From: Azai Jin
A:The Republic has committed countless atrocities throughout its 25,000 years of history. But the Sith have always been worse. So yes, propaganda will be used and it will be effective. During the 24-22 BBY, many more systems thought of seceding from the Republic, but rapid reforms stopped that. Still, many of these planets are rather willing to switch sides. But it's mostly Mid-Rim, Core Worlds are already too imperialistic, or at least most of them. Systems between are 50-50.
Chapter 6 - Alliances
=location: Arcturus Station; 2212, 22 BBY=
"Sir, we have the latest information from Tarthis." - the officer said to Admiral Grissom.
"Read it." - replied Grissom.
"Yes, sir." - said the officer - "Rear Admiral Seyran Bahadurlı reports reclaiming space around the planet. Evidently, his adversary saw the previous battle as the complete annihilation of our forces in the region and left only a small defensive force. There is currently fighting on the planet, and Rear Admiral Seyran Bahadurlı is requesting more reinforcements to launch his own offensive against the Republic."
"Send denial." - Grissom said - "We don't currently have a spare ship to send to him. These PDFs from our allies were all we had, and we can't leave Tarthis undefended again. It is to remain there until our new defense platforms and satellites are dispatched. How long will it take us?"
"By the end of the week, we will have 30 satellites ready and one platform." - said another officer, reviewing the data.
"We've also received information from factories on the Reach. ASF-8A Cobra[1] is in the testing phase and will be available for full production soon. The new battleships, Bismark and Neptune, will be operational within 2 months."
"Admiral." - the communications officer suddenly said - "We have a request for Admiral Drescher."
"Connect." - Grissom said, and Admiral Drescher appeared on the screen in front of him, saluting.
"All my task force ships are ready for Operation Desert Strike." - Drescher said with a smirk - "Those buggs on Geonosis don't stand a chance."
"Be careful." - Grissom said - "After all, you currently have over 10% of our total military strength, including many of our largest and newest warships. Not to mention that they are our fully trained soldiers and sailors. Currently, our recruits are training and it will be at least a few months before they are fully ready."
"Do not worry." - replied Dresher - "We'll come, destroy every factory on the planet, and leave a half-cap on the Republic. Besides, you know as well as I do that this planet is the largest droid factory in the southern Outer Rim. We'll destroy it, or better yet, take it and we can break their forces here, and maybe we can even launch an offensive on Mid Rim."
"That's why I agreed." - Grissom said - "But you're to back off if the threat is too great. Our communications with our allies are unstable at best, given the Republic's nationalization of many means of communications."
"Understood. Dresser out."
After Drescher disconnected, another officer approached - "Sir, we have information from the Calamari sector. It looks like a civil war has broken out there. We don't know the exact sides or reasons, but it's probably due to the split between joining the Republic or the Confederation. Maybe even full independence."
"Do we have any ships capable of reaching them?" - Grissom asked.
"Wait a minute... yes, sir." - said the officer after checking the database - "In the Ash Worlds sector, Iego's system, we have a group of 5 Delta-class corvettes. They ensured security in the region after an attack by some pirates about 2 years ago. They currently have a base on the moon Millius Prime with permission from the Diathim. The staff consists of 94 privates and officers. Besides, we have a presence in the Cophrigin system, same sector. There is a small shipping company registered there, and the system government and the company have asked for an escort for mining and farming equipment. Currently, the Genova-class frigate, Lexington, is in the system."
"Just this?" - asked Grissom, a little depressed. The Calamari sector was one of the strongest, if not the strongest, sectors in all of the Outer Rim. And all he can send is a couple of corvettes and a frigate?
"Yes, but the CIS ambushed Republic forces in the Kintoni system not too long ago, effectively eliminating the Republic presence in that sector." - said the officer - "Maybe they can send some support?"
"Even so, it's small." - Grissom said - "From what I remember, the Ash Worlds sector has almost nothing of note. But it's better than nothing. Contact them and send a proposal for a joint operation in the Calamari sector. Any other information?"
"The Senate just voted on your military expansion plan and the acceleration of the Babylon-project. Accepted, and by the end of the year Babylon-project will start its first tests." - the officer concluded.
"All right." - said Grissom - "Any other information from our allies?"
"Standard reports of several battles and engagements, new fleet deployments, request for support in the attack on the Tarabba system."
"Tarabba, where did I hear that?"
"There was a battle in this system at the beginning of the war, the Republic won. There is now a sizable Republic fleet there, mostly corporate ships. The plan is to capture this system and cut off Republic forces from their main supply line via the Rimma Trade Route. Several sectors in the region are on the brink of secession and are planning to send their forces to attack. There will be several hundred ships in total. There are Admiral Hackett's fleets in the region, 3 Berlin-class, 8 Nelson-class and 30 Genowa-class and 150 Delta-class. They protect over 100 systems in the region, but they don't have a rare hyper-lane that connects us to Republic or CIS systems."
Grissom considered this for a moment.
"Let him send his ships to support the Confederate attack, but only heavier units. Frigates and corvettes are to stay in a defensive position. Some patrols will be needed."
"Alert Information from the Adarlon System." - the communications officer suddenly said - "Our forces on the planet have been attacked by Republic forces. The formation was recognized as the 187th Legion under the command of Jedi Master Mace Windu. The space battle has been lost. The enemy has started landing. Our air-to-space missile batteries have given us some space to regroup, but victory is impossible with current forces. Colonel Amaria Saharin has ordered a retreat."
"Reinforcements?"
"No available."
=location: Adarlon, city of Balderdash=
The Terran Federation outpost on Adarlon was very small before the war. Since the outbreak of the Republic-CIS war, the outpost has ceased on the planet as it was officially neutral, but the local government has asked for more troops so that no one would try to attack the planet due to its strategic position. After the massacre on Thartis, the government sided with the CIS-Terran alliance, and the outpost itself was reinforced to a full brigade of nearly 28,000 soldiers and several ships.
This was immediately broken by the Republican fleet. With the Venator in the center of the formation, the Swifts blasted through several planetary defense ships and began landing on the planet. Seeing that the planet could not be defended, the Colonel ordered the withdrawal of all forces from the planet. Unfortunately, the 2nd Cohort, over 6,000 troops were stationed near the capital, Belrand, and were cut off by the Clones, who landed in the area between Balderdash and Belrand.
Half the force managed to evacuate before the Clones launched their first attack.
"Damn them!" - shouted Chris Yukine, an Ichaival user, as she fired at the approaching Republican AT-RTs. She really didn't like shooting those guys. It's one thing to deal with pirates and slavers, you need to get rid of them as soon as possible, but it's another thing to shoot clones. They are bloody slaves who were made to fight and die for this Empire that calls itself the Republic. But she had to get rid of the scouts as an early guard outside the city.
Suddenly, a figure in a brown cloak jumped out of one AT-RT. Chris quickly realized it was the Jedi. And not just any. Windu was the only one with a purple lightsaber blade. All she knew about him was that he was loyal to the Council and the Republic on a fanatic level and that he was one of the strongest Jedi in the order.
Chris was suddenly knocked to the ground by Force Push. But she got up and jumped away before Windu could drive his Light Saber into her body. She responded with an immediate barrage of energy bolts from her crossbows. Windu blocked all of them and deflected some toward Chris before jumping on her. She dodged again and fired her missiles, which Windu Force pushed away or simply dodged.
Suddenly, the two warriors stopped at the same time. Windu changed his pose and Chris readied her rockets and changed her crossbows to Gatlingguns. They stood in silence for a while, until they heard artillery fire, no one knew from which direction. Chirs immediately began throwing a huge amount of ammo at Windu, but Windu used the Force to push back any danger. When he got within a few meters of Chris, she turned her Gatling guns into revolvers and activated Reflector. Windu's sword was blocked for a few seconds by her Reflector when Windu used Force to defend himself from Chris' revolver fire.
As the sword began to tear through, Chris jumped back, firing several timer rockets for explosions into the general area of Windu. But Windu's sixth sense told him to jump back immediately, thus avoiding the explosion.
Chris stopped in the distance and looked at the lines of blue plasma balls flying towards the city, full of civilians who had not yet evacuated.
"Hi! Jedi Master!" - shouted Chris - "Are you sure you will allow this?! You must be keepers of the peace, not murderers of civilians."
"This is a common misconception among the citizens of the galaxy." -Windu said - "The Jedi are not guardians of peace but of civilization. And only civilization brings peace. The republic is the epitome of civilization, so we must fight to keep it. You Terrans and Separatists are a threat to civilization, as your terrorist attack on Coruscant proved. These losses are painful but necessary to shorten this war.[2]"
"We had nothing to do with it!" - Chris shouted back - "And you were total assholes and left most of the systems in the Republic to exploit pirates, slavers, corporations, and Core Worlds. My parents died because you didn't have patrols and our navy had to do your job, and we can't have as many ships as your Republic. And when did you create the armies and for what? Because it turns out that all species don't like to be neglected in this way, and they wanted to break free from your tyranny. Maybe Qui Gon was right and I got the name, looks, and abilities of the legendary Chris Yukine, because just like once she and the rest of the original Symphogear group had to stop a great threat to the planet, we have to stop a great threat to a large chunk of the Galaxy."
Windu simply said - "Say what you want. You have no chance of winning. Not in this battle and not in this war. Anything that can shorten this war is justifiable."
"Yukine!" - a voice suddenly said through the communicator - "You have to back off! The Republic Fleet has started a blockade of all Hyperspace points, and most of our Worm-Drives have already departed or been destroyed in an artillery bombardment."
"I can't." - Yukine said into the communicator, still aiming at Windu but not moving - "If I back off now, the clones will easily break through. Especially since they have General Windu at the head of the formation."
"Listen Chris Yukine." - another voice said over the communicator, but this one she recognized as Colonel Amaria Saharin - "I know it's hard to say, but this planet, along with most of the battalion, are already lost. Enemy numerical and air superiority will lead to our downfall in 48 hours. We need at least a week to gather forces for a counter-attack. For now, we need to make sure that the most precious thing on the planet, you and your Ichival, stay on our side. That's why you're to abandon me and the rest of the soldiers on the planet. Do you understand?"
Chris Yukine stood silent for a moment. She did not want to abandon her countrymen, but she also knew that her commander was right. There was only one Ichival. She hasn't completely mastered it yet, but she's making progress. But thousands of soldiers were just that. Thousands of soldiers. The Federation was now training millions of them.
Windu sensed Yukine's hesitation and lunged at her, using Force to pull her to him. However, she quickly countered with a volley with all the weapons she had, including several large projectiles. The explosions stopped Mace for seconds, which was enough for Chris to jump on one of the rockets and escape.
As she flew over the city, she saw panic in the streets as PDF tried to maintain order. However, she experienced the greatest anger and sadness when she saw the spaceport in ruins. Civilian ships of all kinds were in tatters. A good distance away was a much smaller outpost and a few ships. The bombing did much less damage there, thanks to the energy shield, although a few shells got through.
It fell into an empty field next to the main entrance. One of the soldiers ran up to her and pointed to a relatively small ship. She was supposed to leave with only her on board. And so it happened. During the flight, until the very firing of the Worm-Drives, Chris had to hold back so as not to jump out of the ship and return to the fight. Especially when the ship started taking hits from several Republic starfighters. However, once Worm Drives came out on another system, she turned off Ichival and tried to rest, despite the guilt eating at her.
In the end, less than half of the soldiers managed to get out of Adarlon.
=place: pass=
The 2nd Regiment of the 138th had to pass overland to the Lessu. The Terran forces split into many different forces and began defeating all the droid forces on the planet. They covered an average of 400 km a day, stopping only to overcome the blockades of fragmented droid forces across the planet. However, the 2nd Regiment was tasked with retaking the capital, so it met much more resistance than the rest of the troops.
In this case, two platoons of tanks.
Dozens of vehicles concentrated on a small road opened fire against well-entrenched corporate positions, which had already destroyed 3 armored vehicles and blocked the passage for the rest of the regiment.
"This is Colnel Ibazduceq Luzraz. My regiment's vanguard has been captured by Droids and is about to be destroyed. We need air support immediately!"
"HQ here. We have no air support available, but the new unit was delivered just yesterday. ETA 2 minutes."
Meanwhile, the droid command in the pass continued issuing orders.
"Keep firing on Terrans. Concentrate on units with visible heavy weapons. Once we get rid of them, nothing can threaten us."
"Roger, Roger." - answered all the droids.
"Sir." - said the droid next to its commander - "Something is flying out of the atmosphere in our general direction."
"Don't worry." - said the B1 commander - "They can't hit us from space, without risking hitting their own forces. Winds in the upper atmosphere are too strong and unpredictable for missiles, and lasers are too powerful."
"Sir, these are not missiles. These are-"
Suddenly, energy beams began to fall over the entire area where the Corp tanks are, quickly eliminating all the tanks. The heat of the rays also turned a large chunk of the area into glass. A moment later, 4 mechs began to land in the area. New MS Nemo specifically for the Terran army. Watching from a distance, the Federation soldiers greeted it with enthusiasm and shouts of victory.
"This is 1Lt Commander Emma Sheen to Colonel Luzraz." - she said over the radio.
"This is Colonel Luzraz, speak."
"We have destroyed all enemy forces within a radius of 20 km. We have orders to join your regiment until Less is captured. Do you need anything?"
"The road is blocked by the wreckage of destroyed vehicles. We've finished extracting all the soldiers and anything of value. Drop them into the abyss so we can cross over."
"I see. I'll delegate one of my men to this. What losses?"
"3 vehicles destroyed, 2 damaged. 26 dead and 30 wounded."
"Understands. But I have to ask, what about artillery support? You should have artillery as part of your regiment."
"Earlier, we were fighting a group of 4,000 droids entrenched in a city not far from here. This group was to make a flanking attack, which was successful and we took their base relatively intact. After learning from the records that they had sent tanks to dig in at the crossing, they planned to move out early and capture the bridgehead ahead of them. However, the droids arrived earlier than scheduled. Hence the lack of artillery support."
"I see. One of ours is on its way. ETA 10 minutes."
=location: frigate Lexington=
John Sheridan, commanding officer of the frigate Lexington has completed docking with the 2km merchant ship Mon Calamari, MC-02. Ships of this type have served the Dac merchant fleet for over 50 years, but recently they have been changed to smaller and cheaper models. As a result, many ships went to private companies and individuals, or were rebuilt for other purposes. But this ship was different.
Named Hikahi by her new owner, the ship was completely rebuilt. Added an armor layer and multiple shield generators. Hangars have been reworked to accommodate more fighters and other strike ships. The ship itself had over 200 different guns and missile launchers, but only 30-point defense turrets. It belonged to Commander Merai[3], the greatest Calamari tactical genius of the generation. His achievements in the Quarren War twenty years ago made him the greatest Mon Calamari hero of the century. If he can get him to the side of the CIS-Terran Alliance, he could win the entire Dac sector and maybe even the entire cosmic region to their side.
John boarded the Hikahi unescorted and one of the ship's crewmen led him across the ship to Merai's room.
"Lieutenant Commander Sheridan, a pleasure to meet you." - Merai said.
"My pleasure, too, Commander Merai." - Sheridan said - "But if I may ask why did you ask for the meeting? Especially now that Dac is getting more and more unstable."
"Just to stabilize the situation and perhaps join your efforts against the Republic."
"It's... unexpected. I thought the Quarreni were against the Republic, not the Mon Calamari. You thought you would side with your countrymen."
"The Quarrens are also my countrymen. Our two species come from the same planet. We should cooperate, not fight each other. In war two decades ago, I had to fight with my countrymen to end it as soon as possible. So as soon as the war was over, we started rebuilding the entire planet, not just part of Mon Calamari. But most of all, I believe in freedom. That's why I decided to help the entire galaxy achieve freedom from the tyranny of the Republic. Thartis is just one of many examples of why it needs to be fought for."
"But how do you want to drag your countrymen into our side?"
"By example. I have already contacted Count Dooku and he has given me important information. A new droid factory has been established on the planet Baros, Dominus Sector. I planned to strike with only my ship to surprise them and eliminate the base. But unfortunately, a defense fleet was sent over the planet. I don't have enough fighters, and the ship itself isn't fully crewed. That's why I'm to join forces with local CIS forces for an attack. But it's just fighter jets and these Mobile Suits. I'm gonna need more support. The Doreans are the only other government that has the military power to support me in this op, but they are neutral. That leaves only you."
"With all due respect, we don't have military power in the region."
"And you won't have until you win over Geonosis. And yes, I know about this operation. You keep more than half of your carriers in reserve, along with many modern ships, it was obvious. Although I admit I considered attacking other targets like Eriadu, allied support in Sluis Van or the Kathol Sector, and even a potential attack on Kamino. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense to me. After all, this is the biggest obstacle in your area. Even if you lose tens of ships and hundreds of thousands of soldiers there, you will gain time to build hundreds more ships and train millions more soldiers. Additionally, the main source of supply for the droid forces in the entire southern region of the galaxy, perhaps even the largest droid factory in the entire galaxy, will be eliminated. The corporations would not be able to supply the droid troops, and you would free up huge forces for whatever you wanted."
"But I wasn't told anything about it. How can you know something like that?"
"The biggest help was you publishing your strategy for each year. This way everyone knew where, why, and how many ships you had. And you've been doing this for 200 years when there were nations on your planet. Were it not for that, I must have been able to read it from the behavior of your species, and there is no such genius in this galaxy. As for your military strength, all I need is Lexington and we'll make it. This is the plan."
Merai handed over the datapad with the plan, and John checked it quickly. After reading the plan, they just smiled and said - "I see why you were called the greatest military genius of Mon Calamari."
"So you agree to the plan?" - Merai asked.
"He will immediately send the information to the command. I should have a reply within a few hours. If I get approval, when can we start the operation?"
"Immediately."
[1] Cirris/Sorwind ASF-8A Cobra
[2]The Surprisingly Different Moral Perspectives of Jedi Council Members [Pt. 1] by geetsly
[3]The Separatist Commander Palpatine Thought Was TOO SMART to be Left Alive by geetsly
