**Chapter 562**
**Scene 1**
**Dagon POV**
**Olympus Mons Bridge – Quell Orbit**
The sky above Quell burned.
I stood at the center of the *Olympus Mons* bridge, hands clasped behind my back, watching the final act of the Battle of Quell unfold. Below us, the planet's surface was already scarred by the wreckage of hundreds of fallen Separatist ships. Smoke columns rose from multiple impact sites across the mountain ranges and plains.
"No survivors," I said quietly, my voice carrying across the bridge. "Base Delta Zero. Target all remaining Separatist outposts, military installations, and that repair station. Burn them."
The girls didn't hesitate. Through the Force bond I felt their grim acceptance. This was war. The CIS had chosen this path — slavery, deception, and orbital superiority. Now they would reap the consequences.
"F-SPAR charged and ready," Stella reported from weapons control.
"Fire," I ordered.
The *Olympus Mons* trembled as its massive kyber-enhanced cannon unleashed a searing lance of energy toward the massive 5-kilometer repair station still clinging to high orbit. The beam punched straight through its failing shields and carved a glowing canyon through its core. Secondary explosions rippled across the structure as entire docking arms broke away and spiraled downward, burning like meteors.
"All ships," I transmitted across the fleet-wide channel, "commence orbital bombardment. Focus fire on military targets only. Civilian population centers are to be spared. Execute Base Delta Zero."
The response was immediate.
The four battle groups opened fire in perfect coordination. Emerald turbolaser bolts rained down from high orbit like divine judgment. Nebula-class Star Destroyers poured sustained broadsides into known Separatist outposts on the surface. Resurgent and Valiant-class vessels added their own devastating firepower, turning military bases into craters of molten glass. Allegiance-class battlescruisers *Dominion* and *Eclipse* focused on the few remaining heavy ground installations, their ultra-heavy batteries erasing them from existence in brilliant flashes.
Lancer frigates and Braha'tok gunships swept lower, hunting down any surviving droid ground forces or hidden anti-orbital batteries. TIE Punishers made precision runs, dropping heavy ordnance on hardened bunkers and supply depots.
From the bridge of the *Olympus Mons*, the view was apocalyptic. Entire regions of Quell's surface glowed orange as plasma fire consumed everything the Separatists had built here. The massive repair station finally broke apart, its burning fragments falling like a rain of fire across the northern hemisphere.
"No escape pods detected," Ahsoka reported softly from sensors. "The remaining CIS crews… they're choosing to go down with their ships or stations."
I felt a flicker of something — not quite regret, but a heavy awareness of the cost. These were droids and fanatical officers who had supported a war built on lies and slavery. Still, every life extinguished weighed on me.
Shin placed a hand on my shoulder, her touch warm through the armor. "They made their choice when they sided with Dooku and Sidious."
I nodded. "Continue until all military infrastructure is neutralized. Then we withdraw."
The bombardment lasted another forty minutes. When it finally ended, Quell's surface bore new scars — glowing craters where bases once stood, blackened plains where droid factories had been reduced to slag. The repair station was gone. The last pockets of organized resistance had been wiped out.
**Scene 2**
I stood on the observation deck as the fleet formed up once more. The *Olympus Mons* climbed back into high orbit, its hull still warm from atmospheric entry. The girls gathered around me — ten bonds, ten hearts linked through the Force and through me.
"Status of the fleet?" I asked.
"Minimal damage across all groups," Fleet Admiral Dittmar reported from the *Grey Wolf*. "We lost twelve TIE Punishers and eight Avengers during the final runs, but the capital ships are intact. The *Silent Wolf* sacrifice bought us the perfect opening."
I allowed myself a small, tired smile. "Excellent work, everyone. Send word to the 11th Sector Command. Inform them that the Quell fleet has been destroyed. The Hydian Way corridor is now open."
"Message sent," Blam confirmed.
I turned to the viewport, watching Quell slowly rotate beneath us. The planet would recover. The civilian population had been spared the worst of the fighting, and relief convoys from Lantilles were already en route with food and medical supplies.
"Prepare to jump back to the Adivy system," I ordered. "We'll regroup, resupply, and plan the next push. The Corporate Sector is broken. Now we turn our eyes toward the true strongholds."
Sakura stepped closer, slipping her hand into mine. Her purple eyes were soft with understanding. "You did what was necessary."
"I know," I replied, squeezing her hand. "But that doesn't make it easier."
Through the bond, I felt the quiet support of all ten women. Ahsoka's steady presence, Shin's calm strength, Zule's fiery loyalty, Erictia's bright affection, and the others — each one a pillar I could lean on.
The *Olympus Mons* and the rest of the fleet aligned for the jump. Stars began to streak as we entered hyperspace, leaving the burning world of Quell behind us.
One more victory.
One step closer to ending this war.