Bab 74: With the world by a thread (IV)
Left alone with Rukh in the section of the Storm Hawk designated for us, I began reviewing the information I'd gathered and reflecting on the progress made so far.
It's been just over a month since I found myself in this universe.
In that time, I've delivered a crushing blow to the enemy, defeating a sector group of the New Republic, weakened though they were.
I've established a forward base on the planet Linuri, deep within enemy territory in the southern part of the galaxy.
My rear base is in the Morshdine sector, anchored by an Imperial fortress world. Here, I have an orbital repair shipyard of the second type. This shipyard is capable of not just repairs but also the construction of vessels as large as a Star Destroyer. The capital world is guarded by a fleet comprising an Immobilizer 418-class interdictor cruiser, two Strike-class medium cruisers, two Nebulon-B escort frigates, a Mark-1 attack frigate (and I already have plans for how to better utilize this piece of technology, which means Moff Ferrus will need to send me another Strike-class cruiser as promised), a Carrack-class light cruiser, and twelve Tartans, each tasked with patrolling a different star system under Moff Ferrus' control.
Beyond this, I have at my disposal a fleet of nine Imperial-class Star Destroyers, three Victory-class Star Destroyers, three Interdictor-class Star Destroyers, another Immobilizer 418, seven more Strike-class medium cruisers, eight additional Tartans, twelve Corellian CR90-class corvettes, a DP20-class Corellian gunship, and a few Star Galleon-class frigates.
Among my assets are Spaarti cloning cylinders, cloaking device technology based on stygium crystals, and a vast field of asteroids in Tangrene orbit. I'm also extracting rhydonium, with eighty-one operational mining rigs and fifty more in need of repairs.
On top of that, a Golan II-class defense platform is en route, and Captain Hoffner is currently flying the Nemesis to Tangrene. Through him, I will gain access to the fabled Katana Fleet.
Some logistical issues, like feeding, maintaining, and arming the fleet, can be partially mitigated thanks to the cooperation of Baron D'asta.
The "best day" is completed by the fact that my financial concerns are somewhat alleviated.
Baron D'asta has provided me with 250 million Imperial credits—though I still owe him some favors in return.
I captured 200 million credits aboard the Coral Vanda—along with Hoffner.
I also gained 20 million and a mountain of "trophies" from the raid on Nklonn.
When I add everything up, the remaining funds left to me by the original Admiral Thrawn bring my total to nearly half a billion Imperial credits.
It's a considerable sum. Enough to construct three Imperial-class Star Destroyers. I'll just need to wait a few months—maybe six, depending on which shipyards I use. With that amount, I could also buy several Golan II defensive platforms or simply invest in large quantities of weaponry.
Yes, with that kind of money, a lot of things become possible. But all of it is necessary for the war effort.
And I still need more ships for the war. The Katana Fleet, when I get to it, will require repairs and spare parts. I'll have to go to great lengths to ensure that everything is restored properly. These ships can't just be patched up—they'll need partial modernization. Otherwise, they'll be sitting ducks.
The twelve CR90 corvettes I now possess are a welcome addition. These ships can remain in the Star Destroyer hangars during travel, allowing all nine Star Destroyers to be outfitted with them. Unfortunately, the Victory-class Destroyers have smaller hangars, so the CR90s won't fit there. However, the DP20 can travel with the Victory-class ships, so I'll need to acquire two more gunboats to accommodate this. As soon as the Steel Aurora and Crusader complete their missions, I'll recall the Victory-class ships from their patrol and sabotage duties. Should I also recall the Steadfast from guarding Weyland? No, that's unnecessary. Officially, the New Republic believes I only have two Victory-class Star Destroyers, so let's keep it that way. I need to consolidate firepower into a more formidable strike force.
What would be suitable for this? Star Destroyers, naturally. It's time to bring my strength together. Dorja on Garos IV can be replaced. The Interdictor in the Chasin system can be recalled. What should replace it? I have options—Strikes and Tartans. I also have another Immobilizer 418 on hand. I'll send that to the Chasin system to continue patrolling, reinforced by a Strike-class cruiser under the command of Akrei Dobramu, who somehow managed to get damaged on a routine mission. Normally, such failures warrant punishment, but based on his record, he seems to be a capable officer. He just needs some discipline. A dull patrol assignment consisting of a Strike-class cruiser, a pair of Tartan patrol ships, and an Immobilizer will be good for him.
The freed-up Interdictor should be put to immediate use. It's a Star Destroyer with gravity well projectors, after all. Together with its sister ship, this brings the number of first-line Star Destroyers under my command to eleven. That's good—but not enough. I need more. Fortunately, I already have plans for one more ship, and that plan is about to be set in motion.
A quick review of the intelligence on the Hast shipyards is also encouraging—there's plenty to plunder there. However, any attack on Hast will undoubtedly provoke retaliation. It will significantly alter the behavior of both the New Republic and the Empire.
Therefore, any strike must either be delivered so decisively that it leaves no room for retaliation, or I must be prepared to withstand a counteroffensive. As long as I can plan methodically, everything is fine. But the moment events spiral out of control, miscalculations and weaknesses in my strategy will emerge. Any one of these could cost me ships—or my life. This cannot happen—not yet.
The Hast system… A hidden Rebel shipyard, where they've hoarded a massive stockpile of damaged Imperial equipment, hoping to repair it one day. According to the intelligence I've gathered, at least four Imperial-class Star Destroyers and up to two dozen smaller vessels are undergoing slow repairs there. A vast quantity of equipment, including TIE fighters, is being stripped for parts.
The very thought fills me with a cold anger. Here I am struggling with resource shortages, while the New Republic is simply scrapping perfectly good equipment! It's outrageous. Worse still is knowing that they haven't even completed their work. Due to funding shortfalls, the workers at Hast dismantle anything too time-consuming or expensive to repair, breaking valuable assets down for scrap. It's infuriating.
I leaned back in my chair, contemplating the situation and how best to accelerate my plan's execution.
I had already played the card of attacking the Sluis Van shipyards. Preparations were well underway for that specific strike. Now, however, I am being strongly guided to shift my focus toward the Hast shipyards. Sluis Van is virtually unguarded, but Hast... Hast is a different beast, well-protected by an enemy fleet that stands as a sentinel over this graveyard of Imperial relics. Engaging with them is far from desirable. Yet, if I ignore it, I risk losing Baron D'asta's support, along with control of his sector, both of which are crucial to my overarching goals.
Attempting the same maneuver again? No, that's out of the question. The magnitude of this operation is too great for the enemy to fall for the same trick twice... Unless I give them ample time to comprehend what had occurred.
So, the plan must be adapted yet again. But on such a large scale, will I have enough resources? Baron D'asta seemed patient, but he gave clear timelines—until the transportation contracts are finalized. I don't know the exact deadline, but finding out when I return to Tangrene shouldn't pose much of a challenge.
That means there's a ticking clock, and the window for action is likely short—perhaps a month, two at the most. Could I inquire now? No, that would draw too much suspicion. There are clever minds within the Empire, too. Any inquiry about the timeline of the transportation contracts, which Baron D'asta is set to win, could easily be linked to my visit to his sector.
Therefore, I must act swiftly. I need to resolve the issues surrounding Hypori, New Cove, Garm Bel Iblis, and Niles Ferrier. And, of course, the "Katana Fleet." The technical problems with the latter can be addressed with additional funding and by cloning more technicians. However, manning these ships and securing the necessary equipment... that's a different challenge. A significant one.
Cloning a batch of madness-resistant crew members would take fourteen days. Let's assume that the medical tests on the clones yield positive results soon. At present, I have sixteen thousand operational Spaarti cloning cylinders. To crew even a single dreadnought, I'll need two thousand clones. That means I can equip only eight dreadnoughts with a single batch. With a standard month consisting of thirty-five days, I can produce two batches—thirty-two thousand people. This would allow me to fully crew sixteen dreadnoughts. Taking into account the additional days in a month, the numbers adjust slightly. In two months, I could produce five batches—eighty thousand people. That's enough to crew forty dreadnoughts.
If I manage to reactivate the remaining four thousand inactive cloning cylinders, I could increase the output to one hundred thousand clones in two months. That would provide enough personnel for fifty dreadnoughts.
The "Katana Fleet" consists of nearly two hundred ships. I would need four or five months of uninterrupted cloning to get the entire fleet combat-ready.
It's... a lengthy process. But this timeline fits with my calculations for the planned strike on Sluis Van, which I intend to make by year's end. That battle would mark the climax of Thrawn's campaign, not the engagement at Bilbringi.
Abandoning my alliance with Baron D'asta? No, that would be foolish. Without his support, I'd need to find alternative sources for supplies, including provisions for the clone army. And I have no doubt the baron would use his influence to exact revenge. Grand Moff Ardus Kaine, for one, would not hesitate to move against me, citing any pretext, however contrived—perhaps even accusing me of treason.
No, the agreements must be upheld, even if that forces me to revise the original strategy yet again.
Let's break this down. I can't replicate the same ruse twice. I can't delay the assault on the Hast shipyards, and failure at Sluis Van is not an option. But I don't have enough ships to strike both shipyards simultaneously—not even with the dreadnoughts. They simply won't be ready in time.
Should I organize a volunteer fleet? Yes, that could help boost numbers. But the quality of volunteers arriving in Tangrene leaves much to be desired. Many are clearly underqualified. This could endanger the very existence of my ships due to the incompetence of their crews. The battle in the Innton system was a stark reminder of this—one squadron alone nearly wiped us out.
Warlord Zsinj once employed mercenaries and pirates to raid Kuat, and he succeeded in his goals. However, hiring such forces comes at a high cost. Fortunately, I have funds...
This means the plan can be tweaked again. Returning to the near-original plan: Sluis Van as the campaign's finale.
There's another concern—if I intend to expand my fleet with Star Destroyers, I'll need even more clones. A single Imperial-class ship requires over thirty-seven thousand crew members. That's two full batches of clones, plus a bit more.
Alright, time to address specific challenges. First, the issue of cloning Spaarti cylinders. Can we increase production ourselves, or is restoration of existing cylinders the best we can hope for? I doubt the former, but I'm optimistic about the latter.
"Errant Venture"—now, there's an appealing target. An Imperial II-class Star Destroyer, and I have a chance to capture it.
The "Katana Fleet"—I need to secure it, no questions asked. Crew concerns are another matter. Since it's an automated fleet, each ship could function with a minimal crew—perhaps as few as a hundred personnel per ship. It's a risky approach, but...
As much as I don't want to use C'baoth for the attack on Hast, he's a powerful asset. However, the moment I do, the deranged Jedi will undoubtedly start bringing up the Jedi Order and their cause...
Wait. I had a thought.
C'baoth. Jedi.
The unhinged cloned Jedi knows about Corran Horn—thanks to me. Corran Horn is a pilot in Rogue Squadron, currently stationed in the Dufilvian sector. They will likely be transferred to the Sluissi sector soon to investigate recent events there.
However, Corran Horn is also Corellian. And Corellians... they're rebellious, independent-minded people. When it comes to their loved ones, there's no fiercer or more determined adversary. And if Horn's Force-sensitive, with his CorSec training, then he's a bloodhound. He'll untangle any mystery that threatens those close to him, no matter the cost. He might even abandon his duties to seek help from those he's not particularly friendly with.
Corran Horn is married to Mirax Terrik. From what I recall, they adore each other. But his father-in-law despises him for his CorSec background, since Horn's father once imprisoned Mirax's father in Kessel. That was long ago, but Booster Terrik—the father-in-law—never forgets. And he loves his daughter more than anything.
Booster Terrik owns the "Errant Venture." While it lacks full weaponry and defenses, it's still an Imperial II-class Star Destroyer, mobile, and dangerous even in its current state. Terrik has connections throughout the criminal underworld, including with Talon Karrde.
I'm after the "Errant Venture." C'baoth is after Horn. Booster Terrik despises Horn. Talon Karrde... well, he's too dangerous a figure to leave alive. But after I secure the Katana Fleet, I won't need Karrde. Alive, he's a tempting prize for anyone who wants to carve up this galaxy.
Curiously, I find myself in a similar position. My only true concern is the insane Palpatine.
So... an intriguing thought has emerged.
The pieces are falling into place. The circle is closing.
Soon, things are going to get... very interesting.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone