| WHEN THE EMPEROR PLANNED THE REPUBLIC'S DESTRUCTION, HE DID NOT FORESEE THE NEED FOR ALLIANCES. THE SITH WOULD SWEEP THROUGH THE GALAXY, SYSTEMATICALLY EXTERMINATING THEIR AGE-OLD JEDI ENEMIES AND DISMANTLING THE PROUD REPUBLIC. BUT THE EMPEROR'S VISION WAS CYNICAL. HE DID NOT COUNT ON THE BRAVE SACRIFICES THE REPUBLIC'S HEROES WERE WILLING TO MAKE. AFTER THE SITH OFFENSIVE SEIZED THE SESWENNA SECTOR OF THE OUTER RIM, THE IMPERIAL ARMADA TURNED ITS SIGHTS CLOSER TO THE CORE. THE MID RIM. BELIEVING THE REPUBLIC WAS STILL RECOVERING FROM ITS HEAVY LOSSES, IMPERIAL FORCES CHARGED INTO BOTHAN SPACE, WHERE THEY WERE CAUGHT OFF GUARD BY THE FULL FORCE OF THE REPUBLIC FLEET. THE REPUBLIC FLEET OBLITERATED THE IMPERIAL SQUADRON AND THE BATTLE OF BOTHAWUI BECAME THE REPUBLIC'S FIRST MAJOR VICTORY IN THE WAR. THE NEWS SPREAD ACROSS THE GALAXY, REKINDLING LOST HOPES AND RE-ENERGIZING EXHAUSTED DEFENDERS. THE REPUBLIC FLEET MOVED ON, BUT A COURAGEOUS FORCE OF JEDI AND REPUBLIC SOLDIERS REMAINED ON BOTHAWUI TO AWAIT THE EMPIRE'S RETURN. THE VENGEANCE OF THE SITH CAME SWIFTLY. IMPERIAL BATTLE CRUISERS FROM AROUND THE GALAXY CLOSED IN ON BOTHAN SPACE TO RECOUP THEIR LOSSES. A HIGH-POWERED PLANETARY SHIELD PROTECTED BOTHAWUI FROM BOMBARDMENT, FORCING THE IMPERIAL FORCES TO ENGAGE ON THE GROUND. JEDI MASTER BELTH ALLUSIS, SEVEN DOZEN OF THE ORDER'S FINEST KNIGHTS, AND FOUR THOUSAND OF THE REPUBLIC'S STRONGEST SOLDIERS DUG IN TO DEFEND THE SHIELD GENERATORS... OR DIE TRYING. THE DISPARITY ... |
