Oh, my sins are grave. Mentoring is a difficult task. It was easier during my time in the Resistance, but that was mainly leading troopers to fight and survive for another day—or perhaps a better tomorrow. Or was it? Has quality been replaced by quantity?
Using the Force, I attached both lightsabers to my belt. It was time to focus on more pressing matters.
As soon as we arrived on Va aart, we would need to establish a proper headquarters and reorganize the troops. After all, I commanded twenty-eight and a half regiments of clones—that's nearly one and a half corps. Managing each regiment individually is no small task. With the aid of droids distributed among the units, I could bring the formations up to full operational strength. A temporary measure, yes, but a necessary one.
I considered the appointments carefully. **Legion commanders… no, I don't like that word.** All regiments are part of the Thirteenth Legion. A better term would be "brigade." Yes. I would appoint four senior commanders from among the original regiment leaders. Commander Blam of the First Regiment would be my **marshal commander**—head of the corps and my deputy.
For the staff, Li Noriega would accompany me. She would handle all paperwork, operational planning, and communications with the fleet. Her intellect made her perfect for the job. Mirro, the communications prodigy, would receive full access to tools and systems. Let him innovate—he would provide seamless communications. A few specialists from the clones would join as consultants: a pilot, an infantryman, a tanker, a technician. They would provide practical advice in their respective fields.
Security, of course, would be robust: a company of clones, some skilled vibroblade operatives, and a few RC units for reliability. On the base, such measures were sufficient, but on Coruscant or public areas, appearances mattered.
Ahsoka and I arrived in orbit above Va aart, contacting the base. They opened a corridor for us, with a pair of fighters escorting the Akatsuki as it descended. Upon landing, four Gozanti cruisers stood in formation, the rest of the fleet stationed in orbit. Everything was in order.
Immediately after landing, Ahsoka and I proceeded to headquarters. All senior officers and commanders were assembled. The clones saluted silently as we entered.
"Glad to see you in good health, General," Commander Blam nodded, glancing at my new armor.
"At ease. How's the situation?" I asked.
Blam gestured toward the tactical table. "Over the past five days, the CIS has resumed attacks on Va aart. Six ships participated in the last strike—all Munificent-class frigates. The Terminus destroyed two with the new F-Spar cannon. Ground-based F-Spar systems destroyed another, while the remaining three were destroyed by the **Artkainen-class Dreadnought** you requested for modification. It is now 1,200 meters long and armed with over a hundred dual laser turrets, fifty-two quad medium turbolaser turrets, sixteen quad heavy turbolaser turrets, and ten missile/proton torpedo launchers. Fighter squadrons now consist of your requested TIE Baron modifications, and engine output is now comparable to the Terminus."
I nodded. Interesting. The trade deals with Lantilles were proving fruitful.
Blam continued, "Also, sir, four hours ago a single Belbullab-24 strike bomber was spotted. Reconnaissance scans suggest a significant attack may be imminent."
"Good. Send a request to Sector Headquarters. Contact Commander Kinaun and Ditmar—they are responsible for our sector. All ships continue defending the factory. Prepare the base for full defense."
"All units are on full alert, General. What type of ships are involved?"
"An Order mission. Nothing critical," I replied, inserting the data disc into the tactical table.
"Gentlemen," I said, surveying the room, "let's get down to details."
The meeting stretched on. Ahsoka, bored, wandered deeper into the base while I outlined my plans to the commanders. They nodded and saluted at the end of each segment. Next came paperwork, organizational directives, and minor operational adjustments.
As I left the command post, our clone engineer rushed up, an astromech rolling alongside him.
"General, my apologies for being late…"
"If the delay is worthy, Captain, then it is excused."
"Yes, sir. The communications system required urgent repairs. Additionally, the underground hangar you named Iacon is complete. The Separatist tunneling equipment accelerated construction considerably."
"Excellent. You're just in time, Captain."
The engineer paused, remembering something. "General, one more thing—we successfully hacked the OOM-series combat droid databases."
"Very good. Finally, we can begin deciphering their army structure and tactics."
The tactical table simulator would allow me to experiment with both Republic and Separatist forces. While the Republic's protocols were known, the CIS employed completely alien standards. Take the Munificent-class frigate, for example: over 800 meters long, yet called a frigate. The Separatists had no concern for galactic norms.
"Have you prepared the data?" I asked.
"Yes, General. It's loaded onto the tactical table, complete with simulator options."
"Excellent. Where is the assistant?"
"Ertrisa will guide you, General."
Following the droid, we reached the proper hall after ten minutes—a massive building with more than twenty floors. There, a luxurious five-meter-diameter tactical table stood ready.
Pressing the keys, I projected the battle data. From the first lines, anomalies became apparent. The **B-1 combat droid** is not only the CIS's most numerous unit but also its primary tactical element.
Squads consist of eight droids, operating independently, requiring no commander. Seven squads form a platoon of fifty-six units. Two platoons comprise a company—112 droids—supported by repair droids and transported via heavy MTTs or light PACs. Battalions include 784 combat droids, supported by seven companies, seven MTTs, and a company of twenty-four **AAT armored assault tanks**.
The information was dense, but with this simulator, I would be able to plan every defensive scenario in advance.