OOC: There is the unfortunate possibility this thread may be cancelled by the powers that be. Until that time, I have every intention of contuing as planned. If anyone needs to speak with me: QLancer18

IC

Space was in and of itself immense and to the best of Science: limitless. Entire Fleets could vanish in its vastness, the Katana and two hundreed escorts proving that. Even in the most populated regions of one single galaxy, there was and always would be something new to explore, to see. It was that very immensity the Empire was counting on to conceal its activites.

In the dead of the Great Vacuum sat, save one, a dozen wedge-shaped vessels, their hulls long and angular, every bit imposing as beautiful. The their center sat the formation's mantlepiece, a triangular vessel longer than the rest, but not dwarfing in its size. About the intimidating vessels sat one over two dozen small fifty meter craft, each no more than crew compartments, two weapons' arrays, a shield dome, and an immobilizer globe.

Each vessel was at least fifteen hundred kilometers in length and possessed a class as a ship of the line. They were titans of the galactic sea; they were Star Destroyers. Composing a core of the most powerful warships ever launched, the presence of them as a fighting force was enough to cow small empires into submission. They possessed the resources to launch extended ground campaigns and endure spacial combat. Filled with top market fighters and support boats, they were truly impressive in their right.

Sitting in command over them was an Imperial officer of rank and station: Vice Admiral Telan Desaria. His field of expertise had always been large warships and larger battles. At his call were eleven of the former; at his leave would be the latter.

" All ships report ready, Admiral."

Desaria sat upon his throne, ruler of all he surveyed. Ancient traditions elevated Admirals and Commodores to unreachable plateaus of skill and ability and it as his job never to disappoint his men and do what many had before: attain the impossible.

" Excellent. Send the word through the Fleet. First wave will jump on my mark. Second wave is to proceed to the rally point at best speed and be ready to jump on command."

" As ordered, Admiral," chorused several officers, from ship command to fleet liaision.

The Admiral stood, his jackboots hitting the two stairs to dismount his chair and another step onto the catwalk of the Allegiance-class Star Destroyer Dante's bridge.

Breathing in, he felt pride.

" Jump."

The Fleet vanished into the depths of another dimension, hyperspace.

Their majesty would be plied to bring glory to their masters: the System of Sernpidal would fall the Empire.



Gloria Imperium.



II Destroyer Legion (First Wave)

1st (Command) Squadron
Allegiance-class Star Destroyer - Dante
Reign-class Star Destroyer - Plutarch
Reign-class Star Destroyer - Autarch
Imperial-class Star Destroyer Mk III - Herculean
Imperial-class Star Destroyer Mk III - Promethean
Imperial-class Star Destroyer Mk III - Mars

2nd Squadron
Reign-class Star Destroyer - Jupiter
Reign-class Star Destroyer - Saturn
Imperial-class Star Destroyer Mk III - Janus
Imperial-class Star Destroyer Mk III - Pax Imperium
Imperial-class Star Destroyer Mk III - Gloria

6th (Interdiction) Squadron
-25 Constrainer-class Interdiction Pickets

<font color=maroon>"Imperial warships have entered the system! Repeat, Imperial warships have entered the system!"

The planet Sernpidal looked out in horror as, for the first time in years, Imperial warships moved against the Republic. The Republic, that had stood as their guardian for nearly half a century.

The first wave of defenders of Sernpidal were naught more than brand new warships. Brand new, perhaps, but ships of the line all. And their officers were trained, compitent. They would hold off the Imperials... at least until such time as reneforcements arrived.

The dozen Vlyx Battlecruisers were, in all respect, nearly identicle to their Star Destroyer opponents. Only these warships were placed in the right hands. And these warships possessed far more firepower than the Imperator could hope to achieve...

The problem was, it occured to the acting commander of these ships, was that these were not Imperator Star Destroyers. Four of them appeared to be longer, sleaker. More deadly.

They were Reign-class Star Destroyers. The larger, and deadlier, cousin of the Imperator.
"Communications, alert Corellia. Sernipdal shall not fall to the Empire." There was an acknowledgement, and the man hoped.

"Prepare the fleet." The fleet, such as it was, moved into position, prepared to fend off the oncoming Imperials. Defensive measures were undertaken immediatly. Shields were raised across the planet, placing the inhabitants of Sernipdal under their protective energy matrix. The ion cannon was primed, aiming high into orbit where it could inflict the most damage against the enemy fleet.

And communications amongt the Empire's fleets were jammed. Any reenforcements would have to jump in blindly, of their own accord, not knowing what lay in store for them.

The Republic did not take kindly to an enemy assaulting their worlds.

And then...

"Sir! We have several hyperspace revisions in Holding Sector II! They're friendly..."

And a simple message passed over the com waves.

"Admiral on deck." The personal task force of Admiral Hiram Drayson had arrived.

NR Force Mannifest - Sernipdal System

Menace-Class Star Destroyer Freedom's Chance
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Savant Clad
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Referent
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Parvintos

Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Unnamed
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Unnamed
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Unnamed
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Unnamed
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Unnamed
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Unnamed
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Unnamed
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Unnamed
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Unnamed
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Unnamed
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Unnamed
Corellia-Class Vlyx Battlecruiser Unnamed

Vice Admiral Desaria sat amongst his best men, the best the Armed Forces of the Galactic Empire had to offer. Then again, every field commander said that of his bridge crew, the crewers of his flagship, the soldiers under his command. For many, they existed as formations of thousands and ships of more. Regardless, they were the best.

Unfortunately for the Vice Admiral, these men all had the look of youth on their faces. A new formation was the II Destroyer Legion and thus its men were fresh from various Academy campuses and training centres. Officers and senior enlisted personnel had been reassigned from throughout the Fleet as they always were to provide the young a level head in action and guiding hand.

With their youthful ignorance, however, came a pride and zeal rarely found in all but the most loyal officers and men. It was there that the Admiral hoped to find his advantage as he now sat outnumbered by four ships.

" We are being jammed, Admiral," reported a dimunitive officer barely fitting into his olive green Ensign's uniform.

" Excellent. Our opponent is following the book, as he should. Switch to Case Red."

" As ordered, Admiral."

Imperial Fleet communications had always existed in subspace where they could be jammed, but few knew that these messages, while authentic and real, were not the only signals exchanged between Imperial warships. Between them flew thousands of incandescent laser beams that would remain unjammable and un detected by the enemy. Within the boudandaries of the planetary system, there was not one Imperial ship of war, or fighter, that would be severed from the rest of the Fleet.

Outside of the system, the signal lost its intensity and withered away into nothingness. And so the Republic commander had indeed silenced all conventional communications with their reserves.

Or had he?

Many years after the Battle of Endor where one and half million Imperials lost their lives, the Fleet had created hyperspace tranceivers that were as well unjammable. Behind the flagship or sending vessel there would be a slight flash as a signal itself was sent into the next dimension dubbed hyperspace. As it was a signal and in essence no form of matter, it was not hampered by the field of interdiction thrown up by the pickets about the fleet, nor would an Abolisher have any effect.

" Transmission reestablished."

" Excellent. I do not doubt that our enemy will find a way to silence us, so continue to moduleate our frequency so they cannot lock onto it."

" As ordered, Admiral."

Desaria smiled. His new crewmen were efficient.

" Captain Arnim."

His flagship's commander looked up from his crewpit station and clicked his heels together. " Admiral."

" What ship are they using for their commandship?"

A quick glance at a screen brought a quick answer.

Freedom's Chance

" Ah, the flagship of their capable Intelligence chief, Admiral Drayson. What a treat. Send this over all Republic frequencies:

" Admiral Drayson, it is in honor to face you on the field. Do not look so stunned, our Intelligence assets within your borders are considerable, as I am sure yours are inside mine. I see you have with you your escort fleet. Your ships of the line against the might of the Empire. To the victor go the spoils, Admiral. Let us see who that will be."

The Captain nodded to the Admiral, the sign that all had been sent.

" Let us return the favor, Captain. Jam them. In case they have any suprises in mind, redeploy the pickets in packs of three: I want every possible entry and exit vector in and out of the system shielded. Keep four in reserve near the Dante."

" Aye sir."

" Deploy first fighter wave, two Defender squads per ship. Send out a third and hold it in reserve if they decide to trench us."

The fighter liaison officer nodded an affirmative.

" Prepare all assault craft for deployment."

An officer under the liaison whose command was over all gunboats, assault shuttles, monitors, and blastboats in the Legion nodded as well.

" Admiral, they have an ion battery on the planet surface. It is coming on line. Range-ten minutes to target."

Desaria smiled anew. " Cease all foreward ebb two kilometers beyond their maximum effective range. Prepare to initiate enfilade fire on their forward ships. Send the deployed fighters in halves five kilometers above and below the plane of battle."

" As ordered."

With that, eleven squadrons of TIE Defenders moved dorsally away from the fleet, taking up a position which to look down from was stunning. Another eleven took one under the Fleet, each pilot able to see the gaping ventral launch bays that symbolized the Star Destroyers as a class. With the delta-patterned phalanx of Destroyers in the centre, it appeared as if a great jaw was going to close on the Republic defenders.

" They will have to move into range to hit us, we shall not fall prey to that ion cannon. Deploy the boats. Attack."

With that single command twenty two squadrons of Imperial Defenders fell upon the Republic fleet from positions it would not normally come under. The two dimensional assault that symbolized most engagements had been discarded to innovation, a trait espoused in the Imperial Navy.

" Send for the Second Wave. We may need them as a precaution."

Space. The frontier breached eons ago by long-forgotten explorers and scientists.

From being a seen, and not experianced marvel, to an experiance reserved for a select, from a reality of daily life, to a new region to explore... and counqer.

Now, a battlefield.

As the Empire's Star Destroyers and their respective opposites, New Republic Vlyx Battlecruisers, came together, space around Sernipidal was lit with green and scarlet laser fire, lancing from one ship to another.

Those on the worlds surface may have mistaken it for a mere naval test, or a metor shower, were it not for the constant humming of the deflector shields overhead, the long unused air-raid sirens that warned its inhaibtants that Imperial fightercraft may soon be descending on them. Or worse.

During a time of war, citizens would live in a constant fear of orbital bombardment. Haphazzard and deadly, orbital bombardment was a tactic that the New Republic had not, until the days of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, been utilized.

Were Sernipidal to fall to the Empire this day, the fear of bombardment would arise a new.

These thoughts rushed through the mind of Admiral Hiram Drayson as he watched the Empire's frontline ships advance. Advance, he noted, in a very uniform way.

Perhaps the Empire has learned to overcome our jamming. It was a secreted knowledge that the New Republic had long since overcome the difficulties of jamming - a simple communications module fired as if by a turbolaser, only this in a radiating pulse outward, kept connections between the Vlyx Battlecruisers strong as the Empire repaid the favour and began jamming intrasystem com waves.

He gave a small smile and looked to his communications officer.
"Lieutenant, I want squelch broadcast on all communications waves. Civilian and military." There was a pause.
"All waves, Admiral?" Transmitting squelch on all waves would create for the Republic forces the same problem as it did for their enemy. Fortunetely, the Republic already knew of their plight. And this was their turf - countermeasures had been laid.
"Do as I order, Lieutenant." He smiled.

"Right, then. Is the ion cannon on-line?" A nod.
"On-line and coming within targetable range right about... now."
"The Imperials will have to come into range of our ground defences should they wish to engage us. The fleet will take up a defensive formation, cone pattern. Let's put the Chance upwards from ion control."

The positions were established with the usual efficeny, the Republic warships forming up in a style reminicent of the Empire's formations at Endor. The ion cannon would fire straight up the middle. At the same time, sqaudrons of Skipray Blastboats and Exodous raiders were lining up behind their capital escorts.

As this was done, the com crackled and a voice filtered through. Distinctly Imperial.

"Admiral Drayson, it is in honor to face you on the field. Do not look so stunned, our Intelligence assets within your borders are considerable, as I am sure yours are inside mine. I see you have with you your escort fleet. Your ships of the line against the might of the Empire. To the victor go the spoils, Admiral. Let us see who that will be."

Drayson smirked a bit at the hologram.

"Likewise, I'm sure. Congratulations on your promotion, by the way, Vice-Admiral Desaria. If the Empire could chose a more qualified man, I must say I have not met him."

He allowed the word man to carry more weight than he would otherwise. It was common knowledge that the Empire frowned upon women and aliens, with the rare exceptions such as Admiral Daala and the Chiss Grand Admiral Thrawn.

"May the best man win, Mr. Desaria."

As the communications fell away, alarms began to blare. Tie fighters. Defender-class, attacking the fleet.

264 TIE Defenders, devoid of support, in the midst of a New Republic battle group. Drayson was on the spot, ordering the Skiprays and his X-wings to engage the enemy fighters.

And the capital ships would cover their entry routes. If the Empire chose to send a second wave, it would not make it past the gauntlet of Republic laserfire.

Vice Admiral Desaria looked at the visage before him, the air it took up crackling and flashing with the tiniest particles of light and micronized matter. Admiral Drayson ahd returned the gentlemanly courtesy of the Imperial battle message. reinforcing the Admiral's view that given the proper indocrination and re-equipping, the Republic Navy would make an excellent addition to the Imperial Fleet.

Now, however, they did not glare at each other over a debate platform, it was through the sights of heavy turbolaser batteries.

Imperial TIE Defenders had entered the melee in the midst of the Republic Fleet, a tactic which would bring the enemy to deploy his fighter assets thinking the Imperial deployment faulted and erroneous. The deployment of the Republic fighters, however, would allow them to fall prey to missiles and TIE reinforcements.

" Admiral, they have deployed en masse. Estimate thirty percent of the enemy fighters are still in hangar, seventy percent incombat."

" Our Defenders are top of the line, as are our pilots. However...start falling them back, slowly. When each squadron is away from their battery anti fighter fire, reform them and every other squadron to use missiles against the enemy capital ships. Other squadrons are to provide cover from weapons and fighters. Priority targets: weapon emplacements."

" Aye sir."

Desaria looked foreward. " Has all foreward momentum ceased?"

" It has. Their blast will dissipate in intensity one hundred meters off the bow."

" Excellent."

The Dante was an Allegiance-class Star Destroyer, bringing to memory the Admiral's first sizeable battle command: the Second Division of the Brass Protectorate Fleet, not too long before the entire command was combined into one and ceded to the Admiral. At that, however, the Intimidation, the Admiral's flag, was relegated to a secondary role as a larger command Destroyer was placed under him. The ship had served him well, however. The Allegiance was an excellent commmand ship but possessed the raw firepower to take on anything her size and larger.

It was the assault itself that brought the reminiscence on, when then-Commodore Desaria had mopped up after the Battle of Teth. The formation facing him against the backdrop of Sernpidal was all too similar.

" Admiral, assault waves are requesting orders."

" Ah," Desaria replied, returning to his battle. " Send first and second waves to assist the Defenders. Keep third in reserve. Commence torpedo barrage from all vanguard vessels, we are in range I believe of our launchers."

The gunnery commander turned, his fading case of blotches masking his true form. " We are sir, but just shy of effective energy weapon range."

" No extension?"

" We could sir, but the shots would be weak and ineffective."

" Very well. Order all ships to commence at will rapid fire, all launchers."

" Sir!"

Desaria allowed himself to smile. Drayson would appreciate his compliment, for the Vice Admiral was not fool enough to advance and engage the Republic flotilla in range of the ion cannon. He had a cousin at Hoth on the Tyrant who had told him of their power.

" Admiral, second wave arriving."

From high above the dorsal plane of battle reverted to realspace one combat squadron and one light squadron of Imperial warships, bringing the scales of power closer to the Imperial side. The Interdiction Pickets had done their job there, having reverted the in bound formation exactly where it had been predetermined. Now they would move to prevent any Republic reinforcements.

Pax Galactic, Vigens Imperium


2nd Wave

3rd Squadron
Reign-class Star Destroyer - Romana
Reign-class Star Destroyer - Remus
Imperial-class Star Destroyer Mk III - Colesseum
Imperial-class Star Destroyer Mk III - Maximus
Imperial-class Star Destroyer Mk III - Arimus

5th (Reconnaissance) Squadron
Reign-class Star Destroyer - Waria
Fire-Class Light Cruiser -
Fire-Class Light Cruiser -

He smiled.
"Imperial starfighters falling back, Admiral." Drayson gave the officer a curt nod, his smile not faltering.
"Intensify the forward defences - reroute engine power to the shields. Prepare for anti-missile fire."

The Imperial fleet would, in the true mannerism of the Rebel Alliance, open this battle with a missile salvo. Having been on both ends of that tactic for a very long time, Hiram Drayson knew full well what that could mean, if one was not prepared.

"All weapons to begin tracking for warheads. Keep our starfighters under-cover, they won't be falling prey to the enemy missile strike on my watch."

The Republic fighter craft, a wide assortment of X-wings, A-wings, B-wing, Y-wings, and Strike Fighters, dipped below the protective plains of their respective capital ships.

"Admiral, sir! Friendly contacts in Holding Sector Beta!"
"That," Drayson said softly, "would be the Command Group." Hopefully, he added to himself, they'll give us the time we need.

Zeus-class Vlyx Battlecruiser Xilen
Zeus-class Vylx Battlecruiser Narasil
Zeus-class Vlyx Battlecruiser Xeron

From the bows of the Imperial warships came hundreds of lethal projectiles, each the length of a fighter and packed with explosives and propellant. Away from the battleships they rocketed, pushed the invisible hand of inertia and lot XG-0955-Delta fuel cells. Inside the hulls of the mighty Destroyers jumpsuit clad gunners stood themselves back to ready on platforms of sweat and powder soaked durasteel and guided a droid manned swab into the launch tube. It entered and retracted, removing excess matter and powder the projectiles left after they were thrust from the breech. An a powerful lift came a new round, painted white over with a blue Imperial Crest on each of four aft stabilization fins. The loaders pulled up the connecting ramp and took hold of the missile; forward they heaved it into the breech. A green clad warrant officer behind yelled away, and the crew backed slightly from their weapon. The fire command was then given and the room took on an awful heat as matter was combusted into energy only meters from their faces.

By the third round, gunners had stripped their tunics and undone their jumpsuits.

Rapid fire meant faster loading than normal, entire batteries firing in tandem at a single target. With the current command in place, each gun captain had his at his disposal a mighty weapon to use at his own perogative. BAtteries still worked as units, targeting vessels of worth and giving h-ell o their opponents. Their fire was simply not linked.

It was an awesome view from the command towers of the Star Destroyers to watch the broken waves of red trailed missiles lance from their pointed hulls and to sow death and fire at their final destinations.

From the coning towers could be seen the bright nova flares as missiles hit their targets, weakening shields, scoring hulls, and breaching bulkheads to space.

Many, however, were not fortunate. Just ahead of their targets, bolts of lasers and flechette rounds detonated the majority of their would be killers. While the Alliance had perfected the useage of torpedoes against capital ships, they had honed a defense against their unleashed demon.

" Magnificient," Vice Admiral Desaria muttered, watching the barrage from his command chair. It was a sight to see, the enemy fleet against a planet with a nova behind wrapping all not blocked by the mass of Sernpidal in an orange light.

" Four fighter casualties have been reported from friendly fire, Admiral."

" Good. It could have been much worse. Reform the assault waves and integrate the assault ships. Their cone formation may give us an advantage. Bring the reinforcements above the enemy formation and roll the Destroyers. That will give them a new flank to worry about. Inform the newly arrived squadron commanders to keep the Rebel ships in between their commands and that ion cannon. We have no recovery vessels within a sector."

There was no need to elevate ones voice in the midst of battle for the gunners and their noise enwrapped weapons were fifty levels from them. The turbolaser batteries were no doubt jealous that the 'toytorps' were scouring fighter kills and capital damage instead of them, their guns the mainstay of any heavy cruiser's armament for generations. All good commanders, though, knew that their inaction was saving them to make such thoughts.

In hoc vigens, et sostem

"Magnificent." The bridge of the Freedom's Chance was silent as the Imperial capital ships began to fire their warheads, massive projectiles that would inflict massive damage whereever they struck.

If they struck.

As the first missiles appeared on the scopes, anti-missile batteries began to return fire, flares, chaffs, flechettes, and even more warheads, turning the emptiness between the fleets into a broiling caldroun of destruction.

"Admiral, sir! Enemy capital ships approaching on the upward plain! They're engaging us!" Drayson frowned at the unorthadox manouver that the enemy made.

Placing their capital ships in range of the Republic defenders in that location, of all on the battlefield, would force them to travel through the defending fleet if they wanted to retreat...

"X-wings and Y-wings to engage. Rotate the ion cannon onto their course, and make sure our ships move out of its fire pattern. Prepare initial volley."

He paused, looking towards the Imperial capital warships. "Bring the fleet closer together, I don't want any of our ships on their own out there. Watch that main force closely... if they want us, they'll have to engage us eventually. Continue tracking for enemy missiles..."

He gave a small frown.

"And prepare for missile bombardment." The tubes would be loaded, the weapons charged. The Republic would not let Sernipidal fall.

It was a glorious day for the Empire.

Imperial High Command Fleet Comminuques painted a beautful picture of galactic happeneings: at the exact moment the II Destroyer Legion left its staging area, the newly formed Centurion Fleet departed its moorings bound for the Republic capital of Corellia, a system which in itself had five prime targets for withering fusilades. At two smaller locales, Imperial patrols had taken hostile action against their enemies. Battle had been joined up and down the Imperial side of the Rim, and into the Core.

The Republic had put much stock in its Core defense, but that would spread them all too thin for the defense of the rest of their territory. Such was a weakness High Command intended to extort no doubt.

" Admiral, reserves have engaged the enemy. They have rolled anc commenced bombardment. Our missiles are showing only five percent effectiveness. We've taken shields down only by half on only two of the forward cruisers."

" Such low ratioes are to be expected," Desaria replied. " Those are newer ships. Their defenses are quite good. Another top of the hat to Admiral Drayson."

The Republic formation continued to swat down missiles and engage Imperial fighters; it had also begun a quiet move to realign itself to present at least one flank of their attackers to the planetary ion cannon.

The Vice Admiral noticed this.

" I grow rather tired of limiting my attack due to an enemy defense. Eliminate it for, Colonel."

Colonel Rodjer Marr looked up from the crewpit and saluted. He was a mountain of a man, barely fitting into one of the cokcpits of the fighter wing he commanded. He was one of the Admiral's elite, transferring his command wherever Desaria's flag was moved. Around his neck dangled the Imperial Cross with torr leaves, sabers, and rubies. His was a long history of Imperial Service, a man always able to be counted upon.



Ventral plane of Battle: Underside Imperial Flagship
Allegiance-class Star Destroyer Dante


From the gaping launch bay which symbolized the Imperial Star Destroyers came a flurry of small dots, barely noticeable against the grey hull of the titannic backdrop. Each one was a TIE Defender, and twenty four had launched. Together they comprised the 1st Brass Protectorate Pursuit and Assault Flotilla. They were not space combat trained, while they could their own against an enemy, they were more so trained to take out targets on the ground.

Following them was an identical number of Scimitar Assault Bombers. They were the 2nd.

Republic fighters were too engaged in the massed engagement in and around their fleet now made worse by the arrival of Imperial assault craft, to notice the Imperial fighters. Quietly they slipped under the enemy formation and towards the planet below.


Aboard the Dante


" Admiral, Colonel Marr reports he has made it past the enemy. No resistence or pursuit."

" Deploy four more squadrons for support in case they do get nosy. Send in another six on their right flank to distract them further. Bring us closer-as close and you can get without letting the ion battery find its range."

" Aye sir."

" The next time they prime to fire, they will have to realign the shields. There will be a five second windown directly above the battery. Order Marr to go in at that time."

Affirmatives abounded and Desaria watched the battle from the bridge, the enemy ahead of the viewports. A beautfiul sight to see men engaged in valorous combat. While he would be ruthless in his pursuit of victory, he would have to invite Admiral Drayson to dine, a gentlemen's meeting, at some neutral rock in the Rim. The Internal Security Bureau would not be happy, but so well. Desaria had the Grand Admiral's favor.

Desaria was snatched from his thoughts as an officer relayed the enemy was ranging the gun; the shield opened. In slipped the Imperial fighters, who now would have to brave hoardes of aerial defense cannon.

Fortunately, if the Rebels sent fighter reinforcements to pursue, they would have to drop the shield, in which case the dorsal detachment would let loose a defliade on the planet's cities whcih would render entire regions lifeless in minutes.

Drayson would not let that happen.

They will try to knock down the ion cannon. Without the presence of that gun, their fleet can engage ours without worry...

"Wing Commander," the sharp voice of Hiram Drayson broke into the thoughts of General Lagge, the Wing Commander assigned to the fleet. "What do we have on the surface in terms of starfighter support?"

The man took a moment to look over his datapad, then turned to the Admiral.

"Two A-wings, sir, and a sqaudron of X-wings... High Flight Sqaudron." Hiram nodded.

"They are in their hangers?" A nod.
"Red Alert profile, sir." Drayson smiled grimly. The A-wings were faster than TIE Defenders (for he knew that was what the Empire would use, any other assumption was foolish), but they couldn't stand up to the punishment the Imperial ships could.

"Have them launch. The Imperials will try to knock out the ion cannon. Where was the last shield gap?" An aide typed a command into a datapad, and a holographic map appeared with a projected flight plan for the Imperial fighters, the New Republic sqaudrons, and the location of the Ion Cannon. He pondered this a moment.

The Empire would surely use on their best wings, perhaps even the 181st, if it still existed, or Scimitar Sqaudron, to assault the defences. If that was the case, then the A-wings could hardly hope to stand up to them, even with the support of the snubfighters.

"The A-wings will cut across to here," he pointed to a place on the map. They should shut down and wait for the Imperial fighters to cross their paths. A single volley to the rear forces, and then they pursue. The X-wings will remain on station to mop up any others."

He was silent for a moment, watching the enemy capital ships move about. Then he smiled again.

"Move two of our Corellia Cruisers to engage the nearest Star Destroyers - maximum distance. Have them put themselves between the shield gap and those ships. Prepare a wing of A-wings to relieve the defenders."

Then he waited.