Chapter 335
The bridge of the *Finalizer* was quiet except for the low hum of consoles and the occasional murmur of clone officers. Dagon stood at the central holotable, arms crossed, watching the live feed from the massive orbital shipyards above Alland. Fifteen Venators and fifteen Acclamators — repurposed Republic vessels — were currently undergoing radical modification, their hulls being cut, reinforced, and fused into something new.
Rath Sienar's chief engineer, a no-nonsense human named Captain Voss, stood beside him, gesturing at the rotating schematic.
"Sir, we've completed the installation of six mass driver cannons in the bow of the ship," Voss reported. "We were planning on ten, but there simply wasn't enough room. Mounting them any other way simply doesn't make sense. We tossed the old cannon — not only is it worn out, but it's also weak. And the ammunition for it is in very short supply."
Dagon nodded. "Continue."
"Next… the redesign of the storage areas for their ammunition, as well as for the AV-7 cannons, has been completed. Twenty-five of the thirty-six heavy turbolasers are equipped with their original reactors, and the installation of the remaining ones will be complete within three days — or sooner if the clones manage to gut the remaining walkers. All twelve heavy ion cannons have been distributed and are ready for use. The same applies to the heavy laser cannons — twenty-four of them have been installed. They took some fiddling, but we managed. However, their aiming angle is severely limited — they're not small, after all."
"What about the general's idea about the AV-7?" Dagon asked.
Voss allowed a small, respectful smile. "You know… it's quite unusual. While this type of gun mounting is less effective than turrets and tower mounts, it does have some advantages. The most important is that the guns are better protected, meaning they're less vulnerable. We've formed twenty-four batteries of five guns from one hundred and twenty mounts, distributed among twelve batteries per side. True, in some places we had to cut through the armor, install force shields, and add a system of special shutters."
The chief engineer from Sienar Fleet Systems interrupted politely.
"The power plant — SFS I-a2b Solar Ionization Reactor — has been installed, and the shielding of the bridge with the two KDY ISD-72x shield generator domes is completed."
"Thanks. Now, for the heavy cannons," Dagon said.
Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin stood a few steps away, watching the entire process with sharp, calculating eyes. Fifteen Venators and fifteen Acclamators, originally designed for various Republic roles, were being modified and fused into a new class of ship he never could have imagined. No wonder Palpatine had sent him here. This man's ideas were exactly what the war needed.
"So, Tarkin," Dagon called out, "I've decided on a new name. The first ship is going to be *Valiant*, but the other fourteen have options. Since one is going for you…"
"A name is unimportant," Tarkin replied coolly, "but a decent name for the Republic should be *Sovereign*."
"Very well," Dagon agreed. "*Sovereign* it is."
"Have you thought about my wishes?" Dagon asked, turning back to the clone major overseeing the weapons integration.
"Yes, sir," the clone took the floor. "Unfortunately, the number of places where we can install weapon systems is severely limited. Specifically, there are a few protrusions on the ship's hull, as well as a few technical hatches and openings that we've already used."
"Don't keep me in suspense, Major."
"Sir. We used the defensive weapons from the SPHA mounts — there are twelve anti-personnel rapid-fire turrets each. These little guys have enough firepower against Separatist Vultures and Hyenas, but they won't be able to handle more powerful fighters. We've developed a design for remote turrets connected by armored cable to control posts located in the protrusions." The clone activated a hologram of the ship on the projector. "So, we've placed about four hundred firing points throughout the ship's hull, especially around the protrusions. However, these turrets are very vulnerable to damage, as they're located on the surface of the armor, not behind it, and therefore practically unprotected. But the good news is, we have another five hundred of these rapid-fire turrets, so we'll make spare turrets that can be easily replaced if necessary."
"Thanks for that. What's the estimated time frame for completion of all the work? I need to let the general know."
"In five days, sir."
Dagon nodded, satisfied. "Keep pushing. Every day counts."
Tarkin stepped closer, studying the rotating hologram of the new *Valiant*-class battleship with a critical eye.
"An impressive redesign," he admitted. "Heavier firepower, better protection, and still capable of carrying a meaningful fighter complement. The forward hangar is… audacious."
"It's meant to hit hard and fast," Dagon replied. "We're not building carriers anymore. We're building ships that can win fleet engagements and then drop troops directly into the fight."
Tarkin allowed a thin smile. "Palpatine was right to send me here. Your ideas are… unorthodox, but they may be exactly what we need to end this war."
Dagon met his gaze steadily. "Then let's make sure we use them wisely."
The two men stood side by side, watching as the skeletal frames of the future *Valiant* and *Sovereign* took shape in the orbital shipyards — weapons of a new era being forged from the bones of the old.
The war was far from over.
But the Republic was finally beginning to build the teeth it needed.