Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

Chapter 174, Section 176 - "Indestructible"
After the armed shuttle docked, Rein stepped inside the "Chuck Drucker".

This behemoth is classified as an "Unbreakable" class battleship, and its design is unlike any modern warship that Renne is familiar with.

Its main body is a huge disc, with a diameter of three kilometers, and it is equally huge from stern to bow and from port to starboard.

The bottom of the disc also has a distinct, fin-like protruding structure.

It's less like an interstellar warship and more like a rotating, ancient space station.

Raine had never heard of this model before, but that wasn't surprising in the vast and unknown Milky Way.

What's even more striking is its age.

Databases show that this giant ship was built four thousand years ago during the Old Republic era.

It's a miracle that it has survived to this day; the original reinforced structural components inside the ship are practically living fossils.

In any case, the "Chuck Drucker" itself is a living testament to the pinnacle of shipbuilding technology in the ancient republic.

On the way to the bridge, Renn witnessed firsthand the marks left by the brutal battles that this antique ship had endured.

Confederate soldiers in different uniforms and various repair robots were crammed into the corridors and cabins, using all sorts of emergency repair materials.

From standard nano-patch panels to makeshift pieces of asteroid metal, every second counts in repairing the hull holes and pipeline damage.

The space was filled with the piercing screams of angle grinders and the blinding blue light of welding torches.

Ventress's entire fleet was in this battered state, but this situation would soon change.

For thousands of years, the resource-rich Sulurub asteroid belt has been a huge source of wealth for Salust and Sorosub companies.

Today, it has become the Confederate fleet's lifeline.

Brigadier General Hogo Schiff's 2nd Attack Division has been deployed to secure mining sites and shipyards scattered throughout the asteroid belt.

Meanwhile, Commander Chom's Sixth Auxiliary Division was operating at full capacity to process the high-purity metal ore they had collected.

Thanks to this, the engineering workshops accompanying the 28th Mobile Fleet were able to operate around the clock, continuously providing Ventress's fleet with much-needed repair plates, replacement parts, and consumable ammunition.

This was precisely the original design intention of the 28th Mobile Fleet.

To maintain the ability to conduct long-term operations behind enemy lines.

The Sulurub asteroid belt provided an excellent opportunity for a "live-fire exercise," allowing Rein's team to thoroughly review the entire supply and maintenance process and resolve any potential problems before "Operation Starburst" officially began.

Stepping onto the bridge of the USS Chuck Drucker is a unique experience that defies easy description.

There is no traditional enclosed bridge here.

Instead, a massive three-tiered transparent steel dome structure was installed.

The central circular command deck itself is also made of transparent steel, suspended at its core only by a robust Dura steel frame.

Being here offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the universe, where the stars seem within reach.

On the other hand, Raine couldn't help but think that this design probably violated hundreds of safety and health regulations in the core world regarding bridge protection.

The almost insane "openness" of spaceship designs from the Old Republic era always gave him a mixed feeling of amazement and unease.

Raine deliberately focused his gaze straight ahead, avoiding looking down at the dizzying, seemingly bottomless abyss-like starry sky below, and walked directly toward Ventress, who was surrounded by a group of officers. Standing before a Sith always brought an instinctive sense of oppression, but with Vinok, a Force-sensitive individual, by his side, Raine had some kind of "protection."

He wondered to himself how many Force-sensitive individuals had joined the Separatist camp, inspired by the example of war hero Severn Tann.

Vinok had told Raine about the plight of the Jedi members of the Service.

Many of them chose to remain in the separatist-controlled areas, unwilling to return to the old republic that had long been forgotten and might even be hostile to them.

Some of them may also have been swayed by Count Dooku’s highly persuasive speech in Lax.

Unfortunately, Dooku began hunting down Force users who refused to convert to the dark side.

Ryan once put forward a point of view.

The cause of separatism and the Jedi Way are not mutually exclusive; fighting for the Confederation does not mean one must become a dark follower of Dooku.

Ryan felt a sense of relief when he saw that General Tann had adopted some of his suggestions when drafting the Militia Act.

The bill explicitly states that any Force-sensitive individual, regardless of whether they have received Jedi training, can voluntarily join the Confederate armed forces.

They can receive specialized military training tailored to their abilities, and may even have the opportunity to pursue advanced studies at the Federal Military Academy.

This greatly weakens the monopoly of the Dooku faction and the Jedi Order on Force users, because now any Force-sensitive person loyal to the Confederacy has official access to explore and use their unique powers.

Tann is now a household name in the Confederacy as a war hero, and her image wielding a golden lightsaber appears on various promotional posters.

It can be said that now is the best time for Force-sensitive individuals to realize their ambitions within the Confederacy.

Given that Tann herself is visiting the front lines less and less frequently, the Supreme Command is clearly working to train a new generation of Force-sensitive officers for her new army.

This is indeed a thought-provoking prospect.

Someday in the future, this country may be led by generals and admirals with precognitive abilities, and its staff will be filled with "space wizards" who are proficient in the Force.

"Ordinary" officers like Ryan, who lack the Force, might be eliminated... but by then, he'd probably be retired or dead.

Even if Severn Tann is powerful, he is still just one person, and building a completely new national system is not something that can be accomplished overnight.

Of course, if more Jedi who had received orthodox training at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant chose to join the Confederacy, bringing with them the knowledge and skills accumulated by that ancient organization over thousands of years, this process could be greatly accelerated.

Raine turned his gaze back to Ventress, the volatile user of the dark side, who was unlikely to be laid off anytime soon.

“Bontri,” Ventress greeted in her distinctive husky voice, her tone carrying her usual unruly air.

Raine didn't respond, but simply raised an eyebrow slightly and looked at her calmly.

“…Major General.” Ventress added through gritted teeth, his narrow eyes blazing with suppressed anger.

“Very good.” Raine’s gaze swept over the people on the bridge, finally landing on the timer on his wrist. “Once the order to launch Operation Stormgate is given, we will immediately engage the Republic’s task force that is blocking the jump points… and that time may come sooner than we expect.”

"Then let's begin now!" Ventress practically roared, his hands instinctively clenching into fists. "We have an overwhelming numerical advantage, we should crush them immediately! Why waste time here? Reinforcements from the Republic could arrive at any moment!"

Raine was once again convinced that this disciple of the Dark Lord would never let him have an easy time.

“We must obey orders, Commander, it is a soldier’s duty.” Brigadier General Diderich Greshad rebuked him in the cold and arrogant tone characteristic of the Kolmex elite. “Dooku’s era as a pawn is over. You can no longer act arbitrarily according to your personal preferences. If you cannot serve the overall strategic interests of the Confederation, I suggest you consider submitting your resignation.”

(End of this chapter)