out a dying whirr and ceased to move.

Kira turned and felt a satisfied smile overcome her. Just then in the distance the droids made way for a large B3 ultra battle droid. The behemoth of a droid turned to Kira and raised all four of its arms ready to fire. She only grinned wildly and began to run towards it. The thrill of the battle and rush of the dark side fueling every move she made.

---

Mara wiped a sheen of sweat from her brow as she heard the screams of TIE bombers coming in for another bombing run as both gunships and artillery pieces took a momentary break in their endless assault along the cut off line her master devised to separate the front sector of the URM droid army from the bulk forces.

Her saber glowed bright in her right hand and at her feet were two super battle droids and a single Magnaguard that had been luckily only using a grenade launcher and not a pike. Rounding up behind her came a full battalion of stormtroopers who pressed on and fired rapidly into the swarms of droids that remained.

Mara turned and saw four TX-130T fighter tanks followed by three 2-M Saber class tanks take up barrage positions.

"Down!" She called and raised her saber. The troopers all fell prone to the floor and continued firing into the legs and feet of the droids. Mara turned and raised her saber up again and threw it back down towards the droids in a silent order to fire. She dove down to the dirt beside two troopers as the tanks did as ordered.

All six began firing their main cannons into the droid crowd and shredded dozens of them. However, mutilated B2 supers missing whole arms or chunks of themselves kept on pressing forward blocking their smaller B1 units from some trooper fire as they went. The tanks made quick work of most of them, and finally the droids seemed to pause as the smoke billowed and obscured her vision of them in front of her and her men.

Beyond MAAT's strafing overhead and the battles raging down the general front of the line Mara saw nothing and heard nothing directly in front of her. But, the Force sounded out a warning and she furrowed her brow. Then she heard it. A mass of skittering and warbling droid binary speak. From the smoke like a nightmare a sudden skittering swarm of Buzzdroids appeared. The troopers all jumped up and began rapidly firing at the ground and destroying dozens but they came like a wave with their blades and cutting tools fully ready to gut every trooper.

Mara grimaced and extended her left hand. She concentrated and drew on the anger and fear running through her as her master Kun had taught. And, thankfully a bout of lightning erupted from her fingertips forwards and slammed into the Buzzdroids. They began to pop and explode in little fireballs, but even her lightning wasn't denting their numbers.

"Back behind the tanks!" She screamed to her men and the troopers quickly turned and ran as she held the droids back with a powerful sudden Force wave that sent the first few rows of active droid flying back over one another. She then turned and used the Force to leap over the tank line.

"Alright fire on the karking Buzzdroids!" She commanded into her comm unit to both her men and the tanks. The troopers filled the gaps between the tanks and their sides and opened fire at the ground again as the tanks fired all their weapons in intervals and sent waves of Buzzdroids flying about in scattered bits and debris. Mara sent bouts of both lighting and pure Force energy into the swarms to send them back.

But, as the smoke cleared from the tank barrages she could see a renewed line of B1's escorted by two lines of B2 supers advancing behind the Buzzdroid swarm. The B2's raised their wrist blasters and fired heavy blitz rounds against her and her men. She jumped with a hiss from where she was as bolts tore into the air. She watched a hail of them tear one trooper down and he fell over lifeless beside her. His helmet rolled off and she found herself looking into dead and lifeless blue eyes of a recruit. His mouth ajar and pain riddled along his features as blood began to seep from his mouth.

Her nostrils flared and body shook. She jumped up and sent, yet another massive wave of Force energy against the droids, and many of them were thrown back, but the B2's weathered her attack and simply began firing again. She growled for the tanks to open fire on them and they did blasting holes in the new lines as they formed.

"Commander! We got word of droideka movement on our left flank!" Mara heard one ground Commander call out as he and the battalion officer both crouched by a TX-130T and fired into the droid lines. She turned to her left and glared as she scanned for the droidekas.

Indeed along the whole line of the engagement, from behind the thick black smoke wall formed by the artillery, bombers, and gunships thousands of droidekas and Hailfire tanks chanced the barrage of endless fire through the smoke and into the fray. The rolling balls of death dodged the hellish vision of warfare and the barrage line and headed to the nearest Imperial positions.

MAAT gunships tracked several and used their laser cannons to bring them down before they could attack but dozens still made it followed by Hailfire tanks firing into the tank and walker lines. Mara found three of the balls of death screaming in from the droid lines and swerving in on her position.

"There, fire there blow em' to bits!" Mara called and several troopers already firing merely turned and continued firing. The droidekas weaved through other battles between troopers and droids. One of them was hit by a bolt fire and began wobbling before falling into a death spin on its sides and crashing into three B1's and taking them with it.

The other two continued and came into a relatively open piece of land and began to unfurl. Mara jumped towards them and sent a wave of energy at one she ran towards directly. That droideka not yet fully extended flew backwards and slammed into a super battle droid. Mara stopped and turned right to the second droideka, but just as she did the shield of it activated and it turned on her firing rapidly and sending successive bouts of dirt flying all around her. She dove for her life and cried out as one bolt shredded into her right ankle and burned the bottom of her leather leggings to her flesh.

She fell onto her back and seethed through her teeth with a hiss of pain. The droid turned back to her men and wildly opened fire and advanced towards them as it did so. Her men fired back but the only thing that happened was the rippling of the droid's shield. It ripped into them and two troopers were torn into and fell back riddled with blaster marks.

Mara grasped at her wounded ankle and felt her whole leg shoot up and down in immense pain. A careful touch of the wound's edges caused her breath to hitch and she bit down on her arm to silence herself from screaming out. With a throbbing pain in her leg she picked herself up and felt her ankle nearly buckle under the pressure. She scanned for her fallen saber and found the hilt buried under a fallen B1 beside her. She called it to her hand and looked to the droideka.

As she did the nearest tank to it turned and fired two powerful blasts into it. The droideka made to curl into a ball but the blasts hit it first and it exploded into hundreds of little bits. Mara shakily seethed and picked herself fully up and gingerly jogged to the tank line and her men.

"Commander quick! More droidekas incoming!" The officer called and waved her over as he fired his blaster pistol hitting a B2 super on her back apparently. She growled and jumped behind the men who blocked the droid incoming fire. The battalion Captain took a bolt to the left shoulder and he fell back to his left. Mara caught him, but he pushed himself back up and fired again.

Over his shoulders Mara indeed saw three more droidekas roll in over the dirt and scattered debris of war. They came to a lurched stop and began unfurling. The officer threw a frag grenade between two of them. The three activated their shields, but the grenade tore one shield off and the droideka was shredded by bolt fire. The other two kept their shields and opened up fire on all of them.

Mara leaned her back into the tank they were using as cover as the medic came dashing between the tanks and droid fire to her side. He placed his pack down and began looking at her ankle. He touched the wound and gingerly raised her leg up after straightening it and she seethed loudly. He pulled out sterilizer and applied it to the wound which did cause her to scream in pain, but the sounds of battle mostly drowned her out especially as the tank fired into the droid lines again and the bomber flew overhead once more.

"The fabric has been melted to your skin! I don't have the equipment here to remove it, but I can dress it, apply some pain relief and make you battle ready, or call for medevac to base camp! Your call ma'am!"

"Apply the damn dressing and give me the painkiller!" Mara growled as she reached into his pack and pulled out some wound wrappings and tore a piece off. She bit down on it as the medic applied more sterilizer. Her body tensed and she screamed again into the wrap as he quickly began wrapping her ankle with the same material.

A stray bolt flew over his head and he ducked but kept working as more troopers ran over and shored up the blaster fire of both their commanding officer and field Captain. They were yelling orders to one another as the medic pulled out a syringe and Mara gave him her left arm. Mara watched one trooper run between the tanks to get to the other troopers. He was running as a small rocket flew and hit the man. She and the medic covered their faces luckily before he put the syringe into her arm.

The trooper's armor was smashed in on his right and scorched as a B2 wrist rocket had made direct contact with him. He flew several feet back and was missing his right arm. He began screaming at the top of his lungs, and the medic turned to look.

"Kriff!" He cursed. Mara idly looked to his pack and noticed there were no other pain killers. She sighed heavily and used the Force to feed on the pain.

"Take the pain killer to him! He needs it a lot more than I do!" She called as the tank line fired again and the troopers came under a hail of droideka fire.

"Yes ma'am. Be careful." He snatched the pack up and began crawling to the screaming and writhing trooper possibly beginning to fall into shock. Mara pushed herself up and forced the pain throbbing in her leg to feed her power. She looked over the shoulders of her troopers and noticed the droidekas at their left flank now joined by several dozen B1 battles droids taking up positions with the front still under threat of droid swarm.

Snatching her saber hilt and activating the blade once more Mara jumped onto the top of the tank and looked towards the droidekas. With a great welling of her pain and anger she all but howled as she extended her left hand and unleashed the largest torrent of lightning yet in her life! The tendrils exploded out and slammed into all the droids there and washed over the shields of the droideka's and eventually wormed passed them breaking them and hitting the droidsthemselves.

"Destroy them all!" Mara howled and jumped off of the tank diving towards those droids that remained. As the battle for the Kuatac Plains continued on as the battle for Kuat on and above raged.

(Mandalore Sector, Concord Dawn System, Concord Dawn)

The vast yellow high flowing grass of the plains of Concord were beneath them. The crisp blue skies and white clouds hung high above them. Darted now with hundreds of blackened spots that flew forward and rung loudly as they went. The whirr of tanks sounded out and the warbling of landing crafts nearby moving in to land and dropping off whatever their payloads may be and then lifting back up.

The great plains were a vision of peaceful and beautiful golden hue. So much so it almost made Kellia sad she was about to blacken and burn most of it into the smoldering vision of the wastes of Sullust. She stood with both Fourzee and Egriege behind her upon a small hill among the valley. Her cloak whipped quite violently about her as the air became filled with the ships and repulsor vehicles moving all about her. She stood as a vision of some long forgotten fable. As on either side of her one raised hill there flowed forward ahead of her thousands of tanks and unit transports like the MTT's. Spider walkers of both sizes traveled alongside with slow moving crab droids and Hailfire tanks. Lagging behind all of them waited a small surprise for the Mandalorians that gave her a wicked gleam in her eyes whenever she thought about them.

As such the valley before them columns of tanks moved in alongside other columns of vehicles all of them spaced appropriately and into thought out and planned lines. One line was of AAT then MTT followed by another AAT after the transport going back for several dozen repeats. Alongside that column would be Persuader-class tanks, followed by two Dwarf Spider droids alongside one another followed by four crab droids in two similar lines together. After them a large spider droid, and two Tri-droids after that. While Hailfire tanks hung back at a predetermined position.

Kellia had brought to this one miserable grassy rock of the lowest scum in the galaxy a truly mechanized and unstoppable army of billions against a world barely of a few million. She couldn't help but smirk as she wondered if the Mandalorians would appreciate her overkill. After all, what better kill was there but overkill?

"Mistress," Fourzee leaned down to her left ear.

"Proceed Fourzee." The hulking behemoth nodded awkwardly.

"The forward lines have reached the valley lines looking over 'Cuyir' city. Shall we proceed?" Kellia smirked but her eyes visibly hardened as she steeled herself.

"Yes, let's." Egriege silently nodded and both droids turned with her as they made to her Sheathipede-class shuttle on standby. They quickly boarded and the shuttle skimmed over the land of Concord Dawn. Beneath them the vast armored army now designated Subjugation Force-01 moved on and beside them thousands of the unit's air assets.

The forward line soon came into sight. A far traveling hill that opened up into the valley and plains where the army now marched. Down into where the hill let into stood a more recently built city acting as a semi-capital hub and spaceport for the Mandalorians. It consisted of approximately three million. Usually two, but with the coming of the URM many people had gathered into the city and overpopulated it and geared up for their battle for survival. Though that made Kellia smirk as they had merely made the job easier for her.

Along the hill hundreds of spaced out AAT's now waited with their main cannons pointed down into the city valley. The hill was excellent tactically as it formed a crescent around nearly the entire length to one side of the city of mostly small buildings with but a few fifteen to twenty story tall buildings about. In between the gaps of the AAT's the first Persuader-tank enforcers moved up.

Kellia's droid pilot made for a small open position behind the front line and dropped her along with her two droid generals off. It took off to allow for the back lines to continue moving into position and Kellia moved alongside one of the forward AAT's. She looked with a sneering glare down onto the city once more before snatching up her comlink.

"Kast are you and your squad ready?"

"Born ready!" Jodo replied enthusiastically. All previous misgivings and trepidation about the attack now gone. Replaced now with clear excitement.

"Very good. Be sure to make your move as soon as the fireworks begin. As we planned."

"Copy." He replied and Kellia pocketed the comlink once again. She lowered her hood and took in a long calming breath as the wind gusted by her once more. She silently raised her right hand to Egriege who just as silently handed her a microphone receiver connected up to the AAT beside them. The AAT comm system itself connected to spaced out massive loudspeakers throughout the droid lines.

The commanding B1 battle droids integrated throughout the army were newer models built with the OOM series droid brains. Far superior and tactically savvy than the B1 generation. All of them still painted with the yellow stripes of the past. One of them popped his head out from the top of the AAT with macrobinoculars and gave an awkward nod to Egriege for Kellia to begin speaking.

"You know my voice by now. But, to those among you too slow to recall I shall repeat. I am Kellia Nelrain. Supreme Commander of all URM forces. Your pitiful kin across this whole sector could not come to a consensus. For that all of you shall now suffer. Those of you that agreed to my terms and those of you who did not.

'However, I am not without mercy. I can be lenient, but I must be shown the worth of those I grant it to. I have a final offer to give to you Concord Mandalorians. Surrender to me in the next two minutes standard time and I will spare your city from annihilation. Your two minutes begin now." Kellia monotonously demanded and handed the receiver back to Egriege who threw it to the droid Commander. The commanding unit took up its binoculars and watched the city.

---

Within the city Mandalorians were running frantically but purposefully. All of them were adorned with their own 'Beskar'kandar' armor sets. Some of them wore armor seeming ancient to those who knew their Mandalorian history. There were some even bold enough to be seen wearing Death Watch armor. Yet, the boldest were those in ratted clone trooper armor. A clear insult to Kellia, but in her mind it made finding and eliminatingthem and their families easier now.

Along the outskirts of the city the Mandalorians had dug through the day Kellia had given them to decide their fates a long and decently deep trench. Lined with firing positions and gunnery nests. Auto and mountable repeater cannons and turrets also lined the trench. The trench; the pitiful line of defense and desperation, was filled shoulder to shoulder with Mandalorian men aiming down the sights of their E-33 carbines. Some of those with the Death Watch armor holding some carbine their pitiful unit was known for, though never given model. All of them with WESTAR pistols at their side, or DL-44's.

Sure all of them were armed and armored to the teeth, but Kellia knew it wouldn't help them in the end. She didn't care how many droids she lost. For her victory was inevitable. And deep down she knew the Mandalorians understood that.

Of course she also knew within the city along the rooftops of the buildings were waiting snipers and riflemen. Waiting for the droids to push through their trench into the city. Likely Artillery units were near to them as well, but again Kellia had a plan for them. Ambushers likely lined every corner and every alleyway, but in the end they would feel the swarm of her droids, and they too would be overrun. The only question Kellia had as she overlooked the fools was where the women were.

For she could not see a one, but she could sense a certain level of fear coming from the city that could only be described as a mothers fear. And there were hundreds upon hundreds of them, and these people were so keen on having their women fight, so she wondered where they could possibly be held up.

---

Either way their time was up. Kellia smirked broadly and felt her whole body tense. The droid commander looked down to her and she raised her left hand extended out her index and middle finger up and then swiftly pointed them down into the city.

"Open fire." The droid stiffly commanded into its built in comm unit. And a hail of AAT fire exploded out through the air. Yellow beams of light bursting with fire flew down into the city. They struck buildings sending chunks of them flying and jetting out over the Mandalorians defending below. They all ducked and began screaming orders in their foul language to one another.

The AAT line fired in succession one after the other over and over. Some stray shots slamming into the trench and Kellia watched with glee as men were tossed into the air to slam back down. One she could barely make out fell onto his head with great force and went limp in the grass and dirt where he lay.

"Dead before he fired a shot. How dishonorable! I'm sure he'll receive no glory in whatever hole of nothingness he travels to beyond this life." She spat with a scornful laugh, and let the battering carry on.

She heard yells from far down into the valley and from within the city blasts erupted. From behind rows of the city structures came the obvious lights of cannon fire followed by trails of smoke. The first came down with a whine through the air and slammed into one AAT down the row on Kellia's right.

The whole front felt the explosion and the tank ejected debris violently in all directions. Kellia snarled but cooled herself with a breath and silently raised her right hand up and curled it into a fist. As the artillery barrage from the Mandalorians came and slammed into both front and back hanging armored units Egriege carried out her silent orders and called in the bombers.

High above Hyenas trailed by Vulture droids used as bait for AA guns came screaming down from the high skies of the world.

"First wave ready!" Kellia commanded and Fourzee relayed the order. All MTT's behind the first AAT line began whirring and their massive hatches opened revealing their droid cargo. Hundreds of them held within one MTT.

The bombers swept in low from up high and dive bombed the city. They fell upon the city center and began clobbering it with proton bombs. The city rumbled and vast waves of debris flew out as fireballs erupted with them. More bombers came from the other end of the city and unleashed carpet bombs. Whole city blocks shook and one of the taller buildings rattled and waved until Kellia watched it buckle and cave in on itself sending a new cloud of smoke and dust high.

The AA guns began firing up and brought four bombers crashing down. Each one slamming to the dirt or the city and causing more untold damage as Kellia began to sense death permeate the city below. The droid legions behind her all stood up and a loud snap and whir sounded through the valley as their torso and head joints snapped into place in unison. The MTT's each carried one line of B2 super battle droids that came to the front after unfurling and took up escort position in front of their weaker B1 counterparts and the Persuader tanks and all those walkers behind took up positions as the droids began filtering in and filling the gaps between the AAT's.

The artillery fire from the Mandalorians picked up and slammed all across the lines of Kellia's mechanized army. The ground endlessly shook and powerful booms and mechanical whir filled the skies followed by the screams of bombers as they rushed in and bombed whole city blocks into dust and ruble.

"First wave, advance!" Kellia called out followed by Fourzee again relaying to the droid commander their mistress's command. The yellow striped droid nodded.

"Support fire!" It called out in its voice and all the tanks along the front angled their main guns up and fired deeper behind the front of the enemy trench. Kellia gave a silent look to both her droid commanders and curt nods. Both Egriege and Fourzee moved to their positions along the front and Kellia attached her ear comm unit in now.

A binary wail sounded through the comm commanding the droids to advance and to kill all organics not radiating with the harmless isotope all men and aliens working for Kellia had injected into them.

A thunderous march sounded out as thousands of droids began moving downhill towards the city with B2's marching them in as escort and AAT's throwing off the Mandalorians. After the droids the Persuaders and walker followed and opened up fire themselves on the trench line to soften up resistance.

The Mandalorians called out loudly to one another and with a crack the Mando's along the trench slammed their blasters into the dirt for steadying and opened fire on the line of droids. The B2's took many hits but they at most wavered and were jolted back, but they pressed on. Though many did eventually fall where they moved down the hill.

The B2's at a predetermined distance then all raised their wrist blasters and unleashed a hail of fire back towards the Mandalorians. They bolts pelted the dirt and soil hitting and scorching turret and armor. But the Mandalorian armor was made to endure and many men though hit sustained and pressed on firing back with equal fire and vigor as their mechanical enemies.

The Mandalorians unleashed their turrets and heavy repeaters. They tore into line of droids and shredded the metal troopers. Bringing down hundreds as they came. A hail of thermal detonators followed and again dozens of droid corpses began to litter the hill slope. By the time the first B2 line hit the trench line almost all their units were brought down and hundreds of B1's with them. The Mandalorians hit back doubly as hard as reserves from the rear guard rushed in from the city streets and buildings near to the trench along with support from rooftop snipers.

They fired and struck down hundreds more droids, as the B2's and B1's fired directly into the trenches. Several men were torn into. Their bodies ripped and scorched and going limp and flailing where they stood before falling back dead. Three Hyena bombers in wedge wing formation flew in low over the city and began dropping a load of bombs, but the Mandalorians fell to the ground in prone positions and refused to relent. The AA fire ripped into all three and the bombers erupted in fire before one slammed into a building unleashing a firestorm and the other two barely cleared the city into the dirt.

The first wave of droids were undoubtedly being cut down, but the Mandalorians along the trench and outer bounds of the city were being pelted and whittled down though slower than Kellia would have liked. The Persuader droids hit the city lines and simply rolled over the trench troops firing into them as they went and entered the city. The Spider droids began focusing on rooftops and blowing out roofs not yet hit by bombers. Sending some Mandalorians crashing, and screaming to their deaths. The Crab droids in their chirping skittering binary fell over the trenches. They clawed at Mandalorians near to them and fired at others down the trench.

Down the city streets the Persuaders entered with little resistance. Until on either side hidden within buildings Mandalorians holding up rocket launchers and anti-vehicle cannons began pelting the first tank they found. The first tank was smashed together and crushed. The Tri-droid following it in aimed at the entrance to the building on the right and fired into it. A fireball cascaded into and out of the bottom floor. Back out of the entrance and successively through the building out the back entrance.

From the left anther rocket flew forward and slammed into the rotating head of the walker and it fell over with a fireball erupting from it. A large Homing Spider droid came into view and fired a beam shot into the building and carried it across the entire side of it. Creating a visibly scorched gash along the whole length of it. The doorway was hit and one Mandalorian lay motionless with half of his body removed from the other.

His comrade ran forward seizing the fallen rocket launcher and aimed high. Firing it the projectile hit the head of the Homing Spider, but the lumbering walker turned slowly back as the Mandalorian readied to fire another round. As he did so the walker turned on and aimed down sights at him upon the ground. He looked up and fell still from the size of the walker and accepted his death. Then from the left of the Mandalorian a powerful blast whirled through the air and slammed into the Spider walker sending it tumbling over in a blaze of fire and smoke.

All the Mando's turned to see three Canderous-class assault tanks come into view. One of them already having downed the Persuader droid tanks and several other walkers. So, the men cheered and grabbed up their weapons and continue to resist the droid invaders.

And, along the entire line hidden out of sight over a dozen Canderous-class tanks came into view and opened fire on the AAT's and descending droid tanks and walkers. Kellia watched this with a snarl escaping from passed her lips just as an enemy artillery shell landed behind her blowing a now empty MTT into oblivion. She simply raised her hand and used the Force to cancel out the explosive wave coming towards her.

"Second wave!" She turned and howled to the droid commander. It seemed almost stunned by the roar in her voice, but simply nodded its conned head and relayed the orders as the second tier of MTT's began unloading and thousands more droids were sent forward with their escort armored vehicles.

Her eyes narrowed and the dark side flared around her. The blood pounding through her veins was nothing short of fiery hatred. She wanted them dead! All dead! Corpses lining the streets for all to see and for this bankrupt society to die out, to usher in but a fraction of her perfect society! Yes...they all needed to die, and now!

"Droideka wave, Hailfire column now!" She commanded with another brisk roar, and the commander relayed. And, from the far back of the army several transports, modified MTT's for droidekas opened up and out of them came rolling hundreds of the destroyer droids. And with them came the rolling Hailfire tanks of death. Even before seeing the hill they unleashed a round of missile sorties that flew smoking through the air and slammed into far back buildings of the city and shook the men and droids fighting at the trench line in heated battle as more droids of the second wave swarmed over them.

---

"Commander Alpha! Two dozen moving in on the trench forty-three meters left!" Alpha, turned and used his macrobinoculars to look where the young 'ad'ika' pointed to. The ex-ARC trooper turned and saw three B2's moving with a squad of B1's on a dug out munitions hole along the trench line.

"Got it." He released the binoculars and they fell around his chest hung from a strap around his neck. Falling to his stomach he picked up his heavily modified DC-15x sniper rifle, and aimed down sights at the first B2. He clenched the trigger and the bolt flew into and through the face plate of the hulking metal monster. He did it again for the second and the third turned to look at the sounds of its companions falling and Alpha fired again. The bolt ripped through the face plate from the side but it still fell.

An artillery burst behind him shook the roof he found himself on and he shook his head and waited for his ground to stop shaking. The B1's paid no mind to the fallen B2's and fired down into the munitions dump. Return fire came back as two Mando troopers in standard armor fired rapidly against the B1's shredding them. He picked his head up from his scope and smirked slightly and stood back up with a grunt.

"Got it. Mark position and order reserves into it." The young Mando nodded just as the artillery barrage fired off another ten or so heavy cannon bolts through the air towards the droid army advancing down the valley. Alpha, or Alpha-17 as he was once couldn't believe that nearly twenty years after the end of the Clone Wars, here he was. A clone the very namesake of the war, and fighting the very things they were bred to stop, or so he had thought. With a wry smirk he realized he was only missing a crazy Rattataki or whatever she was, torturing him and General Kenobi. His wry smile though already humorless turned into a grimace as bad memories haunted him in that moment.

He shook his head and forced them away from the front of his mind and watched the droids assault his people. These people who took him and his kind in when they didn't have to. They who accepted him as Mandalorian and not a model number. These people who were now fighting because of a madwoman bent on vengeance for her lost kind and the lost Republic. It almost made Alpha sympathize with her. Want to tell her that he and everyone he knew lost something when the Chancellor now Emperor gave those karking orders, but he knew he couldn't change the past. Nothing short of that would calm someone like this Kellia Nelrain down.

So, he fought. Like he was born and made to do. Fought to make himself worthy of these people. His people, the Mandalorians.

"Destroyers!" The Mando scout announced gruffly. Alpha suddenly became doubly awake and picked up his own macrobinoculars. Indeed he saw hundreds of the little killers that put dread even through the hearts and minds of his kind during the Clone Wars. They were rolling in like visions of beasts from a nightmare with Hailfire droids intermittently among them firing into the city.

"Comm over to the trench lines! Get reserves on rocket duty and call the tanks if need be!"

"Where you headed 'alor?!'" The scout demanded as Alpha placed his helmet of the ARC trooper onto his head and brushed imaginary dust from the shoulder pad of his ARC armor.

"To give em' a reminder of what it's like to fight my kind 'vod.'" Alpha smirked behind his mask and ran towards the roof edge. The Mando's watched as Alpha activated a special jetpack he had personally installed and modified into his ARC armor years back. He fell steadily to the ground and swiped up his old WESTAR-M5 blaster rifle. As he ran forward he began clipping the grenade launcher attachment available to it on the bottom.

He passed by a street where a squad of Mandalorian troopers took up position behind a burnt our Persuader droid husk and fired into the trench line where droids were stomping over the fallen dead into the city. Slamming himself against a buildings edge that let out onto the street he grasped the rifle with both hands and in a flash whipped around the corner.

He fired burst rounds and the blue bolts ripped into three B1's that fell over in thuds backwards. He hit a fourth and a fifth that fell leaning onto a B2 following up behind it. The B2 seeming almost irritated thrashed the droid off of it and fired a burst of bolts from its wrist that sounded like an endless thunder crack in the distance.

Without a thought Alpha rolled forwards and behind a blown out airspeeder. Loading an ion grenade from his belt into the blaster he snapped it back into place and rolled from the side of the speeder. In a split second he launched it at the B2 and follow up B1's following after. The grenade traveled flew through the air and hit the ground beside the B2's left foot. The droid and its weaker counterparts began to shake and buzz out of control.

Alpha ran with speed he didn't even know he had left in him and rammed his shoulder into the B2. Stomping his boot onto it he fired relentlessly into its chassis and it began to shred and then whirred its last whir beneath him. He then placed a well easily aimed bolt into the head of each B1 he saw. Alpha released a breath and looked down both sides of the trench. Besides a pile of droids on his left and those troopers just beyond it and on his right Mandalorian corpses with droids splayed across them and troops further down the line he was alone.

The first droidekas came down and began unfurling. The Mando's weren't stupid and all of them began focusing on them with roars and screams of firing orders, and dozens fell, but many more made it.

"'Iviin'yc, iviin'yc!'" Alpha yelled back to those Mandalorians behind the broken down droid tank. They ran over at his command and dove into the trench not needing further orders. Just in time for the first droideka to reach them come to a jolt and begin unfurling. Alpha threw another ion grenade into his launcher and snapped it in quickly. He fired and hit the droid just before the shield popped into existence. The Mando's fired and it fell over in pieces as three more came rolling down the hill.

"One on the turret! Another gunnery point, third on me!" Alpha bared using two finger points to both the turret with a corpse lying on it and the gunnery point with much of the same. Two of the Mando's jumped and did as ordered. The third came beside Alpha who snatched a plasma grenade off his belt and tossed it into the central rolling droid. It hit dead on and exploded violently sending debris into the two others. They rolled out of control and the three Mando troopers tore into them as well.

"Against the trench!" He threw the shoulder of the Mando next to him towards the trench and the man fell and crawled to the trench dip and began firing into the wave of droids moving, now running instead of walking towards the trench line. They were everywhere. Thousands of remains scattered about the hill incline and small valley to the city, but they wouldn't stop and they'd lost dozens of men already. Maybe even hundreds. But they all of them kept firing and fighting even as more droidekas showed and got their shields activated. They fired and pressed on. Death or victory were their options, and those alone.

Alpha fired a burst round and hit three more B1's that seemed lost in the valley. They fell over and he turned and fired another burst into a B2 as it fired at some other point in the trench. He took off one of its arms but some unseen trooper shot it down after him. His man on the turret was lasting down droideka after droideka and cleared him and his other men for the standard droids.

Alpha cut down another B1 and its friend and told his man beside him he needed to reload. He nodded and Alpha got his head out of the line of sight for a droid sniper or lucky B1. He snapped the burning plasma cartridge out and dug into belts for another and snapped it in. Just as he heard men down what was his right now begin screaming in agony. He snapped right and turned into a kneel aiming down sights at a pile of droids obscuring his vision.

His man beside him heard it and jumped to his side as well. Then the droid pile was knocked aside and in front of them loomed a hulking B3 ultra.

"Move!" He commanded and fired his blaster at the behemoth, but it didn't even seem fazed. It turned its left main arm towards the turret Mando who just turned to look at the droid and fired a jet of searing hot plasma. That trooper screamed so loudly and tried with all his effort to get the flames off of him. It brought immediate horror flashbacks to Alpha who sneered and threw a frag grenade at the B3 having used the last ion moments prior. The droid stumbled but did not seem troubled still.

Alpha grabbed the two troopers left and ordered them back into the street as he threw down a quick mine behind him. He knew it would maybe char some metal, and at best chip the foot but he needed to buy time. As the entire trench line became swarmed with droids and Mando's began moving back into the city. The day wore on and Concord Dawn fell under the swift justice of Kellia Nelrain.

(Chommell Sector, Naboo System, Naboo)

"Reports have come in, my lord. Three separate systems have gone silent. Our I.I networks planet side have not reported in. Command sent in assets to inspect the worlds to check for enemy occupation. They found nothing."

"What do you mean, 'nothing?'" Vader demanded with arms crossed. He looked at a hologram conference of five officers. Piett, Brashin, the scum Panaka hiding in his villa, and Admiral Ozzel the fool. Grand admiral Grunger stood beside him petting his own beard in thought as Ozzel reported.

"Uh...from the reports it's been described that the atmospheres of Talka Three, Koormol, and Threzia have become toxic by the assets we sent. No trace of enemy units can be found and no enemy fleets remain in orbit. Atmospheric scans indicate a none native pathogen was introduced on planet, and all biological lifeforms have been devastated. What life-signs were detected planet side were reported to be very weak. Many died even upon scanning...my lord." Ozzel finished.

"My lord, if I may." Piett spoke. Vader and most everyone present were surprised. The man was too far away to be of any use really. He had only called in to report Vader's daughters current situation. Which was begrudgingly acceptable to Vader as he didn't much care to get into another logic debate with the daughter of his wife.

"You may, Admiral." Piett bowed his head.

"Thank you, my lord. What my fellow Admiral describes reads nearly word for word the effects of the pathogen used by Moff Trachta upon the world of Epica against the forces of Ground Commander Viathan. However far more potent and planet spanning. I believe it was classified as 'Photesson gas.' Its effects are purely biological but target biological matter no matter the structure. Flesh, trees and grass were all rotted and dead in the regions where the gas exploded on Epica. It seems to have a nerve agent as either a secondary or primary effect as all who ingest it grow weak within moments."

"My lord, I highly doubt Trachta would show himself here in the Chommell sector!" Ozzel scoffed and interrupted where he was not asked to do so. From behind his mask Vader glared at the man, and his left hand rose and he pinched his fingers. The man began gasping immediately and eyes bulged. All men there grew silent and fearful.

"Speak when spoken or asked to do so, Admiral. Learn your place." He threw his arm down and Ozzel fell over gasping and sputtered apologies. Vader did not respond, and crossed his arms again.

"Permission to speak, my lord?" Brashin asked calmly and Vader nodded a curt nod.

"It is true Trachta knows there's a death sentence of the highest order on his head. However, I've read the Epica reports. It seems more like a practice run than an actual worthwhile deployment of the chemical agent. While foolish of him I do find it quite possible with the invasion of the sector, and woes of the Inner-Rim with the Tapani sector added with the burgeoning alliance with the Hutts, that the Moffs may be seeking a weapon to turn the tide of war in their favor.

If indeed this Photesson gas is as powerful as the good Admiral claims it to be, and I have no reason to doubt it, then we may have to observe and accept the fact the Moffs may be seeking to give the gas a last more widespread test run and use it. This time on more high valued targets like Naboo, or even Coruscant in a terrorist attack. After all, it is highly unlikely they would deploy this against the rebels. Their droids wouldn't even slow down from such an attack. This is purely a torturous genocide level weapon made for us and galactic citizens, my lord." Brashin finished.

Both Grunger and Piett seemed troubled. Panaka said nothing, but Vader could sense his inner fear, and he reveled in it for a moment. While Ozzel seemed dazed and not fully invested in what was being said.

"I shall consider this. Grand Admiral Grunger," The man snapped to attention. "Send out feelers through Imperial Intelligence and investigate the relationship between the Moffs and Hutts. Find out if and with whom Trachta is dealing with among those slugs. We will find his gas production factories and shut them down."

"Yes, of course, my lord." The Admiral bowed his head. Vader turned back to the others but as he did so the alarm began to sound across the facility. Both he and Grunger looked up as they did.

"This meeting is adjourned." Vader just saw the men nod, but Ozzel's figure began to shake from the fleet in orbit. Both Brashin and Piett were dismissed but not Panaka and Ozzel.

"What's happening up there Admiral?!" Vader demanded, and the man shakily but loudly called to his aide. Again he rumbled, and Vader already could deduce what was happening as they stood there.

"Massive Moff invasion fleet has entered orbit, my lord! Hundreds of ships! Moving to engage! Move to engage!" The last sentence was all but screamed at his aide.

"That will be all Admiral. Attend to the situation." Vader without another word ended the call. The Dark Lord turned to Josef Grunger who steadied himself.

"Call a shuttle and get to orbit. Return command of the fleet into your own hands. I will tend to the invasion planet side." Vader began to stride passed Grunger who sputtered and turned to Vader's retreating form.

"But, my lord! They haven't landed yet!"

"They will. Return to the fleet and land all ground forces. That will be all, Admiral." Grunger looked perplexed and shaken, but snapped back to attention as he ran for a comm unit to get a shuttle to himself. Vader exited the small command building upon Naboo as the sirens across Theed sounded out and people ran screaming to bunkers. His cape whipped in the breeze of the world as he tipped his head up and saw giant ships moving higher beyond the atmosphere and fighters swarming into action. As he sensed them coming before he saw them

A fleet of landing craft. That were anything but Imperial.

(Kuat System, Kuat)

The battle was raging and Raydonn could sense, smell, and hear the utter chaos ensuing over there as his master and two fellow apprentices held the lines to Kuatac from the droids for now. He stood alone having been dropped off some miles away from the town where the URM Commander had set up shop as quietly as they could. Some Noorian by the looks of things.

"Probably another of Nelrain's disenfranchised ex-slaves or something like it. Shouldn't be too hard." He intoned lowly to himself as he crouch walked his way into the town at last. The skies were mostly clear and it was passing midday at this point upon Kuat. He couldn't even imagine what was happening in space above. It was made harder by the fact that the clear skies were being filled with thick blanketing plumes of black smoke from the battlefield. If he didn't know better he would've thought a volcano or two had erupted and were ejecting untold amounts of ash up into the atmosphere

It wasn't enough to blot out the star where he was but he had to imagine visibility was pretty bad over by his master. Though knowing that idea of making a line incapable of crossing Raydonn mused maybe he was just seeing the fruits if his master's plan. Or...who knows what he was seeing it could be that the gates to the Corellian-Hells had opened up! Either or, he had a mission to complete and this one he wasn't going to let get by him.

He entered the town through an alleyway of what he thought were two homesteads. Children's toys were left outside, one home had water running and from the other he could hear the Holonet blaring the Imperial alert system inside.

"I guess the news hit them and they ran." Raydonn mused lowly aloud again. He pressed on silently and with saber hilt in hand. He saw no droids in sight, and darted across the open street to the other end of more homesteads. He moved to the backyard and hopped a fence. On the other side of the fence he found some sign of 'life.' As there were two stormtroopers dead with bolt wounds littered across them, and what looked like a young human woman shot to the center of her head. She was slumped back on the ground with her knees raised up slightly allowing him to deduce she had been put to her knees before execution.

He narrowed his eyes to that. He found it odd that droids would take the time to do that unless ordered to. He sighed and shook his head before pressing on. Figuring then that the commander likely had made her droids do that out of fun.

"Yes definitely a bloodthirsty looney." He scoffed and pressed on. He moved much the same as he had been. Knees bent and body crouched low between buildings. He pressed into the town center until he came to a central street. Along which were abandoned airspeeders. Some of them even still running. A long line of shops and a park in the center as the street turned into a square around the park with streets leading out into the rest of the town at the edges of said square.

He stayed in the alley and peered around a building on his left where he hugged the wall. At the end of the street he found some activity. A large AIAA walker standing still with its AA gun pointed high into the air for any possible air attacks. Looking right he found more of the same. Only he saw an AAT moving from the right side of the square from his angle onto the street he'd be moving into. It was coming towards him and so the Sith slowly backed back into the alleyway and put himself into a low crouch.

The AAT whirred and came near. It began to pass the alley and Raydonn silently ran towards the tank and jumped up. He landed with quieted boots onto the top of the tank and hung low on the right side of the tank's main gun barrel. He did this as the tank began to move down the next side of the square street, and the AIAA could not see on that side of the tank as it turned.

He now could get a better look at what was a fairly big park in the center of the square. With the patrols he figured there had to be some facility hidden within that park, and thus he reached out through the Force. He sensed the clang and clinking of the many droids within, and found several life-signs.

"Got you." He whispered and jumped off the side of the tank next to the parks protective wall. He swiftly jumped over it into the green grass of the park and moved deeper in. He came upon a large tree and pushed himself against it Again he peered around a corner and this time towards the center of the park. There he found a line of Magnaguards. All of them robed in their odd tunics and leaning on their electrostaffs dug into the ground.

There was one who was ahead of the rest. He was seemingly in conversation with what Raydonn knew to be a BX-series commando droid with Commander markings along its head and body. He frowned at having those many capable droids in one spot to deal with. He began thinking of a way to get them all, and looking around for something to break them with when it hit him!

He half scoffed and laughed he fell just short of smacking himself in the head at the absurdity of ease his idea gave him. Though he would have to sacrifice subtlety.

"Ah well, I'm close now I can feel it!" He released a calming breath and clasped his saber to his belt and stretched his armored body some before making his move. Turning the corner of the tree he reached out with the Force and grabbed the BX commando. It lifted up and began shaking and flailing. The Magnaguards watched in surprise for a moment before they all seemed to turn at him at once.

With a closing of his left hand into a fist the commando crushed into a pile of broken and jagged metal. He then began racing towards the Magnaguards who now turned on him and activated the electric ends of their staffs and moved menacingly towards him with their staffs hanging behind them.

Raydonn ran and stomped his boots to the grass below and then with a charge of the Force slammed his right foot down and threw himself up into the air using the Force. He flew high up over the droids. They paused and readied for an assault by him. But Raydonn closed his arms into an X with one another and then with a small yell he unleashed both arms out and fingers unfurled. Then an explosion of ten lightning tendrils or more exploded down into the field of droids. They all didn't see it coming and stood there dumbly as the lightning coursed into all of them. All eleven as Raydonn now counted.

They all began shaking violently and they began speaking gibberish binary droid speak before one by one they exploded out and fell over with shocks coursing about them for some time after. When the last one fell Raydonn ceased the lightning display and fell back to the grass below. He landed in a kneel and with his left hand against the ground. He released a few steadying breaths. He hadn't expected the lightning to take that much out of him, but he released all of his weariness into the Force and shook it off.

Grabbing up his saber hilt once more he moved over and then passed the fallen droids. He found them standing next to a small hill edge. It fell down towards a park center building obscured previously from his vision. A rather large building surrounded by trees. Many flagstaffs displaying URM flags with ripped up Imperial ones lying on the ground. It was lined almost entirely with glass including the door. And inside Raydonn could make out sculptures.

"Hmm, a museum." He stated rather obviously aloud. However, the small army of B1 battle droids standing in ceremonial positions on either side of the door to the building and forming a pathway to the building gave away its importance to Raydonn. Though he wondered why they had been made to stand that way. As both columns of droids now had their backs turned in either direction.

Either way he slid down the hill and noted that he could sense something moving his way. Likely droids sent to inspect the commotion and light show of his earlier kills. In fact now that he thought about it the droids in front of the building hadn't done anything to stop him, or even investigate. Curious, he ran using the Force forwards and snapped his saber to life on one side of the double-bladed weapon. He came boldly right up to one of the droids of the column nearest to him and cut it down with his saber. It fell over with a diagonal cut through the whole droid. The two pieces clattered but none of the other droids moved against him. Though he could plainly see their heads moving slightly and with life.

"What is this?" He questioned and began moving through the column. The droids did nothing against him, and simply stood. Waiting for nothing seemingly. He then came to the made up path leading to the door between the droid columns and they still did nothing, but stand where they were holding their standard issue blaster rifles in hands.

"Well, either way I'm not that stupid!" Raydonn announced and lowered his saber. Extending his left hand he unleashed another massive bout of lightning into the column opposite of his original entrance. They all began shaking and easily falling over with less effort than the Magnaguards.

He turned and did the same to the other droid column and easily brought down over one and a half to two hundred B1 battle droids in under a minute. A smirk came across his face and he wondered what Kira would think of that! Nonetheless, with a satisfied feeling radiating through him he passed on into the doors of the museum and found the lobby empty. Again he found it odd, but passed it off. He chose to instead use the Force to scan for life. It was rather simple, and he sensed several life signs up on the second floor.

Crouching down he flew up onto the second level over a pearly white wall rail. He landed on the marble floor below and found himself facing a long hall down the center with paintings on either side of the wall. A door was to the far end, and so he ran towards it. As he came near to it the hall opened up to a larger rectangular room with another hall on either side of himself.

Reaching out with the Force he grasped the door and snapped it nearly in two when he closed his fist. He threw the door out behind himself, and was met with immediate blaster fire. He dove left in a roll and threw himself to the wall. The bolts streamed out for a good minute or two until they finally ended. Raydonn coolly rolled back in front of the door and sent a blind push of the Force into the doorway. He heard two men thud and grunt.

He furrowed his brow and moved in. Two men indeed dressed in some strange armor were on the ground on either side of the room leading up yet again to a central small hall leading to a staircase where at the top stood his target silent with her back to him. The men had on grayish silver armor along their bodies. The silvery material was along their torsos, shoulders in pads, knees as well, and traveled down the upper legs and upper arms with small pieces along the lower arms and legs and heavy seeming boots of the same look and material. While much like his armor, though not exactly there was black material that seemed like a thicker andheavier weaved material than his own. Whilst finally on their heads they had helmets that went down over their heads with a somewhat skull like shape. The silvery material along the tops of their heads and going down their noses. Their eyes covered with two black see-through slits, and their mouths covered in the same material as that between the armor pieces along their bodies.

"Well I suppose the URM command has decided to forgo the inviting look for a 'nightmares for your kid's dreams.'" The men grunted and their voices were like stormtroopers, mechanically added to by their masks audio projectors likely built into the device. The two men forced themselves up carrying blaster rifles different than the models used by the B1's.

"On the ground Imperial scum!" The man with what was truly a deeply modified mechanical voice commanded. Raydonn again took on a look of amusement.

"Wow, you guys actually look more frightening than your average stormtrooper. Color me impressed...well not really but yeah it's something alright." The men looked to each other then back to Raydonn and aimed down sights once more.

"Drop the lightsaber and get to your knees Imp! Or I'll enjoy blasting in your knees!" Raydonn groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Not likely." With another Force wave slamming out from his hands the two were thrown to the walls with cracking thuds and he sensed them fall over unconscious. Raydonn decided to cut them a break for the moment as he moved forward and climbed the stairs to this sub-secondary level.

At the top the Noorian woman with her back to him stood somewhat aimlessly moving her head back and forth. Raydonn thought for a moment she was meditating or something based on her aimless waving back and forth. In front of her large holograms of the battlefield far beyond were being produced from a large emitter at the top of the room likely used for kids to show the galaxy in normal daily operation. Monitors were lining what also was shown to be a circular room full of probe droid camera feeds of the battle going on outside and miles away.

Raydonn hummed lowly but raised his saber up with one side still active.

"Alright lady, now turn around and do it slowly." She didn't respond. Instead she continued to sway and Raydonn cocked an eyebrow.

"Turn around or I'll kill you where you stand!" Raydonn didn't know why but he wanted to get a look at her, and while he was not averse to killing her as an Inquisitor he would prefer to interrogate her first, but her not listening to him was strange. He got a feeling of danger through the Force, but he couldn't spot a single threat within the room. Woman also counted in that category until he saw otherwise.

He was about to yell at her again when he heard something. He leaned his head forward and concentrated and then he figured out what it was. He dropped his saber low and felt his lips curl in confusion and utter shock.

"Are you humming?!" The woman turned around and smiled at him. She indeed was humming and he could clearly see mobile music buds in her ears. She raised one finger in a 'hold on a minute,' gesture and continued to bob her head about a bit, and Raydonn felt confusion flitter across himself. Then in a final gesture she closed her eyes and raised up her right hand in some strange reaction to whatever the kriff she had been listening to.

She sighed, and removed the ear units from herself and placed them both into a zipped pocket along her jacket. Raydonn noted her clothing as she did so. She wore an open black vest with long sleeves going down her arms. A white shirt along her torso behind the vest that contoured tightly about her well built athletic built and her bust. The shirt had a V shaped collar but was not low dipping and she wore a golden choker around her neck with a small emerald jewel in the center. She wore simple black jeans that matched her vest perfectly, and black boots. Along with a simplistic buckled belt around her waist.

At her side were two blasters which he couldn't decipher as to their models. Her ears were adorned with a matching earring each. Both of which were small but matched her choker in color. Her hair was indeed golden brown and long. She wore it in a single long braid that came down from a central small central bun along her head. Though Raydonn wasn't really 'shopping' he could admit she did look quite attractive.

"Right sorry bout' that! My favorite song was on, and well I don't stop it for nobody."

"Even if-"

"Nobody..." Raydonn was cut off and she smirked. Her strange eyes almost unreadable to Raydonn by their difference from the average eye. So he couldn't get a read on what she was feeling.

"Right...well now that that's over, I have to say you're not what I expected of a Ground Commander of the URM."

"Oh trust me no one ever expects me my, dear." She grinned widely and winked. Raydonn groaned.

"Right, alright time to end this and get back to real work then."

"Oh? So, I'm not 'real work?' That's a shame? Whatcha' expect a four hundred pound Rodian with a spice habit?" She laughed and began pacing left of Raydonn. His reaction was immediate and habitual and he raised his saber up high again towards her defensively. She merely shrugged and held a smirk along her face.

"So what ya' planning to do with that big sword of yours? Killing me or merely overcompensating for something? Dear me purple too?!" She laughed wickedly and Raydonn felt a sense of dirtiness fall over him and he groaned again.

"No lady, I'm here to kill the Commander of the URM ground forces. Seeing as you're the only one here who looks marginally important I guess that would be you. I just thought you would be different."

"I think we already had that revelation big man. But oh ho, boy! A Ground Commander? Now you're just trying flatter me! I'm hardly a Ground Commander." She smirked and leaned into the holotable across from Raydonn. He was not too intrigued and approached the table directly opposite of her.

"What do you mean 'hardly a Ground Commander?'"

"Oh hon, I'm just a freelancer! I work for the one who pays the most. And well I had thought working for the Emperor, but then it came to me! The guy's coffers have gotta be getting low paying all your..." she snickered like a schoolgirl barely containing a joke. "Your soldiers!" She laughed and Raydonn's frown deepened.

"So I see that the droids don't need pay right, and Kellia's gutten' Hutts left and right in the Outer-Rim. So it's either work for a guy with a mega palace a bunch of pampered schoolboys for lackeys, and...an awesome...AWESOME black robe, or a lady willing to give me a whole Hutts worth of credits! You do the math and," she clicked her tongue and pointed to Raydonn with a wink. "Early retirement baby! Especially if all I gotta do today is babysit some walking garbage receptors!" Raydonn sneered and felt he'd had about enough of this.

"Right so you're a freelance mercenary with an attitude. Got it. Well I've had enough of this so I'll put an end to this. Can't believe I talked this long anyways."

"They always don't my dearest." She smiled sweetly. Raydonn scoffed and jumped onto the table towards her, but in a flash she had one blaster in her hands and fired three quick shots his way.

Raydonn blocked each with his saber, and she dove to her left around the other end of the table. Swinging around as she stood up she tossed him a frag grenade.

"For you dear!" Raydonn turned on instinct and kicked the grenade away and jumped down from the table and pressed behind it for safety. After a few moments it didn't go off, and Raydonn picked himself up to see the grenade ejecting nothing but smoke.

"Are you...argh!" Raydonn couldn't believe the woman had thrown a karking harmless smoke bomb at him. He growled and picked himself up and gave chase to her as she moved into the museum open halls.

She was already downstairs when Raydonn came running and jumped by reflex to the bottom level in front of her.

"Lady you're mental!"

"Ah but what you call mental I call brilliance!"

"Right won't matter when you're dead, but be my guest I heard your boss only prefers crazy anyways" Raydonn threw back at her. She smiled a perfect white smile.

"Am I? I mean am I really? No...seriously am I crazy or not?" Raydonn couldn't stand another crazed word from her mouth and charged in full Juyo formation at her. Her eyes twinkled in joy and she snatched up her second blaster and fired both his way. He swung his saber before him and blocked the incoming stream of blue and red bolts emitted from her blasters.

Raydonn skirted in front of her and spun himself and saber around. In response she rolled aside and behind him. She swung her body around as it skirted and dragged along the marble flooring and fired another burst wave of bolts at him. He turned and blocked them all. They went flying into the glass panes overlooking the park and dozens of them shattered sending glass everywhere.

"You're pretty good at defending big boy!" She called to him standing up and aiming both blasters at him with no sign of worry or tire. Only a smirk.

"But you gotta actually hit little ole' me if you wanna win!" Raydonn threw his left hand outwards and a rippled of Force energy flew to her. She planted her boots down and held her ground. Letting Raydonn smirk at her stupidity, but to his shock the wave hit her and didn't effect her but for a small jolt back of her shoulders and violent whipping of her open vest backwards.

"That all you got?!" She asked with a devilish grin now. Raydonn contained his rage and again spun his saber and charged her in Juyo formation. He felt a pulse of warning sing out from his saber, and knew that the crystal within it was warning him of his anger, but he had to ignore it for now.

"Blasted thing work with me today!" He yelled randomly to his crystal. The Noorian simply cocked an eyebrow and stood waiting for him. He reached her and slashed up left with his saber, and she leaned back and sidestepped. Raydonn stopped and swung back left in a violent hard swift slash. She ducked under and spun away but not before firing two shots into his exposed but armored stomach.

He lurched back and looked at the blast marks but felt no pain. He sneered her way and said nothing. Charging her again he swung at her neck and then spun back around and slashed at her right hip down, but again she dodged him. She flung herself back with immense strength Raydonn found odd and fired another long bout of dual blaster fire his way. He blocked each and every one and on the last bolt slashed it right back at her. The bolt flew towards her chest but she fell back to the floor onto her back.

Raydonn took the initiative and leapt from where he stood to slash overhead down onto her where she lay. She looked momentarily stunned, but to Raydonn's shock...again, she threw her blasters out and raised her right hand. From behind her back came flying a lightsaber hilt. His eyes flared and he crashed above her in a kneel with saber slashing down the length of her with his face overlooking hers. Only now she held a burning blue lightsaber above herself and matched his purple saber beam.

"Hmm, care to buy me dinner first before we get this close?" She gave him what Raydonn thought was a faux sultry stare before she grinned wickedly again and lifted her right boot up and placed a powerful kick into his gut and pushed him off. She rolled backwards legs first and stood up again. She called her blasters one by one to herself and clasped them back to her belt again. Raydonn absorbed the pain and fed on it before standing tall once more and glaring at her.

She in turn rolled her eyes, or rolled them as much as Raydonn figured a Noorian could.

"Come on hon, I couldn't have been the first person to draw a lightsaber on you. Hmm I guess when I put it that way maybe I am." She laughed at her own joke and obviously cracked herself up.

"You really are the looniest Noorian I've ever met."

"Hah! You should meet my boss then!" She laughed and Raydonn this time rolled his eyes.

"Please, everyone knows Nelrain is nuts. That's by no means a surprise."

"Kellia? Oh well yeah she's pretty bonkers, but in a likable way once you get to know her. Course' she could kill me in a few seconds flat but hey I do the work I get paid! No hon, I mean the boss I got here on Kuat. Guy's definitely crazy." Raydonn felt his heart race, and felt himself tense.

"Boss here?! You're not in charge of the URM forces on planet?!"

"Of course not my dearest. I'm the temp remember? Dear little Tahja the sit in." She pouted for a moment and then laughed.

"Well Tahja I'll-"

"Nuh uh, uh! You didn't say it right." She accused and Raydonn felt his hands tighten on his saber hilt.

"What?!" Through gritted teeth he demanded. She lazily held her right hand at her hip and her left hand holding the lightsaber lazily hung at her side. That gave Raydonn a note that she was a left handed. His mind quickly recalled that left handed duelists were notoriously hard to predict from right handed opponents. He felt he had to concentrate doubly hard now.

"You said TA-JA it's not TA-JA, you have to enunciate! Speak proper Basic you know? It's Tahja...come on say it with me! TAAA-JAAA."

"That IS what I said you blasted woman!" She scoffed.

"Men..." Raydonn did snarl this time and charged her she immediately fell into Soresu stance. He smashed his saber against hers from left to right then right to left and sweeping from down right and then slashing back down left. Each blow she simply blocked and allowed him to smash against her. Following the tenants of the Soresu form he in the back of his mind could see she was simply going to let him block and barely attack if at all.

Then she threw her right hand forward from under her left arm and a pulse of Force energy flew into him and he was thrown back but landed on his feet. She swung her saber from side to side in preparation and loosened up herself. That included a closed-eyes roll of her neck. She seemed totally disinterested.

"Come get me big boy!" She readied herself again in Soresu. Raydonn centered himself some and released another breath and drew on the Force. He charged at her once again in Juyo form. Throwing himself into a tight jump just a few inches above her he slammed down hard from her left and she blocked. He flung the saber back up to her left and threw her into an unforeseen spin. He slashed back at her back but she allowed herself to stumble to miss the deadly strike.

She turned right and met him in a clash where Raydonn angled his right shoulder against her left shoulder. They looked at one another and she smiled genuinely seeming to be enjoying herself, and Raydonn remained passively frowning. As she then forced his saber down she threw her right fist at his face and connected with his right cheek and he spun now to his left in a stumble.

He turned back and wiped a small blood trickle from his mouth to see her shaking her right hand in pain.

"Holy...you have a jaw made of iron or what?!" Raydonn grimaced momentarily and readied to strike again. She this time cracked her right fingers and held onto the saber hilt and seemed ready to press an attack. She took on a more obvious Shii-Cho form one of the most basic lightsaber attack stance.

She moved against him with a swift under arm sweep from her left up across his figure. He parried and stepped back. She pressed and slashed right then left and spun to collide a hard over the shoulder strike down at his left. He met her saber slash and angled it back up and moved himself under it right between her arms holding the saber. He smirked this time and delivered the best and most painful headbutt from his left side as he could into her face.

She snapped back and her right hand let go of the saber hilt as a seethe escaped her lips. She fell to the floor but spun towards the shattered glass panes leading outside and rolled over the glass without injury apparently. She pushed herself up by her left saber wielding hand against the dirt. The saber singing in the grass where it lay. Her right hand was nursing her nose.

"How's that for a first date Tahja?" He purposefully enunciated her name. She sniffled and wrinkled her nose some. She stood and bore no marks so far.

"Well now big boy that's most definitely gonna leave a mark! Oh my modeling career ruined! For a week at least." She smirked and her eyes narrowed dangerously as she fell back into her Soresu defensive guard stance. And Raydonn moved in slowly this time as they were in the open fields of grass. He brought his saber at his right and held it out as he began to circle her and she circled opposite of him.

"Ever feel like you're a piece of meat being looked at and judged by someone else? Kinda getting that feeling right now." Raydonn paid her no mind and continued to circle her and she him. Until finally he lunged a hard and powerful one handed slash from up right down across her center. She collided and pushed him back, but he carried the push over his right shoulder and swung back across furiously. He fell into a series of flurries and feints then from her left to right. Sequencing them from up right in her direction to down left and then up left down right and over the shoulder slash down right spin and throwing her into a spin and slash over left shoulder.

She jumped and barely missed that last slash. She swung around and snatched up one of her blaster pistols with her right hand and fired several rounds at him. He neared towards her blocking every round. Until finally she slashed her left saber to meet and stop his. But his strength was greater and he could see her arm began to shake and waver. She clumsily began clasping her saber to her belt when Raydonn threw a hard and powerful right kick into her stomach. She gasped and coughed as all breath was taken from her.

Raydonn ran at her and slashed down at her head from the side. She barely raised her saber in her left hand and held him back. She picked herself up and threw both arms out and forced him back. She then pressed him. Overhead slash down and then wild but swift swing left and right using one hand, and then a spinning slash as she twirled to her right and back across Raydonn's front. He clashed as she came back around and both of them held their hilts with both hands and pushed against the other.

She remained smiling though Raydonn could see the strain signs in her face as she fought against him with the wind still likely out of her, and he pressed her. Pushing forward she was forced back one foot after the other. Slashing down left she was pushed down and he used the Force from his left hand no longer holding the hilt, and fired a blast of powerful energy directly into her low angled face.

She was thrown back and slammed into the grass along her back, and began rolling over ad over backwards into the dirt losing her saber as she went. Her head slammed several times up against her chest as she went and back contorted painfully over her head and then twisted as she landed onto her side into a milder but still painful roll. Until she smacked back first flatly against a tree. She fell with a thud to the ground and leaning against the tree.

Raydonn approached a feeling of victory welling up inside of him. She was now battered. Her clothing marked ripped and torn, and dirty. Her hair while still back in a bun and tied was now slightly disheveled to the front of her forehead. She was bleeding from somewhere along her head too, and she could barely keep an eye open as he approached.

As he did though he frowned as she smiled still, and raised a weak right thumbs up. She coughed and a small splatter of blood fell onto the grass. She wiped her mouth weakly and turned her head up to look at the man towering over her now.

"Well chuckles...you got me."

"Chuckles?" He repeated with narrowed and questioning eyes. She smirked and laughed though it erupted into a cough with more blood.

"I come up with em' as I go big boy." She coughed again. "But, you know killing my fine self will only get you so far. My boss is coming and when he gets here your fine self will be as good as broiled. Just saying if you know what's good for ya' you'd run." She smirked weakly as she tried to force her head to stay up.

"Yeah? Well no offense you weren't good, but not as bad as some I've fought. Who could your boss be that's so terrible as you make him out to be?" She chuckled and her head finally fell down to her chest and she fell into darkness. But, Raydonn heard a hard and powerful stomp into the ground behind him. The whir of mechanical joints and a raspy sound he equated to a sigh or groan. He paused and he felt his hair stand up across his body. The Force screamed out in warning around him, and he found himself unwilling to turn around for a moment.

"That would be me she speaks of, little Sith." Raydonn felt his eyes widen in horror at every Jedi youngling's nightmare. That voice...that voice was eerily familiar. It was rough, harsh, robotic and growling. It was missing only one thing...a cough.

He turned slowly and standing there with the star of Kuat behind them like a vision of grandeur and power stood two Magnaguards. Between them the form of General Grievous.

And, then Raydonn heard him laugh.

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Authors Note: Another big thank you from myself to a dear friend and reader who beta read all this mamoth of a chapter, also known as the illustrious time2read here on Fanfiction. Thanks again! Also note, however, that there still may be things I, spellcheck and time2read missed. If you the reader come across any of these examples please either point them out to me or try your best to ignore them and keep reading. I will get to them if pointed out to if I am not pointed out to it well then I don't know it exists plain as that. I hope no one loathes the length of this chapter and appreciates the ending. Don't worry more to be explained concerning that coming up soon! For all Mandalorian words used in chapter see the small table provided below! Otherwise please enjoy, and review! Those always help me want to press on to the next chapter. Later!

Mandalorian Words:

Alor = Leader, or Chief, or Constable, or Boss, or Officer.

Vod = Borther, or Sister, or Comrade.

Cuyir = To Be, or To Exist.

Iviin'yc = Fast, or Quickly