Chapter 23

Droids have a second chance, you do not.

The sudden message caused a wave of silence as utter confusion set it. Many believed it to be a trick or sort, perhaps this could be a take over and they'd have to call the republic.

The Governor however had other plans of his own ordering his defense fleet to hold their position and defend their home planet with their lives.

"Hey, Grandur. Run while you still can"

" Let me guess, your holding your position?"

" Orders " He said shrugging his shoulders over the holo com.

" We both know your not going to last a minute if you engage with that fleet. "

" What are you suggesting, abandoning my post? Mutiny??!!"

" ....Not everyone on your crew has to die, we can take some of them "

" .....They knew what they signed up for, we will die defending our planet. "

" You fool, living to fight another day is the right decision here. "

" Your a smuggler, a low life civilian...you have no honour or even the concept of it. "

" We are in the outer rims for crying out loud, I was once in the guard too but realized it was not the way. "

" The least we can do is buy time, evacuate those you can unto the planet from the carrier ship only. They will be essential to but time for the republic to come to our aid "

" Never knew it was that easy to convince you ?"

" It isn't, our scanners just picked up multiple squadrons of fighters approaching our position. Enough ships to clear us out, we'll buy time. "

"...Godspeed brother "

[ POV ]

" Commander, we gave received control of 4 Squadrons from L5. " An officer reported to OOM-012.

" Tell them to assume web formation and destroy the opposition. Priority targets are the Cruisers and Carriers. "

" Roger Roger. "

" Maintain course and increase our speed. Once we are in range of their ships, all forward weapons are to open fire. Our fighters are to not engage until we are in firing range "

" Roger Roger "

" Commander. L5 reports several vessels attempting to flee the system. "

" Let them!"

" If you say so "

" Sir. We are detecting multiple Fighters launching from their carrier. "

" Sir, the enemy has begun moving towards us. Orders?"

" Begin opening fire once we are in range of them. Our fighters engage after that. "

" Guns are in range now , Sir. "

" Open fire!'

" Roger Roger "

" Squadron 1 and 2, focus on the cruiser to the left. Squadron 1's main focus is harassment, Squadron two is to focus on their weapon system. "

A B1 officer issued order from his post after it had assumed command of those 2 Squadrons. The Munificent guns proved quite devastating as concentrated fire quickly made work of one of the Cruisers.

" Order our defensive fighter to engage all hostile ships, leave no survivors. "

The order was given and now death came to all, the droid fighters outnumbered the defense fighters from the plane.

6 Fighters was launched to help defend against over 48 fighters, they stood no chance and were obliterated alongside their ships.

What came next was a clean up and blockade were droid fighters maintained space and air superiority, any buildings essential for communication world wide were targeted and shortly destroyed.

The ones spared were taken over by droid ground forces by the hundreds reinforced by armour support and air supremacy. Once communication was cut and controlled, their main objective began with getting control of the whole planet fully.

CB-050 had taken his battalion to secure his objective, a major city of the planet. He had hundreds of droids at his command and over 24 Tanks.

CB-050 opted for protocol 34 and protocol 50, which were an enclosing maneuvered and a steady advance with armour leading up front.

" How goes the advance?" CB-050 asked his lieutenant as he watched his forces advance.

" The encirclement has been completed and the advance, uninterrupted. "

" Notify me of any resistance in any sector!"

" Roger Roger"

Planetary defense was something many considered to be useless or outright wasteful. It was the outer regions and pirates were the main threat, local forces were useless against them as they were too quick.

If they spread out too thin, they'll become too weak to resist. To think and they can't cover everywhere. Too much and it becomes not only expensive but also a risk.

Still the Governor decided to focus his forces mainly on the core cities of his world. Cities he deemed must remain under his control and now those forces are to be tested as the droid army encloses upon them.

" Draft them all!, defend the city!!!" The Governor screamed at his chief General at the news of massive amounts of droids approaching his position.

" We need to train them and organize them, we have no time-" He protested at the order of arming civilians to fight against war droids.

" I.Don't.Care!!!. We must defend the city. " The governor screamed at him, refusing to see things different.

" Sir, our Scouts have location tanks enclosing on us, reinforced by ranks of war droids. "

" Pull back our forces" He said after a short amount of time thinking.

" Pull back!!!, didn't you hear the governor. We must defend this city at all cost until the republic comes to our aid!!!."

" We do not have the armament in sufficient numbers to oppose those armoured forces. Drafting the population would only buy time and waste our precious resources. "

" We do not care General. Defend the city. "

" Lord's, I beg of you to see reason in this-"

" Your the one not seeing reason here General!!" A noble screamed, pointing his finger at the man.

" Your job is to follow orders and your orders is to hold the city...or you will be replaced. "

" Replaced?.....replacing me will not change our current predicament."

" Do not talk back to me " The noble spat out.

" No. You watch your mouth kid. I will follow your orders governor and I will die defending my city. "

" Your city, this is-"

" That is all "

The general said annoyed at the meeting, quickly he dismissed himself and went ahead to begin planning for a quick defense with the least amount of destruction.

If he truly wanted to resist the invaders, the optimal option would be using the underground tunnels and conducting guerilla warfare but the keys and maps to that place rest in the governors hands.

He certainly won't release it as it would.mean abandoning his great castle and his riches to the invaders as well as his comfort homepage.

" Gather whatever civilians that are willing to fight, Withdraw those from the outer walls and establish a full defensive perimeter on sector zero only!. "

" Yes General. "

" Order whatever remains of our fighter Corps to take out as many of those tanks as possible and gather all our anti armour weaponary. "

" Right away General"

" Establish contact with the invading forces as soon as we can. Hopefully, we can execute this properly. "

" Yes General ".

[POV]

" I do not plan on drawing the battle out. It would be hopeless and needlessly destructive. " The General said.

A holographic figure standing up and looking the droids at eye level spoke out as he folded his arms.

" We too would prefer to have the I

Planet intact, still we are aware of the resistance building up in certain sectors of the planet. " The B1 commander spoke out noting the movement of troops and military assest they had discovered.

" Leave every other sector and focus only on this one. Give me your word that you will accept whoever surrenders and we shall make this occupation easy for you. " The General said.

" We have a deal, only sector zero will be wiped out " The droids responded after a short time searching through it's plans.

Opting to use a tactical decision made for punishment and fear rather than a compromise for the situation. The word 'wiped out' did not go unnoticed by the general.

" ....Very well. " He responded before the comms cut off.

The droid army wasted no time on capitalizing on this gain. Moving troops to secure the less defended areas and requesting even more bombers.

Now that their planetary invasion has been reduced to a single target and one they had decided to wipe out, the use of bombers and artillery units will be permitted and used extensively.

Wastage of droid units vital to the securing and managing of the planet was preferred and without requesting more forces should be seen as a massive win.

Orders were given as dozens of extra bombers were transferred for the new target, artillery units and tanks were redeployed to level the entire city.