I was tapping my holster anxiously as I stood on the bridge. The entire 120th Battlegroup was comfortably orbiting Mintooine alongside the 99th Battleship Section. The two formations waiting for the remaining ships to reinforce us before we launch the attack on Dellalt. Maker if I ever have to go to Dellalt myself again I’ll hamstring whoever orders me to do it, damn the consequences.

  “Sir, we’re detecting two forces incoming.” Welder reports.

  “And?” I ask.

  “If the schedule is right, it should be General Tapal’s 433rd and the 25th Coruscant Defense Squadron.” Lieutenant Hursk reports.

  “Very well. Prepare the hangar bay for two shuttles.” I order.

  “Sir, one shuttle barely fits, let alone two.” Mi-Kus admonishes.

  “Then make sure one of them leaves before the other enters.” I reply, tone light, but never the less showing my stress.

  Mi-Kus rolls his eyes at me, but relays the orders anyway.

  I take another look at the arriving ships. The two Venators of the 433rd would certainly do well. The 25th meanwhile was a bit more of a mess. Five Dreadnoughts and two Carracks made up their first section, two Venators and a trio of Arquitenses made up the second and a quintet of Acclamators, three ones and two twos, made up the third section of the detachment.

  I nod as I finish gazing at the ships, turning on my heel to march down to greet the commanding officers. Musing on the latest status report as I do. Commodore Abelard successfully secured both Astigone and Byss with minimal casualties and damage to his ships. He was currently heading towards Altratone before doubling back to secure a couple smaller worlds between it and the sector headquarters at Cophrigin. He was almost done securing the Sector and was honestly due fro some more ships of the line for his squadron.

  Maybe I could send them from one of the reserve sections formed out of the old planetary defense forces we had mulling about on patrol. Worth considering at the very least. I make it to the hangar, where I find Solo waiting for me, though for once her uniform only has a single coolant stain and two small oil stains on it, a marketable improvement.

  “Evening Solo.” I say in greeting.

  “Not gonna crash my room and sneak half my booze again are you?” She asks.

  “Now, now, we’ll wait until the second night after the upcoming battle for that.” I say, trying to joke.

  “I’m all for a good drink, sir, but this ain’t exactly healthy for you.” She says.

  “Never said it was, Lieutenant, but I’d rather drink myself to an early grave than start smoking ‘baco sticks again.”

  “You could try rankweed or Marcan herb if you’re having trouble sleeping. Knew a few kids who had trouble with it and those put them to bed quite well.”

  “Tried them both during my time between Fondor and Carida. Neither was for me. I get too mean and regret speaking at all once I wake up the next day.” I say, shuddering at the memory. Sometimes I think Elix still thinks I blame him for Charley.

  “Sir … all I’m saying is you’ll end up in the gutter after this war is over.”

  “Ah, that’s what family’s for.” I try to assuage her as the troops form up to greet the first shuttle, “They’ll keep me out of the streets at least and if you’re so worried … I’ll try and keep the drinking to one night after the upcoming battle.”

  She sighs as she adjusts her uniform ever so slightly: “That’s the best I’m gonna get from you isn’t it.”

  “Probably.” I answer as the shuttle’s ramp lowers for a duo of Navy officers to descend.

  “Evening, sir. Permission to come aboard?” The first one asks.

  “Permission granted. Welcome to my Little Revenge.” I say, returning the given salutes before shaking the officers’ hands.

  “And a wonderful ship she is. Commodore Spencer, at your service. Commanding officer of the 25th Coruscant Defense Squadron, 70th Section and the Venator Omen, under Home Fleet Strike Group Five.”

  “Good to make your acquaintance and this is?” I ask, gesturing towards the Senior Captain beside the Commodore.

  “My second in command.” Spencer says, before offering the man up.

  He snaps to attention as he speaks: “Senior Captain Oicunn of the 67th Section, Dreadnought Mas Ramdar, under the 25th, under Home Fleet Strike Group Five, sir.”

  “A pleasure.” I reply, “This is my fighter commander and Attache from the Starfighter Corps , Lieutenant Commander Solo, of Little Squadron.”

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “Evening.” Solo adds.

  “So, shall we go ahead and get to the briefing room, or should we wait on the other party?” Spencer asks.

  “You may go ahead, my ship’s Senior Captain Mi-Kus and the 99th’s commanding officer, Commodore Praut, will already be there by now. It is the standard Command Dreadnought model 4-M layout.” I inform them, “And if you require help, simply ask a crew member or a mouse droid.”

  “Very well, we shall await you in the briefing room.” Spencer says, before he and Oicunn snap a salute and march off.

  The second shuttle hasn’t finished its landing sequence as its boarding ramp lowers and a slightly larger Padawan jumps through the gaps and runs up to us. I’m barely even surprised at this point and merely share a long suffering glance with Lieutenant Solo as Kestis skids to a halt before us.

  “Evening, Padawan Kestis.” I say, “You are aware your Master will not be here for a minute and that we will be waiting on him?”

  “Yeah, but I’m excited!”

  “Kid, if you don’t slow down, you’ll end up face first against a door sooner rather than later.” Solo advises.

  “Ah the famed Corellian wisdom.” I mutter.

  “Like you’re much better. Half your strategies are to charge at the enemy!” She snaps at me.

  “Excuse me, but there is quite a bit more to it than that.” I object, “Maybe I should put you forward for promotion. If you’re having problems seeing tactical decisions from your current post, maybe a higher rank will impart the lacking wisdom.”

  “Oh fuck you! I never wanted the promotion I currently have, what makes you think I’d want another?” She asks incredulously.

  “Sounds like I’ll have a wonderful new Captain for the Starfighter Corps soon.” I say, ignoring the confused redheaded kid and the approaching Lasat.

  “Dericote I swear on my mother, if you promote me to Captain I’ll fuckin’ rip your balls off and shove them down your throat!”

  “Stop fucking swearing, there’s a kid right there.” I say in a poor attempt at a calming voice as I gesture towards Kestis.

  “He’s been fighting this war for at least a year by now. If he hasn’t picked up his fair share of curses I’ll eat my officer’s cap.” She retorts.

  “That doesn’t make it okay.” I object, “And I’m still gunning to promote you to Captain.”

  “Fuck you!” She says before storming off to work on her fighter.

  “Should I be concerned?” Tapal asks, tone serene.

  “No, she’s mad at me for a couple reasons, she was bound to explode sooner rather than later. Doesn’t help we’re heading back to twice cursed Dellalt.” I answer the Jedi, “She had a close call during the raid and almost didn’t make it to a hangar. It certainly didn’t help that she’s the only one of the pilots left from the first raid on Dellalt at the start of the war. We lost the last of the first raid fighter vets there during the last raid.”

  “I am sorry to hear that. I wasn’t aware she had suffered such loss.”

  “We’ve all suffered loss and we all have ways to work through it. She just needs to blow up at someone every now and then. Rather it be me before a battle, than a stressed out mechanic who could very well maul her with a wrench after or during a battle.”

  Kestis perks up at the image: “Has that happened before?”

  “Once.” I mention suppressing a shudder as I speak. Lieutenant Rockbell was not someone to agitate, especially if one wanted to keep anything in the hangar bay running.

  The elevator spits us out and I continue marching towards the briefing room, two Jedi on my heels. I wasn’t exactly sure if it made me feel safe, or anxious. Then again the anxiety was probably Dellalt. I was not prepared enough to fight at Dellalt again, maybe if I’d had another year, but no.

  The doors open to reveal Spencer, Oicunn, Mi-Kus, Hugh, Faxe, Luis and a handful of my strategic Adjutants. I clear my throat as I speak: “Ladies and Gentlebeings. Our target is Dellalt. I plan to defeat the enemy with only two quick and brutal fights. I don’t want a siege or a long brawl at range. I want a massacre followed by a fistfight ending with us stomping the heads of the enemy open on the side of the road. I want the system secured within a single day of shock, awe and brutal violence. So, let’s begin.”

  Despite my previous winging, I was feeling a lot less anxious about attacking Dellalt now than I was merely a week and a half ago. Though to be fare I was still feeling incredibly anxious about it all. I tap against my holster, gazing out into hyperspace. I probably wouldn’t be any less anxious if I had the Sith Worlds Cordon Fleet behind me though, so there was … nothing I could really do about it. Though Maker on high who I would murder in cold blood for even a single section of such a formation. Might even have attempted to kill the Supreme Chancellor for a section of that honored and dreaded formation when I first assumed command.

  “We’ll be exiting in thirty.”

  “Are you sure about this plan?” Mi-Kus asks.

  “I think it should work. Hatha’s forces have been sighted near Roche a few days ago. Without him, I doubt the enemy will be able to predict me. If they don’t act exactly as I want them to, we should still be able to win a conventional fight.” I answer. Though in all honesty a conventional fight would certainly be a bloodbath and likely result in some kind of siege as more and more forces are pulled into a vortex of violence and death. There was a reason I want a brawl instead of a siege, the enemy would win a siege.

  “I’m simply unsure how this will be successful. How do we stop them from simply pushing through the center, or making a run upwards or downwards.”

  “Our crews are veteran. Dellalt’s are reported to be on the more inexperienced side, having mostly fought pirates and our two raids in which we butchered those who actually engaged us. With our experience we should manage it.” I mutter in answer.

  “I’ll trust in your judgment, sir.” Mi-Kus says as the final countdown begins.

  “-two, one, exiting.”

  We’re one of the last ships out for once, the Coruscanti ships already forming up an arrowhead for the center, the Venators of the 433 rd splitting and taking about a quarter of the remaining forces each to flank the Coruscanti center, the remaining ships forming a couple lines around the Little Revenge as we rapidly begin to move towards the forces around the gas giant whose tibana extractors we’d destroyed barely three weeks ago. The Seps were clearly trying to repair the damaged extractor, seems the effort would end up a waste.

  “Jamm comms and fire at will.” I order calmly. We had made a small adjustment in our jump, avoiding the kuiper belt and trusting our calculations to pull us out almost on top of the enemy formation around the gas giant.

  “Doesn’t look like all of them had their shields up.” Mi-Kus mutters in confusion as over a dozen heavy turbolasers impact the hulls of the Sep ships.

  “Rookie mistake. You’d think they’d have learned better after the raids.” I mutter.

  “The Dreadnoughts I can excuse, I remember how old reactor two was always on the fritz.” Mi-Kus says as one of the enemy heavy cruisers light up like a cheap cigar, her entire front turned into slag and burning from inside.

  “I think we blew up one of the enemy hangars in the opening salvo.” Lieutenant Hursk reports, “They still haven’t launched fighters.”

  I tap my holster a moment before nodding. I could use that: “We still jamming enemy comms?”

  “Yes, sir.” Lieutenant Slas says.

  “Keep it up. How much longer until the enemy forces ahead are done for?” I ask.

  “With the Coruscanti closing distance, probably only a few more volleys. Especially if the enemy continues to fail to launch fighters.” A strategic Adjutant reports.

  “Prepare all forces to split into units.” I order. I … I wasn’t sure anymore where I had gotten this tactic from, it was ancient on Earth, similar to other tactics used during the Sith Wars, but with my own spin to it.

  A line stretched slightly too thinly in the center, with my command ship just two dozen clicks behind alongside my trusted 347th O.R. Section and the three Acclamators of the 360th O.R. Section, I had even temporarily assigned the Dac’s Guard and the six Pelta transports to the rear line to make it seem more convincing.

  “Enemy forces rallying about fifty thousand clicks galactic north of Dellalt’s outer moon.” Welder reports.

  I glance over at the forces directly ahead of us, almost entirely destroyed. All that was left was to leave the wrecks behind with scavenger crews and rescue craft. I can already see about a quarter of my force’s auxiliary tugboats and shuttles scouring the wreckage.

  “Bring us about. I want the Coruscanti in the center. They know the plan, but I wish to remind Commodore Spencer that once we stop, he is not to move unless it is critical. Prepare frigates and tugs for mine-laying operations and divide into our six units. I want Units Buckler and Avarice on the extreme flanks, Strom takes the north-east, Hugh the south-west. General Tapal is to take the north east flank and Commodore Praut the south west. Maker keep us.” I order.

  “Coming about!” The Helmsman reports.

  “I’ve got the enemy’s numbers on scope, sir.” Welder offers.

  “And?”

  “One Providence dreadnought, two Lucrehulk battleships, two Recusant heavies, three Providence battleships, four Recusant lights, three Dreadnought cruisers, thirty Munificents, forty Munifexes, and at most thirty Gozantis, though I only have ten on scope.” My sensors officer reports.

  “They outnumber us.” Mi-Kus mutters, “More than two to one in ships of the line, probably two to one in fighters and bombers. We only hold an advantage in light ships and pickets.”

  “Then it is a fair fight.” I say, “Prepare anti-fighter fragmentations and concussions and get into position asap.”