**Chapter 853: The Trap Springs**
**Scene 1: Dua Ningo POV – The Ambush**
Hyperspace warped around his ship and the fleet was pulled out of hyperspace.
'Damn the accursed Resurgents with their gravity wells,' he mumbled as he laid out the fleet plans.
"Sir, we are under attack. Three ships are leading the attack. We have lost 5, no 7 ships so far," the super tactical droid said.
"What? How?" Dua yelled. Then he saw something horrific—the *Olympus Mons*, or rather three ships of similar design, and the F-Spar cannon that guarded Lantilles and Lianna. A dozen were mounted on the shipyards. One cannon targeted a ship, then a concentrated beam from the cannon and the ship exploded.
It was a trap. Dua was led into a trap. These Bulwarks were designed to beat the Republic. Every CIS credit went into them.
"Sir, we have lost the main engines," the droid said.
"It's too late now," Dua said as a Victory Star Destroyer unleashed its harpoon missiles, destroying Dua's flagship.
Admiral Dua Ningo stood on the bridge of the *Dominion*, his Bulwark Mark 2 flagship, as the fleet surged through hyperspace toward Coruscant. The plan had been perfect—break through Centax 2, strike the heart of the Republic, and deliver a blow that would shatter their morale. The new Bulwark-class battleships and Oplot 2 dreadnoughts were the pinnacle of Techno Union engineering, designed to counter everything the Republic could throw at them.
Then hyperspace warped violently around them. Gravity wells—powerful, overlapping fields from Resurgent-class Battlecruisers—ripped the fleet out of lightspeed prematurely.
"Damn the accursed Resurgents with their gravity wells," Dua mumbled, already laying out new fleet formations on the tactical display. "Reform the line! Prepare for—"
"Sir, we are under attack," the super tactical droid reported, its mechanical voice calm but urgent. "Three ships are leading the attack. We have lost 5, no 7 ships so far."
"What? How?" Dua yelled, spinning toward the viewport.
Then he saw something horrific—the *Olympus Mons*, or rather three ships of similar design, and the F-Spar cannon that guarded Lantilles and Lianna. A dozen were mounted on the shipyards. One cannon targeted a ship, then a concentrated beam from the cannon and the ship exploded.
It was a trap. Dua was led into a trap. These Bulwarks were designed to beat the Republic. Every CIS credit went into them.
The massive spinal cannons on the three Olympus Mons-type vessels fired again. Brilliant beams of concentrated energy lanced through the void, slicing through Bulwark shields like they were nothing. One of the 2km battleships took a direct hit to its reactor core and vanished in a blinding explosion. Debris scattered across the fleet formation, forcing other ships to maneuver wildly.
"Sir, we have lost the main engines," the droid reported as the *Dominion* shuddered under heavy fire.
"It's too late now," Dua said, gripping the railing as a Victory Star Destroyer unleashed its harpoon missiles. The deadly projectiles slammed into the *Dominion*'s already weakened shields, penetrating deep into the hull. Secondary explosions rippled across the massive battleship.
Dua Ningo watched his fleet crumble around him. The trap had been masterful—luring them out with feints, then springing the ambush with Dagon's elite ships. The Dragon had outplayed him once again.
The bridge lights flickered as power failed. "Abandon ship," Dua ordered, his voice steady despite the defeat. "All hands to escape pods."
But it was too late for many. The *Dominion* broke apart in a series of catastrophic explosions, taking the admiral and thousands of droid and organic crew with it.
**Scene 2: Jan Dodonna POV – The Counterstrike**
"Guardian system online," a clone officer reported.
"Sir, *Vengeance*, *Retribution*, and *Tigris* are all advancing forward. The enemy fleet appears to be in disarray," said an Arkanian officer.
"Very well. Push the attack and target their engines. This offensive ends here," Dodonna shouted.
Jan Dodonna stood on the bridge of the *Republic*, watching the chaos unfold with grim satisfaction. The Guardian system—Dagon's advanced early warning and interdiction network—had done its job perfectly. The CIS fleet had been yanked out of hyperspace right into the killing zone.
"Guardian system online," the clone officer confirmed. "Gravity wells at full strength. They're not going anywhere."
Dodonna nodded. "All batteries, open fire. Prioritize the larger vessels."
The *Vengeance*, *Retribution*, and *Tigris*—three Olympus Mons-type vessels—led the counterattack. Their massive F-Spar cannons fired in coordinated salvos, each beam capable of punching through even the thickest Bulwark armor. One of the 2.5km Oplot 2 dreadnoughts took a direct hit and broke in half, its wreckage tumbling toward Centax 2's surface.
The enemy fleet was in disarray. Bulwarks and Oplot 2s tried to reform, but Republic fighters and bombers swarmed them, delivering precise torpedo strikes. The Bothan Assault Cruisers and Victory Star Destroyers pressed the attack, their combined firepower overwhelming the disorganized CIS formation.
"Target their engines," Dodonna ordered. "Don't let any escape. This offensive ends here."
The *Republic*'s own turbolasers joined the fray, adding to the devastating barrage. The Battle of Centax 2 was turning into a rout. Dua Ningo's gamble had failed spectacularly.
Dodonna allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. "The Dragon will be pleased."
**Scene 3: The Aftermath**
The space around Centax 2 was littered with wreckage. Hundreds of CIS vessels—Bulwarks, Oplot 2s, and escorts—drifted as burning hulks or shattered debris. The Republic fleet, though bloodied, stood victorious. The Guardian system had given them the decisive advantage, turning a potential invasion into a slaughter.
Dua Ningo's flagship was gone, destroyed in the opening minutes of the ambush. The surviving CIS ships attempted desperate jumps, but the overlapping gravity wells and Republic interdiction vessels prevented most escapes. Only a handful of battered vessels managed to flee into hyperspace, carrying the news of another crushing defeat.
On the *Republic* bridge, Jan Dodonna received the final reports. "Enemy fleet destroyed or routed. Centax 2 is secure."
He nodded. "Send word to Supreme Commander Dagon. The Dragon's trap worked perfectly. Coruscant is safe—for now."
The war continued, but the Republic had won another crucial victory. The path to the final confrontations was clearing.