[20 BBY]
[Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, Battle-group Army of Light, In orbit Nouane, Capital System, Nouane Allied Region, Inner Rim]
Powersuits, or Power Armour as that's what actually was, were incredibly expensive relative to their size, at least once you went for quality anyway as Hanna was quick to remind myself and Braika since we'd setup Executive Security Solutions. Replacing my wrecked personal armour had cost more than many small starships, especially when the fact I was used cortosis and beskar iron in the thing and made backpacks modular, but thankfully I was moderately wealthy now, so I could afford it.
Afford it, and invest it into my personal safety and security for the inevitable need for use on the battlefield; that was how I justified it as I stepped out of completed suit after an intense session with my sparring droids. Sans the Force of course and using the predictive combat chip in the helmet this time. Results were good, though of course inferior to Force guided combat prediction, and the various mundane anti-Force User protections worked well as I ran it through extreme gravity and a few other similar tests. Small, barely perceptible, faults could become big fatal dangers with skilled foes after all, and I wanted any such issues weeded out now.
"So, happy enough with the systems are we Boss?" Yulen asked with data-pad in hand as the small team of scientists and engineers went through the combat data from my run, along with that of all the others. Today as the testing on our higher ended purchases; from my fixed up 'personal' combat suit, to the 'walking tank' AV-1A Assault Armours we'd bought off GTU. Confederates were starting to field larger, and actually effective, combat-assault droids so we had to match by upping our game so as to maintain our lead in planetary assault raids.
I nodded after wiping off my face with a towel "Yes, though I'll want to have a look at the data later, but overall I'm content with my own armour, and the performance of the Heavy Squads in the training areas. Though, I want to organise field tests down on Nouane, or one of the nearby systems"
"That's burn energy cells of course General"
"We've got the stores to burn Yulen, and having time in those suits is basically like flight time on the newer versions of the TIEs and other starfighters"
Yulen nodded, then shrugged "Those training manoeuvres are also burning reserves ya'know Boss"
"Yeah, but its burning reserves Nouane's selling us rather than actual scarce stocks..." I replied taking a deep drink of water and sitting into a nearby chair "...and it's an excuse for myself and Shesagora to maintain an extensive Close Space Patrol since the GAR wants us to stay out of trouble here. So, on that note...any movements from the Mandalorians or the Confederates while I've been busy here?"
Oh, it was calling itself the Non-Aligned League, or Non-Aligned Mutual Defence Association, or something like that...but we all knew it was the Mandalorians and a whole bunch of heavily armed criminals. That and two Sith apparently, because, *somehow, Darth Maul was not dead, and had taken himself an apprentice from amongst his people. His brother as best I could tell, and they were basically taunting Palpatibe and Dooku by their very existence, and war erupting against them was basically inevitable.
Once our Sith chessmaster figured out how to drag the Republic into it war with them, or Dooku managed to do the same on the Separatist side. Not as easy as they'd want I suspected, as Peace Talks were in the air and it wasn't as if the future Emperor could slip away from his Jedi minders and simply attack the Zabrak Duo in Glorious Sith Laser-sword combat. Or one had to hope he couldn't, as that'd be bloody annoying to have to deal with...and so useful too if he ever got into an area away from his bodyguards we could simply blast apart him, and everything a few miles around him, from orbit.
"Some more skirmishes, and that's including a GAR frigate detachment poking around near Draboon for some reason..." Yulen began tapping at a data-pad and then handing it over to me "...no major actions as yet, but there's been a good numbers of the usual sort heading towards Mandalore, but also what we're pretty sure are Mandalorians serving the Separatists launching raids on worlds with suspected Mando Commando bases or caches on them"
"Fett?"
Yulen nodded in response to my question "We assume so; at least that's what General Chorn believes Captain-General"
I snorted at that "Yeah, I know what Braika believes, and am particularly glad she is on Ryloth not here...it's also likely why Vizla hasn't taken the final step and just declared himself Mandalore. Would rile up the challengers to the title I guess"
"Boss?"
"Mando politics Yulen and no clear successor, much as the Death Watch parade around as the true voice. I expect it's why their playing defence right now..." along with other reasons "...but I expect it's all going to blow up very soon. Truth be told...I'm rather shocked it hasn't already gone to the nether hells, but let's just be glad of the extra time I guess?"
"Well, we did need the yard time Boss, and troopers needed the R "
"Yes, yes, I know, and all this testing too..." I replied before tuning out as an alert notification came through on my secure comms-unit. Frowning I gestured for my aide to give me a moment as I toggled the message, beginning to read through the encryption codes I'd given Ventress. Then sighed clicking it off; seemed time to arrange a meeting with a certain Dathomiri witch was on the cards...
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[20 BBY]
[Military Command Centre, Sundari, Mandalore, Mandalore System, Outer Rim Territories]
The pain grated Darth Maul found, a phantom of legs that were no longer there to feel, but feel it he did but also draw strength from it. To remind him of his failure, that KENOBI yet lived, that Sidious yet lived, and the price he himself had paid to be true Sith Lord. So much lost to get here, but he had come back from the brink of despair and madness, his lost brother at his side, and an army at his call, and the destruction of his foes on his mind. Icons of multiple hue hung upon the large tactical display, Republic and Separatist fleets and armies along with those of the new Mandalorian Non-Aligned League his Shadow Collective had created.
Also the reason why he had not turned upon the scum yet, or they upon him and his brother, as the challenge of their foes were too great to allow such in-fighting. Mother Talzin had cautioned against such, and he knew himself that Sidious would come, had to respond to this...and Maul grew impatient that neither his former Master, nor the false Apprentice Dooku had made their move as yet. Oh, there had been clashes, many, many, small clashes, but so far both the Republic and Separatists seemed to focus upon each other as something had injured the false Apprentice.
'When he appears I shall slay him and throw his head at Sidious feet and show him the failure of his betrayal. Choosing a Jedi over me? HOW DARE HE!' he thought to himself as Vizla's little pet Bo Katan laid out the results of a raid on a Republic listening post. The information there supported what the Pyke Syndicate and Black Sun had also found through their networks; there was a Republic build up of forces, but it was severely slowed by losses elsewhere in the war, and the damage to Kuat. Maul listened to that, to their advice, as commanding armies was less his skill than these others, and victory was all that mattered now.
"So..." he stated as she fell silent "...that cyborg Grievous forms a fleet at Serreno and the Stormcrow musters another at Nouane"
The red haired human female nodded "Yes, though I think the Republic fleet is merely to hold our attention while a larger force is assembled in the Core and Colonies. If they were to make peace..."
"They will not..." Maul replied, the others, Vizla, Oppress, the Pyke, and Moj of the Black Sun nodding along with him "...we will ensure they will not"
His former Master might actually consider it, making Peace and striking at the Jedi as he'd long planned, but that couldn't be allowed to happen. The Peace Talks WOULD be made fail, and if his Master would not come after him...then Maul would force him to react with an assassination attempt. It would fail of course, but it could be used to cripple his supporters in the Senate by the simple method of making them dead – and blaming it on his little puppet Separatists. Oh, the time would come to reveal the old wretches identity as well...when Maul had crushed him and his dreams, and stood victorious as the true Sith Master.
"Exactly..." Vizla agreed with a nod as he gestured at the various icons "...so our priority must be to ready to deal with these forces here, here, here, and here as they are the primary dangers to our hyperlane control over the sector. There elimination would also allow us to expand our influence into the nearby sectors, perhaps towards Taris, or your own wish towards Dathomir"
Maul merely nodded at that, Mother Talzin was an ally, mostly, and while he could not truly trust her, the fact remained he would need more...everything...if he was to be victorious in his vengeance. Even now he tolerated Ventress, that damned witch who'd corrupted his brother into DOOKU'S service and claimed herself a Sith, as greater prey needed to be dealt with first. Or that she provided Mother Talzin information that was useful; that perhaps this General Stormcrow was a Sith himself, claims aside, trained by an unknown Master or perhaps holocron since leaving the Jedi.
There were signs there; Malachor where his former Master had brought Maul to be trained, to Moraband where he and Ventress had undergone some trial, and some means that had prevented Mother Talzin using her powers to watch him from afar. It was enough to make Maul's blood boil...but first he must know had his former Master betrayed him further, or had his Master's Master betrayed him in some manner before his death. After all Darth Maul only had his former Master's word on that; and the kriffing human had held back so many things from his Apprentice. Find out, understand, and then deal with any upstart Sith if that was indeed what he was; let his former Master slay the Jedi, then he, Darth Maul, would slay Sidious and become what he had earned...
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