The bridge’s holoprojector was working in full force for once, projecting the now eight Admirals, a Senator General, an Army General, a Jedi General, a Lieutenant General, two Major Generals and a Brigadier General alongside our Oversight Committee. Bridger was looking dog tired, Rire looked rather pleased with herself, the Dornean President looked exhausted, the Mykapan representative looked intrigued and the Cophrigin representative appeared almost bored.

  “Gentlebeings.” I greet, “I have just defeated Admiral Varth and plan to divide my forces to allow us to seize the remaining territory we wished to incorporate within the new chokepoints.”

  “The Raxus system is in our hands as well.” Raddus gives his own status report.

  “The Chavauchée is progressing nicely.” Slocum reports, “Centares was surprisingly well defended, but we managed to defeat them thanks to our experience with hyperspace chokepoints.”

  “Sy Myrth and her allied territories remain safe as well. Though with the interest shown by our fellow Separatists we may become strained in the near future.” Senator Toora reports.

  “That is to say, the Separatists at Wobani and in the Bryx Sector have shown interest. They were rather appreciative of the idea that we would come to their aid once the Imperials get their heads out of their asses in the south.” Palatine Rire adds.

  “Home front is secure for now. No incursions from the south, it seems the most notorious pirates in the area are busy collecting bounties we can ill afford.” Benoni says, dissatisfaction clear in his voice. He would be one to dislike pirates and privateers, wouldn’t he.

  “You’ll dislike the next piece of information then.” Green says, “We’ve begun incorporating the various pirate networks into our intelligence brigade, though we aren’t giving them any intel other than imperial ship movements and where they may repair. The Dread Pirate Roberts of Algor has already seized a shipment of Imperial tibana, proton torpedoes and foodstuffs that were headed for Voss. Ohnaka and his gang have destroyed a force of Imperial cruisers near Centares and apparently secured the cooperation of the remnants of Sabaoth Squadron, currently stationed near Bandomeer. The Mandos in our employ nixed a dozen hostile frigates already and the Krawg have eliminated three smaller convoys heading for Saleucami.”

  “So there is an Imperial build up in the south as well.” I mutter.

  “We believe so. It makes my reinforcements that more appreciated.” General Kota says, the Jedi as serene as any member of his order ought to be.

  “What of the reprisal force?” Hatha asks, “If they come for Sy Myrth, I would like to know what we’ll be facing.”

  Brigadier General Green snaps up a datapad from out of frame and quickly prattles off his report: “Some of our agents have also reported Imperial reprisal force being sighted at Lantillies. We aren’t certain about the commanding officer, but it looks like Palpatine isn’t taking this lying down. Our agents have already counted a Secutor class battlecarrier, sixty Imperials, twenty Tectors, thirty Venators, forty Dreadnoughts, fifty Acclamators, fifteen Neutron Stars, fifty Nebulon-B frigates, thirty Arquitenses and maybe forty Carracks attached to the retribution force.”

  The room goes silent.

  “Stars, that’s an invasion force alright.” Krugwolt says.

  “How … where do we defeat them?” I ask, correcting my minor slip-up.

  “Sy Myrth might actually suit us best.” Hatha says with a frown.

  “Do we even have parity?” Slocum asks.

  Bvinsk picks up a datapad and quickly answers: “In short? No. The four fleets have a total of three hundred and nine ships of the line to the Reprisal fleet’s two hundred and one. However the four fleets only have a total of a hundred and twenty battleships, most of which are Fantail destroyers and Venators. Be aware that number doesn’t include our three battlecruisers, though I personally question the efficacy of the Inexpugnable class even after the pre-war modernization effort of the Judicial Forces. We also have an additional twenty two battleships fully ready for battle spread throughout the command with most of them concentrated into the heavy squadron and a final group of twenty battleships stationed at Argai under the 5th Free Dac Squadron. That is to the Empire’s hundred and ten battleships, more than half of which are Imperials. We only have some twenty seven warships total that could take on an Imperial one on one and have a good chance at a win.”

  “That assumes we can afford to strip our southern forces of their defenders.

  “We’d win the battle, but lose the war.” I say grimly.

  “And yet we cannot risk an engagement with the Reprisal Fleet if we do not stand on parity with them.” Rear Admiral Luxerite interjects.

  I tilt my head in recognition. It was not an enviable position that we were in.

  “Perhaps we could lure them into a trap?” Hatha suggests, “We do have the mines for it.”

  “It would mean using a new field type.” I remind Hatha, “The standard ones are too well known.”

  “My Super Tactical droid could whip a formation up.” Senator Toora suggests.

  “We’ll need them one way or another. Have your droid whip up a few different types for our use.” Benoni orders.

  “We could attempt an interception of the enemy force. Centares would suit us well.” Raddus suggests.

  “That would mean breaking off the current offensives, likely leaving Argai undefended and stripping us of our reserves.” General Kota cautions.

  “Yet what choice do we have?” Palatine Rire interjects, “We cannot win against such a force conventionally, you all have agreed on this. Not without sacrificing too much in return. So give us a solution.”

  “What if we don’t fight conventionally then?” Admiral Sykes suggests, “We could continue as we are, seizing enemy territory, evacuate civilians and any industry that could be vital to our operations and fight a war of scorched earth, mined egress points, ambushes, a death by a thousand cuts. Skirmishes in which they force us from the field, yet where we don’t suffer a scratch for the damage we inflict. Pull our privateers back to harry their supply lines alongside dedicated forces. Let them seize territory in hard fought sieges against our determined Volunteers, droids and any militiamen we can scrounge together.”

  “It will be costly. We cannot win a war of attrition on the ground.” Krugwolt cautions.

  “A pox on that!” The recently promoted Lieutenant General Carius’ma, a rather old Weequay, of the 300th Volunteer Corps barks, “We will fight and make them bleed for our fortress worlds.”

  “While stretching their supply lines. Destroying or seizing their convoys. Until they die to a million specks of pelting sand, blind to their surroundings.” I continue.

  “A sandstorm protecting our people.” Rear Admiral Luxerite says, his eyes widening, “Like the sand-whales of legend.”

  “My thoughts exactly. No holding back. Bvinsk, how quick can you get me a shipment of interdiction mines and enough mines to triple my current stockpile?”

  “Five weeks total.” The General replies.

  “Then let’s make sure we have the territory seized which we’ll need to ensure our victory!” Slocum says, a mad glint in his eyes, “Let’s murder some Imps.”

  Hyperspace spits us out above the esteemed and dreaded world of Argai. The rocky and hilly world below pockmarked with cites as old, if not older, than the Republic. In orbit I catch the sight of a Providence dreadnought, two Recusant heavies, two Providence battleships, fifteen Recusant lights, five MC30c frigates and fifteen Tionese Sloops bearing down upon my 120th Battlegroup. Sykes’s forces were busy off securing the system of Duinarbulon, east of Derellium, while Luxerite’s forces were busy securing the territories between the Caluula-Derellium Spur and the Tion-Caluula Lane.

  Leaving me to formally join the forces of Argai and her Free Dac residents and use them to hold back whatever force may come from the Perlimian.

  Argai was an ancient world, a storied world, home to Xim the despot and the warlord’s first capitol world. The world where he was most revered. The world where the martial tradition that had built Xim’s Empire still lived on within their fighter pilots, Bersaglieri infantrymen and droid assault infantry, and their defense fleet which had been known as fierce Corsairs alike to those of Algor. Well, until their naval forces were called upon for the Confederate cause and destroyed almost to a man during the battles for the Gizer-Contruum Gap.

  Now it was home to the last and least Free Dac stronghold. Their old repair yards now turned into drydocks and shipyards almost worthy of Mintooine, though in far lesser numbers. Within them I catch sight of a handful of Recusant light destroyers and Providence battleship hulls being laid down alongside dozens of MC30c frigates and four Tionese Man o’ Wars. It would be impressive if I didn’t know they were strapped for weapons to mount upon those ships and an increasingly low manpower reserve.

  “Hail the Lord High Exarch and the representative of the Free Dac Board of Directors.” I order as I observe dozens of Vultures and Tri-fighters fly on patrol.

  I continue to watch the storied world spin as I wait. Over twenty five thousand years of history occurred on that small ball of dirt. Made me feel small. Made me feel more certain what we were doing was right. After all, the Empire wouldn’t hesitate to invade such a world. Wouldn’t hesitate to destroy its culture and make it compliant. Wouldn’t hesitate to enslave its people. We would protect it instead.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  “Comms link established.” Commander Slas reports.

  “Front and center.” I order absentmindedly as I continue to watch the world below.

  “Fleet Admiral Dericote. Seems dire circumstances make the most unlikely of allies.” The Quarren leader says.

  I turn to face the two men head on. One was a Quarren, the same one who had come to Mon Cala to negotiate with King Lee-Char and Chief Ri on how to return the Free Dac into the fold. The other was an ancient looking Tionese man, his back slightly bent from old age and with a large pair of glasses on his weathered face.

  “Lord High Exarch.” I greet with a small bow, before doing the same to the prior speaker “Director.”

  “The people are glad to see our allies here.” The old lord says, his voice raspy yet firm.

  “We are glad to be here.” I reply, “I hereby would offer you authorization to scavenge whatever armor and weaponry you require from the battlefields of Derellium and Eibon to assist in the production of your warships.”

  “An offer we shall graciously accept, Head of Operations.” The Quarren says with a nod.

  “We would also enjoy placing further defenses and granting the 5th Free Dac Squadron permission to use our supply lines to produce further defenses for the system, be it by minefield or defensive installation.”

  “Something we shall also, graciously accept.” The Lord High Exarch says.

  “Excellent. I would ask your permission to have some of my more damaged ships interned into your drydocks for repair and retrofits when applicable. There shouldn’t be anything that requires longer than a week or two to fix, but I defer to your engineers’ expertise on that matter.”

  “That shall be of little issue for these men to accomplish.” The Quarren rerplies.

  “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some territory to prepare.” I reply.

  “By your leave.”

  “May you defeat as many foes as Xim himself.”

  A trio of Crusader corvettes emerge from hyperspace almost on top of the Imperial warships. The Acclamator immediately begins banking downwards to try and get the three warships into the range of its main guns while the three Gozantis jettison their cargo containers and attempt to move on an interception course.

  Yet as the six corvettes charge one another, launching torpedoes and firing lasercannons as they go, another ship enters the fray form hyperspace. A Neutron Star bulk cruiser emerges into the battle a few hundred clicks out from the maximum range of the Acclamator’s medium turbolasers. Yet the ship is not a typical Neutron Star, its front armored to create a firm bulkhead around a Munificent’s heavy turbolaser spur, while its central armor has been partially ripped out to make room for a series of smaller hangar bays.

  The ship’s front mounted weapon immediately fires off two bursts of red tibana into the shields of the Acclamator as two dozen StarVipers, a dozen Fang fighters and three Kom’rk fighter/transports emerge from its hangars and begin to rush into the battle themselves. The Strikecraft race to assault the enemy corvettes and strafe the Acclamator, launching concussion missiles and firing lasers as they go.

  Meanwhile the transports go below the Acclamator and insert themselves into its hangar bay, their drop hatches deploying dozens of Mandalorians into the belly of the beast. The few Arms-men and Stormtroopers resist as well as they can, yet many fall to the rapid assault of the surprisingly well armed Mandos.

  As a Gozanti goes up in flame the Mandos break into the elevator shaft which leads to the bridge. As the Acclamator’s shields break and a Mando corvette pulls away the boarding team begins their ascent. As a heavy turbolaser blast breaks a Gozanti in half the boarding team breaches the bridge and kills or incapacitates every crewman present before leaving a group behind while the rest rushes for the main reactor.

  Within half an hour the Mandos secure an Acclamator and rip out the transponders and blackboxes of the three Imperial corvettes. This would be a good payday for their clan and a small victory for the rebels.

  Moff Therbon was not having a good time as of late, something which was clear to anyone in his near vicinity as the wrathfully tempered man had devolved into a cold and constant anger. His entire command lay in ruins. Kashyyyk was in full revolt, partially thanks to the heavy handed tactics used by the Clones in trying to kill Grand Master Yoda and the Jedi Voss, partially because the Trandoshians had been awarded suzerainty of the system and partially because the only man who could still calm the Wookies, General McClellan, had retired the second he had heard of the savage Wookies being oppressed by the Clones as punishment for aiding and abetting the traitorous Jedi.

  Admirals Meade and Bruce resigned shortly after, taking most of their experienced officers with them into retirement and pseudo exile as they went. Meade had protested the very formation of the Empire and been removed from his post as Adjutant Administrator of the Greater Halla Sector Command for such opinions. Bruce meanwhile had been disgusted at the treatment of the Wookies, seeing too much of his own barbaric people in them, though that wasn’t surprising of the savage worlder.

  Then the pirate activity in the color command increased massively after the loss of two experienced Admirals and the two primary administrators of two regional commands. The only area not affected being Roche, everything coreward of Lantillies and, with hindsight suspiciously, Dericote’s command.

  Then Coruscant happened and with it, the early stages of a full on purge. Therbon had leaped at the chance of removing a few dangerous potential rivals. It certainly helped that his own position was secure as Dericote’s overseer. After all, the man needed to be watched and who better to watch him than his direct superior and the ISB?

  Therbon was almost openly gleeful when Honor had been demoted and practically squealed for joy when it was revealed that the old bat Jerjerrod was executed. He had toasted the Emperor’s wisdom when that bastard General Phil had a ‘stroke’. The man had been exhausting and his body deserved to be dumped in a landfill.

  After that the extrajudicial killings started. Meade died suspiciously to a neuro-toxin laced tea. Bruce died in a shootout on his homeworld after a confrontation with those who would arrest him on account of treason and leaking sensitive information. McClellan now imprisoned on suspicion of criminal incompetence and allegedly allowing Master Yoda to escape when the General was busy trying to fend off the Separatist invasion of his headquarters.

  And then, Dericote rebelled at Mon Cala taking almost his entire command with him. Allying with Separatist holdouts, traitors and pirates to build himself a coalition too large for his forces to easily take on. Not with the various pirates harrying his supply lines and Dericote’s agents sparking revolts within the previously stable Tion Cluster. Lianna was the worst, her shipyards no longer producing ships while Stormtroopers and more loyal Imperial Army elements enforced order planetside, fighting the local militias, police forces and reactivated droids in a guerrilla war.

  In the first weeks, as Imperial loyalists trickled back into secure territory, he had repeatedly requested a major retaliatory force to put down the rebels and pirates and been turned down at every point. All he could do was redeploy forces to where he suspected Dericote would strike. Forces which had been too small in number to do much more than act as fodder for the rebels.

  The Sith Cordon Fleet’s mutiny had been a very big surprise, as was their rapid advance to Mon Cala where they joined forces with Dericote, practically doubling his forces and essentially turning this from a two Color Command problem to his alone. It certainly hadn’t helped that the Cordon Fleet had bombarded every Imperial installation they could find between Korriban and Mon Cala that wouldn’t delay them overly much.

  He had raged at Amedda and various officers who had taken on the oversight of rebuilding the Military Operations Departments of the Empire, could they not see what was happening before their very eyes? Could the Emperor’s advisers, Viziers and Viceroys not realize the threat a revitalized Separatist coalition could do when bolstered and allied with those foolish enough to still worship the defunct and decayed Republic? Could they not hear the reckoning?

  And then Vader and Tarkin had returned to Coruscant, one a storm and the other already seeking the next Jedi to exterminate from the galaxy's face. Tarkin had demanded he be placed in charge of the retaliatory force. Had attacked Therbon for not doing more. Had attacked the leadership in Blazing Claw as well for not acting decisively against the concurrent Mandalorian insurrection. Had railed against Honor for her protege’s treason.

  In the end it was the quietly fuming Honor who had been awarded command of the Reprisal Fleet. It was Honor who had pointed out that Tarkin’s heavy handed response to a relatively minor act of rebellion, one whose cause was already dead by then and whose leadership had been willing to negotiate, that had started the whole mess. It had been Honor who then stripped the Core and Colonies regions of the Perlimian of their Star Destroyers to assemble a full tenth of all Imperials in active service. It was Honor who had taken over Therbon’s strategic displays and snidely remarked her protege's maps were more complete. It was Honor who was leaving for Centares to reestablish absolute control there and prepare her incursion.

  It was Honor who Therbon would support, because while Tarkin raged and Vader seethed, his former peer had presented a plan. A plan where she would decisively defeat Dericote once and then strategically tear out the Fondorian’s heart by committing to a war of reprisal and extermination.

  Argai would be reduced to ash, her people either killed or displaced, her historical artifacts looted for display on Coruscant or destroyed, a storied world, fallen from grace, reduced to footnotes in the history books. Because when the Separatists had been defeated, Argai had resisted and continued and when Dericote rebelled Argai had joined him eagerly, spitting on the efforts made by Imperial diplomats to return her to the fold of Galactic Civilization.

  Cophrigin V would burn, her cities and industry turned to ash and her people resettled. As it was Cophrigin which Dericote had elevated and rewarded for loyalty to the Empire. A loyalty they had spat upon by following the Fondorian warlord instead of their benevolent Emperor.

  Sy Myrth would be conquered. Ruisto would be forced to submit. Dornea’s shipyards would be dismantled and her designers executed alongside their leadership. Toong’l’s royal family would be exterminated, be it the ancient Queen Mother or the infant princeling.

  And Mon Cala? The World Dericote had defied the Empire for?

  Therbon smiles evilly.

  Mon Cala’s vaunted Merchant Fleet would be destroyed to the last, her shipyards dismantled, the design teams and artisan manufacturers of their vaunted Star Cruisers executed one and all. Her Monarch and Chief hanged, her Parliament shot and her oceans evaporated.

  No one would be able to defy the Empire after such an example of force. The graveyards of Argai and Mon Cala would be the proof of the Empire’s might. They would be a show of what happens when a world turned traitor, no matter the historical or cultural significance. It would threaten any cowardly leadership into compliance and cajole the mob into killing their leadership if they even considered secession openly for the fear that their worlds would be next.

  Then, there would be peace.

  Then, there would be order.

  Then, the Empire would thrive.