Star Wars: From the Clone Wars to Starfaring Heroes

Chapter 76 - Whose subordinate are you?
The "Starfire Dawn" is a mobile manufacturing plant converted from an Enterprise Alliance bulk carrier, capable of rapidly producing replacement parts using raw materials transported by fleet supply ships.

Six light frigates surrounded the giant starship, which was being serviced by the robotic arm of the Starfire Dawn and a group of crab-like maintenance robots.

“Execute…” Little Tower’s words were interrupted by a violent shaking. As the “Unicorn” detached from the crane of the “Express”, it plummeted and fell several meters before the anti-gravity engine roared into action.

Once stabilized, the tactical robot continued, "Simultaneously confirming enemy identity, Lieutenant Carol's light warship has moved to the flank of the 'Starfire Dawn' at a radial angle of 45 degrees from the Quill core and is initiating the evacuation procedure."

The Unicorn and Centaur immediately drew scorching trails in the air, leaving a white gas trail in the sky.

Looking out from the bridge, Quill seemed to stretch endlessly, with them chasing the horizon and an endless sea of ​​clouds below.

Xiao Ta then asked, "Which frigates are closest to the 'Starfire Dawn'?"

After a quick check, Barris replied, "The 'Sanction', 'Durandal', and 'Uralula' of the 'Havoc' squadron."

"Will they be able to reach the interception position in time?"

“Theoretically it is possible…” Paris frantically calculated for about a minute before saying, “But considering atmospheric drag… I’m afraid it won’t work.”

The Republic Task Force's attack angle is close to 80 degrees vertical, while the Separatist frigates can only fly parallel to the planet's surface within the atmosphere.

This means that they are not only limited by the performance of their engines within the atmosphere, but must also travel much farther along the curvature of the planet, and cannot make straight-line displacements.

“Report, target cruisers identified,” Carroll’s voice sharpened. “Three Victory-class Star Destroyers: USS Freedom, USS Rebel, and USS Independence. In addition, sensors indicate that only USS Rebel is in carrier configuration.”

“The ‘Liberty’ is General Ella Sekula’s flagship.” Little Tower retrieved the information from the database. “What are the results of the source tracing?”

"The source points to the Pekel sector, possibly near Agnar, Gromes, or Tantalite. Without a navigation log, the exact location cannot be determined."

Upon hearing the names of these galaxies, Xiaota's movements twitched involuntarily, as if his behavioral program had paused for a moment.

“This…is the opposite of where they were supposed to come from,” Barris said, puzzled. “Has the Peremian front collapsed?”

“Yuselon has definitely fallen… otherwise they couldn’t have gotten around to our rear.” Carol said gravely. “We were supposed to meet up with reinforcements at Od Tiddle, but I have a feeling we won’t find anything there.”

“I must carry out the last orders I received, Lieutenant,” Little Tower said firmly. “The ‘Unicorn’ Squadron is heading to Odd Tiddle. Whether you come with us or not is not important.”

“This isn’t your strategic analysis software talking, robot,” Carroll snapped. “It’s your loyalty agreement that’s overriding the logic matrix. Who programmed that for you?”

Paris imagined that if Little Tower could blink, he would blink right now.

“Aurora,” Little Tower ignored Carol and switched the communication channel, “Except for the ‘Starfire Dawn’, order all your ships to retreat to star system orientation 038 and then jump to Cordey.”

"What about the 'Starfire Dawn'?"

"Transfer control of it to me."

"I hope you know what you're doing, robot."

“I’ve always been clear about my programming,” Xiaota replied expressionlessly.

The nearest auxiliary vessel, the Trade Winds, roared off in the opposite direction, its sensor masts jutting out of the horizon like shark fins piercing the waves.

The roar of the engines followed, and light and heat distorted the sky. It first leaped out of the sea like a giant whale, and then, as the ten-kilometer-long Durasteel hull continued to rise, it was like an entire mountain rising from the ground and flying into the sky.

“Target detected,” Taylor reported abruptly. “Enemy task force confirmed to have entered the atmosphere.”

"Send out all available 'Vulture' robot fighter squadrons to draw away the enemy fighter patrol." Little Tower quickly gave the order. "Order 'Starfire Dawn' to stand by and slowly descend to an altitude of 20 kilometers once the enemy enters the edge of firing range."

“That would… the ‘Starfire Dawn’ would implode,” Taylor retorted urgently, “and there are hundreds of robots on board!”

The TF-1726's white optical lens is bright and indifferent, as if to say, "I don't care."

"They're not our robots."

Although the words were not spoken, the meaning was already quite clear.

The OOM-2200's pitch-black sensors contrasted sharply with its appearance as this low-level B1 combat robot looked up at its superior in a manner that almost defied its obedience protocol.

However, it ultimately executed the command.

"Yes, sir..." the B1 robot drawled, sounding extremely reluctant, or rather, unable to disobey. "Yes, sir!"

The "Starfire Dawn" began to fall like a puppet with its strings cut.

Layer upon layer of shield energy was concentrated at the bottom of the ship, forming a glowing aurora, struggling against the immense pressure that was trying to crush it with the hand of flames.

Even so, when the cargo ship was subjected to gravity far exceeding its design limits, visible bending still occurred in the middle section of the hull.

Hundreds of robots "died." Barris was completely unaffected.

Above, three Jedi Star Destroyers continued their descent into the mesosphere, so eager to destroy their prey that they were oblivious to the traps laid for them.

'How could you not see that, Master Sekula?'

Paris pondered to herself.

'This is too...obvious. Is she so arrogant that she thinks she would never fall into such a trap?'

"Carol!" Little Tower shouted, "Are your light frigates equipped with torpedoes?"

A static-like noise quickly came through the communication: "Equipped."

"On my command, attack the cruiser from directly behind, at a 45-degree angle to the vertical axis."

"Understood, the Atlasians are eager to prove their worth."

The young lieutenant spoke without any emotion, as if he, like TF-1726, were a robot.

At that very moment, a swarm of "Vulture" robot fighters poured out of all the open hatches of the "Starfire Dawn" like water gushing from a ruptured tank.

Ignoring gravity, they converged into a massive mushroom cloud formation above the auxiliary ship, locked onto the missiles, and then charged forward together.

As if anticipated, the Resistance immediately dispatched a fighter squadron to intercept them.

"Initiate the attack, Lieutenant."

At this point, Master Sekula's task force had already sensed something was wrong, as the "Dawn of the Stars" was still uncontrollably plummeting into the stratosphere.

But it was too late.

Under the cover of flashing chaff and electronic jamming clouds, Atlas's light frigates charged forward, maneuvering to attack the Star Destroyer's weakly defended engine room.

Because the Star Destroyer concentrates all its shield energy downwards to counteract atmospheric friction when entering the mesosphere, its top and rear are extremely vulnerable.

Carroll's extremely lightweight corvette swept past at supersonic speed, simultaneously launching a series of torpedoes that precisely shattered the cylinders of the ion engine, sending fragments spiraling towards the ground like burning raindrops.

Even so, the "Rebel" still raised its bow upwards, barely adjusted the turbine laser turret on the back of the stern, and accurately fired four shells, instantly destroying the two light frigates like detonating malfunctioning fireworks.

At the same time, the structure of the "Victory-class" Star Destroyer was stretched to its limit during this high-gravity maneuver, and the hull emitted a low metallic groan.

The explosion below shocked the entire world.

The "Dawn of the Stars" ship seemed to have crashed into an invisible wall, disintegrating like a glass of blue milk that had been spilled on the ground.

Flames erupted in all directions, scorching the air, and heavy metal fragments rained down like apocalyptic meteorites, destined to turn the land several kilometers below into scorched earth and dust.

The separatist fleet lost one of its most critical assets, but Little Tower remained completely unmoved. "Carroll, retreat from their blind spot. All frigates, climb one kilometer, lock onto their dorsal turrets, we're going to blast them into the earth's core."

The "Unicorn" surged forward, its super-heavy forward gun array roaring deafeningly. The gunfire instantly tore through the "Independence's" turret deck, completely destroying its internal structure and turning it into a pile of twisted metal wreckage.

Fragments gushed out from the breach and flew in all directions.

To Barris' horror, she saw some clone soldiers in white armor being flung into the void through the breach, then tumbling toward their deaths.

She had no way to deal with it.

Five separatist frigates have surrounded Master Sekula's task force, and more frigates are rapidly approaching.

The Republic's fleet had no choice but to let gravity engulf it.

For Barris, it was heartbreaking to witness a revered Jedi Master fall into such a "low-level" trap.

The shields of the USS Freedom and its escort ships were doing their best to withstand the physical impact, but they could not slow down their destruction.

"Ultrasonic transmission signal detected," Taylor reported again. "It looks like they're calling for backup."

“Trace the destination of the transmission and confirm which unit is on its way,” Little Tower turned around and said seriously, “They must be not far away.”

"Judging from the direction and distance, the nearest Republic task force is General Anakin Skywalker's unit in Indu Sand."

"Inform Commander Schiff of the situation; he may want to launch a counterattack at Indu Sand," the tactical robot said quickly. "Inform Captain Chom to speed up the process; we will disengage as soon as reinforcements arrive."

(End of this chapter)