Grand Admiral

On the bridge of the Mon Calamari star cruiser *Home One*, the initial joy of detecting the signature of the Star Destroyer *Chimaera* on the scanners quickly turned to confusion and disbelief.

Admiral Ackbar, who had personally taken command of a formation of ships from the New Republic's First Military Fleet, sat in his designated chair. Just as he had six years ago, the Mon Calamari gazed at the unfolding battle through the elongated viewport. Meanwhile, an eerie silence reigned on the bridge behind him.

It was a quietness unlike anything experienced even during the Battle of Endor.

With one eye, the celebrated New Republic admiral, a hero of many battles, monitored the holographic display of nearby space, while the other observed the cluster of warships bearing Imperial transponders beyond the viewport.

He remained silent, occasionally blinking, with only the involuntary twitching of the fringe of small tendrils on his lower lip betraying his astonishment.

Among the inhabitants of his homeworld, there was a saying: "In the depths of the oceans, the unknown always awaits us."

It seemed he had now plunged deeper than he intended.

The presence of the *Chimaera* in the Fardon system both pleased and alarmed him.

On one hand, it was reassuring to find the flagship of Grand Admiral Thrawn here, confirming the intelligence provided by Ysanne Isard was accurate—a rare occurrence worth noting.

It was also a good sign that no Bothan warships were present. The Iceheart had hinted that the Bothans were once again playing their political games, purchasing Thrawn's coordinates and paying Isard to delay contact with Coruscant. This was supposedly to gain an advantage, allowing the Bothans to eliminate Thrawn and thereby secure greater influence for themselves.

En route to the planet Soullex, which was evidently positioned behind the *Chimaera*'s stern, Admiral Ackbar had attempted to verify this information through his own channels. However, the Bothan military leadership refused to place their ships under his command, claiming they were engaged in covert exercises and unreachable. This only deepened his distrust of the Bothan military.

But Ackbar knew precisely what types of starships the Bothans had in their arsenal. The *Venators*, *Gladiators*, and *Raiders*, not to mention hundreds of outdated fighters, were clearly not part of their fleet. The Bothans were known for economizing on acquisitions, relying on their sector's proximity to the headquarters of the New Republic's Fourth Military Fleet.

Yet such antiquated vessels as ARC-170s and Delta-7s, not to mention Actis-class interceptors and similar craft… No, even at the dawn of the Rebellion, these were considered obsolete, used only due to a lack of alternatives. Decades later, this was certainly not a Bothan fleet.

The Imperial transponders only confirmed that the ships before Ackbar's eyes were starships the New Republic had presumed lost in the internecine squabbles of the Imperial Remnants.

Yes, a mistake had been made… But given that this formation was engaged in battle against the *Chimaera*, it was possible that, one way or another, the desired outcome might come to pass. Some of these ships might indeed be destroyed by the Imperials themselves, regardless of what they called themselves.

On the other hand, Isard had mentioned that Thrawn was in this remote system to acquire a Star Destroyer of the *Executor*-class. Yet no such ship was visible here, which was cause for serious concern.

Either the ship was already in Thrawn's possession and had departed for an unknown destination (though it could return at any moment).

Or it had not yet arrived—and that could spell significant trouble for the Republicans.

Ackbar had brought the First Division of line ships from the First Fleet—whatever was readily available—along with *Home One*, his steadfast flagship. The escort ships of the squadron were also a formidable force. The plan had relied on deploying the starships that were immediately available, as Ackbar did not fully trust Mon Mothma's assurances at the time of departure that the Bothans were uninvolved. He could not allow them the opportunity to deal with Thrawn independently, as that would be political suicide for Mon Mothma and her allies.

In his large, bulbous head, intense deliberation unfolded over the course of several minutes.

He could easily destroy both the *Chimaera* and the Imperial formation, whoever they were. But it would take time—considerable time. While he was breaking through the Imperial ranks, the *Chimaera* could slip away into hyperspace.

Which it might have already done, judging by the absence of any interdictor ships in the system. Evidently, the Imperial Remnants faced the same shortage of such vessels as the New Republic. They were likely occupied elsewhere, setting ambushes for Imperial convoys.

As luck would have it, no such ships were available when Ackbar set out…

Thus, he had brought a substantial formation to ensure success and to pin down Thrawn's forces in battle.

Moreover, though not nearby, ships of the Third Military Fleet were positioned within reach, capable of blockading the Hydian Way if a retreat became necessary…

In essence, the trap for the Grand Admiral was set. The only complication was the presence of these Imperial ships. They would either be destroyed or their crews would show reason and retreat.

In the past, during the hunt for Zsinj, the Empire and the New Republic had cooperated to eliminate a common enemy. Perhaps these Imperials were also here to destroy Thrawn. Or they might be a faction of his fleet that had rebelled to seize power. Or—perhaps they answered to Isard, who had decided to personally resolve the issue of Thrawn's existence.

Who could unravel the internal squabbles of the Imperials?

At another time, Admiral Ackbar would have gladly devoted a moment to studying this question, but…

The situation did not lend itself to such musings.

— Battle stations, — ordered Gial, snapping the crew of *Home One* back to the purpose for which they had traversed the galaxy. — Analyze the Imperial signals. I want to know which ship is the command vessel.

Perhaps an agreement could be reached…

No matter how hard the admiral tried, he could not fathom his Imperial counterpart's intentions.

Why, if Thrawn intended to purchase or otherwise acquire the *Reaper* from Grand Moff Kaine, would he conduct the deal outside Imperial territory? Why venture to the galaxy's edge?

Even the fact that the Fardon system was one of hundreds or thousands of stellar objects discovered, hastily named, and barely cataloged in astrogation charts did not explain why Thrawn was here.

And alone, no less…

On the bridge, the alarm siren wailed, and *Home One* began moving toward the enemy's five *Venators*, holding fire for now.

Not yet opening fire.

***

Yes, that very *Home One*.

This galaxy-renowned star cruiser, though formally classified as an MC80, was a flagship subtype that, despite its superior armament and defenses, was not common in the New Republic fleet.

*Home One* was among the first Mon Calamari civilian vessels transferred to the Rebel Alliance's fleet. It underwent extensive refitting, transforming from a research and colonization starship into a heavy star cruiser.

Since the moment its decks were fitted with weapons and its hangar filled with ten squadrons of fighters and bombers, *Home One* had served as the flagship of the entire Rebel Alliance fleet. It also functioned as a mobile headquarters, from which the entire resistance movement across the galaxy was directed. There was not a single rebel cell fighting for freedom that did not dream of receiving orders from this remarkable ship.

As the ship advanced from its initial position and its systems came online, dissipating radiation into the vacuum of space, Admiral Ackbar mentally recounted the combat history of his flagship.

Truth be told, *Home One* had no particularly spectacular or heroic missions to its name, save for its participation in the Battle of Endor.

It had become the rebels' headquarters only because Imperial intelligence had forced the Alliance to reconsider its policy of maintaining planetary bases.

The exception was the base on Hoth, which managed to endure for a considerable time. But it, too, was eventually destroyed.

It was after that significant defeat that *Home One* became not just a flagship but the nerve center of the entire Rebellion.

Until the Battle of Endor, *Home One* had not engaged the Imperial fleet directly. Before then, the cruiser primarily conducted raiding and special operations, serving as a mobile base for task forces and as a carrier. The size and composition of its air group constantly shifted based on the mission at hand. At times, it hosted unremarkable units, while on other occasions, it temporarily housed elite squadrons, such as *Rogue Squadron*…

Which was currently, supposedly, occupied with escorting large convoys. In truth, the "real" *Rogues* had vanished without a trace, and the *Phantom Squadron*, formed by Wedge Antilles during the hunt for Zsinj, was impersonating their more famous counterparts. It was a difficult situation for everyone involved…

Military personnel could not grasp these political games. But Gial Ackbar understood well that morale would plummet and malicious rumors would spread if the disappearance of the *Rogues* were revealed. After all, the New Republic had already "replaced" *Rogue Squadron* after the fall of Coruscant, when Antilles led his pilots on a private war against Ysanne Isard.

Oh, the nerves that cost him last time…

Back then, the "fake *Rogues*" merely mimicked their real counterparts in symbolic missions.

Now, Gial was forced to do something he did not wish to: *Phantom Squadron* was aboard his flagship. Today, they would go into battle against Grand Admiral Thrawn's forces, as it was necessary to uphold *Rogue Squadron*'s status as Ackbar's strategic reserve.

Keeping the pilots away from the battles that the *Rogues* were always eager to join (and emerge victorious from) would raise other uncomfortable questions, ones unlikely to receive answers.

— Multiple contacts! — a voice from one of the watch officers suddenly rang out across the bridge. — Three *Interdictor*-class Star Destroyers!

Gial grimaced, turning his head toward the viewport to see what reinforcements Thrawn had summoned.

— Gravity well generators deployed! Hyperdrives are inoperable!

The Mon Calamari had studied his opponent thoroughly, knowing that one day they would face each other in a deadly confrontation. He was well aware that Thrawn frequently employed the tactic of suddenly introducing reinforcements into battle.

Like an avid fisherman, he left a tempting bait—a valuable target—in plain sight. When enough hungry fish gathered, it turned out he was not fishing with a rod but with nets.

Yet now, the *Chimaera* remained alone, save for two escort corvettes that were holding off the bulk of the attacking fighters, interceptors, and bombers with barrages of laser cannons and concussion torpedoes.

But if that was the case, then…

The admiral turned his head to the tactical display.

By now, his fleet had moved a good thirty units from its hyperspace exit point. The newly arrived ships were comfortably forming their battle lines, beginning to take ranging shots.

*Imperial*-class Star Destroyers, *Victory*-class Star Destroyers, *Interdictor*-class Star Destroyers, *Immobilizer 418* cruisers, *Dreadnought*-class heavy cruisers, Corellian CR90 corvettes, DP20 gunships, two *Quasar Fire*-class escort carriers, several *Acclamators*, and a *Venator*-class Star Destroyer.

All of them unleashed turbolaser, laser, concussion, and proton ordnance toward the rear hemispheres of Ackbar's arriving ships. The sheer number of TIE fighters, interceptors, and bombers pouring from the flight decks of this armada caused the tactical computer to freeze momentarily.

And the starships kept arriving, encircling the New Republic fleet and the Imperial group… with precise synchronization, as if they were being guided out of hyperspace by an invisible thread. So precise, so practiced, as if parading before the galaxy's leaders…

Thrawn's fleet, which the Mon Calamari had assumed was waiting within the Dominion's sectors, had arrived here. Whether it was his entire force or not was irrelevant—though Ackbar had anticipated a major battle in the Fardon system, he had not expected forces of this magnitude… His division was now vastly outnumbered… with no chance to avoid engagement…

It did not take Ackbar long to grasp the profound meaning of the situation and devise a way out.

Thrawn had cut them off from their exit vector, denying them the ability to escape into hyperspace.

But he had miscalculated—the *Chimaera* was also within the artificial gravity zone, and its hyperdrive was equally inoperable, trapping the flagship in the system.

No matter how hard the Imperials tried to lure the New Republic into a trap (was this why the Bothans were absent?), Thrawn had erred.

Yes, behind Ackbar's division was an armada that could grind his fleet to dust. But ahead were Imperials in the same predicament.

And further still, the lone *Chimaera*.

— Full speed ahead! — ordered Gial. — Contact the Imperial ships. Transmit that I propose we unite for survival.

Victory was no longer the goal here.

At least—not yet.

— Admiral, — the communications officer said in a defeated tone. — All communication channels… they're jammed.

Another standard Imperial tactic—flood the frequencies with interference to prevent the target from calling for reinforcements or reporting their dire situation.

Nothing new.

— In that case, — Gial glanced at the bridge crew, — we break through to the *Chimaera*. Destroy the flagship, and they'll scatter. Forward…

Imperials were not known for tactical initiative. Decapitate their formation, and they'd turn into a herd of banthas. Endor and the events that followed vividly demonstrated the truth of this principle. Thrawn might be a strategic genius, but his battlefield tactics were little more than standard, fighting straight out of a textbook with minimal variations on well-known maneuvers.

Even now, realizing he was outnumbered and that holding the outer perimeter was pointless, Thrawn was pulling his interceptors closer to the *Chimaera*, likely to support them with the ship's artillery fire.

Out of the corner of his right eye, the Mon Calamari caught a massive flash of light where the *Chimaera* was positioned.

— Great Force! — cried one of the officers in panic.

Someone quietly cursed. The others stared at the main viewport, their eyes wide with fear.

Gial turned his head in the indicated direction.

Just as an *Executor*-class Star Dreadnought materialized above the *Chimaera*, unleashing a torrent of turbolaser and ion fire on the ships within its kill zone.

Among the Imperial fighters, interceptors, and bombers, missiles began detonating, as the superdreadnought generously showered them with ordnance, threatening to obliterate their air wing in mere minutes.

"It's a trap!" — Gial's legendary phrase from the Battle of Endor flashed through his mind.

The situations were strikingly similar…

***

— Regroup the squadrons, — Lieutenant Tschel's voice rang out firmly. — Damaged craft, return to the *Chimaera*'s hangar for repairs. Intact interceptors, shift to defending the destroyers.

As soon as the young commander realized he wouldn't have to fight at a crippling disadvantage, his spirits lifted. His voice now carried clarity and authority, and orders poured forth like a stream.

Well, I must agree with Captain Pellaeon. Tschel is not yet ready to command his own ship. He tends to falter in unfavorable situations. Composure is the most critical trait for a commander.

"Panic on a ship is the most terrifying thing."

Every commander, when leaving the dock and venturing beyond the base, must understand that anything can happen—including finding themselves in disadvantageous conditions. There's no time to "think" in such moments. The mind must function under any circumstances.

No, Tschel is not defective.

He's simply young. He lacks the experience to fully grasp the responsibility a commander bears for their ship and crew. A training program will need to be developed for him.

— You're not so simple, Grand Admiral, — remarked Makeno. — I admit, I underestimated you.

— Don't take it to heart, Captain, — I advised. — You're not the first. And certainly not the last.

Switching the comlink to the communications officer, I requested a connection to the *Guardian*.

***

"It's just the *Chimaera*," Captain Pellaeon repeated to himself, watching as the nineteen-kilometer *Executor*-class Star Dreadnought, following his orders, turned its most combat-ready side toward the enemy's positions. "Just a very large *Chimaera*."

For five days, the crew's technicians and their counterparts from the Grand Admiral's flagship had relentlessly depleted the *Phoenix*'s cargo holds, preparing the ship for further service.

They simply hadn't known that the time to deploy the ship in battle would come so soon…

Under any other circumstances, Gilad would have objected to Thrawn's intention to use the ship in combat.

Damaged, with an incomplete crew, crippled artillery, and subpar defenses… Not to mention that it carried only a single squadron of battered TIE fighters, barely repaired to avoid radiating as if a nuclear reactor were installed in the cockpit.

— Message from the *Chimaera*, sir, — Colonel Niovi approached, handing over a compact holographic communicator. — Grand Admiral Thrawn is on the line.

— Thank you, Gastos, — Gilad nodded, accepting the device.

The colonel nodded silently and returned to the command pits, resuming his role as senior aide.

The reason for his appointment was simple—the ship's commander and all senior officers had been purged by Drommel. Their bodies, along with those killed on Soullex, had been exhumed, transported to the ship's morgue, and given a traditional naval burial.

Unfamiliar with the crew and lacking their respect, Pellaeon could have faced significant challenges during the operation, necessitating a capable aide.

The crew respected Niovi, and some feared him. He had already served in a similar capacity as Drommel's right hand. But he was not a naval officer. Under his strict leadership, the *Guardian* could have met the fate much of the galaxy expected.

But now, something else mattered—Niovi maintained iron discipline, filling second- and third-tier reserve posts with available stormtroopers, effectively restoring the *Guardian*'s combat readiness.

This was why the Star Dreadnought's missile silos were now unleashing a relentless barrage of ordnance. No one spared ammunition—it was critical to neutralize the enemy's air wing quickly to prevent the destruction of their own. It didn't matter that anti-ship missiles were being used against such "gnats"—targets were being hit, and that was what counted.

— An impressive entrance, Captain, — were the hologram's first words from the Grand Admiral.

"He's mocking me," Pellaeon thought.

Or perhaps Thrawn was unaware that one of the *Guardian*'s main engines had failed after a short hyperspace jump, exiting Soullex's gravity shadow only to be halted by the artificial gravity zone created by the numerous interdictor cruisers and *Interdictor*-class Star Destroyers? It didn't matter.

— We're managing to suppress the enemy's air wing for now, — Pellaeon noted. Out of the corner of his eye, he observed the *Guardian*'s ion cannons tearing apart the electronics of the *Gladiator*-class Star Destroyers *Bloody Ambition* and *Deceitful*. A few minutes of focused turbolaser barrages had knocked out their deflector shields, and now both destroyers were half-functional, with branching arcs of electricity scorching their active electronics. No matter how hard the repair crews tried, these ships were effectively dead for the foreseeable future.

The agile *Raiders*, however, were a more challenging target.

And there were no orders to engage them—the *Chimaera*'s gunners were handling such targets quite well. One was already a "corpse," and the second was being heavily worked over by ion cannons, unable to move. Naturally, no one would attempt to board it now—too dangerous for boarding craft.

— And doing so successfully, — Thrawn confirmed. — Once you've dealt with the *Gladiators*, begin launching recon droids to transmit the battle's events to the *Chimaera*. I want them to record our engagement with the New Republic fleet.

"Excellent," Gilad thought, watching as the *Deceitful*'s engines flickered one last time and shut down. "Only one left."

The reason Thrawn ordered the recon droids launched from the *Guardian* rather than the *Chimaera* was simple.

The *Executor*-class Star Dreadnought carried hundreds of such devices, while the *Chimaera* had only a couple dozen, plus a larger number of buzz droids.

Something was afoot. Something very interesting.

— Understood, Grand Admiral, — Pellaeon replied. — Shall we engage the *Venators*?

— Without question, Captain, — Thrawn agreed. — Immediately after launching the recon droids, target the *Venators*. No ship equipped with a hyperdrive is to leave this battle without my explicit order.

— It will be done, Grand Admiral, — Pellaeon promised.

The hologram flickered out, and the captain began issuing orders in strict accordance with the instructions received.

***

— Concentrate fire on the *Inexorable*, — Gial ordered, observing as the Dominion's ships began pressing his left flank. Three escort frigates—*Peacemaker*, *Pride of Eiatu*, and *Thunderer*—caught without star cruiser support, were being torn from the New Republic's main fleet, pinned between an *Imperial I*-class Star Destroyer and six *Dreadnought*-class heavy cruisers.

The Star Destroyer relentlessly bombarded the frigates while effectively engaging the Corellian corvettes *Mantooine* and *Dantooine*, which had attempted to aid their larger companions. Turbolasers and plasma streams stripped their shields, forcing them to retreat. A screen of New Republic fighters was driven back by the relentless fire of the enemy's escort corvettes.

And the ceaseless attacks from interceptors…

The losses among pilots were mounting exponentially with each minute of the battle.

— It will be done, Admiral!

— Helm, — Ackbar noted that the second *Gladiator*-class Star Destroyer had ceased functioning, reduced to an unlit hulk drifting helplessly in space. — Change course. We're intercepting the *Relentless*.

Thrawn clearly favored balanced force distribution.

Each of the enemy task forces arriving in the system consisted of one *Imperial*-class Star Destroyer, six heavy cruisers, and ten or eleven Corellian corvettes. This approach ensured that Thrawn's formations had both the firepower to counter line ships and reliable protection against air wings.

Gial had structured his fleet similarly, and now, with no way to communicate with allies, he was forced to make rapid decisions in short order.

And Admiral Ackbar chose to attack.

*Home One*, accompanied by two star cruisers, moved toward the upper echelon where the task force of the Star Destroyer *Relentless* was positioned. Seven ships—the flagship and six heavy cruisers—were eagerly exchanging fire with a dozen MC40a light cruisers.

The MC40a Mon Calamari light cruiser.

Like most starships built at Dac's shipyards during the Galactic Civil War, this class was originally designed for civilian purposes.

After refitting, it became the type of ship the Rebels needed: fast, maneuverable, with decent cargo capacity and a spacious hangar. The conversion of nearly all MC40a ships in the Mon Calamari fleet was completed a year before the Battle of Hoth.

However, what was evident then was only confirmed now.

Early clashes with the Imperial fleet revealed the unsuitability of these ships for combat against Imperial vessels of similar class. Their weapons were incapable of targeting fast and agile TIE fighters and lacked the power to engage larger Imperial ships effectively.

The *Relentless* had not only stripped the shields from three or four light cruisers in a short time but was reducing them to ruins. Their hulls resembled sieves, their artillery silenced, and ion cannons dispatched the half-dead ships with bursts of ion fire while turbolasers demolished the armor and deflectors of the next targets.

The enemy destroyer was practically turning them into scrap, exploiting their inadequate armor and deflector shields, which couldn't withstand sustained or intense barrages. The cruisers burned brightly, returning fire valiantly, but it was clear even to the naked eye that they were no match for such an opponent.

Under different circumstances, other ships might have come to their aid, but here was the problem…

Thrawn's task forces, initially positioned behind the New Republic fleet, began infiltrating their formation, disrupting it. Like predators entering a pen of livestock, they struck.

Numerous cruisers wedged into the spaces between Coruscant's starships, unleashing torrents of turbolaser fire on their flanks and tying them up in combat. Trapped in the artificial gravity zone with an ineffective communication system, Republican commanders could only fight individually or try to guess their neighbor's intentions.

Meanwhile, the Dominion reaped its bloody harvest, like deep-sea predators stumbling upon a school of fish. As bitter as it was to admit, the New Republic's forces were the hapless fish.

And the predators showed no signs of stopping.

Fighters and interceptors clashed in duels. Here and there, supernovae flared as pilots from both sides perished.

*Home One*'s course was calculated to unleash the combined might of three star cruisers on the *Relentless*'s task force, forcing it to cease its assault on the light cruisers.

Now close enough, the communications team could attempt to establish contact via laser beam to at least transmit orders to break through to the *Chimaera* together, but…

The smaller ships of the Republican squadron swarmed around a pair of *Victory*-class Star Destroyers. These starships bombarded two MC80s with anti-ship missiles, tearing off their hull plating and grinding their interiors with a series of explosions.

Sixteen DP20 gunships of the New Republic valiantly attempted a coordinated attack, hoping to draw the Dominion's gunners and missile operators to other threats, but to no avail.

A New Republic Corellian corvette named *Ryloth* dared to approach the *Victory*-class Star Destroyer *Steel Aurora*. It even achieved some success—adding its laser and turbolaser fire to the cacophony of energy exchanges, it contributed to a productive attack.

The *Steel Aurora*'s forward deflector glowed pink under the turbolaser barrage and began to thin, unable to withstand the onslaught. It could have been considered a stroke of luck, the first since falling into the ambush, but…

The valiant little ship was struck by two massive missiles in its bow and stern, rendering it no longer a functional warship. The *Steel Aurora* was supported by its "neighbor," the *Crusader*.

Ackbar's task force closed to direct attack range of the *Relentless*. Turbolasers and ion cannons roared to life. The escort cruisers, acting on instinct, supported their flagship.

They couldn't inflict significant damage on the Star Destroyer at this moment, but its deflectors began to weaken steadily. Gial glanced at the tactical display.

His fleet was scattered across the system, fighting for survival. Ackbar calculated that if he could destroy or rout even one enemy task force, he might create an opportunity to break the encirclement and strike at least one interdictor cruiser, then begin a retreat.

The *Relentless*, seemingly indifferent to its weakening deflectors, continued pummeling its targets—the light cruisers were now charred husks. Evidently, Thrawn had abandoned his usual tactic of capturing ships whenever possible.

The Mon Calamari glanced at the tactical monitor. *Home One*'s computer counted over fifty Corellian CR90 corvettes and DP20 gunships on the enemy's side. Ackbar hadn't seen such a large number of light ships in the Imperial Remnants' forces since Zsinj's time. His defeat had allowed the New Republic to capture a vast number of small, maneuverable ships, not to mention line ships. And now, Thrawn had a similarly large number of Corellian corvettes and gunships… which, according to Republican intelligence, had been stolen across the galaxy in recent times…

Another mystery solved—the Dominion's Imperials, or their hired thieves, were bolstering Thrawn's fleet by stealing ships from other states. Proving it, however, was difficult. Practically impossible.

Then, without warning, the MC80 on the starboard side ceased fire and began drifting aimlessly, continuing in a straight line. It didn't take long to deduce the cause—bluish-white arcs of electricity raced across the ship.

As if it had been hit by a powerful ion salvo.

Gial looked at the side monitor in surprise.

He was competent in such matters and understood what had just happened.

One of his ships had been disabled by an ion cannon. It was a single, powerful shot—only an *Executor*-class Star Dreadnought, fighting without an active transponder to conceal its identity, could deliver such a blow. At least, not in the chaos of battle.

But such a shot would have been impossible to miss.

That meant another ship in this battle wielded a powerful ion weapon.

The admiral carefully studied the energy signatures, cross-referencing them with *Home One*'s database.

And he found it.

— Begin evasive maneuvers! — he ordered. — Cease fire on the *Relentless*! New target—the enemy's *Venator* that arrived last in the system!

— Yes, sir! — came the reply.

Gial thought bitterly that he had nearly had a chance to destroy at least one Star Destroyer. But now, he had to abandon the attack, as no other ship in his fleet had the durability or firepower to break through the forward screen of Star Destroyers and heavy cruisers to reach the Dominion's rear-guard interdictor cruisers, *Acclamators*, *Interdictor*-class Star Destroyers, and *Quasar Fire*-class escort carriers. The latter, it seemed, were the very ones Thrawn had acquired after defeating General Solo's forces at Honoghr.

There was no other option but to reach those ships. Either they struck the rear-guard ships, or they'd be defeated one by one. And then the boarding actions would begin—if Thrawn didn't simply decide to capture them all, leaving their crews to die on powerless starships.

*Home One* and its remaining MC80 escort charged toward the *Venator*, which had shields far too strong for its class. The turbolaser and laser beams it emitted were not the characteristic bluish-white of Old Republic ships but the green typical of the Galactic Empire…

Indicating a far more powerful energy core.

— Distance to the *Venator*—seventy units!

— Open fire! — Ackbar ordered.

The distance was too great to inflict significant damage.

But by denying the enemy ship's commander the ability to fire in optimal conditions, he could force the *Venator* to maneuver and lose its ability to strike effectively. Surely it couldn't have an ISD-level power plant?!

The next minute proved Gial correct—the culprit behind the rapid disabling of the star cruiser was indeed the *Venator*. Specifically, the one named *Dragon*, which had arrived with the Dominion's ships.

The starship briefly illuminated the darkness of space with a brilliant golden-red flash, instantly disabling the New Republic escort frigate *Chandrila*. Gial began an internal countdown to gauge the enemy's recharge time.

It was clearly firing a v-150 Planet Defender ion cannon, like the one that had protected Echo Base on Hoth. To increase its firing rate, the Rebels had needed a solar ionization reactor…

Five seconds.

Exactly five seconds after the first shot, a second escort frigate, *Mrlssst*, was rendered unable to use its onboard electronics.

Given the *Dragon*'s firepower, this meant either a slow death for the crew from sudden depressurization and a failed life support system or a swift one—if they attempted to restart the reactors after such a powerful ion blast, an explosion was almost certain.

Ackbar knew the training level of the First Military Fleet's crews. They were highly qualified, experienced, and combat-ready.

They wouldn't attempt anything foolish.

— Intensify pressure on the *Dragon*, — he commanded. — Deploy fighters and bombers! Destroy that *Venator*!

He couldn't allow another of his fleet's ships to be struck by this monstrous ship's fire. Not on his watch.

The heavy cruisers from the *Relentless*'s task force immediately exploited the gap in *Home One*'s task force shield, unleashing their turbolaser batteries' full might. Streams of white-green energy stripped the deflectors from the enemy's celebrated admiral's ship. The SEAL system worked to reinforce the thinning energy shield, but it came at the cost of the flagship's combat effectiveness.

The barrage on the *Phoenix* weakened with each second. To prevent hull damage, more and more turbolasers had to be powered down.

The *Dragon* struck again.

The first shot stripped the deflectors from the neighboring MC80. Five seconds later, another shot from the *Venator*'s Planet Defender disabled that ship as well.

"Five seconds between paired shots," Gial reminded himself. "And thirty between salvos."

That *Venator* was undoubtedly equipped with a solar ionization reactor, as its recharge time closely matched that of the similar installation at Echo Base.

*Home One*'s air wing, having suffered heavy losses, broke through the destroyers and heavy cruisers, reaching open space. One might think they could now disable the *Dragon*, but new enemy fighter signatures began appearing on the flagship's tactical monitor.

Gial sighed heavily.

Whoever had built such a devastating and effective weapon on a *Venator* had clearly accounted for a modest but present air wing. *Home One*'s computer detected over a dozen squadrons of TIE interceptors…

And now, the squadrons from the Republican flagship, unable to receive updated orders, were heading toward their doom at the hands of Dominion pilots…

Along with *Phantom Squadron*, using *Rogue Squadron*'s transponders.

And there was no way to send them new instructions.

Thrawn wasn't jamming communications in the system for nothing. Gial would bet—something he rarely did—that Thrawn's subordinates had no such communication issues.

Judging by the outcome of this battle, the enemy would likely release another holovid on the HoloNet, boasting how easily Grand Admiral Thrawn crushed yet another New Republic fleet.

Before the fighters of both sides met in mutual slaughter on collision courses, the *Dragon* fired twice more.

— Seal all airlocks and the hangar deck! Full pressurization! Shut down the reactor! — the admiral ordered. — Power down the ship on my command!

As expected, the first energy blast consumed *Home One*'s deflector shield.

— Now! — Gial roared, not in his usual voice.

The second blast struck the starship just as power was cut from its energy circuits.

The residual charge in *Home One*'s energy grid was enough to burn out a significant portion of the Republican flagship's electronics.

But thanks to Ackbar's foresight, the crew managed to preserve critical systems.

Now, before the enemy's space marines could attempt to storm the starship in the midst of battle, the crew would have time to repair at least some systems.

***

— The *Dragon* reports that *Home One* has been disabled, — Lieutenant Tschel reported. — Double direct hit.

Yes, I noticed.

And something else, too.

Recon droids and their variants are an excellent means of objective battle monitoring. They see what sensors might miss for various reasons. Very convenient—back on Earth, unmanned aerial vehicles were used for similar purposes.

In the galaxy far, far away, UAVs in the typical Earth sense aren't particularly popular. At least not now, in most developed worlds.

Firstly, starship sensors have sufficient range, surpassing the reach of most weapons.

Secondly, droids are always an option—there are thousands, if not millions, of models. Hiding a UAV's operations on a battlefield is far harder than embedding surveillance equipment in a technical droid or a ground-digger. Yes, as paradoxical as it sounds, building a stealthy UAV is far more expensive than a specialized spy droid.

Or something like that.

I touched the comlink's activation key.

— Captain Tomax Bren, reporting, — responded the commander of the *Chimaera*'s air wing.

— This is Thrawn, — I said slowly. — Prepare the *Scimitar* for launch.

A moment of silence.

— Pre-flight preparations complete, — the man replied. — Ready to execute the assigned task.

Does he live in his bomber?

— Your payload for the first sortie will be special munitions, Captain…

***

On the battlefield, everything was chaos.

Imperial ships hit by the Dominion fleet's ion weapons, whether damaged or nearly intact, lost their defenses.

Some enemy pilots surrendered to the victors, while others attempted to flee, hoping to escape the artificial gravity zone created by the Dominion's ships.

They weren't very successful.

Two hours into the battle, Lieutenant Creb was leaving the *Chimaera*'s hangar for the fourth time after delivering a damaged TIE interceptor. He knew this was the last craft he'd fly today.

His standard interceptor had been returned to the flagship with a depressurized cockpit—the canopy's transparisteel had cracked, and the shards nearly killed him. They severely damaged the craft's electronics and life support systems.

With the Grand Admiral's special permission, he was allowed to switch interceptors, taking one of the red-painted escorts used by Thrawn when leaving the *Chimaera*.

That craft was returned to the flagship with a mangled right stabilizer and a choking engine.

The second "red beauty" followed the first. This time, it was brought back with its wings torn off—only thanks to the skill of the evacuation shuttle's pilot. As Warlord Devian's fleet lost more fighters and interceptors, it became easier to recover damaged craft and return pilots to safety.

When his crippled machine was brought back to the deck, Creb thought he wouldn't return to the fight.

But, fortunately, the chief mechanic brought good news—his standard craft was back in service. Yes, by cannibalizing systems from Tia's TIE, which was beyond repair in field conditions.

And now, he was back where he belonged.

His ten pilots followed their commander, slicing through the vacuum toward their target.

Bypassing a graveyard of Imperial starships, *Black Wing* engaged New Republic pilots, joining the slaughter already underway by their comrades.

The interceptor darted side to side, striking and evading counterattacks. Like a wild beast, the lieutenant mowed down the enemy's agile craft, acting more on instinct than conscious thought.

He had disconnected from the chaos, merging with his machine.

He was killing.

An X-wing bearing New Republic markings tried to tail the *Scimitar* of the wing commander, but Creb drew the enemy into a duel. A couple of scorch marks on his hull—and the Republican pilot was forced to abandon his craft as *Black Wing*'s commander fried his stern.

The ejection went smoothly, but the craft's detonation sent shards through the pilot's orange jumpsuit, turning the seemingly spared pilot into a chunk of flash-frozen meat.

No matter how hard the Republican pilots tried, they couldn't protect their flagship.

Their light cruisers had been reduced to grotesque metal husks by the Dominion's forces.

Corvettes and gunships smoked and drifted, shattered by the turbolasers of Star Destroyers and heavy cruisers.

Here and there, escort frigates and a couple of New Republic star cruisers still resisted, but they were doomed to remain in this system under their own banners. While the Dominion's ships held the enemy at bay, the *Dragon*'s pinpoint ion fire disabled still-functional enemy starships.

There was no doubt about the battle's outcome—the fact that boarding and assault craft were deploying from the *Acclamators* in the reinforcements, as well as from the decks of the Grand Admiral's other line ships, including the *Chimaera* and *Guardian*, confirmed it.

Like a pack of hyenas, they moved toward their targets to complete the rout. It would begin with the ships on the battle's periphery, gradually moving inward as stormtroopers captured all who dared oppose the Dominion's might.

The rout was effectively complete. The Grand Admiral's ships spread out to their targets, ready to suppress any resistance with fire if needed. The perimeter was guarded only by interdictor cruisers, *Interdictors*, and the *Dragon*, which had borne the lion's share of preventing large enemy ships from escaping.

The heavy cruisers, scarred with damage and depleted artillery, formed a thin, largely symbolic cordon on the flanks to prevent enemy fighters from breaking through. Both Imperials and Republicans had fighters and bombers equipped with hyperdrives.

But Thrawn had ordered that no ship leave the system. And so it would be.

The secret of a weapon like the *Dragon* would remain hidden.

As before, the New Republic would not gain a single living witness to this superweapon.

It wasn't the monstrous *Death Star*, but its efficiency was astounding.

All ships of the formation sent by Warlord Devian were captured—*Venators*, *Gladiators*, and *Raiders*. The *Guardian*'s crew was forming transfer teams, while technical crews worked to restore critical systems to enable the ships to travel to the Dominion independently.

Creb caught a glimpse of the *Scimitar* moving at medium speed over the hull of the disabled *Home One*. Oddly, it didn't drop missiles, torpedoes, or bombs.

Instead, spherical containers, which, upon reaching the hull's surface, opened to reveal buzz droids. These, in turn, burrowed into the hull, camouflaging themselves with the container's hemispherical shells, blending into the oval protrusions characteristic of all Mon Calamari ships.

Then, with an almost imperceptible dash back to the *Chimaera*, which was regally moving toward the battle's center, the *Scimitar* returned—and began destroying sensor arrays, deflector generators, and communication equipment with proton torpedoes…

Creb gave a crooked smile as another enemy escort frigate attempted to escape the trap. Despite its hull being riddled like a sieve and the nearest Star Destroyer's artillery burning out its weapon emplacements, the ship stubbornly tried to break free.

A crimson ion beam struck its stern. The yellow glow of its engines faded, and another starship joined the tally of the enemy's humiliating defeat.

Initially, the fleet Admiral Ackbar brought was massive. It might have seemed capable of prevailing in battle. Ten Mon Calamari MC80 star cruisers, including *Liberty* and other variants, six MC40a light cruisers, twenty-three escort frigates, sixteen gunships and corvettes initially identified as a single type… This armada could have conquered any Imperial Remnant if tasked to do so.

But now… All the star cruisers, including the legendary *Home One*, were now receiving Dominion stormtroopers. None of the six light cruisers survived their encounters with destroyers and heavy cruisers. For some reason, Thrawn ordered not to waste time capturing these vessels, so they were gleefully annihilated.

Three escort frigates were destroyed, but the remaining twenty, both *Nebula-B* and *Nebula-B2*, in whatever condition, would be captured and added to the Dominion's fleet.

The gunships and corvettes… Ten of them survived the battle relatively intact—the Dominion's fleet had perfected the tactic of neutralizing such ships. First, turbolasers stripped their deflectors, then ion cannons had free rein. Unfortunately for the *Dragon*, these were too agile as targets.

The squadron leader, having dispatched an *A-Wing* attempting to flee from the wreckage of a light cruiser, sighed, thinking it would take days to comb the battlefield and find all the downed pilots, those in damaged craft, or those who had powered down, waiting for the Dominion's ships to deactivate their gravity well generators for a chance to escape. The jamming system had just been disabled to aid in their search.

And…

For some reason, the *Eternal Wrath* deactivated one of its generators. A corridor free for hyperspace jumps opened through the battle's center. What in blazes?!

Creb's attention shifted as his onboard computer flagged familiar identifiers.

Where there had been nothing at forty-five units, twelve signatures suddenly appeared. Those who had been lying low with powered-down engines came to life…

And what signatures…

— Black-Leader to *Chimaera* OCC, — Creb quickly contacted the dispatcher. — I'm tracking twelve targets. They've obviously been powered down this whole time. Request permission to pursue and destroy…

The dispatcher didn't respond immediately.

When he did, Creb felt sweat trickle down his back, his ears disbelieving what he heard:

— Black-Leader, this is Grand Admiral Thrawn, — the commander's voice, as always, was confident and authoritative. — Your desire to destroy *Rogue Squadron*'s pilots is understandable. But these are not them. You will destroy them, but not now. Prepare to cover the *Scimitar*'s withdrawal and return to the *Chimaera*. We're preparing to pursue.

— Y-yes, sir, — Creb stammered, stunned. The *Eternal Wrath*, whose gravity well generators had blocked the hyperdrives of numerous ships, suddenly deactivated another of its interdiction fields, covering much of the space near *Home One*, the fake *Rogue Squadron*, and…

Following that *Interdictor*, other ships began disabling their gravity generators. The entire central battle zone, filled with downed enemy pilots and damaged craft, was now open for hyperspace jumps.

What shocked the lieutenant was not only the sudden reactivation of the Republican flagship, which should have been drifting with fried electronics, but also the numerous hyperspace jumps by both Imperial and Republican pilots. Hidden among the debris, they seized the chance to escape the system.

As did *Home One*, whose stern glowed before the star cruiser vanished, retreating along the system's only known entry vector.

What had just happened, Creb couldn't comprehend. But it seemed Grand Admiral Thrawn had miscalculated, allowing the surviving enemy ships to escape the battlefield.

Yes, gravity shadow generators weren't designed for prolonged full operation—often used in pairs to avoid overheating…

But this…

— All *Chimaera* squadrons, return to base, — the dispatcher's voice crackled in Creb's headset. — *Steel Aurora* and *Crusader*, prepare for pursuit.

"Pursuit? What pursuit? Who are we chasing? The Republicans are already light-years away, and nothing can catch them with the MC80's standard Class 1 hyperdrive…"

— Black-Leader, order received, — Creb declared, grinning broadly in an uncharacteristic display.

It clicked. Why the Republican fighters fled, why buzz droids were dropped onto *Home One*'s hull, and why Bren targeted that specific equipment.

Escaped, you say?

Well, well, well…

Poor Admiral Ackbar.

He'd been outplayed. And he'd soon realize it the hard way.