Master Ima-Gun Di muttered with frustration: "The explosion must have interrupted our transmission signal."
"We can only hope the rescue forces arrive in time," Cham Syndulla said with obvious concern for their deteriorating situation.
"Sorry I'm late, friends. Those battle droids outside are becoming increasingly persistent," Pietro Maximoff said while casually consuming a portion of compressed emergency rations.
"We can imagine the difficulties, Pietro," Syndulla replied, offering the silver-haired young man a warm, appreciative smile.
Pietro offered a playful mock salute, causing Syndulla to roll his eyes with fond exasperation. Pietro asked with casual curiosity: "What was happening just now? It looked like you were having a serious conversation with someone."
Master Ima-Gun Di explained: "We were communicating with the Jedi High Council, but unfortunately the transmission was severed unexpectedly."
"There are more people like you Jedi? Hey, since I've been providing as much assistance as possible to your cause, do you think they might reward me with one of those lightsabers you all carry?" Pietro asked with obvious interest and enthusiasm.
Master Ima-Gun Di smiled with gentle amusement: "Typically, lightsabers are not distributed as rewards or trophies, but there are always exceptional circumstances."
Captain Keeli interjected with mock concern: "Master Ima-Gun Di, please don't encourage him. If Pietro actually got his hands on one of your lightsabers, he'd accidentally slice most of us in half within the first minute."
Pietro replied with characteristic confidence: "Keeli, what you're saying is entirely possible, but I would exercise extreme caution."
Syndulla redirected the conversation back to their immediate concerns: "Despite our communication problems, it is still tremendously comforting to know that reinforcements are coming."
Keeli frowned and identified the critical issue: "The real question is: how long will it take them to break through the Separatist blockade surrounding Ryloth?"
Master Ima-Gun Di groaned with uncertainty: "I believe it won't require too much time. However... there was an unfamiliar individual present during the Council meeting. He was not someone I recognized, and based on his clothing and appearance, he was definitely not a Jedi Knight."
"What do you mean, Master Ima-Gun Di?" Pietro asked with growing curiosity.
Just as the Jedi Master was about to elaborate, someone pushed past Pietro's legs and ran directly to Syndulla, shouting with excitement: "Father!"
"Hera," Cham Syndulla greeted his daughter with obvious affection, lifting the young girl into the air with a fond embrace.
"Father, look at this," the young green-skinned Twi'lek girl said happily, waving a small handcrafted doll in her hand. "Pietro made this for me and all the other children in our group."
Cham Syndulla smiled warmly and looked at Pietro, who simply shrugged with characteristic modesty: "At least it helps keep the children's spirits up during these difficult times."
Meanwhile, the assembled Jedi strike force organized their fleet and departed Coruscant, entering hyperspace on course for Ryloth.
The tactical plan was relatively straightforward: Anakin would reach the blockade first and engage whatever forces were maintaining the orbital barrier. When the main fleet led by Obi-Wan, Mace Windu, and Aayla Secura arrived at Ryloth, the blockade would be weakened or at least caught off-guard, preventing the Separatists from maintaining their coordinated defensive positions. Once the blockade was breached, the Republic fleet would disperse to various strategic locations across Ryloth and quickly liberate the primary Separatist strongholds.
This mission would mark the first time Ahsoka would command her own clone squadron independently. From this point forward, she would no longer operate under the protective guidance of her Master Anakin.
Anakin's advance fleet dropped out of hyperspace, consisting of three Venator-class Star Destroyers and three Acclamator-class assault ships positioned in tactical formation.
Admiral Yularen stood on the bridge of his flagship, the Resolute, staring directly at the imposing Confederacy of Independent Systems blockade that dominated Ryloth's orbital space.
Ahsoka led her own squadron as James Rhodes and Sam Wilson piloted their respective fighters alongside her position. Additional starfighter squadrons joined the formation, heading directly toward the CIS vessels with aggressive intent.
Aboard the command ship of the Separatist blockade, Captain Mar Tuuk had just concluded communications with Separatist leader Wat Tambor when he observed the Republic fleet and starfighter formations approaching their defensive positions.
As an experienced naval tactician, the first detail he noticed was the rather unconventional formation of the Republic fighters. This tactical approach confused the Captain considerably, as he had never observed Republic forces utilizing such unorthodox strategies before. However, there was one famous Jedi Knight renowned for his unconventional and often audacious battlefield tactics: Anakin Skywalker.
To confirm that his opponent was indeed Skywalker, he ordered a tactical droid to identify the lead Star Destroyer approaching their position. It didn't take long to confirm that the flagship was the Resolute—yes, definitely Anakin Skywalker. Based on his intelligence regarding Skywalker's combat history, the young Jedi's tactics were consistently unusual and completely unpredictable.
"What is your battle strategy this time, Skywalker?" Captain Mar Tuuk muttered with grudging professional respect.
Mar Tuuk also issued orders for Vulture droids and Hyena-class bombers to deploy directly toward the approaching Republic fighter formations.
On the bridge of the Resolute, Anakin, Steve Rogers, and Admiral Yularen coordinated the entire engagement from their command positions.
Anakin transmitted tactical orders: "All callsigns, listen carefully! Red and Green Squadrons maintain fleet defensive formations. Blue Squadron, Shadow Squadron, and Torrent Squadron prepare for primary assault operations."
"Here we go," Steve muttered to himself, watching the tactical display as both fleets maneuvered for optimal positioning.
Ahsoka led her squadron directly toward the enemy formations, and as they closed to engagement range, she issued her first independent command: "All fighters, weapons free! Engage!"
The squadron immediately opened fire on the approaching swarm of droid starfighters.
Adjacent to Ahsoka's position, Rhodes and Sam led their respective units to engage fighters deploying from the nearest Lucrehulk battleship and Munificent-class frigates.
Initial contact had been established with the enemy, resulting in the loss of several Y-wing bombers, but they had also destroyed most of the first wave of Vulture droids and Hyena bombers.
Rhodes coordinated his squadron: "Stay focused, people. We are approaching the primary battleship. All V-19 Torrents maintain tight formation discipline."
Rhodes led the assault against the incoming wave of droid starfighters, with several V-19s being shot down during the intense engagement.
The surviving Y-wing bombers also opened concentrated fire on the droid defensive formations.
On the opposite approach vector to the battleship, Sam was leading Ripple Squadron in fierce combat with droid starfighters alongside his assigned clone pilots.
"Ripple Squadron, watch your spacing and avoid both battleship point-defense fire and fighter crossfire," Sam advised, gripping his controls tightly as he evaded several pursuing fighters and the battleship's automated defensive turrets.
"All bombers, we're targeting their primary engines to disable propulsion and strand them in position, then we extract immediately. Form up for bombing runs," Sam clearly defined their mission parameters.
The V-19 Torrent fighters flew directly over the battleship's main hangar bay and proceeded toward the engine sections. Sam piloted his fighter at point position to clear defensive obstacles for the bombing formation.
Captain Mar Tuuk observed the developing battle, noting that the Republic forces appeared to have organized a highly coordinated and precise assault, with most of their combat power concentrated on the right flank of his formation, which represented the weakest section of his defensive deployment. Their Venator-class Star Destroyers and Acclamator-class assault ships were focusing fire on the more vulnerable frigates within the blockade, while two fighter squadrons were targeting his only Lucrehulk battleship.
Then came a substantial squadron of Republic V-19 Torrent fighters, heading directly for his command vessel.
"Captain," one of the tactical droids approached and reported: "We have received distress signals from the battleship indicating they are under intensive attack."
Mar Tuuk looked toward the damaged battleship and analyzed the Republic fighter formations. Closer examination revealed that their formation, while appearing somewhat loose and disorganized, actually created the tactical illusion of being easier targets. However, to an experienced naval commander, it was obvious that the Republic had implemented this deception deliberately—it was indeed a clever flying technique.
The Captain calmly issued strategic orders: "Deploy our reserve forces immediately."
Anakin's fleet had been maintaining their assault for several minutes, with Republic and CIS fighters engaging in intense dogfights throughout the battle space.
He received intelligence reports that both Aayla's and Obi-Wan's fleets would arrive shortly and would crush the enemy's left flank in a coordinated pincer movement.
"General," one of the clone communications officers spoke up urgently: "We have detected five additional enemy vessels emerging from hyperspace."
"What?" Admiral Yularen exclaimed with obvious alarm.
"It appears they used the right flank as bait to draw us into a trap," Steve observed with grim tactical assessment, even as the Resolute successfully destroyed an enemy frigate.
"We must immediately alert all fighter squadrons," Anakin declared, rushing to the communications console.
"All pilots, this is Skywalker," Anakin transmitted through the fleet communications network. "The Separatists are deploying reinforcements to our engagement zone. All fighter squadrons must withdraw immediately to our defensive perimeter and await support from additional Republic fleets. I repeat, all fighters return to defensive positions immediately!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Support me at p@treon.com/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~