Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

Chapter 236, page 228 - The Influence of "Politics"
Renn seemed somewhat surprised.

Did Vinok take over a fortress planet under construction with only fifty-one warships?
This is somewhat unsettling.

This is because it confirms the presence of the Republic's army in the deep core region, and considering the location of this mysterious "Audik system," it is very likely that the Republic has mapped all or most of the Nexus route.

This is undoubtedly a hidden danger, because this route is currently their only escape route.

If the Fifth Deepcore Fleet sets up a blockade on the south side, they could be completely trapped.

However, the mining association had previously revealed to Rennes that the main force of the Fifth Deep Core Fleet had headed north to fill the vacancy left by the transfer of the core reserve fleet.

Given how easily Diedrich and Vinok defeated the Deepcore defenders, Reyn also chose to believe this intelligence.

However, risks still exist.

Even a single blocking mine would be enough to wipe out the entire fleet.

After much deliberation, Ryan decided whether to send his remaining forces to support Vinok and maintain his offensive, but ultimately rejected the idea.

They currently have only about two hundred warships.

Despite the fact that the Koros Space Factory in Titan is operating at full capacity, and with new ships being added to the fleet daily by the Titan Guard and the Mining Guild, the loyalty of these ships remains questionable, and Raine is unwilling to send them too far from the Queen Titan system.

They already have a significant number of ships attacking the agricultural ring outside, and Raine has no confidence in further diverting his already weak forces in such a dangerous region as the Deep Core for some unconfirmed intelligence, especially at a time when the Republic's army may counterattack at any moment.

Raine activated the holographic projector and recorded the instructions: "'Weeping Sun', this is the 'Chimera'. Your mission is to hold the existing position, complete the defense construction of the Plagis system, immediately establish a blockade field, and intercept any enemy ships attempting to retreat via the Nexus route. Over."

Next, he opened Kretz's report, which was concise and detailed his findings in the neighboring star system of the Koross region.

Just as Hogo Schiff excelled at attacking economic and trade routes, this Nemoydian also seemed to have a knack for diplomatic negotiations.

Despite having only a small squadron of ten ships, it was enough for Clay.

Through Kretz's mediation, Kira Prime, Sinbia, and Quar have all re-sworn allegiance to the Titan monarchy, acknowledging their place within the Titan Queen's sphere of influence, and thus joining the Separatist Alliance.

Today, in the deep core region of the Republic's territory, the Confederate flag has been raised on five major star systems and eleven planets.

A veritable "hermit kingdom" is taking shape, located in the most dangerous region of the known Milky Way, right next to the gravitational edge of the supermassive black hole at the galactic center.

Most importantly, technically speaking, this "hermit kingdom" was not completely isolated from the rest of the Confederacy.

As long as the other end of the Nexus route, Yagdul, remains in the hands of the Confederation, supplies and provisions can theoretically continue to flow into this emerging separatist star system.

Looking back to when he first joined "Operation Starlight," Renn never imagined that one day he would be involved in national construction in the backyard of the Republic.

They truly took a terrible hand and played it to a whole new level.

After issuing the last batch of orders, Raine prepared to meet with Emperor Allor Cato and the real power behind him, the senior members of the Mining Guild, in order to gain more support.

In fact, he had also considered creating a rift between the Titan Monarchy and the Mining Guild.

After all, the mining guild sided with a faction that was losing power within the separatist alliance.

If the Titanic royal family can use this opportunity to break free from the control of corporate giants, they may use their wealth and influence to support the Lax government in the future.

But on the other hand... Raine was ultimately just a fleet commander, not a politician, and was not good at navigating the social circles of the court and nobility.

In any case, he must do everything in his power to strengthen the defenses before the Republic's army advances.

Therefore, he did not want to get involved in a power struggle between an ancient monarchy and a galactic behemoth.

Moreover, this mining guild branch has already severed all ties with the business guild headquarters as much as possible.

All the information they could obtain from the outside world depended entirely on the party controlling the sole outlet—

That is, Raine's 28th Mobile Fleet.

Just then, the holographic projector started flashing and emitted a notification sound...

A new communication request has been received.

Rein's eyes flickered slightly before he accepted the communication. Soon, the cold, aloof figure of Givenchy's Dodcia Eliet appeared on the table.

“Dodcia Iliette,” Renn greeted the Given chief navigator, “any news from the front?”

Dodcia Iliette had supported them at the end of the Battle of Agdur and was also the commander of the seventy "Crest-class" frigates, which were generously allocated by the "Machine Calculus".

Because this class of frigate is well-suited for reconnaissance missions, after they established a foothold in the Queen Titan system, Iliette led a squadron and most of their intelligence frigates to explore alternative routes outside the deep core region, in case the Nexus route was cut off by the Republic, so that they would still have a way to retreat.

“We have discovered a route that can replace the Nexus route,” Eliette said, cutting to the chase without any pleasantries. “It follows an ancient, now-collapsed hyperspace route called the Daragon Trail, which leads to Vulput and from there you can jump to Soth.”

"Wouldn't that be like... escaping one tiger's den only to fall into another?" Upon hearing this, Renn frowned and then asked, "Are there any other options?"

Dodcia seemed to reveal a hint of what humans would categorize as "annoyance," saying, "We're still scouting a blockade checkpoint south of the Queen Titan system, which leads to a deeper part of the core..."

Suddenly, the holographic image of Eliette malfunctioned and flickered for a few seconds, and the signal became noticeably unstable.

He deployed intelligence frigates like seeds throughout the deep core, serving as hyperspace communication relay stations, which was also the only means of communication in this place.

In fact, Raine was unable to make contact with Illieett at all. His fleet was not near any known relay point, let alone in the extremely complex gravitational environment where it was only 1500 parsecs away from the supermassive black hole.

Therefore, this was only a one-way communication. If the Given fleet were to encounter misfortune…

For example, if he were to collide with an anomalous mass shadow, he would have no way of knowing it at that moment.

Such a hypothetical situation is impossible for the Givan people; they are full of confidence in themselves.

Renn also felt there was no need to worry about such a problem.

After all, this is the area where the Jiwen people excel.

The deployment of these intelligence escort ships also serves a second purpose: to build an early warning system around the Queen Titan system, a virtual "bubble" that can alert them at any time to any fleet approaching from any direction.

Because the frigates are concentrated along potential routes, this early warning effect will be optimal.

Currently, the "Priestess" network system can only monitor incoming and outgoing communications from Coruscant.

This is helpful for grasping the macro-level trends in the capital of the Republic, but it is far from sufficient for reliable military reconnaissance, not to mention the signal delay.

Considering the time required for receiving, filtering, and encrypting the information, the vast majority of the received information is useless junk.

The mysterious fleet that Vinok mentioned in the Audik system is still missing. Its operation in the Republic's backyard means that it must deal with dozens of secondary routes that the enemy may use but that it cannot monitor.

“To a planet that is only labeled ‘Taisang’ in our database,” Eliette continued after the signal was restored, “we recommend deploying a new hyperspace, as well as a hypercommunication relay station, in that system.”

"What value does 'Taisang' have?" Renn pressed. "It must have something, right? Otherwise, why would the Republic set up blockade checkpoints on the routes leading to it..."

and many more.

Block off the checkpoint?

On our side?
Renn suddenly paused, his mind racing with thoughts.

Surely this "Taisang" isn't the lair of some kind of flesh-eating virus or predatory alien species?
“The scans show that the planet is a rich paradise,” Eliette continued, “with signs of civilization, but it has now been abandoned. We need to revise our landing plan, and next, we need to use this system as a base of operations to continue exploring potential routes.”

A paradise planet with the ruins of an abandoned civilization?

It sounds like a Pandora's box.

Fortunately, Eliet was rational enough to understand the risks of landing, such as contracting some kind of carnivorous plague.

Or perhaps he simply doesn't care.

He has probably seen hundreds of heavenly realms in his lifetime.

“I will coordinate with the Kross Space Factory,” Ryan promised him. “You will get the relay station you want.”

“You are smarter than most of your kind,” Dodcia Iliet nodded in response, his movements somewhat stiff but revealing a hint of approval.

Just before he was about to cut off the communication, Raine hurriedly raised his voice and asked, "There's one more thing. Based on the current intelligence from the 'Priestess' network system, how long do you estimate it will take before we see the Republic's fleet appear at our doorstep?"

Dodcia Iliet remained silent.

In Renn's view, that brief pause was like a supercomputer running at full capacity.

Finally, Given asked in return, "How is Commander Kretz's progress?"

“All the neighboring galaxies have already submitted,” Ryan quickly responded. “These galaxies in the deep core region offered almost no resistance; they surrendered voluntarily.”

The Doddish man nodded steadily, as if everything was within his expectations. "Then, it's basically certain that a Republic fleet will appear before you within a week."

Rein unconsciously pursed his lips. "So fast? My tactical robot simulations show that the Republic won't start food rationing for at least a month. We have plenty of time to mobilize the new fleet... Logically speaking, a month isn't unreasonable, is it?"

“Your robot is wrong,” Eliette said calmly, yet with an undeniable air of authority. “It doesn’t take ‘politics’ into account. The Republic’s army simply doesn’t have that much time.”

He paused briefly, seemingly gathering more information, before continuing, "Coruscant is now very weak, its prestige is rapidly eroding, Eriadu has been destroyed, and now three separatist fleets have simultaneously appeared in the Deep Core region... In less than a standard month, basic survival supplies will become luxuries, and the vast majority of star systems remain within the Republic not out of loyalty, but out of habit..."

“But things are different now,” he added. “Switching to separatism has become a real option, whether out of panic or a weighing of pros and cons. Loyal media might be able to suppress the news of the Queen Titan system’s independence, but the entire Koros sector’s collective shift to separatism… they can’t hide it.”

“So the Republic is afraid that other star systems will follow suit,” Raine whispered, quickly calculating whether this was an opportunity or a bigger crisis. “They must act quickly and make an example of one to prevent the Titan from breaking away like a flood breaking through a dam.”

“That’s right,” Eliette agreed, “and Commander Kretz’s diplomatic progress…getting the entire Deep Core to recognize the rule of the Titans again, only makes the Republic feel that time is running out.”

Moreover, the declaration of independence by a core planet like Queen Titan, with its long history and prestigious status, is itself a heavy blow to the prestige of the Republic.

This is self-evident.

Renn solemnly nodded his thanks to Dodcia Elie.

The navigator's task of finding a way back for them was more crucial than ever.

Then, the communication was cut off.

In the silence, Raine took out his personal communicator and pressed the call button.

“Hal,” he said calmly, “get me Hogo Schiff.”

(End of this chapter)