Chapter 90
Serenno Orbit, Serenno System
D’Astan Sector
Contrary to expectations, Count Dooku’s fleet made the first move, with the Serennian Security Forces promptly lunging into action and leading the way for the rest of the auxiliary northern Separatists to follow. In rapid response, the flagship of General Mace Windu, Endurance, called for an immediate advance forthwith. Drive cones exploded onto the plots in a thick haze of light and gas as thousands of warships hurtled towards each other.
At his vantage point in the rear, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi could only hide the growing sensation of disconcert building in his chest. Master Plo Koon’s battle strategy was all but a direct reproduction of that he performed at the Battle of Metalorn, one of the most studied engagements of the Perlemian Campaign. The problem with using the same strategy every time is of course that the enemy will always formulate counters to it, and he had a feeling this time will be no exception.
What made the arrowhead formation at Metalorn so effective was the use of battle meditation to unify man and machine across hundreds of warships. Here however, there were thousands of warships, enough so that a boy atop the mountainpeaks of Serenno could look to the night sky and trace the shining constellations of battle. The only Jedi Master ever known to possess such an ability of the magnitude necessary to so effectively command a fleet of this size via battle meditation was Oppo Rancisis–and Master Rancisis was killed-in-action at Columex.
As for Master Plo Koon–
Plo Koon was absent, still transiting the Hydian Way and enroute to the battlefield, having been the last battle group to depart from the freshly taken Botajef.
“Master, they’re faking,” Ahsoka observed, watching the front ranks of the Separatist line of battle heel hard to port and present broadsides.
A moment later, the holographic plots were awash with glaring red exclamation marks and hundreds of thousands of torpedoes thundered towards them. Despite being stationed in the rearguard of the warfleet, no sane man could so easily shrug off the natural fear that came with haplessly following the incoming vectors of multi-megaton warheads screaming for destruction. They were watching the Separatist massed-missile barrage doctrine at its finest.