Chapter 48: Dark Jedi Incursion
A/N: Just for some lore context, the Abominor is an extra-galactic droid society from the Yuuzhan Vong galaxy. Abominors are immense droids which were composed of tubing as well as assorted parts from other droids. Their culture is based on asymmetry and chaos which conflicted with that of their counter parts, the Silentium, another sentient droid species. Some Abominor even grew until they were planet-sized monstrosities.
If you would like to know more you can check them out on the Wookieepedia page, though I will continue to explain more about them as the story goes on.
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The Abominor had continued to grow within the unexplored region of the galaxy which also consisted of what Daimon knew as the Unknown Regions. The Imperial Ministry of Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Expansion and Colonization has worked together over the past 10 years to investigate both regions of unexplored space in the Mid-Rim, Outer-Rim, and the unexplored space to the east of the Imperium.
But that area of space was large and riddled with unknown dangers. The Quantum Hyperspace Mapping System had been a huge success at mapping routes through these dangerous regions, establishing safe hyperspace routes for ships to travel. But they had yet to reach the area of space where the Abominor were expanding.
Exploring space was a long and grueling process and it would take several decades before the Imperium encounters the Abominor and their aggressive ideology.
Meanwhile, within the Poviduze system, a small Republic fleet has just exited hyperspace after fleeing from their battle with a Dark Jedi fleet. The officer in charge of the fleet, Commodore Ralvik Thorne, took a moment immediately and wanted to know where they were as their navigation systems had been knocked out from the battle before.
The holo-display in front of Commodore Thorne struggled to come online as sparks from the damaged console were flying everywhere. His ship, Valor's Shield, drifted through space alongside the remnants of his fleet, engines still burning from the Dark Jedi's relentless pursuit.
"Status report," Thorne ordered with a sense of urgency.
"Navigation systems are offline, Sir. We dropped out somewhere within in the Poviduze system, but without accurate readings, we're blind," his second-in-command, Lieutenant Vess, reported. "Shields are down to 20% across the fleet. Weapons are barely operational. And…" she hesitated, looking over additional damage reports. "Long-range sensors indicated multiple hyperspace signatures inbound."
Thorne clenched his jaw. He knew exactly who was coming.
In the distance, the Dark Jedi fleet emerged. At the center of the formation was the Dagger of the Void, flagship of Vandryn Karn, the Dark Jedi hunting them down. His forces had tracked the Republic fleet from their previous battle, all the way here to this system.
"Commodore, incoming transmission," an officer called out. "It's him."
The holo-display began to stabilize, revealing Vandryn Karn's figure cloaked in a red cloak.
"You've run far enough, Thorne. The Republic's time is over. Surrender, and I may yet show you mercy."
Thorne scoffed. "If I wanted mercy, I wouldn't be in this war." He cut the transmission. "Prepare all remaining ships for evasive action. We're not going down without a fight." As the Republic fleet scrambled, their damaged vessels were barely able to move into defensive positions, the Dark Jedi fleet charged forward, launching brutal barrages towards the Republic fleet.
Explosions erupted across the Republic ranks, shields collapsing, hulls getting penetrated. It was a one-sided slaughter.
On Veldari, within the Imperial Intelligence Directorate (IID), a surveillance operative had just picked up a distress signal from the Republic fleet. The transmission was garbled, filled with static and the desperate voices of Republic officers barking orders to evacuate or keep firing.
"Get this to High Command immediately," the operative shouted, turning to a fellow officer. "It's a Republic fleet, outnumbered and outgunned. They won't last long."
Within minutes, the distress signal had reached Progenitor Varyn Dreyl, the Director of the IID. He immediately sent the report up through High Command to let the military handle the matter. After a few minutes had passed, ships from nearby systems and ships within the system had formed a battlegroup led by Rear Admiral Draevos.
He was aboard his flagship, the Sovereign Wrath, a Valiant Class-Heavy Battle Carrier behemoth of war with a ton of Heavy turbolasers and fighters. It took the battlegroup 15 minutes to form up and start the jump to where the battle was going on.
Back to the battle.
The Valor's Shield shook as another barrage from the Dark Jedi fleet tore through its weakening hull. Commodore Thorne gripped the edges of his command chair as his ship drifted sideways.
"Multiple ships destroyed, sir! We can't hold the line!" Lieutenant Vess cried out over the alarms blaring throughout the bridge.
Thorne refused to accept it. "Redirect auxiliary power to forward shields! Focus all fire on the lead cruiser! If we're going down, we're taking as many of them with us as possible!"
Vandryn Karn's voice echoed through the comms again, this time without invitation. "You fought well, Commodore, but this is where it ends."
Thorne was about to respond when a new alarm rang through the ship. It was an alert notifying them of incoming hyperspace signatures.
A fleet of Imperium warships jumped into the system. At the head of the formation was the Sovereign Wrath, flanked by battlecruisers and destroyers. The Imperium had arrived.
Rear Admiral Draevos wasted no time. "Engage all weapons. Focus fire on the Dark Jedi's flagship."
The Imperium fleet unleashed a Heavy Turbolaser barrage which shattered the shields of Dark Jedi fleet instantly. One of their cruisers disintegrated instantly, another spiraled out of control as its engines detonated.
Vandryn Karn's face was filled with anger and frustration. "Who do these ships belong to?!" he growled. "Why are they here?"
"Sir!" one of his officers panicked. "This new fleet is overwhelming us! We can't take much more of this!"
Vandryn cursed. The battle had changed in an instant. The Republic fleet was crippled, but if he stayed, he risked losing his entire armada to this new fleet's superior firepower.
"Retreat," he snapped. "All ships, withdraw immediately."
One by one, the Dark Jedi vessels began pulling away, jumping to hyperspace in scattered directions. The Dagger of the Void was the last to leave as he sacrificed a few ships to cover his ass. "This isn't over," he promised.
The moment the Dark Jedi fleet vanished; the chaos was over.
Thorne, still dazed, stared at the Imperium ships now surrounding his battered fleet. He wasn't sure if he had just been saved, or if he was about to be captured for violating the agreement that the Republic had with the Imperium.
A transmission came through from the Sovereign Wrath.
"This is Rear Admiral Draevos of the Imperium," a voice announced. "Commodore Thorne, I hope we made it in time." Thorne exhaled, straightening himself.
"Rear Admiral," he replied, "you just saved what's left of this Republic fleet."
"I'm glad that we could help. I can also see that several of your ships are destroyed and floating in space. Direct those shuttles to my ship and we can start offering medical assistance to those that require it. In the meantime, I will contact my higher ups, while I suggest you do the same so that."
Thorne agreed as he ordered the comms officer to contact Republic command.
After the two had reached out to their respective commands. The Republic military command had contacted the Imperium High command and thanked them for their help. The Imperium Command responded by offering medical services and helping repair the Republic vessels.
The Republic military command accepted, and the Republic fleet was granted leave during the time their ships were getting repaired.
Some two ships were brought in and began to two the Republic ships back to Veldari. Once the Republic fleet and the Imperium convoy arrived at Veldari, a sense of relief washed over the wounded and weary sailors and soldiers. For those who survived, they were greeted with medical teams, engineers, and rest.
Thorne watched as countless droids went to work on his crippled ship. Turning around, he reached his hand out towards Rear Admiral Draevos who grabbed his hand in return. "Thank you, once again Rear Admiral. This fight has killed tens of thousands in this week alone already."
"Sounds like you've seen a lot throughout this war." Draevos said, placing his hand on Thorne's shoulder. "Luckily you ended up in Imperium space, if not, you might not be standing here right now." Thorne knew he was right.
Meanwhile, within Daimon's office, he was currently thinking about what to do with the recent situation that transpired. The Dark Jedi were something so insignificant that he didn't think about them much for the past 30 years or so. But now that they had violated his empire's territorial sovereignty alongside the Republic, then he could resume what he was doing before he formed the Imperium.
He had an agreement with the Republic, to keep military ships out of each other's space. Obviously, this came with certain exceptions and this situation was an exception to that agreement. But the Dark Jedi were a different problem entirely.
This was also a chance for him to gain some influence within the Republic to reap more of their resources and other stuff. On the other hand, he was planning to set up the next stage involving the creation of the Sith. With the way things are going now.
He was going to dip his hands in every major event that will happen throughout the future, with a few changes here and there.