Alto looked at the people gathered in the square, framed by trees and stone houses. The capital of Jabiim, Choal, was rightly considered the pearl of the planet. The people who lived here loved their city and cared for it. Now it was time to care for the future.
In the center stood the soldiers of the elite Nimbus—the pride of both Stratus and Jabiim. On either side of them were soldiers of the National Militia, and around them were many thousands of ordinary citizens. And before them all, on the ground, lay a neat row of coffins. On top of each was a wreath of withered Jabiim aglaia flowers. The families of the deceased stood beside their sons, husbands, and brothers.
Stepping forward, Stratus raised his sword, holding his shield in his other hand. It was a family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation. Some said the sword and shield were more than ten thousand years old. No weapon could pierce the shield, and the sword never needed sharpening—the vibroblade, though ancient, still functioned perfectly. He had proven that almost a year ago, slaying the corrupt spineless creatures from Congress with this very blade.
"We are gathered here today to honor the memory of our brothers who died fighting the damned Republicans! Our planet—your home—is drowning in blood! For three thousand years, we have remained loyal to the Republic! But what help did it offer when the plague struck Jabiim? Where was the Republic when Trandoshan slave traders invaded and captured many of our friends and relatives?! Where were the Jedi when the Lythian pirates killed your—and my—parents?!
"The Republic ignored all our pleas for aid! There were those who agreed to help, and we breathed a sigh of relief, looking confidently to the future! And now, when the Republic has learned that there is a vast amount of ore beneath our soil, it wants to take it from us! They don't want us trading with the Confederacy of Independent Systems—they want all the profit for themselves, leaving us poor and starving!"
The crowd erupted in shouts of approval, shaking their fists angrily. Soldiers raised their hands, brandishing their weapons.
"Let the Republic know—we will fight for our planet, for our homeland, for the future of our children! We will send them all back to Coruscant… in coffins!" Stratus nearly shouted the last words, lifting his face to the slanting rain.
A roar of hundreds of thousands of voices rolled over the city.
"Death to the Jedi! Death to the Republic! We will avenge the dead!"
***
Skywalker rushed into the room, heading for Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was standing near a large tactical table. Master Ti stood beside him, surrounded by several dozen Jedi. Anakin stepped forward, with his faithful R2-D2 rolling behind him.
"Obi-Wan!"
"Oh, Anakin. You're back already?"
"Yes. Pa—er, Senator Amidala has returned from Rodia. Congratulations, Master!"
"Don't mention it. I can't take credit for that."
"Come on. You deserve the title of Council member more than anyone."
"Honestly, you're embarrassing me," Kenobi chuckled. "Anyway, let's get back to business. You're just in time."
"A new assignment?" Anakin asked, glancing around. They wouldn't gather so many Jedi for something trivial.
"Yes. But first, let me introduce you to the others." Obi-Wan began pointing them out one by one. "This is Master Buck Sirrus and his Padawan, Aubrie Win; Master Pak Norcuna; Master Dara Leska; Master Sana-Jis Ilova; Knights Railcema Bylissura and Dalnus Cam; Master Jeb Glaive and his Padawan, Zule Xiss; Knight Nico Diath with his Padawan, Tae Diath; Knights Odbull Stadlober, Ikarus Salan, Platt Fel, and Kai Enneb. And these are the Padawans Un Vaabesh, Kass Tod, Mack Lotor, Windo Nend, and Elora Sund. Well, you already know Master Shaak Ti."
"Kenobi," Glaive's rough bass rolled over the room, drowning out all other sounds. The man was truly enormous; his muscles bulged beneath his standard Jedi robe. "We've been here quite a while, but we still don't know what's going on."
"Yes," Norcuna agreed, shaking his lekku.
"Why were we pulled from the front lines? And in such numbers?"
"All right." Obi-Wan tapped a few keys. A hologram of a planet shimmered to life before the assembled group. "As you know, the Separatists lost a great many of their warships in the Battle of Kamino, and now they are desperately trying to regain their advantage. This is Jabiim, in the Outer Rim. Vast deposits of minerals and metals have been discovered there. The local leader, Alto Stratus, supports the CIS and has already granted them full rights to develop these resources. The Republic cannot allow this; besides, part of the population remains loyal to the Republic. All the data is in front of you."
"How long has this been known?" The Rodian, Salan, stared questioningly at the Masters.
"About two weeks ago. Since then, we have been preparing for a major offensive. We have been provided with a small reserve of ships, and additional vessels have been brought in from other Sectors where the situation is less complicated. Specifically, ships are arriving from the First and Third Sectors, as well as from the Fifth. In addition, two squadrons from the Third Sector will secure our passage to the planet via the Parlemian Trade Route—the shortest and fastest route. Twenty-seven Acclamator and fourteen corvettes have been allocated for the landing operation. Twenty more Acclamator from the Third Sector Army will provide cover for the convoy and break through the enemy blockade. According to our data, there are currently ten Lucrehulks and about twenty frigates in orbit around the planet."
"How many clones are under our command?"
"More than three hundred and fifty thousand clones, along with a large amount of military equipment. The plan is as follows: as soon as we break through the planet's blockade, we'll immediately attempt a surface landing, though that will depend on the weather conditions. We've been promised special anti-cloud charges, but I doubt their effect will last long. Masters Norcuna, Sirrus, Leska, and Jis-Ilova will take command of four groups of ships. Your targets will be three cities, including the capital of Jabiim, as well as a cluster of mines in the southern hemisphere—right here. First, you must land at these points; they are the most suitable for establishing strongholds. From there, you will advance on your assigned targets. The remaining Jedi will be distributed among your units. In this way, we ensure a simultaneous attack, granting us a significant advantage. In addition, we are counting on the help of both the Loyalists and the Republic troops already on the planet."
"Obi-Wan," Sirrus looked at the Master in surprise. "We'll be ready to take off in at least a couple of days, right? Plus flight time—at least two days from Coruscant. Was it wise to send troops to the planet now, especially given that the CIS forces are so… enormous?"
"Um," Anakin clearly sensed his Master's confusion. "Actually, the troops were deployed to the planet a long time ago…"
"How many are there? How long have they been on the planet? And who is in command of this unit?" Leska asked.
"A full corps of clones with heavy equipment. They've been there for almost two weeks. The corps is commanded by Knight Dagon marek."
"Two weeks? I doubt they'll last until we arrive. At best, there's now a handful of soldiers without command and equipment. Who came up with this reckless plan?"
Shaak Ti crossed her arms.
"The information came from Chancellor Palpatine and the Intelligence Bureau. The Chancellor himself was present at that council meeting, along with Senator Amidala. It was decided to send the available forces under the command of a Jedi as soon as possible. I recommended Jedi Knight Dagon marek for this mission. He has been involved in combat since the beginning of the war; he was one of the 150 Jedi who passed through the Petranaki Arena. After that, he commanded first a legion and then a corps, successfully completing several Council assignments. I hope Knight Dagon will handle this task as well. He is a fairly successful commander."