The Liberator/Part 12

9 Days Before the Liberation of Milagro

"Probe droids are back, Mali." The blue ghost of Yan Razam, an Arcona Jedi Knight aboard the Crescentia, hovered over a holotable in the war room aboard the Coronet's Jewel

"And?"

"She's got gravity mines in the last two systems on the Harrin before Milagro. Doesn't look like much actual resistance, though.  No capital ships; maybe a fighter squadron or two.  Nothing my pilots and I can't handle."

"How many mines?"

"The probe data's not perfect, but I'd guess fewer than a hundred apiece."

"How quickly could your squadron clear them out?"

"If all twelve of us take a system at a time, I'd say we could get through all of them in under an hour."

"If?"

"Can I give you a piece of advice?"

Jedi General he might be, but Mali Darakhan knew better than to ignore free starfighter advice from Yan Razam. "Please."

"Split my squadron in half. One goes down the Harrin, the other goes off the hyperlane around the first planet and jumps to the second.  It'll add hours to the second half's flight, but we can clean out both systems at once and your fleet can cut right through."

"Also gives you half the people to fight any defenses Gasald did leave behind."

Yan snorted. "Won't be a problem."

"All right, let's—hey, do any of your fighters have ion capability?"

The Arcona cocked her triangular head. "Not in our Aureks, but we could probably rig it up, or take something else. Why?"

"Well, instead of just blowing up all of Gasald's gravity mines—"

"—maybe it might be more useful to steal some?" Yan's grin looked positively devilish. "You've got it."

"Thanks, Yan."

"Any time, Mali."

"How're Tirien and Slejux?"

"Slejux is fine. Tirien and Narasi are gone, though; some mission.  Very hush-hush."

Darkknell, Mali thought. "Well, my best to Slejux. We'll rendezvous at Pax in seven days."

"Until then, may the Force be with you."

"And also with you."

Mali pulled his beacon transceiver free and looked at the tactical map that replaced Yan's image. A dozen spots throughout the Republic represented the pieces of his grand invasion fleet, coming together but still yet to be assembled into a single, functional whole. Republic Intelligence had actually pulled back its efforts to pry into Gasald's doings for fear of tipping her off that something was amiss, but their passive listening hadn't turned up a thing.

Aldayr walked in, his datapad in one hand; since Mali had made him adjutant, he had rarely put the thing out of arm's reach. "A couple Corellian destroyers are reporting behind schedule. I spoke to their captains; it should be resolved by the end of the day."

"Good work," Mali said. "What else?"

"Baron Obveluus has a revised list of tactical suggestions for the Tarbunt City campaign."

Aldayr's expression said he attached as much gravity to that as Mali did. "I'm sure he does. When you collect them, find a tactful way of reminding him that you and I have actually been there.  What else?"

"The Kaivalts want to see you."

"Why?"

"They didn't say, but they're on their way over now."

Intrigued, Mali nodded toward the door, and they went out together. "All your preparations ready?"

Aldayr gave him a look. "Depending on how long it takes you to rout the space commander there, I might not get to leave the bridge before the fighting's over. Doesn't require a lot of preparation, Master."

"I'll take that as a challenge," Mali said, grinning. "To ensure my apprentice isn't disappointed with the quality of his battlefield experience."

"I appreciate that."

"Seriously, though," Mali continued, "I made you my adjutant for a reason, and it's not just that I enjoy your snarky commentary when my commanders check in—although I do. You said it yourself: only six Jedi Knights have been made generals.  All the other Jedi Generals are Masters, because the rest of the Knights don't have the tactical experience or understanding of what goes into campaigns like these.  I know you've got the mind for it, and I want you to have the experience to match.  Striking down dark siders on the front lines and blowing up starfighters is all well and good, but a general has to have the big picture."

Aldayr's intense face turned thoughtful, and he nodded without replying. They continued in silence to the Coronet's Jewel ' s hangar bay, where technicians were doing safety and maintenance checks on the starfighter squadrons and identifying deficiencies for correction in the time they had left. A Tapani shuttle banked in, but hardly a being spared it more than a glance as Mali and Aldayr went forward to meet it.

The Kaivalts descended the boarding ramp side-by-side; Raina wore her hair in buns on the sides of her head today, but had dispensed with her cloak, and the two had dressed in similar tunics and pants cut in Jedi style but woven from cloth in Pelagia colors. They bowed, but Mali merely raised a hand. "Welcome back." He glanced over their shoulders. "No Renata?"

Raina's stoic face was hard to read, but Raven half-frowned and asked, "May we have a private word, General?"

"I suppose that depends on whether you're going to insist on calling me 'General' even when we're not in strategy meetings."

He got a chuckle out of Raven, and even Raina cracked a smile as her brother continued, "May we have a private word, Mali?"

"Sure. A short or long word?"

"It won't take long," Raina assured him. Like her brother, she had a smooth voice and a distinct Core accent.

Mali led them over to a ready room, returning the salute of a Mon Calamari checking pilot gear. "Mind if we borrow the room for a minute, Chief?"

"Not at all, sir," the Mon Calamari growled, nodding his bulbous head. "Take your time."

Mali led the way in and leaned on a locker as the others followed; Aldayr closed the door behind them. "Don't tell me, let me guess: Baron Obveluus is still taking his command as a slight on the honor of House Cadriaan."

Raven sighed as Raina gave a single snort of amusement. "Off the record, of course…"

"Of course…"

"He's not thrilled to be on cleaning up the refuse other commanders leave behind—as he sees it," Raina said. "Blockade duty—"

"—is an essential aspect of a concerted invasion," Mali completed, "and fits well with his experience picking off pirates and smugglers in the Tapani sector. That requires attention to detail and quick pursuit of fast-moving targets, just like the distant blockade line.  It's not a slight to say that it's what he's good at."

The twins exchanged a look, then Raven said, "Off the record…we know."

Mali laughed. "Don't shoot the messenger. I've got it.  Was that it?"

"No," Raina said, and Mali noticed them both straightening a little. Aldayr, lingering by the door and half-listening as he read his datapad of reports, looked up at the change and narrowed his eyes. Raina said, "We want to volunteer for commands."

"Wait, you want commands now?" Mali asked, cocking a brow.

"Not space commands," Raven clarified. "We know you have the plan there, and we don't want to have too many Bosses and not enough Gungans."

"We meant ground commands," Raina added.

Aldayr had deposited the datapad in its pouch that now always hung from his belt and was giving the conversation his full attention. Mali considered the idea; unlike the space strategy, the ground plan continually fluctuated as forces were finalized and capabilities expanded. "What kind of commands are you looking at?"

The twins seemed to have a silent conversation before Raina nodded and said, "Brigade."

"What experience do you have?"

"We've had extensive tactical and operational training," Raven explained. "It's part of noble upbringing in the Tapani sector."

"You know, Master," Aldayr said, "pairing wines with foods, placing the salad fork, coordinating artillery and air support…"

Mali caught the hint of mockery in his apprentice's tone and cautioned him with a glance, though he wasn't sure the twins had taken it at more than face value. Raven chuckled and said, "Something like that."

"We've studied engagement strategies from company level up to planetary invasion," Raina added. "And we got more than most nobles, because we're Jedi."

"Sounds thorough," Mali said neutrally. "And actual field experience?"

"We've gone on dozens of missions for the Order—" Raven started.

"I've heard. And obviously the High Council thinks a lot of your skills, since you got tapped to be Bodyguard Number One and Bodyguard Number Two." Raven winced, and Mali regretted his flippancy at once; Tirien was not usually given to dwelling or bitterness, and Narasi was the light and happy to Tirien's grim and stoic, but Anaxes was still a sore spot for both of them, and Raven had been right there with Narasi, trying—and failing—to save Phnyong. "Sorry."

Raven took a deep breath, but nodded. "What's done is done. But thank you."

"Anyway," Mali pressed on, "you're obviously skilled at being Jedi, and you've got the theoretical knowledge, but have either of you had battle commands before?"

"No," Raina admitted.

"Have you actually been in battles? Not duels or conflicts on missions, I mean battles on this scale."

"Not yet," Raven said. When Mali frowned, he added, "But the same is true of every new officer."

"True," Mali conceded, "but new officers don't start with brigades."

Raina said, "Since we have a bit more general experience than most new officers—"

"—I could offer you companies, rather than platoons," Mali finished for her.

Both Kaivalts frowned, and Raina asked, "Just companies?"

"Just companies?" Aldayr repeated. When the Kaivalts looked at him, he narrowed his eyes. "A company's a hundred soldiers or more."

"But in the scheme of the entire campaign—" Raven started.

"This isn't a war game," Mali cut him off, raising a hand. "And soldiers aren't just statistics on a TOE; they're people, and commanders need to respect them as such. And you don't just get handed that kind of responsibility, noble or not."

"We never said it was because we're nobility," Raven protested.

"Fine—you don't just get the job, educated or not, Jedi or not. Five Knights are Jedi Generals, remember?  You want that kind of authority, you work up to it—you earn it on the battlefield."

"And you?" Raina asked.

"I started from the bottom as a Padawan," Mali said. "With a squad on the ground and a section on a frigate. By the time I was knighted I'd commanded companies and a group of picket ships.  Aldayr's putting in his time too, ground and fighters both."

The Kaivalts looked at Aldayr, who gazed back, unimpressed. Raina returned her dark eyes to Mali and asked, "What about battalions?"

"We take the responsibility seriously, Mali," Raven added. "But our superiors in House Pelagia expect a lot of us, and we want to employ the skills we bring to the table."

Battalions were smaller than brigades, but Mali was not thrilled with the idea of this being a negotiation or an achievement, and he heard the pique in his own voice as he stood off the locker and said, "You should start with platoons like any other new officers, but I respect your tactical training, and Tirien Kal-Di—who does have experience on battlefields—vouches for Raven. So I'll entrust companies to you, but that's it.  Or, if you want firsthand experience at an operational level, you can join my command staff."

Raven and Raina had another of their wordless conversations; Aldayr frowned at their backs, but Mali waited them out until Raven said, "I'll take a company command. I'd prefer an infantry command, but wherever you think I can serve best."

"Aldayr, see what we've got," Mali ordered.

"For myself, Mali," Raina said, "I'd prefer to observe from the operational level. On your command staff, would I be with you on the bridge, and then in ground battle if you go?"

"I can arrange that."

"Please."

Mali was relieved to see the twins' Jedi training—and perhaps that noble upbringing Aldayr so derided—was conquering their pride and desire for glory. They clearly weren't happy, but they were willing to suck it up; maybe they had the making of commanders at that. "That's the plan, then. Aldayr will get you a company assignment, Raven, and Raina, we'll find you a berth aboard."

"Thank you, Mali," Raina said. They both came to attention, bowed formally, and swept from the room.

"Sure you don't want to give them brigades?" Aldayr asked.

Mali frowned. "Snarky is one thing, rude is another. The whole 'Tapani Jedi' thing is weird, I'll be the first to admit that, but they're still Jedi Knights, and you'll treat them that way."

Aldayr's smile faded and his eyes hardened a bit, but he bowed from the neck. "Yes, Master."

Mali waited until Aldayr had drawn out his datapad once more, then asked, "What's next?"