Ten years, two months, and seven days after the Battle of Yavin...
Or forty-five years, two months, and seven days after the Great Resynchronization.
(Eight months and twenty-seventh days since arrival).
The dreadnought "Rottaran" entered the Doli star system, escorted by a dozen Corellian corvettes.
The enormous ship, whose ancestor was created by Mandalorian shipwrights, was practically indistinguishable against the backdrop of the starry sky.
Painted black from bow to stern, it revealed its presence visually only by the glow of its engines.
Until its turbolasers came alive, filling the darkness of Doli's night side with snow-white-blue turbolaser beams.
A moment later, the guns of the escort corvettes echoed them.
Controlled chaos reigned on the bridge of the "Rottaran."
Dozens of Mandalorians were interrupting each other, each claiming their task was of paramount importance.
Despite their warlike past, the natives of Kal Adorn were participating in a full-scale space military operation against a strong enemy for the first time.
In the center of this primordial chaos, with the air of a creator-god (if a Mandalorian could be a creator), Hedge Spar sat and examined the tactical holographic schematic, obligingly drawn by the central onboard computer.
Two "Kaloth"-class battlecruisers, identified as starships of the rebel aristocrats' allies, had just engaged in combat.
The gunners of the "Rottaran" had already fired on the new enemy with turbolasers.
The port deflector shields of the first battlecruiser could not withstand the frenzied pressure, forcing the crew to turn the ship.
But the corvettes engaged, flooding it with laser fire.
Watching the "Kaloth" try to evade all enemies at once was both pleasant and amusing.
The Mandalorian "Nimbuses" had already caught wind of the shield damage and, like a pack of voracious curs, swarmed the agonizing enemy ship.
The "Rottaran" was tearing apart the second battlecruiser, leaving it no chance of survival.
The joy of the unfolding battle was marred by the "Fire Star" orbital platform to the left of the course.
It ignored the large ships bogged down in combat, targeting only smaller prey and ruthlessly destroying them.
The fighters, having suffered their first losses, no longer dared to approach it, because the "Star's" gunners were quite skilled with turbolasers and missile launchers, allowing the gunners to fire one proton torpedo after another.
Squadrons of fighters produced in the D'Astan sector rose from the surface of Doli and engaged in battle under the station's cover.
Fast and agile thanks to their three engines, they still had drawbacks in armament and defense.
One heavy and one light laser cannon, no deflectors – this was not an arsenal worth demonstrating against Dominion-upgraded Alpha-III "Nimbuses."
The Mandalorian machines, though not the newest, were still lethally powerful.
D'Astan fighter.
After the first "Kaloth" was disabled and fell apart, the light forces of the attackers significantly improved.
"Report the composition of the defending forces to Nez-Peron," Hedge ordered the communications officer, shouting over the slight din in the command center. "The General must know that we were not met as intelligence predicted."
The subordinate replied affirmatively and began his work.
"It's almost boring," came the voice of a Devaronian who had appeared next to the command chair.
Hedge glanced at the commander of the Baroness's special forces group.
The Devaronian was outwardly calm, dressed in heavy armor, and clearly not against disemboweling a few enemies.
"We expected there to be more of them here," Spar stated. "Only two 'Kaloths' and one 'Fire Star' is somewhat..."
"Disappointing?" Mortok clarified.
The Mandalorian nodded affirmatively.
"The General sent an entire squadron, an assault force, and in the end, one 'Rottaran' could have handled it," the native of Kal Adorn lamented.
"What's true is true," the Devaronian agreed. "Your dreadnought is powerful and well-armed. I've seen them before."
Hedge remained silent.
"With the 'Zann Consortium'," the Devaronian continued. "Although, they say, they could drain energy from other starships' shields. And their main caliber was a heavy mass driver."
"My 'Rottaran' is better," the Devaronian interrupted the Mandalorian. "All those unnecessary gadgets were installed out of foolishness. You can't carry many bulky items for a long battle, and energy draining worked at a short distance. It was a too foolish decision to install such equipment on a combat ship. To win, this ship only needs its standard armament."
"I don't recall any Zann gangs operating in our region," the Devaronian continued.
"And what do you mean by that?" Hedge Spar inquired.
"Just curious where you got such a ship," Mortok shrugged. "It looks like a 'Keldabe,' but it's heavily modernized..."
"We received it from the Dominion in exchange for loyal service and the opportunity to participate in battles," Spar explained.
"Quite an exchange," the lieutenant yawned. "You can always find a place to fight in the galaxy."
"Yes," the Mandalorian agreed. "But you can't always find a sturdy, well-armed, and perfectly designed dreadnought, as well as military equipment to get there."
"Depends on how you look," the Devaronian chuckled, nodding his horned head towards the central viewport. "These guys managed to find 'Kaloths' and a 'Fire Star' for themselves."
Mortok's correctness could not be denied.
The General struck the enemy's forward base in the Doli system precisely because there were only two battlecruisers and one defensive station there.
It was strange and suspicious.
Just two cruisers could not boast of either firepower or the valor of their crews.
Ordinary, average tauntauns, nothing more.
According to intelligence, four more "Kaloths" were supposed to be assigned to the planet's defense.
In such numbers, these ships could have seriously complicated matters.
But they were not there.
Perhaps the enemy was planning an ambush, but their plan was not important in the end.
However, there was a high probability that the enemy had recalled half of its battlecruisers to defend and attack on other fronts.
The General must have understood this.
Perhaps it was part of some plan.
Or perhaps the Mandalorian was thinking too highly of the Dominion, assuming they could simultaneously resolve the civil war issues they had ignored for months, allowing the enemy to gain strategic initiative in several star systems.
Well, let those responsible for strategies worry about them.
The Mandalorians from Kal Adorn had a different task.
As long as there was an opportunity to deal with enemy units piecemeal, they should not miss the chance.
Now, the "Rottaran" and the remaining eight Corellian corvettes from the D'Astan sector fleet on one side, and the "Fire Star" defensive station on the other, were exchanging artillery fire and torpedoes – with equal, indomitable fury.
The deflector shields of the agile corvettes were creaking under the strain – the gunners on the station were clearly not among the inept.
For some time, the corvettes that had approached the station held out, then their deflectors solemnly gave up the ghost.
There was neither time nor energy for their restoration.
Now the ships were protected only by their armored plating.
Which, on starships of this class, was thinner than flimsi.
The comparison was, of course, not great, but it reflected the difference between the thick armor of the "Rottaran" and its escort.
"Inform the corvettes to get away from there!" Hedge ordered, looking at the ruins of both "Kaloths." "Set course for the station. Prepare for bombardment and capture!"
The dreadnought approached its new victim.
The deflector field absorbed the damage inflicted on the ship, gradually thinning.
The anti-aircraft laser artillery, with its reliable work, must have driven the operators of the missile launchers on the "Fire Star" mad: not a single proton torpedo reached its target.
The gunners from the "Rottaran" did not lag behind.
Either through skillful control of the weapons or by blind chance, some shots hit the station's turbolaser batteries, some were lucky enough to plug the torpedo tubes. Those who were not so fortunate simply grazed the "Fire Star," trying to reach its interior.
The station was clearly losing this battle.
It could not fire back at five enemies at once, but it tried very hard to do so.
As a result, this allowed the "Rottaran" to burn out dangerous firing points, forming a certain picture of what was happening in the minds of the observers.
"I assume the station's hangar was left uncovered for a reason?" the Devaronian clarified.
"Why destroy a combat station, even if it's not the newest?" Hedge asked. "It will be useful to us too."
"Can't argue with that," the horned one grinned. "If you don't mind, my men would like to take care of its capture."
"That's why you're on my ship," Hedge chuckled. "Taking the station is up to your men. We'll just suppress the artillery to make it easier for the landing groups and shuttles."
"And I forgot how noble Mandalorian warriors are," Mortok laughed good-naturedly, checking if his vibroblade left its sheath easily. "Then bring your ship closer to the station, and I'll head to the landing craft. Once we land, the fun will begin."
"I have the same plan, but regarding the enemy base on the surface," the Mandalorian leader declared, clenching his right fist. "I love the smell of dead enemies in the morning."
"Tastes differ," Mortok shrugged, heading away from the bridge.
At Spar's signal, the "Rottaran" turned its bow guns towards the planet, positioning itself with its starboard side towards the "Fire Star."
Having already lost its deflector, the station could not withstand the salvo – this hit effectively deprived it of all its forward artillery.
The ion cannons of the Mandalorian dreadnought inflicted even greater damage on its defenses.
Bluish spiderwebs of surface charges spread across the battered hull.
Entire sections went dark, turning into darkened structures.
"It's done, Mortok," came the voice of the Mandalorian commander in the headset. "You can begin."
"Understood," the Devaronian replied, turning to face the special forces fighters standing in the landing bay. "Well, 'Cutthroats,' ready for a stroll?"
A hearty roar from two dozen throats was the response, coinciding with their gunship lifting off the deck.
LAAT/i.
Low Altitude Assault Transport.
LATT/i.
Or, as it was called during the Clone Wars by the soldiers of the Grand Army of the Republic, "latti."
This same name resurfaced and firmly settled in the minds of those who received this technology by the will of the Dominion.
In particular, the troops of Baroness D'Asta's supporters widely used weapons and technology from the Clone Wars era.
Of course, it was seriously modernized by Dominion engineers, but in the case of the "latti," these technical interventions were not widespread due to the quality of work done by the employees of "Rothana Heavy Engineering," where these aircraft were created, despite their age.
And the Dominion engineers who carried out repairs on this technology (who knows where it came from decades after it was decommissioned) were also great.
Both during the Clone Wars and during the civil war in the D'Astan sector, the appearance of the LAAT became one of the most desired and cherished sights for soldiers on the battlefield.
Numerous LAATs provided fire support to ground troops, carried out bombing and assault strikes, conducted tactical reconnaissance, delivered reinforcements, provisions, and weapons, deployed commandos, and were sometimes the last hope for soldiers surrounded.
With all hatches sealed, the gunship emerged from the hangar of the "Rothana" and rushed towards the inviting maw of the "Fire Star" hangar, swaying slightly by its "wings."
The LAAT was a two-seater high-wing aircraft with a spacious cargo and troop compartment.
The ship's wings were not full aerodynamic planes, although they could generate additional lift due to two small repulsors mounted on the wingtips.
With their help, the pilot controlled the aircraft's roll and pitch, which was quite non-standard for an aircraft and therefore required great professionalism from the pilots.
Mortok had to work hard to find a "flyer" with the necessary qualifications for his special group.
The wings were equipped with two laser cannons, and under each wing, four hardpoints were mounted for light air-to-air missiles. Inside the wing root was part of the air-to-ground missiles and a belt system for automatic feeding of missiles into the launchers.
The machine was powered by two powerful engines mounted in two engine nacelles.
The use of a twin-engine configuration, with engines located far from each other, increased the machine's reliability and survivability. If the enemy managed to disable one of the engines, the LAAT could reach its destination on the remaining one, or even "parachute" using only the repulsors.
But, after such a "landing," which damaged or destroyed the repulsors occupying the lower part of the ship's hull, the "latti" required extensive repairs to take to the air again.
This is what Baroness's supporters found out with their own machines—unfortunately, despite the fact that "flyers" who had previously fought for the Dominion as volunteers returned to the Baroness's army at first, not all of them had dealt with this type of machine, and therefore not all could pass on their knowledge to their comrades.
Everything in this machine is thought out to the smallest detail.
If the enemy still managed to shoot down the loyalists' "workhorse," the crew had the opportunity to abandon the machine by using the ejection system. The LAAT cockpit was designed as a sealed armored capsule. During ejection, the capsule detached and temporarily turned into an analog of a spacecraft's escape pod. Of course, the pilots tried to find a free landing area at all costs and make an emergency landing—if there were soldiers or wounded in the troop compartment.
Given the limited number of such machines in the Baroness's army, they preferred to protect them from unnecessary crashes.
Everything changed with the arrival of the Mandalorians, the "Cavil Corsairs," and the General, who led the D'Astan forces.
Along with them came and continue to arrive large quantities of military equipment and weapons, so necessary for the loyalists.
Not to mention the "volunteers"—numerous cutthroats of Captain Anilex, who became famous for their daring raids throughout the sector.
The Mandalorians of Spar turned out to be the indispensable ground assault force that was needed in the sector to break through the enemy's layered defense lines.
And even if many soldiers grumbled that the Dominion did not supply the Baroness's troops with the latest equipment, it was better to have Clone Wars-era equipment at hand than none at all.
The soldiers of the aristocrats' rebel troops also had armor that was not the freshest—mostly from the Clone Wars era as well.
True, it was produced in factories belonging to the Confederacy of Independent Systems.
Some jokingly said that the civil war in the D'Astan sector was a continuation of the Clone Wars.
And the loyalists would have given a lot to see guys in white "Phase II" armor on the battlefields.
Having cleared the station's hangar with flanking laser cannons, the "latti" broke through, gliding over the polished floor.
"Disembark!" the pilot's command rang out.
One of the side doors on the right, the side not facing the defenders firing small arms from the station, swung open.
Special forces poured out, using the stern ramp as an additional aid.
Theoretically, the LAAT could carry up to thirty armed soldiers in full combat gear.
In practice, however, loyalists rarely crammed more than one or two squads of nine to ten men inside, preferring to take more provisions and ammunition than to crowd the troop compartment.
Reducing the number of deployed troops allowed infantrymen to carry heavy weapons, mortars, grenade launchers, and heavy blasters.
Moreover, it increased the speed of deployment and, consequently, reduced the vulnerability of the "latti," giving the enemy little chance to shoot down or "cover" the stationary target with artillery.
Yes, the machine still had its drawbacks.
Despite the fact that the "latti" was an excellent multi-functional machine, in reality, its armor did not allow it to defend against serious weapons.
If the LAAT was hit during the descent from low orbit or during flight and lost altitude, the soldiers inside had almost no chance of survival in a crash.
But in battle, as an assault aircraft, the "latti" was second to none—as long as it was in the air and there were no enemy fighters or anti-aircraft artillery nearby.
The absence of deflectors and strong defenses made them a tasty target for the enemy.
The LAAT's armament was an extensive arsenal of weapons for "all occasions."
Two air-to-ground missile launchers. Unlike most launchers used in the Far, Far Away, the initial acceleration of the missile was provided not by its own main engine, but by a mass driver, which was an electromagnetic launch device that instantly accelerated the missile to high speeds.
It was a pity, though, that the LAAT's auto-loader was belt-fed; the crew could not take missiles of different types on a mission simultaneously, which forced the use of several LAATs for assaults.
Loyalist fighters, like the clones of the Grand Army of the Republic, highly valued their machines from the first days of the war and treated them with great care. One proof of this can be seen in the numerous "nose art" that can be found on the sides of many LAATs.
There, on the sides, they often noted the number of combat sorties, the list of destroyed equipment...
Most of these "artworks" were inherited by the machines from the Clone Wars era.
In the Dominion, they did not get rid of them, leaving faded and scuffed drawings on the sides and noses of the machines.
The D'Astans resolutely supported this initiative, and the tradition, which positively affected the soldiers' morale, continued.
The drawings were updated, and the accounting of destroyed equipment was carried out taking into account the markings that were already there from the time of conservation, which caused considerable anxiety for the enemy soldiers.
To see a transport in front of you, on board which there are several hundred markings of destroyed enemy equipment—is not so pleasant.
Because the mind played a cruel trick and painted a picture that the crew of this "marked machine" had destroyed so much military equipment belonging specifically to the rebels.
A small trick that helped disorganize the enemy.
Mortok fired his twin blasters, hitting the enemy who had appeared from behind cover directly in the head and achieving the target.
The resistance on this flank had been broken, and the Devaronian fighters continued the assault.
And behind them, more and more gunships were deploying loyalist troops onto the station's hull, adding more and more units to the capture of the "Fire Star."
***
Captain Tiberos delivered alarming news.
Alarming from any point of view.
It might seem that there were no problems whatsoever in the Corporate Sector sending a "Indomitable"-class dreadnought after its transport ships and escort.
Despite the rearmament that took place in CorpSec, a patrol and escort—that's all this ship could do.
Too much money would need to be invested in the full modernization of this type of starship to get a modern vessel.
And money is something that "corporates," like any other type of aggressive capitalism focused on extracting super-profits with super-low costs, do not like to spend.
So, healthy vigilance might be dulled by this simple fact.
But it is not so.
If the "corporates" acted on their own, then such a practice would not raise any questions.
Reasonable beings simply save money.
But in context, the situation looks completely different.
Our auxiliary forces spent a considerable amount of time figuring out all the routes of ship movement with raw materials from the Corporate Sector to Hutt Space.
And the buzz droids of project "Morrt" were scattered at course correction points not just randomly.
But directly in those systems where the cargo ships made stops before continuing their journey.
There are not many such systems, and from the perspective of saving travel time, transport, and related fuel costs, they are chosen by the "corporates" absolutely correctly.
Perfectly correct.
Logistically correct.
And a fair question arises, highlighted by Captain Tiberos: "If the ships are coming from the Corporate Sector, then why was the 'Indomitable' not detected by the buzz droids?"
This can only happen in a few cases.
The first option is as follows: there are other "transfer" systems where the second echelon escort ships, like the detected "Indomitable," were still "stationed."
In this case, the reason why the buzz droids did not detect this (and, more likely, other) escort ships, which may be moving behind other convoys, becomes clear.
The second echelon escort simply follows a different route and does not intersect with the convoy if they maintain working contact, exchanging information upon reaching one of the course correction checkpoints.
The second hypothesis is partially related to the first and suggests that there are "staging bases" in the sectors from which CorpSec forces deploy to scout systems where contact with the convoy has been lost.
There is also a third hypothesis, according to which the "Indomitable" moved behind the convoy, tracking its schedule in secret from the crews of the main escort and transports.
The third hypothesis is unlikely because it goes against what is known about "corporates" at the moment.
Why send an old, completely non-combat-capable heavy dreadnought against a real enemy to "monitor the convoy"?
It is only capable of patrolling; its combat value is low.
Any pirate ship capable of dealing with four escort frigates would simply leave the system before the "Indomitable" reached firing range.
So, as a "backup" or "observer," this ship is clearly unsuitable...
Because the "corporates" have at least five hundred "Victory"-class Star Destroyers.
These are suitable for escort, both overt and covert, in the best possible way.
After all, it doesn't make sense.
If the "corporates" and the "Zann Consortium" assumed that the convoy could be attacked, then wouldn't it be reasonable to send fast and well-armed ships after the transports?
We know very well that they invest resources in building an entire military transport fleet.
We know about their control over Rotana and Kamino, about the probable return to the project of cloning the "Consortium's" army.
We know that they have updated "Keldabes" and "Crusaders"... So why play games with weak cover?
Four frigates and one heavy dreadnought are not cover for such a convoy, assuming an attack was indeed anticipated.
Then what was it?
So far, the campaigns of the "Zann Consortium" have always been successful, meticulously planned, weighed, and had multiple layers.
And here it turns out that they simply sent the convoy to slaughter?
Some kind of stupidity.
It doesn't happen like that.
Every action breeds a reaction.
Sir Isaac Newton may have lived in another galaxy far, far away and in another time, but the laws of the universe are immutable.
A considerable amount of time has passed since the attack on the convoy.
And still, there have been no enemy reactions.
If they knew we would attack or were setting a trap, then why haven't they responded yet?
Why aren't they reacting to the counteroffensive in the D'Astan sector?
Are they waiting?
No, Tyber Zann does not have much patience.
Besides, he has already received many slaps in the face.
Control over the Bosph sector has been lost, but the Corporate Sector fleet has not even reacted to this.
They continue to maintain the blockade with their outdated starships and show no signs of aggression.
The base on Snark has been attacked, and Zann hasn't even ordered an investigation to figure out what happened.
The kidnapping of the Baroness failed, an entire organization, a branch of the "Zann Consortium's" work, was wiped out, Urai Fenn, Zann's friend, was killed...
And again—no reaction.
Even though Urai is possibly the closest sentient being in Zann's entourage.
Finally, the attack on the convoy, the destruction of the guard—both the first and second echelons, the capture of transports.
And again, silence.
Just as there is no reaction to the ships we captured at Snark.
Noth-ing!
It doesn't happen like that.
I admit that the organization's focus might be shifted to another plane, but Zann cannot afford to simply ignore this chain of events.
Yes, with a certain degree of probability, I can admit that he interpreted some of the events as interference from other forces, not the Dominion, but objective facts should have led to "assembling the puzzle."
Then why have we been attacking for days now, but still haven't received the slightest information about the "Zann Consortium's" retaliatory measures, not only in our context, but at all...
They seem to have put their activity on pause.
Where first-class ships should have appeared, blatant rarities are found, which are used more to scare someone than to act as "dispensers of justice."
Where they diligently tried to take the D'Astan sector from us, they simply went into a defensive posture and silently observe what is happening, withdrawing forces from critically important directions.
Hedge Spar's report is quite eloquent—without explanation or clear tactical benefits, the enemy simply withdrew half of their ships from the Doli system, opening it for our attack and subsequent conquest.
It will be practically impossible to drive us out of there.
Then for what purpose is this "game of catch-up"?
Leaning back in my chair, I silently examined the holograms of the "Zann Consortium" officers.
Urai Fenn.
Silri.
Bossk.
Tyber Zann.
The four pillars on which the organization once stood.
Bossk betrayed Zann—that's the official version—and disappeared.
Now we find him gathering his own army.
Silri, as far as I know, stole a Sith holocron from Zann and with its help discovered a Sith army frozen in carbonite from the distant past—if we believe the videos from a computer game.
Urai Fenn distinguished himself in the operation in the D'Astan sector and was killed.
It's possible he's a clone—we simply have nothing to compare his DNA with to understand if Zann "played around" with producing genetic copies of his close associate.
Of course, not with the help of Spartee cloning cylinders on Smarc, but he does have access to Kamino, doesn't he?
Something clearly doesn't add up.
The picture seems coherent—the "Zann Consortium" spread a network throughout the galaxy to increase its strength without attracting attention.
They stole advanced technologies from the Republic and the Empire to improve their ships and military equipment.
They replaced some sentient beings throughout the galaxy to provoke a cascading collapse of the Empire and pick up the pieces.
They are undoubtedly building an entire fleet on Rotana and for this, they stole military equipment from the New Republic.
They are also cloning an army on Kamino and using the "Ysalamiri effect" to accelerate maturation.
And at the same time, they have a duplicate cloning laboratory on Smarc—and only for creating "vultures" or replacement clones of influential sentient beings?
But at the same time, they recruit an army of low-grade mercenaries.
And transport huge volumes of valuable ores defenselessly.
They ignore the capture of their warships and the transfer of their advanced technologies into our hands.
They ignore the loss of the Bosph sector and the lack of metal supplies from there—as well as the detention of transport ships.
And for some reason, they are rushing into the Chiloon Rift, where there are rich deposits of minerals...
Which they sell "to outsiders" for the construction of extremely expensive to maintain and not very good in military terms "Lucrehulk-class" ships.
Something doesn't add up.
On the one hand—perfect conspiracy, methodical approach, redundancy, and unhurried execution.
On the other—clumsiness, speed, quantity in exchange for quality.
And at the same time—not a single trap.
And, again, I repeat—not the slightest attempt to strike back, despite the fact that we have deprived them of bases on several planets.
All that Zann did was to covertly start a civil war in the D'Astan sector.
He brought in mercenaries, brought in ships—again—not of the best quality or condition.
And now, as if he has lost interest in what he started.
And as if he has reoriented his attention to something else.
But, if so, then to what?
And why hasn't he organized any traps yet, like the one that led to the destruction of Thrawn's fleet after Bossk's betrayal?
After all, how cleverly everything was done—the enemy, with ease and visible protest, received what they wanted, took the holocron with the "beacon" to the Imperial Vault on Coruscant.
From where Zann obtained it, gaining access to Palpatine's secrets...
From any angle, if the loss of the holocron is considered a "throw-in," then the blow that followed the trap led to the "Zann Consortium's" victory in the entire game.
They gained unheard-of wealth and power, subjugated the "corporates," and God knows what else...
Stop.
"Throw-ins" and triumph.
An easy victory and a "beacon."
Obsession with Palpatine's secrets after the capture of the "Eclipse" and the loss of the "Consortium."
Bossk's betrayal.
Silri's betrayal.
Army in carbonite.
Army of "vultures" and "corporates."
Cloning cylinders on Smarc.
Clones on Kamino.
Construction of a combat fleet on Rotana.
Construction of a military transport fleet on Nimban.
Mercenaries in the east of the galaxy in the Tamarin and Rseik sectors.
Mercenaries in the north of the galaxy in sectors near the Corporate Sector and in D'Astan itself.
Construction of a droid army in the Corporate Sector.
Recruitment of cheap mercenaries in Tamarin.
Lack of reaction to the attack on the cloning center.
Lack of reaction to the attack on bases on Saleucami, Shola, Smarc, and Hypori.
Use of secondary ships for the blockade of the Bosph sector.
Use of secondary ships to escort a caravan with cargo for the shipyards on Nimban.
We have captured the idea.
Exactly the same thing is happening as I am doing with the Dominion.
In different corners of the galaxy, duplicating production facilities and strongholds are being created.
But in the case of the Corporate Sector, this is happening sequentially, reasonably, and logically.
And in the case of Tamarin—it's happening in leaps and bounds, "broadly," not "deeply."
The first option is clearly thought out.
The second is imitation without understanding the mechanics of what is happening.
Like children, seeing adults' actions, they start to copy them because they think that's just how you have to do it to seem like adults.
An interesting picture emerges.
Extremely interesting...
I almost made a huge miscalculation when I decided to pit Zann against the Alliance, thinking that this would divert the threat from Kessel.
It won't.
And I am clearly mistaken about why the "Indomitable" followed the convoy.
And for what purpose this heavily armored but non-combat-capable ship was chosen.
Activating the holoprojector, I waited until the familiar hologram appeared above the polished projector plate.
"Captain Irv," the commander of the "Colicoid Swarm" looked surprised. "Have the transport ships captured by Captain Tiberos arrived at the rendezvous point?"
"Yes, sir," he frowned. "My men are ready to begin unloading them and selling the metals according to your instructions."
"The time for that has not yet come," I stated. "You will have to make a few more hyperspace jumps."
"Are we being tailed?" the former Separatist frowned.
"Exactly," I said, sending coordinates that had been chosen long ago, but for other purposes. "Now your task is to lead them closer to where we will deal with them."
"With pleasure, sir," the commander of the "Colicoid Swarm" smiled. "Coordinates received. Moving out."
"End communication," I disconnected Irv and switched to another subscriber.
"Captain Vivant," the officer cast a cautious glance at me. "You have a chance to redeem yourself for your previous mistake."
"I am ready, Grand Admiral!"
"In that case, your ships must be ready to sortie and jump to the given coordinates," I said, duplicating the transmission of coordinates.
Then followed more and more instructions...
Well, I underestimated and simultaneously overestimated the enemy.
He didn't want to walk into the trap so easily and chose his own development scenario.
Well, I will show him what it means to spoil my game with his voluntarism.
***
Looking at how the LAAT's missiles and lasers were burning through the enemy's forward positions, Hedge Spar thought that the Imperials were wrong to abandon the use of this machine after they had crushed most of the renegades from the remnants of the CIS.
The obvious reason for this was a change in the principles of planetary warfare.
In the Empire, troop landings were carried out by specialized assault shuttles, well-armored and well-armed, just like their Republican ancestors.
And the tasks of direct fire support for troops and carrying out bombing and assault strikes fell entirely on bombers, attack bombers, and ships hovering in low orbit.
The Mandalorians knew for sure that attempts were made to modernize the LAAT/i during the Imperial period.
The new models were named MAAT, which did not gain widespread use in the Imperial army.
He saw several such machines with the Dominion, particularly during the assault on a pirate base, and there the technicians explained to him the reasons why the "latti" and MAAT went out of use.
Currently, such machines cannot be found in large quantities anywhere in the Dominion.
The Empire, like much other armament and equipment, sold it off to fringe worlds or loyal governments.
Rumor has it that the rebels also tried to use these machines, found under various circumstances, but the latest Imperial technology clearly demonstrated the reason for decommissioning the Republican heritage into strategic reserve or scrap.
"Spar!" Mortok's voice sounded in my helmet. "The 'Fire Star' is under our control."
"Glad for you," replied the native of Kal Adorn.
"I can hear your sarcasm even through hundreds of kilometers," the Devaronian said in a sarcastic tone.
"Well done, take the order from the desk drawer," Spar retorted good-naturedly, switching to another communication channel. "Pilot, how long until the target?!"
"Two minutes!" came the immediate response.
Excellent.
Just what was needed.
The situation in orbit was resolved, control over the system was effectively established.
There was no point in staying on board the "Rothana."
Therefore, as the leader of the Mandalorians, he simply had to lead them into ground combat as well.
The commlink clicked—he established communication with all his fighters, who were now rushing through the planet Doli's clouds.
"Mandalorians!" he loudly addressed his compatriots. "Today, like our ancestors hundreds of years ago, we go into battle! Our names will be what our fallen enemies utter with their last breath before they die. We are the creators of the oratorios of cannonades and rifles. Doli has been stormed three times—and three times the weaklings from the Baroness's army washed themselves in blood, leaving thousands of corpses on the planet. Because they are worthless warriors. We are born for war, for the roar of bombardments, for bringing death without any idylls. We are made for blood, dirt, killing enemies, and the glory of our people."
The planet below them was burning.
Missiles and bombs, laser fire, and the dying remains of armored vehicles—this land was torn apart by war.
And the Mandalorians went into its very inferno for their glory.
Through the open side panel, he could already see the approaching enemy positions. Ten seconds—and their armored boots would touch the planet's surface, treading on the soil of Doli, scorched by rocket and bomb strikes.
"I have summoned you on a great campaign to restore the glory of our people," he reminded them. "We, the inhabitants of Kal Adorn, have long been considered outcasts among the Mandalorians. But today we will prove that all the glory of our people is in our veins, not with those who cowardly sit in the Mandalorian sector. Today is our time to rise from oblivion and achieve glorious victory where ordinary sentient beings cannot. We do not want silence! Battle is our light, and we go there to make it even brighter! And now—attack!"
The "latti" hovered a few centimeters above the scorched surface of the planet Doli.
Spar jumped to the ground and immediately fired, seeing how from a burning and smoking bunker, on the roof of which two missiles had just landed, a stunned enemy soldier crawled out.
The shot crushed his skull, making a hole in his eye as soon as the enemy tried to stand up.
Spar quickly found himself near the open entrance to the fortification.
The Mandalorian struck another enemy with a heavy repeater, which he wielded in ground battles.
The approaching fighters, jumping onto the roof of the bunker, threw a couple of thermal detonators into the doorway.
It exploded.
Fire and a shock wave burst out through the embrasure, finally eliminating any resistance from the sentient beings inside.
On the enemy's front line of defense, this was the only surviving fortification.
Trenches and foxholes, torn apart by explosions, dotted the entire perimeter of the planet's only city, for control of which this battle was being fought.
There were no civilians here anymore—ever since the loyalists were driven off the planet for the first time.
Those civilians who did not leave with the Baroness's troops were destroyed by the rebels for their sympathies to the heiress.
Now this city is an enemy fortified military post.
Orbital bombardments are a way to solve the problem, without a doubt.
But it is too simple for the Mandalorians, who need rich combat experience.
And the General ordered carpet and orbital bombardments to be excluded from his arsenal—this soldiery needs to learn to fight in such conditions.
Cities and planets must be captured, not destroyed.
The leader turned around.
Behind Spar, a platoon of Mandalorian soldiers had already lined up—in helmets, with blasters in their hands, with bandoliers fully loaded with ammunition—quietly talking among themselves, as battle-hardened veterans do before the start of another battle.
Soldier jokes, the hidden meaning of which was beyond the strength of any civilian, drowned out everything that was happening.
The only thing he could catch was that the jokes were also very grim.
As it should be.
The roar of fighters and assault craft flying overhead drowned out any speech, but the Mandalorians didn't care—active suppression of external sounds was provided by the armor's technological features.
Spar commanded the advance.
A sudden bright flash made Hedge turn his gaze to the sky.
One of the assault transports flared up overhead like a supernova, and the roar of an explosion spread around.
The other landing craft broke through the cloud cover to the planet's surface, where they were met by a swarm of enemy missiles.
Two, four, then five ships were shot down by direct hits: fuselages burned, and crippled paratroopers fell out of the compartments directly onto the sandy surface of Doli.
From the nose of one of the transports, a capsule detached with the pilot and his co-pilot, but just a few meters from the water, a homing missile caught it, tearing it to atoms.
"Blood has been shed!" Hedge roared, pointing to the position of the anti-aircraft missile launchers. "Destroy them all!"
Some of the "latti" delivered grav-cycles to the surface—and the Mandalorians on them rushed forward.
They broke through enemy fortifications, dropping ammunition and thermal detonators behind them.
Shockwaves, explosions, shrapnel, a hail of missiles and laser beams—all this mixed the defenders with mud and sand.
But there were still some who remained on the surface and fired back at the attacking Mandalorians.
But what can save isolated pockets of resistance from a durasteel wave of ferocious warriors?
Hedge spent a lot of time training his assault squads in several missions in the sector.
The professionalism of the vanguard units now helped them push forward with minimal losses.
In the distance, the silhouette of a missile battery could already be discerned, nestled at the foot of steep hills that rose from the long crescent of the breached second defensive line.
The next second, the assault transport made a hard landing on the crest of the parapets, its damaged engines smoking.
Afterward, it turned and aimed its blunted nose at the city silhouette on the horizon, weaving through streams of warheads fired from the gun emplacements that dotted the second defensive line.
Its passengers managed to disembark from the "Latti" before several anti-tank missiles blew up the ship, turning it into a smoking hulk.
Shrapnel from the ship's hull scattered across the area, claiming the lives of several fighters.
But this did not stop the Mandalorians.
They broke through, destroying all enemies in their path.
Spar, catching them on the crest of the parapet before the third line of trenches, not without pleasure, unleashed blaster fire on the rebels reloading their launchers.
The light and not always quality armor of the enemy failed its wearers—corpses littered this section of the trench.
Jumping over the man-made fortification, Hedge continued to push forward, showering fire on everything that didn't look like a Mandalorian.
A skirmish had already begun at the missile battery positions.
The leader of the Mandalorians found himself in the thick of it, shooting down two rebels on the move.
He plunged a combat knife into the armpit of the third as he tried to hit him with some club and swung too hard.
Another enemy, who rushed at him and tried to knock him down, was hit by Spar on the back of the neck with the butt of his rifle, forcing him to retreat.
The enemy recoiled for a moment, after which the Mandalorian, with a precise shot, made a new hole in his face.
Bending low to the ground to avoid a stray shell or blaster shot, the Mandalorians rushed forward, engaging in close combat.
In which they had no equal.
Blasters and combat knives, vibroblades and shock batons—the enemy artillerymen and units drawn to the point of impact could not withstand the onslaught.
A burly enemy suddenly jumped out at Hedge.
Grappling with him, the Mandalorian felt his repeaters ripped from his hands and parted with his weapon without regret.
With a firm intention to get it back.
The enemy struck with his knee, intending to hit below the belt, at the joint of the armor.
The leader intercepted his leg, and with a blow to the second, forced the giant to fall on his back.
And pressed him down with his weight from above.
Tearing a combat knife from his left bracer with his right hand, he deflected the attempt to block his arm with a forearm strike and plunged the weapon into the enemy's neck.
Two quick strikes—and the rebel was gasping, unable to cope with the heavy blood loss.
The thigh armor plate deflected a shot to the leg, and the next moment the combat knife had already completed its required somersaults and entered the base of the shooter's neck.
Picking up the dropped repeater, Hedge dodged a burst, hiding behind the body of a freight container.
"Missile shells," read the inscription.
"Quite a shelter," the Mandalorian muttered, changing position.
Several shots hit the container, piercing it through and going safely into oblivion.
But they confirmed the emptiness inside and the unreliability of such shelter in principle.
Hiding behind a boulder, the leader kept firing.
One by one, enemies became victims of his shots.
The first of the shooters fell as if struck down; steam rose from the melted holes in his chest—the blaster charges had reached their target.
Another rebel recoiled with a groan, his leg smoking from a deep cut, and blood oozed from the vessels not cauterized by the blaster.
Spar, who had burst out from behind the boulder, decapitated an artilleryman with a powerful shot that discharged a gas cartridge, blowing his head off.
He glanced at his fighters, who were equally successfully resisting the enemy; the hiss of their blaster shots mingled with the steady hum of launching missiles.
One of the installations continued to operate.
Swinging, Spar threw a thermal detonator into the back of a repulsorlift vehicle.
The shockwave scattered the last missile launcher, burying its crew and several soldiers nearby.
The Mandalorian managed to dodge as a hail of molten metal fragments showered the face and shoulders of one of the Rodian technicians.
The latter screamed like a wild tauntaun, and someone from the Mandalorians ended his life with a shot to the chest.
Dodging a thrown vibroblade, Hedge noticed two more technicians running away, saving their lives.
He wouldn't have minded letting them go, but the sergeant who noticed their movement five meters away from him showed no such mercy, taking them down on the run just a few meters from the "safe haven"—the cockpit of the speeder they had arrived in.
The tension of the battle was fading.
Spar's breathing and pulse were elevated, though quite acceptable given the circumstances.
However, for a moment, his concentration on the battle was broken, and his vigilance was lost.
The trembling blade of a mercenary's knife missed his body by centimeters.
The Mandalorian spun on his heels and knocked the enemy down, simultaneously ripping out his windpipe with a blow of his hand in a crushing glove.
The enemy gurgled, and blood began to spurt from his neck in pulses.
Spar, sticking out from cover, stepped on the wound, breaking the enemy's neck, and continued on his way.
The mercenary howled, his eyes widening in horror, and with a simultaneous swing of both hands, he involuntarily touched the hilt of the lightsaber he held; it slipped from Shrike's grip, hit the floor, and rolled away.
A little to the side, the same sergeant who had destroyed the fleeing technicians was single-handedly confronting two mercenaries.
The explosion of a missile launcher freed one of the rails, pinning the Mandalorian's left leg to the clone, nailing him to the surface.
A blaster rifle was knocked out of his hands by one of the enemy fighters, while the second was raising his weapon to finish off the enemy.
Spar fired simultaneously with the enemy.
The sergeant managed to dodge the blaster beam and drew his blaster, shooting the second rebel.
The first, with a hole in the back of his head, was already lying before him.
Hedge, ordering two fighters to assist the squad leader, continued firing, driving the enemy further away from the position.
The other Mandalorians were doing the same, mercilessly exterminating the fleeing rebels.
Blaster shots hit them in the backs, napes, arms, and legs.
The wounded were immediately finished off.
For Mandalorians, the concept of captivity does not exist.
Only victory.
Or death.
If anyone wants to deal with those who, before occupying the city, destroyed its inhabitants, let them sign up for the vanguard units.
The General indicated that only data from headquarters could be important here—but saboteurs, who had been in the city in advance and began fighting as soon as the first shells fell on enemy positions, were handling that.
The Mandalorian offensive is an exhausting diversionary strike.
Which turned into a full-scale offensive.
With the destruction of the missile battery, the "Latti" began flying behind the line of contact.
Dropping squads onto rooftops, squares, showering enemy formations and fortifications with dozens of missiles and laser fire, they contributed to pockets of resistance in the enemy's rear.
Forcing them to tear their forces apart, react, change their tactics on the fly, and reshape the nature of combat.
Meanwhile, the Mandalorians continued their victorious offensive.
Now they were at the city limits, fighting for every house, building, street, and alley.
Thermal detonators flew into windows and doorways.
Enemy soldiers, darting from place to place, were ruthlessly shot down.
From the sky, "Latti" worked with fiery hail, and Mandalorian snipers operated from the rooftops.
The enemy tried to defend themselves, striving to implement a counterattack with artillery and mortars.
But their attempts were futile.
Mandalorian assault squads advanced.
House by house.
Street by street.
Clad in metal, lovers of bloody battles, intelligent beings born for war, blood, and murder, they advanced in an uncompromising attack.
Healthy and wounded, born with war in their hearts, they crushed the enemy's defensive formations.
Unable to withstand the pressure, rebels in places abandoned their positions, hoping to retreat to the rear.
But this could not save them in any way.
Surrounding the city and drenching it with fire, ignoring the rebels' objections, unafraid of close or long-range combat, the Mandalorians invited their enemies to a dance of death.
And in this dance of victors and vanquished, by the end of the day, only one type of dancer remained alive.
With Mandalorian insignia on their armor.
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: Granulan