**Chapter 574**
**Scene 1**
**Korphir Shipyards – Gordian Reach Oversector**
**Dagon POV**
The Korphir shipyards were a hive of controlled chaos when the *Grey Wolf* and its escorts dropped out of hyperspace. Massive orbital platforms and drydocks stretched across the void, filled with half-built hulls, repair gantries, and the constant flicker of welding torches. Moff Renau had been true to his word — the facilities were ready, and the ten Invincible-class Dreadnought Heavy Cruisers waited in their berths like sleeping giants.
I stood on the observation deck of the main command station, my Krayt Dragon armor humming faintly with residual energy. The Moff himself greeted me with a respectful salute.
"General Marek," Renau said, his voice carrying genuine relief. "It's an honor. These ships have been sitting idle for too long. If you can make them half as effective as your Resurgents or Nebulas, the Eleventh Army will owe you a great debt."
I clasped his forearm in a warrior's grip. "They won't be Resurgents, but they'll hit harder than anything the CIS has short of a Subjugator. I brought Sienar engineers and enough captured CIS components to make it work. Your yards have the facilities — that's what matters."
Renau nodded toward the nearest berth where one of the Invincible-class vessels loomed. "They're yours. Just tell my people what you need."
I made my way to the primary engineering platform. A tall, sharp-featured human in Sienar coveralls waited for me — Chief Engineer Voren Kael, one of Raith Sienar's top field specialists. He looked exhausted but excited, datapad in hand.
"General," Kael said, offering a crisp salute. "We received the reactor modules and the CIS turbolaser arrays you sent ahead. I have to admit — this is… ambitious. These Invincibles were built as heavy patrol and system defense ships. You're talking about turning them into brawlers capable of standing against Dauntless-class cruisers and even Bulwarks."
I stepped up to the holographic schematic of the ship floating above the table. The Invincible-class was a solid design — 2,011 meters long, heavily armored, with a crew of 13,014 including 314 gunners. It carried 6,000 troops and had decent shields. But it was outdated for modern fleet actions.
"Exactly," I replied. "We don't have time to rebuild them from the keel up. We're enhancing what's already there. Solar ionization reactors from Sienar will replace the old power plants. That gives us the energy output we need. For weapons, we're using captured CIS turbolasers — (heavy XX-9s salvage from Geonosian and subjugators) and quad batteries. The goal is simple: make them hit like a Resurgent at range and survive like an Allegiance up close."
Kael zoomed in on the reactor section. "The solar ionization setup is stable, but integrating it with the existing hyperdrive and shield grid is going to be tricky. We'll need to reinforce the power couplings and add secondary coolant loops. Raith said you wanted kyber focusing crystals in the main turbolaser batteries?"
"Yes," I confirmed. "Not full kyber matrix like the Nebulas, but enough to boost output by thirty percent without burning out the barrels. We'll also add proton torpedo tubes and Hailfire missile launchers for anti-fighter and anti-capital work. These ships need to be able to operate independently if necessary."
The engineer rubbed his chin, clearly running mental calculations. "That's going to increase mass. We'll have to adjust the sublight engines and add more maneuvering thrusters. The Invincible was never built for this kind of agility."
I placed a hand on the holographic hull. "Then we make it work. These ships will be the backbone of the final push on Felucia. I need them ready in seven days."
Kael's eyes widened. "Seven days? General, that's—"
"Necessary," I cut in firmly but not unkindly. "The campaign clock is ticking. Felucia can't wait. Work in shifts. Use every resource you have. I'll be here personally to assist with the Force forging on the critical systems."
Kael studied me for a long moment, then gave a sharp nod. "As you command. Let's get started."
Over the next several days, the shipyards became a whirlwind of activity. Massive solar ionization reactors were lowered into the Invincible-class hulls, their golden glow illuminating the drydocks. Captured CIS turbolaser batteries were stripped, modified, and reinstalled with kyber focusing lenses. Engineers swarmed over the ships like ants, reinforcing armor plating, upgrading shield generators, and installing new missile and torpedo systems.
I moved between the vessels, using the Force to help align critical components, strengthen structural weak points, and bind the new reactors to the old frameworks. The work was exhausting, but necessary.
At one point, Kael approached me while I was meditating over the reactor core of the lead ship, *Guardian*.
"General," he said, wiping sweat from his brow, "I've never seen anything like this. The way you're… forging the systems together. It's not just engineering. It's like you're making the ship *want* to work."
I opened my eyes, the red-star iris glowing faintly. "The Force flows through all things — even machines, if you listen closely enough. These ships will fight harder because they're part of something greater now."
Kael shook his head in wonder. "Raith was right about you. You're changing everything."
I stood, placing a hand on the warm hull. "Not everything. Just what needs to be changed to win this war."
By the end of the seventh day, the ten upgraded Invincible-class Dreadnoughts were ready. They looked different — more aggressive, bristling with new weaponry, their hulls reinforced and painted in the dark gray and crimson of the Mern-13 fleet. They were no longer simple patrol ships. They were brawlers, built to stand in the line of fire and give as good as they got.
**Scene 2**
The upgraded fleet gathered at the edge of the Korphir system, preparing for the final jump toward Felucia. I stood on the bridge of the *Grey Wolf*, watching the new vessels take formation. Their cylindrical shapes were retained, but the upgrades transformed them into something far deadlier.
**Upgraded Invincible-class Dreadnought Heavy Cruiser**
**Length:** 2,011 meters
**Armament:**
- 6x Triple-barreled Heavy Turbolasers
- 34x Proton Torpedo Tubes
- 40x LS1-Hailfire Missile Launchers
- 20x M19 Firefly Concussion Missiles
- 18x Rapid-fire Sentry Autocannons
- 40x Ion Point-Defense Cannons
- 70x Point-Defense Laser Dual Cannons
- 16x Mass Driver Batteries
- 42x Ion Cannons
- 15x Quad-barrel Heavy XX-9 Turbolaser Cannons
- 32x Heavy Dual-barrel XX-9 Batteries
- 36x DBY-827 Heavy Turbolaser Turret Batteries
- 18x Broadside Single-barreled Flak Batteries
The ships retained their solid, reliable profile, but now bristled with enough firepower to challenge even the CIS's heaviest vessels. They would serve as the anvil to my fleet's hammer when we struck Felucia.
"Fleet is formed up and ready," Dittmar reported. "All ships report green across the board."
I nodded, feeling the weight of command settle on my shoulders once more. "Then let's end this. All ships, jump to Felucia. It's time to finish the campaign."
The stars stretched into lines as the fleet leapt into hyperspace. Felucia awaited — a living world defended by billions of droids, hundreds of thousands of militia, and whatever final traps Shu Mai had prepared.
But we were ready.