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Subject: RP: Mara Jade Chp. 6 by PJ
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Mara Jade
by PJ
Chapter 6
Prime Minister Diella Solo entered the War Room that sat deep within the
bowels of the Imperial Palace. Three huge viewscreens dominated the walls of
the dark chamber, and a row of consoles formed an arch around the central
tactical area. At the middle of the room lay a large holotank where generals,
admirals, and other high officers could observe Fleet actions from all across
the galaxy.
General Bannan stood before the holotank display as Diella walked up to him and
smiled softly.
"Hello, Minister," said Bannan tersely as he watched ship icons moved
through the air.
"Hello, General Bannan," returned Diella. "What's the latest ship
activity report?"
"Daala's been busy lately," replied Bannan. "Two small squadrons of Star
Destroyers have attacked systems at the border of the Core region. The
planetary governors have been screaming for reinforcements, but I don't think
that I will send any."
"Why not?" asked Diella with a frown. "We can't let the Imperium gain a
foothold in the Core, it would threaten all of the Republic's major systems."
"These flank attacks are merely diversions. I believe that Admiral Daala
is preparing to attack Coruscant and seize control of the capital," said the
general sternly.
"Where will she come from?" inquired Diella.
"There are very few travel lanes that can accept a large fleet, and from
examining Daala's profile, I think that she will take the direct approach. I
anticipate an attack through the Alpha-One Hyperspace
Corridor. It's a straight approach into the Coruscant system and is wide
enough to support a large fleet
of cruisers," replied Bannan.
"Where will you meet them?"
"The Garash system," answered the general with a predatory grin.
*********************************************
Mara Jade left the docking hatch and dropped her satchel on the floor of
the Dark Hand. The red-haired girl sealed the door behind her, then followed
her R2 droid, Buckethead, into the Rec area.
Bucket rolled over to a diagnostic console and plugged into an interface socket
as Mara walked quickly to the cockpit and went over the controls.
"All systems are operating normally," reported the squat droid.
"Contact the shipyard and get permission to leave," ordered Mara as she
strapped herself into the pilot's chair and began powering up the engines.
"Control has cleared us for departure," replied Bucket.
Mara eased the modified freighter forward, sailing past hovering capital
ships that were being serviced or repaired. The Dark Hand flew gracefully out
of the yawning shipyard portals, then shot forward on a burst of thrust as Mara
angled the ship away from Coruscant. Bucket rolled into the cockpit and
entered its co-pilot socket, then it began to plot the ship's course into
Hyperspace.
The fiery-haired Jedi girl reclined in her high-backed chair and wondered if
she should have told Diella about the dark plot of her sister, Serilda.
Sighing faintly, Mara watched the flashing stars and the stately cruisers of
the New Republic fleet as they assembled for their emminant battle with the
Imperium. Mara smiled proudly as she remembered Diella's expression when she
told the Prime Minister she would take part in the great battle. Mara had said
she wanted to pay back Daala for damaging her ship, a more than adequate excuse
to enter a war, in Mara's eyes.
"Coordinates are set," informed Bucket.
"Entering Hyperspace," replied Mara as she pulled back the control levers
and shot back in her seat as the freighter leapt forward into an azure
maelstrom.
**************************************************
Garash System
June 25, 136 IY (Imperial Year)
The empty space at the edge of the Garash system was suddenly flooded with
warships as the bulk of the New Republic Fleet left Hyperspace. Dozens of
Nebula-class frigates sailed forward as they sounded battle stations and
launched swarms of starfighters. Several Mon Calamari heavy cruisers entered
Real Space around the frigates, then were themselves surrounded by four, large,
Nova-class battlecruisers. Finally the Wavecrest, a Mon-Remonda-class Star
Cruiser, emerged in Real Space at the back of the Fleet and began to organize
the advancing ships. Hundreds of X-wing and Y-Wing fighters leapt from their
hanger bays and formed up at the point of the fleet formation, probing for
enemy vessels. General Bannan sat in the command chair of the Wavecrest as
Admiral Ranok stood before the huge viewing window at the front of the bridge.
"Everything seems to be going according to plan," said Bannan casually as
he laced his gloved fingers together.
"It's too early to get complacent, General," replied Ranok coolly as he
watched the advancing cruisers and clenched his hands together behind his back.
"Imperial ships entering system!" reported a tech officer in the console
"well" beneath the two flag officers.
"How many and what type?" asked the admiral tersely.
"Five Imperial II-class Star Destroyers," answered the tech quickly.
"They're launching several squadrons of TIE-D fighters."
"That's hardly enough to engage the capital's defenses," muttered Ranok
softly. The tall, grey-haired
admiral looked up at the window as the outer perimeter of starfighters engaged
the droid-piloted TIE fighters in a deadly dance of evasion and laser fire.
The five Star Destroyers took the respite to spread out in a huge arc and
advance upon the entire Republic line. When they reached extreme range, the
Imperial ships began firing their turbolaser batteries, causing the Republic
ships to break formation and evade the attack.
"Admiral Ranok to all ship captains! Stay together and concentrate your
fire!" ordered Ranok.
The organic-looking Mon Calamari cruisers resumed their tight formations,
then began to pour turbolaser fire into the nearest Star Destroyer. The
Imperial ship's shields buckled and fell under the combined barrage of six
heavy cruisers, then the vessel spun uncontrollably as lasers punched gaping
holes into its hull. The Star Destroyer exploded and turned into a boiling
cloud of escaping plasma and debris as the remaining four Imperial ships came
under fire by the entire New Republic Fleet. The Republic starfighters enjoyed
immediate success in their own attacks, easily evading the predicatable
TIE-Ds and blowing them out of the sky. The Imperial screen fell apart, then
all of the Republic fighters
plunged down like hawks on the wallowing Star Destroyers, firing salvos of
laser bolts and streams of proton torpedoes.
"It looks like Daala screwed up bad this time," remarked Bannan with a
smirk as he reclined smugly in the soft command chair.
"Apparently you are right, for once," replied Ranok as he watched a third
Star Destroyer blow apart.
"Admiral, I'm getting some strange readings from the long-range sensors,"
replied a sensor tech.
"What are they?" asked Ranok with a frown.
"I don't know, I've never seen readings like this," answered the tech as
he shook his head.
Admiral Ranok raised his head from glaring at the sensor tech and watched
as the Fleet sailed closer to Garash V, an huge planet composed of various
gases. The boiling world filled the forward view of the window as ships began
to appear along the flanks of the New Republic fleet.
"A trap," whispered Ranok as dozens of Victory and Imperial II- class Star
Destroyers appeared out of thin air and began firing on the surprised Republic
ships.
"Where the hell did they come from?!" shouted Bannan as he shot up from
his chair and rushed to join Ranok near the observation window.
"They were cloaked, and when we got close to Garash V, they sprung their
trap. We don't have room to maneuver now," said Ranok coldly.
Bannan glanced at the composed admiral, then turned his wide-eyed gaze to
the glass as clouds of TIE Defenders launched from their bays and pounced on
the milling Republic starfighters. The Republic fleet split in half as the
large warships turned to meet their closest adversaries. Mon Calamari vessels
exploded under the same combined fire tactics they had just used moments before
on the small Imperial squadron. Ranok watched with growing frustration as
dozens of medium and heavy cruisers were destroyed in minutes.
"Ranok to all ships! Move into defensive position Beta-3! Stay together
and coordinate your
attacks!" ordered the admiral crisply.
Two Star Destroyers broke past the defensive line and opened fire on the
Wavecrest. The enormous
Star Cruiser shook under the powerful turbolaser fire of the capital ships,
then blossomed with tiny hull
fires as three squadrons of TIE Defenders spread out around the behemoth and
opened fire with lasers and torpedoes.
"Shields down twenty-percent!" shouted a tactical officer from the well.
"Order all laser batteries to open fire! Call back two squadrons of our
X-Wings to take out the Defenders!" ordered Ranok.
Green and orange laser bolts flashed across the observation window as TIE
fighters and newly arrived X-Wings exchanged salvos. The bridge of the
Wavecrest shook as the hull took numerous hits,
but somehow the ship stayed intact. Three Nebulon-class frigates broke away
from the main engagement to attack the assaulting Star Destroyers, which
allowed the Wavecrest's batteries to concentrate on enemy fighters. A TIE
Defender exploded in front of the bridge, followed closely by the recognizable
bulk of the Dark Hand. Ranok smiled and raised his right hand in thanks as
Mara shot away from the command ship and pursued two more Defenders.
**********************************************
"Is the cannon ready yet?" asked Admiral Daala pensively.
"No, two more minutes until it is fully charged," replied a female tech
from the console well.
"Navigation, bring us over the pole of Garash V," ordered Daala as she sat
tensely in her command chair.
"Aye, mistress," acknowledged the navigator before she manipulated her
controls and piloted the huge Eclipse-class Super Star Destroyer over the top
of the gaseous world until it hung over the pole like a vulture on a dead
branch. Arrayed on her wall-length viewscreen was the unfolding space battle,
with her Star Destroyers pressing the surviving Republic ships into a small
sphere of desperate defenders. At the far end of the battle, engaged with a
swarm of her TIE Defenders, was the listing bulk of the Wavecrest, directly in
front of her warship's bow.
"Time to charge," demanded Daala.
"One minute," replied the weapons tech.
"After today, the New Republic bows to me," whispered Daala with a cold
smile.
"Cannon is charged, we await your order," said the weapons officer.
"Lock cannon on the Wavecrest," ordered Daala as she sat up in her chair.
"Target is locked."
"Fire!" shouted Daala before she licked her full, red lips.
The Super Star Destroyer's bow glowed briefly with blue-tinged fire, then
a gaping beam of pure destruction spat out of the warship's primary cannon and
rushed to consume the dwindling formation of New Republic ships. The white-hot
beam bathed the entire battle scene, disintegrating Mon Calamari cruisers like
moths in a flame. A couple of Star Destroyers too close to the helpless
Republic ships were caught in the blast and ripped apart as the point of the
death ray impaled the Wavecrest and shattered it like a fragile egg. The
assault beam winked out of existence, leaving only debris and a few crippled
frigates in its wake. Mara stared in horror as Daala's Star Destroyers
converged on the remaining Republic ships and blasted them apart with combined
turbolaser barrages. The Dark Hand shook roughly as several TIE Defenders
locked on to her and fired laser blasts into her vessel's shields.
Mara shook her head quickly, then turned her ship hard to starboard in order to
evade another salvo.
The beautiful, young woman gritted her teeth as she acquired a lock on a
retreating TIE and destroyed it with a burst from her forward laser cannons.
Bucket bleeped loudly to attract Mara's attention, then indicated the
sensor screen as over twenty spheroid vessels entered Real Space and began to
advance on the Imperial Fleet.
"Who the fuck are they?" muttered Mara as the strange vessels opened fire
with streams of blue laser bolts, heavily damaging the shields of unaware Star
Destroyers. Mara watched as even more sphere-shaped warships emerged from
Hyperspace and began firing on Daala's Super Star Destroyer,
provoking it to return fire and move away from Garash V. The Dark Hand shook
violently, then Bucket squeeled in alarm.
"One of the unknown ships has us in a tractor beam! I can't break out of
it!" shouted the R2 droid in alarm.
**********************************
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