[19 BBY]

[Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, Battle-group Cavalier, exiting hyperspace, Lorta System, Gendius Sector, Cerean Reach Hyper-lane, Mid-Rim]

"Emergence complete Captain-General, Fleet in formation just outside the gravity well of the gas giant, and all ships report status green"

"Alert squadrons to be ready for a scramble launch, and give me up to date sensor feed on the enemy...let's see what we've got facing us" I replied to Gardan standing by the tactical display as the ad-hoc fleet we'd assembled re-emerged from hyperspace into realspace. We knew what was supposed to be here of course, but that didn't mean the enemy wouldn't have a surprise or two waiting for us of course. Asajj had done a good job so far, and we should have what they call 'overwhelming force' right now as my fleet reinforced her task-force and local allies...but best to cover all potential angles I found.

I frowned at the glowing icon indicating a Venator-class Star Destroyer near the Lortan moon, along with a gaggle of smaller starships, probably escorts "Hmm, it seems our mystery friends are here as well, Sensors, see can you get us an Ident on that Venator"

"Looks like we were expected" Gardan noted as he came over to join me at the tactical display as the bridge became alive, or more alive, as information was quickly analyzed and passed unto the plot. I nodded studying the enemy deployment in orbit of their homeworld. It seemed they had decided on this being a 'Last Stand' so to speak, damaged cruisers from the previous failed engagements with Asajj and the local polities we'd won to our cause. Unsurprising since they were religious fanatics, though hopefully firepower would help overcome the likely suicidal tendencies of the defenders. Still...

I nodded keying a quick series of codes and transmitting to a nearby ship, a refitted Acclamator-class carrier that had its own TIE squadrons, though no longer complete novices after recent battles and patrols "Yes, I do believe so Gardan, now, time to signal Ventress and indicate to her it is time to make a surrender demand for these fine fellows"

That done I refocused on my part of the operation; gain control and clearing the orbitals so the ground assault could take place "Not that I expect a surrender of course but there the formalities to be followed if we're to appear civilized about things. So, the main thing is those cruisers they've got formed up near the planetary defences"

"Aye Captain-General, good concentration of firepower, but I think our bombers will be adequate to the task, once we reduce their starfigher numbers at least. I'd recommend Beta variant of the attack plan Sir, engage and attrite till we can take down the planetary shields"

I sighed, nodding after a moment's thought "Agreed, now we'll..."

Then glanced at the young sensor officer, a human male from Lipsec "Enemy Venator identified Captain-General; it's the Pioneer, and she's been missing since the Coup. Damaged and replacement crew after an engagement at Bothawui sixteen months ago, mixed crew Clones and former Judicial Forces supplemented by recruits. Energy spikes detected, they're charging up their hyperdrive alongside shields as best we can tell"

"Mercenaries?"

"Most likely, yes" I agreed with Gardan's suggestion as we ourselves hid our numbers behind the sensor jamming cloak of the Stormcrow as well as the gas giant's bulk from visual observation. They could still tell we were here, but they shouldn't be able to easily tell our force strength and disposition with their older sensor arrays. It was one of the major strengths of my oversized city ship turned inefficient warship, and I'd ordered us to 'burn hot' as all the reserve processing power was brought online and directed to the task at hand as I tapped at the icons "...so, let's see what they do. If they jump out we'll try to estimate where they jump too, but it'd be one less problem to deal with. We'll go in as per Attack Plan Beta Three as you suggested Captain. So, we'll execute an in-system jump to these grid coordinates and engage at extreme range. Start the clock...one standard minute. Alert squadrons to launch immediately upon re-emergence"

"Aye-aye Captain-General" my senior captain replied turning and taking charge of the coordination of the in-system jump as I continued to study the Lortan forces as they actively attempted to direct sensors and a few satellites towards our location. That was fine as we weren't going to be here much longer as I watched the icon of the Venator and it's 'escorts' jump out just as the sensor officer reported it. There was a danger they'd jump back in of course, but it was a risk in the vein of all our battles as our own hyperdrive warmed up and the clock ticked down. A sad sign of the crumbling of the Republic as you couldn't always tell who was loyal to who, or why they were here; as pirates? as Chancellor loyalists? or simply the wrong place at the wrong time?

"Entering hyperspace in 5...4...3...2...1...engaging" I heard as I glanced up and the screens filled with a flurry of strange lights as engines engaged for the briefest of moments and threw us across the star system with pinpoint accuracy. There wasn't even a bump as we re-emerged, shocking back into reality alongside the other Venators, Acclamators, Providences and Revenants that made up the 'heavies' of my fleet; directly in front of the enemy homeworld.

'And minefield too' I noted as the Alert star-fighters and droid-fighters surged out of launch bays as light turbolaser batteries immediately engaged any nearby mines or orbital satellites. The Stormcrow should blind them, and already my veteran crew were calculating long-range shots and feeding the targeting data to the gunners on the ship, and the rest of the fleet. Battles were fought at what I'd consider knife fighting range by space faring standards, and there was only so much I'd been able to do in moving away [upgrading I'd call it] from the manual 'load and target' style of gunnery used.

"Concentrate fire on these three cruisers and on the planetary shield, evasive manoeuvres Delta-Delta-Six-Alpha as we fire..." I instructed marking the three ships at the extreme edge of our accurate targeting systems. For the Lortans...well, accuracy, wasn't something they should have when they were using 'standard' gunnery rather than our 'dumb droid' assisted systems. I resisted frowning at that 'dumb droid' comment we kept getting, even from my own droid-work teams. Yes the systems weren't standard droids, instead high processing power 'dumb' assistance systems...but we didn't need creative thinking with this task, just improved coordination and tracking.

Personally I blamed hyperdrive, as it encouraged jump into knife fighting range outside gravity wells, and discouraged 'wasting' energy and heat on targeting sensors and other such things. After all at 'close range' there wasn't much difference between the systems and simply pointing and shooting with basic 'assistance' based on visual and simple bridge feeds. Irritating, and something I sought to rectify, and if I could get good interdiction tech down the line force engagement ranges out even further. Here and now, with the enemy hunkering down behind 'defensive positions' against the planetary shields due to numerical inferiority...well, they could either come out into firing range, heavily outnumbered, or they could continue the fight at range with the advantage in our favour.

"This could be a long affair Sir" Gardan said as time began to drift by, seconds in minutes, as the space above Lorta filled with a spectacular lightshow "Those planetary shields are holding up fairly well"

I nodded, hands resting on the sides of the tactical display and watching the trade in damage, and more importantly star-fighters "That's what they're for my friend, but they won't decide the engagement...see, our Cataphracts and Carracks are working as intended. We're trading one for three"

"Droid-fighters and star-fighers...hmm, that is a favourable exchange..." he replied studying the data as we entered an hour into the engagement "...may I suggest a missile volley Captain-General? Alongside a launch and run with the Y-wings in conjunction?"

I considered, studying the display, then nodded "Yes, six minutes from now...mark. Target these two vessels, they seem to be damaged badly. Send Secura's squadron as one of the escort groups, and we'll volley fire missiles on these ships here. I want Colonel Morne and two Commando squads prepped for a deployment ..."

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[19 BBY]

[Republic Aegis Guard Special Operations LAAT, Battle-group Cavalier, descending through atmosphere, Lorta, Lorta System, Gendius Sector, Cerean Reach Hyper-lane, Mid-Rim]

Turbolaser blasts descended from the heavens above Asajj Ventress saw standing in her light combat armour inside one of the turbulence enduring LAATs of her assault force. TIEs screamed down as well alongside a few ARC starfighers and a force of Vulture droid-fighters as merciless smashing of the Lortans defences and industrial base continued. Daron had ruthlessly, and methodically, destroyed the fanatical defenders of Lorta over a period of several hours in a long engagement.

One that ended in a suicidal charge when the 'Jedi', who couldn't really be a true Jedi Asajj found, and assault armour clad commandoes had managed to penetrate the shield and then knock them out. Now destruction was being rained down upon the large military machine of the local human fanatics, who'd largely failed to grasp that unshielded military bases made excellent targets. Not that such death and destruction mattered much to Asajj, beyond the pulsing energy and darkness within the Force as hundreds of thousands died in the bombardment.

No, this was 'her stage' as the Stormcrow had call it too her; her chance to make a mark, to be seen and feared, and remembered...all while boosting the reputation of her ally his allies of course. She'd found he was like that, unlike Dooku had been, and her success was his success...just as his success was his allies success in what he told her was mutual self-interest.

'Peace is a Lie, there is only Passion' she repeated mentally, centering herself, drawing in the power needed and feeling the anticipation and emotions of those around her, and those they charged towards. Fear and terror of course amongst the civilians, but the controlled knots of anger and serenity, mixed with supreme confidence, awaited them at the heart of the Temple to Koppa Khan. The Man-Hutt that would come and cleanse all evils from the galaxy...clearly these people were both insane, and had never met a Hutt in their lives. So she jumped from the LAAT still in the air, hand grasping her sabers as jetpacks ignited and drove her towards her target...

'Through Passion I gain Strength'

...landing, blades ignited, to slash through a defensive AA gun, and then through the shrieking madman that charge towards her. A gesture and telekinetic push sent two more flying off the building to fall, screaming, down the ten stories to the ground before. Passion and ambition burned within her, controlled and directed, as she needed her soldiers to arrive safe and secure so that she could achieve the next steps on her path to glory and power. Now was not the time to revel in the slaughter, or the violent swirl of the Dark Side and its whispers; No, she was its Master, not the reverse, emotions serving her inside of controlling in the fight...

'Through Strength I gain Power'

...a swirling blur of death and destruction as soldiers fell to her blades and the blasters of commandos and droidekas coming up in support. This was the holiest of holies of the cultists, and they fought with ferocity and a single-mindedness that almost suppressed the Dark Side somewhat by their collective belief. Even as she cut them down they never wavered, but she grew stronger as the battle marched into the inner sanctum;- nothing could stop her now. Distantly Naa'leth's force signature being nearby, but pushed the thought aside as she raised up a Mech of some sort and flung it backwards into the defensive position atop the gaudily designed architecture...

'Through Power I gain Victory'

...as blaster bolts came at her and she deflected them back with deadly ease. Marching forward, cloaked in darkness as the night fell and the fires grew; she had the heavy assault armour clad soldiers blast open the great durasteel doors into the inner temple. Armoured human females in very creepily ornate Hutt themed armour charged them as the doors came down, and Asajj held them back with the Force so her soldiers could tear them apart with their heavy blasters. Then, as the enemies fell dead to the ground, she drew upon the Force and, with a boost from her jetpack, jumped fully across the great hall to slash through the guards behind a barricade...

'Through Victory my chains are Broken. The Force shall free me"

...striding back out into the moonlit night of the square, her soldiers cheering as the world burned around them and the Stormcrow came forward, giving a respectful salute, as she raised the severed head of the High Priestess of the Koppa Khan for the holo-droids to see amidst the triumph and pulsing joy and horror within the Force. Now, let this world know the price of opposing them...

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