Naboo (II)

Lelouch's fleet emerged from hyperspace over Naboo, the vibrant blue and green orb spinning below them. Lelouch remained aboard his flagship in high orbit, overseeing the tactical operation. On the planet's surface, Fordo and his tactical squad, along with Jedi Generals Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, prepared for a search-and-destroy mission. 

Down below, the atmosphere was tense. Lelouch had insisted that all personnel wear biohazard suits, given the possibility of contamination from a rumored Separatist biological weapon in development. Anakin and Obi-Wan's voices crackled over the comms as they squabbled, their bickering reminiscent of their usual exchanges. 

"Focus on the mission, Anakin," Obi-Wan chided, securing his helmet. "The senator might already be dead, and we need to contain this threat." 

Anakin shot a sharp look at his former master. "My mission is the senator," he retorted, his voice steely. "An order directly from my superior—the High General." With that, he turned away and boarded his LAAT, his team following suit. Fordo watched the exchange silently, his helmet hiding his expression. As Anakin's transport lifted off, Fordo and his tactical squad moved to their own transport, ready to deploy. 

Obi-Wan sighed deeply before following suit, climbing aboard his transport. "May the Force be with us," he muttered under his breath as his LAAT ascended, headed toward the target zone. 

----------------------- 

Aboard the flagship, Lelouch observed the tactical layout projected before him. He watched the markers representing Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Fordo's squads moving toward their objectives on the surface. A notification from Fordo caught his attention, relaying the latest spat between master and apprentice. A smile crossed his face; he had grown used to their dynamic and, in a way, appreciated the unpredictability it added to his campaigns. 

His smile faded, however, when a separate report came through. It was a denial of his request for the transfer of a Mandator-class dreadnought to his location. "As expected," he murmured, discarding the message with a small smile. 

Turning to his officer, he issued new orders, "Bring up the reserves. Recall battle groups one through six from the frontline, followed by seven through nine in two days." 

The officer saluted promptly. "Yes, sir," he responded, before hurrying off to execute Lelouch's commands. 

Meanwhile, Fordo's LAAT soared low over the thick jungles of Naboo, rapidly closing in on the Separatist base. Fordo's thoughts were a mixture of focus and slight apprehension, mainly regarding his standing orders to report anything concerning Generals Skywalker and Kenobi directly to Lelouch. The High General's scrutiny was sharp, and his expectations even sharper. 

"We're coming up on the base!" shouted the pilot over the roar of the engines. 

Fordo nodded to his squad, the ARC troopers steeling themselves for action. "Grenades ready!" he commanded, and a second later, a series of explosive devices were hurled from the LAAT's open doors, their concussive blasts ripping through the droid defenses below. The LAAT hovered as the tactical team repelled down, hitting the ground with precision. 

They quickly advanced through the base's outskirts, easily taking care of the first wave of B1 battle droids that came stumbling out to meet them. The clumsy, outdated models stood no chance against the seasoned ARCs, who dispatched them with a mix of blaster fire and grenade tosses. 

"Move up!" Fordo ordered as they rounded a corner. 

Ahead, two droidekas rolled out, their shields already activated and blaster arms spinning to life. Without missing a beat, Fordo ducked down. "Heavy weapons, take them out!" 

His squad's heavy weapons specialist, a clone named Thorn, coolly hefted his rocket launcher onto his shoulder. With a resounding blast, the rocket streaked across the narrow corridor, colliding with the droidekas and turning them into smoking heaps of metal. 

The squad pressed on, clearing the halls methodically. As they advanced deeper into the base, they spotted a figure sprinting in their direction—a frantic-looking man in a white coat, eyes wide with panic. Recognizing him as the scientist behind the virus they'd been briefed on, Fordo's instincts kicked in. 

"Set for stun!" he barked. 

Within moments, the scientist was down, hit by several stun bolts. Fordo approached and quickly restrained him, securing the man as he activated his helmet's comms. "General, this is Fordo. We've captured the target. Returning to extraction point." 

"Clear," Lelouch's voice came through, steady and calm. "Wait for the all-clear to proceed to Phase II." 

Fordo nodded to himself as they made their way back, dragging the confused and bitter doctor along. The LAAT awaited them, and mere moments after they boarded, Lelouch's voice came through again, confirming the all-clear from Kenobi and Anakin. "Understood, sir," Fordo replied, turning to his squad. "Ready for Phase II." 

Reaching into his belt pouch, Fordo retrieved a small detonator, ready to press it. But before he could, another, larger explosion rocked the base, sending debris and dust cascading through the corridors. He didn't even have to ask; the comms chatter confirmed it—a small droid had activated one of the virus bombs. Within moments, alarms began blaring throughout the Separatist base—a containment breach, an outbreak imminent. 

Fordo's eyes shifted to the scientist they had captured, who was now looking around in confusion. The man seemed to be on the edge of some desperate realization. Fordo, however, had a different plan in mind, to turn this turn of events into an opportunity. 

He put away the detonator and reached for another pouch on his belt, extracting a small vial containing the gaseous form of the Blue Shadow Virus. "You," Fordo said, addressing the scientist. "Finish what you started." 

The scientist's confusion melted away into a twisted smile of understanding. "You mean… release it?" 

"Yes," Fordo affirmed, and a trooper to his right punched the emergency release button for the door "You wanted to see your work in action. Now's your chance." 

With a manic grin, the scientist hurled the vial outside. The fragile container shattered upon impact with the ground, releasing a pale blue mist into the air. 

"All right, boys," Fordo said calmly, "Our job is done here. Pull back." As the LAAT accelerated to leave the atmosphere, rising rapidly. 

----------------------- 

Lelouch's gaze remained fixed on the tactical displays, his sharp eyes analyzing the unfolding situation on Naboo with meticulous attention to detail. The planet, a critical foothold in the region, now faced a potential catastrophe. 

'It'll be a good wakeup call. After the news get a hold of this, even the people in the core will start to be restless, and in chaos, there is opportunity. Can you feel it in the dark side? The impending catastrophe.' the backseat driver in his mind whispered. 

'If the weapon works as advertised, it'll make things much simpler in the long run, however we can't simply rely on statistics inside a lab. We'll have to see how it performs in the wild...' 

He tapped a control panel on his command console, opening a direct line to his fleet officers. 

"Attention all commands," Lelouch's voice resonated through the comm channels, cold and commanding. "Naboo is now under full quarantine. No civilian craft is permitted to leave the surface. All spaceports are to be locked down immediately." 

The officers across the fleet swiftly acknowledged his order, understanding the gravity of the situation. Lelouch continued, his tone unyielding. 

"Initiate a full blockade. Every entry and exit vector must be covered. Deploy our picket ships to enforce this perimeter. Should any unauthorized craft attempt to break orbit, you are to use deadly force without hesitation. No ship is to leave the planet without direct authorization from me or one of my appointed officers. Is that clear?" 

A chorus of affirmatives echoed back through the comms. His officers understood the severity of the order; there could be no room for mistakes. 

Lelouch turned to his bridge officer, a stern-faced lieutenant who had served under him for several campaigns. "Dispatch squads to all spaceports, and have them enforce martial law. Anyone attempting to take off without clearance is to be arrested or neutralized. Civilian communications must be monitored for any signs of distress or unrest." 

His orders spread through the fleet like a shockwave. Within moments, the blockade began to take shape. Venator-class Star Destroyers moved into strategic positions, forming a tight web around Naboo's orbit. Smaller corvettes and frigates filled in the gaps, creating a nearly impenetrable perimeter. Starfighter squadrons began patrols, their pilots on high alert for any unauthorized craft that might try to slip through. 

Lelouch leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing as he studied the tactical displays. "Ready all available medical teams for deployment to the surface," he added, his voice still as cold as ever. "They are to work with Naboo's local authorities to assess the situation and establish containment protocols." 

He knew the potential for the virus to wreak havoc. The Blue Shadow Virus, if unleashed in its full form, could decimate the population. His priority was to contain it, to ensure it did not become a wider threat to the Republic—and to his own meticulously planned strategies. 

A new alert flashed across his console: a civilian freighter, likely unaware or perhaps desperate, had attempted to break from Naboo's atmosphere. Lelouch's eyes darkened as he watched the ship's trajectory. 

"Zero Squadron, intercept that vessel," he ordered. "Warn them once. If they do not comply, eliminate them." 

Moments later, the comm channel crackled with a response. "Zero Leader here, General. Target acquired. We are moving to intercept." 

The screen showed the squadron of V-19 Torrent starfighters rapidly closing in on the fleeing freighter. The pilot of the civilian vessel had clearly received the warning, as the ship began to change course, descending back toward the planet's surface. 

"Target has complied, General," Zero Leader reported. "Returning to patrol." 

Lelouch's cold expression remained unchanged. "Good. Keep it that way."