Chapter 275
**Dagon POV**
Hyperspace bled away in a cascade of collapsing blue lines as the *Terminus* ripped back into realspace above Christophsis. The crystalline world glittered below us like shattered gemstones under perpetual meteorite rain, its single moon a silent witness. Chaos already ruled the void.
"Sumeragi, have you managed to contact Skywalker?" I asked, voice steady amid the bridge's rising tempo of alerts.
The AI's holographic form materialized beside the tactical holotable, her expression neutral and efficient. "Negative, General. Last transmission intercepted ten minutes ago confirmed General Skywalker had begun engaging the Separatist fleet. His detachment of twelve Venators is heavily pressed. Republic signatures show sustained turbolaser exchanges and droid fighter swarms. Admiral Yularen's broader group is attempting to hold relief lanes, but the blockade remains intact."
"Three minutes until full fleet integration," I continued, eyes locked on the unfolding sensor feed. "Okay, here is the plan. When we emerge, the three Resurgent-class Battlecruisers—*Finalizer* under Lichtendal Cerri, *Steadfast* under Rear Admiral Lustian Kalgen, and *Ranger* under Clone Commander Bly. —will accelerate hard to cap the 'T' on the enemy formation. Pull Skywalker's forces out of the immediate kill zone while delivering full broadsides. Their ultra-heavy main turbolaser batteries should force the Separatist ships back. The *Terminus* will accelerate straight up the middle. Use the forward spinal super cannon to target and destroy the flagship, the *Invincible*. Then the five Venators under my command will mobilize in spear formation, striking the enemy's left flank. The Resurgents will hammer the right while we drive through the center."
Sumeragi processed instantly. "Orders relayed. All ships acknowledge. Hangar crews standing by to launch. *Terminus* super cannon charging sequence initiated on emergence."
I felt the subtle vibration through the deck as reactors spooled higher. My fleet was no ragtag Republic reinforcement. The *Terminus* led as flagship—its advanced systems and devastating forward weapon a cut above anything in local production. Flanking it came the three massive Resurgent-class Battlecruisers, each nearly 2,500 meters of dagger-shaped menace, bristling with over 1,500 turbolasers and ion cannons. Their hangars carried squadrons of TIE Defenders and TIE Advanced—superior shields, speed, and firepower for the dogfights to come.
Five Venators followed, standard but reliable, launching waves of V-19 Torrent starfighters. Four Arquitens-class command cruisers provided precise coordination and fire support. Eight Lancer-class frigates formed the anti-fighter screen, their quad lasers ready to shred incoming droids. Four Starkiller-class light carriers stood ready with TIE Punishers and TIE avengers for bombing runs and heavy escort duties. Ten Pelta-class combat variants guarded the flanks, while the fifteen supply variants hung back—reserved for the critical 13th sector resupply mission after this engagement.
Anakin was already in the thick of it with his twelve Venators, charging aggressively as always. By the time we arrived, the battle had escalated into a deadly dance.
"Reversion in ten... five... now."
Space snapped into clarity.
Christophsis hung beneath us, its surface a mosaic of crystal spires and shielded cities. Above, Admiral Trench's blockade dominated the high orbit. The massive *Invincible*—a larger 2,000+ meter variant of the Providence-class Dreadnought—loomed at the center like a predatory cylinder with its tapered bow and towering command spire. Its hull carried heavy quad turbolasers, dual laser cannons, ion batteries, and banks of proton torpedo launchers. Thirty Munificent-class star frigates formed the backbone—825-meter skeletal predators optimized for long-range fire, electronic warfare, and squadron support, their heavy turbolasers and ion cannons already raking Republic shields. Ten lumbering Lucrehulk-class battleships provided brute anchoring firepower and carrier capacity, while five smaller 1,000-meter Providence-class carriers disgorged endless swarms of vulture droids and hyena bombers.
Anakin's Venators were locked in a fierce exchange, shields flaring under concentrated fire. One Republic ship listed, venting plasma. Droid fighters darted like angry insects.
"Enemy detecting our emergence," a clone sensor officer reported. "Trench hailing on open channel."
"Execute the plan," I ordered. "All ships—full acceleration."
The three Resurgents surged forward like avenging spears—*Finalizer*, *Steadfast*, and *Ranger*—their massive ion engines flaring brilliant blue. They accelerated hard to "cap the T," positioning perpendicular to the Separatist broadsides for devastating firing arcs. Ultra-heavy main turbolaser batteries opened up in coordinated salvos. Brilliant green and blue bolts slammed across the void, forcing Munificent frigates to reel backward. One Lucrehulk took multiple hits along its port side, secondary explosions blooming as its converted freighter hull buckled under the sheer weight of fire.
The *Terminus* powered straight up the middle, reactors thundering. Its forward spinal super cannon began its ominous charge, a deep hum vibrating through every bulkhead.
Anakin's voice burst over comms, laced with relief and his trademark cockiness. "Dagon! That you on the *Terminus*? About damn time—the *Invincible* is a beast. Its thermal shielding is shrugging off everything we throw at it!"
"Hold formation, Skywalker," I replied. "We're extracting your line. Spear on the left—push their flank. We've got center."
Trench's multi-eyed Harch visage appeared briefly on the main holo, his clicking voice dripping with calculated menace. "Unidentified fleet, you intrude on Confederate operations. Identify or be annihilated alongside Skywalker."
I opened a return channel just long enough. "This is General Dagon, commanding the *Terminus* and attached task force. The blockade of Christophsis ends now, Admiral Trench. Stand down or be removed."
The Separatist response was immediate and violent.
The *Invincible* unleashed a barrage of tracking proton torpedoes and heavy ion cannon fire, its forward battleship-grade weapons probing for weaknesses. Munificent frigates pivoted with surprising agility for their size, their long-range turbolasers and ion cannons sniping at range while electronic warfare suites attempted to jam our targeting. Lucrehulks lumbered into better firing positions, their massive batteries adding weight to the line. Smaller Providence carriers vomited fresh waves of vulture droids and tri-fighters, hyena bombers diving toward our Peltas and supply ships.
This opening phase played out like a deadly game of cat and mouse—classic Clone Wars maneuvering. Trench was no brute; he was a patient hunter. His fleet used the Munificents' superior sensors and comms to coordinate hit-and-run strikes, probing our formation while trying to envelop Anakin's exposed Venators. Droid swarms tested our flanks, seeking gaps in the screen. Republic ships dodged and weaved, trading volleys that lit the void in silent fireballs.
My Resurgents refused to play that game. *Vanguard* led the charge on the right, its broadsides methodically chewing through a cluster of Munificents. Shields on the enemy frigates glowed white-hot before collapsing under the concentrated ultra-heavy fire. One Munificent disintegrated in a chain of explosions, its skeletal frame twisting apart. *Finalizer* and *ranger* followed, their TIE Defenders and Advanced launching in tight formations—black and red silhouettes slicing through droid clouds with superior agility and firepower. Defenders' shields absorbed vulture laser fire while their own cannons tore through the mechanical swarms.
"Enemy fighters inbound—multiple squadrons," Sumeragi reported. "Hyenas targeting the supply Peltas."
"Lancers—screen and engage," I commanded.
The eight Lancer-class frigates moved like wolves, their specialized point-defense clusters and quad lasers creating a wall of green death. Droid fighters exploded by the dozens. Starkiller light carriers added their own TIE Punishers and avengers, the heavy bombers delivering precise ordnance runs against Lucrehulk flanks while Aggressors provided escort.
On the left, my five Venators formed the spear—arrowing forward with V-19 Torrents screaming ahead. Arquitens command cruisers flanked them, adding accurate long-range support. Turbolaser fire intersected in brilliant crossfires. A Separatist Providence carrier took a spearhead strike, its hangar bays erupting as torpedoes found their mark.
The *Terminus* pressed the center. Its secondary batteries joined the fray, raking enemy ships that dared close. The super cannon reached full charge.
"Target locked on *Invincible* reactor section," Sumeragi announced. "Thermal shielding fluctuating under sustained pressure from the Resurgents."
"Fire."
The flagship shuddered as the spinal weapon discharged—a searing lance of concentrated energy brighter and more focused than any standard turbolaser. It slammed into the *Invincible*'s forward defenses. The dreadnought's advanced thermal shielding held for several heartbeats, glowing cherry-red, before the sheer power bored through. Explosions rippled along its cylindrical hull. Not a killing blow—Providence-class ships were built tough, with redundant systems and heavy armor—but it forced the *Invincible* to stagger, breaking its central dominance and buying precious seconds for Anakin's forces to disengage.
Skywalker whooped over comms. "That's more like it! Pushing left now—flank collapsing!"
The battle remained fluid. Trench ordered micro-adjustments—partial repositioning, feigned retreats to draw us in, then sudden counter-thrusts from hidden Munificent squadrons. Droid fighters used their numbers to probe, sacrificing themselves to overload point defenses. Hyenas slipped through gaps to hammer shields on our Venators. Cat and mouse: Trench testing our coordination, trying to turn the engagement into a prolonged war of attrition where his numerical superiority in small craft could wear us down.
But my fleet answered with disciplined precision. Resurgents maintained pressure on the right, their broadsides forcing enemy ships to break formation or die. Venators in spear formation hammered the left, V-19s weaving through the chaos. The *Terminus* drove relentlessly forward, super cannon recharging for another strike while its escorts—Peltas and Lancers—kept the center secure.
Through the Force, I felt Ahsoka and Zule launch from the *Terminus* hangar. Ahsoka's bright orange-and-blue starfighter streaked out like a defiant comet, Zule flying tight wing in a V-19. Their presences burned bright in the bond—excitement, focus, the lingering warmth of recent closeness.
*Fast and bright,* Ahsoka sent, her mental voice exhilarated as she vaporized a pair of vultures. *Just like my ship. Zule's arm is perfect—she's flying like she was never hurt.*
Zule's reply carried grateful steel. *Thanks to you, Master. Let's carve through these droids.*
I allowed myself a tight smile. The opening maneuvers had disrupted Trench's perfect blockade. Anakin's forces were pulling back into better coordination with ours. Christophsis' surface still waited—where General Whorm Loathsom's millions of droids dug in and Bail Organa struggled with relief efforts—but the space battle had shifted.
This was only the first act. The cat-and-mouse probing would soon give way to a full, brutal engagement as lines closed and the center drive turned into a decisive slugfest. Trench would not yield the *Invincible* easily, and his fleet retained plenty of bite.
The void continued to burn with crisscrossing turbolaser fire. Ships maneuvered in three-dimensional ballet—dodging, flanking, striking. My Resurgents *Vanguard*, *Relentless*, and *Thunderstrike* continued their punishing broadsides. The *Terminus* pressed onward, spinal cannon humming once more.
The real battle was only beginning.