Icarus: - I will not oppose the decision of the people of Kergans... But I will not support it either. -

The droid already had an idea of ​​what was happening, but hearing it from the contact's mouth reinforced his fears.

Having the coldest of reasonings, a civil uprising in conjunction with its infiltration plan would be a perfect second distraction. Altogether, the main fortress of Kergans would be surrounded between an army of separatist remnants and an armed uprising in the city.

It would be the perfect chaos, and the opportunity to operate more easily among the chaos within the Imperial ranks. However, there was something he didn't like about all of this.

Contact: - We don't count on your help... We never did... Kergans has been preparing for this moment for a long time before your arrival. This is... inevitable. -

Icarus: - Kergans is located in the mid-rim... It will only be a matter of time before an Imperial armada returns to claim the planet. How long do you think you can resist? One week? I guess maybe less. -

Contact: - That doesn't matter. -

Icarus: - How does it not matter? What is the meaning of everything then? -

Contact: - Simple. Show this galaxy that the Empire is not unbreakable. Show that you can be defeated. Call to the rest of the worlds in the galaxy. Call them to take up arms and make the Empire bleed from within. That is the meaning of this uprising. -

Icarus: - So that's it... You're simply going to use this planet as an example... No matter the consequences... No matter... what happens. You know that the Empire will take dams... You know that thousands will die. -

Icarus looked the man in the eyes... He stared at him, trying to define if the Contact showed hatred or determination. Whether that was his will or his desire... But that man was more difficult to understand than any other being in this galaxy. What was its purpose? Was he fighting for a cause he considered just, or was he simply someone driven by a thirst for revenge? Questions, which were answered with a single sentence.

Contact: - There is no price that high. -

Icarus felt it once again. That resentment so deeply rooted in that man's conscience that it seemed to overshadow every trace of his humanity. Many doubts passed through his circuits, the man's past being the main one of all. What moved him to do that? What prompted him to crush everything to do what he considered right?

For a moment, the droid's hand wavered. A calculation ran through his mind. A calculation that lacked logical reason, but that its core sent to its computer as an imperative. His hand was tempted to take the lightsaber and kill that contact right there, in that place. As if it were a necessary evil... Something I couldn't ignore. But the beep of his communicator brought him out of the trance he was in.

Icarus: - Icarus speaks. -

Doom: - General, we are in orbit. -

Icarus: - Noticed. Proceed according to plan. -

Doom: - Royer, royer. -

The droid looked up, only to realize that the human was no longer in front of him. It didn't take long for her to turn around, only to see him next to the door, ready to leave that place without caring about what he had just talked to the droid... And his face... He was once again wearing that false smile with which he deceived to all. And in a few seconds of total silence, the alarms throughout the city exploded into an overwhelming bustle.

Contact: - Ah... The time has come. Don't look at me like that, General... This is something that would end up happening sooner or later. -

Icarus: - Maybe late, it would have been the best option. -

Contact: - It's a necessary evil, general. A first step of many. Hundreds of small tendrils of light that will eventually lead to something unstoppable. All revolving around a cause... An axis that guides them. -

Icarus: - And let me guess... You will be that axis. -

The man let out a look of astonishment, one that Icarus really didn't think he would see at that moment.

Contact: - Maybe... That might be a great idea, general. -

The droid had no idea what it had unleashed. Words that seemed to mean so little, but that would impact the stability of this galaxy in a way that none of those waiting idly on Kargans would be able to imagine. And only one man was aware of it. But that would be an answer that Icarus would be denied.

Foxley: - General, we are ready. - The clone commented as soon as he ran into them. - Gustav and his men are waiting for us. -

Icarus: - Noticed. Call the others and pick up everything. We will leave immediately. -

Foxley: - Right away. -

The clone finally retreated, leaving those two alone once again. But they couldn't continue wasting time, and the contact was practically out of the room.

Contact: - Remember, general. All this is just to achieve a greater good. -

And he left, leaving the droid with a serious moral debate inside. The fact that he wasn't able to do anything to stop it frustrated him. So, he simply quelled every ounce of worry he had left, and focused on his mission. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to save these people. Kergans was... doomed.

----------------------------------------0--------------------------------------

Meanwhile, inside the Muníficent.

B1: - T minus 4 minutes to cross the Kergans orbit. -

Doom: - Roger, roger. To all units. Ready for combat. -

The Muníficent shook as it passed through the planet's multiple atmospheric layers. Everyone knew that this was a dangerous mission, even though the orders were simply to distract the Imperials inside the fortress. No taking unnecessary risks, but in war you never know what can happen.

As soon as the frigate broke through the cloud cover, and the fire generated by the violent descent ended, the capital city of Kergans could be seen in the distance, and right in front, the enormous fortress that undoubtedly stands out above any building within sight. the view. The moment had arrived.

Doom: - To all units. Start with the operation. -

Communication channels were saturated with order confirmations. Each one had a role to play, and none of them kept their subordinates waiting. The frigate's hangar doors opened wide, and a swarm of ships emerged from within.

The first to take flight were the Vulture fighters. More than four hundred droids that came out of the Munificent like a swarm of bees after hitting their hive. Lance and Typhon were placed in front, acting as a tactical node between the hundreds of their peers and the central computer within the frigate.

These units may have had impressive autonomy, but the extra battlefield data provided increased their efficiency by acting as a swarm. An improvement that Icarus developed by combining the benefits of an individual reasoning system and a centralized mind, and allowing each droid to act independently if the situation required it. Although of course, it would never be as efficient as that of a Lucrehulk ship.

Behind them, more than two hundred fighters were deployed, commanded by Mirana herself in her trident ship, who currently held the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Not far from their formation, Captain Jon Vander led an independent squadron of sixty fighters, which was very useful in securing strategic objectives within the entire insane starfighter battle. The young Vander demonstrated innate skill as a pilot and commanding officer, and he found climbing the ranks of this attempted resistance not at all challenging. His mere presence was a relief to his comrades.

And finally, once the hangars were cleared of fighters, the imposing C-9979 landing ships departed. Six of them, inside which were transported ridiculous quantities of B1 combat droids, and some specialized units, most of which were long-range artillery pieces.

Some other ships, such as the Kestrel Nova itself or the cruiser Aurora, had other designated missions, carrying Captains Howser, Li Mu, Cranel and Holdo inside. Small groups that had other objectives independent of the diversionary attack, and that also had the presence of Alpha, Delta, and the command droids of the Punitive Guard.

Icarus would spare no effort to achieve his objectives, since such a risky operation needed to obtain as many profits as possible to recover the losses he calculated. The information was valuable, but it wasn't the only thing they could take from that place. Furthermore, the super commando droids would not underestimate who was in command of such an imperial fort.

------------------------------------------0----------------------------------

Officer: - Major General on deck! -

An officer's voice was raised among the hundreds of voices and communication channels that saturated the command room of the imperial fortress. Every member present stopped absolutely everything they were doing, standing at attention in a military manner while their boots clicked in unison against the ground.

A figure appeared, walking quickly along with four stormtrooper escorts, who stopped at the entrance to the command post while the senior officer present took his place right in the middle of everyone. In the center console where I had total visibility of everything that happened.

Katalina Von Haranef. A woman sharp as a katana and sharp as a rapier. Of an iron character and ephemeral patience, forged on the battlefield directing his troops, and not behind a bureau, like those pompous senior officers who came out of the Coruscant academies, with their ironed and absurdly shiny uniforms.

After all, she was General Kleeve's lieutenant, and one of those who fought against the clone armada on the planet Kaller. A full-fledged Separatist. One who was shocked when she saw what the monitors revealed to her.

Katalina: - Impossible... - An involuntary gesture when seeing a memory from her past.

The discontent of the planets of the independent system was no surprise to anyone, once they had to merge with the Galactic Empire. Without their droid army, some planets tried to oppose it, but were reduced to ashes like Lasat or Zygerria. A sample of the times that were coming for those who did not submit to the will of the emperor.

A wave of memory bombarded the officer. Memories of a past that had already been buried long ago. He had heard of the last separatist bastion in the galaxy, but he never thought they would knock on his door.

Officer: - Major General... What are your orders? -

But she had already made up her mind.

Katalina: - Let all the fighters take off and intercept the enemy ships. Raise your shields and call for reinforcements. -

Icarus feared for her. After all, Katalina was the one who knew battle droids best, of all the opponents the super droid had faced.