76 Interlude: The unknown enemy I

Safe house

Coruscant

A human male who appeared to be middle aged sat behind a desk in a small comfortable apartment he had been calling a home for the last decade. He had spent most of that time acting as an information broker providing the movers and shakers on Coruscant with all the dirt and juicy rumors they craved. His work and all the contacts he made while doing it was in fact very close to his real one.

The man who was know as Alin Gray was a spy – one who worked for a power unknown in this galaxy.

The agent put aside the data pad he was examining and put it next to a stack of pads, then pulled out a data chip from his pocket and inserted it into the terminal built into his desk. He typed his password, waited for a biometric scan and began writing his impressions on the topic that had his attention at this time.

The war wasn't going as expected, which wasn't exactly a bad thing. The more the locals tore themselves apart, the easier his people's task would be once they arrived in force. However, there were some wild elements that needed to be studied and accounted for in the report to the Fleet Masters and the Shapers.

Gray was busy studying the actions of one such anomaly. Even after pressing all his contacts for more information, he knew less than he needed about the man. The spy frowned as what he knew began taking shape on the monitor. First he concentrated on the man's major actions and achievements to date with more to be added as it became available. Once that was done, Gray was going to open another file where he would be adding his conclusions and theories based on the facts he had.

Rodia – Bodyguard duty:

Veil is hired to act as Senator Amidala's bodyguard; When she is betrayed by her long time friend, the Rodian Senator Ferr, Delkatar engages CIS droid contingent on the ground and dispatches it. After securing the site, Veil persuaded Ferr to aid him in setting up an ambush for Separatist reinforcements who are en-route to pick up Amidala. The ambush is succeessful and Delkatar eliminates the CIS contingent including two Dark Jedi twins – Karoc and Vinroc trained by Dooku. He also captures Nute Gunray who was eager to get his hands on Amidala.

Reinforcements led by Jedi Master Shaak Ti and Padalan Ahsoka Tano arrive at that time. A delay follows while the powers that be on Coruscant decide how to transport Gunray to the capital. Veil insist to accompany his captive in order to ensure he is safely delivered. Thanks to the delay, the Separatist have enough time to mount a rescue and assault the Republic cruiser Tranquility with Gunray, Veil, Shaak Ti and Ahsoka Tano on board.

During the ensuring battle, Ti and Tano engage Ventress while Veil is dealing with another of Dooku's Dark Acolytes and various droid units. The result is a dead Dark Jedi, multiple Clone casualties. Gunray and a traitor in the Senate Guard who was supposed to deliver the captive for interrogation are killed by Veil while attempting to escape. At that point, Grievous arrives along with CIS reinforcements to make sure that Gunray is either rescued or silenced.

Veil launches in a Torrent fighter along with all survinving pilots in an attempt to slow down the enmy until reinforcements could arrive. Meanwhile back on Rodia an ensign who has the bridge watch on the Acclamator Dauntless gives the order to immediately launch. The Assault Ship is the first to arrive to aid the Tranquility and turns the tide of the battle. Veil aks for and receives infantry support from Piett, then leads a raid to capure Grievous along with Jedi Shaak Ti and Ahsoka Tano.

Veil engages Asajjii Ventress and captures her. At the same time Shaak Ti and a platoon of Clone Troopers run into Grievous and manage to subdue him.

The consequences are profound. With Grievous captured, the CIS war effort staggers giving the Republic forces across the galaxy a sorely needed reprieve, no matter how brief. As a consequence of his success – after all it was Veil's idea to go after Grievous, the Sith is offered a commission in the GAR by Chancellor Palpatine, which he accepts.

Naboo, the Blue Shadow Crisis:

A tactical droid is taken out by local forces. Slicing into its systems leads to the discovery of a CIS research facility in the swamps. The Queen and Senator Amidala requests Jedi support. Veil is dispatched to resolve the situation with a promise for Jedi support once it becomes available.

By the time the general arrives, Senator Amidala had gone ahead to investigate and had been captured. Veil along with a Clone unit under his command assaults the Research facility hich turns out to be a bio-weapon creation lab ran by doctor Vindi. During the assault, unknown agents release the weapon in the river passing through Theed City. Before containment could be enacted, a huge portion of the water networ on Naboo is contaminated and the planet has to be placed under quarantine.

Veil interrogates Vindi and finds out what he needs to produce a cure.

A Republic task force goes to the World of Thousand Moons where a cirtical component for curing Blue Shadow could be found. There Veil meets Jaybo – a local orphan who he takes as his first apprentice. The neccessary substance is retrieved and production of Blue Shadow cure begins immediately. However it remains necessary for Naboo to be under quarantine until the bio-weapon on the surface could be eradicated. The Republic navy is forced to station quite a powerful fleet to enforce it.

As a consequence of the casualties who die before sufficient amount of the cure could be produced, a radical shift in Naboo society's begin. Within months the majority of the population loses their pacifistic ideals and begin the creation of proper army and navy. They request technical assistance from the GAR forces maintaining the blokade and receive it.

Another consequence is the effect the bio-weapon attack has on the Confederacy's immage. Their credibility take a major hit and many who were supportive of their stated agenda begin to have second thoughts. All Confederate declarations of innocence are considered mere propaganda.

The Raid on Coruscant:

Shortly after Veil returns from Naboo, CIS forces and mercenaries hired by the Separatist execute a darring raid on the Republic capital. Using infiltrators, sleeper agents and a freighter loadev with orbit to surface weapons, Confederate forces attack Coruscant.

GAR High Command is struck by bombs built into various maintaince droids, including some containing Blue Shadow. In one fell swoop, the Republic military's staff is decapitated. At the same time, the Freighter Tranquility executes a series of orbital strikes at the GAR bases nearest to the Senate. Again, Blue Shadow is used in order to slow down any response. Further,

The Senate is taken over by mercenaries and Commando droids. Chancellor Palpatine under duress orders the releaase of general Grievous.

After contacting commodore Pellaeon in orbit, General Veil is updated on the situation and assumes command of the GAR forces on Coruscant. He intercepts Senator Taff, who is carrying the orders to relese the cyborg and Grievous remain in Republic custody.

While Coruscant is gripped by chaos, a CIS strike force attacks the Jedi Temple. It is comprised by an unexpectedly large number of Dark Jedi who manage soon get the upper hand thanks to the element of surprise, droid back up and the fact that most Jedi are spread all over the galaxy.

General Veil, who was on his way back to the Senate, diverts and moves to reinforce the Jedi along with what forces he has managed to gather.

In the chaos, one of Dooku's Acolytes – Kadrian Say enacts a resque. While they make their way out of the Temple, Mace Windu intercepts them. At roughtly the same time, Ventress is freed too and she goes to join the battle.

In the Jedi Temple's great hall Ahsoka Tano, Bariss Offee and Nahdar Vebb are among the Jedi fending off the assault. Offee is critically wounded. Tano is injured and stunned. When Ventress attempts to execute the Togruta Padawan, Nahdar intervenes and takes the blow, dying to save his comrade.

Veil and Clone reinforcemets arrive turning the tide. While Dooku and Say escape, the rest of the CIS forces are decimated. Veil engages Ventres and kills her. He also injures the leader of the attack in the Great Hall, however then he heals her and takes her as a prisoner. In time she will take the name of Aria Astra and become Veil's second apprentice.

Mace Windu attempts to arrest Veil for being a Sith. He is dissuaded from that coure of action by Yoda who senses the hostility of the Clone Troopers present in the Temple. A consequence of that attempt is that Windu is latter stripped from his position as a Jedi Master and sent to the frontlines attached to a Commndo unit.

General Veil makes his way to the Senate where forces under his command secure most of the building and resque the Chancellor. Then he leads an assault on the Senate Chamber where most of the Sentors are held as hostages. Despite the mercenaries and CIS forces best efforts, including the detonation of bombs containing the Blue Shadow bio-weapon, Veil manages to rescue a significant portion of the Senators.

The aftermath of the Raind on Coruscant is profound. With GAR High Command had been crippled a reform is implemented. Command of the Republic armed forces is officially divided in two branches – Direct Action Command in charge of all combat forces and Logistical Branch, taking over the rest. General Veil is given a promotion and for all intents and purposes becomes the Supreme Commander of the Republci Military. General Telar Valentra is promoted to take over the Logistics Branch. They implement reforms in the chain of command which hits the Jedi Generals hard. The Jedi commanders are evaluated and only a third of them retain their ranks. The rest are demoted and put in charge of smaller formations according to their skills or even placed into Commando units.

The efect of the reforms is soon felt as the Republic military becomes more effective as a result.

The Raid on Coruscant is universally condemned. Corellia changes its stance and begins covert negotiations with the Republic about joining the war effort. The Separatist cause takes another major hit.

The Liberation of Ryloth:

This operation was General Veil's fist real test after assuming command of GAR's combat branch. The operation is overall a resounding success both in space and on the ground. Weaknesses in existing doctrine are identified and steps are taken to resolve them – something which will have a profound effect during the ground portion of Second Geonosis.

The Liberation is notable for its hit on the general population of the Republic. The discovery of Separatist attempts to sell large portion of the Twi'lek population into slavery to the Hutts enrages the Republic. Recruitment efforts strenghtening after the Raid on Coruscant soar. Corellia officially condemns the Confederacy's actions in the past few monts and enters a military alliance with the Republic.

Wat Tambor is captured on Ryloth and forced to give up his deactivation codes which shut down the majority of the droid armies on the ground. As a consequence, the Confederacy stops adding hardwired shud down command into its droid armies.

The Liberation of Ryloth was the first debut of the Guardian system, on of the weapons that changed the face of space warfare during the Clone Wars.

Second Geonosis:

This is General Veil's biggest test to date. Republic intelligence receives information that experimental droid factories would soon be completed on Geonosis and that the planet has motly recovered after the first battle of the war which was waged there.

The Confederacy heavily reinforces that world both on the ground and in space, daring the Republic to attack.

General Veil receives authorization to eleminate the threat of the experimental Separatist weapons and neutralize Geonosis as a theat. To achieve those objecives, he assembless one of the largest single fleets seen since the begining of the conflict – First Assault Fleet. Veil's plans for assaulting Geonosis are torn assunder when general Anakin Skywalker goes rogue and takes a dozen Ventor cruisesrs in an ill conceived attack upon the Separatists stronghold.

While Skywalker caused an unexpecdedly high amount of damage, his force is annihilated with only his flagship surviving long enough to crashland. After the Republic navy secures the orbitals hours later, Skywalker is resqued along with any survivors. The Jedi Knigh is then placed under arrest to await a trial.

In respone to Skywalker's stunt, general Veil is forced to attack before he is ready. He reveals his skills in the mythincal technique of Battle Meditation, which tunrs the tide of the space battle for Geonosis. While First Assault Fleet suffers significant casualties, the Confederate presence beyond Geonosis orbit is eliminated within hours.

Second Geonosis is notable for the first mass deployment of the Guardian system which was vital in dealing with CIS Vulture swarms. More new technologies wer used in numbers on the ground – new weapons and armor along with a new method of orbital insertion, which was vital in securing the planetary shield generators and allowing significantly easier assault on the planet.

A major change from previous GAR operations was the unrestrained use of orbital bombardment on any targets with military or dual use – including but not contained to space ports, industrial centers and logistic hubs.

By the time Geonosis surrendered, its economy, industry and transport networks were wrecked. Conservative estimates of the local civilian casualties due to the oribital strikes is in the hundreds of milions. More are estimated to die due to exposure and disruption in water, food and medicine distribution.

The Raid on Mandalore:

After Geonosis, general Veil was dispatched to Mandalore to negotiate an alliance with Duchess Satine Kyze's New Mandalorian governmen which at the time was opposed by Pre Vizla's Death Watch.

Even now, months later details are sparce. What is know for sure is that general Veil married Bo-Katan Kryze, the Duchess sister in a dual ceremony when Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi married Satine Kryze herself. Hours later a Separatist fleet led by General Grievous who had been freed by an unknown pary, assaulted Mandalore. They were aided by Death Watch members who disabled the planetary shields. As a consequence the capital City of Sundari and the surrounding area were bombarded by the Confederacy force which was simultaneously engaging the Mandalorian Defense Fleet and Republic Task Force under the command of Commodore Gilad Pellaeon.

The battle ended with the arrival of Republic reinforcements led by the Corellian cruiser Freedom commanded by captain Joana Holt. The end of the engagement saw the complete destruction of the Mandalorian navy, Pellaeon's task force and Grievous' fleet, though the Separatist general managed to make planetfall.

In the aftermath, general Veil was elected as Mandalore. Meanwhile general Kenobi led a strike team to re-capture Grievous. The Jedi found the Separatist leader and engaged him in combat which resulted in Grievous' death.

Atrisia: Veil led a containment fleet to engage a sapient bio-weapon, which resulted in the destruction of the world. What was made publically available of that Crimson Strain's capabilities was intriguing – note to self: put all information about Crimson on a separate file and send it to the Shapers as a high priority. Carefully contact agents and try procuring a sample if available.

Gray glared at the cliff notes. This Veil character was concerning. The Intelligence directorate had been glad when the Sith managed to get themselves finally killed off a thousand years ago, no matter what the Warrior Caste though of the lost of such worthy enemies. Those lunatics were disgraced anyway – their failure was the primary reason why the Vong had been forced to fundamentally change and run in order to survive.

Jedi, Sith. Bah. Couldn't all those bastards kill off each other and spare him the headache?!