Observation Deck
Hellas Fleet Repair Yards
Aliso System — Plagueis Territory
3 weeks post-invasion

The losses in the Ascendant Fleet had been staggering, and what remained of the forces of Clan Plagueis had slowly limped back to the repair facility in orbit of Trecurus. All that had kept those ships from needing the more extensive drydock facilities at Mattock Station that were the purview of the Regent was the fact that so much of the fleet had been lost to the Children of Mortis in their assault on Aliso.

The two newly elevated Quaestors of Houses Ventress and Tyranus had been summoned to the fleet's repair facility to take direct command of their assigned forces. Such as they were. The Nautolan and Zeltron found themselves in one of the observation decks aboard the fleet repair yards spherical command station looking out across the buzzing facility. Various yard personnel seemed to swarm across the hulls of the assembled ships like insects, each working diligently at their assigned tasks.

"Audacious and Vigilant?" Raiju asked, staring in awe at the list that was displaying on his datapad.

"Both lost, I'm afraid," Arden Karn said as he stood before them. "And even more beyond that. You both will be taking over fleets that, most credibly, might stand up to a few raiding pirates. If that."

"I'll make due," Nora Olen said, crossing her arms across her chest suggesting defiance. "I won't let us be blunted by such a setback."

"More than a setback," the Nautolan said, his eyes finally finished scrolling through the list of what his house had lost and only now reached what was left. "Two Raider corvettes? That's what we've been reduced to?"

"I know, it seems meager, not like the fleets you've had at your disposal before. But it's not as bad as it looks," Arden continued. "The fleet has seen fit to assign a pair of Corellian Gunships to each of your houses, and the Clan just took delivery of a group of new Tarntan patrol cruisers which will help bolster your forces."

"And it seems like our starfighter forces did not suffer as greatly as our fleet," Nora offered. "So we will have some capabilities at our disposal."

"And I have some other plans," came a female voice from behind them.

The compartment's three occupants turned to face the newcomer to find Selika Roh entering the room. She was dressed in the Imperial-styled uniform that she often favored when interacting with the military elements of the Ascendant Clan, feeling it offered her a martial bearing that she had not directly earned.

"Dread Lord," they all saluted in unison.

"It appears that our homeworld defenses, at the least, will not be suffering for long," the Consul explained, activating the holoprojector at the room's center. The lights dimmed, and the plans for an orbital facility took shape in the air before them. It seemed to resemble an orbital habitat that had been under construction above Aliso over the half year before the Children of Mortis had invaded, but with some obvious modifications.

"Our science bureau has been able to use their research into the crystals of the Children to great effect," Selika explained. "The so-called world seed crystal they left behind on Aliso has some truly interesting properties."

The information that accompanied the hologram began to display on the datapads of the two Queastors. As each scanned over it as it scrolled by, Raiju's eyes narrowed while Nora's widened.

"If this data is correct…" Raiju began, and trailed off.

"If it's correct," Nora said, clearly excited, "Aliso will stand against the Children if they are foolish enough to make their return."

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Summary

• The sorry state of the Ascendant Fleet is outlined to the new Quaestors Raiju Kang and Nora Olen
• Newly appointed Proconsul Qormus oversees the construction and testing of Star Station Asuras.
• Admiral Cyvaria Ranin goes over the failures of Plagueis to secure replacement ships, forcing Selika to make a call to an old boss.
• Plagueis starships classed as missing presumed lost complete repairs in the Durace System, departing to an unknown location.

Prior Chapters

• Ascendant Falls Prologue