SWtCW: Pyrrhic Victory pt.3

Coruscant, Office of the Supreme Chancellor

“And you're quite certain our own forces will be unaffected?” the Supreme Chancellor inquired as he examined the floating diagram before him.
“Oh yes Supreme Chancellor,”  Doctor Sionver Boll trilled excitedly. “So long as our forces do not have any electronics in the immediate blast area they will be unaffected. There is zero fallout from this weapon and they can move in immediately!”
Supreme Chancellor Palpatine nodded and smiled at the bivall scientist.
“I believe you shall have your field test soon Doctor, our forces on Malastare are not fairing as well as they should, and I believe your bomb may make the difference.”
The bivall's eyes lit up excitedly. “A field test under combat conditions? Truly? Oh that would be excellent Supreme Chancellor!”
“It shall be arranged immediately then, I will assure the appropriate escort is assigned to you and contact the in theater commanders.”
As the excitable scientist hurried from his office, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine mused over the weapon before him in hologram. True, he wasn't much of a weapons expert but the idea of being able to disable mass formations of droids all at once sounded positively devastating. It would be interesting to see what Count Dooku's reaction to this would be.

Orbit of Malastare, Republic star destroyer Adamant

Master Windu examined the ongoing battle on the planet below as the lines fluctuated around points of conflict. True to their form, the Separatists had withheld their fleet, preferring to send massed waves of fighters to the aid of their embattled forces. The Republic fleet of course countered with their own starfighters and the resulting melee had yet to produce any certain results. The ground offensive too was proving difficult though to be certain some progress was being made.
“Commander Ponds, your assessment of the situation?”
“We're holding our own,” the Clone Marshal said with a shake of his head. “But that will not be good enough. General Skywalker and his native forces don't seem to be fairing particularly well.”
Master Windu nodded his agreement. Despite the initial strike by the 91st Corps that had taken the attention of the Separatists, the Dug formation led by Skywalker and Ahsoka had failed to create the promised opening. It was starting to look like a return to the previous stalemate was not only imminent but inevitable.
Sighing as he leaned back from the screen, Master Windu hit his com panel.
“Knight Skywalker.”

Surface of Malastare, behind Separatist lines

“We're a little busy at the moment Master!” Anakin shouted as Master Windu's voice came across his comlink.
“Withdraw, the front is not shifting noticeably, you and your forces are doing nothing but throwing your lives away down there.”
“We can break them!” Anakin insisted. “Just give us more time!”
“You are out of time Anakin.” Master Windu said harshly. “Get out of there, now!”
Anakin snarled and killed the connection on the comlink, looking around at his small cadre of clone troopers and their dug allies. They had to push through, they had too much at stake not to make this!
“Keep going!” he shouted above the din of combat as he slashed through a battle droid and continued forwards into the chaos.

Ahsoka swatted aside blaster bolts and severed circuitry as she fought in her Master's wake. Her blood was pounding in her skull from the exhilaration of combat, as she hacked and slashed her way through the droids before her she felt invincible, like some kind of wrathful deity come to sow destruction amongst her foes! All around her the sound of battle was unending as blasters and cannons roared their furious reports yet it all seemed to strike around her, leaving her body unscathed as she continued onwards.
A sharp cry from one of the dug troopers caught her attention and she turned to see a tank turning its cannon towards her. Gritting her teeth, Ahsoka rushed forwards as the AAT fired. She moved as if in slow motion, sliding beneath the discharged round as she slashed upwards and cut the cannon in two. She turned in exultation of her victory, only to find a blast crater where the dug had been. She caught her breath for a moment, but didn't have time to let the loss sink in as the cacophony renewed itself about her.
Looking ahead, she found Master Skywalker embattled and surrounded on all sides by droids. She jumped up and rushed towards him, slashing and cutting droids down in droves as she forced her way to him.
“Be careful Skyguy!” she shouted at him.
“Watch yourself Snips,” he replied as he diverted an incoming missile with a push of Force energy.
The projectile erupted against the armor of another tank which slewed into a droid formation, causing Ahsoka to laugh triumphantly.
“We can do it Master!”
“Just keep fighting!” Anakin ordered.

Captain Fordo gunned down the droid he'd been facing, his blaster reporting angrily as he pumped out shot after shot. Around him his clone brethren fought on despite the odds against them. Their little force, a small force of clones and hundreds of dug irregulars, really stood no chance against the Separatist forces. It was laughable really, or would have been if Fordo had a better sense of humor. He only saw the tactical situation and it was getting increasingly bad. The dug were fighting valiantly true, but valiance only went so far and in this case it was going to get them all killed.
The General and Commander certainly weren't helping matters at all with their headlong charge into the midst of the droids and armor coming towards them. They seemed intent to take on the entire Separatist force by themselves!
That sort of thing was pretty typical of General Skywalker, Fordo knew that from experience, and it seemed that Commander Tano was little better!
Still, there were times when courage was commendable and times when it was just suicidal.
This seemed to be a case of the latter in Fordo's mind.
He keyed his helmet com. “Begin withdrawal, get the dug out as you go, we're falling back.”
“The General sir?”
Fordo nodded. “I'll get him.”
With that Fordo forged his way forwards, sweeping his blaster across the enemies before him as he gunned down any that stepped in his path. He reached the General, ducking under the swing of Commander Tano's saber as he put a hand on General Skywalker's shoulder.
“Sir, time to go, now.”
The General turned to look at him.
“We can do this Fordo.”
“No sir, we can't. We're outnumbered and outgunned. We're supposed to be the diversion, not the main assault. Time to go.” he repeated sternly.
The General hesitated for a moment, pulling against Fordo's grip which tightened on his shoulder as an explosive blast washed over them.
“Sir,” Fordo pressed. “The locals are going to be slaughtered, we're not going to have any allies left if we persist.”
He saw the General swallow and then nod grimly as he pulled his comlink up to his face.
“Pull back!” he ordered.
The dugs didn't need much encouragement as they began to retreat in droves, and soon it was a regular stampede away from the Separatist forces as they pursued resolutely.

Orbit of Malastare, Republic star destroyer Adamant

“What are they doing?” Master Windu asked as he watched the Separatist lines shift and swing on their flank.
“It appears they're pursuing the local forces.” Commander Ponds said dubiously, adjusting the holomap to show the Doge's fortified palace. “I think they mean to assault the palace itself and wipe out General Skywalker's force.”
Master Windu's eyes narrowed. Skywalker might be reckless but he'd at least tried hard to push this battle through, even if the results were less than stellar.
“Re-engage them.” he ordered.
“Sir?”
“Re-engage them Ponds, you heard me. If they want to chase Skywalker then we're going to be right on their heels!”
“Yes sir.” Ponds confirmed as he began to issue the orders.
“General, a call is coming in from Coruscant.”
Master Windu sighed, the Supreme Chancellor no doubt.
“I'll take it here.” the holotank shifted to show the leader of the Republic's ever calm face. “Supreme Chancellor, how may I be of service?”
“I wished to inquire as to the offensives Master Windu.”
Master Windu sighed. “It is still in motion.”
“I am dispatching a fast courier ship with escorts to Malastare. Aboard is a Doctor Sionver Boll, she is carrying a new weapon I want you to test on the Separatist forces there.”
Master Windu frowned, what was the Supreme Chancellor up to now?
“With all due respect Chancellor, this is no time to be testing new weapons.”
“On the contrary Master Windu,” the Supreme Chancellor said admonishingly. “I believe this is precisely the time to be testing new weapons systems. This stalemate cannot continue any longer, your forces are needed elsewhere.”
Master Windu let out his breath and nodded, he couldn't deny the Chancellor's words. The GAR's forces were stretched thin, too thin in far too many places.
“When can we expect her?”
“She will be arriving in two days time, you and your forces must hold the Separatists in place until then.”
Master Windu nodded again. “I will inform Skywalker, we'll make sure Doctor Boll arrives safely.”
“Excellent,” the Supreme Chancellor said jovially. “I knew I could count on you Master Windu.”
The holonet call ended and Master Windu scowled. This engagement just kept becoming more complex. No matter, he had to contact Anakin and inform him of the change in plans...and make sure that he would be able to hold the Doge's palace until this new weapon arrived.
“Aerolift some of our heavy elements to the Doge's palace. Tell them to hold it at all costs.” he ordered.
Commander Ponds nodded. “At once General.”

Surface of Malastare, Doge's Palace

“You want us to what!?” Anakin asked in disbelief.
“Hold the enemy in place there at the palace until the Chancellor's new weapon is in place.”
Anakin shook his head. “Master Windu, you wanted us to fallback before because you didn't think we could hold against the Separatists.”
“Which proved correct.” Master Windu pointed out. “You nearly got yourselves killed.”
“And now,” Anakin continued as if Master Windu hadn't said a word. “You want us to stand and fight against the forces the Separatists are sending against us?”
Master Windu looked at Anakin sternly. “I've sent several heavy assets to help stiffen your position Anakin, use them well...and in any case, I thought you'd welcome an order to stand and fight.”
Anakin bristled slightly but nodded. He couldn't deny that he was looking forwards to the upcoming challenge...as suicidal as it might seem.
“We'll hold Master.” he said. “Just don't take too long in deploying that weapon.”
The call ended and Anakin turned to see Ahsoka watching him.
“How are you doing Snips?”
She frowned and shook her head.
“You going to keep calling me that Skyguy?”
He grinned at her. “You going to keep calling me Skyguy?”
The togruta teen sighed and crossed her arms.
“So we get to fight some more?”
He nodded. “Yep, we're going to hold here at the palace until Master Windu comes to save the day.”
Ahsoka smirked. “As if we'll need his help!”
Anakin smiled and shook his head. “We might, we have to convince the Doge that this is a good idea...and I don't think he'll want to listen to us after what just happened.”
Ahsoka's smile broadened. “I can always question his bravery again Master.”
Anakin snorted. “We'll see if that works.”