Leaving the scene of the spacebattle, Corvus began to fly planetside towards Malastare. The planet was covered in woodlands, desert, mountains and water. Generically speaking, it was very "Earth-like."
"Captain Clip, give me a sit-rep, what's the ground assault looking like? Now that the planetary shield is down, what targets need my immediate attention?"
"General, sir, as discussed in the preliminary report before we arrived, there are four locations that are within the outline. The citadel, fuel depot, spaceport, and M-Fuel fields are all highly contested regions." Clip replied, and sent over the coordinates to these locations.
Looking at his map, Corvus saw that they were all within 50 miles of one another at the capital city, Pixelito. Scrolling through an image reel, he saw satellite imagery detailing the appearance of these sites.
Malastare was a planet with a relatively small population. The native species, the Dugs were the same race as Sebulba, the podracer ace in the Phantom Menace. Due to their low number, the majority of them lived in one big city or in scattered communities. The Dug's mostly kept to themselves, and it wasn't until the war started that they had been dragged into the Republic when the Separatists had violently attacked. Malastarian Fuel, or M-Fuel for short was the primary reason for this planet's value. The energy source was necessary for space travel, and it had the added benefit of being viable without refinement! Such a mind boggling resource was even more valuable than oil on Earth, and was practically a license to print money! That being said, securing the facilities was of paramount importance!
"Good, good, I want you to issue orders that minimize civilian casualties, and to save the infrastructure that produces/transports the M-Fuel. If we're to keep up the fight in the Galactic South, then we must hold Malastare."
"Way ahead of you sir. The boys don't like it, but they understand the necessity of it. My fighters are only delivering fast, surgical strikes, you don't have to worry about their aim." Clip reassured.
"Very good, Captain. Now where is the fighting the most intense?"
"The spaceport is teaming with anti-air guns, and cover is almost non-existent. Every time my LAATS go in for a landing with a fresh wave of troops, we lose one or two. It's a heavily fortified location with 2,400 AT-TE's (big walkers), 10,000 AT-RT's (mini-walkers), and 100 SPHA-T's (mobile artillery platforms), and around 800,000 men.
Reports indicate that the Imperials at the fuel depot are rigging the site with explosives. That's enough M-Fuel to power the fleet for another month. After this operation, we'll have burnt half our reserves. Roughly 20,000 men are speculated to be guarding the depot.
Out in the M-Fuel fields, there's a few outposts, and reports of skirmishes, but our air superiority has practically given us an overwhelming advantage in this sector. Perhaps 100,000 men are spread out across various facilities, but they are easy targets for my fighters.
Lastly, the citadel-a large tower-is where Imperial leadership resides, and is currently shielded. Commanders Jax & Yon have infiltrated the structure, and disabled both the planetary & city shields. The last word I heard from them, they're holding out in the command room, surrounded on all sides. It is estimated that the remaining 80,000 men are holed up inside, and are occupying underground tunnels.
Street by street fighting is fierce. General, sir, I request permission to strike the spaceport with an orbital bombardment." Clip gave his report.
Corvus Paused, and went over the information that Clip had shared. From the sound of it, the largest thorn in their side preventing their ground assault was the spaceport. Occupied by multiple huge vehicles, walkers, artillery pieces, and AA guns, it served as a porcupine defense. Whilst the fleet of fuel tankers called this place home, Corvus would rather not have to fight through
Meanwhile, the fuel depot was at risk of combustion at any moment. From Corvus's POV, this was probably the most important strategic location under threat. Clip said that after this fight, their fuel reserves would be down to half. Leaving Kamino, everything was resting around 90%~ as they had mostly been idling in orbit. However, big battles consumed a lot of energy, and traveling through Hyperspace was like taking a plane flight. After each plane landed in a new location, it generally needed to refuel, and massive cruisers were no different.
Next was the citadel. Reading the reports before arriving to Malastare, Corvus discovered that this building held a great amount of significance to the Dug people, and was a cultural icon that held deep meaning to them. In other words, if he wanted their cooperation moving forward, then he couldn't just order an orbital bombardment of the command center, and call it a day. Furthermore, his apprentices and CF-99 were currently holed up inside fighting off wave after wave of men.
Lastly, there were the M-Fuel fields, but according to Clip, they were practically already secured, so he wouldn't worry too much about them.
After analyzing the data, Corvus concocted a plan of attack, and Un-Paused.
"You have my permission, Captain. I want that spaceport wiped off the map."
"Very good, sir."
Corvus then swapped his frequency, and called up Commander Pots to warn him about the hell and fury that was about to be dumped on Pixelito city.
Frowning to himself, he noticed his signal wasn't getting through.
'To hell with it, that spaceport needs to be taken if we don't want to lose every LAAT taking Malastare!' Corvus thought to himself, and then began to pilot the Falcon directly towards that stubborn point of resistance.
~~~~~~~~~
The smog of explosives covered the skies, only to be blocked by large looming buildings between blocks. Blaster fire lights up the dark like a storm of red-hot needles. Commander Pots ducked behind a pile of broken concrete that was once a building, his armor is scorched and where once there was bright white, it was now all covered in soot. Around him, his squad is pinned down, taking heavy fire from dug-in Imperial loyalists.
Thwacking the commlink on his wrist, Pots scowled as it jittered, and finally became operational again. He had taken a bad fall earlier, and for a few minutes, all he had gotten was static.
"Saber Two-One, this is Havoc Red, grid coordinates 4-5-9 by 3-2-1. We're boxed in. I need fire support: immediate!" Pots demanded.
"Copy that, Havoc Red, the General has greenlit this operation. Confirming danger close. Say again, do you authorize strike?" Clip's voice replied.
Pots peeked over his hiding spot, two men were dragging a wounded brother to cover, and massive beams of energy were scraping the area all around them. Eventually one blast hit the men, and all three of them disappeared, vaporized by the main cannon of an AT-TE. Explosions bloomed in the distance, forcing his lens to darken less he go blind. Seconds later, a whoosh of wind passed him by as the shockwave was absorbed by his armor. Several nearby FNG's fell on their asses, and one unlucky SOB got his visor pierced by a random flying chunk of debris.
Pots grit his teeth at the site, they couldn't hold on much longer!
"Affirmative! Danger close, repeat, danger close! Light it up!"
"Roger. Devil Squadron inbound. ETA 15 seconds. Brace for impact."
Above the concrete buildings, a faint scream hummed, it was the unmistakable sound of a Venator Class Star Destroyer unleashing a pinpoint orbital strike. Pots slams his helmet down tighter, then ducks to cover.
Motioning towards his men to follow suit, Pots began to yell at the top of his lungs: "Get down! Down, now!"
Unshattered windows across the entire city break. A bright green lance of burning-hot plasma tears through the canopy like a blade through silk, followed by a thunderous crack that shakes the earth. The primary building holding all the AA guns vanished in a blinding column of flame and light. Enemy fire cuts off in an instant, and even with the help of his armor's noise canceling effects, he still hears ringing in his ears.
The shockwave began to ripple through the ground, causing the earth to ripple and roll like a rollercoaster. When the smoke cleared, a quarter of the spaceport was a molten crater.
Pots lifts his head, coughing, vision swimming.
"Good hit, Saber Two-One. Target has been hamstrung, we've got it from here." Pots said, and helped a nearby FNG stand to his feet.
*"Copy, Havoc Red. Remind me not to play cards with you, you like living on the edge." Clip's tone conveyed some dry, sarcastic humor.
"Ha! You Navy boys fret too much! Good hunting Saber Two-One!" Pots joked back, then cut the comms to address the men.
"Let's move. We're not out of this hell yet!"
Just as Pots said that, their own AT-TE's began to be dropped off on the streets surrounding the spaceport, and the Millennium Falcon roared by. The light freighter was flanked by Devil Squadron, and they blasted dozens of vehicles into oblivion.
"The General's with us boys, let's show him and those Navy bastards the mettle of the Starcrusher Corp's Army!" Pots exclaimed, and then vaulted the rubble he was taking cover behind, and led the charge.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blasting a hole in the spaceport's defenses, Corvus left that section of the battlefield to Commander Pots. Meanwhile, he punched his boosters, and took the Falcon to the fuel depot.
Strafing a few positions, Corvus rolled his ship to the side, evading return AA fire. He did a few more passes, however, he wasn't in a hurry to kill everyone that he could. Knowing that the place was rigged to blow, he was worried that the second it looked like the Republic forces would triumph, the Imperials would destroy the facility.
Taking this information into account, Corvus searched around, and found an inconspicuous place to land a few miles out.
Departing the Falcon, Corvus buffed himself up, and went invisible.
Running at incredible speeds, he dashed around potholes, and ran around terrified civilians who were fleeing towards the city limits. Moving past crowds of people, he didn't so much as pause in his step as he saw tens of thousands of clones setting up blockades, occupying nearby buildings, and in some cases, demolishing structures to be used as cover. Yeah, he could have started a campaign of assassinations on them, but that could come later. Right now, his objective was to secure the fuel depot!
Rushing by a guard outpost that was at the wide open entrance to the massive warehouse complex that was the fuel depot, he vaulted over a pile of sandbags/the heads of a dozen clone troopers, and landed inside.
As far as his eye could see, he saw hundreds of fuel cells the size of an oil barrel stored upon large industrial racks. Attached to many of these essentially giant batteries, were numerous square packages reminding Corvus of C4 were placed on a fuel cell every 10ft. From what he could tell, the troopers had fully intended to hold this ground, and make the Starcrusher Corp bleed for every inch of ground. Then when the Republic forces saw victory, the Imperials would blow this place up to Kingdom Come.
It was honestly a diabolical plan, but they hadn't accounted for an invisible Space Wizard to sneak behind them, and take everything into his inventory! The complete lack of security in the warehouse was such a welcome sight, Corvus couldn't help but let a wide grin spread from ear to ear. By securing this depot, his fleet would be able to continue their campaign of terror!
He tried to collect the fuel cells, however, he was disappointed to learn that they were slightly too large, and couldn't enter his inventory. Having experimented with this earlier, Corvus had discovered that generally speaking, anything he could easily carry in his hands, or fit in a large suitcase could go into his inventory. Glancing at the rows of fuel cells, Corvus was almost disheartened, however, he realized that the explosives lining the facility were free real-estate!
'Thank you, Emperor Palpatine, for once again donating your resources to the Grand Army of the Republic!' Corvus smirked to himself.
Blitzing across the depot, Corvus placed a hand on the explosives, and one by one, they fell into his clutches.
Just as he was sneaking up on the squad defending the front entrance, and thinking up ways to eliminate the 80,000 men stationed here, he overheard something on an open mic.
"Code: Tango-Jango-Kamino-Romeo-Zulu-777-Malastare. I repeat…all forces stand down, and turn yourselves in to the nearest Republic FOB (forward operating base). The spaceport is on the verge of being overrun, and the citadel has been conquered. All brothers, you are hereby ordered to preserve your lives no matter the cost. Good luck to you."
Corvus's eyes widened as he noticed the cadence and tone of that voice was ever so slightly different from the average clone.
'Hunter.' He thought to himself with slowly dawning realization.
The boys must've accomplished the impossible, and exceeded the mission parameters! Their task was to disable the city/planetary shields, enabling a smooth landing of troops, and the ability to conduct orbital bombardments. Yet the best commandos in the galaxy must've come up with another daring plan! One that resulted in the surrender of the Imperial Legion stationed on Malastare!
Corvus marveled as he watched the guards in front of him grumble in confusion about the sudden turn of events.
"You think it's real?" One clone asked.
"It could be a psy-op, but the code checks out, only the local garrison could know about it, and it was changed earlier this morning. We'll turn ourselves in as soon as we destroy this depot!" A man wearing a Captain's insignia remarked, a detonator was tightly grasped in his palm.
Corvus raised an eyebrow, wondering if his students had used the Force to sus out the answer. As for their plan to destroy the facility, Corvus decided to take extra precautions, and [Mind Tricked] the officer in charge.
'Once you press that button, you will imagine a scene of fire, and hear the explosion. Then, you will lead your men, and turn yourselves in, to be prisoners. Good soldiers follow orders.'
"Alright men, let's head out! We don't want to be caught in the blast radius, do we?!" The Captain sarcastically bellowed, and began to leave.
"Sir!" The troopers shouted, then fell in line behind him.
Corvus smiled at the scene, he would never grow tired of [Mind Trick].
Whistling a tune, he stepped outside, took off his mask, and breathed in the acrid air, taking in the destruction. War was awful, and rebuilding for the Dug people would majorly suck. Considering Geonosis was so close by, perhaps he could arrange for some droids to aid in that endeavor. Just because he was a Jedi Shadow didn't mean he was callous towards the plight of the enemy. Besides, rebuilding this city was sure to advance his Path of the Jedi skill.
Speaking of which, there were bound to be thousands of injured on this battlefield.
Putting his mask on, Corvus decloaked himself, and began to wander the broken city, healing any injured he came across, and using the Force to find-and rescue-those trapped beneath the rubble.
It was a long, hard day of conflict, but by the end of it, Malastare was his.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AN: Why be a saber brain monkey, when you could be a [Mind Trick] wielding Jedi Shadow?
Read up to chapter 186 at: patreon.com/KarpQQ
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Jedi Artisan (summary)
For a thousand years, the Sith plotted their revenge. Murder, betrayal, and the pursuit of power. Darth Bane's "Rule of Two" was designed to create the ultimate warrior. Culminating in Sheeve Palpatine, this millennia long endeavor was set to herald in the rise of the first Galactic Empire.
That is, of course, until Zane, laziest Jedi Knight, and most casual abuser of the dreaded [Mind Trick] arrived on the scene. A transmigrator who wanted to muddle his way through the Clone Wars, the man who would rather sun bathe with Yoda, or [Mind Trick] Jango Fett to go home and pay child support is the one responsible for saving the galaxy.
Force help us all.