[19 BBY]
[Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, Republic Third Fleet 'Army of Light', Outer Asteroid Belt, Cmaoli Di System, Brema Sector, Outer Rim Territories]
"So, he struck down the Hydian Way it seems" I muttered looking at the tactical information sent from Eriadu as the hologram forms of Jurdan and Shesagora sat across from me. The fleet was going through combat drills, and mining operations in the asteroid belt, as we maintained high alert status as things continued to spiral towards a return to war with the Separatists. Not that I'd expected any different, but it was unfortunate if they focused upon our area of operations for the restart of fighting.
Jurdan's avatar nodded "Aye, nasty battle at Darknell. Ningo really was trying hard, Zsinji did well to drive him off"
I nodded "Hmm...yes, bloody engagement though, but it doesn't look like the Confederate's Bulwark Fleet will be back in action for a while after those losses. At least we can hope they won't"
Dua Ningo, the Confederate Admiral, had struck hard and fast like we'd expected, but rather than taking our route he'd moved down the Hydian Way, making it all the way to Darknell before the mainly ORSF Fleet under General Zsinj and her son had engaged him with grav-well interdictors. Studying the tactical recordings it had been a brutal, bloody, affair and Separatists had come off the worse of the fighting before they'd retreated out of the system. Or, well, destructive at least if not entirely bloody as both sides deployed a fair amount of droid-fighters, just like we did.
"Better them than us..." Shesagora replied, likely meaning both the ORSF and Confederate fleets losses, holographic hand pointing at the screen between us "...but they want us on the offensive to retaliate. So where do we strike?"
"Indupar?" I volunteered resting backing in my chair, rubbing at my chin "The Induparan Crown Worlds are resupplying forward Confederate Fleet elements, but there isn't a big fleet there. We could move up towards Vondarc, then do rapid short hops and strike the Indupari capital system"
"You're taking more of a raid, or recon in force, than a full engagement?" Jurdan queried and I nodded, as I was firmly of the view to avoid full-blown battles right now. Sure if the Confederates struck us that was one thing, but it was best to minimise losses where we could right now.
"Yeah, look Tarkin wants to make a statement more than gain territory, and hitting Indupar does that. And, if things look bad, or it's better defended that we think, we can switch to another target of opportunity that might show itself on the way. It's probably best if we don't stray to far from Republic territory, and support, after all"
"Daron's probably right on that Jurdan, things are a mess in the Core and Colonies, and we don't want to overplay our own hand just yet. Few raids and playing defence in our assigned Sectors looks like our best strategy..." Sheseagora answered "...Darknell shows the Seppies are willing to take losses, and we're best not taking those when we don't have too. Now, Daron, your...magic-command meditation thing?"
I sighed "Yes, if necessary I'll deploy it on a fleet level. Honestly I'm still inclined to hold back where we can, but without the danger of the Jedi Order it's doable outside of the Black Ops mission now. It's best to hold it as a hidden trump on the sabacc table than revealing our hand too soon...that, and it'll exhaust me using it on Fleet level, so best used sparingly"
"Understood" Jurdan agreed, and Shesagora nodded, as the eldest at the table continued "But the performance increase on squad level repeated across the Fleet..."
"Yes, Yes, I know, and the historical records too..." I agreed waving him off "...that's why I'm saying to consider it a tool, but let's not get ahead of ourselves as I'm reasonably sure our Sith Chancellor has similar abilities, and he is older, wiser, and more powerful than me"
"Heh, burden of being young Daron and wasting years as a monk"
I gave a snort at that "Thank you for that Shesagora. But, we can't afford get arrogant here, and while Force abilities are useful they are not an 'I Win' button as many seem to think"
"Considering what's happening to the Jedi...I think we know that" Jurdan pointed out and I conceded the point with a nod to his holographic avatar. Jurdan was overall fleet commander for operations despite me technically outranking him as Captain-General as he better in the role, and it let serve as coordination for my 'battle-group' part of the fleet. It wasn't the full muster of the Republic Aegis Guard, but it was close, and we had a number of mercenaries and droid ships crewed after arrival from the Mustafar yards to bolster our numbers. Dividing into three 'squadrons' allowed us some degree of mobility and specialisation, and mine was 'Support' and 'Reserve' to Shesagora's Scount Vanguard and Jurdan's Main-Force.
With Stass and the others, Bariss included, departed for Solem I'd started active training with the trio of Nightsisters once again, along with working on my meditation and training. In many ways I was relieved the first Confederate blow had fallen on someone else as Sidious was rallying forces at Kuat, and there were unclear reports of a number of nasty clashes in the Core and Colonies regions. Corellia had denied the government we'd sworn too on Coruscant, and Palpatine's one on Kuat, and welcoming all Jedi...willing to swear to Corellia's laws of course. We were doing it silently, but there had been a few reports of isolated Jedi appearing as rally-points on a few worlds, rejecting all sides. I resisted shaking my head at that; thoughts for another time...
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[19 BBY]
[Central Military Command, Raxus Secundus, Raxus System, Tion Hegemony, Outer Rim Territories]
Trench, proud Harch and Admiral of the Confederacy of Independent Systems clacked his mandibles and hissed in irritation as word of the Sullustan's failed attack was laid out before them. It hadn't been a bad plan, but the diversionary attack towards Christophisis had been driven off by one of the Tarkin's tame Jedi, Rahm Kota apparently, while his personal ORSF Admiral, Zsinji, engaged and drove Dua Ningo. Counter-attacks on Indupar and Mon Gazza in retaliation had inflamed the political side of things, and it was frustrating as the fools all but thought the hard fighting over all ready.
'Which it is far from' he thought unhappily as Kleeve gave a summary of the strategic situation. GAR-South were coordinated and cohesive, much more than expected or desired considering the Republic was seemingly fracturing into Civil War. Not that that it was leading to any great openings, as displayed with skirmishes near Lantillies both sides, or all sides, of that brewing clash were willing to put aside differences to fight off Confederate probing operations at the very least. Worse it was hard to track certain forces now; for one the fleet 'Admiral' Hondo Onaka, that damned pirate, had seemingly gone rogue at Celegia and was seemingly starting to raid into Trade Federation hyper-lane routes.
"We should...hisss...be delaying operations till a clearer picture is visible. Till we have dealt with the Mandalorian problem" he felt compelled to point out to Kleeve and the 'observers' from the Confederate Parliament's Defence Committee. Thankfully the civilians were keeping their mouths shut while the Generals discussed matters, even if Toth, the Neimodian, and the Sullustan were only here via long range holo-cam connection. Unfortunately what he wanted wasn't popular with said Parliament, which wanted to push their 'advantage' and 'end the tyranny' of the Republic in the Southern Outer Rim Territories.
"Till when? Their defences were better than expected, and many of our fallen shipyards are clearly churning out warships for them, as well as captured factories droids as well" the Sullustan who'd just suffered a defeat replied from his flagship somewhere near the Vandelhelm system. Trench did acknowledge that was a valid point as, unlike many Republic zones, the forces under the Eridian backed GAR there had deployed a decent amount of refitted droid backed forces. Still, it wasn't as if Eriadu, or the Sullustan's conquered homeworld, had the concentrated industry of the Core. Better he felt to hold what the Confederacy had, rebuild, and then steadily advance as the Republic tore itself apart in coming years.
"That is a problem...hiss...yes...hiss...but not an insurmountable one. We are not fully ready yet, Mandalore will be trouble enough, but committing to eliminating them and attacking other Republic zones at the same time is foolish"
Kleeve frown, nodding, then shaking his head "True...in part, the Bonadan and Mon Calamari pockets will fall now we know we're back at war and they won't hand back territory. We need to refocus, Dua, your Fleet needs major repairs. Best we deal with problems closest to our factory worlds before attempting an extensive campaign against the Tarkinite Republicans"
Toth's hologram, the irritating human, nodded, clearly the mouthpiece for the Neimodians "Yes, you fought well Admiral but you lost...there are better targets to deal with first. Kashyyyk will be a hard fight. Reports of a number of Jedi there..." the human gestured with his hand "...well, problems, and our ability to supply an extended campaign in the Galactic South will be difficult with Kashyyyk free and the Hutts looking increasingly hostile"
'Of course you'd say that, the Trade Federation wants to prioritise the trade routes to Bamorra and Neimodia first and foremost. Still, we are in agreement for now' Trench mused, clacking his mandibles a bit loudly before speaking "Stalling and driving back the Mandalorians is priority, then Kashyyyk, then Bonadan and Mon Calamari, and finally a campaign into the Galactic South. We do not *need* hshhh...to strike into the Republic's Core as who is in charge to negotiate? We take back our stolen territory and negotiate then"
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