Star Wars: Battle of Rhen Var

The Plan

Captain Fin hit the durasteel table in anger. The plan they had devised would not work, and the Clone knew that both Jiinan Draav and himself were angry. They just couldn't find a solution, no matter how hard they had tried. The pair had spent hours in the confined debrief room, studying the hologram but with no luck.

"What about this," Fin started again, for about the tenth time this session, walking around the shimmering blue Providence-class Star Destroyers. "If we jump out of hyperspace and focus our fire on the flagship, we could cause a temporary distraction for the Z-95's. Chlora's fleet could split and flank both sides of the ship, distracting both their aft and starboard turrets, meaning that we could pick off the flagship with only their forward-facing defences focusing on us. Then the other two ships would be without command and we would be able to take them out."

"No, that wouldn't work," the Jedi rebounded. "They have hundreds of vulture droids on command. As soon as they see our starfighters they'll release their whole inventory and take out Chlora's ships before we can surrender." Jiinan Draav let out a long sigh, whilst the high-ranking Clone Captain ran his left hand through his dark mane of black hair.

"I think I've found something," Fin said slowly, squinting his eyes in an attempt to see something small in the hologram.

"What is it?" Jiinan walked around the table to see what Fin was looking at.

"There." Fin pointed to a small area, perhaps ten metres in diameter, where the ship was damaged. It was dented, almost like an asteroid or a large piece of debris had struck the ship. "Do you see that?" Fin continued. "It looks damaged."

"Really damaged," the Jedi Knight added. He examined the damaged part of the ship closer. "If we focus our firepower on that weakness, we will take out the elevator to the bridge and nullify all their internally wired communications and weapons systems from their control points. Without the bridge, the ship is essentially rendered useless."

"That means the vulture droids will have to be manually switched on," Fin comments. "Chlora's squad could easily deal with them now that they won't be overwhelmed."

"Yes, Fin, correct. I don't see any problems with this plan." Jiinan exchanges a glance with his second-in-command. A glance filled with relief.

"Perfect. I'll debrief the lads then," replied Fin as he walked out of the room. He headed toward his quarters.

He opened his door, beginning the preparation for the mission. No mistakes Fin. Not after last time. Fin combed his black hair back with his fingers, putting it in a tight knot at the back of his head. Usually, clones were only allowed to wear their hair in the regulation styles although Jiinan did not care for useless rules.

"No mistakes." This time, Fin muttered the words out loud. Many of the clones under his command lost trust in him that day, and in all honestly he doesn't blame them. It was a stupid mistake that wouldn't couldn't-happen ever again. He grabbed his scuffed, blue-rimmed helmet, tucked it into the crook of his left arm and left for the debrief.

10 Standard Minutes Later

The gathered clone troopers comprised thirty six men, or three squadrons of pilots. All of them stand up, saluting their commander as he walks into the room.

"At ease," the commander instructs his troops. They sit back down, many of them exchanging concerned glances to each other. "We need to get to the planet surface of Rhen Var to reinforce Jedi Masters Plo Koon and Ki-Adi Mundi. They've both suffered heavy losses and they do not think they can hold out for much longer. This means we need to act quickly. There's no room for error, the lives of our brothers have not been lost for nothing."

"Sir, yes, sir!" the gathered clones replied in unison.

"When we jump out of hyperspace, we will focus all firepower here." Fin points his finger to the large indentation connecting the bridge to the body of the ship. "Once we can punch a whole here, all the internally wired controls will be disconnected from the bridge, meaning that they will have to manually activate all of the vulture droids. It'll buy us time, but we'll have to be quick. Understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"When their ships are destroyed, we must rendezvous with Masters Koon and Mundi. They are holding the defence against the droid army. We will be taking orders from them as they know the situation better than we do." Fin surveyed his gathered troopers. and then continued. "Is that understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" was the collective response.

"Master Fisto is also on his way to the rendezvous, but his ETA is not for at least a day. Any questions?" He looked around, making eye contact with a few of his favourite troopers. Chlora. Subrata. There were no questions.

"Good. Get yourselves over to the hangar and prepare your ships for take off." The clones stood up and filed out of the room, the whispered murmuring between them too quiet to hear. Fin let out a sigh of relief, one that was not yet warranted, as it seemed.

"Captain, we need to talk."