An Asajj/Ahsoka team up. I can believe it. Are they going to end up becoming friends at some point? It comes to mind that they were both betrayed by their respective factions. It’s like poetry. Only Ahsoka is still working with the Republic somehow. I know that’s post TCW canon material and not you. But it sure is hard to explain or think about. You do a good a job acknowledging it as I could possibly imagine. It is weird. If Tarkin gets elected, she probably wouldn’t be working with the Republic for much longer. It does make me think on where this is going in terms of the politics. The Republic seems more shaky than the CIS at this point.

They never deleted Asajj’s address in their system? This is exactly the kind of thing I would expect of TCW-level Separatists. I guess a pardon isn’t out of the question for Ventress, considering how TCW portrayed her; she killed like no Jedi and only a clone here or there. The Republic only sees clones as slave soldiers, so they could forgive that. Rex won’t like it though. I really doubt that a pardon is in her future though. If anything I could see Ahsoka being thrown out of the Republic, rather than just the Jedi Order.

Esera is right. Grievous and formal occasions do not go together. I wonder what his formal wear looks like (probably just the nice white cape). Esera has the body type of a B1 battle droid, or a bog witch. What a mess. I’m not even sure if what little meat on her bones is pure muscle or not, considering how the Jedi rely on the Force like a crutch. With Esera though, it seems like it would be a little more muscle since she’s lacking in the Force department.

Lirka and Sirka are certainly helping her out and giving her some perspective on what non-Jedi life is like. I’m sure Esera’s new haircut looks nice. It’s a nice little break for her before being thrown into the next mess.

Esera get the Confederacy to fight with honor and restraint? She’s got a tough time ahead of her. They are not known for those traits. Not just Grievous but tons of Confederate officers. It’s hard to blame them though. What good is honor or restraint when your enemies have magic space powers?

Considering Rune Haako was Gunray’s aide for over a decade, I’m sure he’s the most qualified to be the next Viceroy of the Trade Federation. Gunray sticking around as minister of finance. Grievous and Gunray getting on each other’s nerves. And Tikkes surviving on vending machines. This is a sitcom in the making. I do enjoy how Nute Gunray wants out but is pulled back into the mess anyway. Certainly better than being executed. Shui Mai is going to be put on the naughty chair.

It’s anyone’s guess as to what they’re going to do with the Death Star. Try and take it back from the Republic that took over its construction above Geonosis? Destroy it? I’m sure Tarkin would love to keep that station’s construction going, but it’s a long way off from being completed at this point unless he throws more resources at it.

Makes sense the Jedi would severely restrict holonet use for their members. Its primary function could bring down the whole Order. Thinking about it they seem like this incredibly dangerous, isolated religious order that is completely removed from the common people to an unsafe degree. It’s no wonder so many groups joined the CIS in trying to throw off the Republic and their Jedi enforcers. I think Esera has been lucky in that her old Master seems like an odd outlier compared with most other Jedi.

Is anyone going to recognize that R2-D2 is not a crewmember of the Invisible Hand? Has that trash bucket, as Grievous calls him, just been roaming around on the ship trying to blend in this whole time? Kenobi must have some good guards on him for that perky little astromech to not have tried something by now.

Huk, Hutts, Zygerrians and Trandoshans. Everyone in this war has some really scummy allies. Perhaps we’ll see them in the future.

Lushros Dofine seems like a nice guy. He’s always only portrayed as a minor officer below Grievous, but this makes sense. Grievous doesn’t inspire camaraderie at all so I can see how Captain Dofine is the secret powerhouse that’s keeping the Invisible Hand’s crew held together.

“I don’t remember the last time our crew count went up instead of down!” Wow, Dofine’s comment was really good. Funny yet contains that undertone of the horrors of war.

Loving the bit with Esera as the ‘alien.’ Humans are so often the domination species and it’s nice to see that turned on its head every now and then. But there’s at least one other human on the Invisible Hand and the Neimoidians and Quarren and other aliens are actually descent folk. When it comes to the company of one’s own species, Grievous is really the one that’s alone. When was the last time he was in the presence of another Kaleesh? All he has is foggy memories, mostly of killing and fighting off foreign invaders.

You’ve got me laughing hard here. Landing at Point Rain is just Republic propaganda. TCW’s overly simplistic presentation of the war and characters feels like one-sided propaganda. I’m pretty certain I know which artillery-rushing scene you’re speaking of. I much prefer Esera’s experience. This is the kind of scenario I wish we would get to see in official Star Wars content. If they want more lighthearted things they should have gone with an era before the Clone Wars. There’s so much potential for mature themes and action that just felt like it’s been wasted. I liked story time with Esera but she needs to be careful. She feels like she’s too close to giving herself away right on her first day on the Invisible Hand. But it is believable that a seventeen year old with grand ideals would charge in with lessons like that. At least she realizes this. You’re not going to change people that have been at war for three years with just one story.

I wonder if Esera’s training will be with Grievous or the MagnaGuards? A grapple battle droid? BX droid commandos? The CIS has a lot of stuff she could train with. I doubt Grievous has any EG-5 Jedi Hunter droids on hand. Maybe something as simple as a B1 with an electrostaff. Either way I’m sure it will be difficult but help her improve greatly. She’ll need it if Ahsoka and Asajj are going to break in and rescue Obi-Wan. I wonder who’s going to face off against who or if it will be a group fight. I can see Ahsoka fighting Esera and lecturing her about going off and joining the Confederacy and being a total traitor. But as this chapter has explained, Esera has some pretty good reasons and it would be very satisfying to see some of that thrown back in Ahsoka’s face for continuing to work with the government that tried so hard to screw her over. I’m guessing Ventress is more than happy to get back at Grievous for what went down back on Dathomir. Hard to imagine a scene where Kenobi doesn’t escape. Obi-Wan and Asajj against Grievous might be a bit much for him. Perhaps the MagnaGuards won’t be worthless. Or perhaps OOM-54RC45M comes in with reinforcements that saves the duel.

A great chapter as usual and I look forward to the next one.

the geonosians were building the Death Star weren't they.

Please have Grievous kill ventress and ahsoka

Wow, this is a lot of updates in one year! This is good. Lot of emotion going around and showing us that the war was not perfect. Also I like what you did for punishment of our traitors. Though how will the war go since the separatist counsel is out of the picture? They got sometime now. I see the mention of the death star. So many factors going on, I just love it. This is my top favorite.

Woot new chapter. seriously this is my favorite star wars fic on the site. that story she told the Nemodians just makes me want to give her a hug (girl needs a therapist). also looks like the Sepretists are going to start building the death star, although given that the republic should also be working on theirs at this time it will probubly go over better and more act as a deterant then see actuall use (you don't use yours on us, we dont use ours on you).

looking forward to the attempt to free Obi-wan, don't know if they will free him and return with knowlege of a ex jedi working for Grievous or join him in a cell.

Updates and they're fantastic! YES! I am desperate for the Hutts to realize their sins have caught up to them. Presumably by having the Republic forces who come to defend them being led by a sympathizer (or just a hater of slavery), and they get abandoned and torn apart by vengeful confederates.

Yay, updates!

I, uh, cannot spot the blatant expy. Help a brother out?

Huh,
it's raining updates.
Thanks.

Nice classic Star Wars lines mixed in.

Thanks for another great chapter.

The previous chapter did feel hastily written, but this feels all the way back up to your usual standards. And new chapters promised, how exciting!

Good chapter, nice to see how political paralysis allows the separatists to land a good blow.

Also its great to meet a fellow writer who understands the importance of logistics and supply!

I loved the fact that the actual objective wasn't the shipyards, it was a perfect twist and remenicent of the Uboat campaigns rather than the luftfawfe bombing raids on the shipyards of the Clyde.

Keep up the good work!

Woot new chapter. honestly this is in my top 5 for best star wars fics, though given that I love the separatists and wish their were more fics featuring the faction as more then just the bad guys I am heavily biased but screw it, this chapter was great and I can't wait to see how the war evolves from here now that the confederacy is going all out.

You spoil us! With this chapter you've given us yet another great moment of questionable morality, but military necessity. The destruction on the surface of Kuat is somehow incredibly satisfying to read about, perhaps because we know how horrified the Republic will be when they learn of it. Not to mention this will give our brave heroes some breathing room to gear up for the next stage of the war. Some of the writing choices are a bit on the nose and distracting though, such as the acknowledgement that the Providences disguising themselves was a clever trick. Even so, your writing on the whole is crisp and engaging and I can't wait for more.

So many Republic characters in agreement with each other but opposed to Amedda’s inaction. I was rather surprised to see Organa, Tarkin and Windu on the same page. It was nice.

Yes, Stenax officer! Another obscure Star Wars species brought forth and utilized once again. You utilize the resources of the Star Wars universe better than the official content does.

Kronaak taking a jab at Lok Durd’s weight. Though I do wonder now. Would other species find Viraanntesse delicious?

Eemon having reservations? He must be thinking of something unpleasant from the past. Cranking things up to total war has serious consequences. It makes me wonder though. The Jedi and the clones don’t really ever seem to have an issue slaughtering anyone or anything that stands in their way. The Geonosians got this pretty hard. I remember in Republic Commando video game they had no problem blasting hatchlings.

Nice to see Mandator-II actually appear in something for a change. Such a waste of a ship to just only get a mention and not even a picture of it anywhere.

If any would be loyal on the Separatist Council, it would be Wat and Poggle. I can’t help but wonder if Nute Gunray and Mar Tuuk are going to get away with their little ploy. Or if Grievous is going to have Esera read their minds? And where is Rune Haako?

I wonder what Obi-Wan is up to.

Grievous is a mess. I’m picturing him looking worse than the damaged alternate skins of him in DICE’s Battlefront 2.

Esera is a stray. This is perfect. Thumbs up, A-4D. The droid doc certainly is mean to the Jedi girl. And he keeps calling her ‘it.’ How very impersonal. Usually it’s the organics calling the droids ‘its.’

I’m wondering where A-4D’s first job was. Apparently he’s gotten around. Though he actually found something wrong with her. He is good at his job. Berating and healing; a wonder combination.

Well now, this is interesting. This mention of Grievous’ plan to de-Jedi Esera and that it would be nice not to have crazy darksiders around. Grievous tried something similar in that four part Grievous comic series. Though the other time was with captured Jedi Padawans and involved forced cybernetic augmentation.

The thought of Esera sarcastically muttering “By your command, General,” makes me laugh.

I thought the interaction between Esera and Lirka was very well done. The Jedi are so often idolized as these perfect white knights in a battle of good versus evil. Though during the Clone Wars, the Jedi are fighting what is outwardly a democratic government. So naturally a lot of people actually hate and fear the Jedi at this time.

Makes sense Esera had never worn a dress. I doubt Jedi ever would wear such garb unless they were undercover. And Esera doesn’t seem to be one of those high-level famous Jedi that go on important missions twice a week for the whole war. She feels more grounded and real.

You’ve got a random number 9 after the scene with the Sephi sisters and Esera.

That was quite the trick to make Kuat vulnerable. The Givin of Yag’Dhul did join the CIS. It’s just too bad we never see anything of this. Beyond what you’ve provided in this story.

Lok Durd has been in prison ever since Skywalker caught him? Ouch. Kind of a bummer to basically have to sit out the whole war. I wonder if they’ve been feeding him adequately. Probably not considering Esera hasn’t been getting a descent meal in a while. But she’s on the front lines. Who knows what quackery the Republic is up to?

Using logistics to win wars? No giant, sphere-shaped super weapons are Jedi heroes performing stunts too fantastical to be believed? Nice delaying the deployment of those Imperator-class star destroyers. They actually do start showing up around this time in the EU material. Always demonstrating a level of research with your writing.

Grievous is going to have trouble with Esera’s de-Jedification process. But at least he’s intelligently written enough to even comprehend that. Especially when the Confederacy is going around wiping out farms in order to starve workers. The kind of thing that she’s against. The Republic does bad stuff but the Confederacy has some really bad actors as well that wouldn’t mesh well with Esera’s (admittedly dying) idealism.

Esera and Grievous working together.

The Republic is fucked, but at least the Sith lord is dead.