Chapter 340
**Grievous POV**
Grievous stood on the bridge of the *Malevolence*, his mechanical claws clenched so tightly the servos whined in protest. Through the viewport, he could see the Republic fleet forming up around the Dentaal convoy — and there, at the center of it all, was the ship he hated most.
The *Terminus*.
"That cursed vessel," he rasped, yellow eyes burning with hatred. "Ready the ion cannon! We must destroy that ship!"
"Roger, roger," the tactical droid replied flatly.
The massive ring-shaped ion cannon along the *Malevolence*'s flank began to glow with crackling purple energy. Grievous watched with savage anticipation as the colossal pulse built, then fired — a gigantic sphere of ion devastation hurtling toward the Republic formation like a dying star.
For a moment, he allowed himself a metallic chuckle.
Then the *Terminus* answered.
A brilliant blue-white bolt of concentrated ion energy erupted from its forward super cannon, slamming into the incoming sphere. The two colossal charges collided in open space with a blinding flash. A massive shockwave rippled outward, washing over both fleets and momentarily flickering shields and systems.
Grievous' eyes widened in shock.
"What—?!"
Before he could finish the thought, the Republic's new ships and the three Resurgents opened fire.
A solid wall of blue and green turbolaser fire slammed into the *Malevolence*, concentrating directly on the exposed ion cannon emplacements. The massive rings shuddered under the barrage. Armor plating glowed white-hot, then began to buckle.
"Sir, the cannon is taking heavy damage!" a droid officer reported.
"Begin charging the second cannon! Take aim and open fire!" Grievous roared, coughing violently.
The *Malevolence* answered with its secondary weapons — heavy turbolasers and ion cannons lashing back across the void — but the sheer volume of fire coming from the Republic formation was overwhelming.
Grievous slammed a metal fist into the console.
"Marek… you will not deny me my vengeance!"
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**Scene 2 – Tarkin POV**
Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin stood on the bridge of the *Endurance*, watching the colossal Separatist ship with cold calculation. The *Malevolence* was a monster — nearly five kilometers of brutal engineering, shrugging off hits that would have crippled a Venator.
"We are still at a disadvantage given the range for most of the Valiant-class weapons to be effective," Tarkin noted, "but the XX-10 heavy turbolasers are reaching their marks."
"All systems, what is the status?" he demanded.
"Sir, our shields are stable, but the ship is so large it's taking everything we can dish out," the tactical officer replied.
A priority message flashed across the main display.
"Message from the *Terminus*," the comm officer announced. "We are to join with *Yaddle*, *Silencer*, *Retribution*, *Endurance*, and accelerate to turn broadside to cover the enemy ship's escape vector."
Tarkin allowed a thin, predatory smile.
"Very well. Change vector."
The *Endurance* and the other four Valiants began their coordinated maneuver, massive engines flaring as they swung into position. Their heavy turbolaser batteries opened up in unison, adding their fire to the relentless barrage hammering the *Malevolence*'s ion rings.
Tarkin watched the enemy ship shudder under the combined assault.
"Keep firing," he ordered softly. "Let's see how long this abomination lasts."
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**Scene 3 – Cerri POV**
Aboard the *Finalizer*, Captain Lichtendal Cerri stood at the command station, feeling the raw power of the Resurgent-class Battlecruiser thrumming through the deck plates.
He had always felt invincible commanding these ships — Dagon's designs were essentially mobile fortresses. Their firepower and shielding made them nearly unmatched in conventional fleet combat.
Until now.
Cerri stared at the *Malevolence* — a five-kilometer behemoth that seemed to absorb everything they threw at it.
"Full speed! Ready torpedo launchers! Target the rings — we must stop this ship!" he barked.
The *Finalizer* surged forward, its massive engines pushing it ahead of the formation. The other Resurgents — *Steadfast*, *Ranger*, *Fortitude*, and *Grey Wolf* — followed in tight formation.
"Torpedoes away!"
Hundreds of proton torpedoes streaked from the Resurgents' launchers, slamming into the *Malevolence*'s exposed ion cannon rings. Explosions bloomed along the massive structure, but the ship kept coming, its secondary turbolasers firing back with savage intensity.
Cerri gripped the rail, eyes narrowed.
"Come on… break, you bastard."
The *Malevolence* answered with another ion pulse from its remaining cannon. The blue-white sphere raced toward the Republic line.
The *Terminus* fired its super cannon again — another brilliant ion bolt colliding with the enemy pulse in a second blinding shockwave.
Cerri allowed himself a grim smile.
"This is going to be a long fight."
The two fleets closed, turbolaser fire filling the void between them like a storm of green and blue lightning.
The battle for Dentaal had truly begun.