บท 5: The First Month of War
The entire galaxy heard the echo of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's voice in every corner, projected in holograms and broadcasts across thousands of worlds. His tone was firm, determined, in an attempt to calm the growing fear.
"We will not allow this new enemy to threaten the existence of the galaxy or the integrity of the Galactic Republic," the Chancellor proclaimed as millions of citizens, both in the Core and in the outer systems, followed his speech. War, once again, was the only topic in every home.
Orders were immediately issued to produce an additional three million clones, an unprecedented number, underscoring the gravity of the conflict. In parallel, curfews were decreed throughout the Mid Rim and Outer Rim, a drastic measure to prevent further incursions by the enemy, who had already proven to be relentless.
Coruscant, the galactic capital, was transformed into a fortress, with reinforced defenses and ships patrolling its skies day and night. Meanwhile, millions of refugees fled to the Inner Rim, fearing the expansion of the Covenant, a threat that grew with each passing day.
"Fifty percent of the Clone Army will be mobilized toward the Terminus system to annihilate this enemy once and for all," the Chancellor announced with a conviction that tried to hide the uncertainty.
Half of the Republic fleet was dispatched to Terminus, more than a thousand warships, in order to strike a final blow. Two hundred Jedi, including seasoned Masters and young Knights, were sent to the front, leading the mission bravely. Among them were Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, knowing it would be one of the most difficult battles they would face.
The invasion of the planet Terminus began with a roar of hyperlight engines emerging from the jump. But what they found in system space was devastating: the enemy was superior in every way. The Covenant ships dwarfed those of the Republic in both size and destructive power. The calculations of the tactical officers were terrifying: the chances of victory were reduced to 5% within hours.
The Republic counterattack was a catastrophic failure. Despite the heroism of the clones and the Jedi, the Covenant deployed an overwhelming force. 48% of the fleet sent was destroyed, left in rubble, floating helplessly in the void of space. Five hundred thousand clones died in the fighting, soldiers trained from their inception to be the best, falling to a force they could neither understand nor match.
Only five Jedi survived, including Obi-Wan and Anakin, but the losses were irreparable. The enemy had proven their superiority and the invasion of Terminus had failed.
"The Clone Army is more than ready to face the enemy," Supreme Chancellor Palpatine declared firmly, trying to inspire confidence in the Republic, while news of the devastating campaign at Terminus still echoed in everyone's minds. The words were brave, but the reality was much darker.
Shortly after the failed invasion, the Covenant launched a brutal counterattack, responding with an offensive that few could have anticipated. Their movements were calculated, precise, striking where the Republic was most vulnerable.
The first to fall was Polis Massa, a small but vital Republic outpost, known for its medical and archaeological facilities. Within hours, the Covenant had completely destroyed it, leaving only debris floating in the vacuum of space. The losses were total, with no survivors.
Then came the attack on Mustafar, the volcanic planet that was home to multiple mining operations. Mustafar was completely taken, and its facilities razed. The world burned like never before, now under enemy control, leaving the Republic with a major strategic loss.
The most devastating blow, however, was on Utapau. In a coordinated action, the Covenant unleashed their destructive power upon the planet. Sixty percent of Utapau's surface was vitrified, turning vast areas into a desert of radiant glass due to the extreme heat of the bombardment. Thirty million lives were lost in that operation, both civilians and soldiers, in what became one of the most terrible massacres of the war.
"With the Jedi at the forefront, we will win at all costs!" Palpatine proclaimed forcefully. His words resonated in the hearts of all those who still had hope. "We are the Galactic Republic. We have survived unimaginable horrors and we will continue to exist for a thousand more years."
The Chancellor's speech was one of defiance, a promise of resistance, but the harsh reality was falling upon the galaxy at an unstoppable pace.
As the Republic attempted to mobilize and reorganize after the devastating defeats, the Covenant launched its next attack. This time, the target was Ryloth, home of the Twi'leks. The planet, strategic for its location and resources, fell under the shadow of the invasion.
The Republic sent 100,000 clones in a desperate effort to defend it, along with a contingent of Jedi leading the offensive. The battle was fierce, but resistance was not enough. The Covenant once again demonstrated its overwhelming superiority, and within days, Ryloth was 50% vitrified, its surface turned into a desolate landscape of glass due to the massive attacks.
Half of the planet's population was wiped out, while the survivors were enslaved. There was no truce, no mercy. Those who did not die in the bombardments found themselves chained under the yoke of the Covenant.
The Republic army was completely annihilated on Ryloth, unable to stop the devastating advance of the enemy.
"The Republic will fight to the death to protect the galaxy!" Chancellor Palpatine's voice echoed with fervor, seeking to ignite a spark of hope amidst the darkness that loomed over the galaxy. "We will exterminate this new enemy called the Covenant, and the Galactic Republic will obtain its victory. For the Republic!" he concluded with a cry of defiance, but in his tone, some began to notice a deeper urgency.
The scars of war were spread throughout the galaxy, and the unstoppable advance of the Covenant showed no signs of stopping.
The Confederacy of Independent Systems, that faction that was once the main enemy of the Republic, surrendered after the vitrification of its capital and the destruction of its facilities on various planets. Their leaders were missing, some executed, others captured by the Covenant, and the few who escaped were scattered and powerless.
The Covenant reached Mandalore, the proud home of the Mandalorian warriors. The Republic, in a desperate effort to stop them, mobilized a massive force: 300,000 clones and 100 Jedi were sent to the defense of the planet. But the enemy's brutality was too much to contain.
Mandalore was lost, its capital cities vitrified like the worlds before them. Iconic shrouded cities like Sundari were devastated, leaving only a trail of desolation. The Mandalorians, known for their indomitable fighting spirit, had no choice but to flee. Millions of Mandalorian refugees scattered to various planets, leaving behind a now unrecognizable home.
The clone army was completely annihilated in battle, without mercy, without surrender. 98 of the 100 Jedi sent were killed in combat, leaving only two survivors with serious injuries and a broken spirit.
The first month of war had been a succession of catastrophic defeats. The Galactic Republic was in critical condition, and what had begun as a promise of quick victory was transformed into a desperate battle for mere survival.
Every system, every planet that fell, was a reminder of the enemy's brutality. The horizon looked bleak, and as the Covenant forces advanced relentlessly, the galaxy teetered on the brink of the abyss.
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Aboard one of the few Republic fleets not yet relegated to planetary defense alone, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi commanded a small but valiant group of ships. The six Venator ships and three Acclamators that made up the fleet patrolled Republic territories tirelessly, responding to any distress call that came in, even though they knew they could barely handle them all.
In the main hangar of one of the Venator ships, Anakin Skywalker worked with almost obsessive intensity on repairing an LAAT, a transport ship that had been severely damaged by a Covenant Banshee. Although engineers and specialized droids could have fixed it, Anakin had insisted on doing it himself. The physical and mental effort helped relieve him, at least momentarily, of the weight of war. His clothes were dirty, worn, and oil-stained; His face was denoted by accumulated fatigue, marked by deep dark circles that showed how little he had slept.
Next to him, his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, watched in silence. The young Togruta, normally full of life and optimism, now reflected the sadness and exhaustion of the past weeks. The usual brightness of her eyes was dull, and her movements were slow, almost heavy. She had seen so many clones die, so many companions. It had only been four weeks since the Covenant appeared, but for Ahsoka, those weeks had been more devastating than all the years of fighting against the separatists.
Anakin worked quickly, but his thoughts did not leave him alone. He had barely had time to see his wife, Padmé. The last time he saw her was when she helped them evacuate the Mandalorian refugees, taking thousands of them to Naboo, where Senator Amidala had managed their reception to avoid tensions or insurrections. They had spent only a few minutes together, exchanging few words as they organized the settlement. Even those fleeting moments seemed like a luxury amidst the chaos.
On the other hand, Ahsoka Tano sat inside the LAAT, isolated in her own world, a holographic tablet in front of her. The images she replayed over and over were brutal, videos of the most recent battles against the Covenant. She watched over and over as clones were slaughtered, as her Jedi brothers fell in combat one after another. Each clip, each replay, was like a dagger that sank deeper into her heart.
Ahsoka had fallen into a grim routine. She no longer trained to improve, but to run away from her thoughts. The tactics and strategies she constantly reviewed on her tablet were a way to avoid facing the pain. But reality was inescapable. Everything she did seemed futile. Every effort she had made so far had ended in failure. Every friend she tried to save, every planet she fought to protect, had ended in loss. The young Togruta was mired in a deep depression, a sadness that not even her master, Anakin, could dispel.
She was not tempted by the dark side, but the melancholy and weight of war were slowly crushing her. Her only escape seemed to be combat, where for a few brief moments she could disconnect from hopelessness. However, that relief was temporary. The internal scars continued to accumulate, and with each passing day, the young Jedi felt her light dimming a little more.
She had been in that LAAT for hours, maybe longer, but no one bothered her. The veteran clones, those who had survived the first battles against the Covenant, understood her need for solitude. Most of the fleet's soldiers were rookies, clones fresh from Kamino, inexperienced in the horrors that had already consumed the veterans and the Jedi.
Elsewhere on the ship, Obi-Wan Kenobi walked through the halls, his gaze fixed on a hologram of the Senate news. The latest updates were grim: lost planets, glassed systems, and the Republic fleet increasingly depleted. When he reached the hangar where Anakin was, he glanced at him before sitting down next to him.
"Master... you only got two hours of sleep again," Anakin said, not looking away from his work.
Obi-Wan looked at him, exhaustion evident in his eyes. His usually well-kept beard was unkempt, and his posture reflected accumulated exhaustion. "It's better than no sleep for twenty hours, my young friend," he replied, with a tired but sincere smile.
Anakin let out a slight bitter laugh. "Good point."
Obi-Wan let out a sigh, his expression softening before he asked, "How is Ahsoka?"
Anakin's reaction said it all. The younger Jedi didn't need to respond with words; the sorrow and exhaustion on his face spoke for themselves. Obi-Wan saw the same desperation in him that he had seen in himself and so many others during this conflict. No one was exempt from the weight of war, not even the strongest among them.
"He's… he's doing what he can, Obi-Wan," Anakin said finally, his voice cracking with worry. "But it's not enough. This war… it's destroying us from within."
Obi-Wan nodded slowly. He knew there were no easy answers, no quick fixes. The war against the Covenant was unlike any other. It was not just a physical fight, but an emotional war, one that was tearing at the souls of all involved.
In the background, the echo of the Senate's voices filled the hangar, with heated debates and arguments resonating to the far reaches of the ship. Anakin set his tools aside and, with a look of exhaustion, sat on the floor, watching the hologram that projected the Senate session live.
"What are you looking at, Master?" Anakin asked, as he settled in and focused his attention on the projected images.
Obi-Wan, without taking his eyes off the hologram, replied, "They're discussing forming an alliance with what's left of the Confederacy. They're considering joining forces and using the droids on their side."
A loud crash came from the LAAT. Ahsoka Tano rushed out, her face marked by shock and disbelief. "What? We're going to join those tin cans?"
Both Jedi looked at their Padawan with tired expressions. Anakin was the first to speak. "Ahsoka, we're in desperate times. I'm not going to lie to you, it sounds crazy to me too, but... if you think about it, it doesn't sound so bad. The Confederacy surrendered much faster than we expected, and probably hundreds of millions of droids and ships were left behind in their facilities. We could use them."
Ahsoka didn't say anything at first, but her confusion and frustration were evident. Obi-Wan stepped in, calmly. "I know, it sounds strange, even to me. But if the Senate approves this alliance, it would be a considerable relief. In ground battles, we've had some victories, albeit few and far between. In space, however... we're being crushed. The Republic fleet can't keep up with the Covenant, and our last space victory was actually when Anakin crashed one of our Venators directly into one of their ships in order to escape."
"Yes, I remember..." Anakin said bitterly, his words tinged with a pain he hadn't openly shown. The desperation of that maneuver, the cost of so many lives for that extreme strategy, was something that still haunted him.
"This is... this is garbage," Ahsoka replied, visibly dejected. "Why do they want to make an alliance now? Why don't we try to recruit more people or build our own droids?"
The silence that followed was deafening. Neither Jedi answered, and the three remained downcast, lost in thought. Ahsoka's sadness was a reflection of shared frustration, a desperation they all felt deep down, but couldn't quite express. However, the calm was abruptly interrupted by the sound of the Venator's alarms.
That could only mean one thing: the Covenant was attacking.
"Generals Skywalker and Kenobi, Commander Tano, you are requested immediately on the bridge," the voice on the speakers echoed urgently. The three Jedi, without hesitation, ran out to the bridge.
The interior of the ship instantly transformed into controlled chaos. Clones ran back and forth, preparing for what was coming. Engineers put the finishing touches on the ships, while others loaded bombs onto the LAATs and starfighters. Personnel moved quickly, and the tension in the air was palpable. Every second counted.
Within five minutes, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka arrived at the bridge, where Admiral Yularen, Rex, and Cody were already present. On the central holotable, a hologram of the planet Naboo was projected, surrounded by a handful of Republic ships and a Covenant warfleet that vastly outnumbered them.
"What is the situation?" Anakin asked with a growing sense of dread in his voice.
Admiral Yularen looked at him seriously before speaking. "An hour ago, a fleet of eight Covenant ships appeared over the planet Naboo. Republic forces are holding out as best they can while overseeing planetary evacuation, but they are calling for urgent reinforcements. We are the only fleet close enough to come to their aid."
The admiral's words hit Anakin like a punch to the stomach. Naboo. His home. And more importantly, Padmé was there. He knew she would not leave the planet until she was sure all the evacuees were safe. Fear gripped his heart. If anything happened to her, if she died, he felt like he would lose all purpose, all that gave him strength.
For Obi-Wan, the news was like a bucket of cold water. On Naboo, there was also Satine, the woman he had loved more than any other, despite having renounced that love for the Jedi Code. If anything happened to Satine and the Mandalorian survivors who had sought refuge on Naboo under Padmé's protection, his world would fall apart.
"Get the fleet ready, we're going to Naboo immediately," Anakin ordered determinedly, hiding the desperation that was boiling inside him. He knew there was no time for hesitation.
The preparations were quick, barely five minutes passed before the fleet's ships jumped into hyperspace, heading for what would undoubtedly be one of the most crucial battles of their lives. The shadow of the Covenant loomed over Naboo, and both Anakin and Obi-Wan knew that this fight was not only for the Republic, but for the people they loved most.
End of chapter 5
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