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Here it was then. All four sections of the fleet had signed in, and were ready for the jump.
One minute left.
Rogal's hand quivered slightly, the anticipation beginning to get to him slightly. He firmly gripped the arm of his chair, to stop it being visible. Thirty seconds now.
Despite his firm grip, he could still feel his hand tremble. It was all down to this now, this final moment of truth. Soon, they would be able to tell whether their crusade would go down in flames, or whether they would light a fire that would burn in the heart of the Republic, and every free sentient.
Ten seconds left.
All Ships! Maintain formation, and begin the jump to hyperspace... NOW!
Rogal's issue of the order was largely irrelevant, as it coincided exactly with the countdown timer hitting zero on every ship in the fleet in unison. Most captain's had already begun the acceleration before he had finished speaking. As such, the fleet jumped to hyperspace as in unison as it's possible for a fleet of that size to be.
Due to the nature of the route Rogal had planned, and their destination, it wouldn't be long at all before they reached Coruscant, and became either heroes, or martyrs. Time ticked past silently, no-one wanted to break the tense silence that was an almost physical presence aboard his ship. Rogal expected a similar scene was playing out on the other ships in the fleet.
Two minutes to destination; All ships to full alert!
Once more, his voice broadcast to the entire fleet, then just to his own ship, he added,
Remember, we don't know what they'll have waiting. I want as much power to the shields as is possible. I know she's tough, but...
He trailed off. He knew that the bridge staff knew what they were doing.
"Beginning deceleration!" broke the silence, the cry coming from the nav station.
And as the blue lines faded back into stars, there it was, right before his eyes. Coruscant. Homeworld of the Republic, the very heart of democracy. The embodiment of freedom, of justice. Home...
Sensors! I want to know exactly what's out there! Everything! No matter how insignificant!
"Sir! Sensors report... Nine, ten... no, twelve... Twelve contacts! With minimal support, Sir! We've got the sun at our backs, and they don't seem to have been expecting us."
Rogal smiled, they outnumbered their foe almost four to one!
"Sir...?"
Rogal's smile faded, that tone of voice was never good.
"There seems to be some heavy anti-air weaponry on the ground... Ion cannons, Sir. I can't tell how many, but I'm sure they're there."
Rogal nodded, and tapped a button on his command console; opening the secure channel to the Crimson Blade,
This is the Behemoth to the Blade. I want you to drop as many men as you can right on top of those cannons. Take them out, as quickly as possible.
Then, with a press of a second button, he opened communication to the rest of the fleet;
All ships, ALL AHEAD FULL! I want us all over that planet, right now! Land as many troops as possible, concentrate your deployments! We need to hit their defenses before they know they're even under attack!
Once more, the Fleet rumbled forwards, the v shaped formation with the Behemoth at the fore was formidable indeed. The Sith ships didn't seem to be in battle formation, or have any formation, other than a somewhat basic patrol/defense set up.
It would be easy to pick off the enemy ships, especially with their numerical advantage, but the plan had to be held to, though it risked large casualties, if it paid off...
He broke from his reverie, and watched what appeared to be the Sith flagship through the long range viewfinder. He routed the view to his command panel, so he could scan the battlefield in detail at his own accord.
Weapons officer, I want all ordnance loaded and ready to fire, plot a targeting solution to hit their flagship, then broadcast that data to the rest of the fleet. I want that ship dead before it has the chance to fire a single weapon. Wait for my command.
"Aye, Sir!"
His hand gripped his seats chair even tighter. If it all went to plan in the skies, then soon he would be on the ground. Something told him that he would be in even more danger there than up here. At least he wouldn't be responsible for the entire thing failing anymore.
He swallowed, and waited as the Fleet raced ever closer to Coruscant.
One minute left.
Rogal's hand quivered slightly, the anticipation beginning to get to him slightly. He firmly gripped the arm of his chair, to stop it being visible. Thirty seconds now.
Despite his firm grip, he could still feel his hand tremble. It was all down to this now, this final moment of truth. Soon, they would be able to tell whether their crusade would go down in flames, or whether they would light a fire that would burn in the heart of the Republic, and every free sentient.
Ten seconds left.
All Ships! Maintain formation, and begin the jump to hyperspace... NOW!
Rogal's issue of the order was largely irrelevant, as it coincided exactly with the countdown timer hitting zero on every ship in the fleet in unison. Most captain's had already begun the acceleration before he had finished speaking. As such, the fleet jumped to hyperspace as in unison as it's possible for a fleet of that size to be.
Due to the nature of the route Rogal had planned, and their destination, it wouldn't be long at all before they reached Coruscant, and became either heroes, or martyrs. Time ticked past silently, no-one wanted to break the tense silence that was an almost physical presence aboard his ship. Rogal expected a similar scene was playing out on the other ships in the fleet.
Two minutes to destination; All ships to full alert!
Once more, his voice broadcast to the entire fleet, then just to his own ship, he added,
Remember, we don't know what they'll have waiting. I want as much power to the shields as is possible. I know she's tough, but...
He trailed off. He knew that the bridge staff knew what they were doing.
"Beginning deceleration!" broke the silence, the cry coming from the nav station.
And as the blue lines faded back into stars, there it was, right before his eyes. Coruscant. Homeworld of the Republic, the very heart of democracy. The embodiment of freedom, of justice. Home...
Sensors! I want to know exactly what's out there! Everything! No matter how insignificant!
"Sir! Sensors report... Nine, ten... no, twelve... Twelve contacts! With minimal support, Sir! We've got the sun at our backs, and they don't seem to have been expecting us."
Rogal smiled, they outnumbered their foe almost four to one!
"Sir...?"
Rogal's smile faded, that tone of voice was never good.
"There seems to be some heavy anti-air weaponry on the ground... Ion cannons, Sir. I can't tell how many, but I'm sure they're there."
Rogal nodded, and tapped a button on his command console; opening the secure channel to the Crimson Blade,
This is the Behemoth to the Blade. I want you to drop as many men as you can right on top of those cannons. Take them out, as quickly as possible.
Then, with a press of a second button, he opened communication to the rest of the fleet;
All ships, ALL AHEAD FULL! I want us all over that planet, right now! Land as many troops as possible, concentrate your deployments! We need to hit their defenses before they know they're even under attack!
Once more, the Fleet rumbled forwards, the v shaped formation with the Behemoth at the fore was formidable indeed. The Sith ships didn't seem to be in battle formation, or have any formation, other than a somewhat basic patrol/defense set up.
It would be easy to pick off the enemy ships, especially with their numerical advantage, but the plan had to be held to, though it risked large casualties, if it paid off...
He broke from his reverie, and watched what appeared to be the Sith flagship through the long range viewfinder. He routed the view to his command panel, so he could scan the battlefield in detail at his own accord.
Weapons officer, I want all ordnance loaded and ready to fire, plot a targeting solution to hit their flagship, then broadcast that data to the rest of the fleet. I want that ship dead before it has the chance to fire a single weapon. Wait for my command.
"Aye, Sir!"
His hand gripped his seats chair even tighter. If it all went to plan in the skies, then soon he would be on the ground. Something told him that he would be in even more danger there than up here. At least he wouldn't be responsible for the entire thing failing anymore.
He swallowed, and waited as the Fleet raced ever closer to Coruscant.