Planet Gand, Pef Empire

21 BBY

While Peffy is romancing his way towards the Mand'alore rank, by beating the pretty red-headed Bo Katan to a pulp...

"Master, we have a slight problem."

―Anakin Skywalker

The Battle of Terra Sool , with the CIS using another hilarious superweapon, 36 of them in fact, called Conqueror-class atmospheric dreadnaught . Sigh.

My favorite Jedi managed to lose 90% of their allies from the Terra Sool militia. Is this a sort of cosmic joke? My human's self old planet has a clone in this dimension?

Anyway, it took them only a single day to repel a planetary invasion by themselves, while the droids were busy massacring the civilians and their militia defenders on the ground. Good job heroes!

If I didn't have plans for those two...

But, at the same time another, more interesting battle takes place.

The Battle of Iktotch ,with Master Saesee Tiin, himself an Iktotchi—arrived at the planet to free it from the invading droids of the Separatists.

Only this time, Master Windu is too dead to help, and the droids bombard the light of the lightsaber with everything they have, as per Balance protocols. A Hailfire droid empties his whole missiles rack on the injured Master. A bit overkill, but then... And another light is extinguished, and the galaxy rests in the shade a little more relaxed.

"Weapons didn't win this battle...the Jedi did."

―Saesee Tiin last words.

But no, in fact to the contrary, the clone troopers, now without a Jedi general to suicide them in frontal assaults, went on to murder every single droid with minimal casualties, liberating the planet. Freedom wins!

And congratulations for a well thought plan, Darth Sidious. The Jedi keep losing Masters and Knights, all over the galaxy, thanks to your brilliant strategy.

Wialu is following Nejaa Halcyon who left Corellia on a suicidal mission, possibly towards the Duel on Susevfi where another dark acolyte of Dooku is using a Sith holocron and some stolen Sith scrolls to form the Jensaarai .

At least there aren't any Coruscant Jedi around this time, to create more religious dispute. Wialu should be enough to knock their heads back to sanity. Or something.

'Yes my love. Or something. This Halcyon guy is almost a Fallanassi. Has a wife and kids, and no telekinesis. Maybe...' my Voice said through our bond.

'Not the time, for now. They'll come willingly soon enough, my beloved Voice' I explained gently, returning my focus on my Avatar.

----------

This girl was something alright, and kept fighting even with half her ribs and a femur broken.

Let's take off the helmet then, she might like what's underneath and stop risking a shattered heart.

Breaking hearts with my fists, even though I promised myself to use only love.

"Please stop, Miss Bo. You've proven your strength and bravery. I believe the ritual is concluded." I said gently, backing off a few steps.

"N-not while I can still fight. Your pretty face and words won't be enough to sway me, outsider!" Bo Katan exclaimed with a spit of blood. Possibly a rib has punctured her lung then...

I looked around at the audience, Death Watch and Nite Owls, forming an impromptu arena and fight club. And wedding invitees, curiously enough.

Okay then, sleeping gas, and then a bacta tank after I fused her ribs in place.

Puuuf!

The last opponent to my rule of the mandalorians was defeated.

"I'll take my new wife aboard my ship to bring her back to health. But for now, any other contendant to the title of Mand'alore?" I proclaimed, holding the Darksaber up and liting it to create a spectacle.

A few girls from the Nite Owls took off their helmets and eyed each other with some feminine secret code.

"We've heard you have many lovers and maids, Avatar. Perhaps you wish to fight us, and win our hearts..." a pretty blonde girl asked with a sly smile.

A couple more girls stepped forward, looking forward to getting beat up as prelude to hot romance. Sigh

I just can't say no, to so much potential.

1% boost, and let's beat them up a little.

'Breaking hearts again, my tincan overlord?' Asajj asked, with a touch of jealousy in the bond.

'Hey, the Avatar needs love Asajj. Lots of loving and affection. And later, thousands of kids, to lead the Astartes legions...' I whispered, pulsing a burst of pure affection in the bond.

'Ah....enough. I have work to do, can't dream of this and that, while I'm coordinating the uplift of this planet.' Asajj Grayshade muttered with an embarrassed hot and warm voice.

Five punches to the stomach later, and the Avatar had a few more mandalorian wives, less battered and more pliant for future maids.

Now, let's fix that mess on the planet Mandalore, and perhaps gain a new friend.

Planet Gand, Pef Empire

Redbox

21 BBY

"Our operatives have concluded that the CIS retaliatory fleet has begun amassing at Zygerria , no doubt hoping to deter us from interfering with the Zygerrian Slavers Guild , by holding 400 million slave hostages. And the ships keep coming from all over the northern sectors of the galaxy, including the Corporate sector. We might have a bigger problem than we thought" Zuckuss explained, while the strategic droids around the holotable kept adding more and more to the growing number of confirmed and estimated ships. 12 hundreds so far.

A week or possibly two weeks then, until the late-comers will arrive. So, they went for broke, trying to gather 10 thousands ships in one fleet?

"The CIS is also refusing to play your game in the Tion Triangle. The encircled fleets are gathering at Murkhana, and keep getting reinforcements. At least 600 capital vessels and a hundred thousand droid starfighters. If they retreat completely from all Tion Cluster they could achieve 10 thousands ships, my Emperor. They might break through, and retake Columex and Lianna." my third Hand added, his tone a bit worried.

Really? In two weeks we'll have a hundred more Meteors finishing trials. And their escorts will finish loading up with missiles and droid starfighters as well. 1000 corvettes and 100 fleet carriers. Nah, the CIS were outmatched and outplayed.

Only the situation on Coruscant might change things a little.

If the 15000 planets in the neutral block swung the vote, and pushed for peace too soon. And being led by Duchess Satine of Mandalore. Oh well.

Little chance of that, as everyone wanted more war. The Sith, the Jedi, the CIS and us. Palpatine will make sure that peace didn't happen. I could rely on the Sith for something, at least.

'Pef, I have 34 of these Jensaarai and a Green Jedi asleep at my feet. Do I keep them or what?' Wialu asked from planet Susevfi.

'Drain that Anzati, Nikkos Tyris . The rest...on Ruul I suppose. With families and everything.' I answered after a juggling the odds a little, and trying to see what the Force would want. Neutral philosophy seemed okay.

'I'm keeping the holocron though. We have too few of these Sith ones.' Wialu Greyshade muttered, while draining another dark jedi.

'And take their flashlights too. Damn savages' I muttered back and turning more of my attention to Solana.

------

She was experimenting on Sol V, with submersible craft like Manta droid subfighter and Amphibious fighter and dozens of other craft, trying to merge the technologies with Solanustech derived from Vong bioforms.

They will be needed to fight enemies like the Aqua droid and Hydroid Medusa that the CIS would use against us, on water planets.

Also, trying to develop underwater Booma that were known to work on those medusa cyborgs.

'A bit busy now, but my friendly cygnus algae are lots of help. When they don't get stuck inside an engine...' Solana Greyshade grumbled through the voice bond.

Okay then. Have fun.

-------

"The Eternal Dreamer has returned to us. So, we close the pocket at Murkhana then, wife abuser?" Mujilik wondered aloud.

Hey! It's their custom to get banged up before wedding. And possibly an adrenal evolutionary adaptation. Get their hearts racing and stay in bed longer...poor Peffy was getting a little out of breath with his fifth wife in a row.

At least Bo was still asleep in her bacta tank.

"Errr. Yes, we will close up the escape route if they don't want to take it, and start converging from all sides, gradually giving the CIS in the Tion Cluster time to evacuate their military assets towards Murkhana. But have our agents in place to prevent major sabotage to factories or reactors.

"It will be done. Now, you can resume your narration heartbreaking Emperor, you missed the culminating part of your conquest"

Zuckuss added, sipping some Corellian brandy. He seemed a bit tipsy.

They were our allies, the Corellians, so it was almost appropriate to drink their most valued export at a strategy meeting.

In fact....

"We need to inject a trillion credits in Corellian shipbuilding. They could have 2 thousand medium cruisers like our MC Liberty class, in 2 years. Let's call it... Lend and lease initiative. Our own programs are already on their way to provide 2 thousand cruisers by next year. And the same next year, and next year..." I hummed deep in thought.

"If you pay for this from our own purse, overspending idiot droid. The Empire cannot afford to finance another polity on this scale." Zuckuss commented with a friendly voice.

Right.

Poor Empire, I forgot.

"Your B1 Corellian Ambassador will be overjoyed. He was kicked out from the Diktat's gates 8 times now?"

"Hmmm Dupas Thomree is a bit rude. B1 Corell will present our offer to the Corellian Council , but we'll have to add a few silk wings to her back and a repulsorlift harness. To emulate Angie better. Sounds good?" I asked a little amused at my own cleverness.

"Let's hope they don't shoot our brave Ambassador, before she can give them a trillion credits. Damn racist humans. You're truly too kind to those scummy aliens, Metal Gand" Mujilik concluded with an entirely tolerant attitude.

Small steps.

"We are all aliens, my friends. 20 million sapient species, just in this galaxy. Now, I'm going down on the planet to experiment with my Single Trooper Aerial Platform and the Ground Armored Tank.

Let me know if any planet blows up or such." I explained patiently, already going over a few hundred possible modifications to these weapon systems. Repulsorcraft were still the best toys in the galaxy.

"We have a kid as our eternal leader...the dream will eat us all" my third Hand proclaimed dramatically, using another toy to disappear from my senses.

And a good one again. Some kind of gravitational flux inversion?

He'd better not blow up my energy refinery around the Cresih black hole. Or the black hole itself. Those were pretty rare, in this galaxy.

Concordia, the moon of planet Mandalore.

21 BBY

"Lidia Greyshade, my precious wife. You're my only hope!" I said dramatically towards my Queen consort over the Commonality.

"Cut the bantha droppings, you playboy cheating husband. What do you want?" The hologram replied coldly. Kriff.

"A most trusted confidante of mine is en route to Columex, with a mandalorian suit of armor. I need to you to have it scanned and printed in a million copies, by next week." Peffy said, palms pressed together in supplication.

"Are you out of your mind, you scoundrel ? Those armors take years to make, and only a few metalsmiths know how to make belskar!" she yelled at me, politely.

"You like me because I'm a scoundrel. There aren't enough scoundrels in your life. Plus, they can be plastic or thin metal foil. I just need them to look authentic, from far away." I explained patiently, and smiled widely. Quoting from other famous scoundrels always worked. Thanks, Han Solo.

"You're transmitting from Concordia...no way...you're trying to become Manda'lore too?" Lidia exclaimed in awe. Indeed, and be amazed my merchant princess.

"About that. I already am Mand'alore, on the moon that is. Now I need to conquer to planet, with a mandalorian army." I said softly, pushing a curious mandalorian maid down, out of the holotransmiter's capture ray. Alise, Alicia, Alice? No idea which one.

"I see. You beat up some mandalorian woman, and made yourself a mandalorian by marriage. A blonde one, with short hair perhaps?" my wife asked, with a venomous tint in her adoring voice.

Kriff, the game was up.

"As it happens, yes! I consider myself quite clever, my dear. But, I need those armors, my love. Or else, the bloodshed will be legendary, rivers of blood and guts flowing all over Mandalorian space, with violence spilling out into nearby sectors..." I hinted graciously, and keeping the rebellious Niteowl's head down. Out of the danger of being pierced by laser eyes.

"Mhhhh. And those sectors, would be probably mine. You're lucky I do like you, scoundrel. Stop by my place before you go running around the galaxy again." Lidia Greyshade demanded with a noble voice, gesturing dismissively to end the hologram.

"So, we're conquering the planet then, most virile husband?" Alisia Greyshade asked, pushing me on my back, then climbing over my body.

"Of course. As soon as the armors are here. We have a week to get to know each other..." I said softly, and began the mountain climb again, with tender climbing claws.

"You bet we do. And today, you're only mine!" she proclaimed dramatically, tossing her top over her shoulder, and presenting her airbags for inspection.

"Small steps, dear wife. Try to last a whole hour first" I said, with a cheeky voice.

Then, an evil extra-dimensional force made me look away, and return to the task of creating a cheap repulsorlift fast attack droid.

---------

Planet Gand

Silicon Mountains

The aerial platform was a good start, and cheap, at 2500 credits.

But, it needed a droid pilot which made it too vulnerable, and much slower, due to air friction.

Plus the whole aim and fire thing with a bicycle like steering bar...it was so outdated.

Nah, I could simply place a B1 droid's head for a pilot, inside the front of the chassis, remove the guiding bar and the steps, even turn it horizontal. Make an inch think transparisteel window for the droid head.

Add a cheap Arkanian shield, or maybe even a Mandalorian one, since droids were not as vulnerable to sonic weapons or low temperature.

Replace the blasters with a maser cannon and an ion cannon, so they won't need tibanna gas to keep firing...

Place them on a turret ball, just below the droid's head. And done!

There, a full repulsorlift gunship able to scout and attack ground target from the flanks and rear.

Total cost 3500 credits. Twice as fast, now about 700kph, and highly effective against droids and organics alike. I should send my designs and the prototype to the real engineers though.

Wouldn't do to print a billion such units and waste 3.5 trillions due to some error that could have been easily fixed during the prototype stages.

Maybe add an internal 12 micromissiles launcher? 500 credits more, but triple the alpha strike? Worked fine on the Canis droids I tested on Saleucami. Sure, why not.

Make a note, try to make the Stinger usable underwater and in vacuum.

And to think, just a tiny repurposing of existing parts, and I made the basis of a cheap highly mobile army, able to conquer star systems in a week.

Now let's see how the B1 armies equipped with riot shields do on planet Arcan...

Whoa, 500% increased effectiveness in frontal assaults? For 500 credits, it was a real bargain.

The commando droids were even more effective, with their Verpine all round shields.

The light tanks still sucked, massively.

Then again, maybe the local commanders should stop using them to break fortified positions.

Let's try something else. The Ground armored tank of the CIS was a good start, just needed wheels, to keep moving if encountering forcefields, let's try 8 small ones this time, since losing a wheel made the old models get stuck.

Then, a turret with an ion cannon on the top glacis, and 6 medium masers on the main turret. Cause more dakka is always better.

Then a gatling laser and a dual missile launcher. Cause fighters and bombers keep targeting my tanks, for some reason.

And place the head of a tactical droid in the turret, as the tank commander.

Another B1 heads in the turrets with the ion cannon and the one with a gatling laser.

And just two crews, driver and missile gunner.

There, now the tank profile could be reduced by 50% and the armor increased by 10%. Let's add an extra energy cell for the shield.

And there it is, a beauty, able to reach 200 kph. For a tank, is quite decent.

Now, the medium tanks did well enough, having the role of engaging other armor. I could add some an extra energy cell too.

And place a mortar turret on the side, to help with infantry and fortifications. Make that two, to keep the tank balanced.

The speed decreased a little. Oh well. Maybe a better and more powerful reactor and engine will appear.

The tri-droid starfighters made their first appearance against the Republic, but only small numbers.

I need to obtain one, and begin making our own. They were pretty effective against clones, and even some jedi.

What? A message from the admiral of the 8th fleet?

'We have begun the invasion of planet Folende , my Emperor. The planet seems deserted and the crop fields are on fire.' the Dornean admiral transmitted, with some dismay in his tone.

Those monsters, burning food, like the evil Sith capitalists they were...

Children were starving, somewhere! They had to be.

Then again, children are always starving, everywhere. It's like a law of nature, or something.

'Admiral, have a few corvettes tractor ice comets and shatter them above the fires. Leave a few frigates to guard the planet then jump to Omman. Maybe we catch them, before they burn another world.' I ordered sternly, then began ordering a full invasion on all fronts in the Tion Cluster.

Scorched earth tactics...gah. Should have done this sooner.

Maybe we could save some planets.

Damn it. I might have to expose my hand too soon.

'I'm coming back now, the Jensaarai are deposited on Ruul, on an island, like your prefer. But it may take me 3 days to reach Folende, even with this fast ship.' Wialu sent at once.

'Thanks love. I fear this could be avoided, if I had acted sooner' I sent back, with simulated grief and regret.

'It's how we learn, Immortal Pef. More mistakes you will make, and become even more learned. Solana warned you, my dear green crystal. This...is only the beginning' my water maid sent with a very faint tinge of regret.

Great. Everyone makes mistakes. At least this one...it was not me, exactly.

Hate. Irrational hate was the cause of this. The willingness to burn everything, than lose even a little.

Breathe, Pef!

Answering hate with hate wasn't the answer.

I had saved a trillion lives so far, sheltering them behind planetary shields and my ships. It just couldn't go on forever.