Project Ares Gold Edition

Chapter 35 - Mandalore

Jedi Temple - Coruscant

Even though Barriss Offee was deemed the traitor that bombed the Temple, there was still no sign of Ahsoka. Leaving Anakin devastated, feeling that he had really lost her this time. As a result, the Council paired him with Master Kenobi again for the time being whilst their two units did a combined offensive in the Outer Rim.

However something else was also brewing in the Outer Rim, a few months ago the Duchess of Mandlore had been overthrown by an unknown power and was now unaccounted for. Despite the strong urges for support by General Kenobi, the Council deemed it too political of a matter for Jedi intervention and the Senate would not do anything because Mandalore was outside Republic jurisdiction.

But recently new reports had come in from a splinter cell of previous Deathwatch warriors under the command of Lady Bo Katan Kryze, Satine's sister.  These reports claimed that the renegade Sith Lord Maul was the mysterious power behind this usurpation and that he was also the head of the recent crime syndicate uprise across the Mid and Outer Rim. This the Jedi Council did deem as a very credible threat to the Republic, assigning a portion of the 501st to deal with this alongside the Night Owl Mandalorians.

However, Skywalker and his men were still needed to help the offensive in the Outer Rim, meaning that they could only send one ship to the battle. Seeing where this was going, Chief merely sat back and listened as Windu ordered the Spartan and clone to command the operation on Mandalore alongside Bo Katan.

Expecting outrage from Skywalker, Chief heard none. Anakin informed the two that he trusted them with his life and the lives of every man they were taking with them. Saluting the two generals in the room, Chief and Rex left to go board the Intrepid.

The Intrepid - Nevaro

In recent months the 501st had grown exponentially in numbers given their string of victories, earning them access to more clones, tanks, starfighters, ship etc. Now the 501st was made up primarily of three Venator class cruisers which included the Independence, Intrepid and Resolute, the last being the flagship. However, the fleet often got more ships to tag along depending on what the operation was and what the 501st needed.

But for the Mandalore operation, only one Venator was needed and the Intrepid was the ship for the job. Outfitted with improved point-defense cannons and missile launchers, the Intrepid was more suited to fight against hordes of starfighters compared to fighting large battleships. The reason for this being that it carried a reduced starfighter compliments of only 6 ARC-170's, 20 Y-wings, and 16 V-wings. But the lack of starfighters was definitely made up for in cargo space for ground assault vehicles including LAAT gunships, AT-TE walkers, AT-RT scout walkers, BARC speeders and AV-7 cannons. Meaning that this ship was perfectly suited to take on the full force of what Mandalore had to offer.

Escorting the flagship, two Arquitens-class light cruisers had also been designated as part of this mission, providing some extra firepower in-case of a naval engagement. These ships, the Scalpel and Reverence were lightly crewed, being prototypes for a new automated defence system that aimed to reduce crew numbers on ships of similar size. So instead, these two cruisers contained increased amounts of missiles, rockets and torpedoes, making them excellent for ship-to-ship combat.

After introductions were made, the group got right into it, the 501st would make a direct assault on the Capitol with support from the Night Owls. After securing a foothold, tanks could be brought down alongside medical aid for any civilians caught in the crossfire. Captain Rex would secure the streets, the sooner they got control of that, the less civilians would be hurt. The puppet ruler Almec would probably be held up in the prison compound, the most fortified building in the city. Bo Katan and her warriors would take care of that, leaving Maul. "This is why I wanted a Jedi to come." Bo pointed out.