**Chapter 506**
**Crimson Skies**
**Scene 1**
**Gray Wolf – Bridge**
**Ahsoka POV**
The bridge of the *Gray Wolf* was tense with anticipation. Ahsoka stood near the central holotable with the rest of the girls — Shin, Erictia, Zule, Flare, Kayla, Stella, Visenya, and Aayla — watching the developing situation unfold in real time. The Valahari fleet had formed up in a defensive wall above their homeworld, their advanced Tempest Zero fighters already launching in waves.
Over a hundred of the sleek, deadly starfighters were racing toward the Republic task force.
Dagon had insisted on leading the first attack run personally. His modified Skelter had already launched, a cyan-blue streak cutting through the void.
"He's really doing this alone first?" Aayla asked quietly, arms crossed tightly over her chest.
Shin nodded, her purple eyes fixed on the tactical display. "He wants to give them one last chance to stand down. But he also wants to make a statement."
Ahsoka bit her lip as Dagon's Skelter accelerated ahead of the main formation. "This feels wrong. Valahari was supposed to be neutral."
"They stopped being neutral the moment they started arming the Separatists," Kayla replied, her voice hard.
On the open comm channel, Dagon's voice rang out across the system — calm, authoritative, and carrying the full weight of his title:
"This is Dagon Marek of the Jedi Order, currently High Jedi General in the Grand Army of the Republic. You are about to attack Republic forces and violate your declared neutrality. I advise you to stand down and surrender immediately."
There was a long, heavy silence.
Then a single transmission came back from the lead Valahari fighter:
"So be it."
The Tempest Zeroes opened fire.
**Scene 2**
**Tofen Vane POV**
**Valahari Flagship – Tempest Leader**
Tofen Vane gripped the controls of his crimson Tempest Zero, rage burning in his chest like molten steel. His father's death still echoed in his mind — the explosion, the Republic ships hanging in orbit like vultures. Dooku had warned him not to underestimate Dagon Marek, but Tofen didn't care.
"Men of Valahari!" he shouted over the comms, voice thick with fury. "Show the Republic dogs how we feel about their so-called justice!"
His fighter wing surged forward — over a hundred of the most advanced starfighters in the Outer Rim. Their four forward laser cannons blazed as they closed the distance.
Then everything went wrong.
A single cyan-blue Skelter appeared like a ghost from the void. In one impossible pass, it destroyed over twenty-five Tempest fighters in a blinding storm of green fire and missiles. Tofen watched in horror as his pilots' screams filled the comm channel.
"Who did that?!" he roared.
"What was that?!"
"That was Hass Squadron — they're gone!"
Panic flooded the comms. Tofen's fighter shook violently as another twelve of his craft were shredded in seconds by the same blue fighter.
"Never mind! Focus on—" Tofen began, but his words died as a cyan-and-white starfighter danced through his formation like it was alive. Its pilot moved with impossible precision, cutting through his best pilots as if they were training drones.
Tofen's hands tightened on the controls until his knuckles turned white. "That's him… Dagon Marek."
**Scene 3**
**Dagon POV**
**Skelter R-16 – Valahari Orbit**
*Red. Why is it always red?*
I couldn't help but think it as I tore through another formation of crimson Tempest Zero fighters. Not that I was complaining — red made them easy targets against the black of space. Naboo's elite pilots, Dooku's ships, now Valahari's royal guard… it seemed noble houses had a universal love for dramatic red paint.
My Skelter danced through the enemy swarm, miniguns blazing and EMP railguns firing in controlled bursts. Each pass shredded another handful of the advanced fighters. The Valahari pilots were skilled — better than most CIS droid pilots — but they weren't prepared for me.
"General, the fleet is moving in to support," Kinaun reported. "Lancers are screening the formation."
"Acknowledged," I replied, rolling hard to avoid a burst of return fire. "Focus on disabling the larger ships. I want prisoners if possible."
I needed their commander alive. But which one was Tofen Vane?
My sensors pinged on a particularly aggressive red Tempest that kept trying to rally the others. That had to be him.
I pushed the Skelter harder, lightning crackling along the wings as I lined up another attack run. The battle was just beginning, but Valahari was already learning the cost of choosing the wrong side.