WotH Chpt 40

==War on the Horizon - Chapter 40==
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===Turn Over===
Hanger Deck, Dreadnought Class Heavy Cruiser, Katana
"Count Dooku," I greeted the Count as he stepped into the starfighter bay of the Katana. "Welcome aboard the Katana, Flagship of the Dark Force."
 
"You found the entire fleet," Dooku observed. "I admit, I did not expect for you to have such success."
 
"It took a bit, but we've got all two hundred ships plus their escorts slaved to the Katana. So, your Confederacy of Independent Systems now has the capability to secure the hyperlanes that you promised to."
 
"After some refits are made, yes," Dooku looked at the dark painted ship. "Colonel, I believe that you and your people should be compensated fairly. Name your price, and I will see to it that you are rewarded."
 
"I want the Flagship and the other ten ships we were promised," I shrugged. "That's what was in my contract, and I'll stick with that. Although, some of the refitted Consulars wouldn't be amiss. Escorts are just as important as the dreadnoughts after all."
 
"You shall have your escorts," the Count promised with a smile. "And we'll ensure that whatever refits you need done are paid for in full."
 
"I've got to get the crews trained up for these behemoths first," I chuckled. "Now, who are the two gentlemen that escorted you aboard my fine craft?"
 
"Colonel Hull, this is Jedi Knight Obi Wan Kenobi and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker." Count Dooku introduced us.
 
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Colonel," Kenobi smiled behind his beard. "We've heard a great deal about you."
 
"All good things I hope," I smiled. "Anyway, I'm not sure if any of y'all have been aboard a Rendili Star Dreadnought before but this one's layout is a touch different due to the modifications that were made before the fleet was lost."
 
"How so?" Skywalker stepped forward, clear interest in his blue gaze.
 
"Well, for one thing, this ship requires a fraction of what the typical cruiser does, with many of those jobs taken up by droid brains, it means that the crew is able to focus on different aspects of combat. Now, I won't call the design perfect by any means, but it's a significant improvement over the usual manpower requirements."
 
Anakin began chattering rapidly about the virtues of droids and different planning languages as I glanced at Obi Wan and Dooku. Both of whom had vanished from sight and left me with the chatterbox of a teenager.
 
"Great," I muttered as I facepalmed. "Real mature guys. Real mature."
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===The Nature of the Mercenaries===
 
"Siri," Obi Wan nodded at his fellow Knight. "I'm glad to see that you're in good health."
 
"Good health," Siri began to laugh. "Obi Wan, I'm still recovering from combat with a Shade. And I am now indebted twice to your mercenary unit, Count."
 
"I am not so certain that Colonel Hull or his troops will see it that way," Dooku stroked his beard. "They will simply see it as a part of their duties while under contract if I have read them correctly."
 
"All the same," Siri replied. "I will repay that debt."
 
"Where did you encounter a shade?" Kenobi changed the subject. "And how were you able to cleanse the taint of the Dark Side so thoroughly?"
 
"There was a derelict deep in the void," Siri sighed and sat down in her chair. "I have no idea how old it was, but there was minimal power and the Dark Side was entrenched in the place where the Shade had made its home." Siri glanced at the ground before inhaling deeply and exhaling her worries.
 
"After your combat with the Sith that slew your master, I delved deeply into the archives, hoping to find something that would enabled me to fight against the Dark Side if the worst of my visions had come to pass."
 
"So you fought the Shade and overcame it." Dooku nodded in affirmation. "It is good that you were able to overcome it, even if you do retain some injuries. Tell me, how did Colonel Hull and his soldiers react."
 
"It was strange," she noted. "They seemed more upset that I attempted to fight it alone than that I tried to defend them. In fact Colonel Hull is in possession of a lightsaber and believes that he could have dispelled or banished the Shade."
 
"Did he inform you of how he came to possess said saber?" Obi Wan asked. "That is a dangerous weapon in the hands of someone who is not a Jedi."
 
"The man owns warships," Siri palmed her face. "A lightsaber pales in comparison to the damage that one of his vessels can do when combined with the rest of his soldiers."
 
"And I would wager that the good Colonel does not see that lightsaber as anything other than a tool to be used in combination with the rest of his soldiers weaponry," the Count added. "I caution against attempting to reclaim said lightsaber. He and his people take salvage rights very seriously."
 
"Surely not that seriously?" Kenobi arched an eyebrow.
 
"Obi Wan, they found an ancient derelict, boarded it, allowed me to kill a dark side shade, and then decided they were going to take it back to get modernized." Siri sighed. "Trust me, they take salvage more seriously than any species I've ever encountered. And they've spread it to their new recruits as well. They have dedicated teams that are trained to pull enemy vehicles and equipment off of the field while under fire to drag back for repair and use."
"Surely you are joking." Obi Wan leaned forward.
 
"She is not," Dooku spoke up in a quiet voice. "I was able to oversee some of the training that they gave to the militia on Serenno, and they indeed train people on how to pull salvage off of the battlefield while under fire. They are skilled engineers and talented at picking apart what may be used in a short period of time. Their training seems to be oriented on the basis that they will always have limited resources and that they must make do with the what they can recover from the field. They have equipped their teams accordingly, and are always ensuring that they have ample supplies of food and other stuffs. They are strangely concerned with starvation more than with the potential of running out of munitions."
 
Dooku then paused and held up a hand as the door slid open, revealing a still chattering padawan and a harried looking Mercenary commander.
 
"Thank God," Colonel Hull sagged in relief. "Dooku, I leave the padawan in y'all's hands. I.. have an inspection to go perform."
 
"Of course," Dooku smirked. "An Inspection, you say. Perhaps you can give me a tour of the ship as well?"
 
"Absolutely," Hull noted the look in Dooku's eye. "Knight Tachi, you are familiar with the Katana, surely you can have your own apprentice board so that you may show him around."
 
Siri glared at the Colonel for a minute before sighing heavily with a nod of assent.
 
"Yes, Colonel, I'm certain that Ferus will be ecstatic to see one of his fellow Padawans," Siri turned to Obi Wan. "In fact, I believe our padawans should spend some time reconnecting, yes?"
 
"Yes, Anakin, you will wait in the starfighter bay for Padawan Olin, while I continue to speak with Siri and the good Colonel, here."
 
"Yes, master," Anakin rolled his eyes as he could clearly see what was going on. "I'll be waiting in the hanger bay."
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Chapter 40