Chapter 45

Siege of Sleheyron

ATOLLON

Chopper Base

"My answer is no." Commander Sato declared to the rebels as the Militia forces under Ahkilleon were gearing up to go to Sleheyron, the volcanic world in Hutt Space that was currently the foothold of the Militia forces in occupied Hutt Space, which they seized during their conquest of the sector. The Specter's stood across from Sato at the main command centers holotable where Ahkilleon and Turok stood, both dressed for war in their combat armor.

Hera laid her hands on the table "Commander I have to protest, with all the supplies they've given us we-" "Have given them ample intelligence for the conflict in the Sleheyron system, the number of troops, ships and location of Imperial supply lines which is more than they deserve." Sato said scowling at Turok Skell.

"Missed you two Jun." Turok said, smoking his pipe.

Ahkilleon said nothing with his hands behind his back dressed in his armor with his lightsabers clipped to his chest, "We aren't asking for a full detachment of ships, only the Specter's."
"Who as you have made it clear, you say are our most valuable operatives, Tano." Commander Sato replied.

Among the Militia there, Sawyer was sitting on a crate next to her astromech, a B-series droid with a dark blue paint job and maverick decals on it, "You said it." She said as the droid beeped, "Let's just go, if he doesn't want to help fine."

"We do want to help, Commander Sato, we have experience dealing with Admiral Fel from Nar Shaddaa and if the Hutt front collapses the Militia's southern flank is wide open." Hera stated looking at the galactic map, "The Sleheyron hyperspace lane intersects the Sleheyron and Pabol Hutt lane, the Empire would have a direct link from the core to the Militia sectors." Hera pointed out.

Ahkilleon was still silent, as Sato mulled it over, just then a soldier came up to him with a holopad, and he read it, "Very well, in light of recent orders from Rebel Command we have been asked to assist, under the condition to be disclosed later with Admiral Trench and General Sigma.'
"Wait, you're coming, that's a surprise?" Ezra asked the Commander.

Sato shook his head, "No, this message is to be carried by one of our recent recruits, Airman Wedge Antilles." just as he spoke Wedge approached them in a rebel flight suit, bright orange in stark contrast to the Imperial blacks and the Militia blues, "Wedge? Why Wedge?" Sabine asked, the boy was tall, handsome with dark black hair and eyes "Because I'm the best, second best I mean." He said, smiling at Hera.

She gave a playful smirk, "And this message, are we allowed to know it?" Zeb asked them.

"As I said it will be revealed to the Militia officers in charge of Sleheyron's defense, when you get there." Sato said sternly.

"Then we've wasted enough time, Sleheyron's a long jump and our recent reports show that Admiral Fel has already broken through, Admiral Trench's line." Ahkilleon said to them all "Not surprising, the Imperial Academy studied Trench's tactics and everyone who fought in the clone wars." Sabine explained being a formal student there herself as they headed for their ships. .

"Admiral Trench's tactics may be dated, but he's still one of the Militia's best naval strategists. If he needs us, that means he must have a plan." Ahkilleon said boarding the Revenant.

SLEHEYRON

Imperial Star Destroyer Orontes

Admiral Fel stood aboard his private quarters aboard his flagship, the Orontes, a classic Imperial Star Destroyer, his Destroyer looking out the window at Sleheyron, the quarters were large with a desk attached to a holomonitor, a single bed with an adjoining bathroom, closet and wall with, accolades and memorabilia. It was decorated with a small diploma of the imperial academy, a picture of Fel with other cadets and so on. "As I was saying, a promotion long over due, Admiral." A chilling voice said from a hologram on his holodesk, where a small blue skinned and white Grand Admiral stood, "Thank you Mitth'raw'nuruodo, about time I caught up with you."

Thrawn smiled "I now feel strange hearing you use my full name, though it is good to hear it."
"I believe it's important to call things by what they are, rather than what others want it to be." Fel said leaning on his arm rest, "As you say." Thrawn replied.
Fel said as he walked over to his desk and sat down across from the hologram of Grand Admiral Thrawn, "I suppose I have you to thank for it, the Moffs showed me your recommendation letter shortly after I was given the commission."

Thrawn's hologram gave a polite nod "I only stated that which they already knew, your abilities as a pilot are wasted my friend."
"You're too kind, but I prefer my fighter to the bridge, to be in the fight, with the men." Fel said as he looked out at the window longingly at a squadron of TIE fighters "Now there's so much to do, so much to worry about, this war is what we trained for but, nothing prepares you after years of hunting pirates and terrorists for real trained soldiers, men and women, even Jedi who will kill for what they believe, instead of profit."
Thrawn eyed him, curiously "And you will do the same, as is our duty."
"Duty yes, but this deal the Senate has made with the Hutt's it's out of character, wouldn't you agree?" Fel asked.

Thrawn cocked a raised brow, "Perhaps, personally I care little for the politics of the Core, these Outer Rim Militia are bolder than most rebel cells I've encountered, they understand the importance of holding key resource strategic worlds, as well as basic imperial strategy, I have no doubt as this war goes on more officers like you will be promoted upon merit instead of who they know on the Moff Council."
Fel snickered, "You mean like you?"
Thrawn gave a sly grin, "Only because I know you are good a soldiers as I, pray tell hos is your finance, I was recently recommended one of her films by Governor Pryce."
"Wynssa, she keeps pestering me to come home not that I wouldn't mind it." Fel said as he picked up a portrait off his desk a beautiful blonde haired woman in a golden dress with diamond earrings and a golden award meant to resemble a humanoid in her hands, "You should come visit us once you have a chance to leave that backwater Lothal." Fel said he set down the photo.

Thrawn nodded "I will do just that, we will toast to each others victories, Soontir."
"I'll hold you to that, Mitth'raw'nuruodo."

HYPERSPACE

Enroute to Sleheyron

Ahkilleon sat in the pilot chair with a smoking cup of cafe as he held a holopad, a hologram if Hera with him as Wedge flew between them in his A wing, "What do we know about this Admiral?" Hera asked him.

"Soontir Fel, age twenty six born on Corellia to a farming family eldest of five, won an airspeeder race two years in a row, some issue with Corellian security forces before he joined the Imperial Academy on Carida, won a inter-academy Grav Ball tournament and graduated salutatorian." Turok read a holopad in front of him with an image of Soontir on it, his black hair trimmed short into a shave showing his accompaniments.

Sabine who was aboard the Ghost smirked "I remembered that, he was number seven and won the MVP." Sabine said.

"Sabine, anything to add?" Hera asked her.

"Fel had a strange reputation, instructors praised his skill as a pilot often using his maneuvers to teach us, but at the same time they said he had something of an attitude problem?" Sabine stated.

"Attitude, don't the Empire shoot your for that?" Zeb snickered under his breath.

Ahkilleon looked at the holopad, "Says here he completed two tours of service before being promoted to Captain last year, how'd he jump up to Admiral?" Ahkilleon asked.

"Take a look at his last tour." Turok said as Ahkilleon scrolled it "The Battle of Nar Shaddaa, he was there under Greelanx?" Ahkilleon asked.

"After the Imperial fleet was chased off, Fel took command of the remnants of the fleet getting them back home, all the while being hounded by pirates." Ahkilleon read it aloud for everyone to hear, "Not just that, look who was in his graduation class." Turok said scrolling to a holopad section that showed a young Soontir Fel standing next to Grand Admiral Thrawn.

Later, the Ghost, the Revenant, Wedge's A Wing and Sawyer's Interceptor dropped off and started to fly between them as they flew out of hyperspace above hyperspace, the Ghost crew dropped out of hyperspace, both crews were in their cockpits, aboard the Ghost Zeb looked out the cockpit like Hera and Ezra "Looks like we missed the party."
"Nope, we got incoming fighters." Sabine said from the radar.

"Evasive actions." Hera said into the coms, "Great, not even two seconds out of hyperspace and we're under attack." Wedge said from his A-wing flying close to Sawyer.

"Roger, roger." Ahkilleon said as the three ships broke off and a squadron of a dozen TIE fighters screamed in pursuit of them, the TIE's split into three groups of four hunting the new fighters.

Aboard the Revenant, Ahkilleon was in the pilot seat when Beetoo alerted him to something, "More fighters, ours or theirs?"
"Welcome to the party, Captain." A familiar voice said as another squadron of fighters broke through the air into the pursuing tie's a colorful band of Interceptors with a dark blue one leading the pack, "Commander Sparta, that you?" Sawyer asked as she saw the commander launch from his fighter drawing his vibrosword to slice one TIE's wing, attack a detonator to another one and his droid autopilot take out the third.

"In the flesh, with company." another familiar voice, the cocky ace Jetstream in his red and white interceptor. Dragoon interceptors flying with the same speed and precision of the Jedi Starfighters of the old republic.

Among them were also Vandal the female Harch and the bulky woman known as Grizzly in brown, Riptide in his seagreen suit, who took out the other fighters, "See you brought some friends Captain Tano?" Jetstream asked.

"The more the merrier, let's get down to base before more TIE's show up." Sparta escorted them down to the volcanic surface of Sleheyron.

Wedge let out a sigh of relief after the TIE's were gone, "At least it's over."
The Dragoons all let out a chorus of laughter, "Boy, it's just begun."

The surface of Sleheyron was a volcanic world where the few remaining wilderness were uninhabitable, made of jagged spires of basalt slag. Most of the planet was covered by urban areas, including numerous industrial areas, spaceports and refinery districts. Sleheyron economic muscle was second only to Nar Shaddaa, as was the level of intrigue that occurred there. Most of this economy was based on slave trade and on the refinement of tibanna gas in starship fuel. The two larger ships were escorted by Sparta and his Dragoons down to a large city under siege.

"Uh shouldn't we go around?" Zeb asked.

"Nowhere else to go, reb." Sparta said as they flew through incoming cannon fire from Imperial guns, nearly two dozen Imperial walkers were marching on the city. "Sawyer follow me along the west side, we got another regiment of bucketheads moving in from the east."

"Roger, ro- Commander Tano?." Sawyer asked, "Go, go, don't waste any time, Beetoo take the wheel." Ahkilleon said, getting up and grabbing his helmet heading to the back of the ship, "Take us over the main advance of the enemy, we need to break the momentum."
Hera's eyes went wide, "What?" Hera asked.

"Ghost, get the supplies into the city, I'll join you when I'm done." Ahkilleon said as he slid down the ladder his men watched him walk by and he opened the bay doors canon fire, Imperial TIE's tangled with Militia Hawk fighters, explosions shaking the air with claps of thunder. "But we need a plan before we counterattack?" Wedge said.

"I am the counterattack." Ahkilleon slammed his helmet on and leapt out of the loading ramp hundreds of feet in the air and aimed his head downard like a missile arms at his side moving with increasing speed, the wind whipping past his head toward a sea of mudtroopers and stormtroopers running over volcanic rock and lava streams. From the lines of Militia ramparts and trenches they saw something falling through the flak, a silver missile falling faster and faster, a stormtrooper looked up at the last thing he would ever seen when Ahkilleon drew his fist back and with every ounce of his force, the soldiers on the wall, including the recently promoted clone General Sigma, saw half a hundred Stormtroopers and mud troopers go flying in all directions, with volcanic rock and lava spraying all around.

For a brief moment the battle paused, till the smoke from the crater drifted away, Ahkilleon had both arms back and launched a thunderbolt of force lightning cracking the air in electrical canon of power, the closest stormtroopers were evaporated into ash, a two legged walker exploding, Ahkilleon running out atop the nearest overtaken rampart, cleared of stormtroopers, drawing his red and blue hum of the blades, "FOR THE MILITIA!" Ahkilleon howled.

Ahkilleon leapt off the rampart and into no man's land, full of mudtroopers and walkers, hacking them apart with his lightsabers, "General Sigma, did you miss me?"
Sigma looked at him through his helmet's visor, "Like mynocks on a starship, about time you showed up." Behind the city walls, the triple barreled droid tri canons were scattered across large circular drum shaped buildings opening fire on TIE's, those that were still standing. The street leading to large refinery buildings for starship fuel Militia droids and regulars running through the streets with ammo, wounded, and more. Large metal Militia walls and ramparts had been set up around the city's outskirts holding off waves of Imperial army, with large white spots of Stormtroopers at the vanguard where fighting was the thickest. Behind the walls and atop the ramparts cannons pointed skyward, mixing with the Hutt architecture that stood taller than the drum shaped buildings. Trenches and earthworks had been turned over to make cover and protection. The Militia lines were breaking outside the large metal walls scorched with cannon fire, Imperial infantry and armor advancing.

"I've never seen so many bucketheads." Ezra said watching the attack, "We've lost every outpost and fort except for Sleheyron City, Imps have been taken." Sparta told them as his men attacked another wave of imperials.

Ahkilleon drove his lightsabers into an imperial officer's chest, and dove behind a fallen Militia tank as a barrage of stormtrooper fire nearly killed him, "Missed you two, the AT-AT's, weak spot is the neck."

"Relaying to unit commanders, draw the fire with the other jedi." Sigma said.

"Other Jedi?" Ahkilleon asked as he saw fighting their way through the stormtroopers and mudtroopers toward him was a green lightsaber.

Behind the city walls, the Ghost set down in the Militia space port, alongside the Revenant which quickly released he tigers who started to run in rows of two to the main gate. "Come on, we need to get in this fight." Ezra said getting up.

"No, we need to know the situation." Hera argued.

"What?" Zeb asked.

Kanan nodded "Hera's right. We don't know what's out there, for all we know the Empire has another wave about to attack."
"Hera, Kanan, the city is under siege, they need every gun they can get." Sabine argued as she watched Breacher lead his men to the main gate.

Hera looked up at all the fighting in the skies, the TIE's outnumbered the Hawke's three to one, "Urrrr, fine, Kanan keep them safe."
"You know I will." Kanan said, getting up.

Back outside the walls, Ahkilleon swung his lightsabers alongside a tall man with a green lightsaber, before Ahkilleon could recognize him the Jedi rolled over Ahkilleons back, cut down a stormtrooper with a knife and used the force to crush another in their own armor. Ventus hacked down the next mudtrooper who tried to shoot him, "We need to draw their fire." Ventus said before they ran back into the fray. "Roger, Roger." Ahkilleon said before they attacked

Behind the walls, Kanan, Zeb, Ezra, Rex and Sabine were running out of the space port to the main walls where the assault was happening. The gates were open but only partially with Militia bringing in wounded regulars being carried by battle droids. Ezra looked around at all the wounded troops and dying men, "Kanan-" "We can't help them right now."
"We can." Corto said as he appeared alongside Yumi to start assisting the medical droids.

"Come on Ezra." Kanan said leading Ezra and the others up the walls, they shook from canon fire before they reached the top of the wall. Passing by defenders who were firing, sharpshooters with sniper rifles like Breacher were picking off imps from afar, before they arrived at a shielded command post atop the wall. General Sigma was standing over a holotable observing the battle.

"Sigma, we came to help." Kanan said to them.

Sigma glanced at them, taking note of Rex before he turned "We have this under control Rebel." Sigma said looking at the holotable, "Squad 45, advance to zone xesh, secure that choke point." he said watching the troops move. Ezra walked over to the ramparts to see the battle, the melting metal in the lava streams sent smoke up into the air, fire all around and the sounds of cannon fire, he could feel all the chaos, the carnage, the death the- "Ezra down." Rex grabbed him and pulled him back behind the wall as a sniper bolt almost took his head off.

"Focus kid, this ain't a raid." Rex told him Sigma noticed them.

"No, it's a war and if you want to help, use those lightsabers for what they're good at, drawing fire away from my men." Sigma said as another Imperial tank went down.

Kanan glance back at the others, he felt Sigma's eyes on him. Not because he was the leader but because he knew that Kanan had fought in the clone wars, when he was younger than Ezra he had been in war. "Zeb, Sabine take up positions on the wall. Rex your with me." Kanan told him.

"What about me?" Ezra asked.

"You… stay here with the others.'
"What!" Ezra protested.

Kanan spun around "Ezra, just do as I say. It's like Rex said, this isn't a mission, this is war." Kanan said before he turned to head to the wall, Ezra watched Rex and Kanan ran out of the gate before it sealed again and watched them run into the fire.

Out where the fighting was the thickest, Ventus and Ahkilleon were in the storm, like two dance partners they were a whirlwind of red, blue and green death. Another AT-AT went down falling into a river of lava sending molten magma everywhere. Ahkilleon took a second to look out at the enemy lines, the Imperial center was holding, the Imperial troops had gotten so close that both forces had shifted to hand to hand combat. Militia soldiers had drawn their short swords and hatchets wrestling among knives and imperial fists in a brutal melee. Ahkilleon watched one stormtrooper shove Militia regular into lava before a droid picked up the stormtrooper and through him into the magma before dragging the regular out, ripping off the melting helmet before he could be drowned.

Far to the right he could see three Imperial walkers advancing, one of them took a rocket to the neck going down, wobbling into the other and knocking it down as Militia troops loosed more rockets at its head to take out its guns. But to the left he noticed the imperial advance had halted, then turned to move away from the city, the last eight Imperial walkers started to back up, mud troopers and stormtroopers broke off their attacks and started to fall back.

"Sigma, are they retreating?" Ahkilleon said.

Sigma looked at the holotable seeing the Imperial pieces on the board slowly inching back, "Roger, Roger. We broke the momentum but they'll be back, all forces hold position, snipers pick them off. Unit commanders send out the B5's for skirmishers." Sigma said, up on the walls the rebels watched the stormtroopers and mudtroopers falling back. Zeb and Sabine loosened up and Ezra watched the snipers take aim and keep firing down in the killing field; none of the Militia cheered, or cried in victory; they had just held out for another day.

LATER

The sun had started to set on Sleheyron, the main force of the Militia had removed themselves from the field with droids, and the few reserves they had to take their place. The gates opened all the way for Ahkilleon to make his way into the city with his men behind him. Following them were Rex and Kanan, the rest of the Specter's saw the soldiers coming back from the battle their armor, clothes and faces stained with ash and some with dried blood, but who's?

A B5 droid with vanguard markings on it, approached Ahkilleon, "General Sigma requests your presence at the Technopalace."
"Tell him we're on our way." Ahkilleon said before he turned to Breacher, "Get the lay of the land, and the men." Ahkilleon said to Breacher who nodded.

Ahkilleon and the rebels got into a land speeder and road their way to Hutt Techno Palace, a large illustrious building with high walls, adorned in Hutt carvings, that had been defaced and Militia banners hanging from them. Ahkilleon joined Hera in the speeder who noticed that the Militia weren't the only ones in the city. Among their numbers were a handful of humans and aliens who were marked with golden tattoos on their bodies, "The Militia certainly made themselves at home." Hera said next to Ahkilleon.

"You almost sound sympathetic to the Hutts?" Ahkilleon asked.

"Hardly, just never used to seeing military occupation." Hera said to him.

Ahkilleon looked up at a Militia flag on the buildings "Liberation, Sleheyron was home to a Vosadii the Hutt, made fortune in slaves and gas from the planet." Ahkilleon said, leading them to a group of speeders "This whole planet now delivers half the fuel to the Militia fleet, when we took it we shipped off all their reserves to Raxus, but the Empire's interrupted production and transportation."

Ezra who sat behind him cocked a brow "And you know this how?"
"I read the report." Ahkilleon said as they drove, here were more Militia and droids than the Rebels had ever seen mixed in with a population of weequay, rodians, and other aliens. Among them were many humans, twi'leks, quarrens with golden tattoos who were wearing Militia armbands walking with the Regulars and B5 battle droids who were all being worked on by Militia who were using piles of spare parts to repair them. "What's with all the gold tattoos?" Ezra asked in the back seat.

"Like I said, Vosadii the Hutt made money for the slugs in gas and slaves, the gold tattoos mark them as property, one Vosadii the Hutt used his slaves to make a fortune with the Mining Guild. Once we arrived we freed the slaves." Ahkilleon said to them.
"And now they work for the Militia?" Kanan asked skeptical, "Work with us, Kanan, locals who were free don't much care for us, but the freedmen are all too happy to help, now the fuel they died over is theirs to profit off." Sparta said while they rode to a large Hutt Palace, with core world technology sprouting from its walls and array atop the dome. The largest of which was a giant planetary shield generator, in the shape of a massive satellite dish.

"I doubt Vosadii the Hutt liked that very much?" Zeb asked him,

Ahkilleon said nothing, as they pulled through the citadel gates into a large yard where many former Hutt slaves were working, they stopped berifly to stare at the rebels, before they resumed their work soon after, and the rebels were escorted into the command center, the great hall of Vosadii had been retrofitted into the recently promoted General Sigma's HQ, he had a holotable in the middle of the room, mobile monitors and screens were set up all around it, with sandbags on the walls and nearby the entrance, droids moved about carrying supplies with organics working in tandem, when he noticed the rebels walk in he barely gave them notice but focused on Sparta who came in from a side door with Sawyer and Wedge, and Ahkilleon, "Commanders, welcome to the mess."
"Where's the Admiral?" Ahkilleon asked.

"Patching him in now." a familiar robotic voice said, approaching through a side corridor was the super tactical battle droid Kalani, the tatical droid approached them with Ezra, Rex and Kanan cocking their heads "Kalani what are you doing here?" Ezra asked.

The droid scanned him, "General Kleeve sent me to assist General Sigma and Admiral Trench, I have extensive knowledge of siege warfare within my databanks." the droid said plainly.

A hologram of the cyborg Harch, Admiral Trench appeared in a green hue, "Admiral, how's the fleet?" Ahkilleon asked him.

"My boy click-click-click, not as good as it is to see you click-click-click, my fuel is running low, and we click-click-click had to scuttle two dreadnoughts click-click-click. This Admiral Fel is click-click-click cunning."

Sabine cleared her throat, "No offense, but the Empire had us study your tactics Admiral, while at the academy, they may know your playbook."
The Militia glared at Sabine and the rebels, "Just saying." Sabine said.

"He's not just smart, he's bold, buzzing around in that red TIE interceptor of his, he's taken out three of my Dragoons and a dozen Vulture squadrons" Sparta said.

"Red TIE?" Hera asked him, Sparta nodded, pressing a button on the holotable, "Unlike most of the Imperial officer corp, Fel is out there in the thick of it." a holographic image of a previous space battle appeared showing a bright imperial red TIE interceptor moving at lightning speed, "He's got some moves." Hera said, looking at the TIE. Wedge looked at it to and then to Hera who shook her head.

Sigma walked around the table arms crossed "We've noticed, this dance is going on far too long. We've sent two kill squads after him, they never come back. We're running out of resources and ideas which is why I called on you."

Ezra smirked, and so did Zeb "That almost sounds like you asking us for help?"
"Not you, him." Sigma said looking at Ahkilleon "Me, why?" Ahkilleon asked.

Sigma pressed a button and showed a ground battle outside the city, it showed Militia forces in combat among some volcanic rocks, their gray armor coated in ash and soot when out of the smoke came a crimson armored stormtrooper with a battle kama holding two SE-14r pistols in each hand, he moved like a gunslinger against the Militia shooting at the nearest men, a battle droid rushed him with a vibrowsword before the red stormtrooper kicked him off and shot him full of holes, "Demon! Where are you, show yourself!" the red stormtrooper pulled of his helmet to reveal Soontir Fel's sweat covered face "I want the Demon!" he shouted before the hologram froze.

"I think he may have taken a liking to you." Ezra teased.

Ahkilleon looked at the hologram, Soontir Fel's face was full of rage, his brow frothed with a sheen of sweat, his dark brown eyes full of that look, the look he'd seen the eyes of men he'd faced, the look of death.

ORONTES

Bridge of Admiral Fel's flagship

The Empire was moving their fleet around the planet, and Soontir was looking at a holorecording of the recent dogfight from the Rebels and Dragoons, "Stop, there." Admiral Fel pointed at the holographic image of the Revenat and the Ghost in close proximity, "That's Tano's ship, and the other, Thrawn says they're called the Specter's, get the Grand Admiral on the holo." Fel said Sloane nodded at a nearby officer and they walked around the holotable in the ship's command center.

"Admiral?" Sloane asked as he paced around the hologram, "It's him, Rae, I'm sure of it."

A few moments later a life size hologram of Grand Admiral Thrawn appeared "Mitth'raw'nuruodo, I have him." Fel said before Captain Sloane looked to the crew "Everyone out."
They cleared the command center, and Thrawn waited till he heard the doors seal from his own ship over Lothal, "The Demon has come?"

Fel nodded "He has, and he's brought his rebel friends, the Ghost crew."
This got Thrawn's attention, "Curious?"
"Tell me about them Thrawn, I've learned everything about these Militia here, but these Rebels change the paradigm." Fel said as he looked at the hologram, Thrawn walked over and pressed something sending Rae some files, she brought up the hologram to reveal the Ghosts crew.

"Of all the rebel cells I've dealt with, these are by far the most formidable I've faced." Thrawn said with a smile, "Pardon me Grand Admiral, but it sounds like you almost admire them?" Captain Sloane asked him.

Thrawn nodded, "If one is to know one's enemy, one must respect them. Let us begin with the ship's owner and pilot. Captain Hera Syndulla, yes that Syndulla family. I have the pleasure of meeting her, she is a stalwart woman and a skilled pilot. Dedicated to her beliefs so much that she destroyed her own ancestral home rather than allow the Empire to use it. Often seen with her astro droid, a modified C1 series one may consider obsolete but a crucial part of their ship, the Ghost." Thrawn said as he continued

Fel looked at the holographic images of the Specter's, "And the alien?"

"Yes, a lasat, formerly of their honor guard Captain Garazeb Orrelios often referred to as Zeb, do not let all that muscle fool you my old friend. Underneath all that brute strength and purple fur there is a keen soldier with a tactical mind, and with his lasat physiology he is faster than one would assume." Thrawn elaborated before he moved to Sabine.

"This one is most interesting, one our own in fact." Thrawn brought up an image of Sabine when she was an imperial cadet with her black hair tied behind her head, compared to her bright colorful silver and pink hair and bright armor, "Cadet Sabine Wren formerly of the Imperial Academy of Mandalore, in one word a prodigy, high marks, set ot graduate at the top of her class before she deserted. A brilliant mind as a fighter, like all Mandalorians. I believe she serves as the Specter's tech, explosives and translator."
Rae frowned "How did we manage to lose her?" she asked.

"A mystery for another time, and finally our resident Jedi." Thrawn said as he showed both Ezra and Kanan together with their lightsabers "Jedi Master Kanan Jarrus and his padawan learner Ezra Bridger, a native Lothalian.

Fel looked at them "Militia Jedi?"
"I assumed the same at first, but no, their fighting styles and tactics are different from recordings of these so called 'War Jedi'." Thrawn stated, "Though there is no record of any Kanan Jarrus in Republic files of Jedi, Jarrus may be blind but do not let that fool you he is as just as capable as the Jedi of yore. As for his Padawan, he is loyal to all of his crew, and unorthodox in his methods that I find most…. Intriguing." Thrawn said as he smiled.

Fel looked at them, "I've been studying the Jedi, they're fighting style, the Demon's especially, your assessment, Mitth'raw'nuruodo?" Fel asked him.

Thrawn grew quiet as he looked at Fel, his red eyes held an amalgamation of thoughts that hide emotion, "Soontir, while I do not disagree with your tactical assumption that Tano's defeat would a boon to our mens moral and your long term goals, its borders on an obsession."
"That's just it, it's not about me, it's about the Empire. The Emperor has promoted opportunists like Tarkkin and Pryce, this war will allow us to show who true servants are. We can change the Empire for the better, but we have to rid it of the current threat. Please, your assessment, old friend?" Fel asked him.

Thrawn sighed, "I do not know."
"That's a first, is he really that much of an enigma?" Fel asked him, "An adept description, a cunning warrior, unpredictable at most times, but face to face in single combat expect savagery unparalleled to anything you've seen"
SLEHEYRON

Techno Palace

Night had settled over the city, Ahkilleon was looking down at his holographic fleet ad Admirals & Armada's, a hologram of Admiral Trench sat across from him, playing with an Imperial fleet, Ahkilleon's a Militia fleet, the board was set over a volcanic world, Sleheyron, the Militia fleet was made to resemble the Cyberspider & Vanguard fleets stretch which was shotty to begin with, a handful of dreadnoughts against a Imperial fleet twice their size. Ahkilleon pressed a button sending his dreadnoughts forward, but Trench sent in swarms of TIE fighters followed by the destroyers flanking them from both sides, in two moves Trench had taken the fleet "Dammit." Ahkilleon said as he sat back in his arm chair. They were out in one of the Techno Palace gardens that had a holotable in front of them, two arm chairs one with Ahkilleon in it, Trench's holographic persona in the other.

"You must find the weakpoint click-click-click" Trench said to him.

The harch spider was eyeing Ahkilleon who started to reset the board, he was about to restart the game when he stopped "No, we can't beat them in space." Ahkilleon said, "Fel has more ships, and more resources right now, the only thing holding him back from orbital bombardment is the shield generator." Ahkileon said, looking up at the dish above them.

"Indeed click-click-click." Trench said.

Ahkilleon switched the program to show them an image of Soontir Fel, "Has he offered any terms?" Ahkilleon asked.

"Total click-click-click surrender." Trench said as he leaned on a cane "The men click-click-click and our injured would be spared click-click-click, but the officers. We would have to be made an click-click-click example." Trench said to them.

Ahkilleon smirked "Somehow I can't picture you facing a firing squad."
Trench shook his head "No click-click-click."

"The Empire wants the fuel here, so do we, in doing so they can't bomb the city because of the refinery. How many times have they attack the city now?" Ahkilleon asked.

"Eight click-click-click." Trench replied.

Ahkilleon looked out across as Slepheyron's volcanic landscape, "And they won't risk sappers because of all the lava flows, so they'll just keep hammering the city. Do we need something to draw them in? Draw Fel in." Ahkilleon said.

"You saw click-click-click his messages click-click-click, you are that draw." Trench said to him. The Harch stroked his mandibles, "Like a great beast that haunts a village click-click-click, he is the hunter and you the prey click-click-click, but how easily those places can switch."

Ahkilleon leaned in his chair looking at Fel's files, "Graduated near top of his class, decorated hero in a dozen smaller campaigns, dating a holomovie star. He's their poster boy for recruitment."

"As are you." Trench explained without clicking at him, "What?" Ahkilleon asked.

Trench pressed a button on the holopad showing what Ahkilleon thought was some kind of monster, but it was… him? A ghoulish depiction of Ahkilleon head to toe in armor, painted bright orange unlike the real armor that just had his face plate to honor his mother. It was adorned with fangs and claw ornaments, his lightsabers were crackling and burning like they were unstable with an imperial message above it "The Barbarians are at the Gate, Stop them." Ahkilleon read it aloud seeing the font and then an image of Soontir Fel appeared in his bright red stormtrooper armor with a blaster shooting Ahkilleons holographic image "Enlist today." It read at the bottom with Soontir saluting.

"He's like me?" Ahkilleon muttered.

Trench turned off the hologram, "To know your enemy click-click-click is to defeat your enemy click-click."
They heard footsteps and turned to see Hera approaching with Wedge, the young pilot behind her "Can we talk Ahkilleon, in private." Hera said turning to Trench, her eyes glowering at the Separatist.

"Admiral Trench is a commanding officer in this campaign, whatever you need to say he can hear it." Ahkilleon said standing up hands on his hips.

Trench stood too "click-click-click I must go, we must oversee our ammunition stocks click-click-click for the coming engagement." Trench said cutting the transmission.

Ahkilleon frowned, "If you want this alliance to work Hera, you and Kanan need to get over Trench's history, he helped raise me."
"And Sato didn't?" Hera asked him, calling out the double standard "Commander Sato yelled at me whenever I was on the bridge, that it was no place for a child. Trench taught me weak points in an enemy ship, and how I could chart stars if my nav computer was ever out."

Hera didn't decide to argue, "Wedge has something to tell you, about Admiral Fel."
"Really?" Ahkilleon asked, Fel walked up "I do, but this needs to stay between the three of us, it's not just a personal thing it's a rebel intelligence thing?"
"Sounds like Trench and Sigma need to hear it?" Ahkilleon asked Hera, she shook her head "I'm already going against protocol by tellin you anyway, but given the circumstance you need to know."
Ahkilleon paused before he nodded at Wedge to go ahead, "Soontir Fel's fiance, Wynssa Starflare." Wedge walked over to the holotable and pressed a few buttons to bring up the holonet and showed the beautiful blonde starlet in a bright yellow dress walking with Soontir at some premier, "What of her?"
Wedge stood up and sighed, "She's not just his fiance, she's…." He pulled out a small holodisk from his orange flight suit and pulled up a holographic picture of two kids, a black haired youth with a long face, next to a girl with dirty blonde hair, dirt under her fingernails and a bruise on her cheek, the two of them had their arms around each other "My sister, Syal."

Ahkilleon looked at the two images side by side and saw the resemblance, now more so with Wedge's current age next to Wynssa Starflare, "She's a rebel spy?"
"She is one of our best." Hera said "Which is why we have to keep her identity a secret, as Fel continues to rise in the Imperial ranks we gain greater access to Imperial high command." Hera explained.

"What does this have to do with our strategy?" Ahkilleon asked, Wedge spoke "Syal has been messaging me, Fel's promotions have been snubbed at every turn by the Moff Council, but this is his big chance. And despite being an Imperial, my sister says that Fel is an honorable man. He's already made three attempts at peace with Trench and Sigma, but they don't answer."
Ahkilleon frowned "We can't surrender, it would demoralize the men."
"We aren't asking you to." Hera said to him, "But Wedge's sister's cover is vital to the rebellion. And if she's right about Fel being an honorable man he might just accept an ultimatum."

Ahkilleon turned his back to them, hands behind his back, "I'm listening?"
"Don't surrender, retreat. Zeb overheard the Militia guards, Vosaldii the Hutt is alive in his own dungeon, offer to return him to the Hutts and the Militia to withdraw from Sleheyron without any more bloodshed." Hera said, Ahkilleon continued to listen "And our fuel source?"
Hera nodded "The Rebellion would double its efforts to get you more fuel, even if it costs us our own."

Ahkilleon folded his arms to his chest, fixing his jaw. He looked out across the city in near ruins, the lines of wounded lying through the streets, the bodies of dead men being burned to avoid disease. "How long do you think your people can hold out?" Hera sked him.

"Not long… I'll talk to Sigma." Hera smiled with a sigh of relief, "Thank you Ahkilleon."

Soon after, Ahkilleon was walking through the halls of the Technopalace, he found Sigma in the war room, he was Kalani and Turok who had not joined the main fray, "What do you have lad?" Turok asked him, since they asked him to come up with a plan. Ahkilleon looked at each of them, the droid, the soldier and the trandoshan, all of them were veteran commanders of more battles than he'd known. "General Sigma, the Empire has us surrounded and outnumbered, we've been bleeding men and resources to hold this world. A world that we took from the Hutts, who want the Empire to do their dirty work for them. Vosaldii the Hutt is the key."

Sigma leaned on the holotable, "Explain?"
"We have Vosaldii in the dungeon, he's our prisoner and the Hutts aren't the Empire. Their power is their syndicate, their myth of being cunning and clever, the Empire's is having overwhelming force. We can't win this siege unless we change tactics." Ahkilleon said.

"Win how?" Kalani asked him, "By doing what the Hutts do, by making a deal."

LATER

The doors to the dungeon opened, with a large dark purple hutt slithered out, he had golden tattoos over his back and face, and winced at the bright morning sky "You could have at least brought me my spectacles you barbarians." he muttered as the slug was moved out of the cell. The Rebels and Militia watched him scoot himself up to Sigma, Ahkilleon and Kalani, "What's all this?" Volsaldii asked licking his lips as he stood over the three of them.

Sigma had his helmet under his arm, "Your release has been arranged, we're going to escort you to the city gates so that you can be turned over to the Empire's… protection, who will take you back to Nal Hutta."
The Hutt gave a wormy smile "Oh jubilee, I knew it was only a matter of time before my cousin Jabba came for me." Vosaldii turned to a hover cart attached to an armored transport, nothing else would fit him.

Vosaldii looked around at his palace, "Hmm don't redecorate too much, I'll be back home soon." the Hutt slithered to the cart and got in it.

Sigma didn't say a word, Ahkilleon followed him to another speeder before Hera grabbed his arm "Thank you Ahkilleon, this means a lot."
Ahkilleon looked at her, then away following Sigma. Everyone made their way to the speeders and the procession entered the city streets, when the Militia soldiers and former slaves saw Vosaldii the hutt being taken to the gate, they hurled insults and called for justice as he passed some through things at the bulbous Hutt who just smiled. "I think when I get back, I'll institute a no break policy, if a slave dies we just get another. Don't you agree?" The Hutt asked those in his cart who also included the rebels, Zeb, Hera and Sabine.

The Hutt eyed Hera, "Oooo a pretty little twi'lek, I wonder what you'd look like among my concubines."

Hera ignored him, but Sabine started to reach for his pistol "Sabine no…. Maybe." She said.

They arrived at the main gates where they opened, a Lambda class Imperial shuttle was there, on the ground a squad of Imperial Stormtroopers stood around both Captain Sloane and Admiral Fel, who was wearing his bridge uniform instead of his armor. Not here for a fight, but a parlay. Sigma, Turok and Ahkilleon walked out with Vosaldii smiling the whole time "Hmm, maybe a gladiator pit for any captured soldiers, that would be nice with a volcanic backdrop."

Fel walked out with Sloane behind him, and they met each other outside the gates, atop the ramparts the Rebels watched with the whole city. "Admiral Fel, I give you Vosaldii the Hutt, as we promised." General Sigma said.

Soontir looked the Hutt up and down, "Thank you General Sigma, and once my shuttle is away, I will order my men to stand down and allow your ships to arrive to shuttle your men off planet, the Empire will take stewardship over Sleheyron."

Sigma turned to Ahkilleon who used the force to unshackle Vosaldii, his handcuffs dropped and the Hutt let out a joyful moan "Ah, sweet sweet freedom."

"Your excellency if you'd please." Fel said.

"Ah at last a true gentlemen-" BLAM

A blaster bolt had ripped through the back of Vosaldii's head and the giant slug fell forward dead, "What the hell?" Sloane grabbed her pistol, to see Sigma holding his, still smoking and when the Stormtroopers ran up the volcanic ash around them rose up to reveal Breacher and the Tigers surrounding the small Imperial squad. Sigma held his blaster aimed at them with Turok smoking his pipe and Ahkilleon watching them. "Treachery." Fel snapped.

"No, a message." Sigma said, "You barbarian bastards." Sloane barked at them hand on her pistol.

Sigma turned his blaster on her "And you're a fascist bitch. Sleheyron is ours by right of conquest, and by the ancient laws of the Rim we will not surrender it to the core, or to this waste of fat's inbred slugs." Sigma said as he kicked the corpse of Vosaldii who was bleeding from his mouth. "You want it, come and take it like we did." Sigma holstered his pistol and turned to head back to the city, the Militia cheered from the walls and so did the former slaves. Breacher and his men still stood there waiting for Ahkilleon to give any order, to kill Fel and Sloane and their men.

Fel turned to Ahkilleon, his teeth gritted at such betrayal but he turned his lips into a thin line "So be it."
Fel turned to leave and Sloane holstered her blaster "Go home her Fel, to your fiance, to your family on Corellia, your duty is to them not the Empire." Ahkilleon said loudly and quickly.

Sloane looked at Fel who was frozen to the spot, his face stone "Soontir no, he's goading you, you can't trust Jedi."

Soontir turned around and marched up to Ahkilleon, "I know my duty, Demon, and it's to bring peace and order to the Galaxy. And if that means killing you for all to see, so be it."
Ahkilleon locked eyes with him "I'll look for you on the field."

As the Militia headed back to the gate, Hera stood atop the wall looking stunned alongside Wedge and the rest of the Specter's at the double cross, "What… was that?" Wedge asked.

"What was coming to that slug." Turok said as he walked up the wall smoking his pipes he said as the rebels turned to him, "He executed a prisoner, shot him in the back of the head like a dog?" Zeb said in a low growl.

"No less than the Empire or the Hutts would do to every man, woman and child here, now shh this is the good part." Turok said as the gates opened, the main gate had filled with nearly all the Militia soldiers, pilots, droids, freedmen and city occupants. Sigma walked in with Kalani and Ahkilleon behind him. Sigma stepped up onto a speeder and looked around, he looked around the men "You all know me." Sigma said loudly "So I'm going to get right to the point, if this is it so be it, we all knew the risk of this fight when we took it." Sigma said looking around them "We will do our duty, to the last man."

With that, he left the speeder and headed back to the techno palace, "Really inspiring." Ezra muttered under his breath.

"Sigma's a pragmatist not a politician." Turok said as he looked out at the rocks, "Because we're about to be in the shit."

Kanan sighed, "As much as I disagree with the wording, we need to prepare unless we're leaving." Kanan said glancing in Hera's direction, she was still astounded from the brutal slaying of the Hutt whose body was being dragged by the stormtroopers onto the Lambda shuttle "We can't just leave, they'll need all the help they can get." Sabine asked.
"But is it our fight?" Zeb asked them.

Before Hera could answer them, they heard a commotion outside the gate house "We don't have enough men!" One Militia soldier shouted, he was Vanguard and had his helmet off, he was pale faced with oily blonde hair "We don't stand a chance."
Then someone shouted from the crowd "He's right, we need to flee."
"Where, our fleet can't get to us?." another shouted, the blonde ring leader started to get a crowd around him, "We can't win, we're all going to die!" he shouted.

The rebels took notice, Turok got off the wall "Restrain him, he's shell shocked."
"I'm wide awake Lord Skell, we've been bleeding, and dying over this lava rock weeks. It's a lost cause."
"COWARD!" a burly umbaran woman, with half her face bandaged up ran forward and punched the blonde man in the face, "We're all going to die." He said as pushed her back, and then through his own punch, all around watching and cursing at anyone who agreed or objected. The woman came back and kicked the man in the chest before she leapt ontop of him "Break it up." Turok snapped as he pushed people apart trying to get through and stop another fight from breaking out. The woman pummeled the coward before he threw her off and drew a long straight edge dagger "You want to die here so badly fine, I'll-" In a blur Ahkilleon grabbed the man by his knife arm and knocked him off his feet taking the knife out of his hand, and throwing it a inch from where the umbaran soldier had fallen.

Before either of the two soldiers could get up she saw Ahkilleon's gaze on her, the look in his eyes would make a inquisitors blood run cold, "Lord Asimov would weep at what he would see here, his Vanguard, cowering, fighting amongst ourselves when the true enemy is out there!" Ahkilleon said pointing with his mechano hand at the gates "AND THEY ARE COMING!"

Ahkilleon lowered his arm, "... But he's not." Ahkilleon said to them, he felt all their eyes on him and remembered he was a Militia Captain, not some frightened orphan jedi. "So I say let them!" he said looking up at the soldiers on the walls, rooftops and city streets he walked over to the fallen Umbaran woman and took the knife out, he held up his hand for her and she took it, "Let them know what it means to face Vanguard fury!" He shouted again and turned to the coward, Ahkilleon offered him his blade and the coward, he looked at the blade shame in his eyes before he took the hilt and Ahkilleon hoisted them up "Come on, we can take. Not for Sleheyron, not for the rest of the fleet, for Lord Asimov!"

But even after he had broke up the fight, the men around the square were all silent they'd been fighting for so long, they were so tired "Who's with me?" Ahkilleon asked the crowd.

Still silent, as if the fight had been melted out of them like the lava of the world "Breacher?" Ahkilleon asked the Lt. who was still atop the walls he snickered "You know I am my lord."

Ahkilleon glanced around over to the Dragoons, Commander Sparta had been sitting on a fallen rock before he rose "The Dragoons will fight."
"I will fight." A B5 battle droid computed, "I." Said the bald umbaran woman, "Yes." the blonde coward had found his courage, "And the rest of you, Are-YOU-WITH-ME!" Ahkilleon shouted at the top of his lungs to the rest of them and seeing others find their own courage, the rest of the Vanguard summoned their own fists held high, blasters and swords brandishing, Ahkilleon let out a roar

"Well you wanted a speech." Turok said up to Ezra and the rebels.

"Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora!" Ahkilleon stomped forward hands raised. "Ka ora! Ka mate! ka mate! ka ora! ka ora!" other Vanguard Militia and droids started to fall into step chanting with him, standing wide and slamming their fists onto their thighs, in loud slaps over and over again repeating the chant:

"Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora

Ka mate, ka mate! ka ora"

The War dance echoed out across the walls, while Soontir and Sloane watched the stormtroopers drag the bloated carcaus of Vosaldii onto their ship, hearing the Militia resolve. Behind it the rebels watched the war dance, Militia flinging their hands to the air, then turning right they held up their fists, and did another move all while shouting fists aimed low into the next part of the chorus. .

"Tēnei te tangata pūhuruhuru

Nāna nei i tiki mai whakawhiti te rā"

They raised their arms next to their head still chanting with Ahkilleon leading the war chant, one arm was flexed fist to the sky the other hand smacking the strong forearm while chanting.

"Ā, upane! ka upane!

Ā, upane, ka upane, whiti te rā!"

They exhaled in a low breath and then, silence the air was like fire everyone could feel the heat of the moment, the calm before the storm, was not for them but for the Empire, whatever came tomorrow, it was victory or death.