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Fleet Mistress Sarina Potter, The Light of Terra – Nul Hutta’s Orbit.

“Vagaari ships firing to port! Shields at forty percent and dropping!” reported the communications officer, while the Twi’lek watched the battle unfold from the command chair.

“Concentrate the energy from the runic clusters to port. Redirect all the energy from our starboard particle turrets toward the port cannons. I want us to bring down that cruiser as soon as possible,” Sarina ordered, while moving the holographic display of the command chair, giving the order for the fighter squadrons of the Light of Terra to focus on harassment operations against the enemy destroyers.

They did not need to bring them down, only distract them long enough for Sarina to destroy the enemy cruiser. Her calculations told her that, with the additional energy assigned to the particle cannons, it was only a matter of time before the cruiser’s shields gave way, allowing the particle cannons to tear the ship’s metal apart.

Sarina’s train of thought was interrupted when the sensors detected the destruction of another defense station, while three more had suddenly begun transmitting Imperial codes, revealing that the boarding teams had accomplished their objective and had given them the means to break the orbital battle.

“Fleet Mistress, we have a dozen new Imperial identifiers directly behind the enemy fleet, requesting orders and attack vectors!” the officer said, and Sarina wasted no time.

“Have half of the platforms focus their blasters on the destroyers, while the other half begins bombarding the orbital cannons on the surface. We need to create a landing perimeter for the descent,” Sarina said with determination, moving her hands at incredible speed around the holographic projection of the battle.

So far, Sarina had not lost a single ship. The Marauder’s harassment tactics, as well as its colossal size and monstrous weaponry, had wreaked havoc on the enemy fleet.

The new Force Jump had been an overwhelming success, so sudden and efficient that the Marauder had been able to inflict devastating damage and disappear again before the enemy could even react.

Sarina trembled at the thought of the potential that technology possessed in the art of war, but that was not an appropriate thought for this moment. She had… far too much at stake right now.

And speaking of the devil… Sarina thought, at the same time that the Imperial codes of the Marauder appeared on the holographic display, while the Force Rift appeared beside the enemy cruiser.

A second later, the enormous prow of the Marauder, specifically designed with a plasma ram capable of splitting capital ships in half like Bantha butter, emerged from the rift and sailed straight through the Vagaari cruiser, destroying its shields instantly and splitting the ship in half.

Sarina frowned and sighed heavily as she watched the escape pods scatter throughout the battlefield, many of them completely destroyed, collateral losses of this damned war, losses for which the Vagaari and the Hutt would pay dearly.

“Have our exploration drones survey the wreckage of the Vagaari ship and assign two of our frigates to recovery operations. If we are able to save even a single life, I will consider it a victory,” the Twi’lek ordered solemnly, at the same time that a transmission originating from one of the orbital defense platforms was detected by the ship’s systems.

“Fleet Mistress, Imperial Class Zero codes. The Emperor is calling,” the officer said in a voice filled with reverence, making Sarina nod softly before replying.

“Accept it and send it to my terminal,” she ordered, while watching the enemy ships begin to break formation in the face of the devastating attack from the captured platforms. Sarina silently watched as, one by one, the markers representing the larger enemy ships began disappearing, while the smaller ones desperately attempted to escape the relentless Imperial assault.

“Have our fighters pursue those scum. It is impossible for us to stop them all, but have our boys bring down as many as possible,” the Twi’lek ordered, at the same time that the Emperor’s image appeared on the bridge of the Light of Terra.

“My Emperor!” Sarina said formally, bowing before the Sovereign of the Empire, an action imitated by the rest of the officers on the bridge.

Harold was on the command bridge of the largest station in the system. His armor was stained with oil and green blood, while behind him, several legionaries could be seen executing slavers who were begging for mercy.

Evidently, finding none.

“Sarina, dear, the Hutt orbital defense network has been compromised. Half of the platforms have been destroyed, and the other half is under our control. The fleets of Mandalore, Naboo, and Onderon have pierced the planet’s defensive ring. The pirates have begun to scatter. Have the packs of frigates hunt down as many as possible,” the Emperor ordered.

Sarina nodded, having anticipated that order, and replied.

“The order has already been given, My Emperor, but due to the volume of pirate ships, it will be impossible to hunt them all down,” the Fleet Mistress warned, making Harold nod solemnly.

“It does not matter. Sooner or later, word of what happened here will spread. With the fall of Nul Hutta, we will be able to pacify the rest of the Outer Rim and bring order to the sector. We will build listening and control posts along the entire Triellus Trade Route, slowly strangling the rest of the piracy in the sector,” said the Emperor, making Sarina nod with a frown.

“That would free the Outer Rim from the presence of criminals, My Emperor, but it would push them toward other trade routes, closer to the Mid Rim and the Inner Rim of the galaxy,” the Twi’lek said, making the Emperor nod softly.

“Making piracy a problem for the Republic, not ours, and in the process forcing the inept Senate to concentrate its efforts on the pirates, giving us enough time to consolidate our conquest. I will give you the details later, but for now… I want you to see this. It is a message… from the Hutts,” said the Emperor, his face revealing only one thing.

Hatred.

For several moments, silence reigned on the bridge of the Light of Terra, until suddenly, the transmission from the station appeared: a message, evidently, showing the holographic image of an enormous and unknown Hutt, covered in gold, chains, and jewels, sitting upon an antigravity platform. His face was marked by fear, which he attempted to conceal behind an expression of arrogance.

It was a… pathetic sight, in Sarina’s humble opinion.

“Emperor Harold Potter,” his voice echoed across the command bridge. It was shrill and high-pitched, although he attempted to project authority, failing pathetically in his effort.

“Your ships have taken our skies. Your armies surround our cities. We know that you could destroy Nul Hutta in a matter of hours.”

The Hutt paused. Sarina had no doubt that the obese creature would become exhausted simply from speaking.

“But you will not,” the putrid creature said, at the same time that the image changed, revealing something as devastating as it was cruel, but something that complicated matters.

The image suddenly changed, thanks to the Lady. The image of the putrid creature disappeared, although to Sarina’s resignation, it had been replaced by something devastating.

Millions of slaves appeared on the screens. Humans, Zabraks, Twi’leks, Rodians, and dozens of other species remained imprisoned within gigantic industrial complexes, all crouched inside enormous cages like fucking animals, surrounded by darkness and filth. There were… hundreds of thousands, or even millions, an entire population turned into a shield for the pathetic Hutts.

Sarina felt an immense fury as she watched one of the disgusting Gamorreans use a whip to strike a young human woman across the back. She was bound, her face twisted in agony as she begged.

“PLEASE! MERCY!”

Her only response was the laughter of the putrid creature.

The devastating images filled Sarina and the rest of the bridge personnel with indignation. Many trembled with fury and helplessness at what their eyes were witnessing, all reaching the same conclusion.

It would be… impossible to save them all.

“Every one of them is under our protection, although if you continue with this… tantrum, I will not be able to guarantee their survival,” the Hutt replied before laughing, producing that grotesque and deep sound that both Sarina and the rest of the officers knew very well.

“Withdraw your fleet. Abandon Nul Hutta. In exchange, we guarantee the survival of the slaves.”

Then he smiled, a mocking gesture.

“But if you decide to attack… every hour that the bombardment continues, one hundred thousand of our select livestock will die.”

The hologram leaned toward the camera.

“You can destroy our planet, Emperor. But you will have to live knowing that you did it atop a mountain of innocent corpses,” the maggot exclaimed, at the same time that the transmission ended.

For several seconds, no one on the bridge said a word, all shocked, fury and hatred coursing through their bodies, everyone with a single thought in their minds…

The extermination of the Hutts.

“I want no survivors, Sarina. grubs, younglings, or eggs. Burn it all… Exterminatus Protocol approved,” he ordered, making the Twi’lek gasp.

“But, My Emperor! The innocents!” she exclaimed in surprise, but the Emperor intervened firmly.

“Sirius, Eva, Lilith, and I will do everything possible to rescue as many as we can, my love, but this is not up for discussion. This ends today. Let the plasma rain and transform this putrid planet into an arid, dead rock. I will deal with Bilbousa personally. The Hutts wanted my attention. I will give them something they will never forget.”

With that final order, the transmission was cut, and the Marauder began descending toward the planet’s orbit, directly over the capital and home of the Hutt Council, while the orbital defense platforms began repositioning themselves and, under Sarina’s solemn gaze, she watched as every single one of them began bombarding the Hutt settlements on the planet without distinction.

The Fleet Mistress inhaled deeply, calmed her mind, and prepared to finish this once and for all.

“To the entire First Imperial Fleet: Exterminatus Protocol activated. Activate orbital plasma bombardment and sweep the planet.”

At the solemn words, the bridge remained silent, but everyone followed the orders to the letter. The cruisers and the battleship began descending, as did the rest of the fleets, all prepared to execute the Protocol ordered by the Emperor.

“With this approach vector, we will reach Bilbousa in approximately six hours,” said her first officer, making Sarina nod slowly.

“Let us hope that by then, our Emperor has freed our brothers and sisters,” said the Fleet Mistress resignedly before walking toward the ship’s observation deck, her gaze fixed upon the immense swamps of Nul Hutta, filled with maggots.

“Ma’am, the cruisers report that the plasma siege cannons are ready. Orders?” the officer asked, looking expectantly toward Sarina, who could only inhale to calm her nerves before answering with determination.

“Begin the attack.”

At that order, the emerald-colored holographic terminals turned red. The Light of Terra began to tremble, while an immense emerald glow began manifesting beneath the ship, directly around the focal runic projector, which had a single function: magnifying the power and damage of the ship’s plasma batteries.

And an instant later, at the command of the woman who had once been a simple pleasure slave, nothing more than one of the millions of souls at the disposal of these putrid beings, the purge began.

The end of Nul Hutta had arrived.

General Price, close to Bilbousa – Nul Hutta.

“The bombardment has begun, General. The First, Second, and Fourth Fleets have begun crystallizing the continent. The Third Fleet is hunting the remnants of the pirate ships,” one of his captains said, making Price nod slowly as he observed the… city with veiled disdain.

“The Emperor’s message was clear. The Council has surrounded itself with as many slaves as possible, hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, using them as meat shields to slow our attack,” said the Mandalorian, at the same time that the image of the imposing Marauder began descending from the cloudy sky.

“I never get tired of seeing it,” one of his boys whispered, and Price could not help but agree.

The Marauder… was the most powerful and imposing ship in the galaxy, the Emperor’s personal Star Fortress, a floating metallic bastion that functioned as the Center of his Power. Its mere presence inspired terror in the enemies of the Empire, and the mere whisper of its name was enough to make the worst scum in the galaxy tremble. The ship’s exploits on Tatooine and Zygerria remained quite fresh in the galactic memory.

Price had heard the Hutt transmission, and he knew perfectly well that the Emperor was not going to negotiate with these vermin. His Lions were ready to do what had to be done. They had established a perimeter near the city, the soldiers had been scouting the surrounding area, and they had planned several routes to begin the attack.

When… it happened.

A rumble originating from the Marauder alerted the Lions that something was happening. The underside of the ship slowly opened, as if preparing to deploy… something.

“What the fuck is happening?” one of the legionaries asked, his voice distorted by the helmet of his armor. All of them had their full attention on the skies, where it was obvious that something was preparing to descend.

And judging by the size of the hatch, it was something big.

“We have reinforcements,” said an officer, watching as the Thunderhawks began descending.

These, unlike those assigned to the First Fleet, were golden in color, much larger and better armed than a normal landing craft, and all of them were loaded with Imperial battle droids.

And although impressive, the best was yet to come.

Alarms began sounding aboard the Marauder, while yellow sirens indicated that something was approaching… when…

BOOOOOOM!

A powerful thunderclap shook the battlefield, so powerful that the earth trembled. Hundreds of animals and birds began fleeing the area in terror, while a colossal object began descending toward the planet’s surface.

The descent was slow and controlled, and even so, the moment the immense colossus landed, the entire planet shook. It was enormous, at least one hundred meters tall, clad in ultra-heavy armor made from an ultra-processed alloy of dura-steel, chains, and machinery, with a silhouette that looked more like a… living cathedral than a war machine. Two enormous cannons occupied its arms, accumulating an emerald light that illuminated the devastation around it.

And then, to the absolute shock of everyone present, the… thing…

Spoke.

“Titan Imperator 01, Designation Prongs, deployed and ready for combat.”

The voice was deep, slow, and mechanical, extremely terrifying even to its own allies. And as if that were not enough, Price watched as it began to move, slow but continuous steps causing the ground around it to tremble.

The city’s defenses did not take long to respond. Heavy blasters, proton torpedoes, and even bombardments… all completely useless against the behemoth’s powerful shields, which was preparing to respond.

The twin cannons the beast possessed in place of hands began to glow, a brilliant green radiance heralding a devastating strike. The mechanical components around its wrists began rotating faster and faster until…

BOOOOOM!

Two plasma lances emerged from the Titan, one from each arm, shattering the planetary shield protecting the spaceport and completely vaporizing the entire outer industrial district, sowing chaos throughout the Hutt city.

“In the Name of the Emperor! I will eradicate your worthless hides from the galaxy!” exclaimed the mechanical Ser, as it began its slow advance toward the city.

The only signal Price needed.

“All right, ladies! The Emperor has been kind enough to send us reinforcements. Let’s make sure we take that fucking city once and for all! FOR THE EMPEROR!”

All the legionaries raised their rifles and fired into the air, roaring.

“FOR THE EMPEROR!”

The end of the Hutt Crusade was near. They could all feel it.

It was time to exterminate those vermin once and for all.