[Closing weeks of 14 BBY]

[Command Bridge, Command Deck, House Stormcrow Capital-class Warship Stormcrow, Mobile Headquarters, Imperial Navy Fifth Fleet 'The Army of Light', over Rodia, Tyrius System, Savareen Sector, Outer Rim Territories, United Federal Empire]

"…a victory, such as it is"

I nodded at Gardan's words as we studied the tactical data from the Iskalon, which, now, was a member of the Empire proper. An aquatic world, with over a dozen species living on, it was a nice, solid, addition to our 'Security Zone' as it were, but it hadn't come without trouble. Which was why I was studying yet another 'minor' engagement between my forces and those of the Loyalist Confederates as it were…or some coalition thereof. It was hard to track who was on what side, when, after all. But, right now, it was showing a familiar story of the warfare slowly shifting, along with continued improvement in various warfighting abilities of our enemies.

"True, but they are learning" I agreed, but pointing at the holo-display "See here? Those Munificents have modified for better starfighter defence, and they've got gunships in formation. That's something you don't often see out of the Confederate Navy"

"More like ours Sir?"

I nodded, rolling back time on the battle and then having the data replay, gesturing at it as I studied the whole thing speculatively "Seems so, though it's…hmm…more mid-war that late war maybe? Hard to say, but it's another engagement where they've shifted to these tactics"

The Confederates had, usually, had the fighter advantage in battles due to numbers of droid-fighters, backed up by a number of elite organic flown starfigter squadrons. So much so that they'd been constantly seeking the next level droid-fighter model from before the war truly began with the Scarab to the Vulture, and then, rather than constantly tweaking the Vulture droid-fighter, to the Tri-fighter, and now the V-series droid-fighter. That was according to intercepts at least, as we hadn't seen any of the newest V-series in combat ourselves as yet. Oh, they still worked on the Vultures, but our models were better one-on-one generally speaking to Confederate Vulture droids.

Because of that the Confederate Navy general go to tactics were heavy droid-fighter swarms serving as both strike force and combat screen, followed up by their heavy battleline and its escorts. That was seeing a fairly significant shift in recent weeks, across the sectors, on both factions, as the escort ratio had begun to rise, and now they were throwing in refurbished or obsolescing gunships into escort roles as well. Which was something we had learned to do when facing the Confederate fleets as the war went on, and why I'd pushed funds into the early model Cataphract-class frigates years ago. And, was currently, pushing for the 'Gunstar' Heavy Starfighter/Light Gunship unit currently in prototyping to further expand the increasingly integrated Fleet Defence Systems.

Gardan nodded beside me, gesturing as well "They've deployed Lupus-class vessels in a defence role here Moff rather than as strike craft"

I studied what he was pointing at, rewinding and then replaying it, seeing that he was correct and that the missile boats were sticking close to the Lucrehulk, firing in defensive cluster "Yes, your right, they are. May they're starting to integrate into the command ships again?"

"Hard to tell Sir, but possible. It'll be a problem for our bombers if that is the case"

"Hmm, true unfortunately" I agreed with a nod "But long-range hyperdrive jump and punch fighter-bomber strikes aren't as effective against proper military forces of late. Unfortunate, but inevitable, war is a learning experience, or you die, and they're clearly learning. Likely because fighting each other revealed the problems that come with droid-fighter swarms coming at you"

In the timeline I had hazy memories of 'the time that would have been' the quick ending of the war, combined with the Galactic Empire's specific needs, had likely frozen strategy, tactics, and ship development. That hadn't happened here, and it was forcing me to constantly update my own tactics and strategies as a thousand years of peace was now being purged in constant mid-level warfare. At the start of the war Starfighter Aces had been the Republic's big thing, same as on the Confederate side, which had shifted to droid-fighters having both numbers and quality over many system defence fleets on the Republic fleet. Which had forced us to change and bring in escorts, which forced…

'And so on, and so on' I mused watching as the battle ended with a Confederate retreat, just as we'd done before in other systems, when the planetary government panicked and truly picked side and the opposing fleet decided losing more ships wasn't worth it. My speculation now was that the Confederate factions were taking pretty bad droid-fighter losses, or they were having lobsided battles where one side turned up with numbers and then caused the other side to withdraw. Whatever was causing it was irrelevant in some ways because what mattered was that they were using their droid-fighters more like we and the Republics did in battle recently. That meant engaging the Confederates differently in the future, of either or any faction.

I sighed "Okay, we'll need to run some simulations with this updated…"

Paused as a crewman came towards us, saluting "Yes lieutenant?"

"Moff, Sir" the blue skinned female Pantoran replied "There is priority package being delivered by a courier from the Imperial Security Bureau in your and Lady Ventress's name"

I nodded "Codes confirmed?"

"Yes Sir, security and quarantine is prepared if needed" she answered "Orders?"

"Have it and its guards brought aboard under high security measures. My second wife will see to it for now, and I'll attend later" I instructed ensuring it'd be scanned for bombs or bio-threats, but was likely a prisoner or operative delivery, with orders restricted till met in person by senior staff here. It was unfortunately a not uncommon occurrence as the not-invasion progressed and we played secret spy games alongside not-so-secret spy games as well…

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[Closing weeks of 14 BBY]

[Star Destroyer YX-652, Patrol Squadron 424-X652, Confederate Navy 1st (Droid) Defence Fleet, Fondor system, Tapani Sector, Tapani Freeworlds League, Colonies Region, Confederacy of Independent Systems]

Qi'ra waited as the chef-droid placed her food on her tray after it had scanned the barcode on the back of her hand and then filling up a drink from the dispenser and placing it on the tray as it was finished serving up her healthy meal. That was one benefit of her quasi-enslavement, quasi-recruitment, quasi-liberation, into the Confederate Navy as run by droids, in that their vessels had decent canteen systems despite generally having small organic crews. Usually it was for the officers, technicians, and various visiting engineers/guests so they were, by standing orders, decently stocked for such positions.

When factored in that during her 'maintenance' with the Doctor and Nurse droids Qi'ra was getting food that was both healthy and nice tasting…within the limits allowed her anyway. Like everyone else in this bizarre situation aboard her diet and exercise routine was passively monitored to some degrees, just like the actual droids had odd little deviations when they'd be in normal service. All of which meant the decently large canteen was very spacious and empty feeling as there was only five of them present right now, the other four women sitting at the table Qi'ra walked to.

Two bridge crew, one being herself, two maintenance technicians, and one certified hyperdrive engineer in one very out of place former 'pleasure slave' with the mousey, near sighted, and skinny-bony looking Talsa Mui of Alderaan. A woman with two degrees but the idiocy to pick a fight with the wrong members of the Techno Union and was now almost painfully happy with her change in life. Qi'ra could understand why considering the now long healed welts on the short human woman's back and leg as those had definitely been painful. They all wanted to get back to a normal life…but, how exactly they would do that was the issue. There was a massive war(s) on, seemingly everywhere, and why, exactly, were they supposed to go should they escape from their current positions?

"Oh, news?" she asked sitting down, seeing the animated conversation, Qi'ra's fellow bridge 'technician', the twi'lek Lona Teyultra waving her hand in a 'maybe' gesture to the feline Felician female Katra "Or am I misreading?"

"News, yes" the lightly furred felician female maintenance 'droid' huffed back, Qi'ra sitting beside her, careful not to be too close so as not to be pressing skin against that itchy fur. Their current Captain, T-567/Z, was a bit of an ego maniac in Qi'ra's opinion, and was clearly quite happy with delaying and then cancelling their uniform orders. He was a kriffer of a droid, clearly aware of the situation at hand, but just being a giant kriffing sleemo about it because he got to boss around organics. Of course, beyond that, he was a fair, if harsh, task master, and all of their work routines were well within the 'comfortable' range of their various species physical abilities.

Qi'ra sat, starting to it, gesturing with the metal spoon "Well?"

Katra did that hissing thing of hers, but answered politely "We're supposedly heading to Thyferra"

She gave her a look "How in the seven hells do you know that? Myself and Lona are bridge and nothings come through us"

"Unlike you, me, Zuka, and Tellulu, are down on the service bays the last few days. Taking on supplies, and the orders were on the lists. Well, the lists say numbers, but what service channels showing holo-shows said that Thyferra's been begging for help. So, makes sense"

Qi'ra frowned, the short Talsa blinking owlishly at that them "This is because of Kinyen, isn't it?"

"Yeah…likely so, if it's true" Qi'ra agreed after a moment "Droids aren't exactly doing much here beyond the letter of stupid confederacy law. Pirates have been pretty judging by what we've been seeing on our patrol routes. Tons of merchants coming to Fondor and then trying to stick close to trade. We're probably the only protection they've got between here and the Core, or down to the Imps"

It was part of the reason that Qi'ra wasn't currently trying to desperately get off this mad ship and head off for a new life and job. The simple truth was the galaxy looked to be scary dangerous right now, and Qi'ra had already been conscripted and didn't want to jump to the next place, or get killed back at home because the gangs were still mad her. She'd like to look for Han…but that wasn't happening, and it wasn't like there were any easy options when refugees were fleeing into Fondor and other 'Droid Rebellion Zones' as the Trade Federation and Raxxus were calling the fleet Qi'ra served on and a few other worlds. If people with credits were fleeing to here and the so-called Empire…

'Then no way am I fleeing too the places they are fleeing from' was her opinion as Talsa nodded at her words, cutting in before Lona "Is that dangerous for us? Going there, I mean?"

"Probably? Yes?" Lona muttered with a shrug "But, well, no more than usual? We're on the big new fancy warship…so, better and worse places to be"

"Let us not talk on that thought now" Katra muttered eating as they talked. None of them liked discussing the fact they could potentially die in battle, or on thoughts that they were actually supposedly competent at their jobs – worrying considering her merry group were former sex slaves "But, yes, Thyferra. Twenty credits it's for Bacta"

"No takers" Qi'ra replied, rolling her eyes as the others agreed with her "That's obvious, save it's our glorious droid master who don't need bacta, but are probably programmed to know that those facilities are important Confederate whatever's and must be defended. Not that we'll be get off the ship any time soon. That's something I'd rather to be honest, cuz then we get put with the ground combat B-1s and this here Corelian girl has no desire to charge into battle and getting shot at by Neimoidians or droids they sent"

"Here, here" came the general round of agreements at that as they all returned to discussing the 'strategies' of the wider war based on the limited holo-net shows they could see, but not change the channel on. Education was their most common entertainment right now, beyond a few physical sports they'd played in the ad-hoc gymnasium they'd established. So, again their pooled their knowledge of their shifts and debated what that meant for them and the galaxy at large. But mostly them, because Qi'ra cared about Qi'ra and not the wider galaxy mostly….

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