Etti IV's Orbit

The Aniquilador, meanwhile, was making a short job of two dreadnoughts, which were being blown to bits by the powerful turbolaser batteries, the projectiles tearing apart its hull like it was made of grass. Above it flew the new ISDIII, Eviscerator, which in turn was dealing a mortal blow to a crippled Victory, a final bolt wrecking the bridge and throwing the ship out of its position, the wedge-like hull crashing with a Munificient frigate: it cut right into the central section, provoking a chain reaction within both ships; soon thereafter the only thing that remained of both ships was a flaming ball of debris and burning gas. Commander Thrune's Manticore, with its proud red hull, was cuting through the enemy lines, as instructed, while the Dread Omen exchanged blows with the Magic Dragon. The lesser ships of the fleet had picked their own opponents and were exchanging fire dutifully.

"Captain, I want that destroyer captured. Shower it with ion barrages. Commodore, move the Aniquilador to face the moon base"

The base had been dangerously firing its payload on the fleet's smaller vessels and its anticraft artillery had openned gaps in the Diarchy's starfighter wing. However, more and more TIE droids were being launched from the racks aboard the Aniquilador. Torkan had ordered the droids to be deployed first and its efficiency was remarkable. He held in reserve his flesh-and-sinew pilots, including some piloting the very latest of the Diarchy's developments, the TIE Conquistador, one that was only housed within the Eviscerator's ventral hangar, as the prototypes were still few in number and the moff had deemed them worthy of including some among the starfighters carried on board the ISDIII. The Aniquilador turned its heavy ordnance to the moon, blowing bits of it and throwing debris out to space: a large battery was blown rather spectacularly.

Atash followed all the proceedings on the several holoscreen floating around his command chair. The enemy loses were mounting, unable to cope with the newly-developed ships, that fairly outgunned and outclassed every ship they could field in response, and with the aggressive tactics employed. The Aniquilador was basically cuting the enemy lines in half like a vibroblade in Caridan butter, specially since the gap left was deepened by the Eviscerator and the Dread Omen, powerful ships on their own. After slicing through the enemy the large battlecruiser was pounding the moon, which in turn was unable to respond gun-by-gun to the amount of firepower deployed by the Aniquilador itself. The moff commanded his flagship to face the Magic Dragon, while the Dread Omen turned to fight several Munificients at once.

Spirals of smoke and clouds of vaporized glassed rock were propulsed into the vacuum of space from the moon, the surface of which was being pounded by the long-range heavy batteries on board the Diarchy's most powerful vessel. The TIE Droids swarmed around the large ship, even some of the automated brains flew right into well-aimed ion shots, preventing them from hiting the battlecruiser's shields, slightly strained from facing the heavy payload on the moon base and the continued fire from both flanks during its daring attack. However, the base's batteries were going silent one by one, either disabled or destroyed systematically.

"Sir, its shields are flickering"

A voice, barely containing its excitement, spoke through the comm. The moff clicked the device.

"Now, all ships concentrate ion fire on the Magic Dragon. Disable the ship"

All the nearest batteries focused on the old Imperial Star Destroyer, the shields blinking for a last time and vanishing without a trace, leaving the ship vulnerable. The incoming barrage left the ship blind and inert, floating like a giant space whale's corpse, slightly out of orbit and with silent weapons, surges of electricity running through the exposed hull.

"Send an offer of surrender to that crew. Offer them mercy"

"Yes moff"

Bright flashes of yellow and orange color illuminated Captain Saren's face upon the bridge of the Asmodeus. The ship slightly lurched from turbolasers, fired by the nearby Imperial Star Destroyer that led the desperate defense. The smoldering remains of two of the Dreadnaught-class Cruisers lingered within the Diarchy's advancing formation. The Victory II was taking a heavy beating by Taskforce Hercules, commanded by Captain Saren's right hand. Vidarr glanced around the battlefield from the viewport before returning to the holomap of ongoing battlefield.

It was likely that the defenders had not expected such a vanguard of the Diarchy's invasion force. The Arripio-class, alone, was the very tip of the spear that proved to be quite the decisive factor. Odd how the Empire utilized this ship in very limited roles. Then again, these rebels were using captured ships that were likely very aged. Still, the Imperial Star Destroyer packed a punch. Those ships could truly endure the time of decades. The Imperial even heard that the First Order still utilized them alongside their state-of-the-art Resurgent Battlecruisers. Reports were coming in of various degrees of damage. Those who were took damaged were ordered to fall back out of firing range. Some of the more intact ships followed, using themselves as shields from the Golan's arsenal. Vidarr needed to preserve as much of their forces as possible. The Diarchy had a growing pool of resources, but it was still best to preserve their might.

A great flash came from the viewport as the Victory II exploded from the sustained firepower from his taskforce. Their guns slowly turning to begin bombarding the shields of Golan defense platform. With that being occupied, all that remained was the Star Destroyer and her two Dreadnaught escorts.

Commander! Begin adjusting the turrets of Task Force Hellfire, focus on firepower on the general area of the Star Destroyer. We might be able to take the Dreadnaughts down within a sustained barrage. Order our bombers to begin their runs on the enemy command vessel!

=Bridge Commander=
Yes, Captain!

Task Force Hellfire, what ships remained in active battle, began adjusting their hulls and batteries for a sustained bombardment of the remaining enemy flotilla. The command was given, once adjustments were made. Turbolasers, laser cannons, and torpedoes light up the space between the two enemy formations as the enemy was hit hard by the Diarchy's vanguard ships. As this was being done, Captain Vidarr contacts the High Moff.

High Moff, the defenses around the Golan Defense Platform are crumbling and sustained firepower is being unleashed upon it. Soon, the planet will be defenseless and be ripe for our invasion forces. Long live the Diarchy!