Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

Chapter 263-265 - The Battle of Vorona
Vorona orbit, Vorona galaxy.

Ahsoka once thought that Hydra would be the most terrifying enemy she and even the entire Republic's army would ever encounter.

The Peremian warlord, who roamed the galaxy, repeatedly crushing fleets and defeating Jedi, was virtually insurmountable to the Jedi, who were tasked with stopping his atrocities.

But now, Ahsoka is re-examining these erroneous preconceptions.

The Hydra has been stopped by Admiral Honor, Master Pro, and Master Kenobi in the Lundli system.

He is not invincible.

But standing in the operations room of the battlecruiser "Aurodia," Eliadu's "Grave Slayer" seemed unstoppable in its bloody conquest.

Ahsoka stared intently at the countless holographic images and the information flashing on the screen, his nausea growing stronger.

Horn Ambigine had no idea how to spell the word "failure".

"Calling Vorona Command, can you hear me!?" Ahsoka leaned over the communications station, one ear pressed tightly against the headset. "The separatists have launched a new attack on Lohopa-2, requesting emergency reinforcements!"

Ahsoka gritted his teeth.

The Grave Slayers have attacked Yagdul eight times, and the Second Military District has repelled them each time, but the battles are getting harder each time.

Now he's back again, Horn Ambigine launching a relentless offensive along the Rima trade route, unwilling to admit defeat and unable to turn back.

Ahsoka held a profound respect for his tenacity, yet also a sense of wariness.

Ambigine's extreme contempt for failure bordered on recklessness, even madness... He seemed completely indifferent to the enormous losses of soldiers and warships as long as the objective could be achieved.

"I heard you, Commander. How many troops do you need?"

Ahsoka checked the list in his mind.

"The Seventh Army Corps is short-handed..." The shrill whistle of the atmospheric thrusters suddenly came through her earpiece, followed by a series of violent explosions that momentarily deafened her. "Sixty troop transports are needed to replenish the losses!"

Ahsoka looked down at the communications officer, who was intently waiting to record the order: "The Seventh Legion of the Lohopa system requests sixty troop transport ships...one million clone soldiers."

"Seventh Legion, Lohopa System, sixty fully loaded troop transports." The communications officer repeated as he typed the command. "Sir, this is the three hundred and seventyth troop transport request today. I will report to the Second Fleet, but don't get your hopes up too high."

“Report now. We’ll try to redeploy nearby reinforcements, just in case.” Asoka pointed to the holographic map of the Harlin Trade Corridor, then turned to the officer beside him, “Commander Fajinak, I need a situation report from the Stobal system!”

Lieutenant Colonel Fajinak glanced at her in surprise, then his eyes sharpened.

Without even consulting the data, he blurted out, “The situation is critical, sir! We just dispatched sixty ‘Cheer’-class landing ships and a million clone soldiers to reinforce our defenses! The separatists haven’t given us a chance to breathe.”

“It seems, just as we feared, that Ambigine intends to outflank the Seventh Legion.” Ahsoka nodded gravely, having once hoped that the “Grave Slayers” would restrain themselves on a certain front. “Who is commanding them there?”

“It’s the 13th Brigade of the 327th Interstellar Legion, sir,” Fajinak replied easily.

"—The Second Fleet has replied to communications, Commander!" the communications officer suddenly reminded him, and Fajinak immediately moved closer.

"How many ships can they send out?" Ahsoka was mentally prepared.

“They only have three hundred ‘Cheerleader’-class landing ships left in their reserve force.” The communications officer squinted at the record. “They said they would try to requisition more troop transport ships, but it would take time. General Rigaud will not allow regular warships to be used for transport missions.”

Ahsoka cannot blame the Jedi general.

They need warships more than transport ships now.

Horn Ambigine is ruthless; any obstacle he encounters will be blasted to pieces.

Above every planet in the contest, they must clash with the fleet of the "Grave Slayers," or the planet itself will cease to exist.

“Three hundred ships are better than none.” Ahsoka closed his eyes, sketching out the battle situation in his mind. “Sir, which fronts need reinforcements?”

The communications officer stared at the console, quickly relaying the requests and marking them on the flashing star map: "Lohopa-II requests sixty ships; Ode Vog's 332nd Legion requests forty ships; General Skywalker requests one hundred ships in Vanderheim in the south; General Ray-Gau requests seventy ships in Worcester; General Ella Sekula requests fifty ships in Dela-IV."

He paused, then continued scrolling through the list: "Penda-3, Morja, Zelen, Haysop, Assalia—all are requesting reinforcements. We have planned to deploy six million troops."

Ahsoka's gaze shifted to the star map.

The area is now covered with red markers representing active battlefields.

War zones and reinforcement routes crisscrossed like arteries, and the star map seemed to pulsate as the galaxies were divided by invisible trenches.

Every arrow and boundary signifies the pressure on the Republic's defenses, as if they have been torn apart by the fury of the "Grave Slayers'" ninth attack.

He had charged into the Core World eight times, and they had repelled him each time; but this time, his offensive was longer, larger, and suffocating. “But we lack troop transports to get our forces to the front lines.” Lieutenant Colonel Fajinak frowned, his gaze following the lines on the holographic map. “The ‘Grave Slayers’ are adept at hit-and-run and asymmetric warfare, making the situation even worse.”

Fleet command reported that attacks were occurring everywhere inland... Rowntree, Arkham, Leertos, Beltrice III, and Tomor Reis were all among the casualties.

Ryan Bontri had previously breached the southern core region, and Horn Ambigine has widened the breach even further… Please forgive my wording, sir.”

“The separatists are dragging us down,” Ahsoka muttered to himself, silently hoping for guidance from Master Skywalker or Admiral Yularen.

The general and admiral trusted her and the staff to command the war, and even gave her the Orodia as their flagship. She could not betray that trust and power. "Moreover, Yagdul was somehow able to get supplies, which was very disadvantageous to us."

Yagdul then supplied the attackers in return.

It was under siege, and the siege resumed after the threat of the Hydra fleet disappeared... but the Givens showed no signs of distress.

In fact, this "mathematical nation" was in such good shape that it could send "Crest"-class warships into the southern core area to harass the Republic's supply lines together with the Confederate Fourth Fleet.

Octavian Grant described this as "creating resources out of thin air".

Either their arithmetic magic is more amazing than it appears, or the Givens have mastered a secret hyperspace route.

The former seems more likely.

“Any suggestions, sir?” Fajinak turned to her, his tone full of expectation.

"...Sixteen brigades are to be transferred from Stobal to Lohopa-II," Ahsoka ordered. "We must find a way to send the troops that Vanderheim and Worcester need there. Give Morja whatever he wants... We cannot risk the collapse of the western flank. Sir, establish contact with General Octavian Grant and request reinforcements for the Zelen system, as well as expanding the patrol ranges of Beltric and Tomor-Reis."

"What about Nadra-IV and Ode Voge?"

Ahsoka dug her nails into her palms, pleading with the Force to guide her to make the right decision.

"Sir?"

"I asked, my finger hovering over the button," the communications officer asked.

He will carry out whatever orders she gives... which will determine the lives of millions.

“…We can’t send troops to Dela-4,” Asoka said through gritted teeth. “It’s too remote and not important to the front lines.”

“General Ayla Sekula is fighting there,” Commander Fajinak reminded her, seemingly implying that fellow Jedi should be given preferential treatment. “These ships may be crucial to her success or failure in the Draro campaign.”

Ahsoka abruptly turned to the communications officer: "Sir, send an urgent priority communication to the Sixteenth Military District, telling Governor General Koy that if I have to beg on my knees, he will send troops to Dela-4 as soon as possible, and then he will get his wish."

"I...I will do so immediately, sir."

“Inform General Sekula of the situation,” she continued. “They must hold out until we receive a response.”

"And what about Od Vogel, sir?"

Ode Voge was right next to the Rima trade route.

If it falls, the flank of the Rima route will be in grave danger.

That's the main battlefront.

“Meet all their needs,” Ahsoka finally decided. “How many more ships can we send to the Ardennes commander?”

"...Twenty ships, sir."

“Sending ten brigades from Stobal would satisfy half of his request,” Lieutenant Colonel Fajinak murmured. “It’s better than nothing, but…”

Ahsoka patted the communications officer on the shoulder, signaling him to send a communication, then turned to the first mate of the Orodia: "But what?"

“We can send these twenty ships to Stobal first,” Fajinak traced the arrow with his index finger, and the holographic image flashed, “to repel the separatists there, and then transfer all of Stobal’s forces to Lohopa to reinforce the forces there, but the problem is—”

"Can the Seventh Legion hold out that long?" Ahsoka nodded and strode towards the simulation pod. "Conduct a feasibility assessment. Once there's a clear prediction, relay the decision to Commander Ardennes. For now, send reinforcements to Lohopa."

"Very good, sir!"

The operations room immediately sprang into action, with screens and holographic images changing in real time with the latest news, the constantly shifting colors giving Ahsoka goosebumps.

The enemy's red line spread like a greedy flame across the holographic map, sweeping across the southern core area like wildfire, with no obstruction in sight.

There are no clear boundaries now, only the fleet of "Grave Slayers" expanding recklessly, crossing star systems and flooding into neighboring regions, turning the front lines into chaos.

(End of this chapter)