Eriadu satellite had fallen!!
As the satellite's orbital defense systems began firing on the Republic fleet, the struggle for the Eriadu system had finally reached its true decisive point!
Eriadu!
Without the slightest pause, Sefrans Tann led her fleet in an assault formation and relentlessly pursued Wilhuff Tarkin's 18th Army fleet!
Opportunities like this were rare, because Wilhuff Tarkin was also a formidable opponent. He seldom allowed his fleet to reveal any openings.
And now was the best possible opportunity!
Because Tarkin had previously misjudged the timing of the satellite's fall, his fleet had pushed too far forward, moving too close to the satellite's orbit. Once Eriadu satellite surrendered, the 18th Army fleet was directly exposed to the Fourth Civilization fleet's firepower.
Each time the 50-meter-caliber Hypermatter Railgun at the bow of a Kohl-class Battlecruiser fired, it unleashed an incomparably brilliant beam of light, accompanied by a devastating impact that tore the retreating Republic warships ahead completely apart!
The Dreadnought-class heavy cruisers also deployed their heavy Turbolasers and fired continuously!
The Republic fleet kept retreating. After paying the terrible price of seven Hunter Class Battlecruisers and more than thirty small and medium-sized warships destroyed, it finally fell back to the vicinity of the heavily armed space stations in Eriadu's high orbit.
This was already their final line of defense. Beyond it lay Eriadu's atmosphere!
Yet Sefrans Tann's offensive showed no sign of stopping. She had no intention of reorganizing her fleet at all, only of maintaining a ceaseless assault.
However, under her superb command, the Fourth Civilization fleet was indeed making adjustments.
First, all damaged starfighters were withdrawn from the Sova-class Carriers and transported to Eriadu satellite, where they could be repaired in the better-equipped ground factories.
All wounded personnel were also transferred to the satellite's hospitals for better treatment.