The Liberator/Part 14

4 Days Before the Liberation of Milagro

When the last of the ground commanders had gathered around the holoprojector, Mali nodded to Aldayr, who pulled up the map of Milagro. Mali remember seeing the world out the front viewport of the Second Chance; the only difference, apart from the monochromatic hologram blue, was that the holo wasn't ringed by Vedya Gasald's assault fleet.

"All right, here's Rogeum, the capital city," Mali said, and Aldayr turned the spot bright red. "Chances are most of our key individual targets will be there. Other primary targets include Tarbunt City, the major manufacturing center…and the regional capitals, Derresor…and Kapulan."

Aldayr highlighted each city in turn.

"How we proceed depends on where we can force an invasion corridor," Mali continued. "Recon hasn't picked up where they've got shield generators, and last time Aldayr and I were there the shields had already been downed, so it's anyone's guess. We can bet we won't get a straight line to Rogeum, though, so our ground forces need to be ready to cover a lot of ground quickly."

"What about air support, sir?"

"We'll deploy as much as we can, but we'll need to scan for artillery positions."

"If we outnumber them by as much as we're expecting, we could spare some fighters for bombing runs," Mali's senior starfighter advisor suggested.

Mali crossed his arms. "Possible, but the shield generators will be in urban areas. We can't afford civilian casualties at Republic hands."

"Ion cannons, sir?"

Mali pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Work up a plan for me, and have the squadrons prepared—bombers and a fighter escort both."

"Aye aye, sir."

"Questions so far?"

"You mentioned individual targets, sir," one of the generals said. "Who should we be looking for?"

"Perfect segue. Aldayr?"

The image of Milagro wobbled before the holoprojector rendered a true-to-life image of a Theelin with red-orange skin, horns at his temples and a look of lofty superiority on his face. Mali sensed his apprentice's attention and that of the other Jedi mingled in with his commanders.

"Priority Number One: Lord Halicon Karzded," Mali announced, walking around the circular projector. "He's Vedya Gasald's right hand man, and he was involved in directing the invasion a year ago. Word from Intelligence is that he's been here since, and he's keeping Milagro under his thumb while Gasald deals with Gamor and Allanteen.  Chances are he'll be aboard the defense fleet's flagship or in the government complex in Rogeum.  Either way, he can't be allowed to escape."

He looked at Baron Obveluus. "Another reason the distant blockade's so important. If we overrun Rogeum, I'll bet credits to decicreds Karzded runs for it."

The Tapani retained his coolly emotionless expression, but he nodded. "Lord Karzded will not escape us."

Mali nodded back, then another commander asked, "Dead or alive, sir?"

Mali considered for a moment, then hardened his face. "I don't want any troops getting delusions of grandeur. Terminate on sight."

"What if he tries to surrender, sir?"

Kill him anyway sprang to mind, but Mali knew that was the dark side speaking, not to mention a war crime. "If he drops his lightsaber, stun him, but it'll probably be a ploy. Do not instruct your soldiers to offer surrender if they find him; terminate on sight."

Mali's commanders seemed to get the message, for no one else spoke. Mali nodded to Aldayr, and Karzded's glowering face was replaced by that of a Human man in his fifties. It was obviously a staged photo for a HoloNet profile, taken at a three-quarter angle so the man looked both grave and intelligent. Mali almost narrated, but then looked at his Padawan and nodded. Aldayr raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and spoke.

"Deordis Bevrelles," Aldayr said. "Prime Minister of Milagro—officially. Unofficially, he's a Sith puppet.  Karzded's making all the major decisions, but Bevrelles is making it a lot easier for him."

"Is he being forced into it?" a Yaka cyborg asked, but Aldayr shook his head.

"Our intelligence is that he was pro-Sith even before the invasion. It's possible he assisted the initial invasion, but that's just a guess."

"Another one we can't let escape, but I want this one alive if at all possible," Mali added. "The Milagroans will want justice for what they've suffered."

"Also in Rogeum, sir?"

"Yes," Mali agreed. "And less likely to flee. Not that Gasald's very tolerant of failure, but Karzded will run to her if he can—failed or not, he's still a Sith Lord.  But Bevrelles is only useful here."

"Speaking of which, sir, do we have any other Sith to worry about?" a Jedi Knight asked.

"Karzded's the high-ranker, but he probably has Acolytes and adepts," Aldayr said, scrolling down his datapad. "As for other Sith Lords…if there are any, we haven't heard about it."

Mali raised a hand. "We'll make it simple. Kill Karzded.  For soldiers and Marines encountering other Sith, same orders.  Jedi…your discretion, but don't throw your life away trying for a cho mai if they offer you a sai cha."

The Jedi Knights present nodded, and Aldayr proceeded through a list of other high-value targets, mostly ranking officers in Bevrelles's sham of an administration. When he was done, Mali reviewed the ground assault strategy, then sent the commanders on their way.

"You did well," Mali told his Padawan as he powered down the holoprojector. "All the firepower in the galaxy won't help if it isn't applied to the right targets, and a commander has to keep intel straight to prioritize."

Aldayr half-smiled at the compliment. "Speaking of intel, Master, what about General Drayskus's proposal? Sending in Special Forces for Bevrelles and some of these others?"

Mali crossed his arms. "I'm still not convinced. If Bevrelles is with Karzded, all that'll get us is a bunch of dead SpecForce operators, and that doesn't help anybody."

"We could send Jedi with them."

"You volunteering?"

Aldayr straightened. "Absolutely. I can do it."

Mali sighed, laying a hand on his apprentice's shoulder above the joining of durasteel and skin. "You're good, Aldayr, and you're consistently improving, which is great to see. But Karzded's still a full Sith Lord."

"Didn't you say just the other day that he's a bureaucrat masquerading as a warlord?"

Mali drew his hand back, sighing. He had said it, and he was reminded once again of the consequences of speaking too glibly. Swatting away the imaginary Tirien in his mind, he said, "I talk down Karzded because I have no respect for him as a warrior, and because I'm confident I could take him in a fight, but don't misunderstand—you don't rise to the right hand of a Sith Overlord without being a very powerful, very dangerous person. Darth Saleej's right hand is Darth Hokhtan, and he went toe-to-toe with Master Kadych.  Karzded isn't that, but he isn't a pushover either."

Aldayr sighed, running his gloved hand through his short black hair. "I miss the north front; I miss doing things."

"You're doing a lot here, Aldayr."

"I know it's important, and I'm learning a lot about the top level, but…"

"But what?"

"I've seen you do all this before, Master. I've watched you plan a whole campaign against Aresh, planet by planet." He took his saberstaff hilt from his belt, twirling it in one hand, then the next, tossing it from hand to hand. It wasn't the best or safest habit, but Mali wanted his Padawan to be entirely comfortable with the challenging weapon, so he continued to let it go. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the opportunity, but don't you…"

He stopped, and Mali frowned. "What? Speak freely."

Aldayr stopped spinning his lightsaber and looked at him. "Don't you feel more like you're where you belong when you're on the front lines, or in a duel? Doesn't that feel more right to you than standing on a bridge and watching the fight from a hundred kilometers away?"

"Well, on the bridge of the Jewel, sometimes that is the front lines when we're in space battle," Mali pointed out. Raising a hand to forestall the objection he sensed forming, he added, "I understood what you meant. It's different, certainly, and yeah, I love lightsaber combat.  I could duel all day, if that's what was helpful.  Command and high-level strategy isn't something you get stuck with, Aldayr, it's a privilege.  They made me a Jedi General because that's how I can do the most good.  Sometimes that includes leading from the front, but sometimes it doesn't.  I'm always up for a good scrape, but it's not about me; it's how I can serve the Force and the Republic best.  The same goes for you and every other Jedi."

Aldayr tossed his lightsaber in the air with his real hand; without looking, he reached behind his back with the cybernetic one and caught it. "And being adjutant is how I can serve best?"

"For now. You know as well as I do how long plans last once the battle starts.  If our situation changes, then our plans will change with it."

For a moment Aldayr was silent, his dark blue eyes lost in thought. Then he nodded and returned his lightsaber to his belt. "Yes Master."

Mali smiled to help him relax. "Anyway, we can't send Jedi with RSF; if Karzded senses them, he might pack up and ship out before we get there, and we can't have that when we're going to all the trouble of visiting."

Aldayr's smirk was reluctant, but at least it was there. "RSF could at least do recon."

"Yeah, I'd thought that too," Mali admitted. "See if they can scope out the government district in advance so when the Jedi do show up, we know exactly where to go."

"'We', not 'they'?" Aldayr noted, his grin widening until Mali had to answer with one of his own.

"Well, it'll depend on where we can force the invasion corridor…but let's just say I wouldn't object to paying Halicon Karzded a personal visit."

"And Bevrelles and his cronies?"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about them. I don't think the Sith are going to wait for them, and Milagro will be only too happy to grab them at the first chance."