53 Let's Go!

"Since things are like this I wooon't delay my attack anymore. As a sign of respect, I am warning yooou. Ten minuuutes."

As soon as the projection of the mon calamari disappeared Dao grabbed the nearest clone by his shoulders.

"Discover who in the galaxy our opponent is. I want to know everything, from his name to the battles he participated."

The clone quickly went to do as he was ordered, but Admiral Shan-To made it unnecessary.

"His name is Merai. A mon calamari who received many honors from the mon calamari king for destroying quarren ships on their civil war. After Mon Cala joined the Republic he tried to convince them that they have chosen the wrong side. Once nobody listened he defected to the Separatist with his crew."

Shan-To was usually a happy and motivated admiral, but when he talked about Merai his tone took a turn to worst. One admiral with a missing ear looked at Shan-To and asked the question on everybody head.

"And... how do you know all of that Shan-To?"

"I ordered a complete investigation on him after he crushed three Acclamator-class cruisers on the Kessel Sector four weeks ago. Less than half of their crew survived. The 313th lost many good men that day, and the Republic lost Kessel Sector."

Solemn faces disappeared one by one as the admirals turned their attention to their troops and the imminent battle. Dao ordered his starfighters to start their engines.

-----------------------

Rozal received Steel Battalion orders.

'Wait for the enemy to engage and don't go too far. Protecting the planet is our priority.'

Minutes passed slowly as the Vultures rearranged their formations, entering on full attack positions, 'V' shapes similar to the Republic ones. It seemed that it would be a frontal confrontation.

Differently from Geonosis, this time the enemy was prepared for them. Rozal could already see the start of the battle playing on his head. The two sides will collide, ships will explode and they would pass by each other. Then, it would be the big ships turn, firing their turbolaser cannons at each other.

"Detecting heat signatures ahead captain! The clanckers are warming up their engines."

Rozal let their channel open, so he wouldn't have to worry about pressing any unnecessary buttons on the middle of the battle. He had lost enough brothers to learn that a moment of distraction could cost not only his life but others too.

Rozal totally lit up his ARC-170, and Spark turned the turrets to the direction where the thousands of droids were.

The voice of an officer came through.

"Here they come!"

"Steel Battalion! Move out!"

Rozal accelerated the ARC-170 to his maximum in less than five seconds. The Vultures were closer and closer. With the side of his vision, he saw the fighting erupting on other sections. Bat warned him.

"Three parsecs! Two and a half! Captain?! Two!!!"

Rozal aim locked on the front Vulture droid. His thumbs pressed both triggers and blue laser left the frontal cannons of the ARC-170.

Two flashes of blue traveled their on through the vacuum of empty space.

There was no sound, only the two lonely blue lasers flying at lightspeed. Their destination, a Vulture droid, twisted out of way, but it was too late. The lasers found its home on the Vulture right wing, sending it spinning before it blew.

The first kill went to the Republic, but who knew how many more were needed before they could call it a day.

Obviously, Rozal didn't have the time to think about it now. One Vulture might have been shot, but the Separatist were not to be outdone. Red and blue laser intertwined in the space.

Rozal pulled the yoke hard, making the ARC-170 go even faster. One starfighter to his right exploded. Spark was spamming fire on the incoming mass of droids. Bat was still giving orientations.

"We lost Steel 46! One parsec to them sir! 0.5! Steel 87 out of combat but still alive!"

Rozal didn't need the warnings to see that they were about to hit the Vulture droids.

"Keep going boys! Cut right through them and turn quickly! Let's beat those droids in scrap metal!"