Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

Chapter 58 - The Republic's New Type of Warship (4.2k)

Salvara, the Salvara Galaxy.

Tennuta Sector.

Commander Carly Trilm paced anxiously on the semicircular bridge of her Divine Will-class flagship, the Serenno Star.

Clem's Fleet!
Each step struck the smooth alloy deck, producing a slight echo.

Beyond the huge viewing window in front of the bridge, one can see the intricate metal framework and flashing navigation lights of the Salvara space station.

She waited for Dr. Clatara to board the ship, and every second of waiting felt like an invisible noose, making it hard for her to breathe.

Every extra moment the Serenno Star remained docked at the space station, the risk of it being destroyed by a Republic commando raid from space increased.

Although the probability is low, Carly has a clear understanding of her forces' vulnerability to invading fleets since the last simulation battle.

This also made her more cautious than ever before.

“Damn it,” she muttered, her voice carrying clearly in the quiet bridge, “Tex, what’s the situation?”

The tactical robot TX-103 turned its metal head, its optical sensors flashing. "Dr. Kratara insisted that all her staff, patients, and experimental equipment be transferred before she would board the ship."

Carly strode to the observation window, pressing her warm palms firmly against the cold, transparent steel, staring with deep frustration at the extended airlock that firmly locked her spaceship to the space station.

The deep hum of the spaceship's engines could be heard through the deck.

"I'm here to pick up a VIP, not to turn my cruiser into a mobile laboratory!"

"Dr. Kratara's research is crucial to the success of the separatist cause."

A hoarse voice with a distinctive guttural tone sounded behind Carly.

Carly turned around abruptly.

The speaker was General Trench, who had six eyes, or rather, now five biological eyes plus a cold, icy eye-camera.

This "VIP" was a notorious Hatch who lost half his body in the Battle of Christophersis, and was saved by the timely intervention of Ryan Bontley.

Three flexible and powerful robotic arms, along with state-of-the-art prosthetics covering most of his damaged skull and face, constitute his reborn body.

Dr. Clatara's masterful skills are evident in every aspect of the reborn Trench.

Carly had to admit that the scene left a deep impression on her.

Unlike those monotonous, bland, smooth silver prosthetics, Kratara's work evokes a sense of pride when displaying a prosthetic.

Although Trench's new body is brand new, it is full of unique personal imprints.

Each limb is intricately assembled from parts of different materials and design concepts, with delicate gold patterns and filigree adorning the edges.

Every detail has been meticulously crafted, combining functionality and artistry, and is in no way inferior to the most cutting-edge modern prosthetics.

Highly efficient and outstanding, combining practicality and aesthetics.

This is Kratara.

This is why Dr. Clatara became Coruscant's top cyber technology expert.

She is a doctor, engineer, and archaeologist all in one.

Her designs blend extraordinary wisdom with ancient knowledge.

She unearthed cyber technology research data from the old republic buried deep in the dust of history, and combined it with her unparalleled skills to create unique cyber technology.

This is one of the reasons why Carly had to completely clear out the entire research site.

This space station itself is a huge treasure trove, containing a wealth of documents and design blueprints from the Old Republic era, whose value far exceeds the scope of cyber technology.

Count Dooku, and Clatara himself, would never allow the Republic to interfere in these matters.

One of the orders Carly received was to completely destroy the base if necessary.

"I see."

Carly looked at Trench, her tone devoid of any extra emotion.

If it weren't for Ryan Bontri's insistence, she would have thought that choosing to evacuate the research station in Clatara today seemed too hasty and arbitrary.

Based on her understanding of that Pantora man, she would never act without reason.

This uncertainty kept Carly on edge. Every tiny sensor beep on the bridge made her heart clench, fearing it was an alarm signaling the Republic's invading fleet tearing through the hyperspace veil.

When Tex suddenly stood up straight from the console and reported that "an unidentified fleet is approaching," she was not surprised at all.

Trench also remained calm.

“I understand…” The old spider habitually rubbed his mechanical mandibles, making a slight grinding sound: “TX-103, what is your assessment?”

"The identification signal features match that it is a Republic Navy, sir, confirmed as an invading force."

“The timing…is quite intriguing.” Trench pondered, his eye-camera emitting a faint buzzing and clicking sound as it focused.

“Tex,” Carly’s voice turned icy instantly, her last shred of patience completely exhausted, “immediately force Dr. Kratara to transfer, load proton torpedoes into the starboard torpedo tubes, and fire as soon as we disengage.”

"Yes, yes."

……

Half an hour later, more than twenty dazzling violet energy beams shot out from under the hull of the "Sereno Star".

The proton torpedo accurately hit a key structural point on the space station.

The violent explosion tore through the thick alloy shell, and the air stored inside surged out like an out-of-control torrent, instantly turning into deadly propulsion that ripped the massive space station to pieces from the inside, hurling fragments into the cold depths of space.

Carly stood on the bridge, her gaze fixed on the sensor screens. Only after confirming that the space station had been completely reduced to an unrecognizable and worthless floating wreckage did she finally give the order: "'Sereno Star,' set course and head to Salvara orbit to rendezvous with the main force of the Crysm fleet."

“I must admit,” Dr. Kratara strode into the bridge, “escorted” by two combat droids, her milky-white biological eyes sweeping across the spreading ruins outside the window, “this research station was worth far more to me than any institution on Coruscant, and its destruction… is a great pity.”

Her voice was flat, revealing little emotion.

As an Alcanian, she resembled a human in appearance. However, her four-fingered hands covered in fine scales and a translucent blue eye embedded in a dark gold eyepatch highlighted her alien identity.

“It is indeed a pity,” Carly said without turning her head, her tone almost indifferent, “but we have more important things to do right now…we have a battle to fight.”

"Combat?" For the first time, a genuine sense of alertness flashed across Kratara's usually indifferent face. She instinctively gripped the high back of the captain's chair, her mind solely focused on the ship's contents. "Hopefully, this ship won't get caught up in the battle. My equipment is extremely fragile."

“Indeed,” Admiral Trench said, leaning on his cane, which made a crisp metallic clanging sound, as he shuffled closer to the viewing window to get a clearer look at the dark shape gradually becoming clearer in the orbit of Salvara. “It seems… you had anticipated this attack all along.”

Carly knew there was no point in hiding it any longer.

“Yes,” she nodded, her gaze still fixed on the window, “it seems that the intelligence network controlled by that Pantora man is far more efficient than we imagined.”

Trench made no comment, but calmly scanned the outline of the fleet gathering in the distant starry sky with his multiple eyes and cameras.

Dr. Kratara gazed worriedly at the Republic's front forming along the planetary route, her knuckles turning slightly white from the effort.

Carly ignored their reactions and ordered, "Tex, enemy briefing."

“Signals of more than one hundred ships have been detected,” the tactical robot’s robotic arm swiftly swept across the control panel, bringing up sensor readings. “At least fifty have been confirmed as capital ships, including twelve new Star Destroyers. No matching models have been found in the database, suggesting this is their first combat deployment.”

Carly's lips tightened into a thin line: "It seems they've come out in full force this time? Tex, I need more detailed parameters."

The robot shook its head. "The distance is too far to accurately scan the weapon hardpoints. Preliminary calculations indicate the ship's length is at least 1,600 meters."

A giant ship 1,600 meters long.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Carly's forehead.

“We haven’t detected a standard hangar structure either, sir,” a B1 combat robot clumsily added, “but we’ve observed attack carriers from the ‘Open Ring’ fleet following behind them.”

Just then, on the sensor screen, a swarm of lights representing starfighters erupted from the Republic's aircraft carrier like a dense swarm of bees, instantly filling a large area of ​​the tactical holographic projection.

The sheer number of objects caused a brief delay in the projection.

The Serenno Star happened to sail into the shadow beneath a massive Lukri Hook-class warship, and the bridge light suddenly dimmed.

Carly stared into the dim light as the Republic fleet took up attack formation.

The new battleships, lacking hangars, accelerated forward, forming the spearhead of the attack, like the tip of a merciless blade.

Despite the immense pressure, a strange, twisted sense of satisfaction welled up within her.

The Republic's Supreme Command actually regarded her as a major threat that required all its resources to deal with.

"Hard to port!" Carly's voice was resolute, something she had been preparing for months: "Admiral Trench, please immediately transfer to the flagship of the Salvara Defense Fleet, the 'Salisa'."

She activated the holographic projector in her hand, and a model of an old Rendili Dreadnought-class warship appeared in the air, spinning around.

The Salvara frigates added more than twenty warships to the Clysm fleet.

Although the central government was stingy and provided mostly outdated models, old warships are still warships.

“I need to make one thing clear,” Carly said, her sharp gaze meeting Trench’s many eyes. “Although you are an admiral, the combat command of the Salvara sector is in my hands. I have reached an agreement with the local government, and I do not want you to disrupt ‘his’ plans. Therefore, you need to follow my orders, and if possible, please do not act on your own… On Salvara, you can at least boost the morale of the crew.”

General Trench slowly turned around, his thorny teeth clicking softly, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

A moment later, a look of agreement appeared in the eyes of his five creatures, and then they bowed slightly in the manner unique to the Hachi tribe.

“I’ve caught a whiff of a meticulously planned scheme…” Trench’s voice was slightly hoarse. “I will take your command, Commander Trilm.”

Dr. Clatara watched the admiral stagger off the bridge, then turned expressionlessly to Carly: "Get me off this ship too."

“You? Sure.” Carly settled into the sturdy captain’s chair, adjusting her posture. “But your equipment? I don’t have time for that… Which ship do you want to go to?”

Kratara frowned, let out a disdainful snort, said nothing, and turned to leave the bridge quickly.

……

“Establish a real-time data link with the entire defense fleet,” Carly said, seeing that all the “guests” had been settled, and then refocused her attention on the immediate threat. “Immediately dispatch a ‘Vanguard-class’ sentry ship to conduct a deep scan of the enemy fleet. Also, prepare a ‘Generosity-class’ communications ship, ready to relay critical data back to Colombex at any time.”

"Yes, yes."

Carly unconsciously bit her finger, intently analyzing the enemy fleet's course displayed by the sensors.

At this moment, the twelve unidentified giant star destroyers began to accelerate, their speed significantly exceeding that of the other ships in the fleet.

The entire republic formation gradually stretched into a sharp cone shape that surged forward.

The "Victory-class" star destroyers behind maintained a steady speed, while the massive squadron of starfighters they dispatched tightly filled the cone-shaped airspace behind the battleships.

“Unable to analyze the enemy fleet’s tactical intentions,” Tex analyzed. “Sending the main battleships out of fighter cover to advance is a tactically foolish decision… I suggest being highly vigilant for potential traps.”

Carly squinted as she watched the fighters struggle to keep up with the faster battleships: "This isn't tactics, it's politics... those bastards want to use me as a new toy to hone their skills."

"Report from the 'Salisa': Admiral Trench's shuttle has arrived safely," the communications robot's voice announced.

“Very good,” Carly nodded. “As planned, lock the relative azimuth and deploy two improved bow-stern deep defensive lines on both the port and starboard sides of the planetary orbit, using a standard cross-cover formation. In addition, send a light cruiser, the Pathfinder, forward to provide precise target guidance for the Salvara surface defense batteries.”

These uninvited guests may possess brand-new, gleaming giant ships, but Carly Trilm possesses the planet Salvara, giving her a geographical advantage.

No one knows how much favor, resources, and credit she spent to build this frontier world into an impregnable steel fortress.

'Raine, you owe me far more than you can imagine.'

Carly watched as the enemy fleet adjusted its course, splitting the fleet in two in response to the unexpected maneuvering of the Clysm fleet.

Before long, in Salvara's atmosphere, which was shrouded in thick clouds, two massive fleets stretched out from the two hemispheres of the planet, like steel wings about to close.

She handed over the sensor data stream to the personnel on the bridge for processing, while focusing all her attention on the enemy's front line extending toward the starboard side of the fleet.

The Republic's ships are tightening their course and recalibrating, preparing to intercept her with icy resolve.

Carly unconsciously licked her slightly dry lips, her eyes burning with a cold expectation.

"They're coming."

(End of this chapter)