Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Seed or Star Wars. They belong to their respective copyright owners. This story is not created with a commercial aim. It is not for sale or rent.
Phase 5: The Rim Campaign I, Act I
=RK=
Part 1
=RK=
Before the war, the Republic was divided into a thousand administrative Sectors, each with a small defensive fleet led by Judicial forces and backed by ships on secondment from various local SDF forces. Those fleets had a contingent of marines, all volunteers, usually tasked with boarding actions against pirates and boarding ships in distress to provide aid and disaster relief.
At the onset of the war, the Republic consolidated its Judicial Forces, volunteers, the Clone Army, and nationalized System Defense Fleets(SDF) and Planetary Defense Forces(PDF) into twenty Sector Armies. It must be noted that Sector Armies and Sector Fleets were and are different things, with each Sector Army containing at least one Sector Fleet plus support elements, not counting independent SDF units under the command but formally not part of the GAR. Certain Sector Armies within the Core insulated from direct contact with the Confederacy had a single Sector Fleet, which generally served as a training and reserve unit. As a general rule, Sector Armies on the front had multiple Sector Fleets, with precise numbers varying depending on the period of the war and the area of responsibility of the Sector Army.
Generally speaking, a Sector Fleet consisted of a thousand ships. About a third of them were capital ships – anything from the mighty star dreadnought, to old Dreadnought cruisers. For every capital ship, the fleet would have three to four escorts, rounding up the combat strength of the formation. Usually, each Sector Fleet had at least a hundred support ships, sometimes much more depending on the local conditions, necessity, and availability…
The core of each Sector Army was a Clone formation consisting of at least 1 00 000 units. A common mistake is conflating this number with individual Clones, which couldn't be further from the truth. The use of vague Clone Units that are not always specified by military and civilians, including high-level government officials, further confuses the matter.
The truth of this is simple. The Clone Masters of Kamino were in the business of selling armies to the Republic, not single soldiers. It doesn't help that there were different types of Clone Units for administrative and commercial purposes, with varying price tags that needed to be paid for to Kamino.
The standard unit size for general infantry was the Clone Legion, consisting of 9 216 officers, NCOs, soldiers, and support personnel.
A vehicle crew was a different unit. A useful vehicle formation, at least a platoon, which came with its own support personnel, was yet another type of unit.
Pilots came in squadron units of twelve pilots and support personnel to repair and maintain twelve fighters or bombers.
Starship crews were a separate unit with a hefty price tag, reflecting their specialist training….
History of the Clone Wars: Volume I, Anaxes War College
=RK=
Royal Palace
Zygerria
The imposing building had fitting colors, Dooku decided. It was painted dark blue, technically. However, the weather and the shade of the paint made it look almost black. The red highlights completed the picture, making him wonder if this was designed by or for an ancient Sith Lord.
The place felt like it, even if slavery had been officially over for a long time now since the Jedi of old brought down the Zygerrian Slave Empire. That didn't stop the locals from launching covert raids and being slavers; they just didn't do it in the open, showing the galaxy how proud they were of themselves.
It was precisely the kind of failure that let slavers run free, among other things, that drove Dooku to abandon the Jedi Order a decade ago. Putting an end to the Zygerrian practices would have been a privilege back before Sidious happened to him. After that, Dooku knew he would have made deals with the slavers, letting them run rampant and enabling them without a second thought.
In that regard, his conversations with Vael about the nature of the Sith were enlightening. He couldn't wait to have yet another discussion on the nature of the Force, the Jedi, Sith, and what it meant to be one.
Dooku walked into the throne room, where Queen Miraj Scintel awaited him, flanked by her Prime Minister, Molec, and key advisers. Royal Guards in ceremonial armor lined the walls, carefully watching his approach. Some of them had very functional weapons, while others wielded ceremonial shock staffs meant to put slaves in their places.
Commando droids marched behind Dooku in a show of strength, which was something the Zygerrians eagerly proclaimed mattered most. That made their feelings at his arrival very curious. One might think that a thousand warships coming into their system might make them reflect on their beliefs and their full implications.
The soldiers were wary. The same was true for a few of the gathered advisors. The Queen and the rest of them were giddy. There was hunger wrapped around their forms when perceived through the Force. It was the kind of hunger that was familiar to anyone who had embraced the Dark Side and intimately felt its touch.
"Count Dooku, welcome to Zygerria!" the Queen happily exclaimed.
Her voice was like sweet, honeyed wine. Scintel's golden eyes examined Dooku as if he was a morsel to be devoured, or better yet, the key for the Zygerrians to openly do as they wished.
"I expect that together, we will bring forth greatness for our people! Your arrival heralds a new age for the galaxy, where strength will again triumph!" The Queen raised her hands as if praying. "You come demonstrating crushing strength, my dear Count Dooku!" Scintel purred.
The woman was aroused by power and craved it like a good Sith should, at least according to Sidious. She also desired to have him wrapped around her clawed fingers; that much was evident when observing her through the Force.
"Slavery is the natural order of things. The weak deserve nothing more than to kneel before the strong, bound to our service! Together, we are strong! Together, we will rule!" The Queen proclaimed, though Dooku had to wonder for what audience she was performing for? "We are ready to join you in the Confederacy and participate in your great conquest!"
That was why he was here. All Dooku had to do was happily accept the proposal and perhaps spend a few nights with the Queen. She was easy on the eyes, and earning her personal loyalty might go a long way toward ensuring her people wouldn't be an issue in the long term. It would be a great political coup, and all it took was a mere demonstration of an overwhelming power.
The Dark Side shifted around Dooku, eagerly awaiting his decision.
He was not Sidious' creature. It was true Dooku wasn't sure what he was now. A disgraced Jedi? A Dark Jedi, perhaps? Indeed, he wasn't a proper Sith. Not yet, anyway. However, he knew one thing for sure after his discussions with Vael. Ultimately, being Sith was about freedom; it was all about achieving sufficient power to break your chains so you could do what you truly wanted.
Of course, things were seldom so simple. As a politician or a military officer, you had to lead by example; you had to participate in society and be part of organizations, which meant you willingly accepted different chains for the boons that came with them. That was one of the constant conflicts a Sith had to fight, just like they had to struggle with the Dark Side for power and control of their lives.
Dooku smiled charmingly at the Queen. He felt profound satisfaction and relief when he uttered a single word.
"No."
While it wasn't directly through the Force, this single decision and statement shattered Dooku's self-imposed chains and the last vestiges of those Sidious used to bind him. It also removed a tremendous amount of weight from his mind.
"That is not the kind of deal we will make today, Queen Scintel."
=RK=
Part 2
=RK=
Royal Palace
Zygerria
Shock and sheer baffled confusion received Dooku's statement. He relished the disbelief and hints of budding fear spreading through the Zygerrians.
"The strong would do unto the weak as they deem fit; is that not your way?" Dooku smiled pleasantly as if contemplating the serenity within the Room of a Thousand Fountains.
The Force surged through the former Jedi as he fed it every scrap of emotion he felt and everything he perceived from the Zygerrians. It was deceptively easy to wrap the boiling energy around every living thing around him and then shove them to their knees.
Dooku's control over so many objects wasn't perfect, though it didn't need to be. Bones snapped, and people screamed in pain. Their agony fed the Dark Side, adding to the boiling cauldron of real, tangible power within the heart of the throne room. The embers of fear lit up into an inferno that gripped all Zygerians not too busy screaming their pain for all to hear.
"Power," Dooku cheerfully explained while feeling decades younger. "this is real power," He strolled towards the kneeling Queen. Behind him, the Commando Droids fanned out. A squad went for the advisers around the royal, while the others went to either disarm the guards or cover the entrances. Dooku raised a hand and activated his communicator. "The nature of the negotiations changed. Demand the unconditional surrender of the Zygerrian military. If they do not comply, annihilate them."
A thought had the Queen rise just before Dooku offered her his arm.
"Will you order your forces to surrender, or shall we watch another demonstration of power? My fleet will destroy them in short order," Dooku promised.
Scintel stared at him with dialed, stunned eyes. Fear, outrage, and an impressive amount of arousal bathed him, nearly making the former Jedi release his grip on the other locals. Dooku decided that he was more out of control than he believed for such base desires, not his own at that, to have this kind of effect on him. He cursed Sidious in his mind while still smiling outwardly at the Queen.
"Patch them through. I will give the order to stand down!" Scintel rasped. Resignation and burning desire battled within her, nearly drowning all other emotions the woman was experiencing, making Dooku raise an eyebrow.
Who would have thought that the Queen of the slavers would enjoy being humiliated and overpowered in front of an audience no less? Oh, if he was younger and didn't have so much work to do, the things he would have enjoyed doing to this woman… That thought came from nowhere, giving Dooku pause. While he wasn't exactly celibate when he was younger, his upbringing, life, and training as a Jedi ensured that he had to be restrained in everything he did.
He was no longer Jedi. While he wasn't a proper Sith yet, the Dark Side was all about indulging your passions. Being a Sith meant being free to pursue whatever you wanted…
While the Queen was giving the orders to her forces to surrender, it was Dooku's turn to stare at her with speculation and dark promise, something the infernal woman noticed and enjoyed immensely.
At that point, the Count wasn't sure if he wanted to curse Sidious again, thank him, or thank Vael for opening his eyes.
"When the immediate chaos is over, we will personally discuss the terms of how your people will serve the Confederacy," Dooku said. And how the Queen would serve him, too. That he pointedly left unsaid, yet was sure Scintel heard it loud and clear if her emotions and desire going into overdrive were anything to go by.
=RK=
Regent's Palace
Arkanis
Tens of thousands of light years away from Zygerria, Archduke Poggle had a much different, though arguably less pleasant, conversation with Empress Leeya. The young human was a small thing, making the Geonosisan idly wonder how she could make a proper Queen before catching himself. Even for an old and successful drone who rose as high as he did and knew better, ancient instincts were sometimes hard to ignore.
Poggle knew that part of it was the environment. It was too cold and moist, delightful for his human hosts, yet it felt rather unpleasant. Give him dry heat any day of the week, and he will be content.
The Empress Regent was barely of age for a human and relied extensively on her advisers and ministers, that much Poggle knew. He was also aware that she had to give her agreement for a binding treaty. A diplomatic solution was his preferred outcome for multiple reasons.
First, it would feel great to tear another piece from the Republic that treacherously attacked his home and make it willingly abandon it. Second, subduing the Regency Worlds, while perfectly doable, would cost resources better spent taking systems with less reasonable rulers.
The humans here were proud creatures. They had forged a not-so-minor power after the Republic virtually abandoned the Outer Rim. Then, they kept it intact, slowly expanding it through shrewd diplomacy. The locals also made their realm prosper in no small part due to this system's strategic location as a junction of two important hyperlanes, though competent governance didn't hurt.
"Your Grace," Poggle bowed his head, showing the proper reverence owed a Queen, not his own, "you are not a child. By all accounts, your councilors and advisors are competent people who made your realm prosper. From one noble to another, who feels responsible for their people, I will speak truth to you today."
"We appreciate the sentiment, Archduke Poggle," The human answered in a musical voice.
"We didn't want this war," Poggle stated gravely, "though we were afraid it might take one to get justice and equal treatment from the Republic. We didn't begin this conflict. The Republic did it by sending spies and saboteurs. After we had captured and judged them guilty, they sent an army of Jedi, followed by a slave army, to invade my world and kill my people. We were shocked, confused, and angered. The militaries of many of our member states lashed out of anger, attempting to keep Republic forces away from invading their worlds," Poggle pinned the young Queen in place with a heavy stare. "We are no longer confused. We know the truth of the Republic, for it screamed it to the whole galaxy with its actions. This is no longer a mere war of secession and independence. The Republic proved it would use slave soldiers and treachery to keep exploiting the Rim, yet didn't have the credits to pay for protecting the very people it exploits," Poggle let as much contempt leak into his voice as he was physically able to muster.
"We understand the attack upon your world was highly controversial at best and outright betrayal and breach of fundamental trust at worst. You and your people have our sympathies, Archduke, no matter how little comfort they might offer," at least the Queen appeared to be genuine.
Without proper pheromones facilitating another communication channel and trust, all Poggle had to work with were visual tells. A good actor or a well-trained politician could appear as genuine, if not more, than the most kind-hearted people in the galaxy.
"I appreciate the kind sentiment, Queen Leeya," Poggle offered another small bow with his head, acting like decorum dictated. "I promised you the truth and will give you the truth of the situation. We fight for our very right to exist, Your Grace. We can not afford to keep to a high moral ground when the enemy offers only in return. We in the Confederacy would love to have you and the Regency Worlds as one of our own. However, due to your location and the nature of the war we must fight, I am afraid we can not honor your pledge of neutrality. We also can not risk that you would be pressured to choose the Republic's side in this war. I am sad to inform you that while I am authorized to negotiate and offer various concessions to your government and people, there is only one outcome the Confederacy would deem acceptable."
The Queen looked at her Fleet Admiral, who simply shook his head.
They all knew that the Regency Worlds military situation was hopeless. Poggle's escort outnumbered, outmassed, and outgunned the Regency's whole navy significantly. The Confederate Navy had fleet elements posed to strike each important world under the Empress' aegis with overwhelming numbers, and they weren't hiding their presence. As if that wasn't a pointed reminder of the situation they all found themselves in, everyone in this room watched Admirals Trench and Vael move through the heart of Regency space with just over two thousand warships.
"We will not simply capitulate and betray our people's trust in ourselves. However, fighting a battle we know the outcome of, and it is disastrous, would be madness. We will hear your offer, Archduke Poggle, and decide our realm's future based on your words."
"I am glad to hear words of wisdom in such a dire situation, Your Grace," Poggle pointedly didn't smile and made absolutely sure there wasn't anything in his tone that could be perceived as condescension, even if the humans couldn't understand him and relied on a protocol droid. "I have a list with trade deals, security guarantees, and tax exceptions for the next two years…"