Chapter 344
**Scene 1**
Selena smiled as her new ship, the *Malice*, opened fire.
Three Venators of the Fourth Fleet — attempting a desperate flanking attack — burst into fiery explosions. Their shields collapsed under the sheer volume of heavy turbolaser fire from the five-hundred additional cannons the Quarren had installed in place of the ion rings. Debris and escape pods scattered across the void as the massive Subjugator-class heavy cruiser continued its advance.
"Now Dagon on the *Terminus* is charging toward her," Selena murmured, eyes gleaming with dark anticipation. "Let him come. With a ship this size, he is vulnerable."
The *Malice* loomed like a predator, flanked by thirty Providence-class Dreadnoughts. Its hull bristled with turbolaser batteries, and its escorts formed a deadly screen. Selena stood on the bridge, arms crossed, savoring the moment.
*This time, Marek, you will not escape.*
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**Scene 2 – Dagon POV**
"All ships, gather in shield formation," I ordered. "Our shields are based on that."
The new Dreadnought — the *Malice* — was equipped with over one thousand heavy dual turbolaser cannons. Combined with the thirty Providence-class escorts forming its screen, a wall of red fire slammed into our fleet.
Tarkin's voice came over the command channel, grim but steady. "Sir, our shields are taking quite a beating."
"Where are our reinforcements?" I demanded. "We sent out that damn signal thirty-five minutes ago."
Admiral Adrian Varino answered from the *Pearl Dragon*. "No contact, sir. They are delayed."
"Damn them."
Tarkin's hologram appeared again. "Grace, protect the Fourth Fleet ships and transports. Prepare for jump. The *Terminus* will handle this."
"Yes, sir," Tarkin said, grimacing. He knew what I had to do.
"No, sir. We're not letting you die," Grace countered from the *Valiant*. "All ships — ahh!"
"Puck, is she secured?"
"Yes, sir. Stunned and sleeping. I will move her to her quarters."
"Very good."
I turned to Zule and Ahsoka, who stood ready beside me on the bridge.
"Zule, Ahsoka."
"Yes, Master?"
"Time to concentrate. We are forming a shield."
The three of us linked hands. I reached deep into the Force, drawing on the kyber matrix of the *Terminus*. Zule and Ahsoka poured their strength into the meld, their presences bright and steady. The blue shield bubble around the flagship intensified, shimmering with raw power as it absorbed the incoming barrage.
The *Malice* kept firing, its thousand heavy turbolasers hammering our formation. Shields flared and strained, but the meld held.
"Hold the line," I commanded. "We finish this here."
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**Scene 3**
The *Terminus* accelerated.
Blaster fire and turbolaser bolts slammed into its shield, but the kyber-enhanced bubble held, absorbing and redirecting the energy. Its own cannons answered — heavy turbolasers and the forward super cannon firing in devastating salvos that tore through the Providence escorts left and right.
"Mistress Selena," a droid officer reported, voice mechanical and urgent, "we have Grievous on board, but the enemy ship is accelerating on a ramming attack. Eight of our — no, make that nine — escorts have now been destroyed. We should retreat."
Selena's eyes narrowed, her metal arm twitching with barely contained rage.
"No. I will destroy that ship."
The *Malice* continued its advance, its massive turbolaser batteries pouring fire toward the *Terminus*. The two colossal ships closed the distance, the void between them filled with crisscrossing energy bolts and exploding debris from the fallen Providence escorts.
Dagon stood on the *Terminus* bridge, Zule and Ahsoka at his sides, the shield bubble glowing brighter as they poured their combined will into it.
The *Malevolence* — still crippled but now reinforced by the *Malice* and its escorts — loomed ahead.
The final clash had begun.
The *Terminus* surged forward, its super cannon charging once more, while the rest of the fleet maintained the shield wall and continued hammering the Separatist formation.
Grievous and Selena were both here.
This battle would decide the fate of the Dentaal system — and perhaps the momentum of the entire war.