[20 BBY]

[Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, Task-force Remembrance of Revan, In Battle over Ryloth]

Whatever one could say about them the Clone Troopers of the Galactic Republic were everything Kamino had promised they would be; tough, tenacious, skilled, and loyal to their commanders. Brave too, even here with everything turning against them they stayed true to their cause even as we compromised their 'secure' comms-chatter and mouse-trapped them between our fleet and the planet below. The planet on which at least two of the planetary defence batteries were in the hands of troops loyal to me; batteries that were even now actively firing at the scattered formation of three Acclamators and two Venators that were opposing us. We had demanded surrender. They still refused.

'And now they die for that' I though emptying my mind of emotion on the subject, an eye of calm amidst the storm of death and battle. Calm and cold logic needed to rule the day here not passion, ours was the organised and united force and we needed to be merciless and methodical in our dismantling of those forces that maintained allegiance to Jedi Master Pong Krell. Another flicker of life vanished from my senses to join the thousands that had already passed due to our actions; there was no pain, no regret, not yet at least, as that was a flaw of too many past Jedi. Feeling the emotion, caring about it when doing such things only made more deaths happen; another odd irony of the Force and its adherents

"Have centre fleet forces concentrated fire on this vessel here, the Venator Glorious..." I gestured at one of the glowing ships on the holographic display causing it flash red "...with the bridge being priority. They're acting as a rally point and I want them eliminated. Have located Krell yet?"

"Yes Boss..." Yulen voiced from nearby monitoring the 'spy' systems of the Stormcrow as I liked to them, while Gardan went about commanded the bridge crew in this disaster of a battle "...we can confirm he's still planet-side in the capital, the rioters have seized the spaceport and prevented immediate escape"

I nodded coldly "Good. Have Mercy's Lament deploy its fighters to support forces loyal to us on Ryloth. Do not let that Jedi escape"

Eliminating Krell and his command staff was a priority now that the situation had gone to the nine hells. Part of me had played warlord before, and eliminating Krell and seizing whatever evidence he'd assembled against me would be a simple way to squash any investigation, or at least swing it in my favour. Orn Taa Free after all could be trusted to ensure any coverage of himself would be dealt with, and ensuring commonality of interest was vital so that my innocence was part of his being innocent before the Senate. After all, I'd likely be running after this, but if it was just from the Jedi Order and not the Republic as whole it'd be much harder to target me with my army at my back.

One benefit was that I'd already won the support another Sector General in Yanthis and elements of Ailon Nova Guard, and we'd already engaged in conflict before Geen's panicked avatar had attempted to order us to get the hell out of this system. Too late on his part, and I had video proof that Krell's forces had shot first, and at his order; in fact the whole thing was being streamed 'live' to galaxy via drones through the rather impressive computer banks of the Stormcrow. Time delayed, and edited via droid brains, of course, but getting your message out first along the damaged hyper-comm systems was important as well to instil fear in my enemies along with my version of things first and foremost in the eyes of the population.

So I focused on calling out commands in a calm and controlled manner, forcing the scattered Republic forces in orbit that were loyal to Krell to surrender one after another; or in the case of the near all-clone Glorious destroy its offensive capacity and then send over boarders. Casualties were heavy, pitting green pilots in Chir'takis, TIE's, and secondary fighters against Clone pilots in Headhunters was a lot more bloody than pitting them against droid-fighters. No matter; my boys and girls blood was up, and it was less sending them to their deaths than restraining and guiding their rage towards more beneficial end-points. As a fight it hadn't made a difference over all as the larger force we'd brought had swamped their fewer numbers...who'd already been engaged with rebelling Free Ryloth forces.

It was strange I'd noted idly that nobody, Krell especially, seemed to expect a rational response such this to his offenses. This was the Outer Rim, and showing weakness led to bad things...and we couldn't afford that as Braika had so forcefully point out to the troopers assembling below. Though it seemed, apparently, that Krell had thought otherwise and clearly not expected our response to him arresting and killing our soldiers would be to arrest and kill his men. He certainly hadn't prepared his defences to hold us; honestly it was pretty pathetic the state his forces were in considering the level of training and 'natural' abilities that had been invested in the Clone Troopers and him as a Jedi.

'No matter, we'll just have to deal with the aftermath when we've actually won' I thought watching as the last element of active orbit resistance cease before issuing my next command "Gardan, bring us into orbit. Communicate to all rebellious ground bases outside that we control the orbitals, the planetary shield, and are now in a firing position. They have ten minutes to surrender or they will be bombarded into submission"

"And the capital city Sir?"

I nodded, standing up and pressing some buttons on my suit "My myself and General Chorn will be leading a landing and ground assault to liberate the city momentary. Signal the reserves to hyper into system and form up into Defensive Formation Tango-Delta-Seven. For the Republic and the Aegis Guard"

Salutes followed as I projected with the Force ever so slightly, cheers at a battle half-won "Aye-Aye General! For the Republic and the Aegis Guard!"

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[20 BBY[36 Minutes]

[Republic Aegis Guard Assault Gunship Liberator-02A, Descending on the city of Lessu, Planet-side Ryloth]

"Forward Troopers!" Braika's voice shouted gleefully over the command-net on our descending gunship as the HUD on my suit detailed the battlefield below us "Engage Jump! Let's crush this uppity Jedi!"

'Just the Mando to feel such' I thought I my ball of calm as I jumped downwards along with the dozens of other jump-infantry and my bodyguards and droid surveillance drones for battlefield control. The air whistled around my suit as we dropped through air towards the buildings below just behind where the rioters were assaulting the forward defences of the main entrance to the recently reactivated spaceport, the secondary field, of the capital city. Behind us the gunships followed us in, free to manoeuvre rather than land, as missiles hurled ahead of us and destroyed remaining hard-points of heavy weapons.

I braced, igniting my jet-pack as I'd been trained as the ground came up to meet me. My rifle moved, firing once twice, thrice, before my booted feet hit the roof of the hardened building; three Clone Troopers went down dead as my armour thudded unto the rooftop as I dropped into a momentary kneel. Before standing immediately, using the Force and my Magick to enchance my senses and abilities with Cat's Grace and Haste, as the remaining two Clones were eliminated as my four bodyguard-droids slammed down around me along with a dozen armoured jump-troopers.

Jamming on emergency Clone channels through them, the few hundred remaining around Krell, into confusion but as my feet moved across the roof and took aim I could feel the calm resignation off of them. The determination as they switched to hand gestures before my eyes as I killed another one and their defensive positive came apart as they were taken from above and flanks by heavy troopers in Mandalorian style armour with equal training. What's worse we were mobile, jump jets igniting even as the several of the Clones, Arc Troopers I guessed, attempted to bring their weapons to bear on where we'd stood; too late.

Now many of us took flight a short distance, my Force abilities aiding my training as I landed with my droids and Braika's and my own trained elite. Gungan-style and purchased riot shields activated even before the first of our feet hit the ground, a formation coming together within seconds of landing; I'd caught the Jedi Master and his command staff or bodyguard out in the open. Blaster rifles lowered on both sides, shields on mine two sides as a rearguard formed up behind us to prevent fire from that direction. Then it was a madhouse of aimed blaster shoots...

I enhanced my voice through my helmet, cold and mechancical so it'd be heard over the blaster fire "KRELL! SURRENDER TRAITOR AND SOME MERCY MAY BE SHOWN!"

'Ah...so he has fallen to the Dark Side at least a little?' I thought at the swirl of power, hateful and enraged in the way of one at least mildly experienced in its usage. Perhaps my intended plan of labelling him a traitor and tempted by the Dark Side was in fact the truth of the matter. Not matter, best point it out I figured as people died around me "YOU HAVE FALLEN TO THE DARK YOU WEAKLING? NO MATTER, WITH A SNIVELLING COWARD AND TRAITOR SUCH AS YOURSELF WHAT ELSE CAN BE EXPECTED I SUPPOSE. SURRENDER!"

Vile implications of some sort, and blaster shots blocked with dual wielding dual-lightsabers...and wasn't that daft?...by the four armed alien was the response. But largely only of himself, and his Troopers died or fell injured around him as the open field fighting favoured my heavily armoured formation with deployed shields over the Clones. Soon they fell, though we took loses too, as I felt the fight turning in favour of my forces across the city by communications from the ship and from the feel of the Force. It had only been mere moments I guessed, minutes since my feet the hit rooftop distant, but it was already decided despite the apparently fallen Jedi Master's gracefully dance of shining blades.

He maybe seemingly resistant but his army was broken, the planet ours beyond one final symbol. I didn't glance at the droid sphere hovering nearby broadcasting the footage into orbit, instead ordering the fire to cease as the resistance beyond one had been overcome. Slowly, second by second, the silence descended beyond the moans and screams of the injured, the sobs of the dying, and the rage filled panting of the Jedi Master standing before us...surrounded by us as a mob filled with greater rage and hate approached as my troopers prevented a massacre of surviving Clones. Still...I was calm, unnaturally serene, as the shield-wall parted around me and I holstered my rifle over my shoulder.

"Surrender Pong Krell, even a wretched traitor such as you deserves a fair trial before Republic law...though I expect even your own Troopers will want to shoot you once the truth comes out..." I spoke in a cold synthesised voice, calm and even with no shouting but loud enough to hear as my bodyguards flanked me "...that you have sold your soul to that fool on Serrano?"

"KRIFF YOU..." ah, yes, he'd certainly lost his calm. Rage visibly showed and I smiled inside my helmet as my body language stayed calm and stoic "...FAILED VERMIN! I AM A MASTER OF THE FORCE! YOU THINK YOU..."

He moved, like a blur, blades flashing for me "...CAN DEFEAT ME!"

My two nearest droids, Aaron and Abigail, moved; battle staves and riot shields moving to absorb both blows as I calmly, coldly, drew upon, and then disrupted, the Force for a second as I saw Braika's hand move. Instead shifting my gauntleted hands behind my back as energy exploded in front me, a blaster came up, and I spoke as I saw warrior and Jedi Master died at a Mandalorian's blaster "I wouldn't waste my time and efforts on a creature such as you Krell"

Appearances were important after all, and I stepped over the body of the former Jedi Master as blaster shoot through his face and brains smoked in the evening Lessu sun, hands behind my back as I moved forward and then brought an arm forward to gesture at the injured clones all around "I want medics to see to these brave soldiers immediately, it is through no fault of their own they were led and betrayed by a traitor to the Republic after all..."

I turned, ensuring the drone covered me, reaching gently and tugging on an Eagle's Splendour spell "TROOPERS OF THE AEGIS GUARD! OF THE AILON NOVA GUARD! OF FREE RYLOTH AND A DOZEN WORLDS THAT AIDED US IN THIS TASK! BRAVE CITIZENS OF RYLOTH! KNOW THAT THE NIGHTMARE HAS ENDED! RYLOTH IS FREE ONCE MORE! NO MORE SHALL WE TOLERATE THE TRAITORS WITHIN OUR RANKS! THE COWARDS! THOSE THAT WOULD SELL ALL WE HOLD DEAR FOR A CONFEDERATE CREDIT! NO! TODAY WE FOUGHT! WE WON! THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY WE MUST IN THE FUTURE! FOR FREEDOM! FOR VICTORY! FOR. THE. REPUBLIC!"

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