78 Interlude: ShadowfeedI

Shadowfeedstudio

Raxulon city

Raxus

"Good morning to you all, citizens of the Confederacy! I'm Ryloth Resa and today I want to welcome you all with our first broadcast from Raxus!" A blue Twi'lek woman exclaimed. Her face was hidden by strategically placed shadows, however her voice was know to trillion both in the Confederacy and the Republic.

"Good morning, Raxus! I'm Ull Haber and today we bring you the truth about the war from the center of the free galaxy!" An apparently human male whose face was hidden too displayed his exuberance for the whole galaxy to see.

"Lets start with the topic we at Shadowfeed know is on the minds of you all – the sudden change of leadership in the Confederacy!" Everyone watching could feel that Resa was beaming at the cameras. "We've been diligently investigating for months before finding out the truth."

"Indeed, Ryloth." Ull added cheerfully. "The results of our investigation are ready and they're why we took the radical step of moving here to Raxus. We at Shadowfeed are glad to dispel some of your fears." He added in a more somber tone.

"It's regrettable that our agents were able to confirm others." Resa could be seen nodding in the shadows. "The former leader of the Confederacy, Count Dooku was arrested under suspicions that he was a Sith Lord." The Twi'lek said. "That came as a shock to many. After all, he's been saying for years that the Republic had fallen under Sith control and the Confederacy was the one true hope for freedom in the galaxy."

"I'm afraid to report that we were masterfully deceived." Haber spoke in a sad tone. "Among Count Dooku's personal items seized after his arrest were documents and journals proving that he is indeed a Sith Lord. Even more concerning, he often speaks of a Master who is highly placed within the Republic."

"We're making the documents our agents managed to copy available to you all to see." Resa waved a hand and multiple windows appeared around the anchors. "At this time its our best guess that the Clone Wars were engineered by the Sith so they could seize control of the Republic and crush the freedom loving people of the Outer Rim and those supporting the cause of real democracy and freedom across the galaxy."

"The sudden appearance of the Republic general Veil, who freely admits that he's a Sith and his war-crimes lends further credence to that theory." Haber continued. "The most damning revelations about Count Dooku are fragmented orders retrieved by Confederate slicers confirming that he gave the orders for unleashing the bio-weapon Blue Shadow on both Naboo and Coruscant. Further, it was under his direction that the peace conference on Cato Neimodia was sabotaged and Republic Senator Padme Skywalker grievously wounded."

"The betrayal by that Sith runs deeper. Our agents recovered data confirming that he persuaded Wat Tambor, the former leader of the Techno Union to make a deal with certain criminal elements in Hutt Space so they could make the Confederacy complicit in the enslavement of millions of peaceful Ryloth citizens!" Resa's rightful indignation shone through her words.

"After Dooku's guilt was proven, the Confederacy Council made the decision to attempt to end this war one last time so we could foil the Sith's plan." Ull continued. "Count Dooku was handed to a Republic naval battle group under the command of Jedi Master Rahm Kota more than a month ago so he can be put on trial for his crimes against all free sentient beings in the galaxy." Haber paused. "We heard nothing from the Republic since then. Attempts from Confederate diplomats to open talks were rebuffed."

"Everything our agents could gather and all our sources in the Confederate government agree with one regrettable truth. The Republic appears to have fallen under the control of the Sith. It's unclear how many of the Jedi followed suit like the former Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was placed in charge of the Republic armed forces." Resa took up the narrative. "This is why the offensive currently carried out by Confederate forces across the galaxy was approved. There could be no peace, no freedom, while the Republic is under the control of power-hungry, warmongering Sith."

"We all saw what means to lose when the Sith are in charge. Geonosis is a testament for the Sith's brutality and cruelty. Even now, more than two months after that world fell to Republic forces led by the Sith Lord Delkatar Veil, the civilian casualty count is being updated." Haber reminded the viewers. "Under the Sith, the Republic thew away all conventions of civilized warfare and wantonly bombarded civilian targets leading to more than four hundred millions of non-combatant casualties to date."

"Yet, when general Grievous was sent to Mandalore to bring Veil to justice and execute a lawful reprisal, against strictly military targets mind you, he was captured and summary executed by Veil's ally Obi-Wan Kenobi. Even now, Republic propaganda is busy tarnishing the image of one of the Confederacy's most successful military leaders while singing praises to their own pet butcher!" Resa exclaimed full of righteous indignation.

"Fear not!" Haber announced. "The days of the Sith and their pawns are numbered. As we speak, fleets led by the Confederacy's finest military minds liberate large parts of the galaxy! Forces under the command of admiral Kirst are assaulting Kamino as we speak so they can capture the source of endless Republic manpower."

"Other Confederate forces fight valiantly to liberate Mandalore and all peaceful New Mandalorians from the war clique led by Veil who took power after a coup following general Grievous attempt to arrest the war criminal." Resa added.

"We can confirm another news that has been on the minds of many. Duro finally surrendered to Confederate forces under the command of Admiral Trench. The system is being fortified against Republic reprisals and efforts are underway to eradicate Sith influence among the Duro's government. Meanwhile, admiral Dua Ningo finally broke the fanatical Republic resistance at Antar and is consolidating his forces before pushing further into the Core..." Haber continued.

=RK=

"With the galaxy set aflame by the actions of the Sith, many citizens wonder why we fight." Resa continued after the summary of the current military situation was over.

"It's an important question. Why the people of the Outer and Inner Rim should fight, sacrifice and die to save a decadent and corrupt Republic from its just reward?" Haber nodded emphatically.

"The answer is simple and regrettable. There is no other choice for any freedom loving being in the galaxy. We all know the history of the Sith, even if the details had fallen out of favor in many history classes. While we'll be running a special editorial about the history of the Sith later this week, the high points are obvious to us all. They become crystal clear when we examine the actions of Dooku and Veil, the two Sith we know for certain exist." Resa explained.

"Wanton senseless destruction. War crimes. Slavery. Those are among their sins. How long before they announce that the Republic is no more and openly replace it with an Empire? How long before they stir the gullible into a frenzy and persuade them that everything that's wrong in the Core Worlds and the Inner Colonies is the fault of the peaceful people here in the Outer Rim? I ask you, how long before they come to put a durasteel boot on our backs because we dare defy them?" Haber exclaimed.

"If given the chance,tomorrow." Resa answered the rhetorical question. "We've been showing the galaxy the truth for months now. Bringing Republic propaganda, lies and crimes into the light. We've been doing the same when misguided elements in the Confederacy committed crimes in an attempt to retaliate for the GAR's atrocities."

"The sad truth is that there could be no peace while the Sith control the Republic. If the Confederacy does anything less than its best to achieve a total victory, it wouldbe betraying not only the ideals it was built upon, but condemning every one of its citizens to life under Sith rule. Our few remaining agents on Mandalore showed us all what happens with those who oppose the Sith." Haber said.

The Death Watch organization whose only crime was to wish a reform that kept their traditions alive and to support the Confederacy in its defiance of the Sith led Republic hadbeen outlawed and its members hunted down like rabid krath hounds. That's what awaits us all if the Republic is allowed to triumph – every free minded individual in the galaxy wouldbe labeled a dissident and hunted down for daring oppose tyranny!"

Phase 35: The Lost Fleet

=RK=

Part 7

Bridge

Mon Calamari Star Cruiser Liberty

Mon Cala system

This wasn't his place, Gial Ackbar thought. He should be back under the oceans of the homeworld with his prince. Instead, like a good Guard captain, Ackbar followed the orders he hadbeen given.

"How long, captain Rowe?" Ackbar asked the chief engineer in charge of retrofitting the Liberty into a warship.

The much older Mon Calamari looked up from a data pad he was studying and blinked at the interruption.

"We're running out of time." Gial pressed on. "The Republic fleet won't be able to keep the enemy off our backs for much longer and the capital might fall withing days. We need this ship ready to fight is way to friendly space with as many people we can cram on board." Ackbar continued. "How long?!" He asked again.

"The primary shield systems are good. We still have problem with the secondary emitters interfering with each other and scrambling targeting scanners along the broadside. While half of the turbo-lasers and Ion Cannons are installed and ready for testing, we're only thirty percent done with the Guardian. We need more time!" Rowe exclaimed.

"That's the one resource no one can give any of us, chief engineer. How will the Liberty stand up to Separatist frigates? To a battleship?" Ackbar sighed.

"Oh. That." Rowe tilted its head in confusion. "Why didn't you say so? Once we resolve the interference issues, she'll be able to take on a battleship or two even with the limited armaments we've been able to instal."

Ackbar felt like strangling the engineer.

"Get it solved then. The first evacuees will be arriving tomorrow morning. We'll likely be carrying whats left of the Royal family too, so for all our sakes, I hope that you're right. We'll have to fight our way to friendly space." Gial said.

Ackbar dismissed the engineer, made his way to the comm station andcontacted the Royal palace. Soon the captain was looking at the tired youthful face of prince Lee-Char, the heir of the Dac throne. The young royal was wore a crumpled blue uniform with only the few medals he had earned during the fighting when he got too foolhardy and actually led from the front to prove his bravery. Fortunately Gial and the rest of the Guard managed to keep their charge alive. At least the boy more or less knew how to handle himself in a scrap.

"Captain Ackbar, its good to see you." Lee-Char smiled tiredly. "I hope you have good news. We can use some."

"The Liberty will be ready soon, my prince." Ackbar said.

"Good." Lee-Char's stiff posture relaxed a bit. "We won't be able to hold for much longer. General Fisto took our remaining reserves out to slow down the enemy advance. The best estimates are that in two days the capital's defenses will be breached." The prince looked at the floor. "If we're lucky."

"The situation up here isn't much better. The navy is hard pressed. I have to report that most of the refits won't be completed in time. At best we can count on another partially armed Star Cruiser. The good news is that the others will have their shield systems mostly operational. We should be able to evacuate a lot of civilians." Ackbar hoped so anyway. Getting all those people to the ships and then to safety was going to be anything but trivial.

"I'm glad to hear it, captain Ackbar." The prince smiled. "I'll organize the evacuation. We'll get out everyone we can before the capital falls."

=RK=

Coral City outskirts

Mol Calamari

Kit Fisto was in his elements. The cool ocean water slid around him as he swam forward leading hundreds of Clones and Mon Calamari into battle. The Jedi Master wished he had the time to appreciate the beautiful reef surrounding the capital before they were ruined by the battle, however he knew that it was a wishful thinking. In font of him tens of thousands, both flesh and blood soldiers and droids were busy dying.

Fist could feel the battle even before his eyes could see the wild melee. He waved forward and activated his lightsaber. It was time to fight and die to buy time for the civilians in Coral City to evacuate.

The Jedi Master had no illusions about the ultimate outcome of the battle. The Clones, while doing their best, simply lacked sufficient training in underwater combat to counter the warriors of a species evolved to fight in such an environment. There was not enough training in the whole galaxy to make up for the natural advantage an aquatic species had in the heart of their domain. Nor the GAR soldiers could properly counter the new variety of droids meant for underwater combat deployed in massive numbers by the Separatists. While the Mon Calamari could hold their ground against the best the enemy had, the sad fact was that there weren't enough of them. Fisto knew of plans to get the Gungans Grand Army as reinforcements when fighting on water worlds, however the Blue Shadow hit them hard and they were still under quarantine anyway. Besides with the planet cut off from Republic space, reinforcements couldn't reach them in time anyway.

That left fighting a desperate holding action and Fisto was all right with that. He was doing his duty as a Jedi – protecting the innocents against those wishing them harm.

Kit finally reached the edge of the raging battle and used the Force to make himself even more maneuverable by all but eliminating friction. The Jedi Master danced through the water shifting away from blaster fire and harpoon darts. A Quarren tried to bite him with his fang-liketeeth and most of its face tentacles for his trouble, before Fisto swam away. He headed straighttowards a group of droids content to provide fire support for their allies.

The Jedi Master let the Force guide his actions and in a less than a minute he was heading away from a bunch of debris falling to the ocean floor. For a moment he found himself away from the enemy and used it to examine the effect his reinforcements had on the battle. Fisto was glad to see that the Quarren and Separatist forces were faltering. One more hard push and they might break to regroup, thus buying more time for the defenders. Kit looked for any commanders and soon saw a small group surrounded by heavy escort. He smiled and swam their way using a nearby corral reef for cover. Fisto dispatched the few enemies that got his way then gave a signal to a Clone platoon that was supposed to be following him and in fact had been able to more or less keep up with him.

A minute later the soldiers were in position and they swam at the enemy leaders. The escort saw them coming and most of it peeled away to face the danger. Kit smiled and dashed at the officer when he was sure he'll reach them before their protectors can turn back, not that the Clones were going to let them do so.

A hail of blaster bolts and harpoon darts came his way from the remaining bodyguards. Fisto gave them a teeth filled grin and raised his free hand in front of him, using the gesture as to aid him in controlling all the Force he was channeling. A wave of telekinetic power flew in front of him supercavitating the water and obscuring him from vision by creating thousands of bubbles. Both darts and blaster bolts were throw off target by the effect. Moments later, the enemy group was scattered in all directions and then the Jedi was upon them. Most died before they could recover, with just a handful putting any resistance before falling to Fisto's blade.

Kit searched for other targets and his grin grew. The enemy was attempting to disengage. He was going to oblige them – soon. But first, reducing their number on the cheap sounded like a good idea to the Republic general. He gave the order for a limited pursuit and headed for the closest concentration of separatist forces.

Fisto only hoped that this victory, no matter how temporarily was going to buy enough time.

=RK=

2nd Platoon

Black Company

41stBattalion "The Grim Reapers"

Eriadu's moon

The reinforcements came almost in time. The same was true for the bit of artillery support the platoon receivec.

That was cold comfort for sergeant Hound. The local company 2nd Platoon has been attached to was simply gone. To their credit, the Eriaduian soldiers didn't falter, nor break. They knew what was at stake, they held their ground when the armored spearhead struck.

They died well.

The same could be said for Hound's brothers.

"Go, sarge! We'll cover you!" Alek shouted over the comm.

Hound's head snapped up and his heart stilled. The remaining heavy weapon specialists advanced towards the enemy unleashing every single weapon in their disposal.

"Second Platoon, pull back now! On the double!" Hound roared. He paused for a moment to salute Alek and began following his own order.

As he ran, Hound glanced back every few paces. What he saw was going to be carved in his memory till his dying day. The overran forward trenches were a solid wall of fire as grenades and thermal detonators were spent like piss in the wind. The enemy thanks who led the charge went up one after another after being struck by missiles or portable laser cannons carried by troopers in heavy armor.

The Separatist advance faltered at the sudden counter-attack. For a heartbeat, Hound hoped that it would be enough, that Alek stood a chance after all. He jumped over a boulder and when he glanced back again, reality simply had to rear up its ugly head.

The heavy troopers ran out of explosives and the enemy rallied. Hundreds of droids surged over the forward trenches followed by more tanks and APCs.

Hound cursed the whole kriffing galaxy and ran faster. He could see too damn few of his platoon doing the same. Most were either already dead or with Alek.

When the Sergeant looked back for one last time, he saw his buddy spear a tank with an overcharged shot from his laser cannon. The front of the armored machine blew out and it lurched to a halt before something inside cooked off and its turret was sent to the sky from a secondary explosion.

The return fire came in enough volume to make a whole regiment proud and was deadly accurate. Alek vanished under a rain of blaster bolts that seemingly made the thin gas passing for atmosphere ignite around him. Then multiple tanks acquired his position and let lose with laser cannons and missiles.

Hound knew that there wouldn't be enough left of his friend to bury. All he wanted then and there was to turn around and tear the droids with his bare hand. Instead, the Clone cursed again and kept sprinting to the next and last defensive line just behind the edge of the shield keeping the Ion Cannon safe from bombardment. If that defense was breached, the clankers would be able to take out the weapon and that couldn't be allowed.

The sergeant was almost at the bunkers where a battalion was arriving to reinforce the two local platoons stationed there, when the Separatist tanks finally got through the abandoned defenses behind him and opened fire. Hound screamed when one after another his remaining brothers were picked up by cannon fire. Even their advanced armor couldn't take such firepower and most of them were still in the open.

A trooper got under the safety of the shield, then another. In turn two more were blown to pieces.

"Come!" Dex reached the bunkers and turned back to wave at them. "There's a fire mission incoming!"

Hound's was already pushing himself as fast as he could. He could hear artillery shells slice through the thin atmosphere as they descended.

Almost there!

More of his brothers made it. Something detonated behind the sergeant and the shock-wave was enough to propel him through the shield. He landed hard and grunted in pain. His vision swam, however Hound was aware enough to see the end of the flight. Rock and Blue squad were in the rear, carrying a few wounded with them. Artillery shells began landing among the abandoned positions and the droids swarming them sending shock-waves and shrapnel in all directions. A tank was hit in the cupola and flew blew up when the thin armor was penetrated and the warhead detonated inside.

Mac, who was carrying a wounded comrade passed through the shield. Ken was next and Rock was following a step behind when he was replaced by a flash of light. Hound blinked the white spots away from his vision and let out an incoherent scream.

Rock was gone. Somehow only a single smoking boot was left where he stood.