[17 BBY]
[Eriadu Authority Venator-class Star Destroyer Incorruptible, Republic 4th Fleet, in orbit Naboo, Naboo System, Chommell Sector, Mid Rim]
"I do hope preparations are complete General Vos" Rahm Kota, acting Grandmaster of this Sect of the Jedi Order, and Moff of the increasingly dead looking 'Galactic Republic, said to Quinlan Vos who was down on the surface of Naboo "Because time's up. Sensor nets are warning we have company calling. Case Rancor White is now in effect"
Quinlan gave a nod, or at least his hologram did "We're as ready as we can be down here. I will trigger all alerts and prepare for clankers Moff. Luminara and Adi are ready as well"
"Do that and do try stay alive. We'll need all of you" Moff Kota told him, and, through Vos, those fool Jedi that had come because the need was so great. Then he cut the communication and turned his attention back to the formed up Fourth Fleet as the planetary shielding of Naboo came active, a shimmering light spreading through its upper atmosphere. It was…as good as the world below could establish in recent years, though stronger, more numerous, theatre and city shields were coming active over the gungan settlements. They'd had the advantage of a more martial tradition, natural paranoia, and a better starting infrastructure than the human Naboo it had seemed to Rahm.
His Fourth Fleet wasn't in the best of shape after over recent weeks, taking up the task of slowing the Separatist advance after Zsinj's Third Fleet had been withdrawn to refit and resupply after Chardaan. But with Second Fleet driven from the Christoph system, and now significant Separatist movements towards here, and likely Enarc, meant he had to stand and fight. Hold until relieved were the direct orders from Grand Moff Tarkin along with promised urgent reinforcements to blunt this major assault. So, Rahm had done everything he could with the reinforcements had received, which included deploying all the mines he could just like Lucas Geen had done over Christophsis.
'I didn't stop them, but it did make it costly' he thought unhappily, feeling the Force begin to tense, the tides begin to shift as if the world was taking a breath before taking a plunge into a deep sea. His fleet was a motley, but large, affair; - Lucrehulks and Venators forming its core, backed up by a larger force of several hundred Dreadnought-class and refitted Invincible-class heavy cruisers, and then a veritable horde of smaller escorts from modern frigates to centuries old gunships. All while numbers that wouldn't have been dreamed of in the darkest visions of any member of the Jedi Order now took flight.
He folded his arms across, his chest, gave a nod as people looked to him, the Force strong this day "Okay people, let's do this. For the Republic"
There was no cheer or anything like that, just a sense of grim determination and purpose as the battered but unbroken fleet of his waited in those last seconds for the inevitable…
"Hyperspace emergences! Multiple hyperspace emergences! Counting….over three hundred large combat vessels…" the twi'lek at the sensor station called out "…wait…we have Flag Ident on enemy Flagship, Mandator Two-class Dreadnaught it is…"
"Toth" Rahm answered at the same time as the young, but by now very experienced, officer. All knew how bloody this was going to get as the captured Kuati heavies and superheavies captured by the madman and his pirates from KDY slammed in realspace. Cavik Toth's Death's Head Fleet were the Separatist's best assault fleet, and equipped with all those refitted Mandator's, Mandator IIs, along with Venators. Behind those came more Lucrehulks and what could only be an assault fleet, thousands of droid-fighters starting to flicker into existence on the Jedi's screens. He let out a breath. Nodded.
"All batteries commence missile fire as they hit the minefields. Target that spearhead and shift the Lucrehulks to the front of the battleline. Illuminate our available Y-wing squadrons on my tactical displays…."
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[17 BBY]
[Confederacy of Independent Systems Warship Dominator, refitted Mandator II-class Star Dreadnaught, Toth's Death's Head Fleet, approaching Naboo, Naboo System, Chommell Sector, Mid Rim]
"That is not their Second Fleet" Cavik Toth stated coldly as his fleet vanguard moved forward to engage the defenders of the Nabbo system. Breaking through their deployed spacial mines by the simple expedient of sending droid vessels and droid-fighters into them, and the teeth of the opening barrages, to serve as ablative armour for his better vessels. Gratingly there was significantly more Republic forces present than he'd been expecting…
"I'm seeing…hmmm…." Bella, his twi'lek best subordinate said studying displays "…that's the Incorruptible over there. See, she's got those extra guns and shield batteries on the forward castle. That'd be…the Jedi Kota and his Fourth Fleet. He caused trouble for Ningo near Zeheth last report"
"Yes, but here he is, not near Malastare or Eriadu, and where is Geen's battered fleet I wonder, since they didn't retreat here?" Cavik thought with irritation and mild concern. But, well, there were multiple fleets behind him wait to deploy, so there was no choice but to advance now. Even if the defenders' numbers were more than expected it wasn't near enough to drive him back, certainly not with his support. It was time to drive them back, trap them, and then destroy them "No matter. No time to be subtle. Invasion Plan Vermillion Initiate"
Naboo had tried to invest in its defences, but it wasn't at the level of several of the worlds that he and his fleet had to assault over the course of the war. It also helped that the large forces being committed to any ground assault were, essentially, worth writing off if it ensured the sucking in of the Eriadu Republic's two heavy fleets to be destroyed. Eliminating Naboo, or even just devastating it, was sufficient for the Trade Federation, and what his bosses wanted…Cavik Toth would deliver. First though it involved his fleet driving forward with reckless abandon into the teeth of the missile and turbolaster fire from the Republicans, mines and that fire gutting the first wave of droid vessels.
…but then it was his turn as his heaviest vessels smashed through the gaps the droid vessels had made with their corpses, often blasted out of the way if needed. Battle Walls had formed, and here his superheavies made themselves known, shields absorbing the best the enemy could dish out, while tearing into their battleships in turn. Thousands of droid-fighters surged forward, and, as was increasingly common of late, running into a veritable wall of interlocked missile and light turbolaster fire. That was frustrating, as was the forced attacks on his heavy battleline, the Violator dying to massed bomber attack, while Ravager and Breaker were rendered combat ineffective already.
At the planet, even as starships died in the brutal engagement, his assault forces were making contact with the older model planetary shield. Locking to it with several battleships, and then slowly, but surely, pressing through the energy barrier in the old, brute force, method of slow manoeuvre and reducing energy fields within the ships. Dozens of those ships died, Lucrehulks amongst them as planetary ion canon batteries attempted to ravage them…but they were few in number. Despite it's efforts Naboo, the surface groundside especially, just wasn't at the level of that defensive strength and CIS planners knew where those defences were thanks to loyalists on Naboo.
So, proceeded by the burning wrecks of two Lucrehulks falling through the atmosphere towards the earth below, three whole droid armies, backed up by several shock divisions of the Morgukai Clone Shadow Army, descended towards the two spaceports, and the capital, Theed. Naboo had been invaded before, and this time at least significant light turbolaster fire was directed at the invaders, even as the Naboo Starfighter Corps engaged masses of vulture droids. From store warehouses and bunkers the landing forces were met by a bizarre sight, so much so that Cavik didn't believe the reports and wrote them off as malfunctioning B-1 droids as thousand of Cortosis armoured B-2s charged into battle. As if someone had that many credits to waste as millions of droids landed and were thrown at against the defences.
But in space Cavik Toth's focus was upon the gruelling engagement his fleet hand gotten involved in as the opposing Republican fleet slowly gave space, refusing to directly engage his heavier formation. Instead, they fought near the planetary shield, constantly manoeuvring, starfighters clashing and dying, clashing and disengaging as a trail of destruction and debris began to form in orbit of the world. Frustration was growing for Cavik Toth as casualties mounted over the hour and despite superiority in numbers, he was unable to truly grapple the enemy fleet into destruction. He activated his comms, rage in his voice as he send the needed commands.
"Get Ningo in here now!"
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[17 BBY]
[Confederacy of Independent Systems Warship Ascendent Victory, Modified Lucrehulk-class Command-ship, Confederate Reserve Fleet, Kalinda, Trailing Sectors, Mid Rim]
Kleeve was not happy as Dua Ningo's fleet jumped into the Naboo system, the Sullustan transmitting that his fleet was immediately moving to flank and trap the Republic forces in-system. It was sooner than planned, and the Republic's Eriadu Warlords hadn't deployed their Second Fleet, which wasn't where it was supposed to be, nor Zsinj's Third….
'Naboo will fall if that's all they have in situ' he noted watching the transmissions from both fleets, along with that from Trench's fleet waiting with his, and Mar Tuuk on distant Christophsis. The Neimodian's fleet wasn't in a great way though after storming that system, but with Geen's fleet having seemingly been replaced by Kota's Kleeve had placed the Admiral on alert. But it was concerning to have missed that change, even if it had made limited practical difference so far as more landings took place from the second wave. Kleeve frowned at that "Jedi back in play again"
"Yes" his aide murmured as the holo-displays showed fighting from the assault on the spaceport near Theed, the formerly familiar energy swords and magic being used by multiple figures. Backed soldiers in power armour and Mandalorian armour along with legions of droids produced in captured CIS foundries "Our so-called Moff is one after all, so not surprising. I am annoyed by those heavy tanks though. Those were made in our former factories"
"Hmm" Kleeve murmured, mostly to himself, as he nodded, growing concerned as events were not playing out as desired. Which was bothersome as the enemy fleet was standing and dying rather than retreating despite now being threatened with…
"We have transmissions from Admiral Ningo!" an operator called out the strategic maps starting to flash angry coloured icons suddenly "Many hyperspace emergences, we're getting updates now!"
"Confirm! Is it Third or Fifth Fleet?" he demanded gesturing, then waiting impatiently as the minutes passed, information updating…
"Confirming Stormcrow present!" the female Neimoidian detailed slowly "Fifth Fleet is…"
"There's too many" his aide stated as the screens from Naboo continued to update "That's far too many!"
The sensor officer continued "Elements Third Fleet detected and…Procurator-class detected Admiral! We are getting fleet idents on Eriadu First Fleet Flagship in-system!"
Kleeve's eyes widened as the systems continued to update. Thousands of vessels were pouring in Naboo, and rapid fire readings from sensors by subordinates confirmed that self-declared Chancellor and Grand Moff Tarkin's First Fleet had arrived in-system, flanked by Zsinj's Third and the Stormcrow's Fifth Fleets. There was only one response to this, otherwise it would mean the destruction of Ningo's and Toth's already engaged formations.
"All units deploy into Naboo per Contingency Acolyte" he commanded so that his own fleet and Trench's would immediately begin jumping to Naboo. They'd still have a numerical edge with that, but he would hedge his bets if he could as this intended trap had turned into possibility one of the largest battles of the war with the Republic "Get me Admiral Mar Tuuk!"
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