The shocking news caused the Jedi present to frown.
"When was the intelligence regarding Jabiim received?"
The Rhodian, Ikaros Saran, stared at Obi-Wan, a hint of skepticism in his tone.
"About two weeks ago. Since then, we have been preparing for this large-scale offensive. A small portion of ship reserves was allocated, while the rest were drawn from other theaters where the situation is relatively calm. Specifically, the ships come from the First, Third, and Fifth sectors. Additionally, two task forces from the Third Sector will be responsible for securing our arrival at Jabiim along the Perlemian Trade Route, which is the shortest and fastest path. For the landing operations, we are equipped with twenty-seven venator-class assault ships and fourteen frigates. Two thousand venator-class ships from the Third Theater Army will provide cover for the escort fleet and assist in breaking the enemy's orbital blockade. According to intelligence, there are currently ten lucrehulk-class battleships and approximately twenty generous-class frigates in orbit over Jabiim," Obi-Wan explained in detail.
Jeb Glef asked, "How many Clone forces do we have under our command?"
"Over three hundred and fifty thousand Clones, along with a large number of combat vehicles. The specific plan is this: once the planetary orbital blockade is broken, we will immediately attempt to land on the surface, but this depends on the weather conditions of Jabiim. Command has promised to provide us with specialized cloud-dispersing explosives, but I have my doubts about the duration of their effectiveness."
Obi-Wan paused and continued, "Master Norcuna, Master Sirus, Master Leska, and Master Gis-Ilova will each command four groups of ships.
Your targets are three cities, including the Jabiim capital, Choal, and a cluster of mining areas in the southern hemisphere, right here."
He made several marks on the star map, "First, you need to land at these locations, as they are most suitable for establishing forward bases. Subsequently, launch a full-scale offensive toward the targets. The remaining Jedi will be assigned to various units to ensure simultaneous assaults, thereby creating numerical superiority. Furthermore, we are counting on assistance from local Loyalists and the Republic forces already on the surface."
"Obi-Wan," Barriss Sirus looked at him in surprise, "we still need at least a few days to complete departure preparations, plus at least two days of flight time from Coruscant to Jabiim. With the Separatists' forces being so massive, isn't it too risky to send troops to the planetary surface now?"
"Uh—" Anakin, keenly perceiving his master's embarrassment, took the initiative to add, "Actually, the vanguard landed on Jabiim as early as two weeks ago—"
"How many people are in the vanguard? How long have they been on the surface? Who is the Commander?" Dara Leska asked in succession, a hint of dissatisfaction in her tone.
Obi-Wan replied, "A full-strength Clone Legion, equipped with heavy vehicles. They have been holding out there for nearly two weeks, and the Commander is Jedi Knight Solo Victor."
"Two weeks?" Parker Nokuna frowned, "I seriously doubt if they can hold out until we arrive. In the best-case scenario, there might only be a small portion of remnants left without command or vehicles—who came up with this reckless plan?"
Shaak Ti stepped forward with her arms crossed, "The intelligence for this mission came from Chancellor Palpatine and the Intelligence Bureau. The Chancellor attended that Council meeting, and Senator Amidala was also present. It was decided at the meeting to dispatch a Jedi to lead available forces to Jabiim as soon as possible. I recommended Jedi Knight Solo Victor for this mission. He has been involved in the battlefield since the start of the war and is one of the survivors of the Petranaki Arena, where only twenty Jedi survived. Since then, he has commanded a legion and a corps, successfully completing many arduous tasks assigned by The Council. I believe Viktor Knight is up to the task; he is a quite excellent Commander."
Master Sana Gis-Ilova, a slender Sephi, was looking down at the datapad in her hand and suddenly spoke: "Well, even if he isn't considered a top-tier Commander, his courage is certainly not small."
"What do you mean by that, Master?" Norcuna pressed.
"Yes, please explain in detail, how so?" Obi-Wan struck his habitual pose, one hand supporting his chin and the other holding his elbow, waiting for the explanation.
"Look at the insignia worn by the Clones of this unit," the Sephi projected the image from the datapad onto the holographic screen, "and their battle flags."
"Is there something wrong with this insignia?" Anakin leaned closer to the screen and asked in confusion.
"Actually, young apprentice," Gis-Ilova grinned, "this is the insignia of the Revan Empire. Although slightly modified, it is indeed its original style."
"That's right, it's the symbol of the Star Forge." Aubrey Wren exhaled in surprise, pointing at the pattern on the screen, "If you remove these two details—it matches perfectly."
Jeb Glef slammed the edge of the table and said gruffly, "He's the Jedi who lost an arm fighting the Sith? The guy who was reported on the holonet?"
"Exactly him," Shaak Ti nodded in confirmation.
"It should be very interesting to meet him." Gleive nodded thoughtfully, "Once we reach Jabiim's orbit, I will lead my detachment to support him. Obi-Wan, is there anything else?"
"No, all necessary information has been conveyed to everyone."
Just then, a young Jedi walked quickly into the room. His attire indicated he belonged to the Jedi Service Corps.
"Master Ti," the young man bowed, "Master Plo Koon asked me to give this to you and said it's an urgent message from Jabiim."
Saying that, he handed over a holodisk.
"As expected, regular communication channels have been cut off." Barriss Sirus nodded, "Using a holodisk to deliver messages is a very reliable method."
Obi-Wan speculated, "It's very likely delivered by Jabiim's Loyalists through secret channels; they should possess ways to contact the outside world."
Shaak Ti inserted the holodisk into the reader, and immediately, the holographic image of Solo Victor appeared before everyone.
Anakin grinned: "Oh, he's changed into new armor."
In the image, Victor's expression was serious, and his tone was steady: "Respected Jedi Council, I am now submitting a battle report. The landing on Jabiim was completed at the fastest speed, with the loss of two ships and three others missing. The legion is currently under combined attack from Separatist battle Droids and local nationalists. The number of Clone casualties has reached four thousand, with another fifteen hundred wounded. Supplies are currently sufficient, and most vehicles are still operating normally, but we have detected large-scale Separatist reinforcements on their way. If you want us to survive until reinforcements arrive, please act as quickly as possible. Detailed battle reports are in the attached files. It is recommended to focus on the analysis section regarding enemy combat vehicles. Report ends."
"This battle report is not optimistic," Parker Nokuna said. "However, this report must be studied carefully—General Victor's battlefield experience might provide us with an important reference."
"Yes!" Dara Leska nodded heavily and said, "Master Kenobi, if there's nothing else, we will take our leave to prepare for the mission."
"I will notify everyone as soon as the ships are ready," Obi-Wan agreed with a nod.
Alto Stratos had been waiting for the Separatists' reply. Finally, the holographic projector activated, and Wat Tambor's image appeared beside the image of the Trade Federation leader.
"Welcome, Stratos." Wat Tambor's electronically synthesized voice carried unique pauses, "We have been waiting for your call."
"When exactly are the reinforcements arriving? Count Dooku promised to provide aid in the war against the Republic, but so far, not a single transport ship has reached the surface." Stratos's tone was full of dissatisfaction.
"The weather conditions on Jabiim are extremely complex," the Skakoan responded, "but I can assure you that the first batch of reinforcement ships will reach the surface within a few hours. We will use rockets containing special components to disperse the clouds, ensuring the airborne drop proceeds—"
"smoothly."
"Do you have the exact coordinates of the Republic base?"
"Of course. Once the intra-atmospheric flight conditions allow, we will immediately dispatch bombers to carry out precision strikes on their base, while airborne troops conduct a surprise assault."
"I will launch an attack from the ground to coordinate with your actions." Stratos revealed a ruthless smile.
Solo and Ahsoka were preparing to leave the Juggernaut tank to ambush another enemy supply column when Miro's urgent shout suddenly came from the communicator, interrupting their actions.
"General! Get back to headquarters! There's an emergency!"
"What happened?" Solo's heart sank as a strong premonition of danger came through The Force, "Explain clearly!"
"General, I intercepted enemy communications—" Miro's voice was filled with anxiety, "They intend to—no, they've already started using rockets with special components to disperse the clouds! The target is right above our base and the surrounding area! Look outside!"
Solo looked up out the window. Several loud booms suddenly echoed in the sky, and the originally thick rain clouds were rapidly dissipating.
"Sir, meteorological data shows that current conditions are suitable for enemy airborne troops to land," the accompanying OOM droid immediately reported.
—
"This tin can is right." Solo's face was solemn as he turned toward the exit. The light outside had noticeably brightened. "Hutt-spawn! Immediately contact all detachments out on missions! Return to base at full speed for support!"
The Separatists' simultaneous attack from air and ground instantly shattered the defensive balance of the Republic base.
With the support of Jabiim nationalists, the Separatist army successfully broke through multiple defensive lines, and the fighting quickly spread to the interior of the base.
Although anti-aircraft fire shot down several enemy transport ships, the Droid forces did not stop their offensive, and the situation remained dire.
The remaining armored vehicles moved with difficulty through the mud, fighting desperately to block the enemy's advance.
The massive at-at walkers were like mobile fortresses, their main cannons continuously spitting out destructive energy beams, harvesting the charging enemy columns; for a time, no one could stop them.
However, the Cloud-Rider Commandos used the complex terrain to circle around from the rear, getting close to the AT-ATs to place high-explosive charges on their legs.
Accompanied by violent explosions, one AT-AT after another crashed down, their wreckage destroying everything around them.
Hand-to-hand combat broke out in multiple locations within the base, while Separatist fighters and bombers rampaged in the sky, continuously pouring down munitions.
The cannons of the defensive towers disregarded the risk of barrels overheating and melting, firing back with full force. The reactors emitted piercing alarms due to overload.
Clone troopers engaged in fierce battles with the enemy everywhere.
Their rigorous training allowed them to fight independently in the chaos and execute tactics with precision.
Commanders calmly directed fire distribution. Grenadiers used proton grenade launchers to destroy enemy combat vehicles, snipers precisely eliminated enemy Commanders, and gunners with Z-6 rotary blaster cannons swept through swarms of Droids or locked onto low-flying enemy aircraft to fire fiercely.
Bram coordinated the overall situation from the command center, constantly issuing orders through the communicator: "The circular defensive position in Sector Four is being flanked by the enemy! Battery Number Two is under heavy fire and needs urgent support! Enemy saboteurs found in Sector Two, send someone to clear them immediately!"
"Damn it, Sector Two is right next to the hospital!" an officer's exclamation came through the communicator.
"We have no reserves left!" Bram roared, "The General's detachment is on its way, but it will take seven minutes to arrive. Other detachments are even further away!"
"Arm everyone! Engineers, technicians, everyone pick up a weapon! We must hold out until reinforcements—"
Before he could finish, a proton bomb dropped by a Hyena bomber precisely hit the command center building, the violent explosion instantly swallowing the entire room.
Iceball maneuvered nimbly between rocks, vehicle wreckage, and Droid fragments, the blaster in his hand continuously spitting out lethal energy beams, precisely eliminating enemies along the way.
Behind him followed the warriors of Solo's detachment, with the General and Ahsoka close behind.
Commander Tano advanced on the left flank, covering a detachment reinforcing the hospital's direction.
When Solo's forces reached the base, the sight before them was already a hellish scene.
The wreckage of several downed Separatist transport barges was scattered throughout the base, and fire was coming from all directions.
The Clone troopers fought against enemy forces several times their size with tenacious will and fearless courage, but the strength of the two sides was simply too disparate.
The Juggernaut tank, like a steel behemoth, charged straight into the densest area of enemy forces, while the slightly trailing walkers fanned out to both flanks, forming a pincer movement.
None of the vehicles spared their ammunition; massive launchers continuously fired rockets and grenades, blowing the attacking Droids into fragments.
After charging into the base, the armored vehicles stopped briefly to release waves of landing troops, then immediately returned to the fight, circling within the base to provide support.
Solo and the ARC Clone Commander led the Clone troopers to quickly rush to various gaps in the defensive lines, supporting the embattled base defenders.
Solo's detachment was the first to reach the ruins of the command center, where they found Marshal Commander Bram with his head wrapped in bandages.
"Good to see you, sir! You've finally arrived!" Bram said excitedly.
"What's the situation, Bram? Get to the point!" Solo asked urgently.
"The enemy has broken through our lines at these four positions—here, here, here, and here." Bram pointed at a crude map on the ground. "Your detachment plugged one of the gaps, but the others remain under enemy control. Sir, our hospital is in grave danger! Two engineering battalions are defending it, but those Cloud-Rider Commandos have already breached the outer perimeter!"
"Understood! Everyone, follow me!" Solo swung his lightsaber, its activated blue blade cutting a cold light through the chaos. "Ahsoka is on her way to the medical base; she needs backup! Squad 802, handle reconnaissance on the left flank and cover our advance! Squad 302, break through the front with me!"
"Understood!!" the Lieutenants responded in unison, quickly relaying the orders.
The troops gradually approached the frigate, the pursuer, which was surrounded by the fires of war.
Ahsoka moved nimbly across the battlefield, her green lightsaber tracing precise arcs as she continuously cut down battle Droids in her path, all while covering the Clone soldiers who were desperately rushing to the hospital to support their comrades.
Suddenly, there was a brief pause in the din of the melee as a blindingly bright light erupted ahead.
Iceball's helmet's auto-dimming system kicked in instantly, sharply reducing the visor's brightness, yet he still clearly saw the tragic scene before him.
The frigate, the pursuer, had been completely obliterated, leaving only a massive, billowing crater in its place.
The shockwave from the explosion swept through the surroundings, violently knocking down everyone standing.
A judgment instantly flashed through Iceball's mind: "It's a reactor explosion, and definitely not an accident. It must have been caused by baradium explosives."
Meanwhile, under the impact of the explosion, Solo sprawled on the ground, clutching his helmet with both hands, his body trembling violently.
"Son of a Hutt! Commander Tano seems to have been right in those ruins!"
"Brother, help the General up, we're pulling out! There are too many enemies! Tin cans, give us full cover!" Creeper roared while pulling the trigger, another bolt accurately striking an agile Cloud-Rider Commando.
After the destruction of the pursuer, the enemy's morale soared. Jabim nationalist militias charged forward with loud cries, followed closely by battle Droids, while Cloud-Rider Commandos equipped with hover boots glided a few meters above the ground, launching constant ambushes.
Iceball stepped forward, preparing to reach out and grab Solo's shoulder.
Suddenly, Solo jerked his hands away from his helmet and thrust them forward, his entire body radiating intense ripples of The Force.
Time seemed to stop instantly; all sound on the battlefield vanished.
Solo's consciousness was completely submerged by a wave of extreme agony originating from Ahsoka.
Everything else—the wails of his comrades, the scent of death, the pervasive fear and horror—became insignificant; only Ahsoka's pain amplified infinitely in his mind.
This brief moment felt like it lasted for an eternity.
When his perception returned, he was left with only a sense of loss and helplessness.
"No!"
A terrible thought struck him: "She must live! She absolutely cannot die like this!"
But amidst the surging chaos of his Force perception, he could not capture Ahsoka's familiar light of life.
All the fatigue accumulated over the past few days instantly crushed his shoulders, pushing him to the brink of collapse and utterly destroying the last remnants of his inner peace.
In its place, a burning rage ignited.
"Bastards! That was a hospital! There were wounded in there! Doctors! My soldiers! And Ahsoka!"
The anger expanded, completely seizing his mind.
Whispers of the Dark Side echoed in his head: "Revenge! Kill them all! Hack them to pieces! Torture them—destroy everything! I will give you power!"
"Stop! This is wrong—what is happening?! What's wrong with me?"
Suddenly, his consciousness fell into a strange space.
It had no size, no shape, and could not even be described with words.
At the center of the space, yet omnipresent, was the flowing Force.
But this Force was not uniform or pure; light and darkness were intertwined, and that dense darkness was constantly radiating from the core of the light.
It had long since become a part of his Force, quietly taking root without him even noticing.
Perhaps it had been there from the beginning, but he had never examined himself so clearly.
Tentacles of darkness were constantly expanding, squeezing the space of light and subtly influencing his thoughts.
"This is the Dark Side—it calls to me—promises power—promises revenge—No! I cannot accept it!"
""
Intense pain, this time from his own internal struggle, swept through his body like a tide, while on the external battlefield, the wails of death continued unabated.
"I don't want to be a Sith!"
The headache grew more intense, as if his skull were about to split open, and blood might seep from his pores at any moment.
The voice of the Dark Side grew more piercing: "You are mine!"
Fragmented visions flashed through his mind.
Click.
The disfigured face of the Sith Lord was sneering.
"I don't want this!"
"You are mine!"
Click.
In the vision, Ahsoka looked at him in horror, her large eyes clearly reflecting his own Sith pupils, which had turned yellow.
"No!"
Click.
On the planet Mustafar, Anakin choked Padmé's neck.
Click.
The vision distorted; the aggressor became himself, and the person being choked was—
"I don't want it! I don't want it! I don't want it! Get away, you bitch!"
Iceball had never feared any enemy, but at this moment, he felt a suffocating dread emanating from the General.
"Get down!" he roared at his partner beside him.
His partner also sensed that terrifying power and immediately dove into the mud.
The air around Solo instantly became thick and heavy, and then, an invisible wave of The Force erupted outward in all directions with him at the center.
Battle Droids in its path were instantly twisted, crushed, and finally torn to shreds.
The Jabim militia and Cloud-Rider Commandos charging at the front had their bodies shattered directly by The Force, blood spraying everywhere and staining the mud beneath their feet red.
Lucky lifted his head from the mud, watching the scene in shock.
"What was that just now? If he had done that from the start, would we be in such a mess?" In the internal comms channel, his partner's voice carried a hint of caution mixed with unmistakable excitement.
Iceball shook his head and said to his partner, "If you have the guts, go ask him."
"Never mind then."
Solo struggled to his feet and stumbled toward the ruins of the pursuer.
Iceball followed closely behind.
The fighting on the battlefield had subsided, with only sporadic explosions heard in the distance.
Dark clouds once again obscured the sky, and a fine drizzle began to fall.
Guided by The Force, Solo navigated unerringly through the ruins and soon found Ahsoka's figure.
She was lying face up in the mud, her lightsaber dropped to the side. A jagged piece of metal had pierced through her abdomen, and the blood seeping from the wound spread into a small patch of dark red in the rain.
Rainwater slid down her pale face as if the girl were weeping silently; she had long since lost consciousness, her lips an unnatural bluish-purple.
Solo knelt beside her and slowly removed his helmet.
His face was covered in a mixture of blood and sweat, and his left eye was bloodshot from a ruptured capillary, looking particularly gruesome.
"She's still alive," Solo said in a voice so raspy it was barely a melody, passing his hand gently over Ahsoka to probe her vitals with The Force. "Get her to treatment immediately."
"I'll call our medical vehicle right away; it's equipped with a mobile operating room and a full set of emergency gear." Iceball nodded in response and immediately pressed his helmet comms.
Solo carefully picked Ahsoka up, his movements as gentle as if he were cradling a fragile treasure.
The Clone could feel that the General was cautiously wrapping Ahsoka's body with The Force to avoid aggravating her wounds.
"I'll go meet the medical vehicle. You're responsible for clearing the remaining enemies at the base. Contact Bram, re-establish the defensive perimeter, and then notify all officers to gather for a meeting," Solo instructed.
"Yes, General."
"And," Solo paused for a moment, his tone turning bone-chillingly cold and devoid of any emotion, "take no prisoners."
"By your command, sir." Seventeen saluted solemnly.
Only after Solo had carried Ahsoka far away did he add in a low voice: "Should have done this long ago."
Solo moved forward slowly and carefully, using The Force to hold Ahsoka steadily between his arms, always maintaining a posture that wouldn't disturb her wound.
Tragic scenes of the aftermath of the fierce battle flashed at the edge of his vision—wreckage of vehicles torn apart by explosions lay scattered in disarray, both Republic and Separatist.
Columns of thick black smoke rising from various places were repeatedly torn by the gale, sometimes dispersing, sometimes pressing heavily back toward the ground.
The increasingly dense lines of rain lashed his face, mixing with sweat and dust to leave streaks of filth on his armor.
The muddy ground of Jabim was littered with broken parts of battle Droids, interspersed with the bodies of nationalists in tan-and-brown uniforms and fallen Clone soldiers in green-and-red armor.
Although the enemy had suffered heavy losses, the casualties on his own side were equally shocking; even a cursory glance revealed the cruelty of this campaign.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck! At this rate, we won't last long, and they just—" Solo cursed incoherently, not even sure specifically whom he was blaming.
His thoughts were a mess, and at this moment, he could focus on nothing else besides Ahsoka in his arms.
The explosive burst of Force impact from earlier had overextended him, leaving his energy nearly depleted.
And that bizarre mental experience from not long ago made him begin to doubt his own sanity.
"If this keeps up, I'm afraid I won't be far from hearing voices in my head."
Ahead, the massive hull of a heavy armored vehicle slowly braked to a stop, with several S-130 tanks stopping alongside it, their turrets rotating warily as they scanned the surroundings.
On the side of the armored vehicle, the entry ramp between the third and fourth wheels slowly lowered.
Solo, carefully cradling the Togruta girl, stepped steadily inside.
"I need a doctor, now!" his low voice echoed through the cabin.
On the upper deck, a white medical Droid had already rushed over.
This four-eyed Droid hovered in the air using anti-gravity devices, its mechanical arms extending rapidly to perform a precision scan over Ahsoka's wound.
"Patient has a penetrating abdominal wound, requires immediate surgery. Vital signs are currently stable, but further diagnosis is needed. Please follow me." The female electronic voice of the IM-6 model medical Droid came through the speakers, carrying a tremor of concern that offered a glimmer of hope amidst the despair.
These medical Droids were indeed excellent, not because of their construction or voice, but because their creators had successfully imbued them with extreme loyalty to their duty and deep concern for their patients.
They were small and flexible, widely equipped on various vehicles such as LAAT/i gunships and at-te walkers, saving countless Clone lives on the battlefield.
Soon, Solo gently placed Ahsoka on the operating table.
Another IM-6 medical droid stepped forward immediately to continue a comprehensive scan of the wound, while the 2-1B medical Droid serving as the surgeon—
—quickly prepared tools like laser scalpels and bio-gel needed for the surgery.
It looked like they had just finished an emergency surgery; a third IM-6 series Droid was busy in the adjacent ward area, where several heavily wounded Clone soldiers lay.
"General, please leave the operating room; we will notify you as soon as the surgery is over. Additionally, your body needs an examination; that Force burst just now has placed a significant load on your physiology." An IM-6 medical droid flew to Solo's side and said while hovering.
"My business can wait." Solo snapped back to reality, waving the Droid off, his eyes still fixed on Ahsoka's pale face.
Stepping out of the medical bay, Solo headed straight for the temporary command post.
As soon as he entered, he saw Miro bandaging a head wound on himself.
"You're injured, Lieutenant?"
"Just a minor wound. Two enemy rocket launchers hit the port side of the vehicle earlier; I lost my footing and hit my forehead on the console, got a cut. We can handle it ourselves; we've all had professional first-aid training," Miro said dismissively.
"What's the current status of the battle?"
"Sir, based on intercepted enemy communications combined with the battlefield situation on the observation screens," Miro nodded meaningfully toward the screen behind him, "we were almost completely crushed just now, but at a critical moment, the enemy's organic soldiers suddenly fell into chaos. Some threw down their weapons, and some even turned and fled. I don't know the specific reason, but the timing was crucial. Though the chaos only lasted a few minutes, it was enough for us to clear the remaining battle Droids and then repel the surviving nationalists."
At this time, a Lieutenant who had just finished bandaging Miro's wound walked somewhat unsteadily to the tactical table, while Miro hurried back to his communications post.
New figures began to appear in the command post; the first to enter was the overall Commander, Bram.
"General, please allow me to use your command vehicle as a temporary headquarters. The original ground command post has been blown to rubble."
Solo nodded silently in agreement.
Following behind Bram were the Commanders of various legions: H, Zillo, and Turn.
"Where is Enoch?" Solo noticed a familiar figure was missing.
Bram shook his head heavily: "The number of enemies attacking from the southern plains is so great that—anyway, the losses were extremely heavy. High Commander Enoch led all reserves, including the headquarters staff, into the battle."
"Although they successfully blocked the battle Droids' offensive, he was killed in the fierce fighting."
"Damn it!" Solo punched a nearby metal support.
"He was an excellent soldier, and even more so, an outstanding Commander." Though the words were cliché, at this moment, no better words could be found to express the grief.
Meanwhile, four more figures appeared by the tactical table.
A Clone Lieutenant with a medical unit insignia on his shoulder, covered in mud and blood; an engineering Captain with a blaster slung over his shoulder and tattered coveralls; and two other officers.
"Alright, soldiers, tell me your thoughts," Solo said, breaking the silence.
Bram spoke first, "General, it's already a miracle that we were able to hold the base this time—"
Solo interrupted him, "There are no miracles, Bram, only the fact that you are all better soldiers than the enemy."
"Thank you for the affirmation, sir, but even so, we certainly won't be able to withstand the next enemy attack. The defensive line has completely collapsed, and in some areas, the conditions don't even exist to establish a perimeter defense. Most of the heavy vehicles in the base have been completely scrapped; using Juggernaut armored vehicles for defense is not a long-term solution. Furthermore, if the enemy uses special rockets to disperse the clouds again, we will be completely exposed to their aerial fire, making our situation even more difficult. Captain, what is the status of our equipment losses?"
Saying this, Bram turned to the engineering Captain.
The Captain said with some helplessness, "Almost all the heavy walkers have been lost. The few remaining at-te walkers have weak combat capability and are almost negligible."
"The situation for the AT-XT and AT-RT light walkers is slightly better, but we've still lost twenty percent."
"Those vehicles that aren't completely scrapped could theoretically be repaired, but in the current situation, with a lack of parts and maintenance space, it's simply impossible."
"To be honest, even if we had enough time, it would be more practical to just build new ones."
"Looking at your combat gear, the fighting must have been intense just now?" Solo nodded at the armor and carbine the Captain was wearing.
Usually, technicians are non-combatants, with officers at most carrying a self-defense blaster pistol, but this Captain's equipment was comparable to that of a frontline soldier.
High Commander Zillo crossed his arms over his chest and chimed in, "We had to commit all reserves, including the engineering maintenance battalion. To be honest, their performance was surprisingly excellent. We didn't even need to issue them weapons; they had plenty of their own hidden away."
"Now I understand why they weren't issued weapons." Solo's words surprised everyone present. Seeing their reaction, he explained, "What? Didn't you notice? Every one of them is a natural-born warrior. Giving them weapons is almost more dangerous than sending Clones onto the battlefield!"
The Clones couldn't help but laugh. Although the joke wasn't particularly funny, in the heavy atmosphere, this brief moment of levity was especially precious.
"Exactly right, sir!" The Captain gave a solemn salute, his tone carrying a hint of pride. "We do indeed have a few tricks up our sleeves."
"Alright, jokes aside." Solo's tone became serious again. "Now we need to discuss business. What's the next step?"
Bram said, "I believe we must abandon the base. Now that the medical ships and some warehouses have been lost—"
Solo frowned. "We lost the warehouses too?"
Bram reported, "Enemy saboteurs successfully infiltrated some warehouses. The supplies inside were either destroyed or looted. In short, most of the fortifications have been ruined. Active personnel—please wait a moment while I tally them—alright, counting all personnel capable of fighting, including those among the wounded who can still pick up a weapon, there are fewer than twenty-six thousand Clones in total, with about two thousand wounded whose combat effectiveness is affected."
"In this meat grinder of a battle, we lost a full seven thousand men." Solo's voice was filled with suppressed rage.
"I'm worried the enemy won't let us leave easily," Turn said worriedly.
"General, there might be a way around that." Lee Noriega caught everyone's attention. "The enemy has grown accustomed to our style of holding the base. They will certainly expect us to try and break out and will be prepared. But if we concentrate all our strength to launch a breakout on a single front, for example, across this plain, we might have a chance of success. After all, we don't intend to return to this base, so the best plan is to load the heavy armored vehicles with supplies, prioritizing ammunition, fuel, and medicine, and then evacuate quickly."
"Lieutenant, I'm afraid all the Clones can't be squeezed into the remaining vehicles. Let's look at the specific data." Solo pulled up the summarized equipment information on the screen. "Fifty A6 heavy transports. Even if each vehicle carries a hundred tons of cargo, it will reduce the capacity by at least a hundred personnel."
"As for supplies, we don't have much left now anyway."
"Overall, these A6s can carry at most eleven thousand Clones."
"Additionally, we have ninety-seven A5 transports. Under standard conditions, each can carry fifty Clones, and at most only one extra ton of cargo. That can carry another five thousand Clones."
"Adding in the remaining walkers, speeder bikes, repulsortanks, and other equipment, they can either only accommodate their crews or can't carry infantry at all."
"By my count, we can carry away at most sixteen thousand Clones. That leaves nearly ten thousand Clones who cannot be evacuated."
"We cannot abandon a single brother, so this plan won't work."
Zillo then spoke up, "Sir, I don't think we have to abandon anyone."
"Tell me your thoughts."
"If you lead the main force to break out, the enemy will soon realize we've abandoned the base and will inevitably pursue with full force. But, if—"
"I don't like your 'if'," Solo interrupted him.
"Someone must stay behind to cover the main force's retreat," Zillo continued calmly. "It's the only way, sir. I'm willing to lead the remaining personnel of my brigade, along with the remnants of Enoch's unit, to stay and perform the cover mission. We don't need much ammunition—just enough to last for two hours of fighting. You take all the remaining ammunition and lead the main force to evacuate in the meantime. We'll draw all the enemy's attention to ourselves."
The 302 Droid nearby shook its head: "This is not the optimal solution. The survival probability for the units staying behind is almost zero."
"You know very well that once the enemy launches a general offensive, it's impossible for those staying behind to survive." Solo also disagreed with the plan.
"In any case, we'll take more Separatist scum down with us. It's a pity we don't have any Baradium explosives, or we could give them a grand parting gift." Zillo's tone carried a hint of regret.
"Ahem—" The engineering Captain suddenly coughed. "Um, I think I might be able to help."
"What's your idea?"
"We can make bombs—more precisely, we can make a large number of extremely powerful bombs."
Under the Captain's gaze, he visibly shrank back, seemingly lacking some confidence.
"What use would that be?" Bram asked, puzzled.
"Do you know? Before the beacon was completely mired in the mud, we salvaged quite a few key components from it. Among them are several auxiliary reactors, power packs for the turbolasers, and the warheads of ship-borne proton torpedoes. Additionally, while the base's main reactor is damaged, the core is still usable. There's also ammunition for the AV-7 Cannons and some stored explosives. If we connect all of these into a single detonation network and trigger them simultaneously—riki," the engineer turned to the astromech Droid beside him, "calculate the explosive kill radius."
"riki?" Bram raised an eyebrow, somewhat confused.
The engineer spread his hands and explained, "That's R2-Q6. It's the nickname I gave it, riki."
"I like your thinking. How long do you need to prepare the detonator?" Shaiba asked.
"An hour and a half. That's enough."
"How long will it take us to load the supplies and personnel?" Bram turned to Lee Noriega.
"Two hours, no more."
The astromech Droid let out a series of beeps and whistles, then projected a detailed diagram of the explosion radius on the screen.
"Alright," the engineer examined the diagram closely. "If we set it up according to this plan, the resulting plasma cloud will definitely cover the entire base area. If we set up some Tibanna gas explosives around the perimeter, combined with the proton torpedo warheads, the kill radius can be expanded to nearly ten kilometers. We can start the installation now."
"General," everyone turned their gaze toward Solo, "please make the decision."
Solo turned to face the wall, slowly closed his eyes, and clenched his fists tightly.
"Miro, is there any news of Republic reinforcements in orbit?"
"None at all, sir. We haven't received any signals from the Republic. There are only Confederacy of Independent Systems ships patrolling in orbit right now."
"Make a decision—it's easy to say, but this isn't a choice at all. However, as things stand, we have no other path to take." Solo knew very well that it was impossible to save everyone.
This was war, not an outing.
Even without the help of Battle Meditation, he understood this cruel reality.
As a Commander, he was long accustomed to sending soldiers to the battlefield, but it was a completely different matter to personally decide who lives and who dies—whether to sacrifice a few to save the many, or let everyone perish together.
To send thousands of thinking, feeling lives to their deaths—
He had never imagined he would face such a choice.
Yet the Clones were unusually calm about it. Solo could clearly sense their emotions: no fear, only firm determination and a strong sense of duty.
His fist slammed hard against the wall with a dull thud, startling everyone present.
"Commander Bram, organize the personnel for evacuation immediately. Prioritize loading the wounded and supplies."
"Yes, sir!" The Clones saluted in unison.
"Zillo, is there a suitable candidate to replace you in commanding the stay-behind force? We've already lost Enoch; I don't want to lose another High Commander."
"There are suitable candidates, but I would rather fight alongside my brothers until the very end."
"So, you want me to lead the main force and run away?" Solo's tone carried a hint of complexity.
"Please allow me to speak plainly, sir. Without your command, even if the main force successfully breaks out, it would be difficult to survive behind enemy lines for long. This arrangement at least gives most of our brothers a chance to live. You've led us out of desperate situations many times before, and you can certainly do it again. I believe you will do your utmost to keep them alive." The Clone gave a solemn salute and turned to leave the headquarters.
Solo turned silently, his gaze falling on the map of Jabim projected on the tactical table.
"Lee Noriega, come here. Let's work out the retreat route together."
"Yes, General. I think we can take this route, through this canyon—"
Stratus looked at the image of his cousin Cordelia in the holographic projection, the image flickering occasionally due to signal interference.
"How is the situation, Cordelia?"
"It could have been better. The battle Droids failed to completely destroy the Republic's defense line, but now all their forces are huddled within the defensive perimeter, like turtles in a jar. We are massing our forces, preparing to launch a general offensive. The reinforcements from the Confederacy of Independent Systems arrived just in time. We now have nearly a million battle Droids here, though it's a bit fewer than expected."
"I've ordered some of the follow-up forces to be dropped directly into other areas of the planet; moving across the surface is simply too time-consuming," Stratus said.
"And what progress have you made on your end?"
"I think I've tracked down that little Captain. If all goes well, we'll catch that rebel-inciting fellow soon."
"Excellent. That Gilmang has indeed been a headache for us. As soon as he's dead, those Loyalists will lose their leader and completely collapse."
Yet life is unpredictable, like the rising and falling of the tides.
Joy today, sorrow tomorrow; the threads of fate are constantly breaking and rejoining.
Please Support me by becoming my patreon member and get 10+ chapters.
[email protected]/Ajal69
change @ with a
Thank You to Those who joined my Patreon