Chapter 207: Ch 203 (repated)
The responsibility had now shifted. It was no longer Kallus’s burden to bear, but his subordinates’ turn to prove their worth. The orders had been issued, the groundwork laid—now it was up to them to execute. Assigned by their respective departments and authorized by Clause himself, this was more than an opportunity. It was a test.
Could they handle large-scale operations with precision and efficiency? Could they meet deadlines without compromising standards? Clause would be watching closely.
Meanwhile, Kallus and the Red Empress had finalised the White Fleet’s deployment.
In orbit near the moon, the White Fleet had been downsized from 100,000 to 70,000 ships. The remaining 30,000 were dispatched across the SOL region to patrol and stabilize 24 star systems—some even larger than the Solar System. Chief among them was the Central Star System, the command hub of the region, guarded by 2,000–3,000 ships due to its strategic importance.
Other systems, though not under immediate threat, still required consistent oversight. Some were rich in resources; others barren. Regardless, all were monitored.
These 30,000 ships also bore a more sensitive role: maintaining order across already-conquered systems now under the governance of Widely and allied states. Control remained limited to the SOL region—for now—but expansion was both expected and inevitable.
The remaining 70,000 ships were divided evenly among seven battle groups, each now officially elevated to fleet status. They were commanded by the original Grand Admirals: Ezra, Elira, Ryn, Kyle, Thrawn, Varyn, and Alexander.
Once limited to a mere 182 ships per battle group, each fleet now boasted 10,000—an unprecedented leap in power and capability. These weren’t just more ships; they were newer, faster, deadlier—refined through superior design and equipped with infrastructure for long-term campaigns.
Each fleet carried fabrication ships, mobile droid factories, and enforcement units to secure newly conquered worlds. With their new scale came the need for personnel: each fleet now housed around 10 million military personnel, backed by 2 million logistics staff. Still, manpower remained stretched thin. They were tasked with managing dozens of planetary systems while continuing to expand—per Kallus’s directive.
Kallus knew this model couldn’t last. Cloning could have offered a solution, but he hesitated. He wasn’t ready to build an empire of clones—at least not yet. Instead, he relied on automation.