Nine years, nine months, and thirty-first day after the Battle of Yavin…
Or the forty-fourth year, nine months, and thirty-first day after the Great Resynchronization.
(Five months and sixteenth day since the arrival).
In the distant past, the Tanium sector bore a different name, which few now remember except professional historians or the inhabitants of these places, who zealously regard renamings.
This often happens among sentients, where each new government tries to seize fragments of the glorious history of the distant past, trample the legacy of ancestors into the dirt, eradicate what can be proud of, and force forgetfulness of the fact that they were once great.
Substituting history to suit contemporary political currents is, unfortunately, not such a great rarity under conditions of frequent changes in galactic governments.
Each tries to find that very key which will make additional territories obedient only to him.
Initially, the Worlds of Tanium were a region independent from the Tion Cluster or the Old Republic.
In its current size, the Tanium sector is comparable to the territories that once constituted the original Worlds of Tanium.
Like a significant part of the history of the sectors in the northeastern part of the galaxy, the history of this sector was connected with the name of Xim the Despot, who conquered these territories about twenty-five thousand years ago.
He significantly expanded the region and made it the industrial engine of his empire.
After Xim's death, his Empire fell apart into pieces, and the Worlds of Tanium took advantage of the situation to declare themselves independent from any government.
They did not link their history with the Tion Cluster, as most fragments of Xim's Empire did.
Despite the fact that the word "Tanium" in the name, brought here by Xim, was preserved, too little legacy of the past conquest remained on the planets themselves, and now only a few can imagine the scale of the Despot's conquests.
The Galactic Empire undoubtedly controlled this territory with an iron fist.
After Endor, power over part of the planets was seized by Warlord Zsinj, and after his collapse, a significant part of the worlds declared their independence.
While other worlds, like Draukiz, with the maximum possible speed, went to Coruscant, begging for membership in the New Republic.
Naturally, their petition was granted, and before the start of Grand Admiral Thrawn's campaign, Draukiz was a full-fledged member of the young democratic state.
Which attracted a Star Destroyer to it, striking the territory of the New Republic's military base on the planet.
With the start of the acute phase of the Grand Admiral's campaign, Draukiz and other worlds of the Tanium sector preferred to withdraw from the New Republic and now were neutral.
They were not concerned with either Imperials, or Dominionists, or even Republicans.
At least they reported this, not wishing to attract heightened attention from any of the mentioned parties.
But intelligence data says quite the opposite.
In Draukiz's orbit is a New Republic fleet grouping.
And in a number of other systems, the same picture is observed.
Most likely, Coruscant managed to somehow convince these sentients to at least provide temporary anchorage for fleets carrying out the blockade of Lianna.
Alternately replacing each other, these detachments intercepted ships going to the specified planet, as well as caught from hyperspace those of them that were departing from the headquarters of the well-known shipbuilding company.
It was in Draukiz's orbit that operational group "Alpha" was located, which returned three hours ago from patrolling the Perlemian Trade Route.
Among the other groups of the New Republic fleet, "Alpha" did not stand out in any serious way.
The same two MC80a Star Cruisers "Liberty," four Corellian corvettes, a pair of additional squadrons of X-wings.
It was with such a composition that all blockade groups without exception could boast when they were first sent here.
Now the operational formations do not shine with uniformity—General Bel Iblis took practically all combat-capable ships to counter the Dominion and Imperials.
But still, group "Alpha" had in its composition that very seed that distinguished it from the others.
The only thing that attracted attention to group "Alpha" was the type and name of its flagship.
The Interdictor-class Star Destroyer, captured from the Empire in the past, bore its proud name, given to it even at the laying on Kuat Drive Yards.
The New Republic government did not dare to change it, leaving it for propaganda purposes.
The fact is that this "Interdictor" was called... "Interdictor."
The first ship of this type in a rather extensive series of its brethren.
Armed standardly, it avoided disarmament and use as a cargo ship (as befell many Imperial starships) only because the quartet of gravity well generators occupied a large volume of internal space.
"This bantha isn't worth quarreling with Tusken Raiders"—it was this proverb that became the reason why ships of this series, as well as interdictor cruisers, were not disarmed in the main.
And now the multi-thousand crew of the ship, having completed the check of all systems, dispersed to their affairs, knowing that taking watch would occur in routine mode and nothing portends trouble...
The wail of the battle alert siren stunned the Republican officers and specialists for a second, after which, as soon as the first turbolaser salvos fell on the "Interdictor," people and other sentients rushed to their battle stations.
Those of them who reached the bridge could admire how a proton torpedo flies into the conning tower, and a diving Scimitar assault bomber turns away, returning to the Star Destroyer "Imperious."
Arriving in the system at the head of an operational formation of two Dreadnaught-class heavy cruisers and five Corellian corvettes, the former ship of Erik Shohashi opened the Dominion's hunting season on the New Republic's blockade forces.
***
Not even five minutes had passed since the buzzer of the battle alert sounded when Moff Joshua Victus found himself in the Lianna defense control center.
"Report!" he barked at the duty officer.
"Thirty-six Mon Calamari Star Cruisers emerged from hyperspace," the latter quickly said. "MC80, MC80a, MC80b. Deployed a blocking formation. Launched fighters and..."
"Type!"
"Sir?" the confused officer looked at him with bantha eyes, clearly not understanding the essence of the question asked.
And its subtext.
"The type of fighters launched from the enemy ships!" growled Joshua, finding himself next to the holoprojector, on which a three-dimensional white-blue map of the nearest to Lianna perplanetary space was displayed.
The sphere of the planet, surrounded by a planetary shield that someone with brains managed to raise, two dozen Golan II defense platforms and twelve of the third modification.
Six patrol Carracks, which the enemy has already turned into wreckage... Two dozen Guardian-class, Enforcer-class, and Lancet-class cruisers have already engaged in battle with the enemy's fighters, covering the orbital defense stations.
From the opposite side of the planet, where dozens of the company's warships were guarding the orbital assembly shops, a dozen heavy cruisers were already moving to accept battle.
Everything is happening exactly according to the plan he developed.
The main part of the company's ships is held on the far side of the orbit, protecting the assembly shops and mobile shipyards from attack. They will not move from their place for one simple reason—there is no need for them to get involved in battle.
Three dozen Vindicator-class heavy cruisers are already moving to the battle site to, together with the Golan guns, delay the enemy until the approach of mercenaries, whose fleet is half an hour away from Lianna.
A small trick to hide the presence of additional forces from a hypothetical enemy.
And two hours after sending the corresponding message, ten Star Destroyers of Moff Gronn will be in Lianna's orbit, which the latter finally deigned to tear from his precious possessions and keep in operational reserve.
"X-wings, sir," explained the duty officer.
"Identification data on the starships available?"
"Yes," the officer handed him a datapad, swiping aside the open text.
Three columns of names appeared before the moff's eyes—one for each type of ship.
"Bastards," he hissed, handing it to the duty officer.
"Sir?" the latter continued to bat his eyes.
"Brainless fool," cursed the moff, poking a finger at the monitor. "These are ships that the New Republic allegedly lost during Thrawn's campaign! Coruscant cleverly led us and the whole galaxy around the finger, slowly accumulating forces for invasion."
"Sir, but you yourself assumed that this could also be a trick of Grand Admiral Thrawn..." mumbled the duty officer.
"That's why the enemy has X-wings in service, yeah," snorted Joshua. "Open your eyes, kid. T-65 in the latest modifications! Incom only recently started supplying them to the New Republic. Coruscant not only pulled a bunch of ships out from under Imperial supervision but also equipped them with the latest fighters. Look there," he poked a finger at the hologram showing how a squadron of X-wings tore apart a Enforcer-class cruiser. "I could believe that Thrawn somehow captured a huge number of X-wings from the New Republic, but to make his pilots virtuosos on Incom machines... Retraining from our equipment to Incom's requires months of continuous preparation to get a worthwhile result. And here... Open your eyes, son, their squadrons are so well-coordinated that it's clear—this is the elite. Such effective interaction cannot be achieved even in half a year of continuous practice. No, no matter how much the Republicans want to convince us—this is not Thrawn's pilots. And by no means his next 'deception'—Coruscant is tired of behaving like a democratic power, and they decided to achieve everything with their armed forces."
"So, the New Republic still attacked us?" quietly inquired the duty officer.
"No, they came here for lunch!" exploded the moff. "Raise everyone we can on alert! These treacherous Republican rats should be taught such a lesson that they never dare encroach on our planet again. Signal to Moff Gronn sent?" he asked, looking into the eyes of the same officer.
"Affirmative, sir, in accordance with your instructions—immediately after the start of the attack."
"Lady Santhe informed?"
"Yes, moff, we sent the message, but confirmation not received..."
Joshua furrowed his brows.
"What do you mean not received?!" with a menacing growl, he drove the duty officer into a pale blush. "She always responds to messages from headquarters! Immediately notify her security!"
***
"Sir, message intercepted from Lianna," the watch chief addressed me. "Addressed to Moff Gronn. In the Allied Tion."
"Decrypted?"
"Affirmative. Demanding immediate reinforcement."
"Response received?"
"Affirmative, sir. Moff Gronn sent six Imperial-class Star Destroyers and four Victory-class to help Lianna."
"Are the ship names known to us?"
"Affirmative, sir."
"Compare them with the database—I want to know everything about them before Moff Gronn's fleet falls into our trap."
"Yes, sir."
I looked after the departing "yam" officer, then shifted my gaze to the gray-haired man in uniform standing next to me.
"Captain, order the Eternal Wrath to activate the gravity well generators. In twenty minutes, we will pull the pirate fleet out of hyperspace—with them, no need to stand on ceremony. No prisoners."
"Yes, sir," replied Captain Pellaeon. "In ten minutes, our bombers will complete mining the enemy starships' exit point and return for rotation to the flagship. Five minutes after that, I raise interceptors for readiness to destroy enemy fighters."
"Correct," I confirmed, glancing at the tactical screen.
On which it was visible how four squadrons of TIE bombers tirelessly work, flooding the place where the pirate fleet will be pulled out of hyperspace with space mines.
Each machine of this type can deliver six space mines to the site in one combat sortie. Now there are forty-eight of them.
In total, they will deliver two hundred eighty-eight space mines.
In this sortie.
And this is already the fifth since we emerged from hyperspace.
One thousand four hundred forty space mines...
I almost feel sorry for the pirates and mercenaries who responded to Lianna's call and intend to protect it from invasion.
Almost.
***
The Tanium system was located at a relatively short distance from the Lianna system, and therefore was chosen by the New Republic forces carrying out the blockade of the specified planet as their rear base.
The core of the blockade and patrol forces had already received the alarming signal from Lianna and was preparing to march.
The hour has come, and the Dominion made its treacherous move.
Unraveled by the wise leadership of the New Republic Defense Forces.
Now it remained only to unite all forces into a single fist and grind the enemy into stellar dust, putting an end to the tales that the New Republic forces are conducting raider strikes in various parts of the galaxy.
It was time to put an end to Grand Admiral Thrawn's insinuations and the blackening of the reputation of democracy advocates.
At the same time, it was necessary to capture Lianna, establishing a democratic regime on it and introducing the planet into the bosom of the New Republic.
Three Immobilizer 418 cruisers, twenty-four Nebulon-B2 escort frigates, four MC80a Star Cruisers, six MC40 light cruisers, and more than fifty GR-75 medium transports.
Intended for transporting army formations and cargo, they were the first to come under attack as soon as the Crimson Dawn emerged from hyperspace.
The wedge-shaped eight-kilometer blade of the fast dreadnought sliced through the vacuum of Tanium's perplanetary space.
And following it from hyperspace emerged Victory-class Star Destroyers: Adamant, Aspiration, Triumph, Monarch, Emancipator...
Missiles and turbolasers tirelessly and mercilessly shredded the hulls of transport ships.
Some exploded, hit in vulnerable places, others split when shock waves and warhead detonations broke the power set of the starships.
The third ships sported blackened plating, melted holes in the armor, through which the bodies of crew members doomed to a terrible death and debris were ejected into vacuum.
Completing the formation of the main forces of the squadron were three interdictor cruisers, the last to overcome the light barrier.
The most experienced Republican specialists could recognize in them ships captured in the Battle of Brentaal IV.
But now they bore completely different identification signals and names.
Net, Ambush, and Angler acted in accordance with the command plan of the Red Star squadron.
And their crews were not going to miss a single enemy starship.
Only destruction and capture.
"Deploy gravity wells," orders poured from the newly minted rear admiral like from a cornucopia. "Sixth and seventh batteries target number three—the frigate is trying to bypass us on the right along vector six."
Reports from the watch chief and senior specialists did not lag behind in promptness:
"Adamant struck the first cruiser! Enemy shields overloaded."
"Aspiration provides artillery support. Launchers firing at two escort frigates at point six."
"Triumph and Monarch took position at point four and are conducting crossfire on the second Star Cruiser."
"Emancipator is performing a flanking maneuver to get behind the Republican interdictors. Engaging two corvettes!"
"X-wing attack on the starboard side. Approach vector—sixteen!"
Rear Admiral Shohashi looked at the battlefield and saw two Mon Calamari Star Cruisers slowly turning to engage the Crimson Dawn in a counter-course firefight.
The multiplicity of enemy starships in Tanium's orbit suggested the only correct way to conduct battle.
Therefore, the strike core of the Red Star switched to "brawl" tactics.
Using local superiority over enemy ships in firepower, speed, and mobility, the Crimson Dawn in the first five minutes of battle had already gutted and turned into scrap metal six New Republic escort frigates.
No one even mentioned the transport ships, whose finishing off was now being handled by bomber aviation.
The enemy did everything to facilitate its own destruction.
Not for nothing did he receive the message that the Dominion, under the guise of the New Republic, attacked Lianna.
The Republicans expected this step, so their ships were ready to march.
The problem was that the Red Star did not enter the systems of the Tanium sector to allow the enemy to realize its plans.
While the Xg-1 assault gunboats along with TIE interceptors ground the New Republic's aviation, the Crimson Dawn shifted the fire of its turbolasers to the enemy's Star Cruisers, not engaged in fire contact and approaching the flagship.
The hand habitually slipped into the jacket pocket...
"An effective picture emerges," he heard Lady Ventress's voice, who drew level with him on the left.
"The enemy has no choice but to counterattack," explained Shohashi, taking out the chronometer. He twirled it in his hands, then returned it to its place. "We pressed them to the orbit, maneuvers constrained by our aviation."
"Yes, I see that," confirmed Ventress, clearly pleased that since their last meeting, her position in the Dominion had strengthened.
She still controlled the military contingent of the Crimson Dawn, but no longer fell under Shohashi's "manual" control.
Green needles of bow batteries pierced the escort frigate that got in their way.
Heavy turbolaser guns literally vaporized part of the central section, leading to a collision of the bow and stern parts of the ship.
The flash at the site of the specified starship was impressive, but it paled compared to the massive missile salvo that the third New Republic Star Cruiser could not repel.
Its shields collapsed, and kinetic projectiles filled with baradium sank into the hull with the hunger that drives several nexu to attack a newborn bantha.
Aggravated by the fast dreadnought's turbolaser fire, the detonations of anti-ship missiles literally tore apart the bow of the Star Cruiser, exposing its tender innards to newer and newer strikes.
Turbolasers fired from a distance of fifty units, and few gunners missed the target, deprived of central control and moving along the previous vector.
Green energy bolts one after another punched and melted bulkheads, decks, hatches, and armored doors, subjecting the ship's internal space to newer and newer attacks.
The subsequent missile strike and the shock wave that followed cut the upper plating so that it literally tore off in several places.
Decompression and strike on vulnerable places inside the ship led to a course change, but there was already a squadron of TIE bombers.
Their proton torpedoes found targets, and the "right" fin of the ship, which actually crossed the fast dreadnought's course, was torn off by an explosion, exposing a massive "wound" with flame-engulfed edges.
"Fire from all guns at the breach," ordered Shohashi, instantly figuring out how to use the situation to his maximum advantage. "Salvos at maximum rate of fire!"
Gunners and launcher operators reacted to the new order in two seconds.
The Crimson Dawn spat turbolaser fire and missile rain.
The disfigured Star Cruiser, receiving a solid kick, lost part of its hull but remained on course.
The second salvo opened its stern, and the uncontrollable remnant of the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser began to rotate.
While exiting onto the movement vector of the fourth ship of this type.
The commander of the latter, seeing the danger of collision, was forced to drop speed using the reverse vector of starting engines and lay a turn to the right. This allowed him to let the hulk pass on the port side.
But the new salvo from the Crimson Dawn demonstrated how deeply mistaken the commander of the fourth Star Cruiser was.
The shock wave and inertia of the shelling forced the remnant of the third cruiser to pile onto the side of the fourth.
Mangled blisters and plating, extensive decompression from the collision, and destroyed deflector projectors...
By the time the fourth Star Cruiser managed to extricate itself from under the carcass of its fellow, its entire port side was torn as if it had clashed with a giant predator.
Asajj silently applauded when Erik ordered the attack on the ship from that direction.
History repeated itself, and in ten minutes, half of the New Republic's Star Cruisers were destroyed.
The other two identical starships, sooty and mercilessly shot up, were already swarmed with boarding ships. And now the battle raged inside.
"As I see, you decided to take my advice," barely audibly stated Asajj.
Erik tore himself away from contemplating the picture of the rout of the Republican fleet remnants only for a moment to see a triumphant smile on the Dathomirian witch's lips.
After which he returned to his work.
Of all the ships, no more than ten escort frigates remained, in varying degrees of damage.
Yes, the Emancipator was battling three interdictor cruisers at once, intent on breaking out of the deadly trap.
"Shift fire to all available targets," ordered Shohashi. "Change course—we go to point eight. Ion cannons switch to shelling the lead enemy interdictor. Increase dreadnought speed by a quarter—prevent their withdrawal from the system."
"Yes, sir!" responded the watch chief, relaying the order to the team directly to the executor.
"Prepare boarding groups, Lady Ventress," ordered Shohashi, continuing to observe the battlefield. "All three interdictor cruisers must be captured in the shortest possible time."
"It will be done, rear admiral," threw Asajj to him, turning to leave.
Leaning on the cane with his right, Erik extended his left hand and gently grabbed the Dathomirian witch by the elbow.
Ventress gave him a quick appraising look, after which their eyes met:
"Thank you for our last conversation," quietly said the squadron commander. "It really helped me."
"Feel free," the woman inadvertently freed her hand. "Just don't think that I will be your staff psychologist henceforth. This service costs very dearly, and you are unlikely to have the opportunity to pay for the next session."
"I'll keep that in mind," promised Shohashi in a dry tone, returning to contemplating the battlefield.
Behind the rear admiral sounded the quiet footsteps of the departing Dathomirian witch.
Erik lowered his hand into his pocket and felt the coolness of the metal of the archaic chronometer.
The ritual that had pursued him for years was disrupted today by Ventress's appearance.
But, strangely, his steadfastness did not suffer from this.
Holding the device in his fist, the officer withdrew his hand.
"Fourteenth battery—fire more accurately!" quietly ordered the Alderaanian, returning his thoughts to the battle.
***
The Galidraan system was the repository for the New Republic's operational group "Beta."
Immediately after the Abyssal Fury emerged from hyperspace, Captain Stormaer glanced at the tactical monitor, watching as the Star Destroyer's systems identified enemy ships.
One MC80a Star Cruiser "Liberty," two Quasar Fire-class escort carriers, seven GR-75 transport ships, and a Corellian DP20 frigate.
As well as an interdictor cruiser moving toward the jump vector surrounded by starships of the entire formation.
The formation is quite typical.
Leading was the Star Cruiser, behind it—the interdictor, on the sides of which the escort carriers held. The frigate held two echelons above "Liberty," and the transports closed the formation.
A peculiar "triangle."
Which is not destined to reach Lianna.
"Begin jamming," ordered Antonias. "Launch interceptors, deploy gravity well on the Sentinel. Cruisers reform from us on the right and left fronts. Proceed to launch bombers using tractor beams."
This time, the formation commanded by Captain Stormaer was equipped, besides the Star Destroyer and interdictor cruiser, with only two Dreadnaught-class heavy cruisers and four CR90s.
The reason for changing the traditional staffing was both the losses suffered by cruisers and corvettes, as well as the small number of the enemy detachment.
Not to mention that most of the Dreadnaughts and Corellian corvettes left the fleet base accompanied by the Chimaera, and the remaining ones participated in the defeat of the New Republic's blockade forces.
But with such a number of starships from the enemy, Antonias will cope quite quickly.
As soon as conical contours appeared on the monitor, designating the zones of artificial gravity action, the operation of hyperdrives was doomed to inaction.
And at the present moment, all enemy starships were in such a trap.
The Abyssal Fury opened fire on the enemy's Star Cruiser, while the Dreadnaughts announced their participation in the battle with salvos to the escort carriers.
The Corellian corvettes, receiving orders to deal with the transports and gunboat-frigate, rushed forward.
Adding laser fire to the fire of battle, they quite easily tore the lone DP20 from the enemy's main formation, dooming the ship to death. Four against one—this is not the "layout" that could help the New Republicans leave the battle site without losses.
Aviation—TIE fighters and interceptors—clashed with the enemy in fierce battle, gradually pushing each other farther from the battle unfolding between the large ships of both sides.
"Order to cruisers," designated his initiative Antonias. "Take escort carriers with minimal damage."
Ships of this type, unlike Mon Calamari Star Cruisers, the Dominion does not have so many. And yet they allow delivering to the battlefield an air group superior to that aboard the main New Republic line ship.
The Dreadnaughts switched from head-on attack to containment.
Turning broadsides to the escort carriers, they opened barrage fire on enemy ships, not allowing them to continue moving along the intended vector, forcing the Quasar Fires to maneuver.
Thereby destroying the Republicans' formation and leaving the interdictor cruiser and its stellar counterpart without flank cover.
From the first seconds of battle, it became clear that the enemy's initiative to continue its course was an empty venture.
The enemy commander began turning his flagship to shell the Abyssal Fury from the most convenient position for his gunners.
The Republican clearly intended to put the destroyer in "two fires"—from the MC80a and from the interdictor cruiser.
The Abyssal Fury patiently absorbed into its deflector numerous turbolaser and laser hits from Republican ships, unleashing on the Mon Calamari Star Cruiser the full weight of its broadside artillery.
The Immobilizer-418 under Republican identification signals was currently getting exclusively ion artillery, and this suited everyone.
Especially the enemy commander.
He did not understand that he had already lost when he gave the order to maneuver the Star Cruiser, not wishing to engage in battle with the Star Destroyer one-on-one.
And thereby opening the stern of his flagship for strike.
"Order to bombers: strike," Antonias with unconcealed satisfaction watched as marks of a dozen TIE bombers appeared on the tactical screen, which the enemy, to his surprise, discovered only a couple of units from the MC80a. "Fourth corvette disengage and cover the bombers' withdrawal."
Spacecraft moving by inertia, with minimal working equipment, are practically impossible to detect visually in space.
It was for this reason that TIE bombers were sent to the enemy ship in this way.
Twelve clumsy Sienar machines simultaneously discharged their deadly cargo.
And thereby unleashed on the stern and left "fin" of the Star Cruiser sixteen heavy space-to-space proton missiles.
Each.
And after that, under the cover of a Corellian corvette with Dominion identification codes, the bombers, without suffering a single loss, laid on the reverse course.
One hundred ninety-two proton torpedoes capable of penetrating under the enemy's strong shields, despite the fact that numerous reactors of the ship feed the deflectors, not allowing Dominion gunners to turn the starship's hull into a sieve.
A nearby dozen A-wings as best they could eased the consequences of the strike.
Their pilots surpassed themselves, shooting down two dozen proton torpedoes.
The Star Cruiser's gunners destroyed only a quarter of that number, but it was not their fault.
The starship was attacked from the rear hemisphere and left traverse, and therefore, without reliable stern cover and guns capable of powerful retreating fire, the MC80a was doomed.
The first missiles did not cause much damage, as it might seem to Captain Stormaer, observing the beating of the enemy flagship from a distance of thirty units.
But the crews of three Corellian corvettes, whose gun fire dismantled the New Republic's Corellian gunboat, could see how the starship's engines were destroyed.
The first missiles tore apart all the nozzles of the Star Cruiser without exception, dooming it to movement solely by inertia.
But it could still snap back.
It could have.
If the main strike had not fallen on the left "fin," actually vaporizing it in a series of detonations merging into a single light show.
The Abyssal Fury's crew could observe how a series of explosions merged into a flash, in which the enemy ship disappeared for a moment.
A few seconds later, the glow disappeared, and the battle participants could see that the Star Cruiser, mutilated, scorched, with exposed internal spaces, venting atmosphere and clouds of debris, resembled a sea creature from which a huge predator bit off almost half of the left side of the body.
The melted and mutilated structure no longer represented anything capable of defending itself.
The vaunted Republican SEAL system could not protect the damaged side—you cannot pump energy into what is not there.
Dagger shots from the Abyssal Fury, using the advantage of its wedge-shaped design, played a cruel joke on the ship's remnants.
Turbolaser salvos literally burned through the ship, dismantling the charred and mutilated hulk into smaller pieces.
And immediately after that, the Star Destroyer's gunners, having corrected their course, turned attention to the interdictor cruiser, saluting it with a broadside salvo.
"Corvettes switch to destroying enemy transports," doomedly sighing, said Antonias.
Destroying beautiful GR-75 medium transports was pain for him that hardly anyone except the Fury itself could understand.
But, to the great disappointment of the destroyer's commander, it was simply impossible to act otherwise.
Operation "Gut and Dry" did not involve capturing all possible prisoners.
All New Republic groups participating in the Lianna blockade, and there were almost a dozen of them, must be demonstratively routed, destroyed, reduced to atoms.
The exception was only interdictor cruisers and ships of the same type, as well as those ships that were predetermined by command as trophies.
For example, the specified Quasar Fires.
Medium transports, shining with fresh paint, were subject to destruction. The enemy transported ammunition and army formations on them, which were supposed to attack Lianna.
It was for this very reason that they were destroyed.
One after another.
No mercy.
Each explosion, each transport turned into wreckage, caused Stormaer the sadness and pain of a person unaccustomed to throwing away what could somehow be useful.
But at the same time, the Fury perfectly remembered what the order was.
And Grand Admiral's directive has no double interpretation.
After destroying the transports with landing forces, the corvettes were sent to support the heavy cruisers, easing their lot in destroying the remnants of the New Republic's aviation.
Which, by the way, managed to inflict quite significant damage on both Dreadnaughts.
Gaping breaches, destroyed guns, smashed engines...
Well, there are no wars without losses.
Even if you surpass the enemy—it's not perfect.
The Abyssal Fury had already practically pushed through the interdictor cruiser's deflectors, no matter how it tried to snap back with its guns.
The destroyer simply has more of them.
One of the Quasar Fires received a powerful knockout from the first squadron's interceptors, and its hangar deck burned out, unable to accept New Republic fighters and interceptors for rotation.
The second showed several large breaches, and its artillery was knocked out by sniper shots from Dominion pilots.
TIE bombers after replenishing ammunition delivered an incredible headache to the interdictor cruiser's crew, attacking it with two dozen light proton torpedoes.
The weapon so beloved by Rebel X-wings swept guns from the ship's hull.
And the cover squadron to boot, leaving the starship defenseless before the Star Destroyer possessing overwhelming superiority.
Rout is inevitable.
Antonias managed to give the order to dispatch boarding parties to the damaged escort carrier when from the communications compartment he was informed that Republicans were trying to contact the destroyer.
"Sir, the interdictor commander reports readiness to negotiate..."
"Negotiate?" repeated Captain Stormaer, surprised looking at the young communications officer. "Son, tell this optimist that the conversation is only about his unconditional surrender. Otherwise, my stormtroopers will land on his ships' boards and kick the crew remnants into the airlocks. Which will then quite accidentally activate in automatic compartment purging mode."
"Transmitting, sir," paling, answered the young officer.
Replacement for veterans recalled personally by the Grand Admiral from the regular fleet. How many and for what purposes this was done, naturally, no one knew, but for the most part, this concerned few.
If Thrawn did this (and not sweeping specialists clean, but making pinpoint "withdrawals"), then it means it's necessary.
The Grand Admiral has things to do besides arranging rotations with personal orders.
This guy is young, hence inexperienced.
From the recruits, for whom this is the first serious battle.
Not long ago, he was still huddled in the conning tower of a metropolitan fleet Carrack, and a week ago signed a contract and transferred to regular fleet service.
One can understand his confusion—youth is prone to compromises and misunderstanding of important things.
Nothing, he'll learn.
"Sir," quickly he. "The interdictor commander reports they surrender. Reactors on the ships will be shut down immediately upon our confirmation of receiving this message."
"Send, lieutenant," agreed Stormaer. "Transmit on open frequency: 'Republican forces have capitulated. All New Republic fighters who resist will not be taken prisoner.'"
Ten minutes later, two escort frigates and a New Republic interdictor cruiser were already accepting assault teams aboard.
And five standard seconds later, their identification signals of belonging to the Defense Forces were disabled forever.
And only ten units from the capitulation site, a squadron of TIE interceptors practiced shooting, destroying a quartet of stubborn and obstinate pilots of Republican X-wings.
***
Moff Victus swayed.
And would have fallen if not caught by the unexpectedly nimble duty officer.
He, like a good dozen of Valles Santhe's security fighters, stood in the middle of her office, struck by the unfolding picture.
The majestic woman who did not let the huge conglomerate fall apart sat in a massive Imperial-design chair, placing her hands on the angular armrests.
She sat facing the huge panoramic window, from which a view of Lianna's beauties opened.
And she smiled, eyes closed.
Her elderly, slightly withered hands were not tense and still warm to the touch, despite the wind wandering in the office—an invariable companion of open rooms on high floors.
The problem was that Lady Santhe's panoramic windows did not open.
They were armored not to foolishly violate security protocol like that.
"Bastards," barely audibly whispered Joshua, collapsing onto the couch to which the duty officer led him. "Republican scum..."
Lady Santhe looked alive, but the through hole in her skull spoke otherwise.
Forensic experts were prying a small metal projectile from the armored back of the chair, with which the killers did what their diplomats could not achieve.
They got rid of Lady Santhe's firm position.
At the same time, demoralizing the Liannans.
No matter what measures Joshua took to prevent the spread of rumors about the death of the corporation's head, this news overcame any bans.
It spread at the speed of a forest fire, and nothing was a barrier to it.
Neither requests, nor threats, nor arrests, nor even distance.
Lianna's inhabitants, as well as the military in orbit, knew that Lady Santhe was killed.
"Mandalorian," stated the chief forensic expert, showing Moff Victus a polymer transparent box inside which was the projectile.
"What makes you think that?" dully asked the moff.
"Surface analysis indicates this ammunition is made of beskar," explained the man. "I know of no place where it was mined except Mandalore. And firearms or mass-driver weapons are favorite toys of Mandalorian mercenaries. Besides, we found on the outer side of the glass," he pointed toward the hole in the armored transparent panel, "traces of the same material. As well as soot and combustion products of rocket fuel."
"This bastard had a jetpack," gritted Victus.
"We received data from surveillance cameras. Quality is poor, but from the frames, it's clear someone in Mandalorian armor flew up to the window. Obviously, Lady Santhe was somehow attracted by him, after which he shot her through the transparisteel."
"That crap," Joshua pointed to the panoramic windows, "would protect her from a shot from a laser cannon!"
"Obviously, that's why beskar was used," suggested the forensic expert. "The substance is dense, and actually, transparisteel is not so strong against kinetic weapons. And from a laser cannon, it will withstand a shot, well, maybe two or three. Remember how the Rebels destroyed the Super Star Destroyer Executor? They rammed its bridge with their fighter. Transparisteel is stronger than durasteel, but not in matters of countering kinetic weapons. Here durasteel is better. Not for nothing do Imperials use for armoring their ships..."
"I want the bastard who did this found," declared the moff. "Report to the Santhe family residence that we have leads regarding the murder."
"To whom exactly, sir?"
"To all," answered the moff. "All Santhes are now in the residence, security delivered them there. Discussing the murder of Lady Santhe and deciding who will head the planet and company after her death," but who will inherit this position after the great Valles? There are no children in the Santhe family or Valles, and the remaining relatives are so petty, insignificant, and treacherous that in a few days Lianna will "lie down" under its enemies. "I will speak before our military and citizens, tell them there is nothing to fear..."
Despite special devices and construction technologies, a light tremor and the sound of a distant thunderclap penetrated the deceased's office.
Joshua jumped from his place, rushing to the panoramic window.
Led by his assumption, he directed his gaze toward...
At once, comlinks blared from both his adjutants and the duty officer, whom he habitually considered furniture.
"Planetary shield projectors thirteen and fourteen destroyed!"
"Data received from orbit that the enemy has begun shelling two stations covering the headquarters!"
"Enemy landing ships registered breaking through to the surface under Golan fire!"
Moff Victus seemed to freeze.
Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as huge bowl-shaped projectors collapsed onto the city deserted since the start of the siege, whose inhabitants are in bomb shelters.
Lianna, unlike the Coruscant government, valued the lives of its citizens and employees, driving them to safe places with the first enemy ships.
But what struck him most was something else.
Collapsing under the influence of the flaring fire following the most powerful explosion, walls and ceilings of the Santhe family residence.
In which the last representatives of this ancient family gathered.
The Republicans not only killed the great woman with the hands of a Mandalorian mercenary—they deprived Lianna of everything.
Protection of the capital, ruler, his albeit not the best, but heirs.
Pride and self-respect.
The moff stood before the window as if shell-shocked.
He heard excited exclamations behind him but could not make out the words...
"Sir, commanders demand orders," the duty officer tugged his jacket sleeve. "Panic in orbit. In the city, Republican army assault detachments already spotted. They are attacking our factories and information centers."
"Throw all forces at destroying the enemy fleet," as if awakening, said Moff Victus. "Recall the fleet from orbital assembly shops to the breakthrough site. I... I assume command and management of the company for the crisis period. Immediately send rescuers to the residence. At least someone must survive! Must survive! Where are those Hutt pirates?! Should have arrived almost an hour ago!"
"Sir," one of the adjutants addressed him with a trembling lower lip. "We have huge problems in orbit."
"What's the matter?" asked the moff, but the next second he saw how in the sky above the horizon line, crashing onto the planetary shield, a defense station shattered. "What Jedi nonsense is happening?! How could they shoot down the station so quickly?!"
"Th-that's what I'm talking about, sir," said the adjutant in a nervous tone. "Our fleet in the orbital assembly shops area is now under fire from the New Republic's flagship."
"A whole fleet under fire from one ship?" the moff was taken aback. "Son, you're clearly overheated..."
"Moff," interrupted him the duty officer. "Your adjutant is right. We have already lost twenty-two ships out of one hundred three in that area. The enemy has arranged a real slaughter!"
"Oh, no," gasped Victus. "Don't tell me that..."
"Yes, sir, the New Republic threw the Lusankya against us. And it is already picking at our shield, simultaneously cutting out starships and attacking orbital shops with landing forces."
"What crap!" grimaced Joshua. "Contact Moff Gronn, let him be ready to meet this monster!"
Giving this order, the moff did not know one nuance.
Moff Gronn's ships had already emerged from hyperspace.
But half an hour earlier than planned.
And what the ships' crews saw, they very much disliked.
Very much.
***
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