[2 BBY]
[Star Destroyer YX(S)-22, Free Worlds Confederate Navy 1st (Droid) Grand Fleet, Fondor, Fondor System, Tapani Sector, Colonies Region, Free Worlds Confederacy]

The forces of the New, New Republic Navy, were more predictable now, General Kalani processed his own analysis from the sub-analysis, and raw data, provided by the droid's subordinates. It had proven a consistent data point even the organic units, with the radical change speculated at replicated in intercepts and raw data despite the efforts at reduction in data spread, and even direct infiltration, by their enemies. Efficiency had clearly increased within the enemy naval forces by a statistically significant margin, along with systematic restructuring of the entire command and control chart despite efforts to hide this behind non-change status in ranks and titles.

A primary statement of this fact was the increase in data-security infrastructure by their foes, stated to be the elimination of 'corruption' and 'droid competition' within certain Core systems. Efficiency within the NRN was now deemed as 'High' compared to previous organisational iterations analysed, and prior substandard security measures now at prior active combat standards during the organic clone focused period. Simplification of procedures, methodologies, and organic operant software modifications were a prominent factor, albeit at an estimated reduction in innovation in tactical and strategic planning. Combined with a major expansion in combat platforms, the structure and doctrine were more simplistic in design and processes than its previous iterations.

Simplistic was more predictable.

Simplistic was a greater concern.

Defeating previous iterations of the New Republic Navy, and its Army by ancillary, had a far more simplistic mission objective – Inflict sufficient primary organic unit losses, while secondarily destroying sufficient combat vessels, as to discourage further aggression. Victory, without external aid, was estimated at sixty-eight point four seven nine percent, plus or minus seventeen point three six eight percent. Such a large variance had been considered problematic.

Such a margin, with similar standard numbers, would be more acceptable than new calculations. Especially with primary numbers, with active external allied assistance, now dropping to fourteen point two, two, three percent, with variance of twenty-two point nine, nine, four percent; - itself down in variance by twenty percent as raw data comparisons narrowed with changing galactic national entities and events.

Simplicity in design and processes was often superior in combat circumstances in comparing the superiority of even an unmodified B-1 unit versus any range of a, technically superior in every other methodology, protocol droid in example. All indicators in analysis pointed to the previous iterations of the New Republic Navy to an advanced protocol unit, with the new iterations being a parred down combat platform that struggled with any matters outside that narrowed range of design.

Problem: that current range of design was deemed sufficient for purposes in relation to True Confederate Armed Forces Fondor.

Problem: infliction of sufficient losses of organic units, and vessels, no longer deemed as viable path to victory within viable models.

Further reactivation and integration of Jedi organic units in the New Republic Navy, unseen in statistically significant force for a standard decade, further degraded pure statistical analysis as was the situation during prior combat phases. Tactical Droids, inferior to Kalani's own model even before programming began to expand to deal with expansion of duties, were currently struggling to factor in such units as noted by previous iterations of Confederate High Command. An understandable, if problematic, functionality as 'The Force' was, despite extensive study, had limited true data to analysis beyond actions undertaken by organic units equipped with such hardware and software.

Kalani judged it to be, for organics, much as a series of over-system software updates or control system in variation of older model B-1 units, or even iterations of various facility and planetary system administration units. That organic units did understand this, with statistical indications of unawareness, was much in line then with those comparative examples. Individual 'Force Users' as such were unpredictable outside a general pattern and statistical range, but as a unit they were somewhat easier to define in action and software processes when aided by organic unit data sub-analysis filtered through droid unit analysis.

This made a normally difficult to analyse factor more predictable; at least within context of 'New Republic' organic units.

But this did not make the situation satisfactory as these 'New Jedi' units had undergone a similar simplification process as the New Republic Navy structure. Kalani judged this to be an organic unit programming response in reaction to failures, systematic and non-systematic, during the collapse of the 'Galactic Republic' as seen in previous historical periods. General awareness of this response had been supported by similar references amongst 'publicly available' data sources within currently, and previously, accessible data-spheres.

Problem: prior iterations of such phases, while ultimately defeated, were judged to be successful in achieving short-term victories that long-term crippled or defeated prior threats to the Galactic Republic. Albeit at statistically high loss rates.

Loss rates previous unacceptable to the New Republic Navy.

Now, they were. Actions as such now more predictable.

The Council of Administration had concluded similarly. Organic Droid Army units had concluded similarly.

Tactical variation of a high variance was to be expected, but strategically the enemy combat scenario was more predictable than in every previous simulated combat iteration. It was beneficial to such analysis then that the New Republic Navy, and ancillary Army, had adopted much of the doctrinal structure of the early Confederate-Republic conflict of the Droid Army.

Defeat by these forces due to sheer numbers then was concluded to be the likely outcome. Countering this via allied and axillary support then was deemed necessary for continued governmental preservation of a surviving state of the True Confederacy of Independent Systems Armed Forces. Modelling indicated a far too low victory status situation, but Kalani's programming supported these actions as increasing those percentage – and unlike subordinate Tactical Droids units the Super Tactical would focus upon seeking means to increase those percentages in future combat phase iterations. Even if the situation worsened their remained means to improve percentages.

Several potential tactical options remained available for usage, but such require shaping the battlefield. This situation was supporting the strategic situation – allowing the New Republic Navy Second Fleet direct access to Fondor system, in the immediate term, was inadvisable. Strategic deployment, with high estimated loss, of interdiction systems, both tactical and strategic models, at the beginning of the conflict was deemed as a priority procedure. Activation in multiple systems on the Trade Spine had been completed, with associated loss of trade and organic-Core accusations deemed irrelevant – strategic priority commands were now in place Kalani considered from his flagship as data came in.

NRN security measures had significantly improved. Awareness of superior Fondor based forces system slicing analysed to be reasoning. Access to the slave bolted droid elements of the advancing enemy then was deemed statistically unlikely in the extreme. Other vulnerabilities had been noted though, but these would be both time limited and one-off-use durations and identification of the optimal time, location, and enemy formations to utilise against required loss-based identification methods.

Kalani turned to organic droid Unit-984/B/Command, primary adjutant as data was delivered. Combat operations had begun at external systems marked for 'Drawbridge Procedures'…

[2 BBY]
[(L)ong-(R)ange (S)upport (C)ruiser YR(N)-44, System XF652-7423, Tapani Sector, Colonies Region, Free Worlds Confederacy]

LRSC-YR-44 was a large vessel, an armoured salvage vessel built like brick with bricks stuck on to its sides where salvage gantries would normally be. This particular vessel had been modified heavily though, with salvage gantries quasi-replaced with repair and storage equipment that, technically, could achieve similar results…in an emergency. Instead its holds were filled with modified mining drones and older droid-fighters, along with more crudely bolted to its sides as the baleful glare of the angry red star blazed out its light to asteroid belts surrounding it. That light was furthered illuminated by the pulsing forms of the hyperspace field distortion and disruption drives deployed, hyperspace mines being further deployed as the engines of LRSC-YR-44 surged forward to deploying its remaining cargo, escorted by armed freighters taken from smugglers.

Distantly an explosion, followed by the rippling crashing into real-space from hyperspace, marked the beginning of the New Republic Navy's Operation Just Cause as a damaged Venator-class vessel, its stern ablaze and venting atmosphere, 'fell' forward, driven by momentum. Flashes of light following the arrival shouted the arrival of the smaller forms of Republic, formerly Resistance, X-wings screened by the damage taken by the Penal Battalion vessel ahead of them. Another ship emerged a minute later, but distant from the system as LRSC-YR-44 continued on its course, ensuring deployment of mines while standing distance between the arrivals and the distortion system stations. Even as Z-95 starfighters, with restraining bolt modified droids piloting them, managed to emerge from the flight decks of the damaged and power-flickering Star Destroyer the old 'cruiser' continued its mission.

Only to turn, along with it's escorts, its old sub-light engines burning furiously as internal warnings screamed out for the uncaring droid-crew to hear. The distortion devices were within an old mining asteroid-base, and the defences were now active. Watching. Waiting. Tracking the charging enemy forces coming towards it from across the system with the intent to destroy it and relieve the interdiction it was placing upon the local hyperspace field. Just one of several that must be eliminated for the bulk of the New Republic Navy's Second Fleet to begin its offensive in truth. Losses would be taken it had believed.

Those were acceptable, at least amongst the non X-wing portion of the attackers, as the aging droid piloted vessels charged towards the station and the droid crewed mining station used as interference station. Every klick of the way, up till the almost mutual destruction of the attacking and defending forces, was the raw data of the engagement collected and transmitted back to Fondor…