01.12 : The Light Begins to Dim

[22 BBY][Two months after the Battle of Geonosis]

[Republic Militia Carrack-class Light Cruiser Freedom's Song, 20th Sector Army, Tallaan System]

"Master Kota, complaints, received we have..." the holographic avatar of Master Yoda stated standing between ones of Master Windu and Master Koth "....attack you do, when defend, the Senate wishes"

Rahm Kota resisted frowning, he had expected this since the Twentieth Sector Army had stepped up 'training and patrol exercises' a week ago "And defend we have Master Yoda, none of our major fleet elements has advanced beyond our designated defensive sector. Scouting and patrol missions have continued so we can maintain strategic awareness of Separatist forces, and we are merely advised by the Senate Oversight Committee and the Office of the Supreme Chancellor has stated no objections based upon our current operational successes"

"Losses your forces take Master Kota, little reinforcement to be given"

"Master Yoda, our strength continues to build in the sector, and losses have been as low as can be expected in such circumstances..." he answered calmly but firmly "...and they are far less than are being suffered in other Sectors by the Grand Army of the Republic"

He saw the unhappy look pass through the faces of the council members, Master Yoda giving a visible sigh and resting on cane he often concealed his lightsaber in to Rahm's experience "Truth you speak, but too provocative your attacks are, the Senate fears. Attack your sector they fear, the Seperatists will"

Master Windu nodded "Republic Intelligence has reported significant reinforcement and build up of Separatist forces in several systems"

'Yes....and Republic Intelligence is seemingly wrong, because we've got a secret forward depot in one of those same systems in fact' he thought but remained silent on that tid-bit. He'd been very critical of the reliability and intelligence of the Clones only mere weeks ago, and bringing such up again wouldn't be advisable "I can assure you Master Windu that all forces in this Sector are maintain active combat patrols and track of enemy forces....and will follow Standing Orders to withdraw back to secure systems where we encounter superior Separatist forces"

"Master Kota....Rahm..." Master Windu said rubbing at his head "...why are you pushing so hard on your front, when you're not strong enough to take ground?"

"Because I am not in total command of this Sector Mace, merely a part of it; with one of the other General's convinced we should be driving on to Thyferra, and the other who believes we should doing more than we are currently doing. General Geen, far from the Senate's impression was reigning our forces in rather than encouraging them to charge forward into the fire" he replied honestly, then shrugged "...and, unfortunately, this sort of constant small scale raiding strategy is needed to bring our forces up to wartime readiness. We are inflicting more casualties than we are taking I must stress to the Council"

"Problem, our lost youngling is, hm?" Master Yoda asked wearily "Aid us at Geonosis he did, but also a Jedi general, refuse he did. Hmmm... unsure, the path is?"

Now Rahm gave a tired sigh "No Master, at least not beyond his refusal to serve under my command, or that of any Jedi serving as General, he has been very reasonable. Especially in relation to the other mercenaries under General Yanthis who have nought but distaste, and contempt perhaps, for my presence...and that of the Clones I must state. It is my own forces and those of General Daron that work best with them, if at all, though it would be best if the Legion coyld be moved and the Majestic..."

Master Windu shook his head firmly "Rahm, the Venators and Acclamators are being retained for usage by the clones only as they are fully trained on them already while recruited forces are not....the current issue with your forces and other similar ones. Nor are those vessels available in sufficient numbers to be able to deploy....not after recent loss of three to General Grievous mere days ago"

While he hid it from them, merely acquiescing with a polite nod, it grated a great deal to have such weapons thrust into the hands of clones. They just weren't true warriors like he'd want to fight for the Republic, little to no ingenuity in them like a freeborn sentient; they were droids in the guise of organics. Something that would years to give them true freedom to be able to think through a problem with a degree of creativity;- better to spend months training up a force of free sentients than years attempting to do so with clones.

The Senate and Council were just too focused on short term numbers, when there was a vast pool of warriors to draw from as the mercenaries were showing, and he would show. Even now, with limited forces and being forced to training their army in the middle of the fight they were proving the benefits of ingenuity and free thinking over simple obedience. Oh, the Senate, and Council, and Supreme Chancellor did not see it that way, but there was a chance now to build something good here, something strong to crush the CIS and serve as future protectors of the Republic...

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[22 BBY]

[Republic Aegis Guard Combat Freighter Stormcrow, 20th Sector Army, Tallaan System]

"Hello Darth Maul" I whispered to myself, watching the footage of a Zabrak 'prisoner' from over a decade ago fight a 'female' of an 'unknown species' in one of those dreadful holo-vid prison fights "...Hello Far Outsider Scout"

One of the rare appearances of the Sith Apprentice, who likely still lived, and the totality of the discovery was in truth accidental for the second part. Seeking out information, in secret from watchful eyes of Jedi and hidden Sith, was hard, and usual the result of slow droid passive data trawls on the Holo-Net for specific search points; an indirect search engine.

It was strange how advanced the galaxy was, yet how little they made us of more indirect methods of data crunching; the machines here were 'dumb AI' compared to many droids, but utterly focused on their goals. I immersed myself in the Force now, expanding my senses within my Sanctum and summoning up the dreams and nightmares of possibilities uncertain. Without moving as I sat half-Lotus I activated the display with my powers, summon up the galactic map with its indications of 'locations of interest' as I called them.

Memories summoned by my magic, some true and some half-true, lore and myth mixed together, but the images of the amphistaff matched. Of the existence of Zonama Sekot, my 'memories' of the potential fate of Master Vergere, and my actual memories of the Jedi Master vanishing a few years prior; even of the disappearance of the Outbound Flight project. More evidence to confirm suspicions...and concerns of spies and scouts that could lurk amongst us of course; it was strange to know such, when you had an idea what you were looking for but could not see.

I studied the fight, the previous fights - the combatants like ghosts as their crude low quality holograms flowed and fought each other around me. Learning what I could, though the Zabrak wielded no lightsaber, watching how to kill the warrior of the Yuuzhan Vong as the Sith did. How the Sith apprentice fought in case, as I expected, he still lived and needed to be fought. Then I stood, taking the place of the Zabrak ghost as I reversed the ghostly battle, then moving with it....failing....then again with a boost from the Force till I could follow through.

That done I summoned one of bodyguard/trainer droids, Abigail today, engaging the 'murder mode' with the new data on the Sith's fighting techniques from the various footage and drew my training lightsaber. This was going to hurt I imagined as I ratcheted up the pain settings, but as the Holocron said you needed a motivator; best to endure it now than die in a real fight due to failure "Engage Training Mimic Mode; Updated Data, Sith Apprentice"

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[22 BBY]

[Republic Aegis Guard Frigate Bright Eagle, 20th Sector Army, Tallaan System]

"Jurdan, Braika" I greeted walking into the meeting room on the recently returned converted Munificent-class of ESS, now Aegis Guard "...so, problems I hear?"

"Aye Daron, recruitment" the Mandalorian replied as I took my seat as the three of us met together for the first time in weeks it seemed. I frowned taking the pad into hand.

"Manpower issues?"

"Uh-huh, but as expected....more recruits than we'd projected, and we're all over the place with their level of skill, and how to deal with'em" she replied motioning at the pad, then at Jurdan "...basically we got plenty of potential ground troops, it's just kitting them out to our standards. Oh, and we need trainers, and a way to get those trainers to where the recruits be waiting"

Jurdan nodded "She's right, numbers surged when I was back home, unemployed militia, former troopers looking for good pay after the government secured itself and inter-clan combat died off....prisoners of that fight looking get out. You name the recruitment type back on the homeworld, we're getting applicants"

I frowned, studying the recruitment data "Ooff, more than planned indeed....I knew we'd get good numbers, but we've already got like forty thousand training up in the Core and equipment to come. But...that's nearly half a million in total"

"Daron, the Fell Government are full behind us....they want as many armed young males, and combat loving females too I guess, off world earning credits rather than sitting about at home causing issues..." Jurdan, Captain of the Bright Eagle responded with a shrug "...and we've no way to carry that many, not for months, even at the rate we've been buying up and refitting transport vessels"

"Yes...and we're still short technicians for the shipyards even with all that" I muttered bringing up the relevant information on the aging mobile yard we'd snuck to near Solem along with two mobile, but damaged and Core-less, Lucrehulks and a number of wrecked Munificents. It was secret, apart from the Solem government who were ecstatic at the idea, sort-of, and should be setting itself up in the mineral rich asteroid belts off Solem Tak, the large gas giant with two moons in-system.

"Those are needed to crew the ships we're buying here in the Core, the ones that make up our glorious Republic Navy General..." Jurdan replied humorously "..along it being hard to have a secret project and recruit publically at the same time. Give it a year or two and we can whittle out the disloyal from our lists and know the competent ones, and then offer a promotion. For now the droids and salvage ships will have to do for restoring those ships"

"Yeah...but...yeah, we can't tell the Republic yet....and...ah..." I sighed then shook my head "...we're going to have carry this cost for at least six months on our own"

"Uh-huh"

"Unfortunately yes, we will, but we are being supported in doing so"

I nodded back at both, then at the armour clad Mandalorian woman "So, you want to recruit more trainers, a lot more, I imagine"

"You guessed correct, can't rely on those assholes in the ORSF for this beyond throwing a Legion or two of recruits into the fire to train by who can survive...but we we'll have to release veterans for this you know Daron"

"I know, I know....oh, okay fine, you've got my vote for the board meeting Braika..." I muttered sitting back in the chair trying to plan a bit of this "...but it's going to be an issue supplying since getting to and front Solem is a problem with the enemy astride the hyperlanes....hells, we...honestly the Republic can't even resupply Eriadu at the moment"

Jurdan made a dismissive gesture with his hand "We've enough fast blockade runners and long range fighters to run passengers. We know the Separatists don't have he sensor nets in place to watch for more anything other than large fleet formations"

I nodded in acceptance of that point. Our current strategy in the sector was functioning on a hit and run basis; largely using handful of Aethersprites as 'lead' to make the Confederates there was a Jedi present, along with headhunters with hyperspace rings to jump. They could escort a force of Y-wings with a YT-light freighter for sensors and general C&C work with a jump and ambush strategy on enemy convoys.

So far it was working, with losses, but far less than the Separatists; we'd lost a few star-fighters and bombers while they'd lost frigates and transports along with multiples of our fighter numbers. I'd convinced my two fellow Generals of the need of risking small supply groups in out of the way systems to allow a mobile strategy with those forces. Using the data from these raiding forces we could keep track of the Separatist fleets and jump in with TIEs and heaver forces when we saw them chase our raiders....