C3P6

Kamino System, in high orbital over Kamino

Venator-Class Star Destroyer Resolute

Admiral Yularen was not a happy man. More than anything, he wanted to curl up in bed with a nice book and a large cup of soothing tea, but that wasn't possible with over two hundred Separatist warships in an all out assault on the cloning world of Kamino.

"Sir, the Separatists are pressing their attack," warned his second in command, a clone naval officer by the name of Books.

"Contact Tipoca Command," said the Admiral, turning slightly towards the clone. "What is the status of the fleet?"

"Holding positions along all lines," Books replied, his forehead creasing as another clone officer handed him a data pad from the pit, "Sir, sensors detect dozens of Hardcell transports on a landing vector for Tipoca City."

"The Separatist's fighter escorts for them is also unusually high," noted Yularen, his eyes tracking the hazy swarm of droid fighters. "Is General Skywalker here yet?���

"He has just launched from the hangar bays on Tipoca City, sir. The General should be with us shortly."

The admiral nodded shortly, "Good. Inform him that we have assault transports incoming, he should lead an attack on the enemy flagship while our corvettes and light cruisers divert the fighters and destroy the transports. Capital ships will focus on the vanguard destroyers and frigates to provide them cover."

The clone saluted and returned to his station, belting out orders at an impressive rate, leaving Yularen to turn his attention back to the battle.

The enemy had come in guns ablazing, in a relatively tight formation resembling a wide pyramid, Recuscant Light Destroyers and Munificent frigates speared the attack with their forward cannons. Behind them were over a dozen Providence carrier-destroyers and the enlarged Recuscant Assault Cruisers.

But what worried him the most was the massive Subjugator-Class Heavy Cruiser at the very center. Jammers obscured sensors, but the naked eye could make out it's distinctive ion cannon arrays mounted on each side along it's forward bow. Those ion weapons would prove to be a deadly advantage in this battle.

At the same time however, those assault transports were an immediate target that presented an equally major threat to Kamino if they ever landed. Screened by the frigates and the destroyers, he had to make the hard choice of choosing one or the other:

Destroy the enemy ion cannon array or focus on the immediate threat of the transports and their capital ship escorts.

However, thought Yularen as his moustache twitched in an ironic smile, he had a Jedi to call upon. And a suicidal attack on the flagship's main weapon was right up Anakin Skywalker's alley.

The giant fighter swarm nonwithstanding of course.

-

Artoo beeped enthusiastically as Anakin brought his Eta-Class Interceptor in line with the group of ARC-170s and N1 Interceptors arrayed along the centerline of the Republic Blockade. The golden gleam of the Nabooian fighters brought a pang of wistfulness in the Jedi General as he remembered his first time in a fighter. As he joined Shadow Squadron's formation alongside the Royal Fighter Corps, however, he banished those thoughts in favor of the present.

"Nice to have you with us, General," said ARC-170 Clone pilot Broadside, his voice betraying his bravado, "Ready to have some fun?"

"You know me, Broadside," quipped Anakin, grinning inside his interceptor, "I'd rather be up here than down in a stuffy command center! Lets go Shadow Squadron! It's time to kill the Malevolence a second time! N1s, you're with the Y-Wings, follow us in as we go!"

Cheers filled the comline as hundreds of fighters surged forwards, braving the storm of red blaster and laser bolts thrown at them.