The orbit around Coruscant is literally littered with objects that could not have originated naturally in the galaxy.
Then again, the space around Coruscant had never been empty.
Orbital mirrors hung in orbit, delivering light from the local star to the farthest corner of the planet's surface. Dozens, if not hundreds, of various satellites ensured the uninterrupted operation of countless institutions.
But even without them, the planet had always been a hub of intelligent life and a bustling transportation nexus.
Every day, thousands of ships arrived at the Republic's capital planet — diplomats and senators, tourists and refugees, food and goods from distant, exotic star systems. But now the sky was packed with Star Destroyers, cruisers, fighters, and other warships, not cargo and transport vessels.
Although the wreckage of civilian and military starships was so disfigured that it was hard to recognize anything even remotely resembling the product of intelligent design, experienced pilots and spacefarers could always identify the type of starship that had perished in an unequal battle from its debris.
Garm Bel Iblis, formerly the Supreme Commander of the New Republic Defense Forces, watched as laser and turbolaser beams cut through the darkness of space. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back on the bridge of a private Corellian corvette that was breaking through the Imperial blockade of the New Republic's capital.
Breaking through, while the First Fleet heroically stood its ground to the death, hoping to hold control of the state's capital against the hordes of Imperial mad rancors that spared no one.
Several dozen units from the corvette's position, a blinding flash marked the loss of yet another New Republic starship.
"The Reaper has claimed another victim," the ship's commander hissed through his teeth. The Corellian remained silent, knowing that words were useless here.
The armada that Grand Moff Kaine had brought to the Core Worlds was merciless and unstoppable.
That was what he had told the head of state, Borsk Fey'lya, hoping that the Bothan, emboldened by his victory, would listen to his opinion. But he had simply ignored the man, advising him, along with the other supporters of Mon Mothma and the newly formed Alliance, to leave the planet. Talk here was useless. So they fled, taking the opportunity while Kaine's butchers did not yet have full control of the orbit. And that time was running out fast. For two weeks Kaine had been pushing through Coruscant's defenses, losing warships time and again — heavy cruisers of the Galactic Dragon type — but he only pulled back and continued his campaign. The defense system Bel Iblis had built after Thrawn's attack had held out... but not against an armada like this. Kaine had locked down the orbit and begun destroying reinforcements coming to the capital's aid. His forces were capturing the planets of the Coruscant system, and the entire sector, one after another. His other formations were establishing a direct corridor from the Pentastar Alignment to Coruscant, while the Imperial Space forces launched their belated assault from another direction. Soon, Coruscant would fall, or the entire sector would be blockaded, and Kaine would grind the First Fleet through the millstones of his war machine, which attacked without regard for losses.
The nineteen-kilometer blade of the Reaper, the Grand Moff's flagship, rained fire on yet another operational group of the First Fleet that had arrived from the Empress Teta system.
Two dozen MC80b star cruisers fought for their lives, giving the Coruscant defense forces time to evacuate the civilian population.
And Garm had no doubt that Fey'lya had already left the planet to organize a government-in-exile. The soldiers of the First Fleet were dying to save what remained of the planet's civilian population. The very people who had been the first to be hit by the invasion. Thousands of starships with sentients returning to the planet had perished during the first strike, and now the hulks of those vessels formed a vast graveyard blanketing the orbit of the capital world.
"Fifteen minutes until we reach the system jump point," the ship's commander reported.
"Have you informed Mon Mothma?" Bel Iblis inquired, still watching the Imperials batter the Republican fleet. A fleet that should have been withdrawn to preserve it for future battles.
"Yes, sir, General," the officer replied.
"She received the information, but she's in talks with the Mon Calamari."
"I hope she doesn't do something stupid and ask them to send their fleet to hold Coruscant," the Corellian muttered.
"Stupid?" the corvette commander bristled immediately. "Sir, this is the capital of the New Republic! Whoever rules Coruscant rules the galaxy!"
"Don't confuse political and military necessity," Bel Iblis shook his head. "Coruscant is just a planet. The Imperials need it to show their greatness to the rest of the galaxy. That's a political motive. From a military standpoint, I would rather give up Coruscant but keep Empress Teta and Foerost. But the New Republic's military command set their priorities differently. Let the rest be on their conscience."
"Well of course," the ship's commander said irritably. "Better to preserve the shipyards and wealthy regions than hold the symbol of power."
"And what will you do when you have the symbol of power in your hands, but the entire army capable of holding it has been wiped out by the enemy?" asked Bel Iblis. His interlocutor was silent.
"That's what I thought," the Corellian replied. "We've already sacrificed hundreds of thousands of lives fighting against the symbol of the Empire. While we were being destroyed based on simple military necessity. Thrawn may have been our enemy, but he opened many eyes to what was happening."
"That sounds like you admire him," the man snorted.
"No," said Bel Iblis. "I merely respect his military genius. Who knows what times would have come if he had survived. Not wasting time on symbols, he deprived us of enough starships in six months to equip an entire fleet. He captured hundreds of thousands of our soldiers, and we could do nothing against him."
"But he's in the grave, and we're not," the corvette commander countered reasonably.
Garm watched another star cruiser explode under the Reaper's barrage.
"Honestly, I don't know which of us has it easier," the Corellian replied quietly. "But I really hope he really is dead."
"Why?" his interlocutor was surprised.
"Because if Luke Skywalker didn't kill Thrawn at Sluis Van, then the last Grand Admiral will certainly make himself known in this current campaign," Bel Iblis explained.
"So what?"
"Well, then we really are finished."