01.16 : The Light Begins to Dim

[22 BBY]

[Republic Aegis Guard Combat Freighter Stormcrow, Republic Ryloth Liberation Task-force, Ryloth System]

"I agree with General Yanthis, we cannot risk sending down the Acclamators blind, now General Windu is correct Nabat is a good landing spot...but city-defences are up planet-wide, and we need to sure we don't drop into a trap. We've got orbital superiority, we just need make use of it, like we did at Yag'Dhul and Kinyen because they'll use Ion canons or missile batteries to resist landings" I stated my opinion as our post space battle 'commanders conference' took place via holograms. Honestly it wasn't a disaster of a battle, but we'd effectively lost both Venators, and about a fifth of my own combat vessels were damaged in some manner, along with a number of star-fighters.

'Luck of jumping in last, but the Black Thranta will be out of commission for ages....just after we got the damn thing operational' I though on the retrofitted Munificent needing serious repairs as I watched the others on the display. Things were somewhat split in the decision-making process amongst the command structure; largely Jedi Generals versus those of us who'd been the 20th Sector Army for a short time. Even General Rahm Kota, Jedi or not, was reluctantly taking our side on the matter of what to do next. It wasn't that the plan laid out by Windu and Kenobi was necessarily bad...it just erred far too much on the peacetime side, and had a dangerous lack of detail in my view.

"Perhaps, but the longer we wait the more suffering the Twi'leks will have to endure..." General Kenobi replied in a calm manner, doing that arm gesture thing of his as if in an intellectual debate "...and, we'd like to avoid repeats of those particular systems I might add. The Senate were rather miffed if I recall, and we are here to help the locals, not destroy their homes"

I jumped in before Yanthis did, and started his rant about whatever 'strength and power matters, damn the casualties of damned xenos' idea was on his mind in response "I don't disagree, but we are at war, and the Separatists will defend their positions and charging in unprepared won't help. It will just lead to more deaths and destruction in the long run, same as sending in Troopers unprepared. We find out what's below, and then we hit hard, and we hit fast. Ideally with strike teams of commandos and Jedi leading the way for the rest of the Legions following in behind..."

Yanthis wouldn't...didn't...like that idea of course, but it was both true and a way to not disregard the usefulness of the Jedi as I finished speaking "...it's historically a strategy that works, going back to the Sith and Mandalorian Wars"

The bane of my existence, well, the one of my childhood Mace Windu's hologram frowned slightly "You wouldn't propose risking a number of Generals in the one fight. It would also mean separating from the Legions as a whole"

"Jedi tend to do it anyway by leading from the front General Windu, but I'm not suggesting everyone go..." I replied as General Geen's avatar motioned at me to continue "...just that if there is the resistance we expect then dedicated commando teams with say....two or three of you, plus padawan Tano, would allow us to crack the initial enemy defensive hard-points without the damage that a full blown divis...legion sized assault would bring"

"It is a realistic concern Master Windu..." Jedi Master and General Rahm Kota agreed with apparently "...we did not intend to destroy anything more than enemy military facilities and the shipyards during the raids on Kinyen and Yag'Dhul....but there is no easy way to pull off a planetary assault. Even if it is liberation in this situation, the crimes of the Seps on the planet mean they'll not give in without a fight"

"Indeed, lessons hard learned..." General Geen agreed. Officially he was in charge of this giant cluster-fuck waiting to happen, but he really was more 'managing' all of us to keep from fighting each other as much the enemy "...but I think much will depend on the defences around potential landing locations. It will take several hours to sweep the Separatist wrecks, and patch up damage on our ships, so unless there any objections I think scouting and long range observation of a number of landing sites, and dummy sites too to throw the Seps off, is our best course of action?"

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[22 BBY]

[Exiting LAAT-242/B, Republic Landing Zone, outside Nabat, Planet-side Ryloth]

I didn't particularly like this plan, even if it was technically partially my own as I strode out of the landing gunship so kindly provided by the Republic. Or 'leased' to us by the Republic to be more accurate, but that hardly mattered as the rest of my strike-squads dismounted from their own nearby along with the Clone commandos. Too many Generals in the front-lines, but that seemed to a thing in this day and age, and I really couldn't complain since I did the same myself being the ESS, now Aegis Guard, ground assault commander rather frequently.

"I want a perimeter established yesterday gentle-beings..." I ordered through my helmet as I pressed down on the command circuit "...so don't forget no equipment, and get those scout drones out now please. Watch for enemy droids, and let's get this show on the road"

I looked at the Mandalorian in her familiar armour as my two bodyguard droids moved a little distance behind me "Braika?"

"Droidekas deployed on overwatch, no sightings of enemy droids yet..." her helmet masked voiced responded as she fell in beside me as the squads deployed and I headed towards the 'Strike-force Commander' General Obi-wan Kenobi. Annoying I got stuck with them, but General Kota was hitting another site as a distraction with Mace Windu so I the Negotiator, Anakin, and his padawan that thought a skimpy top was adequate protection on the battlefield "...we're going to have to move fast if we're to take out these canons"

"Don't I know it, now don't start fights with our allies" I muttered back as we I walked towards Team Robes and the Clone with the colour patch announcing his rank of Commander. That annoyed a little; sure there was a need to identify to the rank and file, but you kept it small so snipers didn't have easy reference points. Colour coding your command structure, in big bright outlines over big bright white armour, just grated at part of my professional skill-set; it would hurt worse if the B-1's the Separatists used programmed to be so stupid.

"Would I?"

"Yes, you would, now behave and enjoy killing the enemy" I replied to her attempt at an innocent tone probably. It was hard to tell with the helmet muffling after all, and then it didn't matter as I came over to the three Jedi with my rifle held in my arms at the ground "Generals, Commander, are your men ready to move inland and take out these proton cannons?"

"Ah...yes, Cody has just confirmed we're ready to begin..." Kenobi replied gesturing at the Clone in the Orange-Gold trimmed white of a Clone Commander "...so we will start an assault on the outer defences the droids have established ahead while your forces flank them. Ahsoka will be your....will aid you in this task of course"

I nodded "Good, we've a short walk and then a fight, so let's get moving and blow up some Sep-droids..." I gestured at the unhappy looking togruta padawan who was glancing at me and half-glaring at my bodyguard droids "...Commander Tano, you are with me it seems"

It was the logical answer to us getting stuck with a Jedi, as I was not giving up command and the Jedi knew....since I'd made that very clear. Tano was only a padawan, and thereby amazingly a bloody Commander in Republic Ranks at the age of fourteen apparently, and that problem wouldn't arise as I was in charge of my troopers and nobody else. I wasn't the Ailon Nova Guard completely unwilling to work with the Jedi either, but it didn't mean the ideas of the Jedi Order had grown on me either in the time since I'd left.

In all honesty I'd have preferred not to have her attached at all, but I couldn't hardly say no when I was trying to encourage some sort of compromise between me, my forces, the others, and the robes brigades. Irritatingly she didn't respond to my words, glaring at me a moment, and then back at Skywalker, who was somehow her Master, and Kenobi as well.

"Snips, don't start..." Anakin replied looking exasperated "...we've been over this, go with Daron and do what he says"

'And this is why we shouldn't be sending barely trained teenagers unto the battlefield just because they have magic force powers' I thought staying silent as she 'Yes Master' grumpily back to the other two Jedi with arms folded across her chest. Not bothering to cause an issue I merely nodded, gesturing with my hand for Tano to follow as Braika was already forming up the assault squads nearby. Orbital and aerial scouting showed the droids were trying the 'human shield' tactic for their proton canons with twi'leks, and that meant freeing the hostages and ensuring this didn't become a standard tactic for the enemy.

"Okay boys and girls, time to get this done" I stated striding to stand before the assembled squads, the somewhat sullen Jedi padawan following just behind and to the side of me "...this is Commander Tano, she will be fighting with us. Now, Alpha squad your van, Beta and Delta on the right an' left flanks respectively, Epilson with me and Braika will bring up the rear with the Heavy squad. Droidekas, Gamma, and Zeta squads will guard this landing sight and provide light range support if required. Are we Clear?"

"Sir, Yes, Sir" echoed back and the woods around me were a flurry of movement as the vanguard of our forces moved forward quickly. We were travelling heavy, jetpacks and heavy weapons secured on backs, but these were veterans trained by Braika Chorn and been through many jobs with me since we'd formed ESS several years ago. I turned towards the togruta girl, best check minor things before we got moving.

"Do you need armour Commander Tano? Or any other supplies before we move?"

"No, I'm a Jedi, the Force will provide. I'm tough, I can handle it"

I resisted a sigh "No, you're a padawan learner, I was one too once, and preparation is important too as the Force helps those who help themselves too. So if you need something, I will get it for you....just don't look for it after we've moved out"

She shook her head, a restrained unhappy tone in her voice and coming across through the Force "I don't need anything...." confusion "...wait, you were..."

'Oh, Anakin, of course you didn't bloody warn her' I thought sighing "I'll explain later, just be aware I do understand. So if your all set we're moving..."