The Talons of an Empire

by Sol PJOFan

The Clone War has ended. Admiral Perseus Jackson, former Hero of the Republic, relaxes with his beloved on his homeworld, and hopes for some respite from the rigors of war. The Galaxy, however, stops for nobody. A man balances duty and morality in the face of a new world order; one that has emerged from the ashes of the bloodiest conflict in living memory. PJO x SW AU

14. Turning Point

Ch13 - Turning Point

Mandalorian Resistance Headquarters, Mandalore, 2 BBY
The base was new; a bustling camp made up of ground-level tents and airfields, supplied and backed up by a series of bunkers, partially dug into the Mandalorian soil. It harked back to Fau's old camp on Concord Dawn, though far larger in scale.
To Reyna, it was a sign of progress.

It didn't house the entirety of the Resistance's force; they were far too clever for that to be the case. All that ever stayed at the camp, nicknamed 'yaim', or simply 'home', were the troops on rotation for active combat duty; no more than five hundred at any given time.

It served as a cohesive point from which they could launch attacks on the Empire's key infrastructure in Mandalore, making use of their exemplary short-range capabilities.
It also prevented any unsavoury opinions forming with regards to where exactly the power of the Resistance lay.

Currently on rotation were herself, Triton and Janus Ordo, supporting Sabine and Fenn Rau who were the closest to permanent residents of the base.
Percy, she knew, was off on campaign with Tritonis forces. The renowned clan of pilots had been handed one of the captured Cruisers to do with as they pleased, and the clan's engineers hadn't asked twice.

The vessel, renamed Beviin - Lance - had seen its own initial refit under the Empire, the old Clone Wars-era Arquitens cruisers having been gutted and re-equipped to hold a complement of eight TIE fighters and two Lambda-Class shuttles, alongside some armoured personnel carriers. It had been redesignated the 'Class 546', a new-generation Command Cruiser.
Those smaller vessels had been removed from the hangars, and the Tritonis Engineers had repeated the same feat as the Imperials had, gutting the vessel once more.

They had conserved the modern propulsion systems, though much of the space previously used to accommodate troops had been removed, returning it to something resembling the Republic's specification of its troop-carrying capacity.
They had, interestingly, found a troop drop hangar, a novel concept, though it had been converted into one of the few true bunk cabins on the vessel. The intelligence gained, in this case, had been more valuable than the facility that the Empire had carefully engineered.

The end result had been a ship built nearly entirely in the image of Mandalorian doctrine and design. It bore a complement of eight Fang-Class starfighters, supported by three Kom'rk-Class dropships, supported by reserves large enough to fuel them.
With the Imperial standard-issue medium level tractor beam and both dorsal and ventral quad-turbolaser cannon batteries, they now had enough firepower to comfortably knock out an Imperial goods convoy, and continuously dominate the space without resupply for a matter of weeks.

"So you've taken a perfectly good cruiser and made a raiding corvette," she had pointed out, exasperated, when Poseidon, Percy, Libya and Triton had proudly guided her through their design. "We could have just captured one from the Pirates, you do know that, right?"
"Hey, Sabine approved," Triton had protested, to snickers from Percy and Poseidon. "Manda, it was her and Alrich who painted it."

Of course, the feat had been replicated with the second Cruiser that they had captured during the Phindar raid. This one, the nominal first in class, bore a name that reflected just why it was in the Resistance's possession in the first place.
They had named her Haran. Destruction.

This second vessel was commanded by the Protectors of Concord Dawn, its hangars occupied exclusively by their fighters, Rau having deemed dropships unnecessary for any operation that he might undertake.
It was the flagship of the Resistance fleet, and it was being prepared to make that fact abundantly clear.

Headquarters of the Rebel Alliance, Yavin 4, Yavin System, 2 BBY
Nico found himself struck by an overwhelming sense of Deja Vu, in this room.
The Republic's familiar old colours were everywhere, though the banners that hung from the ceilings of the old pyramid and around the airfield bore the now iconic Phoenix roundel.

The gathering was massive, and immediately what struck him was its diversity. He could see representatives of all manner of Rebel Cells, and all manner of species from across the length and breadth of the galaxy.
He, alongside Hera Syndulla representing Phoenix Squadron, had been asked to arrive earlier than others, Senators Mon Mothma and Bail Organa having requested his presence sooner rather than later to reinforce the image of the Jedi Order's support of their claims to Coruscant.

It was politically clever, he acknowledged, and as such he had been happy to comply.
It had also put in him a position to see what was about to come.

"We've got the Mandalorian contingent incoming," Ezra Bridger informed him. "Sabine's leading it."
The young Knight's tone was infectious, and Nico smiled. He had also been made aware that Reyna would be in the delegation, alongside Bo-Katan Kryze and Fenn Rau. He hadn't interacted much with the sister of the late Mandalorian Duchess, but Reyna and Rau were both familiar enough.
The rest of the Rebel delegations, however, also seemed to be sent into something of an excited buzz, the excitement to see this particular delegation palpable.
The reasoning for it became evident when the vessel, or indeed the series of vessels, broke the cloud cover over the Rebel Base.

On the outset, it appeared to be an Arquitens-Class Command Cruiser, and, in essence, that was exactly what it was. It was escorted by a full flight of four instantly recognisable Fang-Class Mandalorian starfighters, painted in the same blue as Fenn Rau's armour.
They had reformed the Royal Guard...
They had declared a new Duchess.

On the underbelly of the Cruiser, however, painted in the distinct style of Clan Wren, they could make out the terrifying image of a Mythosaur's skull, rendered in Gold, the colour for Vengeance, against the waxy reds, oranges, yellows and purples of a sunset.

"Red, remembering the ancestors," Ezra muttered. "And Orange, for hope and life."
Once more, Nico had merely chuckled.
"Sabine explained it when I asked about her armour," Bridger had admitted. "I found it weird that she didn't stick to her family colours when she left."
"Indeed, young Bridger," he had agreed. "It appears that Lady Wren designed this vessel herself. I wouldn't be surprised if her father helped, from what little I've interacted with him."
"It'll be good to see her again," Bridger remarked. "It's been a while."
"It has," Hera sighed. "I can only hope that the civil war's been kind to her."

Headquarters of the Rebel Alliance, Yavin 4, Yavin System, 2 BBY
"Lady Wren," the instantly recognisable figure of Senator Bail Organa greeted her, "It's good to have you here. May I be the first to congratulate you on your successes thus far?"
"I do try," Sabine laughed. "I think the credit's got to go around, though. We've hit the Empire hard."
Organa smiled. "It was painful to hear of Perseus' loss. It was a hard one to take for everyone."
"All we can do is fight as he would have, Bail," Reyna cut in, removing her helmet. "We're fighting him, just as much as we are all the others that Palpatine has taken from us."
The Senator for Alderaan made some more small talk before he walked off, to be quickly replaced by someone she'd been hoping to see far more.

"Hera!" she greeted, wrapping her arms around the Twi'lek who'd taken her in all those years ago.
"What, no hug for me?" another voice asked. She turned to see a smiling Ezra, and behind him Master di Angelo.
"Kriff no, di'kut," she sniped, punching him playfully in the arm with a laugh. "Need to keep up the scary leader facade out here."

"That was some entrance," Hera remarked. "And some fleet, too."
"There's a lot of angry Mandalorians out there," she smirked. "They brought a lot of things that go boom with them. What you've been hearing is the result."
"Zeb's kind of fight, then," Ezra joked.
"We smell less, though," she joined in.

Someone banged a gavel at the front of the room, and Sabine turned to look in their direction.
"Sounds like it's time to take our seats," Hera said, hugging Sabine again. "We'll catch up when the session recesses, alright?"
Sabine smiled. "Of course."

Headquarters of the Rebel Alliance, Yavin 4, Yavin System, 2 BBY
"I can tell why you always used to complain about Senate meetings now, Perce," Reyna griped over the holocom to her husband. "I've just listened to exactly one hundred and ninety two people saying hello to the same person in the most words possible. It took a whole kriffing day."
"You mean they haven't even disagreed on anything yet?" he chuckled. "That's when it gets really tedious. Or fun, if you like dumb people doing dumb things."
"No, seriously Uncle P," Sabine cut in, dropping her helmet onto the command seat of the Haran's bridge. "I thought that watching you try to manage Ta-Riel Awaud's dumb ideas was boring. Try watching someone convince Mon Mothma that their rebellion in the Outer Rim needs more Star Destroyer-level capital ships."

"Okay, now that might just take the cake," Percy chuckled. "On the bright side, you folks are only out there for a few days more, then you can send a whole other group of people the next time."
"See, I knew you were the smart one," Sabine joked. "Thanks for signing up."
"Still dead, remember?" he jabbed back. "I'd have come to meet all the others anyway - the politics would just be a boring break between catching up with old friends."

"Funny you say that," Reyna said. "Don't go anywhere - I've got someone you really do want to meet."
"Bail asked for Nico, I'm guessing?" Percy asked, and Sabine could hear a hint of excitement in his voice.
"To reinforce the whole 'New Republic' thing, yeah," Sabine confirmed, surrounding the phrase in finger quotations. "He's cool - I can see why you spoke so much about him. Taught me to fight pretty well too."
"We all saw what you did to Saxon, Ad'ika," Percy joked. "Nobody's challenging you in a hurry, that's for sure."
"Well I appreciate the vote of confidence," Sabine smiled. "Good to know my favourite uncle isn't about to backstab me any time soon."
"Triton's not going to be happy about that," a new voice interjected, entering the frame. "Hey Admiral."

"Hey k-" he faltered when he registered the man's face. "Kark, you aren't a kid any more."
Nico's face broke out in the widest smile that Sabine had ever seen on him. "Nope," he replied. "I got old, Perce."
"Calm down there Nico," he shot back. "Triton's kids love to remind me that I'm forty and still don't have kids. Not that you're ever going to have that problem."
Reyna masked an involuntary sound with a cough, and Sabine snickered. She'd been the one to plant the idea in little ten-year-old Calliste's head, and Triteia had taken no shortage of pleasure in joining in with the fun. The pair hadn't recovered from losing the middle sibling, Pallas, yet, so any time they laughed was precious.

"You're holding up well, then," Percy observed over the comm. "You Jedi and your beards. Kenobi had his, and Qui-Gon was the same. Maybe Skywalker forgetting to grow one's why he went bad."
Nico scoffed. "What, you're blaming his turn on jealousy?"
"Palpatine, too," Percy chortled. "A face like his, I'd want to wear a cloak and go evil."
Nico continued to chuckle.
Reyna said something under her breath that sounded suspiciously to Sabine like boys.

"Manda, all we're missing is Jason and Kenobi and the gang's basically back together," Percy said, a hint of nostalgia creeping into his tone.
"You'd be surprised," Nico replied. "He's here. So are Annabeth, Clarisse and Malcolm. Most of the old crowd are, really. Rex is a Captain in the Rebel army."
"One of Ahsoka's recommendations?" he asked.

Nico's face dropped. "You didn't hear about that, did you?"
"Hear about what?" he frowned.
"Ahsoka, Perce. We…" he paused. "We lost her. Jarrus and Bridger's mission went wrong. Kanan lost his eyesight, and Ahsoka died so they could get out."
Percy dropped his head into his hands, releasing a slow breath.

"I'm sorry to hear it," he said. "I still remember when you kids showed up on Christophsis, you know?"
"Yeah," Reyna scoffed. "Stars in your eyes the first time the pair of you heard he was a pilot."
"Asking if a Venator could barrel roll," Nico sighed. "Kriff, that war was so much simpler. Follow Master Kenobi and Cody, run at some droids, they all drop dead, go back to the ship."
"It got real complicated real fast, huh?"
"I'd say you don't know it, Perce, but you do, don't you?"
"It's the curse of leadership, Nico," he replied. "It's just how it is. You get it. Sabine gets it too, now."

Sabine nodded, words beyond her at that moment. There was something about listening to her two greatest mentors as vulnerable as that which just took the words out of her mouth. Nothing she could say seemed to be enough.

Bo-Katan, who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere, clapped a hand on her shoulder.
"Right, Tritonis, di Angelo, that's enough moping for a night," she said brusquely. "We've got a long day tomorrow. Get some sleep."
"Aye Ma'am," Percy saluted with a tired smile. "I'll speak to you tomorrow, Rey."

Cruiser Beviin, Mandalore Sector, 2 BBY
"We've got incoming, Uncle P," the voice of his niece informed him across the bridge. "It's a Gozanti. Electronic Warfare type, by the looks of it."
"I see it kiddo," Percy replied, turning to Triton beside him. "We need this one captured. It's an intelligence gatherer - if we even get the ship itself, we could probably lock down Imperial trade in this sector for a week, not to mention the amount of defence intelligence we can extract before they reset the codes."
"Armour?" Triton asked, already beginning to piece together a set of notes.
"No more than the average Gozanti," Percy replied. "Same with weapons, too. It's a cargo ship, modified for defence."

"No need for the Kom'rks, then, just the Sundari," his adoptive brother concluded. "We'll trap it with fighters, then capture with the tractor beam. Jet troopers board it, shoot anything that moves, and we get the kriff out of here."
"Make it happen," Percy nodded, walking over to the console where Triteia still intently examined the Gozanti's movements.

"That, Teia, is an Intel gatherer," he told her. "A little different to yesterday's capture. We need the hull and instruments undamaged. Weapons down to minimal power, but be ready to switch, in case the Empire bring reinforcements."
"You got it Uncle P," the girl nodded, rapidly setting the controls to reflect his orders.
The bridge of the Class 546 was one of the few things that Percy had left largely untouched, with its impressively large proportions. Contrary to the Republic-Era vessels that he had captained in his early days as a commander, the Empire had, in typical fashion, doubled the vessel in size.

What this meant was that, combined with extra hangar space, he could keep his entire bridge command staff alongside him, practically negating the need to carry a communicator in the day-to-day running of the vessel.
Of course, he mused as the Intelligence vessel loomed into view, in operational scenarios, it was somewhat different.

One by one, Fang Starfighters hurtled out of the frontal fighter deployment channel, being accelerated to combat speed by a series of electromagnets contained within the forward portion of the Cruiser's body.
That was another change from the Clone Wars-era vessels.
The old Arquitens had been small - roughly half the size of the vessel he now commanded, and yet with similar crew complements. Now, they could rapidly deploy up to twelve fighters off a specially designed rail, which Tritonis engineers had adapted from the admittedly ingenious Imperial design. The launch tube was big enough to house an Imperial Lambda-Class shuttle, meaning that, should they desire to, they could also launch Kom'rk-class dropships from the tubes, as opposed to the twin hangar bays on either side of the stern of the ship.

"Unidentified cruiser," The Imperial vessel warned, "Release us from your tractor beam, or we will notify Imperial authorities."

Of course, Percy had expected that threat. What they didn't know was that the Mandalorians had their own secret weapon.
The Sundari, named for the Capital City of Mandalore, was the second in class of the Aloriya-Class of modified Kom'rk. With its superior Electronic Warfare package, it was able to intercept and jam enemy communications over long range.
The Imperial vessel was cut off, and nobody could hear them scream.
The warriors deployed, and the fight was over in a matter of minutes.

Cruiser Beviin, Mandalore Sector, 2 BBY
"We've made rendezvous with the captured ship," Poseidon informed Percy and Triton. "A useful one to take, too."
"We did well to take it without incident," Triton nodded. "Our warriors fought bravely, and having Percy out here is a thousand lessons, all at once."
"And that's why he has no respite from this duty of his," Poseidon told him. "In the time that he spends off rotation on active duty, he has been given the Reserve Command, supporting the Beviin, and indeed the Haran, when they are out on operational deployments."
"Don't feel too sorry for me, brother," Percy reassured Triton. "I'll have the kids with me - as boring as this job gets, it's always nice to see them enjoying themselves, learning something new. Triteia did impressively well for her first time running a weapons console earlier."
"You're turning her into the next Tritonis naval genius, then?"
"Someone's got to do it," Percy pointed out, lips curling in a smile, "and it sure as hell isn't going to be you, you great dimwit."

"Perseus," a warrior manning the radar called, "Radar contact at long range. It's big."
"There aren't any trade vessels due for the next few hours," he frowned. "See if we can get scouts close?"
Triton repeated the instruction into the communicator to the Commander of the fighter squadron down in the hangar, and Percy strolled out of the bridge to go and speak to the man in person. They had no set procedure for scouting vessels, but it was certainly clever to warn the pilots in advance.

The Haran-Class, as they had come to name their captured pair of Cruisers, in their masterful design, were effectively flying airbases. The main viewing bridge across the top of the hangar connected the Command portion of the ship, consisting of its instruments and main viewport, to the forward-placed crew housing portion.
It was that viewing bridge which Percy and Briares, the hulking commander of the Beviin's fighters, were talking.
"They'll get us some kind of insight from range, sure," Percy told the man, "But assuming it's some kind of major threat, I want you to have a secondary group ready to back them up. Weapons will be hot, shields charged so we can cover their escape, but the most important thing to remember is that we aren't in a true capital ship. We're not going to get fire superiority over a Star Destroyer, even if we can hit them pretty hard. Get a good look, then get the kriff out. If Hyperspace is how you do it, then your rendezvous point is the usual, on Kalevala."
"Roger that Al'verde," he saluted. "My pilots will not fail you."
"Of course they won't Briares," he smiled. "They're Tritonis pilots, after all."

Headquarters of the Rebel Alliance, Yavin 4, Yavin System, 2 BBY
"Esteemed member of the Rebel Alliance," Nico began, scanning his eyes across the room. "As you may or may not know, I am Jedi Master Nico di Angelo, once of Umbara."
There was a hushed murmur of shock that ran through the chamber.
"The older ones among us would remember the Great Purge of the Jedi," he continued. "Many of us died, and yet, thanks to Admiral Tritonis, some among us survived. Over time, and with age, we have become an Order once more. An Order which serves the ideals of the Republic, just as our predecessors did."
Then, cacophony.

Bail Organa, at the podium beside him, held a hand up for silence, though it didn't do much to quell the noise. Some people cheered. Others cried. More simply shouted for the sake of shouting, yelling slogans that harked back from the days of the Old Republic.
When it died down, all eyes were on Nico once more.
"This Order of mine isn't one that is to be wielded by any single power, though," he cautioned. "We serve the interests of democracy, of freedom and equality, just as the Republic does. This is true. However, I refuse to see my charges cut down as our predecessors, our mentors and Masters, were, seventeen years ago."

A hand shot up in the front row.
Nico nodded in their direction.
"Why won't you fight, Master Jedi? Didn't you just say that you want the Republic back?"

He sighed. "The Jedi Order was never meant to be political," he explained. "There came a time when, yes, the Jedi on one's side became synonymous with power. When the Order found itself entangled with politics and skullduggery.
We face an enemy led by darksiders, and who hunt down those with the potential to continue the legacy of the light. We fight to protect them, and to restore peace in the Galaxy. We are on your side, yes, but we are not weapons for you to command, just as, say, your own cell of Rebels isn't at the behest of Lady Wren of Mandalore, or Commander Sato of Phoenix Squadron."
The questioner seemed to settle slightly, though they were far from satisfied.

He understood it, of course. To so many, the Jedi were some kind of sweeping solution to all their problems; a beacon of hope, and a figure of instant authority who could lead them into battle, sabre raised, beckoning the horde forward.
That, however, was an image that harked from the Clone War; the very thing that had landed them in this mess in the first place.
Yes, the Jedi could play that role, though that wasn't the role that his Jedi, or indeed his own contemporaries, had been trained to play. A rebellion didn't just need Generals; it needed spies, diplomats, envoys, statespeople.

That was the very role that his order would fill, with the legacy of Yoda's order at their backs.
When a Jedi came to a leader's court, people listened.
He told his audience as much.

Headquarters of the Rebel Alliance, Yavin 4, Yavin System, 2 BBY
"Good speech," were the words that Reyna greeted him with. Beside her were Jason, Annabeth, Malcolm and Clarisse.
"I do try sometimes," the Jedi replied. "You folks look awfully happy out here."
"Well, it's like…" Reyna paused, realising that there were people present who weren't meant to know, "Poseidon," she settled, "was saying, if we're out here to get bored, we might as well meet with some old friends."
"He did give us some good advice," Sabine nodded. "Wise old man, is Count Poseidon."
Jason looked suspicious, but didn't pursue any further than a raised eyebrow.

"The afternoon session was interesting too, for a change," Bo-Katan interjected, drawing herself and Fenn Rau into the discussion. "Finally, a chance for you to get involved, Senator Grace."
"Yeah, the X Wings are coming along nicely," Jason nodded, cracking a smile "though officially I don't suppose I know that."
"Thyferran supplies made their way to the Outer Rim recently too," Annabeth added. "Bail's been quietly confident about whether we can get this job done."
"I have belief," Reyna smiled. "A lot of Percy's work before we lost him was dedicated to ruining the Imperial 6th; the 5th and 7th might be secure, but it's only a matter of time with the pair of them, considering who's on the case there."

"The Super Star Destroyer project was interesting to see come to life," Jason remarked. "Not my people's work, certainly not anything I've been involved in designing."
"No," Reyna agreed. "I've heard whispers, though…"
"And that's where I stop talking," Jason replied. "The moment I speak about what rumours may or may not true, the ears in the walls start moving, Reyna."
"I understand," she nodded. "Though I did have one other question that might come in handy down the line, across the Rebellion."
"Oh?" the Kuati Senator asked.
"Where did the Republic put its Mothballed Capital Ships?"
Jason grinned.

Headquarters of the Rebel Alliance, Yavin 4, Yavin System, 2 BBY
"Reyna, I'm going to have to make sure that Sabine doesn't hear about this next bit of news until the conference is over," Percy warned, about halfway into their nightly holocom call.
"Go on," Reyna replied. "She's currently with Syndulla and Bridger."
"Alrich was captured this morning," Percy told her without preamble. "He was out with Clan Ordo on a diplomatic mission to Clan Bralor, but the Empire got to them first. His guards were killed, and we have evidence to suggest that he was taken by Saxon troops."
Reyna sighed.

It was only a matter of time before something of this nature happened. Mandalorian prisoners were generally treated well, under the respect afforded to warriors. Tiber Saxon, however, wasn't your typical Mandalorian. She had heard stories of the joy he took in torturing his captives, and of his adoption of Imperial questioning tactics.
That never bode well.
Not with Alrich Wren in his clutches.

"I'll leave it until the conference is over," Reyna confirmed. "I'm guessing searches are already out?"
"I'm too far away to get involved directly," Percy grimaced. "Ursa's in charge of the retrieval effort, and Clan Wren's currently pretty much out of the rotation. I get why, too - he's far too important to all of us."
It was true, too. Diplomats of Alrich Wren's calibre were rare, especially on Mandalore. As much as there were Jedi capable of doing as he did, there was a certain disarming nature that he had; unassuming, unarmoured and yet with a wickedly sharp wit and a masterful ability to de-escalate tensions in a room.
He would need to be found.

Headquarters of the Rebel Alliance, Yavin 4, Yavin System, 2 BBY
"I will not concede on this issue!" the representative from Warbird Squadron banged her fist on the table, and Sabine sighed. "If the Mandalorians are able to interfere across a whole sector and still keep a reserve, then they should redistribute their strength across the entire Rebellion!"
"Explain your argument, Ma'am?" Bail Organa asked, the Senator for Alderaan himself seeming to be in shock at the representative's audacity.
"I said what I said, Senator," she reiterated. "Mandalore have one of the biggest Rebel Cells here, and so if they're really a part of the Rebellion, then they should share their troops around!"

"Let me stop you right there," Reyna replied from over Sabine's shoulder, placing a hand on her arm to stop her from getting out of her seat. "Ma'am, our warriors joined the rebellion to free Mandalore. A planet and a way of life that they're willing to give their lives for. We're one of the few sectors across the Galaxy where we not only face an entire Imperial Sector Fleet, but a Warfleet and a standing army that supports it."
The representative made to counter, but Reyna was having none of it.
"No, I'm not done speaking," she held a hand up to silence the woman. "Our troops, our ships and our fighters are going nowhere until our home is free. Come back to us when it is, and we can talk to you about help with other places."

"I ask the delegation from Mandalore, then," Senator Mon Mothma stood up at the head of the table, "Should there be manpower spare at the moment of asking, would troops be made available to aid fellow Rebel Cells in extreme cases?"
"We're not cruel, Senator," Bo-Katan took over, standing up and looking the Senator dead in the eye. "We're happy to help, but we know our limits. Giving someone else our warriors means that we're dedicating time, troops and resources to a fight that isn't our own. We'd have to supply them, using supply lines that we can't maintain. A single attack, though? That's our specialty."
"I thank the Mandalorian delegation for their generosity," Mothma smiled. "They will not be called upon unless the situation is truly dire."
Bo-Katan and Reyna sat back down.
"Thanks," Sabine smiled, leaning over to whisper to them. "That Warbird lady was seriously starting to piss me off."

VCX Freighter Ghost, Hyperspace, 2 BBY
"Say that again?" Hera asked, shocked.
"I'm not joking," Zeb replied, his voice his usual low growl, though it was laced with a twinge of concern. "We've just had a message off Kallus saying that 'Thrawn knows'. It was cut off. We think he's been caught. Commander Sato and Master Achilles have started to evacuate non-essential personnel."
"Good," Hera breathed. "We'll won't take long to get back."

"The younglings?" Nico asked, not bothering to hide his concern.
"Getting out of there," Zeb confirmed. "The Knights, too. We're only keeping warships and fighters. Things that can at least try to fight their way out. Most of the rest are already in the air, off to the fallback point."
Nico leaned back, breathing a sigh of relief.
"That means we can try and play this Thrawn character at his own game," he said, fixing Hera with a look. "A few messages to the right people, perhaps."
The Twi'lek smiled.

Cruiser Haran, Mandalore Sector, 2 BBY
"He's been captured?" Sabine demanded of Reyna, "How long ago? What about his security? Have we started searches yet?"
"It's early, ad'ika," Reyna placated. "Your mother's sent out feelers already, and we're not at a shortage of up-to-date Imperial intelligence, either. All of Clan Wren is on the case. Believe me when I say, we're going to get Alrich back."
Sabine nodded, running a tired hand down her face.

"Where did we get new a Imperial intel source from?" she asked, frowning. "We haven't sent out any capture missions this past week - I'd have known."
"Percy and Triton got lucky," Fenn Tau answered, smirking. "Really lucky. They picked up an Imperial Intelligence Gozanti a day or so after we left for Yavin. The Empire haven't noticed that it's missing yet, so Janus Ordo and his people are trying to download and unencrypt as much as they can before someone realises."

Sabine nodded. "Triteia's on that mission too, right?"
"Percy's proud of her," Reyna smiled. "Turns out that begging him for joyrides in the Jai'galaar since she was two rubbed off on her."
"The Jaig's that old?" Sabine asked, eyes wide. "It still flies like a dream."
"Poseidon gifted it to Percy the day he got his first Star Destroyer command," Reyna answered. "He first flew it over Ryloth - nearly wrecked it when he tried to drift too sharply in a subatmospheric dogfight."
"He was, what, my age?"
"Pretty much," Reyna smiled. "Probably a little older, now that I think of it. That's not an excuse to try the same trick, though. I've seen it once, and that was one time too many for me."
"I make no promises," Sabine said, a hint of her characteristic cheek seeping back into her tone. "So the search for dad?"
"We'll have more news when we reach Krownest," Reyna said. "For now, we're all going to have to hold on."

Chopper Base, Atollon, Lothal Sector, 2 BBY
The Ghost touched down to find the base in a flurry of action. Material from tents and buildings had been ripped down, forming barricades. The shield generators from the Jedi Camp and Chopper Base itself had been placed next to one another, and Rex appeared embroiled in the task of calibrating both of them to achieve the optimal ratio of strength to radius, the troops setting up the barricades inching ever closer to the centre with his commands.
All that remained on the surface were the Ghost, the Mist, Ezra's new ship the Nightbrother and about fifty soldiers and Jedi.
Heavy guns, capable of dealing some level of damage to even heavy tanks, had been stripped from some of the transports that had already been evacuated, hastily given controls and triggers and put into artillery and anti-air emplacements.

"You've been busy," Hera observed as the trio alighted the Ghost, heading straight for the .
"A team of people with the Force makes a lot of things easier than it would have been otherwise," Sato replied. "General Dodonna's fleet is complying with your orders, General di Angelo. They will deploy on your call, and I am told that they are reinforced."
"Good," the holographic likeness of Ryder Azadi told them. "I've just seen Thrawn's Seventh leave the atmosphere."
"What are we looking at?" Hera asked, leaning against the Holotable.
"All of it," came her answer.

Suddenly, the transmission from Lothal flickered out, leaving them stranded within the system.

"They're jamming our long range communications," Hera growled. "They're here."
"Five Star Destroyers, three Light Cruisers," Sato confirmed from his vantage point from the bridge of Phoenix Nest. "Get people onto the transports, Captain Syndulla, and ensure that we are prepared to leave if General di Angelo's plan is a success; we will destroy the camp on our way out."
What remained unsaid was the fact that they had to be ready if it somehow failed - the forces left on the ground numbered nearly the entire ground-trained portion of Phoenix Squadron, and some eight Jedi who had remained behind to assist the final stages of the evacuation.
Phoenix Squadron had survived, regardless of what happened, thanks to some rapid thinking, but as the last three ships took off, Hera knew, deep down, that if they lost here, its leadership and fighting power was all but lost.

Wren Stronghold, Krownest, New Kleyman System, 2 BBY
Sabine was first off the ship, sprinting into the centre of her family's stronghold the moment the ramp of her Kom'rk dropped. Bo-Katan had taken command of the Haran, returning it to the main base on Mandalore, while a small group returned to Krownest, the matter of Alrich Wren's capture more important than anything else that could come up at that moment.

"Any news?" she demanded, bursting into a briefing room, startling those within.
"None," Tristan sighed. "None at all. Don't worry, though; we're searching."
She cursed silently to herself. "Sorry," she apologised. "What are we doing?"
"The briefing is based on what we've found out from that Imperial ship Percy captured," Tristan explained. "There's loads of intelligence on here, and we're getting more and more by the minute."
Sabine nodded, setting her jaw. She took a seat next to her brother, crossing her arms and watching as the analysts got back to work. They had to find something. They had no other choice.

VCX Freighter Ghost, Lothal Sector, 2 BBY
The final trio of ships entered the battle line that Sato had set up, light attack craft up at the front while the heavier ships held back. At the tip of the spear was Sato's own Command Ship, Phoenix Home, ready to let loose its complement of BTL-B Y-Wing Fighter-Bombers and A-Wing Light Interceptors.
Flanking it now were a pair of Freighters, the pair of the Ghost and Mist prepared to deliver close offensive support at Sato's discretion, Hera spearheading Phoenix Squadron while Nico, at the helm of the Mist, commanded Shadow Squadron.

Opposite them, they could see the eight ships of Thrawn's Seventh Fleet; all that had been left behind was a series of Arquitens-Class Light Cruisers and the II-Class Star Destroyers that supported the Imperial-Class vessels holding position in front of her.

"Incoming transmission," Kanan told her from the copilot's seat, and Rex, down in the nose gunner's seat, craned his neck to see. Zeb wouldn't hear it, where he was in the dorsal gun emplacement, and neither would any of the troops in the various rooms and loading bays, all strapping themselves down in preparation for any fight that would come in the case of their plan failing.
When it was patched through, it was Thrawn's face which appeared to them.

"General di Angelo, Commander Sato, Captain Syndulla," he greeted, "Finally we meet, today, in this grand theatre of war. As you can see, there is no way out. This engagement, this victory of mine shall be as decisive as it shall be total."
"You speak as though we have any plans of losing, Grand Admiral," Nico replied. "You studied under Grand Admiral Tritonis for a few weeks in peacetime. I learned from him as he developed his strategy, as he fought alongside my Master. I fought the battles that you sat and watched on a Holotable."
"Experience outranks everything," Rex chuckled. "Well said, General."
Thrawn was less impressed.

"You speak with all the bravado of a Jedi of old," he ground out. "The Jedi Order fell to Imperial blasters. This… rebellion of yours will fall the same way."
Sato took over, now. "Even if we lose today, those who survive will carry the torch," he insisted. "You may lose this one battle, but the war is ours!"
"Such fighting words from all of you," Thrawn said impassionately, his lip curling in a hint of amusement. "And yet nothing from perhaps the greatest mind among you. What have you to say, Captain Syndulla?"

Kanan cocked his head her way, and Hera flicked on her comms.
"I'll let my flying do the talking," she said.
Thrawn nodded.
"Very well, then. Let us begin."
The transmission flickered out, leaving the two opposing fleets in silence once more.

ISD Chimaera, Atollon System, Lothal Sector, 2 BBY
"Notice how Sato's strategy has evolved," Thrawn lectured to the other senior officers upon his ship's Bridge Deck. "The clear influence of General di Angelo's strategy. The screen of light vessels, masking their Capital Ships appears to be a variation of a classical Danaan tactic, allowing for both protection and assaulting capacity in all directions. The Jedi has opted to adapt one of Admiral Jackson's strategies; the Anvil."
Pryce merely nodded, appearing nonplussed.
Thrawn sighed internally. Some were simply unable to comprehend the art form that was combat. "They are organised in such a way that they are ready to defend, but then counter aggressively when a larger, secondary force attacks us from behind."

"But that is their entire fleet!" Pryce exclaimed, her expression turning smug. "It appears that the Jedi has forgotten how to command a fleet!"
"Indeed." Thrawn stroked his chin. "Most curious."
Walking across to his command console, he brought up an image of the battlespace, scanning his fleet for any weakness, for any hint of a route in.

"Admiral Constantine, move your Interdictor to the following coordinates," he ordered, ignoring the furious fighter skirmishes that were taking place outside his Bridge. "Extend long-range hyperspace scanners, and prepare to engage Gravity Wells."
"At once, Grand Admiral," the man replied, moving, while still hidden by the larger Star Destroyers.
As though on cue, both Interdictor Commanders reported to him at once.

"Speak, Constantine," Thrawn said, staring intently at the holotable's projection.
"I'm picking up a series of targets off my mark Zero-One-Five," the man reported. "Range three light-minutes out."
Thrawn pressed a series of buttons, marking their axis of advance.
Perfect.
"Fire Gravity Wells," he ordered. "Only Konstantine. All other vessels, prepare main batteries to engage."

Light Freighter Mist, Lothal Sector, 2 BBY
"All fighters preparing for launch," Sato informed the Commanders. "General Dodonna's fleet is close."
Nico huffed in anticipation. The plan was his; adapting Sato's aggressive Danaan style with Percy's Anvil tactic. While Phoenix Squadron were heavily outnumbered, an advantage of the Rebel fleet was that no secondary element was ever too far away. Indeed, General Dodonna had been en-route to Atollon as his Victory Fleet prepared to stage for the invasion of Lothal.
He had stalled that fleet, predicting that they could enter with the element of surprise, crushing Thrawn's Seventh against the set force of Sato's Phoenix Squadron.
He tensed, thumbing the Mist's throttle, watching on the targeting systems as the soldiers manning the torpedo tubes locked directly onto the Star Destroyer on the far right.
"Three," Sato counted. "Two. One."

A whole fleet dropped out of Hyperspace, but instantly, Nico could see that something had gone badly wrong.
Three of them were already burning wrecks, having crashed into one another while still travelling at lightspeed. Their hulls had been fused together, perfectly spherical drops of still-molten metal dropping off the points of fusion.
Instantly Nico knew that all three crews had been lost, and they hadn't died pleasantly either.

Two more of Dodonna's ships crashed as they dropped out of Hyperspace, sparks flying as the two ships' hulls ground against one another. They were shot to pieces by a pair of Star Destroyers.
Four ships; the lead, and the three holding up the rear, survived the initial barrage, and they organised admirable. Clearly, Dodonna had kept up his pattern from all those years ago.
Even now, he was the first one in, and the last one out of any fight.
A pair of Interdictor Cruisers moved into view.
Nico swore.

ISD Chimaera, Atollon System, Lothal Sector, 2 BBY
"Brilliant," Pryce breathed, watching as the burning wreck of one of the Messasi Group's Corvettes broke up. "However did you predict such a move?"
Thrawn remained stoic, refusing to let this initial victory flap him.

"The strategy employed by General di Angelo and Commander Sato was one that relied upon me following Tarkin's doctrine," he explained. "A single-minded, unyielding desire to strike out at what is in front of you, utilising overwhelming force. Indeed, we did not know, until I recognised the pattern, that we were, in fact, surrounded. All I did was prevent the force behind us from entering the battle, by dragging them out of course while still travelling at light speed."
"And that is what happens when an unsuited vessel corrects course in Hyperspace," Kallus muttered from where he was detained, on his knees and watching the disaster unfold with no shortage of distaste.

"It is what happens when they do not know that they are changing course at all," Thrawn retorted. "Those vessels are Corellian, Mon Calamari and Kuati. Built in some of the finest shipyards in the galaxy, Agent Kallus."

He watched with some degree of pleasure as his ships continued to batter the shields of the remaining enemy vessels, one finally capitulating to the combined fire of three of his vessels.
Another was cut to shreds by a swathe of TIE Fighters, its Fighter Complement barely escaping, though their escape from the burning hull was in vain; of the eight A-Wings to leave, only four reached the main Rebel line.
"Let them pass," Thrawn said, holding a hand up. "All vessels are to cease firing. Let them lick their wounds. We will finish them off on the ground."

Chopper Base, Atollon, Lothal Sector, 2 BBY
Nico found himself shaking his head as they disembarked, the soldiers rushing to their defensive positions. The battle had been an unmitigated disaster for the Rebel troops, and all they could do now was reset their defences.
"The main concern is the lack of communications out of here," Sato was telling Hera.

"That, and the fact that we can't get ships out, either. Even if we win on the ground, they can sit in space and pound our defences until we're all dead. We need something capable of running that blockade."
"What I'd give to have the B-Wing right about now," Hera sighed. "The only other ship we have that could do it is the Nightbrother."
Nico nodded. "Ghost and Mist go in to punch Bridger through?"
"Still leaves the Interdictor," Hera grimaced.

As much as Nico hated to say it, this was where the Twi'lek flourished. When the conventional battle was lost, and they had their backs to the wall, her mind came to life. She had an uncanny ability to survive, no matter how desperate the odds.
The Ground Battle was his - there was no question about it. In the air, Sato reigned supreme.
And yet, it was here that Hera Syndulla became the ace up Phoenix Squadron's sleeve.

"I've got an idea," Ezra Bridger pitched in. "You want to knock out an Interdictor? I think I know how."
Hera smiled. "Let's hear it."

ISD Chimaera, Atollon System, Lothal Sector, 2 BBY
"The Rebels are sending a detachment of ships," Commander Vanto told him. Thrawn turned to see that he was right; Alongside Captain Syndulla's Ghost were a Corellian Light Freighter and a Mandalorian-designed troop transport, though notably not in any recognisable clan colours.
Their escort was a pair of A-Wings.
A negotiating party, however?

The surrender of the Rebel Command would be quite some prize, but that was not his goal at this time.
No; he needed to defeat Syndulla and Sato, to establish that their surrender was the point at which he had bested them, totally and unconditionally.
"Open fire," he ordered. The Rebels would either be cut to pieces in Space, or they would be forced to ground.

All five Star Destroyers locked their targeting systems onto the five ships, and at a nod from the Chiss Grand Admiral, they let loose.
"They're not stopping, Sir," Vanto observed. "Send TIE Fighters to engage?"
"They mean to force through a route of escape," Thrawn realised. "Admiral Constantine, cover off Vector One-Two-Zulu. Scramble a squadron of Fighters to cover off their retreat. They will die for their foolishness."
It happened as he instructed, and yet, inexplicably, the ships did not stop.

Thrawn massaged his chin, cocking his head as something came to mind. "Commander Vanto, scan for Electromagnetic Pulse devices," he told his protege. "Sabine Wren once used a similar strategy to undermine Grand Moff Tarkin's Star Destroyer. We must be wary of a similar strategy."
"Nothing of the sort, Grand Admiral," the man replied. "It all appears to be as expected. The pilots seem to be especially skilled; nobody can land a hit."
Thrawn nodded. "Then we will simply have to rely on Konstantine. Divert two cruisers to support him, and then prepare the ground forces to move. Even if these lighter vessels find a route through, their comrades will never leave the surface of this planet."
"Yes, Grand Admiral." The man rushed off, relaying orders through his communicator as he went.

Light Freighter Mist, Lothal Sector, 2 BBY
"Two more Cruisers entering our field of advance," Nico told his weapons crews. "Focus defensive fire on the Fighters, and fire Torpedo Tubes 4 and 5 at the Cruiser on the left."
The Jedi acted, years aboard the Mist forging them into a well oiled machine. Djoser marked the targets from the copilot's seat, Atalanta and Orion calibrating with the targeting computers while Theseus and Menelaus cut down any pursuing Imperial fighters.

It was Bellerophon, however, who was doing the most important job among the Mist's crew.
Each hand outstretched, his face screwed up with the effort, Karn Skorr was personally driving one of the A-Wings, sending it hurtling along in a stunning display of control of the Force.
Aboard the Ghost, Nico knew that Kanan Jarrus was performing the same task with another A-Wing.
Each of them was loaded to the brim with high-level explosives, and they were both destined for the Interdictor Cruiser directly in front of them.
The moment they detected an electromagnetic signature big enough, they would detonate, creating a gap big enough to allow Ezra Bridger through.

The first Arquitens Cruiser went up in flames, the two torpedoes making a direct hit. Atalanta and Orion were scrambling to reload the tubes when Hera Syndulla loosed her own Torpedoes, blowing out the viewport of the second cruiser.

"Djoser, target the viewports of the Interdictor," Nico instructed. "Active homing."
"Yes Master," the Onderonian replied, marking out the target.
"Iyneda, fire!" he bellowed into the communicator.
He watched as the torpedoes went, a trail of smoke in their wake.
And then, just as they were about to cripple the Interdictor, a TIE fighter pilot rammed into one, the debris of his stricken craft hurtling into the other.
Thrawn knew his plan.

"Hera, Ezra, double speed," he urged, punching the controls. "Set your coordinates, young Bridger."
The pair of them complied. The A-Wings drifted closer and closer to the Gravity Wells of the hated Interdictor.
Nico watched on, heart trapped in his throat.

ISD Chimaera, Atollon System, Lothal Sector, 2 BBY
"Knock the A-Wings off course!" Pryce shrieked over the din of the Chimaera's bridge. "Do not let them escape!"
"Patience, Governor Pryce," Thrawn placated. There was, however, a set to his jaw that was rarely seen. "Even if the Rebels manage to move these few ships out, at great cost, may I add, we only stand to gain. If this is an attempt to call for reinforcements, then they are weak on the ground. If not, then the rest of their vessels are preparing to follow, meaning that they are ripe for the picking, neither with the defence of being spread out, nor the organisation of taking formation. Commence a Planetary Bombardment. Konstantine and his ship are lost to us now."
He didn't even watch as an explosion rent the air, knocking the nearest Star Destroyer off course with the strength of the shockwave.

Two Corellian-built freighters slunk back to the surface, their Pilots praising their luck that they were not engaged as they fell back to the surface.
They were followed, however, by a brutal hail of vivid green laser.
They had managed to get a ship out of the system, yes, but the true onslaught was yet to come.
If they were to survive, then this was the single engagement which would decide that fate.
It was their Zero Hour.

---

A/N
So another chapter - we're rolling here.
I'm sorry that the ending of this one was a little flaky - If I'd gone any further, then I'd have ended up writing all of Zero Hour, and submitting a 16k word chapter. That doesn't really work.

This chapter, then...
Politics (it'll stay a feature - the story will end at the Purge of Mandalore, so we need a way to keep up with the galaxy while that's going on. It's also a sign of the Rebellion becoming a Confederation. (an Alliance, as Lucas named it, just so that they're the 'good guys')
Democracy means civilisation, and that means legitimacy. Also, I wanted it to happen.

Zero Hour is one of my favourite Animated story arcs of all, so of course I was going to write it as a really major battle. I have ideas for how it's going to pan out next chapter, and in my humble opinion, it's going to end up right up there with Christophsis and Umbara from Wings in terms of my best-written battles. Just stick with me as we get there haha.

In terms of comments, I'll pick up on the person who suggested that destroying the ISDs on Phindar was a bad idea and wasteful. I'll remind you that the Mandalorians don't tend to use Capital ships. The Class 546 Cruisers are bigger than normal Arquitens, even if they're similar in design (it's the same ship as Gideon uses in the Mandalorian series on Disney+, but as I described, they're using a Shriek Hawk as their sigil, not the Mythosaur just yet.
The Mandalorian Resistance at the moment is barely 2000 people - They'd need half of that to maintain an ISD anyway, and if one went down, then that's them screwed. They might get something bigger later, when their force is big enough that they could sustain it (or their mission is significant enough that they need that power)
Remember, they don't need Aircraft Carriers - their lighter ships can make Hyperspace jumps, so the 546 is big enough to project power over time, while being small enough to actually be worth the effort.

As usual, my thanks to Dudududhehe on FFN, he's been making sure I don't screw up too spectacularly on lore, even after what's now more than a year of this series' existence. Check his stuff out.
Until next time, then,
Sol
(I don't own PJO, Star Wars or any related media)