Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

Chapter 267, Page 269 - Fanta
Raine suddenly remembered.

Two years ago, dozens of spy frigates were deployed in the area around Sereno, specifically to monitor all communications and report directly to him!
Although the "Priestess" network later became a more efficient source of intelligence, these ships were not recalled.

If they were controlled by living crew members, they would probably have lost contact long ago and become the legendary ghost fleet, drifting aimlessly in the universe... But fortunately, they are controlled by robots.

The question now is: after so much time, do they still have fuel?
Renn cannot be certain of this.

The most energy-consuming part of a starship is its propulsion system, and these spy ships have not moved since they were put into place.

The only equipment that has been continuously operating is the intelligence monitoring and communication equipment, which has been working non-stop for two years now.

But it was worth a try, and Ryan was unwilling to let any opportunity slip by.

“Navigator,” Ryan called to the navigation station at the rear of the bridge, “do a simulation immediately, assuming we sail at top speed, allow for fuel overruns, and even take shortcuts on the Villagi route, I need to know if a round trip to Graflex Med in twenty days is feasible.”

"Received," the navigation robot replied cautiously. It probably knew that this was a nearly impossible request, but as a machine, it would simply carry it out.

The console starts displaying the coordinates and time data calculated by the navigator.

Even under the most ideal conditions, a one-way trip takes twelve days.

It's still too long.

Ryan muttered a curse under his breath.

At this moment, Augu's metallic body turned slightly, as if silently reminding himself of his presence.

Augu did not need rest, nor could he tolerate such inefficiency or hesitation.

Renn could even imagine the judging expression that might appear on its mechanical face at that moment.

"Forget it!"

He muttered to himself, only able to retrieve the exact locations of those spy ships from his memory.

But he is human, and his memory is not perfect.

Fortunately, he had a robot with an absolutely complete memory standing next to him, and Augu had just integrated all the location data he provided.

“August…” Renn said slowly, “It seems I’ll have to dig something out of your ‘brain’.”

……

From its inception, the Independent Galaxy Confederation has faced a fundamental problem.

The territory is too fragmented.

When the war broke out, the Confederate-controlled star system was split into four main war zones, which were not directly connected by hyperspace routes.

In the early stages of the war, the highest command, Lacus, struggled to coordinate operations, and the Confederate fleet, lacking unified command, found it difficult to work together effectively.

The "roundabout operation" was the first major attempt to break this deadlock.

Confederate Generals Severn Tann and Grievous launched simultaneous offensives on the southern front, successfully breaking through Loyalist-controlled waterways, connecting three of the four main theaters of war, and establishing a reliable logistical line for the distant western frontier.

Encouraged by this, the Lax government approved the subsequent "unification offensive," with the goal of establishing a direct hyperspace connection with the new territory's second war zone.

This operation was also divided into two groups, advancing along both ends of the Salin Corridor, led by Admiral Coster and Commander Drogen Hosh, with the intention of taking advantage of the momentum of the "flanking maneuver" to achieve a swift victory.

Meanwhile, Fanta assembled its fleet, prepared its troops, and calibrated its cannons, turning the entire Fanta system into a giant space graveyard.

That was the Confederate's first attack on Fanta, the only Loyalist stronghold on the Salin Corridor.

The outcome of the battle left the name "Fanta" deeply etched in the hearts of every Confederate officer.

This planet, once considered an isolated and poorly defended area in the outer rings, is now known throughout the galaxy as "Fanta, the Fortress Planet."

That was two years ago.

Soon after, the Republic's "Operation Trident" shattered the Confederacy's dream of unification, and Fanta's defeat had a lasting impact on the young separatist alliance.

The new territory was completely isolated from the rest of the Confederacy, limiting Lax's expansion of influence and providing fertile ground for Serenno's rise, ultimately leading to the bloody divisions within the Confederacy we see today.

However, with the unfolding of "Operation Starlight," the hope for unification seems to have been rekindled.

The Republic was forced to recall its fleet to defend the core world, while the Confederation took the opportunity to launch Operation Stormgate, planning a second attack on Fanta.

This time, commanded by Admiral Trench and Rear Admiral Melley, the number of ships used was almost twice that of the first time.

Meanwhile, Fanta once again assembled its fleet, prepared its troops, and calibrated its cannons, turning the Fanta Galaxy into a cosmic graveyard once more.

That happened a year ago.

“That’s ‘Fortress Planet Fanta’,” Rear Admiral Dietrich Greshad of the 28th Mobile Fleet said softly, looking at the images transmitted back from the reconnaissance.

Now, Admiral Trench has returned to the place where the Confederacy suffered two defeats, this time with twice the number of warships he commanded during the second attack.

The "Invincible" was like a giant beast slowly emerging from its lair, with thousands of warships following behind, awaiting its command.

On the left wing was the brightly painted fleet of the Peremian Alliance, centered around the gleaming "Crown Prince".

The right wing consisted of the veterans of the Northern Fleet, who were riding high on their victory in the Kalamari space and led by the Prosperity.

Three thousand warships of the Confederate Second Fleet were on high alert, but Trench was unwilling to let any die needlessly before the fortress before him. “This is my second time here,” Rear Admiral Melley said bitterly, “that space station still haunts my nightmares.”

"me too!"

Trench thought with a serious expression.

The main advantage of the fortress planet Fanta, besides the powerful hyperspace blocking core inside the galaxy, lies in the orbital combat station named after it—Fanta Station.

This place was once a bustling trading spaceport on the Salin Corridor, but it has now been transformed by the Republic into an impregnable fortress.

The once spacious dock where merchant and passenger ships were moored has been transformed into a huge hangar capable of simultaneously launching a large number of interstellar fighters.

The luxurious lounge where merchants once discussed deals has been transformed into a simple barracks crowded with elite Marines.

Even the viewing windows that were once used to admire the stars have been blocked up and turned into cannons. Now their duty is to unleash destruction on any enemy that dares to approach.

Every inch of this massive space station is covered with turbo laser cannons, point defense arrays, missile launchers, and heavy naval artillery.

“We have brought enough ships this time; their sheer numbers should be enough to overwhelm Fanta,” Admiral Greshad analyzed. “Fanta Station cannot defend all directions. As long as we pinpoint the exact location of the hyperspace blocking core, the 28th Mobile Fleet will act as the strike force to destroy it. At the same time, the main force of the Second Fleet will draw the firepower of Fanta Station.”

“The losses will be devastating,” Trench seemed to already see the carnage of the second attack on Fanta and the horrific scenes that would unfold within the firing range of that combat station.

He could only imagine how terrible and unexpected the first attack on Fanta must have been for Koster and Drogen Hosh.

“We also have our own surprises, Admiral,” Admiral Melley suggested. “The ‘Fang’ and the ‘Intruder’ are in position, and either one of them could cripple Fanta Station with a single blow.”

Far behind the Second Fleet Group, out of sight, in the shadows, lay their two superweapons.

The "Venomfang" made its debut in the Battle of Kolumex, and its massive ion cannon could instantly cripple Fanta's entire defense grid.

The Intruder, on the other hand, could use its powerful gravitational wave cannon to completely destroy the Fanta Station.

however……

“If possible, I don’t want to reveal my hand so early,” Trench said. “I want to try negotiating with the commander of Fanta Station first, even if it’s just talking to the guy who easily stopped our attack twice.”

His two deputies did not respond immediately, their silence revealing their deep doubts about the feasibility of the proposal.

The strategic situation is different now; the Second Fleet Group has enough firepower to overwhelm Fanta.

Why did General Trench still insist on negotiating with the Republic commander?
Their silence spoke volumes about their doubts.

The truth is actually quite simple: Trench hopes to use his trump card only as a last resort.

Superweapons are undoubtedly powerful, but they also have inherent weaknesses.

Their rarity and symbolic significance make them a top priority target for the enemy.

No matter how tight the escort or how thorough the defense, superweapons will always be the target of concentrated fire.

General Trench has studied this topic in depth and analyzed the dual value and risks of such weapons.

He concluded that superweapons can only prove their worth under two circumstances.

The first scenario is that it can systematically destroy enough enemy assets to offset its own high cost and risk.

However, this method has a fatal flaw: with each victory, its secret is revealed further, and the enemy gains a deeper understanding of it.

The longer it remains active, the higher the likelihood of it being destroyed before it can "break even".

The second scenario is to reserve the weapon for that optimal moment, a unique, decisive instant, whose use could either secure a victory that would otherwise be impossible or irreversibly turn the tide of battle.

In this situation, confidentiality becomes its most important shield.

As long as its existence remains unknown, it can disappear again after exerting its maximum effect.

Ultimately, Trench deduced that the most effective defense against superweapons was not their armor or escort fleets, but the secrecy surrounding their existence.

This principle was proven in the Battle of Kolmogoks.

This is precisely why, despite its stunning debut in Kolmogorov, the "Venom" was not completely destroyed by the pursuit of victory.

It turned the tide of the battle and proved its worth, but once the battle was over, it disappeared again into the labyrinth of military bureaucracy and layers of classified documents, without taking any further noteworthy action.

The Republic's intelligence service initially tried to find and destroy it, but these efforts ultimately proved futile as the Confederate armed forces no longer placed it on the front lines.

Superweapons should only be used when there is no other choice and only they can achieve the strategic objectives.

In Kolmogoks, the "Venom" accomplished what other weapons could not, and its value far exceeded sinking a thousand Republic supply fleets... a task that conventional attack fleets could also accomplish.

If Trench could get the fleet through Fanta without using superweapons, then using them in this situation would never make sense.

“Communications officer,” Trench said firmly, “send a message to Fender Station stating that I insist on peace negotiations.”

“Received…” The robot operator paused, uttering a confused electronic voice, “Uh—sir? We’ve received an incoming communication request… from an unknown source?”

Trench whirled around, grinding his teeth impatiently. "Unknown source?"

"The signal is from a ship, sir," the robot tapped on the control panel, "but there's no call sign or transponder identification code. Should we connect?"

(End of this chapter)