Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

Chapter 278-280 - Adults Fighting
At this point, the Garand task force was already surrounded.

To the right rear, the Generous-class frigates and the Disobedient-class light destroyers, having just regrouped after being hit by a torpedo salvo from the Garan fleet, were close behind.

On the left, the Hydra fleet quietly emerged from the shadows of Talis's planet, the exact location of the super battleship still unclear.

And directly behind them is the planet Talis itself.

They were completely surrounded.

"It was Ryan Bontry's super battleship that stopped the 'Destroyer' from firing," Luminara said, raising her voice amidst the roar of gunfire. "Is it possible that he and Grievous aren't on the same side?"

“Even if that was Ryan Bontry, General,” Commander Gerry reminded her, “the reports indicate he was already dead, which is very likely another trap set by the separatists.”

“I don’t think so,” the Jedi Master said thoughtfully. “I have a… premonition.”

It was more like an intuition that the Force had given her.

Clone Commander Gerry knew his general well, so he did not question this "premonition".

“Even so, sir,” he added cautiously, “we cannot rule out the possibility that Ryan Bontry is hostile towards us.”

“Although we’ve clashed with him before,” Luminara watched as a Separatist cruiser disintegrated into a ball of light in a reactor explosion, the Garland’s windows automatically dimming to filter the glare, “I’ve heard he’s a practical man.”

"Are you suggesting a ceasefire, sir?"

Luminara walked steadily along the curved passageway on the starboard side, her gaze sweeping over the tactical hologram.

The red markers representing the enemy forces are steadily approaching the retreating fleet.

The pursuers are gradually eroding the rearguard of the Garland Task Force.

“If this can get us out of our current predicament,” she responded, “I think it’s worth a try.”

Just then, a communications officer turned sharply: "General! The 'Cockscomb' has been engaged by the enemy! The Zeilla is turning to provide support!"

“Here we go again,” Luminara sighed softly.

“We can still make hyperspace jumps, sir,” Gerry reminded her.

She suddenly stopped pacing—"Abandon the Magnolia and the Cockscomb?"

"This is the necessary choice to preserve the majority," the clone commander said firmly and without wavering.

Before Luminara could respond, the bridge alarm suddenly sounded.

The sharp, urgent honking of the horn drowned out all the noise.

A lieutenant practically roared the report: "Missile attack! On starboard!"

The Jedi Master and the Clones Commander simultaneously turned to the starboard window.

The view outside the reinforced transparent steel is breathtaking, with countless red-glowing "snowflakes" tearing through the starry sky like a silent storm.

These shimmering points of light, trailing plasma contrails, hurtled towards us in a precisely coordinated salvo.

Luminara quickly assessed the threat.

The torpedoes were arranged in a 51x3 formation, which was clearly a salvo from the entire side of a "God's Will"-class battlecruiser.

The computer alarm sounded again, making her heart sink.

Two more rounds of simultaneous firing appeared on the sensor.

In the lull between Master Evan Peele's attacks, the cyborg general had already reorganized the battle lines.

"Is it possible to avoid it?" Luminara asked.

In fact, she already knew the answer in her heart.

“Too close, there’s no way to avoid it, sir,” Glenn confirmed gravely. “We’re caught in a pincer movement.”

“Cancel the jump, shut down the hyperspace engines. We’ve missed our chance,” Luminara Onduli calmly ordered. “Turn 90 degrees to starboard and allocate all energy to the thrust reversers, forward shields, and point defense systems. Their target is the Garland. Adopt the port echelon formation, with the Magnolia leading and the Garland bringing up the rear. Understand?”

A chorus of responses rang out from the bridge, and the Garland shuddered violently as it maneuvered.

The warship groaned as it turned, while the escort ship hastily but precisely readjusted its position.

"Magnolia Flower is in position to take the lead," the helmsman reported, sweat beading on his forehead as his fingers flew across the control panel. "We are retreating to the rearguard position as ordered, General."

Luminara Unduly remained as steady as a rock amid the shaking of the bridge, her hands behind her back.

She watched as the new formation took shape on the tactical display screen. The Garland slowly moved back, and the entire battle line became a slightly tilted diagonal line, with each ship's reinforced port shields aimed at the incoming torpedoes for a salvo.

"Point defense system, concentrate fire on the port foreboard!" shouted the clone officer at the weapons control station. "All ships, divide into firing zones, and do not allow any target to breach!"

Griffiths' goal was very clear: to kill the Jedi Luminara.

All torpedo trajectories pointed towards the Garland.

Therefore, placing the Garland at the rear of the formation meant that the torpedoes had to first penetrate the point defense fire network woven by the entire fleet of 53 Jagdpanzer-class cruisers.

The ships of the Garand task force seemed to be connected by invisible threads, each adjusting its speed and trajectory to maintain formation.

Small escort ships maneuver flexibly between the main warships, filling gaps in the formation.

However, the pressure continued to increase, and the Magnolia and Cockscomb, which were at the forefront of the formation, struggled to hold on under the fierce attack of the pursuers.

The defenses finally cracked, and the damaged "Magnolia" was eventually lost. A large number of separatist escort ships broke through the gap, threatening the integrity of the entire formation.

"Order the 'Silver Lotus' to fill the gap," Master Luminara commanded.

Commander Gerry immediately relayed the order, his eyes fixed on the display screen.

The first wave of 153 torpedoes began to approach.

In the silent void, the point defense system of the "Bakani" opened fire first, followed by the "Macsia", "Geranium", "Begonia" and "Marg Sabur" in turn.

The entire battle line fired in unison, energy beams weaving into a defensive net in the darkness, constantly suffocating the incoming torpedo wave.

Their point defense systems fired in unison, successfully thwarting the first wave of attack.

Ultimately, the Garland smoothly moved into the rear of the formation, and its guns accurately shot down a few stragglers.

The first wave of attacks was repelled, and a brief glimmer of hope appeared on the bridge of the USS Garland. But the respite was short-lived.

The second wave of torpedoes followed closely, tracing the path of the first wave into the smoke-filled airspace.

This time, they adjusted their trajectories according to the Republic's formation and instead targeted the nearest warship.

Although the battle line is still carrying out efficient interception, the entire defensive line is showing signs of fatigue.

Several torpedoes successfully broke through the fire net and struck the forward shields of the USS Michaelia and USS Geranium.

The shockwave spread along the ranks, clearly visible even at the rear.

The shields flickered violently, systems were overloaded, and piercing alarms sounded on multiple bridges.

"The forward shield of the Macsia is damaged!" a clone officer reported urgently. "Only 43% remaining!"

The third wave of attacks was even more intense.

More torpedoes hit their targets, tearing apart the hull of the USS Bakani and leaving deep scars on the USS Anemone.

The shields along the entire battle line flickered and failed one after another, directly exposing the Dunim alloy armor.

The fleet continued its fierce resistance, with each ship unleashing its firepower forward, turning the entire battlefield into a sea of ​​light.

Then came the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh waves... Everyone understood that Grievous had fully deployed his battle lines and was pressing forward with all the military force of the separatist forces.

The Garand task force activated its thrust reversers and retreated while maintaining its firing line, attempting to create distance and buy more time to intercept the missile.

More defensive firepower, more jamming measures, more decoy flares, and main-class mass accelerators projecting swathes of fireworks into the void... until the entire airspace in front of the fleet was saturated with weapon firepower.

The dark space transformed into a raging sea of ​​light, pushing the fleet to its limits as it struggled to maintain its defensive line.

"The Cockscomb reports severe damage to its tail shield generator!" Commander Gerry shouted, his voice unusually urgent. "They're retreating to the second line!"

"Reinforcement gap! Order 'Magnolia' to cover the position of 'Cockscomb'!"

"General, the 'Mulan' has been destroyed in battle!"

However, Luminara Unduri felt an unusual calm within herself, as the Force continuously infused her with confidence.

It seems... the situation is about to take a turn for the better.

Her gaze swept across the tactical display screen, where Ryan Bontry's fleet was faintly visible behind the Garland Task Force.

The escort ships were rapidly approaching, their course heading straight for her crumbling convoy.

Despite the perilous situation, the Force continued to whisper to her, conveying a calm and unwavering belief... at least for now, it was not the end.

“General,” Gerry said emphatically, “Bounty’s troops are about to arrive. If they attack, we will be attacked from both sides!”

Just as Luminara was about to give the order, a sudden change occurred.

The rapidly approaching fleet did not fire at the unsuspecting rear of the echelon. Instead, it suddenly turned, its streamlined hulls rushing toward the sides of the echelon.

The exhausted crew of the Garland were on high alert, but the salvo from the turbine laser cannons never came.

Conversely, these frigates swept past the formation at high speed; their hull designs, though seemingly unsuitable for close combat, sliced ​​through the air like sharp blades.

"What are they doing..." the sensor supervisor exclaimed, his face full of astonishment, and everyone on the bridge looked puzzled.

Before anyone could react, these unusual frigates took action.

As they passed over the Garand task force, their lower hatches opened, releasing dozens of metal spheres that fell directly into the missile's trajectory.

The rapid identification revealed that these were high-yield ion mines, which were activated within seconds.

The minefield that appeared out of nowhere happened to be positioned in the path of the incoming Greaves missile.

"The sensors are showing... mines, General!" a cloned officer reported incredulously. "They're intercepting torpedoes!"

The battlefield in front of the echelon instantly descended into chaos.

As the missile swarm entered the minefield, the mines immediately launched a precise counterattack.

The explosions spread across the void, each dazzling bolt of lightning instantly engulfing hundreds of torpedoes, burning their engines and navigation systems, turning them into unguided ballistic weapons.

After losing guidance, the Garland's fire control computer easily shot down these "blind" torpedoes.

At the same time, five "Generosity-class" frigates suddenly charged out and rammed directly into the flank of the pursuing fleet.

The super-heavy turbine laser cannon at the bow of the ship emitted a blinding light in the silent space. Although no roar could be heard, its destructive energy truly tore through the darkness.

They quickly coordinated with the struggling "Silver Lotus," and a salvo disrupted the attack rhythm of Grievous's fleet, forcing the enemy to retreat repeatedly.

"Bounty's fleet... didn't attack us?" Commander Gerry muttered to himself, his tone full of disbelief.

Master Luminara remained silent, standing still with her eyes fixed on the forty fin-shaped frigates that were moving nimbly in front of the formation.

Their ion mines, laid out like a death net, combined with dense point defense firepower, intercepted and detonated subsequent volleys of torpedoes.

By the time a few stray torpedoes finally managed to get within range of the USS Garland, their threat had already been significantly reduced.

Suddenly, a stiff and strange voice came through the public channel. The speaker was clearly not human: "Attention all Republic ships, this is Dodcia Eliet, delivering a message on behalf of Admiral Ryan Bontry of the Confederate Navy."

The voice paused, then continued, "The general suggests that you disperse your formations and withdraw from the battlefield as soon as possible... It is recommended that you complete the withdrawal along the Z-axis."

Luminara Unduly understood the importance of the Given man's advice almost instantly.

With one eye fixed on the rapidly increasing energy reading on the tactical screen, she gave the order without hesitation.

"Helmsman, do as they say."

Commander Gerry turned around abruptly, his face filled with panic: "But sir, what if our formation breaks down..."

The Jedi Master from Miriar unusually raised his voice, his tone filled with undeniable urgency: "We have to get out of their line of fire...!"

Gerry's eyes widened immediately, and he almost shouted as he repeated her command: "...Get out of the way!"

(End of this chapter)