Chapter 13: The Republic Strikes Back(1)

Captain Yorran had been trained and raised fighting one enemy, or at least, one enemy above all others. Yes, he had dueled pirates within the ashen nebulas of the Corpse Worlds. Yes, he had rained fire down upon traitors in the Pearlescent cities of St. William's Verge. Yes, he had even chased, and failed to catch, the mysterious Shadow Pirates of Korsakan. But more than anything else, Captain Yorran had been sent to kill Green Skins.

When he lay, bleeding and maimed on the bridge of his first, now dead ship, it was in the eye of a green skin that he left his father's heirloomed power saber. When he finally decided he would commission the tech priests to replace his worn vocal cords with something better, it was when he felt blood spatter his mouth as he screamed the command to fire into a green skin pirate cruiser. When he, through the vocalizer in his throat, ordered his ship to aid in the first exterminatus of his career, it was a green skin planet which he razed.

So when he watched the ships of the alien republic exit the warp, or whatever it was they used in its place, hauling two enormous asteroids, he knew exactly what they intended.

"Move the Hell Smasher to parallel the incoming rocks. We'll burn them with our broadsides, and then scourge anything that survives with torpedoes. Emperor willing, whatever is left will burn up in the atmosphere," he ordered.

His crew jumped straight into action, fingers, hands, and mechadendrites sweeping over control panels as orders were radioded or otherwise relayed down to relevant decks. The smaller attack ships, Acclamator class Corvettes from what Captain Yorran had been told, were hauling each of the large space rocks with towing cables, four to each rock. No doubt they intended to use these asteroids as brutal drop ships or as physical weapons to attempt to crush his cruiser or the smaller escorts he had with him. It was folly; he would never allow it.

"Cut us close. I want our lance cannons right in their faces. If they are anything like the orks, they have armored those rocks internally to a ridiculous excess. Any weapon ports detected on them yet?"

"No weapon ports, two sealed entrances detected on each. Auspecs are returning power readings, but nothing that indicates charging weapons," answered one of his bridge crew.

"Captain, shields detected around each of the rocks, and the Acclamators escorting them are breaking off."

"Breaking off?" he asked. The Tech Adept nodded.

"They are detaching cables; they have flung the rocks, sir! Current target is our cruiser and the planet behind us."

"Then it is as I suspected," the Captain said, stroking his oiled beard as he watched the readings before him reinforce his experience.

"When it comes to Xenos, it pays to be daring! All ahead full!" he called, confident in the simplicity of the enemy's response. Confident that, of the Xenos he was facing, those of the Republic favored the tactics of the Orks, and not those of the Eldar.

But if confidence could unmake folly, the Throne would never have been sat.

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"Then it is understood?" Anakin asked.

He stood in the nearly pitch-black darkness of the innermost hangar of the Verpine Colony. All possible power had been diverted into the abandoned colony's impressive shield generators, which Anakin was sure they would need soon enough. Already, they were tumbling through space, towards their targets as Captain Spikes and the rest of the volunteer Acclamations pulled away from the now free-floating colonies.

Around Anakin stood nearly two thousand five hundred Jedi and the remaining men of the 501st, specifically Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Captain Rex, the now patched-up members of Clone Force 99, and Deputy Commander Ahsoka Tano. Aayla, her former master Vos, Shaak-Ti, Master Plo, and Commander Bly were also present, though only as sky-shaded holograms. All, physically present or not, nodded their heads.

"Then let's mount up. They will start opening fire in minutes. Your targets are flagged. If you get lost, just follow your team leader."

And with those words, the groups began to divide, walking to their respective teams and craft with grim determination and eager resolve, unbefitting of Jedi but entirely worthy of knights. However, as the teams began to move, Ahsoka suddenly found herself held up as a hand grasped her wrist. Looking back, she found her old master, Anakin himself, holding her wrist. He released her and smiled sheepishly. It had been a few weeks since they had last been face-to-face and in one place. He was still hoping she would rejoin the Order soon, but Ahsoka herself felt no sign of that happening… potentially ever.

"Hey, thought we should talk a little before we go in. I missed you at the meeting... something the matter?" he asked.

Ahsoka sighed softly but smiled a genuine, if tired, smile and turned to fully face him.

"No, of course not, Master... it isn't you I've been avoiding," she said.

"Then who?" he asked. "Obi-Wan?"

She didn't answer right away, and Anakin's face fogged with a light scowl.

"What has he said to you? I hope he hasn't—"

"No, no," she said, raising a hand to stall him. "He hasn't said anything much... and that's the problem. Master Windu, Vos, and the others... I fear they are losing themselves to this war, and especially to this new enemy. And while I do not think Obi-Wan is there yet, I don't see him resisting as he should. I mean, you saw the meeting, didn't you?"

Anakin rubbed his head. "Well, sort of. I could see what Hondo was sending you, but not your responses... Ahsoka, what is this really about? Obviously, you know we can't pull punches with these guys!"

"I know that, Anakin!" she snapped back. "I'm the last one who wants to give ground to these fanatics, but that isn't what I'm talking about. At the meeting, Mace put hurting the Pius Dia above saving the people of Axum. He may not see it that way, but that's exactly what he did. We are not supposed to be soldiers, Anakin. We are supposed to be Jedi! We shouldn't look at this war like generals; we should look at it like heroes, the heroes the people desperately need, and do not have right now," she implored him.

Anakin felt conflict ripple across his mind as Tarkin's words from their meeting weeks ago echoed ominously within his thoughts.

"We may not have that luxury anymore, Ahsoka," Anakin began to say.

"It is not a luxury!" she yelled, drawing many eyes, though she cared not at all. "Stop saying things like that!" Anakin's former Padawan pressed. "Acting like a Jedi isn't a luxury, it is a duty! It's a duty the Order has been neglecting for far too long, and the people out there, the people we are supposed to be defending, have been sorely missing it. This is the reason I left the Order to begin with because you taught me how a Jedi should act, and the members of the Council are not acting that way anymore."

Anakin felt his head spin. On one hand, he agreed with her, agreed so much his heart cried out to endorse her statement right away. And yet, could he do that without breaking with reality? Had not the Jedi been failing in this war against the Pius Dia? Was the answer not to become more extreme, at least as extreme as those they were trying to fend off?

"Ahsoka, I hear what you're saying, but our first duty is to defend the Republic. We... we need to keep the big picture in mind," he said.

Ahsoka stepped away from that and shook her head.

"You need to wake up, Anakin, all of the Order does. Our duty is not to the Republic; it is to the people of the Republic. If we continue down this path, we may win the war, but the Order will lose that which made us Jedi. And once we've lost that, there isn't a war we can fight that will give it back."

"I understand your frustration, I really do... but how can we lead against this war if we do not act as generals?"

Ahsoka did not answer right away, turning around toward her Droch-class boarding ship, Rex and several others waiting for her beside it.

"I don't know. All I know is this: our path is not supposed to be an easy one. But it is supposed to be the right one. You have been one of the most righteous and heroic Jedi I have ever known, and I've lived in the Order all my life... I just don't want to see that change," she said, walking away toward her ship as she did.

"Ahsoka!" Anakin called after her, but a hand on his shoulder held him back.

He turned to see Obi-Wan Kenobi. "It's almost time, Anakin. Let's give her some space," he said amicably.

Anakin shrugged off his hand but nodded, following after him for a time, both of their ships lingering in the same direction.

"She is just... so... stubborn," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan smiled knowingly at that but said nothing.

"I mean, I see her point, but doesn't she understand how many people have already died fighting these fanatics? And if we don't get Anaxes back, our entire reserve fleet will be nothing more than a pipe dream! Meanwhile, Tarkin is breathing down our necks, criticizing our tactics from the comfort of his hindsight. She's just, just such a—"

"She is a good Jedi, and she follows her heart," Obi-Wan Kenobi said. "Just as you trained her to. It may not seem like it right now, but it will be warriors like Ahsoka who save the galaxy every bit as much as warriors like you and me will. You did well when mentoring her, even if she did absorb some of your more... antagonistic qualities."

Anakin cracked a smile at that as they both stopped, finally at the divide.

"Well, I learned from the best," he said.

"Ha, don't remind me!" said Obi-Wan.

They laughed for a short time before clasping each other's forearms and squeezing.

"Make it back," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan nodded. "May the Force be with us all," he said.

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Captain Yorran sputtered at the sight before him, feeling himself fluster even beyond what he would normally feel thanks to the presence of the single Guardian the Crimson Razors had left behind. First, he had found their shields to be far more resilient than he had anticipated, far, far stronger than those encountered on their warships from earlier. Had he deployed his torpedoes, had he ordered a full salvo to be fired, or even used the Nova Cannon proudly mounted on his prow, this would not be happening.

"Calm yourself, captain," said the observer. "We are far from any place where we could possibly resupply our munitions. Your choice to use the lances only was a prudent one."

To the captain's own shock, the words failed to solve any part of his wounded ego.

~Guess I'm just a proud man.~ He thought bitterly. He could do nothing now but watch helplessly as swarms of smaller craft poured out of the now open blast doors on both space rocks. Fully half of them seemed to descend towards the unshielded planet, while the other cloud divided further. Even a second rain of bright red lance fire failed to penetrate the shields, though the blue spheres did begin to arch and bend at the contact. At this range, most escorts would have been signed or outright melted, meaning the shields on these rocks were absurdly strong, comparable to those found on other cruisers of similar size to his own!

He watched in rage as one cloud of craft adhered themselves directly onto his own beloved vessel, another cloud cutting its way towards the *Luminous Reign*, the escort which was currently docked with the Xenos escort, still being stripped clean of data and technology at the hands of Magos Zelve. The captain hoped that the Dominus's Skitarii Guards would be able to see to his security, as the only other mobile escort in the area which had the chance to stop the boarding craft had been quickly tied up and engaged with a shimmering swarm of fighters, who were, even then, circling and attacking the frigate.

"Radio down to the surface, tell them they have invaders inbound," the captain barked in his mechanical voice. "And send the same message to the *Luminous Reign*. Warn them that the enemy is coming. Contact anti-boarding crews, tell them to expect to earn their pay today!"

He then stood bolt upright as he heard the heavy scraping which signaled the rising of the guardian Davik Thune had left for him. He turned to look back at the single Astartes.

"Are you going as well? Shouldn't you stay here to guard the bridge?" he asked.

The Space Marine turned around to face him, psychic power crackling around his face and head as he smiled a cruel smile. His armor was blue, unlike that of the majority of his chapter, and his helmet was an open, metallic hood which linked into his skull via many cables. The Astartes had no bolter, save the bolt pistol at his side. Instead, his right hand clutched a glowing staff which hurt to look at.

"I suppose I should. Do you think your men can handle these intruders alone? They may need me," he said.

The captain thought about it, but his pride had already chosen his answer for him.

"My crew are fully capable. These softies and their toy soldiers won't be able to take three steps into my ship without returning to the void from whence they were spawned," he said.

As if in punctuation of his point, the shields on the two space rocks finally collapsed, and the lances cut into them, obliterating the drifting hulks in seconds.

The Space Marine seemed to sag slightly, though he kept his smile.

"If you say so. But do not mistake my nature, Captain. They may call me a Librarian, but you can depend on me to do more than read and advise you," the enormous warrior said.

The captain nodded stiffly, of that he had no doubt.

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Aayla could feel her heart hammering in her chest, but outside she seemed calm, collected, alert. But in her mind, she could not help but think that these were the men who had killed Jedi Master Kiadi Mundi, and many others besides. She took some strength in the knowledge that she was far from alone. Nearby, Commander Bly gripped the handrail of their modified LAAT Gunship, and their troopers were all around her. Not only that, but Master Shaak-Ti, one of the order's most skilled and experienced duelists, was nearby as well, on a different ship. On top of that, so long as Hondo's intelligence remained accurate, they wouldn't even have to land under fire. The Invaders had set up some defensive, anti-air turrets and towers, but the spires and maze-like avenues of Axum made the approach to their targets trivial, so long as they entered the city at a safe distance and stayed below a certain altitude.

And yet, in spite of all of that, she could still feel, deep within her, a call of doom, a chorus of death. But death has not yet arrived, death... in waiting. She had no idea what was causing her nerves, after all, she had faced death many, many times now. But as her transport began to set down on one of the wide, golden arches of Azure City, it took all her willpower to shunt off the foreboding sense surrounding her, and focus on the task before her. They disembarked, and her men began to form up as Shaak-Ti approached. Aayla nodded towards her, before tossing down a holo-disk.

"That pirate is annoyingly useful," Shaak-Ti said with a sigh.

Aayla nodded. "I suppose that is why Ahsoka still works with him after he nearly sold her to the black market," she said.

Shaak-Ti nodded, but then started. "Wait, he wha—"

"Afternoon, ladies," said a voice. Both Jedi turned to fully face the hologram of Quinlan Vos, who seemed to be crouching and looking over a ledge. "We will be in position in less than ten. How about you two?" he asked.

"I am about to begin the assault. I'll get their attention, and then lead the first combat groups up through the main arches, directly towards the temple gates as a diversion. Commander Bly will lead the second force on an assault of their field generator facilities nearby. Knocking out the power ought to soften the gate defenses enough for me and the first group to punch through, at which point, we will secure the gate, and rendezvous with the second group before pushing forward, into the Temple proper," said Master Aayla.

Shaak-Ti stepped forward to speak. "Meanwhile, I shall locate their local commander, and bring down their command net. Moving alone, I will be able to traverse their defenses easily; the Force shall guide me. Once I have finished, I will regroup with Master Aayla, and aid her in her forward push," said Master Shaak-Ti.

Vos nodded. "Stellar. We can bet that they will call for help, and that help will come from the nearest bunker, our bunker. These guys don't pull punches, so they will probably bring in the big guns. Big guns mean broad avenues. Broad avenues mean ready-made ambush points, which me and the two thousand sabres I have with me will be taking full advantage of."

"They know we are coming, at least by now, so we should get moving quickly," Aayla said.

Vos nodded again and stood. "You're right as usual. Start your attack, Aayla. Me and mine will be in place when the moment comes. Count on it." His image vanished, and the three got on their way.

Bly and his men in the second clone force, all 100,000 of them, were equipped with jet packs, BARC speeders, and City-Modified ISP Speeders. Light and fast, they would hit the enemy before they even understood what was happening, and Bly himself had become an old pro at this form of lightning strike raiding, with only the 501st rivaling the 327th when it came to these kinds of high-stakes operations. That left Aayla with 235,500 troopers of various kinds, and all the heavy armor. It had taken them almost two hours to actually reach the system, and in all that time, Aayla had been preparing herself, and strategizing. At the beginning of the war, she would have made her armored charge nothing more than that, a full frontal charge. But now she knew much better.

She watched on as more and more LAAT gunships of various configurations continued to fly in, dropping off their payloads of troopers, three-legged Sniper Tanks, and six-legged AT-TE walkers. Soon, her army, her clones, had assembled themselves into large, square formations, forty men deep, and forty men wide. CC 6221, nicknamed "65," came to stand beside her, serving as her lieutenant while Bly was gone.

"General!" he said with a salute.

She looked up at him briefly before returning her gaze to where it had been, now studying a holographic map of the city. She could charge straight down the widest avenues, using her armored columns to beat a path forward, while supplying infantry to clear problem holdouts and to keep the feet of the walkers clear of any opportunistic saboteurs. But she had a different plan in mind.

"Lieutenant, I want you to pass these orders down. Have the Sniper Tanks take up their positions on the southern park square, here, at Turrak National Park," she said, indicating a diamond of elevated, artificially maintained forest. It was connected to the city around it by vast thoroughfares, three in particular. Its skyline was kept relatively clean, ostensibly to allow sunlight to fall onto the trees naturally throughout the day.

"According to the maps of the city, that should provide us with several clear firing arches between the buildings which we can use to soften up the Dia defenses. Have the AT-TEs take up their hidden pincer positions along these three main roads, and have the sappers heavily mine these two," the Jedi master said.

"Yes, Sir!" acknowledged 65.

"Oh, and Lieutenant, deploy 36 of our 146 battlegroups to cover the tanks while they begin their artillery strikes. Hold the rest in reserve outside of the park area, just in case they manage to box it in," she added.

"Who do you want to command the park group, and who will be in command of the reserve?" he asked.

"I will hold the reserve. Once we have softened them up enough, and drawn them out, I will order the advance under cover of the artillery. If the Force is with us, it will keep their heads down until we are knocking on their gates. You will be commanding the artillery group. At my signal, I want to order the AT-TEs forward to support our advance. Can you do that, 65?"

The clone snapped another hard salute. "I was bred to do this, General, you can rely on me!"