[Starting days of 17 BBY]

[Conference Room, Command Deck Eriadu Authority Capital-class Warship Stormcrow, Taskforce Hospitaller, Republic 5th Fleet, Mokivj System, edge of Outer Rim Territories-Wildspace Border Systems]

"Welcome back…" Aayla Secura said to me with amusement "…now please kriff off, is that it?"

I gave a snort of amusement, a tired one "With you, never, you're always welcome Aayla"

"Oh, don't let Bariss hear you say that!"

I rolled my eyes at the attempt at playful banter "You know what I mean…but, unfortunately, I need Force Users for this to do it safely, and that means Celeste and…"

"Me" she murmured sitting back in the chair, sighing "Not one of your pet dark ladies?"

"If they could do starfighter duties, yes, I would…but they aren't trained on such things as navigating hyperspace with the Force" I pointed out as the star-chart shone before us. Jedi Master Secura nodded, only a few hours arrived with my 'reinforcements' from the 'Reserve'…in this case her and two understrength starfighter squadrons. One barely above green, and other in training effectively "And out here…"

"That's for professional explorers or very experienced smugglers, yes, I can understand" she agreed without hesitation "How bad?"

"I don't know to be entirely honest, that's why I need the surrounding systems and routes scouted and some of my, unfortunately very few, scout droids left in place" I admitted unhappily, but honestly, giving her a shrug and not masking anything through the Force "Considering what's here, and what records we've managed to capture…I'd been hoping for significant reinforcement along with you, not losing a Venator and Dreadnaught in exchange for two starfighter squadrons"

She nodded, leeku flowing as she did, an unhappy frown on her face "It is looking to be a big offensive, so…"

I waved it off "Oh, I know, I know, I got the recorded message from Chancellor Tarkin along with my marching orders. Discovery of the resource world has it on the list of critical things to defend, but bad timing with the Confederates looking to be in the early stages of a major offensive"

'Operation Dooku's Justice' according to the intelligence intercepts, though the underlying target wasn't readily apparent as yet. The Confederate Navy had, according to the documents from High Command, struck at multiple forward positions, of almost all Republic factions, from starting systems such as Onderon, Umbara, and Belasco. Of course, which side many of the systems in the path of the attack were on beyond 'The Republic' made that entirely predicable in attacking 'everyone', but it was an organised, powerful offensive operation by all indicators.

At best it was aimed at relieving the Druckenwell-Falleen and Vandelheim-Yag'Dhul pockets, which meant hammering our side, or our supposed allies on Coruscant, or at worst aimed at taking back even more Seppie holdings the former GAR-South occupied. High Command back on Eriadu was as such clearly starting to rearrange the scattered fleets to potentially have to engage that massive punch potentially coming our ways in the coming days. As such the likes of me, discovery or no discovery, was expected to do with what I had on hand essentially. Something Aayla grasped, nodding in agreement with me.

"So, off immediately?"

I shook my head "Hardly, I've sent out Celeste with a squadron already, so you don't have to go on rotation just yet, and it won't be a good idea to send out exhausted pilots either. I need you to pick your squadron, you and they will have leave tomorrow, along with an extended sleep shift after, and then depart"

"Force composition?"

I tapped my controls "I'm assigning you the Night Hawk, she's a heavy scout retrofitted YT-120 light freighter, and the Novi Tanda, a retrofitted yacht for support. Squadron will be two Y-Wings, four modified Z-95s with hyperspace capability, and two ARC-170s. Oh, yeah, and one of our Jedi starfighters for you"

"Oh, fancy Moff Stormcrow" she answered back as she took the data-pad off me "Modified for scouting I imagine?"

"Yes, from when I got a few of them back before…everything fell apart let's say" I admitted, thinking back to Geonosis, something that seemed so long ago not just far away "Have a check yourself and if you require any work done on in the time available. Just remember the mission is scouting and droid dropping as warning beacons. No heroics, if there's trouble, avoid and return with warning Wing Commander"

She studied the data-pad, then nodded to me "Understood Moff, is that all?"

I nodded, and she stood, saluting before she turned to depart. It was why I liked Secura actually, she could act the soldier when the situation called for it, unlike far too many Jedi Knights, let along Masters. Truth be told it was something we were struggling to properly establish in what passed for the modern Republic Navy as a whole "Sir, I will confirm status by end of shift"

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[Several Hours Later]

[Dining Room, Personal Deck of Moff Daron Stormcrow, Eriadu Authority Capital-class Warship Stormcrow, Taskforce Hospitaller, Republic 5th Fleet, Mokivj System, edge of Outer Rim Territories-Wildspace Border Systems]

"Such a nice, it almost looks like seeing through actual glass" Silya Shessaun, Senator to the Galactic Republic for Thesme murmured politely as she looked out at space and the planet below. It was actually true, as the holofeed was in the category of her mind believing that she was looking out from the bridge of the starship she was on "Though I expect it has other images"

"Yes" the powerfully built green-grey skinned military officer replied with a faint smile looking out at the planet and starships visible "But I prefer the live feed most of the time. Even if I see it too often at times. Now, would like wine, we have a selection…"

"Beer or ale. I'm not fussy as long as it is drinkable by humans" she replied with her own smile, letting go of her accent deliberately, relaxing…in as much as she could relax any more "We both children of the Outer Rim, and not the born elevated sort, so no need to pretend to be fancier than we are amongst our own kind"

The alien Moff chuckled, motioning for the waiter droid to just that, along with one for himself "Trying to put me at ease so you can get information out of me Senator?"

"I think we are both attempting that, but do call me Silya, we are both off duty now, no?"

"I don't think duty ever seems to end of late, but…okay, Silya, but only if you call me Daron" he replied politely, behind them a hint of suppressed laughter came from the table where Silya's Jedi bodyguard, and the Clone Commander Rex, were engaged with Knight Offee. Who was…the lover of the Moff as far as official rank outside of 'Jedi Knight' went, and a useful connection for putting this small event at a much lower tension level than those with her opposite from the Eriadu Assembly, Senator Brashere. She nodded, accepting an ale, a popular smugglers brew as she'd known it called from its prevalence in so many Outer Rim cantinas.

"Thank you Daron, it is a pleasant change from battling every point with some others of late"

The Stormcrow was a problematic figure for many of Silya's colleagues back on Corelia, and she could understand why, as he was very much a living embodiment of the some of the darker aspects of Outer Rim societies. At least darker aspects to those of the Core and Inner Rim Silya suspected, though she wasn't overly fond of the man's actions…he was the militarist to the core, with a cynical, typically Outer Rim, view of the Republic as it was despite caring deeply for the ideals of said Republic. It was what made the likes of him and those gathering beneath the Tarkins and their allies on Eriadu so very, very, dangerous in her mind.

"Oh, don't think you'll find much difference on the negotiations between myself and Senator Brashere" he replied taking a drink from his bottle of ale "I just don't have to press you on such talks. My job being to guard you as best I can, while also dealing with this border situation. Which, by the way, is increasingly more problematic than originally thought"

Silya nodded, smiled "Oh, should I be told this?"

"I've been told it's a matter of wider Republic security rather than just for those of us in this galactic region" he replied, and she nodded again, then taking a gulp from her own bottle. What had been GAR-South was, nominally, under the allegiance and control of the Alsakan and Anaxes backed military junta on Coruscant, but was, in fact, de-facto an independent faction of its own. Silya could relate as her own Thesme Sector, her desires and stated allegiance aside, was in many ways in a similar, albeit lesser, position itself. Being loyal to the Republic….was often a matter of which Republic faction forces were strongest in the Sector. She, and her people, were lucky that her own Sector had enough military force in situ, and loyal to the cause, to fight for the True Republic that remained.

"I suspect you are right, piracy also looking to be a growing problem for all of us loyal to the Galactic Republic…but of different stances on what the Republic"

The Stormcrow gave an amused snort "Different stances…yes, that they are I suppose. Violently different stances at times"

"Unfortunately" she agreed looking at sadly at the stars, a spike of sadness and unhappiness at the depths they were sinking into in the galaxy at large. The Galactic Republic had always been corrupt, had always failed to live up to its ideals….but those ideals were still worth fighting for. Which was part of the problem as which Ideals you liked seemed to be a topic of much discussion of late "On that, since we are on a first name basis…"

"Taking advantage already, hmmm?"

"I doubt I could do that..." she murmured taking another slug of the ale "…just…just an honest request for an honest answer"

Moff Stormcrow rolled his eyes at that "Oh dear, one of those"

"If you answer one of mine, I will answer one of yours" she answered, smiled "Or we can play sabacc for it?"

"Trade for favours, or gambling for them….oh you are as bad as some of my people Senator" he huffed back, shaking his head but seeming amused "Ask, though I can't promise an answer, or one you'd like if I do"

"Ah, we all have had to face many unpleasant answers to unhappy questions of late" she told him honestly, sadly, because it was far too true. Looking out the false windows at a majestic view, drinking ale, and relaxing…when was the last time she had even done this? And even now it was for politics and not true joy, nor a true moment of peace "Do you think it can be salvaged"

"Can what be salvaged?"

She looked at him "Our Republic"

He looked back at her, then at the beer, before gazing out at the stars a moment after taking a drink, looking like he was considering the words he was about to speak "No. It's dead. It was dead before the first shots were fired on Geonosis. Now…now we can only but pick up the pieces and rebuild what we can. If we can"

'And isn't that blow to hear from a Republic loyalist and fireater such as he' she thought darkly, but nodding in unfortunate agreement "Peace is possible….between us?"

He frowned, nodded "We are not with you Silya, honestly, Corellia they won't even acknowledge our titles, military, civil, or Jedi….but, we don't necessarily have to be against you either. The problems of the Core are for the Core to fight it out for once, rather than it being fought out here in the Outer Rim"

Silya chuckled "I'm sure my father is hoping for the same thing. Kriffing Coreworlders, eh?"

He nodded, chuckled "Yeah, kriffin coreworlders, you know how that lot are"

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