The Liberator/Part 4

34 Days Before the Liberation of Milagro

"May I offer you some more endwa, sir?" the serving droid asked, proffering a tray of kebabs.

"No, thanks," Mali said, pushing his plate away. Aldayr looked at him for a moment, then drained the last of his ale, wiped his lips with his napkin, and tossed it onto his plate. Mali continued to sip his own ale, but he looked across the table, and the Diktat caught his eye.

"I think we'll be good for now," he told the droid. "We'll call if you're needed."

"Very good, sir," the droid intoned, and, plates and cups stacked in its four hands, it bustled away.

Neran Daikros, Diktat of Corellia, filled his chair from armrest to armrest, but though he carried more weight than might have been in his best interests, Mali didn't think of the man as fat. No, the word for the Diktat was big. Taller than Mali, broad as a Gamorrean, he looked like he might have strayed into politics because the local boxing league rosters were full up. That thick, lumbering build belied an agile mind that had tripped up more than one unwary political opponent; Mali had been tempted to comm Tirien Kal-Di to practice his pitch on the way. The Diktat's bald head gleamed in the light, much like his clean plate. It was his style, Mali thought; he never did anything partway.

Every being at the table was Human except Vissica, Minister of Security for the Overden of Selonia, and Fraaki Lambed, Senator of Duro. Despite the enormous height of the two non-Humans, though, it was Daikros who commanded every being's attention.

"So, General Darakhan," he boomed, "this Milagro plan of yours."

Mali leaned onto the table, wrapping one hand around his other fist. "It's our best chance, sir."

"The 'our' being Corellia, or the Republic?" Master Dumiel asked.

"Fortunately for us, both sides' interests align. Corellia is part of the Republic," Mali said, just in case he needed the reminder. "Gasald is a threat to the Five Brothers, and Duro, and who knows how many other worlds. Therefore, Gasald is a threat to the Republic.  A dangerous, sadistic Sith tyrant.  We're not in a position to bring her down altogether, maybe, but we can break the legs under her campaign."

Tyson Dumiel nodded in a way that suggested comprehension without agreement. Mali was uncomfortably aware that, in contrast to his own former master's conservative haircut and short beard, he and Dumiel looked far more similar. Dumiel let his hair grow longer and freer, though his beard was a bit shaggier than Mali's, and of course they wore matching Corellian green robes. If there was a major difference, Mali thought, it was the crow's feet at the edges of Dumiel's eyes; Mali imagined that constant narrowing in suspicion or scheming could have that effect.

"And Milagro will accomplish that?" asked Jendaya Rose, Corellia's senator, who sat on one side of the Diktat.

Mali couldn't tell whether she was pitching him a softball to bolster his plan or legitimately unconvinced. "It will. Without Milagro's industrial capabilities, Allanteen's nothing more than a factory without materials."

Admiral Eymus Dorr, Supreme Commander of the Corellian Defense Force, leaned forward on the Diktat's other side. "And what stops Gasald from sweeping down on Milagro to best you once you're there?"

"Every Intelligence profile we have, backed by years of experience, says Gasald won't commit to a fight she isn't certain she can win," Mali replied. "Look at Allanteen; a shipyard world, neutral or not, and yet she barely took any permanent losses, and that was with her hands tied trying not to hit the shipyards."

"Perhaps the number of Sith in her fleet somehow increases her odds of victory?" Senator Lambed suggested.

Ainar Zylorus, Mali's old master, came to his rescue. Shaking his head, the older man said, "There are Force techniques that can affect battles, but we've never heard anything to suggest Gasald is employing those kinds of techniques, or even has the skill among her people."

The term battle meditation went unspoken. Many of the Republic's civilians, especially those placed high in the military and government, had some conception of it, but the feeling among the Jedi was almost universal that the less outsiders knew, the better. Most troops could be persuaded to accept the beneficial results rather than viewing it as some form of insidious brainwashing, but the suggestion the Sith were using it, genuine or unfounded, could start a panic. And the Republic had no battle meditators of its own to stack the deck the other way.

"And Gasald isn't Darth Saleej," Aldayr said during Mali's second of introspection. "Saleej will fight against even odds, or even forces a little against him, because he's that good a commander. Gasald isn't."

"Her strategy is 'drown them in bodies'," Mali agreed. "If we mass the kind of fleet we envision to hit Milagro, Gasald would need her entire battle fleet just to have the odds a little in her favor. And that would leave Allanteen basically ungarrisoned."

"And open to capture by the Republic," Senator Lambed mused, nodding his bulbous head.

"Exactly. And that's why we think Milagro's open to capture," Mali went on. "Gasald will have funneled all her available resources into the Allanteen offensive, especially since she stopped to grab Gamor along the way. It's been less than a full year, she can't have reinforced Milagro enough to allow it to resist concerted invasion."

"You said 'the kind of fleet we envision', Mali," Master Dumiel noted. "What kind of fleet do you envision?"

"A full war fleet. Destroyers and heavy cruisers for capital ship combat and their complements, obviously, plus orbital bombardment if we can drop the shields over the Sith garrisons.  Gasald's probably left fighters as part of the garrison, so wings and wings of our own fighters, plus some faster frigates for duty as fighter-killers.  Troop transports…"

"That sounds very tactically sound, General Darakhan," Admiral Dorr said, "but I think the relevant question is actually what Corellia's going to be asked to provide this time?"

Diktat Daikros's eyes narrowed too, and Mali took care to betray no hint of misgivings. "This would have to be a joint Republic-Corellia undertaking."

"We give a destroyer, they give a troop transport, is that it?" Admiral Dorr scoffed.

Mali held onto his temper. "Obviously contributions will be equivalent, not just equal. I propose a fleet of eight hundred ships, with complements and ground—"

"Eight hundred," Admiral Dorr interrupted. "And how do you plan to divide responsibility for this armada? Seventy-five-twenty-five?  Sixty-forty?  Even if we divided evenly, you'd expect Corellia to provide four hundred warships to this fleet?"

"Your mathematical skills don't betray you, Admiral," Mali said; some heat was creeping into his tone, so he took a breath to steady himself.

Aldayr spoke to prevent the admiral from seizing the second of silence; Dorr's chest had swelled ominously. "What my master was going to say before you interrupted, Admiral, was that complements and ground forces would be primarily provided by the Republic. We have more of them to begin with, and they're more experienced."

Dorr's eyes narrowed, and after a few seconds he said, "I wasn't under the impression that Jedi Knights allowed their Padawans to speak out of turn, General."

"We don't," Mali said, matching the admiral's stare. "If he does, I'll let him know."

Emotions flittered through the Force like so many moths in the air—everything from indignation to Ainar's own resigned amusement. Master Dumiel, however, held up a hand.

"Enough," he said. Mali watched the reactions around the table, but even Admiral Dorr sat back, though his eyes remained narrow. Master Dumiel waited for the ripples in the Force to settle before he asked, "Will Corellian ships and crews taken from Republic fleets count toward the Corellian total?"

"No, Master." Mali was diplomatic enough to omit the of course this time around. "Those are Republic ships, and their reassignment affects Republic deployments."

"Republic ships for now," the Diktat noted. His low baritone voice made the words sound more threatening than Mali hoped he meant them to be.

"Be that as it may, sir, there are very real strategic costs to reassigning those ships. Darth Saleej has crossed into the Inner Rim, and I've had to cede three systems to Valin Aresh in the last month alone."

Daikros met his eyes without flinching. "Don't think I don't appreciate the sacrifices and heroism of other warriors of the Republic, General, or that I'm minimizing the havoc other Sith Lords can wreak. I have friends in the northern worlds, and I understand all too well the sufferings their people endure.  And I appreciate that you are one of the reasons those evils have been held at bay."

"Thank you, sir."

Daikros nodded. "That being said, I wasn't elected to safeguard the north sectors, or the Perlemian. Corellians expect me to defend Corellia—and the other Brothers," he added, glancing at Vissica. "And I take my charge as seriously as the Supreme Chancellor takes his."

"And this plan lets you to do just that, sir," Mali pressed. "All the shipyards in the galaxy are no threat if Gasald can't build anything at them."

"And taking Admiral Dorr's math for the sake of discussion, where is Corellia to find four hundred ships to spare?"

"The Corellian Sector Fleet seems the best choice, sir."

"The Corellian Sector Fleet is Corellia's primary defense, General Darakhan." Madrick Trice, a member of the Corellian Council, was seated far down the table, and by his aghast look, Mali might have suggested his grandmother personally lead the campaign.

"The Republic is Corellia's primary defense," Mali replied. "If we get to the point where the CSF is the front line against the Sith, you'll know this war has gone pretty far sideways."

"And if the worst should befall your fleet? If Gasald does press into the Corellian sector?"

"Gasald is far away yet," Mali answered, "which is why the time to strike is now, while she's still far away. These four hundred ships can be part of a winning fight at Milagro, or we can risk them being part of a rearguard fight here.  Personally, I'd rather hit the threat to Corellia before she becomes a threat to Corellia."

"And the fleet's command?" Admiral Dorr demanded. "If we cede hundreds of ships to Republic control, how do we know we'll ever get them back?"

"The fleet will answer to a mutually acceptable commander."

"Meaning you?" Master Dumiel asked.

Mali met the gray-bearded Jedi's eyes. "Yes. I'm Corellian, and a Republic commander, and I know Milagro."

Admiral Dorr crossed his arms. "And if we should prefer a more Corellian commander?"

Mali's eyes tightened, he heard the faint servo whine of Aldayr's tightened cybernetic fist, and Jendaya gritted her teeth, but Ainar beat them all to the punch. "Intelligent beings can disagree about what's best for Corellia, Admiral. This meeting and half the Council meetings of late are clear evidence of that." His neutral tone hardened. "But the man who will say to my face that my former Padawan doesn't have Corellia's best interests at heart had best be prepared to answer to me for that slander."

Admiral Dorr recoiled from the intensity of Ainar's expression; he searched the table for help, but when his eyes fell on Tyson Dumiel, the other Jedi shook his head. "Don't look at me to save you for that. Mali and I may not see eye to eye, but he's a great Jedi and a great son of Corellia both."

Touched and a bit surprised, Mali opted to spare the admiral any further browbeating himself and looked at the Diktat. "Would you have any objection to my command, sir?"

"Your reputation speaks for itself, General Darakhan," Daikros said. "Assuming we agree to this plan. It's only one of the possible courses for Corellia to take."

"The others being…?"

Many of those seated at the table looked at one another, but the Diktat looked at the two Council members. They traded glances, then nodded. The Diktat's eyes fell next on Master Dumiel, who looked at Mali a moment; without taking his eyes of Mali, he nodded too.

Diktat Daikros drew his broad frame up, and everyone looked at him as he said, "Corellia must defend itself—I'm obliged to protect Corellia as best I can. If the Republic won't aid us in doing so, then our aid to the Republic does nothing more than hamper our own defense.  If we need to, we'll invoke Contemplanys Hermi."

Mali's eyes widened; he felt Jendaya's gaze on him, but couldn't make himself look at her. "Sir…"

"How many Corellian ships are in Republic service, General?" Daikros asked. "How many Corellian soldiers? Fighters?  Tanks?  Imagine those forces here, shielding the Five Brothers from Lady Gasald."

Mali was too busy imagining the Republic Navy without its Corellian component. "Respectfully, sir, that would be ruinous for Corellia."

"Why so?" asked Galera Solo, another Council member. "Our own economic policies, our own defense—"

"And on our own, if the Republic should fall," Ainar commented.

"Is that the Throne's official position?" Mali asked Galera.

She shifted in her seat. "My…the King respects the limits of the Constitution Act and takes no position on the political decisions of the Diktat and the Corellian Council," she hedged. "My opinion in Council is my own; I don't speak for the House of Solo or the monarchy."

How much beings thought she spoke for the King was another matter, but at least she had put it into words and reminded the assembled beings about the Solos. Looking at Lambed and Vissica, Mali asked, "Where do Duro and the other Brothers stand on this?"

The tall Selonian woman combed her claws through her sleek fur. "The complexities of galactic warfare are beyond Selonia's ken," she said in a smoothly accented alto. "The Five Claws of Corellia are strongest curled into a single fist. I speak only for the Overden, but I have spoken with my counterparts on Drall and the Twin Worlds, and we are of one mind.  Where Corellia leads, we will follow."

"Duro is undecided," Senator Lambed added, "though our exact affiliation with Corellia will depend on the structure of Corellia's government."

Mali frowned, looking at the Diktat. "Are we up for a constitutional amendment I didn't hear about?"

"Corellia needs to change to serve its people—its sector—best," Daikros answered. "If Corellia would be better served by another form of government, I won't stand in the way of it."

And he wouldn't, Mali suspected. Whether his proposed change was really in Corellia's best interests was another question. Glancing at Master Dumiel and back, Mali asked, "A form of government like the Tapani sector's? Jedi Lords?"

"It's an option," Daikros said levelly. "Corellia was an empire in fact as well as name once; it could become one again. For that matter, we already have a far more ancient line of royalty of our own."

Aldayr frowned. "You're talking about repealing the Constitution Act?"

The Diktat regarded Aldayr. "If that would serve Corellia best."

Aldayr looked at Galera Solo. "Is the King prepared to start ruling Corellia again? And the other Brothers?"

Galera took her time in replying. "My family has assumed the burdens of galactic responsibility before. Prince-Admiral Jonash e Solo ended the Seventeenth Alsakan Conflict.  The King takes no position on the repeal of the Constitution Act so long as it stands…but all of us, each member of the House of Solo, will serve Corellia with our every breath.  If Corellia calls the Throne to rule as well as guide, then I'm sure the King will answer."

Mali couldn't help studying Galera Solo, wondering if this proposed peaceful revolution would one day make her his queen. "Corellia might have put its boot on Coruscant and Alsakan's necks once upon a time, but they were just other militaries. This war is with the Sith, and we need a unified front to survive—united beyond just the Five Brothers."

"Yes," Ainar said.

"Agreed," Dumiel added. "Corellia can't stand against the Sith without Jedi."

Mali hadn't expected it, but though he noted Dumiel hadn't said without the Jedi, he would take the openings the Force gave him. "And this combined fleet—the Republic, and Corellia, and the Jedi—can hamstring Gasald's ambitions for years. Maybe forever, if the Republic can dispose of Lakalt and redirect more resources to the Empire."

"However tactically sound this proposal might be, General," Admiral Dorr noted, "I notice you're assuming the Republic will provide you whatever you want. Why come to us first?"

"Gotta start somewhere," Mali said, shrugging to make light of it. "And the threat in question is pointed at Corellia."

"And if the Republic won't support this campaign even if we commit to it? Will you come back to us and ask Corellia for eight hundred ships if the Republic won't defend its own southern worlds?"

"The Republic will support us," Mali said firmly, praying it was true. "I'll go to the Admiralty, even the High Council if I have to. But neither side has the full war fleet to spare.  We have to cooperate to bring this to reality."

The Diktat drummed his thick fingers on the table. "Senator Rose?"

"Military strategy isn't my forte, but it seems sound," Jendaya Rose said. "Besides, if we can delay Gasald's threat, it means the Contemplanys Hermi decision doesn't need to be made now. We need to do what's best for Corellia, and the more time we have for a reasoned decision on that, the better."

"Admiral?"

"Even four hundred is too many, let alone what might be asked of us if the Republic offers only a token force," said Admiral Dorr. "Too much of the CSF for what will likely only be a temporary gain at best. It's too risky."

"Master Dumiel?"

Tyson Dumiel took his time answering, folding his hands. "Unless and until the Corellian Jedi come together—come home—we need to pursue other means of defending the Corellian sector. Mali's a skillful commander, and the force he proposes is large enough that Gasald won't be able to safely challenge him without exposing herself; if he can take Milagro at all, he can keep it away from her.  I defer to Admiral Dorr on the particulars, but in principle I agree with Mali."

The Diktat looked down the table. "Input from the Council?"

Galera Solo and Madrick Trice looked at each other, then Solo said, "General Darakhan's reputation precedes him. If he believes this is the way to go, and he's going to be there risking himself to do it, I support him."

Vissica of the Selonian Overden had no input, and Senator Lambed deferred. The Diktat meditated a moment, then said, "I'll review the particulars, General, and I'll let you know."