AICA and SunTzu had probably broken some more speed records on their way back to the New Frontier.
The AI had briefed her pilot on the way to space and into Hyperspace. The enemy had pulled back from the New Frontier and was now attacking the area around Adumar, located in the Katorrs's system. Located slightly in the south of the New Frontier the enemy had already occupied the two neighboring systems. Adumar could not fall as it was an important manufacturer of ammunition, especially missiles and torpedoes.
The Eight Fleet was busy forming a defensive line around Esfandia while the Seventh Fleet consolidated it's defensive lines at the moment.
Both Fleets sent out whichever ships they could spare as did the First and the Fourth Reserve Fleet, but right now the defense of Adumar was far away from being either well organized or well equipped and the High Command was trying to get ships to the system.
Of course both Ada and the Star Sheriffs had immediately tried to contact SunTzu.
Although the concert had been fantastic and SunTzu on one hand would have loved to spend more time with his friends, the fear of making them a target grew larger and larger with every step he took away from them.
By the point he lifted off in AICA, who had landed directly in front of the L'Olympia, he was sweating and near a panic attack.
By then he just had to get away, he couldn't afford to make this people he loved so much a target.
SunTzu and AICA had jumped from Ansion directly in the Katorrs System, a middle sized fleet of various capital ships had already positioned itself on strategic valuable points throughout the system and after a small checkup SunTzu let AICA jump on into the neighboring system.
When they fell out of Hyperspace they found themselves just a few hundred kilometers away from an ongoing battle.
"Warlord to all GA ships, what's the sitch?"
"Warlord? Welcome to the party. You're back early."
"Early but right on time it seems my dear Major Eagle." SunTzu replied to April.
"Colt could use some help upfront with the enemy snubs."
"Affirmative, Ma'am. On my way to help the Cowboy out."
SunTzu put all energy into AICA's thrusters and shot towards the battle.
Dozens of dozens of TIE Droids were shielding some smaller Star Destroyers and Cruisers and the whole cloud of enemy ships were waltzing towards the inhabited planets of the system. Behind the cruisers were large landing ships, and Dungeon Ships.
Within seconds SunTzu had arrived next to Colt's Bronco Buster, which was busy blasting TIE-Droids to atoms and trying to create a way for the other GFFA ships to engage the larger ships, especially the landing and dungeon ships. Everybody knew what the dungeon ships were there for.
"Howdy Partner, I see your back already. Just in time." Colt came after AICA shot over him after destroying an enemy fighter behind him.
"And I see you found some droid friends in the meantime. Mind if I help scraping them?"
"Help yourself, there's enough for the both of us."
Both starfighters swerved in different directions each and pounced into the clouds of AI-controlled starfighters.
"AICA, any way you can hack these TIE/Ds?" SunTzu asked his ship's AI.
"Already tried, they're on a secured connection with their carriers. Would take too long, but if you destroy the carriers I'm pretty sure they TIEs are only able to fly basic maneuvers anymore."
"Warlord to all stations, the TIEs advanced maneuvers are controlled by the carriers. We need to take these out."
"And we better hurry because the first landing ships are entering the capital planet's atmosphere." April came in over the tactical channel as response.
SunTzu and AICA, Colt and the other fighter pilots, supported by a corvette tried their best to open up the clouds of remote controlled TIEs but there were just too many of them, even with the very generous use of warheads.
Soon the first enemy troops had landed on the planet Baram, the capital planet of the system, a backwater world. Just the capital was of significance as it had the only starport.
Battles between the landed enemy troops, mostly war droids, and the local militia ensued almost immediately.
While the present GA Forces tried to create an opening reinforces arrived. A cruiser with thirteen XJ-Wings around him.
"All Alliance Forces in System, this is the Spirit of Ithor. We're here to help."
"Captain Sidem is that you?"
"Copy, Warlord. And we brought some friends with us."
"Warlord, eh? I liked the sound of SunTzu better." Came a male voice in over Intercom.
"Master Durron, you're here as well?"
"The dozen heard there's a need of able pilots up here, so we accompanied Captain Sidem and the Spirit."
"Perfect, we really could use some help here. The TIE-Droids are preventing us to lash out on the transporters and Dungeon ships."
"You heard that Dozen? X-Foils in assault position. Just like our ancestor in the Jedi Order we got some droids to destroy!"
While twelve of the X-Wings immediately rushed towards the enemy fighters, the thirteenth stayed back with the Spirit of Ithor.
"I'll defend the Spirit, while she pushes through." The voice of Jedi Master Cilghal came in.
SunTzu was happy and afraid at the same time. It was great to have so many of his friends around, but on the other side it brought them all into danger. His presence always did.
No. I'm gonna make sure my friends are alright and life to see another day!
After taking care of two TIE Droids which had tried to get after him, it only took a very steep and fast looping with a slow come up after finishing it, he took out another Tie behind the Bronco Buster. Colt had been busy shooting down a flight of three Ties flying next to each other and trying to shake him without breaking their formation. A grave mistake, as soon as the Star Sheriff's rear was safe he really put in some emphasis in taking the trio of ships down and thirty seconds later he had done so.
Meanwhile the Dozen had first blown out an enemy carrier with torpedoes and now pounced into the TIE-Droids.
"Keep them busy here with those Jedi, I'll get back to Ramrod, maybe the big fella can fight his way through the combat zone and open the way for help to the planet." Colt announced and SunTzu escorted him out of the danger zone before the Earthling threw AICA around and headed back into the fight.
As soon as Colt was onboard, Ramrod transformed into his Mecha-form. His missile stocks were already empty but Saber Rider had an idea.
"Get out of the middle of the enemy formation immediately!" He urged his allies and a few moments later a huge shot out of the Mecha's body cannons struck right into the middle of the enemy, blasting away clouds of Ties and severely damaging an enemy capital ship.
"That was all we had for now but use it!" Saber Rider came on again and AICA and the twelve XJ-Wings, along with other fighter craft, used the opening to storm in, while the enemy hectically tried to close the gap again.
The distraction proved to be enough that Ramrod could breakthrough on the flank and head for the surface of Baram.
Meanwhile the rest of the Alliance's fleet was more than busy with the enemy fleet and although the first capital ships, lead by the Spirit of Ithor, could engage enemy starships. The Spirit found itself soon trading shots with an Assault Carrier, a derivative of the Victory-Class, but the enemy still was able to sent transports down to the planet.
"There's just no end to this." One of the pilots of the Dozen came in.
"You tell me, Four." Kyp replied, while flying through the explosion of a Tie he just had shot down.
"Keep it up, Guys. At least we're thinning them out one by one." SunTzu chimed in, while AICA used her rotatable laser to blast off the solar panel of a TIE above her.
Another one down, SunTzu thought while he maneuvered to help out one of the XJ-Wings that had a TIE chasing his rear.
But it all took too long, they somehow needed to blow away all of those Carriers, but their fighters were running low on ammo already.
On the planet Ramrod battled it out with armored enemy forces, crushing them under his legs or destroying them with blaster fire.
The Star Sheriffs were very effective against any vehicles but Ramrod just was too big to attack the enemy infantry in closed space like forests.
So after repelling the armored attack on the capital city of the planet the Star Sheriffs called for help against the hidden infantry forces of the enemy.
Unknown to them their defensive battle had been observed by a group of four warriors in full, colorful armor.
"Saber just contacted the fleet, looks like they could use some help…. Whoa, what is that… Something just dropped out of Hyperspace, in the flanks of the enemy fleet." AICA reported to SunTzu, making him close his eyes for a moment, hoping that It wouldn't be more enemy reinforcements.
"Ib'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur." Came in over an open comms channel, and it made SunTzu furrow his brows, what the yomi did that mean?
"It's an Mandalorian Fleet! Several capital ships and whole lots of snubs and gunships." AICA reported and SunTzu prayed that they weren't hostile.
"Galactic Alliance ships, the Mand'alor sends us, we are here to help."
"This is Captain Vulaa Sidem of the Spirit of Ithor. I hate to admit it but we'd be really glad for some help."
Captain Sidem hadn't ended her sentence when the first Mandalorian ships pounced into the ranks of the enemy.
These guys sure are out for blood, SunTzu thought as he saw the Mandalorian ships around him aggressively attacking the enemy with everything they got.
It only took minutes after the Mandalorian Fleet had arrived until the enemy lifted off into Hyperspace retreating. The aggressive fighting style of the Mandalorians had turned the favor into the Alliance's direction. The Mandalorians had been fighting so belligerent, that even SunTzu had to shake his head in disbelief.
"Die san doch nimmer ganz sauber!" It escaped from the Bavarian's mouth in his mother tongue in surprise as he watched the various squadrons of fighters attack the enemy fleet without any concern about their own well-being.
Even Kyp Durron had acknowledged the Mandalorian's efforts.
"You know how much that means coming from a Jedi." He had told with a smile.
Nonetheless the combined forces of the Galactic Alliance had managed to destroy a Star Destroyer and two Carriers and dozens of TIE-Droids fell silent for a moment.
But only for seconds. It was to AICA's credit, as her sensors had picked up something, that the GFFA's ships were warned a few seconds before the turned off TIE-Droids self destructed. Thanks to AICA's warning no one got killed or seriously hurt although one of the allied Capital ships and some of the starfighters were damaged.
The Fleet immediately shifted it's attention towards Baram and the first Mandalorian fighters had already entered the planet's atmosphere, their pilots out for more combat.
Two hours later, SunTzu had joined the war on the ground on Baram.
The male Star Sheriffs had left Ramrod, now back in it's starship form, in their vehicles and were helping a company of mobile GA Infantry besting an enemy assault on a middle-sized city.
April had stayed back in Ramrod and with the help of the ship's highly-developed processors took the job of command center for the ground defense.
Above in space Captain Sidem had arranged a defensive line around Baram and the other inhabited planets of the system.
More friendly ships had arrived and were reinforcing the line, but unlike the planets, space was peaceful now.
AICA had recieved an emergency call from a small town settled in between green fields and a forest.
The town's militiamen were about to be overrun by combat droids and SunTzu immediately let AICA tell them they were on their way.
Unfortunately they didn't had any warheads left and the enemy was mostly coming out of the forest which limited AICA's ability to help.
SunTzu let AICA drop him in the middle of the town.
He had donned his plate carrier and had his sub carbine locked and loaded. Hopefully the M855A1 bullets in the magazines would still be enough to stop these droids.
He ran towards the forest, closing in to where the sound of blaster fire and combat came from.
Above him AICA was searching for targets of opportunity and also acted as an eye in the sky.
SunTzu hadn't a helmet on but he had brought a military headset with him.
Not even ninety seconds after being dropped off he arrived at a line of houses where a bunch of armed individuals were taking cover against. SunTzu did so as well, behind the second closest man to the edge of the house. Red blaster fire shot past them almost constantly.
"You the guy that we were told would help?" A man said in basic with very heavy accent.
"Affirmative. What's the situation?"
"Well, I hope ya better be good at shootin because there's masses of roids round the corner."
For a moment SunTzu looked at the man, an old guy with a long white beard, an antique looking semi-automatic blaster rifle in his hands, and then he brought his short rifle into a high-ready position and moved himself in front of the first man in the row.
He and the front man, a man in his twenties, an uniform on and a regular blaster rifle in his hand, nodded at each other and then SunTzu dropped to his knee peeked around the corner, weapon at the ready.
With a small salvo he took out a B1-Series Battle Droid and immediately got back into cover before the enemy fire could hit him.
"Old Man was right. There's quite a few of them." He spoke out while he held his weapon up with one hand and pulled something out from a pouch on the cummerbund of his plate carrier with the other.
Almost casually he pulled out the splint of the M67 hand grenade he just had pulled out of the pouch and threw it around the corner. He nodded again at the man in uniform and got ready again.
A few seconds later a loud explosion, sending smoke, a shock wave, debris and shrapnel down the street occurred, making Old Man almost loose his rifle.
As soon as the shrapnel wasn't flying anymore SunTzu got down on his knees again and peaked out again.
Above him the man in uniform did so as well and together they could take out a handful of the closest still standing droids before enemy fire forced them back into cover. This all had been just to buy some time but soon they'll needed to fall back.
SunTzu reloaded while AICA announced over radio she would help as well.
A few moments later laser fire rained down the street and AICA shot past.
That gave them more time but AICA's ammo was almost empty and she told him that the street had been only cleared for a few seconds before the next squad of B1s was already coming out of the forest.
"Okay, we're falling back to the next street." SunTzu ordered and the four man around him nodded, although with grim expressions.
While SunTzu, before he would leave the position as well, gave cover fire, destroying more droids in the process, the men ran back to the next line of houses and took corner there.
The young soldier was good SunTzu acknowledged as he took the risk to even ran over the street and get into the cover on the opposite side of it, giving the defenders the possibility to shoot from two positions.
SunTzu emptied another magazine and was about to get ready to fall back as well, when suddenly something, or rather someone landed next to him. And then another person. And one more. Warriors in complete armor, made out of some kind of metal and with jet packs on their backs. They were all armed and one of them, larger than the others even sported a rotary blaster cannon. Their helmets all had a distinct shape as had their armor. Mandalorians.
"You are the one they call Warlord?" The first of the olive-green colored warriors asked while the other two, accompanied by more incoming Mandalorians from the other side of the street stormed around the house corners and began assaulting forwards, exchanging fire with the battle droids.
"I am." SunTzu stated shortly and reloaded again.
"Then proof your title, human." The warrior, he had some kind of insignia on his armor, told him and then followed the others.
SunTzu closed his eyes for a moment and collected himself, a war zone was not the place for a dick-measuring contest but the Mando's words had hit his ego.
His eyes snapped up again and while he draw into the Force SunTzu rounded the house corner as well, bringing his rifle up.
The seven fighters, six Mandalorians in full Beska Armor and SunTzu in a plate carrier and without a helmet advanced down the street shooting down any droid that came in their sights.
SunTzu noticed that the armor of the Mandalorians was impenetrable by the enemy's blaster fire and the huge Mando with the rotary blaster didn't even flinch when he got hit, instead he just shifted his aim towards the droid that was shooting at him.
Although he wasn't wearing full armor, SunTzu kept up with the Mandos, using the Force to warn him of danger and relying on movement and the foreseeing danger to not get hit, while taking down as much battle droids as he could.
I wasn't that one with the Force for a long time.
The seven warriors cleared the street and then pressed on into the forest.
The droids had shifted from assaulting into a more defensive stance and when SunTzu and the Mandos reached the tree line they were greeted by the combined blaster fire of a whole platoon of droids.
But the Mandos quickly made it known who had the bigger firepower.
Wrist and backpack missiles as well as guided metal projectiles transformed the defensive line of the droids into a scrapyard.
Several trees had been destroyed, had fallen down or were still on fire, craters were filled with the remnants of droids and smoke began to billow around.
Nevertheless the seven warriors pressed on and surprised the next wave of droids while on their way to the battle zone.
SunTzu was a few steps ahead as he had to leave the smoked area fast, when he noticed the first enemies.
He immediately dropped down to his knee and emptied a whole magazine into the droids, destroying several in the process.
In a fluent motion he reloaded while standing up and began to move forward, the Mandalorians joining him.
With concentrated shots and salvos they took out droid after droid.
SunTzu got so close to the droids that one of them tried to attack him with a vibro knife.
He dropped his rifle, knowing the gun's sling would held it onto him and draw his new light saber from his hips, igniting it and cutting off the droids arm. A swing later the upper body followed.
This feels fucking great!
The purple blade glowing in his hands SunTzu stormed forward, guided by the Force and cut down droid after droid, he even managed to deflect a few blaster shots.
Apparently they had come to the last line of the droid unit as the last droid SunTzu had cut down wore the insignia of a Captain.
Looking at the remnants of the droid officer, cut marks still glowing hot, SunTzu deactivated his weapon after a moment, he sensed no more danger.
Around him the Mandos swarmed out, searching for any more droids.
All except of one.
The one that had challenged him earlier walked straight up to him.
"Mandokarla! You earn your title. You a Jetii?"
"No, not a Jedi. Just a guy with a starfighter and a light saber."
"You kept up well, Warlord."
"Thank you…"
"Cic Kerr. I'm the ruus'alor of this verds." The Mandalorian offered his hand and SunTzu took it, a warrior handshake followed.
"SunTzu." The Earthling introduced himself. "Your team fights brave and fierce." Use words like these to praise the individuals of militaristic societies, Rei had once taught him. "You and your warriors saved this town." SunTzu motioned towards the town with his head. "And your heavy gunner is one hard hitting kriffer."
Cic laughed under his helmet. "Cald Shur. His clan is notorious for their aggression."
AICA came in over SunTzu's headset.
"Awww, from up here it looks like you made friends with those Mandos. Anyways April is asking for you at Ramrod."
"Copy, meet me in the town square again." SunTzu answered and then looked at Cic Kerr again. "Looks like I have to move on. Are you guys gonna be alright here?"
"We'll scan the area for more battle droids and then move on to the next battle."
Both men nodded at each other.
"Ret'urcye mhi, Warlord SunTzu."
"Good Hunting, Cic Kerr."
That said Cic Kerr turned around and closed up with his team, which had spread out fan-shaped, using the sensors in their helmets to scan the area, while SunTzu walked back to the town.
As he reached the first buildings the young soldier, now at guard, nodded at him.
"Thanks for helping us."
SunTzu knew that the Mandalorians didn't had the best reputation in the Galaxy but he just had learned that he definitely wanted them as allies and not as enemies.
"It wasn't my merit. Thank thos Mandalorians. Oh… and good shooting there, kid."
That said he gave a sloppy two finger salute and walked off to the town square where AICA was just was touching down.
SunTzu and AICA actually had to fly to another continent of the planet to link up with April.
When they arrived SunTzu was surprised to see what had been done around Ramrod while he had been fighting.
Shuttles had brought in heavy hardware and what on Earth would have been called a FARP, a Forward Arming and Refueling Point, as well as a landing zone for heavy equipment had been set up.
Repulsorcraft and gunships were getting serviced, troops were shuttled in and even a few K-Wings were being rearmed there.
Below SunTzu a battalion of repulsor tanks was moving out as he and AICA came in.
As soon as he had landed and had exited his ship, SunTzu asked one of the NCOs in charge if they could rearm AICA and fill her up again.
After knowing the ground crew was more than eager to take care of the legendary talking A-Wing he made his way to Ramrod, a bit aside of the field base.
In a few hundred meters distance artillery was supporting the GA's forces and the rumbling of the huge canons were audible, as were the beams of the turbo lasers cutting into the sky in an ballistic bow.
The Galactic Alliance was using it's complete power of it's Combined Arms on Baram now.
A short time later SunTzu walked up the ramp that lead into Ramrod, it was guarded by two troopers that even saluted him.
Suppressing a smirk, at least it seemed to be safe around here, these boys were probably new and on their first mission, he reciprocated the greeting and went up.
April was sitting inside her seat, which almost resembled a cockpit on it's own and checking the latest incoming Intel.
"You got here faster than I expected." She said as she heard him entering the cockpit, leaning out her seat.
"A bunch of Mandos out for blood joined in our defense. Sped things up quite a bit."
"Yeah, I know. I had AICA's live feed on and watched it over a bag of snacks. Want some?" The blonde daughter of the Seventh's Commanding Officer General Eagle asked and pulled a half full bag of grain snack, similar to chips, from her seat and offered them to SunTzu.
With an affirmative look SunTzu took some and put them in his mouth. They were pretty tasty.
SunTzu waited till he had swallowed down, while April was back at looking at the monitors in front of her.
"The boys are mopping up the rest of their enemies as well." Three of the displays each showed one of the Star Sheriff's helmet feeds.
"AICA told you wanted to see me."
For a moment April froze and then she straightened up.
"Yes. Listen, the new attack wave hit all over Wild Space and Coruscant sent whoever they could."
SunTzu immediately knew what she was about to say. Did he really want to hear it?
"Just a few Lightyears away a small reconnaissance fleet, made up of Taskforce Sol and and a few more capital ships is fighting a huge battle in space and on a planet. They were apparently ambushed. So far they're holding up, but they're asking for reinforcements as the enemy is far more numerous than expected."
April eyes pierced at SunTzu, it was clear what she wanted him to do. She always had been the opinion that he shouldn't had left Sol in the first place. She fixed him with her eyes, her face dead serious.
"Go home, they need you." She said after a moment.
But SunTzu just kept staring at the floor. Of course he had sworn to always protect them but wherever he had been lately the enemy had attacked much harsher than before.
"I know what you're about to say. We had that discussion already."
"And I'm still not proven wrong. My presence is a bad omen and puts targets on my friends."
"SunTzu, it's war. We all are targets anyway. And you usually hang around with people that actively and aggressively try to keep the enemy at bay."
SunTzu stayed silent so April continued.
"You weren't there and they still got attacked." She paused for a moment. "You don't want to hear it, but maybe they wouldn't be asking for reinforcements now if you had been around from the start, protecting them. As I have seen you doing so often already. You need to go home."
"What about you and the guys?"
She smiled at him and shrugged.
"We got Ramrod. And a fleet of war-crazed Mandalorians that just had warmed up."
SunTzu nodded and then put his communicator to his mouth.
"AICA, how long until we can move out?"
"I might have to sustain from my promised washing and waxing but other than that, I'm armed and refilled."
"Get ready to lift off. We have a Taskforce to support."
"Finally! I was about to tell you on the way that we should get going."
Of course she knew already, curious girl.
SunTzu turned to April again, his face was one of determination now, April's words had been right.
"Tell the boys I said hi."
"Will do. Now get going, Knight of the Crown."
SunTzu nodded at her and then began to walk out Ramrod's cockpit with fast steps. He turned around a last time.
"Thanks for letting me tag along. You guys take care, I'll keep in touch."
April smiled at him.
"Different day, different planet, same War. Until next time SunTzu."