**Chapter 549**
**Scene 1**
**TX-01 POV**
**CIS Flagship – Providence-class Dreadnought**
"Sir, our rear ships are under attack," a tactical droid reported. "Calculations estimate stealth vessels. Our effective range is still ten kilometers out. All Recusant-class heavy destroyers have been destroyed. We are down to two hundred effective combat vessels. Boarding vessels remain ready — should we deploy?"
TX-01 stood motionless, crimson photoreceptors glowing. Retreat was impossible. Communications were jammed. Hyperspace ramming had proven ineffective.
"Recalculating for maximum destruction," the tactical droid intoned.
"Very well," TX-01 replied in its flat, mechanical voice. "Begin deployment of all boarding ships. Place demolition charges on all reactor cores. Set them for remote detonation on my command."
"This victory must be a hollow one."
Suddenly, multiple cruise missiles slammed into the bridge of the Providence-class Dreadnought. The explosions tore through the command deck in a blinding storm of fire and shrapnel. TX-01 had only a fraction of a second to register the incoming threat before its systems went dark forever.
The flagship disintegrated in a brilliant fireball as the *Olympus Mons* closed in, its F-SPAR cannon and missile batteries continuing to reap a terrible harvest across the battered CIS lines.
**Scene 2**
**Dagon POV**
**Olympus Mons Bridge**
It was incredible.
The *Olympus Mons* sat at the very center of the enemy fleet formation like an armored titan, its kyber-powered shields glowing with an almost ethereal brilliance. Turbolaser fire, concussion missiles, even desperate Vulture droid ramming attacks slammed against the reinforced beskar-doonium hull and simply dissipated. The ship barely shuddered.
"Status on the F-SPAR?" I asked.
"Recharged and ready, General!" Clone Commander Striker replied from the weapons station.
"Fire at will. Target the largest remaining Providence."
Another brilliant lance of concentrated energy speared across the void, punching straight through a Separatist Dreadnought's shields and carving a glowing wound through its core. The ship broke apart moments later in a spectacular explosion.
"Sir, we've run out of cruise missiles," Striker reported.
"Very well," I said calmly. "Continue firing. Overcharge all reactors. Give them everything we have."
The girls stood around me on the bridge, their presence steady through the Force bond. Ahsoka's hand rested on my shoulder, Shin stood tall at tactical, and the others coordinated with their respective commands. Even Sakura watched with wide-eyed intensity, her purple hair catching the glow of the battle displays.
The Nebula-class Star Destroyers continued their deadly rotation around the *Grey Wolf*, their overlapping fields of fire turning space into a killing ground. One by one, the remaining CIS capital ships were torn apart.
A Lucrehulk tried to close range, its heavy cannons blazing. Three Nebulas focused fire on it at once. Its shields collapsed in seconds, then its spherical core ruptured in a blooming sphere of blue-white plasma that consumed half its escorting frigates.
"Another Lucrehulk down!" a gunner cheered.
The battle meld that had linked every crewman across the fleet began to ease as the enemy numbers dwindled. What had once been a massive armada was now scattered wreckage and drifting hulks.
**Scene 3**
The last major combatant was a lone Dauntless-class heavy cruiser. Its weapon emplacements had been systematically destroyed, but the ship itself was still intact — a perfect trophy.
I turned to the four padawans who had been waiting eagerly on the *Olympus Mons*.
"Kass, Mack, Finn, Lakas — this one is yours. Board it, secure the bridge, and capture the vessel intact. Show me what you've learned."
The young Jedi activated their lightsabers with determined expressions and boarded assault shuttles. Twenty minutes later, the Dauntless's running lights changed from red to Republic blue.
"Bridge secured, Master Dagon!" Kass Tod reported proudly over comms. "Minimal resistance. The crew surrendered once we took the command deck."
"Excellent work," I replied with genuine pride. "Bring her home."
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**Final Losses (Republic)**
- 3 Venators (lightly damaged)
- 5 Arquitens-class light cruisers (destroyed)
- 4 Marauder-class corvettes (destroyed)
- 50 TIE Punishers (destroyed)
- 35 TIE Avengers (destroyed)
- 25 TIE Defenders (destroyed)
- 20 TIE Advanced (destroyed)
- 29 Skelters (R-7 model, destroyed)
- 100 TIE Whispers (destroyed)
Losses were light and easily replaceable, but every fallen soldier still weighed on me. They had fought bravely.
The Battle of Orron III had lasted one hour and fifty minutes. It took another full day for the salvage fleets from Lantilles and Sienar to arrive and begin collecting the destroyed CIS vessels and the captured Dauntless.
I stood on the bridge of the *Grey Wolf* once more, watching the aftermath. Another decisive victory. Another step toward controlling the Hydian Way.
But I could already feel it — the Separatists would not let this stand. The real counterattack was still to arrive.