Hey, everybody. Back with another chapter.
Let's get to it.
us navy: Yes. The Alliance has built two new classes of battleship: the America-class and the Torfa class.
QuestionMarkBob: Probably.
Rico: Not sure what would've given you the impression she was. Rey has the same Force potential as she did in the movies, but she won't be bringing it all out at once
GREAT CELESTIAL DRAGON: We won't be seeing the hacker, as I'm only using one more scene from The Last Jedi for inspiration, and it definitely won't be that stupid scene.
tristian5: There are hover vehicles and speeders. Doesn't mean they've completely replaced normal vehicles.
StarBorn Michael: We'll see all kinds of canon and legends ship in this, and some ships from neither.
Chapter 20- The War Begins
(May 23, 2049)
On the bridge of the battlecruiser Kongo, Rear Admiral Gabriel Gensoul is watching the intelligence reports continuously coming in to his flagship over the Alliance's intelligence network. Needless to say, things are not good.
It's been just two days since the First Order destroyed the Hosnian System and the New Republic government. Needless to say, the galaxy had fallen into chaos. The New Republic was fragmenting, with local governors and planetary rulers consolidating their resources into defending just their own territory, while First Order sympathizers are now openly declaring their allegiance and assisting the First Order. At the same time, the First Order had officially launched their offensive into the galaxy. First Order fleets were moving out of the Unknown Regions, taking planet after planet as they moved into the known galaxy.
The Alliance was scrambling to try and resist the First Order's advance. However, with the Republic in tatters, they were left pretty much on their own to try and resist the First Order's advance.
Admiral Jacobsen was facing the biggest crisis of his career, and was scrambling fleet assets trying to slow down the First Order until reinforcements could arrive in Andromeda. To that end, he had dispatched Gensoul's fleet to reinforce Coruscant. Coruscant only had a minimal Terran presence, with just a single warship and a few civilian officials, and was not considered strong enough to resist a First Order invasion, especially with a significant population of First Order sympathizers on the planet.
The goal of Gensoul's fleet was simple. He had orders to make his way to Coruscant and defend it from First Order attacks until reinforcements could be sent to help hold the planet. However Gensoul was concerned. His fleet was much smaller than he would like it to be for such a task, comprising a single battlecruiser, a single Baltimore class Star Destroyer, 6 Tokyo class Star Destroyer, 3 Naboo class heavy cruisers, and 3 Anzio class light cruisers. Of course, with reinforcements not yet even ready to ship out from the Milky Way, there was no hope of getting more ships for days.
"Admiral." Gensoul turns and sees the Kongo's captain a few feet away. "We're nearing the end of hyperspace run. Just 60 seconds longer."
"Good. Send out orders for all fighters to start warming up their engines. Order all gunners to make ready to fire," Gensoul orders.
Alarms sounds on the ship of the task force as they approach the end of their hyperspace run as the crews ready for battle. Admiral Gensoul moves away from the holotable and heads towards the viewport.
Soon enough, Gensoul watches as the blue of hyperspace begins to lengthen out, and then the task force drops out of hyperspace.
Immediately, Gensoul's eyes shoot wide open as shock runs through him. Lying in orbit over Coruscant is a small First Order fleet, including at least a dozen Resurgents, multiple transport ships, and a few Imperial class Star Destroyers.
"What the-?" the captain of the Kongo gasps.
"The First Order got here first," Gensoul mutters, surprised given they hadn't received word from Alliance officials on the planet. He pauses for a moment, then orders, "Advance as planned and engage the enemy. If we can destroy the fleet, we can still try to hold Coruscant."
The Terran warships begin moving forward to engage the First Order fleet as their starfighters and bombers begin scrambling to engage the First Order fleet. The First Order's warships are distracted and occupied with the operation on Coruscant. It's not until the first starfighters start firing their laser cannons and missiles into the hulls of the ships.
The battle begins in a flurry of missiles and laser fire as the Terran starfighters begin attacking the First Order's fleet. The First Order commanders are caught off guard with the sudden appearance of the Terran fleet, but quickly begin recalling all TIE fighters and bombers down on Coruscant to attack the Terrans while scrambling the rest of their fighters and bombers to attack the Terrans.
The Terran warships are able to get in the first shot as they open fire at extreme ranges. They are able to get in multiple volleys of turbolaser fire before the first of the First Order warships is able to begin returning fire.
On the bridge of the Kongo, Admiral Gensoul is watching the battle as it is beginning. Although the Terrans had gotten in the first punch, he knows that this First Order fleet has him outgunned. He's just hoping that his superior starfighter force and just keeping pressure on the First Order with the right tactics might let him pull a victory out of this.
(Naboo, Andromeda Fleet HQ)
In the situation room of his headquarters on Naboo, Admiral Jacobsen is resting his hands on a massive holotable as a continuous stream of intelligence reports. Things are moving very quickly, and Jacobsen is not liking one bit of it.
The First Order's offensive is moving very quickly out of the Unknown Regions. It's clear right now to Jacobsen that the First Order has been meticulously planning their invasion of the Republic and other territories for a long time. It's being carried out too expertly and quickly for it to be a hastily assembled operation.
Reports are continuously coming from across the frontier along the border with the Unknown Regions. The First Order are launching multiple attacks at once. He's already received word of the First Order attacking and attempting to capture Abregado-Rae, Fondor, Reecee, and Dorin. They've also launched a raid against Endor which has mostly been repulsed, and have occupied Batuu. The invasion is progressing rapidly, especially with aid from their sympathizers and allies within Republic territory, and the Alliance is struggling to meet it.
"Admiral."
Jacobsen turns to one of his intelligence officers, who has a grave look on his face. "Yes, Commander?" Jacobsen asks.
"Admiral we just received word from Admiral Gensoul. The First Order got to Coruscant before him and have already landed multiple divisions worth of troops. His fleet is engaging the First Order's fleet over Coruscant, but Gensoul reports superior firepower facing him and he is unsure of his ability to destroy the fleet. It will likely take hours before we have any better idea of whether or not Gensoul will be able to destroy the fleet," the officer responds.
Jacobsen sighs as he looks down at the holotable again. After a moment, he says, "Contact Joint Command. Inform them of all new developments…" He pauses, then looks at the officer with a stern look and finishes, "And tell them to get me my damn reinforcements."
(Washington DC, hours later)
Amidst the darkened streets of Washington DC, the White House is almost entirely locked down. Due to the unfolding crisis, the First family are all confining themselves to their rooms, while President Nantz is down in the Situation Room, along with the members of the Joint Command and Vice President Hammons.
"Do we have word on the situation at Coruscant?" Nantz asks.
"Yes, Mr. President, and it is sadly not good. Admiral Gensoul has reported that he has lost half his ships and is retreating from Coruscant. A fragmented report from one of our few surviving intelligence operatives on the ground on Coruscant confirms that the First Order's troops have already secured much of the planet, and the locals are rarely resisting," Grand General Frank Lawrence responds. Grand General Lawrence, a former Zulu Force commando from the Galactic Civil War, is the current Chairman of the Terran Joint Command.
Nantz sighs and runs his hands over his face before looking back up at everyone at the table. "Where does that leave us?"
"The First Order has taken not only Coruscant, but also Abregado, Fondor, and Dorin, just to name a few. They've also occupied several dozen minor systems. So far, they are focusing their efforts in the Core Worlds and the Colonies, but they have also conducted raids in the Inner Rim and Expansion Region. They seem to want to control the center of the galaxy while pushing us out into the Outer Rim," General Lawrence responds.
"Our losses at this point?" Nantz asks.
Grand Admiral Sota Takahama, the vice chairman of the Joint Command, speaks up and says, "Mr. President, we've sustained relatively few troop casualties. Virtually all of the planets they have taken so far had minimal presence of our troops, with maybe a battalion or two at most. However, we have sustained a number of losses amongst the fleet. Admiral Jacobsen reported that we have so far lost 7 Star Destroyers and 8 cruisers, and we almost lost the battlecruiser Kongo at Coruscant. With the ships we had in Andromeda, these losses are a lot worse for the Andromeda Fleet than just those numbers would seem."
"Well, with the declaration of war, we have the clearance we need to start diverting resources," Nantz responds. The Terran Alliance General Assembly had met that morning and voted near unanimously to declare war on the First Order. Nantz looks around at the table and says, "I don't care at this point if we have to strip some resources from the Grysk War. We cannot count on the fragments of the Republic right now, and the Resistance is too small right now. If we don't get resources to Andromeda fast…it's going to be a very long war."
Right then, the door opens, and one of the guards outside leans on. "Mr. President, Fleet Admiral Page is here," the guard says.
"Send him in," Nantz says urgently. The guard nods and ducks back out. A second later, the door opens fully and Jonathan walks in.
"Sorry I took so long, Mr. President," Jonathan says. He pauses a few feet from Nantz and says, "You said you had orders for me, Mr. President."
"Yes, Jonathan," Nantz responds, given he is on a first name basis with Jonathan. He pauses for only a moment before he says, "As the Executive of the General Assembly, I am hereby declaring you are relieved of your duties as Head of the Admiralty."
Jonathan stares at Nantz in shock, stunned at what he just heard. He's thinking maybe Nantz might be using the excuse that he allowed the First Order attacks to happen without sufficient interference, like with Admiral Kimmel after Pearl Harbor, but it doesn't make sense.
However, Nantz only pauses another second before he says, "I am also using my powers as Executive to promote you to the rank of Grand Admiral. And I am hereby giving you orders that you are to take the new position of Supreme Allied Commander, Andromeda Galaxy, where you will take command of all Terran Alliance and Resistance military forces in the Andromeda Galaxy and the command the new war against the First Order."
Jonathan is now even more stunned. He had not expected this for sure. He knew that others considered him one of the most capable leaders in the Starfleet, but he did not think that the Joint Command or the General Assembly had such faith in him.
"Really, sir?" Jonathan can't help himself from asking.
"Yes, Admiral. You are one of the most capable strategists and leaders we have. And, you were mentored by Thrawn himself. Putting you in command of the war effort against the First Order gives us our best chance at victory," Nantz insists.
Jonathan is quiet for a few moments before he says, "Understood, Mr. President. I accept the appointment."
"Good," Nantz says with a smile, before firming his voice and saying firmly, "Then you get the hell out to Naboo and stay there…until our warships sail into the Unknown Regions and bring the First Order to surrender on our terms."
And, I'll end the chapter there.
Sorry for giving you guys a quick scare, but yes, Jonathan will take position as ultimate Allied commander in the Second Galactic Civil War. And he'll stay there until the end of the war.
So, obviously, things are not going too well. This was is not going to be too easy for the Alliance, because the First Order is much better prepared and they have to commit too many forces to the Grysk War. So no, this will not be a quick victory by any means.
Next chapter will take us back to Ben and Rey, and the reunion with Luke. It'll be up soon. Until then, please leave a review, and stay tuned!